Tuesday, December 20, 2016

New Ovarian Cancer Drug Wins Speedy FDA Approval


U.S. health officials have approved a new option for some women battling ovarian cancer: a drug that targets a genetic mutation seen in a subset of hard-to-treat tumors.

The Food and Drug Administration cleared the drug, Rubraca, from Clovis Oncology Inc. for women in advanced stages of the disease who have already tried at least two chemotherapy drugs.
The Clovis medication targets a mutation found in 15 to 20 percent of patients with ovarian cancer. Women with the variation, known as BRCA, face much higher risks of breast cancer and ovarian cancer compared with other women.

The FDA also approved a companion test that screens for the mutation.
About 1 percent of women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. This year an estimated 14,240 women will die from the diseasen the U.S. Currently, standard treatment includes surgery to try and remove tumors or chemotherapy.

Read complete article...

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Polson Middle School Students Volunteer at Oncology Clinic

A Leadership Class of Polson Middle School students are sharing their smiles, positive life perspectives, empathy, respect and curiosity with cancer patients at Polson Oncology Clinic on Tuesdays. 

Class teacher, Nicole Dubuque Camel, has a connection with Cheerful Heart and the oncology clinic. Her father, Don Dubuque, was a vital cancer thriver who felt strongly about supporting fellow cancer patients until his death in April of 2010. He was a constant presence at the clinic for years while he was in or out of treatment.

Fifteen students rotate involvement in the community as well as in school. The class meets five days a week and work includes classroom mentoring, welcoming new students, organizing school-wide fundraisers in addition to the volunteer work at Cheerful Heart. Students give time, keep a journal and spend time talking amongst themselves and with Nicole about their experiences. At the oncology clinic, in addition to serving soup and stocking snack items, students spend time developing relationships. They have learned to respect the needs of all patients. When a patient needs privacy and quiet, the students have learned to respect that need and add the experience to their journal and in follow-up discussions.

Nicole says the students look forward to Tuesday more than any other day, and it seems that the majority of patients enjoy the youthful, hopeful perspectives of the students as well. Friendships have developed, in fact, one student has written a letter to a young relative of a current cancer patient. Nicole feels strongly that "we are not growing if we are not serving others." She echoes the probable sentiments of her father… "It is a blessed and sacred time…”


Polson Middle School students bring a positive,
hopeful attitude to the Polson Oncology Clinic.
Pictured with Cheerful Heart volunteer Jane Holland (right) students from left: Sophia Moderner, Tana Allison and Maggie Todd.









From left:  Taleah Hernandez, Jazlyn Dalbey and
Berkley Ellis.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Latest cancer news . . .

Latest Cinical News…Montana Cancer Center web site... Read more...

Complementary and integrative medicine…Montana Cancer Center web site...
Read more...


China Used Crispr to Fight Cancer in a Real, Live Human - Nov 18, 2016

Do you remember President-elect Trump holding forth on the campaign trail about “China beating us at our own game”? Well, it’s true, as long as the game in question is editing human DNA using Crispr/Cas9. China is now using Crispr-edited cells in living, breathing human beings.
Last month, Chinese scientists at Sichuan University injected cancer-fighting, Crispr-modified white blood cells into a patient suffering from metastatic lung cancer. It was just the latest in a line of recent firsts for the People’s Republic of China, following on the heels of the first Crispr-edited monkeys in early 2014, and the first Crispr-edited human embryos last May. So there it is, Mr. President-elect: Are you going to let China win the race to edit humans?  Read more...

Why the Latest Cancer Drugs May Not Be as Successful as They Seem  - Nov. 9, 2016  
Read more...


Olaparib approved for use in Scotland - Nov. 7, 2017
This week the drug olaparib (also known as Lynparza) was approved for use in Scotland for women with ovarian cancer by the Scottish Medicine’s Consortium. Scottish charity Worldwide Cancer Research funded work which kick-started the development of this drug over 20 years ago.  

Read more...

Cancer News
. . .

New Cancer Drugs May Damage the Heart - Nov. 2, 2016  Doctors have found a disturbing downside to some powerful new drugs that harness the immune system to fight cancer: In rare cases, they may cause potentially fatal heart damage, especially when used together.  Read more...

Cancer / Oncology News. Medical News Today.  Read more...
The latest cancer and oncology research from prestigious universities and journals throughout the world.

Cancer Currents: An NCI Cancer Research Blog...
Read more...

Friday, September 16, 2016

The Longer You’re Overweight, the Greater Your Risk of Cancer


According to recent research, the longer a woman is overweight, the more likely she is to develop breast, endometrial, colon or kidney cancer.1 Obesity is indeed a known risk factor for cancer, so this finding in and of itself is not surprising.
Worldwide, obesity is responsible for an estimated 500,000 cancer cases each year,2 and according to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), excess body weight is responsible for about 25 percent of the relative contribution to cancer incidence, ranking second only to smoking.3
When obesity is combined with other high-risk behaviors, such as a poor diet and lack of exercise, the relative contribution rises to 33 percent of all cancer cases in the U.S. What's new here is that the length of time spent being overweight also contributes to your overall risk. As reported by CBS News:4
"On average, the study found, the odds rose by 10 percent for every 10 years a woman had been obese. Similarly, they climbed by 7 percent for every decade she'd been overweight."

How Excess Weight Contributes to Cancer

Obesity can raise your risk of cancer in several ways. Some cancers, especially breast and endometrial cancer, are sensitive to the female sex hormone estrogen, and fat cells produce an excess of this hormone.
This is also why obesity in young children is such a grave concern. By carrying excess weight (and excess estrogen) for many years, if not decades, they're at a significantly heightened risk of cancer as adults.
Obesity is also associated with elevated inflammation levels in your body, which can contribute to cancer growth. One of the basic reasons why nutritional ketosis works so well against cancer is because it drives your inflammation down to almost nothing.
A high-sugar diet, which tends to pack on the pounds, also feeds cancer by providing cancer cells with their preferred fuel. A healthy high-fat diet, on the other hand, tends to discourage cancer growth, as cancer cells lack the metabolic flexibility to use ketones derived from fat as fuel.
It is likely that the obesity represents an indirect marker for the true cause of the problem that contributes to both obesity and cancer, namely insulin resistance, which is also associated with leptin resistance and activation of the mTOR pathway.
By lowering your blood sugar levels and normalizing your insulin receptor sensitivity, exercise has a similar effect, as this too creates an environment less conducive to cancer growth.

Read complete article...

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Latest Cancer News


New Mexico researchers part of mission to break down cancer barriers
...University New Mexico research

    UNM researchers earned national attention in 2011 when they identified a pair of harmful gene   
    mutations prevalent among Hispanic and Native American children suffering from a deadly form  
    of blood cancer.

    The research led to effective treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, which takes
    an especially deadly form in Hispanic and Native American children. The work played a key role  
    in UNM’s designation last year as a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center, 
    putting it among elite U.S. cancer centers. ...    Read article...

Cancer 'Moonshot' Plan: Sharing Knowledge Can Speed Cures  Read article...

Cancer Moonshot: Biden talks to Brokaw  Read article...

Researchers rally for Cancer Moonshot  Read article...

Time Is Right for Obama's Ambitious Cancer 'Moonshot,' Experts Say  Read article...

Doctor Targets Gene Mutations for Cancer Care
  Read article...

President Obama's Cancer 'Moon Shot': How Scientists Are Trying to Cure the Disease
Read article...

Cancer survivor sets sights on winning weightlifting competitions
  Read article...

Following prevention guidelines linked to lowered risk for cancer  Read article...

Sunday, June 12, 2016

How Diet and Nutrition Influence Cancer


Is it possible that chromosomal damage is simply a marker for cancer and not the actual cause of the disease? Compelling evidence suggests this is the case, and in the featured lecture, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Gary Fettke reviews some of this evidence.

Having battled cancer himself, Fettke came to realize the influence of nutrition on cancer, and the importance of eating a diet high in healthy fats and low in net carbohydrates (total carbs minus fiber, i.e. non-fiber carbs). Fettke is not the only one promoting the metabolic model of cancer
Read more...

Friday, June 3, 2016

“A Series Of Catastrophes And Miracles”

Diane Rehm podcast:  Mary Elizabeth Williams:  “A Series Of Catastrophes And Miracles”  

Six years ago writer Mary Elizabeth Williams received a diagnosis of malignant melanoma. As the cancer spread through her body, she faced a grim prognosis. With little to lose, Williams seized the chance to take part in an early clinical trial for immunotherapy. Unlike chemotherapy and radiation, which directly target the cancer, immunotherapy helps the immune system fight the disease. Her treatment completely eliminated the melanoma in her body. In a new book, Williams offers an intimate view into this chapter of her life and how she became a breakthrough case for the revolutionary field of immunotherapy.

Click on the link above and listen to Diane Rehm's interview with Mary Elizabeth.

Exercise Can Lower Risk of a Dozen Cancers by 20 Percent

Exercise is an important component of cancer prevention and care; slashing your risk of cancer occurrence, improving your chances of successful recuperation, and diminishing your risk of cancer recurrence.
 
Studies suggest physically active individuals have anywhere from 20 to 55 percent lower risk of cancer than their sedentary peers. Read more ...

Monday, May 30, 2016

Knitted Knockers ~ handmade breast prosthesis

Knitted Knockers are special handmade breast prosthesis for women who have undergone mastectomies or other procedures to the breast. Traditional breast prosthetics are usually expensive, heavy, sweaty and uncomfortable. They typically require special bras or camisoles with pockets and can’t be worn for weeks after surgery. Knitted Knockers on the other hand are soft, comfortable, beautiful and when placed in a regular bra they take the shape and feel of a real breast. Our special volunteer knitters provide these free to those requesting them. Knitted knockers can be adjusted to fill the gap for breasts that are uneven and easily adapted for those going through reconstruction by simply removing some of the stuffing. Read more....Web site...

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Cancer Cure 'Moonshot"

FACT SHEET: Investing in the National Cancer Moonshot ...read article...

National Cancer Moonshot ...
read article
 
What’s the Point of Joe Biden’s ‘Moonshot’?...read article

MD Anderson’s “A moonshot for cancer”...read article
 

Why the ‘Moon Shot’ to Cure Cancer Might Work...read article

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Cancer Awareness Day at SKC raises $5,835 for Cheerful Heart

From left: Juan Perez (SKC Athletics), Barbara Morin (Cheerful Heart), Niki Graham
(Center for Prevention & Wellness), Jamie DePoe, Becky DePoe, Dr. Sandra Boham SKC President) and Angelique Albert (SKC Foundation).


Salish Kootenai College Foundation, Center for Prevention & Wellness, and SKC Athletics collaborated to organize a Cancer Awareness Day at SKC.  Cancer Awareness Day took place during SKC Founders’ Week Celebration this past year, and entailed a number of activities including a fundraising dinner, cancer walk, and basketball games.

The intent was to raise awareness for cancer, as well as support President Robert R. DePoe III in his fight against cancer. The event raised $5,835 for Cheerful Heart, Inc.  Robert passed away in December 2015.

Cheerful Heart has served Lake County cancer patients for 13 years. CH services include: serving soup and refreshments at the Oncology Clinic on Tuesdays at St. Joseph Medical Center; providing transportation to appointments and treatments; running errands; and helping out whenever a request is made. CH is run by volunteers.

In addition to help with every day tasks and clinic support, CH services include a Wigs, Hats & Scarves Program, a lending library, a Cancer Support Group and the Cheerful Touch Program. Cheerful Touch, established in 2012, offers services that are free to cancer patients including massage, hair and skin care, manicures and pedicures.

To get more Cheerful Heart information call 883-3070, visit the web site  cheerfulheart.org, or email cheerfulheart@centurytel.net.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Charlo Athletes Raise $1,977 for Cheerful Heart


Charlo High School's football and volleyball teams had a 'Think Pink' Cancer Awareness fundraiser during October 2015 and raised $1,977 for Cheerful Heart.

Students sold Fight Cancer T-shirts, quilt raffle tickets, pink footballs, pink volleyballs, held bake sales, and distributed coupons for a free breast exams from St. Luke's Hospital in Ronan. Tricia Andersen and Laura McGee coordinated the fundraiser.

A contest was held for the female and male student selling the most T-shirts. Vikings Football senior player Dugan Runkle sold $252 and Lady Vikes Volleyball sophomore player Sakoya Gaustad sold $200. Both won a $10 credit at the Charlo gym concession stand.

After researching different organizations in the county, it was decided to donate the funds to Cheerful Heart. Students and coordinators emphasized how thankful they are for the support they received during the fundraiser.

Photo: from left Barbara Morin (Cheerful Heart board member and Volunteer Coordinator), Dugan Runkle, Sakoya Gaustad and Valerie Lindstrom, Cheerful Heart board member.

Healing Touch ~ Integrative Medicine

by Kathie Folts RN CHPN

I work in the Montana Cancer Specialists clinic on the third floor of Providence St. Joseph in Polson on Tuesdays. I have worked in the clinic for the past 14 years. I am an RN with a Nursing Certification with Hospice and Palliative Care. I am currently working towards a Nursing Certification for Practice in Healing Touch. I am currently in my third year of study at Level II, plan to finish Level III in the spring, and my goal is to complete the certification at Level V within five years.

What is Healing Touch
Healing Touch [HT] is an energy healing therapy in which practitioners consciously use their hands in a heart-centered and intentional way to enhance, support and facilitate physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health and self-healing. Healing Touch utilizes light- or near-body touch to clear, balance and energize the human energy system in order to promote health and   healing for mind, body and spirit.

Healing Touch complements conventional health care and is used in collaboration with other approaches to health and healing.

What is Energy Medicine
Simply speaking, Energy Medicine is the diagnostic and therapeutic use of energy. Energy medicine is a growing field in healthcare composed of two main branches. The first is bio- mechanical in nature and utilizes electrical or magnetic devices which provide images of some aspect of the human body for diagnostic purposes or somehow stimulates[treats] a diagnosed condition…. The second branch of energy medicine is referred to as energy healing therapy, bio-field energy therapy or hands-on energy medicine. Multiple sub disciplines of energy healing therapy have developed over recent years, but are based on ancient methods of hands-on healing known throughout many world cultures

Healing Touch is now seen in hospitals, clinics, home care, hospice and is promoted and provided by the Veteran’s Administration Health Care System.

Healing Touch is non- invasive and does not require preparation medications, special equipment or specialized settings. It takes the consent of the client and the establishment of positive intention to assist the client to move to self-healing. As with most self-healing it is a process, and results may differ from person to person. Some of the methods can be taught to the client to help themselves. This therapy is not meant to be the only intervention for healthcare. It is to be a part of the healthcare.

During the past three years, I have had many experiences working with people with energy medicine. Each person shares positive feedback, and I learn about what I felt in those areas where a response is noted. Each practitioner has a niche of how they experience the flow of the energy. Some can see the energies around the patient, some have an intuition as to what is there. I tend to see colors and patterns that tell me if an area is blocked or open. It is truly a treatment done with good intentions and sharing of healer and healing patient. It is to help the patient’s body heal itself.

Source: Healing Touchl Level I Notebook from the Healing Touch Program-Janet Mentgen BSN,RN and Mary Jo Bulbrook BSN, MEd, RN. the other information is from Kathie’s learning and observations.

Kathie’s introduction to Integrative Medicine was listening to Dr. Mimi Guarneri. She can be found on YouTube TED talks. Kathie also has a Great Courses program taught by Dr. Guarneri. http://www.mimiguarnerimd.com/biography.php

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Integrative Medicine
Integrative medicine is an approach to care that puts the patient at the center and addresses the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a person’s health. Employing a personalized strategy that considers the patient’s unique conditions, needs and circumstances, it uses the most appropriate interventions from an array of scientific disciplines to heal illness and disease and help people regain and maintain optimum health.
Integrative medicine is grounded in the definition of health. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Integrative medicine seeks to restore and maintain health and wellness across a person’s lifespan by understanding the patient’s unique set of circumstances and addressing the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect health. Through personalizing care, integrative medicine goes beyond the treatment of symptoms to address all the causes of an illness. In doing so, the patient’s immediate health needs as well as the
effects of the long-term and complex interplay between biological, behavioral, psychosocial and environmental influences are taken into account.

Integrative medicine is not the same as alternative medicine, which refers to an approach to healing that is utilized in place of conventional therapies, or complementary medicine, which refers to healing modalities that are used to complement allopathic approaches. If the defining principles are applied, care can be integrative regardless of which modalities are utilized.

Source: https://www.dukeintegrativemedicine.org/about/