From Cure:
In Situ Cancer: Is it really cancer?
"The latin phrase “in situ,” meaning “in place,” is used in the context of cancer to describe abnormal cells that have not escaped the part of the body where they developed, thus DCIS specifically refers to abnormal cells in the lining of a milk duct that have not invaded surrounding breast tissue."
Breast Cancer: Adjuvant hormonal treatment
"Adjuvant therapies for breast cancer can include radiation, chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapies, such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, or AIs, which are prescribed particularly for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. "
Mesothelioma
While lung cancer affects the airways of the lung itself, pleural mesothelioma affects the tissues lining the lung and the chest ... can also grow across the thin mesothelial tissue that lines the abdomen (peritoneum) or, rarely, the heart or testicles. Mesothelioma is unusual in that it’s tightly linked with an environmental cause—asbestos exposure, which accounts for more than 80 percent of cases."
From St. Jude's Hospital:
St. Jude first to describe new statistical method
"Statisticians at St. Jude have developed a technique that allows researchers to statistically analyze results of clinical trials in which all participants receive the new treatment being studied and none is assigned to a control group that gets the existing treatment. Instead, the treatment group is compared with a so-called “historical control” composed of patients who got the existing treatment in a previous study."
Hearing loss models could lead to new treatments
"Children with cancer who suffer hearing loss due to the toxic effects of chemotherapy might one day be able to get their hearing back through pharmacological and gene therapy, thanks to work done with mouse models at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital."
Cancer Survival Rates
5 year cancer survival rates from 1962 to present.
Switching cancer drugs on at the right place
"Clinicians might one day treat patient who have cancer more effectively and with fewer side effects by administering inactive drugs that get “turned on” only when they reach cancer cells, according to a team of St. Jude investigators."
From the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society:
Thioguanine Too Toxic for Maintenance Treatment of Childhood Leukemia
"Because of its hepatotoxicity and its increased risk of fatal infection, 6-thioguanine should not replace 6-mercaptopurine as the optimal continuing therapy in children with lymphoblastic leukemia in remission, UK researchers report in the October 14th issue of The Lancet."
From the American Institute for Cancer Research:
Entice Your Tastebuds and Fight Breast Cancer, Too
"Vegetables and fruits have a high water content. That’s why you can eat plenty of them without getting too many calories. Eating lots of deeply colored vegetables and fruits also gets you the most health-protective compounds, called phytochemicals, along with vitamins and minerals." There is a week's worth of recipes included on the site!
From Medlineplus:
Suicide Risk Doubles After Cancer Diagnosis
"Although their overall incidence of suicide is still low, cancer patients are more than twice as likely to take their own lives compared to those in the general population."
From BBC News:
'Personalised' cancer drug test
"A gene test that predicts which cancer drugs will be most effective for different people is to be trialled in the US."
From the American Cancer Society:
Study Identifies Women with Breast Cancer Most Likely To Benefit from Aromatase Inhibitor after 5 Years of Tamoxifen
"While some breast cancer survivors could benefit from adding aromatase inhibitors to the standard five years of tamoxifen, a new study shows the additional therapy should be weighed carefully for each individual. Writing in the December 1, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study’s authors say potential improvement in cancer-free survival beyond 5 years with the added therapy may be less than 2 percent for most patients. "
From the FDA:
FDA Approves New Treatment for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Taxotere (docetaxel) Injection Concentrate for use in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil prior to radiotherapy for the treatment of patients with inoperable, locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). This disease represents approximately 3 percent of all new cancer cases in the United States."
From ComScore Networks: Measuring the Digital Age:
Cancer Sufferers and Caregivers Take Their Fight Against Cancer Online
Check out the study! Some findings were: Among people who researched cancer information online in the past year, breast cancer was the most frequently researched form of the disease. 70 percent of researchers seek details on treatment options, while an equal percentage look for information on symptoms for diagnosing the condition. More than half (52 percent) seek information on causes of cancer, 40 percent research information on cancer drugs and 38 percent seek help in coping with cancer. Health Reminders: Put ICE (in case of emergency) on your cell phone with the best contact!!!
Cancer Related Websites:
Caring Bridge
From the website: "CaringBridge® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization offering free personalized Web sites to those wishing to stay in touch with family and friends during significant life events. Our mission is to bring together a global community of care powered by the love of family and friends in an easy, accessible and private way."
Lotsa Helping Hands
From the website: "Lotsa Helping Hands is a simple, immediate way for friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors to assist loved ones in need. It's an easy-to-use, private group calendar, specifically designed for organizing helpers, where everyone can pitch in with meals delivery, rides, and other tasks necessary for life to run smoothly during a crisis. "
LiveStrong: Survivor Stories
Find stories of cancer survivors by type of cancer and gender. Watch the video or read the transcript!
TIP: Put ICE as a contact on your mobile phone In Case of Emergency!!!
