Cancer Research Journal » Breast Cancer

Dragon Boat Races Benefit Breast Cancer Survivors

Lisa — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:35:04 +0000

CNN reports some modern-day breast cancer survivors are feeling better thanks to an ancient Chinese sport: dragon boat racing.

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

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

More Breast Cancer Surgeons Learning Plastic Surgery

Lisa — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:48:11 +0000

The Wall Street Journal reports a growing number of oncology surgeons are learning how to cosmetically repair breasts after they’ve removed tumors. This training allows the same doctor to treat a patient’s breast cancer and perform breast reconstruction during a single surgery instead of requiring another operation at a later date.

Oncoplastic surgeons are cancer surgeons who take additional courses to learn plastic surgery techniques. Advocates of oncoplastic surgery say having removal and reconstruction done together speeds both a woman’s psychological and physical recovery.

Costs and risks of complication are also reduced because fewer operations are needed.

Some cancer treatment centers without oncoplastic surgeons already offer oncoplastic surgery services, but the procedures must be conducted by two different doctors — one oncologic surgeon and one plastic surgeon. However, a shortage of reconstructive surgeons in rural and midsize cities means this option is not available in many areas.

A spokesman for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) says the group applauds surgical oncologists trying to improve patient satisfaction, but ASPS cautions health care consumers that no professional board certification currently exists for the oncoplastic specialty. Prospective patients should ask about the specific qualifications of the provider(s) performing any oncoplastic procedure. As the spokesman said,

“To think a surgeon can learn how to do this in a weekend course is unwise.”

Michael McGuire, MD, FACS
American Society of Plastic Surgeons

American Cancer Society (ACS) statistics indicate that more than 180,000 women and nearly 2,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. To learn more about the disease and its treatment options, visit their web site at www.cancer.org.

Source: Wall Street Journal Health Blog

Related Links: MayoClinic.com; Reuters; ASPS.org; WSJ.com

Technorati Tags: aesthetic surgery, BRCA-1 BRCA-2, ductal carcinoma in situ, lumpectomy and mastectomy, mammoplasty, multidisciplinary approach; women’s health

MD Anderson and Duke Help Breast Cancer Survivors and Their Daughters Drop Weight

Lisa — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:42:31 +0000

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Duke University Medical Center have started a program to help breast cancer survivors and their daughters get fit after cancer treatments are done.

Daughters and Mothers Against Breast Cancer, called DAMES for short, is a one-year diet and exercise program sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. The program is being conducted as part of larger study exploring possible ways to improve the health of former cancer patients and their families.

To be eligible for DAMES, both the mother and daughter must be overweight (with a Body Mass Index of 25 or more), but not participating in another weight loss program. Mothers must have been diagnosed with breast cancer within the last five years and at least 50 years of age to enroll in DAMES. Daughters must be 21 years of age or older.

Women who participate in the free program will be provided with various resources (diet/exercise journals, pedometers, iPods, etc) to help them develop healthier lifestyles and their progress will be monitored by scientists. As one survivor who joined the program said,

“I gained some weight during my treatment and it’s been hard getting into a regular exercise routine. By participating in DAMES, I believe that I may have that extra incentive to exercise daily and eat healthy because my weight will be monitored regularly by the study researchers.”

Alejandra Leon
Breast Cancer Survivor

To learn more about the DAMES, call 1-866-566-4108 or e-mail DAMES@geri.duke.edu.

Source: MD Anderson Cancer Center – Cancer Awareness and Prevention

Korea Unveils Clones of Cancer-Detecting Dog

Lisa — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:43:59 +0000

A collaborative project between Seoul National University and the Korean biotechnology firm RNL BIO Co Ltd (Public, SEO: 003190) has produced four identical puppies cloned from a Labrador Retriever with the ability to detect cancer by its smell.

Cancer-sniffing dogs are trained to sit in front of people or biological samples that carry the scent of specific chemicals present in cancer cells. Previous research has shown these dogs can detect the presence of bladder, breast, prostate and lung cancers simply by smelling a patient or their urine.

RNL Bio cloned Marine, a black Labrador Retriever trained by the St Sugar Cancer Sniffing Dog Training Center in Shirahama, Japan, from skin samples sent to Seoul National University last December. Yuji Satoh, the head trainer at St Sugar’s, made the decision to give Marine’s DNA to the university after a womb disease made it impossible for the dog to give birth.

The three-week-old puppies have been given the names Marine-L, Marine-N, Marine-R and Marine-S. Once the puppies have been trained, one will be donated to St Sugar’s and another to Seoul National University. The company plans to sell the two remaining puppies for $500,000.

RNL Bio used patent-pending technology to enhance the embryo implantation process so multiple births would be possible. As one of the company’s executives said,

“Cloning dogs is nothing new anymore. But we are the world’s first to have cloned four at a time from one surrogate mother. This makes it cost effective, and now we mean real business.”

Jeong Chan, Ra
CEO, RNL BIO Co Ltd

If you’re a cancer patient in the US who’d like to learn more about cancer detection, click here to visit the American Cancer Society Early Detection Guidelines web page.

Source: ABC News

Metformin May Boost Response to Breast Cancer Chemo

Lisa — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:40:12 +0000

Results from a study at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center indicate metformin, a medication commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes, may improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatments administered to patients with early breast cancer.

The scientists used information from the MD Anderson Breast Medical Oncology database to identify 2,529 women with early-stage breast cancer who received chemotherapy before surgery. 2,374 of the patients identified were non-diabetic, 87 were diabetics who were taking metformin, and 68 were diabetic, but not taking metformin. The retrospective study tracked pathologic complete response, or the absence of cancer at the time of surgery.

After adjusting for other factors, the MD Anderson team found 3 times as many diabetic patients taking metformin were cancer-free at the time of their surgery than were diabetic patients not taking the drug. Diabetics taking metformin also had an 8% higher rate of pathologic complete responses than non-diabetic patients.

The researchers say they’re excited by the results, but further investigation is needed to understand metformin’s role as a possible anti-tumor agent. As one of the team members said,

“Our next step is to conduct a number of correlative studies to try and further understand its mechanism.”

Ana M Gonzalez-Angulo, MD
Department of Breast Medical Oncology
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Findings from this research were presented on June 2, 2008, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Source: UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Newsroom

Technorati Tags: neoadjuvant; insulin resistance; pathology

President Signs Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

Lisa — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:00:48 +0000

On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, President George W. Bush signed HR 493 into law.

HR 493 is The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, commonly referred to as GINA. It prohibits employers and health insurance companies from discriminating against people with genes that make it more likely they will develop cancer (such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 for breast and ovarian cancers) or other hereditary diseases.

The Act’s passage is being praised by Americans with genetic test results showing they’re genetically predisposed to cancer, as well as those who’ve been afraid to get DNA tests because they feared losing their health insurance.

Cancer advocacy groups and legislators worked for 13 years to get GINA passed, but now that the law’s enacted, there’s more to be done. As one expert said,

“Our challenge now is to make sure that doctors and patients are aware of these new protections so that fear of discrimination never again stands in the way of a decision to take a genetic test that could save a life.”

Kathy Hudson, PhD
Director, Genetics and Public Policy Center
Johns Hopkins University

If you’d like to read more about the potential uses of genetic information, you can click here to visit the Human Genome Project Information page.

Source: C-SPAN

Technorati Tags: pre-vivor; oncology; genetic counseling; family history; cancer prevention; health policy

Oct 7, 2008: PBS Airs Cancer Pre-vivor Documentary

Lisa — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:01:12 +0000

On October 7, 2008, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) program POV will air a new documentary about the difficult choices faced by women with a family history of cancer.

In the Family chronicles the experiences of filmmaker Joanna Rudnick and several other women whose genes give them a high risk of developing cancer. The cameras follow along as these women decide whether or not to undergo life-changing prophylactic mastectomies and oophorectomies. It also shows how these decisions impact the women’s relationships with their families and significant others.

While I haven’t seen the film in its entirety yet, Rudnick certainly has the right credentials to bring this complex topic to the screen. At 27, genetic tests revealed she had a BRCA mutation which dramatically increases her chances of getting breast and ovarian cancer, she’s earned a master’s degree in Science and Environmental Journalism from Northwestern University, and she’s already been involved with several award-winning documentaries about other compelling topics.

The film has also been getting good reviews from the attendees of FORCE annual conferences (Rudnick has been screening preliminary footage from the film at these meetings over the last few years.) FORCE is the nonprofit organization credited with coining “pre-vivor”, a term describing someone who has a genetic predisposition to cancer, but who hasn’t been diagnosed with the disease.

If you’d like to see a trailer for In the Family, you can view it at http://inthefamily.kartemquin.com/.

Source – FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Updates

Technorati Tags: oncology; genetic counseling; cancer risk factors; cancer prevention; cancer awareness; women’s health; genomics; gynecologic cancers

Easter Seals Offers Rehab to Breast Cancer Survivors

Lisa — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:02:03 +0000

The Easter Seals Greater Hartford Rehabilitation Center is helping breast cancer survivors recuperate from physical and psychological problems caused by their cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Thousands of women and men undergo treatment for breast cancer each year. Once surgical, radiation and chemotherapy treatments are completed many experience lingering side effects which impair their ability to function physically or mentally. With support from the Johnson and Johnson Pathways to Independence Program, Easter Seals of Hartford, Connecticut, has launched the Breast Cancer Pathways Program to help these survivors improve these troubling conditions.

The program provides outpatient rehabilitative services designed to address the specific needs of breast cancer survivors. Pain management, physical conditioning, occupational therapy and lymphedema care are just a few of the comprehensive services offered by professionals at the Hartford center.

To learn more about the program, visit the Breast Cancer Pathways Program web page or call 1-860-714-9500.

Source: Easter Seals Disability Services

Related Links: ScienceDaily; Pink-Link.org

Technorati Tags: women’s health; oncology; coping with cancer

Yale and Ugandan Docs Discuss Cancer, Condoms and HIV on Connecticut Radio

Lisa — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:00:42 +0000

Dr Kenneth Miller of the Connecticut Challenge Survivorship Clinic and his special guest, Dr Fred Okuku of East Africa, recently discussed cancer and HIV in Uganda on the radio show Yale Cancer Center Answers.

During the interview, the two doctors talked about the ABC program, AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma, breast, cervical and prostate cancer rates in Africa, as well as other interesting topics. To hear the broadcast, click here.

If you’d like to listen to more broadcasts from Yale Cancer Center Answers, the show airs Sundays on WNPR. The segments usually run about 30 minutes and include a wealth of useful information about breakthroughs in cancer treatment.

Source: Yale Cancer Center Podcast Feed

Fungal Extract Fights Four Common Cancers

Lisa — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:14:32 +0000

A study led by the Methodist Hospital Research Institute indicates extracts from a tropical fungus called Phellinus linteus may combat breast cancer.

Methodist Hospital’s results add to previous research suggesting the yellow mushroom is also effective for slowing lung, prostate and skin cancers.

Phellinus linteus grows on the bark of mulberry trees and has been used in Chinese medicines for hundreds of years. Methodist’s investigation suggests the powdered extracts from the mushroom block AKT enzymes involved in the development of blood vessels that feed tumors. As the study’s lead author said,

“We saw a number of positive results from our investigation of aggressive human breast cancer cells, including a lower rate of uncontrolled growth of new cancer cells, suppression of their aggressive behavior and the formation of fewer blood vessels that feed cancer cells essential nutrients.”

Dr Daniel Sliva
Methodist Research Institute

Dr Sliva emphasized that more studies will need to done to determine if the extract if safe and effective for treating cancer patients. Citing health and quality concerns, he also urged patients to avoid buying untested commercial mushroom powders.

If you’d like to learn more about the breast cancer study, the findings have been published in the March 25, 2008, online edition of the British Journal of Cancer.

Source: Daily Mail