Abstract
The management of pancreatic cancer continues to be challenging. Despite surgical, genetic and molecular advances, its overall prognosis remains poor. Surgical resection is the only modality that offers a chance for a cure, with an overall survival rate of 10–20% at 5 years. However, only 20% of the patients are surgical candidates because of locally advanced disease or systemic stage at presentation. Conventional radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy, has been used to treat patients with advanced-stage pancreatic cancer, an approach with high rates of local recurrence. Stereotactic body radiation therapy, also known as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy has emerged as a treatment modality that allows the precise delivery of a large ablative radiation dose to a tumor volume while sparing surrounding organs and tissues. Phase I and II studies have shown good rates of local control of the disease but rates of distant metastasis remain significant. Strategies to combine novel systemic therapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy are to be explored.
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A great article on how a prostate cancer patient won battle against his insurance company for coverage on the CyberKnife treatment. As indicated in the article, the FDA approved the CyberKnife treatment more than a decade ago. Instead of undergoing 40 fractions of external radiation therapy or major surgery, CyberKnife only takes 4 treatment which offers a much more convenient and minimally invasive alternative for patients. Unfortunately, we still occasionally get denials from the insurance companies. Hopefully, they will soon recognize the benefits that CyberKnife offers and will make it available for all their patients.
I-Team: Insurance company makes exception for prostate cancer patient.
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It seems like Summer has finally arrived in Southern California! According to the Pasadena Star News, temperatures are expected to hit the mid- to upper- 90s in the much of the San Gabriel Valley, while the Foothill areas can expect to top 100 degrees. Please follow the following tips for staying safe during the heat wave:
- Stay hydrated!!! Drink plenty of water and other fluids (alcoholic beverages don’t count)
- Wear appropriate clothing such as light-weight and/or loose-fitting clothing
- Change your exercise routine to early morning or late evening
- Stay indoor (air-conditioned if possible). If you don’t have a/c in your home, go to the mall, watch a movie at the theater or stop by a community cooling center
- Make sure to wear sunscreen when you are outside
- Check in on your family, friends and neighbors who are elderly or ill, and don’t forget your pets
- NEVER leave anyone in a parked car. Not a child, not a pet, not anyone!!!
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The following story was written by Remy Melina, contributor at MyHealthNewsDaily on Aug 8, 2011. You can follow Remy Melina on Twitter @remymelina, and follow MyHealthNewsDaily @MyHealth_MHND.
For some smokers, having a cigarette is an early morning ritual, but this habit may be even more harmful than smoking later in the day.
Smoking soon after waking up increases the risk of developing lung, head and neck cancers, two new studies show.
“These smokers have higher levels of nicotine and possibly other tobacco toxins in their body, and they may be more addicted than smokers who refrain from smoking for a half hour or more,” study researcher Joshua Muscat of the Penn State College of Medicine, said in a statement.
In an effort to determine why only some smokers get cancer, researchers investigated whether how soon a person has his or her first cigarette after waking up affects their risk of lung, head and neck cancers — independent of how often they smoke and for how long they’ve had the habit.
One study included 4,775 lung cancer patients and 2,835 other regular cigarette smokers who didn’t have lung cancer. People who smoked within 30 minutes of waking up were 1.79 times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who waited more than 60 minutes to light up, the study showed.
And people who smoked 31 to 60 minutes after waking up were 1.31 times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who waited at least an hour, the study said.
A second study included 1,055 people with head and neck cancer and 795 people who had smoked but didn’t have head and neck cancer. Those who smoked within 30 minutes of waking were 1.59 times more likely to develop head and neck cancer than those who waited an hour, the study showed.
And those who smoked 31 to 60 minutes after waking were 1.42 times more likely to develop head and neck cancer than those who waited at least 60 minutes.
Researchers said that the results may help recognize smokers who are at an especially high risk of developing lung, head and neck cancers, and who would therefore benefit from targeted smoking cessation programs.
Still, smoking cigarettes anytime increases one’s likelihood of developing various types of cancers, the researchers said.
The findings are published today (Aug. 8) in the journal Cancer.
Pass it on: Those who smoke soon after waking up in the morning may have a higher risk of developing lung, head and neck cancers.
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