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!
I recently received an e-mail from a friend, about a friend of hers who has just been diagnosed with throat cancer. After a little thought about the content of her message, I sat down and typed a response. I share our back-and-forth communication with you today because it may help you, a friend, a family member, someone. And it may motivate some of you to contribute your own wisdom on the topic. If it does, by all means -- please share by leaving a comment.
Jacki,
Hope all is well with you. Nick and I have a close friend that has recently been diagnosed with cancer. It's in his throat and neck area. He had his tonsils removed and showed they are the source of the cancer but he will still be undergoing chemo and radiation.
The reason I am reaching out to you is because I wondered if you had some good recipes for keeping your energy levels up during chemo and radiation. He said he needs to eat a lot of protein -- I want to make him some things, or buy the right food for him that are high in protein -- what should I be doing? How can I help? His throat is going to be very sore due to the location of the cancer and eating is going to be an issue. What do you suggest?
Studies show that diets high in fiber and low in fat can help prevent cancer. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. It has a higher content of protein, dietary fiber and vitamins compared to tofu. In the past five years tempeh has grown so much in popularity that it is now available in the refrigerated section of many supermarkets. Here is a simple way to prepare tempeh that both kids and adults love.
Vicki's Spicy Tempeh Soft Tacos Serves 4
1 block tempeh crumbled 1/2 vegetable broth or water 1 red bell pepper chopped 1 onion chopped 1 tbsp chili powder 1 tbsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (can leave out if you don't want spicy) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 cup cooked black beans or pinto beans drained 1 tomato chopped handful chopped lettuce grated hard soy cheese if you want vegan or cheddar if vegetarian 8 whole wheat tortillas
Recipe directions
Saute the tempeh in the olive oil on medium low heat for about 3 minutes. Add red pepper and onion and continue to saute for about 5 minutes more. Add the spices, 1/2 cup broth or water and the beans and cook for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Serve in the tortillas with the chopped lettuce, tomato and cheese.
Do you have less energy than you did before cancer? Do you sometimes crash in the middle of the afternoon? If you answered Yes to these questions and wonder why your energy is zapped, you may want to consider something completely outside the realm of cancer. Like your diet.
Canyon Ranch nutritionists say lack of energy is not always related to diet. It can also stem from lack of sleep and exercise, depression, anxiety, low-grade infection, medication, reaction to alcohol, and caffeine withdrawal or dependence. But diet surely plays a part, and sometimes a very large part. So in the interest of energetic and healthy living, you might want to give some thought to these energy-building diet tips. Start the day with a healthy breakfast. When kids don't eat breakfast, they don't think as clearly and don't do homework as well as their well-nourished classmates. Adults are no different. Everyone needs a jump-start in the morning. It's good for metabolism and blood sugar. It's good for the brain.
Twenty to thirty percent of breast cancers over express a protein referred to as the human epidermal growth factor receptor, better known as HER2 over expression.
Herceptin is an agent that is targeted against the HER2 receptor and helps to slow or stop the spread of cancer cells that over express this protein. Unfortunately, some women that do have the over expression of HER2 on their breast cancer cells do not respond to treatment with Herceptin.
The Journal of the National Cancer Institute has published a report that says among breast cancer patients with HER2 over expressing cancer cells, those whose cells also express a receptor called p95HER2 have a poor anti-cancer response rate with Herceptin.
The study included forty seven women with metastatic breast cancer. All were treated with Herceptin. Nine of these patients also expressed the receptor p95HER2.
The results showed that only 11 percent of the women with the p95HER2 expression showed an anti-cancer response to Herceptin. Of the patients who did not express p95HER2 demonstrated a response of 51 percent. The report also showed that laboratory testing of cancer cells that do express p95HER2 demonstrated anti-cancer activity with a drug called Tykerb.
The researchers concluded that patients with HER2-over expressing breast cancer who also express p95HER2 appear to be more resistant to treatment with Herceptin and "may require alternative or additional anti-HER2–targeting strategies." Patients with HER2-over expressing breast cancer may wish to speak with their physician regarding their individual risks and benefits of participating in a clinical trial further evaluating biologic markers that may help predict responses to certain therapies.
A reader posted a comment on one of my blogs and asked "What tests positively determines prostate cancer?" It prompted me to do a little research. 80 percent of men over 70 years old will get prostate cancer. That is a devastating statistic. A lot of times in the medical field diagnosing something requires a multitude of tests to rule out things and to get a better diagnosis. Such is the case for prostate cancer.
There are several tests used to diagnose prostate cancer. Blood tests, rectal exams, rectal ultrasounds, needle biopsy, and cystoscopy. A high level of PSA in the blood can be a sign of prostate cancer. PSA is a protein produced by cancerous prostate cells. With a rectal exam your doctor can feel for lumpy or a hard prostate. If a lump or hardening is found then most often they will do a needle biopsy to examine under a microscope. A cystoscopy is an examination of your bladder and uretha but can help determine several types of cancer and not just bladder cancer.
With all kinds of cancer, it is important to stay up to date with yearly exams for prevention. I hope this information helps.
Ever wonder what fish to eat, what fish to avoid, what fish is healthy, what fish is cancer-causing? I do.
I'm looking into this whole fish thing. And while my search for information is in no way exhaustive and my findings are far from conclusive, I have found some interesting fishy facts and figures.
Think about this:
Fish definitely has health benefits. It's low in fat, high in protein, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Americans love this. How do I know? Because on average, each of us eats a record 16.6 pounds of fish every year. Our intake of shrimp and salmon has doubled, in fact, since 1994.
Fish definitely has its drawbacks too. Headlines repeatedly warn us of dangerous contaminants in lakes, rivers, and oceans. Don't forget about mercury, the biggest fish health hazard. It's been linked to neurological problems in developing fetuses and children, making consumption of shark, swordfish, tilefish (aka golden snapper or golden bass), king mackeral, canned albacore tuna, and tuna steaks a no-no for hoards of women and children.
For just about everyone else, the benefits of eating moderate amounts of seafood greatly outweigh the risks. Just watch out for those PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) -- possible carcinogenic chemical compounds that end up in some seafood.
To avoid PCBs, steer clear of farmed salmon which contains high levels of these compounds or limit your intake to less than one single eight-ounce meal per month. Opt for the wild variety of salmon to avoid this concern altogether. Or take the side of the FDA. Their reports say salmon is a powerhouse when it comes to protecting heart and developing cancer from this source is much lower than the risk of heart disease.
Here's my problem with health-related advice and wisdom -- it's always changing. And I'm never sure if I'm buying into the right practice. Should I eat low-fat foods, for example, or should I stick with moderate amounts of regular food? Is red meat a good source of protein and other goodies or a direct path to breast cancer recurrence? Will sunscreen save my life or cause malignant lesions to develop on my fair skin?
I honestly don't know what to think about these questions -- or the handful of new ones that just came to my attention.
There's the one about eggs. Some say they cause a rise in cholesterol. But now I learn that when eaten in moderation -- about two per day -- eggs do not contain enough cholesterol to do any damage.
Then there's the carbs. It's true that cutting down on them can lead to weight loss. But it's also true that moderate consumption does not contribute to weight gain.
How about drinking eight glass of water a day? Maybe yes. Maybe no, according to experts who say we get water from sources other than diet alone and while we do need to replace water lost through breathing, urination, and sweating each day, our lost fluids do not total 64 ounces. And it seems we can drink too much water. This can lead to an imbalance of sodium and a condition called hyponatremia.
Vitamin supplements? Eat a good amount of fruits, veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy, protein, and the right amount of calories and you don't need a multivitamin. But most of us don't eat right. So we probably need one.
OK. Now breathe. Take it all in. Filter it. Use it. Abandon it. As for me -- I'm going with the tactic mentioned above several times -- moderation. Seems to me this approach is the key to both health and happiness.
Theranostics Health LLC is a company that was formed by George Mason University cancer researchers Dr. Lance Liotta and Emanuel Petricoin.
The company plans to tailor cancer treatments to individual patients based on proteomics, the study of proteins. Proteins play a central role in our bodies. Understanding the structure and function of each protein and its complexities of protein interactions can be critical for developing the most effective diagnostic techniques and disease treatments in the future.
Information about protein activity in tumors can allow doctors to choose the best drugs to kill the cancer cells. President and CEO of the company Joseph Reilly said "The physicians will then be provided a new class of information about that patients' individual cancer. This will enable the physician to tailor the therapy based on the individual patients' tumor."
One size fits all for cancer treatment is hopefully on its way out. We need to prescribe the right therapy to the right patient. This will increase treatment success rates and also spare patients unnecessary toxicity from chemotherapy drugs that would be unsuitable for their tumor.
The experts at Canyon Ranch resort and spa know what they're talking about when it comes to health and happiness. They make a living off their expertise, in fact. But they're not stingy when it comes to sharing their know-how, and on the Canyon Ranch website, they offer us all a chance to better our lives.
I promised in an earlier post to share more of what the Canyon Ranchers have to say -- so here are seven more healthy habits you just might want to embrace.
To Carb or Not to Carb
Canyon Ranch has watched "fad" diets come and go, never falling for their quick, easy-fix mentality and consistently advocating for balance, moderation and basic good nutrition. In recent years, some diets have forsaken whole grains for foods rich in protein and essentially free of carbohydrates. Whole grains, which are carbs, have always been a vital part of good nutrition. And while removing high-carbohydrate foods from your diet may initially help you lose weight faster, over time their absence can negatively influence your health.
Making Time for Time
People take classes to learn time management, they rely on the latest technologies to make the most of it and budget time as carefully as their money. Still, when it comes to health care, you may find yourself in a time crunch. Fortunately, Carl Pratt, managing director of the Canyon Ranch in Lenox, offers a timely solution: The 90-Minute Program. "It really only takes 90 minutes a week to stay focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you aren't willing to dedicate 90 minutes, you aren't willing to take care of yourself, and you need to accept that fact," says Carl. Carl breaks down the 90 minutes per week as follows:
15 minutes of planning for "mindful eating"
45 minutes of exercise (15 minutes, three days a week)
30 minutes of relaxation (five minutes, six days a week)
Commuting Bliss
When you change your mindset and treat commutes as a transition time for relaxation or education by listening to music or books on tape, your daily drive becomes a worthwhile experience. "We all see commutes as inconvenient, and we need to think of them as something valuable. Remember, the ultimate removal of commute time is not what people want. Otherwise, we would go directly from birth to death and skip everything in between. If you can't enjoy the commute -- and indeed, some are more difficult than others -- you are simply losing part of your life," says Robert Rhode, Ph.D., clinical psychologist at Canyon Ranch in Tucson. Family Bonds Tied to Well-Being
Even painful family connections can be a significant part of personal growth. Learn to feel reverence toward yourself even as you feel pain. This connects you with your humanity and your ability to give and receive love. How to get comfortable with painful memories? Relax your body and allow yourself to feel emotions -- anger, pain, sadness -- while maintaining a positive attitude toward you. An Attitude of Gratitude
Being thankful each day for the good things in your life and the ability to appreciate what you have rather than what you do not have is an important aspect of emotional health and well-being.
Think Big
One key to spiritual well-being is to get outside yourself with activities such as volunteering or contributing to worthy causes."Get involved with others and become committed to something greater than yourself. You start worrying about the greater good and you feel better about yourself," says Evan Kligman, M.D., at Canyon Ranch in Tucson. Not a Morning Person? It's OK
Giving yourself a workout boost first thing is great for some, but an early morning workout may not be for everyone. Phil Eichling, M.D., sleep expert at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, encourages people with sleep problems to put off their workout for later. He says to enhance sleep, the best time to exercise is usually late afternoon. And people who have cardiovascular issues or certain other health concerns may also want to ease into the day before they strap on their running shoes or cross trainers.
A new PSA density test may help identify men at high risk of developing prostate cancer.
The test, used after a biopsy finds no signs of life-threatening prostate cancer, can compare the size of a man's prostate to his levels of a cancer-related protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
Even though both men with high and low PSA densities can have clean biopsies, studies show it's men with very high PSA densities who are at greatest risk of developing prostate cancer. This and the fact that biopsies can miss between 20 and 33 percent of tumors makes this new test a potential breakthrough for the prevention and detection of prostate cancer.
One in 18 men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer during their lifetimes -- that translates into more than 150,000 people diagnosed and more than 52,000 colorectal cancer deaths each year, securing the disease as the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
Fortunately, mortality rates for this disease have been declining due to earlier screenings, awareness of symptoms, removal of polyps, and improved treatments through advances in research discoveries -- like today's genetic breakthroughs.
In a recent study, researchers identified a cell pathway critical in the development of colon cancer and also lung and stomach cancers.
STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) is the newest discovery and is a target regulated by PRPRT (receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase T), already identified to be mutated in these cancers.
"The role of protein tyrosine phosphatase in cancer is still an under-explored area," says Zhenghe John Wang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"Our study shows that receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase T regulates an important signaling pathway that is critical in cancer development. This identification will allow new approaches to pharmacological designs and facilitate alternative approaches for cancer treatment."
This study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS Online Edition Feb. 20-23, 2007), provides new hope for the development of drugs that will target this potentially deadly disease.
If the experimental breast cancer drug Tykerb continues to prove successful in study participants, it could be headed for FDA approval.
Tykerb, now in international study, showed in early studies to be even more effective and to have fewer side effects than similar breast cancer drug Herceptin. Both drugs are part of a cluster of targeted therapies that attack cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. Designed for use on women whose breast cancer is HER2 positive -- meaning it contains too much of an aggressive protein -- Tykerb may be a wonder drug, with the capability of effectively keeping breast cancer at bay.
Dr. Paul Goss of MA General Hospital says, "We're seeing Tykerb, which is a pill, which is easier to take, has a broader attack and gets inside cells. It's like an electrical circuit that's turned on, and Tykerb can pull the lever, the circuit breaker, and switch it off."
Researchers from Dartmouth Medical School say they have a new way of identifying a deadly form of breast cancer that plagues 17 to 37 percent of all breast cancer patients and mostly premenopausal black women.
Identification comes in the form of locating the marker nestin -- a long filamentous protein indicating the presence of basal epithelial tumors -- which makes this type of cancer hard to diagnose and hard to treat. It also puts patients at high risk for recurrence, marked by a very short time between treatment and relapse.
"Ideally, a marker like nestin would enable clinicians to monitor these patients through frequent tests of a biomarker and, in doing so, detect the cancer before it has a chance to come back," says one professor.
Researchers must now find an effective means of detecting nestin in a clinical screening setting. It won't be as simple as a blood test -- but a non-invasive collection of mammary duct samples may enable the development of a screening tool for at-risk patients.
Breast, lung and colorectal cancer diagnosed and treated early can be surgically removed with success, but if the cancerous cells have already entered the bloodstream at the time the tumor is surgically removed, the danger of a secondary tumor elsewhere in the body is a serious cause for worry.
But not all roaming cancer cells become a secondary tumor, which leaves the question as to what is happening to encourage or suppress additional cancer. According to University of Liverpool researchers, the answer is found in a large protein called MUC1.
MUC1 acts as a protective shield, thereby allowing our immune system a chance to destroy the rogue cancer cells. When the protein shield fails, cancerous cells can begin to develop into a new tumor.
University's School of Clinical Sciences Dr Lu-Gang Yu explains, "MUC1 on the cell surface prevents the cancer cells from attaching to the blood vessel wall which causes secondary tumors. We have discovered that a small protein called galectin-3, attacks MUC1 and breaks up its protective shield, forcing large areas of the cancer cell to become exposed. The exposed areas of the cell allow the cancer to attach to the blood vessel wall. The cancer cells then eventually penetrate the blood wall to form tumors at secondary sites."
As more scientific discoveries into the mechanisms and spread of cancer are revealed, the less mysterious it will be in determining ahead of time who is at most risk of cancer recurrence. More importantly, new treatments might be developed that stop the process in those most at risk for a secondary cancer.
High in protein and low in fat and cholesterol, this healthy recipe is one worth trying. It's easy too. I love easy.
I recently received an e-mail from a friend, about a friend of hers who has just been diagnosed with throat cancer. After a little thought about the content of her message, I sat down and typed a response. I share our back-and-forth communication with you today because it may help you, a friend, a family member, someone. And it may motivate some of you to contribute your own wisdom on the topic. If it does, by all means -- please share by leaving a comment.
Studies show that diets high in fiber and low in fat can help prevent cancer. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. It has a higher content of protein, dietary fiber and vitamins compared to tofu. In the past five years tempeh has grown so much in popularity that it is now available in the refrigerated section of many supermarkets. Here is a simple way to prepare tempeh that both kids and adults love.
Do you have less energy than you did before cancer? Do you sometimes crash in the middle of the afternoon? If you answered Yes to these questions and wonder why your energy is zapped, you may want to consider something completely outside the realm of cancer. Like your diet.
Twenty to thirty percent of breast cancers over express a protein referred to as the human epidermal growth factor receptor, better known as HER2 over expression.
A reader posted a comment on one of my blogs and asked "What tests positively determines prostate cancer?" It prompted me to do a little research. 80 percent of men over 70 years old will get prostate cancer. That is a devastating statistic. A lot of times in the medical field diagnosing something requires a multitude of tests to rule out things and to get a better diagnosis. Such is the case for prostate cancer.
Ever wonder what fish to eat, what fish to avoid, what fish is healthy, what fish is cancer-causing? I do. 
Here's my problem with health-related advice and wisdom -- it's always changing. And I'm never sure if I'm buying into the right practice. Should I eat low-fat foods, for example, or should I stick with moderate amounts of regular food? Is red meat a good source of protein and other goodies or a direct path to breast cancer recurrence? Will sunscreen save my life or cause malignant lesions to develop on my fair skin?
Theranostics Health LLC is a company that was formed by George Mason University cancer researchers Dr. Lance Liotta and Emanuel Petricoin. 
The experts at Canyon Ranch resort and spa know what they're talking about when it comes to health and happiness. They make a living off their expertise, in fact. But they're not stingy when it comes to sharing their know-how, and on the Canyon Ranch website, they offer us all a chance to better our lives.
A new PSA density test may help identify men at high risk of developing prostate cancer.
One in 18 men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer during their lifetimes -- that translates into more than 150,000 people diagnosed and more than 52,000 colorectal cancer deaths each year, securing the disease as the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
If the experimental breast cancer drug Tykerb continues to prove successful in study participants, it could be headed for FDA approval.
Researchers from Dartmouth Medical School say they have a new way of identifying a deadly form of breast cancer that plagues 17 to 37 percent of all breast cancer patients and mostly premenopausal black women.
Breast, lung and colorectal cancer diagnosed and treated early can be surgically removed with success, but if the cancerous cells have already entered the bloodstream at the time the tumor is surgically removed, the danger of a secondary tumor elsewhere in the body is a serious cause for worry. 
