October 2006 Archives

Testicular cancer, cancer in one or both of the testicles, usually occurs in young men and will strike about 8,250 of these men this year. About 370 men will die.

A man's lifetime risk of developing this cancer -- that typically shows up in only one testicle -- is 1 in 300, securing it as one of the less common cancers in the United States. The chances of dying from testicular cancer are 1 in 5,000, making it one of the most curable forms of cancer. Yet it is still the most common form of cancer in men ages 15-34. It is also a cancer commonly characterized by denial and embarrassment. As a result, it is one of the least mentioned cancers.

Scientists have identified a faulty gene which can almost double the risk of prostate cancer.

The finding published online by the Journal of Medical Genetics could help doctors treat the gene's damaging effect.

The gene called CHEK2 programmes the manufacture of a chemical to alert the body to DNA damage.

The researchers assessed almost 2,000 Polish men who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1999 and 2005 to see if they carried the gene.

Why is alcohol consumption a risk factor for cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus? Scientists long have suspected that the culprit is acetaldehyde, a compound produced as the body breaks down the alcohol in beer, wine and hard liquor.

Now researchers in Japan have discovered direct molecular evidence supporting that link between acetaldehyde and alcohol-related cancers. In a report published in the current (October) issue of the monthly ACS journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, Tomonari Matsuda and colleagues studied DNA from the blood of 44 patients being treated for alcoholism.

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center has opened a new clinical study using a vaccine strain of the measles virus to attack recurrent glioblastoma multiforme, a largely untreatable brain tumor. This is the second of several pending molecular medicine studies in patients using measles to kill cancer. 

"We are looking at better ways to treat some of the most lethal cancers," says Eva Galanis, M.D., oncologist and lead researcher on the glioblastoma multiforme project in the measles virus investigation. "We have shown in the laboratory and in several animal models that measles virus strains can significantly shrink glioma tumors and prolong animal survival. It is very rewarding to see this work maturing to the point of now being able to offer this novel and promising treatment approach to patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme." She also reports that toxicology studies, conducted in conjunction with Federal Drug Administration, showed an excellent safety profile.

Men who receive hormone therapy for prostate cancer with drugs called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists may find themselves at higher risk for diabetes and heart disease. Doctors and patients should take this into account when deciding whether GnRH agonist treatment is appropriate, according to a study by Harvard Medical School researchers published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

GnRH agonists are also called LHRH agonists. Common drugs in this class include leuprolide (Lupron, Viadur, Eligard), goserelin (Zoladex), and triptorelin (Trelstar).

The goal of hormone therapy for prostate cancer is to reduce levels of testosterone, the male hormone that is known to fuel the growth of the cancer. Hormone therapy is typically given for prostate cancer when it has spread to other parts of the body or has come back after treatment with surgery or radiation. It is also given before radiation in early stages of the cancer to make the tumor easier to treat. The authors say the use of hormone therapy in men with earlier stage prostate cancer has been increasing in recent years.

GREENWOOD, Miss. -- Abraham Cherrix never set out to be an advocate for alternative medicine. He is just a 16-year-old with cancer who refused to undergo a second round of chemotherapy and went to court to fight for his right not to have it.

In a court-ordered compromise, the Virginia teenager landed at the North Central Mississippi Regional Cancer Center, one of a new breed of cancer facilities in the United States that integrate conventional medicine and alternative therapies.

Cherrix's struggle to use herbs and diet supplements to fight Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymphatic system--rather than have a series of debilitating rounds of chemotherapy--has brought attention to a growing movement in the U.S. to bring alternative medicine into the mainstream.

A Korean research team, led by Yonsei University professor Yook Jong-in, made a breakthrough in discovering the mechanism by which cancer cells metastasize.

This breakthrough is expected to help scientists better understand the changing nature of cancerous cells, taking a step closer to the discovery of cures.

So far, the pathways by which cancerous cells spread have not been exactly known, posing great difficulties for scientists to come up with medicines that effectively fight their spread.

Pretty unusual article in the ocean of news related to the Breast Cancer awareness. I cannot say agree with it, but I let you to decide for yourself.

"In a national media campaign that includes newspaper and TV ads, the upstart organization is advising women to "think before you pink" because - get this - they consider corporate donations to fight cancer research tainted by the profit motive."

"Perversely, this organization blames corporations for doing too much - and, at the very same time, not enough."

Read more below.

SYDNEY (AFX) - Mayne Pharma Ltd said it has received approval to market its version of the anti-cancer drug oxaliplatin in Germany.

The pharmaceutical company said Germany's oxaliplatin market is one of the largest, with a local market value (LMV) of 88 mln usd.

Mayne now has marketing approval for its oxaliplatin in 13 European Union countries as well as Australia.

SCOTTISH scientists have invented a light-emitting "sticking plaster" for treating skin cancer which could revolutionise the way the disease is treated.

The high-tech patch is operated by a pocket-sized battery and could allow patients to receive treatment at home or at a GP surgery instead of undergoing lengthy hospital visits.

Current skin cancer treatment can involve surgical removal of lesions, with associated scarring and risk of infection.

There's news for your health about a high-tech skin treatment that targets two very different conditions. It's called photodynamic therapy.

Not only does it clear up severe acne, it can also stop certain types of skin cancer in the earliest stages.

"About 10-years ago I started to develop skin cancers on my body and I've had about four or five removed." It's the price Debby Robinson pays for having spent so much time in the sun over the years.

And this could be just the beginning.

The genetic map shows that nearly 200 mutated genes, most previously unknown, help tumours emerge, grow and spread.

The discovery could also lead to better ways to diagnose cancer in its early, most treatable stages, and personalised treatments, Science reports.

The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center say the findings suggest cancer is more complex than experts had believed.

West Australian scientists Barry Marshall and Robin Warren won the 2005 Nobel prize for medicine for their 1983 discovery that Helicobacter pylori – not stress – causes ulcers.

More than two decades later, Queensland Cancer Fund researchers are about to launch a study into whether the same bacteria interacts with a person's genes and the environment to increase their risk of pancreatic cancer.

Epidemiologist Rachel Neale, lead researcher on the project, said the study hinged on Queenslanders' willingness to take part in the study, which will select its 1000 participants randomly from the electoral roll.

by Jacki Donaldson, The Cancer Blog, 27 Oct 2006

Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) -- a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life -- recently began offering a new resource for breast cancer survivors, for both the newly diagnosed and those with metastatic disease.

"The first few weeks after diagnosis can be extremely difficult emotionally, and women with advanced disease often do not get the support and resources they need," said Jean Sachs, LBBC executive director. "We want to give them an understanding of their choices to help them make informed decisions regarding their physical and emotional health."

by Kristina Collins, The Cancer Blog, 27 Oct 2006

Celebrex (celecoxib) does not seem to show any benefit in patients receiving second line chemotherapy for lung cancer. Second line chemotherapy refers to treatment given when the initial treatment does not work or stops working.

According to the results of a phase II clinical trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the effectiveness of Celebrex is not seen when added to chemotherapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Researches conducted the trial among 133 patients with stage IIIB or Stage IV NSCLC. Aside from pain, the addition of Celebrex did not improve patient symptoms or outcomes. One year survival was 24 percent among patients treated with Celebrex and chemotherapy and 36 percent among patients treated with chemotherapy alone.

(NAPSA)-Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men after skin cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Based on this statistic, most people might assume that the majority of American men are well educated about how best to fight prostate cancer, where to turn for more information and what support group an uncle or golf buddy relied on during their respective battles with the disease.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. While women regularly host breast cancer awareness and fund-raising walks across the country, men have been less proactive on matters related to their health, including essential measures such as soliciting second opinions and researching treatment options. The result of this passive approach is that the average man does not always make good, informed decisions about his own health care.

NEW YORK -- Health experts claim regular mammograms are still the best way to catch breast cancer early, but there are ways to help prevent the disease in the first place.

 

According to the American Cancer Society, if every woman lived to be 85, one out of eight would develop breast cancer. There are many risk factors. Some of them you can control; others others you can't, such as genetics.

 

"One of the most well-identified risk factors for breast cancer is inheritance," said Dr. Clifford Hudis, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

EntreMed has launched a first round of human trials on lung cancer patients for a drug already in clinical tests to battle other forms of cancer.

The Rockville company is starting Phase I trials of MKC-1, its small-molecule drug to treat lung cancer -- the same drug it began testing in Phase I for leukemia one month ago and in Phase II trials for advanced breast cancer 10 months ago.

The lung-cancer trial is taking place at various medical centers, but the lead institution is Indiana University Cancer Center, which is also a site for EntreMed's trials of another drug candidate, Panzem, which treats advanced breast and prostate cancer.

HONG KONG, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Scientists in Hong Kong have identified a protein that can help suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells, the third most common cancer in men worldwide.

With half a million new cases a year, prostate cancer afflicts one in every six men in the United States and one in 50 males in Hong Kong.

But current therapies for advanced prostate cancer, such as chemotherapy, are far from satisfactory and carry side effects.

The Danish biotech company Topotarget has very good results with the first tests of a treatment of advanced cancer, the company informed today.

The management of Topotarget is very pleased with the results of the Phase II studies of the PXD101. Topotarget cooperates with the American CuraGen on the development of the cancer drug.

"The results which we can present with the PXD101 strengthen our expectations for this new type of drug against cancer. PXD101 is well tolerated and seems to be well suited in combination with other cancer drugs used today. This admits a broad use of the drug," - CEO Peter Buhl Jensen, TopoTarget said.

I Can Cope, offered by the American Cancer Society and the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at Parkridge Medical Center, is a series of classes that provide patients and their loved ones with practical help in coping with some of the emotional and physical challenges of cancer.

The American Cancer Society’s I Can Cope program gives participants an opportunity to share their concerns with others facing similar experiences and to design ways to cope with the challenges that arise from a cancer diagnosis. This program provides relevant knowledge and enhanced skills on various aspects of a cancer diagnosis.

TWINSBURG, Ohio - A cancer patient who was trying to raise awareness of the disease during a quest to visit every Major League Baseball park this season has died at his home near Cleveland.

Jeffrey Newbauer Jr., 22, died Wednesday night, according to the Web site that chronicled his journey: http://www.jeffsballparktour.com.

Donations helped Newbauer visit 26 of 30 ballparks over the last four months in what was called the "Cancer Sucks Ballpark Tour."

- study shows.

 Oral contraceptives increase the risk of breast cancer by an average of 44 percent, a comprehensive analysis of world studies on the link between breast cancer and contraceptives has found.

Published in the journal of the Mayo Clinic this month, the key article examines findings from a careful analysis of international studies conducted between 1980-2002. Entitled “Oral Contraceptive Use as a Risk Factor for Pre-menopausal Breast Cancer: A Meta-analysis, the article finds an increased risk for breast cancer of 44 percent, in pre-menopausal women who took or were taking oral contraceptives prior to their first pregnancy, compared to women who had not used oral contraceptives. 

A new range of anti-cancer drugs has been discovered by researchers at University College Dublin, it was confirmed today.

Dr Margaret McGee, a scientific researcher and biochemistry lecturer at UCD, have been working to create inhibitors to tackle breast cancer.

The work funded by Cancer Research Ireland has designed a series of compounds which at low doses block a cancer promoting protein called Cyclophilin A.

The Irish Cancer Society is calling on the Government to increase the price of 20 cigarettes by at least €2 in this December's budget.

The society, which makes a similar call every year, says increasing the price is the most effective way of encouraging people to quit the habit and discouraging them from starting in the first place.

However, the Government is usually reluctant to introduce massive price increases due to the effect it would have on inflation

The Cancer Society claims the number of young smokers, particularly girls, is currently increasing because the price of cigarettes has not been increased in the last two budgets.

source 

EUROPEAN parliamentarians yesterday gave the green light to a European-wide breast cancer screening programme, following news that the risk of dying from the disease was twice as high in some countries.

The joint resolution was adopted in the plenary session as part of ‘International Breast Cancer Awareness Month’ and called on the European Commission to present without delay the progress report on steps taken by member states’ to lower breast cancer mortality rates.

MEPs also called for measures such as nationwide screening programmes, interdisciplinary breast units, reintegration into the job market and research into breast cancer prevention and treatment.

A project to allow breast cancer experts to discuss patient treatment via video has won an excellence award.

Telemam was set up in 2005 to allow consultants from Dumfries and Galloway, Lothian, Fife and the Scottish Borders to hold "virtual meetings".

It is hoped the scheme could eventually be extended to allow patients to have direct consultations by video link.

by Dalene Entenmann, The Cancer Blog, 24 Oct 2006

Approximately 3 percent of all new cancers in the United States are linked to obesity, according to the US National Cancer Institute. Stay trim to cut cancer risk, that is what the headline reads. Researchers hypothesis that fat might be preventing apoptosis -- the process in which cancer cells perform a sort of suicide. But it's all untested speculation at this point as to how fat might affect cancer development and growth.

Recently, Rutgers University researchers conducted tests on mice and found leaner mice were less susceptible to developing cancer. Cancer cells in fatter mice died much more slowly, twice as slow as their skinny counterparts. The study is published in the National Academy of Sciences.

A type of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) called mantle cell lymphoma accounts for about five to ten percent of all lymphomas. According to an article recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Velcade (bortezobib) is an effective treatment option for patients with mantle cell lymphoma that has stopped responding to prior treatments.

by Dalene Entenmann, The Cancer Blog, 24 Oct 2006

My father taught me that when you have a problem, find someone else who has the same problem and talk to them about it. Real life experiences trump almost every other kind of information. Although women are 100 times more likely than men to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and less than one percent of breast cancer patients are men, men do get breast cancer.

Some of the signs of breast cancer include:

* Lump or thickening in the breast.
* Skin dimpling or puckering.
* Development of a new retraction or indentation of the nipple.
* Redness of scaling of the nipple or breast skin.
* A spontaneous clear or bloody discharge from the nipple.

by Dalene Entenmann, The Cancer Blog, 23 Oct 2006

It is no secret that our culture has a fascination with celebrities. In attempting to figure out exactly why, I have come to the conclusion it might be no more of a mystery other than they are people we all know in common. As human beings, we are naturally intrigued by other human beings.

But if I try to talk to you about my neighbor, and you do not live in my neighborhood, you will have no idea who I am talking about or how to relate information I am sharing about that person because you have no point of reference. However, celebrities are people we all know of -- they become familiar in that we hear about them every day -- we see images of them every day in the news.

by Kristina Collins, The Cancer Blog, 23 Oct 2006

Red wine consumption is associated with a reduced risk of various forms of cancer--leukemia, breast and prostate, in animal studies and in real life. A new study found that drinking more than three glasses of red wine a week reduced the incidence of abnormal growths and cancers of the intestinal tract by two-thirds.

Red wine has something that white wine does not have. A compound found under the skin of the grape called resveratrol. Resveratrol content is higher in red wine than white wine because the grape skins are removed early in the fermentation process for white wines. Resveratrol interferes with all three stages of cancer formation--initiation, promotion and progression.

Smokers will be denied life-changing operations unless they agree to kick the habit, it was revealed today.

Cash-strapped hospitals say patients will not be given treatments such as hip and knee replacements until they try to give up. Those who fail could be denied treatment all together.

Managers in Norfolk and Newcastle, where trusts are millions of pounds in debt, say smokers are at a greater risk of complications and the move will help save them money on further care.

Eli Lilly and Company has launched a major clinical trial evaluating ALIMTA (pemetrexed for injection) in extensive stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC), a devastating and rapidly spreading form of lung cancer. SCLC is sometimes called oat cell cancer because small cell lung cancer cells resemble oat grains. Patients with SCLC are staged according to a two-stage system, being diagnosed as having either limited stage disease or extensive stage disease. About 65 to 70 percent of patients with SCLC are diagnosed with extensive stage disease and the current two year survival rate is less than 10 percent.

by Dalene Entenmann, The Cancer Blog, 22 Oct 2006

The local chapter of the New York City American Cancer Society is asking that candy-flavored cigarettes be banned from sale because they feel it is a tobacco industry marketing ploy to appeal to teens. During a City Council meeting, the bill introduced would prohibit the sale of cigarettes with fruity flavors, like Twista Lime, and Midnight Berry; candy flavors like Warm Winter Toffee; and any cigarettes with flavors resembling chocolate, vanilla, honey, candy, mint, cocoa, dessert, or an alcoholic beverage.

But is this the way to go?

- US study shows

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new test that looks at genetic material from a patient's tumor is 80 percent accurate in predicting which drugs would be most effective against that particular cancer, U.S. researchers reported on Sunday.

The test can be used to predict not only whether a single drug can work to stop a tumor but whether a specific combination of drugs will work, the team at Duke University in North Carolina reported.

Writing in the journal Nature Medicine, the researchers said they used a "gene chip" made by Affymetrix as the basis of the test, done in lab dishes using tumor samples from several hundred different patients with leukemia and ovarian, breast and lung cancers.

Melbourne cancer researchers discover that the body's immune system may cycle every 3-10 days - which could change the way cancer drugs are administered and possibly improve cancer survival rates.

Within this cycle, scientists at Genetic Technologies believe they have found a possible 'optimal window' for administering cancer drugs so that they work in best with the patient's immune response to the disease. The project, called ImmunAid, does not involve another cancer fighting drug; more simply, it determines the optimum time for administering existing treatments. Genetic Technologies is in the process of collaborating with a number of parties under which treatment trials will be initiated.

It is hoped that these trials will begin in early 2007.

FRIDAY, Oct. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Skin cancer researchers focused on sun exposure may be on the right track: A new study finds that beachgoers accurately report their sun habits, such as use of sunscreen, protective clothing and time spent in the sun.

A team from the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, studied 88 adults, average age 40, who visited a beach in Honolulu in February or March 2004. The participants answered questions about their sun habits when they arrived at the beach, and again when they left the beach.

The researchers checked the participants' arms, legs and face for sunscreen, took note of their clothing, and assessed whether they had a sunburn.

by Dalene Entenmann, The Cancer Blog, 20 Oct 2006

Grammy-award winning singer, songwriter, and breast cancer survivor Sheryl Crow was honored with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation's Humanitarian Award at the annual symposium and luncheon event at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Crow has joined the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) to promote breast cancer prevention and raise funds for research in finding a cure.

During her music tour with John Mayer, Crow donated 50 cents of every concert ticket sold to the breast cancer organization. She also offered a breast cancer t-shirt with her logo design for sale with 100 percent of the profits donated to BCRF. The t-shirt is now available on Crow's website.

by Jacki Donaldson, The Cancer Blog, 21 oct 2006

The breast cancer drug Tykerb may be one of the future wonder drugs available for women left with limited options for treating advanced-stage disease.

Tykerb, manufactured by British-based GlaxoSmithKline PLC, is currently an experimental drug that delays growth of tumors nearly twice as long as standard chemotherapy in patients who no longer respond to Herceptin -- a targeted drug that significantly decreases chances of recurrence for women with HER2 positive breast cancer. Herceptin blocks the swift growth of an aggressive protein on the cell's surface while Tykerb does its work on the inside of the cell. Herceptin is given intravenously. Tykerb is given in pill form.

A case-control study of more than 2300 Italians has found a significant association between high bread consumption and renal cell carcinoma. Eating a lot of pasta and rice may also raise the risk, while eating many vegetables may lower the risk. The study published online October 20, 2006 in the International Journal of Cancer, the official journal of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC).

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer, and accounts for 2 percent of all adult cancers. Previous studies have shown that diet plays a role in RCC risk, but attempts to discern which foods have harmful or beneficial effects have been inconclusive. To discern the relationship between specific foods and RCC risk, researchers led by Francesca Bravi of the Institute of Pharmacological Research "Mario Negri" in Milan, conducted a large case-control study of 2301 Italians.

THURSDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Early detection and treatment are crucial to defeat prostate cancer, says a Johns Hopkins Health Alerts report that outlines seven key ways to treat prostate cancer and provides advice on how to prevent it.

The 7 Keys to Treating Prostate Cancer report was written by Dr. Jacek L. Mostwin of Johns Hopkins' James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute. The report is meant to help prostate cancer patients make informed decisions about their medical care.

Bone cancer patients in England are to be denied a life-prolonging drug which is available across the border, it has been reported.

Velcade was approved for use in Scotland in 1994 but according to the Daily Mail, the National Health Service's drug rationing body will announce next week that it is refusing to fund its use in England.

In January of this year, 15 year-old Lisa Norris, from Girvan in Ayrshire, received massive overdoses of radiation while being treated for a brain tumor at the Beatson Oncology Centre in Glasgow. Determined to be caused by human error, the 17 overdoses caused severe pain with burns and blisters on the back of her head, neck and ears.

Lisa was initially diagnosed with a brain tumor in October last year. At the same time the staff told her of the overdosing error, they also told her that her tumor was gone. Extensive oxygen treatment was given to attempt to offset the damage done by the overdosing of radiation.

by Dalene Entenmann, The Cancer Blog, 18 Oct 2006

During clinical studies, the Virtual Cancer Patient Engine (VCP) was found to be 70 percent accurate in predicting individualized patient response to chemotherapy drugs. The significance of the ability of this new technology to make accurate predictions in cancer treatments that will work before treatment begins is a 40 to 45 percent better accuracy rate than is currently predicted by oncologists.

VCP analyzes how chemotherapy drugs will affect the growth of the cancer, how the chemotherapy drugs will behave in the body and how the cancer cells will respond to the chemotherapy drugs using mathematical modeling and computerized simulation between biological, pathological and pharmacological processes of drug-patient interactions.

PHILADELPHIA - Chemicals found in grape seeds significantly inhibited growth of colorectal tumors in both cell cultures and in mice, according to researchers who have already demonstrated the extract's anti-cancer effects in other tumor types.

Their study, published in the October 18 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, documented a 44 percent reduction of advanced colorectal tumors in the animals, and also revealed, for the first time, the molecular mechanism by which grape seed extract works to inhibit cancer growth. The authors found that it increases availability of a critical protein, Cip1/p21, in tumors that effectively freezes the cell cycle, and often pushes a cancer cell to self destruct.

Indeed very sad results of the study... but not really unexpected.

The study was done by Dr. Wayne Kendal, a radiation oncologist at the Ottawa Hospital Regional Cancer Center, based on an analysis of 1.3 million cancer cases in the United States. His analysis showed that 19 out of every 1,000 males with cancer and four out of every 1,000 females with cancer take their own lives.

Cancer patients need support. Your Support.

As posted yesterday in Breast cancer screenings attacked there's a big risk of getting cancer by doing a CT scan.

Surely these risks should be mentioned to patients. Often they can also just be avoided or reduced. CT scans are sometimes superior to other imaging techniques, but in other cases, CT scans can be replaced with magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasound, which do not expose patients to damaging ionizing radiation. Sometimes just a good medical history suffices. One reason for the proliferation of CT scans is the proliferation of CT scanners; once purchased, they bring in more money the more often they are used.

There has been quite a lot of attention to the Breast Cancer. While I personally think that every cancer and cancer victims should get the same amount of awareness, it seems that there are some results. Many articles, news, studies, such as this one.

"We need to make sure our elected officials see the cancer threat in it's true perspective. For example, translating cancer deaths into terms deemed more newsworthy by the media, cancer deaths amount to three jumbo jets crashing each day! One bill in Congress is for $109 billion for Iraq and Katrina; that contrasts to $5.08 billion that cancer research and advocacy groups are convinced is a modest amount for the NIH's National Cancer Institute, the main engine for funding US cancer research"

As it was seen on French TV, it's a known fact that synthetic estrogens may trigger breast cancer. Now it's all over the web, and I can share it with you.

Estrogen which is an important component of the contraceptive pill and HRT, has been known to trigger breast cancer. Uncannily, the manufactured chemicals portray structures very similar to estrogen, and scientists feel strongly about these chemicals being the culprit behind the rise in breast cancer cases.

Another study.

They found that for every 2,000 women invited to have mammograms, one would have their life prolonged but 10 would endure potentially devastating and unnecessary treatment.

Sometimes I really wonder who decides to run such studies. And why these studies were not performed earlier...

Reuters reports that Merck's Gardasil is on sale now.

Uptake of .. vaccines will depend crucially on government recommendations for their use and funding.

The manufacturers received a boost earlier this month when the influential Lancet medical journal called for routine vaccination of all adolescent girls in European Union countries.

This recommendation was also released earlier this month - EU should make cervical cancer vaccine mandatory for young girls.

Noticing that this vaccine "was launched in Britain and Ireland on Tuesday in the latest phase of an unusually rapid rollout for the new product", I can only hope that this vaccine won't get widely accepted and made obligatory without thourough and careful testing.

The way pharmaceutical corporations are securing their profits is amazing. Creating a vaccine, rapidly rolling it out, having respectful journals to call on massive and obligatory vaccination.
Well done. I just hope that EU goverments won't fall for this easily.

Read the article below

Clinicians at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have successfully demonstrated an improved technique for blood stem cell transplantations in children that shows promise for those most likely to fail standard treatment for leukemia.

The St. Jude technique allows blood stem cells to come from parents or unmatched adult siblings; and it avoids the aggressive, toxic treatments that usually must accompany the transplant. This allows the majority of patients with leukemia or non-cancerous blood disorders to receive a transplant, according to Gregory Hale, M.D., St. Jude Bone Marrow Transplantation Division interim chief. A report on this work appears in the prepublication edition of the British Journal of Haematology.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia can now detect the spread of skin cancer cells through the blood by literally listening to their sound. The unprecedented, minimally invasive technique causes melanoma cells to emit noise, and could let oncologists spot early signs of metastases -- as few as 10 cancer cells in a blood sample -- before they even settle in other organs. The results of the successful experimental tests appear in the Oct. 15 issue of the journal Optics Letters, published by the Optical Society of America.

The team's method, called photoacoustic detection, combines laser techniques from optics and ultrasound techniques from acoustics, using a laser to make cells vibrate and then picking up the characteristic sound of melanoma cells. In a clinical test, doctors would take a patient's blood sample and separate the red blood cells and the plasma. In a healthy person, the remaining cells would be white blood cells, but in a melanoma patient the sample may contain cancer cells. To find out, doctors would put the sample in saline solution and expose it to rapid-fire sequences of brief but intense blue-laser pulses, each lasting just five billionths of a second.

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- A new report shows breast cancer rates have more than doubled in the past 20 years in Australia, but more women are surviving the disease than before.

The report, issued Monday by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the National Breast Cancer Centre (NBCC), shows the number of Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer each year has more than doubled in two decades, from 5,318 in 1983 to 12,027 in 2002 and an estimated 13,261 this year.

Dealing with thinking and memory problems caused by cancer or cancer treatment can be frustrating. Find out more about chemobrain and how to cope.

For years people undergoing cancer treatment have described their minds as being in a fog — unable to concentrate and remember details about their everyday lives. Doctors and researchers knew something was wrong, but they couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Research now shows that what these people are experiencing is called mild cognitive impairment — the loss of the ability to remember certain things, learn new skills and complete certain tasks. The cause of mild cognitive impairment during cancer treatment still isn't clear, nor is it clear how often it happens or what may trigger it. Doctors aren't sure what they can do about it.

A decade after her diagnosis, Prime Minister John Howard's wife Janette has revealed publicly for the first time her battle against cervical cancer. Until now, the intensely private Mrs Howard had not disclosed which type of cancer she had suffered. Soon after her husband became prime minister in 1996, he called off his first overseas trip due to her ill health.

COHOES, N.Y. --A former teacher accused of faking cancer to collect health benefits was indicted on charges that she tried to steal more than $110,000 from the state Teachers' Retirement System.

If convicted, Candice Lambert, 41, would face seven to 20 years in prison for grand larceny, attempted grand larceny and scheming to defraud.

Lambert turned herself in to Cohoes police in April after school officials in New Hampshire, where she was then working, investigated her and told the public she did not have cancer.

By Lauren Giordano, 15 Oct 2006

More than 500 walkers recently participated in the Community Walk for Breast Cancer, which raised more than $56,000.

The fourth annual walk, sponsored by the Miles for Hope Breast Cancer Foundation, took place Oct. 8 at Locust Grove on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie. Participants included those fighting breast cancer, friends and family, and 75 survivors.
The Miles for Hope Breast Cancer Foundation provides funding for support services for people affected by breast cancer.

OMAHA, Neb. - Legendary journalist Tom Brokaw says every family in America has been touched by cancer. Brokaw mentioned the deaths of two friends - ABC anchor Peter Jennings and New York Times journalist R.W. Apple - during a news conference Friday at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. "I don't know any family in America who has not had some kind of really unsettling and ultimately difficult experience with cancer," the former "NBC Nightly News" anchorman said.

FRIDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Measuring levels of cells that originate in bone marrow could help doctors predict outcomes for liver cancer patients, researchers say.

Patients with inoperable heptocellular carcinoma (HCC) had higher levels of "endothelial progenitor cells" (EPCs) -- precursors to the endothelial cells that line blood vessels -- compared to patients with liver tumors that could be treated surgically.

Salk Institute, 13 Oct 2006

A microscopic green alga helped scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies identify a novel function for the retinoblastoma protein (RB), which is known for its role as a tumor suppressor in mammalian cells. By coupling cell size with cell division, RB ensures that cells stay within an optimal size range.

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have discovered how taking the brakes off a "detox" gene causes chemotherapy resistance in a common form of lung cancer.

Products made by a gene called NRF2 normally protect cells from environmental pollutants like cigarette smoke and diesel exhaust by absorbing the materials and pumping them out of the cell. Another gene called KEAP1 encodes products that stop this cleansing process. But lung cancer cells sabotage the expression of these same genes to block assault from chemotherapy drugs.

by Jacki Donaldson, 13 Oct 2006

Dr. Chandra Belani, Professor of Medicine and Oncology at the University of Pittsburg Cancer Institute, is a leader in the study of lung cancer. During a podcast interview, Belani shares some thoughts on the state of lung cancer -- currently the most common cause of cancer death in the United States.

THURSDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they've developed a sensitive new early detection test for thyroid cancer.

If such a test is proven to be practical, it could help diagnose the growing number of people with thyroid cancer before it spreads (metastasizes) to lymph nodes and other body sites. As with all cancers, early detection of thyroid tumors is the key to a cure.

"Our research aims to simplify diagnosis and follow-up care by identifying a reproducible biomarker that correlates directly with the presence or progression of thyroid cancer," lead researcher Dr. Andrew J. Martorella, from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, said in a prepared statement.

THURSDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- A protein that may help in the development of new anti-tumor drugs has been identified by Mayo Clinic researchers.

The protein -- cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) -- acts as a "quality control inspector" during cell division, and also directs cell death for cells that are damaged during division.

Normal cells pause during the division process if they detect an inaccurate genetic code embedded in their DNA. If possible, repairs are made to those mistakes.

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by Kristina Collins, 12 Oct 2006

Malignant glioma is the most common primary brain tumor. The outlook for patients with malignant glioma is poor. Median survival for patients with grade III glioma is three to five years and less than one year for the most aggressive form of malignant glioma called glioblastoma multiforme.

The virus or reovirus that the researchers are focusing on is a common virus in humans that inhabits the lungs and intestines. The researchers added that this virus is something that most humans have been exposed to by adulthood but demonstrates no illness or negative effects on us.

DUNDEE, Scotland, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Scottish bar workers showed significant improvement in respiratory and lung function within two months following a ban on smoking in confined public places.

Daniel Menzies and colleagues from Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee, Scotland, examined the effect of the recently introduced smoke-free legislation on bar workers' health in Scotland.

By Michael Gormley, AP, 11 Oct 2006

ALBANY, N.Y. - R.J. Reynolds has agreed to a domestic ban on flavored cigarettes such as "Twista Lime" and "Mocha Taboo" that critics say are marketed to youths, officials from 38 states and a U.S. territory said Wednesday.

The tobacco giant settled the broad investigation of domestic sales of the flavored products without paying any penalty. The company agreed to stop identifying cigarettes with candy, fruit, desserts or alcoholic beverage names, imagery or ads, according to a statement from New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. The company will also stop using scented promotional material, including scrach-and-sniff samples.

NEW YORK, REUTERS - Genes involved in skin pigmentation have an effect on a person’s skin cancer risk beyond their influence on a person’s hair or skin color, a new study shows.

Women who carried one so-called “red hair color” gene but had medium or olive skin, as opposed to fair skin, actually had the highest skin cancer risk among a group of Caucasian women, Dr. Jiali Han of Harvard Medical School in Boston and colleagues found.

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by Kristina Collins, 11 Oct 2006

Five Rivers Winery is partnering with distributors in more than a dozen states to raise funds to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation. For every bottle of wine sold during the month of October, one dollar will be donated to the foundation. Five Rivers produces Central Coast wines from California. The labels are adorned with whimsical goddess images.

The company feels that the imagery works well with the fundraising drive, which will be promoted as an effort to "Save a Goddess". Five Rivers says that any winery can support a good cause and provide attractive labels but they feel they also deserve attention for the quality of their wines. Priced around ten dollars, the wines of Five Rivers provide a lot of bang for their buck.

By Deena Beasley, 11 Oct 2006

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. regulators agreed to expand the use of Genentech Inc.'s drug Avastin, now used against colon cancer, to include treatment of the most common type of lung cancer, the company said on Wednesday.

Avastin, the first drug designed to starve tumors of blood and nutrients, was approved as an initial treatment, in combination with chemotherapy, for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Using the worm Caenorhabditis elegans, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered a mechanism by which cancer cells become resistant to a specific class of drugs.

They found that a mutation in a single protein in the worm renders a potential new cancer drug ineffective. The drug is a derivative of a compound called hemiasterlin. Because hemiasterlin compounds are being tested as a way to fight multi-drug resistance, this newly discovered resistance effect is problematic, the researchers said.

By Salynn Boyles, WebMD , 11 Oct 2006

Well over a third of adult survivors of childhood cancer develop serious, disabling, or life-threatening health problems in the decades following treatment, and three out of four experience some chronic health issue.

Researchers followed more than 10,000 pediatric cancer survivors diagnosed and treated in the 1970s and 1980s in the largest long-term study of patient outcomes ever reported.

LONDON (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc's new cancer drug Sutent is effective for patients suffering from advanced gastrointestinal tumors which do not respond to the standard treatment, researchers said on Wednesday.

The drug, which is also known as sunitinib, is used to treat advanced kidney cancer. But research published online by The Lancet medical journal shows it helps patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) resistant to imatinib, which is sold by Novartis AG under the name Gleevec.

by Chris Sparling, The Cancer Blog, 10 oct 2006

They were calling the bout David and Goliath, and for obvious reasons. In one corner stood Monte "Two Gunz" Barrett, a veteran heavyweight who, for all intents and purposes, is in the twilight of his career. To most, his 6'3" stature would be quite intimidating. But, when your opponent is the 7 foot tall, 320 pound Nikolai Valuev, you quickly take on the role of David to this big Russian's Goliath. Like the so many who tuned in to HBO to watch this title fight, I was unfortunately rather disappointed by the lack of action and mediocre displays of boxing talent on the part of both fighters. But, there was something about this fight that was unlike so many others.

LONDON (Reuters) - Children with advanced kidney cancer may suffer fewer long-term side effects and need less treatment if they are given chemotherapy to shrink their tumor before surgery, researchers said on Tuesday.

Wilms' tumor is the most common type of kidney cancer that affects children. In most cases it is curable.

Chemotherapy is normally given after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells in the body. But British scientists said some children would benefit from delaying surgery to receive chemotherapy treatment.

by Dalene Entenmann, The Cancer Blog, 10 oct 2006

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation College Scholarship Award Program offers college scholarships of up to $10,000 a year over a four-year period to students who have lost a parent to breast cancer.

To qualify, the applicant must be a high school senior or graduate -- aged 25 or less -- and reside within the service area of an established Komen Affiliate that is participating in the Scholarship Program.

The application deadline is November 1st. To learn more and download an application online, visit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation College Scholarship Award Program webpage.

By Daniel DeNoon, WebMD, 10 Oct 2006

f you're inactive, overweight, and worried about breast cancer, the change of life is a great time to change your life.

New data from the Woman's Health Initiative suggest that postmenopausal women who exercise and keep their weight down substantially reduce their risk of breast cancercancer.

Researcher Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, is director of cancer prevention at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and professor of medicine and public health at the University of Washington, Seattle. She's also the author of Breast Fitness: An Optimal Exercise and Health Plan for Reducing Your Risk of Breast Cancer.

Oct. 9, 2006 -- Having a close family member who's had lung cancer doubles your own risk for the disease -- even if you don't smoke.

The finding comes from a 13-year study of more than 102,000 Japanese men and women. Study participants were aged 40 to 69 at the start of the study. Over the study period, nearly 800 participants developed lung cancer.

New UC Davis research supports the recent hypothesis that both ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive breast cancer develop from the same breast cancer progenitor cells. The research was reported at the annual meeting of the International Association for Breast Cancer Research in Montreal last month.

"The implication of these studies and others is that the genetic code for breast cancer is probably written at the pre-cancerous stage, so the rest is predestined," said Robert D. Cardiff, professor of pathology and director of the Mutant Mouse Pathology Lab at the UC Davis Center for Comparative Medicine. "This has profound implications for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer."

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has announced the publication of pioneering research identifying the crucial role and novel mechanism of action of the protein RhoH GTPase in the development and activation of cells critical to the immune system. The findings, along with other studies, suggest that RhoH GTPase may provide a target for therapeutic intervention in some types of leukemia. The paper is due to appear in an upcoming edition of the journal Nature Immunology and was recently posted in the advance online publication section of the journal's website.

MONDAY, Oct. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists say they've spotted a new breast cancer susceptibility gene that might someday help women ascertain their risk for the disease.

Women with mutations in the gene, called BRIP1, have twice the normal risk of breast cancer, British researchers report in the November issue of Nature Genetics.

PARIS - The days of cigarette-friendly France are about to go up in smoke

The prime minister announced Sunday that a ban on smoking in schools, offices and other public buildings will start in February, while restaurants, dance clubs and some bars have until 2008 to comply.

"I am convinced the French people are now ready," said Dominique de Villepin, joining Ireland, Spain, Britain and Italy which have adopted similar measures. "The issue is ripe in our country, given the experiences that we know of elsewhere."

by Dr. Tony Vendryes, 9 Oct 2006

The average American consumes an astounding two to three pounds of sugar each week. Sugar consumption has gone from only five pounds per year in 1900 to the current level of 135 pounds per person per year.

This is not surprising as highly refined sugars in the forms of sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup are being quietly processed into many popular foods such as bread, biscuits, breakfast cereal, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and a host of other convenience foods.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breast cancer survivors are 37 percent more likely to commit suicide than other women, and the elevated risk persists for at least 25 years after diagnosis, according to a report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Previous studies have looked at suicide risk in breast cancer survivors, but most have not examined the long-term risk and none have included women in the U.S., note Dr. Catherine Schairer, from the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland, and colleagues.

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by Kristina Collins, 8 Oct 2006

Lymphomas are cancers of the lymphatic system. There are two general types of lymphomas. Hodgkin's Disease, named after Dr. Thomas Hodgkin who first recognized the disease in 1832, and Non-Hodgkin's Disease (NHL). The difference between these two cancers is that Hodgkin's disease contains specific cells that are not seen in any other lymphomas. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is actually a group of about ten different types. One rare type of NHL is called cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).

CTCL accounts for about one in twenty cases of NHL. It mainly affects the skin and can often mimic several skin disorders. It is caused by the uncontrolled growth of a type of white blood cell in the skin called a T-cell.

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by Jacki Donaldson, 8 Oct 2006

When a question or concern or worry related to breast cancer pops into my head, I typically find myself parked in front of my computer in search of instant answers, instant comfort, instant wisdom. There are several different websites I consult -- each one different from the others, each one complementing the others. They are my reference tools, my handbooks, my encyclopedias. They offer me a clear picture of a confusing, cloudy disease. And here they are -- seven super websites that have been become staples in my life.

The Cancer Blog

If you are reading this post, then you know how to reach The Cancer Blog. There's nothing like it for timely cancer-related news, the latest in cancer research and information, connections to cancer survivors everywhere, and general health tips and techniques. Written by breast cancer survivors who have traveled their own bumpy cancer roads, each post -- there are several per day -- published on The Cancer Blog is fresh, insightful, and full of personal passion.

By Janice Billingsley, HealthDay, 6 Oct 2006

FRIDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors have long known that lowering your cholesterol levels helps protect your heart. But could it also reduce the risk of prostate cancer for men?

Researchers are increasingly optimistic that the two conditions are related, making what's good for the heart good for the prostate, too.

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by Jacki Donaldson, 7 Oct 2006

Studies exist that link acid-reflux conditions to cancer of the larynx -- or voice box -- but authors of a new study say they all suffer shortcomings in methodology.

The new study, published in the American Journal of Medicine, was intended to make up for these shortcomings by comparing 96 men and women with laryngeal cancer to a group of adults without the disease. All participants were matched by age, gender, and ethnicity -- three of the most important risk factors for this cancer. Overall, the study found people with GERD -- gastroesophageal reflux disease -- were twice as likely to develop laryngeal cancer, compared to those without the condition. GERD has long been considered a possible risk factor for this cancer, mostly because GERD is common among people with the cancer. More definitive studies are on the horizon.

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by Dalene Entenmann, 7 Oct 2006

Work gives us a sense of purpose; a way to provide for ourselves; and social contact -- all important to health and wellbeing. For those facing the struggles to survive cancer, work can represent a normalcy needed in a time where not much else seems very normal. The activity of work can reflect a hope that even though cancer has temporarily disrupted daily life, one day it will get better -- we are going to get better. Not losing your job when you must go through cancer treatment is a way of having your place in society saved. A message, we will all be here when you get back -- your work life will be here when you can come back.

Is there indeed a "cure" for the "disease" known as "cancer" ... or is it merely the outcome of an unhealthy body? It apparently depends on who you ask, as two conflicting views demonstrate. On the one hand, News Target's Mike Adams attacks the "Race for the Cure" fundraising "scams," declaring that, most specifically with "breast cancer," it is NOT a disease for which there might be a cure, but "a name given to an observable pattern of symptoms indicative of cellular malfunction and a systemic failure of the immune system in a human being. ... 'Breast cancer' is a name given to the side effects of poor health that just happen to emerge first in the breast tissues."

LONDON (AFX) - Well-respected medical journal The Lancet has called on the European Union to implement mandatory vaccination of young girls with a new jab that can protect against cervical cancer.

Gardasil, a vaccine developed by Merck & Co and Sanofi Pasteur MSD, was granted marketing approval by European medicine regulators last week.

Most cervical cancers are caused by a virus called the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is wide spread throughout the population and transmitted sexually.

By Dr. James Howenstine, MD., 6 Apr 2006

In the first 2 months of 2006 there were 172,000 cases of lung cancer[ Reference: CNN American Morning Program March 8, 2006 Miles and Soledad O'Brien] in the U.S. The whole year of 2005 only saw 175,000 cases of lung cancer. How can this be explained? This does not fit with inhalation of second hand smoke or cigarette smoking. High levels of uranium were found in the air at the Aldermaston research Center in northern England ten days after the second war in Iraq began with heavy bombing and shelling in Iraq. This suggests that all of Europe was contaminated with radiation at the onset of Gulf War II. There have now been 4 nuclear wars since World War II (Iraq twice, Afghanistan, Bosnia).The amount of radiation released since 1991 is greater than the equivalent radiation of 82,000 Nagasaki type nuclear devices. No news media in Europe or the U.S. discusses this as this is one of many forbidden topics.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chemotherapy causes changes in the brain's metabolism and blood flow that can last as long as 10 years, a discovery that may explain the mental fog and confusion that affect many cancer survivors, researchers said on Thursday.

The researchers, from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that women who had undergone chemotherapy five to 10 years earlier had lower metabolism in a key region of the frontal cortex.

Women treated with chemotherapy also showed a spike in blood flow to the frontal cortex and cerebellum while performing memory tests, indicating a rapid jump in activity level, the researchers said in a statement about their study.

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new review of various studies has identified five gene variants possibly linked to breast cancer.

A team called the Breast Cancer Association Consortium collected data from more than 20 research groups. Those groups were each conducting breast cancer research on a total of 16 "single nucleotide polymorphisms" (SNPs) -- gene variants potentially linked to breast malignancy.

A little-known antibiotic shows early promise as an anti-cancer agent, inhibiting a gene found at higher-than-normal levels in most human tumors, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine.