21.4.07
Gleevec stops return of rare stomach cancer
Filed under: Drug, Chemotherapy, Stomach Cancer, Research, Daily news
Cancer drug Gleevec, used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), has been pulled out of another round of testing so it can get to work stopping the return of a rare stomach cancer. It's that good, according to findings announced on Thursday.
The promise of Gleevec should make it standard treatment for people with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), a stomach and intestine cancer diagnosed in 5,000 to 6,000 Americans each year.
The drug has already been used for patients whose disease is too advanced for surgery. Now it will be used for those whose tumors can be removed. The drug will be administered for at least one year post-surgery.
More than 600 people participated in this Gleevec trial. Each person took either Gleevec or a sugar pill for one year after surgery. After the one-year mark, cancer returned in 17 percent of people taking the sugar pill and in 3 percent of people taking the actual drug.
Since 50 to 90 percent of GIST cases recur over time, this is great news, say researchers who call Gleevec a highly targeted cancer drug with few side effects.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsResource for helping those close to you diagnosed with cancer
Filed under: All Cancers, Books, Cancer Caregivers
While reading the spring issue of Cure Magazine I came across an article on a book called Help Me Live: 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know.
I have not read the book but I think it would be a great resource for those who have a family or friend with cancer. There is a need for a guide --I think this book can fill that gap.
Why would a guide be needed? I have found throughout my cancer journey that fellow survivors have many stories of unthoughtful, tasteless, ridiculous and sometimes funny comments from those around them. We can laugh at a lot of the comments because we know the person means well -- but sometimes it does go too far and can hurt.
What this book does is give the friend or family member some insight on what would be most helpful to the cancer patient. Based on the author's own experience with the disease and other survivors, each chapter tells intimate stories about one of the 20 most important messages people with cancer want to convey.
Help Me Live will help you find the word or gestures to show how much you care. There is never a 'right thing' to say or do but learning how to communicate effectively is very important.
This book can also be helpful to the cancer survivors themselves says Kathy Latour who wrote the article in Cure Magazine. She says "This book is not just for its intended audience of friends and caregivers, but for cancer patients too. In part, it affirms the cutting edge comments we made when Uncle Jack said something tasteless and painful. But in addition to reminding me of the many challenging people in my journey, the stories also revealed ways I could have handled them a little better"
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Thought for the Day: The facts on fish
Filed under: All Cancers, Research, Diets, Thought for the Day
Ever wonder what fish to eat, what fish to avoid, what fish is healthy, what fish is cancer-causing? I do. I'm looking into this whole fish thing. And while my search for information is in no way exhaustive and my findings are far from conclusive, I have found some interesting fishy facts and figures.
Think about this:
Fish definitely has health benefits. It's low in fat, high in protein, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Americans love this. How do I know? Because on average, each of us eats a record 16.6 pounds of fish every year. Our intake of shrimp and salmon has doubled, in fact, since 1994.
Fish definitely has its drawbacks too. Headlines repeatedly warn us of dangerous contaminants in lakes, rivers, and oceans. Don't forget about mercury, the biggest fish health hazard. It's been linked to neurological problems in developing fetuses and children, making consumption of shark, swordfish, tilefish (aka golden snapper or golden bass), king mackeral, canned albacore tuna, and tuna steaks a no-no for hoards of women and children.
For just about everyone else, the benefits of eating moderate amounts of seafood greatly outweigh the risks. Just watch out for those PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) -- possible carcinogenic chemical compounds that end up in some seafood.
To avoid PCBs, steer clear of farmed salmon which contains high levels of these compounds or limit your intake to less than one single eight-ounce meal per month. Opt for the wild variety of salmon to avoid this concern altogether. Or take the side of the FDA. Their reports say salmon is a powerhouse when it comes to protecting heart and developing cancer from this source is much lower than the risk of heart disease.
Source: Good Housekeeping, April 2007Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Yoga good for the soul and breast cancer too
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Research, Stress Reduction, Exercise, Daily news
Surely, everyone can benefit in some way from yoga. Women with breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast, however, may benefit greatly from a tailored program featuring gentle yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation.The great benefits: less pain and fatigue and more vigor, relaxation, and acceptance," says Dr. James W. Carson from Duke University Medical Center and lead of a study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.
Carson says women with advanced breast cancer need effective methods for curbing cancer-related symptoms.
The pilot study included 13 women who attended yoga classes once per week for eight weeks. The women, with an average age of 59 and with diagnoses occurring an average of seven years earlier, were helped significantly. They felt more invigorated and gained a greater sense of acceptance. They also found they felt better not only on the day they practiced yoga but the next day too.
This study offers the first, small-scale evidence for yoga's potential benefits for women with limited life expectancy.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsMarijuana halts lung cancer growth by half
Filed under: Drug, Lung Cancer, Research, Daily news
More and more media reports are mentioning the potential merits of marijuana. The most recent headlines say the active ingredient in the drug cuts tumor growth in common lung cancers in half and greatly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread.Researchers at Harvard University tested marijuana's main ingredient, delta-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, in both lab and mouse studies and say their experiments are the first to show THC inhibits the growth of cancer.
Researchers are not certain why THC inhibits tumor growth, but it could be that the substance activates molecules that arrest the cell cycle. THC may also interfere with angiogenesis and vascularization, which promotes cancer growth.
There is a long way to go in the study of THC. Yet "the beauty of this study is that we are showing that a substance of abuse, if used prudently, may offer a new road to therapy against lung cancer," says Anju Preet, Ph.D., a researcher in the Division of Experimental Medicine.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Thought for the Day: Lucy arrives in heaven
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Cancer Survivors, Thought for the Day
I'd never met Lucy. And I don't know how she died. I do know she was a loving pet for my friend Adriene, a breast cancer survivor diagnosed with the disease at the same time I was told the dreaded beast was living in my body.I've never met Adriene. We've communicated only through e-mail and letters and packages and holiday cards. Still, we have a friendship, anchored in shared experience.
Through our friendship, I've come to learn that Adriene and Lucy were the best of friends who relied on one another through good times and bad. Their love was mutual, strong, and evident to those who knew the pair.
Lucy passed away on Monday. I was notified by Adriene who directed me to a new post on her photo journal.
Think about this, a message from Adriene:
Lucy was sent to the heavens on Monday, April 16, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. I was lucky to have her in my arms as I gave her over to her spiritual playmates who will take care of her and give her the room to play and be the loving dog that she was here on earth. I was blessed to have Lucy as my constant companion. She traveled the U.S. trekking cross-country three times, traveled up and down the eastern seaboard, road the subways of Boston, and graced the pages of American Photography magazine not once, but twice. She was a famous dog who had a reputation for the devilish behavior she possessed. We all loved her for the spirit she was and I will always respect the gifts she gave me as she carried my soul from illness to wellness. Rest in Peace, Lucy. I will always keep you close to my heart.