Stand Up To Cancer

Dana Jennings
If you haven't read Dana Jennings occasional guest entries on the NYT's Well Blog, now's a great time to start. Jennings has been blogging about his experiences since being diagnosed with prostate cancer. In his most recent entry, he writes about gratitude: "I'm well past the anger that I felt after my diagnosis, but I still get frustrated sometimes by the physical challenges I face in the wake of prostate cancer, wishing that by mid-afternoon my brain wouldn't become a test pattern as my body begs for a nap," he says. "Gratitude is an antidote to the dark voice of illness that whispers to us, that insists that all we have become is our disease. Living in the shadow of cancer has granted me a kind of high-definition gratitude. I've found that when you're grateful, the world turns from funereal gray to incandescent Technicolor."
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/jennings/

Megan Engle-Shroeder

In a comment on last week's "With You, We Stand," one of SU2C's followers on Facebook, Megan Engle-Shroeder, shared her story. "I'm battling skin cancer while pregnant and it's a lot tougher than I lead on at times," she wrote. "My reality is looking at my scars . . . the eye-opening part is it opens your eyes to the true value of life and how fragile, precious and unappreciated it is."

Deborah Marqui

An article in the Chicago Tribune profiles Deborah Marqui, who retreated to her two-acre garden during recovery from two battles with cancer, and has now opened up the space as a "healing garden" for others facing the same struggle. "I'm not a master gardener; these are not formal gardens," she says. "But I don't look at it as work. I found that when I was in the gardens, I lost track of time and had no thoughts of cancer and whether it would come back . . . I see this as a gift from God that I can share with others."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-healing-garden-w-zone-29-jul29,0,5064865.story

Alec and Vananh Martinez

In this moving tribute out of Oregon, a community remembers Alec Martinez, age three, who recently passed away from an ependymoma brain tumor. Alec was diagnosed a few months after his mother, Vananh, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. "Last year, around this time, Vananh's duties as a mom changed," said Alec's uncle Duyanh. "She was diagnosed with cancer and it changed her ability to be a mom a little bit. After several months of therapy and treatment, Alec was diagnosed with his own cancer. Vananh wiped her tears away and went onto another level as a mom. From that day on, you would never see her complaining or talking about herself. That showed me a lot about her strength."
http://beavertonvalleytimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=124896930052302200

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

Posted on August 4, 2009 4:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's New York Times looks at Hispanics moving to the US, who, according to new research, face a 40% higher chance of developing certain cancers than if they had remained in their native countries. One potential explanation? Immigrants from many countries have been shown to rapidly develop new, less healthy dietary and lifestyle habits upon moving to the US (we are, after all, the proud birthplace of fast food). The higher rates could also be attributed to more aggressive diagnostic measures employed here.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/health/07cancer.html

The Celera Corporation claims to have developed a blood test that could offer a safe way to diagnose early-stage lung cancer. The disease, which is one of the most lethal forms of cancer, often goes undetected until it has metastasized, making treatment difficult and recovery unlikely. Researchers found that the test, which uses a mass spectrometer to detect nine telling blood compounds, detected stage 1 lung cancer with over 90% accuracy.
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssHealthcareNews/idUSN0529409320090806

In this fascinating piece, the NYT looks at the phenomenon known as "chemo brain," the fogginess and memory loss that often accompany chemotherapy treatment. Though almost all chemo patients experience short-term issues with memory and concentration, around 15% suffer from long-term chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment. "Some therapists have attributed the symptoms of chemo brain to anxiety, depression, stress, fatigue and fear rather than direct effects of chemotherapy on the brain and hormone balance," the article notes. "Yet when such factors dissipate, the symptoms may not."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/health/04brod.html?em

The FDA has issued a stronger version of its original black-box warning against TNF blockers, immune-disease drugs that, according to research, may cause lymphoma and other cancers in children and teens. An FDA study initiated last year found 48 cases of malignant cancers in children and teens and 147 cases of leukemia in all patients taking TNF blockers. Because immune disease is also associated with an increased risk of cancer, the FDA cannot definitely name TNF blockers as the cause, but the agency does warn doctors and patients to be aware of the risk.
http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/news/20090804/child-teen-cancers-linked-to-tnf-blockers

Finally, a new study in Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention indicates that more than half of Texas doctors are not recommending the HPV vaccine to their patients. The study focused on Texas because its governor's office issued a mandate two years ago that all girls be vaccinated for the virus. Results showed that 48.5% of Texas doctors always recommended the vaccine, 68.4% said they were likely to recommend it to boys and 41.7% agreed with the governor's mandate. Takeaway: if you want it, be sure to ask for it.
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7016017473?More%20Than%20Half%20Of%20Texas%20Doctors%20Not%20Recommending%20Cervical%20Cancer%20Vaccine

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

--Cat

Posted on August 6, 2009 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ron Mutka
Cancer survivor Ron Mutka has turned what some might call an unusual hobby, crocheting, into a source of comfort for cancer patients in his community of Loveland, Colorado. During treatment at McKee Medical Center, Mutka crocheted scarves as gifts for the hospital staff; now that he's recovered, he makes pink scarves for women going through breast cancer treatment. "Just tell them some old fart made it," he told the staff before handing them out. Of the patients who receive his anonymous gifts, he says, "I saw those women lose their hair and thought it must be hard for them. It just makes you feel good to do it."
http://www.reporterherald.com/features/Feature-Story.asp?section=Neighbors&ID=24398

Bits of Myself

Bits of Myself is the blog of a new mom undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. She details the side-effects of her chemo and the struggle to keep parenting the way she wants honestly, and with plenty of humor. "the nurses are great so far," she writes in one entry. "he pharmacist = FAIL. it took foreverrrrrr to get my pain meds, and frankly they're no better than what i take at home. one likes to imagine that at least while in the hospital, pain might be better managed. ahem."
http://bitsofmyself.com/

Kristi

In a comment on last week's With You, We Stand, a reader named Kristi wrote in to share her story. "At age 24 I was diagnosed with maligament melanoma," she says. At the time I had a 1 year old and a 6 week old baby. I was scared out of my mind and didn't know what to do. Cancer really made me look at myself and do a lot of changing. I no longer fret over the little things and I appreciate everyone around me . . . with the love I had for my kids i was armored with the determination to become a survivor. I have been clear of all disease for about six months. I don't know what will happen five years from now. But I do know I will fight with all my heart and continue the fight against this disease."

Dawn Anderson

After facing basal cell carcinoma two years ago, Dawn Anderson of Gilbert, Arizona decided to fight back - with style. The 35-year-old created a website, SunBling.com, to sell handcrafted sun-sensitive jewelry that changes colors when exposed to direct sunlight. Bracelets are $7, necklaces $14, and a portion of all proceeds goes to skin cancer research. "It's really just an awareness thing," she says. "I don't ever want another girl to have to go through this. That's kind of what prompted me to get going with all of this."
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/142716

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

Posted on August 11, 2009 4:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

An article in today's edition of the New York Times looks at a new method for indentifying drugs that can specifically attack and destroy cancer stem cells. A team at the Broad Institute has developed a way to screen for drugs that can attack cancer stem cells while leaving ordinary cells unharmed, minimizing side effects and helping to determine which combinations of drugs could be most beneficial to patients. If the screening works in this way, one of the researchers says, "There is potential for a real renaissance in cancer therapeutics."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/health/research/14cancer.html?hp

Here's some more good news: according to a recent study in Cancer Research, rates of deaths caused by cancer have been on the decline for the past three decades, especially among those aged 35-45. These statistics reiterate those released by the American Cancer Society last May, but with a fresh twist, breaking down the improvements by age to show that every group has experienced at least some decline in mortality.
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE57C0LW20090813

Meanwhile, the results of a new study indicate that breastfeeding is associated with a lower incidence of breast cancer among those with a family history of the disease. For women with an immediate relative who's had breast cancer, the study found their risk of premenopausal breast cancer was lowered by 59% by breastfeeding. "I was sort of stunned," the study's lead author said. "It's an impressive reduction in risk. Other studies either hadn't looked at this or didn't include enough women with a family history to find a statistically significant difference."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/health/research/11cancer.html

I always enjoy when an exciting new treatment comes from an unexpected place. This week, St. Louis researchers have found a way to treat tumors by attaching a toxin extracted from bee venom to nanoparticles. When mice were treated with the melettin-laced nanoparticles, their tumors shrunk, said the lead researcher. "Not only is it active, remains active in the bloodstream and gets to the site and does what it's supposed to do but it seems to cause absolutely no problems to any tissues or organs," he noted.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kwmu/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1542442/KWMU.News/Researchers.use.bee.venom..nanoparticles.to.kill.cancer.cells

Finally, new research out of Montreal indicates that heavy drinkers of beer and liquor have significantly higher risks of developing six different cancers: esophageal, stomach, colon, liver, pancreatic and lung. The link held up even when factors such as age, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, diet and smoking were considered. But no such link was found for non-drinkers, light and moderate drinkers and those who drank wine. In short: pour out your vodka and bring on the cabernet sauvignon!
http://www.vancouversun.com/Study+links+drinking+with+cancer/1857866/story.html

That's all for this week, but I'll be back next Thursday with more from the wide world of cancer news!

--Cat

Posted on August 13, 2009 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Erica Rex

In a blog post for the New York Times, Erica Rex, diagnosed last year with breast cancer, looks at the high cost of cancer care. Her piece, "Cancer I Can't Afford," offers a firsthand perspective on managing the exorbitant co-pays and bills that come from treatments including a lumpectomy and radiation therapy. Eventually Rex and her boyfriend decided to move to the UK. "Finding out I had breast cancer came as a shock," she writes. "But the really rude awakening was learning I'm not middle class anymore."
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/cancer-i-cant-afford/

Amelia Frahm
This article out of Decatur, Alabama looks at a mom who, following a mastectomy, was inspired to write a children's book to explain "why Mommy always seemed to be feeling bad or grumpy." The mother of two wrote "Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy" and later founded her own publishing company, which sells the book. "Companies told me they didn't think there was a market for children's books about moms with cancer," she said. "But that was 15 years ago, and now things have changed . . . The main thing is I really want people to know that there is a children's book and cancer education program out there."
http://www.wkrg.com/raw_news/article/survivor-writes-kids-book-to-explain-cancer/268379/Aug-17-2009_3-07-am/

Joanne Munding
In a comment on last week's edition of With You, We Stand, Joanne Munding shared some inspiring words: "Being diagnosed is not the end, sometimes it is the beginning. I have been diagnosed several times and each time I fought back, but you know what? We are not victims, we are not to be pitied! We are survivors and thrivers!"

Ann Marie Della Fera
This article looks at kidney cancer survivor Ann Marie Della Fera, who in the months following removal of her cancerous kidney was inspired to record a CD of covers from the '40s to today. Now, having completed a lifelong dream, she offers the CD for free in return for a donation to the Kidney Cancer Association. "It's about how I can affect other people - getting the word out about kidney cancer and getting the word out about finding your passion," she said. "Everybody has a dream. You don't want to be at the end of your life and say, 'Why didn't I learn to cook? Why didn't I go to Spain or learn to horseback ride? Don't live life with regrets."
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090816/ENCORE01/908159966/-1/OPINION01

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

Posted on August 18, 2009 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new study looks at the risks and benefits of the cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil. According to a government report, the vaccine's safety record is in line with that of other vaccines; though some serious complications have occurred, they cannot be proven to have been caused by Gardasil. "We feel confident recommending people get the vaccine; the benefits still outweigh the risks," said Dr. Barbara Slade, study author and a medical officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "This is the most complete picture we have."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/health/research/19vaccine.html?em

This piece from Science Daily presents a new potential breakthrough in cancer prevention. Researchers at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have found that the tail ends of cellular protein templates, which were previously thought to be relatively inconsequential, could play a role in preventing normal cells from becoming cancerous. "This end of the mRNA is often not considered that important because if you put the beginning and middle of the mRNA into a cell, you get the right protein," said one of the researchers. "But now we know that this end often has a protein production regulatory program and in some cases can play a role in cancer."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090820123935.htm

Meanwhile, a new JAMA study indicates that when nurses reach out to those with advanced cancer, even if it's only via a quick phone call, the cancer patients' mood and quality of life improve by leaps and bounds. Nurses in the study talked patients through coping strategies, physician communication, ways to find support and managing their symptoms. "I can't think of anything more important than to be able to improve patients' self-assessed quality of life," one of the researchers noted. "This is the whole point of health care."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-08-18-palliative-cancer_N.htm

A study from the University of Michigan's Comprehensive Cancer Center indicates that racial disparities in cancer care are a reflection of hospital resources. Hospitals treating more black cancer patients have worse survival rates, on average, than other facilities. "Efforts aimed at increasing early detection through screening and decreasing incidence with preventative services are essential for decreasing racial disparities in mortality, but where a patient receives care after a cancer diagnosis may be equally important," said a study author.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-08/uomh-dic082009.php

Finally, fresh research indicates that popcorn is full of antioxidants. A chemist out of Pennsylvania has discovered that popcorn contains surprisingly high levels of polyphenols, antioxidants that help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. "We really were surprised by the levels of polyphenols we found in popcorn," said the researcher. "I guess it's because it's not processed. You get all the wonderful ingredients of the corn undiluted and protected by the skin. In my opinion it's a good health food." So next time you're at the movies, give the Raisinets a pass and opt for the popcorn - the more the better!
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/08/20/2009-08-20_popcorn_is_full_of_cancerfighting_antioxidants_study.html

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

--Cat

Posted on August 20, 2009 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Brian Nelson

Writing for the NYT Well Blog, Brian Nelson provides a window into an aspect of cancer many people are unaware of: changes in appearance. After being diagnosed and treated for head and neck cancer, he suffers from chronic facial swelling. He writes, "My neighbor's 3-year-old daughter treats me just like everyone else, someone to flirt with! So if you see a slightly hobbled, melon-headed man wearing a hat, walking toward you with a stick, just say, 'Hi, it's a great day, isn't it?' And I'll say, 'Yep, it's a great day,' and feel it too."
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/when-cancer-changes-your-appearance/?em

Marge Lees

Marge, who we featured in SUTV last winter, recently updated us on her struggle with cancer. "It will be a year [since diagnosis with colorectal cancer] in September," she said. "I'm still being closely monitored by my oncologist as she says it likes to come back. It's weird, but I don't feel like the same person I was. I feel like there has to be another purpose in life for me, but I just haven't figured it out. I want to do something, but I'm not sure what. I was so happy to see that one of the dream teams will be involved in pancreatic cancer. That is what my dad died from." To learn more about Marge's story, click here:
http://www.standup2cancer.org/sutv?sid=2&vid=3458

Sean Berry

After facing renal cell carcinoma, Houston Astros coach Sean Berry decided to change his life. Already accustomed to a rigorous workout routine, he now works out 30 to 45 minutes six times a week, does Pilates at home and has cut red meat out of his diet. "Recovery was the hardest part," he nores. "Being told I couldn't do things that are second nature: running, lifting weights and working out . . . I like being in the stadium. I'm not training to play. I'm training to be strong so I can do my job."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6578539.html

Faith Coleman

Faith Coleman describes her kidney cancer diagnosis as "one of the absolute greatest blessings" of her life. Coleman was diagnosed in 2003, when she was working as a nurse practitioner with no health insurance of her own. Now in remission, she's determined to help those without insurance get proper medical care through the free clinic she cofounded in Bunnell, Florida. "I have been given another chance, and I felt that it was important for me to make a difference and to help other people," she says.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/20/cnnheroes.faith.coleman/index.html

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

Posted on August 25, 2009 3:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

In encouraging news this week, it looks like prostate cancer is being diagnosed earlier these days, and the "race gap" between black and white stages of diagnosis has also narrowed. In the past, researchers had noted that black men tended to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at a later disease stage than white men, resulting in worse mortality rates. Study co-author Dr. Grace L. Lu-Yao says the change can be attributed in part to the more widespread use of prostate-specific antigen screening.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=8429268

Meanwhile, a team of Swiss scientists have found a way to block the growth of human color cancer cells, preventing the disease from reaching advanced stages and mestasizing to the liver. The technique involves blocking the "Hedgehog-GLI" pathway, which is used by cells to communicate with one another to determine growth and survival. "This work firmly establishes the critical action of HH-GLI in human colon cancer cells, providing the platform for preclinical and future clinical work," said the lead researcher on the project.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090826191839.htm

New research indicates that US teens and adults diagnosed with blood-related cancers are experiencing better survival rates than they did in the 80s. According to data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database, ten-year survival rates for blood-related cancers have improved by as much as 75% (in the case of chronic myelocetic leukemia). But the researchers also noted that with the exception of Hodgkin's lymphoma, young adult survival rates still lag behind those seen in children.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/08/27/steady-improvements-seen-for-young-blood-cancer.html

According to a study in the most recent issue of the Journal of Clinical Pathology, the much-heralded Gardasil vaccine could be useful in preventing penile cancer. Though penile cancer is uncommon in the US, accounting for less than 1% of adult male cancers, the disease constitutes as many as 10% of cancers in Africa and Asia. HPV causes around half of all penile cancer cases worldwide. "Although penile carcinoma is a rare disease, around 7,000 cases would be prevented annually by the eradication of HPV-16/18," the study's authors say.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/08/25/hpv-vaccine-could-prevent-many-penile-cancers.html

Finally, here's some interesting new research out of Indiana University. Researchers analyzed data from over three million cancer patients looking for tends in survival based on whether the patients were separated, divorced, widowed or never married. According to the study's results, the lowest cancer survival rates were to be found among those who were undergoing a separation at the time of diagnosis, followed by those who were widowed, those who were divorced and those who had never been married.
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20090824/marital-status-affects-cancer-survival

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

--Cat

Posted on August 27, 2009 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)