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.

Filed under: Colon and Rectal Cancer , Politics , Daily news , Cancer Survivors White House Press Secretary Tony Snow popped in for an unexpected visit on Bill O'Reilly's Radio Factor on Wednesday with the purpose of clearing up a certain cancer matter. "Some of this has been misreported," Snow told O'Reilly in reference to his recent cancer recurrence . "I do not have liver cancer," Snow said. "There are a number of small tumors that are in my abdominal cavity; they have not hit any other organs." Snow, 51, said there is also no cancer traveling through his bloodstream and that he plans to return to work after recovering from the surgery he had two weeks ago to remove tumors from his abdomen. Although his cancer is not threatening his life -- he says if the tumors didn't grow from now until the time he died, he would be absolutely fine -- Snow will still receive chemotherapy to "drive this sucker into remission," he said. Snow began battling cancer in 2005 when he was diagnosed with colon cancer, had his colon removed, and underwent several months of chemotherapy. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Books , Cancer Survivors Author and breast cancer survivor Barbara Delinsky has just released an updated edition of her book UPLIFT: Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors and like her previous editions, this one delivers inspiring real-life stories from real-life survivors -- like Deb Haney, an administrative assistant diagnosed in 1996 at age 48, who reveals her secret to surviving breast cancer in the workplace. "My boss at the time was my brother. He suggested I go for radiation treatment in the morning, work a few hours, then go home and rest in the afternoons. That is what I did, because even though I looked great, I was unbelievably tired. When illness comes, we need to listen to our bodies and give them the time to rest and recover. I hadn't anticipated it, but those afternoon hours became a truly peaceful, nurturing time to read and rest and enjoy quiet time." Delinsky offers a chapter in her book called A Workplace Manual -- it's a place where survivors like Haney share strategies that helped them maintain the crucial balance between cancer and work. Delinsky writes, "What works for one woman may not work for another. What works in one job may not work in another. The thing is, you need to take a step back, think about yourself and your situation, then speak up about what may work for you. In every situation, you have choices, and the choices are all good. What pleases one woman may not please another." And so the women featured in UPLIFT share their individual choices. And their choices become options for the millions of women surviving a disease that throws everything off balance. Rosamary Amiet, a program manager diagnosed in 2000 at age 48, shares, "I juggled cancer and work by just giving up some things, like housework. I discovered that the house could go for weeks without being vacuumed or dusted -- and not only did the sky not fall, it didn't even crack!" UPLIFT is not all about the workplace. It's also about chemotherapy and losing hair and losing breasts. It's about family and humor and men. It's about religion and exercise and diagnosis. It's about help. It's about hope. It's about sisterhood -- plain and simple. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Blogs , Survivor Spotlight Independent thinker. Intelligent. Academic and street smart. Investigative by nature. Strong with compassionate realism. Journalist, teacher, mother and eight-year breast cancer survivor Jeanne Sather is a self-described outspoken advocate for the cancer patient's point of view. A vegetarian since the age of 16 and fairly active, she does not have any of the known risk factors for breast cancer. After an all-clear mammogram at the age of 40, she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 43. In an ironic twist of employment fate, the very job she was hired to do in chronicling her life online as a breast cancer patient, may have led to her firing because of the flexible work schedule breast cancer treatment required. With a sharp clarity and well-earned perspective, Sather is The Assertive Cancer Patient . To our good fortune here at The Cancer Blog, she has agreed to take part in our Survivor Spotlight series featuring interviews with breast cancer survivors. How did you find out you had breast cancer? Routine mammogram found DCIS, follow-up biopsies found a tumor. What types of breast cancer treatments were recommended? Mastectomy and chemotherapy. How did you research breast cancer and breast cancer treatments? When I was first diagnosed, I got a second opinion and then a third opinion. I chose the best doctors I could find, and then I relied on their advice. Of course, I took their suggestions and went away and researched them on the Web and by talking to other knowledgeable people -- but I am not one of those people who is always online looking for the latest, greatest miracle treatment. I trust my doctor to know what's new and what's effective and to give me some choices about my treatment. How did you manage through breast cancer treatment? Mostly, I am pretty positive, but I had one big crash and was hospitalized for depression. I get through it all with attitude, good friends, fun, exercise, great nurses and doctors, my therapist, and my writing about my life with cancer. That has been very good for me. I also cope by making sure my life is not all about cancer and not all about me. My kids, 22 and 16 now, are important, as is volunteering for causes I believe in that are not cancer-related. Homeless kids and homeless animals seem to be my thing. Of course, I am still in treatment. I've been in continuous treatment for the past five years, plus two series of treatments before that, when I was first diagnosed and when I had my first, local recurrence. I get treatment every three weeks with Herceptin and Avastin, which are targeted therapies, plus Zometa to keep my bones strong every six weeks. I also take an oral chemo drug, Cytoxan, daily, plus a bunch of meds to manage the side effects of treatment. What has been your worst breast cancer moment? There have been three -- the initial diagnosis; when I found out that my cancer had metastasized to my bones on New Year's Eve 2001; and very recently when my long-time medical oncologist left Seattle to take a position in Tucson at the cancer center there. I'm still working on finding a new doctor in Seattle and I will fly to Tucson to see my old doctor occasionally. What has been your best breast cancer moment? I'm not sure that there was one moment, but it was the realization that I could cope with this. The name of your blog is The Assertive Cancer Patient. What is your definition of an assertive patient and why is it important to be an assertive patient? There are at least three good reasons to be an assertive cancer patient -- you will get better care; you will probably live longer; and you will feel better about yourself and your illness. It is not my intention to encourage an adversarial relationship between cancer patients and their doctors or health-care teams. My goal is exactly the opposite. Cancer patients should feel that their doctors and other medical professionals are listening to them and are on their side. Given the fact that you are an outspoken critic of pink marketing, what do you see as an alternative solution to raising funds for breast cancer research? First, it's important to realize that most of these pink marketing efforts raise very small amounts of money compared to what cancer research and even cancer treatment cost. Where pink marketing really runs wild is in the for-profit sector. Retailers offer pink-themed merchandise, then donate only a tiny share of the profits to cancer research. I'm tripping over these products everywhere I go this month. At the pet store, a pink dog collar printed with pink ribbons sells for $9.99; the tag says 30 cents (30 cents!) from the sale of this product will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the 800-pound gorilla of cause marketing. But wait, there's more! At the tea shop, a pink tin of candy. At the supermarket, pink M&Ms-buy the M&Ms for $2.99, and Komen gets 50 cents. (Three dollars for an 8-ounce package amounts to four times the usual price, based on volume.) Other recent pink products: scarves, clothing, and nail polish. Nail polish? All of this just encourages us to indulge in retail therapy while trivializing a very serious disease. This is not about raising money for cancer research; this is about companies selling you stuff you don't need, just to make a profit. Don't fall for it. If people want to support cancer research, they should give money directly to organizations that do cancer research, not buy a bag of pink M&Ms for $5.48 and have 50 cents go to Komen, which then passes it on minus overhead. Give the whole $5.48! If they want to support people with cancer, give money directly to CancerLifeline in Seattle or to Gilda's Club, which has lots of programs for people with cancer. Or just write a check and give it to a friend or neighbor who is living with cancer. Believe me, they can use it. I've had friends give me money, and even total strangers who have read my cancer writing have sent me checks. That is totally humbling. But people seem to think that giving money to someone with cancer is crass. They might spend $50 or $100 on flowers, but maybe the person with cancer would rather have the money for groceries. Are you involved in any breast cancer support groups, fundraisers or breast cancer organizations? I have been. I've gone to support groups in the past, but I am not a huge fan of support groups. I've run the race for the cure, two or three times, much earlier in my life with cancer. At the time, it was good for me, but I wouldn't run it now. I've gone to Gilda's Club here in Seattle for events and meetings, and I used to go to CancerLifeline for yoga. I probably will go back when the weather gets colder and I don't want to exercise outside so much. What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed with breast cancer? I don't believe in telling other people what to do. When someone who is newly diagnosed calls me, I listen more than talk and only answer the questions they ask. Having said that, I would probably try to introduce a couple of topics -- one being the value of getting a second opinion, and the other would be some suggestions (either to the person with cancer or to friends and family) on how to help. What advice would you give the family members and friends of someone diagnosed with breast cancer? It's not your disease. You don't get to make the decisions. If you disagree with the decisions the person with cancer makes, you only get to say that ONCE, and only if you are asked for your opinion. After that, shut up. It's not your disease. Focus on supporting the person who has cancer in ways that will be helpful to them. Get the support you need somewhere else, not from the sick person. As a breast cancer survivor, what thoughts do you have on surviving breast cancer and being a breast cancer survivor? Well, I'm a survivor, in the sense that I've lived eight years with this disease, but then again, I'm not. My cancer will never be cured, and I will be in cancer treatment for the rest of my life. So I am in a special category. I consider myself to be living with cancer. It's very tough. It's hard to feel safe. Every new pain has to be checked out. It could be a sign of disease progression or it could be a broken bone. I've had broken bones twice without realizing it. My quality of life has been good during most of this time, and that is a surprise and a blessing. Despite knowing that my cancer will never be cured, I enjoy my life. I love my children, my friends, my animals (a whole other topic -- the importance of animals to people who are living with serious, chronic illnesses), my garden, my new car -- a red, 1964 Corvair convertible -- and my work as a writer and teacher. Name three breast cancer books you would recommend: Mine, but I don't have a publisher yet. I hope it will be out by next year. Susan Love's book is the bible. I also like Breast Fitness, which makes a compelling case for exercise to help prevent breast cancer and also prevent recurrences. Being overweight greatly increases your chances of both. Name other breast cancer related resources, internet or offline, that you would recommend? I use the Web a lot, but that's because I write about cancer so much. The Web can be tricky. There are some good sources, some sources that provide good information but are almost impossible for the layperson to understand, and then some sources that are total garbage. How do you distinguish among them? It's not always easy. Having said that, most people go to the Web first when they are newly-diagnosed with cancer, we know that, so people need to be careful consumers of information. Again, not always easy when you are reeling from the bad news of a cancer diagnosis. It does get easier. I was not as savvy or as assertive when I was first diagnosed as I am now, but being a journalist certainly helped me get there. A blog like mine does not pretend to offer medical information. I offer support, and strategies to help people get what they need when they have cancer. It is so important to be assertive, and it is also important to know that you CAN be assertive and your doctor won't hate you or not take good care of you or any of those fears that we have about speaking up. In addition to maintaining The Assertive Cancer Patient blog, what other work are you doing? I teach nonfiction writing at the University of Washington Extension. I'm writing a screenplay -- The Best Summer of My Life -- a chick flick about a red Corvair, women friends, life, and cancer and also a book -- The Assertive Cancer Patient -- on the same topics covered in the blog. I teach Japanese as a volunteer at a school for homeless kids called First Place and care for homeless kittens as a volunteer with a feral cat rescue called Animal Talk. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , All Cancers , Politics , Cancer Survivors 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. BBC News investigated how some cancer patients are being mistreated in the workplace and it is appalling. One woman wanted to return to work after treatment for breast cancer and her managers asked her to resign for her own good. They were merely looking out for her, they said. Another woman was told she had become a bad investment. You can read more at BBC News Cancer patients misery at work . If you are thinking, there ought to be a law -- there is a law to protect workers dealing with serious illnesses against job discrimination. Doesn't appear to stop some companies from acting like insensitive dolts, but there is a law. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: All Cancers , Environment , Daily news Firefighters pull off heroic maneuvers all the time. Heat and smoke and fire are their constant companions. Emergency scenarios keep them perpetually challenged. Risking their lives is a top job responsibility. I can't imagine taking on this line of work, yet I am amazed by those who do -- for their eagerness to save lives while compromising their own. And to read today that cancer is another occupational hazard for firefighters makes me appreciate them even more. In Edmonton, a firefighter who was praised as a hero for saving the life of a rookie firefighter in 2003 died on Saturday of job-related cancer at the age of 47 -- just two years after doctors diagnosed him with a terminal form of multiple myeloma. Clarke Stevens was expected to live for five years. Ken Block, president of the Edmonton firefighters union said Stevens' death is a reminder of the risks these heroes take. Block says firefighters are between two and four times more likely to develop certain cancers, and Stevens is the fifth Edmonton firefighter to die of cancer since 2004. It takes a special person to make saving others' lives a priority. To risk death in so many ways -- for the benefit of strangers -- must be the true definition of selflessness. And thank goodness for these selfless individuals who help keep the rest of us safe. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Leukemia , Television , Daily news , Celebrity in memoriam , Celebrity news , Movies City Slickers actor Bruno Kirby died on Monday in Los Angeles from complications related to leukemia, his wife shared in a statement concerning his death. Kirby was 57 and had only recently been diagnosed with the disease. A veteran character actor, Kirby was known for roles in The Godfather: Part II, Good Morning Vietnam, When Harry Met Sally, and City Slickers. Most recently, Kirby appeared on HBOs Entourage as fictitious producer Phil Rubenstein. Kirby's wife shared in her statement, "We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support we have received from Bruno's fans and colleagues who have admired and respected his work over the past 30 years. Bruno's spirit will continue to live on not only in his rich body of film and television work but also through the lives of individuals he has touched throughout his life." And even though he has passed, Kirby will continue to touch lives -- because all contributions in his honor will be go to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Los Angeles. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , All Cancers , Sunday Seven , Cancer Survivors When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer almost two years ago, my greatest fear was losing my hair. The fear was consuming, painful, over-the-top. That was long ago -- and I survived. I can look back now and realize that the panic about losing my hair was such a small-scale fear -- compared to what I fear now. Now I fear a recurrence of cancer. And it's a whole lot more disabling than a little worry about being bald. I have a few techniques for settling my fears when they get out of control. Sometimes I take deep breaths. Sometimes I distract myself and occupy my mind with something more pleasant than anxiety -- like writing, exercising, playing with my little boys. And sometimes I read about others who have come before me and have handled the same distress I sometimes feel about cancer taking up residence in my body again. Mostly I learn from stories of other women who have survived breast cancer. And I learn that I can handle the fear, that I can handle cancer if it does come back. And the women I find most inspiring are those who have had a recurrence -- or two or three -- and who still manage to happily tackle the life they have in front of them. They give me hope that if a recurrence comes my way, I too can conquer it. And here are seven snippets of hope from the book Hope Lives! The After Breast Cancer Treatment Survival Handbook -- from women who keep on surviving breast cancer. Ann, age 72, diagnosed 1972, 1991 & 1997 "I have had breast cancer three times since 1972. I am a survivor thank God! I do not wish to dwell in the past. I am enjoying life and living fully now." Robin, age 38, diagnosed 1996, 1998 & 1999 "Why do I keep going through treatment when there is no permanent cure? I ask myself this every time. There are no options other than death, which to me is not an option. It's not that I fear death. I really don't anymore. I just love life too much to quit. It's a race against time. Treatment buys me time until they come up with new drugs or new ways to treat my illness. I'm not quitting." Debra, age 43, diagnosed 1991, 1994, 1998 & 1999 "The first three times, I chose chemo and traditional treatments, but it gets harder on my body and my head to keep going back into it. This time, I'm going to try some alternative approaches to cancer. My friends think it's because I'm giving up and want to die now. I wish they could understand that the treatment is unbearable for me, and with so few choices left, I'm choosing a different approach because I want to live now. Not just survive, but live." Jan, age 52, diagnosed 1985, 1989 & 1991 "The first time I had breast cancer, I beat it by not allowing it to change my life. The second time, I beat it by not allowing it to change my life. The third time, it changed my life and I allowed it to. Maybe I'll beat it this time. June, age 60, diagnosed 1978 & 1998 "The second time was much less frightening for me because I knew so much more about breast cancer. Knowledge is power, so get informed." Margaret, age 51, diagnosed 1990 & 1997 "I've had both breast cancer and ovarian cancer. I have no breasts and no reproductive system, but I'm still very much alive and very much a woman. I am living proof that there is life after cancer treatment. Try to remember that you went through it so you could live. Don't waste time being afraid. LIVE your life!" Ruth, age 49, diagnosed 1995 & 1999 "Treatment is not as bad this time. My doctor has my side-effect medication adjusted well, and mentally I am not as overwhelmed as when I was originally diagnosed. I wish I had been in remission longer, but I'm happy that there are still drugs out there to treat me. I still work, play tennis, and take care of my children. Breast cancer for me is a chronic illness, but one I seem to be able to live with. I am grateful for that, but I pray daily for a cure." And this is just a bit of what makes me feel better when the fear of recurrence takes hold of my mind. Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Ovarian Cancer , Prevention , All Cancers , Research , Stress Reduction University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center researchers have confirmed what more than a few cancer patients have personally believed for some time now. Stress increases cancer growth and finding ways to relax and reduce stress is beneficial to cancer survivorship. In a preclinical study carried out on mice with ovarian cancer, researchers found that cancerous tumors grew and spread faster when the mice were experiencing increased levels of stress. According to the researchers, the conclusion of this study is the first definitive link between psychological stress and the biological processes that make ovarian tumors grow and spread. It appears stress hormones bind to receptors directly on tumor cells and, in turn, stimulate new blood vessel growth and other factors that lead to faster and more aggressive tumors. "The concept of stress hormone receptors directly driving cancer growth is very new," said Dr. Anil Sood, the study's senior author. "Not much had been known about how often these receptors are expressed in cancer, and more importantly, whether they had any functional significance. Our research opens a new area of investigation." The good news in this -- besides the fact that this study begins to validate what cancer survivors have been saying for years in the personal belief of the link between stress and cancer -- is that stress can be controlled and reduced by lifestyle changes and medication. In fact, the researchers found a beta blocker heart medication effectively blocked the adverse effect stress hormones had on tumor growth. This could open new areas of research. Indeed, Dr. Sood and his team will continue to research the role of stress in cancer and examine the effects of stress hormones on cancers besides ovarian cancer. To read more about the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center preclinical study, go here . Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Blogs , RetroReview Welcome back from the weekend! Here is a review of what we were talking about during the second week in July in our other health blogs. From The Cardio Blog :

• Bucindolol: experimental heart failure drug.
• Mammograms can find heart health problems.
• Eggs: bad or not bad for heart health -- which is it?
• The clock of life and time of day determines heart health.
• Extreme obesity raises mortality rate in women.
• Austrailian stem cell research innovates new heart treatment.
• Public physical activity program helps weight loss, lower blood pressure.
• Tuna imported from Latin America has highest mercury level.
• Eating less helps slow aging process.
• Teens helped to learn healthy diet habits with household food rules.
• Volunteer work helps seniors stay active and healthy.
• Working overtime worse for womens health.
• Aging and single living combined linked to higher heart disease risk.
• Tubby kids motivated to exercise by reward of TV time.
• Humidity and high temps linked to rise in summer heart attacks.
• Comedian Red Button dies of vascular disease.
• Migraine aura linked to increased heart attack stroke risk.

From The Diabetes Blog :

• Martial arts black belt uses youth group to fight diabetes.
• FDA approves GlaxoSmithKline diabetes drug.
• Pink Floyd Syd Barrett dies from diabetes complications.
• Update on fatal NC car crash involving diabetic driver.
• Major study links Type 2 diabetes and glaucoma risk.
• Life insurance industry plays catch-up.
• A1c Champions program trains diabetes mentors.
• Danish study confirms suspected diabetes, multiple sclerosis link.
• Debate continues on virtues, shortcomings of inhalable insulin, Exubera.
• Blogger's advice to T2 diabetics: follow in footsteps of movie producer Weinstein.
• Diabetes, obesity blamed for sky-high US kidney failure rates.
• Canadians await approval of inhalable insulin.
• Lifestyle ed could greatly reduce diabetes onset in older Americans, say researchers .

To your good health! To a great week! Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments