By Nancy Roach, the Founder of C3 and Chair of its Board of Directors
A National Cancer Institute (NCI) working group has developed recommendations about how to engage advocates effectively in NCI research activities. The recommendations are open to public comment until November 30, 2009. Rather than go into detail about the recommendations, I will explain from my personal experience why I feel they are important and present C3’s feedback. Read the rest of this entry »
Picoplatin can be as effective as oxaliplatin as an initial treatment for advanced colorectal cancer but has less neuropathy.
Updated information comparing picoplatin in combination with 5-FU and leucovorin (FOLPI) to the standard oxaliplatin treatment (FOLFOX) found similar response rates. About half of patients on both treatments were alive a year later. However, there was significantly less neuropathy overall with FOLPI and no severe neuropathy.
FOLPI did have substantially more serious problems with lowered blood counts than FOLFOX. Read the rest of this entry »
Colorectal cancer patients 65 and older without other serious medical problems benefitted when Avastin® (bevacizumab) was added to chemotherapy.
Combining results of four randomized clinical trials of Avastin and chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer, researchers found that adding Avastin increased both the time older patients lived and the time before their cancer got worse.
Patients who were 70 and older had similar improvements. Read the rest of this entry »
Drugs to treat anemia in older cancer patients increased their risk of blood clots and didn’t reduce the need for blood transfusions.
Among over 56,000 cancer patients 65 and older treated in community settings from 1991 through 2002, 27 percent received an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA). Fifteen percent of those who got ESAs developed a blood clot (venous thromboembolism) compared to 10 percent of patients who didn’t have ESA treatment.
Although the goal of ESAs was to reduce the need for blood transfusions, the percentage of transfusions remained steady at 22 percent each year from 1991 through 2002. Overall survival didn’t differ between the patients who received ESAs and those who didn’t.
Briefly: African Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer at later stages and have surgery less often which contributes to their poorer survival. Women have a greater risk of a missed or early colorectal cancer after a negative colonoscopy.
If you can’t have a loved one with you during a painful procedure, just looking at your partner’s picture may make it hurt less.
The American Society for Radiation Oncology has a new website for patients, and open enrollment for Medicare plan coverage begins on November 15 and extends through the end of the year. Read the rest of this entry »
Together we are Strong
