Uterine Cancer

You can find an excellent article about uterine cancer by clicking on the Women's Cancer Information Center link on the right side of this page.
As Pat always says, feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

Cancer Initiators

Everyone's Guide to Cancer Therapy lists the following substances as “Initiators” or causes of cancer. These include:

Tobacco and tobacco smoke
X-rays and exposure to ionizing radiation
Certain hormones and drugs, such as diethylstilbestrol, some estrogens and some immunosuppressive drugs
Excessive exposure to sunlight
Industrial agents or toxic substances suchas asbestos, coal tar products, benzene, cadmium, uranium and nickel
Dietary factors, like high-fat foods, low-fiber diets, carcinogens from burned foods
Obesity
Unsafe sexual practices

Try and avoid this stuff, OK?
Feel good, stay away from “Initiators” and keep smiling! Pat

Everything You Ever Needed To Know About Stomach Cancer

MedicineNet.Com features an excellent site for background information about stomach cancer. Go to http://www.medicinenet.com/stomach_cancer/article.htm and you will find a slide show and pages of diagrams and data about stomach cancer.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

The Anticancer Lifestyle Re-visited

Last week I reviewed a worthwhile article written by a cancer survivor/physician David Servan-Schreiber from last month's AARP Magazine. Here are some specifics he recommends and calls "cancer-fighting behaviors:
Sugar fuels cancer growth and triggers inflammation. Avoid refined sugar wherever it lurks.
Add cancer fighting spices such as turmeric, thyme, rosemary, mint, basil, sage and ginger.
Avoid Stress. It causes inflammation and weakens you immune system.
Minimize the use of household toxins such as Teflon, percholorethylene from dry cleaning an caustic cleaners and detergents.
Eat food rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, sardines, walnuts and dark green vegetables.
Eat lots of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic, onions, leeks, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and dark chocolate.
Drink green tea and pomegranate juice.
Basic, good advice! Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

More About Cancer and Race

Male or female. Young or old. Black or white. Cancer doesn't discriminate. Yet through no fault of their own, black males make up a much higher percentage of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and prostate cancer patients. Why? Probably genetics. Possibly environmental factors as well. Yet with so many African American males being diagnosed each year, where are they? Why don't they participate in area support groups? Why so few at the country's preeminent multiple myeloma treatment center, Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota? I can only speculate. First, there aren't a lot of blacks living in Minnesota, Iowa or Wisconsin. Or are there? What about Milwaukee? Metro Minneapolis/St Paul? Nearby Illinois? Chicago and Rockford? With the much larger black population in Georgia and Florida, it would be interesting to see if there were many more black patients at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Is it cultural? Are there fewer blacks attending Alcohol Anonymous meetings, for example? Is it Economic? Less effective or flexible insurance benefits? Is it education or communication? Do African Americans choose not to participate in group settings, or is it they simply aren't aware of all available supportive care options? So many questions. Wish I had the answers!
Black, white or "other", feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Race and Cancer Risk

Discussing race is always a touchy subject, especially when the writer is a white, middle class male from the Midwest! But I read an article today about the high rate of prostate cancer in black males and it triggered lingering questions I have had for years. Where are all of these black cancer patients? Let me explain. I live just across the Wisconsin/Minnesota border in a rural bedroom community about one hour from downtown Minneapolis. There are very few African Americans living in this area. However, I attend multiple myeloma support group meetings in Stillwater, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, and St. Paul, where there are significant numbers of African American residents. I have received treatment in a number of suburban locations as well as downtown St. Paul. I have spent weeks at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, one of the best known multiple myeloma treatment centers worldwide. African Americans, especially African American males, are by far the highest risk group for multiple myeloma. Yet I have never seen a black person at any support group meeting or at any myeloma seminar. I can count on one hand the number of African Americans I have ever seen in a Mayo Clinic waiting room. I have met myeloma patients there from all over the country and the world. A cardiologist who traveled from Dallas to have his stem cells harvested at Mayo. Patients from Asia, Europe, the Middle East. Where are all of the African American patients? My speculative answers to these questions tomorrow.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Hope on Horizon for Neuropathy Patients

John from Oregon responded to a post I wrote about neuropathy last month:

Here is an article on PN that I found interesting.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19075249?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

I copied and pasted the link and it brought me to a very technical journal article about a new compound that shows promise in helping reverse neuropathy.
Thanks John! Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

The Loss of a Dear Friend

Pattie and I met Gene Early and his wife Eunice at our first multiple myeloma support group meeting in Stillwater, Minnesota several years ago. Gene was first diagnosed over ten years ago. But he never seemed to let his condition get him down. Despite complications caused by the cancer and his cancer treatments, Gene was always pleasant, always quick to smile. Despite health problems of her own, Eunice was always there for us and others in the group. The Early's lived on a quiet lake near the small town of Frederic, Wisconsin. They would drive an hour and a half every month to attend our meetings. As recently as last month Gene found a way to make it down to Stillwater to visit. He spent the past several weeks resting at home until is death yesterday. At times like these people often say and write kind things about those that have died. But words cannot express how much Gene meant to so many of his friends, family and community members. He was truly one of the good guys.
Feel good and keep smiling Eunice! Gene wouldn't want you to be sad!
Pat & Pattie

More About Cryosurgery

Here are answers to some specific questions about Cryosurgery. Currently, the most common use for cryosurgery is against primary and metastic tumors in the liver. Colon and rectal cancer are often the source of metastic liver tumors. Cryosurgery is used when tumors have spread throughout the liver, making conventional surgery difficult or impossible, or are located in such a way as to make surgery risky. Cryosurgery is often combined with conventional surgery and/or chemotherapy. Cryosurgery is also a primary treatment option for prostate cancer, especially when the cancer is deemed to be slow growing.
We hope you or those you love won't need cryosurgery anytime soon. But if you/they do, we wish you the best!
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

Can Cryosurgery Help Treat Cancer?

Cryosurgery uses extreme cold to destroy tumors. Most often used to treat liver and prostate cancer, it is also being tried against breast cancer tumors with some success. Probes as cold as -320 degrees are placed in the tumor. Hopefully the damage caused by the probes leads the body to destroy and reabsorb what remains of the tumor. Sounds promising!
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

Microwaving Foods Revisited

Last October I wrote about the possible negative effects of microwaving vegetables:

"My most used kitchen accessory is a $10 microwave vegetable steamer. A simple, 3 part device that steams broccoli, spinach or carrots in 3 minutes or less. I have heard and read that a microwave destroys much of the nutritional value of vegetables. According to Dr Lynne Eldridge in her book, Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time, "there are studies that indicate that microwaving may destroy a significant amount of some vitamins and phytochemicals in food and therefore may frustrate their protective effects against cancer." Bummer. I guess that I should take the good doctor's advice and opt for steaming rather than microwaving my veggies."

Since then I am proud to report I now use a stainless steel pot and steamer exclusively to cook my veggies. Does it make a difference? I figure it can't hurt! And if I didn't know better, I would say they taste better slow steamed on the range top, too.
Feel good, keep smiling and please, please eat your vegetables every day!
Pat

Alternative Medicine Quiz

Here is an Alternative Medicine Quiz recently featured on EverydayHEALTH.com:

Should I Try Complementary and Alternative Medicine?
1. Do you have a chronic condition that is difficult to manage with conventional medicine (for example, back pain)? Yes — I’ve tried everything, but my problem is still bothering me.
No, therapies that my doctor prescribes for me usually help my problem.

2. How do you feel about using medications? I’ll take medication if that’s the best way to get help.
I don’t mind taking drugs if necessary, but if possible, I’d like to avoid them.
I want to avoid taking drugs unless absolutely necessary.

3. Are you willing to do some background research — for example, looking things up on reputable Web sites, talking to health care specialists, going to the library — before choosing a CAM therapy? Yes, I would do research to find out more.
No, that's too much work.
I'm not sure if I would do research or not.

4. What do you expect CAM therapy will provide? I’m expecting my problem to be cured, or as close to cured as possible.
I’m hoping for some improvement.
I don't know what to expect.

Should I Try Complementary and Alternative Medicine?
5. What do you think is meant when a supplement or other product says it is “natural?” It means that the product is safe to use by anyone under any circumstances.
It means that the product does not contain any artificial ingredients.
It means that the product is less harmful than a man-made drug.
It means whatever the manufacturer wants it to mean.

6. If you are already seeing or plan to see a health care provider, will you talk about your CAM use with him or her? Yes, I want to know how it might affect my conventional care, so I’m going to discuss it.
No, I think my doctor won’t approve so I don’t plan on bringing it up.
I'm not sure.

7. Do you plan to look into whether your insurance will cover CAM therapies? No, I don’t think it will cover it, so why bother?
Yes, I hear many therapies are now covered, so I’ll want to find out.
I’m not sure.

8. How will you choose a CAM practitioner? I’ll ask my conventional health care provider or a local medical school or hospital for recommendations.
I’ll look them up in the phone book and pick the closest one.
I’ll contact a professional organization for the type of practitioner I’m looking for.
I’ll ask a friend or family member.

There are no right or wrong answers. I took the quiz on everydayhealth.com and it just finished by saying "You are ready to pursue alternative medical options." But the questions are an important reminder to communicate about your supplement use with your oncologist. If he or she isn't open to at least some types of common sense supplementation, FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR!
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

More About "Chemo Brain"

Here is a recent article about possible advances in chemo brain therapy:

ScienceDaily (Sep. 7, 2008) — Cancer patients have complained for years about the mental fog known as chemobrain. Now in animal studies at West Virginia University (WVU), researchers have discovered that injections of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, can prevent the memory loss that breast cancer chemotherapy drugs sometimes induce.

In the WVU researchers’ study, rats were given the commonly used chemotherapy drugs adriamycin and cyclophosphamide. When on the drugs, rats who were trained to prefer a light room to a dark room forgot their training.

“When animals are treated with chemotherapy drugs, they lose memory,” said Gregory Konat, Ph.D., professor of neurobiology and anatomy at WVU. “When we add NAC during treatment, they don’t lose memory.”

Chosen for its antioxidant properties, NAC is a modified form of the dietary amino acid cysteine.

Jame Abraham, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program at WVU’s Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, said as “chemobrain” entered the national lexicon, many patients expressed frustration about doctors not taking the complaints seriously.

“In the past, there was a lot of ignorance among doctors about chemo-induced cognitive problems,” Dr. Abraham said. “In some patients, problems can persist for up to two years.”

The WVU authors say as many as 40 percent of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy complain of symptoms such as severe memory and attention deficits. Previously, scientists suspected the cancer, rather than chemo drugs, might be the cause.

Earlier this year, Dr. Abraham’s team of researchers used MRI scans to document the extent of changes to the brain in women who received chemotherapy for breast cancer. Now the connection between drugs and memory loss is clear, and a potential remedy is suggested as well.

“At this point, we have no evidence to say that NAC is safe in patients who are getting chemotherapy,” Abraham said. “We need more studies to confirm the role of NAC in patients.”

In addition to the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, researchers from WVU’s Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center and Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry collaborated on the study.

The study was funded as part of a $275,000 grant over three years from the U.S. Department of Defense. Abraham is principle investigator on the studies.

Feel good, try to think clearly and keep smiling! Pat

Natasha Richardson Death Important Reminder When Using Blood Thinning Medication

The news about Natasha Richardson today was tragic in so many ways. Her death reminded me I should be more careful while walking or exercising because, like many others needing chemotherapy, I am using blood thinning medication as a prophylactic measure to help prevent blood clots that can be caused by the chemo. I have no idea if Ms Richardson was using a blood thinner. But if a simple accident like this can cause a young, healthy person to bleed out, those of us using Warfarin or Coumadin need to be extra careful at all times. Our prayers go out to her family.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Excellent Article About Anticancer Lifestyle

It is rare to find an article this good about living with cancer. Go to www.aarpmagazine.org and click on the health button on the left side of the page. Then click on The Anticancer Lifestyle under the picture at the top of the Health Page. There you will find an excerpt from Dr David Servan-Schreiber's book of the same name. He doesn't make wild or crazy claims. Nor does he try to debunk or discredit nutritional anticancer strategies. Dr. Servan-Schreiber uses common sense and personal experience as a cancer survivor to suggest a number of steps all of us can take to fight cancer even after we reach remission. I will try and get his book for our Help With Cancer Bookstore so you can buy it here, at a discount, online.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Myeloma Drug List

There are a number of new and promising drugs being used and/or studied for multiple myeloma. A fellow myeloma survivor from my support group, Don Wright, put together this list of newer chemotherapy drugs:

Myeloma Chemotherapy Drug Names

Printed March 15, 2009

Brand Name
Generic Name
Trial Name
Comments

Immunomodulatory Drugs (IMiDs)

Thalomid
Thalidomide

All three have multiple mechanisms of anti-tumor action including modification of the immune system and anti-angiogenesis.

Revlimid
Lenalidomide

Pomalidomide
CC-4047

Corticosteroids

Decadron
Dexamethasone

Not sure why these drugs help, but "Everything works better with DEX."

Prednisone

Proteasome Inhibitors

Velcade
Bortezomib
PS-341
These prevent rapidly-growing cells from discharging waste.

Carfilzomib
PR-171

Alkylating Agents

Alkeran
Melphalan

These drugs attach to the DNA of rapidly-dividing cells but can also affect some normal cells.

Cytoxan
Cyclophosphamide

BCNU
Carmustine

Intercalating Agents

Adriamycin, Rubex
Doxorubicin

Actually a type of antibiotic

Doxil
Pygelated doxorubicin

Liopsome-encapsulated form, less toxic to the heart.

Biaxin
Clarithromycin

Antibiotic. These attach to DNA also

Mitotic Inhibitor

Oncovin
Vincristine

Derived from Madagascar periwinkle

Monoclonal Antibodies

CNTO328
Targets IL6, a myeloma growth factor

BI-505
Targets the monoclonal plasma cells

The very good news is that these drugs, used alone or in various combinations, are surprisingly effective in the majority of cases.
Feel good and keep smiling... More new drugs options are on the way! Pat

Combo Test Offers Hope For Early Ovarian Cancer Detection

I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the spring of 2001. Had the cancer been discovered only a few months earlier I may have avoided the dreadful chemotherapy I needed after the surgery to remove my ovaries. Ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose early. This article from Health Day News offers some hope for improvement:

Used together, a blood test and an ultrasound scan may be effective in detecting ovarian cancer in its early and more curable stages, British researchers report.

The two-step detection method could become a new standard in the fight against this deadly and hard to spot malignancy, experts say.

"It appears to be an approach that may be workable," said Robert Smith, director of cancer screening at the American Cancer Society.

The report was published in the March 10 online edition of The Lancet Oncology.

Experts note that, when found early, ovarian cancer is 90 percent curable. But early detection is often impossible, because the disease causes few or no symptoms as it begins. For that reason, 70 percent of cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed when the cancer has already reached an advanced stage.

In these later stages, the survival rate drops to only 20 percent to 30 percent. For that reason, scientists and doctors have long sought an effective early screening test.

The new study was led by Dr. Usha Menon, head of the Gynaecological Cancer Research Unit at University College London. The team randomly assigned almost 203,000 postmenopausal women to either no ovarian cancer screening or to screening with transvaginal ultrasound plus a blood test that finds a marker for ovarian cancer, called CA125. A third group was screened using transvaginal ultrasound alone.

Between 2001 and 2005, the researchers uncovered 87 ovarian cancers. The specificity of the tests was best in the combined screening group. In that cohort, fewer retests were needed and almost ninefold fewer surgeries were required, the researchers noted.

The team found that screening was able to identify most women with cervical cancer. The combination of the blood test and ultrasound found 90 percent of the cancers, while ultrasound alone found 75 percent of the cancers.

Almost 50 percent of all the cancers found were in an early stage (stage I or II), the researchers noted. And 48 percent of the more invasive ovarian cancers detected were designated as being stage I tumors. Usually, only 28 percent of ovarian cancers are identified in this early stage, the researchers pointed out.

To see whether these screening strategies have an impact on mortality, the women will continue to be screened through 2012 and followed until the end of 2014, the researchers said.

Menon stressed that it's too early to make firm recommendations based on these early findings.

"Preliminary results are encouraging," she said. "Both types of screening can be used on a large scale, and both successfully pick up ovarian cancers. But for a final answer as to whether ovarian cancer screening will save lives, we need to wait till 2015, when the trial will be finished."

For his part, the ACS' Smith said that experts have learned to be cautious when it comes to advocating a particular screening method for ovarian cancer.

"What we have is a long line of disappointing findings using either CA125 alone or ultrasound alone," he explained. But he added that, "in combination, the performance appears to be much better."

Although some women are getting these tests in the United States, women should not be asking to get these tests based on this preliminary data, Smith said. "Right now, the only group of women that is recommended to undergo any testing for ovarian cancer are women who are at very high risk due to family history," he said.

I will keep you updated on any additional developments in ovarian cancer screening.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

Free CancerCare Phone Workshops

CancerCare offers a wide variety of free telephone workshops for the cancer patient and their family. In the past two weeks I have received brochures for workshops about Hodgkins and Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, colorectal cancer and lung cancer. Go to www.cancercare.org and sign up for e-mail or snail mail updates for a list of upcoming topics, dates and times.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Important Vitamins

All vitamins are not created equal! Here is a consensus list from EverydayHealth.Com and The Harvard Medical Review. (What about Vitamin C?)
Vitamin or mineral Benefits Recommended amount by age:

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxal, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine) Aids in lowering homocysteine levels. Helps make red blood cells. Influences cognitive abilities and immune function. 31–50:
Men: 1.3 mg
Women: 1.3 mg
51+:
Men: 1.7 mg
Women: 1.5 mg

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) Aids in lowering homocysteine levels. Assists in making new cells and breaking down some fatty acids and amino acids. Protects nerve cells and encourages their normal growth. Helps make red blood cells. Adult men: 2.4 mcg
Adult women: 2.4 mcg

Vitamin D (calciferol) Helps maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, which strengthen bones. 31–50: 5 mcg (200 IU)
51–70: 10 mcg (400 IU)
71+: 15 mcg (600 IU)

Folic acid (folate, folacin) Vital for new cell creation. Helps prevent birth defects. Can lower levels of homocysteine. May reduce risk for colon cancer. May offset breast cancer risk among women who consume alcohol. Adult men: 400 mcg
Adult women: 400 mcg

Iron Helps ferry oxygen throughout the body. Protects against toxic lead absorption. 31–50:
Men: 8 mg
Women: 18 mg
51+:
Men: 8 mg
Women: 8 mg

Potassium Balances fluids in the body. Helps maintain steady heartbeat and send nerve impulses. Needed for muscle contractions. Lowers blood pressure. Adult men: 2,000 mg
Adult women: 2,000 mg

Note: For a complete list of vitamins and minerals, see the Harvard Health Publications Special Health Report "Vitamins and Minerals," available at www.health.harvard.edu.

Feel good, keep smiling and take your vitamins! Pat

Free Cancer Related Internet Newsletters

Here are two free e-newsletters that are worth a look:

The American Cancer Society has started an excellent
e-newsletter. I just received another one this week.
Go to http://www.cancer.org/ to subscribe.

Know someone who is about to start chemotherapy? Have them go to www.chemocoach.com and register for their e-newsletter. Lots of useful information to be taken with (excuse the pun!) a grain of salt, since the site is commercially sponsored by Amgen. Amgen is a large pharmaceutical company that manufactures Neupren and Neulasta, drugs designed to increase your body's production of red and white blood cells during chemo. Still, a worthwhile resource. The latest article lists several ways to improve a chemotherapy patent's quality of life.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer usually responds well to a wide variety of treatment options: Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Unfortunately it often reoccurs.
Learn more about bladder cancer by visiting the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network at www.bcan.org or for an easy to understand systematic overview go to www.mayoclinic.com and type in "bladder cancer."
Pat and I are traveling to Stillwater tomorrow for his monthly support group meeting. He hasn't been feeling well lately (first few days of chemo cycle tire him out until his bone marrow and body adjust) but he wouldn't miss a meeting unless I locked him in his room or he couldn't get out of bed!
Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

Cancers That Respond Best To Stem Cell Transplantation

Here is a list of cancers that respond best to stem cell transplants according to the Fifth Addition of Everyone's Guide to Cancer Therapy:

Acute Leukemia
Chronic Leukemia
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas
Hodgkin's Disease
Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Multiple Myeloma
Testicular Cancer
Certain Childhood Cancers
Aplastic Anemia

New stategies and transplant therapies are emerging every few months.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Check Out Friday's Two Part Article About Endometrial Cancer

Sorry, but I don't know how to adjust the post dates on our blog. I started working on getting you excerpts from this timely article from the American Cancer Society about the most common type of uterine cancer, Endometrial cancer on Friday. Endometrial cancer often responds very well to treatment if found early. Look back past Pat's Saturday post to read about endometrial cancer.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

CC-4047

CC-4047 is the experimental blood cancer drug I wrote about yesterday. Although is is being tested for certain types of lymphomas and leukemia as well, the most progress is being made with multiple myeloma. A member of my myeloma support group in Stillwater, Minnesota is part of the same study my friend Loren just joined. Don Wright was, and still is, part of the original CC-4047 Phase II Study at Mayo Clinic. Don writes one of the finest, most detailed blogs dealing with multiple myeloma in this country. Go to http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/ and you will have access to more information than you will ever need or use about drug and nutrition therapy for multiple myeloma. Don and his wife, Ardis, are good friends and have helped me deal with my own myeloma. Thanks, Don! Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Endometrial Cancer (Part Two)

Here are some additional risk factors for endometrial cancer provided by the American Cancer Society from the second part of the article we posted yesterday:

Ovarian tumors: Certain ovarian tumors make estrogen. Women who have these tumors have higher-than-normal estrogen levels and lower levels of progesterone. The increase in estrogen compared to progesterone can increase a woman's chance of getting endometrial cancer.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome: Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have hormone levels that are not normal, such as higher estrogen levels and lower levels of progesterone. The increase in estrogen compared to progesterone can increase a woman's chance of getting endometrial cancer.

Age
The risk of endometrial cancer goes up as a woman gets older.

High-Fat Diet
A high-fat diet can increase the risk of several cancers, including endometrial cancer. Because fatty foods are also high-calorie foods, a high-fat diet can lead to obesity, which is an endometrial cancer risk factor. Some doctors think that fatty foods may also have a direct effect on estrogen levels, which can also increase risk.

Diabetes
Diabetes is more common in people who are overweight. This could be why diabetes is a risk factor for endometrial cancer. But some studies suggest that diabetes by itself could be a risk factor.

Family History
This cancer appears to run in some families who also tend to get a certain type of colon cancer. A small number of endometrial cancers may be due to this inherited factor. Women who have had several family members with colon cancer or endometrial cancer might think about having genetic counseling and testing. This kind of testing can help show if you (or members of your family) are at high risk. If you are, your doctor may suggest a hysterectomy once you are through having your children. Your doctor may also recommend endometrial sampling (biopsy) every year for women age 35 or older.

Breast or Ovarian Cancer
Women who have had breast cancer or ovarian cancer may have a higher risk of getting endometrial cancer. Some of the risk factors for breast and ovarian cancer also increase endometrial cancer risk.

Earlier Pelvic Radiation Therapy
Radiation used to treat some other cancers can damage the DNA of cells. This could increase the risk of getting a second type of cancer, such as endometrial cancer.

Endometrial Hyperplasia
Endometrial hyperplasia is an increased growth of the endometrium. The most common type has a very small risk of becoming cancer. It may go away on its own or after treatment with hormones. If the hyperplasia is called "atypical," it has a higher chance of becoming a cancer.

It is important to keep in mind that although these factors may increase a woman's risk for getting endometrial cancer, they do not always cause the disease. Many women with one or more of these risk factors never get endometrial cancer, and some women with endometrial cancer do not have any of these risk factors.

Can endometrial cancer be prevented?
Although most cases of endometrial cancer cannot be prevented, there are some things that may lower your risk of getting this disease.

One thing you can do is to change risk factors whenever possible. You should also get proper treatment if you have any problems. Staying at a healthy weight and managing diabetes (if you have this disease) may help reduce your risk, too. A good diet and exercise can also lower endometrial cancer risk. Women who exercise every day have a lower risk than women who don't exercise.

If you are thinking about using estrogen for symptoms of menopause, ask your doctor about how it will affect your risk of endometrial cancer.

Most endometrial cancers develop over many years. Many are known to follow, and maybe start from, less serious problems of the lining of the uterus, such as increased growth of this lining (hyperplasia). Some cases of hyperplasia will go away without treatment. But sometimes it needs to be treated with hormones or even surgery. Treatment can prevent hyperplasia from becoming cancerous.

Endometrial cancer is the most common type of uterine cancer. I was treated for uterine cancer almost 14 years ago. So far, so good!
Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

Endometrial Cancer

The American Cancer Society recently published this two part series on endometrial (cervical) cancer:

We do not yet know what causes most cases of endometrial cancer. But we do know that certain risk factors are linked to this disease. A risk factor is anything that changes a person's chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, being in strong sunlight without protection is a risk factor for skin cancer. Smoking is a risk factor for many cancers. But risk factors don't tell us everything. Someone can have several risk factors and still not get a disease. Also, not having any risk factors doesn't mean that you won't get the disease.

Hormone Levels
A woman's hormone balance plays a part in most endometrial cancers. Many of the risk factors for endometrial cancer affect estrogen levels. Before menopause (change of life), the ovaries are the main source of the two main types of female hormones — estrogen and progesterone. The balance between these hormones changes during a woman's menstrual cycle each month. A shift in the balance of these two hormones toward more estrogen increases a woman's risk for getting endometrial cancer.

After change of life, the ovaries stop making these hormones, but a small amount of estrogen is still made in fat tissue. Female hormones can also be taken as birth control pills to prevent pregnancy and as hormone therapy to treat symptoms of menopause.

Estrogen therapy: Using estrogen to treat symptoms of change of life is known as estrogen therapy or menopausal hormone therapy. Estrogen treatment can reduce hot flashes, improve vaginal dryness, and help prevent the weakening of the bones (osteoporosis) that can happen with menopause. But the use of estrogen alone increases a woman's risk of getting endometrial cancer. Studies show that giving progesterone-type drugs along with the estrogens helps lower this risk. But studies also show that giving this combination of the hormones increases a woman's chance of getting breast cancer and blood clots.

It is important to discuss the pros and cons of estrogen therapy with your doctor. If you choose to take it, you should use the lowest dose that is needed for the shortest period of time. You should also have follow-up exams for cancer at least every year. Let your doctor know right away if you have any vaginal bleeding or discharge that isn't normal.

Birth control pills: Using birth control pills lowers the risk of endometrial cancer. The risk is lowest in women who take the pill for a long time. And this protection continues for at least 10 years after a woman stops taking this form of birth control. But you need to look at all of the pros and cons when choosing a birth control method — endometrial cancer risk is only one factor to think about. It's a good idea to talk to your doctor about the different methods of birth control to find the one that is best for you.

Total number of menstrual cycles (periods): Having more periods during a woman's lifetime raises her risk of endometrial cancer. Starting periods before age 12 or going through menopause (change of life) late raises the risk. Starting periods early is less a risk factor for women with early change of life. Likewise, late change of life may not lead to a higher risk in women whose periods began later in their teens.

Pregnancy: During pregnancy, the hormonal balance shifts toward more progesterone. So having many pregnancies reduces endometrial cancer risk. Women who have not been pregnant have a higher risk.

Obesity (being very overweight): Most of a woman's estrogen is made by her ovaries, but fat tissue can change some other hormones into estrogens. Having more fat tissue can increase a woman's estrogen levels and, as a result, increase her endometrial cancer risk.

Tamoxifen: Tamoxifen is a drug that is used to treat women with breast cancer. It is also used to reduce the risk in women who are at a high risk of getting breast cancer. The drug acts like estrogen in the uterus. It can cause the uterine lining to grow and increase the risk of endometrial cancer in women who take this drug.

The risk of getting endometrial cancer in women taking tamoxifen is fairly small (about 1 in 500). It must be balanced against the value of this drug in treating breast cancer and reducing the chances of the woman getting cancer in the other breast. This is something women may want to talk about with their doctors. If you decide to take tamoxifen, you should have yearly pelvic exams. You should also be sure to tell your doctor if you have any endometrial cancer symptoms, such as discharge or bleeding that isn't normal.

Read the second part of this American Cancer Society article tomorrow.
As Pat always says, feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

More About Experimental Drug For Myeloma

There were questions about the effective experimental drug my friend Loren is taking for his relapsed multiple myeloma. As I wrote at the beginning of the week, Loren is a 13 year myeloma survivor, which is very rare. But he was running out of options until he joined a study sponsored by Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. After joining a study testing CC-4047, Loren experienced an almost immediate improvement in his blood work, along with a reduction in the size of a myeloma lesion in his arm. CC-4047 is an analogue of Revlimid, which is itself an analogue of Thalidimide. An analogue is a second generation drug that hopefully improves on the results achieved by the first. More about the "nuts and bolts" of these drugs that are used effectively to combat myeloma and some other blood cancers tomorrow.
Until then, way to go, Loren! Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

We're Back!

Sorry we haven't posted last two days... Pattie and I are back in Florida looking for a second home in a warmer climate. Bone damage caused by my cancer makes it tough for me to handle the cold weather. This is not an easy thing for me to admit. Having run sled dogs (we had his and her dog sleds and teams!) while living in northern Wisconsin for a number of years, I would like to think I'm tough and can deal with cold weather. But at age 53 with holes in my bones, I would like to spend at least part of the winter down south. In fact, I would like to re-locate here. But my lovely wife isn't convinced. She's a northern farm girl who has lived in Wisconsin all of her life. The affordable home prices in Florida helped me convince her to consider a second home here. We are both Realtors so you think this would be easy. But we are the buyers from hell! We looked at over forty homes during the past two days. And this is our third trip down this year! Our poor real estate agent has driven us up, down and around three counties on Florida's Gulf Coast looking for a good investment property. But that isn't the problem. There are lots of good deals here. The challenge has been to find a home we might want to live in one day. On a tight budget. I think we are getting close. I am between chemotherapy cycles so I'm feeling pretty good. The weather has been sunny but cool. Fifty degrees and some people are wearing gloves down here! We have been too busy to complain. We will keep looking and try again today.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Skin Cancer Basics

Here is some very basic skin cancer screening information provided by Everydayhealth.com:

It might be just the size of a pencil eraser, but skin cancer can come in all sizes. Don't play guessing games with your health: Get an expert opinion about that beauty mark — it might be hiding an ugly secret. Here's a quick primer on skin cancer.

Benign growths:
Are rarely life-threatening
Can usually be removed and don't generally grow back
Don't invade the tissues around them or spread to other areas of the body
Malignant growths:
Are serious and can be life-threatening
Can be removed but sometimes come back
Can spread to surrounding tissues or even other parts of the body
Some symptoms of skin cancer:
Changes in the skin's appearance or a sore that doesn't heal
A smooth, shiny, pale, or waxy lump
A firm red lump
A sore or lump that bleeds or develops a crust or a scab
A flat red spot that is rough, dry, or scaly and may become itchy or tender
A red or brown patch that is rough and scaly

I have some spots I should have checked on my scalp. Spent many years in the sun with a "buzz cut" as a young child in the late 50's when sunscreen was an unknown concept. Then, for a number of years, I was careful in the sun just like the experts recommend. Now that I have cancer, I find my body craves the sun! I do use sunscreen but avoid the sun? No way!
In or out of the sun, feel good and keep smiling! Pat