Archive for January, 2008
Better Cancer Care Through Communication
A recent study published in the December 20 edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology recommends that oncologists seek specialized training to help them hone their empathy skills. According to the lead investigators, physicians who rephrase their statements in way that leads the patient into an open line of communication can help significantly decrease levels of patient anxiety and depression and increase patient compliance and satisfaction.
Where Do We Stand in the War on Cancer? The Biggest Advances in 2007
During his 1970 inaugural address, American President Richard Nixon declared a War on Cancer. Promising to allocate at least $100 million in funding to investigate the causes for what was then the second-leading cause of death in the United States, Nixon followed through in 1971 by signing the National Cancer Act. Key objectives of this act included infusing basic sciences research funding, ramping up clinical trials and making the National Cancer Institute a free-standing body under the National Institutes of Health.
Nearly forty years later, physicians and scientists are making great strides in better understanding the etiology, management and treatment in all forms of cancer. Recently, the American Society for Clinical Oncology released a report entitled, Clinical Cancer Advances 2007: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening. This annual review, which is available as a .pdf, podcast, and slideshow at the People Living With Cancer website, includes the following highlights:
Primary Liver Cancer Patients Get the Option for Systemic Treatment: Until recently, surgical techniques were the first line of treatment in liver cancer patients because response to chemotherapy was so poor. In 2007, results of a large study showed that advanced liver cancer using sorafenib (Nevaxar), a targeted chemotherapeutic, lived 44 percent longer than patients who did not. More →
A Guide to Recognizing Who is In Your Hospital Room
Feel like you need a traffic controller to keep up with all the people coming in and out of your hospital room when you’re undergoing treatment? Here’s a short guide for recognizing who’s who so you can better direct your questions next time you or a loved one are in the hospital.
Medical Student
Good News for Head and Neck Cancer Patients
While head and neck cancer is neither as frequent nor as deadly as other cancers worldwide, it is of particular interest to research scientists because of its inherent invasive and metastatic characteristics.
While chemotherapy and radiation are becoming more commonplace, surgery still plays a major role in treatment of the oral cavity and surrounding areas. An otolarygology fellow that I worked with once in a head and neck cancer laboratory once described the most severe cases as a cat and mouse game where the surgeons “chased” the cancerous cells from one site to another.
Looking For a Summer Internship in Cancer Research? Apply Now!
Being the doting (ie, nagging) older sister to two siblings interested in science, I can tell you from experience that now is the time for high school and college students to apply for summer internships in cancer research!
Here’s a round-up of paid summer research internships at some of the biggest cancer centers in the US. Don’t forget to look at your local comprehensive cancer center to see if they sponsor research fellowships — both my brother and sister snagged one at our state’s university. They both found their time in the laboratory invaluable, and my brother has since then been inspired to pursue a career as a medical scientist.
Childhood Cancer: A Multi-Disciplinary Perpective
Chronic Illness is a journal that focuses on multi-disciplinary approaches to disease treatment and management. This month, the journal focuses on childhood cancer.
Articles are available to the public for free viewing until May. I’ve listed links to them below, and I’ve found them to be a good mix of original scientific research, clinical observation, and the often forgotten patient / caregiver perspective. Definitely the best multi-disciplinary “round up” of current articles that I’ve seen on childhood cancer recently — check them out if you get a chance!
Stem Cells, Cancer, and Reconstructive Surgery
I missed this the first time around, but Dr. Jose DeJesus over at Physician Entrepreneur recently covered an interesting new development in breast cancer reconstructive surgery using stem cells.
From “Stem Cell Breakthrough - New Possibilities in Breast Reconstruction and Augmentation:” More →
Stuck in a Hospital Bed? Here’s 13 Unusual Ways to Pass the Time
Patients undergoing traditional cancer therapies know better than most people what it’s like to be tied to a hospital bed for days at a time. Luckily with some preparation, you can fight boredom and the fuzzy cable television blahs with these suggestions ranging from the practical to the goofy. They’re guaranteed to help keep your mind engaged when your body can’t be!
Catch up with the classics. It’s been said that the weighty tomes of French author Marcel Proust are so dense and complex that it would take a lifetime to finish. Whittle some of it away by reading Swann’s Way, the first volume of his epic series, In Search of Lost Time and maybe you’ll have a fighting chance at the All-England Summarize Proust Competition! More →
BRCA Mutations Not So Bad After All?
Yesterday, my friend Carey wrote a little bit about her family’s experience with BRCA genetic testing. Recently, I read a related article over at Ramunus’ excellent Cancer Genetics blog entitled, “When Having BRCA Mutation is Not So Bad or Even Better.”
It’s a pretty good brief explanation of two new studies that challenge the conventional thinking of BCRA mutation = bad. Check it out!
Raquel Billiones has a PhD in Biology and has over 15 years experience as a researcher, scientific English teacher, and medical writer. Since 2006, she has been a freelance WAHM specializing in medical writing and scientific documentation. 
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