Weekly Links - 10/2/08
Posted on October 2, 2008 6:34 PM
October is here, and with it a fresh dose of cancer news. It's hard to believe it's already been a month since the big show! But time marches on, and so does the research that will hopefully one day lead to the end of cancer. Like the recent discovery at Northwestern of a gene variation that is linked with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. Funnily enough, the mutation is also associated with obesity - usually a risk factor for developing the disease.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081002/cancer_gene_081002/20081002?hub=Health
Meanwhile, a new study indicates that more and more women are getting genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer - twice as many as were getting it just a few years ago.
http://www.nbc6.net/news/17608407/detail.html
And researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research are in the process of developing a test that could better tailor treatments for men with aggressive forms of metastatic prostate cancer.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081001094340.htm
Breast cancer treatment often leads to early menopause and the nasty symptoms that come with it - hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings. Now research is beginning to show that alternative medicine can help. In one study, hypnosis was used to ease hot flashes; in another, acupuncture was seen to relieve similar symptoms.
http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINTRE4915CZ20081002
http://astro.org/PressRoom/NewsReleases/2008NewReleases/documents/Walker.pdf
Access to screening and treatment is an ongoing issue in the US, and with the government in major financial trouble it's a problem that seems unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. That's why the Arizona Myeloma Network is reaching out to the state's Native American communities. "We have a responsibility," the network's founder said. "They have a high morbidity rate."
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/09/29/daily56.html
Avid readers of our Weekly Links series know how much I love it when a cure comes from an unlikely place. Like, say, scorpion venom. Radioactive scorpion venom. It's not just for comic books anymore!
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hdE5Tm0xs6ITxYvaGnhdL9bjGBMQ
And finally, the FDA just cleared Alimta - otherwise known as pemetrexed - for first-line treatment against lung cancer. Fingers crossed that this new drug can help where others have failed.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080930/BUSINESS/809300333/1003/BUSINESS
Well, that's all we've got this week, but we'll see you next Thursday for more!
--Cat
Why not eat healthy?
Posted on October 6, 2008 2:13 PM
Here are some excuses you might be familiar with:
- "I don't have time." Tell me about it! I just ate half of a BBQ chicken pizza, and - as if that wasn't healthy enough - I chased it with a handful of cheese puffs...all because those were the closest foods to my mouth when I was hungry. It happens.
- "The chemo is making me nauseous." There are a few tips that help for some people, but for others, eating while in treatment isn't easy. We all just do the best we can.
- "I don't know what is and isn't healthy. " That excuse is history! Read on.
What's healthy? Here's a simple formula that you can use to pick the right foods:
- Eat a little protein each meal. Meat, fish, eggs, cheese, tofu, beans. Pick lean sources whose protein to fat ratio is 1:1 or greater (i.e. at least one gram of protein for every one gram of fat).
- Eat something green. Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Romaine lettuce. General rule of thumb: the darker the green, the better it is for you.
- Eat something orange. Oranges, sweet potatoes, squash, cantaloupe, mango, papaya. If orange is not available, red is your second choice: tomatoes, red peppers, strawberries.
- Eat whole grains. Whenever available, pick whole foods over processed foods: all kinds of beans, brown rice over white, whole wheat flour instead of white flower, chicken barley soup instead of chicken noodle soup.
- Choose fresh fruits for dessert instead of cakes and cookies.
Sometimes everyone gets too busy to eat healthy - it's a fact. As best as possible, you have to have a plan in advance for how you handle those days. Sure, every once in a while you have no choice but to stop for a burger and fries or risk imminent starvation. Knowing that you can eat the fun stuff sometimes might help you balance your meals the rest of the time. But, in general, try the local grocery store salad bar for a cheap, quick, healthy meal instead of the drive-thru.
Although I've never gone through it myself, I know several people who lost their appetites during chemo. There are no magical new healthy eating rules with chemo: it's a matter of figuring out how to keep the same good foods down. Here are a few tips:
- Eat small meals at no less than three-hour intervals, up to six per day.
- Even if you don't want to put yet another drug in your body, some of the anti-nausea medicine can help you keep food down. If it works for you, take it.
- Sometimes a short walk before trying to eat can prep your system to receive the food. In any case, even sometimes at the peak of the chemo, it is good to keep your system pumping with a little walk.
- Even if you might have been a salad fanatic before, sometimes you have to switch over to well-cooked foods during chemo in order to make them easier to digest. Steaming is a good way to cook foods and maintain their nutritional value.
Eating healthy can be a real pain in the neck and, even harder, sometimes you can't see the results right away. Over time, however, you will notice a big difference in your energy and your health.
-- Jules, SU2C.org
Help From Unexpected Places
Posted on October 8, 2008 12:56 PM
SU2C is building a movement - and we couldn't do it without the generosity of the American people, who can always find a few dollars to spare for a good cause even in tough economic times like these.
Of course, sometimes a cash windfall comes from an unexpected source. Just ask Casey Taylor, the college student from Austin who was surprised to find an Olympic gold medal in a velvet box under her seat on an airplane. Taylor reunited the medal with its owner, swimmer Brendan Hansen, and in return was awarded $8,000. So what did she do? Donate half to the Red Cross and half to SU2C! Check out a video from the Today Show in SUTV (under Uprising) to learn more.
Thanks, Casey - your generosity is definitely appreciated!
Weekly Links - 10/9/08
Posted on October 9, 2008 1:18 PM
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this week brings a lot of news related to the disease, which will strike an estimated one in eight US women. First up: more news on the genetic testing front as an Icelandic company announces it has developed a screening test for some of the most common forms of breast cancer. The DNA test, which uses a blood sample or a cheek swab, costs $1,625 and looks for seven variations in the human genome that have been linked to the disease. But critics question the test's reliability - as well as the notion of genetic testing in general.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/07/AR2008100702682.html
Meanwhile, new research indicates that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - known to you and me as painkillers - are associated with a reduced risk for breast cancer. But physicians warn that for the time being, the data should be viewed as an unexpected perk to the commonplace use of aspirin and ibuprofen, not a reason to start taking the over-the-counter drugs even more.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/10/09/nsaids-might-lower-breast-cancer-risk.html
In other women's cancer news, federal health officials say that one in four US teenage girls have received the cervical cancer vaccine since its introduction. Supporters of the vaccine were hoping for much higher vaccination rates, but epidemiologists say that families are wary of new vaccines, doubting their long-term safety and efficacy. (The fact that the shots retail for around $400 doesn't help, either.)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hMjMMeVViJJInF9KTuuG_T23A4lwD93N4QMG0
Speaking of HPV, just the other day Harald zur Hausen, the German scientist credited with discovering the link between the common STD and cervical cancer, was recognized for his groundbreaking work with a little something called the Nobel Prize in medicine. Congrats, Harald!
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081007/NEWS07/810070373/1009
Good news for smokers! (How often do you hear that?) A new study shows that drinking red wine - and yes, it has to be red - can reduce the risk of lung cancer, especially among current and former smokers. "People who had ever smoked and who drank at least a glass of red wine daily were 60 percent less like to develop lung cancer than ever-smokers who didn't drink alcohol," the researchers found. Another point for resveratrol!
http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINTRE4987L120081009
Unfortunately, the news this week isn't all sunny. Progress against cancer may be continuing apace here in the Western world, but the disease is set to become the next big epidemic in developing countries. Estimates show that the disease is responsible for taking 20 million lives in the developing world annually - and that number could easily rise to over 50 million new cases annually if something isn't done.
http://www.ghanaian-chronicle.com/thestory.asp?id=8775&title=%3Cb%3ECancer%20kills%2020%20million%20people%20in%20%20Africa%20annually%3C/b%3E
How about a little piece of breast cancer news from good old LA, which SU2C calls home, to round out this week's links? An upcoming benefit for breast cancer patients at the Lucky Strike Lanes in Hollywood could draw an unexpected crowd thanks to its title: "Bowling for Boobies." Hey, you gotta give us Angelenos credit for keeping it real.
http://blogs.courant.com/roger_catlin_tv_eye/2008/10/worst-name-for-a-cancer-event.html
That's it for this week. See you next Thursday!
--Cat
Weekly Links - 10/16/08
Posted on October 16, 2008 12:03 PM
It's not always easy to contribute to charitable causes like SU2C - especially when the economy's on a downturn. That's why movies like "Living Proof," which profiles SU2C friend Dr. Dennis Slamon, are so helpful - because they remind us of how even the smallest contributions can make a big difference for researching fighting cancer. "Living Proof" tells the story of the development of Herceptin and airs Saturday at 9 EDT on Lifetime.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/10/16/entertainment/e085255D01.DTL
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the opportunities to help out in the battle against breast cancer have never been more plentiful. If you use Clinique moisturizer, buy a bottle this month and $10 of your purchase will go to cancer research - and that's just one example of the many "pink products" available this month. The below article details more.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2008274402_zliv16pinkproducts.html
Some research in the past has suggested that caffeine intake could be linked to breast cancer risk. But a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine clears up any confusion on the topic. While caffeine may affect breast cancer progression, researchers say, there is no reason to suggest that it ups breast cancer risk.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2008/10/caffeine-probab.html
The same cannot be said for cigarettes, of course, and new research indicates that the risk is greater than we previously believed. It's not just cigarette smoke but nicotine in general that spurs the growth of breast cancer - meaning both secondhand smoke and nicotine replacement therapies should be avoided.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/10/16/nicotine_found_to_spur_breast_cancer_growth/
On to more heartwarming news. Just yesterday, Annette Bloch, the widow of an H&R Block founder and a breast cancer survivor, donated $20 million to the University of Kansas, where she was successfully treated earlier this year. "I feel so lucky and so blessed that I can do this," Bloch said. "I know that if my husband were alive, he would be just thrilled that I am."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jBv4kzoraDAXSY5_t1jOthg-dQbQD93QJPDO0
And finally, more news on this year's most controversial cancer topic, the link between cell phones and brain cancer. A new study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer takes a hard line on mobile phone use, finding that the chances of developing a malignant tumor are "significantly increased" in those who've used a cell phone for ten years. "To underestimate the risk would be a complete disaster," said the professor in charge of the study.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/health/3208416/Mobile-phones-increase-risk-of-cancer-study-says.html
Got an opinion on cell phones or anything else? Share it in our forums!
That's all for this week, but we'll be back next Thursday with more news you can use . . .
--Cat
My Crazy Sexy Healing Adventure
Posted on October 17, 2008 11:59 AM
New York City, February 14, 2003. I should have been out with friends, or better yet, with that hot guy from yoga class. Instead I was at the doctor's office, lying on an exam table while a concerned nurse passed an ultrasound scanner across my belly. I'd come in with shortness of breath and abdominal cramps. I just thought I'd overdone it partying at a film festival. Showing off for that guy in yoga class probably didn't help.
When I asked the nurse what she saw, she said, "You'll have to speak with the doctor." The mood in the room immediately changed. Something was wrong. "The surface of your liver is covered with tumors," she told me. "It's so bad it looks like Swiss cheese." I panicked! After a biopsy, more blood tests, and body scans, the doctor found ten more tumors in my lungs. My family came to be with me as I got the diagnosis: epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, a rare, inoperable and incurable sarcoma.
I was only 31, an up-and-coming photographer and actress. Just a few weeks ago I'd starred in two Bud Light commercials that had aired during the Super Bowl. How could I have cancer? It seemed so unreal. I didn't look sick, I didn't feel sick. Luckily the cancer was slow-moving. Since I was asymptomatic, the specialist recommended a "watch and wait" approach for the next two months.
No way could I casually sit on a time bomb! "Is there anything I can do?" I pleaded.
"Just try and live a normal life," the doctor said.
What? How could I live with cancer without thinking of dying every day? No thanks. Instead I decided to take a "watch and LIVE approach" and make a plan of action.
The only thing I knew I could control was what I put in my body, and by that I mean what I ate, drank and thought. So I immediately began to focus on building my immune system through diet and lifestyle. To prepare myself for my journey, I made a little sacred space in my apartment. I covered a table with pictures of my favorite people, candles, my grandma's rosary, a rock from my mom's garden. Twenty minutes a day I sat there, giving myself pep talks and saying prayers. For the first time in my life I could hear my inner voice. "Totally renovate your life," it said. Yes! Soon after my revelation, I quit my job to become a full-time healing junkie. My old idea of nutrition was what to eat to whittle away my figure for acting jobs: PowerBars, coffee, fat-free this, takeout that. Now I had to learn how to eat to nourish my body. I read books, took seminars and certification holistic health programs. Finally, I gravitated toward a raw and living foods approach to cleanse and repair my body. The more I flooded my cells with fresh green vegetable juices, flushed my body of toxins and eliminated all processed foods, refined sugar and animal products, the better I felt.
To strengthen my attitude and spirit, I looked for books or movies about young women with cancer. But everything was geared toward either kids or people much older than me, and most of it was really sappy or depressing.
Cancer needed a makeover, and I decided I was just the gal to do it. I began writing and filming my journey. I documented everything and everyone. The video camera was my buddy. I talked, it listened. It made cancer a project. It made me an artist, not a victim; a director, not a patient.
I longed to hear stories from other women, but I wasn't into support groups. (In truth, I was too chicken.) So I called everyone in my address book and asked, "Do you know any young women with cancer?"
I got connected to women who understood me in a way no one else could. Cancer Babes, I call them. Some of them even let me interview them for my documentary, Crazy Sexy Cancer, and for my first book Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips.
By August I needed a break, so my best friend and I took a road trip to New Mexico. "Inward Bound," we called it. Our spiritual adventure. We went on daily pilgrimages to churches and monasteries and took in the soulful sights of the desert.
One day, walking through the Santa Fe Indian Market, I came upon two little girls chasing each other, their laughter bursting through the air.
"My heart is jumping," one said to the other. "Is yours?"
"Yes," I said softly. "Yes."
I watched them twirl and spin, wondering what would happen if I let go like that. Maybe my heart would jump so high it would shatter everything that was holding me back. I knew in that moment that everything I needed for the light to shine through was inside me; I just needed to break open.
That sense of possibility must have been what drew me to spend the rest of that summer at Upaya, a beautiful Zen monastery. My mind was cluttered with fear, unable to harness the full spectrum of my healing potential. Getting still was the only solution. Meditation had never been my thing. Those last five minutes of yoga class, where you breathe deeply and meditate, were torture.
My first evening at the monastery was embarrassingly painful. All my emotional junk came pouring out in a flood of tears. But it felt good to release the weight I'd been carrying. As the weeks went by I blossomed. Beneath my junk lay a wealth of healing potential. A new zest for life and mountains of creativity were pouring out of me and I was so grateful. Plus the monks were kinda sexy. Just kidding!
I think all that emotional release opened me up to meeting my soul mate. Brian was an acquaintance, a film editor I asked to help me shoot and edit my documentary. Pretty soon we were together constantly, 16-hour editing sessions full of creativity, laughter and a blossoming friendship.
I knew I was really falling for the guy when I tried to protect him by breaking up with him. "This is my burden," I said. "You have your whole life ahead of you. Find a healthy chick and be normal."
He refused. "I love you, you are healthy, and I'm staying," he said. "Let's take it one day at a time and work with what we've got, okay?"
Brian and I got married and moved to a little house in Woodstock, NY. The cancer is stable, not growing and I am proud to call myself a survivor - with cancer.
Cancer is no gift, but for me, it was a catalyst. It gave me the freedom to dump my baggage, to learn to eat properly and take care of myself, to take risks, to really live a life full of sass and fireworks.
-- Kris Carr
Kris Carr has an online forum at crazysexylife.com. Check out the Crazy Sexy Cancer site at crazysexycancer.com.
Weekly Links - 10/23/08
Posted on October 23, 2008 1:14 PM
Big news this week as the President's Cancer Panel - including SU2C friend Lance Armstrong - releases a report stating that the US has become complacent in its war on cancer. The report calls for a three-pronged approach that includes "comprehensive health care reform." And yes, both Senator Obama and Senator McCain got a copy.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/23/AR2008102301209.html
This article from US News & World Report envisions a very different future when it comes to cancer diagnosis and therapy, a world where cancers are treated with a simple, noninvasive outpatient procedure and destroyed at the first hint of recurrence. "Sound like pure fantasy?" the author asks. "It isn't."
health.usnews.com/articles/health/cancer/2008/10/23/breaking-cancers-gene-code.html
Meanwhile, a column in the LA Times looks at just how little we still understand about the disease by telling the incredible story of a patient who survived after undergoing alternative treatment. "Just when I think I can predict a disease's deadly outcome, along comes someone to remind me how little we truly know about cancer," writes Dr. Marc Siegel. "Sometimes, a patient survives against all probability, and I am left not knowing why."
www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-practice20-2008oct20,0,7897777.column
This first-person account of one patient's Relay For Life experience and the lesson he learned as a result is a hilarious and beautiful read. "My father is a southern gentleman of the old school," writes Steve Tuttle. "He is a man of few words, and if he had his druthers, one of those words would not be 'testicular.'"
www.newsweek.com/id/164630
In 1980, black women and white women in Chicago were equally likely to die of breast cancer. In the intervening 28 years, however, the mortality gap grew and grew. Now research shows that twice as many black women in the city are dying of breast cancer. If there were ever a convincing argument for the importance of health care reform, I'd say this is it.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-breast-cancer-mainoct22,0,3616297.story
Finally, this week brought yet another update on Gardasil, the sometimes-controversial cervical cancer vaccine - and this time the news is good. After an extensive evaluation, the CDC has concluded that Gardasil is perfectly safe, and that the few deaths previously associated with the vaccination were actually unrelated. With over 4,000 US women dying annually of cervical cancer, that's definitely something to be excited about.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/22/AR2008102203058.html
Well, that's all for this week, but check in next Thursday for more up-to-the-minute cancer news!
--Cat
The Candidates on Cancer
Posted on October 28, 2008 4:16 PM
With the 2008 presidential election just a week away, do you know the candidates' stance on health care in general and cancer in particular? Both Senator McCain and Senator Obama have pledged to increase federal funding for cancer research, among other measures, and both have sections on their websites dedicated to their plans. Check 'em out:
McCain: http://www.johnmccain.com/issues/healthcare/fc.htm
"He will work to better coordinate the efforts between the government sector and the private sector, especially with a focus on translational research so new discoveries in laboratories can be translated quickly and more efficiently to patients' bedsides . . . Importantly, John McCain recognizes the need to understand the reasons behind the onset of cancer are just as important as the research to treat it. He has co-sponsored legislation that would create research centers that would study environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer."
Obama: http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/healthcare/Fact_Sheet_Cancer_FINAL.pdf
"Their plan will provide additional funding for research on rare cancers and those without effective treatment options; for the study of health disparities and evaluation of possible interventions; and efforts to better understand genetic factors that can impact cancer onset and outcomes . . . When cancer patients and cancer survivors change health insurance plans, their new insurance companies currently have the ability to deny them insurance benefits because of their "preexisting" condition. The Obama-Biden plan will end insurance company discrimination."
Oh, and in case you missed it, both senators took a few minutes to summarize their plans for SU2C:
To watch the full September 5th Special, click here.
Happy voting!
Weekly Links - 10/30/08
Posted on October 31, 2008 10:20 AM
It's hard to believe October is almost over. As people all over the country put the finishing touches on their Halloween costumes and Breast Cancer Awareness Month draws to a close, I thought this article was particularly timely. It's about an "art bra contest" designed to raise awareness of breast cancer. Sixty-three decorated bras were entered in the competition. And yes, there are pictures!
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bal-ar.braart30oct30,0,2127349.story
Meanwhile, the incredible Patrick Swayze, already back to work just a year after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, shares his story with the NYT. "I'm still fine to work, I haven't changed -- oh, I have changed, what am I saying?" he told the paper. "It's a battle zone I go through. Chemo, no matter how you cut it, is hell on wheels."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/arts/television/29sway.html
You've probably heard that a healthy diet can help prevent cancer - good, but vague, advice. But it's not just a matter of eating healthy to be healthy. New research indicates that a complex carbohydrate called pectin, present in fruits and vegetables, is what specifically lowers cancer risk. It seems that pectin binds to (and therefore maybe inhibits) a protein that helps cancer spread. I guess an apple a day really will keep the doctor away!
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE49S78720081029
Anyone with allergies knows what a pain they can be. Just sleeping with the windows open can be enough to have you sneezing and rubbing your eyes for hours the next day. But now a Cornell study shows that allergies can help protect against certain types of cancer. Not only do they help expel foreign particles from the body, they also let the body know when there are substances in the air to be avoided. Nice!
http://www.local6.com/health/17846500/detail.html
The debate about the power of alternative treatments in fighting cancer is ongoing. Now designer Donna Karan is putting her money where her mouth is in backing a project to bring yoga, meditation and aromatherapy to Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan. The eastern therapies will be used in conjunction with chemo and radiation for the next year in hopes of showing that they really can bolster modern medicine.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/designer-backs-yoga-project-at-us-hospital-cancer-ward_100113265.html
Finally, I really enjoyed this article from US News and World Report. It's an excellent, comprehensive overview of the most promising new areas in cancer research - you know, the ones SU2C supports. "We now know the enemy far better than ever before," the article states. "And that promises much more precise targets."
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/cancer/2008/10/23/lung-cancer-gene-discovery-a-sign-of-cancers-future.html
Well, that's all for this week. Have a great Halloween and we'll see you next Thursday!
--Cat
