Stand Up To Cancer

This excellent Wall Street Journal piece looks at the problems cancer poses for elderly patients. Because patients in their seventies and eighties often suffer from multiple health issues, it's a challenge for the clinicians treating them to determine the safest and most effective course of therapy. "We know that older, sicker people are at higher risk of harmful side effects from cancer treatments, but we don't know how best to vary those treatments to accommodate the wide range of health problems common in the elderly," the author writes.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124647445003381775.html

You may have already heard that the diabetes drug Lantus has been linked with an increased risk of cancer according to several European studies. This Q&A helps answer some of the more pressing questions Lantus-takers may be asking themselves, including what may have caused the link and whether the evidence is conclusive enough to cease taking the medication.
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSLT70133920090629

The cost-effectiveness of cancer treatment, especially for patients with poor prognoses, is a topic of much debate. A recent Journal of the National Cancer Institute study reports, for instance, that a course of lung cancer therapy that costs $80,000 for an 18-week regimen only prolongs a patient's life by around 1.2 months. The piece notes that "some countries, like the United Kingdom, agree to pay for expensive drugs only if they meet a certain threshold of efficacy, but no such rationing exists in the U.S."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052970203872404574258302761872972.html

Bad news for carnivores: yet again, the consumption of meat has been linked with an increase drisk of cancer. Looks like those who consume a high amount of animal fat are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly forms of the disease. "Most of the increased risk was associated with total, saturated, and monounsaturated fat from red meat and dairy food sources," the article notes.
http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=21802

On a more hopeful note, a new method of attacking cancer cells has been proven to be surprisingly effective in animal testing. The journal Nature Biotechnology reports that Australian researchers implanted mice with a human uterine tumor that was highly aggressive and resistant to drugs; all of the treated animals were free of tumor cells 70 days after treatment. Researchers also obtained a similar outcome in dogs with advanced brain cancer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/health/research/29drug.html?ref=world

That's all for this week, but I'll be back next Thursday with more. In the meantime, have a great holiday weekend!

--Cat

Posted on July 2, 2009 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Reid Sacco

In a comment on our inaugural "With You, We Stand" post, Deb Sacco wrote in to share her family's story. Reid Sacco passed away from rhabdomyosarcoma at the age of 20; now, for the fifth year running, family and friends will participate in a 28-mile bike ride across Boston's North Shore to raise money for young adult cancer research. "After his gallant 2 year battle, we promised to make a difference, so no other young adult, so full of life, would have to struggle to live life," Deb wrote. To learn more about this year's Reid's Ride, which is right around the corner, visit www.reidsaccofoundation.org.

Peter Tork

In the Washington Post, Peter Tork, formerly one of the Monkees, writes in to tell his cancer story in his own words. Tork is facing adenoid cystic carcinoma, a relatively rare cancer of the mouth. "I recovered very quickly after my surgery, and I've been hoping that my better-than-average constitution will keep the worst effects of radiation at bay," he writes. "My voice and energy still seem to be in decent shape, so maybe I can pull these gigs off after all. Just in case, though, I've invited some friends to join me, including my friend Lauren, a world-class slide guitar player. People will be so dazzled by her that they won't notice whether I'm doing well. I'm also bringing in belly dancers, and I'm expecting a fly-over by the Royal Canadian Air Force. Maybe elephants."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkup/2009/07/my_blog_last_week_about.html?hpid=sec-health

Tom Weber

Tom Weber, a prostate cancer survivor from Wisconsin, has found a new way to stay upbeat about the disease: music. Weber writes songs with titles like "Little Prostate Let Me Down" and performs them at a local cancer care center. By putting a funny slant on some of the more negative side effects of prostate cancer treatment, including incontinence and sexual dysfunction, Weber says he's found a way to keep smiling through his illness. "I believe in having humor in my life every day," he said.
http://www.htrnews.com/article/20090707/MAN0101/907070430/1984/MAN04

"srutledge"

Another SU2C Blog reader shared her story in the comments on June 26. srutledge was diagnosed with malignant melanoma at the age of 30; today, eight years later, she's cancer free. She writes, "I had only heard sad, depressing stories about melanoma. I knew it was the most fatal cancer. I was, in a nutshell, freaking out . . . I let fear hold onto me for years. One day I was in my dermatologist's office and I said, Why don't we ever hear good stories about melanoma? He said to me, Share yours. It is a success story. That moment was defining for me . . . I have decided this cancer won't rule my life. I will not be fearful, but thankful."

As always, we invite you to share your stories with us in the comments below.

Posted on July 7, 2009 5:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new program from 23andMe called Research Revolution aims to empower people to drive the direction of genetic research. By enrolling in the Research Revolution, participants earn the right to vote on the lines of research to be pursued; because genetic research also requires control data, anyone can enroll to be a study participant, and will receive access to their own genetic data in return. Though the value of the program for cancer research has yet to be determined, the project's collaborative model for data collection and sharing shows great potential; in its personalized approach, the Research Revolution mirrors some of the most cutting-edge directions of today's cancer research.

23andMe has pledged to do research on any disease that enrolls enough patients to ensure a productive study. Three cancer subtypes are included in its initial round: lymphoma and leukemia, which will be studied together, and testicular cancer.

To learn more, visit https://www.23andme.com/researchrevolution/overview/.

Posted on July 9, 2009 2:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The World Health Organization has approved a second cervical cancer vaccine, Cervarix, millions of doses of which will be employed in developing nations. Of the around 280,000 cervical cancer deaths worldwide every year, over 80% occur in developing countries. Health officials estimate that the new vaccine could save tens of thousands of lives per year. Though Cervarix is approved for use in 97 countries, the US FDA is still determining whether it will be available here.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/07/09/health-highlights-july-9--2009.html

Migraines are no fun, but they may come with an unexpected benefit. According to a new study out of the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center in Seattle, the brutal headaches may be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. The reason? Low estrogen levels seem to increase the severity and frequency of women's migraines, but increased levels of the hormone up breast cancer risk.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5686YX20090709

This WebMD article poses an important question: does race impact cancer survival? Studies have shown that while black women have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than white women, they are still more likely to die of the disease. But for the majority of cancers, when access to care is equal - a big assumption to begin with - there is no disparity between mortality rates. "Some biological and even genetic differences in populations are not inherent from birth and immutable," notes ACS chief medical officer Otis Brawley, MD. "They are influenced by environmental factors associated with socioeconomic status and culture."
http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20090708/does-race-affect-cancer-survival

According to the results of a new survey, less than half of all Americans believe their health insurance plans will cover the full cost of treatment should they develop cancer. And they're right to think that way: according to the president of the Community Oncology Alliance, very few private insurance plans pay the full cost of treatment, which can add up to over $5,000 a month. Most alarmingly, 33% of those surveyed said they would stop cancer treatment if it became too expensive.
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5670JX20090708

Finally, new research released by Stanford University School of Medicine makes a strong case for preventive prostate cancer treatment. For years now, clinicians have hesitated to give men at risk of developing the disease the drug finasteride; though it had been shown to prevent cancer in 25% or so of patients, those who did get prostate cancer were 25% more likely to get a more aggressive form of the disease. Now research shows that the drug did not actually cause the more aggressive type of prostate cancer - it merely made it easier to diagnose.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090707161418.htm

That's all I've got for this week, but I'll be back next Thursday with more!

--Cat

Posted on July 9, 2009 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear friends of SU2C--

As many of you know, I am one of the newest ambassadors to Stand Up To Cancer. This is, unfortunately, a very personal fight for me, as I was diagnosed with a rare form of Hodgkin's called CD20 Positive Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

At first I was so torn as to whether I should take my battle public. It is very a private, scary, lonely, angry, ugly time and I didn't know what would happen if I chose to open my life up to complete strangers once again.

I had yet to cry during this whole process--from my diagnosis, to beginning treatment, to my continuing chemotherapy. But I recently received a letter from a young fan that watched Katie Couric and me on Larry King Live a few weeks ago. The floodgates opened and I unloaded buckets of tears all over my now-hairless body.

I received a note from a girl named Jesse that has made it all worth it -- every needle prick, blood drop, x-ray, fallen hair and sleepless night. It's all worth it. The idea that I have motivated this young adult to stay positive and beat the hell out of her own cancer is all I need to carry me through my own twisted path to survivorship. I made the right decision.

So, I want to take this time to thank you. THANK YOU, Jesse, for helping me realize a dream -- my dream to help others with my cancer diagnosis. SU2C has given me the platform to use my disease as an opportunity to raise awareness for cancer in young adults under 40, like me.

Unlike pediatrics and older adults, survival rates in young adults between 15-39 years old have not really improved in 30 years -- across the board for all types of cancer. That basically means my generation has the same chance of getting cancer and dying from it as we did in the 1970's. Young adults are the only age group to see an increase in mortality.

This year, nearly 70,000 young adults will be diagnosed, and the disease will take the lives of 10,000 Americans in that same age group. Every 7 minutes, a young adult is diagnosed with cancer. Every hour, a young adult dies from cancer. Crazy, right?

I want to be a megaphone for this generation. I want to support all young adults with cancer and rally the Twitter generation to support its own.

We each have role to play in supporting cancer research, and this is mine. The voice of the young adult with cancer is now being heard.

More research dollars will only improve survival rates for young adults when we change the fundamental infrastructure of symptom literacy as part of standard medical education for students, interns, and residents who are in their 20s and 30s.

The goal would be to ensure prompt detection and reduce the risk of Stage IV cancers, so that young adults will benefit from translational research more effectively. That's exactly what SU2C and their Dream Teams are fundraising for.

So please--do your part to Stand Up To Cancer. Visit SU2C.org to donate, or learn about the work the organization is doing to put an end to one of America's leading causes of death. This is a disease that affects men, women, the young, the old-- and even those of us who think our diagnosis is 30 years away.

Be well,
Ethan Zohn

Posted on July 10, 2009 2:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

At 6:30 am on Sunday the streets surrounding Busch Stadium were already packed with runners and walkers heading for the start line of the MLB All-Star Charity 5K. The race marked the first-ever collaboration between three major cancer foundations for an event of this kind. The spirit of optimism and unity was palpable in the air. Stand Up To Cancer teamed up with Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, along with SU2C celebrity ambassador Shawn Johnson, to host the event.

I was at the race, along with several other Stand Up To Cancer team members, to set up and man our booth and hand out SU2C T-shirts at the start line. We were also lucky enough to have the help of several volunteers from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, who proudly wore Stand Up To Cancer t-shirts and rallied other runners to support SU2C.

The race kicked off with a welcome from the foundation heads (Sherry Lansing, Nancy Brinker, Michael Milken) and one of our favorite and youngest SU2C ambassadors, Shawn Johnson! Shawn wore an SU2C t-shirt and a huge smile. Runners cheered when Shawn greeted the crowd with her infectious grin and an enthusiastic wave, and when she gave Sherry Lansing a huge hug. The Stand Up To Cancer team and our PanCan volunteers posed with Shawn and Sherry for a special photograph.

Check out photos of the race here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/su2c/sets/72157621291306149/

At the finish line it was so perfect that Shawn, herself an Olympic gold medalist, was the one to place medals on the winning runners. With her was baseball hero Vince Coleman, a legendary speedster for the St. Louis Cardinals. After the closing ceremony, participants came to our booth where they could watch SU2C PSAs, share their personal stories with us, and collect our cool gear.

Working at the booth, I was blown away by the dedication, warmth, and interest that people showed in Stand Up To Cancer. Countless runners had attended our Sheryl Crow concert the night before and were excited to meet the team that had organized it with MLB.

(Image credit: Rich Pilling/MLB Photos)

Though exhausted from our 4 a.m. wake up call, the entire SU2C team was thrilled at the amazing turnout. We had witnessed firsthand the power of collaboration, the overwhelming energy of our supporters, and what it looks like to truly make a difference - all before 10 a.m. on a Sunday.

--Mary Pomerantz

Posted on July 14, 2009 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Emily Zimmerman

Just a few months after completing chemotherapy for leukemia, Emily Zimmerman, 12, is helping to organize a fundraiser to give back to two charities that helped during her treatment, The Jeremy Foundation and the Casey Cares Foundation. Emily and her friends will stuff baskets to be used as prizes in a charity bingo game and are hoping to raise $5,000. And the experience has also helped her figure out what she wants to be when she grows up. "I want to be child life specialist," she says. "They're the people who work in the playroom at the hospital. They kept me busy. Then I want to be a nurse."
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1717116

Janis Tacy

Janis shared her cancer story with us in a recent blog comment. At 61, she's survived both melanoma and breast cancer. She writes, "Early detection is the key . . . My melanoma was small and had developed on my back in the six months between visits to my dermatologist. It was in the early stage and completely removed. My breast cancer was caught on a screening mammogram and finally diagnosed June 1, 2009. Fortunately, it was less than 1 cm and a slow grower. I had a lumpectomy on June 9 and am in the process of healing . . . I feel blessed that both times my cancers were caught early. Please get your mammogram and see your dermatologist. Early detection takes the fear out of a cancer diagnosis."

Alison Rubin

Alison got through her chemotherapy using techniques she'd learned as a yoga teacher of over 25 years. "Be still," she would tell herself during three-hour stretches of treatment. "Be open to the moment." Now she's starting a series of yoga classes in Spokane designed for women with breast cancer. The eight-week series will teach students to gently stretch and strengthen their bodies while learning to relax. "Knowing that you have cancer can be scary," Rubin says. "Yoga has made the difference between me getting well with ease and the possibility of struggling through the cancer."
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jul/14/an-escape-from-cancer/

Deborah Lewis

In this article for the LA Times, cancer survivor Deborah Lewis describes living - "well" or not - as the best revenge. She addresses an issue familiar to many with cancer, the implication from those around them that they got sick because of lifestyle choices. "They must have done something wrong, their diet must be flawed or they are overweight or drink too much or don't drink enough," she writes. Lewis, who had always maintained a healthy lifestyle, asks that we suspend judgment against those who get cancer. "We know too much, and it is perfectly understandable that we are greedy for every bit of life and health we can grab," she says. "But there should also be room to grab onto the things that make life joyful and fun. Perhaps the trick is to acknowledge that there is no magic formula for keeping our bodies going. We're all guessing here."
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-cancerfirstperson6-2009jul06,0,2407853.story

As always, we invite you to share your stories with us in the comments below.

Posted on July 14, 2009 3:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Farrah Fawcett, who died just a few weeks ago after a three-year fight against cancer, has received a posthumous Emmy nomination for her documentary "Farrah's Story," which detailed her struggle with the disease. Her nomination is in the category "outstanding nonfiction special" and is the fourth of her career.
http://goldderby.latimes.com/awards_goldderby/2009/07/farrah-fawcett-receives-posthumous-emmy-award-nomination-for-farrahs-story-tv-news-1357986.html

This San Francisco Chronicle article outlines twelve ways to protect your skin from the sun this summer. Some you could probably predict, like that broad-spectrum sunscreen is best; others, including the correlation between caffeine and reduced skin cancer risk, may surprise you. The piece also advises that you get a great dermatologist, that you cut the tanning bed from your routine and that melanoma can hide under your toenails, where, if you're as addicted to pedicures as I am, you might not notice it until it's too late.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/07/16/hearstmagbeauty347799.DTL

Researchers at Northwestern University may have identified certain "landscape genes" that can help predict how long a patient with brain cancer will live - and could lead to better treatment for the disease. The complexity of the "landscape" model "helps explain the lack of therapeutic efficacy of strategies targeting single gene products," according to the researchers. Attacking the most important landscape genes could lead to a more guided approach to eradicating the cancer.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/CancerPreventionAndTreatment/Story?id=8082862&page=2

New research indicates that there could be a connection between heavy drinking and prostate cancer. According to a study in the journal Cancer, men who drank heavily - defined as four or more drinks per day at least five days out of the week - were twice as likely to develop aggressive prostate tumors as their teetotaling peers. Additionally, though the drug finasteride has been shown to be effective in cutting non-drinkers' and moderate drinkers' risk of developing the disease, it had no impact on the risk level for heavy drinkers.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE56C5MA20090713

The most recent issue of Cancer also reports that the incidence of thyroid cancer in the US has been steadily increasing since 1980 - and scientists are still looking for an explanation. For a while now, experts have written off the uptick to better screening, but new research indicates that "you cannot simply explain this by increased screening, there's a real increased incidence," according to the study's lead author, Amy Chen. She proposes that environmental, dietary and genetic issues be further explored.
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/-gen/628934.html

Finally, I loved this article about a Lilly Oncology on Canvas, a travelling exhibition of art by cancer patients, survivors, friends, family and caregivers. Twenty-five pieces are on display at the new Community Cancer Center in Roseburg, Oregon. Said a cancer center volunteer who works in art therapy, "It just really gets to my heart. I've worked with people like this. They think nobody loves them, that nobody wants to touch them. I think when your mind is healing, your body can heal."
http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20090715/NEWS/907159976/1055

That's all for this week, but I'll be back next Thursday with more.

--Cat

Posted on July 16, 2009 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Frank McCourt

This week brought the news that Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes, has passed away from metastatic melanoma. After moving from Limerick, Ireland to New York City at the age of 19, McCourt taught high school English for nearly 30 years before writing his childhood memoirs in his mid-60s. "I think there's something about the Irish experience -- that we had to have a sense of humor or die," McCourt once told an interviewer. "That's what kept us going -- a sense of absurdity, rather than humor."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/books/20mccourt.html?pagewanted=1&em

Ryan Tomoff
Ryan Tomoff, a 14-year-old native of Annapolis, Maryland, has already faced cancer three times in a short number of years: his acute lymphoblastic leukemia, first diagnosed at the age of 2, has recurred twice, once in 2002 and again in 2004. Now Ryan is a regional ambassador for Hyundai's Hope on Wheels, which raises money for cancer research. Says Dr. Aziza Shad, chief of the department of pediatrics at the hospital where Ryan was treated, "He was a pillar of hope for himself, for his parents, and no matter what happened, (he) remained positive . . . He's gone back to a normal life and he gets the most out of life. It's a very thrilling feeling; it's a wonderful feeling to see him stand up there."
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2009/07/20-25/3-time-cancer-survivor-shares-story-offers-hope.html

Pamela's Abuelita

In a comment on last week's edition of With You, We Stand, reader Pamela shared a link to a blog entry where she remembers her grandmother, who passed away from colon cancer in 2007. "My grandma isn't around to see how clumsy my daughter is, just like her mom," Pamela writes. "She won't be around for Natalie's quinceanera. She won't be sitting on the second row of her wedding. But I know that forever and always she'll be looking down at us smiling. This is who I'm writing for. This is my muse. My inspiration. My Abuelita."
http://pamelaperez.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/grandmother/

Adam Yauch
This week also brought the news that Adam Yauch, better known to many as MCA of the Beastie Boys, has cancer of the salivary gland. Yauch announced the news in a video posted to the band's Web site; their upcoming tour has been cancelled so he can undergo surgery for the rare, though usually curable, form of the disease. "It is a little setback, a pain in the ass, but this is very treatable in most cases," Yauch says in the video. "And they've caught it early, so that's the good news. So that's what's up."
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20090720/beastie-boy-adam-yauch-has-salivary-gland-cancer

As always, we invite you to share the stories that inspire and motivate you in the comments below.

Posted on July 21, 2009 2:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You guys know I can't resist a good food story, and this week's is a humdinger: several major manufacturers of hot dogs are being sued by an offshoot of a vegetarian advocacy group. The Cancer Project wants hot dogs to carry warning labels cautioning that they increase the risk of cancer, citing an American Institute for Cancer Research report indicating that consumption of processed meats ups colorectal cancer risk.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g2VXQsB1U5blZHNw5KupjWVX-39QD99JORG00

When we hear the words "lung cancer," the image that most often comes to mind is that of a dedicated, pack-a-day smoker. But lung cancer also hits nonsmokers, and is just as lethal in those who've never touched a cigarette in their lives. Now a new NCI-sponsored study aims to examine the causes of lung cancer in those who have never smoked, looking for biomarkers and other risk indicators. "About 10 to 15 years after someone has stopped smoking, their cancer more closely resembles cancers from never-smokers than from smokers," the study's lead researcher notes. "As more and more people quit smoking, lung cancer will mainly become a disease of former smokers."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/columnists/sburns/stories/DN-p2miller_23bus.ART.State.Edition1.3cf5983.html

A new study covered by the Army Times indicates that active-duty service members have higher rates of breast cancer and double the rates of prostate cancer of civilians. Researchers think early screening could be the culprit - the cancers are being caught earlier in the military population. But there could be other reasons. Military women are more likely to take birth control than the general population, and service members are more likely to be exposed to depleted uranium, which could up prostate cancer risk.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/07/military_cancerrates_072209w/

According to an article in the New York Times, doctors and pharmaceutical companies are moving toward a new cancer treatment approach involving longer chemotherapy. "Maintenance therapy" could help keep tumors under control longer and is increasingly common as newer, less toxic cancer drugs continue to emerge. But maintenance therapy remains controversial, both because some cancers cannot be controlled in the long-term and because of the burden it places on an already overloaded health care system.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/health/21canc.html?_r=1&ref=health

Finally, fresh news on green tea, touted by some as the natural cure for all ills. A metastudy comparing the results of 51 previous studies performed over two decades finds no conclusive evidence that drinking green tea reduces cancer risk - and it may actually slightly increase the odds of developing bladder cancer. The authors did, however, note "limited moderate to strong evidence" that the beverage helps protect against lung, pancreatic and colorectal cancer.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/07/21/no-firm-evidence-green-tea-helps-prevent-cancer.html

That's all for this week, but I'll be back next Thursday with more!

--Cat

Posted on July 23, 2009 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of our newest ambassadors, Shawn Johnson, was recently interviewed about her involvement with SU2C. An Olympic gold medalist and "Dancing With the Stars" winner, Shawn spoke with St. Louis radio station Y98 about the recent MLB All-Star game, concert, and 5K, as well as her own connection to cancer. "My grandma is a survivor of cancer herself, so I got the hands-on experience of what families go through," she said. "Ours was the miracle where she came out even healthier. It's trying to find that hope that everyone can come out same way."

To hear the rest of Shawn's Y98 interview, click here.

Posted on July 23, 2009 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Faye Harris

In a piece for the Huffington Post entitled "Unemployed Due to Illness, Glad to Be Alive," Faye Harris tells her cancer story. At 51, Harris was diagnosed with rectal cancer and wound up losing her accountant position at Emory University Hospital. In spite of everything she's been through since her diagnosis, Harris says she's happier now than before: "I have to get up and say every morning I'm alive. Being above ground is a good thing . . . Even though I'm suffering, people in some places have it a little worse, so get up off your butt and start your day."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/27/unemployed-due-to-illness_n_244297.html

Judy Elsley

This article out of Ogden, Utah, tells the story of British professor, Judy Elsley, who after facing cancer at the age of 23 realized "she was mortal, life was short, and if there were things she wanted to do, she had better get on and do them." After finding her way to Weber State University in 1990, Elsley became the leader of several campus programs, found inspiration working with nontraditional students, and even became an expert quilter. "Having gone through something like Hodgkins, there wasn't much else that was very scary to me," she says in the piece. "So when I thought of taking the risk of giving up my job, selling all my stuff in England, gathering up my money and coming over here on a visitor's visa, I just said: 'Go for it.' And I've pretty much had that attitude ever since."
http://www.standard.net/live/news/179247

Kaylin Marie

Kaylin's blog, "Cancer is Hilarious: Terminally Illin'," covers her treatment and recovery after being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. With raw honesty and plenty of humor, Kaylin provides an amazing look at the experience twenty-somethings with cancer face when they "refuse to go the way of headscarves and hospital gowns." She writes in her most recent entry, "Life after cancer is a wonderful and terrifying thing - my body feels stronger with every passing day, but my psyche is taking quite the beating . . . Though chemo was the toughest trial of my life, I was able to revert to a safe, catatonic state in which I had no responsibility other than getting well. Now I've got to start living again."
http://cancerisnotfunny.blogspot.com/

Jack Beckman
This story out of Sonoma, California tells the story of Jack Beckman, a cancer survivor and professional drag racer, who now spends his free time visiting the cancer ward at his local hospital to help fellow patients through the treatment process. He tells his story honestly: "I am the same person I was before, with 10 percent less energy. Somber? Yes, I think that's a good word for it. I'm a little bit somber about it. I don't have the same edge I had before . . . Anyone who has cancer or who has survived cancer should continue to do what they find gives them joy. And drag racing gives me my joy."
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090725/NEWS/907259962?Title=Cancer-survivor-Jack-Beckman-Drag-racing-gives-me-joy-

As always, we invite you to share your stories in the comments below.

Posted on July 28, 2009 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

By now you've probably heard that a new study shows that tanning beds are as carcinogenic as arsenic. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has moved the devices to its highest cancer risk category, and the World Health Organization is considering restricting the use of tanning beds for people under 18. The disturbing new findings indicate that the risk of melanoma increases by a whopping 75% when tanning beds are used before the age of 30.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/07/28/tanning-beds-get-highest-carcinogen-rating.html

This fascinating piece from the Detroit News details the efforts of researchers at the University of Michigan (and elsewhere) to uncover the reasons behind cancer mortality rate disparities. It has been shown that African Americans in the US have a higher mortality rate than their white peers, and that's just one of many puzzles the researchers are trying to solve. "It's the whole spectrum from birth to death," explains a researcher. "Certain people have inequalities and they face them throughout the process, and that's where the disparities come from."
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090730/LIFESTYLE03/907300431/Special-report--Researchers-tackle-cancer-s-complex-inequities

We all know cigarettes can be lethal, but what about so-called "smokeless tobacco" products? Health officials have long discouraged their use as well, but new research out of the UK indicates that there may actually be no link between chewable tobacco and cancer. "It is clear that any effect of smokeless tobacco on risk of cancer, if it exists at all, is quantitatively very much smaller than the known effects of smoking," says a study co-author. Then again, the group that performed the study works for tobacco companies as well, so take their findings with a grain of salt rather than a pinch of snuff.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/07/tobacco-snuff-cancer.html

Here's some surprising news: according to a study in the most recent issue of British Medical Journal, cervical cancer screening via Pap smears in women 20-24 has little or no impact on cervical cancer rates up to age 30. However, in women ages 40-64, screening cut the risk of cancer by as much as 80%. The reasons for the disparity remain unclear.
http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=13641

Finally, we all know that obesity and cancer are linked. Now a new study out of Finland indicates that increased oxygen consumption from high-intensity workouts can actually reduce the risk of cancer. In a study of 2,560 men, those who engaged in moderate- to high-intensity exercise for at least a half hour a day were 50% less likely to develop cancer compared with their peers. Time to finally sign up for that gym membership!
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/-lun/629404.html

That's all for this week, but I'll be back next Thursday with more!

--Cat

Posted on July 30, 2009 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)