The Colon Cancer Survivor’s Guide — survivor Curt Pesman shares his experiences

Curt Pesman, author of *The Colon Cancer Survivor’s Guide* will share his struggle with stage III colon cancer and its aftermath onThursday evening, October 27th in Kansas City, Kansas. Colorectal cancer patients and survivors and their families are invited to attend the free program.

Pesman is a health journalist and magazine writer for such publications as *Esquire* and *Self*. After his diagnosis of colon cancer four years ago, he wrote *The Colon Cancer Survivor’s Guide* to help others facing the disease.

+ Date: Thursday, October 27, 2005
+ Time: 6:00p.m - 8:30p.m.
+ Location: [Holiday Inn](http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/mkcm)
+ 7420 Shawnee Mission Parkway
+ Overland Park, KS 66202 (just outside of Kansas City)
+ Dr. Chung-Tsen Hsueh, medical oncologist with The University of Kansas Hospital will discuss the latest medical treatments and answer questions.
+ Register by calling 913-588-1227

You can [download and print a flyer](http://c-three.org/pdf/Pfizer-FinalKSflyer.pdf) with complete information about the program.

The program is co-sponsored by the [Colon Cancer Alliance](http://ccalliance.org/), [Pfizer Oncology](http://www.pfizeroncology.com/default.aspx), and the [University of Kansas Hospital](http://www.kumc.edu/).

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 26th, 2005
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »

NCI funds multidisciplinary projects to study obesity and cancer

NCI has awarded $54 million in grants to four centers to explore the interaction between obesity and cancer. The new initiative will studythe integration of diet, exercise, and weight and its impact on the development of cancer.

In an [news release](http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/TREC) on October 11, 2005, NCI announced the grants as part of Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC). Robert Croyle, director of NCI’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, explained,

TREC will bring together outstanding scientists from many disciplines. Together these experts will answer critical questions that will help guide our nation’s public health efforts. NCI is determined to help avoid an increase in cancer deaths in the 21st century due to obesity like the one caused by tobacco in the 20th century.

Funded centers include

+ **Case WesternReserve University** in Cleveland will concentrate on cellular mechanisms and clinical research focusing on obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and colorectal cancer.
+ **Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center** in Seattle will explore diet and exercise and their impact on breast and colorectal cancer.
+ **University of Minnesota** in Minneapolis will study causes of obesity and its prevention in youth and families.
+ **University of Southern California** in Los Angeles will study physiologic, metabolic, genetic, behavioral, and environmental influences on obesity and cancer risk in minority children.

The Fred Hutchinson Center Center will serve as the coordinating center for the initiative providing communication, data-sharing, and collaboration among the projects.

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 26th, 2005
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »

Chewing gum speeds recovery after laparoscopic colon surgery

Chewing gum a few times a day reduces the time it takes for bowel function to return after laproscopic colectomy, allowing patients to leave the hospital sooner. Patients who chewed a stick of gum four times a day had bowel activity return sooner and went home on average almost a day earlier than patients who were restricted to sips of water after surgery.

During surgery to treat colon cancer by removing all or part of the colon, rhythmic bowel activity stops, a condition known as *postoperative ileus*. Eating or drinking during this time can lead to bloating, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Until normal bowel motility returns, patients have been limited to ice chips or very small sips of clear liquids. They cannot leave the hospital until they can eat and drink normally and have had at least one bowel movement.

Surgeons at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Pittsburgh; and Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas randomized 102 patients undergoing both traditional open colectomy and laparoscopic colectomy to chew a stick of gum four times a day or be in a control group that was not given gum. Their research was discussed at the American College of Surgeons 2005 Clinical Congress in San Francisco.

For those who had laparoscopic surgery, bowel function returned for gum chewers an average of 2.9 days after surgery compared to 3.5 days for the control group. They left the hospital 4.4 days post-surgery compared to 5.2 days for the group that did not chew gum.

However, there was no similar difference for patients who had open colectomy. Both gum chewers and the control group had bowel function return at 3.6 days. Gum chewers went home at 5.9 days compared to 5.3 days for controls.

Harry Papaconstantinou, MD, who led the study explained that

There are multiple stimuli that can affect the gut motility after surgery, and some of these are manipulation of the bowel during surgery, the type of anesthetic used, any inflammation that might be caused by the surgery, as well as alterations in the autonomic [peripheral] nervous system, the release of neurotransmitters [chemical substances that influence the transfer of nerve impulses to muscle] and gut hormones. When patients undergo colectomy, all of these factors can be significant stimuli that results in postoperative ileus.

He estimated that each day in the hospital costs an average of $500 to $750 and that the small cost of several packs of gum could have a major impact on medical costs after laparoscopic surgery.

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 23rd, 2005
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 4 Comments »
Tags: side effects, surgery

U.S. House Asks CMS to Extend Demonstration Project

This year the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated a one-year demonstration project titled “Demonstration of Improved Quality of Care for Cancer Patients Undergoiong Chemotherapy.” The focus of the project was on measuring patient outcomes in three areas of concern often cited by patients undergoing chemotherapy: controlling pain, minimizing nausea and vomiting, and reducing fatigue.

October 6, 2005 H.Res. 261, a resolution introduced by Rep. Ralph Hall (TX-4) on May 4, 2005, passed the U.S. House of Representives in a voice vote. At the time of its passage the resolution had 33 cosponsors.

The purpose of the resolution, described in the title, was to express

>”the sense of the House of Representatives that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should be commended for implementing the Medicare demonstration project to assess the quality of care of cancer patients undergoiong chemotherapy, and should extend the project through 2006, subject to any appropriate modifications.”

Rep. Hall said the following about the need to extend this demonstration project in a floor statement he made the day of the resolution passed:

>”Delivering cancer treatment involves more than simply providing chemotherapy drugs. Oncologists need to plan drug regimens, educate caregivers, and monitor patient symptoms. They are responsible for managing pain, minimizing nausea, and limiting fatigue.

>”The demonstration project was critically important to protecting quality cancer care in 2005. It provided resources to assess the patient experience with chemotherapy side effects, including pain, nausea, and fatigue. The project has achieved three important objectives: collecting data to improve the quality of cancer care, maintaining stability in the cancer care delivery system, and focusing limited resources in an aspect of cancer treatment most difficult for patients.”

CMS conducts and sponsors a number of demonstrations projects to test and measure the effect of potential program changes.

Posted by Dusty Weaver on October 22nd, 2005
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »

C3 Joins National Efforts to Save Lives

The Colorectal Cancer Coalition is pleased to announce that we have joined forces with the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT), a nationwide coalition of private, public and volunteer organizations who work together to advance the control of colorectal cancer. Through coordinated efforts and improved communication, NCCRT:

* Strengthens the network of public and private organizations concerned
with promoting colorectal cancer screening
* Determines clinical and consumer barriers to screening through research
* Assesses current public awareness of and interest in screening
* Develops and disseminates health messages.

C3 remains focused on our mission to reduce the suffering and death due to colorectal cancer through pushing policy, research and awareness. We look forward to working with NCCRT in a combined effort to prove that colorectal cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable!

Posted by Nancy Roach on October 21st, 2005
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »