Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

For a Doctor, Survival and Transformation

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:32:02 EST

Times Health Columnist Jane Brody interviews SCCA's Dr. Kimberly Allison about her transformative battle with breast cancer

Simplier, Less Painful Blood Marrow Tests Encourage More Donors

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 01:24:25 EST

KING 5's Jean Enersen goes to SCCA to find out how the donation procedure for blood marrow donors has changed for the better.

Breast-cancer Blogger Gets Drugs Closer to Patients

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:48:49 EST

Jean Sather, a Seattle blogger and assertive cancer patient who has helped bring an experimental breast-cancer drug closer to the homes of patients who need it most. SCCA's Dr. Julie Gralow, who is in charge of the trial here, calls Sather "a great example of an educated and informed patient advocate."

Drug Found to Prolong Lives of Melanoma Patients Is Approved

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 04:57:20 EST

Yervoy, the first drug shown to prolong the lives of people with the skin cancer melanoma recently won approval from the FDA. Yervoy is an example of an emerging class of treatments known as immunotherapy that harness the body?s own immune system to fight tumors

Making Her Life an Open Book to Promote Expanded Care

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 05:22:41 EST

Felicia Knaul, a health economist at Harvard Medical School in Boston, doesn't mind telling in detail how breast cancer changed her marriage, her family, and her career. In her mission to shatter taboos around the disease and improve the lives of patients in developing countries, her professional and private lives have become one.

Early Breast Cancers May Need Less Lymph Node Surgery

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:57:24 EST

Some women with early breast cancers can safely opt for less surgery, greatly reducing the risk of painful long-term complications, according to a new study that's already changing standard medical practice, including those at SCCA

Blood Test to Spot Cancer Gets Big Boost

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 05:42:03 EST

A blood test so sensitive that it can spot a single cancer cell lurking among a billion healthy ones is moving one step closer to being available at your doctor's office.

M.R.I.?s Help Fight High Risk of Cancer

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:46:49 EST

For women with a high risk of breast cancer because of genetic mutations or family history, yearly M.R.I. scans in addition to mammograms and breast exams may save lives, a new study finds. Read more

Screening Trials for Lung Cancer Shows Benefit

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 04:46:22 EST

Today, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) released results from a large-scale trial that compared the effects of two screening procedures for lung cancer -- low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) and standard chest X-ray -- on lung cancer mortality and found 20 percent fewer lung cancer deaths among trial participants screened with low-dose helical CT. For more information about lung cancer screening at SCCA, visit the Lung Cancer Early Detection and Prevention section of our website

New DNA Tests Aimed at Reducing Colon Cancer

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:36:43 EST

Two new DNA-based tests hold the promise of detecting early ? and sharply reducing ? colon cancer, a disease that afflicts 150,000 people a year in the United States and costs an estimated $14 billion to treat. Read more

Lung Cancer Treatment Shows Promise

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 06:19:08 EST

A new drug is showing remarkable promise in treating lung cancer patients who have a rare genetic mutation. The drug, crizotinib, stabilized or improved the disease in 90 percent of patients in an early stage clinical trial, according to study results released Wednesday. SCCA has several clinical trials involving crizotinib. Visit our Clinical Trials site for more information

In Mammogram Debate, Differences Aren't So Big

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 02:18:37 EST

On the surface, it looks like the experts are sharply divided. The American Cancer Society still urges women in their 40s to get regular mammograms every year ? despite the task force's recommendations. But some of those on either side of the debate aren't as far apart as you might think. Read more

Simplifying the Decision for a Prostate Screening

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:27:31 EST

Screening for early detection of cancer sounds like a no-brainer, but it?s not an easy choice for men considering regular P.S.A. tests... Read more

Clue Found in Aggressive Breast Cancer

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:58:00 EST

Researchers may have found a new lead toward treating triple negative breast cancer, a rare and aggressive form of the breast cancer that occurs more often in younger women and African-American or Hispanic women. Read more

How to Widen the Hunt for Targeted Cancer Therapy

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:55:29 EST

Fifty years after the discovery of the first direct genetic link to cancer, scientists are assessing the state of so-called targeted therapy ? with nearly 30 treatments on the market and a dozen or so more under study. Read more

New Drugs Stir Debate on Rules of Clinical Trials

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 03:03:09 EST

Doctors say that for them, the new wave of cancer drugs is intensifying the conflict between their responsibility to their patients and their commitment to gathering scientific knowledge for generations of the critically ill.

DIY Mammogram Math: 1 in 20,000 Odds

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 05:27:32 EST

Remember that flare-up of The Mammogram Wars? Last November, an independent government panel recommended that women should start getting annual mammograms at age 50 instead of 40, incurring backlash from the breast cancer community and others. Read more

Body Size Matters with Colon Cancer

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:22:09 EST

Carrying excess weight in the waist and hips may increase an older woman's risk of dying from colon cancer, according to a new study in a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Healthy seniors who maintained a normal weight before getting diagnosed were more likely to survive, the study found.

Eating Mix of Fruits, Veggies May Cut Lung Cancer Risk

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:29:52 EST

A new study, published this week in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, finds that eating a diverse diet of veggies and fruit can decrease your risk of developing lung cancer, especially if you are a smoker. Read more

Palliative Care Extends Life

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:29:36 EST

In a study that sheds new light on the effects of end-of-life care, doctors have found that patients with terminal lung cancer who began receiving palliative care immediately upon diagnosis not only were happier, more mobile and in less pain as the end neared ? but they also lived nearly three months longer. Read more

Putting Cancer on the Global Health Agenda

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 01:50:59 EST

Most people who die from cancer are in the developing world. Yet cancer is seldom included in discussions about global health. SCCA's Dr. Julie Gralow makes the case for putting cancer on the global health agenda. Read more

DNA Test May Speed Colon Cancer Diagnosis

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 07:28:00 EST

A new generation of DNA tests for colon cancer seems likely to improve the detection both of cancers and of the precancerous polyps that precede them. The tests, if validated, could reduce the burden of disease substantially by detecting tumors at an early stage, including those not picked up by a colonoscopy. Read more

Blacks Face Bone Marrow Donor Shortage

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:54:39 EST

Bone marrow transplants are dependent on patients finding donors with a similar genetic makeup. For most the match is found in someone of the same race. But the black community has a particularly tough time attracting donors. Read more

Gaps Found in Breast Cancer Testing

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:50:24 EST

One-fifth of American women ages 50 to 74 have fallen behind on mammography screenings for breast cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting. Read more

Fish-Oil Supplements May Cut Breast-Cancer Risk

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:09:45 EST

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have found that fish-oil supplements may lower the risk of breast cancer. Read more

U.S. Cancer Death Rate Continues to Drop

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:19:14 EST

The number of deaths due to cancer continues to decline in the United States, according to new statistics from the American Cancer Society. Read more

Colon Cancer Screenings Up, Breast Rate Stalled

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:38:15 EST

More older Americans are getting tested for colon cancer, with nearly two out of three getting recommended screenings. Meanwhile, rates for breast cancer screening remain stuck on a higher plateau, according to a government report released Tuesday. Read more

The Prostate Cancer Quandary

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:29:23 EST

Scientists may soon be able to answer the agonizing question facing men with prostate cancer: Does their cancer need immediate treatment or can it be left alone? Read more

Cancer Survivors Urged to Exercise

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:25:52 EST

New guidelines are urging survivors to exercise more, even ? hard as it may sound ? those who haven't yet finished their treatment.

Mysterious Link Connects Diabetes And Cancer

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:45:31 EST

Most people wouldn't think diabetes and cancer have anything to do with each other. But a group of experts from the American Cancer Society and the American Diabetes Association thinks they do. Read more

Overtreating Earliest Cancers ? But Which Ones?

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:19:58 EST

It's an unthinkable notion for a generation raised on the message that early cancer detection saves lives, but specialists say more tumors actually are being found too early. Read more

Cancer Survivors Skipping Medical Care

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:24:58 EST

Cancer survivors are more likely to forgo or delay medical treatment because of health care costs, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer. Read more

U.S. Cigarettes Contain More Cancer-Causing Chemicals

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:42:26 EST

All cigarettes are not created equal, according to CDC scientists who say those made in the USA are more dangerous than foreign brands... Read more

People Survive Longer With Throat Cancer Caused By Virus

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:39:44 EST

Patients with throat cancers caused by HPV ? the human papillomavirus ? have better chances at surviving their illnesses than patients whose cancers don't have a viral culprit. Read more

Findings May Alter Care for Early Breast Cancer

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:35:23 EST

For many women with early-stage breast cancer, treatment may become considerably less arduous, researchers say. Read more

Breast Cancer Vaccine Successful in Mice

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:46:54 EST

Scientists at Ohio's Cleveland Clinic are touting a new prototype vaccine to prevent breast cancer as "promising." Read more

Link Between Tanning Beds, Melanoma Grows Stronger

Thu, 27 May 2010 04:00:40 EST

Strong evidence now links tanning beds to melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer that afflicts nearly 69,000 Americans a year. Read more

Ovarian-Cancer Screening Shows Promise

Fri, 21 May 2010 03:05:41 EST

Researchers may finally be closing in on a way to screen healthy women for ovarian cancer - a disease that rarely shows symptoms until it's too late to cure. Read more

People with AIDS More Likely to Develop Cancers

Thu, 20 May 2010 03:01:02 EST

As people live longer with AIDs, they are becoming far more likely than the rest of the population to develop cancers that were not previously associated with the virus... Read more

Study: Cellphone-Brain Cancer Link Inconclusive

Tue, 18 May 2010 12:59:30 EST

A major international study into the link between cellphone use and two types of brain cancer has proved inconclusive, according to a study... Read more

Annals of Innovation: The Treatment

Mon, 17 May 2010 10:55:39 EST

Malcolm Gladwell looks at why cancer drugs are so difficult to develop. Read the abstract

Easing Bone Marrow Transplants to Widen Their Use

Tue, 11 May 2010 07:31:49 EST

Bone marrow transplants are undergoing a quiet revolution: No longer just for cancer, research is under way to ease the risks so they can target more people with diseases from sickle cell to deadly metabolic disorders. Read more

US Cancer Costs Double in 20 Years

Mon, 10 May 2010 12:52:53 EST

The cost of treating cancer has doubled over the past 20 years, but those costs are in line with overall trends in health spending. Read more

New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer

Wed, 05 May 2010 02:28:56 EST

The President?s Cancer Panel is the Mount Everest of the medical mainstream, so it is astonishing to learn that it is poised to join ranks with the organic food movement and declare: chemicals threaten our bodies. Read more

Prostate Cancer Drug Approved

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:27:04 EST

This week the Federal Food and Drug Administration approved Provenge, a new type of drug for treating prostate cancer. SCCA 's Celestia Higano was one of the lead investigators for the study. Initially Provenge will be available on a very limited basis here at SCCA. Click to learn more about Provenge at SCCA.

Five-minute Colon Cancer Test Could Save Thousands

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:16:31 EST

A five-minute colon cancer test could reduce the number of deaths from the disease by 40 percent, a new study says. Read more

Second Life: Moving Beyond Cancer

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 12:16:51 EST

An inspiring collage of cancer survivors have posted their photos and answered the question, "How is life different after cancer?" Read more

New PSA Test May Predict Prostate Cancer's Aggressiveness

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:34:33 EST

An updated version of the standard prostate cancer test can help improve predictions about which men might not require immediate treatment, researchers report. Read more

Seattle Biotech Firm on Verge of a Groundbreaking Cancer Vaccine

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:26:38 EST

SCCA patient Bob Feutz is featured in a front page article that appeared this weekend concerning the pending approval of Provenge, a vaccine for prostate cancer that was trialed here at SCCA. Read more

Insurance Company Routinely Targets Breast Cancer Patients

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:09:26 EST

That tens of thousands of Americans lost their health insurance shortly after being diagnosed with life-threatening, expensive medical conditions has been well documented by law enforcement agencies... Read more

Lung Scans Can Lead to Many False Alarms

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:52:35 EST

Screening smokers for cancer with lung scans can lead to a high rate of false alarms, unneeded tests and biopsies, a new study suggests. Read more

Stem-cell, Marrow Donors Rise

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:19:14 EST

Donating blood stem cells or bone marrow to assist patients fighting blood or immune disorders has never been easier, or more popular. Read more

Eating Vegetables Doesn?t Stop Cancer

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 03:49:34 EST

A major study tracking the eating habits of 478,000 Europeans suggests that consuming lots of fruits and vegetables has little if any effect on preventing cancer. Read more

Test to Warn Smokers of Lung Cancer Danger

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 03:40:06 EST

Scientists may have found a way to tell which smokers are at highest risk of developing lung cancer: measuring a telltale genetic change inside their windpipes. Read more

New Type of Ultrasound Might Substitute for Some Biopsies

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:31:23 EST

Every year in the United States, more than 5 million biopsies are performed on suspicious tissue from all parts of the body, primarily to detect cancer. Read more

One-third of Breast Cancer is Avoidable

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:25:02 EST

Up to a third of breast cancer cases in Western countries could be avoided if women ate less and exercised more... Read more

Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Cases Soar

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:24:34 EST

The most common cancer in the United States is nonmelanoma skin cancer, but the exact number of cases is unknown because they are generally not tracked by cancer registries. Now, a new study reports that Americans are developing those cancers at record numbers... Read more

Balding May Cut Prostate Cancer Risk

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:17:33 EST

Here's potentially good news for balding men, especially young balding men who may be distressed by their lack of locks... Read more

In Cancer Fight, Teenagers Don?t Fit In

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:19:30 EST

While overall survival rates are as high as 70 to 80 percent.... teenagers have not benefited from the huge advances in survival made by younger children and much older adults in recent decades. Read more

ACS Says Let Men Decide on Prostate Screening

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:03:13 EST

For the first time since 2001, the American Cancer Society has updated its advice on prostate cancer screening. And the upshot is that now more than ever men need to talk with their doctors about whether having a PSA test makes sense for them. .. Read More

Oral Cancer's Toll Cruel

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:21:25 EST

It brought a tough, All-Star NBA coach to tears this week. And it stilled the voice of a famous film critic. Head and neck cancers are rare, but known to be severe -- they can strip away a person's voice, distort the face and rob the basic abilities to eat, drink and swallow. The cancer can be so disfiguring, some patients seldom appear in public. Read more

Aspirin May Help Prevent Return of Breast Cancer

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:42:07 EST

Breast cancer survivors who took aspirin after completing treatment were half as likely to die or have their tumors spread around the body compared with survivors who didn't take aspirin, a long-running study of 4,164 nurses showed. Read more

Millions Missing Colon Cancer Screening

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:39:25 EST

Nearly half the people who need potentially lifesaving checks for the nation's No. 2 cancer killer - colorectal cancer - miss them, despite years of public efforts to make colon screening as widespread as tests for breast and prostate cancer. Read more

Results Unproven, Robotic Surgery Wins Converts

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:36:39 EST

Last year, 73,000 American men ? 86 percent of the 85,000 who had prostate cancer surgery ? had robot-assisted operations... Read more

Racial Disparities Persist in Cancer Diagnosis

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:21:18 EST

The incidence of advanced breast cancer diagnosis among black women remained 30 percent to 90 percent higher compared to white women between 1992 and 2004, according to new findings by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Read more

A World of Difference

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:33:54 EST

Today is World Cancer Day. Most of us, however, are affected by cancer every day?by the memories of loved ones we've lost, by the struggle for survival that friends and family members are enduring, or by our own experiences battling the disease. Tragically, far too many people who should beat cancer die from it. In fact, 40 percent of all cancer is preventable and one-third can be cured if detected early and treated effectively. Read more

Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Speak Out ? But What Are They Really Saying?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:25:11 EST

It used to be accepted that ovarian cancer was a ?silent killer.? However, recent data have reproducibly demonstrated that the vast majority of patients with ovarian cancer have symptoms for at least several months before their diagnosis. Read more

Living With a Formerly Fatal Blood Cancer

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:43:30 EST

Before 2000, fewer than half of CML patients survived seven years; now nearly 90 percent are alive seven years after diagnosis and ... lead relatively normal lives. Read more

New Breast Screening Limits Face Reversal

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:05:09 EST

Annual mammograms, seemingly on their way out under new federal guidelines last year, may be coming back. The final health-care bill is likely to require coverage for more mammograms than the new guidelines recommend after women's groups, doctors and imaging-equipment makers stepped up pressure on lawmakers -- one of many threads of the bill negotiated behind the scenes. Read more

New Ovarian Cancer Finding Could Help with Early Detection

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 01:54:00 EST

Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have taken a small, but potentially significant step toward early detection of ovarian cancer, finding that protein "biomarkers" released by tumors show up in women's bloodstreams years before symptoms appear, though not necessarily early enough to save lives. Read more

Israelis? Cancer is Linked to Holocaust

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:12:43 EST

An Israeli study, believed to be one of the first of its kind, has found significantly higher cancer rates among European Jews who immigrated to Israel after the Holocaust than among those who left Europe for what is now Israel either before or during World War II. Read more

Cancer From the Kitchen?

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:03:47 EST

What if breast cancer in the United States has less to do with insurance or mammograms and more to do with contaminants in our water or air -- or in certain plastic containers in our kitchens? Read more

Advisory on Breast Exams is Amended

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:51:23 EST

Women in their 40s should start mammograms when they want, according to members of a U.S. panel who said their earlier recommendation on breast-cancer screening was "poorly worded." Read more

Oral Cancers in Women Rising

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:40:15 EST

About 34,000 new U.S. cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year, and the numbers are rising, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation. Although oral cancer has primarily been a man's illness, affecting six men for every woman, the foundation says that over the past 10 years, that ratio has become two men to each woman. Read more

Breast Cancer Risk Is Not So Easy to Figure Out

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:12:05 EST

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's controversial new breast cancer screening recommendations are specifically for women who are at "normal" risk of breast cancer. But how do you know if you have a higher than average risk and thus should be more inclined toward getting screened in your 40s or should even follow special guidelines for breast cancer screening that go beyond what's usually recommended? Read more

New Guidelines: Women Can Get Pap Smears Every Two Years

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:13:33 EST

Most women in their 20s can have a Pap smear every two years instead of annually, say new guidelines that conclude that is enough to catch slow-growing cervical cancer. The change by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists comes amid a completely separate debate over when regular mammograms to detect breast cancer should begin. The timing of the Pap guidelines is coincidence, said ACOG, which began reviewing its recommendations in late 2007 and published the update Friday in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. Read more

U.S. Health Chief: No Change on Mammogram Policy

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:38:50 EST

A federal advisory board's recommendation that women in their 40s should avoid routine mammograms is not government policy and has caused "a great deal of confusion," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday. Read more

One More Reason to Get Up Early

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:02:29 EST

A new study suggests that early morning is an ideal time to schedule a colonoscopy. Read more

Begin Mammograms At 50, Not 40

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:59:55 EST

To the consternation of many, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that the average woman wait until age 50 to begin routine screening for breast cancer, and only get screened every two years. The previous recommendations ? in place since 2002 and backed by the American Cancer Society, radiologists and health professionals ? said women should begin routine screening at age 40. Read more

Hello Cancer, Goodbye Marriage

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:01:09 EST

In a study published in the Nov. 15 issue of the journal Cancer, neuro-oncologists Marc Chamberlain of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle and Michael Glanz of the University of Utah School of Medicine followed 515 married patients with serious cases of cancer or multiple sclerosis for five years. The overall divorce or separation rate was 11.6 percent?not much different from the general population. But when couples did split, the patient was six times more likely to be a woman than a man. Read more

Medicines to Deter Some Cancers Not Taken

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:33:01 EST

Many Americans do not think twice about taking medicines to prevent heart disease and stroke. But cancer is different. Much of what Americans do in the name of warding off cancer has not been shown to matter, and some things are actually harmful. Yet the few medicines proved to deter cancer are widely ignored. Read more

Obesity Linked to Specific Cancers

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:39:35 EST

About 100,500 new cases of cancer are caused by obesity every year, according to the most comprehensive attempt ever to estimate the cancers attributed to extra weight. Read more

What You Don?t Know Might Kill You

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:57:53 EST

The right doctors make all the difference when it comes to treating cancer. So why don't we know who they are? Read more

Pros and Cons of Prostate Surgeries

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:22:49 EST

Prostate cancer patients who chose minimally invasive surgery rather than more extensive operations to remove the prostate were less likely to experience complications like pneumonia, but reported higher rates of long-term problems... Read more

Wanted: Mammologists

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:12:50 EST

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but what is it we need to be aware of? We know that for women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and, after lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death.... But equally important is improving access to life-saving therapy for women already living with breast cancer ? many of whom don?t even know it. Read more

How We're Winning the War on Breast Cancer

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:23:01 EST

I was 18 when I first felt a lump in my breast. Of course, I was convinced that I was going to die. This was three decades ago -- back when we knew far less about breast cancer. A general surgeon removed the lump, which, thank goodness, wasn't malignant. Read more

Targeting Cancer With Bee Venom

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:11:47 EST

A bee sting can be painful, but its venomous payload might hold promise for a beneficial purpose?fighting cancer. Read more

Breath Sensor Identifies Signs of Lung Cancer

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:25:17 EST

The breath of people with lung cancer is different from that of healthy people ? it contains higher concentrations of alkanes and other volatile organic compounds.

Armstrong Uses Technology to Lift Cancer Survivors, End Stigma

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:22:52 EST

The world's only seven-time winner of the Tour de France? and perhaps its best-known cancer survivor ? keeps in close contact with cancer survivors around the world, who say his story inspires them to keep fighting. Read more

Cancer Is Hardest on Separated Patients

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:57:26 EST

Married cancer patients live longer than single ones, presumably because they have a built-in support system, are more likely to stick to their treatment regimens, and may even be in better health to begin with. But among single patients, those who are separated at the time of diagnosis have the worst life expectancy, a new study reports. Read more

Study on Vaccine for Cervical Cancer Finds Benefits Despite Some Risks

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:38:12 EST

The new vaccine designed to protect girls and young women from cervical cancer has a safety record that appears to be in line with that of other vaccines, a government report has found. Read more

Cancer Deaths Declining, Especially Among Young

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:09:14 EST

Cancer death rates are declining, especially among younger people, new research shows. And while cancer is poised to become the number one killer in the United States, topping heart disease, that is because deaths from heart disease have decreased faster than for cancer. Read more

Patients Are Reminded of Aspirin's Risks

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:12:42 EST

Cheap, ubiquitous aspirin has long been known for health benefits from basic pain relief to heart attack prevention. But after a new study this week provided tantalizing evidence suggesting that aspirin might increase survival chances for colorectal cancer patients, experts were quick to warn that the drug, a medicine cabinet staple, also had its risks. Read more

Weight Lifting Benefits Breast Cancer Survivors

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:06:33 EST

A new study suggests that breast cancer survivors with lymphedema who participated in a supervised weight-lifting program experienced fewer exacerbations of their lymphedema and showed a reduction in symptoms compared to women in the control group. Read more

Health: Wait Listed

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:13:39 EST

You?ve found a lump in your breast?why does it take so long to get a diagnosis? Some local centers are saying it shouldn?t. Read more

Lack of Study Volunteers May Hobble Cancer Fight

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:35:12 EST

Why hasn't there been more progress in the fight against cancer? Once reason, says Hutchinson Researcher Scott Ramsey, is that few adult cancer patients ? just 3 percent ? participate in studies of cancer treatments. Times science journalist Gina Kolota reports on the problems that clinical trials face the search for new treatments and cures for cancer. Read more

Considering Longer Chemotherapy

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:13:39 EST

The newest prognosis for cancer may be longer chemotherapy. Doctors and pharmaceutical companies are moving toward treating cancer patients with drugs continuously, even when they may not urgently need them. Read more

Hutchinson Center Researchers Find Women with Migraines Less Likely to Get Breast Cancer

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:37:23 EST

Women diagnosed with migraine headaches have a lower risk of developing breast cancer. That's the finding of a new study led by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center researcher Dr. Christopher Li. Read more

Blacks With Equal Care Still More Likely to Die of Some Cancers

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:19:42 EST

African Americans are less likely than whites to survive breast, prostate and ovarian cancer even when they receive equal treatment, according to a large study that offers provocative evidence that biological factors play a role in at least some racial disparities. Read more

In Health Reform, a Cancer Offers an Acid Test

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:17:32 EST

It?s become popular to pick your own personal litmus test for health care reform... My litmus test is different. It?s the prostate cancer test. Read more

Vegetarians Avoid More Cancers

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:30:13 EST

Vegetarians are generally less likely than meat eaters to develop cancer but this does not apply to all forms of the disease, a major study has found. Read more

What Farrah Fawcett Can Teach Us About Anal Cancer

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:50:05 EST

Anal cancer is one of those cancers no one likes to talk about because it's, well, anal cancer. But we really should discuss it as much as, say, cervical cancer. Read more

Leukemia Can Be Cured Without Brain Damage

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:58:03 EST

Doctors have found a way to cure leukemia in children while sparing them from a toxic treatment that can cause brain damage, a study says. Read more

Obesity in Young Adulthood May Raise Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:52:23 EST

Obesity is known to increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, a particularly aggressive type of cancer. But a new study suggests the risk is greatest among people who were already overweight during their teenage years or obese during their 20s and 30s. Read more

Liver Cancer Therapy Trial Showing Success

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:52:52 EST

An experimental therapy that directs a very high dose of chemotherapy precisely to the region of the body where the cancer is growing is showing promise for patients with advanced liver cancer. Read more

Marijuana Smoke on California Cancer List

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:50:16 EST

Marijuana smoke has joined tobacco smoke and hundreds of other chemicals on a list of substances that California regulators say cause cancer. Read more

Progress But No Cure Reported at ASCO

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:10:21 EST

Study results from the world's largest cancer conference this weekend highlight both the progress and the frustrations in the fight against cancer. Read more

Immune Therapies Finally Working Against Cancer

Sun, 31 May 2009 07:33:29 EST

First there was surgery, then chemotherapy and radiation. Now, doctors have overcome 30 years of false starts and found success with a fourth way to fight cancer: using the body's natural defender, the immune system. Read more

Marrow Donors Elusive for Multiracial Patients

Wed, 27 May 2009 06:50:50 EST

At a time when the number of multiracial Americans is rising, only a tiny fraction of donors on the national bone-marrow registry are of mixed race. The National Marrow Donor Program is trying to change that by seeking more diverse donors for patients suffering from leukemia, lymphoma and other blood diseases. Read more

Don't Judge the Chemo Kid

Fri, 22 May 2009 01:49:33 EST

Amid the uproar over the refusal of a parent to allow her son to undergo treatment for Hodgkin's disease, Dr. Rahul Parikh reflects on the truly grueling regimen that is chemotherapy. Read more

Older Breast Cancer Patients Benefit from Chemo Too

Thu, 14 May 2009 07:34:58 EST

Researchers have long left older women out of clinical trials due largely to concerns that they can't tolerate toxic therapies. However, a new study of women 65 and older shows that women with early-stage breast cancer who are treated with chemotherapy along with surgery will likely live longer than those who aren't. Read more

Statins Shown to Cut Prostate Cancer Risk

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 03:42:00 EST

Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins that are a major weapon against cardiovascular disease may also protect men against prostate cancer. Read more.

Patient Voices: Lung Cancer

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:02:09 EST

This week six men and women with lung cancer are profiled in the Times' ongoing Patient Voices series. Read more.

Test May Determine Lung Cancer Risk

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 04:57:53 EST

A new urine test appears to distinguish which smokers are likely to get lung cancer and which are not, by detecting whether smokers have a particular chemical in their urine that's been linked to lung cancer. Read more

Fawcett's Cancer Battle Brings Attention to Rare Disease

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:50:55 EST

Farrah Fawcett's diagnosis of anal cancer is bringing necessary attention to a rare, but ever growing disease that far too many are embarrassed to talk about. Read more.

DNA Test Outperforms Pap Smear

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:48:37 EST

A new DNA test for the virus that causes cervical cancer does so much better than current methods that some gynecologists hope it will eventually replace the Pap smear in wealthy countries and cruder tests in poor ones. Read more.

Cancer Patients Find Insurance is No Bulwark Against Bankruptcy

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:54:37 EST

According to a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the American Cancer Society, even people who are well insured often find themselves in serious financial difficulties when it comes to cancer treatment. The story, reported by Joanne Silberner, also includes tips on how to get most out of your insurance.

Colonoscopies Prevent 15,000 Cases of Colon Cancer in Germany

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:04:07 EST

Since 2002 colonscopies have been free to all German citizens over the age of 55. Researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have determined that thanks to colonscopy screenings, some 15,000 cases of colon cancer were prevented between 2002 and 2010. The research was based on the 1.8 million colonoscopies that have been carried in Germany out since 2002. Read more.

Prostate Test Found to Save Few Lives

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:14:25 EST

Two studies, one from Europe the other from the United States, confirms what many have long suspected: that the PSA test often leads to unnecessary treatment for prostate cancer. Read more.

Genetic Tests May Reveal Source of Mystery Tumors

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:09:18 EST

Doctors are unable to correctly ascertain the source of some 2 to 5 percent of new cancer cases diagnosed every year. But a new genetic test may help.

Third Of Cancers Preventable

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:06:53 EST

A new study shows lifestyle choices from transportation, to food, to exercise can all reduce cancer risk, reports Richard Roth. Julie Chen speaks to Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel about the results. The report, Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention, was published by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institure for Cancer Research.

Cancer Patients Who Do Research Get Newest Drugs

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:24:53 EST

Cancer patients who research treatment options, including getting a second opinion, are three times more likely to get the newest drugs than patients who don't spend extra time learning about their condition, according to a study of 633 people with colorectal tumors.

Cancer Survivors Struggle to Find Jobs

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:53:43 EST

A report appearing in the The Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that cancer survivors in the United States and Europe are 37 percent more likely to be unemployed than workers who never had the disease. The study's chief author, Angela G.E.M. de Boer of the Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, urged employers be more flexible in accommodating the needs of cancer survivors.

Maybe It's Better To Stay in the Dark

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:50:39 EST

The Washington Post reports on a new study published in Chronobiology International that found that nations that emit the most light at night tend to have the highest prostate cancer rates. The study seems to correlate with other research linking higher breast and prostate cancer rates with people who have jobs that expose them to light at night. Just what causes the increased risk is unclear, but researchers suspect that the hormone melatonin may play a role.

My Drug Problem

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:12:29 EST

Whatever one thinks about the American health care system, one thing it offers to many is access to the best cancer drugs available. But will that always be the case? Breast cancer survivor and Atlantic magazine contributing editor Virginia Postrel reflects on the $60,000 drug that saved her life and how health reform might change access to drugs like Herceptin.

Cancer Miracles

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:05:02 EST

Senior Editor Robert Langreth writes about how researchers--including Cassian Yee of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center--are trying to harness the immune system to beat cancer.

New Marker Indicates Whether Prostate Cancer Is Spreading

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:50:05 EST

Oncologists may soon be able to distinguish between aggressive and slower growing prostate tumors. Researchers have identified a potential marker in the urine of patients that indicate whether the cancer spreading or not. The research was published in the journal Nature.