Pro Painters Have 25% Higher Risk Of Developing Bladder Cancer

Cancer patients and their families are always looking for an explanation as to "Why me?" "Why do I have cancer?" Yet no matter how hard we look, cause and effect links can be hard to find. Here is an example of a solid link between professional painters and bladder cancer we found on a site called Caring4Cancer:
Painters May Have Higher Risk of Bladder Cancer
By CancerConsultants.com

Occupational exposures appear to increase bladder cancer risk in painters, according to a study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Workers in certain occupations may face an increased risk of cancer due to exposures that they encounter on the job. Exposure to radiation, potentially hazardous chemicals, or second-hand smoke may all carry risk. Some studies have linked work as a painter with an increased risk of bladder and lung cancer.

Using data from multiple studies, researchers associated with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluated the risk for bladder cancer associated with occupational exposure to painting.

•Overall, occupational exposure to painting increased the risk of bladder cancer by 25%. The elevated risk remained after taking into consideration smoking and other risk factors.
•The longer the duration of exposure to painting, the greater the risk.
The IARC has classified occupational exposure as a painter as “carcinogenic to humans,” based primarily on increases in risk of bladder cancer and lung cancer. Although the researchers say that the increase in bladder cancer risk is “modest,” they note that any elevation is noteworthy “because several million people are employed as painters worldwide.”

Reference: Guha N, Steenland NK, Merletti F, et al. Bladder cancer risk in painters: a meta-analysis. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2010 Aug;67(8):568-73.

Seems to be a fairly clear link--expecially when considering "The longer the duration of exposure to painting, the greater the risk."
No proof all of us "weekend warriors" suffer the same exposure risks.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

More About New Tests Which Help Identify Drug-Resistant Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Patients

Here is another article about Japanese advances in identifying drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients from HealthDay News:

THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- A new diagnostic method that uses fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) can detect small populations of drug-resistant cancer cells in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with imatinib, according to research published in the August 1 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

Tatsuaki Mizutani, of Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine in Sapporo, Japan, and colleagues developed a biosensor that could evaluate the activity of BCR-ABL kinase -- usually suppressed by imatinib in sensitive CML patients -- using a technique based on the principle of FRET. The properties of this biosensor were tested by comparison with established methods such as Western blotting and flow-cytometry, before being used on CML cells to evaluate BCR-ABL activity and its response to treatment drugs.

The researchers found that the biosensor had higher sensitivity than established techniques with regard to measuring BCR-ABL activity and its suppression by imatinib. The biosensor was sensitive enough to detect BCR-ABL activity in small numbers of cells and could also detect minor drug-resistant populations within heterogeneous cell populations at a concentration of less than 1 percent. The researchers also noted that the biosensor allowed them to predict drug resistance onset and to monitor disease status during treatment with imatinib.

"FRET biosensors are ideal for screening for the efficacy of kinase inhibitors or drugs in live cells. In addition to drug screening, specific and sensitive biosensors can be developed for biomarkers with applications in early cancer detection, cancer prognosis, and monitoring of therapeutic efficacy. More importantly, FRET biosensors can be applied to visualize subcellular molecular signaling events in real time, for the identification of novel targeting molecules and pathways, which may lead to a new era in clinical cancer research," write the authors of an accompanying editorial.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

New Test Helps Identify Drug Resistant Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

Reuters ran this leukemia related story yesterday:
Test Designed to Screen Resistance to Cancer Drug
Thursday, July 29, 2010

Researchers in Japan have designed a test to identify patients who are likely to be resistant to imatinib, the standard drug for treating leukemia or cancer of the blood cells.

Such a test is important as imatinib resistance occurs usually to relapse patients, who tend to deteriorate very rapidly if they are given the wrong treatment.

In a paper published in Clinical Cancer Research on Thursday, the scientists said they developed a test which will help doctors tell if a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is resistant to imatinib.

Imatinib, known by the brand Gleevac, is sold by Novartis AG to treat CML and other cancers. It blocks the enzymes of cancer cells instead of killing all rapidly multiplying cells.

"Most patients are sensitive to imatinib when they are diagnosed with CML, but resistance can indeed be acquired during or after imatinib treatment," said Yusuke Ohba, an associate professor at Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine.

"Even in cases where resistance develops or becomes apparent gradually, the most critical issue is what to switch over to. If the patient is switched to another (treatment) to which he/she is also resistant, the treatment will just be a waste of time and detrimental to the patient's condition."

"With our test, we can identify the most suitable drug, dose and/or drug combination, enabling therapy to be tailor-made for each individual patient. I believe this approach will make CML care more accurate and effective," he said in an email reply to questions from Reuters.

New drugs being developed for treating CML claim to overcome imatinib resistance, but until now, it is difficult to tell who has that resistance.

Using this test developed by Ohba and his colleagues, blood samples are collected from patients and then cultured and tested to see if they are resistant to imatinib.

These tests should help doctors determine if the patient may require stronger doses, combination therapy, or other drugs, Ohba said.

Progress continues to be made in blood cancer research. Good to know.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Cancer Patients Should Be Careful What Foods We Eat After Exercise

Dr. Mercola is at it again! Here is a detailed look at what not to eat following exercise:

Did you know that what you eat directly after exercising – typically within two hours – can have a significant impact on the health benefits you reap from your exercise?

Consuming sugar within this post-exercise window, will negatively affect both your insulin sensitivity and your human growth hormone (HGH) production.

A recent study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that eating a low-carbohydrate meal after aerobic exercise enhances your insulin sensitivity. This is highly beneficial, since impaired insulin sensitivity, or insulin resistance, is the underlying cause of type 2 diabetes and a significant risk factor for other chronic diseases, such as heart disease.

In addition, as HGH Magazine explains, consuming fructose, including that from fruit juices, within this two-hour window will decimate your natural HGH production:

"A high sugar meal after working out, or even a recovery drink (containing high sugar) after working out, will stop the benefits of exercise induced HGH. You can work out for hours, then eat a high sugar candy bar or have a high sugar energy drink, and this will shut down the synergistic benefits of HGH.

… If you miss reaching HGH release during working out, you will still receive the calorie burning benefit from the workout. However, you'll miss the HGH "synergy bonus" of enhanced fat burning for two hours after working out.

This is an extremely important fact to remember if you want to cut body fat and shed a few pounds...

It would be best to AVOID all sugar and fruit juice for two hours after your workout, otherwise you will obliterate the growth hormone response and ruin the major benefit of the workout, which is to increase your growth hormone level. Remember that after age 35, your growth hormone levels radically decrease.

The reason why restricting these carbs after exercise works is that they will prevent the production of the hormone somatostatin. One of the primary purposes of this hormone is to inhibit the production of human growth hormone.

This gets very complicated and involved. I'm not sure I buy all of it, but it is worth a look if you are a cancer patient trying to max the combination benefits of exercise and nutrition. HGH is an important component to helping keep you body strong, while building and maintaining lean muscle. Go to: Two Foods You Should Never, Ever Eat After Exercise to learn more.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Several Chemotherapy Drugs Made From Tree Bark - Including Taxol

Here is a short, interesting article about how natural ingredients are used to make traditional chemotherapy drugs:

The Sun (UK)
Hugging Trees Cures Cancer
By Staff Reporters

A new study claims the tranquillity of the natural setting helps the body create the kind of cells it needs to kill disease.

The report into the health benefits of forests also revealed that if you go down to the woods today it could also help reduce stress, muscle fatigue, ADHD, depression and bring down an erratic heart rate.

While drugs and medicines derived from some trees are already being used to combat ovarian and breast cancer, it added.

Admittedly the report was compiled by Finnish researchers for the international tree hugging community at the World Forestry Congress in Seoul, South Korea, this week.

It will be used by environmentalists to call for more trees and parks in urban areas as well as the conservation or existing forests.

Report author Dr Eeva Karjalainen, of the Finnish Forest Research Institute, said: "Many people feel relaxed and good when they are out in nature.

"But not many of us know there is also scientific evidence about the healing effects of nature."

This includes bringing down the body's stresses and anxiety which in turn helps it create healthy cells to kill cancer cells.

Drugs like Taxol, which fight breast and ovarian cancer, are made from yew trees and other medicines use extracts or compounds from bark.

Dr Karjalainen added: "Preserving green areas and trees in cities is very important to help people recover from stress, maintain health and cure diseases.

"There is also monetary value in improving people's working ability and reducing health care costs."

I endured six cycles of Taxol following surgery to remove my ovaries seven years ago. They have since cut the dosing and now often only administer three cycles. It was no fun! But it worked: I'm cancer free today!

Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

New Research Study Focuses On How A Cancer Patient's Genes Influence Treatment

We found this on MentalHealth.net:

New Clues to How Cancer Patients' Genes Influence Treatment
by Robert Preidt
THURSDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists are releasing the first results from a major study looking at how cancer patients' genes influence the success of the therapies they receive.

The findings are already confirming the role of several genes that predict the response of different types of cancer to treatment, researchers say.

The initial dataset, released July 15 by the Cancer Genome Project, describe the responses of 350 cancer samples to 18 anticancer drugs. The results are published on the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity Web site, which is freely available to cancer researchers worldwide.

The goal of the drug-sensitivity study -- a five-year collaboration between researchers in the United Kingdom and the United States -- is to identify the best treatments for many types of cancer. Researchers plan to expose about 1,000 cancer cell lines to 400 anticancer treatments, either using single-drug treatments or combinations of drugs, to determine the most effective drugs or drug combinations. The study will include drugs already in use and some that are still under development.

"Today is our first glimpse of this complex interface, where genomes meet cancer medicine. We will, over the course of this work, add to this picture, identifying genetic changes that can inform clinical decisions, with the hope of improving treatment," Dr. Andy Futreal, co-leader of the Cancer Genome Project at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom, said in an institute news release.

This is only the first half of the story. Read the rest by going to:
New Clues.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

Movement Has Started To Serve Cancer Patients Antibiotic-Free Hospital Food

Here is an enlightening article we found on a small town Indiana press site called The Republic:

Meat with antibiotics off the menu at some hospitals
By Monica Eng Chicago Tribune
Posted: July 23, 2010
CHICAGO — The evening's menu featured grass-fed, antibiotic-free beef over pasta, fresh seasonal vegetables and fresh organic peaches — items right at home in the city's finest restaurants.

But instead, the dishes were prepared for visitors, staff and bed-bound patients at Swedish Covenant Hospital.

The Chicago-area hospital is one of 300 across the nation that have pledged to improve the quality and sustainability of the food they serve, not just for the health of their patients but, they say, the health of the environment and the U.S. population.

For many of these institutions, the initiative includes buying antibiotic-free meats. Administrators say they hope increased demand for those products will reduce the use of antibiotics to treat cattle and other animals, which scientists believe helps pathogens become more resistant to drugs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that antibiotic-resistant infections kill 60,000 Americans a year.

Although the U.S. doesn't keep national records on antibiotic use in animals, the Pew Charitable Trusts estimate that up to 70 percent of all antibiotics used in the U.S. are administered to healthy animals to speed growth and compensate for crowded living conditions. Some of these drugs, such as penicillin and tetracycline, are also used to treat sick people.

More details by going to: Meat with antibiotics off the menu at some hospitals

We have often complained (sometimes here on this site!) about the poor nutritional balance and quality of most hospital food. This sounds like a positive step forward.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

Most Cancer Patients Nutritional Needs Are Not Being Addressed By Medical Community

Here is the link to a new report out on PRNewswire.com:
Most Cancer Patients Not Getting Needed Nutrition Support

According to the article, a large poll has revealed a huge gap of unmet needs in a cancer patient's quality of life:

CHICAGO, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Only 30 percent of cancer patients are
offered nutrition guidance, according to an online poll conducted on
CancerCompass.com, an online cancer community.

More than 600 cancer patients responded to the poll that asked them,
"While undergoing cancer treatment, which of the following complementary
therapies did your treating facility offer?" Services included acupuncture,
nutritional advice, naturopathic services, mind-body medicine, physical
therapy, spiritual wellness and family counseling.

Fifty-three percent of respondents were offered no complementary
services at all. According to Dr. Edgar Staren, senior vice president of
clinical affairs and chief medical officer at Cancer Treatment Centers of
America, "The lack of attention to treating the whole person among cancer
patients has been a shortcoming in cancer treatment for a long time. While
often effective, too many hospitals choose only to cut, poison or blast
away at tumors with not enough attention paid to how treatments affect a
patient's quality of life or even their survival. In many cases, patients
may suffer because of side effects and complications caused by treatment
practices with little consideration for the well-being of the whole
person."

You can read much more about this in the above referenced PRNewswire article.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Laughter Is Great Medicine For Cancer Patients, Don't You Think?

While I was deciding what to write about this afternoon, I came across this "headline" and just started laughing: Chicken McNuggets Contain Disturbing Additives. Posted By Dr. Mercola | July 24 2010

Really? You think? I'm still laughing. No need to link back to his site. Just a guess, but I think cancer survivors and patients should probably skip the McNuggets. That's my sage advice for the day.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Cancer Conference In Sidney, Australia, Focuses On Minimizing Cancer Patient Side-Effects

Thoughtful contributions focused on improving the overall quality of life of cancer patients:

Chronic cancers switch focus onto symptoms
By Michael Slezak

With cancer increasingly becoming
a chronic disease, a greater
interdisplinary focus is needed on
cancer-related symptoms, a visiting
US specialist told the Sydney
Cancer Conference yesterday.
“We need to dramatically increase
our investment in symptom
research,” said Professor Cleeland
from the University of Texas.
Included in what he was
calling the “symptom burden,”
were the effects of the
agents used to treat cancer,
“Increasingly we’re recognising
in the major cancer centres
in the US that patients don’t
take their therapy,” he said.
“They either have symptoms
that are toxic enough to cause the
clinical team to call a stop, or the
patients themselves to call a stop.”
“We are more dependent on
oral medication now, and oral
medication introduces the patient’s
ability to make decisions about
the dose they take during the
week. Many agents cause severe
social and vocational disruption
and we’re seeing patients reduce
their weekly dose, taking three
pills instead of four pills,” he said.
Professor Cleeland added that
the treatment of symptoms is
of increasing importance since
“cancer is increasingly a chronic
disease. Patients who would
have lived a year or so are living
for five years or more.”
He outlined several developments
in multidisciplinary research that
have provided a “framework for a
better understanding of how cancerrelated
symptoms are generated”:
Early clinical trials of symptom
interventions such as selective
cytokine blockade may make treatment
more tolerable and lessen the
presence of persistent symptoms
for cancer survivors, he said.
Longitudinal symptom-report
data have shown how different
symptoms cluster together,
and this has allowed researchers
to correlate them with biological
activity such as inflammatory
responses to cancer and treatment,
Professor Cleeland added.
Research has also identified
genetic sub-groups of patients who
are at an increased risk of symptomatic
response to treatment, while
brain imaging studies have provided
information about the “cortical representation
of symptoms” he said.

Food for thought. Oncologists need to take a page from the oncology nurse's playbook and pay more attention to minimizing side-effects and overall patient quality of life.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

Survival Rates Exploding For Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, Leukemia, Ovarian Cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Bowel & Breast Cancers

Cancer Research UK recently said that people diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bowel, breast and ovarian cancer – cancers that are notoriously difficult to treat and sometimes end in death – are now surviving in numbers that double previous figures.

We are finding lots of interesting content on a site called EmpowHER.com. Here is an example:

Good News: Long Term Survival Rate of Cancer Doubles
by Joanna Karpasea-Jones
Survival for at least 10 years passed a diagnosis for breast cancer has risen from less than 40 percent in the 1970’s to 77 percent now. For bowel cancer, the rate has risen from just 23 percent to 50 percent.

The number of people who survived non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the 1970’s was only 22 percent and is now 51 percent. Women with ovarian cancer don’t have the automatic death sentence of the past. Where only 18 percent of them survived 10 years after the diagnosis, now 35 percent do.

Survival rates for esophageal cancer and myeloma are still very low, below 20 percent, but are thought to have tripled over the same period and patients with leukemia are four times more likely to survive than they were 40 years ago.

Lots more at: EmpowHER/Good News!
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Mutant KRAS Gene Could Be Used As Marker To Help Identify Women With High Ovarian Cancer Risk

Interesting progress being made in the field of genetics and ovarian cancer
From The Press Association:
Ovarian cancer genetic marker found
July 20, 2010
A new genetic marker has been found that can identify women at risk of inherited ovarian cancer.
Scientists found that a mutant version of the KRAS gene was present in 25% of all ovarian cancer patients.
But it was more common in patients with a family history of ovarian and breast cancer, appearing in 61% of cases.
Dr Joanne Weidhaas, from Yale University in Connecticut, US, who led the researchers, said: "For many women out there with a strong family history of ovarian cancer who previously have had no identified genetic cause of their family's disease, this might be it for them.
"Our findings support that the KRAS variant is a new genetic marker of ovarian cancer risk."

This is only a small part of the article. Go to: The Press Association/Ovarian Cancer Marker to read more.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

New German Anti-Lymphoma Drug, Bendamustine, Works For Some Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Patients

Here is an article we found posted on a local TV Website, about a high school girl with a difficult to treat form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma:

Simple shot could send non-Hodgkin's lymphoma into remission
by JEAN ENERSEN / KING 5 News
Posted on July 17, 2010

Keeping three high school girls focused on books instead of boys would keep any mother busy. Try doing it with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"They explained to me it was incurable and that basically, I could do chemotherapy, but it would just be coming back," said Jana Cayne.

After four tries with chemo and other therapies, Jana's cancer did not budge.

"You have high fever, and you're rushed to the hospital, and you need intravenous antibiotics. The doctor said all my white blood cells were gone, and they weren't coming back. We were all just kind of struggling to figure out what to do," she said.

Jana became one of the first in the U.S. to use the drug Bendamustine.

"It appears to work when those other drugs don't work," said Dr. Bruce Cheson, Georgetown University Medical Center.

Dr. Cheson used the chemo drug on Jana for six months. It changed the DNA in her cancer cells.

"It affects the lymphoma's cell ability to reproduce," he said.

Jana is now in remission.

Bendamustine was developed in East Germany, behind the iron curtain in the sixties. It's only been FDA-approved in the U.S. in the last two years.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas can occur at any age and are often marked by fever, weight loss and lymph nodes that are larger than normal.

Always nice to get some good news on the cancer front!
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

It Isn't Easy, But Cancer Patients Should Try To Find Oncologist With A Background In Nutrition

Here is some good advice from a recent online article on EmpowerHER.com: Look For Oncologist Well-Versed In Nutrition, By Jody Smith

Dr. Donald Abrams is a cancer specialist and he is also an integrative physician. His background in integrative medicine is quite evident as he talks about the importance of nutrition and cancer.

The cancer treatments of chemotherapy or radiation are only part of the fight. Unlike some oncologists, Dr. Abrams is convinced that what you eat matters if you are battling cancer.

Dr. Abrams is chief of Hematology and Oncology at San Francisco General Hospital.

Dr. Abrams:
I would hope that women should expect their oncologist to be informed on nutrition and cancer, but I fear that, for the most part, the oncologist won’t be informed.

And in fact, I see many women who say that their oncologist says, “It doesn’t matter what you’re going to eat anyway because either the chemo or radiation is going to overcome it,” or “It just doesn’t matter; your prognosis is so poor, eat whatever you want,” and both of those attitudes I think are very unfortunate.

The reality of the situation is, most of us in medical school don’t learn much about nutrition. I learned about nutrition during my fellowship in integrative medicine and I happen to be living for the last 15 years with a macrobiotic chef so, my diet changed significantly 15 years ago, I think, for the better.

We couldn't agree more! Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

Microsoft Corporation Co-Founder Paul Allen To Donate Majority Of His Estate To Cancer Research & Other Non Profit Projects

Hey--check-out this article about Microsoft co-founder and cancer survivor Paul Allen:
Microsoft co-founder pledges fortune to philanthropy
Thu Jul 15, 2010
Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) co-founder Paul Allen, who has been treated for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, said on Thursday he is committing most of his estimated $13.5 billion fortune to philanthropy after his death.

The implication is much of the money will go toward cancer research. Read the rest of the article from Reuters: Paul Allen's estate to be used to "continue the work of the Foundation and to fund nonprofit scientific research."

Wow! That's a lot of money which could eventually be put to good use. My question: Mr. Allen, why wait until after your death to flood cancer research with a much needed infusion of extra cash? Your fellow cancer patients and survivors could really use the help!

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

The next Super-Vitamin: Dr. Mercola Claims Vitamin K Prevents Cancer

Here is a link to an article and video presentation by Dr. Mercola about the wonders of vitamin K:
The Cancer-Preventing Vitamin Your Doctor Is Likely Completely Clueless About. Posted By Dr. Mercola | July 17 2010

Dr. Mercola claims:
Vitamin K may be "the next vitamin D" if research continues to illuminate the growing number of benefits to your health... Most people get just enough K from their diets to maintain adequate blood clotting, but NOT enough to offer protection against he following health problems—and the list is growing:

•Prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer and leukemia
•Arterial calcification, cardiovascular disease and varicose veins
•Osteoporosis
•Brain health problems, including dementia, the specifics of which are still being studied.

My naturpathic doc really likes vitamin K. Unfortunately, I am on blood thinners, so vitamin K supplementation is a big no-no. My skepticism with Dr. Mercola's presentation is he--you guessed it--sells an "advanced" vitamin K supplement. Hard to tell how much difference taking expensive "K" supplements would really make. Most nutritionists would recommend eating lots of dark, leafy greens like kale and spinach.

Feel good, keep smiling and eat lots of raw vegetables each and every day! Pat

The Bisphosphonate, Zometa, Increases Overall Survival In Lung Cancer Patients With Bone Metastases

Zometa is a bisphosphonate, or bone hardener/strengthener. Administered by IV, Zometa has traditionally been used in patients with extreme osteoporosis, or multiple myeloma patients who have suffered bone damage from their cancer. Recent studies have confirmed Zometa has anti-myeloma properties as well. Here is an article about a study from last year, showing even more impressive activity against metastasised lung cancer:

Oncology NEWS - zoledronic acid (Zometa) increases overall survival in lung cancer patients with bone metastases
August 24, 2009
The addition of zoledronic acid (Zometa) increases overall survival in lung cancer patients with bone metastases, according to researchers at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and G. Papanikolaou Hospital in Greece.

For this study, they enrolled 144 stage IV lung cancer patients with evidence of metastases on bone scans.

Of the 144, a total of 87 reported bone pain and were treated with zoledronic acid (4 mg by IV) every 21 days. The remaining patients did not receive treatment with the bisphosphonate.

All patients underwent chemotherapy with docetaxel (Taxotere; 100 mg/m2) and carboplatin (AUC = 6). Those who received zoledronic acid had a statistically significant longer survival (P < .01) when compared with those who did not.

The longer the period of receiving zoledronic acid, the better effect on survival and time-to-progression, wrote Kostantinos Zarogoulidis, MD, and colleagues in the International Journal of Cancer (125:1705-1709, 2009).

This is a good thing. Zometa fights cancer and improves bone density at the same time. Some drugs are worth the cost.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

I Use Glucosamine & Swear It Works For My Joint Pain - Clinical Study Proves Glucosamine Doesn't Help Back Pain

Sarah Colyer of Rheumatology Update, an Australian medical newsletter, recently wrote this informative article about glucosamine and low back pain:

No proof for glucosamine benefit in low back pain

Glucosamine does nothing to
reduce low back pain associated
with degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis,
research suggests.
Patients randomised to glucosamine
for six months had no
improvements in pain-related
disability or pain scores compared
with those given placebo, a doubleblind
controlled study found.
The finding persisted at six
weeks, three months and six
months after treatment initiation,
as well as at six months posttreatment
in the study of 250 adults
with MRI-confirmed degenerative
joints in the low back.
Patients were given a daily dose
of either 1500mg of glucosamine
sulfate capsules or placebo
and were able to continue using
analgesics and concomitant
therapies throughout the study.
Writing in the Journal of the
American Medical Association,
the Norwegian authors said
their results suggested it was
"unwise" for doctors to recommend
glucosamine to all patients
with chronic low back pain and
degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis.
"Glucosamine may be more effective
in other body articulations
than in the lumbar spine," they
said, such as the knee and hip.
However, they added the evidence
for this remained inconclusive.
Differentiating the study from
several previous studies were
the combination of its doubleblind
design, a high adherence
rate and lack of industry
involvement, they said.
But Professor Graeme Jones,
medical director of Arthritis
Australia, said glucosamine might
still work in patients whose pain
was proven to be due to facet
joint osteoarthritis, as the facet
joints have a synovial lining.
Degenerative change was
virtually ubiquitous in people
over 65, he said, but was only
likely to be the cause of back
pain in 5-10% of cases.

This is a members-only site, so I cheated and ran the entire article instead of using a link. Speaking of links (and back pain), I wrote about my recent MRI results and surgical consult yesterday on my multiple myeloma blog: Results From Last Week's MRI: Kyphoplasty Is A Viable Option For Me Now Or In The Future.

I use glucosamine daily. I take 1000 mg in the morning and another 1000 mg at night. Not sure if it helps my back pain, but I do know it helps my knee and other joint pain a lot. Dr. Kari Smith from Osceola Medical Center originally suggested I try the supplement five or six years ago, and I have used it ever since.

The few times I have tried dropping it I noticed the difference in three or four days. That's enough evidence for me!

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Mesothelioma Web Provides Easy To Understand Info For Mesothelioma Patients & Caregivers

Every once in a while I discover an exceptionally helpful cancer related Website. Here is an example: Mesotheliomaweb.org. Lots of helpful charts and descriptions. I just wish there were lots of helpful treatments and therapies. There have been several major advances in the management of mesothelioma recently, but unfortunately, there still isn't a cure. Note use of the term "management." Still, researchers are hopeful, despite the fact lung related and solid tumor cancers can be very difficult to treat.

I would like to thank Ruby Cartagena with Mesothelioma Web for suggesting we link to their site. It's a good one.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Act Now - Urge Your Representatives to Support Increased Cancer Research Funding

Act Now - Urge Your Representatives to Support Increased Cancer Research Funding

I just received this important cancer related legislative update from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society:

The president’s recently released budget proposal includes increases of just 3.2 percent for NIH and 3.16 percent for NCI. Advocates are urged to contact their legislators and urge them to increase both NIH and NCI’s budget by 13.5 percent; increases of $4.2 billion for NIH and $691 million for NCI. Please contact your elected official now!

Click here to take action!

Please take a few, short moments to click on the above link and help get these cancer research numbers increased. I just did!

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Mediterranian Diets Can Be Good For Cancer Patients & Survivors

This short article from Mercola.com, about the nutritional benefits of a Mediterranian diet isn't directly cancer related. Still, much of it applies to cancer patients as well:

A Mediterranean-style diet promotes heart function -- even in men who are normally genetically predisposed to poor heart health. This means that the autonomic system controlling your heart rate works better if you eat a Mediterranean or similar diet, no matter what your genes.

In a study, researchers showed that a Mediterranean-style diet is related to higher heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of the time interval between a person’s heart beats. Low heart rate variability is a risk factor for coronary artery disease.

WebMD reports:

“In order to conduct their analysis, the researchers administered food frequency questionnaires to 276 middle-aged male twins. Diet can influence heart rate variability, but this association can be confounded by environmental and genetic factors. Using twins enabled researchers to examine the influence of diet on heart rate variability while controlling for genetic and other familial influences.”

WebMD isn't exactly the New England Journal of Medicine. But you get the idea. Lots of good things about a Mediterranian diet for cancer patients. Loaded with Omega 3's, antioxidants, garlic and healthy spices. An emphisis on fresh, green leafy vegetables. Lots of fish and very little feed lot raised beef. And hey--a glass or two of red wine doesn't hurt, either! Helps you feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

Be Careful While Reading Nutritional Cancer Claims On The Internet

I recieve dozens of e-mails and links to sites like this every week:
The Best Natural Cure For Cancer Does Exist
July 11th, 2010
Do not lose hope if you or a loved one is suffering from cancer right now. The best natural cure for cancer does exist. Contrary to what medical doctors believe, there is HOPE for cancer victims. The “Cancer-Free–Your Guide To Gentle, Non-Toxic Healing” book is a comprehensive and very informative guide intended to save hopeless lives afflicted with cancer.

I'm not sure how I feel about sites like this. I have not read Bill Henderson's book. As the site clearly states: He (Bill Henderson) is not a medical professional.

I did click on the "article's" link. It took me to a "buy my book" site. Nothing wrong with that--I have a similar, although less blatant feature here on this site. The outline of Mr. Henderson's book looks promising. As "snake oil" or "miracle cure" sites go, I have seen and read a lot worse! But this program clearly over promises. As Pattie and I often discuss here at Help With Cancer.org, nutritional programs like Mr. Henderson's can be a way to help strengthen your body to help fight cancer and the effects of chemo--But NOT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THAT THERAPY.

Here is a link to the article I have been discussing on BlogSDN.com: Natural Cure For Cancer.

Feel good, keep smiling and be careful when surfing the Internet--claims like these which sound too good to be true most often are. Pat & Pattie

Nutrition for the Person with Cancer

The American Cancer Society offers a helpful resource center dedicated to nutrition for people with cancer. Go to: Nutrition for children and adults with cancer to learn more.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

Link To EverydayHealth.Com Article: Breast Cancer Myths Debunked

Here is a link for anyone interested in learning more about breast cancer:
12 Breast Cancer Myths Debunked
Do underwire bras or antiperspirants increase breast cancer risk? Get the breast cancer facts you need.
By Madeline Vann, MPH
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Light, fun, worth a look. Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

New Pre-Cervical Cancer Test May Be Available Soon

I found this blurb yesterday in The Wall Street Journal:

Study Shows Roche Test Detects Cervical Pre-Cancer
ZURICH (Dow Jones)--Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) Thursday said a study showed that its HPV test can detect cervical pre-cancer that could otherwhise be missed in a cytologic examination.

I will keep you updated. You might want to ask your oncologist about it. Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

Cancer Patients Urged To Avoid Inactivity, Even During Treatment

Here is a news release I found on pickyourdrugs.com imploring cancer patients to keep moving!

Exercise Is Good For Cancer Patients And Survivors Say Experts
July 1, 2010

A panel of US experts, including specialists in cancer, exercise training, fitness and obesity are urging cancer patients and survivors to avoid inactivity, even while undergoing treatment, as more and more research shows that continuing to exercise has a significant impact on their physical functioning and quality of life.

This is the message embodied in a new set of guidelines from a panel of 13 experts that the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) convened last year to consider what exercise advice to give cancer patients and survivors.

The guidelines appear in the July issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and follow the 2008 release of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, published by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The lead author is Dr Kathryn Schmitz of the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

Early detection and improved treatment means more and more people are surviving cancer: there are some 12 million alive in the US today, writes the panel, explaining that this growing population faces unique health challenges posed by cancer recurrence, risk of other diseases, and side effects of their cancer and/or treatment.

Until recently, doctors advised cancer patients to rest and avoid physical activity: but an emerging body of evidence now challenges this view, so the panel reviewed the published evidence and gave recommendations.

They concluded that exercise training is safe during and after cancer treatment and improves physical functioning, quality of life and cancer-related fatigue.

And although they said it’s not yet clear what effect exercise has on survival and disease outcomes, the benefits to physical functioning and quality of life are so great that they recommend cancer survivors and patients with existing disease or undergoing difficult treatment “avoid inactivity” and follow the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adapted to their particular situation, for example to take into account increased risk of bone fracture or cardiac side effects.

Schmitz told the press that:

“Our hope is that there will be more conversations about the need for formalized exercise programs for patients during and right after treatment — programs that will be the cancer equivalent to cardiac rehab.”

Schmitz said for a number of cancers, the benefits of exercise are well documented, particularly in reducing fatigue and improving physical functioning, both of which affect quality of life.

Co-author Dr Kerry Courneya from the University of Alberta, who has led a number of clinical trials examining how physical activity may or may not benefit cancer patients, said the strongest evidence is for people who have completed treatment, but because of differences in study designs they couldn’t compare evidence involving patients undergoing active treatment with patients who had finished their treatment.

During an education session at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in June, he said:

“We’re finding that patients can do a lot more than we originally thought they could do, even when they’re on chemotherapy or radiation therapy.”

They found that even a small amount of exercise like regular brief walks showed gains compared to doing nothing.

The new guidelines point out that patients with different cancers have different treatments and they and their fitness adviser should take this into account when designing fitness programs.

For example, trainers instructing prostate cancer patients whose treatment included androgen deprivation should be aware of increased fracture risk. Another example is a woman who has undergone surgery to remove a breast cancer tumor may have a very weak shoulder and her fitness program should probably include exercises to stabilize and strengthen the surrounding muscle.

For some patients, there will be days when they are just to sick to exercise, in which case they should just decrease activity for a while, or wait a few days and then start again, said the panel.

But the guidelines only include specific recommendations, such as objectives and goals for a prescription for exercise (including potential contraindications), for patients with prostate, breast, colon, gynecologic, and hematologic cancers. This is because the panel felt there was not enough evidence to give detailed recommendations for patients with other cancers.

The guidelines also include the important need to improve body image. Many cancer patients have to have surgery or treatment that alters their appearance. This can result in loss of confidence, including feelings that they are no longer sexually attractive, said Schmitz.

However, she said there is good evidence that “physical activity can improve body image, and that may be one mechanism through which exercise can improve quality of life”.

Another important goal of exercise recommended in the guidelines is to improve body composition, which can change as a result of treatment, depending on the type of cancer. For example gastrointestinal and head and neck cancers can result in loss of weight and loss of muscle mass to the extent that patients can’t even get out a chair. For such patients, programs that help them build lean muscle would be really helpful.

However, almost the opposite problem occurs with breast cancer, for which there is the most abundant evidence, said the panel. For patients and survivors of breast cancer, the treatment they receive can often cause them to gain a lot of weight, and for them, exercise goals should focus on “controlling body weight, losing fat and getting back to a healthy BMI”, said Schmitz.

Although the evidence is not conclusive (Courneya described the emerging data as “exciting” but “still experimental”), the guidelines mention the possibility that for breast and colorectal cancer survivors, exercise after treatment could also reduce the likelihood of cancer recurrence and increase overall survival.

The guidelines also emphasize the importance of addressing a number of preparation issues before going ahead and implementing exercise programs for cancer patients and survivors. For example there is a need to educate oncologists, cancer specialists and patients about the benefits and the dos and don’ts of exercise during and after cancer treatment, there is a need to ensure there is appropriate insurance cover, and to increase the number of fitness professionals who understand the needs and concerns of cancer patients and survivors.

Marilyn McAllister, a trainer from Boise, Idaho, works with breast cancer survivors, privately and at a local hospital. She said while she has seen a lot of progress on the issues, a lot more needs to be done. For example, doctors don’t have time to talk to their patients about exercise because they are swamped with dealing with the details of the care issues, and patients are often too overwhelmed with information, and just giving them another leaflet about the benefits of yoga or strength training just “isn’t very helpful”.

McAllister is a cancer-certified trainer who gained her certification through a program developed jointly by the ACSM and the American Cancer Society (ACS). Other organizations also offer certification programs. For example, Schmitz helped ACSM develop a six-session cancer exercise trainer certification Webinar, and the Lance Armstrong Foundation has helped to train fitness staff at nationwide YMCA centers to work with cancer survivors.
McAllister said she found it deeply rewarding to work with cancer patients and survivors because while everyone benefits from exercise, the impact is more dramatic for cancer patients:

“It doesn’t take much training to produce big results in their lives,” she said.

Source: NCI.

Amen! Feel good, keep smiling and please keep moving! Pat




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Patients With Treatment-Resistant Chronic Leukemia Respond Positively to Stem Cell Transplants

Here is some positive news for relapsed, high risk leukemia patients:

WASHINGTON, July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Allogeneic (donor-derived) stem cell transplant (alloSCT) may be a promising option for patients with treatment-resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), regardless of the patient's underlying genetic abnormalities, according to the results of a study published online today in Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology. About 15,000 new CLL cases were diagnosed in the United States in 2009 and about 4,000 deaths were documented (according to the American Cancer Society). While survival rates for leukemia have generally improved in the last decade, patients with rare, more aggressive forms of CLL do not respond well to standard chemotherapy-based and targeted treatments and often die within a few years of diagnosis.

Patients with CLL who are treatment-resistant (do not respond to chemotherapy and targeted antibody combination regimens) have been shown to have genetic abnormalities that predict their lack of response. In this study, researchers investigated whether alloSCT could be an effective treatment for this patient population, independent of underlying genetic abnormalities.

"This study, which is one of the largest of its kind, confirms that allogeneic stem cell transplants are a promising therapeutic option for treatment-resistant CLL patients fighting particularly aggressive disease, regardless of their genetic risk profile," said Peter Dreger, MD, of the Department of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany, and lead author of the study. "However, because stem cell transplants come with serious risks, they should be reserved for only this group of patients until further studies can be done."

In alloSCT, blood stem cells are collected from a donor and then infused into the patient where they travel to the bone marrow and begin to produce new blood cells, replacing those that have been affected as a result of the disease. This type of treatment can pose serious complications, some of which are potentially fatal. In this prospective phase II study, a total of 90 patients with treatment-resistant CLL received alloSCT, and stem cell donors were either healthy siblings or unrelated, but matched, volunteers.

Prior to the transplant, patients in this study received conditioning, a standard therapy administered immediately before a stem cell transplant to help prepare the body to receive and accept the transplanted cells. The research team used a reduced-intensity conditioning approach with two common chemotherapies (fludarabine and cyclophosphamide) to reduce complications and allow the donor stem cells to fight the disease themselves.

After treatment with alloSCT, more than 40 percent of participants with this otherwise fatal disease enjoyed long-term freedom from relapse. These findings suggest that alloSCT is a feasible and potentially curative treatment for patients with high-risk CLL and should be considered for this patient population.

Patient optimisim should be tempered with a dose of reality: My understanding from work with multiple myeloma patients who consider this option is that 15% or more who undergo an allo SCT don't surivive the procedure.

It isn't easy for those facing such life and death decisions, but try to feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Cancer Fighting Foods Especially For Women

Here are the high points of a EverydayHealth.com article posted late last month about foods which help women fight and prevent cancer:

Disease-Fighting Foods That Make a Difference
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD,

These 10 healthy tips can help you incorporate the right foods into your diet:

1. Eat Mother Nature’s finest. Fruits and vegetables are an absolute staple of any diet. Whether you're aiming for heart disease prevention or creating a cancer prevention diet, start with fruits and vegetables. These high-fiber goodies do wonders for maintaining a healthy body weight — an essential for women's health. They're known to help prevent various cancers, including lung and colon cancer. All fruits and veggies are good, but cruciferous vegetables (brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower) are particularly effective against colorectal cancer. Eat a wide variety of colors, flavors, and textures, and at least five daily servings of them.

2. Stick to low-fat and lean choices. Obesity is linked to a number of health conditions, particularly heart disease and many cancers. Lean protein and low- or non-fat dairy foods are healthy foods — opting for leaner choices gives you the benefits without all the fat and cholesterol. Nuts (in small amounts), egg whites, and beans are healthy protein choices, too.

3. Cut cholesterol by limiting fat. Build your protein choices around cold-water fish (their fatty acids are good for you) and skinless turkey and chicken. Avoid meats that tend to be higher in fat and cholesterol, such as lamb, beef, and pork, and when you do eat when, look for the leanest cuts and limit your portion sizes. For cancer and heart disease prevention, skip the processed meats — sausage, lunch meats, and so on.

4. Opt for whole grains. White breads, pastas, and rice lack nutrients and fiber, which can help protect against heart disease and cancer. Whole grains, on the other hand, are a great choice for carbohydrates and fiber. As a side to your lean protein, choose from delicious whole grains like brown rice, barley, bulgur, quinoa, whole oats, and oatmeal.

5. Limit alcohol intake. The recommendation for women is a maximum of one daily alcoholic beverage — if you drink at all. One drink means a 5-ounce serving of wine, a 12-ounce beer, or 1.5 ounces of liquor. Cutting back on alcohol is important in a cancer prevention diet, as alcohol can be a contributing factor in breast, liver, esophageal, and mouth cancers, as well as colorectal cancer. Alcohol in excess also contributes to high blood pressure and can have a negative effect on the heart itself. If you do drink, opt for red wine, which is rich in heart-healthy flavonoids.

6. Boost your antioxidant intake. Antioxidants are vitamins and other substances that help the body stay healthy by protecting cells from damage — the underlying problem when cancer occurs. Antioxidants help protect against Alzheimer's, cancer, and heart disease. Get enough in your diet through healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

7. Focus on vitamins C and E. These two antioxidants in particular may help decrease your Alzheimer's disease risk. Vitamin E is found in many oils made from vegetables and nuts, including soybean, safflower, corn, and vegetable oil, as well as spinach, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds. Fruits and even some vegetables are rich in vitamin C, including citrus, strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, kiwi, avocado, asparagus, peppers, and broccoli.

8. Be picky about fats. Saturated and trans fats — fast foods, packaged desserts and snack foods, fattening meats, butter, and mayonnaise are typically loaded with these — clog arteries and pack on the pounds. Stay away from these unhealthy fats (many also have a lot of cholesterol) and instead choose unsaturated fats. Cook with vegetable oils instead of butter, and snack on nuts — good sources of healthy fats — to help prevent heart disease and a trim your waistline.

9. Opt for fish. Fish, notably cold-water varieties, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which offer great heart-health protection and may aid in prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Fish high in omega-3s include salmon, herring, albacore tuna, mackerel, sardines, lake trout, and herring. Try to eat a serving of fish at least once a week — research has shown that not only is it great for your heart, but it can also reduce Alzheimer's risk up to 60 percent. Walnuts, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, and soybean and canola oils are also good sources of omega-3s. Though research hasn't yet found that omega-3 fatty acids prevent cancer, these nutrients boast many other women's health benefits.

10. Up your potassium intake. Avoiding too much sodium is important for heart disease prevention, and adding potassium to your diet can counteract some of the harmful effects of the sodium that you do eat. Fruits and vegetables rich in potassium include potatoes, tomatoes and tomato-based foods, papayas, prunes, grapefruit juice, orange juice, dates, lettuce, and raisins.

Sound advice! Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

More Positive Spin About The Health Benefits Of Drinking Tea

Natural food and raw diet proponent Dr. Mercola is a strong advocate for drinking tea. Here is part of a recent article he posted online:

I still believe the majority of your daily fluid intake should be high quality pure water. However, if you use pure water as a base, adding a high quality organic tea can actually improve the health benefits you receive, as long as you avoid sweetening each cup with added sugar. I also do not recommend adding pasteurized milk to your tea.

Tea has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including:

•Reduced risk of heart disease and cancer
•Improved insulin response and reduced blood sugar levels
•Reduced pain and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis
•Reduced risk of dementia
•Reduced glaucoma risk
•Improved digestion
There's still some debate as to which kind of tea is the most beneficial -- green- and black tea being the most cited, but you can also consider Indian herbal teas like Tulsi.

Here's more:

Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water -- and may be even better.

Research dispels the common belief that tea dehydrates. Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers.

Rodale states that:
"As in previous studies, a strong link between the beverage and heart-protective qualities was established, most likely a result of the beneficial flavonoid activity in the tea.
The research suggests that drinking one to eight cups (cups, not gigantic mugs) a day is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease."

Dr. Mercola's articles are never short on content or opinion--that is one of the thing I like most about his weekly, online nutritional newsletter. Read much more about the benefits of drinking tea by going to:
Popular Brew May Lower Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, and Triglycerides

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Do Statins Reduce The Risk Of Prostate Cancer Recurrence?

An online resource for physicians, Oncology Update, featured this report, written by Nicola Garrett, about statins and prostate cancer:
Statins may influence prostate biology
In men with prostate cancer
undergoing prostatectomy
the use of statins reduces the
disease recurrence rate by
30%, research shows.
“Our findings require confirmation
in other settings and in particular
to determine whether statins
are associated with a reduction in
metastases and/or prostate cancer
specific and overall mortality,”
the researchers wrote in Cancer.
The study assessed over
1,300 men treated with radical
prostatectomy, of whom
18% were taking statins.
The authors found significant
differences between statin users
and nonusers at presentation.
Men taking statins were more
likely to be older (P<.001), have a lower median PSA (P=.04), were more likely to be white (P<.001) and have a higher BMI (P=.05). However, they were also more likely to have a higher biopsy Gleason score (P=.002). At a median follow-up for statin users of 24 months and 38 months for non-users, biochemical recurrences occurred among 23% of men – 16% of whom were statin users and 25% were non-users. After adjusting for the pathological and clinical factors that differed between the two groups, the researchers found that men who used statins had a 30% decreased risk of PSA recurrence and the association was dose-dependent. “Mounting evidence suggests that statins may influence prostate biology, and although controversial, statins may reduce the risk of advanced prostate cancer," the study authors said. Given that statins appear to lower PSA levels, one potential explanation is statins merely delay the diagnosis of recurrence, they suggested. They concluded that a randomised controlled trial placing men undergoing radical prostatectomy on statins may be warranted.
Sounds like more study is needed on this one. Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Study Shows Racial Disparities Among Cancers That Benefit Most From Treatment

Black Cancer Patients Twice as Likely to Die from Disease
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Black cancer patients in the United States are up to two times more likely to die prematurely from their disease than patients of other races -- a disparity linked to factors that include patients, doctors and hospitals, a new review from the University of Michigan shows.

Racial disparities exist for nearly all types of common cancers, but are largest for cancers that benefit most from treatment. This suggests that blacks are less likely to receive lifesaving treatments, according to researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M) Comprehensive Cancer Center.

They noted that five-year survival rates varied by 10 percent between blacks and whites with colorectal cancer and by 25 percent among patients with uterine cancer. Both types of cancers can be cured with surgery and medical treatments, but tend to be fatal if patients don't receive these treatments.

The researchers said three factors appear to play a role in these disparities: black patients are often diagnosed with more advanced cancer and are more likely to have other underlying health problems; black patients are less likely to be advised about cancer screenings and less likely to receive surgery or chemotherapy; and hospitals that mostly treat black patients tend to have fewer resources and offer lower quality care.

"Black cancer patients don't fare as well as whites. Their cancers are diagnosed at a later stage, the care they receive is often not as good -- or they get no care at all. Black patients may trust their doctors less, they may be unable to pay and the hospitals that serve more black patients tend to have fewer resources," study author Dr. Arden Morris, an associate professor of surgery at the U-M Medical School and chief of general surgery at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, said in a U-M news release.

"This is a complex problem and it won't be easy to solve," she added.

Morris and colleagues recommended a number of policy changes, including expansion of public insurance systems to make cancer care more affordable for patients and changes to pay-for-performance programs for hospitals that meet certain standards.

"Programs that reward better quality with more money need to take into account what that does to hospitals that already have far fewer resources. Perhaps pay-for-performance could take into account where a hospital is starting from and could be considered as pay-for-improvement," Morris said.

The study appears in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

SOURCE: University of Michigan Health System, July 1, 2010, news release.

Thanks to Robert Preidt for writing this unfortunate article. African Americans get hit from both sides. They are often statistically more likely to get cancer--then their odds are lower for recieving effective medical treatment.

Life just isn't fair sometimes, is it? Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Some Benefits Of New Health Care Reform Legislation For Cancer Patients Available Now

We all hear lots of negatives about the new government health care plan. My concern/criticism is it doesn't go far enough—and it will take too long to kick-in. When you have cancer, four or five years feels like a lifetime!

So I was surprised to hear about a couple of small but helpful provisions which begin immediately. According to the St. Pete Times, insurers won't be able to rescind a policy for a technicality, such as an unintentional mistake on an application. Additionally, insurers won't be able to require approval before a policyholder obtains emergency care outside the provider's network.

I already knew about the “better then nothing” provision allowing people with pre-existing conditions to join a government high risk insurance pool after six months of going without. I had also heard about the $250 refund going back to seniors stuck in the infamous Medicare donut hole. But sometimes it is the little things—like ending the unsavory practice of ending a policy on a technicality or not denying coverage while an insured is traveling—that can make a big difference.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

New Chemotherapy Delivery System Shows Promise Against Breast Cancer & Leukemia

Here is an article about how a new chemotherapy delivery system may help improve results for breast cancer and leukemia patients:

Tiny Chemotherapy Bubbles Deliver A One-Two Punch To Knock Out Cancer
A new way to deliver cancer-fighting drugs using tiny particles made from lipids and chemotherapy drugs may have the power to knock out malignancies with a one-two punch. The strategy holds promise for patients with many different kinds of cancers.
In a collaboration between John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI), Penn State College of Medicine and the University of Connecticut, researchers are testing microscopic "nanoliposomes" engineered to deliver therapeutic drugs that can both kill malignant cells and cripple the cancer's ability to resist further attack.

Read more by going to: A One-Two Punch To Knock Out Cancer on CancerCompass.com. Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

More Evidence About The Importance Of Exercise For Cancer Patients

Exercise is a wonderfully, dynamic tool that transforms the health of everyone and everything it touches, no matter how much (or how little) you use it. Anything and everything from a five-minute walk in the park that improves your state of mind to short-term, high-intensity interval training contributes to the greater good: A healthier life.

Read more of this post on an industry blog about the importance of exercise for cancer patients:

Exercise A MUST For Cancer Patients
By CNCA on Jun 30 2010
In light of the growing number of recent studies that have proven the value of exercise for cancer patients, a 13-member panel, led by associate professor Dr. Kathryn Schmitz of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has developed national guidelines to keep patients moving during and after their treatments.

Unfortunately, there's a dire exercise gap at work here that has everything to do with attitudes of doctors, not patients, says Dr. Schmitz. "We have to get doctors past the ideas that exercise is harmful to their cancer patients. There is still a prevailing attitude out there that patients shouldn't push themselves during treatment, but our message -- avoid inactivity -- is essential."

Read the rest of the post, and view a YouTube video of a Dr. Kathryn Schmitz of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, discussing her study which was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, by going to: Exercise a Must for Cancer Patients.

My guess is if you are proactive enough to read sites like ours, you are already exercising. If not, get moving! Walk, roll your wheel chair around the neighborhood--whatever you are able to do.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat