The vibrantly colored dragon boats get their name from the fierce dragon heads mounted at their helm. Today’s 40-ft vessels hold 20 paddlers who, like their ancient predecessors, maintain their rowing speed to the powerful beat of a massive drum. The traditional Chinese sport dates back more than 2000 years, but has just recently spread to the United States.

In addition to gaining popularity as an exciting spectator sport, dragon boat racing is catching on with breast cancer survivors who’ve discovered paddling these crafts through water can help them recover from the lingering side effects of treatments.

Organizers of breast cancer rowing teams report paddling increases strength, improves range of motion, reduces pain, and provides relief from chronic symptoms of lymphedema. The practice sessions also keep team members exercising regularly, a practice shown to improve cancer survival rates.

Approximately two dozen breast cancer survivor dragon boat teams currently compete around the United States. Besides the physical and recreational benefits, boat racing can also improve mental health by boosting self confidence. Survivors who participate in the races say the experience is like attending a floating support group. As one said,

“They know what I’ve been through. I know what they’ve been through. If you want to talk about cancer, you can and if you don’t want to talk about cancer, you don’t have to.”

Beverly Booth
Breast Cancer Survivor and
Captain, Steel Magnolias Dragon Boat Team

While the sport can be a lot of fun, survivors are cautioned to check with their doctor before they begin paddling or other exercise programs. (If you’re OK’d to participate, remember to ask your provider if you need to restrict your paddling to a specific side of the boat. This may be a necessary precaution for some individuals.)

If you’d like to read about other ways to improve your health after cancer, you can check out Nutrition and Physical Activity During and After Cancer Treatment from the American Cancer Society.

Source: CNN.com

Related Links: Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival Atlanta; cbcnews.ca; Susan G Komen for the Cure

Tags: Atlanta; complimentary and alternative medicine; fitness; holistic health; mastectomy; natural remedies; outdoor recreation; cancer pain management; physical therapy; rehabilitation; survivorship; weight control; women’s health

The flexible microfilm device is constructed from an FDA-approved material called polymer parylene which can be constructed in any shape and looks like a piece of plastic wrap. The patch-like film is embedded with millions of tiny nanodiamonds loaded with chemotherapy drugs then placed where residual disease cells are present.

Once in place, the semi-porous nanodiamond device is specifically designed to slowly and consistently release chemotherapy over weeks or months rather than administering it in larger single doses as often done in conventional treatment regimens.

The scientists say nanodiamonds are economical to construct and have already been successfully mass-produced for use in other automobile and electronics applications. Plus, nanodiamonds have a versatile architecture which can store a variety of treatments including small molecule, protein, antibody and RNA or DNA-based therapies.

Northwestern’s research team used Doxorubicin, a drug used to treat many forms of cancer, to test their device’s drug delivery capabilities over a one-month period. The test results indicated nanodiamonds effectively delivered the chemotherapy throughout the one-month period and indications are the device is capable of continuing treatments over substantially longer periods of time.

Northwestern’s research team was led by Dean Ho, a member of the Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center and an assistant professor at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. Dr Ho’s team included scientists from Northwestern University and Shinshu University in Nagano, Japan.

Ho is currently involved with pre-clinical trials of the device. His team is optimistic nanodiamond-embedded parylene devices will improve treatments for future cancer patients by reducing the possible complications and toxic side effects associated with chemotherapy. As Dr Ho said,

“Several surgeons at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, as well as other medical school and hospitals, are very interested in the device because it is biocompatible and provides such stable and consistent drug release.”

Dean Ho, PhD
Asst Professor, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
Northwestern University

If you’d like to learn more, the team’s research has been published in the October 2, 2008, edition of the journal ACS Nano.

Source: Northwestern University NewsCenter

Related Links: EurekAlert!; ScienceDaily

Tags: adjuvant therapy; biotechnology; minimally invasive; oncology; nanomedicine; nanotechnology; targeted therapy; personalized medicine; pharmaceutical and medical devices

Dr zur Hausen discovered type 16 HPV in 1983 by studying the biopsies of women diagnosed with cervical cancer. A year later, he cloned HPV types 16 and 18, the two forms of the virus responsible for approximately 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. His research led to the development of a vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer.

Dr zur Hausen will share his award with two French virologists, Dr Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Dr Luc Montageir, who are both credited with discovering the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) responsible for causing AIDS.

The 2008 Nobel Prizes for physics, chemistry, literature and peace are scheduled to be announced later this week.

To read more about the amazing scientists and discoveries that have earned the prestigious Nobel Prize, check out NobelPrize.org.

If you’d like to learn about other cervical cancer risk factors, you can visit MayoClinic.com.

Source: The New York Times

Related Links: Reuters; Gynecologic Cancer Foundation

Related Podcast: Nobel Prize in Medicine for Major Virus Discoveries from NPR

Tags: epidemiology; female cancers; Gardasil, gynecologic cancer; reproductive health; public health; sexually transmitted diseases; women’s health

On Wednesday, October 8, 2008, ORlive will webcast a panel of physicians discussing the case of a brain tumor patient treated with CyberKnife® technology.

ProHealth Care is presenting the panel discussion from Waukesha Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin. Radiation oncologist Nagrenda (Bobby) Koneru, MD, neuro-oncologist Hendrikus Krouwer, MD, PhD, and neurosurgeon Kenneth Reichert, MD, will participate in the roundtable discussion.

The meeting will be moderated by Michael McCrea, PhD, of ProHealth Care’s Neuroscience Center.

The public is invited to watch the live webcast free of charge beginning at 12:00 PM CDT. If you miss the live broadcast, you can view it later by accessing the ORlive archives.

If you’re a patient in the United States who’d like to learn more about brain cancer, there’s additional information available on the American Cancer Society web site.

NOTE: CyberKnife® is a registered trademark of Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ:ARAY).

Source: OR-Live.com

Related Link: Medline Plus

Tags: glioma; neurology; radiosurgery; radiology; robotics

This year’s fifth anniversary edition of The Colondar features beautiful photographs of 13 vibrant male and female colorectal cancer survivors who were all diagnosed under the age of 50. The models bravely volunteer to share their stories and bare their surgical scars to encourage colonoscopies and to raise awareness that colon and rectal cancers can strike anyone at any age.

Throwing all journalistic objectivity aside, I have to tell you I’m a BIG fan of this calendar. While feeling tired, bewildered and more than a little ugly after my own cancer surgery a few years ago, I stumbled across an earlier edition of The Colondar. The striking pictures of these courageous survivors offered me hope that I would soon recover from my cancer and return to a wonderful life.

The 2009 Colondar from The Colon Club

The 2009 Colondars are available from The Colon Club for $16.50 each with shipping included.

Consider getting a couple extras to give as gifts too. In addition to helping friends keep track of busy schedules, they’ll remind people to get screened, encourage cancer survivors throughout the year, and they’ll add something interesting and beautiful to bare office walls — my oncology nurse loved his!

(Click here to order a 2009 Colondar from The Colon Club.)

Note to readers outside the United States: The Colon Club’s web site does not process online international orders. If you’d like to purchase a copy to be mailed overseas, please e-mail them at Info@colondar.com.

The Colon Club is also looking for more survivors to appear in their 2010 Colondar. If you’re interested, please let them know as soon as possible.

Source: Colorectal Cancer Coalition

Technorati Tags: cancer prevention; cancer support groups; oncology; cancer outreach

Close relatives of CLL patients are seven times likelier to develop the blood cancer than the general population. However, unlike the BRCA genes associated with breast cancer, scientists have been unable to locate a specific gene which identifies those at higher risk for CLL.

Instead of isolating one specific gene, Professor Robert Houlston and his team at The Institute of Cancer Research found a combination of six genes put patients at risk for CLL. The genes appeared to have only a marginal effect when passed on individually, but when all six genetic sequences were present the risk increased significantly.

Experts say the team’s findings may lead to more effective therapies and screening for CLL. As one doctor said,

“This finding is very exciting as it carries the possibility of improving treatments for individuals who we know are at risk of developing this leukaemia. Clinical applications are still a little while away but this is a very important step forward in understanding the basis of this common leukaemia.”

Dr David Grant
Scientific Consultant, Leukaemia Research

If you’d like to learn more, the study has been published in the August 31, 2008, online edition of the journal Nature Genetics.

If you’re a patient in the US with questions about CLL, you can visit the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at www.leukemia-lymphoma.org.

Source: The Institute of Cancer Research (UK)

Related Links: CLL Perspectives; Leukemia Research Foundation

Technorati Tags: genomics; hematologic malignancy; hereditary cancers; oncology

Telomerase has been strongly linked to aging and cancer because of its role in cell division. Previous research has suggested that telomerase may fuel the uncontrolled cell proliferation that leads to tumor growth, but research efforts have been hampered because details about the enzyme’s structure remained a mystery.

To help overcome that hurdle, Wistar’s team used x-ray crystallography to map the three-dimensional structure of telomerase’s active region. The information they’ve discovered will provide important data to researchers developing targeted treatments for many different forms of cancer, as well as others working on anti-aging therapies.

As one Wistar scientist said,

“Telomerase is an ideal target for chemotherapy because it is active in almost all human tumors, but inactive in most normal cells. That means that a drug that deactivates telomerase would likely work against all cancers, with few side effects.”

Emmanuel Skordalakes, PhD
Asst Prof, Wistar Institute Gene Expression and Regulation Program

If you’d like to learn more, this research has been published in the August 31, 2008, online edition of the journal Nature.

Sources: BBC News (UK) and USNews.com

Related Links: Forbes.com; American Federation for Aging Research

Technorati Tags: apoptosis; biochemistry; drug development; oncology; pharmaceutical research; telomeres

The world-class swimmer earned his place on the Olympic team just a week after learning he has testicular cancer. Diagnostic tests indicate his malignancy is in the early stages, so Eric (with his doctor’s approval) has made the difficult decision to postpone his cancer surgery to pursue his dream of competing in the Olympics.

So far his choice is paying off. He placed second in his heat for the Men’s 200m Breaststroke with a time of 2:10.29 and advanced into the semifinals.

By going public with his condition, the determined young man is also raising a lot of awareness about testicular cancer and inspiring cancer survivors around the globe.

As one famous testicular cancer survivor rooting for Eric said,

“I think at the Olympics he will swim like a man possessed because he’s been reminded of how fragile his life – and our life – is.”

Lance Armstrong

If you’d like to cheer on Eric during his quest for an Olympic medal, he is scheduled to compete again on August 13, 2008, at 10:56 a.m in China’s National Aquatics Center.

GOOD LUCK, ERIC!

Sources: ajc.com and The New York Times

Related Link: Times Online (UK)

Tags: oncology

Preliminary findings from a two-year investigation by the Office of the Inspector General indicate hundreds of inmates and staff members who participated in electronics recycling programs may have been exposed to toxic dust particles while they were dismantling computers in a UNICOR warehouse.

According to the report, protective gear was not worn and workers routinely wore their work clothes back to their residences so other prisoners, prison employees, spouses and children who didn’t participate in the dismantling of computers may also have been unknowingly exposed to hazardous materials.

UNICOR is a US government-owned corporation operated by the Federal Prison Industries, Inc. The company employed more than 23,000 inmates last year as part of job rehabilitation programs – about 1,200 of those were employed in recycling programs nationwide.

Occupational health experts warn recycling used electronics can cause health problems if not done properly. Specifically, tearing apart computers or televisions by hand without taking the necessary safety precautions can expose the body to arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury particles that promote cancer and other diseases.

After the Inspector General found recycling facilities at Elkton Federal Correctional Institution in Ohio had 50 times more lead particles in the air than deemed safe by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, Elkton’s recycling facilities voluntarily shut down on June 27, 2008. The IG plans to conduct further inspections of similar operations around the US.

While the final results of the DOJ investigation are still pending, dozens of inmates, staff members, family members and visitors to the UNICOR recycling operation in Marianna have already filed suit in Florida courts seeking damages for cancers, heart and lung conditions, miscarriages, skin lesions and other medical problems associated with heavy metal exposures. Union members at a Texarkana, Texas, prison are considering a similar court action.

If you’d like to learn more about environmental carcinogens, you can visit the American Cancer Society web site at www.cancer.org. If you’d like to learn the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning, there’s some useful information at dermnetnz.org.

Source: ABC News

Related Links: PC Magazine; BBC

Technorati Tags: oncology; cancer clusters; e-waste; green initiatives; health disparities; public health; reproductive health; rural health; toxicology

Kind and generous folks offered me quilts, baseball caps or scarves, pill containers, stress balls, rides to the hospital, medical books and shoulders to cry on…it was all mine just for the asking.

I’m not just talking about the doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers involved in my treatment either. Along with the dedicated professionals who provided my medical care, there were relatives, friends, neighbors, nonprofit organizations, religious groups, fellow cancer survivors, co-workers and complete strangers offering to support me through those difficult days.

Most of the time I politely declined their offers telling would-be supporters I didn’t need anything while thanking them for their generosity. I could tell they really wanted to help, but I simply couldn’t think of anything I needed other than to be healthy again. After they got several assurances I would call if I ever changed my mind, they moved on and I continued with my life as a cancer survivor. Unable to help me directly, some did fundraising for scientific research (wonderful!), but many said they still wished they could do more.

Well, it’s been three years since my last treatment and I’m hoping some of those offers are still good. That’s because I’ve finally thought of something you can do for me and all the other cancer survivors out there: GIVE BLOOD.

I’m not sure why I didn’t ask sooner – maybe it was chemobrain. Back when I was in the military I, along with most of the people I worked with, regularly gave blood because…well…war and disaster relief are bloody businesses. Blood mobiles would routinely show up at our installation and we’d form a line, fill a bag, and enjoy a cup of juice afterwards. I guess most military professionals just figure donating is part of our duty to those we serve and serve with. (For similar reasons, civilian medical professionals tend to donate quite a bit too.)

After I started my cancer treatments, I couldn’t donate blood (turns out I still can’t — for now at least). That means I lost the opportunity to help my buddies in the oncology ward who are still battling for their lives.

The American Red Cross reports that every 2 seconds somebody in the United States needs a blood transfusion.

Every 2 seconds.

Thousands of those relying on lifesaving blood cells, platelets or plasma products are cancer patients. They may need blood because chemotherapy diminished their platelet supply, they could be a child with leukemia needing blood transfusions, or a breast cancer patient having a lumpectomy. They could even be a cancer survivor having an organ transplant.

All these cancer therapies and many more take blood – sometimes lots of blood.

A single leukemia patient can use 8 units of platelets daily for 2 to 4 weeks. One liver transplant takes an average of 10 units of red blood cells. I never required donated blood products while I was in the military, but my I consumed a couple units once I had my oncology surgery.

That’s why I’m asking for your help now. It’s really hard for me to see people I care about fighting The War on Cancer knowing I can’t replace the blood somebody generously donated to help me. Until I’m eligible to donate again myself I’m doing what I can which includes asking you, our Cancer Research Journal readers, to help.

I realize most of you probably envisioned something a little different when you offered your support to me or other cancer patients, but please trust me when I say this is one the best ways you could ever help the cancer community.

So, if you’re healthy enough and it’s not against your personal convictions, please consider giving blood. If you’re up to it, make time to go regularly and bring a friend.

If you’re a cancer survivor — or some other survivor who isn’t eligible to donate blood products – remember you can still help the cause. Organize blood drives in your community or suggest blood donations to anybody offering you support. You can even post a suggestion or public service announcement on your own web site. Consider your efforts a payback to all those who helped you make it this far.

If you live in the US and would like to locate a blood donation center near you, visit the American Red Cross Give Life web site at www.givelife.org or ask the staff at your local hospital.

To everyone who finds a way to contribute, my heartfelt thanks. You are truly giving the gift of life.

Source: CancerResearchJournal.com

Technorati Tags: cancer support; charity