The National Cancer Institute shows studies have found the following risk factors for bladder cancer.

1. Age - The chance of bladder cancer goes up as you get older and is rarely found in anyone under 40 years old.
2. Tobacco - Cigarette smokers are three times more likely than non smokers to develop bladder cancer.
3. Occupations - People who work in these professions or who handle these products have a higher risk of developing bladder cancer. Rubber, chemical, leather, textile, printers, painters, machinists, metal workers, hairdressers, and truck drivers.
4. Infections - Certain parasites increase the risk of bladder cancer.
5. Race - Whites get bladder cancer twice as often as African Americans and Hispanics. The lowest risks are Asians.
6. Gender - Men are three time more likely to develop bladder cancer which may be because of the above occupational risks.
7. Chlorine - By products of chlorine are being closely studied.
8. Saccharin - The artificial sweetener has shown to cause cancer in animals and is being studied closer for the risks on humans.

If you have blood in your urine, pain during urination, or frequent urination or the feel the need to urinate often, please discuss your concern with a doctor. Early detection of bladder cancer has been a proven factor in the survival rate of this disease.

Today is my dad's 65th birthday. He always loved visiting Arizona over the years, he finally made his dream come true by moving to Tucson. My dad has always lived a very healthy lifestyle -- I believe that is why is he in such good physical and mental shape today.

One year before I was diagnosed with breast cancer we ran the 5k at the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure in Philadelphia. That was back in 2000, however my dad has been running in races for over thirty years. We also tackled the Avon 2 Day walk in New York City in the fall of 2003.

Jack is a non-smoker, a jogger, hiker, a golfer, and a chess player -- it is important to not only exercise the body -- but also the mind.

Keep it up dad. Happy birthday!! I love you!

Summer Running: A Race To Cure Breast Cancer is a documentary about two amazing women who are fighting breast cancer. The film sheds light on this common disease and those dedicated to finding a cure.

Donate just 20 dollars and you can get this highly acclaimed documentary. Net proceeds go to cancer researchers at Johns Hopkins University and The University of Virginia.

"... a highly inspirational and moving film about women runners and breast cancer survivors. It also emphasizes the importance of grass-roots funding, and offers a hopeful look at cancer research. Highest recommendation!"
- Theresa Wells, RN / Runner

I've said it before. Every time I go running I feel like I'm crushing cancer with each and every step I pound onto the pavement. It's exhilarating, knowing I'm doing something good for my body and my soul, knowing every day I run is one more day I've survived a nasty disease. Apparently, others agree.

Think about this:

A new Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure magazine advertisement features a close-up shot of the bottom of a running shoe. Woven into the tread on the bottom of the shoe are these words:

Every step resounds with the satisfying crunch of breast cancer being stomped into oblivion.

This is exactly how I feel.

Ever since revealing her breast cancer had recurred, there has been speculation about a spread from Elizabeth Edwards' rib -- the initial metastasis -- to other spots in her body.

Last night, on the CBS news program 60 Minutes, Edwards told Katie Couric that a hot spot has been detected in her right hip. But doctors believe it is too small to pose a new health risk, she reports.

"There are a couple of hot spots, on the bone scan, in my right hip, for example," she said. "And one of the questions is whether or not to do radiation to reduce the size of that -- of the cancer in that location -- and for fear that it might weaken my bone and that I might break my hip. But their consensus was that it was too small an area for that to be a risk."

In addition to discussion about the cancer itself, Edwards and her husband John defended their decision to stick with the presidential race. Edwards said she just cannot deny her husband the chance to be president.

"That would be my legacy, wouldn't it, Katie?" Edwards said to Couric. "That I'd taken out this fine man from -- from the possibility of -- of giving a great service. I mean, I don't want that to be my legacy."

Presidential candidate John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth will appear tonight on 60 Minutes where they will publicly discuss with Katie Couric Elizabeth's newest cancer diagnosis and their decision to continue on in the presidential race.

Elizabeth, 57 and first diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2004, shared Thursday that her cancer has returned, this time in her bones. Considered stage four and treatable -- but not curable -- her cancer has generated much discussion and awareness about the workings of this life-threatening disease.

To view a clip from tonight's news program, airing at 7:00 PM ET/PT, click here.

Simply being female puts all women at risk for breast cancer. That and age, race, family history, personal history, genetic make-up, when they had children, when they reach menopause, and a whole host of other possible factors.

Now U.S. doctors are officially calling body mass index, breast density, and alcohol consumption predictors of the disease, says Therese Bevers, medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center, at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Bevers helped write updated guidelines for the prevention of breast cancer and presented them at the 12th annual National Comprehensive Cancer Network in Hollywood, Florida on Friday.

The guidelines, featuring the revised list of risk factors, also offer treatment options for women -- including bilateral mastectomy for women who have tested positive for the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 as well as possible medical treatments with drugs such as tamoxifen and raloxifene.

Lance Mackey beat cancer back in 2001 and on Tuesday he won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome, Alaska. Mackey was diagnosed with neck cancer in 2001 and received surgery and radiation for his treatment.

Lance owns a kennel named Lance Mackey's Comeback Kennel. He indeed made a comeback, he has back to back wins in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race.

Mackey's status as a cancer survivor and champion musher will inspire other people with cancer, said Christine Schultz, 42, of Nome, a medical social worker who stood out in subzero temperatures with co-workers from Norton Sound Regional Hospital to watch Mackey cross the finish line. "I think it gives people hope they can overcome cancer and live their dreams," she said.

Don't ever doubt I can't do something," Mackey said in Nome after his win. "I lived through cancer."

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation recently revamped it's entire campaign landscape. There's been a name change -- Susan G. Komen for the Cure -- and an infusion of more than $1 million into advertising, and a logo redesign, and a whole slew of new slogans intended for magazines and websites and billboards and t-shirts.

These changes mark the 25-year anniversary of one woman's gift to her sister, Susan G. Komen, who lost her battle with breast cancer at the age of 36. This gift -- the now powerful Susan G. Komen for the Cure -- is most known for its Komen Race for the Cure, a nationwide fundraising and awareness campaign featuring races attended by more than one million participants.

Soon, this group may be known for even more.

Sister Nancy G. Brinker, a breast cancer survivor herself, says, "It's high time we took ownership of the strides we've made and declare our uncompromising commitment."

Brinker's declarations are flying. Some people think they are offensive. Others disagree. I won't share my opinion on this Thought for the Day just yet -- because I don't want to sway any opinions. But I'd love to hear your take on this Komen approach to stamping out breast cancer.

Think about this:

Some print and poster ads will feature a woman wearing a tank-style undershirt that says, "When we get our hands on breast cancer, we're going to punch it, strangle it, kick it, spit on it, choke it and pummel it until it's good and dead. Not just horror movie dead but really, truly dead. And then we're going to tie a pink ribbon on it."

Another ad states, "We only focus on one thing. Or, depending on how you look at it, two."

Another states, "If you're going to stare at my breasts, ... you could at least donate a dollar to save them."

Breast cancer survivor Catherine West was married to her husband, Jason, in a very public ceremony in May. The couple beat out 450 other couples battling in the ESPN Marriage Madness competition and celebrated with sports fans everywhere their beautiful union, inspired not only by their love for one another but also by the one-year anniversary of Catherine's double mastectomy for breast cancer.

What fans didn't know at the time of the wedding was that Catherine knew in her heart something was very wrong. And just after she returned from her Indianapolis 500 honeymoon, Catherine learned her breast cancer had returned.

The 37-year-old from Jupiter, Florida underwent three more surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation and is happy to report her treatment is complete. She is also certain breast cancer came to her life -- twice -- so she could make a difference.

"This happened to me so I could help other people,'" said West, who volunteers her time for the West Palm Beach Race for the Cure, a 5K walk and run sponsored by Susan G. Komen For The Cure.

Lance Armstrong means business. He says his new race is finding a cure for a disease that kills 600,000 people a year. Lance is a ten year testicular cancer survivor and was diagnosed at the age of 25.

Yesterday, Lance urged Iowans to support a presidential candidate who's dedicated to expanding cancer research. In a speech to 1,500 guests of the Greater Des Moines Partnership's annual dinner, the seven time Tour de France Champion described the power Iowa holds as the nation's lead-off state in the presidential nominating process.

"The cancer question has to be asked, and it has to be on the agenda for the most powerful man in the world", Armstrong said.

Go Lance!

Two-time breast cancer survivor Tania Katan was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 21, and then again ten years later. With gutsy humor in an outlandishly candid expose, she faced cancer twice, dealt with a "supportive but neurotic family," swore off toxic girlfriends, wrote about her experiences in a book and performed a one-woman play, both called My One-Night Stand With Cancer.

Katan, who underwent a mastectomy each time she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and who appears naked above the waist in her back-of-the-book photo, ran a race to raise breast cancer awareness in the best form she thought possible -- topless. "People were racing for something very specific, to cure breast cancer, but they didn't want to see what breast cancer looks like."

On the Amazon webpage for her book, the description of My One-Night Stand With Cancer reads, "A Jewish lesbian's memoir loaded with humor. She survived to prove, perhaps, that laughter is in fact the best medicine. With lymph nodes negative and outlook positive despite lightning striking twice, this 10K runner shows great spirit and strength."

The Komen Foundation welcomes Energizer as the newest National Series Sponsor of the Komen Race for the Cure. For 2007, Energizer will encourage Race participants to Keep Going with the Relax, Recharge, and Remain Strong Retreat - and together, achieve the goal of ending breast cancer.

For the past two years, Energizer has joined the fight against breast cancer through Power to Keep Going, a marketing initiative that donated $350,000 to the Komen Foundation.

For more information, please visit www.energizer.com

Ford has been very active in the race for a breast cancer cure with its Warriors in Pink campaign -- which has raised 87 million dollars and counting -- for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

One of our favorite sibling blogs, Autoblog has posted Ford Bold Moves - Episode 16: The Warriors (and one wicked crash) including video of the Ford Bold Moves web-based documentary series 16th episode which features race car driver Katherine Legge during her recent race at Road America behind the wheel of Warriors in Pink race car. She crashed during the race but was able to make it out without injury and returned to racing as a Warrior in Pink five days later.

After the crash, and the return to racing as a Warrior in Pink, Legge said, "You have to keep trying. You never give up. Basically, I am a firm believer if you want something bad enough you make it happen. So you just keep plugging away. Determination is the name of the game I reckon."

Legge definitively symbolizes the attitude of a warrior.

For more on Warriors in Pink, we have these related posts:

• Warriors in Pink: enter to win new car help create virtual quilt
• Grey's Anatomy cast become Warriors in Pink
• Warriors in Pink: believers survivors fighters
• Ford's Warriors will bang their drums on ABC's The View
  

Thanks to Joel Arellano for alerting us to this story and John Neff for blogging about it!

When a question or concern or worry related to breast cancer pops into my head, I typically find myself parked in front of my computer in search of instant answers, instant comfort, instant wisdom. There are several different websites I consult -- each one different from the others, each one complementing the others. They are my reference tools, my handbooks, my encyclopedias. They offer me a clear picture of a confusing, cloudy disease. And here they are -- seven super websites that have been become staples in my life.