When I finally got on the big bus yesterday from my hotel to the Orange County Convention Center where the ASCO meeting is being held, I realized how excited I was, how much this annual event is looked forward to by doctors and patients alike.

Will there be a blockbuster new drug this year for colorectal cancer?  A big biomarker like KRAS was last year?  New directions in surgery? Radiation? Read the rest of this entry »

Can a computerized system that monitors patient responsiveness and oxygen levels provide safe sedation using propofol during colonoscopy without a trained anesthetist present?

While not making a recommendation, C3 brought both its positive impressions and its concerns to consideration of a computer-assisted personalized sedation system  for endoscopy procedures to the Food and Drug Administration’s Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices Panel (ARTDP) on May 28. Read the rest of this entry »

We have learned that we can prevent colon cancer by taking aspirin. However because of the significant side effects such as gastric ulcer, bleeding complications and kidney problems, aspirin is not recommended for the public to prevent colon cancer.

In an effort to prevent colon cancer but avoid the side effects of aspirin, COX-2 inhibitors such as Celebrex® (celecoxib) was developed and tested to see if they could prevent colon cancer without the side effects of aspirin. Unfortunately, we have witnessed that high doses of Celebrex can cause heart attacks which put a significant hold on the development of these drugs as chemopreventative agents. Read the rest of this entry »

For centuries, ginger has been used for its antispasmodic, anti-nausea action and its ability to relieve nausea, vomiting, indigestion, and to calm an upset stomach. There are also reports that ginger can decrease dizziness and vertigo and some studies report that it improves the heart’s overall functioning.

Studies report that ginger can reduce blood pressure and reduce cholesterol which all help to decrease risk of coronary artery disease. One study showed that ginger is as effective as prescription drugs such as Reglan to treat nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy.

Last week there was a big write-up in the Los Angeles Times, so most of my patients cut out the article and asked me if it is okay to take ginger. Read the rest of this entry »

Adding ginger capsules to standard treatment for chemotherapy nausea reduced nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.

Patients who got ginger (Zingiber Officinale) in capsules twice a day for three days before chemo and three days after reported significantly less nausea that those who were treated with placebo.  All patients in the study also received standard anti-nausea therapy on the day of chemo.

Almost 650 patients, mostly women, were randomly assigned to ginger supplements or a placebo in a blinded trial that will be reported at the 2009 ASCO annual meeting. Read the rest of this entry »