Esophageal Cancer Month, April 2014 By article April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month and ECAN, the Esophageal Cancer Action Network, is urging Americans to get the facts about this deadly disease, which usually isn’t detected until it’s too late. Some basic facts about Esophageal Cancer in the U.S. *Most cases of esophageal cancer in the United States are caused by the effects of GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease), where acid from the stomach moves back into the esophagus. The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn.
_ How You Can Help a Spouse With Cancer By article By Nurse Practitioner Jamie Kabat, BSN, MSN, CNP and Clinical Nurse Specialist Josette Snyder, RN, MSN, AOCN One of the most frequent – and touching – questions we get on the Cleveland Clinic’s Cancer Answer Line is from people whose spouses or partners have been newly diagnosed with cancer. They want to know how they can help and support their spouses through this life-changing diagnosis and the ensuing treatment.
_ New Era of Lung Cancer Treatment By article A new era of lung cancer therapy is close to dawning, using drugs that can prevent tumor cells from evading the immune system, according to experts who presented their findings at the 4th European Lung Cancer Congress in March 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland.
_ Breast Cancer Hope For Treating A Deadly Breast-Cancer Gene By Jane Farrell article Researchers have discovered that a gene, previously not linked to breast cancer, plays a central role in the growth of triple negative breast cancer. Targeting that gene, the research indicates, could lead to a new approach for treating that form of the disease. Triple negative breast cancer, which accounts for 20 percent of all breast cancer cases, often has few treatment options.
_ Androgen Deprivation Therapy Ineffective For Early-Stage Prostate Cancer By Jane Farrell article Men who got androgen deprivation therapy as the primary treatment in the early stages of prostate cancer didn’t live any longer than those who got no treatment at all, a study shows. The researchers say that this conclusion, along with the risk of serious side effects such as heart disease and diabetes, “mitigates against any clinical or policy rationale for use of primary androgen deprivation therapy [PADT] in these men.”
A Sharp Drop in Deaths From Colon Cancer By Jane Farrell article Colon cancer screenings have led to a 30 percent drop in cases for people aged 50 and older, the American Cancer Society reports. Death rates have also declined. The drop was measured over the last ten years. The researchers who conducted the study said the decrease was due to more people getting recommended screening tests. And even more deaths could be avoided if everyone got their screening tests on time.
_ Watch: The Newest Ways To Diagnose Colon Cancer By Jane Farrell article Here's the latest addition to our Third Age video collection. Press play to start learning!
_ Dress in Blue Day: Colon Cancer Awareness By article Friday, March 7th 2014 is the annual National Dress in Blue Day. The event takes place in conjunction with National Colon Cancer Awareness Month. A release from The Colon Cancer Alliance reports that one in 20 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer, leading to more than 50,000 deaths every year. That’s why the organization is urging individuals, businesses and community groups across the country to participate in the nationwide Dress in Blue Day.
Men's Health A Molecule That Could Cure Prostate Cancer By Jane Farrell article Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center may have discovered a way to potentially shut down the growth of prostate cancer cells. Dr. Ralf Kittler, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, studies ERG, a protein that facilitates the transformation of normal prostate cells into cancer cells. He and fellow investigators found that a molecule called WP1130 can ultimately lead to the destruction of ERG. “We now have a target that we could potentially exploit to develop a drug for treatment,” Kittler said in a statement.
_ Protect Yourself Against Colon Cancer By Jane Farrell article Colon cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, is often preventable and highly curable. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s important to find out all about the illness that overwhelmingly affects people 50 and older. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 90 percent of people with the illness fall into that age category.
_ How Robotic Surgery Helps Prostate-Cancer Patiets By Jane Farrell article Prostate-cancer patients who have robotic-assisted surgery have less need for treatments such as hormone or radiation therapy, according to a new study. Researchers from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center also found that the robotic-assisted surgery left fewer instances of cancer cells at the edge of the surgical specimen. The study, published in the journal European Urology, was led by Dr. Jim Hu, director of robotic and minimally invasive surgery in the urology department at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
_ Breast Cancer 14 Questions About Your Breast Cancer Diagnosis By article prognosis and medical choices.
_ Breast Cancer Stopping Aggressive Breast Cancer By Jane Farrell article The chance of breast cancer spreading beyond the initial tumor may be decreased by lowering the level of a protein, according to new research. A team of investigators from The Ohio State University found that mice implanted with breast cancer cells without the protein, myoferlin, developed self-contained tumors whose cells did not spread beyond the original site. In contrast, mice implanted with cancer cells containing the protein developed larger, irregular masses and showed signs that cancer cells had invaded the surrounding tissue.
_ Comprehensive Care Needed for Breast-Cancer Survivors By Jane Farrell article Older breast-cancer survivors need comprehensive care to help them fight heart disease, osteoporosis and high blood pressure, according to new research. Women in this category are likely to face these illnesses after their diagnosis of breast cancers. Because of that, they should watch their weight and get regular exercise. The kind of cancer treatment the women received may be a factor, as well as their weight and age.
Men's Health Vitamin E, Selenium Linked to Increased Prostate Cancer Risk By Jane Farrell article Selenium or Vitamin E can sharply increase the risk of prostate cancer, according to a new study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Taking Vitamin E can raise the chances of getting prostate cancer by as much as 63 percent in some men. Taking selenium can double the risk of getting a high-grade form of the same illness. The findings, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, are the latest to show that supplements don’t always have a positive effect.
_ New Tx for Ovarian Cancer Discovered By article Researchers at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island have developed a biologic drug that would prevent the production of a protein known to allow ovarian cancer cells to grow aggressively while being resistant to chemotherapy. A release from the hospital quotes Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, chief of obstetrics and gynecology, as saying, "This is a tremendous discovery and could mean the difference between life or death for some women with ovarian cancer.”
Connecting With Your Inner Spirit Helps With A Cancer Diagnosis By blog Researchers have found that having a strong sense of spirituality helps people better adjust and cope with cancer. Spirituality provides a foundation of inner strength that can help people find hope, gratitude and keep a positive outlook in the midst of a cancer diagnosis.
Breast Cancer Possible: A New Treatment for Aggressive Breast Cancer By Jane Farrell article Experts have found a process that fuels triple negative breast cancer, the most aggressive form of the illness, and that could lead to new treatments. The researchers, from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and Georgia Regents University, discovered that a protein that fuels an inflammatory pathway does not turn off in breast cancer. The failure to turn off leads to an increase in cancer stem cells. The protein, SOCS3, is highly expressed in normal cells but until now has been undetectable in triple-negative breast cancer.