Yesterday it was announced that scientists, supported in part by SU2C, have identified many weak points in breast tumor cells. The new research is now published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Project leader Alan Ashworth, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the Institute of Cancer Research in London, is a principal on the Stand Up To Cancer Breast Cancer Subtypes Dream Team. Noting that SU2C provided vitally important funding,
Ashworth also said, "through the Dream Team framework, SU2C provided the collaborative structure that was necessary for our research. The ability to collaborate with other team members and share genetic data has been vital and will continue to be necessary as we apply this finding to other cancer tumor types."
This work is seen as a starting point for the development of new therapies. Patients' treatments will be refined according to the specific type of disease they have. To do that, scientists first needed to determine the "Achilles' heel" of breast cancer, and then develop drugs that hit these weak spots. If validated, the method could apply to other types of cancer.
It goes without saying that, none of this progress in both research, and scientific collaboration would have been possible without YOU. The generous support of our SU2C donors, supporters, advocates and ambassadors help us to keep fighting and funding this kind of groundbreaking cancer research. We feel certain that this is only the beginning and that there will be more developments and breakthroughs to come as we continue to stand together in the fight against cancer...until it is no more.
The first-ever study comparing brain cancer incidence in kids who use cellphones with those who do not has found no difference, suggesting that children's long-feared vulnerability to brain cancer with early cellphone use does not exist. In a four-country study published this week in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers matched 352 children and adolescents diagnosed with brain cancer with 646 similar kids who were healthy, and compared their patterns of cellphone use. The children ranged in age from 7 to 19, and researchers asked how long they had been regular
users of mobile phones, which ear they tended to favor, and whether they ever used a hands-free device. Some 55% of the children diagnosed with a brain tumor reported they had been regular users of a mobile phone before diagnosis. A slightly smaller 51% of the healthy children in the comparison group said they talked regularly on a cellphone. After grouping the children according to the intensity of the cellphone use, the researchers found no relationship between how often a child used a cellphone and the likelihood of his or her developing brain cancer. And brain tumors were no more likely to occur on the side that a child preferred to hold a cellphone to his or her head (where a cellphone's heat, at least, might penetrate into brain tissue) than they were on the opposite side. http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-cellphones-kids-cancer-20110728,0,2294937.story
A new study shows that breast cancer rates, which had been declining in the U.S. since 2000, leveled off in 2007 and since then have remained relatively constant. However, a closer look at the study tells two stories: one of steadiness and one of change. Breast cancer is not one disease," said William Anderson, a cancer epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute and author of the new paper. "It's the sum of these two different types of cancer that have different risk factors and different trends." The study showed that the hard-to-treat, estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer (ER-negative) has been declining steadily since 1992. However, rates of the more common ER-positive breast cancer, showed more variance. From 1992 to 2000, its incidence rose, peaking at 232 cases per 100,000 women. Then, it dropped sharply from 2000 to 2003. Since then, it's been slightly increasing. The reasons for these different rates aren't fully understood yet. "There are possibly some risk factors in the population that affect these types of tumors differently," Anderson said. "The cancers are really different, so one would expect that." The study will be published in the September issue of the Journal of National Cancer Institute. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43928495/ns/health-cancer/
Health experts say many cancer-stricken smokers have a hard time quitting even after they are diagnosed. Up to 18 percent of lung cancer patients and 12 percent of patients with colorectal cancer continued to smoke after a cancer diagnosis, according to a recent study by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center researcher Kathryn E. Weaver. Just as surprisingly, about 25 percent of their family members continued to smoke, even after watching a loved one's struggles. "It just speaks to the incredible addictive power of nicotine," said Weaver, an assistant professor in the department of social sciences and health policy whose work was published this spring in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. Head and neck cancer patients may be particularly vulnerable to the pull of nicotine, she said. Half of patients with those kinds of cancers are smoking at the time of their diagnosis, compared with about 20 percent to 40 percent of people with lung cancer. Some cancer patients continue to smoke because they think there's no point to stopping, but Weaver said that's just not true. Stopping smoking after a diagnosis has been associated with better response to treatment reduced symptoms and even prolonged survival. "I do have a lot of empathy for cancer patients," she said. "One message we need to emphasize is that it's never too late to quit." http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43945669/ns/health-addictions/
Mark Herzlich
Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich wasn't an NFL draft pick in April. But recently, he settled for the next best thing. Herzlich, a recent cancer survivor, signed a rookie free agent contract with the New York Giants, announcing his decision to play for former BC coach Tom Coughlin by way of Twitter. "The support has been unbelievable, keep it coming and I want to be a Giant," he posted. Herzlich, 23, was on the NFL watch list after being named ACC 2008 defensive player of the year his sophomore season. Herzlich's ambitions were derailed when he was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer in his left leg. He sat out the 2009 season while undergoing treatment and came back for a productive run last fall. "We are excited to give him an opportunity to see if he can make it in this league," said Giants chief executive and co-owner John Mara. "He's a great kid who has obviously been through a lot. I'm in favor of the signing and, in fact, I suggested it. We think of him as a prospect." BC coach Frank Spaziani is confident in Herzlich. "I think after his bout with cancer and coming back last year, he made improvements every week
and by the end of the year he was a very productive football player," said Spaziani. "He was by no means where he wanted to be or where he was (before cancer). But he kept improving. He's extremely smart and extremely driven, and put on top of that he's a football player."
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/football/other_nfl/view/
Sandy Xenos
During her three decades running the Boston Marathon, Sandy Xenos of Hopkinton placed some of her finisher medals in her father's coffin and gave others to friends struggling with illness or grief. But last week marked the first time one of the keepsakes went to people who helped save the Bellingham teacher's life. Months before, the doctors had been caught a little off-guard when Xenos announced her plans to still run the Boston Marathon, despite a scheduled full hysterectomy for her uterine cancer. But she stuck with her plans, even upon finding out she needed chemotherapy, a regimen that meant the race would fall between the fifth and sixth sessions. "Your professionalism and kindness will never be forgotten," she said, reading a prepared salute at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute before tearing up and going off-script. "You've changed my life." At Xenos's behest, a jeweler had inscribed the medal with her initials, the initials of Drs. Michael Muto and Ursula Matulonis, and "Yawkey 10" - the tenth floor of the hospital's Yawkey Center, where she received chemotherapy. The doctors plan to frame and display the blue-and-gold memento. "There will be no better place for my medal," she said of the medal's new home at Dana-Farber.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/features/x633528307/Cancer-survivor-gives-Boston-Marathon-medal-to-her-doctors
Jan Taylor
For the first time in nearly a decade, Jan Taylor feels like herself. Nine years after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, reconstructive surgery has given the New Zealand woman the confidence to get back in the pool for the first time since her mastectomy. Taylor was only 45 when she found a lump near her armpit one day in 2002. She was urgently referred to a specialist, had surgery just four days later and woke up with the lump - and most of her left breast - gone. "Suddenly I just felt like I was old," she said. In between rounds of radiation therapy and chemotherapy, she struggled to get used to her new body, avoiding mirrors and sticking to a wardrobe of high-necked clothing. She also had bad scarring that was visible when she wore a swimsuit, so she pushed her love of swimming to one side. "I went down to the pool a couple of times and thought, 'I can't do this."' For a long time Taylor had been doubtful about having a reconstruction because of her age, but was convinced by family and friends and went back into surgery in April. "It was amazing - I don't regret it for a minute. I'm still 55 but I feel much better about myself." Getting back into the pool for the first time was an "awesome" moment. http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/5363451/Breast-cancer-survivor-back-in-the-swim
SU2C is inspired by stories like these and millions of others. Cancer takes one person every minute and to wait for someone else to save our lives and the lives of those we love is no longer an option. At SU2C, we believe that together, we can end this disease by becoming one unstoppable movement. The end of cancer begins with you.
In her new book Heal Your Skin, Dr. Ava Shamban, a renowned board-certified dermatologist, gives an in-depth look on the benefits and importance of skin care. Chapter nine, Cancer Treatment: Renewing Your Skin, specifically discusses skin care tips in preparation for and during cancer treatment.
Cancer treatment isn't easy on the skin. How you take care of your skin as you go through treatment can impact not only your quality of life, but also your emotional well-being. Your mantra during this time is to remember that whatever is happening to your skin, no matter how dismaying: 'It's only temporary.' Almost everyone will experience some side effects, but the severity varies among individuals. Those side effects range from dry skin to body rashes.
As you prepare your skin for cancer treatment, the best way to minimize the side effects of the treatment is to get your skin as fit as possible.
Get a routine. The products that you use should be nourishing, fragrance free, and nonirritating. Invest in a good sunscreen or sunblock, at least SPF 25, with broad-spectrum protection.
Get rid of old makeup, dirty hairbrushes, used sponges, and skin care products past their shelf date.
During cancer treatment...some general skin-saving tips you should follow:
Handle with care. The skin is especially fragile at this time because it cannot regenerate itself in a normal way.
Avoid any aggressive skin or hair treatments. Go fragrance free -- anything heavily scented that touches you now has the potential to irritate your skin...like perfume, toilet paper, facial tissue, scented laundry soap, dryer sheets and fabric softener.
Use a humidifier, particularly in the bedroom while you sleep. It's an excellent idea because it adds moisture to the skin and the hair.
Wear gloves. Hands are one of the most vulnerable parts of the body to experience dryness, cracking and fissures because they're constantly placed under adverse conditions. Wear clean, dry, long, waterproof gloves for all wet household chores and thin white cotton gloves for dry household chores.
Maintaining a regular daily skin care regimen is critically important, not only for your own sense of well-being but also for your health. Caring for your skin will keep it stronger and better able to withstand the assaults of your cancer treatment. The goal is to keep your skin as healthy as possible so that you can continue with your treatment.
A New Gene That May Help In Ovarian Cancer Detection
RAD51D. These six characters may look innocuous, but they represent a newly discovered gene that's linked to ovarian cancer - one of the deadliest cancers for women. Researchers from the UK-based Institute of Cancer Research compared the DNA of women from more than 900 families with history of breast and ovarian cancer, with nearly 11,000 women with no family history. They found women with a faulty RAD51D gene had a one in 11 chance to develop ovarian cancer, compared with a one in 70 chance for the "control
women." The researchers think this discovery can lead to lab tests hitting the market within years to predict who's at a higher risk for the cancer that often doesn't show symptoms. "At this level of risk, women may wish to consider having their ovaries removed after having children, to prevent ovarian cancer occurring," Study author Dr. Nazneen Rahman, head of the Institute's division of genetics and epidemiology said in a written statement. The study was published in the August 7 issue of Nature Genetics. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20090148-10391704.html
The Morning Cigarette: No Butts About It
Smokers who light up right after they wake up in the morning may be at greater risk for lung, head and neck cancers than those who wait longer before having their first cigarette of the day, a new study finds. The study was released online Aug. 8 in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the journal Cancer. "These smokers have higher levels of nicotine and possibly other tobacco toxins in their body, and they may be more addicted than smokers who refrain from smoking for a half hour or more," said Joshua Muscat, of Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, in a journal news release. "It may be a combination of genetic and personal factors that cause a higher dependence to nicotine." In the study, researchers compared 4,775 lung cancer patients with 2,835 smokers who didn't have cancer. They found that those who smoked 31 to 60 minutes after waking up were 1.3 times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who waited at least an hour before lighting up. Meanwhile, those who smoked within 30 minutes of waking up were 1.79 times more likely to develop lung cancer.
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011/08/Morning-smokers-may-be-at-higher-cancer-risk/49883834/1
The Rationing of Cancer Care
Right now cancer care is being rationed in the United States. Probably to their great disappointment, President Obama's critics cannot blame this rationing on death panels or health care reform. Rather, it is caused by a severe shortage of important cancer drugs. Of the 34 generic cancer drugs on the market, as of this month, 14 were in short supply. They include drugs that are the mainstay of treatment regimens used to cure leukemia, lymphoma and testicular cancer. As Dr. Michael Link, the president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, recently told me, "If you are a pediatric oncologist, you know how to cure 70 to 80 percent of patients. But without these drugs you are out of business." This shortage is even inhibiting research studies that can lead to higher cure rates: enrollment of patients in many clinical trials has been delayed or stopped because the drugs that are in short supply make up the standard regimens to which new treatments are added or compared. The underlying reason for this is that cancer patients do not buy chemotherapy drugs from their local pharmacies the way they buy asthma inhalers or insulin. Instead, it is their oncologists who buy the drugs, administer them and then bill Medicare and insurance companies for the costs.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/opinion/sunday/ezekiel-emanuel-cancer-patients.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=cancer&st=cse
Exercise During Cancer Treatment Could Be A Lifesaver
All patients getting cancer treatment should be told to do two and a half hours of physical exercise every week, says a report by Macmillan Cancer Support. Being advised to rest and take it easy after treatment is an outdated view, the charity says. Research shows that exercise can reduce the risk of dying from cancer and minimize the side effects of treatment. Adult cancer patients and cancer survivors should undertake 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week, the reports says, which is what the Department of Health guidelines recommend. In the report, the American College of Sports Medicine also recommends that exercise is safe during and after most types of cancer treatment and says survivors should avoid inactivity. Getting active, the report says, can help people overcome the effects of cancer and its treatments, such as fatigue and weight gain. "The evidence review shows that physical exercise does not increase fatigue during treatment, and can in fact boost energy after treatment."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14417084
Baseball fans take note! SU2C wants you to know about an exciting opportunity to win a free pair of tickets to the 2011 MLB World Series... and entering to win is as easy as playing an online baseball game thanks to State Farm. And here's the best part - every time you play, SU2C has the chance to win one of the weekly $18,000 donations that State Farm will be making to participating charities during the second half of the Major League Baseball season.
The online "Go To Bat" game is available to play from now through September 26th 2011. Fans can increase both their chances and SU2C's chances of winning by returning daily to www.statefarm.com/gotobat, choosing SU2C as their charity, and stepping up to the plate to play. Players can also earn additional entries and increase their chances to win by sharing their participation on Facebook with family and friends.
"SU2C is extremely excited to be a part of State Farm's Go To Bat Charitable Giving Program," said Sue Schwartz, co-founder of SU2C. "By participating in programs like this, we tap into the collective power of people to make a difference, and in this case, the difference is innovative cancer research."
The "Go To Bat" program will culminate during the 2011 MLB World Series with a pre-game ceremony showcasing its collective impact and recognizing the individual winners and the winning charities. The charity with the highest average at the end of the "Go To Bat" program will also receive an additional $25,000 donation.
To get more information and play the "Go To Bat" game online, go to www.statefarm.com/gotobat. And don't forget to select to play for team SU2C!
December 21, 2010 is a day Dawn Fish won't soon forget. An emergency room visit revealed a tumor that took many days of wondering, and waiting to officially diagnose. On January 17th, 2011 Dawn learned she had Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and is currently in the middle of her treatment.
You learned about your cancer in stages, what was that like?
The more I learned about what exactly the cancer was the better I felt about it. When I first heard the word tumor I was sure that I had breast, or liver cancer because of my family history. Then it looked like sarcoma, and my hopes of surviving plummeted. I wasn't sure I had it in me to fight. But, when my doctor was finally able to officially diagnose me with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and described my treatment options, I thought it seemed tolerable and that I could do this.
Where are you in the treatment process and how has it gone so far?
As of May 24th, I have finished six chemotherapy treatments and I start radiation this month. So far the treatments have gone well. Of course, I had nausea and some side effects from the chemotherapy, but you get used to it and learn how to deal with them.
Right now the outlook is bright, and I am doing well. The latest pathology tests show no trace of cancer left in the bone and after the radiation I will hopefully be done with treatment.
What has helped you stay strong?
My daughter, and my husband have been the biggest help. I've also been a diabetic for 40 years, so I've built a strong relationship with my doctors and they've really helped me as well.
In addition to those things I also find strength in hearing stories from other cancer patients and survivors. I've met so many people who were willing to talk. My only previous experience with cancer was taking care of my mother, who passed away from pancreatic cancer. So talking to people in the room who've had a tough road and can share insights has really been helpful. I feel that if they can do it, so can I.
On those days when you feel the worst, what keeps you fighting?
My daughter. I think especially when you have younger kids you fight because you want to be there to see them grown up.
My husband is also always right there by my side. He takes care of me and always offers me encouragement. He's a war veteran, so I know that whining doesn't help you win the battle, and that maintaining the will to fight is what will help make the difference in my day.
Do you feel a bond with other cancer patients going through treatment?
Yes, because they know what it's like. I feel an instant connection with anyone I have met who has battled or is battling this disease.
I have also grown to appreciate the people who can tell I have cancer by my bald head, and approach me to wish me well, or tell me their story. It helps me keep fighting, and means something to have that other people offer their support.
What advice would you give fellow patients to help them stay positive and move forward with their lives?
Have faith, and enjoy every moment you're not sick from side effects of treatment. My personal faith in god really helps me stay positive and keeps me moving forward.
In the end, I believe that we are all survivors; some of us just take a different path in our quest to defeat this disease.
Every person taking a stand against cancer is an inspiration. Go to su2c.org and tell us your story by starting an SU2C profile or by launching a star in honor of someone you love.
Dr. Bernadine P. Healy, the first woman to lead the National Institutes of Health and the first physician to lead the American Red Cross, died last Saturday at her home in Gates Mills, Ohio. She was 67. The cause was recurring brain cancer, which she had battled for 13 years, her husband, Dr. Floyd D. Loop, said. In a hybrid career in the largely male domains of medicine and government, Dr. Healy -- a cardiologist and feminist -- was a professor at Johns Hopkins University, dean of the Ohio State University medical school, a White House science adviser and president of the American Heart Association. She wrote scientific papers and magazine columns, and once ran for the United States Senate. But she was best known as a tough, innovative administrator who, as director of the National Institutes of Health from 1991 to 1993, championed studies that overturned false assumptions about women's health.
Last month, a few days after they toasted the signing of New York's same sex marriage law, Jacques Beaumont called an ambulance to the home he shares with his partner Richard Townsend. The two had been ill for some time, and increasingly reclusive. Mr. Beaumont was found to have leukemia and the prognosis was poor. Mr. Townsend had complications of Parkinson's disease. Faced with the prospect of their own mortality and separation after 30 years together, they asked the doctors to postpone Mr. Beaumont's chemotherapy until they could get married. "When he got sick, it changed everything, " Mr. Townsend said. "We said we must get married. It's vitally important." On the day of the wedding, they arrived in a patient lounge in separate wheelchairs. There were no tuxedoes. Instead, the hospital provided matching white sweat pants and sweatshirts from its inventory and matching yellow rose boutonnieres. With a dignity that defied the circumstances, the wedding couple clasped hands on the adjacent armrests of their wheelchairs and said their vows, which Mr. Beaumont tailored slightly to his diplomatic cadences, ending, "until we are parted by death, this I solemnly vow."
For Bob Niederman, Tuesday wasn't the day he went in for cancer treatment. It was the deadline for him to get his work done. Niederman, 45, of Liberty Township, was diagnosed with large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in March, but as the owner of the Niederman Family Farm, his work never stops. The corn maze needs its finishing touches, the Paintball Country grounds have to be maintained, the Christmas walk has to be planned and all the work that comes with operating a 200-acre farm has to be done. Niederman says he's going to get as much done as he can before he has to go in for treatment. "I don't want to stop working," he said. "It's therapy." Despite a mix of emotions in the family, Niederman said, overall, his illness has been a source of education about himself, his family and the generosity of the public. Niederman will be in the hospital for several months and when he returns home, he will be isolated due to a severe diminishing of his immune system. Regardless of Niederman being in the hospital or restricted to the house, the family farm will continue on and Niederman is already looking forward to when he can return to work.
Martina McBride's new single, "I'm Gonna Love You Through It," is an inspirational song about going through cancer, and for the video, she enlisted the help of a few famous faces to convey the message. "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts, singer Sheryl Crow, ABC's Katie Couric and "Today" anchor Hoda Kotb ( HO'-duh KAHT'-bee) all appear in the clip, which debuts Wednesday on CMT.com. Roberts, Crow and Kotb are all survivors of breast cancer; Couric's husband died of colon cancer. McBride, who has never had cancer, says she wanted to sing the song to give hope and positive messages to those going through the struggle. She says it "takes a lot of strength and a lot of love to get through something like that.
SU2C is inspired by stories like these and millions of others. Cancer takes one person every minute and to wait for someone else to save our lives and the lives of those we love is no longer an option. At SU2C, we believe that together, we can end this disease by becoming one unstoppable movement. The end of cancer begins with you.
Would you ever run in a Mud Run? If the answer is yes, you'll want to keep reading because this Mud Run will benefit SU2C! On September 10, 2011 CBS, Around the World Productions, 7UP and SU2C invite you to be a part of the most exciting, action-packed, and outrageous kind of race there is. The Reality Mud Run, hosted by some of your favorite CBS reality stars, is a 5k run with a twist.
Beginning on Saturday morning September 10th at Oak Canyon Park Blue Diamond Haul Road in Silverado, CA (near Irvine), racers will be joined by some of their favorite CBS reality stars to get dirty and race through the mud. Stars set to participate include SURVIVOR's Ethan Zohn, Jenna Morasca, Amanda Kimmel, Burton Roberts, Yau-Man Chan, Natalie Tenerelli, Phillip Sheppard, Chad Crittenden and Joel Klug; The Amazing Race's Uchenna Agu, Megan Rickey, Cheynne Whitney, Alex Boylan and Dennis Frentsos; and Big Brother's Will Kirby and many more.
Run the race alone, or gather a group of friends and race as a team. There are two races you can participate in: a morning run that begins at 8 A.M and the afternoon wave that starts at 1:30 P.M.. Participants are also invited to stop by the SU2C pop-up shop and receive a complimentary SU2C sweatband or purchase some of your favorite SU2C gear for the event. For every registration, $5 will be donated to Stand Up To Cancer.
More details about the run and how to register can be found at www.RealityMudRun.com. Those who are unable to participate as runners but would still like to be part of the cause can donate to the SURVIVOR SU2C team year-round via www.standup2cancer.org/survivor.
Scientists on SU2C's PI3K Dream Team made a significant research finding that was recently published in the online edition of Nature Medicine (pp1-6). These findings could accelerate the development of targeted therapies for treatment-resistant breast cancers. Dream Team scientists have identified a gene that may play a key role in breast cancers that become resistant to PI3K-pathway targeted therapy.
The PI3K pathway helps regulate cell survival and growth, and, as such, plays a key role in the development of a variety of cancers including breast, colon and many other types. Researchers hope that drugs targeting this pathway could lead to more effective therapy. However, like many cancer therapies, treatments that inhibit the PI3K pathway also face one of the most significant challenges facing cancer researchers today - treatment resistance.
Unfortunately, resistance to treatment is usually identified after the patient no longer responds to treatment; and with breast cancer that usually means the tumor has grown. This is not only costly, but patients have been subjected to therapies that ultimately couldn't help them, therapies that could have significant side effects impacting their quality of life, and - perhaps most importantly - patients have lost time in identifying other therapies that could possibly produce better results in treating their cancers.
Scientists have been working to identify the genes that regulate the PI3K pathway and have made progress - however - clearly there are still mechanisms that are driving PI3K resistance. Through preclinical studies, scientists on the SU2C PI3K Dream Team believe they have identified a potential mechanism for resistance in breast cancer mediated by the PIK3CA gene, which encodes a protein subunit of PI3K.
Led by Jean J. Zhao, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of Cancer Biology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the department of Pathology Harvard Medical School, researchers generated a genetically engineered mouse model of human breast cancer to identify genes that cause resistance to PI3K pathway inhibitors and found that one such gene called Myc seems to be crucial. Results indicated that those with multiple copies of Myc were more likely to resist therapy than those that did not have multiple copies of the gene. In addition, greater amplification of the Myc gene seemed to be associated with development of a pathway independent of PI3K, which would ultimately negate some of the anticancer effects of PI3K pathway inhibitors.
This finding will allow researchers to develop therapies that specifically target Myc. Findings also suggest that combination therapies targeting both PI3K and c-MYC may be necessary to circumvent resistance to PI3K targeted therapy.
Beverlye Hyman-Fead is no stranger to the word cancer. Having lost her grandmother, mother, and both sisters to the disease she was determined to stay healthy and cancer-free. But, in 2002 Beverlye received a diagnosis of stage IV metastasized inoperable cancer. The outlook did not seem promising, but Beverlye kept fighting to survive. Nine years later, Beverlye is still telling her story and the stories of other survivors living with cancer in her short film, Stage IV: Living with Cancer.
SU2C recently sat down with Beverlye to talk about her film, and her hopes to spread the word that cancer can be a manageable disease for many people.
What inspired you to create Stage IV: Living with Cancer?
After I was diagnosed with stage IV cancer I kept finding other people like me who were also told they had little chance of surviving. These were people who had been given a dire diagnosis, and were still going on to live five or 10 years later. It fascinated me. It gave me hope. So, I wanted to give others hope, and let people with cancer know-- it is possible to beat the odds.
At first I was going to write a book, but the more people I met the more I thought it would be better to do a film to show how everyone was living, and what these patients were doing to continue their lives.
In the film, you speak about your willingness to try experimental therapy. Were you scared?
Not really. It felt right for me because of my support team, and my own education about my disease. My doctors were all very knowledgeable about my sarcoma and had been observing the way my cancer cells had moved and grown. So, when my new doctor suggested hormone blockers to stop the cancer in its tracks, it made sense to me, and I was willing to bet my life on it.
Why is it important to realize that people can live with cancer?
When you are given the diagnosis of cancer at any stage, it's daunting. Then to be told to get your affairs in order, it's hard to believe that you can keep going. I wish there had been a film like this to give me hope when I was first diagnosed.
In the past 40 years cancer has become a much more manageable disease; it's not necessarily a death sentence anymore. There are new treatments, new medicines and new procedures being approved every day.
My hope is that this film inspires people, and gives them the courage to keep fighting and living no matter what stage their diagnosis may be. We have to remind ourselves that it's our job as the patient to be the captain of our own ship. Doctors have hundreds of patients but you only have one, yourself. So it really is up to you to get your team together and find all the information you can about your disease so you can work with your doctors to find the best treatment for you. It's about being pro-active and realizing that the diagnosis isn't the end, it's the beginning of fighting for your life.
The film talks about how a positive attitude can help change how you deal with cancer. Do you believe that?
I think there is a moment for everyone diagnosed with cancer where you decide that you are going to do everything you can to keep living. It's the point where you decide to become proactive in your fight against cancer, and that's a very big point to reach. And, when you reach that point you change your attitude, the way you eat, the way you appreciate life, and you try and pay it forward for as long as you can.
When my mother and grandmother were diagnosed there were very few forms of treatment. But things are different today and I want people to see that.
Why is it important for people to share their stories?
As a survivor I know first hand how inspirational it is to know that people can live with cancer. Hearing these kinds of stories makes you want to jump up and say, "I can do that too!" A lot of times it takes sheer will, but to look at yourself and know that you can do everything in your power to push yourself and keep going is important.
I am not pretending that there are not people that die from cancer, and it's a horrible tragic thing. I recently lost a niece to it. But, if you are lucky and can catch it early enough, and be willing to try different options, perhaps you can have a hand in your own destiny. Sharing your story with others is a great way to give back. I want other people to see and know that life with cancer is possible. So, getting a diagnosis and giving up right away should never be an option.
What advice would you give to a caregiver of someone living with cancer?
I don't think there is any more important job in this world then caring for a loved one who is sick. My advice would be to know that there is always something you can do for them. Just being there is often the biggest help. Watch a movie with your patient, bring a book over to read, or just be there to make them laugh. Think of ways you can make them smile and don't forget to take the time to care for yourself too.
What advice would you give to someone recently diagnosed?
My advice to anyone with a cancer diagnosis is to keep doing things and helping others for as long as you are able to. It's important to keep venturing out and doing things you never thought you could do.
Life is such a precious thing. This becomes even more apparent when something like cancer has jarred you. You start to see life in a different respect. It's corny to say, but the sky is bluer and you learn to appreciate everything you love a little bit more.
I always try and remember that an old lady sitting on a bench is never sorry for the things she's done, she's sorry for the things she didn't do and I never want to be that person. As Emile Zola said, "If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud." I try each day to celebrate life and live out loud. It's what I was put on earth to do and what I hope to inspire others to do this as well. I'm very grateful!
Run the race alone, or gather a group of friends and race as a team. There are two races you can participate in: a morning run that begins at 8 A.M and the afternoon wave that starts at 1:30 P.M.. Participants are also invited to stop by the SU2C pop-up shop and receive a complimentary SU2C sweatband or purchase some of your favorite SU2C gear for the event. For every registration, $5 will be donated to Stand Up To Cancer. 
