Hope Shines Brightly for Ovarian Cancer Survivors
(Winter 2007)
By Krishnansu S. Tewari, MD, FACOG, FACS
Ovarian Cancer Advocacy
(Winter 2007)
Poems for Hattie
(Winter 2007)
In the face of the sometimes-unspeakable emotions surrounding a cancer diagnosis,
two friends find the words of poets to say what they sometimes cannot, sending verse
across the Atlantic and coming to terms with illness, love, and the meaning of their
valuable friendship.
Bare Bones Basics
(Winter 2007)
Many women don’t think about bone loss as a major health concern, but learning about
this issue—and ways to prevent it—may be more important than we realize.
Bone-Building Recipes
(Winter 2007)
• Italian Sardine Spread
• Ginger Yogurt with Berries
• Spanish Collard Greens
War Room News
(Winter 2007)
• Addition of Erbitux to Chemotherapy Improves Survival in Advanced Non–Small
Cell Lung Cancer
• Further Results Show Improved Survival with Picoplatin for Small Cell Lung
Cancer
• Further Evidence That Nexavar Improves Liver Cancer Survival Among Different
Ethnic Groups
• Evista Approved for Prevention of Breast Cancer
Knowledge is Power
(Fall 2007)
Jaclyn Smith’s diagnosis of breast cancer taught her the value of becoming educated
about her health and the power of being lifted by love.
Advances in Breast Cancer Treatment
(Fall 2007)
A Report from the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Stepping Up Early Detection
(Fall 2007)
Can magnetic resonance imaging improve early detection of breast cancer?
Special Report: Metastatic Breast Cancer
(Fall 2007)
Patients diagnosed with Stage IV or metastatic breast cancers have disease that
has spread from the affected breast to one or more distant sites in the body.
Sharsheret (Fall
2007)
For young Jewish women with breast cancer, common cultural traditions and a sisterhood
of support create a welcome home after diagnosis.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer: What You don’t know
Can Hurt You (Fall 2007)
An infrequent but aggressive type of breast cancer requires immediate treatment,
but many women have never heard of it.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Advocacy
(Fall 2007)
Although breast cancer is one of the most widely covered cancers in the media and
is represented by innumerable advocacy groups, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC)
hasn’t historically received adequate attention, leaving those facing the disease
with insufficient resources and avenues of support as they battle a breast cancer
with characteristics and treatment protocols that tend to differ significantly from
those of other disease types.
It's in the Genes News
(Fall 2007)
• Oncotype DX Influences Breast Cancer Treatment Choices
• Aspirin Protects Against Subset of Colorectal Cancers
• Further Evidence Suggesting Survival Associated with Surgeon Experience in
Ovarian Cancer
• Switching from Tamoxifen to Aromatase Inhibitor Improves Survival in Early
Breast Cancer
• Femara Reduces Risk of Early Recurrence of Breast Cancer
Leukemia 101 (Summer
2007)
A Basic Guide to Understanding Leukemia
Gleevec and the Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Revolution
(Summer 2007)
How one targeted therapy gives new meaning to “living with cancer”
From Research to Reality
(Summer 2007)
An Interview with Dr. Brian Druker
Cancer’s Glamour Girl
(Summer 2007)
Down-to-earth and down-to-business when it comes to cancer advocacy, Erin Zammett
Ruddy discusses her very public journey with chronic myeloid leukemia and why she
continues to share her story.
Connecting for a Cure
(Summer 2007)
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Is United for Support, Research, and, Ultimately,
a Cure
Lifeline (Summer
2007)
Umbilical cord blood stem cells save lives and provide an important resource for
medical research
War Room News
(Summer 2007)
• MRI Screening for Breast Cancer
• Tykerb Approved for Advanced Breast Cancer
• Oncotype DX Effectively Guides Breast Cancer Treatment
• Clinical Trial Evaluating Myocet for Breast Cancer Now Enrolling Patients
• HPV Vaccine Recommended, but Many Unaware of Its Importance
Striking Blows Against Bladder Cancer
(Summer 2007)
Learning about this often-overlooked cancer may save your life.
The Bladder Cancer Web Cafe
(Summer 2007)
Connection and Information The Bladder Cancer WebCafé
Stop Skin Cancer: Before It's More Than Skin
Deep (Spring 2007)
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S., with more than one
million new cases each year. Although many cases are curable, others are not. Prevention
and early detection are the keys to good outcomes.
The Melanoma Research Foundation (Spring 2007)
One dedicated patient’s dream becomes a reality, as melanoma education, research,
and advocacy become the passionate focus for a committed group of survivors, families,
and friends.
Bioidentical or Synthetic: New Choices in Hormone
Replacement Therapy (Spring 2007)
New choices in hormone replacement therapy are raising questions about what is safe,
what is effective, and what is “natural.”
War Room News
(Spring 2007)
• Femara Improves Cancer-free Survival in Early Breast Cancer
• Six Cycles of Rituxan-CHOP-14 Confirmed as Standard of Care for Elderly with
Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma
• Herceptin Improves Survival in HER2-positive Early Breast Cancer
• Follow-up Data on Dose-dense Chemotherapy Confirm Benefit in Early Breast
Cancer
• Prevalence of HPV in the U.S. Greater than Previously Thought
Weighing the Risks
(Winter 2006)
The issue of body weight is a loaded one. For many of us, it consumes far too much
of our energy and attention. In recent years the media have given a lot of attention
to the psychological effects that weight and body image issues can have, particularly
on women. But despite the unhealthy effect that too much emphasis on an ideal body
can have, some attention to body weight—and the associated health issues—is warranted.
An unhealthy weight, whether it’s too little weight or too much, can in fact have
dramatic effects on health. In addition to increasing the risk of chronic conditions
such as diabetes and heart disease, there is evidence that obesity increases the
risk of developing certain types of cancer and can decrease survival with cancer.
C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition (Winter 2006)
Kate Murphy, director of research communication at the C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition,
was first diagnosed with colon cancer 23 years ago when she was 40. Since then she
has had ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and a second colon cancer, but for the past
12 years she has been cancer-free. Kate knows the struggles of the patients and
their loved ones who come to the advocacy organization, looking for information
and support, and she reflects the organization’s passion as she describes its goals
for the visitors to its online community at www.fightcolorectalcancer.org.
Women Have Colons Too
(Winter 2006)
Fewer than 50 percent of women undergo the recommended screening for colorectal
cancer in the United States,1 and yet this disease takes the lives of more women
each year than ovarian and cervical cancers combined.2 In fact, colorectal cancer
is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States.3 So why are more
women not getting screened? Part of the answer may lie in the misconception that
colorectal cancer is a disease that affects only men or in the lack of information
about screening guidelines and risk factors for women.
In Their Own Words
(Winter 2006)
Colorectal Cancer Survivor Stories
Highlights from the San Antonio Breast Cancer
Symposium (Winter 2006)
• Decline in Postmenopausal Hormone Use May Explain Drop in Breast Cancer Rate
• Abraxane® Improves Response Rates and Progression-free Survival—with Fewer
Side Effects than Taxotere®—in Metastatic Breast Cancer
• Herceptin® and Arimidex® Improves Outcomes in Advanced Breast Cancer
The Verdict Is In: Screening Saves Lives
(Fall 2006)
Breast cancer is diagnosed in more than 200,000 women every year in the United States
alone. If detected and treated early, prior to the spread of cancer from the breast
to distant sites in the body, cure rates remain high; as the cancer progresses and
spreads, long-term survival rates fall dramatically. Therefore it seems only logical
that early detection through screening measures—such as mammography (an X-ray of
the breast)—will ultimately result in improved survival for women diagnosed with
breast cancer.
A Good Prognosis Gets Better: Advances in the
Treatment of Early-stage Breast Cancer (Fall 2006)
Though a diagnosis of breast cancer will always be a shock, women diagnosed with
early-stage breast cancer can be reassured by the fact that because the cancer was
caught at an early stage, their diagnosis has been delivered when treatment has
the best chance of success. Furthermore, recent advances in the treatment of early-stage
breast cancer promise greater improvement in patient outcomes.
Gratitude and Grace: The Sheryl Crow Interview
(Fall 2006)
Maybe she’s just a little worn out from her tour schedule—I’ve caught her on a rare
day off during month 4 of her Wildflower tour—but a few minutes of conversation
reveal the real story, which is much more profound. Her quiet, unhurried, and thoughtful
responses reflect someone in touch with the value of her life these days. Her voice,
so powerful and beautiful in the music that has earned her nine Grammys and has
sold more than 30 million albums, is calm and reflective. Her answers—softened by
a slight southern lilt—give me a glimpse of a woman who in recent months has been
pushed to come to know herself more intimately than ever before and, having been
tested, has found the peace that comes from knowing your own strength and recognizing
your own value.
Young Survival Coalition
(Fall 2006)
The Young Survival Coalition (YSC) wants young women with breast cancer to feel
empowered. “You are too young for breast cancer is not a diagnosis,” says Michele
Przypyszny, YSC’s CEO. “And if you feel your doctor is not addressing your concerns
thoroughly, find one who will.” Delivering young women the tools they need to take
their breast health into their own hands and recognize that they have the power
to advocate for their own well-being is one goal of the organization—the only international,
nonprofit group dedicated to the concerns and the issues unique to young women with
breast cancer.
Environmental Estrogens
(Fall 2006)
Many variables within a woman’s body contribute to her development of breast cancer;
so too, we’re learning, do factors within her environment. We’re zeroing in on the
risk factors within the body as research tells us that—among other things—hereditary
genes can contribute to the risk of developing the disease. The impact of various
environmental factors is still being evaluated, but studies aimed at determining
which chemicals and products might contribute to the development of breast cancer
are offering clues as to how the environment fits into the cancer-risk puzzle.
Reconstructing Hope: Breast Reconstruction from
the Plastic Surgeon’s Point of View (Fall 2006)
Many of my patients are coping with breast cancer—newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment,
or presenting as long-term survivors. Conceptually, everyone understands that there
is nothing more important than treating and hopefully curing their cancer and that
the side effects are worth bearing for the end result. In actuality, however, not
all patients can easily face the reality that some of these important treatments—surgery
and radiation included—may leave a breast changed forever: absent, scarred, smaller,
or misshapen. They may be facing a new reality when they look at one or both of
their breasts.
A Survivor’s Story: For Babies and Balance
(Fall 2006)
For Katherine Jensen, the decision to reconstruct her breasts after cancer treatment
was motivated by the many babies who snuggle against her chest. “I am a certified
nurse midwife,” Katherine says, “and the thought of a baby snuggling up to my ribcage
did not seem right. For me it was not about how I looked in clothes or to anyone
else but about how the babies would feel and how I would feel holding them.” Katherine
lives in Portland, Oregon, and was diagnosed in April 2001 with Stage IIB invasive
ductal carcinoma. In an effort to remove the cancer, doctors performed two lumpectomies
on Katherine’s right breast but were unable to get clear margins. She had three
of 20 positive nodes and began chemotherapy.
What’s on the Horizon? Microsurgery Options
(Fall 2006)
A cancer diagnosis and all of its related emotions can be an overwhelming experience
for many women. The thought of a mastectomy added to the mix can be even more frightening.
Loss of a breast might provoke feelings of incompleteness or disfigurement or contribute
to a loss of sexuality. But women facing this experience today should know that
reconstruction of the breast can be a positive experience that can help restore
self-image and self-esteem.
Cancer & Race in America
(Fall 2006)
Cancer remains a significant health problem in African American, Hispanic, and American
Indian people despite advances in screening, prevention, and treatment. Women from
these populations continue to present with later stages of breast, cervical, and
colorectal cancer at diagnosis and have lower survival when compared with White
women.
The War Room News
(Fall 2006)
• "Gardasil® Also Likely to Prevent Most Vaginal and Vulvar Cancers"
• "Celebrex® Reduces Pre-cancerous Colorectal Tumors but Increases Cardiovascular
Risks"
What Every Woman Should Know About Cancer Screening
(Summer 2006)
Over the past several decades, long-term cancer survival rates have been on the
rise. These improved outcomes are largely credited to screening measures for certain
types of cancers. In general, cancer that can be detected and treated in its earliest
stages, prior to any spread—and often prior to any symptoms—is associated with dramatically
higher long-term survival than cancer that is treated once it has spread from its
site of origin.2 As a result, screening for common types of cancers gives patients
the best chances for early detection and effective treatment, which allow for the
best chances for survival. People at a high risk of developing a specific type of
cancer may also undergo frequent screening for that type.
Breaking News from ASCO
(Summer 2006)
• "Chemotherapy Benefits Elderly Patients with Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer"
• "Erbitux plus Induction Chemotherapy Results in 100 Percent Response Rate
for Head and Neck Cancer"
• "Additional Evidence of Abraxane Activity in Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung
Cancer"
• "Vidaza Reduces Need for Transfusions in Myelodysplastic Syndromes"
• "Tykerb Halts Cancer Progression in Advanced Breast Cancer"
• "Panitumumab-targeted Therapy Provides Anticancer Activity in Patients with
Advanced Colorectal Cancer"
• "GVAX Achieves Significant Anticancer Responses in CML"
• "Study Continues to Suggest Benefit of Nexavar in the Treatment of Advanced
Kidney Cancer"
• "Addition of Erbitux to XELOX Reduces Cancer Progression as First-line Therapy
in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer"
Cervical Cancer: From Viruses to Vaccines
(Summer 2006)
For women in the United States, a Papanicolaou (Pap) test has become a standard
part of their annual gynecologic exam. Also known as a Pap smear, the test, which
was first made public in 1943 when George Papanicolaou and Herbert Traut published
their landmark paper Diagnosis of Uterine Cancer by the Vaginal Smear,1 revolutionized
the field of cervical cancer prevention by allowing physicians to detect and treat
cervical cancer in its earliest stages. In countries with the resources for screening
and treatment, widespread cervical cancer screening programs continue to lead to
dramatic declines in deaths from this disease.
Breaking the Silence: Telling the Story of Women
and Lung Cancer (Summer 2006)
Though recurrent shoulder pain sent 70-year-old Mary* to see her doctor last year,
the Oregon resident never thought she would have reason to be thankful for her arthritis
and that doctor’s visit. An X-ray of her shoulder revealed a mass in her lung. Subsequent
surgery removed a quarter-sized cancer from the upper lobe of her right lung. Her
reaction to the diagnosis: complete surprise. “Colon cancer wouldn’t have surprised
me,” she says, but the lung cancer was a shock.
Hear Me Roar: The Changing Face of Lung Cancer
(Summer 2006)
Holly Springs, Georgia, resident Jacqueline Patrick was in a car accident on the
day she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Ironically, it was the head-on collision
that saved her life. After the moment of impact, Jacqueline immediately had trouble
breathing and called 9-1-1. Though it was later revealed that she was not actually
hurt in the crash, as a result of the accident she was taken to the hospital for
X-rays and scans. It was during these tests that a tumor the size of an orange was
discovered in her lower right lobe.
A Legacy of Compassion and Commitment: The Joan
Scarangello Foundation to Conquer Lung Cancer (Summer
2006)
Roxanne Donovan does not hesitate when asked to describe her sister-in-law and closest
friend, Joan Scarangello McNeive: “Joan was absolutely magnificent. She was passionately
alive and present. She walked through the world with her shoulders back and her
head held high. She reveled in the lives of her wide circle of family and friends.”
National Lung Cancer Partnership (Summer 2006)
Lung cancer strikes down more American women each year than any other cancer. But
ask most women if they’ve every worn a ribbon for lung cancer or participated in
a walk to show their support for lung cancer survivors, and chances are they probably
have not. The National Lung Cancer Partnership (NLCP, formerly Women Against Lung
Cancer) is working hard to change that.
Lung Cancer Screening: What's the Standard?
(Summer 2006)
Despite the alarming numbers of women impacted by lung cancer each year in the U.S.,
there is no consensus today among medical professionals on the benefits of routine
screening. This, despite the fact that lung cancer commonly goes undetected until
it has progressed to a point that it can no longer be cured. For this reason, the
development of accurate screening methods to detect lung cancer early, before symptoms
arise, is critical.