MedWorm: Cancer

Mri

Margaret's Corner — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:03:16 +0100

I am going through the full IRF4 myeloma study for the umptieth time, but it has been sizzling hot in Florence today, and I confess that I have not felt inspired (to revise my IRF4 draft etc.). Today the heat wave that has been plaguing Florence for way too long reached the level of Red Alert or Stage 3 [...] (Source: Margaret's Corner)

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Kidney cancer vaccine: much hype, little hope

Dr. Len's Cancer Blog — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:51:14 +0100

... (Source: Dr. Len's Cancer Blog)

Happy 4th of july

Let the healing begin... — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:52:00 +0100

(Source: Let the healing begin...)

A new quiz

white pebble — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:09:14 +0100

The birthday of today is…

white pebble — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:01:20 +0100

Copyright © 2008 Patti. Visit the original article at http://www.white-pebble.net/?p=4144.Happy birthday to one of the only food writers that I’ve truly admired. (The other one is Julia Child, whose birthday it is not.) NEWSgrist - where spin is art: M.F.K. Fisher: Witches Of Yesteryear Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher was born a hundred years ago today. ShareThis (Source: white pebble)

"regarding arm refinance"

The Assertive Cancer Patient — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:48:15 +0100

"Regarding ARM refinance"--that was the subject of an e-mail that landed in my g-mail account recently. The e-mail was so weird, that it inspired me to create a whole new blog category, (Just Plain Weird ...) just for this e-mail, and the guy who sent it to me, whose name, he says, is James Palmer. James writes that he works for a company called Survey Resource Center, which he claims is a "National Lead Company" [caps his, and whatever that means] that has been in business since 1998. Then he tells me that there are some criteria I "have to" meet (or wait, does he mean my friends have to meet?): We Just Completed the last survey of the second quarter, targeting individuals that have requested contact by a loan officer for a fixed rate mortgage. We send our survey out to the individual, cooping with their bank or credit-card company. We call it "piggybacking". It is a short 10-15 questionnaire in which they have to answer a few specific questions in regards to the product, and qualify financially. I have provided the qualifying criteria. Here is the criteria they have to meet ... Never mind that it took James 82 words to say what I said in 13 words. The guy is not a writer, that's pretty clear. But what's this "individuals who have requested contact with a loan officer"? Not me, buddy. So my guess is that some robot is crawling the Web, looking for Web sites that mention mortgages or ARMS, which I have, and then sends out this e-mail. It gets even better, though. What does James want me to do? SELL ARMS (adjustable rate mortgages, just about the best single way to lose your home in today's economy) TO SUCKERS. he concludes his message: Just let me know how many prospects could you comfortably handle in a 90 day period and we can get the ball rolling. Thank you, James Palmer National Sales Rep. Survey Resource Center (800) 370-7330 ext. 8511 jpalmer.srcleads@gmail.com Oh, sure, I'm going to shop all my friends. Let me get right on that ... @ Jeanne Sather 2008. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient)

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Done

Tracking Kent's Progress — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:23:48 +0100

The stem cell transplant is complete. Everything is good. Keith is being called a superhuman stem cell harvester by the doctors and nurses, measuring 10,100,000 stem cells in one harvest! The average harvest is 5,000,000 for a healthy donor, but of course being the competitor he is, that wasn’t good enough. We have enough cells to freeze half, just in case… Kent and Keith had the same blood type prior to the transplant, so that hasn’t changed, but Kent now has Keith’s DNA. Hmmm…that is pretty strange. Keith said when he came to the hospital Tuesday night he was burning up from the neoprogin shots. He said he felt like a cooked turkey ready to explode because he had so many stem cells! He says he feels back to normal today but would really prefer not going through that process again. Anyway, Kent is resting comfortably and still seems like the same guy, so far!! We are happy and relieved. (Source: Tracking Kent's Progress)

Stay off my blog!

The Assertive Cancer Patient — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:17:03 +0100

This post should really be titled How many times do I have to tell you? because as I search back through my e-mail, I find that I have asked this person several times in the past to stop posting self-promotions to my blog. Here's the e-mail I sent today, to "Angel" at ajangelinajohn@gmail.com: Subject: please stay off my blog Angel--your comments on my blog--promoting your own Web site and saying thinks like "holistic treatment is the only useful treatment to cure cancer completely"--are NOT WELCOME. Please do not post on my blog again. Jeanne Jeanne Sather The Assertive Cancer Patient www.assertivepatient.com Angel had posted a comment to “A New Pain Scale” that said, in part: Comment: This is a very informative blog – one of the best of its kind. I have gone through all the posts but I have some doubts about some thing. Updates of this blogs are rare. Since blog needs latest info, I humly request the blog master to update this blog when ever gets time. All other aspects are really Great. I have some own blogs in this subject – on malignancy and malignant cancers or tumors - I shall link this blog from them. I think this blog needs that as this is very informative. And about complete cure of Cancers and malignant tumors I was simply wondering why common men like me and you can work for this/in this direction? It may be scientist’s subject, but I think we too can provide good contribution to this subject... I could see an informative guide on malignant cancers and the cure of cancer etc from following URL http://www.xxxxxx.com This site will give you a free cancer- guide which details how to cure cancers by Holistic Treatment – Only useful treatment to cure cancer completely--and also on how to care cancer as well as much information about the cancers Thanks lot If you are a regular reader of my blog you will already know that I don't allow people to promote whatever it is they are selling on my blog. I also don't allow people to say one kind of treatment is better than another, or to make claims like "holistic treatment--Only useful treatment to cure cancer completely..." As for the comment that my blog is out of date (and HER Web site offers the latest info), that's simply not true. My blog is accurate and up-to-date as of the date of each post. I always advise readers to check the date of any information about cancer that they find on the Web, because things do change quickly. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient)

How many u.s. women have metastatic breast cancer?

The Assertive Cancer Patient — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:49:41 +0100

I've been trying to get answers to several important questions: 1. How many women (well, and the tiny number of men) are living with metastatic breast cancer in the United States? 2. What is the life expectancy for women with metastatic breast cancer? (I have an answer to this one, but I'm hoping there might be newer or more exact figures available.) 3. How many people in the United States are living with metastatic cancer of all types? This information is important to me for obvious reasons: I'm one of these people, and many of the readers of my blog are also living with metastatic disease or are dealing with the longterm after-effects of cancer treatment. We are a special population, and one whose numbers, I believe, are growing. We are also ignored by cancer magazines such as "Cure"--my cancer cannot be cured, so why in the world would I read a pub called "Cure"? Yet it claims to have the largest circulation of any magazine in the U.S. for cancer patients. (Never mind that they give it away free in cancer center waiting rooms. No one pays for this mag. More on this later.) Some Answers So here are the answers a friend at the American Cancer Society sent me (Thanks, Paul). About 27 percent of female breast cancer diagnoses are distant stage [which means metastatic], the equivalent of about 49,000 new cases in 2008. The number of women currently living with metastatic breast cancer (prevalent cases) is not available. We only have an overall number for women with a history of breast cancer (2.4 million) but its not broken up by stage. How long you're expected to survive after a distant stage diagnosis too dependant on personal medical history to give any kind of accurate general estimate. Instead everything in measured by the five-year survival rate (that's the established medical benchmark). Five-year survival rate for distant stage (metastatic) breast cancer is also 27 percent. Also, we've got our Breast Cancer Facts & Figures report for 2007-2008 available at www.cancer.org/statistics if you ever need it. I've been told that most women with metastatic breast cancer live no longer than two or three years from the time the metastasis is diagnosed. That would be consistent with the fact that fewer than a third of these women are still alive five years after metastasis. And then there's women like me: Still alive--andkicking butt and taking names--six and a half years since this sneaky disease popped up in my bones. So remember, we individual women do not need to define our lives by the statistics. But if you do happened to have a reliable source for the answers to the questions at the top of this post, please e-mail me. I would like to know. @ Jeanne Sather 2008. Support this blog: (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient)

Tykerb woes

The Assertive Cancer Patient — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:38:41 +0100

When I was in getting IV fluids yesterday, I asked my nurse to check with Dr. Lee about my Tykerb--should I cut the dose? Actually, I had already cut the dose from five pills a day to three on Monday and Tuesday, the two days that my stomach was so upset. Dr. Lee said that I should skip taking Tykerb for a day, which was yesterday, and then start again with only two pills a day and gradually work back up to five as long as my tummy stayed calm. I'm still having problems today, so I think I'm going to call and see if he wants me to skip another day, or to go ahead with the two pills. I really hate to not take it, because it has been working so well for me--holding my bone mets in check since last Thanksgiving (with a little help from six weeks of radiation therapy to my largest mets)--which is something like eight months. And Then There's Paying for the Stuff ... Another problem with the Tykerb that I'm going to have to address ASAP: Paying for it. I checked in with the head of WSHIP, to see if she could tell me if the drug would be covered by Medicare Part B, as other oral chemo drugs such as cytoxan are. She e-mailed me back today to say that it is covered under Medicare Part D. That is really bad news, because when I talked to an insurance co. that offered Part D coverage, the woman I talked to said that I would have to pay one-third of the cost, each and every month, which is more than $1,000 a month. This, of course, is impossible for me. The way I see it, I have two options: One, lobby to get Medicare to cover Tykerb under Part B. (Maybe I'll write to Ted Kennedy. He, of all people in Congress, ought to be sympathetic.) Or two, change my treatment and go back on Herceptin, which IS covered under Part B. Now Herceptin is even more expensive than Tykerb, so you'd think Medicare would prefer to pay for Tykerb ... but if there's one thing I've learned, it's that things aren't logical over there in Medicare Land. Oh, wait, that's OVER HERE in Medicare Land. Argh. Stay tuned. @ Jeanne Sather 2008. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient)

Photostream blog ~ shooting

auspiciousdragon.net — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:35:41 +0100

Digital = free? (Source: auspiciousdragon.net)

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Thunder and rain, oh my: seattle's cool returns

The Assertive Cancer Patient — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:40:27 +0100

Well, I learned a lesson during the past week of so of hot weather in Seattle ... The lesson, sadly, is one that I've been having trouble with since the beginning of my life with cancer: I am a lot more fragile than I would like to admit. This time it was the heat that brought me low (literally, I was light-headed and dizzy and THAT CLOSE to passing out on the floor a couple of times). The heat in combination with Tykerb, my new wonder drug, which causes, ah hem, GI tract problems--that's diarrhea to those of you who don't like euphenisms. I don't like euphenisms, either, but I also don't really like writing about my GI tract on such a regular basis, but that is the reality of taking Tykerb. Last Friday, when I was in for treatment, my blood pressure was really low (something like 100 over 70), so Dr. Lee ordered IV fluids for me. That made me feel better, but then Monday and Tuesday this week I was spending a lot of time in the bathroom, and I started to feel dizzy and weird again. So yesterday morning I took my BP at home (I have a machine) and it was about the same, 105 over 73. So I called Dr. Lee's nurse, and she said I should come in. Car Guy very sweetly took time from work to drive me to the hospital, because I didn't want to take a chance of passing out at the wheel, and he picked me up afterwards as well. The nurse got about the same BP reading as I had, plus my weight was down 2 pounds from Friday. So into the chair, needle in the vein, and a bag of fluid. While it was running, my nurse, Susan, stood over me chanting, "Hydrate, hudrate, hydrate ..." She said she'd been pumping a lot of cancer patients up with fluids the past few days. Feeling Better? I'd like to be able to claim that I felt better immediately, but the fact is I didn't. That pisses me off too, but, oh well. I came home with orders to eat and drink, but I felt nauseous, which interferes with both eating and drinking, as we all know. I got into bed with a couple of books and the paper--did you see the story about a woman who DIED in an ER waiting room in NYC and nobody even noticed for an hour? That really made my day. The thunder started not long after that, and Car Guy came by again to help me put up the top on the Red Corvair, which had been down for the past several days. How lame is that? But I really couldn't muscle it myself. And I had to cancel my appt. with a lawyer to talk about suing Citibank. Will reschedule that for next week. Finally though, after some spectacular rain and thunder last night, the weather in Seattle is cool and breezy--with still the occasional crack of thunder, I have my laptop unplugged from the electricity--and I feel better. I have a 16-ounce coffee and a 12-ounce lemonade sitting right here, and I'm working on both of them. (Nutrition police: Please do not e-mail me to tell me that coffee dehydrates you. The latest research shows that it does not, for people who drink it regularly.) Constant, the Wonder Dog, has been my constant companion throughout several days of feeling crappy. I am so glad I have him, even if he does insist on slobbering on my elbow to wake me up in the mornings! Or any other time I happen to be sleeping. Here comes the rain again--I'm going to get a photo, or two. The top photo is Connie, watching the world go by from the front porch with the rain behind him. The bottom photo is rain on a hybiscus vine growing on my front porch. @ Jeanne Sather 2008. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient)

Talk in edinburgh on tgfß

Cancerevo: Evolution and cancer — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:18:32 +0100

I am at the European Conference of Mathematical and Theoretical Biology that Dundee’s group of biomathematics is organising. It’s a big conference with hundreds of participants and takes place only once every three years. I had the privilege to give a small contributed talk on my research with Sandy Anderson and the guys at Hayward’s lab in Vanderbilt. Briefly our model tries to explain the role of stromal-epithelial interactions (mediated via TGFß) in prostate cancer. we found out that while TGFß plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis in a healthy tissue and after a tumour has broken out of the acini (that make the prostate), it does not affect much tumour progression while the tumour remains inside the acinus. We did also find that more agressive tumour cells (like those producing lots of matrix degrading enzymes) are not necessarily going to be more succesful in taking over the prostate tissue. (Source: Cancerevo: Evolution and cancer)

Introducing benson…

Especially Heather — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:37:55 +0100

Benson, My “End of Chemo” present (Source: Especially Heather)

July 3, 2008 - transplant day

Tracking Kent's Progress — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:25:35 +0100

I arrived last night after driving through quite a rain storm. My parents told me to hold off driving to Ann Arbor until the storm passed but I didn’t want to take any chances on not getting here last night. They don’t need to know that they were right and the rain was hitting my windshield like a bullet. Two Briggs’ brothers came to Ann Arbor yesterday like two stealth bombers, and without a trace, one of them harvested enough stem cells for a transplant, stopped by for a visit with the patient, and were gone before my arrival last night. You would have thought it was a top secret mission, but I’m thinking they just wanted to go golfing before the storm hit. Karl accompanied Keith to U of M yesterday, supporting his little brother as he underwent the aepheris procedure, which resulted in harvesting enough stem cells for today’s procedure. It’s hard to know how to truly thank someone who just went through several weeks of tests, lab draws, neoprogin shots, and experiencing painful affects of the shots, to basically save a brother’s life. Evidently the procedure Keith underwent this past week was not as pain free as we had hoped, and he had several days of pretty excruciating pain. The medication he took to stimulate the stem cells to grow can cause pretty severe bone pain and headaches. Keith experienced that pain, but fortunately, the pain has subsided. Hopefully Keith can get back to his life, free from being ordered around by the doctors at U of M. Kristina and Keaton love their Uncle Keith, but you have to realize Keith is quite the comedian and loves to play tricks on my kids. During Uncle Keith’s last visit Keaton and Keith were teasing each other all night. At bedtime, Keaton blocked Keith’s door from opening and then proceeded to protect himself by blocking his door so Uncle Keith couldn’t get in to his room. So, at 5:30 in the morning, Uncle Keith found a latter in the garage, placed it up to Keaton’s window and attempted to break in to scare him. Keaton woke up and knew it was Keith, and just laughed because Keith couldn’t get in. Now of course, Keaton is a little concerned that he is going to have to be nicer to his uncle after the sacrifice he made. As we wait, Kent seems tired, but ready. I asked him if he is nervous and he said no. He seems relaxed but quiet. Dr. Perez just stopped by and said all the tests taken yesterday came back fine and his vitals and labs all look good. They are hoping to move up the 2:30 p.m. irradiation procedure so the transplant can be completed this afternoon. If not, it will be a long day and the transplant will probably take place tonight. The kids will arrive in Ann Arbor around 8:00 p.m. and they really want to be here for the transplant, so maybe they will get here on time. So, after several months of preparation and ups and downs, we are ready…here we go. Once Kent wakes up I’m hoping to beat him in a game of cards. Okay, maybe I’ll let him win just to keep his stress level down. I just ask everyone to take a minute today to say a prayer for Kent and ask that the Lord’s strength take over Kent’s body as he undergoes this next step. (Source: Tracking Kent's Progress)

Rain again, again.

white pebble — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:13:13 +0100

Copyright © 2008 Patti. Visit the original article at http://www.white-pebble.net/?p=4143.One notable thing about this particular vacation of ours here in Chautauqua is the rain and cold. I’ve never known Chautauqua to be an oven in the summer, but warm, definitely. And never quite so much rain. If I were paranoid, and a follower of a failed Democratic candidate for president, I’d think it was all my fault, somehow. I mean, I still drive a Volvo with a regular gas-eating, internal combustion engine. And what a lovely engine it is! Never gives me a lick of trouble, and looks good while not giving me any trouble. I’m sorry… I just can’t believe in global warming today. I wish I had a raincoat. ShareThis (Source: white pebble)

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Insurance snafu

Life with Cancer — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:29:40 +0100

Now that both Nick and I are self employed we have to pay for our own insurance (we were on my conde nast benefits up until now). Fortunately, we can do Cobra and it's really not that bad. Unfortunately, there... (Source: Life with Cancer)

Normal days

NPR Blogs: My Cancer — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:00:12 +0100

Another day in Cancer World. Actually, a pretty normal day. A friend came over to visit. She brought cookies. Another friend came over the day before. She brought cupcakes. Clearly, my policy of "bring nothing" has failed miserably. I haven't weighed myself recently, but I have to believe I have gained back some of the weight I lost. My doctors should be happy. It's easy to think that there should be some kind of crisis every day in Cancer World. But that's not the case. Many days nothing much happens, at least nothing much related to the disease. Today's been one of those days. So I'm just going to end here, and enjoy a little quiet time. -- Leroy Sievers » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Blogs: My Cancer)

Today's photo

auspiciousdragon.net — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:57:28 +0100

Walking the Glen. June 2008 (Source: auspiciousdragon.net)

We the people demand healthcare reform

Life with Breast Cancer — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:09:14 +0100

Last week, CNN reported that lobbyists spend 2.5 billion dollars to influence the American government. As startling as that figure is, a full 20 percent of that (about 500 million dollars), is spent by the healthcare industry. Imagine, that is approximately 1.2 million dollars on healthcare for each man woman and child in the United States. I don’t know about you, but by my calculations that is enough money to ensure coverage for everybody. Even more provoking is the question of how much profit is made by the health insurance industry if they can afford to throw away this kind of money to influence policy? Further, how is this money spent, who does it go to and what do they do with it? For the sake of all Americans we need answers to these questions. While most families are struggling to pay health premiums and keep their house, our representatives are being wined and dined by these special interest groups. Here in Michigan, conservatively 80 percent of our jobs and economy is affected by the Big Three automakers. The Big Three automakers are struggling in big part by the health insurance premiums they have had to cover for workers and retirees. That in turn is destroying the Michigan economy and there is still a huge percentage of Michiganders that cannot afford healthcare. Beyond all of the economic issues, there is still the overwhelming concern that Americans are not receiving the healthcare they need. I hear it repeated constantly that Americans have the best healthcare in the world – perhaps. But look at it this way; it could be argued that America also has the best clothes designers in the world and not many of us have even one piece of designer clothing in our closet. If you can’t afford it, you can’t benefit from it. So does it really matter how world class our doctors and facilities are if health insurance companies are deciding who gets covered and who doesn’t? A poll done by the Globe and Mail in Toronto, Ontario shows that 45 percent of Americans would prefer the Canadian system of healthcare, 91 percent of Canadians prefer their own system. Universal healthcare is working. It is up to our government to change healthcare for everyone. America is a democracy, so you do have a say. In fact, because it is a democracy, changing healthcare is up to you. -Kathy-Ellen (Source: Life with Breast Cancer)

The silence of the hamstrings

Von Krankipantzen — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:11:00 +0100

I’ve never been one for video games nor do I salivate over the latest technology. I can’t say I’m afraid of it but have more of a certain distrust of The Hype and a desire to keep life pretty simple. I also don’t have a lot of disposable income. So the other day I noticed Dooce was giving away some Wii Fit sets and I immediately started to covet. Sadly being a Canadian resident I am not eligible for the contest. However, I suddenly decided that I desperately neeeeeed one of these things. Admittedly I’ve never tried one. I’ve never actually seen one in the shiny and plastic-y flesh. But for some reason I am absolutely convinced that this, THIS contraption is the key to my physical fitness reform. I have a long and sordid affair with exercise that has left me wary as well as emotionally and physically beaten. It all started when I was born. I don’t have any other reason why I was never really adventurous physically or competitive on any level other than it has got to be missing from my DNA. Kids in the playground would run around screaming their fool heads off swinging on monkey bars and flinging their bodies in all sorts of dangerous ways and I was the one sitting off to the side with a book. As a child I was cautious and always afraid to get hurt. Perhaps it was that I was very small and not very strong. Or maybe it was that I was a city kid who wasn’t exposed to the great outdoors a lot. In any case I was, from an early age, an obvious target for ridicule and torment by ‘regular’ kids. When I was 10 years old we moved from the city centre into a suburb and the new school had a very different type of Phys Ed curriculum. Specifically it was much more competitive, team based and not at all user friendly for geeky little wimps like me. Very soon I found myself caught up in a nightmare of bullying-verbal, physical and even, frankly, sexual from my classmates. It certainly didn’t help that my PE teacher laughed at my expense frequently and quickly nicknamed me ‘Useless’ in front of my peers. It got so bad that my younger brother soon was identified by this teacher as ‘Useless’s Brother’ and eventually transferred into a completely different school as following in the footsteps of my academic reputation was too unbearable to contemplate. Some highlights of my PE classes were team captains arguing over who would NOT get to have me on their team. I also was kicked in the face causing my front tooth to crack and called a wuss when I asked to go to the school nurse. Good times. I could go on an on but I fear, should I do so, I may eventually find myself in the corner of my closet weeping and viciously stabbing my lone dusty pair of running shoes. Later I was diagnosed with asthma which explained why my stamina wasn’t so hot but it didn’t take long before I was dreading PE to the point of other physical symptoms. Once at the doctor office I begged to be excused from PE class due to some small ailment. The doc sensed my desperation and asked me some pointed questions. I explained everything with tears rolling down my face and he wrote me a note excusing me from PE for the rest of my school life. And then the angels sang and the weight of the entire 6th grade co-ed second period PE class was lifted from my shoulders. Literally. A year or so went by and I joined a friendly neighbourhood girls softball team with much encouragement from my friends (AKA: peer pressure) and assurances (from my deluded parents) that it was all about having fun and it is not whether you win or lose but…say it now, people…how you play the game. I hated it and I totally sucked at it but I tried to be a good sport and did my very best, which was, obviously, not very good at all. Then one day I overheard the coaches talking about how they thought our team was ahead enough to put me on the field. I was so crushed and embarrassed and learned that for most obsessively competitive folk sportsmanship was a load of bullshit and even pot-bellied middle-aged coaches of girls softball teams only cared about winning. So now I am an adult and as much I know that all that happened in the past is over and the bullies were a bunch of ass-wipes who are now probably meth addicts or in jail I STILL dread any kind of sports or exercise. I dread it, dread it, DREEEEEEAAAD EEEEET! I become paralyzed and absolutely refuse to participate in any kind of organized sports and fall into a shame spiral at the thought of working out. I’ve tried all sorts of fitness regiments and I either hate it, can’t afford it, or I hurt myself. Damaged rotator cuffs and shin splints. I think I even broke my axel once. Pinched nerves and pulled muscles. $25 individual yoga classes which make you sweat. Crowded and smelly gyms where it is more about getting picked-up than getting fit. Driving in traffic and costly parking fees for specialty fitness centres catering to us gals who are chunky and just really want to be left alone when we copiously sweat while doing puny exercises with eeensy teensy weights. All of it = FAIL! I get discouraged easily and bored almost immediately. And being prone to panic attacks in crowded and noisy places doesn’t help. But I have to GET OFF MY ASS! Some way, somehow. I’m putting on weight, I have arthritis in my foot and my right upper body is so stiff and sore from all my breast re-construction surgery even getting started on anything is daunting. I can’t even say I am out of shape as that would imply I once was fit. It feels like a lose/lose situation and I am not talking about the saddlebags below my hips. But what? WHAT? What is out there for me that isn’t too hard, too expensive or too humiliating in some way? And that is where the Wii Fit comes in. Yes, it is more than I can afford but it is certainly cheaper than a year’s gym membership. Bowling, boxing, tennis and yoga…interactive style! All sorts of fun stuff that I couldn’t and wouldn’t normally do right at my fingertips along with goals to set and achieve. My own little white cubic fitness instructor! It sounds like it just might work. Is this Wii Fit thing the way to go for a fitness-phobe like me? (Source: Von Krankipantzen)

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Holiday road

The Adventures of Cancer Girl — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:10:00 +0100

We are about to load up the Family Truckster ...... and head out on a road trip to northern Minnesota. This will be the first time in years that I've set foot in the state of Minnesota without getting poked with needles by medical professionals. It will be a welcome change. Our cabin is supposed to have high-speed Internet (Jay was in charge of picking the cabin, and he said Internet access was a requirement), so I might be able to post vacation updates on location.In other news, I got my report from Dr. H at the Mayo Clinic. The summary of my last visit starts out like this: "Mrs. (my last name) is doing really quite well." If you have to get a report about your cancer, the words "doing really quite well" from a Mayo Clinic myeloma expert are good things to see. Thanks, Dr. H!I suppose I should be doing something practical, such as doing laundry or packing up the Truckster. Instead I am blogging. As usual. (Source: The Adventures of Cancer Girl)

Cancer-resistant humans…!

Margaret's Corner — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:46:25 +0100

Off and on during the past few months, there has been a bit of discussion on the MMA listserv about a cancer treatment (considered by some to be controversial) developed by a team led by Zheng Cui, Ph.D., at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. This treatment came up again as a topic in [...] (Source: Margaret's Corner)

Whooooooooooosh!

Mom's Cancer Blog — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:15:00 +0100

I am so busy riding the deadline rocket sled that I can't even tell you. Can't tell you now, anyway, but in about a month you won't be able to shut me up. .I wasn't planning to attend the San Diego Comic-Con this year, but it looks like I'm going to be in town for a day after all. Saturday, to be specific, so I should be able to take a nice, leisurely stroll through the exhibition hall and not worry about overcrowding at all (that's a joke, son). I mention it now because I know some of my writer and artist buddies read the blog occasionally and Comic-Con is one of the few chances we get to meet. Don't be surprised to see me popping up at your table mid-Saturday. In fact, you probably shouldn't even take a lunch or bathroom break..More later. Happy Canada Day (just past) and Independence Day (upcoming) to everyone who celebrates one of them.. (Source: Mom's Cancer Blog)

Who's your dream guest blogger?

Life with Cancer — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:19:24 +0100

I have a couple of vacations coming up this summer (northern Michigan and Vienna) and it just occurred to me that I will probably not have reliable Internet access at either. So, I'm thinking I should start compiling the guest... (Source: Life with Cancer)

Just say anything

NPR Blogs: My Cancer — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:00:16 +0100

I was on Minnesota Public Radio yesterday, a phone-in show about cancer. The listeners always come up with good questions. Questions that make me think. Yesterday was no exception. One person asked what more she could say to her friend who has cancer without being insulting. I think she, like so many people, was afraid of saying something that might seem insensitive. That has come up a lot. But I really think it's the last thing a friend or caregiver needs to worry about. Cancer patients know how difficult it is to talk about our disease. It's hard for us. I have broken down into tears any number of times recently. But what's more important, more important than the words you might say, is the effort to simply say anything. And if that "anything" isn't about cancer, that's even better. The best conversations I have these days are about something, anything else. Politics, sports, books, whatever. If cancer is not in the room for even an hour or two, that's a gift. And as time goes on, as the cancer becomes more serious, those hours without cancer become ever more precious. They become something to treasure. -- Leroy Sievers » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Blogs: My Cancer)

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Allegra kicks neulasta's butt!

Community Blog — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:28:47 +0100

I haven't posted in a while but I wanted to share this with anyone who might be looking for relief from the pain of the Neulasta injections. My husband had headaches, chest pain and, well, just pain for about ... (Source: Community Blog)

Good eats

At least it's a "good" cancer — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100

Much silence from me lately! This reflects both good news (trip to Europe, getting work done, playing lots of volleyball) and not so good news (I'm feeling resentful about my involuntary association with the world of cancer, partly because of its effect on my own life, and partly because someone very close in my social circle--and younger than me--has just been diagnosed and is being dragged into this world herself).I break my silence with little to say about my own life. But the NY Times strikes again with another great piece on nutrition. This is just a general "what you should eat" article, but most of these items are on my nutritional oncologist's list of things to eat every day.Bon appetit! (Source: At least it's a "good" cancer)

Chelle chelle love

debutaunt.com — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100

For you Austin Peoples - Don't be skeered. Donate blood or convince someone else to and go with them to hold their hand. This is why I love Sis #3.... (Source: debutaunt.com)

Setback

The Beast... — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:39:00 +0100

Blood platelets (the little purple things)Well, the vertebroplasty is now on hold. Platelets yesterday were 24,000...Thanks Velcade!Richard has decided that he won't have any more Velcade until he gets the vertebroplasty because most likely the platelets will come up again next week...just in time for more Velcade.Both he and I are getting very frustrated because he can't do anything or go anywhere because it hurts too much to walk! Blogged with the Flock Browser (Source: The Beast...)

A new pain scale

The Assertive Cancer Patient — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:27:31 +0100

A reader named Cynthia added a comment to my post, Questions I Hate: Pain, and it was so great I've posted it here. She wrote her own 1 to 10 pain scale: Wow that is great, I was hit by a drunk going 60 through a red light, two neck surgeries, broken neck, collar bones, ribs, knees, ankles and feet. here are my scale of pain definitions, possibly you could adjust them to suit yourself. 1. toothache, headache enough to take tylenol 2. papercuts, shin scrapes, hammer thumb or sitting in the same position until cramps happen. 3. stub toe, hit shin on talbe, ouch, but it goes away fast. 4. hit head while getting in car, twisting ankle hurts but after 20 minutes it goes away or fades. 5. being hit with an object, falling down stairs, bike wreck, skating wreck ... lots of hurts, strains, sprains... 6. dropping a hammer on your toe, or a large can of tomatos, on foot/feet causing the famous dance... and hollering. 7. migranes, torn ligaments, spraned ankles, fingers, wrists, moaning pain... uncomfortable. one lortab 5/500 8. easy childbirth, crik in neck so severe you can't move head, bad migraine, moaning, some crying, must stay in bed, lortab 7.5/500, grumpy, frustrated... 9. root nerve pain, so intense you are hopping in place, crying, moaning, groaning, can't move, considering calling 911, taking more and more and more morphine, lortab, methadone, and you are in a very bitchy mood. 10. all of it together, on the floor crying, calling 911, screaming in agony, considering finding the gun, nothing is working, not worth living ... and anything above that would make you throw up, see white right before you pass out ... Thanks, Cynthia. But sorry you have been in so much pain. @ Jeanne Sather 2008. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient)

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What's on your life-time to do list?

Life with Cancer — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:56:45 +0100

Hi! It's Lea and I'm over 200 days from my bone marrow transplant--it's amazing how quickly time can go (although at times it has certainly dragged on...). One thing I've realized is that time does not "wait" for you (nor... (Source: Life with Cancer)

Words of one syllable dept.

white pebble — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:34:11 +0100

Copyright © 2008 Patti. Visit the original article at http://www.white-pebble.net/?p=4142.I wish I could think of a witty thing to say about this, but it speaks for itself FOXNews.com - Law Banning Annoying People During Pope’s Visit to Australia Criticized - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News SYDNEY, Australia — New regulations making it a crime to annoy or inconvenience people gathering in Sydney during Pope Benedict XVI’s visit later this month were criticized Tuesday as a heavy-handed blow to free speech. ShareThis (Source: white pebble)

Today's photo

auspiciousdragon.net — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:52:22 +0100

Walking the Glen. June 2008 (Source: auspiciousdragon.net)

57 north ~ in our time

auspiciousdragon.net — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:52:16 +0100

Soap (Source: auspiciousdragon.net)

Thoughts on peace

NPR Blogs: My Cancer — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:00:07 +0100

Dr. Christian Meyer is my oncologist. He has been with me every step of the way on this journey. Good days, bad days, we've shared them all. But most importantly, I consider him my friend. When he had to give me the bad news recently about what my new scans showed, I asked him what he was thinking and whether he would share his thoughts with all of you. Here's his answer: PEACE? Cancer. Worry. Hope. Anxiety. Cure? Weakness. Fear. Laughter. Sobs. Hugs. Anger. Healing? Naps. Sadness. Strength. Death? Insomnia. NED. Depression. Loneliness. Friends. Chocolate. Pain. Smiles. Tears. Life? Silence. Some weeks ago, I asked, "What's peace, Leroy?" "A moving target," he replied. Peace is a word I use in many conversations I have with the people I care for. I'm looking for something concrete or constant I can offer them in the midst of all the uncertainty that swirls within this world of cancer. Beyond the treatments and the trials and the waits and the wonderings, peace appears to be something positive that can ease the heightened emotions that accompany visits or therapies or scans. I used to think I had some idea of what it meant. Maybe some kind of eureka moment in which "peace" could wash away the concerns that erode the confidence you need to maintain some semblance of control. If you achieved peace, worry would vanish and be replaced by contentment in everything related to the world of cancer. That was pretty naive. Sometimes I wonder how much I'm treating myself in my attempts to discuss "peace." Does it help me brace myself for the onslaught of emotions that accompany the lives and journeys of my patients and their families? And I wonder if it's truly fair to offer something so difficult to achieve in the middle of everything else that accompanies this diagnosis. Part of the ritual I learned growing up in the Catholic faith is the "Sign of Peace." Toward the end of Mass, we'd offer a handshake or embrace to one another and say, "Peace be with you." It strikes me now that we did this weekly as if we were reinforcing the elusiveness of the answer to the question: What is Peace? -- Leroy Sievers » E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Blogs: My Cancer)

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Dean 's visit

Let the healing begin... — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:52:00 +0100

One week ago Dean was in the ER with pneumonia. He is now doing great and back to normal. He is such a sweetheart. (Source: Let the healing begin...)

Diabetic for a day

Myeloma Hope — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:08:00 +0100

Or two. DEX makes us temporarily diabetic by messing with the glucose transport system, which decreases the body's normal ability to move glucose out of the blood and into muscles and other organs. I have a blood glucose monitor and did a simple study of my own blood glucose, taking a reading every half hour or so all day long, on four different sore-fingered days. Here is the bottom line result, where Day 1 is the next day after taking the DEX the previous evening. The "glucose" value is an average for the whole day, expressed in mg/dL: Day Dose mg Glucose Comment 1 40 144 Highest was 193 2 40 101 5 40 88 DEX effect must be gone 1 20 116 More information about this little personal "study" is detailed in earlier blog posts HERE and HERE. Graphics included. The graph here shows Days 1, 2, & 5 on 40 mg DEX. I am NO expert in diabetes, but when Dr. L at Mayo saw the graphics and numbers for Day 1, she reduced my DEX dosage from 40 mg to 20 mg. The glucose spike of 193 mg/dL seemed to be a particularly important factor. Fasting glucose for a non-diabetic should be in the range of 80 to 120, and diabetics are urged to keep their glucose, fasting or not, below 180. Many diabetics will need insulin shots along with a careful diet, but those of us who are not normally diabetic already have the insulin, except that its effect is inhibited by the DEX. Therefore we need to manage our temporary DEX-induced "diabetes" at least partly through diet. When I asked Dr. L about this, she commented that several of her patients are eating a low-carb diet on DEX day. Here is a set of dietary principles that I have recently been following, with the help of Sunshine and Sweet Pea (they're the cooks!), on DEX day 1 and, to some extent, on Day 2: Most important: Keep the amount of food modest, because all food raises blood sugar. I do this with Weight Watchers "journaling," but calorie counting would work too; Reduce carbohydrates in favor of protein, and good fats such as nut oils, olive oil, and fish oils; Prefer carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, to reduce the glucose spike; Eat some of the protein and fat first at each meal, because this slows the entire digestive process and thereby moderates the glucose spike; Good food: Chicken, fish, vegetables, nuts, eggs, certain fruits and berries, legumes, whole-grain foods; and Bad food: Sugar (except fructose), soda, potato, candy, white bread or any relative, (the list goes on). One caution: People whose kidneys are already at risk should be careful about increasing protein, and every myelomiac should take plenty of fluid to help the kidneys. As always CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR! But don't settle for "oh, don't worry about it." This is real, and somewhat outside the experience of many oncologists. Know what you are talking about, be your own advocate, and press a little. If you're interested, a blood glucose monitor costs between $30 and $100 with supplies. You might notice that the foods that we eat on the DEX diet are foods that are really good for us anyway, and delicious. Those that are bad are ones that we never eat, ever. We just tilt the balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. So except for the protein issue for those with kidney disease, there is no downside to eating like a diabetic for a day or two. The food can be wonderful! I wholeheartedly invite your comments, pro or con, and I especially hope that you will straighten me out if I have made any errors, or share with us if you have something to add. Examples of DEX day meals that I have recently eaten. Oh, the suffering that we put ourselves through :-) Today's DEX lunch: Organic chicken breast, Jim's broccoli, dill cheese, organic strawberries. Weight Watchers points = 6. Today's DEX salad: Organic romaine, cucumber, avocado, organic cashews, organic strawberries, pecans, organic red wine vinegar. Weight Watchers points = 6. Yesterday's DEX dinner: Wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon, organic lime, Jim's organic beet greens, spinach, and onions, with a few organic raisins, plus orange and mango. Weight Watchers points = 8. (Source: Myeloma Hope)

Spider web

white pebble — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:31:50 +0100

Upside down tomato plant

Let the healing begin... — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:31:00 +0100

I bought 2 plants on the same day and Bob planted them on May 30th. The upside down tomato is planted in Miracle Grow potting soil. They were both the same size when I bought them. (Source: Let the healing begin...)

Want to sue citibank?

The Assertive Cancer Patient — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:12:37 +0100

I have an appointment with a class-action attorney on Thursday to talk about suing Citibank for cancelling my home equity line of credit. I know I'm not the only person Citibank did this to, and if your home equity line of credit was cancelled by Citibank (or another bank, for that matter), and you would like to join in a class-action suit, or would like more information, send me an e-mail: jeanne.sather@gmail.com Don't know what I'm talking about? Click on this link Citibank and then scroll down to read my older posts. @ Jeanne Sather 2008. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient)

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Cancer butch

Something Evil This Way Comes — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:54:49 +0100

I’ve been thinking all sorts of blog-worthy thoughts lately and I surely do intend to sit down and hammer them out. Real soon. In the meantime, this is really interesting article about cancer and gender and the marketing of cancer and “thinking pink”. Clearly I think you should read this article because I included it in my links and I am waving my arms around right here, telling you about it a second time. (Source: Something Evil This Way Comes)

Korean tv interview: cash in an envelope

The Assertive Cancer Patient — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:33:27 +0100

I had kind of forgotten about the Asian custom (well, Japanese and Korean, anyway) of paying for interviews. It's not quite the same thing as paying for interviews the way the National Enquirer does; it's more like a "thank you" for making yourself available. (They also gave me a clock that shows date and temperature.) In this country, it's considered unethical to pay for interviews, but in Japan--where I worked as a journalist for five years--you can make a living at it. There are people in Japan called "hyoronka," a word which is usually translated as "critic," but that doesn't really explain the custom. A better translation would be "professional expert." Hyoronka write articles about topics they specialize in, and they also give interviews to journalists, and are paid for their opinions with cash in an envelope, just like I received on Friday from the South Korean TV crew. Most hyoronka came out of journalism--a typical hyoronka career path would be several decades covering a field, say computers, or comic books (manga), before changing careers and hanging out one's shingle as a professional expert. I always thought this would be a perfect career for me, and in some ways that what's I'm doing with the blog. The only part that keeps it from working perfectly is that I give a lot of my time away, for interviews and to other people who want my expertise, but I don't get paid for it. I do get paid for the writing I do for other publications and Web sites, and my blog brings in income in the form of donations. Maybe I should move back to Tokyo after all ... In case you are wondering, I received three crisp $100 bills in an envelope from the guys from Munhwa Broadcasting Corp. I spent one of those taking Car Guy out to breakfast and then on the Duck on Sunday. It felt like free money, since I would have done the interview regardless. The interview is supposed to air on July 11, in case you are in South Korea, and the guys said they'd send it to me on CD. @ Jeanne Sather 2008. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient)

Friday's treatment and more

The Assertive Cancer Patient — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:59:48 +0100

In case you haven't been paying attention to the weather in Seattle (and why should you?), we have been having a heat wave. A "heat wave" by Seattle standards means temperatures in the high 80s, which melts Seattleites right down to their Tevas. (A perfect day in Seattle is 72--cool enough to play tennis or ride a bike.) As a result of this heat wave, I've had to water my garden twice a day, and I've been picking a quart of strawberries every morning. (And eating a cup or more, every day. Yum, tasty antioxidants.) Jam is coming soon. I decided to take a weekend off from the keyboard, which means I am even further behind than I was last week ... But I had a great weekend: Car Guy fixed the leaking shower upstairs in the Teenager Suite (I helped), and yesterday we went out to do the touristy-est thing possible: We rode the Duck--a tour of Seattle by land and sea in a floating vehicle. It was incredibly fun--and I was reminded of why visitors fall in love with Seattle: It's a beautiful place. So, anyway, after that long-throat clearing lead, I started out to write about my treatment on Friday ... The Korean TV crew--two guys, Mr. Kim and his side kick Kevin (never did get his last name), who did most of the talking since Mr. Kim seemed unsure of his English--came to interview me in the morning for a documentary about health insurance woes. They decided that they wanted to tag along to my appointment at the cancer center and get some shots of me with Dr. Lee (who is, sadly, Chinese American, not Korean American--they would have loved to tell their viewers that my doctor was Korean American: son of immigrants makes good, and all of that) and getting treatment. I was getting a little tired of them by that point (we had been talking for more than two hours and I was tired), and also getting a bit tired of attempts to make me cry on camera or get mad on camera--I realize it's hard to make health insurance woes dramatic, but it's a lot of "It depends..." and "Well, not exactly ..." Copays and deductibles don't make for sexy TV. Anyway, the Korean guys shot me getting a blood draw and having my appt. with Dr. Lee, who was totally a good sport about it and explained my treatment very clearly in medical-ese that probably will have them scrambling for the dictionaries when it comes time to translate it. And then they took a few shots of me in the chair getting my drugs. It was kind of a weird appointment. My blood pressure was way low, and my pulse was racing. I did admit to feeling a bit lightheaded. So Dr. Lee ordered IV fluids for me, and I got that at the same time as the zometa and the Avastin, which we just added back to my regimen. I've never had to get IV fluids before, but it was hot on Friday, plus the Tykerb keeps my tummy pretty much permanently upset, which dehydrates me. Anyway, I felt a lot better after getting the fluids. Everything else was fine. We got the results of the BRCA gene testing back, and I don't have the mutation, which means Younger Son (my biological child) doesn't have to worry about passing it on to his daughters or about an increased risk of colon cancer, which is also a result of the mutation. I drove myself to and from my appt. in the Red Corvair, which behaved beautifully, and came home and crashed out for a couple of hours. Car Guy woke me up when he showed up at about 6, and we got take-out sandwiches from Subway and went to Golden Gardens to eat our dinner on the beach. Seems like half of Seattle had the same idea, but it was a beautiful evening. @ Jeanne Sather 2008. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient)

Cancer strikes my home – again

Life with Breast Cancer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:55:31 +0100

Last week I got the results for all of the tests I went through because of a concern over bone pain in my lower back. I was overjoyed to learn that I am totally cancer free! The tests showed that the pain is due to a tear in my lumbar disk. My husband, friends and family were also very happy that we weren’t facing anything more serious. The happiness lasted for about five hours. My husband, who for my sake is vigilant with his health and has annual checkups, received a call from his doctor asking him to come in immediately for an appointment. My husband advised me that the urgency was due to a result on his annual tests. We now know… my husband has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Another round of cancer in my family has me dealing with an overwhelming combination of emotions from anger to a determination to beat it, to “I’m too tired for this.” Bobby is a gift from God. He is both strong and compassionate. He accompanied me to all of my rounds of chemotherapy and snoozed along side me in an armchair provided by the clinic. He listens to all of my fears and continually reminds me that cancer is not going to kill me. The cancer is in a very early stage. Bobby has no symptoms, and it was only found because a routine PSA test for prostate cancer screening revealed an elevated result. His doctor then ordered a biopsy. He has the best attitude about his diagnosis and is facing it head on. We will be meeting with a urologist early this week. My husband will beat this, and we will move on. But if I can be honest just for a minute, I really don’t want to go down this path again; my dad, my mother, my niece and I all had to battle the disease, and my fight is waning. I am so over this cancer business! Kathy-Ellen (Source: Life with Breast Cancer)

Photostream blog ~ art

auspiciousdragon.net — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:30:54 +0100

Content or concept (Source: auspiciousdragon.net)

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Today's photo

auspiciousdragon.net — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:30:46 +0100

Sharps. Aberdeen - Cornhill, May 2008 (Source: auspiciousdragon.net)

Better

Not just about cancer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:26:00 +0100

I have a new post up at MyBreastCancerNetwork.Com.I wrote about pulling myself out of the emotional funk, with the help and support of so many of you. (Source: Not just about cancer)

Where has my june gone?

Cancer Commentary — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:00:43 +0100

Shocks it’s July and I am working out of the house. I barely made it through June…maybe it is time to get a new computer set? We’ll see… Anyways, here are a few stuff on cancer I might have missed in the recent days: ‘Designer baby’ to be free from breast cancer? Men’s cancer vaccine Accidental fungus leads to promising cancer drug That’s all for now folks..I gotta run! Tags: 'designer baby', accidental cancer drug, breast-cancer, cancer-drug, cancer-vaccine, free of hereditary breast cancer, fungus, Gardasil, men cancer vaccine, MerckShare This (Source: Cancer Commentary)

Two new aml stem cell killers

Margaret's Corner — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:54:48 +0100

In my June 11 post I mentioned reading about two compounds that effectively eradicate AML at the bulk, progenitor and stem level: celastrol and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal or HNE (AML stands for acute myelogenous leukaemia, by the way). Well, thanks to Sherlock , I was able to read the whole University of Rochester/University of Pennsylvania study. The [...] (Source: Margaret's Corner)