It might surprise you to know that some of the key players in the development of colorectal cancer research are regular folks like you. Patient advocates, as they are called, add the much-needed patient perspective to the development of clinical trials and can be the crucial voice that determines their success.

Fight Colorectal Cancer is developing a program to train regular people impacted by colorectal cancer – patients, caregivers, or family members – to participate in research advocacy. If you’ve been wanting to step up your efforts to fight colorectal cancer in new and exciting ways, we want to hear from you. But first, a few questions:

If you can see yourself in a role like this, tell us. Please complete a brief, two question survey to tell us a little bit about yourself.

Based on the answers we receive to this survey, we’ll be launching a research advocate program later this spring.

Thank you for taking the time to provide us your feedback on how to make the program as valuable as possible to advocates like you.

Among the nearly 12 million US cancer survivors, there are 1.1 million who have been diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer.

The number of all US cancer survivors has increased steadily from about 3.8 million in 1971 to 9.8 million in 2001 to 11.7 million in 2007.

More than half of survivors had colorectal, breast, or prostate cancer.

Individuals are considered cancer survivors from the time of diagnosis through the balance of their lives. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the most surprising data presented at the GI Symposium in January 2011 in San Francisco was the negative result of the European trial called AVANT.

Dr. HJ Lenz

In that clinical trial patients who underwent a curative resection for colon cancer received either FOLFOX or FOLFOX with Avastin® (bevacizumab) treatment after their surgery. Chemotherapy was given over 6 months, but patients who were randomly selected for Avastin received 6 months with chemotherapy and additional  6 months alone after chemotherapy ended for a total of 12 months of Avastin. Read the rest of this entry »

March 23rd was GI Nurses and Associates Day.

So today, better late than never, we’re sending a big bunch of thank-yous to those gastrointestinal nurses and associates who are doing so much to end colorectal cancer.

It’s their skill, dedication, and good care that makes a scary colonoscopy safe and easier for us.

If you see a GI nurse today, give them a hug — or a pat on the hand as you doze off.

One year ago today, the President signed into law the biggest transformation of our health care system in decades. Whether you favored or opposed the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148, PL 111-152) (the Affordable Care Act), a full understanding of the new law is essential.

The Affordable Care Act changes many areas of health care, and will significantly impact cancer care. Fight Colorectal Cancer has all the information you need to understand the impact of health reform on colorectal cancer patients.

On our “Health Reform and You” webpage, you’ll find information explaining the law and its impact on colorectal cancer patients, such as: