Stand Up To Cancer

With just a week to go until Thanksgiving, I thought maybe this time around it would be nice to focus on positive news in the world of cancer research and care. Life isn't easy for women with an inherited BRCA mutation, but researchers at Cedars-Sinai here in LA are working on targeted therapies to help repair their DNA damage - potentially staving off cancer. "I am sure that this is just the beginning of a long list of targeted therapies that will do the same thing," said one of the docs involved in the study. Now there's something to be thankful for.
http://www.wftv.com/health/18024762/detail.html#-

Meanwhile, a new study out of Texas shows that older cancer survivors can benefit from "home-based programs" aimed at helping them eat better and exercise more. The study's participants lost weight and body mass and improved their physical strength - and all that was needed was a few mailings on diet and exercise and some phone calls from counselors.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/18/AR2008111802113.html

According to research presented Tuesday at the AACR's annual meeting, Canadian docs may have found a genetic trait that can predict which former smokers will develop lung cancer and which won't. The researchers looked at former smokers who had had lung cancer and former smokers who hadn't and found differences in the levels of DNA damage between the two, suggesting that one group was more susceptible to damage than the other.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/18/AR2008111802114.html

And that's not the only lung cancer news to come out this week. Looks like cruciferous veggies (such as broccoli) are loaded with a protective nutrient that helps protect smokers against cancer. Smokers who ate these veggies (also on the list: cauliflower and Brussels sprouts) cut their lung cancer risk by as much as 55%. Of course, the best way to cut your lung cancer risk is still to quit smoking.
http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/local/health_wtnh_broccoli_reduces_smokers_risk_lung_cancer_2008111915153_rev1

Chemotherapy may be the best way to fight a host of cancers, but it takes its toll on the patient's body. That's why I was happy to read about new research showing that the enzyme super oxide dismutase can help relieve the side effects of chemo. The enzyme is a powerful antioxidant shown in 19 different studies to increase cancer patients' survival time and their response to treatment.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Photos-Peptides-Discovered-Alleviate-Chemotherapy/story.aspx?guid={6A6CDAB6-F36E-4C17-A80C-78218B5E1D54}

Finally, the same Australian scientist who developed the cervical cancer vaccine believes he may have developed a similar skin cancer vaccine. It works the same way - by targeting papillomavirus, this time in the form of a very common skin infection that can linger in the body, eventually leading to cancer. Already shown to work in animals, the vaccine starts human trials next year and could hit the market as early as 2014.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,453009,00.html

Okey doke - that's all for this week! See you next time and happy Thanksgiving!

--Cat

Note: Cat will be taking a break from Weekly Links next week due to Thanksgiving. Please look for her next installment on December 4th!