Note: The contents of this blog are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional care. For medical emergencies, dial 911!
Gloria Elisa has this to say about the gift of cancer:
When my twin was diagnosed with cancer, it was certainly a wake up call. I don't think I would ever refer to it as a gift -- even now. It was two years of so many ups and downs and unimaginable hard lessons, but in turn we finally received the good news of over 14 months of remission. However, I can tell you what I learned from my twin sister is positive -- her incredible strength, faith, grace and sense of humor even during the toughest time of her life. Yes, it made us all stronger and it showed us who our true friends are, but there were those moments of uncertainty and fear which I cannot call a gift that I wish to relive ever again. Having said that, I can say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel -- after cancer, but it certainly was not a gift to our family.
What she doesn't mention in this comment she left after reading On cancer as a gift is that her Hopes & Dreams Cancer Awareness Shop is itself a gift -- to her sister Anne, to those who find themselves visiting her website, and to the recipients of her charitable work.
Wheat is my comfort food -- I love bread, pasta, bagels and pretty much anything along those lines. But according to this post on That's Fit, titled Reasons to Avoid Wheat, I've learned a lot about my comfort food that I didn't want to know. Ignorance is bliss.
Other lymphoma drugs are preferred as first-line treatments, but doctors often continue to use them even when they lose their effectiveness and when Bexxar and Zevalin might work better. Why? According to the article, one reason is financial incentive. Because the drugs are radioactive, they must be administered in a hospital, not a doctor's office. Therefore, oncologists do not get paid for prescribing them, as they are when they give chemotherapy. Unfortunately, once Bexxar or Zevalin are finally used, often after many rounds of other treatments, they are less likely to succeed because the cancer has progressed in the meantime.
Although the drugs have not been clinically proven to prolong survival yet, trials are in motion. Patients are more likely to respond to them than standard treatments, however.
Zevalin and Bexxar are in a class of drugs call radioimmunotherapies. This class of drugs delivers radioactive particles directly to cancer cells. The drugs are quite expensive, but because one dose is often enough, the cost ends up being close to the cost of a full four-month regimen of chemotherapy and Rituxan.
Betsy deParry, one of the patient's profiled in the article said, "It's not that I believe that radioimmunotherapy is right for everybody. I just think that patients, all patients, should know their options."
As if being involved in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centers wasn't horrific enough, it's now appearing as if people present at the WTC on that world-changing day have higher than normal rates of lymphatic and blood cancers, as reported on our sister site, That's Fit. This comes as a particularly harsh blow, since it's also been shown that 70% of this group also suffers from respiratory illnesses. But the true impact of this correlation won't be evident for years to come, when the disease may become present in many not currently affected.
I can't help but be reminded of the aftermath of the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII, when what was at first a tragedy of epic proportions was made by the realization that people would continue to suffer the effects for many years to come.
The world is such a cruel, unfair place sometimes.
Former Green Bay, New England, and Cleveland football player Joe Andruzzi has just completed the first of a 12-step series of chemotherapy treatments for Burkitt's lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Andruzzi, married and dad to four children, was released by the Browns on May 2 so he and his family could move to New Jersey. Then last week, Andruzzi began experiencing abdominal pain and other symptoms. He consulted with the Browns' medical staff, underwent a colonoscopy, learned an abnormality was found, and then headed to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston where he was diagnosed with Burkitt's.
The cure rate for Burkitt's -- a rapidly growing, rare form of cancer that strikes only 100 people in the United States each year -- is about 80 percent if patients receive intensive therapy, according to the National Cancer Institute. The other patient survival factor is the stage of the disease. Andruzzi's stage has not been publicly reported.
I also write for our sister blog, TVSquad. I reviewDesperate Housewives, when it's not in re-runs. At the end of the most recent season, one of the characters, Lynnette, played by Felicity Huffman, was diagnosed with what could be Hodgkin's Lymphoma or Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. They will play out her cancer in the fourth season of the show. At the season finale, she was about to begin chemotherapy.
I have been meaning to write about this here, because I think it's a brave and beautiful thing that both the show and the network are choosing a storyline that will be, with any luck, authentic, raw, emotional, and difficult. So, I was dismayed by this comment, by person called 'Spense:'
I'm sorry, but I have no interest in seeing Lynette diagnosed with cancer. It would not be great to see her fight through it, it would just be horribly depressing. Yes, felicity huffman is the actress who could pull it off, but the marriage problems are enough to deal with. It's bad enough that every day you hear of someone else getting cancer. It's just depressing, and to be honest i might stop watching if they do go through with it.
The immune system of people living with chronic Hep C is constantly taxed, and it's believed this is the reason behind the link between these two diseases. Hep C, as the article points out, affects more than four million people in the United States, and afflicts men more than women.
Mantle cell lymphoma is a type of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. It is a cancer that forms in the cells of the lymph system. Mantle cell lymphoma is considered to be a low-grade and slow growing lymphoma.
The standard of care treatment is usually the chemotherapy combination called MCP, mitoxantrone, chlorambucil, and prednisolone.
The Journal of Clinical Oncology says that the addition of Rituxan (rituximab) to the chemo combination of MCP as initial therapy can improve long term survival rates.
Since Rituxan has proved to have anti-cancer responses in other forms of NHL, researchers continue to evaluate how it can work in the treatment of various types of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
University of North Carolina football coach Butch Davis recently received a shocking cancer diagnosis after a routine dental visit turned up a suspicious growth in his mouth. Pathology reports identify the cancer as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Davis, 55, has had the growth removed from his gum and while he received his first chemotherapy treatment last week, he's been told there is no indication the cancer has spread to other parts of his body.
Chemotherapy for Davis began at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio -- Davis coached the National Football League's Cleveland Browns from 2001-2004 -- but will continue at the University of North Carolina Hospital in Chapel Hill.
Davis says he is doing well, that his general health has never been better. And while fighting off cancer, he will work hard at preparing for the 2007 season.
"My family, my health and coaching this football team are my top priorities,'' Davis said. "I would appreciate and expect the focus to remain on the North Carolina football team."
The team opens the season on September 1 against James Madison University.
I know just how Jon Lester feels as he survives the cancer that took him out of the game of baseball and threw him into the arms of the medical system.
It's not the baseball I can identify with. It's the little bit of cancer fear that never really goes away. And it's the will to return to the land of the living that Lester and I share.
"When you're laying in bed at night, when you're not doing anything, you think about it a little bit," he says. "As long as I keep busy, I'm all right. Every now and again I feel something and go, `OK, what was that?' but I try not to think about it too much."
Lately, Lester is thinking mostly about a return to Boston's pitching staff, less than six months after a cancer curve ball came right at him, threatening both his promising career and his life.
Lester, whose weight was down to 190 during chemotherapy, is back up to 212 -- five pounds less than his normal weight -- and his arms are powerful, his legs strong, his appearance healthy.
As a rookie last year, Lester became the first Red Sox left-hander to win his first five decisions. He was 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA when cancer came crashing into his world. Diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma in August, Lester received treatment at both the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and at his hometown Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. His last chemotherapy dose was delivered on December 4. His last check-up was in January. And now, newly 23 and cancer-free, Lester is ready to play ball.
Lester is prepared for his coaching staff to hold him back. He says he can tell everyone until he's blue in the face that he's ready but he knows the staff has his best interests in mind. He trusts their professional opinions, and he'll accept a return to the minors if that's what is in store for him.
"I'm not as hard on myself as I was last year," he said. "It's just a matter of enjoying playing baseball and not necessarily the result. So (I'm) just trying to enjoy things and take it day by day and live my life the best I can."
When World Tag Team Champion Rowdy Roddy Piper underwent back surgery for an injury he sustained during the World Wrestling Entertainment tour in Europe last month, the surgeons discovered two small marble-sized areas behind his stomach that gave cause for concern that he might have cancer. After biopsy, a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was made. Because the cancer was found early, Piper is optimistic that he will be able to wrestle cancer to the mat to complete defeat.
"It seems like I have been fighting someone, something, someplace, in some manner, my whole life. But this fight, is one I am gonna win! Ever Forward." stated Piper on his blog.
Canadian-born Piper lives in the Portland, Oregon area. If you are a fan who would like to send Piper your support and best wishes, you can write to him at:
Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a complication that can occur after a stem cell transplant. GvHD occurs when infection-fighting cells from the donor recognize the patient's body as being different or foreign. These infection-fighting cells then attack tissues in the patient's body just as if they were attacking an infection. GvHD is often treated with steroids, though this does not always work. GvHD is a serious condition with a high death rate so researchers are constantly evaluating new ways to treat it or reduce the symptoms.
European researchers conducted a study to see if a certain type of stem cell, infused into patients with GvHD that are not responding to treatment, would be effective. Patients were treated with mesenchymal stem cells, that are specific types of stems cells that are collected from the bone marrow of a donor. These stem cells are thought to help suppress the donor's immune cells and reduce the risk of GvHD.
The researcher found that 68 percent of the patients responded, children having slightly better results. They concluded that treatment with mesenchymal stem cells appears to effectively treat recurrent GvHD that would otherwise have been fatal in a majority of patients.
Children that undergo bone marrow transplants can develop life threatening infections while the immune system is trying to regenerating itself. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital thinks they have found a better way to harvest stem cells that are more vigorous in reproducing and rebuilding the immune system. These stem cells would reduce the time it takes for the immune system to rebuild--reducing the risk of infection.
When harvesting the donated bone marrow a specific antibody is used to find the vigorous stem cells that mature and reproduce faster. They found that using a new antibody along with the one already used might prove to have better results in capturing the best stem cells needed. This could help the donated bone marrow to take hold faster and lessen the risk of the time children are exposed to serious infections.
Although the studies so far have been done on mice, the researchers believe that this is promising information that with further studies can translate into better treatment for children that need to undergo a bone marrow transplant.
Mantle cell is a rare type of lymphoma that accounts for about 1 in 20 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphomas and about 3300 people are diagnosed in the United States per year. It is a cancer of the B-lymphocytes in the portion of lymph nodes called the mantle zone or outer edge of the lymph node. There are different patterns of mantle cell lymphoma that can be seen under the microscope: mantle zone, nodular, diffuse and blastic. The mantle zone type may be slow growing and very responsive to standard chemotherapy, unlike the other types. This type of lymphoma frequently spreads to the bone marrow and is not as responsive to chemotherapy as other types of lymphomas. Mantle cell lymphoma can occur at any age from the late 30's to old age, but is more common in people over 50. It is three times more common in men than in women.
The first signs of this disease is often painless swelling in the neck, armpit or groin, caused by enlarged lymph nodes. Often more than one group of nodes is affected. The lymphoma may spread to various organs in the body such as bone marrow, liver or spleen. About 1 in 4 people will have the disease also appear in the stomach or bowel. Some other symptoms include loss of appetite, tiredness, night sweats, unexplained high temperatures and weight loss.
Diagnosis is made by removing an enlarged lymph node and having it biopsied. Additional tests such as x-rays, scans and bone marrow samples are used to get more information about the type of lymphoma and how far it has spread within the body. This information is helpful in deciding what treatment is most appropriate.
Anthracyclines are a type of chemotherapy that treat several different types of cancer including (but not limited to) leukemia, lymphomas, breast, uterine, ovarian, and lung cancers. Anthracyclines are technically antibiotics, although their high toxicity precludes their use as such. A major side effect from this type of chemotherapy is that it can lead to heart problems in some patients. The risk for heart problems can remain elevated long after cancer treatment is finished.
Researchers are looking to find ways to lower the risk of patients developing heart problems after treatment without sacrificing the effectiveness of the drugs. They reviewed information from six previously published clinical trials and found that if the infusion of anthracyclines are given slower, over a period of six hour or longer, it appears to reduce the risk of heart problems.
Gloria Elisa has this to say about the gift of cancer: 
Wheat is my comfort food -- I love bread, pasta, bagels and pretty much anything along those lines. But according to this post on 
The New York Times profiles the low usage of two drugs, Bexxar and Zevalin, which have great potential for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
As if being involved in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centers wasn't horrific enough, it's now appearing as if people present at the WTC on that world-changing day have higher than normal rates of lymphatic and blood cancers, 
Former Green Bay, New England, and Cleveland football player Joe Andruzzi has just completed the first of a 12-step series of chemotherapy treatments for Burkitt's lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
If living with Hepatitis C isn't trying enough, 
Mantle cell lymphoma is a type of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. It is a cancer that forms in the cells of the lymph system. Mantle cell lymphoma is considered to be a low-grade and slow growing lymphoma. 
University of North Carolina football coach Butch Davis recently received a shocking cancer diagnosis after a routine dental visit turned up a suspicious growth in his mouth. Pathology reports identify the cancer as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
I know just how Jon Lester feels as he survives the cancer that took him out of the game of baseball and threw him into the arms of the medical system.
When World Tag Team Champion Rowdy Roddy Piper underwent back surgery for an injury he sustained during the World Wrestling Entertainment tour in Europe last month, the surgeons discovered two small marble-sized areas behind his stomach that gave cause for concern that he might have cancer. After biopsy, a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was made. Because the cancer was found early, Piper is optimistic that he will be able to wrestle cancer to the mat to complete defeat. 
Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a complication that can occur after a stem cell transplant. GvHD occurs when infection-fighting cells from the donor recognize the patient's body as being different or foreign. These infection-fighting cells then attack tissues in the patient's body just as if they were attacking an infection. GvHD is often treated with steroids, though this does not always work. GvHD is a serious condition with a high death rate so researchers are constantly evaluating new ways to treat it or reduce the symptoms.
Children that undergo bone marrow transplants can develop life threatening infections while the immune system is trying to regenerating itself. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital thinks they have found a better way to harvest stem cells that are more vigorous in reproducing and rebuilding the immune system. These stem cells would reduce the time it takes for the immune system to rebuild--reducing the risk of infection.
Mantle cell is a rare type of lymphoma that accounts for about 1 in 20 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphomas and about 3300 people are diagnosed in the United States per year. It is a cancer of the B-lymphocytes in the portion of lymph nodes called the mantle zone or outer edge of the lymph node. There are different patterns of mantle cell lymphoma that can be seen under the microscope: mantle zone, nodular, diffuse and blastic. The mantle zone type may be slow growing and very responsive to standard chemotherapy, unlike the other types. This type of lymphoma frequently spreads to the bone marrow and is not as responsive to chemotherapy as other types of lymphomas. Mantle cell lymphoma can occur at any age from the late 30's to old age, but is more common in people over 50. It is three times more common in men than in women.
Anthracyclines are a type of chemotherapy that treat several different types of cancer including (but not limited to) leukemia, lymphomas, breast, uterine, ovarian, and lung cancers. Anthracyclines are technically antibiotics, although their high toxicity precludes their use as such. A major side effect from this type of chemotherapy is that it can lead to heart problems in some patients. The risk for heart problems can remain elevated long after cancer treatment is finished.
