Here is part of a Wall Street Journal report "Doctors Get New Test to Help Determine If Ovarian Masses Are Cancer," written by LAURA JOHANNES:
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Doctors and hospitals are getting a new test that many think will help fight ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest cancers, by helping them to more quickly distinguish cancerous from benign growths.
The test, which is called OVA1 and will be available for general use Tuesday, was shown to correctly flag 92 percent of cancers, when used along with radiological imaging and a standard patient work-up, in a study of 27 hospitals, doctors' offices and clinics. Physicians using their usual detection methods but not OVA1 had previously found 72 percent of the cancers.
"It is an amazing move forward," said Cara Tenenbaum, vice president of policy for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, a nonprofit patient advocacy group.
The test, though, has a serious downside: It generates a lot of false positives. Of the women flagged as likely having cancer, 64 percent didn't, as determined by biopsies done during surgery. False positives might prompt, in addition to the likely emotional suffering, women to make an out-of-town trip to have surgery under a specialist's care when it could have been done at a local hospital. The trial funded by Vermillion Inc., of Fremont, Calif., which developed the test, found that physicians' current methods, which generally included another blood test, an exam and imaging, had a false-alarm rate of only 40 percent.
Go to: Wall Street Journal-Ovarian Cancer to read the entire article.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Men With Prostate Cancer Need To Plan Before Using Nutritional Supplements
Here is a link to an article called "Use of Nutrition Supplements Discouraged for Men with Prostate Cancer," by Denise Reynolds with EMaxHealth.com. The bottom line:
Although doctors are concerned about men with prostate cancer who take extremely high doses of nutrition supplements and its potential for negative effects on treatment, it appears that taking a standard multivitamin may be okay to take with the physician’s approval. A small study on 52 men presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology in November 2009 did not find harmful effects of normal levels of vitamin or antioxidant supplementation on radiation therapy for prostate cancer, however they also did not find a significant benefit in the treatment. Men who took a standard multivitamin had no difference in PSA response than those not taking supplements.
Dr. Zietman, of the Harvard Medical School in Boston who conducted the study, did say that men taking supplements marketed specifically for prostate health may inadvertently be getting hormonal therapy. Some dietary supplements may contain phytoestrogens or synthetic hormones which may stimulate the growth of the cancer cells.
"Cancer patients turn to supplements to aid in their treatments for a variety of reasons, but this study proves that what some patients believe is helping them may actually be harming them," said Dr. Marples. "It is very important for all patients to discuss any type of supplement they may be taking with their physician and especially important for prostate cancer patients receiving radiation therapy as this study shows that it may be negatively affecting the effectiveness of their treatments."
In our opinion, it takes more than just your doctor to help you review and approve the use of different supplements. Pattie and I have talked often about developing your "medical team." If you are going to delve into the world of "hard core" supplementation, you will need additional help. More about that tomorrow.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie
Although doctors are concerned about men with prostate cancer who take extremely high doses of nutrition supplements and its potential for negative effects on treatment, it appears that taking a standard multivitamin may be okay to take with the physician’s approval. A small study on 52 men presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology in November 2009 did not find harmful effects of normal levels of vitamin or antioxidant supplementation on radiation therapy for prostate cancer, however they also did not find a significant benefit in the treatment. Men who took a standard multivitamin had no difference in PSA response than those not taking supplements.
Dr. Zietman, of the Harvard Medical School in Boston who conducted the study, did say that men taking supplements marketed specifically for prostate health may inadvertently be getting hormonal therapy. Some dietary supplements may contain phytoestrogens or synthetic hormones which may stimulate the growth of the cancer cells.
"Cancer patients turn to supplements to aid in their treatments for a variety of reasons, but this study proves that what some patients believe is helping them may actually be harming them," said Dr. Marples. "It is very important for all patients to discuss any type of supplement they may be taking with their physician and especially important for prostate cancer patients receiving radiation therapy as this study shows that it may be negatively affecting the effectiveness of their treatments."
In our opinion, it takes more than just your doctor to help you review and approve the use of different supplements. Pattie and I have talked often about developing your "medical team." If you are going to delve into the world of "hard core" supplementation, you will need additional help. More about that tomorrow.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie
Monday, March 8, 2010
Avastin Proving To Be Versatile--Although Sometimes Controversial Chemotherapy Drug
I just read an article about the cancer drug, Avastin. I remembered also reading late last spring that Avastin had just been preliminarily approved for use in certain types of brain cancer. According to ChemoCare.com, Avastin is also used for:
Treatment of metastatic colon or rectal cancer, used as part of a combination chemotherapy regimen.
Treatment for non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer as part of a combination chemotherapy regimen.
As part of a combination chemotherapy regimen in patients who have not recieved chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.
Treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) that has worsened following prior chemotherapy.
In combination with interferon alfa for the treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Note: If Avastin has been approved for one use, physicians may elect to use avastin for other problems if they believe it may be helpful.
I did find one negative article about this versatile drug titled: Questions swirl around Avastin--June--Forbes Magazine. The opening line of the article, written by Matthew Herper and Robert Langreth, states: "Cancer researchers are beginning to ask why Roche's very expensive and very lucrative drug Avastin is not providing bigger survival gains for cancer patients." The writer's criticism is that Avastan often only extends a patient's life by a few months--and that once use of the drug is stopped, sometimes the cancer seems to return more aggressively than before.
I don't know enough about the drug and these cancers to editorialize here. Once can only hope that, as time goes on, dosing can be improved--along with the drug. But sounds like it is a start, considering several of these cancers have proven very stubborn and difficult to treat.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
Treatment of metastatic colon or rectal cancer, used as part of a combination chemotherapy regimen.
Treatment for non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer as part of a combination chemotherapy regimen.
As part of a combination chemotherapy regimen in patients who have not recieved chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.
Treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) that has worsened following prior chemotherapy.
In combination with interferon alfa for the treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Note: If Avastin has been approved for one use, physicians may elect to use avastin for other problems if they believe it may be helpful.
I did find one negative article about this versatile drug titled: Questions swirl around Avastin--June--Forbes Magazine. The opening line of the article, written by Matthew Herper and Robert Langreth, states: "Cancer researchers are beginning to ask why Roche's very expensive and very lucrative drug Avastin is not providing bigger survival gains for cancer patients." The writer's criticism is that Avastan often only extends a patient's life by a few months--and that once use of the drug is stopped, sometimes the cancer seems to return more aggressively than before.
I don't know enough about the drug and these cancers to editorialize here. Once can only hope that, as time goes on, dosing can be improved--along with the drug. But sounds like it is a start, considering several of these cancers have proven very stubborn and difficult to treat.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
Sunday, March 7, 2010
News Gets Around - Good Nutrition Helps Prevent Ovarian Cancer
Friday I wrote about a story I found in the Palm Beach Post about how good nutrition can help prevent ovarian cancer. Saturday, the same news ran in an African paper, the Ethiopian Review. Good news gets around--all the way around the world! Click on either link to read all about it.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Most Common Cancers In The United States - 2010
Go to this link: EverydayHealth.com/10 most common cancers for details about the most prevalent and dangerous forms of cancer in the United States.
Skin cancer is far and away most common. I was surprised how many more cases of lymphoma are diagnosed each year than leukemia.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
Skin cancer is far and away most common. I was surprised how many more cases of lymphoma are diagnosed each year than leukemia.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
Friday, March 5, 2010
Another Example Of How Good Nutrition Can Help Prevent Cancer
Here is an article out today, supporting Pat's premise that good nutrition can help prevent cancer in the Palm Beach Post:
Healthy eating habits lead to longer survival for ovarian cancer patients, U.S. researchers say.
In a study of 351 women with incident epithelial ovarian cancer, the researchers found that higher total fruit and vegetable consumption, higher vegetable consumption alone, and healthy grain consumption were associated with longer survival. High consumption of "less-healthy" meats was associated with shorter survival.
The findings "suggest that food patterns three to five years prior to a diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer have the potential to influence survival time," Therese A. Dolecek, research associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and colleagues wrote in their report published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
"The pre-diagnosis food patterns observed to afford a survival advantage after an epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis reflect characteristics commonly found in plant-based or low-fat diets. These diets generally contain high levels of constituents that would be expected to protect against cancer and minimize ingestion of known carcinogens found in foods," the researchers wrote.
"The authors provide new evidence that dietary factors, particularly total fruit and vegetable, red and processed meat, and milk intakes may influence ovarian cancer survival," Cynthia A. Thomson, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and Dr. David S. Alberts, director of the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, wrote in an accompanying editorial. "These findings corroborate earlier work . . . and are among only a select few studies of dietary associations with ovarian cancer recurrence and/or prognosis despite a significant and growing body of literature suggesting diet may influence ovarian cancer risk."
Read the entire article by going to: Healthy Eating Helps Prevent Ovarian Cancer.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie
Healthy eating habits lead to longer survival for ovarian cancer patients, U.S. researchers say.
In a study of 351 women with incident epithelial ovarian cancer, the researchers found that higher total fruit and vegetable consumption, higher vegetable consumption alone, and healthy grain consumption were associated with longer survival. High consumption of "less-healthy" meats was associated with shorter survival.
The findings "suggest that food patterns three to five years prior to a diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer have the potential to influence survival time," Therese A. Dolecek, research associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and colleagues wrote in their report published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
"The pre-diagnosis food patterns observed to afford a survival advantage after an epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis reflect characteristics commonly found in plant-based or low-fat diets. These diets generally contain high levels of constituents that would be expected to protect against cancer and minimize ingestion of known carcinogens found in foods," the researchers wrote.
"The authors provide new evidence that dietary factors, particularly total fruit and vegetable, red and processed meat, and milk intakes may influence ovarian cancer survival," Cynthia A. Thomson, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and Dr. David S. Alberts, director of the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, wrote in an accompanying editorial. "These findings corroborate earlier work . . . and are among only a select few studies of dietary associations with ovarian cancer recurrence and/or prognosis despite a significant and growing body of literature suggesting diet may influence ovarian cancer risk."
Read the entire article by going to: Healthy Eating Helps Prevent Ovarian Cancer.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie
Editorial About Value Of Gerson Therapy For Cancer Patients
Part of my sudden interest in Gerson Therapy concerns a book I am writing about living better lives with cancer. Nutrition is about one third of the content. Now I'm not “plugging” or promoting the book—it won't be out until this time next year. But the thrust of the book is that better nutrition can make a difference in how long and how well a cancer patient lives. Without spending any more time on the specifics of Gerson Therapy, it seems to me one needs to temper criticism of his protocol with the knowledge that Dr. Gerson was one of the first “hard core,” raw diet nutritionalists.
The government's National Cancer Institue stresses: "The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved the Gerson therapy for the treatment of cancer or other diseases."
I was surprised to discover that there aren't as many "news and views" postings, pro or con, from credible sources I found on Google. Sure, you read lots about how everyone hates "coffee enemas--and how dangerous they are." There are claims and counter-claims. Detractors point to lack of support by traditional medical institutions and the FDA. Gerson supporters point to informal study after study which show improved post cancer survivorship among advanced cancer patients who used Gerson Therapy. There are even some cross or mixed studies, where patients used traditional chemotherapy and Gerson at the same time. Here is a link to an excellent, balanced review from Masonic Cancer Center and the University of Minnesota: University of Minnesota/Gerson Therapy.This site doesn't "bash" Gerson. It simply lays out facts in a detailed, systematic way.
I understand desperate times call for desperate measures. Trouble is, by the time conventional medicine gives up on an advanced cancer patient, is it fair to expect a nutritional/detox program like Gerson to do much, if anything? The fact it helps some patients tells me there may be some truth mixed-in with the unconventional methods and claims.
The Bottom line: I believe good nutrition can help improve--and extend a cancer patient's life. But the million dollar question remains... Which nutritional program works best and why? Gerson Therapy is a bit to far "out there" for me. But it is hard to criticise juicing, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and even maintaining a vegetarian diet as a way to help our body heal. (I do share some of the standard concerns about balance and protein for patients switching to a vegetarian diet--but that is another topic--one worthy of in-depth investigation in my upcoming book!) Seems to me, Dr. Gerson was ahead of his time.
Feel good, keep smiling and keep eating your (raw) fruits and vegetables! Pat
The government's National Cancer Institue stresses: "The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved the Gerson therapy for the treatment of cancer or other diseases."
I was surprised to discover that there aren't as many "news and views" postings, pro or con, from credible sources I found on Google. Sure, you read lots about how everyone hates "coffee enemas--and how dangerous they are." There are claims and counter-claims. Detractors point to lack of support by traditional medical institutions and the FDA. Gerson supporters point to informal study after study which show improved post cancer survivorship among advanced cancer patients who used Gerson Therapy. There are even some cross or mixed studies, where patients used traditional chemotherapy and Gerson at the same time. Here is a link to an excellent, balanced review from Masonic Cancer Center and the University of Minnesota: University of Minnesota/Gerson Therapy.This site doesn't "bash" Gerson. It simply lays out facts in a detailed, systematic way.
I understand desperate times call for desperate measures. Trouble is, by the time conventional medicine gives up on an advanced cancer patient, is it fair to expect a nutritional/detox program like Gerson to do much, if anything? The fact it helps some patients tells me there may be some truth mixed-in with the unconventional methods and claims.
The Bottom line: I believe good nutrition can help improve--and extend a cancer patient's life. But the million dollar question remains... Which nutritional program works best and why? Gerson Therapy is a bit to far "out there" for me. But it is hard to criticise juicing, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and even maintaining a vegetarian diet as a way to help our body heal. (I do share some of the standard concerns about balance and protein for patients switching to a vegetarian diet--but that is another topic--one worthy of in-depth investigation in my upcoming book!) Seems to me, Dr. Gerson was ahead of his time.
Feel good, keep smiling and keep eating your (raw) fruits and vegetables! Pat
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