Stand Up To Cancer

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