Disturbing coloring sheet number two

So, Frisky Frog and his two best friends, Rubber Chicken* and Big Bird with Fangs, indulged in some recreational drugs and then went boating. Disaster struck just feet from shore. The frog was the only one who managed to make it back to land, despite the fact that he was still stoned out of his mind. He grabbed the handset of a phone that just happened to be lying in the sand, not noticing that it was not connected to an actual phone.

"Duuuuuude," he whispered into the phone. "Heeey, duuuuuude ...."

Fortunately for Rubber Chicken and Big Bird with Fangs, Rescue Octopus had already slapped on her lucky sunglasses and a fresh coat of lipstick, and was on her way to save the day.



*Many thanks to Tim's Wife for the Rubber Chicken idea.

Cell of origin for human prostate cancer

Scientists at UCLA find cell of origin for human prostate cancer by Kim Irwin, UCLA Newsroom, July 29, 2010. Excerpts:

"Certainly, the dominant thought is that human prostate cancer arose from the luminal cells because the cancers had more features resembling luminal cells," said Witte, senior author of the study and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. "But we were able to start with a basal cell and induce human prostate cancer, and now, as we go forward, this gives us a place to look in understanding the sequence of genetic events that initiates prostate cancer and defining the cell-signaling pathways that may be at work fueling the malignancy, helping us to potentially uncover new targets for therapy."

.....

The new human-in-mouse model system developed in the study was created by taking healthy human prostate tissue that will induce cancer once it is placed in mice, instead of taking malignant tissue that is already cancerous and implanting it. This model can now be used to evaluate the effectiveness of new types of therapeutics. By using defined genetic events to activate specific signaling pathways, researchers can more easily compare therapeutic efficacy. The new model, by deconstructing tissue and then reconstructing it, also will aid in analyzing how the cells change during cancer progression.

This news release is based on the publication: Identification of a Cell of Origin for Human Prostate Cancer by Andrew S Goldstein and 5 co-authors, including Owen N Witte, Science 2010(Jul 30); 329(5991): 568-71. [PubMed citation][FriendFeed entry][Twitter trackbacks via Topsy].

A Comic with Cancer … Video

Mack Dryden is a comic, a motivational speaker and two-time cancer survivor. And real funny.

Healthy Spirits: BEER OF THE MONTH CLUB AUGUST 2010...

is now ready for pick-up!

cheers,

dave hauslein
beer manager
415-255-0610

Kvetching

The thrush and painfully tingly hands were so much worse today that I called both the oncologist and the naturopath to see what they could recommend.

Dr G said that the fluconazine should have worked immediately to relieve the thrush and sore throat, so he wonders if this is indeed a fungal infection. He recommends stopping the fluconazine and trying the Mycelex lozenges again. He also says the literature recommends DMSO 99% solution, applied topically to the hands. BUT it is absorbed into the body and gives one a fishy breath odor, so I think I will wait and see how I fare on Dr. B's recommendations.

Dr B the naturopath recommended increasing the L-glutamine powder to two teaspoons, taken three times a day, dissolved in water to treat the hand-foot syndrome. He also wants me to dissolve Pau d'Arco drops in a half-glass of water and rinse, also three times a day for the thrush. Dr G says the Pau d'Arco can't hurt.

I'd never heard about Pau d'Arco, but this is what Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center says about it. I hope it does the trick!


Scientific Name
Tabebuia impetiginosa, Tabebuia avellanedae, Tabebuia heptaphylla

Common Name
Ipe-Roxo, lapacho, purple lapacho, trumpet bush and taheebo

Clinical Summary

Pau D'arco is a tree native to South America. Preparations derived from the bark have been traditionally used to treat bacterial, fungal, viral infections, and cancer. In vitro studies of compounds isolated from Pau D'arco demonstrated antibacterial (3) (4) (5) (6), antifungal (7), antipsoriatic (8), immunomodulatory (9) (10), anticancer (11) (12) (13) (14), and antimetastatic (14) activities. Quinones, the main constituents, have been shown to be the active principle (11) (12) (13) (14). In a small single-arm study, Lapachol, a naphthoquinone isolated from the tree bark, did not show any effects on patients with non-leukemic tumors or CML (chronic myelocytic leukemia) (15). Reported adverse events from use of Pau D'arco include nausea, vomiting, dizziness and anemia (16). This herb may also enhance the activity of anticoagulants (17).

Purported uses

Cancer treatment
Antibacterial
Antifungal

Constituents

Quinone compounds: Lapachol, beta-lapachone, xyloidone (naphthoquinones) and tabebuin (anthroquinone)
Flavonoids: Quercetin
Glycosides: Iridoid, lignan, isocoumarin, phenylthanoid, phenolic
Cyclopentene dialdehydes
(1) (2) (3)

Mechanism of Action

The anticancer activity of beta-lapachone, a quinone compound isolated from Pau D'arco, may be due to down regulation of COX-2 (cyclooxygenase) and telomerase activities (11). Beta-lapachone also induces apoptosis in cancer cells via mitochondrial-signaling (12) or by activation of caspase (3) and (9) enzymes (18). The anti-metastatic activity of beta-lapachone was shown to be due to decreasing the invasive ability of cancer cells by inducing Egr-1 that is known to suppress metatstasis (14).

Warnings

Some constituents may have toxic effects. The effectiveness of Pau d'arco for the treatment of cancer in humans remains unproven.

Adverse Reactions

Reported: Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, anemia, bleeding, and discoloration of urine (16).

Herb-Drug Interactions

Anticoagulants: Pau d'arco may potentiate effects (17).

Literature Summary and Critique

Block JB, et al. Early clinical studies with lapachol. Cancer Chemother Rep 1974;4:27-8.
Twenty-one patients with non-leukemic tumors or chronic myelocytic leukemia were given Lapachol at a dose range of 250-3750 mg daily for 5 days and up to 3000 mg daily for 21 days. Researchers reported that Lapachol did not have any effect on the clinical status of the patients.

References

1. Warashina T, Nagatani Y, Noro T. Further constituents from the bark of Tabebuia impetiginosa. Phytochemistry. 2005;66(5):589-597.
2. Koyama J, Morita I, Tagahara K, Hirai K. Cyclopentene dialdehydes from Tabebuia impetiginosa. Phytochemistry. 2000;53(8):869-872.
3. Park BS, Lee HK, Lee SE, et al. Antibacterial activity of Tabebuia impetiginosa Martius ex DC (Taheebo) against Helicobacter pylori. J Ethnopharmacol. 2006;105(1-2):255-262.
4. Anesini C, Perez C. Screening of plants used in Argentine folk medicine for antimicrobial activity. J Ethnopharmacol. 1993;39(2):119-128.
5. Park BS, Kim JR, Lee SE, et al. Selective growth-inhibiting effects of compounds identified in Tabebuia impetiginosa inner bark on human intestinal bacteria.J Agric Food Chem. 2005;53(4):1152-1157.
6. Pereira EM, Machado Tde B, Leal IC, et al. Tabebuia avellanedae naphthoquinones: activity against methicillin-resistant staphylococcal strains, cytotoxic activity and in vivo dermal irritability analysis. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob. 2006;5:5.
7. Portillo A, Vila R, Freixa B, et al. Antifungal activity of Paraguayan plants used in traditional medicine. J Ethnopharmacol. 2001;76(1):93-98.
8. Muller K, Sellmer A, Wiegrebe W. Potential antipsoriatic agents: lapacho compounds as potent inhibitors of HaCaT cell growth. J Nat Prod. 1999;62(8):1134-1136.
9. Bohler T, Nolting J, Gurragchaa P, et al. Tabebuia avellanedae extracts inhibit IL-2-independent T-lymphocyte activation and proliferation.Transpl Immunol. 2008;18(4):319-323.
10. Son DJ, Lim Y, Park YH, et al. Inhibitory effects of Tabebuia impetiginosa inner bark extract on platelet aggregation and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation through suppressions of arachidonic acid liberation and ERK1/2 MAPK activation. J Ethnopharmacol. 2006;108(1):148-151.
11. Lee JH, Cheong J, Park YM, Choi YH. Down-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 and telomerase activity by beta-lapachone in human prostate carcinoma cells. Pharmacol Res. 2005;51(6):553-560.
12. Lee JI, Choi DY, Chung HS, et al. beta-lapachone induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells by modulation of Bcl-2 family and activation of caspases. Exp Oncol. 2006;28(1):30-35.
13. Kung HN, Chien CL, Chau GY, et al. Involvement of NO/cGMP signaling in the apoptotic and anti-angiogenic effects of beta-lapachone on endothelial cells in vitro. J Cell Physiol. 2007;211(2):522-532.
14. Kim SO, Kwon JI, Jeong YK, et al. Induction of Egr-1 is associated with anti-metastatic and anti-invasive ability of beta-lapachone in human hepatocarcinoma cells. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2007;71(9):2169-2176.
15. Block JB, Serpick AA, Miller W, Wiernik PH. Early clinical studies with lapachol (NSC-11905). Cancer Chemother Rep 2. 1974;4(4):27-28.
16. Foster S. Tyler's Honest Herbal: A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies. New York: Haworth Herbal Press; 1999.
17. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Med Publications; 1998.
18. Woo HJ, Park KY, Rhu CH, et al. Beta-lapachone, a quinone isolated from Tabebuia avellanedae, induces apoptosis in HepG2 hepatoma cell line through induction of Bax and activation of caspase. J Med Food. 2006;9(2):161-168.

Summer Fun

This afternoon I have my PICC line dressing change at the clinic and then D and I are going to find a restaurant on the ever popular Whyte Avenue. We both enjoy the noisy cars and motorcycles and the pedestrian traffic that goes by. Could be there a while.

We’re taking the dog with us so it will have to be a restaurant that’s pokes out onto the sidewalk. We are having some really nice weather here and I don’t want to see any of it wasted. 

Yesterday I had a busy day and it showed itself today. I woke up this morning, had toast and coffee and back to bed for a snooze. I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow. Now I’m feeling really refreshed and looking forward to getting out and having some fun.

Back again!

Sorry I’ve been gone so long! I went on an 8 day trip with my backpacking buddy to the Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She doesn’t like hiking in the heat, and it was the coolest place I could think of (70s in the day, 50s at night). In the end we drove about 1600 miles and hiked about 30-35 miles of wilderness. We saw a peregrine falcon, three bald eagles, lots of evidence of wolves, snakes and even a black bear (it crossed the road when we were driving home!).

I love backpacking..the physical challenge, undisturbed nature, the hiking. I over-packed my backpack, I think it weighed close to 40 lbs. Backpacking makes me appreciate lots of things I normally take for granted…unlimited water, unlimited food, easy access to communication. We don’t get cell phone access most places we backpack and of course have no computer communication (it’s actually really nice to have a break from the “electronic world”). My partner is a paramedic and I’m a nurse, that’s kind of nice as in case of emergency we can’t call 911. There was a sign posted at the trailheads saying to be careful as “medical help is hours away”.

I packed few clothes and a lot of food; I am all about size and weight when we backpack. I love the little stove I’ve had for years, an alcohol stove. The stove and enough fuel (alcohol tablets) to last the better part of a week is about the size and weight of a deck of cards. My weaknesses are my inflatable Big Agnes mattress (2 lbs.), and books I carry as I read myself to sleep every night (4lbs….maybe I’ll invest in a Kindle for next time?). I also carry at least 3 liters of water every day (over 6 lbs) and a bigger tent I love (4 lbs.). My backpack itself weighs 3 lbs. I don’t know how, but the pounds add up! I took a water filter (1.5 lbs) that ended up not working. Don’t laugh, I filtered sediment from water with my clothes and then chemically treated it with Aquamira. I think next time I won’t bring a filter! The treated water was still tan colored from the tannin in the water, but still worked well for coffee with the new Starbucks instant every morning.

Next year I plan to backpack Isle Royale, an island only accessible by a three hour ferry or float plane. The island is a national park and backpackers dream.

When I got back, I worked a lot of hours at my job, and on my off day had my colonoscopy. I truly hate doing the prep and procedure with the IV start and hospital gown. I now hate any form of cancer testing. I don’t want to be a patient again!!! And I’m a bad IV start nowadays, post chemo and a million labs it takes multiple sticks usually to access my veins. They did get me in one stick this time, though!

I guess in the back of my mind I remember how quickly “normal” life can become “life altering” with just one test. I always have polyps that are pre-cursors to colon cancer. This time I waited over 3 years for my colonoscopy vs. the recommended 2. They only found one polyp this time, so my doc said I can go to three years between colonoscopies…yeah!!

No Chemo Tomorrow

I just got back from having blood work and seeing the Onc. Unfortunately, I have no chemo tomorrow because my neutrophils are too low. They are at .6 and need to be at a minimum of 1.5 in order for me to have my Vinorelbine infusion. D and I have noticed I’m a bit more tired than usual … I guess that explains it.

My Onc said we are still going to go ahead and book a CT scan sometimes in the next couple of weeks. We’ll go over the results when I see him next on August 19th.

And the doc says....

I saw Dr G today and he was extremely pleased with the way the Doxil appears to be working. First he said I "looked good," then he reviewed last week's labs and had more blood drawn from my port. I didn't stay long enough to get those results but they will be mailed to me.

The plan is to have an ultrasound of my abdomen next week to check on the liver mets. If they don't appear on the ultrasound, which Dr G says is possible even after only two treatments of Doxil, he will order another CT scan after my fourth treatment. (Ultrasounds and CTs give different information. He doesn't want me to have too much radioactive contrast, which is given with CTs and not ultrasounds.) If that future CT looks clear, then I will have two more rounds of Doxil for a total of six altogether.

This assumes that I continue to tolerate the Doxil well, with manageable side effects, and that it is indeed very effective.

I am also going to have a bone scan some time in August, date tbd. I haven't had a bone scan in more than a year and of course bone mets wouldn't show up on a CT, which looks at soft tissues.

Dr G also gave me a tip on managing hand-foot syndrome. He told me that the Doxil won't enter a chilled area as easily, so I should rest my hands and feet on ice packs while getting the chemo. Ice packs are now on my bring-to-chemo list.

In the meantime I have some mouth sores, a sore throat and pain swallowing (more drugs for that), and stinging hands (Vicodin helps, as does the glutamine and B6). All of these side effects are manageable at this level, if annoying. Even more annoying is that I have lost almost all my eyelashes. All the lower ones are gone, and the upper lashes I can count on the fingers of one hand each. So a lot of dirt is getting into my eyes, which eyelashes would normally filter out. Wearing my glasses only keeps some of the stuff out. And of course I am trying not to rub my eyes so I can keep the remaining lashes.

Still: Doxil is turning out to be manageable, well-tolerated and apparently very effective.

Disagreement about melanoma CSCs

The Evolving Science of Cancer Stem Cells by Carmen Phillips, NCI Cancer Bulletin 2010(Jul 27); 7(15). Excerpt:

Researchers from Stanford University earlier this month reported in Nature that they had found a marker, CD271, that identified a somewhat unique population of cells that could produce melanoma in highly immunocompromised mice; anywhere from 2.5 percent to 41 percent of cells in their human tumor samples expressed the marker. In additional experiments using similar mice on which human skin was engrafted, only tumor cells with the marker could produce tumors and metastases in the mice. (In his lab, Dr. Morrison noted, the same marker did not differentiate tumor-forming from nontumor-forming cells.)

The publication about CD271 is: Human melanoma-initiating cells express neural crest nerve growth factor receptor CD271 by Alexander D Boiko and 11 colleagues, Nature 2010(Jul 1); 466(7302): 133-7. [PubMed citation].

Comments: The sentence: "In his lab, Dr. Morrison noted, the same marker did not differentiate tumor-forming from nontumor-forming cells" is noteworthy. Why the difference in results for CD271?

The publication by Boiko and co-authors was cited in a previous post to this blog, "Melanoma-initiating cells identified", dated July 1, 2010.

See also an earlier post to this blog, "Tumorigenic cells not rare in human melanoma", dated December 3, 2008.

Pink Podiums for Breast Cancer Awareness

I was asked to do a shout-out to the Pink Podium Promise. As per their website …

AmpliVox Sound Systems supports the fight against breast cancer by donating pink podiums designed in breast cancer awareness pink with custom panels highlighting the hope for a cure, awareness, and giving.

NORTHBROOK, IL--(AmpliVox - December 29, 2009) - AmpliVox announced an unprecedented corporate campaign to support the cause for Breast Cancer Awareness. To raise the bar on “being heard”, AmpliVox is donating one pink podium to every breast cancer awareness related presentation or event. The Pink Podium Promise program will help to connect with new audiences and heighten the awareness and education on the importance of the early detection of breast cancer.

The Pink Podium is the Pinnacle Multimedia Hard Shell Plastic Podium, a virtually indestructible hard plastic lectern that can survive tough abuse indoors or outdoors. To request a Pink Podium, contact Nancy Gerstein, at 847-401-0384 or nancy@creativemarketingassociatesinc.com.

For more details click here.

Healthy Spirits: New Arrivals

1. St. Feuillen/Green Flash Collaboration (Biere De L'Amitie)

2. Avery Maharaja

3. Avery 17th Anniversary (Dry-Hopped Black Lager)

cheers,

dave hauslein

beer manager

415-255-0610

Stingray to the rescue!

WCK started swimming lessons last week. I was pretty nervous about signing her up for swimming lessons, because, well, I was terrible at swimming lessons. Just terrible. I have one happy memory of swimming lessons: My first summer, I won a bubble-blowing contest underwater, and I was rewarded with a little paper bag filled with Jolly Ranchers. It was the first -- and last -- time I ever won an athletic contest. It was the most thrilling day of my life.


Swimming lessons were all downhill from there.


I can't remember how many years I had to take swimming lessons. It was probably three or four, but in my memory, it seems like I took decades of swimming lessons. I never made it past the "beginner" level. I grew to be embarrassingly old to still be in the "beginner" class. The class after "beginner" was called "advanced beginner", which means I couldn't even pass the most basic of the beginner classes. Actually, I think I finally -- just barely -- passed the beginner class. I seem to remember having a deal with my dad that if I finally got out of the beginner class, I could quit swim lessons altogether, because even my own family seemed to sense how hopeless the swimming-lessons situation had become.


The story my parents absolutely love to tell is how -- when I was around WCK's age -- my whole class was in line for the diving board. I was the last kid in line. They looked away for a few minutes, and when they looked back, I was still the last kid in line. No matter how much time went by, I was always the last in line. They finally figured out that I was letting everyone go ahead of me, over and over, because I did not want to go off the diving board. Hey, diving boards are scary! Finally, the teachers figured this out, and one of them walked me up the diving board and down to the edge, and then grabbed my arms and lowered me down to the teacher waiting in the water.


Oh, how far the bubble-blowing champion had fallen.


But I am happy to report that WCK is doing really well at swimming lessons. She's always happy to go to her lesson and follows the teacher's instructions with a big smile on her face. She's in a class with three other four- and five-year-olds, and they're all just the cutest things ever. I can already tell she's learned new things since last week.

The different class levels are named after sea animals. WCK is in the "turtle" class, which is the very beginning class. Level two is "duck", level three is "penguin" and so on. There are a total of 10 levels, all the way up to "whale." The other day on our way out, we discovered a table of free coloring sheets featuring the different swimming animals. Now, WCK has picked up lots of free coloring sheets in her day, but I have to say that this coloring sheet is the most awesome kids' coloring sheet I've ever seen in my life:

Yes. What is the backstory here? Apparently, the poor turtle experienced a near-drowning, no doubt because his dad allowed him to quit swim lessons before he reached the "advanced beginner" class. A lady stingray, all dolled up in false eyelashes and lipstick, passed by on her way to a formal affair, saw the struggling turtle, and rushed to his aid. As she was about to give him mouth-to-mouth, she discovered, to her horror, that she was completely helpless. (WCK pointed this out: "How can the stingray help the turtle, Mama? She doesn't have any arms!") Just as the poor turtle was seeing a flock of turtle angels beckoning him to crawl slowly into the light, an ambulance screeched to a halt, and -- PRAISE THE BABY JESUS! -- out popped a life-saving duck. Or possibly a flamingo.

See? Greatest coloring sheet ever.

Researchers Study CSCs as Therapeutic Targets for Mesothelioma

Researchers Study Cancer Stem Cells as Therapeutic Targets for Mesothelioma, Asbestos.com, July 26, 2010. Excerpt:

In a study published in the International Journal of Oncology, Cortes-Dericks and colleagues tested whether cancer stem cells in malignant pleural mesothelioma express resistance to cisplatin and pemetrexed, two chemotherapy drugs commonly used to treat mesothelioma cancer.

This news item is based on the OA publication entitled: Putative cancer stem cells in malignant pleural mesothelioma show resistance to cisplatin and pemetrexed by Lourdes Cortes-Dericks, Giovanni L Carboni, Ralph A Schmid and Golnaz Karoubi, Int J Oncol 2010(Aug); 37(2): 437-44. [PubMed citation].

But I date myself...

The clock radio went off this morning and soon a notice came on about an upcoming special on the life of Daniel Schorr, who died last week at 93. I'd promised myself I would write four pages when I got up so I rushed to my office across the hall, and used a staple-puller to open up a cassette tape. I was about to put it in the boom box to record the special when I realized: I can listen to this online later.

What century was I still living in?

My only excuse is that I'd just woken up.

I did get bits of the special, which is worth listening to. Find the link here to Dan Schorr Memorial Special. I would love to live as long and work as long and be as productive and honorable and wise as Schorr.

The Best PICC Line Cover Ever

Last Friday when I was getting my PICC line redressed at the clinic, I was wearing my latest PICC line cover. The nurse noticed it and said … I love it, love it, love it. She also said, that I should patent it. I kind of giggled at that. Attached the pic.

It’s taken me far too many tries to get this thing right but I’m really close now. I’ve tried all sorts of yarns and needle sizes. First off, I was making them way too big. Second, what I’ve found with most yarns is that the yarn doesn’t hold its shape at all… the cover stretches out and slips down in no time.

Finally I came upon Cascade yarn, which is used for making socks. It’s the best; a 98.3% cotton blend, and 1.7% elastic. And it holds its shape really well.

So here’s what I’ve found that works best for me … for my arm size which is 11.5 inch in circumference, I cast on 44 stitches using 12 inch circular needles, size 3.5mm (US 4). It should always be a snug fit but not too tight.

If anyone is interested, I would be more than willing to share the pattern or any of the wisdom I’ve garnered, just send me a quick email.

The drug you can never quit

My dear friend D read about my nausea when I ran out of Effexor, and sent me this helpful link to Crazy Meds. CM lists: Effexor's Cons: For many people Effexor XR has the absolute worst discontinuation syndrome of an antidepressant. Effexor (venlafaxine hydrochloride) is a medication people utterly loathe to have taken. It is not uncommon for someone to fire doctors during or immediately after they quit taking Effexor XR(venlafaxine hydrochloride).


I'm trying to remember why I switched from Cymbalta. Oh, well helpful Crazy Meds is reassuring on this point: It appears as if the discontinuation syndrome for Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride) is just as harsh as that of Effexor (venlafaxine) for many people. In case you're wondering what Cymbalta is for, Crazy Meds tells you that, too, in technical language: Major Depressive Disorder (i.e. feeling depressed.as.fuck or like Whale Shit at the Bottom of the Ocean) - approved 4 August, 2004.
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain - approved 7 September 2004.

And if you happen to type the URL incorrectly, you get this very technical notice: The file you were looking for is just an illusion created by the devil.

As are most things.

Hand-foot syndrome

The hand-foot syndrome seems to have stopped with stingy pain on the tips of the thumb and first two fingers of my left (dominant) hand, which is also the lymphedema hand. Vicodin is taking care of the pain and reducing it to manageable levels, but it still feels weird and tingly. I notice it when trying to open a jar, tear a piece of masking tape, or use other small motor skills.

The soles of my feet feel less red and painful. I actually walked the dog and stood for an hour yesterday at the Gilda's Club Dog Walk in Magnuson Park. There were many booths from vets, groomers, and other dog-oriented businesses, as well as an agility demonstration area and 1K and 3K walks. (We just wandered around the tent area.) N came with their dog and the five of us had a jolly time meeting other dogs and their people. Bobber was not particularly enthusiastic about other dogs but extremely well behaved at the $5 dog nail trim tent. He jumped straight into the arms of the groomer and made friends.

I am hoping that the B6 complex and glutamine powder are working to reduce or at least halt the hand-foot side effects. Last night I bandaged my hand for the first time in a week and it was not especially red in the morning despite the tight wrappings. I will go for more tonight and hope in this way to manage my lymphedema despite the hand-foot syndrome.

The Fight Continues

This has been a weekend filled with sad news on two fronts. There is a new cancer diagnosis in my family, my niece’s husband, a young man of 34 with two small children. My niece and nephew are in another city and I don’t know how I can help just yet.

And the loss of two fellow cancer bloggers, over this past week … Raden Galoh from OneBreastBouncing and Barry Fraser from An Explorer’s View of Life. Each has lost their brave long fight... I’ll truly miss you both …a lot. 

Sometimes it can be mentally hard to keep it all positive. To help me out, I like this well-done music video about a personal fight. Why? Because it moves me…and maybe you too.

Cooling from a meltdown

[or heating up together]


Meltdown is the topic of a blog carnival sponsored by Chronic Babe, so if you go there after July 27, you'll have access to lots of cooldown tips.

For Cancer Bitch, a meltdown means feeling hopeless and helpless, out of control. It's easy to feel out of control when your body has started acting badly, and when professionals are delineating the ways your body is doing that bad thing to you, using words you've never heard before, and offering treatment that might be painful, expensive, confusing, inconvenient, lonely, messy, experimental and/or detrimental to your health in the long run.

What I've found to work well: Cry. Talk. Write. Find something cool and soothing to eat, such as frozen yogurt. And yes, make sure that the milk used does not have bovine growth hormones. Cry a little more because: you live in a world where we give hormones to cows, you have to be vigilant in order to get dairy without the hormones, in Europe it's banned, and the hormones may be linked to estrogen-positive breast cancer, and extrapolating, what else in our food, water and air supply is detrimental to the health of the planet?

Then link up with an organization that works on these issues, because they don't feel hopeless. Acknowledge that that's hard, especially if you're feeling faint, are in pain, and have been handed a death sentence.

[What would Mother Jones do?]

Mother Jones (the person who inspired the founders of the magazine) was born Mary Harris in Ireland in 1837, and immigrated to Canada and then the US. In 1867 her husband and four children died of yellow fever in Memphis. She moved to Chicago, where her home and dressmaking shop burned in the Chicago Fire.

By her 50s she was a radical, working mostly with mineworkers. In 1903 she led a children's march fom Pennsylvania to New York to protest child labor. She helped found the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW, the "Wobblies").

She's buried in Downstate Illinois.

If you're able, after your meltdown, you might want to heat up, as the IWW says, and help fan the flames of discontent.
Check out the research/activist groups such as: Breast Cancer Action; Collaborative on Health and the Environment; Our Bodies, Our Blog; Organic Consumers Assn. Feel free to list your recommended organizations and meltdown tips in Comments.


[Order your IWW songbook for Labor Day. Disclaimer: Cancer Bitch does not endorse all stands/actions taken by IWW.]

Don't mourn...organize!--Joe Hill

Prostate CSCs sensitive to gamma-tocotrienol?

Gamma-Tocotrienol Kills Prostate Cancer Stem Cells, PRNewswire, July 25, 2010. Excerpt:

The scientists found that low doses of gamma-tocotrienol cause apoptosis in the prostate cancer stem cells and suppress their colony formation capability. This results in a lower prostate cancer stem cell population (as defined by the protein markers CD133 and CD44). Further tests in mice models were conducted, where mice implanted with hormonal refractory prostate cancer cells were given gamma-tocotrienol orally. The results showed that gamma- tocotrienol not only reduced tumour size formed, but also decreased the incidence rate of tumour formation by 75%, as compared to the control group of mice, which had 100% tumour formation. These results strongly suggest that gamma-tocotrienol could be developed for prostate cancer prevention and treatment.

The news release by Davos Life Science is based on the publication:

Gamma-tocotrienol as an effective agent in targeting prostate cancer stem cell-like population by Sze Ue Luk and 11 co-authors, including Ming-Tat Ling, Int J Cancer 2010(Jul 8) [Epub ahead of print][PubMed citation].

Comment:

See also a relevant patent application: (WO/2010/047663) Use of Tocotrienol Composition for the Prevention of Cancer.
Publication Date: 29.04.2010
Applicants: DAVOS LIFE SCIENCE PTE. LTD. [SG/SG]; 16 Tuas South Street 5 Singapore 637795 (SG) (All Except US).
LING, Ming Tat [CN/AU]; (AU) (US Only).
YAP, Wei Ney [MY/SG]; (SG) (US Only).
WONG, Yong Chuan [MY/CN]; (CN) (US Only).
YAP, Yee Leng, Daniel [MY/SG]; (SG) (US Only).

Surprise, surprise

[Smile when you smash that breast!]

OK, I have to admit that I'm late with this news. I found it as I was filing away a page from the Tribune about what your greenest options are re: shopping bags, diapers, coffee holders and the like. So this news is late, and it states the obvious. But it's always nice to have your world view or Weltanschauung validated, as long as you can forget that these are real people involved who are suffering. Oh, but we shouldn't forget.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released stats July 6 on breast and colon cancer screenings among people age 50-75--or middle age, according to my calculations. Among the findings:
-People with health insurance were more likely to get screened than those without.
-Minorities were less likely to have screenings. American Indian and Alaska Native women were least likely to get mammograms.
-Women with less than a high school education and women who were low income were less likely than others to get mammograms.

Interestingly, the Tribune gave the story seven lines and two charts, accentuating the positive: Screenings rise for 2 cancers. It's odd, though: I couldn't find the original story, which was from Reuters, online. I found a longer AP story on the Trib's web site. That one mentioned the variables of education and insurance, but not race. It emphasized that more people are getting tested for colon cancer, but the same percentage of women were getting mammograms in 2008 as they did in 2002. The New York Times ran a piece the next week based on a CDC update, emphasizing the negative: Gaps Found in Breast Cancer Testing, noting that equal rates of black and white women were getting mammograms, though fewer Native Americans. The Times did not mention income disparity .

This all goes along with my theory that if everyone were rich, we'd be much better off. Rich people are thinner and healthier and usually more educated. Our obesity problem would decline and we'd all fit into our airplane seats.

How am I Doing?

I’m feeling really good today. I had a great sleep last night. I took two Benadryl just before bed and I think that helped me. Not sure if it relieves the symptoms of my allergies which allows me to sleep better or it acts as a sedative. Whatever it is … I’m thankful for it.

I find I’m still agitated and moody at times. I think that has a lot to do with the fear I am experiencing. Back in April, my Onc said my treatment options are very limited. In fact Vinorelbine which is what I’m on now is pretty well my last option for treatment. If this fails he is going to put me on compassion care. I’ll be honest, that is weighting very heavy on my mind. 

Thursday I see the Onc and with this being my third cycle on Vinorelbine, I’m pretty sure he is going to book a CT scan for me.

Irradiating brain's stem cell niche

Irradiating brain's stem cell niche doubles survival time for patients with brain cancers by Kim Irwin, News Release, UCLA Newsroom, July 23, 2010. Excerpt:

Patients with deadly glioblastomas who received high doses of radiation that hit a portion of the brain which harbors neural stem cells had double the progression-free survival time as patients who had lower doses or no radiation targeting the area, a study from the radiation oncology department at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found.

The news release is based on this OA publication: Irradiation of the Potential Cancer Stem Cell Niches in the Adult Brain Improves Progression-free Survival of Patients with Malignant Glioma by Patrick Evers and 6 co-authors, including Frank Pajonk, BMC Cancer 2010(Jul 21); 10(1):384. [Epub ahead of print][FriendFeed entry].

Comment: On the brain as a model system to study the impact of radiation dose given to stem cell niches. Provides clinical evidence, based on an improvement in progression-free survival, to support the hypothesis that higher radiation doses to neural stem cell (NSC) niches improves patient survival by eradicating CSCs.

Magic mushrooms & no magic bullet for patient communication

Johns Hopkins tells us that researchers are looking at illegal drugs to help people with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), anxiety and depression--anxiety being Cancer Bitch's major bugbear. MDMA aka Ecstacy, says Johns Hopkins health reports, also increases brain levels of oxytocin, which arouses feelings of trust and confidence that can be particularly helpful during psychotherapy. The idea is that a dose of the drug, taken before a talk therapy session, may help individuals with PTSD reduce their fear and anxiety long enough to discuss and process the events that traumatized them. Ketamine aka Special K, is an FDA-approved general anesthetic that is being studied as a fast-acting antidepressant. Ketamine binds to receptors in the brain and blocks the neurotransmitter glutamate that normally activates neurons, thus producing a calming effect.

I haven't tried any of the above, though in high school, the guys in Future Farmers of America were allegedly growing the mushrooms on their school farm. It was the '70s, after all.

You can participate in clinical trials of these drugs (or a placebo)if you meet the criteria. For example, New York University is administering one dose of psilocybin to anxious people with life threatening, advanced, or recurrent cancer. If you're in Baltimore, check a study out here.

University of Rochester is studying whether topical amitriptyline and ketamine cream are effective in treating neuropathy caused by chemo.

There are tons of clinical trials and they can save or at least improve lives, even your own. For example, in researchers in Downstate Illinois are studying how best to get breast cancer survivors to exercise. There's another one on whether flaxseed is helpful in combatting hot flashes. My favorite is one at Fancy Hospital on communication with patients. A major goal: •Determine patients' health communication needs during the first 6 months of care by interviewing patients with breast cancer (as well as their families, caregivers, and healthcare teams) and observing interactions between patients and oncologists throughout the trajectory of care from initial diagnosis through the initial treatment course.

This involves video and extensive interviews. What should also be done:

* HIRE ENOUGH ONCOLOGISTS & STAFF SO THAT THE WAIT TIME IS NOT TWO HOURS FOR CHEMO OR ONCOLOGY APPOINTMENTS.

* REQUIRE DOCTORS TO READ PATIENTS' CHARTS BEFORE ENTERING THE EXAMINATION ROOM.

* REQUIRE DOCTORS TO SIT DOWN DURING PATIENT APPOINTMENTS.

* TRAIN DOCTORS (STARTING WITH MEDICAL STUDENTS) WITH EXTENSIVE ROLE-PLAYING EXERCISES.

* INVITE JEROME GROOPMAN TO TALK TO ALL STAFF ABOUT COMMUNICATION WITH PATIENTS AND FOLLOW WITH SMALL MIXED (SEE POINT BELOW ABOUT MIXING STAFF) DISCUSSION GROUPS ON RELATING AND COMMUNICATING WITH PATIENTS.

* CONTINUE ATTEMPTS TO LOCATE/ENCOURAGE HUMANITY IN DOCTORS AND TO BREAK DOWN THE HOSPITAL HIERARCHY (BASED ON RANK, EDUCATION, CLASS AND MOST OF ALL RACE) BY HOLDING WRITING WORKSHOPS, BOOK AND OTHER DISCUSSION GROUPS, IMPROV & EXERCISE CLASSES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDE EVERYONE, FROM IMPORTANT & SELF-IMPORTANT DOCTORS TO CLERICAL STAFF.

* HIRE HOSPITAL CLOWNS TO EASE TENSION & BRAINSTORM WITH THEM ABOUT IDEAS TO EASE ANXIETY AND COMMUNICATION. IT'S HARD TO LISTEN WELL WHEN YOU'RE TENSE.



To search for clinical trials, go here.

Much better

After a night and a day, the nausea has calmed down quite a bit. Although I spent most of Friday lying on the couch, I feel much better today. The anti-nausea meds made me very sleepy, so one three hour nap turned into a second one after I took a break to eat lunch.

We had been invited to have Shabbat dinner with friends and I felt well enough to go. It was a large crowd of about 12 people, with much laughter and telling of jokes and stories. Not to mention plenty of delicious food, including home-made vanilla ice cream. It was good for my soul to be with people only a few days after chemo.

The hand/foot syndrome is bugging me now. The sole of my right foot and the thumb of my left hand are tingly and just at the edge of painful. At the naturopath's and oncologist's suggestion, I started taking vitamin B6 supplements and have increased the amount of glutamine powder. (I was measuring inaccurately. One of my teaspoons holds two actual teaspoons.) I hope this is as bad as it gets, because I really need to address the lymphedema issue again. After almost a week of doing nothing, my left hand and arm are okay but would benefit from bandaging at night.

Today is supposed to be warm and sunny and I look forward to catching up on a good book and taking it easy!

Pink Warrior Song

As taken off the YouTube site ...

(Yes! This is the song on the Komen 3 Day ads coast to coast!) Every 99 cent download is a donation to Komen for the Cure! Candy and her producer are donating ALL of their profits from purchase of "Pink Warrior" to Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help in their fight against breast cancer. Downloads can be found on iTunes, Napster, Amazon, Walmart.com, BandBox....

For more, go to www.CandyCoburn.com!

And for the lyrics ... click here.

seriously targeted marketing

This calls for some leather pants and a vest

With the whole brouhaha over my needing to start treatment again, I'd convinced myself that this month's test results would be sky-high and horrible. Dr. GPO gave me the usual pep-talk about how slow-moving my disease is, saying, "This is not 'Get-Out-of-Dodge' disease." As much as that cracked me up, I didn't believe him, and fully believed I'd be getting the heck out of Dodge pretty soon. Whatever that means.

Since this is a mostly family-friendly blog, I wondered if I'd be able to use the photo of Jon Bon Jovi wearing nothing except what appears to be a tiny sailor hat, since my M-spike would surely be high enough to warrant such a photo. This photo exists; just Google it.

P.S. The hat (or whatever it is) is not on his head.

Anyway. I was pleasantly surprised this morning to find out that my M-spike is 3.5, which is completely stable from last month. In fact, it is down .1, which really doesn't mean a whole lot, since the tests were at different labs, blah blah, but it makes me feel better. So, in celebration of the .1 decline, I found a nice Bon Jovi photo that appears to be from the late '80s or early '90s and features a lovely vest-sunglasses-leather-pants combo:



I'm wondering if he's trying to look cowboy-esque, and I'm thinking that real cowboys would make him get out of Dodge.

My first round of Revlimid arrives on Monday, and if it does its job, JBJ will be wearing a tasteful turtleneck sweater any day now.

Healthy Spirits: New Stuff

1. Stillwater-Stateside Saison (extremely limited!)
2. Stone-14th Anniversary DIPA
3. Stone-Cali Belgique
4. Geants Goliath Tripel
5. Drie Fontinen-Gueuze 11.2oz (bottled 2008)
6. Mikkeller-Stateside IPA
7. Mikkeller-Warrior IPA
8. Mikkeller-IBeatU is back!
9. Cascade Kriek
10. Cascade Apricot
11. Alesmith Horny Devil


cheers,

dave hauslein
beer manager
415-255-0610

living large

Chemo typically turns me into a horned, fanged, clawed she-devil for at least one day following treatment. Today is that day.

My head knows the mood will pass but boy am I pissy.

But I'm trying to re-commit to having something vaguely resembling content on this blog, so I thought I'd share a couple of shots taken in a parking lot outside a Sonny's restaurant in South Florida (we'd had lunch that day at my first ever Waffle House. We were on a greasy streak).



We had just come back from a day at Corkscrew Swamp and filled up on ribs and other good fried things and I think I was a little giddy.

Anyway, this car just called to me and I made the boys take photos.

le coup de grace--

The mood video for my thesis collection is done, skillfully edited by San Francisco’s own Michael Marzio. Had we more time and money, it would’ve been great to orchestrate a plot, but these hauntingly static dream girls will do just fine.

Day 5 post-treatment

On Tuesday I had the Neulasta shot to boost my white blood cell count. On Wednesday evening I developed some back pain that may or may not be related to the joint pain side effect I was told I might experience. So I called the onc, and took Vicodin, and took Vicodin, and took Vicodin. Even on Thursday evening my neck was stiff and uncomfortable. Today it seems better.

I felt the beginnings of nausea last night and this morning as well. They tell you to take the anti-nausea meds at the first sign of an upset tummy so that it can act before you feel really ill, which I did promptly as soon as I realized that what I was experiencing was nausea.

Yesterday I met with a new shrink at the Cancer Institute (my former psychiatrist is no longer in practice). Thankfully Pacificare Behavioral Health allowed an exception for me to see Dr. Dobie, and now I believe she is on their list of preferred providers. She asked me five pages of questions from her "get to know you" assessment. We agreed that she would be a good fit for me, and that I need one more tool in my cancer toolbox.

I wanted to see a shrink because no matter how wonderful a support group can be, you still have to share the focus with the other people in the group. In our 45 minute sessions, Dr. Dobie is there only for me. I don't have to worry about hogging the limelight or talking too much.

She recommended increasing the Zoloft by another 25 mg in order to improve my sleep (insomnia is a problem with depression) and told me that I could take Ativan to get better sleep any time.

Last night, between the Vicodin, the anti-nausea drug and the Ativan, I got the best night's sleep I've had in days. That's certainly a step in the right direction.

Shout Out To ~ Sweetest Thing Fundraiser in Support of Cedars CanSupport in Montreal

I received this email and thought I'd share it with you ...

Hi Daria!

Please find attached a press release detailing the Sweetest Thing Fundraiser in support of Cedars CanSupport in Montreal. This fundraiser will turn heads and take a big step to helping out those with cancer and their fight to get better and live better.

Both parts for this fundraiser will be held at the JUST FOR LAUGH'S MUSEUM in Montreal.

Saturday August 14th - The Benefit Show 7:30pm $35/ticket

Sunday August 15th - The Cancer Benefit Workshops 10am $10/ticket

90% of all money and proceeds raised will go to Cedars CanSupport.

Our goal is to raise $25,000 with these two events. Please join in and lend a helping hand.

**All media are invited to attend this event at our expense. If you are interested please reply to notify us so we can set aside a press pass for you.

Chrissy Guerard

Fundraiser Founder

The Sweetest Thing Fundraiser

514.246.9466

christynaguerard@gmail.com

christyna.guerard@corusent.com

FUNDRAISER WEBSITE: http://www.wix.com/misschrissy0509/TheSweetestThingFundraiser

FUNDRAISER NETWORKING GROUP: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=243243865352&ref=ts

CANSUPPORT: http://www.cedars.ca/cedars/en/cansupport/who_we_are

More confusion but you'd think there wouldn't be

[by the immortal Posada]


I've been getting mammograms every six months for the remaining breast. Today I went again, and the procedure is that after the mammogram, you're led to the radiology lair and sit in the radiologist's office and talk to her. The radiologist I saw today was seemed to be in her 30s and spoke without pretense. She was happy because the images showed that the (micro)calcifications, which are tiny specks of calcium that could indicate cancer but probably don't, have looked the same in all the mammograms in the past few years. So that means that nothing has changed. OK, it means that probably nothing has changed because you can't see every little thing that's going on.

I've had calcifications for a while--for years, in fact, before I was diagnosed. So I asked her if she could look at the calcifications in my cancer mammograms and compare them to the pre-cancer mammograms. My idea was that she could say, Aha, these calcifications from 2005 developed into the cancer of 2006/7, you can see that in retrospect. And then that would shed light on the specks of July 2010.

So she went through the images and arranged them on her light board and looked through her magic binoculars to see them better and said you couldn't learn anything from the comparison.It seems that the calcifications appeared next to the tumors (or masses, as they say in the biz) but did not turn into them. She also said she had other customers waiting and indicated the folders on her desk. OK, she said patients, not customers.

She told me if I was really worried that I could have a biopsy but it wasn't necessary or that I could come in for a mammogram in six months instead of a year.

I had asked her to do this extra digging because I had this idea of calcium specks as little seeds that could turn into cancer, but that seems to be wrong. Dr. Susan Love tells us: Microcalcifications, as we call these specks, are usually the result of normal wear and tear on your breasts, but 20 percent of the time they're an indication of cancer or of the precancer ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). If the film shows only a few very tiny specks arranged in tight clusters, then it's more likely to be something wrong that can fit into the tiny ducts. If the specks are scattered and larger in size, they're more likely to be benign and harmless.

The California Pacific Medical Center tells us: "Benign" calcifications in the breast do not become malignant. Malignant calcifications are malignant from the time they first appear. When the radiologist assigns calcifications to a "probably benign" category, the risk of malignancy is considered to be less than 2%.

My specks are scattered and the radiologist didn't seem bothered by them. She gave me a piece of paper showing the mammogram results as "benign appearing (not malignant) stable." The surgeon smiled at the results when she popped in (standing the whole time). In all everyone seemed happy and cheery with the mammograms, just stopping short of congratulating me on the films' unchanged nature, the way they did when we found out that the cancer hadn't crept up into my lymph nodes.

Aw shucks, it was nothing.

Still, nobody knows anything for sure sure, and though the physician's assistant said it was great that the cancer hadn't come back after 3.5 years, when I asked him about estrogen-sensitive tumors like I had, he said that they're usually slow-growing and are more likely to come back after 15 or 20 years than right away. I was thinking of CJ, who died last summer after having had a mastectomy and no chemo. She said that she thought she should have had chemo. She did have some good years, I think about eight, and then a couple of bad ones at the end, with the cancer growing in her brain and bones. She was working as long as she could, as a school librarian, even when she was nearly blind.

It's fine to laugh at this stage 2-a breast cancer, just garden variety, no big deal, I didn't need that breast anyway, and to read about someone with stage four whose bones were cracking at the end of her book (The Red Devil) and then to find out, hey, she just wrote a book about spending a year in India, but the cancer--even though we say its name now, not just Big C, or that someone's Sick, or Very Sick--it is a death sentence, for some people, some of the time, we just don't have all the particulars in advance.

Benadryl … What a Relief

We just got back from a four-day trip to southern Alberta to visit family. Monday night I woke up at 2:00am with a splitting headache and was up for a few hours tossing and turning. Finally, I decided to get up and take half an Ativan pill, two Benadryl and I pulled out some earplugs. I slept like a baby for the next five hours. Lovely!

I think this chemo makes me extra allergy sensitive. So for the next couple of days, I took two Benadryl, morning, noon and nite. What a relief that was, my headaches were gone or nearly gone.

Benadryl really works for me … I feel as tho I’m doing a commercial.

watch me wave my hands around a lot

As promised, here is a direct link to the Connected segment on cancer blogging:

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/Connect_with_Mark_Kelley/ID=1549366307

You'll have to speak up. There's a ladybug in my ear.

WCK went to a science camp for preschoolers/kindergartners at a nearby elementary school last week. In the past, WCK has been less than enthusiastic when I've suggested any type of lesson or camp, but when I told her there was a science camp available, she perked right up. WCK is very serious about being a scientist when she grows up. She also wants to be a check-out person at the grocery store.

From what I could tell, WCK enjoyed the science camp very much. Five-year-olds aren't big on giving detailed information when you ask for it, but I was able to gather that they learned about seeds and dirt, growing vegetables, the weather, and bugs. Bug Day was her favorite day.

There were about a dozen or so four- to six-year-olds at the camp. The teacher was a young, enthusiastic guy named "Jetpack Jason." I'm not sure of his qualifications, but he wore a white lab coat, so you know he was official. By the end of Bug Day, though, Jetpack Jason looked a little weary.

"GUESS WHAT?" said WCK. "Jetpack Jason brought in REAL LADYBUGS, and (Name of child) thought that he got one of the ladybugs in his ear, and Jetpack Jason had to look for it in his ear, but he couldn't find it."

I'm not sure what Jetpack Jason was getting paid, but I'm sure it wasn't enough.

watch me on tee vee!

Or catch it online.

I'm being featured in a story on cancer blogging on CBC News Network (formerly Newsworld). Tune in this evening, between 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. ET

You can also watch online at cbc.ca/connect (I'll post a direct link to the video once the show has aired).

I promise to blog more about the whole experience (I was interviewed at home with my family and in the chemo room) but I wanted to give all a chance to check it out..

If you watch the show, let me know what you think.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer Annual Fall Conference

As per their website ...

Join Living Beyond Breast Cancer for our annual fall conference, News You Can Use: Breast Cancer Updates for Living Well, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 13, 2010, at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Travel grants and fee waivers are available. At this event, you will:

• Learn about cutting-edge treatments for early-stage and metastatic breast cancer
• Hear how to get involved in clinical research to better serve diverse communities
•  Understand how to enhance your quality of life using standard and complementary methods
• Find out how to minimize side effects
•  Get advice on how to cope with your emotional concerns
• Connect with speakers, exhibitors and other women and caregivers

During two plenary sessions and twelve workshops, get the information and support you need to live well before, during and after breast cancer treatment. You’ll also enjoy visiting with exhibitors, asking questions of health-care providers with expertise in breast cancer and connecting with women and families at a networking lunch and evening reception. 

For more information and to register ...click here.

Can cleaning products cause breast cancer?

Yes, maybe, sort of. Could be--according to a study just published in Environmental Health.

Researchers conducted phone interviews in 1999 and 2000 with 787 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 1988 and 1995. They also interviewed 721 women in a control group. The interviewers asked about the women's use of cleaning products and pesticides, about their beliefs in the causes of their cancer and about family history. They found that women with breast cancer were twice as likely than the control group to have used air freshener and to have been exposed to more cleaning products.

However, the scientists cautioned, all the information came from women recalling their use of cleaning products, and could be biased. The study found no link between pesticide use and breast cancer.

Here's a link to the abstract, which will in turn lead to the whole study, which was submitted in 2010.

So, should the study have been done, considering that all the information relied on women's memories?

In the meantime, using simple products is better for the environment. But alas, when we buy the hippie-recycled-feel-good products, we find they don't work as well as the strong-smelling stuff with ammonia and bleach.

[Elbow grease works best.]

Healthy Spirits: Dogfish Head Sah'Tea

Now available in limited quantities!

Also, we just got in some pretty nice glasses from Straffe Hendrik.

cheers,

dave hauslein
beer manager
415-255-0610

I'm having Lunch with Lance Armstrong

Guess what? I'm having lunch in Edmonton with Tour de France champion and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. He begins his first trip to Edmonton with a noon hour luncheon at the Shaw Conference Center on Wednesday, August 25. 

As per the LinkPink website ...

Lance will share his message of leadership, hope and inspiration, followed by a question and answer session. The voice of cycling, Phil Liggett will also be in attendance, serving as Master of Ceremonies for what promises to be a very special and inspirational event in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Prairies/NWT Region.

I purchased my tickets today. For more information and how to purchase yours, click here.

Visiting a friend

This morning I was fortunate to spent some time visiting with my friend Josh who recently entered hospice care for his advanced epitheliod sarcoma. You may remember his film, My Left Hand, and of course his blog.

A week ago everyone was sure he was dying, and soon. When I arrived today he was sitting in a chair eating breakfast. He was able to take a cell phone call. The human body's ability to hang onto quality of life and the human spirit's need to connect with loved ones never cease to amaze me.

Josh was surrounded by family and beloved friends last week. That's a good way for all of us to live, basking in the care of those we love and who love us.

Doxil round #2

Yesterday I had the second treatment of Doxil. I was much less stressed than the first one, and my blood pressure was suitably lower. I received 8 mg oral Decadron (steroid) and 1 mg oral Ativan (anti-anxiety), plus IV Emend (anti-nausea) as pre-meds, all exactly the same as last time. I was relatively relaxed and the Ativan actually made me doze a bit.

The Doxil went smoothly. I also received my monthly treatment of Zometa, the bone building wonder drug that also has cancer fighting properties. L the charge nurse was so on top of things! Last Friday she was looking ahead and saw that I was due for Zometa this week, called Dr. G and got him to order it. Everything was ready when I arrived, although it did take a while to get all the drugs.

I asked Rik to take me to Molly Moon's for ice cream afterwards. (I needed the sugar hit to counter the Ativan drowsiness.) With a half scoop each of salted caramel and ginger covered with hot fudge sauce in me, I felt so terrific that I didn't need a nap and was able to bake a pizza for dinner. And I slept well at night without any sleep aids.

This morning I took the second of three doses of Emend. I also went back to the Cancer Institute for a shot of Neulasta, a drug which builds white blood cells. Because my white count was down a bit (but not too much to cancel treatment), and because the Doxil will continue to lower my white count, Dr. G prescribed Neulasta to help my body build neutrophils (immature white blood cells). Increased white counts should keep me from getting an infection. The shot hardly stung when administered in the fatty part of my upper arm. I may have bone pain in 12-18 hours that might last for one day, but this is hardly new to a woman who has had bone mets in more than 20 sites for the past almost eight years.