Myailments.com - medical

How are children surviving cancer?

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 07:00:10 +0000

Filed under: Childhood Cancers How are children surviving cancer today? Better than ever before. Some childhood cancer patients, now in their young adult years, are expecting to reach milestones in their lives others before them never would have reached. Today, 1 in 1,000 young adults in the United States is a childhood cancer survivor. In the 1970s, the chance a child would outlive leukemia or lymphoma was 25 percent. Today, it's 80 percent. That's better than most adult recovery rates. As recovery rates rise, a new frontier is on the horizon -- follow-up for these young people as they age. You see, the very treatments that saved these individuals may cause them complications later in life. It's not yet clear what happens when kids live 20 to 30 years beyond diagnosis. But teams at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, plan to find out as they launch one of the most ambitious follow-up programs to date. Contacting 5,000 patients who have survived for more than 10 years, doctors hope they will recruit a group to receive free check-ups for life. They'll also receive blood tests, MRI scans, even fertility counseling. Their medical histories will serve as rich textbooks for medical professionals and future patients -- so the war on childhood cancer can continue. Read Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments

Internet information validates doctor opinions

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:00:43 +0000

Filed under: Research As soon as I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I started reading, researching, and investigating. I hunted down every bit of information I could find about the disease that had somehow tunneled through my breast tissue. What I found kept me in the know. I felt informed and in control -- and a bit skittish too. My doctor once told me to stop reading. It was causing me too much worry, too much unnecessary stress. And while I didn't stop reading altogether, I did cut down on my Internet research. Since anyone can post anything on the Internet, it can be an iffy source of information. So iffy that some doctors -- like mine -- have expressed concern. Doctors may be able to breathe a sigh of relief, though. According to a study published in the April issue of the International Journal of Medical Informatics, using the internet generally convinces patients that their doctors are right on track with their medical opinions. Source: MAMM magazine, May/June 2007 Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments

Try cutting your health care bills

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 09:00:29 +0000

Filed under: All Cancers , Daily news Health care is expensive, even for those with insurance. My treatment with the breast cancer drug Herceptin cost $5,000 every three weeks for 52 weeks. Insurance paid 80 percent; I was responsible for 20. That's $1,000 every three weeks. Not exactly affordable. What many of us don't know is that we can play an active role in cutting our health care bills. We can shop around for everything, for example. Before filling a prescription, consider comparing prices offered at mail-order and online pharmacies with those of larger retailers. You may even find that mom and pop shops offer competitive rates since they can set their own pricing. Don't forget about generic drugs too. Ask your doctor if a generic version of your medication is just as good as a brand name drug. If so, go for the price break. Did you know that lab work is more expensive if you get it at a hospital? Ask your doctor for other trustworthy locations and save a few bucks. Always ask for itemized medical bills. Read them carefully. Eight out of 10 hospital bills contain errors, so you're likely to find some. If you find something isn't right, be aggressive in your pursuit of the mistake. Go to the billing department -- in person if you can -- and keep at your complaint until it's appropriately addressed. Keep talking to supervisors until you are satisfied. Document everything. It pays to ask for discounts. Next time you see your doctor, ask if he or she can charge you a less expensive rate or at least help you negotiate one. You might be surprised when your doctor agrees. You might also ask to receive a discount in exchange for paying cash up front. In a world of skyrocketing medical costs, try these tips for taking matters into your own hands.

Thought for the Day: Medical studies need more women

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 06:00:29 +0000

Filed under: Research , Thought for the Day Until the 1990s, most medical studies used only men. Women are included now, but more research is needed on how diseases, like cancer, affect each sex. Women have unique needs, after all, and it's critical that all angles are represented in important research findings. Think you might want to volunteer and help advance research on this female front? Just visit womancando.org and find out how you can do your part. "The power of one can make a difference," reads this website. "You can make a powerful contribution to improving women's health by participating in medical research and becoming part of the effort to understand health and treat disease. Today, it is easy to take health advances for granted. We know a lot about how to treat and prevent disease, but much remains to be learned." Read Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments

Sunday Seven: Seven ways to fine-tune your health

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 08:00:03 +0000

Filed under: Prevention , Diets , Exercise , Nutrition , Vitamins and nutrients , Smoking , Sunday Seven

Molecule pattern may serve as pancreatic cancer marker

Tue, 08 May 2007 10:00:42 +0000

Filed under: Pancreatic Cancer , Research , Daily news New research may one one day help in the diagnosis and prognosis of the nation's number four cancer killer of men and number five cancer killer of women. The killer: pancreatic cancer. Findings from an Ohio State University study show pancreatic cancer cells may leave signs in gene-related molecules called microRNAs. Published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, this study examined pancreatic tissue from 65 people with the disease and 42 people with chronic inflammation of the pancreas, called chronic pancreatitis. Scientists found 15 microRNAs more common to the cancer patients than those with chronic pancreatitis. Eight microRNAs were less common in the cancer patients, and a microRNA subgroup was linked to increased pancreatic cancer survival, making it possible to identify long-term survivors from those who would live for only about two years. Scientists must now determine what significance these microRNAs play in the pancreatic cancer process.

Thought for the Day: She cannot be silent

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 09:00:29 +0000

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Events , Thought for the Day We cannot be silent is one slogan printed on specialty clothing offered by a company called Privacy. Other slogans include United We Cure and Mission. Purpose. Cure. The slogans say a lot -- but the accomplishments of Carolyn Jones, Founder and President/CEO of Privacy, say a whole lot more. Think about this: Jones lost her mother to breast cancer on November 16, 2000 during a time when too many questions about the disease were left unanswered and not enough options were available for women fighting for their lives. Times have changed, in part due to outspoken pioneers like Jones, who are spreading the word and funding the cause. Part of the Privacy corporate goal is to support medical research and to educate women about early detection and treatment. "It is very clear that more information and research is needed due to the yearly increase in new cases nationally," says Jones who cites statistics such as this: every 12 minutes a woman in America will die from complications associated with breast cancer. And this: more than 1,500 new cases of male breast cancer will be diagnosed this year. Privacy, a California-based company with a social conscious, offers for both women and men an assortment of t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, hats, recommended books, accessories, breast cancer facts , and even a contest or two. A portion of all profits are donated to breast cancer initiatives with an emphasis on low-income and uninsured populations. Check it all out right here . Read Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments

Patients suffer as illiteracy stacks up

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 11:00:58 +0000

Filed under: All Cancers , Research , Environment , Daily news In 2003, 29 percent of the American population had only basic prose literacy skills and 14 percent had below-basic skills. Prose literacy measures the skills needed to understand texts such as new stories, brochures, and instruction manuals. People with basic skills can perform simple, everyday literacy activities. Those with below-basic skills are proficient in only the most simple and concrete literacy. How is it that these individuals, when they are diagnosed with a disease such as cancer, are able to understand the medical jargon thrown their way, the literature that piles up in front them, the complicated process we call the medical system? They aren't. And this leads to increased chances that people will be hurt, even killed, in the course of their medical treatment. There are many barriers that lead to miscommunication -- cultural differences, language problems, and overall poor literacy skills -- and experts in this area are recommending some changes. They urge more education and training for health care professionals who may not ever imagine someone might not understand their words. They suggest health teams use medical interpreters. And they seek to embrace a culture of easy-to-understand communication in all aspects of medical care. Toni Cordell, a nationally-known health literacy advocate, says humiliation and shame washed over her three decades ago when her gynecologist told her she needed a simple repair and she woke from surgery to learn she'd had a hysterectomy. Struggling at the time with dyslexia and a poor education, Cordell never asked any questions of her doctor. She just accepted the course of action, without knowing anything about it. "Ignorance is not bliss," she says. "It's not a good place to be." Read Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments

Thought for the Day: A new view on vitamin supplements

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:00:45 +0000

Filed under: All Cancers , Research , Diets , Vitamins and nutrients , Daily news , Thought for the Day I'm never quite sure what to do about vitamin supplements. Should I take them? Or should I leave them? Sometimes I think supplements could surely help me with whatever I'm lacking in my diet. Other times I don't want to mess with what might be working just fine in my body. Now if a doctor tells me my iron is low, I'll take a supplement to boost my levels. But if there is nothing apparently off kilter in my system, I tend to just leave things alone.

First evidence of alcohol, cancer link emerges

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 11:00:16 +0000

Filed under: All Cancers , Research , Daily news When Dr. Jian-Wei Gu went to Mississippi to study the cardiovascular system and the process of blood vessel growth, he had no idea he'd make national headlines about his research into the world of cancer. Gu, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, says his discovery of the mechanism by which alcohol consumption causes tumor growth was purely accidental.

John Edwards holds press conference about wife's health

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:30:39 +0000

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Politics , Daily news , Celebrity news , Cancer Survivors Democratic presidential candidate and former North Carolina senator John Edwards missed an Iowa campaign event on Tuesday so he could be with his wife as she prepared for a medical appointment the following morning. Elizabeth Edwards, diagnosed with breast cancer just before the 2004 election, when her husband ran for vice president, has survived chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation and has written a book -- Saving Graces -- about her entire journey. Edwards' campaign crew has insisted Wednesday's appointment was a routine follow-up to a medical visit his wife had the day before and that Elizabeth Edwards, 57, has been living cancer-free. Today at noon, Edwards will hold a press conference about his wife's health and how it may -- or may not -- affect his candidacy. Read Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments

Prostate cancer survivor debuts film about his disease

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 11:00:32 +0000

Filed under: Prostate Cancer , Daily news , Movies , Cancer Survivors One man. One cancer diagnosis. One feature-length film. About how 17,000 men gain membership every month in a group this one man calls, The Men's Club. The man is Rocky Galgano. He is 58 years old. He is a retired police officer. And he happens to be a member of the very club he features in his film -- a club full of men living with prostate cancer. Galgano created his documentary as a companion to all the densely-written books and resources he found filled to the brim with medical jargon about a disease that will strike 218,890 and kill 27,050 men this year alone. Men are reluctant to talk about prostate cancer or get tested for the disease, says Galgano. And yet this form of cancer can be cured if caught early. So Galgano stepped to the plate and started talking. He talks about his personal experience, and he talks about different types of treatment. He has nine different doctors talk. He has cancer survivors talk. And he says he wants as many people as possible to see this film. Galgano is working on distribution and says he's close to a deal with Amazon.com . He also plans to market the not-yet-rated film to urologists across the country, and he will soon sell his masterpiece -- a trailer can be seen here -- on his website for $19.95. Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments

Lung cancer screening not up to par

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 11:00:14 +0000

Filed under: Lung Cancer , Prevention , Research , Daily news It seems screening for lung cancer doesn't save lives and it doesn't prevent advanced disease. But it does lead to potentially unnecessary and harmful treatment. This isn't the final word on the use of CT scans to screen smokers and former smokers for the disease. But right now, the hope some experts had for the special X-rays to detect tiny lung abnormalities has been diminished by a large study that is still in the works. And until conclusive evidence says the screening is useful, the American Cancer Society will not endorse the test. While CT screening did increase diagnosis and treatment -- those screened were three times more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer and 10 times more likely to have lung surgery than predicted -- study co-author Dr. Peter Bach of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York says, "We don't see a trace of evidence that a single life was saved, that a single case of advanced cancer was avoided." And because CT scanning led to more biopsies and surgeries, patients were put at risk for complications such as lung puncture, bleeding, and infection, according to Bach, whose work is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Getting screened for lung cancer with CT scanning is not only unproven, it's potentially a risky endeavor," he said. Until an effective screening tool emerges -- possibly still years away -- experts say there is one surefire way to protect yourself from lung cancer. Stop smoking. Read Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments

Surviving cancer three months at a time

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:00:31 +0000

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Cancer Caregivers My blood looked good. My weight is normal. My temperature was 98.2. My blood pressure was perfect. And the physical exam conducted by my oncologist revealed that for another three-month stretch, I have survived cancer. There are other exams ahead in the next few months -- a breast MRI, a mammogram, an ultrasound, a follow-up with my radiation oncologist -- but mostly, my life revolves around the every-three-month visit with my medical oncologist. He's the one who plotted the course of my treatment, responds to my physical and emotional ups and downs, and checks my every piece and part. He is the one who will declare my remission in five years, if warranted. He is the one who told me today I am doing very well. And for the next three months, I will assume I am just that -- very well. And my hope is that on May 21, when I depart his office once again, I am able to report that not one thing has changed. Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments

No one will die from cancer in 20 years

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 09:00:37 +0000

Filed under: Prevention , All Cancers , Research , Daily news Twenty years from now, no one will die of cancer and heart disease, according to an expert in Perth, who believes advances in genetic technology will one day leave death by cancer in the dust. Professor John Shine, director of the Garvan Institute for Medical Research in Sydney, says people will still get cancer -- they just won't die from it. He shared last week at a genetics conference in Perth, "I think there's no doubt death from cancer will be confined to the annals of history, And I think a very similar thing will apply to heart disease ." Despite reservations from some about genetic technology, Shine believes the desire to combat cancer -- once and for all -- will prevail over political opinion. And so that leaves only technical obstacles in the way. It's just a matter of time before these scientific hurdles are no longer issues. Shine, known as the father of cloning, pioneered gene research in the 1970s when he identified the genes for insulin and the human growth hormone. Read Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments