Cancer Research Journal » Publications

Sexy Survivors Raise Colorectal Cancer Awareness

Lisa — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:45:18 +0000

The Colon Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York, has announced the release of The 2009 Colondar.

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

Dr Bernadine Healy Covers Cancer Etiquette in Living Time

Lisa — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:40:21 +0000

Dr Bernadine Healy, a respected cardiologist and brain cancer survivor, has written a book which includes useful advice for people wondering what to say — or not say — to a friend or family member recently diagnosed with cancer.

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush appointed Dr Healy the first woman director of the National Institutes of Health. She was also chosen to lead the American Red Cross during their response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

After being diagnosed with a brain tumor in early 1999, Dr Healy was surprised by some of the awkward comments and gestures she received from those who discovered she was a cancer patient. People who meant well would do inappropriate things like grabbing her hair to see if she was wearing a wig and one woman told her “It’s amazing how good you can look when you’re dying.”

Hoping to spare future cancer patients the discomfort of these difficult encounters, the doctor decided to include practical tips on cancer etiquette when she wrote her own book Living Time – Faith and Facts to Transform Your Cancer Journey.

One simple piece of advice she offers readers is to think about how you’d like to be treated before you start speaking. As the author says,

“One thing you don’t want to do is to instantly assume it’s terminal.”

Bernadine Healy, MD
Oliogodendroglioma Survivor

Living Time covers more than just cancer etiquette, it also contains Dr Healy’s personal and professional insights about cancer treatments and the future of cancer research. To read an excerpt from her book, click here.

Living Time is published by Bantam, a division of Random House, Inc. To find out if a public library near you carries it, check out WorldCat.org

If you’d like more tips on supporting a loved one with cancer, there’s a lot of useful information on the Common Questions on Caring and Helping web page published by Massachusetts General Hospital.

Source: CNN

Related Links: Cleveland.com; getyourheadinthegame.org

Technorati Tags: cancer books; caregiving; cancer support; mixed gliomas; oncology

Need Cancer Information in Spanish? Lance Armstrong Foundation Launches LIVESTRONG Espanol

Lisa — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:40:28 +0000

Those who need reliable cancer education and support services in Spanish have a new online resource: LIVESTRONG Espanol.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), a nonprofit cancer advocacy group based in Austin, Texas, launched the multi-faceted web service on June 2, 2008, to assist cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and healthcare providers within Hispanic/Latino communities.

LIVESTRONG Espanol offers free brochures, videos, and other types of cancer information that patients and their families can watch or download on their computer. No registration, passwords or dues are required to use the resource.

In addition to the web site, LAF is producing five one-hour call-in shows featuring Dr Amelie Ramirez and other bilingual medical experts. The shows will broadcast on Spanish radio stations in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City and San Antonio between June 15 and June 21, 2008. (To see the complete schedule, click here.)

If you’d like to find more cancer information in Spanish, you can check out the National Cancer Institute (Instituto Nacional del Cáncer) and Cancer.Net En Español.

Source: livestrongblog.org

Technorati Tags: oncology; health literacy; ESL; minority health; rural health; immigration

Report Explores How Social Media is Changing Cancer Care

Lisa — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:46:50 +0000

THINK-Health has compiled an interesting report detailing how social media tools are dramatically changing cancer care and medicine at large.

The 28-page report, entitled The Wisdom of Patients: Health Care Meets Online Social Media, was prepared for the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF), a nonprofit organization based in Oakland.

The report provides some key statistics on health-related internet use. It also discusses how networking in online communities is transforming everything from doctor-patient relationships to data collection for clinical trials.

The Wisdom of Patients explores the potential risks and benefits of using wikis, blogs, and other social media platforms to conduct personal or professional research. There’s explanations for a terms like “prosumers” and “Health 2.0″ which are popping up more frequently in the health marketplace, plus some insightful comments provided by people who’ve founded popular health-related web sites.

While this report isn’t going to give a current patient any specific answers about the science of cancer, it’s certainly worth the read if you’re a cancer advocate, patient, researcher, provider or IT professional who uses — or is considering using — the internet to share the information you’ve learned during your cancer journey. As the report’s author wrote,

“When patients managing the same chronic condition share observations with each other, their collective wisdom can yield clinical insights well beyond the understanding of any single patient or physician. Similarly, when physicians share information with each other online, the results go far beyond the doctor’s lounge…”

Jane Sarasohn-Kahn, MA, MHSA
Health Economist

If you’d like to read more, you can download the free report at www.chcf.org/topics/chronicdisease/index.cfm?itemID=133631.

Source: California HealthCare Foundation Chronic Disease Care

Related Podcast: Internet Health Records: Convenience at a Cost? from NPR

Technorati Tags: MySpace; YouTube; Facebook; I’m Too Young for This!; health IT; chat rooms; patientslikeme; digg

Mayo Clinic Oncologists Answer Cancer Questions Online

Lisa — Sat, 03 May 2008 03:57:52 +0000

One of the top cancer treatment facilities in the world is offering you the opportunity to e-mail your questions about cancer to their oncology experts.

The Mayo Clinic web site has a feature called Ask a Cancer Specialist which allows anybody with internet access the chance to ask Mayo’s experienced specialists their tough cancer questions for free – even if they’re not a patient at one of Mayo’s facilities.

If your question is selected, Mayo will publish both the question and the answer on Mayo’s web site. Queries and responses are archived on the web site so other cancer patients and caregivers can benefit from the exchange.

Not all questions get a response, but a lot of good information is circulated in this forum. Alternative medicines, chemobrain, and pancreatic cancer treatments are just a few of the topics Mayo’s doctors have already discussed.

While some cancer support groups and hospitals manage chat rooms which include discussions with health professionals interspersed with messages of encouragement and personal testimonials, Mayo’s Ask a Cancer Specialist site concentrates on medical information alone — a real time saver if you’re short on time and facts are all you need. The clinic also posts the name, photo, title and some background on the physician who provided the response so you’ll know where the information originated.

This type of health tool appears to have a lot of potential value for cancer patients and I’ve looked for similar services from other oncologists, but so far I haven’t found any being updated regularly. If you’ve seen any other high quality sites our readers should know about, please send me an e-mail (Lisa@CancerResearchJournal.com) and I’ll add them to our del.icio.us bookmarks.

Source: CancerResearchJournal.com

Fast Ways to Find Free Cancer Books

Lisa — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:32:37 +0000

Hey I love the book store but, let’s face it, buying a bunch of cancer books can get expensive – especially when you’re a patient with medical expenses to consider.

And with chemotherapy, radiation, surgery or lab tests on the schedule, it can be hard to find the time to drive from library to library looking for good books to help you get smart about your condition.

Well, the folks at Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) are helping make cancer education a little easier. Google Book Search offers a wide variety of health books you can read for free, as well as previews of other books that haven’t entered the public domain yet. Thousands of educational books and academic journals covering oncology, medicine and nutrition from experts like the National Cancer Institute and the World Health Organization, as well as other science-related texts of interest to researchers and students (physics, chemistry, etc.) are available and easy to access.

My favorite feature: If you want to read a book using the traditional method — away from a computer screen — Google’s site will quickly assemble a list of the public libraries in your state which carry the title. I did a quick search and found more than 43,000 cancer-related titles in less than three seconds. If you decide you’d like to have the book for your permanent collection, the site also lets you know about book retailers offering the book for sale.

For those of you who want a break from studying cancer, fictional literature is available too.

Google Book Search has been around for a few years, but new titles are being added all the time so consider visiting the site again if you haven’t been there in a while. In fact, the University of California, San Diego announced earlier this month that it will be providing Google Book Search access to several million books from their extensive library so their contents can be digitized into Google’s growing database. UCSD is the first university in Southern California to commit to the project. As one UCSD librarian said,

“The library of the 21st century must effectively deliver knowledge and information in an increasingly hybrid environment where the physical and digital coexist. We are thrilled to be a contributor and partner with Google in this effort because it greatly expands access to our collections for faculty, students and members of the public, which is an essential part of our mission.”

Brian E.C. Schottlaender
Audrey Geisel University Librarian, UCSD

If you’re looking for more publications written for cancer patients or professionals, you can find additional information at the following links:

American Cancer Society Publications
CDC Cancer Resource Library
National Cancer Institute Publications

Sources: UCSD News Center and CancerResearchJournal.com

Related Podcast: Public Access to NIH Research from Science Friday on NPR

Technorati Tags: health literacy; health tools; medical publishing; ePatients; eBooks

Real Men Ads Give Guys Good Advice for Preventing Cancer

Lisa — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:41:50 +0000

The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Ad Council have launched a national ad campaign encouraging men over 40 to take an active role in their own health care.

The Real Men Wear Gowns campaign, which was created pro bono by McCann Erickson Detroit, includes public service announcements (PSAs) designed for television, radio, print, and web sites. The lighthearted, motivational spots prompt men to adopt healthier lifestyles and to get tested for cancer, high cholesterol and other serious medical conditions so they’ll be there for their families in the future. For guys who aren’t sure which tests they need after 40, there’s a supporting web site that provides additional information and recommendations.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show men are 1.5 times more like to die from cancer, heart disease and lower respiratory diseases than women, but less likely to visit their physician – a problem the campaign’s creators hope to help remedy. As one expert said,

“By taking steps to prevent disease and stay healthy, men can live longer and more productive lives.”

Ned Calonge, MD
Chair, US Preventative Services Task Force

If you’d like to see the PSAs or take one of AHRQ’s preventative health quizzes, you can visit www.ahrq.gov/realmen.

Source: Ad Council News Detail

Fun and Free: Serious Science for The iPod Generation

Lisa — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:04:01 +0000

If you’ve had the opportunity to read our manifesto, you already know that finding new and novel ways to improve scientific information sharing relating to cancer is what this publication is all about.

During online research for articles on emerging cancer technologies and treatments, I’ve come across some entertaining and informative sites offering high quality science podcasts tailored to young listeners. Many of these segments provide a quick, convenient way to help kids learn more about key scientific concepts like mathematics or biology without piling more homework on their plate.

While these sites aren’t specifically tailored to cancer or medical technologies, they are valuable resources for the parents, educators, mentors and others who’ll encourage the budding researchers of tomorrow. They can also help young patients understand more about their own bodies and some of the treatments or tests they receive. Here are a few of the audio and video offerings I’ve recently added to my favorites list:

Bytesize Science from the American Chemical Society

Clear Voices Podcasts from EarthSky.org

DragonflyTV from PBS Kids

60-Second Science from Scientific American

Why? Science Podcast from the Youth Science Forum

These brief podcasts are primarily targeted for children and young adults, but many older adults who haven’t set foot in a science classroom in a while will find them interesting too. They’re also easy to download so you can listen whenever you want to – like during a workout or waiting for an appointment.

If you know of any other reliable web sites offering free health or science downloads for our audience, please send me an e-mail at lisa@cancerresearchjournal.com and I’ll add it to our journal’s del.icio.us bookmarks so other patients and professionals can benefit from your surfing. If you’re scientist with some time on your hands, we hope you’ll consider sharing some of what you know in a similar fashion — you may inspire a future breakthrough.

And thanks to everyone involved with creating these innovative broadcasts – we look forward to enjoying more of them!

“The excitement of learning separates youth from old age. As long as you’re learning, you’re not old.”

Rosalyn Yalow
Nobel Prize for Medicine, 1977

Source: CancerResearchJournal.com

Painting and Publishing Help Artist Survive Penile Cancer

Lisa — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:38:44 +0000

Possibly no other form of cancer is more feared or less talked about than penile cancer. A series of paintings and a book published by London artist John D. Edwards is helping change that for the thousands of men diagnosed with the disease each year.

In the early 1990s, Edwards discovered a lump in his groin while taking a bath. In a move that probably saved his life, he went straight to his doctor. A biopsy confirmed he had a malignant tumor in his lymph nodes, but the primary location of his cancer remained a mystery. After undergoing a series of tests to rule out more common cancers, Edwards received a circumcision that revealed a relatively harmless looking rash — it turned out to be the source.

Edwards began an aggressive chemotherapy regimen which included interferon injections that made his all his fingernails fall off. He struggled with describing his condition to his mother and four sisters and discovered even his fellow cancer patients were speechless when they found out he had cancer of the penis. His condition continued to worsen and his doctors proposed a penectomy, but Edwards heard about radiotherapy and opted for the intense radiation treatments instead.

Edwards, now 56, describes the therapy as the most painful experience of his life, but throughout his cancer journey he relied on his sense of humor and his painting to externalize the grief and despair he felt so he could pull through. During his most difficult times his normally colorful cartoon-like depictions turned grey and somber.

One of his darker compositions entitled “Out of this World” would later become a striking cover for his book How Cancer Saved My Life. The book also includes a touching forward by the artist’s friend Sir Peter Blake.

How Cancer Saved My Life chronicles the seven years Edwards spent battling penile cancer. An exhibition of paintings he created during his treatments is currently touring hospitals including the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London (that show runs until March 28, 2008). The artist is happy so many people are finding his works inspiring, but he hopes they’ll also serve as a warning. As he said,

“I was amazed how many men had put up with so much before they went to the doctor. I’d talk to people who had been bleeding when they went to the loo for two years before they did anything about it.”

John D. Edwards
Artist, Author and Cancer Survivor

If you’d like to learn more about penile cancer treatments in the US, you can visit the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center web site.

Source: The Independent (UK)

Related Podcast: Chronicling Cancer, In Graphic Form from NPR

Technorati Tags: coping mechanisms; male cancers; oncology; rare diseases; urethra; urology; reproductive health; Britain; United Kingdom

Canine Cancer Patients Benefit from Cliff Book

Lisa — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:10:45 +0000

An inspirational book is helping dogs with cancer receive expensive medical treatments their owners can’t afford to give them.

Cliff and I: My Dog’s Journey Through Cancer and Beyond chronicles the author’s personal experience helping her German Shepherd battle cancer.

As a tribute to her beloved pet, Cliff’s writer Joanne M. DeFluri is donating the proceeds from every copy of the book purchased through the CanineCancerAwareness.org web site to CCA’s charity fund. (Buyers also need to mark their order “CCA” for the group to get the donation.)

Canine Cancer Awareness is a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance and support to people caring for dogs diagnosed with cancer.

Small animals commonly develop cancers similar to those found in their human counterparts including lymphomas, hard and soft tissue sarcomas, adenocarcinomas and breast/mammary cancers. As it is with humans, early detection and treatment greatly improves an animal’s chance of surviving the disease. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, dogs or cats who display one or more of these symptoms should be examined by a qualified professional as soon as possible:

Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow
Sores that do not heal
Unusual weight loss
Loss of appetite
Bleeding or discharge from any body opening
Offensive odor
Difficulty eating or swallowing
Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina
Persistent lameness or stiffness
Difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating

If you’re interested in purchasing Cliff, but you’d like to channel your charity dollars elsewhere, the $15.95 book is also available at Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

Source: Canine Cancer Awareness Announcements

Technorati Tags: veterinary medicine; comparative oncology; cancer caregivers; animal advocacy; cancer survivors; canine chemotherapy