In the plenary session at ASCO this year there was a presentation of a large NASBP trial which tested whether the addition of Avastin® (bevacizumab) to 6 months of FOLFOX would decrease tumor recurrence.

The data suggested that there was no benefit with the addition of Avastin, which was given not only for 6 months along with chemotherapy but 6 months in addition to FOLFOX for a total of 12 months. Read the rest of this entry »

I am on my flight back from ASCO, the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Orlando, where over 20,000 oncologists from around the world discuss the newest data in clinical and translational research. This year’s theme was personalized oncology care. 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 »

I’ve been reading about why red meat is associated with higher colon cancer risk. Initially it was thought it was because of the fat in the meat, but this has changed. It may due to protein.

Worldwide, red meat consumption in countries matches colon cancer incidence perfectly. Countries where people eat a lot of red meat such as US, Europe, and South America have the highest incidence. Countries like Japan, China, and the Far East, which have increased their intake of red meat with the westernization of diet, have the highest increase of colon cancer incidence. Japan, a country which used to have the lowest incidence of colon cancer, has now a higher incidence than the USA.  Japan has a dramatic shortage of oncologists to deal with the increasing number of cases. Read the rest of this entry »