A recent study has shown that extracapsular extension (ECE) of the lymph nodes in patients with bladder cancer is no longer a bad prognostic finding. ECE is caused when cancer cells break through the capsule of the lymph node and can spread to nearby tissues.

The study suggests that, with the new adoption of combined therapies instead of single treatment modalities, extracapsular extension is not considered a poor prognostic factor. At this time in the treatment for bladder cancer ECE does not carry as much weight as was previously believed. The researchers evaluated 108 patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy. ECE involved lymph nodes was present in 41 percent of patients but the findings concluded that it was not significantly associated with overall survival or relapse free survival.

I have a cabinet full of supplements I've never taken. I've never been convinced they will do much for me -- other than add an easy-to-forget routine to my day -- and doctors have typically advised me that a healthy diet will deliver just about everything I need for optimal functioning. I still wonder sometimes if I get enough calcium and at times I have taken iron supplements when doctors have determined I lacked appropriate iron levels. But I have never wondered about all the other pills and powders and liquids that claim to promote health -- and sometimes prevent cancer. And after reading a recap of a study in the September 2006 Oprah magazine, I am further convinced that supplements are just not for me.

A report from ConsumerLab.com (CL), a company that tests and certifies supplements, suggests that some people might be ingesting too much lead as they try to keep cancer at bay. CL randomly selected various green tea preparations from store shelves, websites, and direct marketers and found that two out of four contained what is considered unacceptable levels of lead. Green tea products they recommend avoiding are Futurebiotics Premium Extract Standardized Green Tea tablets and Herbal Select Standardized Green Tea Extract. Products found to be totally free of lead are Life Extension Mega Green Tea Extract, Nature's Bounty Green Tea Extract, Pharmanex Tegreen 97, and Puritan's Pride Green Tea Extract.

Experts believe that some supplements may help prevent cancer. But most testing is done on food so we can't be entirely sure about the safety of supplements. Their advice is this -- make a change through a healthy diet rather than supplements. This is just what I plan to do.