Entries tagged as Cancer

An Exploratory Ecological Investigation Into The Correlation Between Rates Of Cancer And Autism

On March 4, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism, Cancer / No Comments

autism_cancer_graphAutism is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by severe impairments in social skills, language and communication, as well as behavioral disturbances. There is growing public awareness of autism because rates of this disorder are thought to be rising [1]. The etiology of autism is still unknown and clues as to its cause are urgently needed. Check the end of this report for a link to download this open access article. (read the full story)

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Cancer Patients Find Relief In Integrative Medicine Services

On March 4, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Cancer / No Comments

individual therapyThe very instant Penny Kukovec was diagnosed with breast cancer her world permanently changed. Suddenly, it felt as if her life was out of her control. She felt powerless and overwhelmed. There were so many unanswered questions. Why me? What’s next? What about my family? The feelings Kukovec experienced are felt by many cancer patients following their initial diagnosis and as they pursue treatment. In an effort to effectively and compassionately respond to these worries, as well as address common side effects associated with cancer treatment, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University now offer integrative oncology services. (read the full story)

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A New Way To Kill Cancer Cells Through Synthetic Lethality

On February 27, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Cancer / No Comments

Ovarian and breast cancer treatments being developed that mix a protein inhibitor and traditional anticancer drugs are showing signs of success, according to a new review for Faculty of 1000 Biology Reports. Susan Bates and Christina Annunziata looked at several recent papers on this form of treatment, which takes advantage of the synthetic lethality of BRCA (breast cancer susceptibility genes) and poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) proteins to attack cancerous cells whilst sparing healthy ones. (continue reading)

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Annual Report To The Nation Finds Continued Declines In Overall Cancer Rates

On January 23, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Cancer / No Comments

Good news on the front-line of cancer research. Rates of new diagnoses and rates of death from all cancers combined declined significantly in the most recent time period for men and women overall and for most racial and ethnic populations in the United States, according to a report from leading health and cancer organizations. The drops are driven largely by declines in rates of new cases and rates of death for the three most common cancers in men (lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers) and for two of the three leading cancers in women (breast and colorectal cancer). New diagnoses for all types of cancer combined in the United States decreased, on average, almost 1 percent per year from 1999 to 2006. Cancer deaths decreased 1.6 percent per year from 2001 to 2006. (continue reading)

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Natural Compounds In Pomegranates May Prevent Growth Of Hormone-Dependent Breast Cancer

On January 5, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Cancer / No Comments

Eating fruit, such as pomegranates, that contain anti-aromatase phytochemicals reduces the incidence of hormone-dependent breast cancer, according to results of a study published in the January issue of Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. (continue reading)

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Group Therapy Improves Survival in Women With Breast Cancer

On March 1, 2009 / By Chris Fisher / In Cancer, Group Therapy / 1 Comment

group_therapy In a long term follow up (median = 11 years) study, researchers* report that women with breast cancer who received group therapy (i.e., psychological treatment in a group format) versus those in an assessment only group (n = 227) experienced statistically significant improvements life expectancy 11 years after diagnosis. Group therapy consisted of 8-12 participants and 2 psychologists with an overall focus on stress reduction, quality of life improvements, improved health behaviors, and adherence to medical treatment. A multi-modal approach to intervention was used, including progressive muscle relaxation, problem solving, identification of available social support, and physical exercise and dietary regimens. Group therapy was, of course, administered concurrently with the participants’ medical therapies. The researchers did an excellent job in their statistical control of extraneous factors, such as lymph node status, tumor size, and type of medical treatment. (more…)

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