Cancer in the News, Friday April 18, 2008

An interesting array of new cancer information and news found its way to my in box this week.

Are you familiar with The American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge? Check out this amazing facility that offers not only free temporary lodging for cancer patients undergoing treatment but also provides support and information when patients and their families need it most.

There are 26 Hope Lodge facilities across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The newest Hope Lodge, located in NYC was recently featured in the local New York City television news. A great story, available on YouTube.

The Guardian, April 18, 2008. Magnets Can Guide Anti-Cancer Drugs to tumours, Say Scientists. “Cancer treatments can be delivered straight to tumour cells using tiny magnets, saving healthy cells from their toxic side-effects, researchers said yesterday.”

The Sydney Morning Herald, April 17, 2008. Aussies Stop Cancer Tumour Frenzy. “Researchers based at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research have discovered a gene that can reverse angiogenesis – the growth of blood vessels inside a tumour.”

E! Online, April 16, 2008. Cynthia Nixon Beats Breast Cancer. Cynthia Nixon of Sex and the City fame has announced she was diagnosed with breast cancer more than a year and a half ago. She is now cancer free.

Reuters, April 16, 2008. Avant shares soar in Pfizer brain cancer deal. “Pfizer has agreed to license from Avant Immunotherapeutics its experimental vaccine to treat the most common form of brain cancer.”

MSNBC.com, April 16, 2008. Spector addresses cancer recurrence: ‘I consider it a bump in the road,’ he tells reporters. “Republican Sen. Arlen Specter said on Tuesday he has been diagnosed with a recurrence of Hodgkin’s disease, a cancer of the lymph system. ”

ScienceDaily, April 16, 2008. Effective Colon Cancer Prevention Treatment Discovered. “Using a combination of a targeted cancer-fighting agent called DFMO and a low dose of an anti-inflammatory drug, UC Irvine researchers have reduced the risk of reoccurring colorectal polyps, an early sign of colon cancer, by as much as 95 percent with fewer toxic side effects. ”

WashingtonPost.com, April 15, 2008. Extra Drug Improves Rectal Cancer Treatment. “Adding the cancer drug Avastin to radiation and chemotherapy improves results for patients with rectal cancer. And adding the contraceptive drug mifepristone (RU-486, the so-called abortion pill) to chemotherapy kills ovarian cancer cells that escaped cisplatin treatment.”

WebMD, Medical News, April 14, 2008. ‘Cautious Optimism’ Over Cancer Vaccine. ” Vaccines that rev up the immune system to seek out and destroy tumor cells are showing promise for the treatment of cervical and breast cancer.”

And finally, an interesting book just came out. I’ve added it to my TBR (to be read) pile.

The Eggplant Cancer Cure: A Treatment for Skin Cancer and New Hope for Other Cancers from Nature’s Pharmacy by Bill Cham (March 25, 2008)