A new study finds that many people with cancer, over sixty-five percent according to this particular study, said they would be interested in attending a support group. However, only a small minority actually join one.

Study participants said that they wanted practical medical information promptly after diagnosis and about twice as many wanted medical information over emotional support. Eight-two percent wanted groups to include discussion of spiritual issues, however, Allen Sherman, Ph.D, the lead author from the University of Arkansas, said that this may be influenced by the fact that the participants mostly came from the Bible Belt.

The study also found that people prefer drop-in groups as needed and do not mind if the group contains people with different types of cancer.

Recent studies suggest that support groups do not increase survival time, but they do improve coping skills and mood. As always, with any sort of support or counselling, it is wise to use your gut. If you're getting something out of it, that is great. If not, it's best to move on and find the support you need elsewhere.

Ahh, the feeling of the sun's rays on the skin can be so refreshing. Well, as long as you keep that exposure to a certain level and don't overdo it during the bright afternoon hours. A nice side benefit? Sunlight helps your body naturally produce its own Vitamin D.

But did you know that getting the proper amount of daily vitamin D may help you ward of cancer as well? In a recent spate of research, scientists found that 250,000 cases of colorectal cancer and 350,000 cases of breast cancer could be prevented every year around the world by having those affected with these cancers increase their vitamin D intake. Specifically, vitamin D3.

It's quite a statement to say that 600,000 cancer cases per year could be eliminated by increasing vitamin D intake, but that's the conclusion here. Pardon me while I walk outside and get some sunlight for 10 minutes.

There's no shortage of strange and downright bizarre ideas that people come up with in the quest to cure cancer, and here's one for the books: Scientists in Australia believe that a type of bacteria found in the Grey Kangaroo might help fight lung cancer.

It's believed that when spores from the bacteria are injected into the patients blood stream, they can seek out a tumor and destroy it some the inside out. And while it might sound strange to us, others believe th theory has some serious merit -- to prove it, the researcher in charge, Dr. Ming Wei, has been awarded a $750,000 fellowship to develop the treatment.

Professor Richard Dawkins, writer and biologist, says that "we live in dangerous times when superstition is gaining ground and rational science is under attack."

We have all heard the conspiracy theories about how the scientific community and our health care professionals want to hide the cure for cancer in order to make money. They don't want a cure, they say. Isn't that just a bit ridiculous when all of the people in those industries most certainly knows or loves someone who has gone through a cancer diagnosis. Does that make any sense?

The professor also says that "There are two ways of looking at the world - through faith and superstition, or through the rigours of logic, observation and evidence, through reason".

The Child Protection Agency in Quebec, Canada, is not going to force the parents of a 3-year-old boy to give him chemotherapy for cancer in his brain and spinal cord, allowing them instead to pursue alternative medicine.

The boy, Anael L'Esperance-Nascimento, was diagnosed with cancer in late 2007 and underwent an operation. After an initial chemo treatment, his parents have decided to treat him with an alternative treatment based on diet, including a focus on raw vegetables.

The province did not intervene according to officials because the boy's illness is not currently life threatening. Healthcare providers at the hospital, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, say that chemotherapy is the boy's best chance to prevent the cancer from spreading, but that they will not pressure government authorities to force the boy to receive the chemo.

What do you think? If chemotherapy is the best treatment according to doctors, should the parents be forced to allow their son to undergo such treatment?

A new study from David Spiegel, MD at Stanford, shows that support groups don't extend the lives of women with metastatic breast cancer. These results are different from other findings by Spiegel that group therapy did extend overall survival.

However, this new research does show that support groups improve quality of life, including improving mood and improving pain control. While no overall survival benefit was found, a survival benefit for a group of patients with an aggressive form of breast cancer who attended group therapy was shown.

Spiegel's work on support groups is well-known and when he started his research on support groups in the 1970s, virtually no cancer patients were in support groups.

This article can be found at Quackwatch.com. It is important to me to get out information on what constitutes as alternative medicine and why it can be fraudulent. Consumers need to be aware. You will inevitably come across those that promote cures for cancer and other ailments.

In the article Steven Barrett, MD classifies Alternative medicine in three different ways:

1. Genuine -- these alternatives have met science based criteria for safety and effectiveness
2. Experimental -- these alternatives are unproven but have a plausible rationale and are undergoing responsible investigation.
3. Questionable -- these alternatives are groundless and lack a scientifically plausible rationale.

Another way Dr. Barrett describes the different alternatives methods are:

1. Those that work
2. Those that don't work
3. Those we are not sure about

Most of the alternatives fall into the --Those we are not sure about category.

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I've been doing yoga for a few years now, and even though holding downward dog can sometimes be a bit torturous, I do it anyway because it helps me calm my mind and put things in perspective, if for no other reason than I'm can't think of any but how much I want to collapse into a resting posture. I truly believe the world would be a better place if we all did yoga and took time out to calm our minds and let go, even for an hour a week.

So I think yogaHOPE is a great idea -- it's a non-profit outreach program offering yoga classes to women in recovery. The HOPE in the name stands for Healing Ourselves through Personal Empowerment. Yoga not only has benefits for the body -- it helps restore self esteem and body image, and helps improve energy and strength dramatically. Yoga can empower -- I've never felt more invigorated and confident then when I walk out of a class. Do you agree?

If fat cells from humans could be re-purposed into "suicide" cells that would search and destroy tumors inside the human body, it would probably be a watershed moment in cancer research.

It's just the latest suggestion from gene therapy supporters who see engineering at the molecular and DNA level as the way cancer may be ultimately defeated.

It's exciting to see that developments at the gene level be researched and experiments be suggested. Tumors that now evade detection by traditional tests could be possibly obliterated by nanotechnology robots or engineered cells that go far beyond the capabilities of current biological tests.

Here's hoping the next 20 years see the kind of breakthroughs in cancer treatment that today seem like science fiction.

Now that the human genome has been decoded, is the medical community set to see all kinds of genetic tests that will give patients insight into possible conditions at the earliest stages?

As most of us realize by know, catching cancer when it is just developing inside the human body makes the chance of surviving greatly enhanced. What is a DNA test could tell normal folks about the relative state of nutrients inside their bodies at any given time that would allow one to ensure their daily diet was optimal from a nutrition standpoint to help the body fight off the development of cancer-- any cancer?

A test appears to be now available that does just that. Although the test costs a relatively low $650, experts are warning that this test (like most) will not give a complete summary of health, nor will it be a reliable way to tell whether cancer is coming later in life by those that plunk their money down for the test itself.

Chemotherapy can be harmful for the body at the same time it's trying to kill cancer cells that can be much worse for the body, but some of the side effects can affect a female's fertility in ways most would not like. But, all hope may not be lost on having eggs saved from chemotherapy for use later.

Early menopause can be a symptom of chemotherapy, and to some early middle-age women who plan on having a child but who also need to beat cancer out of their bodies, the struggle can be a little overwhelming.

Doctors, though, may be able to have cancer patients save their eggs or even embryos preserved in liquid nitrogen, just in case children are wanted after chemotherapy. The procedure involves stimulating the ovary to produce eggs, and then capturing them.

A cancer diagnosis for ourselves or our loved ones can throw us into a whirlwind of emotion, including anxiety, anger or depression. According to a recent study published by Matthew Lieberman at the University of California, Los Angeles in the journal Psychological Science, putting names to our feelings can decrease the intensity of negative feelings.

His team used brain scans to monitor the response in the amygdala, the portion of the brain that handles fear, as the participants viewed pictures of faces showing different expressions including anger. When the study participants named the emotion, the response in the amygdala decreased.

While we have all known that talking about what we are feeling can help us feel better, Matthews points to this study as evidence that something real and positive is happening in our brains when we do this.

Peppermint is an excellent source of manganese, vitamin C and vitamin A, carotenoids, and beta-carotene. Vitamin C, the main water-soluble antioxidant in the body is needed to decrease levels of free radicals that can cause damage to cells and decrease the risk of cancer. Peppermint is probably most famous for its use in our favorite white and red candy at Christmas time but it is gaining popularity to drink in teas to help decrease nausea.

A cup of fresh mint tea can help to soothe your stomach. If you are nauseous from cancer treatments try drinking peppermint tea. Another useful thing I found to work is to keep a small bottle of peppermint oil in your pocket and rub it on your wrist for smelling when you feel the queasy stomach coming on.

Whenever possible, choose fresh mint over the dried form of the herb since it is superior in flavor. The leaves of fresh mint should look vibrant and be a rich green color. They should be free from dark spots or yellowing. To store fresh mint leaves, carefully wrap them in a damp paper towel and place inside of a loosely closed plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator, where it should keep fresh for several days.

Recipe for a perfect cup of peppermint tea.
1 ounce fresh peppermint leaves
1 pint boiling water
Honey

Place the peppermint leaves in a cup and pour in boiling water. Cover the cup with a saucer and let it stand for 10 minutes. Scoop out the leaves with a spoon and add a little honey if you like it sweet.

According to a recent report in the May issue of Psychological Bulletin, psychotherapy and support groups do not extend the lives of cancer patients.

The author of the study, Dr. James C. Coyne said, "Many cancer patients find considerable emotional and social benefits to participating in group therapy or support groups. If they are satisfied with those experiences, they should continue them but they should not be there if it is only because they believe that they are prolonging their lives or slowing the progression of their cancer." Previously, there had been some thought that psychotherapy did have a life-lengthening effect. The researchers reviewed over 11 studies to come to this new conclusion.

Coyne also noted that more research needs to be done to uncover specifically which types of cancer patients benefit from psychotherapy and support groups and which types of cancer patients do not and might be affected in a negative way.

Dr. Coyne's conclusions makes sense to me. If an individual is satisfied and feels that psychotherapy or a support group is improving the quality of their life, they should continue it. If not, then they should feel empowered to explore other actions to improve their daily mental well-being.

According to a new study in the June 15th issue of CANCER, use of support groups varies widely by cancer type and there are few referrals to such groups by physicians.

Dr. Jason Owen of Loma Linda University and his team found that about one in four cancer patients did join a support group. Patients with blood malignancies and breast cancer were more likely to join a support group than those with lung and skin cancers. Predictors of use include female gender, Caucasian race, higher education level, and symptoms of depression or anxiety.

Dr. Owen concludes, "This study sheds light on which individuals with cancer use these services. Assistance in identifying and accessing support groups should be a standard of care for all patients receiving curative, follow-up, or palliative care for cancer."

Hopefully, physicians and other healthcare providers working in oncology will continue to improve their efforts to help patients and caregivers find support groups in their communities.