Spanish researchers have found that patients treated every week with Camptosar® (irinotecan, CPT-11) plus a high dose of  continuous infusion 5-FU (fluorouracil) without leucovorin had similar outcomes to those treated with the more common biweekly FOLFIRI treatment that includes leucovorin.  FOLFIRI is Camptosar, 5-FU, and leucovorin.  The new treatment is called FUIRI. Read the rest of this entry »

The Food and Drug Administration has approved an oral formulation of Aloxi® (palonosetron) to prevent nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.  A single 5 milligram capsule reduces the risk of nausea during the first 24 hours after chemotherapy and for up to five days afterwards.  The medicine is taken about an hour before chemotherapy starts. Read the rest of this entry »

Latinos who responded to a health questionnaire in Spanish were significantly less likely to have been screened for colorectal cancer than Latinos who answered in English or English-speaking non-Latinos. Read the rest of this entry »

The Colon Club says that Colorectal Cancer is a Big Dam Problem. They are inviting people to join the models from the 2009 Colondar on September 6th to cross the Big Dam Bridge between Little Rock and and North Little Rock to raise awareness of colorectal cancer in Arkansas.

The Colondar features young colon or rectal cancer survivors who show off their scars for the photographer.

• WHO: Anyone who has been touched by colorectal cancer
• WHAT: Colorectal Cancer: It’s A Big Dam Problem!
• WHERE: Big Dam Bridge (starting on Little Rock side)
• WHEN: Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 9:00am
• WHY:To raise awareness about colorectal cancer in Arkansas Read the rest of this entry »

Although overall colorectal cancer rates are lower Native Americans than in whites, there are significant regional differences that show a marked increase in colorectal cancer in Alaskan Natives and Native Americans who live in the Northwest Plains.

Alaskan Natives and Alaskan Indians were twice as likely to have colorectal cancer as non-Hispanic whites, and five times as likely as Native Americans living in the Southwest.  Native Americans in the Northern Plains were diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer about 40 percent more often than whites.

Alaska natives also were diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer almost twice as often as white Americans.

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