Stand Up To Cancer

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer, making it the most common form of cancer in the U.S., according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. It is also the most curable when caught early. One of the most important ways to protect oneself, according to experts, is to regularly check the skin and learn to differentiate harmless moles from potentially deadly cancers. They also recommend wearing sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher), wearing protective clothing, and avoiding direct sun exposure between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20011930-10391704.html

Results from a recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reveal that, "the more time you spend sitting, the less total energy expended and you can have consequences such as weight gain and increased obesity," said the study's lead author Dr. Alpa Patel. This in turn affects an individual's metabolism and increases risk factors for various diseases including cancer. Study participants were followed for 14 years (from 1993 to 2006). Even small amounts of exercise per day tended to lower the mortality risk tied to sitting and inactivity.
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/heart/articles/2010/07/22/the-longer-you-sit-the-shorter-your-life-span-study.html

Drug companies are in the final stages of testing viruses that could stabilize or shrink tumors. A Phase III trial utilizing the new drug has already been given the go-ahead in the U.S., U.K. and Canada. Preliminary data from the U.S. will be available within a year, with final data expected in 2012. The Wall Street Journal reports, "The reovirus, from which Reolysin is made, only replicates in cells with an activated Ras pathway, rare in normal cells. About two-thirds of cancer cells have mutations that allow the injected virus to replicate until it eventually begins to destroy the cancerous cells. Because the drug targets mainly cancer cells, the main side effect is a mild fever."
http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:BT-CO-20100726-707662.html

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) hopes to improve the care of patients with "cancer of unknown primary" (CUP). More than 10,000 people are diagnosed each year in England and Wales, reports the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). "This is a very neglected type of cancer - patients generally have a poor prognosis and little is known about which types of treatment work best for them," said NICE clinical and public health director, Peter Littlejohns. "They also tend to miss out on medical and other benefits that are given to patients with a specific type of cancer."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-10762420