Losing the ability to have children would for many be the ultimate tragedy in a young person's battle with cancer. So here's some promising news: A transplant of ovarian tissue between sisters has shown to be successful, and the eggs have even been fertilized, though complications have caused a loss of the potential the pregnancies.

The transplantation of ovarian tissue between Teresa Alvaro and her sister, Sandra, is promising though the sisters were fortunate to share the same human leukocyte antigen (HLA), meaning that they wouldn't reject tissue from the other's body. Teresa lost ovarian function due to treatment of a blood disorder when she was 20, and preferred transplantation of ovarian tissue to donation of eggs, because she felt it was more natural.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School say the active component of marijuana may enhance the virus that causes a rare type of skin cancer called Kaposi's sarcoma. While most people are not at risk of developing this cancer, AIDS patients are transplant recipients are. It's the weakened immune system that puts some at risk for this disease. And these are the people who should discuss with their doctors the costs of using marijuana medicinally or recreationally.

It may take only small doses of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- the ingredient that gives marijuana users a "high" -- to cause cells to become infected and then multiply, according to a study reported in the August 1 issue of Cancer Research.

Previous studies have indicated this very same association between marijuana use and Kaposi's sarcoma. But this study shows THC itself is the driving force.

Liver cancer experts attribute the rise in HCC, a highly aggressive cancer sometimes called hepatoma, to an increase decades ago in chronic infection with hepititis C & B and also chronic alcohol consumption. Worldwide liver cancer affects 700,000 people with 18,000 Americans diagnosed in 2006 and over 19,000 estimated to be diagnosed in 2007. The increase of this disease in the United States has doubled in one decade and over 16,000 people are estimated to die from the disease this year.

The rise in the United States is expected to increase. There are now 1.4 million people in the United States infected with HBV and 4 million are infected with HCV. Growing evidence suggests two other diseases now increasingly common in the United States to have significant risk factors for primary liver cancer. Diabetes and obesity.

HCC typically does not have any symptoms until its later stages which makes it difficult to diagnose. Traditional chemo does not treat the disease with much success and liver transplants or resection surgeries are needed. One reason why donors are very important in fighting this disease. When signs and symptoms do arise they might include weight loss, fatigue, pain in the upper right abdomen that may extend to the back and shoulder, feeling full after small meals, accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, nausea, loss of appetite, and jaundice.

Alese was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease when she was seventeen years old. This was back in November of 2001 and Alese has been fighting this disease on and off since that time.

After her initial treatment of the standard chemotherapy regimen for Hodgkin's, Alese had her first recurrence after only four months. Alese then received a stem cell transplant in December of 2002 and she was cancer free for two years. On November 18, 2004 it was found that Alese had another recurrence of Hodgkin's.

I have been reading Alese's journal on her blog called Alese Coco Fight 2 Win. She is a courageous young women. You can read her story here, it is very inspirational.

It has been a scary weekend since Alese's family were told that they might have to start making 'end of life' decisions. Alese was having many complications from her disease that it was threatening to take her life. Thankfully, it seems things are looking better this morning. Check out her journal and if you like leave an encouraging message!

Devastating blood born fungal infections that can be lethal for cancer, HIV/AIDS, and organ transplant patients may be treated more successfully, thanks to a new drug delivery method of Amphotericin B developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Because the oral form of the drug is easier to administer and cheaper than intravenous delivery more patients would have access to the medicine. Amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmBd) has been the gold standard for the treatment of systemic mycoses for the past 5 decades. The intravenous form of the drug caused severe kidney toxicity as well as serious tissue damage at the intravenous injection site. This research was triggered by clinicians needing a way to kill these fungal infections without risking the patient's kidney. The new form can be can be taken by mouth with minimal side effects boosting effectiveness and dramatically reducing toxicity.

It was effective in treating candida albicans an infection prevalent in HIV/AIDS and cancer patients receiving chemotherapy,and can cause symptoms ranging from cough to brain damage. Research funding for this project was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada's major agency responsible for funding health research. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 10,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

United States Representative Charles Norwood, who left Washington last week to enter into the care of hospice, died yesterday at his home after battling cancer and lung disease. He was 65.

Norwood, whose passing prompted the House to observe a moment of silence Tuesday in his honor, suffered since 1998 from chronic lung disease and later metastatic cancer that spread from his lungs to his liver. Last week, he announced he would no longer accept treatment, that he would allow hospice to care for him for the remainder of his days.

A dentist from Augusta, Georgia, Norwood was the first Republican to represent northeastern Georgia since the Civil War. A conservative passionately opposed to government bureaucracy and adamantly supportive of patients' rights, he hoped to one day become Georgia's first Republican Governor.

Norwood's medical decline began when his lung condition -- idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis -- began restricting his ability to breathe and necessitated a lung transplant in 2004.

Known for zipping around the Capitol with a motorized cart and oxygen tank, Norwood developed cancer on his non-transplanted lung reportedly due to the immune suppression drugs he took after his transplant. And although his cancer was surgically removed and his health did improve, doctors learned this past November his cancer had spread.

The vacancy left by Norwood's death will not be filled immediately due to governmental process. In Georgia, within 10 days of the seat being vacated, the governor must request a special election to the secretary of state. And the election must be held no fewer than 30 days later.

Norwood is survived by his wife, Gloria; two sons, Charles and Carlton; and four grandchildren.

United States Representative Charlie Norwood will soon depart Washington, for good. He will head straight home to Georgia where he will receive hospice care now that he has decided to decline all further treatment for lung cancer that has spread to his liver.

An air ambulance will fly Norwood, 65, home as early as Wednesday or Thursday. The congressman, who had been traveling the halls of Congress in an eclectic cart, with oxygen tank in tow has spent much of his time this session in the hospital.

Suffering from chronic lung disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Norwood received a lung transplant in 2004. Doctors then discovered a tumor on his non-transplanted lung and removed it in 2006. But the cancer had already spread to his liver. And while Norwood considered continued treatment, he ultimately determined, "No, you know what, it's time to go home."

Norwood, whose condition was acknowledged by President Bush in his last State of the Union speech, is said to have been as stubborn in his fight against cancer as he was in this fight for the legislation he thought was important for America.

Noxafil (posaconazole), an anti- fungal agent may be better than other anti-fungals in helping cancer patients that have GVHD.

GVHD, graft-versus host disease, is a potential complication that can happen after a stem cell transplant. What is really happening is that the new stem cells given from a donor are now giving the patient a chance to build a new immune system--hopefully one that will give a cure. The foreign immune system can begin to attack the cancer patients body that received the transplant. Just like your immune system might reject a heart transplant, the new immune system is seeing the organs of the body as foreign and attack.

To combat this from happening the patients are usually given agents that suppress the immune system. This however, can then cause infections that can quickly develop into a life threatening situation. Researchers are continuing to look for ways to combat the infections that arise.

Noxafil was compared to Diflucan in a study of 600 patients with GVHD who were also receiving therapy to suppress their immune system. The anti-fungal agent that won out was Noxafil for the prevention of fungal infections.

Little Layla Schilling is just two-and-a-half years old -- and for more than one year of her short life, she has been fighting a rare liver cancer that spread to her lungs. But a series of medical interventions has worked miracles -- and Layla now gets to leave the hospital and head for home, where a belated Christmas gift from Santa awaits her -- a trampoline.

When Layla's cancer was first discovered, doctors at Royal Children's Hospital in Australia immediately removed 80 percent of her liver to stop the tumor growth. Several months later, cancerous spots appeared again in her liver -- and in her lungs too.

Five months of intensive chemotherapy did its job -- and Layla's mom, Sara Wright, says her daughter is now doing well.

"The chemotherapy has successfully shrunk the tumors in her lung and what was left was removed by surgery," she said. "The tumor in her liver is under control, but the only way to be sure it doesn't come back is to have a transplant."

While a transplant is in Layla's future, she is focused right now on the moment. As every child should be.

Kidney transplants can save lives. They can also increase the risk of developing a variety of cancers, according to Australian researchers who report a risk 300 percent higher than in the general population.

Most cancers developed in kidney transplant patients have a known or suspected viral origin, suggesting the weakened immune systems in these patients limit protection against cancer.

"The immunosuppressive drugs transplant patients take lower their ability to fight off infections that can trigger malignancy", the lead researcher said. "We believe the increased incidence of infection leads to the infection that results in cancer." She also notes there is probably an even greater risk of cancer among heart and lung transplant patients because these patients receive more powerful immunosuppressive drugs.

Researchers gathered their findings by comparing the incidence of cancer in 29,000 patients with end-stage kidney disease who received kidney transplants. Data was collected beginning five years prior to transplantation, during dialysis, and after transplantation. Researchers then consulted an Australian registry to identify cancers occurring between the years of 1982-2003. They compared the statistics with the number of cancers seen among transplant patients.

These cancers included melanoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, leukemia and cancers of the lip, tongue, mouth, salivary gland, esophagus, stomach, colon, anus, liver, gallbladder, lung, connective and other soft tissue, vulva, cervix, penis, eye and thyroid. There was also an increase in nasal cavity and vaginal cancers.

This study has important implications for future immosuppression. Patients should give considerable thought to quality-of-life transplants -- such as face transplants and hand transplants -- and should carefully weigh the risks of weakened immunity. On a brighter note, this study might help prompt research on medication that can selectively target the part of the body responsible for rejecting a transplant. Because right now, medications affect the entire immune system -- and this is what makes patients more prone to developing cancer.

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.

Almost 19,000 cases of primary liver cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year according to The American Cancer Society. This type of cancer is twice as common in men as in women. Over 16,000 patients will die of their liver cancer by the end of 2006.

The liver is responsible for many vital roles in our body. It plays an important role in removing toxic waste, stores many nutrients absorbed from the intestines and can also make some of the clotting factors needed to stop bleeding from an injury. The liver is made up of several different types of cells. The tumors that develop in the liver can either be benign or cancerous. Benign tumors of the liver include hemangioma, hepatic adenomas and focal nodular hyperplasia.

The most common form of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma. It begins in the main type of liver cell and three out of four patients diagnosed with primary liver cancer are of this type. A type of liver cancer that is rare but has a better prognosis than other forms of liver cancer is called fibrolamellar liver cancer. Cholangiocarcinomas, another form of liver cancer is usually treated the same as hepatocellular carcinoma.

Many times when the cancer is found in the liver it did not begin there but is metastasis from another primary tumor in the body. These tumors are not considered primary liver cancer and are not treated as such, they will be treated based on where the primary tumor began. If you have metastasis to the liver from lung cancer you will still be treated with drugs that kill lung cancer tumors.

I've been reading her blog ever since Kristina Collins first wrote about her. I've been reading about her battle with leukemia -- for the second time -- and about the bone marrow transplant she received just recently. I read about her brother who became her bone marrow donor and her family and friends who became fierce supporters and cheerleaders for this young woman sure to beat cancer six years after she first conquered the disease.

Courtney Nicole did not win this battle. Just days ago, in the midst of her bone marrow transplant process, Courtney's body was infected with a bacteria that forced the removal of one leg. It turned out the bacteria was not confined to her leg -- it had invaded her entire body -- and it became clear that the fighting spirit of this woman was needed not here on Earth, but in the heavens above.

On November 14, 2006, Courtney earned her angel wings. In the words of her sister, "she will be young and beautiful forever and always." Indeed, she will.

Testicular cancer, cancer in one or both of the testicles, usually occurs in young men and will strike about 8,250 of these men this year. About 370 men will die.

A man's lifetime risk of developing this cancer -- that typically shows up in only one testicle -- is 1 in 300, securing it as one of the less common cancers in the United States. The chances of dying from testicular cancer are 1 in 5,000, making it one of the most curable forms of cancer. Yet it is still the most common form of cancer in men ages 15-34. It is also a cancer commonly characterized by denial and embarrassment. As a result, it is one of the least mentioned cancers.