New NCI Designated Cancer Center at University of Maryland

The Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center at the University of Maryland is the newest National Cancer Institute Designated Cancer Center.  NCI has named just 64 centers across the United States as NCI Cancer Centers in recognition of their research excellence and outstanding patient care. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 22nd, 2008
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »
Tags: NCI

Remembering What the Doctor Said — Does Age Matter?

When patients see a cancer doctor for the first time, they don’t remember everything the doctor tells them.  In fact, both older patients and younger ones remembered about half what they heard about their diagnoses, treatment, chances for cure, and life expectancy.

Patients over 65 only remembered less than younger ones in those situations where visits were longer and more information was discussed.

Prognosis did make a difference.  Patients with poorer prognosis recalled less, no matter what age they were.  And, despite whether the expected cancer outcomes were good or not, the more a doctor talked about prognosis, the less patients remembered. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 21st, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: emotional support

Continuing Avastin Beyond Initial Cancer Progression Improves Survival Time

Continuing Avastin® (bevacizumab) beyond the time when advanced colorectal cancer gets worse helps patients, according to new study reports.  Patients who continued to receive Avastin with a new chemotherapy regimen after their cancer first progressed lived almost 12 months longer than patients who got more chemo but stopped Avastin.  Both groups did better than those who had no further treatment at all.

BRiTE (Bevacizumab Regimens: Investigation of Treatment Effects and Safety) observed progress of three groups of patients when their cancer got worse after their first chemotherapy treatments.  All patients had Avastin as part of the first chemo, some continued it beyond that first cancer progression. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 17th, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 3 Comments »
Tags: Avastin, bevacizumab, chemotherapy, metastatic colorectal cancer

C3 Advocate Brings Laughter to CRC Prevention

Standup comic Brenda Elsagher was once voted the funniest woman in the Twin Cities.  Calling her doctor the “rear admiral”, she’s featured in a TV report on colorectal cancer on WCCO, Minneapolis talking about the importance of colonoscopies and colorectal cancer prevention.

Brenda is a research advocate for C3 and weaves colorectal cancer prevention and survivorship messages into her comedy routines, her motivational speaking, and a regular blog.

Diagnosed in her thirties, Brenda has a colostomy that she talks about freely and with humor.  In If the Battle is Over Why am I Still in Uniform: Humor as a Survival Tactic to Combat Cancer she discusses her journey with colon cancer, her ostomy, and how laughter helped her come to terms and cope.

She collected the stories of over eighty people affected by ostomies — ostomates, caregivers, medical professionals — in I’d Like to Buy a Bowel Please.

In addition to her work with C3, she is active with the United Ostomy Association of Minneapolis and is part of the NCI Consumer Advocates in Research and Related Activities (CARRA) program.

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 17th, 2008
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News, Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: C3 Advocates, colorectal cancer prevention, ostomies

FDA: ETHEX Recalls Dextroamphetamine Sulfate 5mg Tablets

ETHEX Corporation has recalled three lots of dextroamphetamine sulfate 5mg tablets which may contain oversized pills and up to twice the dose of the drug. ETHEX discovered a small number of oversized tablets in lots that had not yet been distributed.  While there have been no reports of oversized tablets from consumers, Ethex is recalling three lots of the drug as a precaution.

The round, orange tablets have ETHEX on one side and 311 on the other.  Lots being recalled are numbers 77946, 81141 and 81142. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 16th, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 2 Comments »
Tags: FDA, recalls