MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'cancer?'. Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:55:07 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772413&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35283&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.org%2FAboutUs%2FDrLensBlog%2Fpost%2F2010%2F07%2F20%2FThe-FDA-and-Avastinc2ae-Breast-Cancer-Patients-Are-Thrown-Another-Curve-In-An-Ongoing-Saga.aspx The news this afternoon that an FDA advisory panel recommended removing approval for bevacizumab (Avastin®) as a treatment for advanced breast cancer is certainly going to be difficult for patients, their families, supporters and doctors alike.   The unfortunate reality is that despite earlier reports that this targeted therapy (which has been successful in treating a number of other cancers and works by inhibiting the growth of new blood vessels that feed cancer tumors) was successful in treating advanced breast cancer didn't hold up when studied in further clinical trials.   Bevacizumab in the treatment of breast cancer has followed a long, somewhat tortuous course beginning as early as 2005 with an announcement by the National Cancer Institute that the drug was successful ... Dr. Len's Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772413 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:30:00 +0100 3772413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772416&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fhitting-a-few-more-balls-in-the-air-.html I now have an appointment with Cyberknife Guy for Friday, and I will track down the discs with my scans before then. Other balls that I've tossed into the air this morning:I e-mailed Tricia in Highland (she's the study coordinator) to ask her to schedule all the tests and scans I need to have done at the clinic in Highland when I'm down there next week. (I can't book my return flight until I know how long I have to stay.)I e-mailed the woman who is arranging my flights, using frequent flier miles donated by a former student.Finally, I e-mailed the hotel near the clinic in California that offers a special discounted rate to patients coming to take part in clinical trials and asked them to book me a room for three nights. After that, I will be able to stay with Megan, a... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772416 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:24:58 +0100 3772416 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772417&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fhow-crazy-can-one-cancer-patient-get-.html My good friend Collin just e-mailed me, and she suggested not thinking more than 48 hours in advance as I try to navigate my way through the swamp--complete with hungry alligators--that is my life right now. That's good advice, and I'm going to follow it. Here's the latest wrinkle in the saga. I have an appointment with the clinical trial doctors in Highland, California, for July 29. However, the daily radiation to my right femur will not be finished by that date. When I went in for treatment yesterday, I thought I was going to see Dr. Eulau for our weekly checkup, and I planned to ask him how he wanted to handle that--just shorten my treatment, or have me come in and finish it after I returned from California. That's when I found out that he was on vacati... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772417 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:14:41 +0100 3772417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772467&cid=t_355285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FcFuL0NnhnWQ%2F Two years ago, the FDA approved Avastin to combat breast cancer, even though an advisory panel determined that risks such as high blood pressure and death outweighed the benefit of slowing the spread of tumors. The agency, however, acted under its accelerated approval program and the move pumped up sales of a Roche drug that is also used to treat brain, lung and colon tumors. Now, though, Avastin is on trial again. Another FDA panel today will decide whether use of the $50,000-a-year med should be continued, expanded, or halted after two studies - which were undertaken as a condition of approval - found patients given Avastin and chemotherpay didn’t survive longer than those given chemo alone. And Avastin patients also suffered more serious side effects. This is the second time in re... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772467 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:02:57 +0100 3772467 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767335&cid=t_355285_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F07%2Fmucinous-bronchioloalveolar-carcinoma-of-lung-and-alk-mutation.html In this study, 96% of responders had adenocarcinoma histology--primarily signet ring morphology.This is surely a very exceptional case since mucinous ACa/BAC is a very distinctive histological subtype and has been also characterized at the molecular level as being associated with KRAS mutation.  The point is that histology is not a perfect predictor of potentially druggable molecular pathologies.  If targeted therapy is being contemplated in NSCLC, we should adopt a systematic approach to all NSCLC regardless of histology.  At this point, while we are identifying patients who may potentially benefit from targeted therapy, we are building a database that will allow a more full appreciation of the relationship between histological type and molecular pathology.Thanks t... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767335 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:06:14 +0100 3767335 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767271&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fin-search-of-a-tattoo-artist%2F The next big thing coming up for me is additional surgery to finish my breast reconstruction. I delayed getting touch-ups and nipples for various reasons, but that didn’t diminish my desire for more attractive and normal breasts. I have been lucky though because I did work initially with great surgeons at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and really have a well-placed and wonderful-looking set. Along with putting off the final cosmetic surgery, I have put off thinking about the nipple construction and tattooing that generally accompanies the finishing touches. So recently I have been searching out websites and other material to learn how this is done. Surprisingly, there are a number of ways to get new nipples and areolas. Nipple reconstruction by most surgeons is done by cutting the skin in th... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767271 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:28:43 +0100 3767271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767021&cid=t_355285_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kevinmd.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2Fwatchful-waiting-prostate-cancer-cases.html by Crystal Phend Deferring curative treatment for low-risk prostate cancer may be a good option for many men ages 70 and younger, a population-based observational study affirmed. In the national Swedish prostate cancer registry, the cumulative 10-year prostate cancer-specific mortality rate was only 2.4% for men at low risk who opted for watchful waiting or active surveillance, according to Pär Stattin, MD, PhD, of Umeå University Hospital in Umeå, Sweden, and colleagues. (...)Read the rest of Watchful waiting may be appropriate for most prostate cancer cases No comment | Tags: Cancer, Specialist | Category: Diagnosis and treatment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767021 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:00:22 +0100 3767021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767246&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FR1XDOtFPfHs%2F This is the first post by Drew Grant, Associate Editor of our sister site, Crushable, about her efforts to quit smoking using the Become An Ex program. Telling people you’re quitting smoking just doesn’t have the same social impact that say, kicking heroin or drying out from alcohol does. You never see an episode of A&E’s Intervention where worried friends and family trick a three-pack-a-day fiend into a small room so that Dr. Jeff VanVonderen can give them the option of rehab. Why not? Well, for one thing, smoking is generally thought of as more of a symptomatic problem: It’s what you do along with drinking, or snorting cocaine, or what have you, and therefore isn’t the main issue for most people with “bad habits.” That’s why in AA or NA... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767246 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:10:46 +0100 3767246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767047&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fcan-i-become-an-ex-smoker-watch-me-try%2F This is the first post by Drew Grant, Associate Editor of our sister site, Crushable, about her efforts to quit smoking using the Become An Ex program. Telling people you’re quitting smoking just doesn’t have the same social impact that say, kicking heroin or drying out from alcohol does. You never see an episode of A&E’s Intervention where worried friends and family trick a three-pack-a-day fiend into a small room so that Dr. Jeff VanVonderen can give them the option of rehab. Why not? Well, for one thing, smoking is generally thought of as more of a symptomatic problem: It’s what you do along with drinking, or snorting cocaine, or what have you, and therefore isn’t the main issue for most people with “bad habits.” That’s why in AA or NA... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767047 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:10:46 +0100 3767047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767055&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FYYgLF92nD1g%2F What will the FDA's oncology-drug panel recommend for Roche's Avastin? (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767055 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:19:25 +0100 3767055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764269&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F18%2Fchallenges-of-enriched-environment-significantly-curb-cancer-growth-in-mice%2F Living in an environment rich with physical, mental and social stimulation – a setting that causes mild stress – appears by itself to curb cancer growth in mice, according to a new study led by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764269 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 03:32:50 +0100 3764269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764117&cid=t_355285_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kevinmd.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2Fcancer-patients-compassion-balanced-information.html by Bruce Campbell, MD If you have to ask what jazz is, you will never know. - Louis Armstrong The stillness in the meeting room was electric. First, one panelist addressed the audience members who have never experienced a malignancy. She described the unique and powerful bond that exists between cancer survivors. She described how the brush with mortality forces each survivor to renegotiate terms with Life itself. She reminded everyone that the cancer care system too often lets down both cancer patients and survivors. (...)Read the rest of Cancer patients need compassion and balanced information No comment | Tags: Cancer, Patient, Specialist | Category: Patient care (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764117 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:00:39 +0100 3764117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764118&cid=t_355285_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kevinmd.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2Fhealth-blog-posts-week-july-14-2010.html Here are the top posts from this past month, based on the number of times they were viewed. 1. What residents and medical students should wear in the hospital 2. iPhone, Android or Blackberry? The right smartphone for doctors 3. The grief men face when their wives undergo mastectomies 4. Mark Midei and the failure of peer review 5. Best free Android medical apps Ten top medical blog posts, October 2009 10 top health blog posts, April 2010 Health blog posts of the week, April 9-16, 2010 No comment | Tags: Cancer, Health IT, Heart, Hospital, Residency, Specialist | Category: Medical potpourri (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764118 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:00:05 +0100 3764118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3763028&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcheryl-comes-to-visit.html So how am I going to distract myself this weekend, when I am forced to take a break from making plans for the trip to California? Luckily for me, my friend Cheryl is coming to visit. She will be here in about two hours (So I guess I'd better shower and dress sometime soon). I'm trying to remember when Cheryl first contacted me--maybe a year ago, maybe not that long. She bought a jade bracelet from me that had a little vintage abacus charm on it. I met her for the first time face-to-face when Laurie and I made our recent trip to Portland, and we found we had a lot in common and a lot to talk about--cancer, yes, of course, but other things too.The original plan was for Cheryl to stay here, but once I got the bad news she offered to stay at a hotel instead, an offer ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3763028 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:12:45 +0100 3763028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3763029&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fflying-to-california-.html First, thank you to everyone who sent me contact info. for various organizations that will fly cancer patients for free. I had no idea there were so many!Some of these were posted as comments to the post I wrote yesterday, others came to me in e-mail, and I will try to get up a new post listing all of them as soon as I can. In the meantime, a former student of mine from when I taught nonfiction writing at the UW Extension (the night program for adult students--LOVE those students) e-mailed me and offered to fly Monica and me to and from California using her frequent flier miles!What could I do but accept with thanks? Such a wonderful offer. So once I know how long I have to stay--my appointment with the doctor who is heading up the study is on July 29, but there are also a bunc... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3763029 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 17:56:34 +0100 3763029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761563&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FlqNIPf38UQs%2F photo: Thinkstock A new report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the National Cancer Institute lists 20 cancer-causers or potential cancer-causers. The list includes formaldehyde, which, if you remember, is one of the substances that aspartame breaks down into. It also includes titanium dioxide, which is still used in paint and sunscreen; propylene oxide, which is found in polyurethane plastics; and diesel exhaust. Even shift work is on the list — remember when we told you about how abnormal work schedules hurt your health? Check out the full list below: Lead and lead compounds Indium phosphide Cobalt with tungsten carbide Titanium dioxide Welding fumes Refractory ceramic fibers Diesel e... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761563 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:02:57 +0100 3761563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761398&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F20-cancer-causing-substances%2F photo: Thinkstock A new report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the National Cancer Institute lists 20 cancer-causers or potential cancer-causers. The list includes formaldehyde, which, if you remember, is one of the substances that aspartame breaks down into. It also includes titanium dioxide, which is still used in paint and sunscreen; propylene oxide, which is found in polyurethane plastics; and diesel exhaust. Even shift work is on the list — remember when we told you about how abnormal work schedules hurt your health? Check out the full list below: Lead and lead compounds Indium phosphide Cobalt with tungsten carbide Titanium dioxide Welding fumes Refractory ceramic fibers Diesel e... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761398 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:02:57 +0100 3761398 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761591&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fthe-best-cure-.html No, I haven't discovered a cure for cancer, sorry. But I do know the best cure for the state I've been in for the past few days, ever since Dr. Lee told me in a phone call on Tuesday that my cancer is progressing pretty much everywhere. At least, this is the best cure for me: And it is to TAKE ACTION.As I wrote yesterday, Dr. Lee's staff refused to get me in to see him so that I could get answers to my questions about the four tumors in my spine that are moving toward (or possibly pressing on) my spinal cord (you know, where all the nerves are). I also needed more info about the tumor in my sacrum that is causing the numbness and tingling down my left leg, and I wanted to tell him that I wanted to move ahead with all possible speed on getting into the T-DM1 tr... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761591 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:46:36 +0100 3761591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761592&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhair-paste-for-chemo-hair%2F Yesterday I went to the salon to get my hair done for a family wedding this weekend. It reminded me that when I was at the BRCA conference earlier this summer in Toronto, I sat beside a woman whose hair had just begun to grow back — it was barely three-fourths of an inch long. She lamented that she had a wedding to go to that coming weekend and had no idea how she was going to look good with the limited amount of hair she had to work with. I recommended that she try using a hair product that my hairstylist recommended and showed me how to use when my hair began growing back. It’s a fun product called hair paste. When hair starts growing back, it isn’t quite the hairdo we were dreaming about during chemotherapy. My hair was curly and looked like I had four tufted patches on my... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761592 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:03:59 +0100 3761592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761600&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Ftaking-flight.html He stands tentative.  Opening his orange beak wider and wider as I walk closer.  He's more skittish than the other shore birds and gulls.  Doesn't like to be close to other people.He pulls his wings up high and gathers air under them and lifts off.  Just parallel to the ground at first.  Almost as if he might not have it in him to stay aloft or climb higher.Finally, he starts to make upward progress.  His beak still hangs open in fear of me, as if by talking to me he might scare me further away.  His wings are hinged and the lines go straight, then up  to gather more air, then hinged in two, a 90 degree angle as he swoops it away underneath himself.Finally, closer to the waves, he catches the updraft.  Here his flight becomes beautiful again, th... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761600 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:48:00 +0100 3761600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757801&cid=t_355285_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Famerican-cancer-society-releases-list-19-chemicals-avoided%2F The American Cancer Society has named a list of 19 chemicals and shift work as things that may very likely signficantly increase the risk of cancer. Chemicals on the list included chloroform, formaldehyde, carbon black, titanium dioxide, indium phosphide, and cobalt tungsten carbide. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757801 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 06:05:18 +0100 3757801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758063&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F15%2F2010-2011-u-s-news-world-report-best-hospitals-list%2F This week, U.S. News & World Report issued its 2010-2011 rankings of the best U.S. hospitals for adults. The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is rated #1 in cancer treatment, and Johns Hopkins is rated #1 in gynecology and #1 overall based upon all medical specialties. If you would like more information regarding [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758063 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:16:29 +0100 3758063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758065&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=37857&url=http%3A%2F%2Flifedancegirl.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fmy-final-six-month-check-up.html Yesterday I had my regular six month check up with the oncologist, in the new Stronach Regional Cancer Centre in Newmarket. This was quite a change from the informal temporary offices of the oncologists. The foyer of the new centre reminded me of Sunnybrook Health Sevices Centre in Toronto. I had a flood of memories when I first entered the building until even after I had left.At the reception desk I stated my name and presented my health card. The receptionist confirmed my information and then took a photo of me with a small digital camera for my medical records. She gave me a form to fill out rating the severity of various symptoms and told me to go upstairs to the waiting area where a nurse would then call me.After several minutes a nurse approached me introducing herself, took my compl... The Dance of Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758065 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:52:00 +0100 3758065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758062&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fmy-doctor-fails-me.html I've been reeling for the past two days over my most recent bad news, not helped by the fact that Dr. Lee's staff refused to get me in to see him--AND I NEEDED HIM. I have a long list of questions about the scans that were done on Monday. So far, I only had a brief conversation with Dr. Lee on the phone to get the bad news, and we haven't reviewed the actual scans together, nor have we discussed what I want to do next. So I called to make an appt., and when the staff said he was fully booked, I asked them to squeeze me in because it was an emergency, and they refused. They reminded me that I have an appt. with Dr. Lee a week from today and told me to wait for that. Well, that's not acceptable when I have four tumors pressing on my spinal cord. (Not to ment... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758062 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:45:44 +0100 3758062 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757810&cid=t_355285_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kevinmd.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2Fpap-test-cervical-cancer-screening-overused.html by Kristina Fiore Physicians do not appear likely to reduce the frequency of cervical cancer screening — not even with the availability of the sensitive human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA test, researchers say. When given a clinical vignette of a 35-year-old woman with a normal Pap test and a negative HPV test, only 19% of the more than 1,200 physicians surveyed said they would wait three years before conducting another Pap test, Mona Saraiya, MD, MPH, of the CDC, and colleagues reported in the June 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. (...)Read the rest of Is the PAP test for cervical cancer screening being overused? 2 comments | Tags: Cancer, Primary care | Category: Cancer (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757810 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:00:32 +0100 3757810 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758070&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fno-that-little-thought-never-goes-away.html Once your doctor says that lovely word 'cancer' to you, that little thought of 'what if it comes back' NEVER goes away. It also doesn't help when you go to the doctor with a pain and they send you off for tests because they are thinking 'what if it came back' too. If you are a normal person, you can have head aches. If you are a cancer person with headaches, you can have a brain MRI.If you are a normal person, you can have weird pains in your gut. If you are a cancer person with pains, you get a CT scan or ultrasound.If you are a normal person, you can get a few bruises and not remember how. If you are a cancer person with weird bruises, you get blood tests.No, I am not dealing with any of these right now but this article points out, you always have the little niggling thought in the back ... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758070 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:12:00 +0100 3758070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753737&cid=t_355285_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcancer-cecum%2F The astute clinician will always have a high index of suspcion for the presence of cecal cancer in any elderly patient who presents with anemia and signs and symptoms of appendicitis. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753737 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 08:00:47 +0100 3753737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753903&cid=t_355285_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fpatience-with-patients.html There is a reason doctors and nurses are called "caregivers" and it's been proven time and time again that when putting patients in a caring, positive environment, healing time is decreased significantly as opposed to a sterile, strict atmosphere where doctors and nurses exude arrogance and are insulted when questioned.Family MattersLast year, as I sat in the hospital with my mom who was very sick with cancer and couldn't take care of herself, for the sixteenth time waiting to see which type of nurse and doctor we were going to get: Jekyll or Hyde, I realized how nervous I had become when it came to who was going to really take care of the most beloved person in my life. I wanted the best for this wonderful person and knew she deserved the best, but I had become extremely defensive each ti... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753903 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 04:56:00 +0100 3753903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3754035&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fis-cancer-gone-or-just-waiting-to-get-me%2F Every now and then I struggle with the question of whether cancer will come back or if it is hiding inside of me and is just looking for an opportunity to plant its ugly, insidious self in some organ. I don’t understand if the cancer went away or if it is just dormant. When it comes to breast cancer no one likes to tell you that you are cured, and when the word remission is used it just sounds like the cancer has gone into hiding. Like most breast cancer survivors, I say things like “I had cancer,” or “I don’t have breast cancer anymore,” but this doesn’t speak to the actual status of cancer in my body. Some experts like to say that we all have cancer cells in our bodies — it is just a matter of whether it develops or not. I tested positive for the BRCA... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3754035 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:50:38 +0100 3754035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753736&cid=t_355285_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FwY4nXk45lnU%2Fconfusing_workplace_safety_with_patient.php Wendy, I'm home. Oh, wait a minute. I'm not that crazy. Yet. Sometimes, though, it does seem as though the constant barrage of quackery, anti-vaccine pseudoscience, and pseudoscience in general might drive me to become like poor Jack Torrence of the Stephen King novel and movie The Shining. Fortunately for me, I discovered that there really are people out there who share my passion for science and reason and my dislike of woo. Unfortunately, I waited several years before venturing forth to gatherings of like-minded (and sometimes not-so-like-minded) skeptics to meet people in person and start to do something more than just blog. Don't get me wrong, blogging is something I love to do, and somehow through it I've managed--gasp!--to become fairly popular in the medical blogosphere. But some... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753736 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:00:54 +0100 3753736 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750226&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fbad-news.html Well, the news from my scans (PET/CT and MRI) yesterday wasn't good. In fact, it is bad. The falling CEA tumor marker that we were so happy about over the past couple of months was--obviously--not accurate, and my cancer has been progressing merrily, pretty much everywhere: I now have three tumors in my right lung, up from two, and they are larger; there are new tumors in my lymph nodes, and some of the ones that were there before are larger. In addition, tumors are moving out of the bone and toward the spinal cord in four places in my spine. The numbness in my left leg is caused by a tumor also, but I forget exactly where that one is.Dr. Lee called me with this news today, and then I talked to Dr. Eulau on the phone as well. We don't have a plan yet, ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750226 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:31:32 +0100 3750226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750058&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-skin-cancer-detecting-camera%2F2010.07.13 Yanko, the design blog we highlight occasionally, shows us a device design by Antonia Haaf meant to automatically detect melanoma, called Black Skin Cancer. Details are vague, as they usually are with concept designs, but the device is meant to be placed over a suspected legion and “[analyze] 2D and 3D characteristics from melanocytic lesions with just one shot. Using a secret algorithm, the device recognizes critical lesions such as the nodular melanome.” While pretty, commenter Widepers on the site points out: “Frankly, a magnifying glass and the skin doctor’s email might do the trick just as well.” Yanko Designs: Detector VS Black Skin Cancer *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750058 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:14:26 +0100 3750058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750227&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fstill-waiting-.html I called Dr. Lee's office first thing this morning to see if he had the results from my PET/CT and MRI from yesterday, but NOPE. The nurse searched on his desk and also on the fax machine and she couldn't find them. So now I'm waiting for him to call me, and trying to make some jewelry at the same time.@ Jeanne Sather 2010.  (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient) The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750227 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:42:57 +0100 3750227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3749995&cid=t_355285_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kevinmd.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2Fcancer-transplant-kidney-doctors-fault.html by Amy Tuteur, MD May you never be an interesting case. That’s a cautionary proverb familiar to medical professionals. While it’s bad to get sick, it’s much worse to get sick with something uncommon or unusual. The more fascinating a case is for doctors, the more difficult it is for patients. Difficult to diagnose, difficult to treat, and often difficult to survive. Kenneth Liew was doubly unfortunate. He was an interesting medical case and an interesting legal case. Now he’s dead and a jury is currently deliberating who, if anyone, is at fault. (...)Read the rest of Cancer in a transplant kidney, is it the doctor’s fault? 2 comments | Tags: Cancer, Hospital, Malpractice, Specialist, Surgery | Category: Malpractice (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3749995 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:00:36 +0100 3749995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750225&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35283&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.org%2FAboutUs%2FDrLensBlog%2Fpost%2F2010%2F07%2F13%2FCan-You-Really-Measure-The-Quality-Of-Cancer-Care.aspx How do you know if you or a loved one are getting quality cancer care?    That's an interesting question, although it isn't a new one.  I have been asked that question on a number of occasions and in several media interviews, and quite frankly it's difficult to answer.  In no small part because like many other things we do in medicine, true quality is difficult to measure with any certainty.   I was reminded of this dilemma last week in a posting by Gary Schwitzer (someone who is highly regarded in the medical media field) on his "Health News Review" blog .  He related the story originally published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press of a woman with leukemia who wanted to get her care at one university hospital, but was told by her insurer that... Dr. Len's Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750225 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:15:00 +0100 3750225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750061&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-cellphones-kill%2F2010.07.13 San Francisco recently passed a law requiring disclosure to consumers of the amount of radiation emitted by cellphones at the point of sale. Research has been inconclusive on whether there is a link between cellphone usage and cancer. More definitive findings could be years away. Understandably the law addresses a universal concern that we all have. We are more fearful of threats we can’t see, smell, hear, taste, or touch. Radon, carbon monoxide, and radiation fit these criteria. Yet, cellphones kill in other ways which are far more immediate, equally as subtle, and just as concerning. This silent epidemic is increasing at an alarming rate. Everyone sees it, but does nothing about it. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Saving Money and Surviving the Hea... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750061 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3750061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3747008&cid=t_355285_160_f&fid=36193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aloha-dermatology.com%2Faloha-dermatology-blog%2Fdr-micki-ly-assists-at-the-american-cancer-society-relay-for-life-at-the-maui-war-memorial-stadium%2F She's assisted by her sons Charley and Mitchell. (Source: aloha-dermatology.com) aloha-dermatology.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3747008 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:40:17 +0100 3747008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750015&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007340.html Some day you'll be able to get your immune cells reprogrammed to go on hunter killer attack missions against tumors. Researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center created a large, well armed battalion of tumor-seeking immune system cells and watched, in real time using Positron Emission Tomography (PET), as the special forces traveled throughout the body to locate and attack dangerous melanomas. But for now this sort of thing only gets done for those tricky lab mice who have done such a great job of convincing researchers into developing medical treatments for them first. If I had terminal cancer and a large sum of money I'd hire medical researchers to do this to my own immune system. The gene therapy... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750015 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3750015 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746945&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39027&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lrdlc.dreamhosters.com%2F2010%2F07%2Foperation-weight-gain-1%2F For some months now, I have really been taking it easy on my stomach. That means I haven’t pushed it. I haven’t stressed it (well, very little, anyway). I’ve eaten when I’ve been hungry, and that’s about it. I found a really decent medication schedule that’s kept me MOSTLY free from vomiting. I’d say these days Continue reading Operation Weight Gain – Week 1 (Source: Cancer, life, and me) Cancer, life, and me blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746945 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:47:21 +0100 3746945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746932&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Falternative-medicine-vs-conventional-cancer-treatment%2F Driving back from visiting my family outside Toronto yesterday, I listened to an interview with Suzanne Somers. She survived breast cancer and has gone on to become a self-styled expert in health and wellness. I like this woman — she is funny, pretty, and interesting to listen to. What I don’t like is that she is espousing cancer treatment outside the medical community. She is somewhat antagonistic towards medical research and uses her own experts and studies. I think we all need to have an open mind about alternative treatments, but I also believe we need to focus on what is working and saving lives when it comes to cancer. Although Ms. Somers gives positive testimony regarding the treatments she pushes, she cannot point to the countless number of hours of research or the thousands of... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746932 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:45:41 +0100 3746932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746739&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffor-patients-does-the-fda-play-fair%2F2010.07.12 They have a tough job, those government doctors, scientists, and bureaucrats who are charged with assessing the safety and effectiveness of proposed new medical products. As you know, they rely largely on studies presented by the applicants. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the power to not approve a new drug or product or even pull it off the market. Right now it is considering limiting or pulling GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) diabetes drug, Avandia, because of newly discovered data that it may have caused heart attack in some patients –- data mysteriously not shown in GSK’s own studies. If the drug is pulled it will cost GSK billions of dollars in lost revenue but, from the FDA’s point-of-view, it will be protecting the public. And, after all, there are safer diabetes drugs ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746739 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:00:41 +0100 3746739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3747010&cid=t_355285_167_f&fid=36989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNutritionData%2F%7E3%2FuKhTwJqaDvg%2Ftaking-fish-oil-may-keep-breas.html No guarantees yet but it looks as if women who take fish oil supplements may cut their risk of getting the most common form of breast cancer by about a third.  It's a big study--involving over 35,000 post-menopausal women. The subjects were asked about their supplement use at the beginning of the study--when they were all healthy--and then tracked to see how they fared over the years. This "prospective" method is considered to be more reliable than asking women who already have breast cancer about what supplements they've taken in the past.Although the size and study design give researchers confidence about their findings, they're quick to caution that it's still too soon to say fish oil prevents breast cancer. It's possible that the fish-oil-takers had other health habits that contri... The ND Blog: Notes from the Nutritionista by Monica Reinagel, L.D.N., C.N.S. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3747010 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:10:50 +0100 3747010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3743689&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fback-on-the-teetertotter-yet-again.html I've been riding that teeter-totter again, for a couple of weeks now, if I'm being completely honest, but I didn't want to admit it to my friends or my doctors, and I certainly didn't want to write about it.But now it's time. (Here's what happened last time: Riding the Roller Coaster, Again, in case you missed that one.)Let me explain, without the playground and amusement park images ... A couple of weeks ago, I noticed some numbness and tingling in my left foot, mostly on the bottom of the foot, behind my toes, but also a bit on the top of the foot. Now, I had a problem with this foot about six years ago, when one of the bones in the metatarsal arch dropped, causing me lots of pain. I saw a podiatrist, he made me a pair of custom orthotics, and I ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3743689 Sun, 11 Jul 2010 19:48:58 +0100 3743689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3743672&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35283&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.org%2FAboutUs%2FDrLensBlog%2Fpost%2F2010%2F07%2F11%2FA-Journey-For-Joe.aspx I am on one of those journeys today that no one wants to take, but in your heart you know you have to take.  It is a journey of remembrance for someone who is no longer with us, who succumbed at a too young age from cancer.  It is journey for someone who touched me and many others through is smile, his friendship and his commitments.   I can't say that I knew Joe and his beautiful wife for many years.  In fact, our relationship was too short, a couple of years in duration.  It began as many of mine do, during a luncheon meeting in a southwest Florida city where I had the opportunity to meet with a number of like-minded people to share with them news about the American Cancer Society and the research we support to reduce the burden and suffering from cancer.   ... Dr. Len's Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3743672 Sun, 11 Jul 2010 16:24:00 +0100 3743672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740847&cid=t_355285_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F07%2Fp53-in-tumorassociated-fibroblasts-in-invasive-ductal-carcinoma.html Hasebe et al. have authored an interesting article in a recent Modern Pathology (2010;23:662-672) which builds on their earlier work that showed P53 expression in tumor-stromal fibroblasts (TSF) not forming fibrotic foci to be an important predictor of outcome in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma.The fibrotic focus has been shown to be a prognostic factor in breast cancer.  Moreover, criteria for fibrotic foci proposed by Van den Eynden et al. in 2007 (Dr. Hasebe was a co-author) appear to both clinically significant and reproducible in daily practice.  I am surprised that the use of this feature has not been adopted for routine use since presenting breast cancer cases with prominent fibrotic foci never fails to elicit curiosity and questions in Tumor Board.  Furthe... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740847 Sat, 10 Jul 2010 03:04:53 +0100 3740847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740787&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F09%2Fesmo-clinical-practice-guidelines-regarding-brca-gene-mutations-ovarian-cancer-supportive-cancer-care%2F The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) is the leading European professional organization committed to advancing the specialty of medical oncology, and promoting a multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment and care. …  The ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines include coverage of  (i) BRCA gene mutations in breast and ovarian cancer, (ii) gynecologic tumors, and (iii) supportive [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740787 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:27:51 +0100 3740787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746686&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F187949%2F Cancer Deaths Dropping: Death rates for cancer are on a constant downward slope, thanks to early detection, people quitting smoking, and better treatments. (via Web MD) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746686 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:54:41 +0100 3746686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746687&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F187954%2F Link Between HPV and Skin Cancer: A new study suggests that the risk for developing squamous cell carcinoma is higher if you have HPV, especially if you’re taking drugs like glucocorticoids to suppress the immune system. (via US News and World Report) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746687 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:40:16 +0100 3746687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740785&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-hasnt-changed-my-love-of-lipstick%2F This week, NBC Nightly News reported on an expert panel in San Francisco looking into the connection between environment and breast cancer risk. Things like pesticides and chemicals in water bottles are a concern, but to date there is no concrete evidence linking the incidence of cancer to the environment. Fortunately, experts are not about to give up — they will continue to research all aspects of environmental risks and breast cancer development. The news report also included a brief discussion about the chemicals in makeup. I love wearing makeup. By age 14, my friends and I were really into makeup. My mom is one of those women who never left the house without her hair and face done, so it was inevitable that she would influence me to have a love of lipstick, blush, and eye shadow. Alm... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740785 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:53:54 +0100 3740785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740828&cid=t_355285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FO-Um2l3abYw%2F And so another work week will soon draw to a close. And not a moment too soon, yes? After the heat of the past few days, a cooling off is a good thing. Our plans are rather modest - a dip in the pool and a bit of exercise which, as always, includes promenading with the official Pharmalot mascots. Of course, some Avandia reading is de rigeur these days, too. Whatever is on your agenda, we hope your weekend is pleasant. Meanwhile, here are some headlines to help you along. Take care… UK’s NICE Rejects Roche’s Avastin For Metastatic Breast Cancer (Bloomberg News) J&J Recalls More Tylenol And OTC Products (Reuters) Alcon Directors Create Legal Fund For Novartis Battle (PharmaTimes) European Regulator Starts Avandia Safety Review (EMA statement) An AIDS Vaccine Appears On... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740828 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:20:32 +0100 3740828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737223&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fseattle-heat-wave.html All through the month of June, while we suffered through temperatures in the low 60s and something like 20 days of rain in a row, one of my friends (yes, you, Peter), kept saying, "Summer never comes to Seattle until after the 4th of July," which I found annoying, because June of 2009 was a wonderful month ... But, in any case, here we are, on July 8, and temperatures are supposed to hit 94 today. (So Peter was right, at least about this year.) To go from low 60s to 90s in just a day or two is brutal. I'm not sure my garden can take it, and I have drafted Younger Son to help me water.  We soaked the garden this morning, and when I got home from treatment at about 3, the strawberry plants were wilting.I'm not sure I can take these temperatures either--I am wilt... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737223 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:23:21 +0100 3737223 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746689&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fcancer-prevention-stress-is-good-for-once%2F photo: Thinkstock We’re always talking (and writing) about ways to de-stress. We know that constantly being stressed can have seriously bad implications for our body and our mind, but this news got us all worked up: A new study shows that stressed out mice fought tumors way better than mice that were relaxing all the time. (How do mice relax, exactly?) Mice were injected with melanoma. Some mice were in a large cage with other mice, lots of toys, and space. Other mice remained in the normal lab cages. Three weeks into the study, the tumors of the mice who were in the more stimulating cage shrank to half their previous size, and they had shrunk 77% in six weeks. The tumors even disappeared in 17% of the mice. The mice in the normal cages had tumors that continued to grow. So, what&#82... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746689 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 21:40:24 +0100 3746689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737197&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FEq_jvkxe58E%2F photo from Flickr user adacito We’ve been delving into vitamins and supplements lately, and it turns out that John Dempster, our handsome Naturopathic Doctor, was onto something with his fish oil supplement recommendation. We know people have been taking the omega-3 fatty-acid-rich supplement for ages, but new research shows that fish oil can reduce the risk of breast cancer. (Plus, it makes your skin purty!) Post-menopausal women between the ages of 50 and 76 who took fish oil were 32% less likely to develop certain types of breast cancer than women who didn’t take fish oil. Doctors recommend trying to get your daily dose of fish oil from actual fish rather than the supplement, but it seems like both will do you good. You know what this means: Sushi, sister! As if we needed an... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737197 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:12:49 +0100 3737197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737026&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fbreast-health-fish-oil-for-the-win%2F photo from Flickr user adacito We’ve been delving into vitamins and supplements lately, and it turns out that John Dempster, our handsome Naturopathic Doctor, was onto something with his fish oil supplement recommendation. We know people have been taking the omega-3 fatty-acid-rich supplement for ages, but new research shows that fish oil can reduce the risk of breast cancer. (Plus, it makes your skin purty!) Post-menopausal women between the ages of 50 and 76 who took fish oil were 32% less likely to develop certain types of breast cancer than women who didn’t take fish oil. Doctors recommend trying to get your daily dose of fish oil from actual fish rather than the supplement, but it seems like both will do you good. You know what this means: Sushi, sister! As if we needed an... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737026 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:12:49 +0100 3737026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737211&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35283&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.org%2FAboutUs%2FDrLensBlog%2Fpost%2F2010%2F07%2F08%2FGiving-Cancer-Patients-Bad-News-Too-Often-Not-Done-Well.aspx "You have cancer" are words that no one wants to hear. Yet, in the United States in 2010, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 1.5 million people will hear those words, and the impact on their lives and their families will be immense.   If there is good news, it's that there is a probability that 2 out of 3 people diagnosed with cancer in this country will survive their ordeal. The sad news, based on an article published online this week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, is that too many of these folks will start their journey hearing those fateful words in a less than appropriate manner in a less than appropriate setting.   To me, that is not only dismaying, it's appalling. And if we physicians can't understand, empathize and even sympathize with our patients when... Dr. Len's Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737211 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:07:00 +0100 3737211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737221&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2Fz8ff5VoMZqA%2F Now I’m going to have to re-arrange the furniture… Curiously, the cancer rate is 10 percent higher in the left breast than in the right. This left-side bias holds true for both men and women and it also applies to the skin cancer melanoma. via Guest Blog: Left-sided Cancer: Blame your bed and TV?. Filed under: Cancer Tagged: Cancer, research (Source: white pebble) white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737221 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:40:37 +0100 3737221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737032&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2Fm_5vt9YuoGQ%2F Also: Blue Shield of CA sued over rates; Roche submits new breast-cancer drug to FDA; regulations on PTSD are set to change. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737032 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:41:06 +0100 3737032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737295&cid=t_355285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQ0qrV9urFMY%2F The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is unexpectedly conducting a national coverage analysis of the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine (back story), but what do private insurers think? A new survey of medical and pharmacy directors from 50 national and regional insurers finds two-thirds do not have concerns the vaccine is available, but 65 percent may restrict patient access in some form. At the time the survey was conducted last month by Reimbursement Intelligence, 80 percent of the respondents hadn’t yet reviewed the Dendreon vaccine, but 74 percent expected to require some form of prior authorization - such as documented use of two courses of hormonal therapy - with only 19 percent indicating no restrictions. And 46 percent would not reimburse without prior chemotherapy... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737295 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:21:35 +0100 3737295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737011&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007323.html Over a period of 6 years fish oil usage was correlated with reduced incidence of breast cancer. PHILADELPHIA — A recent report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, adds to the growing evidence that fish oil supplements may play a role in preventing chronic disease. Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., led by Emily White, Ph.D., a member of the public health sciences division, asked 35,016 postmenopausal women who did not have a history of breast cancer to complete a 24-page questionnaire about their use of non-vitamin, non-mineral "specialty" supplements in the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort study. After six years of follow-up, 880 cases of... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737011 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3737011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733302&cid=t_355285_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Falcoholism-tops-disease-onset%2F This study looked for the first onset of substance use disorders (i.e., alcohol and drug abuse and dependence) and major mood and anxiety disorders. This landmark survey is the first conducted in the U.S. to identify rates of people who FIRST suffer of these disorders in any one year. The research found that each year the following percentage of the population would BEGIN to suffer one of these diseases. alcohol dependence 1.7% or one in every 59 people will begin to be alcoholic, alcohol abuse 1.0% or one in every 100 people will begin to abuse alcohol, major depressive disorder 1.5% or one in every 67 people will begin to be depressed, generalized anxiety disorder 1.12% or one in every 89 people will begin to be anxious, panic disorder 0.62% or one in every 161 people will begin ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733302 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:48:00 +0100 3733302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737212&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35283&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.org%2FAboutUs%2FDrLensBlog%2Fpost%2F2010%2F07%2F07%2FThe-2010-Statistics-Are-Out-And-767000-People-Have-Celebrated-More-Birthdays.aspx Every year the American Cancer Society provides a report that is one of the most widely quoted scientific articles in this country.  This year's "Cancer Statistics, 2010" report was released this morning, and provides a considerable amount of information regarding the burden of cancer in the United States, such as the expected number of new cancer cases and number of cancer deaths in the United States in 2010.   As part of the same report, my colleagues at the American Cancer Society also dissect the numbers and provide insight into the trends in cancer incidence and deaths, what is happening and perhaps why it is happening.  Statistics--no matter how good you are at writing reports--are always somewhat droll and boring.  But there are the occasional pearls that leap ou... Dr. Len's Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737212 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:50:00 +0100 3737212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733061&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FcRZR6rHko6I%2F More answers to your sunscreen questions from Dawn Davis, a dermatologist at Mayo Clinic. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733061 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:14:50 +0100 3733061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733249&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fempowered-to-decide-for-breast-reconstruction-or-against%2F Surgery for my touch-up breast reconstruction is planned for August, so I am scheduled to see the doctor in a few weeks to discuss the changes I want. This surgery is exciting to me, but I waited a long time to have it. I had the original DIEP flap surgery in 2006, then the follow-up in March 2007 — since then I haven’t had any additional work, cosmetic or otherwise, on my breasts. When you take into account the fact that it took me almost 13 years to grow the first set, it doesn’t seem like this new set is really taking that long to perfect. Breast cancer survivors get to do what a lot of women wish they could — get a new set of designer boobs. It is a hollow triumph, really, when you realize what we had to go through to earn them. But if you can get past the horror of the dia... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733249 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:00:16 +0100 3733249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733298&cid=t_355285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FyHqkGt3oVBA%2F The unending quest to ensure that the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine is approved and readily available to patients has seen a group of activists - some are investors and some are patients - take on various federal agencies, from the FDA and the National Cancer Institute to the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Along the way, they have filied lawsuits and complaints (background here and here). Now, they are targeting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which last week issued a surprise notice that an analysis would be conducted to determine whether covering the Dendreon vaccine is reasonable and necessary (back story here and here). In announcing its move, CMS indicated it was responding to “informal inquiries,” which Wall Street ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733298 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:08:39 +0100 3733298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733300&cid=t_355285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FNGX4aEjEK1k%2F Another hot day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are keeping the water bottles handy. We hope you are doing the same. After all, a flash of hot news does not require you to get overheated. Meanwhile, there is plenty of work to keep us busy. So please join us as we survey the headlines and dig in for another round of meetings and deadlines. Stay cool, everyone… Migraine Drug From Glaxo And XenoPort Fails Test (Associated Press) Aspen Lowers Its Offer For Sigma Pharma (Bloomberg News) India Expands Role As Drugmaker (New York Times) Roche Submits Breast Cancer Drug To FDA (Reuters) University Presses Invention Lawsuit Against Pfizer (Salt Lake City Tribune) Drugmakers To Boost Efforts Against Doping (Financial Times) Germany Seeks Cuts From Pharma & Insurers (Pharm... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733300 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:02:21 +0100 3733300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733021&cid=t_355285_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanadian-colorectal-surgeon-dr-robert-gryfe-run-ultramarathon-benefit-cancer-research%2F Dr. Robert Gryfe is planning on running the 135 mile Badwater ultramarathon to be held July 12-14 in California’s Death Valley. Gryfe, who is on staff at Mt. Sinai Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital is running to benefit the Paul and Rhonda Krandel Cancer Fund. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733021 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:01:47 +0100 3733021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733262&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fi-have-lovehate-relationship-with.html I think that change needs to be viewed as a good thing but sometimes it can be difficult to accept. So this doctor wants to rethink how older cancer patients are treated. Well, it sounds reasonable and probably represents some kind of progress medically and a way of reducing costs while increasing quality of life. But (of course there is a But here), what if you received the older course of treatment? What do you think now? In this case, do you feel you were over treated and put through unnecessary stress and costs? This is just one example. What if they changed the protocols for the chemo therapy you had? Do you feel over or under treated? I think the chemo regimen I underwent three years ago has since been tweaked and is similar but not the same. I am okay with that. But what if it had b... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733262 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:40:00 +0100 3733262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3730042&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fconstant-the-wonder-dog-turns-5.html  My dog Constant, my constant companion, turns 5 this month. Hard to believe, especially when you see how much energy he has whenever he sees a tennis ball or a frisbee or one of my close friends. (We still haven't gotten the jump-all-over-people-you-like thing cured, although I'm working on it as much as I can.)Monica took this photo of Connie giving me a kiss on the cheek when we were at the beach a week ago. Connie has quite a large vocabulary, including "kiss," and he will kiss on command. He also understands "kitchen," "dinner" (for either of his two meals), "ball," "drop it," "off," "shake," and the more usual "come," "sit," "lie down," and "stay." H... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3730042 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:50:49 +0100 3730042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3730027&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FGbBfUJy-KO4%2F You just smoke when you’re stressed; you think it’s good for your figure; or you think it’s your body, and you’ll do what you want. There are a lot of excuses that keep you puffing away, but deep down you probably know you should quit. AOL Health’s “Myths That Keep You Smoking” may change your mind about your favorite excuse. 1. Quitting will make you fat: Thin models and actresses who smoke, and ads like the one above from Virginia Slims make you think that cigarettes are the key to keeping your figure, but quitting doesn’t have to mean gaining tons of weight. The average quitter gains about 10 pounds at first, but studies have shown that health-minded quitters tend not to gain as much weight: Clearing up your lungs actually makes it easier ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3730027 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:54:12 +0100 3730027 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729844&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Ftop-7-smoking-myths-that-stop-you-from-quitting%2F You just smoke when you’re stressed; you think it’s good for your figure; or you think it’s your body, and you’ll do what you want. There are a lot of excuses that keep you puffing away, but deep down you probably know you should quit. AOL Health’s “Myths That Keep You Smoking” may change your mind about your favorite excuse. 1. Quitting will make you fat: Thin models and actresses who smoke, and ads like the one above from Virginia Slims make you think that cigarettes are the key to keeping your figure, but quitting doesn’t have to mean gaining tons of weight. The average quitter gains about 10 pounds at first, but studies have shown that health-minded quitters tend not to gain as much weight: Clearing up your lungs actually makes it easier ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729844 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:54:12 +0100 3729844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3730043&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fpharmacists-can-help-in-the-battle-against-breast-cancer%2F One great source of support for me during and after breast cancer was my pharmacy. I had a wonderful community pharmacy with really helpful pharmacists and assistants. Whenever I showed up with a new prescription, the pharmacist would take the time to answer my questions and review the information about the medication. Since early this year I have been wrestling with taking Femera. I wrote about it in a blog after my oncologist prescribed it in January. I was supposed to start taking it right after I finished taking tamoxifen in March. Well, as much as I appreciate the encouragement I received from readers and the continued nagging from my doctor, here I am still trying to decide if I should take it. I haven’t gone in to talk to my regular pharmacist yet because if I am not prepared to s... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3730043 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:54:57 +0100 3730043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3730018&cid=t_355285_131_f&fid=35008&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscienceroll.com%2F2010%2F07%2F06%2Fpink-glove-dance%2F is a really nice initiative created by the Providence Health & Services in order to generate breast cancer awareness. This is the original video. Now several other healthcare institutions joined this movement: (Source: ScienceRoll) ScienceRoll blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3730018 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:54:10 +0100 3730018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729854&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2F7FQ0Q8BdirA%2F USPSTF guidelines will first be posted in draft form on the group's website for a four-week public -comment period. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729854 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:17:03 +0100 3729854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729878&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-cancer-journey-take-control-of-your-illness-and-treatment%2F2010.07.06 I love this – a website that could’ve ONLY been created by cancer patients. From ThinkAboutYourLife.org: Find empowerment: Anything you can do to feel like you are taking control of your illness and treatment will help you. Think About Your Life was developed by cancer survivors. We have used the tools on this website in our own experiences, and we hope to inspire you do the same. This website provides easy-to-use tools for each stage of the cancer journey to help you: Process your thoughts and feelings: Elizabeth shared the “Good Day, Bad Day” tool with her family to tell them how they could help her throughout treatment. Take control and make decisions: Amanda used her “One Page Profile” with her doctor to discuss the impact of treatment on her life... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729878 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3729878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726742&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F05%2Fucl-scientists-discover-how-to-switch-on-critical-ovarian-cancer-protector-gene-arrest-tumor-growth%2F A new University College London study reveals that a gene [EPB41L3] which normally protects against ovarian cancer is switched off in 66% of ovarian cancer cases and switching it back on arrests tumor growth. A new University College London study reveals that a gene which normally protects against ovarian cancer is switched off in 66% [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726742 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 06:58:27 +0100 3726742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726737&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fys-postcard-from-china-.html Here is Younger Son's postcard from China. It isn't actually the first photo I have of him in China, because he e-mailed me two photos from Beijing while he was there.Younger Son is, of course, standing on The Great Wall, about an hour's drive from Beijing. If you look closely, you can see the wall disappear behind his hat, and then reappear above the hat as it snakes its way along mountain ridges. I've forgotten how long the wall is, but I seem to remember that it is the only manmade structure that can be seen from outer space. Also, Younger Son tells me that much of the wall had crumbled at one point, and it has been under repair for decades. So the mortar is a mix of old and new. In the old days, he says, the mortar used to hold the bricks together was ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726737 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 21:15:26 +0100 3726737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726738&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcancer-postcards-greeting-cards.html  A woman named Lurdes e-mailed me from Portugal today to tell me about her blog, which is a collection of postcards about cancer. See: Postcard About Cancer/Hope The most interesting people find me through my blog!Lurdes writes that she has been in treatment for cancer, Hodgkin's disease, since March of 2008. On her blog she asks that cancer survivors write her a postcard with a message of hope. That seems like a cool project, so I e-mailed her my cancer postcard, which is the M&Ms mosaic above. In case you don't know the history of this postcard/mosaic, it is made entirely of pink M&Ms, which is my way of protesting against the trivializing of the disease that is going to kill me by marketing pink products that are of absolutely NO BENEFIT TO ME at ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726738 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:26:07 +0100 3726738 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726739&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fmetastatic-cancer-does-it-matter-what-you-eat.html This study didn't look at that. Finally, however, here is a study that seems to have addressed that question. Thank you, Ohio State University!Granted, so far the research has only looked at mice with breast cancer tumors (my kind of cancer, even!), but it showed that a substance in broccoli and brussels sprouts caused the tumors to shrink. Now, I like broccoli, and some years I even grow my own, so it is no hardship for me to add a bit more broccoli to my diet. I especially like homemade cream of broccoli soup--this requires a blender, but other than that it is really simple to make. I don't have a link to this research online, but it was published online June 29 in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. The Metastatic Cancer Patient DietSo, back to my ori... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726739 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:30:29 +0100 3726739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726745&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Flamenting-loss-of-normalcy.html Sometimes it just hits you in the gut like a ton of bricks.  There is nothing left in your life that is normal.  You watch, on Facebook, at church, through blogs and e-mails, as your friends and most of your family progress through a "normal" life, with fun pictures of holidays, updates about jobs, all the little details that make up "normal".  And you realize there is nothing left you can claim as normal.  I found a photo taken a few weeks before we lost normal.  What brings the tears the quickest is my children, my husband.  He looks so young.  I look at Caleb - just born - and Amelia, not even 2.  They don't remember "normal".  I see Katy's innocence.  I had never asked to learn to do laundry or cook a meal or clean a bathroom yet. &nbsp... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726745 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:30:00 +0100 3726745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726783&cid=t_355285_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fconstipation-in-recovery-2%2F People in recovery from alcoholism and addiction face a host of potential causes of constipation, including: Past or present use of medications Decreased eating or physical activity as a result of depression or another psychiatric disorder Anxiety Bad habits learned throughout their drinking or drugging career Medical conditions gained through their addiction that decrease bowel movement. This condition also can make people stop taking medications. Constipation carries a tremendous cost in terms of resources and quality of life. People can avoid the discomfort and quality-of-life consequences by promptly dealing with constipation and following a process that has shown value to others. Symptoms of constipation Straining to move bowels Lumpy or hard stools Sensation of incomple... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726783 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:10:00 +0100 3726783 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726740&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fthe-next-best-thing-.html If you can't travel yourself, I guess the next best thing is to have a child like Younger Son to send out into the world to report back. There are a couple of places in China that I have always wanted to see--The Forbidden City, the terra cotta warriors, and The Great Wall, to be specific, but I never went to China when I lived in that part of the world (Japan) and now it's too late for me to travel there. I wish that the "beam me up Scottie" device was available for cancer patients like me who can't fly long distances, because I would definitely sign up to be beamed into the Forbidden City, but, like I said, the next best thing is to have a thoughtful child who loves history to make the trip instead. Of course, Younger Son, who turns 20 this month, ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726740 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:15:29 +0100 3726740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729869&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2Fxb8dZCXYPVw%2F By Glenna Crooks. Rittenhouse Square in Philly, a holiday weekend and great weather made for the perfect place for light reading this weekend. I got magazines with the intention of doing just that – and did. It was great to be outside on warm, breezy days. However, my mood soured about half way into Spirituality&Health, reading an article about a possible new cancer therapy. It describes the observations of Mamdooh Ghoneum, PhD: cancer cells are attracted to, ‘eat’ heat-killed baker’s yeast and then die. That’s good news. It happens in labs and in mice, who apparently suffer no side effects. That’s good news, too. Approval for testing in other animals is pending. I hope he gets it. We need progress in the healing of people with cancer. Why the sour mood? Dr. Ghoneum is hero... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729869 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:39:29 +0100 3729869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726594&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2Fxb8dZCXYPVw%2F Rittenhouse Square in Philly, a holiday weekend and great weather made for the perfect place for light reading this weekend. I got magazines with the intention of doing just that – and did. It was great to be outside on warm, breezy days.  However, my mood soured about half way into Spirituality&Health, reading an article about a possible new cancer therapy. It describes the observations of Mamdooh Ghoneum, PhD: cancer cells are attracted to, ‘eat’ heat-killed baker’s yeast and then die. That’s good news. It happens in labs and in mice, who apparently suffer no side effects. That’s good news, too. Approval for testing in other animals is pending. I hope he gets it. We need progress in the healing of people with cancer. Why the sour mood? Dr. Ghoneum is hero enough for maki... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726594 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:39:29 +0100 3726594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3724547&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2010-07-05-cancer-treatment%2Fhospice-cance%2F Please comment to give Kath-e a hug: being a metastatic liver cancer patient with primary non hodgkins lymphoma, she organized and shares her hospice experience: Hi Kaht-e here: I’m in this for three months since my prognosis and a brief update… Things changed since 3 months: I’m on morphine all day long … Funny thing it doesn’t get me high … or confused and it doesn’t even take away that belly wrenching pain…. Appetite is barely none…now I weigh 88 pounds down from 105 and I can’t sit for a long length of time because of the liver being swollen and protruding from under the ribs it becomes painful….stay tuned… Please any and all of you out there that are in denial …please pray for that to end…and pray for... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3724547 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 06:09:43 +0100 3724547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3723286&cid=t_355285_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Ftips-cut-cancer-risk-holiday-grilling%2F Nutritionist Stephanie Meyers of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute gives some tips to avoid the potential carcinogenic compounds released when you grill meat and some commonsense steps to lower your risk of ingesting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heterocyclic amines (HCA) (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3723286 Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:22:55 +0100 3723286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3723401&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FOEN27Wy-DYk%2F It seems like a no-brainer that lighting something on fire and inhaling the smoke wouldn’t be good for you. But not so long ago, smoking was socially acceptable in schools, doctors’ offices, airplanes, and the town of Bedrock – as seen in this 1960s Winston cigarettes commercial. Yabba. Dabba. Doobie. Post from: BlissTree Fred Flintstone Lights Up: Video of the Day (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3723401 Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:00:31 +0100 3723401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3723299&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Ffred-flintstone-lights-up-video-of-the-day%2F It seems like a no-brainer that lighting something on fire and inhaling the smoke wouldn’t be good for you. But not so long ago, smoking was socially acceptable in schools, doctors’ offices, airplanes, and the town of Bedrock – as seen in this 1960s Winston cigarettes commercial. Yabba. Dabba. Doobie. Post from: BlissTree Fred Flintstone Lights Up: Video of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3723299 Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:00:31 +0100 3723299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721710&cid=t_355285_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fessayist-christopher-hitchens-reveals-esophageal-cancer%2F Essayist Christopher Hitchens has announced he is cutting short his book tour promoting his latest work Hitch-22 to begin chemotherapy for esophageal cancer. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721710 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:59:13 +0100 3721710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721969&cid=t_355285_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fsex-when-your-over-50-2%2F Sexuality Challenges Related to Aging and Recovery from Alcoholism, Addiction or Co-dependency. While there are some age-related sexual changes in both men and women, the ability to have and enjoy sex usually continues into old age. Both the sexual experience and the intimacy it provides remain important. But there is no doubt that there are changes going on, starting right in midlife. While every person is different (for example, some women go through menopause in their 40s, while others don’t reach menopause until their late 50s), there are certain common physical changes that happen as men and women age. Understanding these changes will allow you to discuss them with your partner, to make changes that keep you sexually active, or to consult a doctor or health-care practitioner if yo... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721969 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:23:14 +0100 3721969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721836&cid=t_355285_111_f&fid=39123&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fnursingcomments%2Ftdtc%2F%7E3%2Fg0Qr3YelFYA%2F Invasive Thymoma           The thymus gland is in the upper part of the mediastinum (chest) behind the sternum and extending upwards into the root of the neck.  It is a small organ (reaching its maximum weight of about 1 ounce during puberty) that slowly decreases in size during adulthood and is gradually replaced by fat tissue.  During fetal development and childhood, the thymus produces white blood cells, called lymphocytes, that travel to lymph nodes (bean-sized collections of immune system cells) throughout the body.  There they help the immune system protect the body from infections.  The thymus contains two types of cells: epithelial cells and lymphocytes.  Thymic epithelial cells are the cells that line the thymus, and are the origin cells of thymoma and thymic carcino... Nursing Comments blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721836 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:54:45 +0100 3721836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718645&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F01%2Fclinical-conundrums-choosing-the-best-management-approaches-in-patients-with-ovarian-cancer%2F On June 16, 2010, Clinical Care Options Oncology released a Microsoft Powerpoint Presentation entitled, “Clinical Conundrums:  Choosing the Best Management Approaches in Patients With Ovarian Cancer.” The presentation provides the most recent data on managing patients with ovarian cancer in the frontline and recurrent setting and in specific clinical scenarios. On June 16, 2010, Clinical Care [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718645 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:53:12 +0100 3718645 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718646&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F01%2Fbms-345541-dasatinib-resensitizes-carboplatin-resistant-recurrent-ovarian-cancer-cells%2F Johns Hopkins medical researchers discovered through proteomic analysis that RELA and STAT5 are upregulated in carboplatin resistant ovarian cancer cells, according to a published study appearing in the June 18 edition of PLoS One. Moreover, the researchers also demonstrated that BMS-345541 (a NF-kappaB inhibitor) and dasatinib (a STAT5 inhibitor) could resensitize carboplatin-resistant, recurrent ovarian cancer [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718646 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:53:34 +0100 3718646 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718327&cid=t_355285_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kevinmd.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2Fchemicals-cancer-accurately-studied.html by Josh Herigon, MPH Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times writes about a new report from the President’s Cancer Panel calling attention to the role common chemicals may play in the development of cancer. The overarching message is that we should be exercising much more caution in our trust of chemicals. I am not familiar with the nuances of regulatory policies for chemicals, but (as Kristof points out) the “existing regulatory presumption [is] that chemicals are safe unless strong evidence emerges to the contrary.”  This approach seems insane to me. (...)Read the rest of Chemicals that cause cancer can’t be accurately studied No comment | Tags: Cancer, Drugs | Category: Cancer (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718327 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:00:51 +0100 3718327 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718373&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2Fi_u5N1NL1VQ%2F The accompanying editorial says that "current programs that raise awareness and provide balanced information about the pros and cons of screening seem to be the right way forward." (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718373 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:49:40 +0100 3718373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718653&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Flisten-to-your-life.html Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis, all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.~ Frederick BuechnerI had a wonderful night.  I was awake for much of it, because of the random bouts of high heart rate.  I topped out at 172 last night.  But it didn't bother me much.  Without the sudden drop back down to 40 or 50 beats per minute, I did not suffer any chest pain or dizziness.  The only thing I felt was a sense of a my heart racing - as if I had jumped out of bed and run a lap around the unit.  This is due to my thyroid hormone levels being out of whack. Th... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718653 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:23:00 +0100 3718653 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718643&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35301&url=http%3A%2F%2F2hands.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fthoughts-on-anniversaries-healing-and.html Each year, on this day, it has been hard not to look back and think about the day as it unfolded six years ago. Each broad-ranging emotion, each action, each word as it was said to me, the look on each person’s face as I told them of my diagnosis. At times those memories sting with the poignancy of the moment as though it happened seconds ago. This year, only one year out of treatment from the recurrence, I find myself place facing the day differently.As 2009 came to a close, I dedicated 2010 to a new start. I needed to put the cancer in its appropriate place in my life – in the past. So I set off on a journey. I had physical side effects that were lingering from treatment and side effects from the hormone-suppressing medication I would be taking for five years. I was trying to heal, p... Two Hands blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718643 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:23:00 +0100 3718643 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718374&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FwUnITqIDvaw%2F In the meantime, regional Medicare carriers can decide whether or not to cover the drug. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718374 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:47:25 +0100 3718374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718697&cid=t_355285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FlMT1GNwF2yc%2F Last night, the latest chapter in the Provenge saga was unexpectedly written - the news that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services was reviewing coverage for the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine sent Dendreon shares plunging as much as 23 percent in after-hours trading. Coupled with manufacturing constraints that are causing rationing, investors were caught off guard. That’s because a National Coverage Determination usually isn’t issued for cancer treatments. In fact, an NCD is uncommon for new drugs, in general. What likely prompted this move were requests from local Medicare providers, or what RW Baird analyst Chris Raymond calls “local fiscal intermediaries.” Why? Remember that Provenge is unusual in that it works by stimulating a patient’s own ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718697 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:36:12 +0100 3718697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718400&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F%25e2%2580%259cnaturopathic-oncology-a-new-specialty-of-pseudoscience%2F2010.07.01 On “wholistic” medicine If there’s one aspect of so-called “alternative medicine” and “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM) is that its practitioners tout as being a huge advantage over what they often refer to sneeringly as “conventional” or “scientific” medicine is that–or so its practitioners claim–alt-med treats the “whole patient,” that it’s “wholistic” in a way that the evil reductionist “Western” science-based medicine can’t be. Supposedly, we reductionistic, unimaginative physicians only focus on disease and ignore the “whole patient.” Of course, to me this claim is belied by the hectoring to which my own primary care physician has subjected me about my horrible diet and lack of exercise on pretty much every visit I’ve had wi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718400 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:53 +0100 3718400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718654&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fha-i-was-right-all-along.html Isn't it nice when studies confirm what you were already doing? Here it is: 'Cancer Survivors are Urged to Exercise'. As I may have muttered about a few times, I go for a daily walk. I did go for my daily walk during treatment. I try not to skip a day but sometimes it happens. Currently I claim I walk six days a week - because I have missed a few days here and there due to work schedules and meetings. Anyway, I get out there and walk. I do it for flab prevention and destressing. It is also nice to go to the doctor and have them always say one good thing - 'your blood pressure is nice and low' - in the middle of cancer talk... Its just nice to say 'ha! I was right!'Now there is another article I was reading that confused me. I admit to being easily confused at time but there is one kind of ... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718654 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:41:00 +0100 3718654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714395&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F30%2Fshielded-ovarian-cancer-cells-may-survive-chemotherapy%2F Cancer Research UK scientists have discovered certain ovarian tumor cells that are resistant to chemotherapy can survive a first round of treatment and go on to “re-grow” the cancer. Cancer Research UK scientists have discovered certain ovarian tumor cells that are resistant to chemotherapy can survive a first round of treatment and go on to [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714395 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:08:57 +0100 3714395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714390&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fgood-news.html When you live with metastatic cancer, there is nothing quite like going to your oncologist and getting unexpected good news!I am high as an escaped balloon after hearing from Dr. Lee that my CEA (tumor marker) is continuing to drop. This should mean less cancer activity, and it is now about 75, down from a high of 145 or so a few months back. Or course, the closer to zero it gets, the less cancer I have. Still, I've been anxious for the past several weeks about the possibility that my CEA is not accurate, and so we decided to have me get a PET/CT within the next couple of weeks, to confirm the good news. Or rather, we hope the scan will confirm the CEA.My weight continues to drop, although a bit more slowly. I was down another pound and a half from what I weighed three weeks ago,... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714390 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:25:40 +0100 3714390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714442&cid=t_355285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FkbaEvFLNUu4%2F Nothing like an after-hours plunge in a stock. Dendreon shares fell as much as 23 percent this evening after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced it is reviewing the prostate cancer vaccine to determine whether national coverage is “reasonable and necessary,” but a final decision won’t be made for an entire year. The stock later regained some of its losses to close at $26.69, but remains well below its 52-week high of $57.67 on May 3. The agency will take public comments through July 30 “on the evidence regarding the effects of this treatment on health outcomes in patients with prostate cancer,” according to a statement, adding that it is “particularly interested in clinical studies and other scientific information relevant to the ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714442 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:24:51 +0100 3714442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714371&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FuZY9AGSWczw%2F photo: Thinkstock Getting laid off for drug use might seem pretty understandable, but a man in Michigan was fired from his job at Walmart for using medical marijuana to relieve pain from an inoperable brain tumor and sinus cancer. He had to submit to a mandatory drug test after an on-the-job injury, and tested positive. After he took legal action, Walmart said it was sympathetic, but didn’t back down. Do you think Walmart has the right to fire someone because they smoke medical marijuana? Our gut tells us no, but what if the pot causes poor job performance? via Reuters Post from: BlissTree Should a Walmart Worker Be Fired for Smoking Medical Marijuana? (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714371 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:39:24 +0100 3714371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714142&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fshould-a-wal-mart-worker-be-fired-for-medicinal-marijuana%2F photo: Thinkstock Getting laid off for drug use might seem pretty understandable, but a man in Michigan was fired from his job at Walmart for using medical marijuana to relieve pain from an inoperable brain tumor and sinus cancer. He had to submit to a mandatory drug test after an on-the-job injury, and tested positive. After he took legal action, Walmart said it was sympathetic, but didn’t back down. Do you think Walmart has the right to fire someone because they smoke medical marijuana? Our gut tells us no, but what if the pot causes poor job performance? via Reuters Post from: BlissTree Should a Walmart Worker Be Fired for Smoking Medical Marijuana? (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714142 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:39:24 +0100 3714142 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714183&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsummertime-acne-facts%2F2010.06.30 With blonde hair and big blue eyes, she looked like a young Betty Draper from Mad Men. My patient, Julie, had been faithfully treating her acne for months. Just when it was starting to clear up (in time for her senior photos) — wham! – red dots cropped up over her forehead and cheeks. What went wrong? Summertime. July can be the cruelest month for acne. Acne on the chest and back (bacne) and big, red pimples on your face can make going to the beach an embarrassing experience. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at The Dermatology Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714183 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:00:12 +0100 3714183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714113&cid=t_355285_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kevinmd.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F06%2Fbiopsy-completely-rule-cancer.html by Jeffrey Parks, MD Pathologists and radiologists don’t have the luxury of spending time with actual patients so they have to render professional judgments and determinations based on indirect data (radiographs, a mashed up slice of breast tissue, etc.). I don’t envy them; the utter detachment from patient care would make me miserable. But they do have a tough job. They get one shot at getting it right. There’s no patient follow up. They never get the opportunity to explain a missed diagnosis to a patient, to soothe things over. Once they stamp their name on the final report, there’s no turning back. They can’t afford to allow a sliver of a chance that they haven’t “covered” themselves. (...)Read the rest of When a biopsy cannot completely r... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714113 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:00:07 +0100 3714113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714393&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fback-from-the-beach.html Let me start off by saying that the beach was wonderful--everything I had hoped it would be. (No photos, sorry.) The weather was a bit cool and cloudy, but I didn't care. That's typical for the beaches on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, which is where we were. I needed sand and salt air and the crash of the surf.  I was there two nights. Laurie and I drove out on Sunday, and then Monica joined us on Monday for the second night. Of course, all we did was walk on the beach and talk and talk and talk. Oh, and we cooked some pretty delicious meals, and I ate probably twice what I normally eat at home. That was good.  Message learned: eat with friends.  The dog started out a bit crazy with excitement, and I had to keep him from jumping all over Laurie and Monic... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714393 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:07:24 +0100 3714393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714394&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-obsessed-after-breast-cancer%2F I have become a boob person. I am obsessed with breasts! I catch myself staring at women’s chests all the time. It is easy to find a pair to look at these days, with all the skimpy summer tops and t-shirts exposing cleavage. I wasn’t always like this. Before I had breast cancer, boobs weren’t a big deal. After my mastectomy, my interest began to grow, and I became fully obsessed while I was deciding on reconstruction. The only other time I developed a minor obsession was when I was 13 years old and my first set wasn’t growing as fast as those of my classmates. This is also similar to when I was bald during chemotherapy and I became obsessed with hair, especially blonde hair. Fortunately, I have more to do in my life than stare at women’s bodies, but when the opportunity arise... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714394 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:54:49 +0100 3714394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710745&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F06%2F29%2Fwomen-and-their-hair-a-love-story%2F Donna Trussell at 8 years old. The hair hasn't changed much, has it? My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up. Women and Their Hair: A Love Story. “How can women think with all this hair?” That quote is from an inconsequential bit of fluff, “Switch,” a 1991 movie starring Ellen Barkin. Plot: a sexist man gets murdered by three ex-girlfriends and is reincarnated as a woman, whereupon he gets a taste of his own medicine. Silly movie. Classic quote. How indeed? You can pass all the equality laws you want, but there is one arena in which men and women will forever diverge. Women are obsessed with hair. Men, on the other hand, tend to notice hair when it’s so long they can no longer see. (Or when it disappears, but that’s another story.) Can you imagine ... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710745 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 03:24:14 +0100 3710745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710542&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FuewBAUPhFXA%2F An editorial accompanying the study notes some women may be "making an informed choice to not use an imperfect technology." (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710542 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:04:37 +0100 3710542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737213&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35283&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.org%2FAboutUs%2FDrLensBlog%2Fpost%2F2010%2F06%2F29%2FIs-TARGIT-Radiation-Therapy-For-Breast-Cancer-Really-On-Target.aspx   It all started typically enough a couple of weeks ago, with a request to review and comment on a study presented at the recent cancer meetings involving a new radiation therapy technique for the treatment of early stage breast cancer.   My comments-which were broadcast on a widely watched network evening news program-were reasonably straightforward: the study was interesting, but the treatment wasn't ready for widespread use until more information and longer follow-up was available.   Shortly afterwards, I got a phone call from someone representing the company concerned about my statements and offering further information about the study.  Now, I find myself trying to figure out how to sort through the research results and match what I have learned to what I think is ... Dr. Len's Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737213 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:44:00 +0100 3737213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710754&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fplans-plans.html But every heartache will create space that I alone can fill. And I will. You will learn to wait in Hope. 'My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD...Blessed are those...who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, seasons of weeping, they make it a place of springs.' (Psalm 84:2, 5-6) ~ from 66 Love Letters by Lawrence Crabb (see sidebar to purchase book)The verdict is in.  My oncologist plans further testing based on my tumor marker, which will be back on Thursday - probably a PET scan and a radioactive iodine scan on the same day to try to detect whatever small tumors must exist in my body, creating this thyroid storm.  And tomorrow I am scheduled to get a pacemaker.  I have fought the pacemaker idea since 1994, and feel ... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710754 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:02:00 +0100 3710754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710796&cid=t_355285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FadDs09EjmRs%2F For Eli Lilly execs, the bleeding may never stop. The latest concern over its Effient blood thinner, which the drugmaker still hopes will stanch some revenue that will be lost due to patent expirations on big sellers, is the risk of cancer. The medication was linked to higher cancer rates than Plavix, the league-leading blood thinner, in an analysts of previously unpublished data. Effient yielded a 43 percent higher rate of solid tumors, excluding some skin cancers and brain tumors, than patients on Plavix. And the rate of solid tumors, other than brain and some skin cancers, was 1.4 percent in Effient patients but only 0.9 percent of Plavix patients. The analysis in the Archives of Internal Medicine examined data from the Triton-Timi 38 that Lilly submitted to the FDA for approval to sell... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710796 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:02:06 +0100 3710796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710545&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2F5IfmaMdxEZw%2F Also: a new way to rank drug makers; hypertension in kids; the states' role in implementing health-care overhaul legislation. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710545 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:56:26 +0100 3710545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706876&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fgrowing-in-rocky-places.html This little fern caught my attention, amongst the huge boulders of basalt on the North Shore, clinging to some little tidbit of nourishment or vein of soil beneath them.  I am the fern in the rocks.  For the past few days, I've been battling what I assumed was heart failure returning (due to stress, I surmised).  I was quite swollen by today, with no sign of making progress with my usual herbs, so I called my doctor - the regular one.  He told me to go to the emergency room.  My reaction, of course, was "Pshaw!  Go to the emergency room because I am a little swollen??  Of course not!"  So I called a second doctor, and he said the same thing.  I reluctantly agreed to go...after working on my paper for another three hours.When I got there, I expec... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706876 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:21:00 +0100 3706876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710523&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007292.html A compound in broccoli and brussel sprouts blocks the growth of breast cancer cells. Frequent consumption of these vegetables might lower breast cancer risk. COLUMBUS, Ohio – Researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James) have discovered how a substance that is produced when eating broccoli and Brussels sprouts can block the proliferation of cancer cells. Compelling evidence indicates that the substance, indole-3-carbinol (I3C), may have anticancer effects and other health benefits, the researchers say. These findings show how I3C affects cancer cells and normal cells. The laboratory and animal study discovered a connection between I3C and a molecule called Cdc25A, which is essent... FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710523 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3710523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710522&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007294.html A compound in broccoli and brussel sprouts blocks the growth of breast cancer cells. Frequent consumption of these vegetables might lower breast cancer risk. COLUMBUS, Ohio – Researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James) have discovered how a substance that is produced when eating broccoli and Brussels sprouts can block the proliferation of cancer cells. Compelling evidence indicates that the substance, indole-3-carbinol (I3C), may have anticancer effects and other health benefits, the researchers say. These findings show how I3C affects cancer cells and normal cells. The laboratory and animal study discovered a connection between I3C and a molecule called Cdc25A, which is essent... FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710522 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3710522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706862&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-challenges-us-to-live-a-life-of-no-regrets%2F I have seen my in-laws almost every weekend for the past couple of months because of birthday celebrations, bridal and baby showers, and a family reunion. I don’t mind because I have the best in-laws in the world. I tease my husband that I married him only so I could have his mom and dad in my life. My father-in-law is 91 and my mother-in-law is 87, so they have endless stories that I never tire of. He is a veteran of the Second World War and she grew up on a farm during the Depression. I love her homemade canned relish and squash, and it is never a chore to invite them for dinner. If I sound like the nauseatingly perfect daughter-in-law, it is because they really are as great as I make them sound. My father-in-law is a reminder of how important the people we have in our lives are compar... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706862 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:50:05 +0100 3706862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706651&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FG6vsBg66HYk%2F Cancer centers are using waiting lists and techniques borrowed from the organ-transplant world to distribute Provenge as equitably as is possible. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706651 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:46:50 +0100 3706651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706996&cid=t_355285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F5v78Y_Iq3Uw%2F Patients seeking the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine may wait a year or more because Dendreon can only produce enough to meet about 2 percent of demand. The shortage is expected to last until at least mid-2011 while Dendreon works on getting three plants up and running to capacity, Bloomberg News writes. Meanwhile, hospitals are creating waiting lists as they determine who should be eligible. “Until the capacity issues can be addressed, this will not be an effective agent,” Chris Logothetis, head of prostate cancer research at MD Anderson in Houston, tells the news service. “The waiting list - even as we are telling patients we’re not starting a waiting list because we are inundated - is more than 50 patients. This is going to be a problem.” About 200,000 new prostate cance... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706996 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:47:38 +0100 3706996 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3703050&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Fu0jc27G7aaM%2F Guess what Peggy, Angela, Allan, Susan, and Lee? It’s high time to give up those cancer sticks, because you just won: One EX Quit Pack, which includes: an EX backpack, an EX quit manual, a cigarette pack tracker, an air freshener, an EX cup holder, and quit smoking trigger cards with stickers. Congratulations to all five of you and best of luck! We know you’ll quit smoking for good this time. (And if you didn’t win, read below for info on how to Become an Ex.) At Blisstree, we think smoking is a big deal. And apparently, so do you. (One of our posts: What Happens to Your Body If You Stop Smoking Right Now? currently has 4,282 comments.) For those of you who didn’t win our giveaway, BecomeAnEX is a FREE online and social-media-based quit smoking program. Get t... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3703050 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 01:08:09 +0100 3703050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3702929&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fcongrats-to-the-5-winners-of-our-become-an-ex-quit-smoking-giveaway%2F Guess what Peggy, Angela, Allan, Susan, and Lee? It’s high time to give up those cancer sticks, because you just won: One EX Quit Pack, which includes: an EX backpack, an EX quit manual, a cigarette pack tracker, an air freshener, an EX cup holder, and quit smoking trigger cards with stickers. Congratulations to all five of you and best of luck! We know you’ll quit smoking for good this time. (And if you didn’t win, read below for info on how to Become an Ex.) At Blisstree, we think smoking is a big deal. And apparently, so do you. (One of our posts: What Happens to Your Body If You Stop Smoking Right Now? currently has 4,282 comments.) For those of you who didn’t win our giveaway, BecomeAnEX is a FREE online and social-media-based quit smoking program. Get t... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3702929 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 01:08:09 +0100 3702929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3702982&cid=t_355285_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F27%2Fstrong-at-the-broken-places-on-living-bravely-with-chronic-illness%2F I love this man. Richard Cohen. I love him. His mantra is mine. His hope I cling to. He inspires me. He tells the story of coping with his multiple sclerosis and colon cancer in his New York Times bestseller, “Blindsided: Lifting a Life Above Illness.” Awhile back, he came out with a fascinating book, “Strong at the Broken Places: Voices of Illness, a Chorus of Hope,” profiling five brave persons battling illness. Writes Richard, “These are the faces of illness in America. Do not look away. The characters may surprise you, even shatter a stereotype or two. They are people, not cases, survivors, not victims. Quite simply, they are us. they carry shared resolve, a determination to survive. To flourish.” I read parts of the book two years ago. I was especi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3702982 Sun, 27 Jun 2010 19:27:10 +0100 3702982 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3702936&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-news-consumers-tired-of-misinterpreted-studies%2F2010.06.27 People aren’t dumb. Even if — or maybe especially if — news stories don’t point out the limitations of observational studies and the fact that they can’t establish cause-and-effect, many readers seem to get it. Here are some of the online user comments in response to a CNN.com story that is headlined, “Coffee may cut risk for some cancers“: * “I love how an article starts with something positive and then slowly becomes a little gloomy. So is it good or not? I’m still where I was with coffee, it’s all in moderation, it ain’t gonna solve your health woes.” * “The statistics book in a class I’m taking uses coffee as an example of statistics run amuck. It seems coffee has caused all the cancers and cures them ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3702936 Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:00:31 +0100 3702936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3703067&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fheading-to-the-beach.html I'm heading to the beach today with my friend Laurie, and won't be back in Seattle until late Tuesday. I'll be out of e-mail contact, and so won't be able to respond to comments on my blog, orders for jewelry, or just plain old e-mails until after I return. Monica is joining us tomorrow, and we are going to have a good time, trust me. I've been stronger emotionally this past week, and seeing several good friends helped a lot with that, but physically I feel like crap, not to put too fine a point on it. Not much energy. Not much physical strength. Appetite still a problem. I almost got myself in trouble again the other day by not drinking or eating much for about six hours, but I think I caught it in time and drank and ate better yesterday. I'... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3703067 Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:51:52 +0100 3703067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3702937&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwarfarin-for-early-cancer-detection%2F2010.06.27 In cancer treatment, detection of a tumor in an early stage markedly increases the chance of favorable outcomes.   Can the much-aligned blood thinner, warfarin, occasionally help in early detection of cancer? Few pharmacologic agents receive more bad press than warfarin.  Stories, which are too numerous to count, like “Did warfarin kill my father,” can be widely found on Internet forums, search engines, and are often quoted by reluctant patients — whose numerator of bad warfarin experiences is one. It is true that warfarin has a narrow therapeutic window — a small difference between an effective dose and dangerous dose. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Dr John M* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3702937 Sun, 27 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0100 3702937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3701677&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-sunburn-more-likely-on-the-beach-or-in-the-mountains%2F2010.06.26 While vacationing in Idaho and Montana last week (blissfully off the grid), I experienced something beautiful: altitude. At 6,260 feet Stanley, Idaho is a mile higher than my home in San Diego. The skies there were a brilliant blue. There was daylight well after 10PM. The mornings were a chilly 35 degrees. And I got sunburned. How can this be? Montana is over 1,000 miles north of San Diego. Shouldn’t the sun be stronger down here? (more…) *This blog post was originally published at The Dermatology Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3701677 Sat, 26 Jun 2010 12:00:47 +0100 3701677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699653&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FueBP78qT3hw%2F Last Chance to Become an EX: Quit smoking with this week’s exclusive giveaway. Five Blisstree readers will win an EX Quit Pack to help them kick the habit for good. To enter, let us know how long you’ve been smoking and why you want to quit by this Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699653 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:07:57 +0100 3699653 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699465&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F185224%2F Last Chance to Become an EX: Quit smoking with this week’s exclusive giveaway. Five Blisstree readers will win an EX Quit Pack to help them kick the habit for good. To enter, let us know how long you’ve been smoking and why you want to quit by this Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699465 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:07:57 +0100 3699465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699665&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhy-does-god-allow-breast-cancer%2F As a little girl, somehow I got the impression that God was watching everything I did and would clobber me for any bad behavior. I am sure this came from a mother who wanted to instill the fear of God in me — and it worked. But in my early twenties, I developed my own relationship and understanding of God that has only grown deeper as I get older. For me, now, He is a loving father. Like many people who are diagnosed with cancer, I turned to God with questions and prayers after my breast cancer diagnosis. I didn’t think God gave me cancer, but I knew He somehow had allowed it in my life. I was comforted knowing that He would be with me through my battle against the disease. I was also convinced that He had a plan and a purpose for me to go through this trial. I know there are many who ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699665 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:32:33 +0100 3699665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699678&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fallow-me-to-edit-this-article.html Here's a article that I wish I had three years ago, After cancer Diagnosis, What Comes Next? But I would like to edit it a bit as I think it is missing a few things:1. Get basic information about your cancer - they missed one of the most user friendly sites - American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org. If you google your type of cancer you will probably be able to find information on it. Be leery of any sight with medical information which ends in .com, .net, or .biz - they are trying to sell you something.2. Pick a doctor - If you know anyone who has had the same cancer, ask them. Get a local referral. But also stick within your comfort zone. If you like your doctor, fine dont worry about it. If you want a second opinion, feel free to get one, but also to go back to your first doctor for t... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699678 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:06:00 +0100 3699678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695703&cid=t_355285_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fwhat-does-fatigue-feel-like%2F We all know what it is to be tired, exhausted or sleepy. As part of the human cycle of life we eat, we work, we sleep, and we awake, refreshed. Don’t we? Some of us do but many of us do not. The 24-hour day changes for many of us as night becomes day, sleep brings no relief, and mornings are not refreshing. How could we possibly awake with the same feeling of heaviness we had when we went to bed? For many of us who live with chronic pain, chronic illness or are experiencing some acute health crisis, fatigue can reach a whole new level. For those going through numerous medical treatments such as treatment for cancer, recovery from surgeries of many kinds; they are surprised and discouraged as they discover their “POP” has disappeared. You know, as in “I’m too pooped to POP?” For... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695703 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:38:04 +0100 3695703 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695766&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fhaving-a-quiet-day.html When Younger Son and I were in Germany last year, we had planned to go to Berlin and meet Gudrun and her son Vince. I, unfortunately, was feeling too jet lagged and bothered by the heat to make the trip from Frankfurt to Berlin, so YS went off by himself and I stayed in Frankfurt with my friend Ute. As a result, Gudrun and I never got to meet face to face, which was a disappointment to both of us. But YS had a wonderful time, and Vince took him to see all the museums that were on his list, especially the military ones. Yesterday, I had a chance to partially return the favor, as Vince was in Seattle. He's been in Chicago for almost a year on a fellowship and now is on a trip by Amtrak to see some more of the country.Megan did the driving, and we picked Vince up at his youth ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695766 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:05:31 +0100 3695766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695750&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Fth33akn8Apc%2F Quit for Good: Now is as good a time as any to quit smoking, and it’ll be even easier with an EX Quit Pack. You could win one just by letting us know by this Sunday how long you’ve been a smoker and why you want to quit. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695750 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:48:22 +0100 3695750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695535&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F184981%2F Quit for Good: Now is as good a time as any to quit smoking, and it’ll be even easier with an EX Quit Pack. You could win one just by letting us know by this Sunday how long you’ve been a smoker and why you want to quit. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695535 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:48:22 +0100 3695535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3690782&cid=t_355285_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fcups-coffee-day-cuts-risk-types-cancers%2F Dr. Mia Hashibe and colleagues at the University of Utah have published a study showing that drinking four or more cups of coffee a day cut the risk of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3690782 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:08:33 +0100 3690782 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691031&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FlqAoiItYf0U%2F Germs, especially bacteria, have a fairly tarnished reputation among health circles, but according to Martin Blaser, chairman of the department of medicine at New York University Medical School, we might actually need more of them. The former president of the Infectious Disease Society of America says that our use of antibiotics and antibacterial products has reduced the number of healthy bacteria in our digestive tracts, changing our digestion and contributing to the rise in obesity. According to an article from Forbes.com, he’s not the only one who thinks that bacteria could be a good thing: They’ve compiled a list of ways that germs can actually be good for you, backed up by research from several scientists: 1. Controlling Weight – According to research from Cornell Univer... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691031 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:57:12 +0100 3691031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3690807&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F7-ways-that-germs-can-be-good-for-you-and-why-you-should-think-twice-before-taking-antibiotics%2F Germs, especially bacteria, have a fairly tarnished reputation among health circles, but according to Martin Blaser, chairman of the department of medicine at New York University Medical School, we might actually need more of them. The former president of the Infectious Disease Society of America says that our use of antibiotics and antibacterial products has reduced the number of healthy bacteria in our digestive tracts, changing our digestion and contributing to the rise in obesity. According to an article from Forbes.com, he’s not the only one who thinks that bacteria could be a good thing: They’ve compiled a list of ways that germs can actually be good for you, backed up by research from several scientists: 1. Controlling Weight – According to research from Cornell Univer... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3690807 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:57:12 +0100 3690807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691035&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F3BzYyN7ott8%2F Become an EX: If you’re a smoker and want to quit (and who wouldn’t?), enter this week’s exclusive giveaway. Five winners will win an EX Quit Pack, which has all the tools you need to quit. Just leave a comment and let us know how long you’ve been smoking, and why you want to quit. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691035 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:05:55 +0100 3691035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3690811&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F184666%2F Become an EX: If you’re a smoker and want to quit (and who wouldn’t?), enter this week’s exclusive giveaway. Five winners will win an EX Quit Pack, which has all the tools you need to quit. Just leave a comment and let us know how long you’ve been smoking, and why you want to quit. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3690811 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:05:55 +0100 3690811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691053&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdid-god-give-you-breast-cancer-2%2F As a little girl, somehow I got the impression that God was watching everything I did and would clobber me for any bad behavior. I am sure this came from a mother who wanted to instill the fear of God in me — and it worked. But in my early twenties, I developed my own relationship and understanding of God that has only grown deeper as I get older. For me, now, He is a loving father. Like many people who are diagnosed with cancer, I turned to God with questions and prayers after my breast cancer diagnosis. I didn’t think God gave me cancer, but I knew He somehow had allowed it in my life. I was comforted knowing that He would be with me through my battle against the disease. I was also convinced that He had a plan and a purpose for me to go through this trial. I know there are many who ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691053 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:36:40 +0100 3691053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3690817&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FbhU2e453aOA%2F The study looked at 1,397 British kids aged up to 4 years with cancer, then compared them to similar kids who didn't have cancer. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3690817 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:45:41 +0100 3690817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691124&cid=t_355285_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F181%2Fcan-an-anti-aging-diet-really-reverse-wrinkles%2F Can an anti aging diet reverse wrinkles?  At least one dermatologist seems to think so.  It might work for some people.  It really depends on what they were eating before. Trying to eat right is well worth your while.  It’s not just about how you look.  It’s also about developing the so-called age-related diseases.  The latest research indicates that many of those diseases are preventable if people eat right and have a healthy lifestyle. Advice about eating right has changed over the years and continues to do so.  There are the high protein diets, the high carb diets, the low fat diets and others.  The proponents of each of those diets claim to have found the key to weight maintenance and good health. Here’s my advice.  Avoid packaged, processed and prepared foods.  Eat at ... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691124 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:03:06 +0100 3691124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691097&cid=t_355285_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F23%2Fexelixis_gets_a_compound_back.php Exelixis has long been a bit of a puzzle to outside observers. The company has developed a number of clinical candidates in oncology (many of them kinase inhibitors, I believe). In fact, for a while there, they seemed to have developed more clinical candidates than a company that size should have been able to manage. It was a bit alarming to employees of larger companies in the area. And figuring out what the structures of these things were wasn't so easy, either. I once had the unenviable assignment of trying to break down a stack of their patent applications to see if I could find the lead structure for one of their compounds, and after a week or so I had to concede. None of my usual tricks worked - untangling and charting out the synthetic pathways from the experimental section to see ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691097 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:31:20 +0100 3691097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687324&cid=t_355285_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fa-good-day-for-a-change.html The sun is out today--thank goodness--and it's warmer, but still not the usual Seattle temperature for June. (I think it's only in the low 60s.)Still, that, along with my getting a really good night's sleep, is enough to improve my mood tremendously. The cat continues to do well, although she keeps trying to get that cone off her neck. But she ate this morning, and I got her pill down her on the second try. Cats are sneaky, and she spit it out on the floor after my first try. Mind you, this was with her wrapped in a towel and held by Megan so she couldn't scratch. But if you can't get the pill past the cat's tongue, she can spit it out. Then Megan and I took Connie for a walk down to the park and played catch with him in the big field there. He hadn'... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687324 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:21:41 +0100 3687324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687309&cid=t_355285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FnozVaiZKyDc%2F Want to quit smoking? Five Blisstree Readers will win an EX Quit Pack, with all the tools you need to stop smoking for good. Just let us know how long you’ve been a smoker and why you want to quit! Post from: BlissTree (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687309 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:07:55 +0100 3687309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687070&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F184498%2F Want to quit smoking? Five Blisstree Readers will win an EX Quit Pack, with all the tools you need to stop smoking for good. Just let us know how long you’ve been a smoker and why you want to quit! Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687070 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:07:55 +0100 3687070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687241&cid=t_355285_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fanother-article-about-oral-cancer%2F Yes. This morning, in my email, I found to notifications about oral cancer information, but they weren’t the same old heart wrenching statistics we already know about. Every dental professional knows that oral cancer screening is an essential part of a thorough dental checkup. The highly publicized statistics about oral cancer frequency, mortality rate, and cure rate are common knowledge in the field. A recent Web Exclusive article titled “Part 1: The importance of oral cancer screenings” appeared on www.DentalProductsReport.com this month. Written by Eileen Morrissey, a dental hygienist, the text supports the importance of oral cancer screenings and provides a good example of how a dentist can adopt new oral cancer screening technology. Morrissey provides this advice: “If you are ... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687241 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:53:18 +0100 3687241 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687076&cid=t_355285_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FXqcJwzRLDgo%2F Also: research on how prescription drugs interact with foods; study shows there are lots of foreign trials for drugs. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687076 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:16:05 +0100 3687076