By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer Tue Sep 9, 5:32 PM ET
WASHINGTON - Nearly two-thirds of hospitals fail to check colon cancer patients well enough for signs that their tumor is spreading, says a study that advises patients to ask about this mark of quality care before surgery.
National guidelines say when colon cancer is removed, doctors should check at least 12 lymph nodes for signs of spread. Checking fewer than 12 isn't considered enough to be sure the cancer is contained.
But a study of nearly 1,300 hospitals found that overall, just 38 percent fully comply with the guideline, Northwestern University researchers report Tuesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Click the title to read the entire article.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
To accept charity or not
Last week I received a call from a woman who read one of my columns and asked “What do you need?”
At first I was thrown off-course. I did not know what to say because I never had a complete stranger come up to me to ask me that question.
Growing up with my grandmother, a lot of the Great Depression morals and mindsets were instilled in me. Do not waste food, unless it makes you want to throw up. Do not lend out money. And if you must borrow money or an object, pay it back as soon as possible.
After 25 years of living with this mindset, it is kind of hard to just say, “Sure, I’ll take your charity. Thanks a bunch.”
But I guess I have to remember a couple of things. First of all, we are no longer in the Great Depression. The mindsets of the 1920s and 1930s have been replaced with several wars and a stabilized economy.
The stubborn pride of hardworking men and women in that era has been replaced as well with the charitable and sometimes selfish mood of the modern era.
Also there are more charities today then there were in the Depression era, where usually only the well-off could afford to donate money.
Every day in this modern era, millions of dollars are donated to all sorts of charities, ranging from the huge organizations, like the American Red Cross, to bank accounts opened for people involved in an accident or who have a disease.
Also in this high-tech world, people feel like they know one another from MySpace profiles and Internet blogs. A person’s entire life can be found with just a couple clicks on the keyboard.
My editor told me right after I stopped working in March after I was diagnosed, lots of people asked if there was a bank account set up for me to help with the medical expenses. He said no and he felt it was not the right time to call and ask me if I wanted to set something up.
As my editor was telling me about this, another reporter asked a very poignant question: If an account is set up for you, will Medi-Cal drop you?
This question has been running in my mind ever since.
Medi-Cal already has certain rules: You must be younger than 21 years old or more than 65 years old to qualify. Though if you do have dependants, you can be between 21 and 65 years of age.
Because I did not qualify under any of these circumstances, Medi-Cal had to use my cancer as a disability. The only consequence is the process would take four to six months.
I have been told by one social worker that I can only have $3,000 total in my bank account, whereas another social worker said as long as the money is going toward living and medical expenses, I can have more than $3,000.
Talking this over with my fiancé, we agreed it would be best not to set up an account for people to donate. Because what if only $20,000 was raised and Medi-Cal said, “Oh, you have money. So we’re going to drop your file in the trash?” I would still need about $60,000 to pay the medical bills.
So I appreciate everyone who has offered to donate money to help me with my medical expenses and to even those who have offered to go shopping for me or who have asked if I need anything for my new house.
But I hope this article gives you a little insight into my dilemma and why I politely refuse any monetary or food gifts and only ask for your good wishes and prayers.
At first I was thrown off-course. I did not know what to say because I never had a complete stranger come up to me to ask me that question.
Growing up with my grandmother, a lot of the Great Depression morals and mindsets were instilled in me. Do not waste food, unless it makes you want to throw up. Do not lend out money. And if you must borrow money or an object, pay it back as soon as possible.
After 25 years of living with this mindset, it is kind of hard to just say, “Sure, I’ll take your charity. Thanks a bunch.”
But I guess I have to remember a couple of things. First of all, we are no longer in the Great Depression. The mindsets of the 1920s and 1930s have been replaced with several wars and a stabilized economy.
The stubborn pride of hardworking men and women in that era has been replaced as well with the charitable and sometimes selfish mood of the modern era.
Also there are more charities today then there were in the Depression era, where usually only the well-off could afford to donate money.
Every day in this modern era, millions of dollars are donated to all sorts of charities, ranging from the huge organizations, like the American Red Cross, to bank accounts opened for people involved in an accident or who have a disease.
Also in this high-tech world, people feel like they know one another from MySpace profiles and Internet blogs. A person’s entire life can be found with just a couple clicks on the keyboard.
My editor told me right after I stopped working in March after I was diagnosed, lots of people asked if there was a bank account set up for me to help with the medical expenses. He said no and he felt it was not the right time to call and ask me if I wanted to set something up.
As my editor was telling me about this, another reporter asked a very poignant question: If an account is set up for you, will Medi-Cal drop you?
This question has been running in my mind ever since.
Medi-Cal already has certain rules: You must be younger than 21 years old or more than 65 years old to qualify. Though if you do have dependants, you can be between 21 and 65 years of age.
Because I did not qualify under any of these circumstances, Medi-Cal had to use my cancer as a disability. The only consequence is the process would take four to six months.
I have been told by one social worker that I can only have $3,000 total in my bank account, whereas another social worker said as long as the money is going toward living and medical expenses, I can have more than $3,000.
Talking this over with my fiancé, we agreed it would be best not to set up an account for people to donate. Because what if only $20,000 was raised and Medi-Cal said, “Oh, you have money. So we’re going to drop your file in the trash?” I would still need about $60,000 to pay the medical bills.
So I appreciate everyone who has offered to donate money to help me with my medical expenses and to even those who have offered to go shopping for me or who have asked if I need anything for my new house.
But I hope this article gives you a little insight into my dilemma and why I politely refuse any monetary or food gifts and only ask for your good wishes and prayers.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Colon cancer patients not getting follow-up care
By STEPHANIE NANO, Associated Press Writer Mon Sep 8, 7:31 AM ET
NEW YORK - Many colon cancer patients aren't getting the screenings recommended after surgery to make sure the disease hasn't returned, new research shows.
Only about 40 percent of the 4,426 older patients in the study got all the doctor visits, blood tests and the colonoscopy advised in the three years after cancer surgery, according to the results released Monday by the journal Cancer.
While nearly all made the doctor visits and almost three-quarters got a colonoscopy, many didn't get the blood tests that can signal a return of colon cancer, according to the researchers at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland.
Click the title to view the entire article.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Cancer Telethon Donations Top $100M
By Associated PressSeptember 7, 2008, 12:07 pm PDT
NEW YORK - Spurred by an historic telethon Friday night, viewers stood up to cancer and pushed total donations for research to battle the disease past the $100 million mark.
That dollar figure reflects contributions from viewers of the telethon, "Stand Up to Cancer," as well as money raised since late May, when the Stand Up to Cancer initiative was launched, according to Lisa Paulsen, head of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, the charitable organization behind Stand Up to Cancer.
"One hundred percent of the more than $100 million raised will go directly to funding the research programs necessary to battle this insidious disease," said Paulsen in a statement Sunday that accompanied the announcement.
Click on the title link to view the entire story.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Genetic Mutations Linked to Deadly Cancers
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter 10 minutes ago
THURSDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Potentially groundbreaking discoveries involving genetic mutations of two deadly cancers -- the brain cancer glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer -- may lead to new treatments and even cures, researchers say.
"These studies represent the most complete genetic analysis to date of any tumor type and provide a detailed genetic map of these deadly cancers," Kenneth Kinzler, a professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins University, and co-author of the study on pancreatic cancer, said during a teleconference Wednesday.
Click on the title link to read this entire story.
Study: New way to spot brest cancer
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer Wed Sep 3, 11:51 PM ET
A radioactive tracer that "lights up" cancer hiding inside dense breasts showed promise in its first big test against mammograms, revealing more tumors and giving fewer false alarms, doctors reported Wednesday.
The experimental method — molecular breast imaging, or MBI — would not replace mammograms for women at average risk of the disease.
Click on the title link to read the entire story.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Don't be scared of tests
My aunt just told me her aunt has been diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. At 58 years old, her aunt would have been diagnosed sooner if she had done a colonoscopy earlier as told by the doctors.
The question arises: Why are people so reluctant to just get tested for certain types of cancers?
Well, there are several reasons. One of the reasons is people think that since only one distant relative in the family had a certain cancer, there’s really no reason to get tested. This is complete nonsense.
Whether your mother or great-great grandfather had cancer or even another disease, you should get tested to make sure you are not at risk. If any disease has a genetic factor, then it can be passed down to any descendant.
Or if there’s an environmental reason and someone close to you, like a neighbor or relative you’re living with gets cancer, then you should get tested. For example, if a local factory or mill has been shown to cause cancer via the chemicals, it can affect anyone in that community.
Some people may also believe that insurance companies will not pay for these tests if you are either “too young” for a certain disease or that your family history does not dictate any problems.
Technically, all insurance companies should allow you to take tests and either pay partially or the entire bill. Even if you have to pay $100 for a mammogram, it would be well worth it to know the results.
But the main reason I believe people do not take these tests is because people are scared. People are scared of the discomfort of the test, which is understandable if you have no idea about the procedure. I was nervous about having my colonoscopy, but my uncle reassured me that with the drugs administered before, I would be so out of it, I wouldn’t notice anything.
The worst part of the colonoscopy that I found was just drinking that disgusting, salty contrast prior to the procedure. Then the doctors gave me a drug that knocked me out. Afterward, I felt nothing and honestly asked, “Did you start yet?”
People are also scared of the possibilities. What if I do have cancer? Am I going to die? What about my family? Not knowing the unknown is pretty scary. But I think it would be scarier to never be sure and to wake up one day to find out you are dead.
For people who are about 70 years old, they may think that they have lived their life the best they can and what is the point of expanding pain for another five years hooked up to IV tubes.
But for younger people like me, who have their entire lives in front of them, it is almost a necessity to get tested. If detected early enough, most cancers and diseases can be beaten and the survivors can live a full, long life. As for me, if I was warned two years ago to get tested, I would have jumped at the chance.
So as my warning to you all in hopes for a good, long life of either no disease or a quick recovery, talk to your doctor and insist that you get tested if there is any question of family history of cancer or any disease.
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