Healthy Behaviors Extend Life After Cancer, Experts Say

THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- A healthy lifestyle -- including eating right, exercising and maintaining normal weight -- can boost the odds of long-term cancer survival, especially for breast, colorectal or prostate cancer, according to new recommendations from the American Cancer Society.

About one in 25 Americans is a cancer survivor. "Many ask, 'How can I keep the cancer from coming back?' " said Colleen Doyle, the cancer society's director of nutrition and physical activity.

Cancer survivors often are advised to adopt healthy behaviors, including eating lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein; fitting in walking or other aerobic activity most days of the week; and keeping weight within a normal range, Doyle said.

Research has shown that those steps can help prevent cancer, but there was little research showing that a healthy lifestyle could keep cancer from recurring, or could prevent cancer survivors from getting a new type of cancer, she said.

But a review of recent scientific evidence allowed a panel of cancer experts to conclude that such measures help ward off cancer's return.

"The last time we published recommendations for survivors in 2006, we didn't feel there was enough evidence to say clearly that watching your weight, being active and eating a healthy diet can reduce risk of recurrence," said Doyle, a co-author of the guidelines. "Since that time, 100 studies have looked at the impact of weight, diet or a combination of those things, and those studies have clearly formed a foundation for us being able to make these very solid recommendations that adopting a healthy lifestyle is one of the most important things cancer survivors can do for themselves."

The recommendations were published online April 26 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Among the recommendations:

Losing weight if you're overweight or obese may help prevent recurrence and development of new cancers. Obesity is associated with multiple types of cancer, including breast, colorectal and gallbladder malignancies. Exercise is "safe and feasible" during cancer treatment, and it also can improve physical functioning, fatigue and quality of life. People undergoing chemotherapy or radiation may need to reduce the intensity, but should strive to maintain physical activity to the extent possible. People who were sedentary before the diagnosis can begin low-intensity exercises such as stretching or brief, slow walks.Results from observational studies suggest that diet may affect cancer progression, risk of recurrence and survival in individuals treated for cancer. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry and fish was found to be associated with reduced mortality compared to a diet high in refined grains, processed and red meats, desserts and high-fat dairy products.No evidence shows that supplements benefit cancer survivors, and there is some evidence that certain supplements may cause harm.

Dr. Stephanie Bernik, chief of surgical oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said the guidelines support what oncologists have told patients for years, and the American Cancer Society's endorsement of that advice is an important step.

After a cancer diagnosis, adopting a healthy lifestyle also can help people regain a sense of control, Bernik added.

"When you have cancer, it takes control of your life. You have to go through the treatment and you feel it's ruling your life," she said. "After it's over, it's good when you feel you can take control."

Nothing is a sure thing, though, "and we have to tell them that," Bernik said. "But it helps emotionally knowing that they're doing something to prevent the cancer from recurring."

People diagnosed with cancer are at a significantly higher risk of developing other cancers, and may be at higher risk of developing other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis, said Nagi Kumar, director of cancer chemoprevention at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla.

"Many survivors are not going to die of cancer anymore," Kumar said. "They are going to have problems with obesity, metabolic syndrome and other diseases that are very common in the U.S. anyway, and this is a little bit more vulnerable group."

After months of treatment, it's important for cancer survivors to work to get their strength back and improve their aerobic capacity.

"It's really important to be obsessive about what they do for themselves," Nagi said. "Give it your all: do yoga, get more flexible, walk, eat right. Become very obsessive about what you're putting in your body."

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more on how lifestyle can help prevent cancer.

SOURCES: Colleen Doyle, M.S., R.D., director, nutrition and physical activity, American Cancer Society, Atlanta; Nagi Kumar, Ph.D., R.D., director, cancer chemoprevention, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Fla.; Stephanie Bernik, M.D., chief, surgical oncology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; April 26, 2012, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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Popular Diabetes Drugs May Raise Pancreatic Cancer Risk, Study Suggests

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AppId is over the quota

THURSDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- People with type 2 diabetes taking the drugs Januvia or Byetta might have an increased risk of developing pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, a preliminary study suggests.

The study also found that Byetta (exenatide) may raise the risk of thyroid cancer.

Although the links aren't conclusive, they merit further investigation, the researchers noted.

"We have raised concern that there may be a link, but we haven't confirmed it," said lead researcher Dr. Peter Butler, director of the Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles. "We need to do more work to figure out whether this is real or not."

Both drugs help control blood sugar levels by encouraging production of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1).

Januvia (sitagliptin) and Byetta, an injectable drug, are a new way of treating type 2 diabetes, and they potentially have advantages over older medications, Butler said. But, because these drugs are new, they're "the ones we know least about," he said. "When new drugs come out, the long-term side effects of these drugs are not well understood."

For the study, recently published in the journal Gastroenterology, Butler's team used 2004-2009 information in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's database on adverse events, which are reported by doctors whose patients use these drugs.

When compared to other treatments, the researchers found a sixfold increase of reported cases of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) linked to patients taking Januvia or Byetta; a 2.9-fold increase in reported cases of pancreatic cancer among those taking Byetta and a 2.7-fold increase of reported pancreatic cancers among Januvia users.

In addition, they also noted an increase in reported cases of thyroid cancer with Byetta.

This latest study builds on earlier research, published in a 2009 issue of Diabetes, which found an increase in pancreatitis in rats whose GLP-1 levels were raised, the researchers said.

Butler is quick to point out that these increases in pancreatic cancer risk, while statistically significant, are not specifically related to patients, but rather to an increase in doctors reporting these cases to the FDA.

"It is important to avoid alarmism and have people stop medicines that they may be benefitting from when the risk is not yet defined," he stressed.

"If the drug and you are working well together, I wouldn't say there is any reason to stop the drug, based on the evidence we have right now," he said. "But if you have any concern you should talk to your doctor about it."

Being overweight is an important risk for both pancreatic cancer and type 2 diabetes, Butler noted. So the first advice to overweight patients with type 2 diabetes is to lose weight. "By doing that, you reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer," he said.

In addition, the first medication used to control blood sugar in type 2 diabetics is metformin, which by itself may reduce the risk for pancreatic cancer, Butler said. Metformin is an older drug with a well-known safety profile, he noted.

Dr. Mary Ann Banerji, director of the Diabetes Treatment Center at SUNY Health Science Center Brooklyn in New York City, said that "this is not perfect data."

However, Banerji does not prescribe these drugs for patients who have had a history of pancreatitis or a family history of thyroid cancer. There are alternatives such as metformin and insulin, as well as Avandia and Actos, she said, but studies have turned up an increased risk for heart attack and heart failure in the last two drugs. The FDA has removed Avandia from pharmacy shelves, and the agency issued a warning last summer that there is a possible increased risk of bladder cancer in patients who take Actos for more than a year.

The concerns about Januvia and Byetta "should not be blown out of proportion," Banerji said. "You prescribe them on an individual basis, because, in the end, all of medicine is individual," she said. "We should use these drugs judiciously along with metformin."

Industry representatives, insisting that no studies involving these drugs have found an increased risk of pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer, stand by their products. The database used for the study contains information on doctor-reported cases and does not reflect cause-and-effect, they said.

Dr. Barry Goldstein, vice president and therapeutic area head for diabetes and endocrinology at Merck Research Laboratories, which makes Januvia, said that "there has been no association shown between Januvia and pancreatitis."

"We have full confidence in Januvia, which is used by millions of patients around the world," he said.

Anne Erickson, a spokeswoman for Amylin Pharmaceuticals, makers of Byetta, said that "the conclusions of the study are in contrast to other nonclinical, clinical and adequately conducted post-marketing epidemiological studies."

Epidemiological studies have not established a significantly increased risk of pancreatitis associated with Byetta, she said. "To date, the available data do not demonstrate that exenatide increases the overall risk of cancer in humans."

Another expert, Dr. Ronald Goldberg, professor of medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said the findings merit consideration. "I don't think the study is definitive, but it raises a flag and is clearly something we need to pay attention to going forward."

There is "more benefit than risk with these drugs, based on our current knowledge," he said.

More information

For more information on diabetes, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

SOURCES: Peter Butler, M.D., director, Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles; Ronald Goldberg, M.D., professor of medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fla.; Mary Ann Banerji, M.D., professor of medicine, director, Diabetes Treatment Center, SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, N.Y.; Barry Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Merck Research Laboratories; Anne Erickson, spokeswoman, Amylin Pharmaceuticals; July 2011, Gastroenterology

Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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Women More Likely to Survive Melanoma Than Men: Study

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IP is over the quota

TUESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to surviving the skin cancer known as melanoma, nature appears to have dealt women a better hand than men, new research suggests.

By almost every measure, an analysis of four European studies found that women can expect a 30 percent better outcome than men following an early stage melanoma diagnosis. That gap, researchers say, may be rooted in basic differences in gender biology.

"The 30 percent advantage applies to survival," said study author Dr. Arjen Joosse, from the department of public health at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. "It also applies to having a metastasis [spread]: women have a 30 percent lower chance to experience a metastasis to the lymph nodes and to other organs."

Joosse and colleagues from Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and France published their findings in the April 30 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

In an editorial accompanying the study, Dr. Vernon Sondak, chair of the department of cutaneous oncology at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., noted that just over 70,000 Americans were diagnosed with invasive melanoma in 2011, and about 43 percent of those were women. But, among the roughly 8,800 melanoma-related deaths that year, only 35 percent were female patients.

Joosse noted that the fact that women tend to fare better than men following a melanoma diagnosis is a well-established observation based on prior research, some of which was conducted by the current study team. However, the reasons behind the prognosis gap have remained elusive.

And the new research found an association between gender and melanoma survival, not a cause-and-effect.

To explore the question, Joosse and his team analyzed data concerning nearly 2,700 melanoma patients that was gleaned from four different melanoma treatment trials conducted in Europe.

All of the male and female melanoma patients had been diagnosed with either stage 1 (early) or stage 2 (localized) cancer. During and following treatment, all the patients were tracked for disease remission, relapse, spread and death.

The result: male melanoma patients were found to have worse disease characteristics at diagnosis and worse disease progression.

On the latter measure, female patients were found to have a "highly consistent and independent advantage" over men in terms of overall survival, both before and after menopause.

The sole exception was seen in cases of head and neck melanomas, where the gender differences disappeared. But the team cautioned that even this exception could ultimately be dismissed as misleading, due to key study peculiarities.

It is not that the initial tumor starts out worse in men than women, the authors stressed. Rather it is something gender-related that causes the cancer to unfold in a more deadly way in men.

In theory, estrogen level differences could play a role, although the team noted that the evidence so far suggests the hormone does not have much effect on melanoma.

Other possibilities include gender differences with respect to vitamin D metabolism, immune system function, male testosterone levels and what is known as "oxidative stress" in the body.

"However, our data could not support or disprove any of these hypotheses," Joosse acknowledged.

Sondak said that while the gender gap is probably real, it is likely a function of both biology and environment.

"I believe that the message here is that if you're a man, think like a woman," said Sondak. "And that's because most of us feel that a big part of this has to do with the fact that women are a little more likely to be paying attention to their skin and to notice something on their skin, and most importantly, to do something about it right away. And with melanoma, early detection is key," he stressed.

"So, I think in large part this is a behavioral issue, not a genetic issue," Sondak added. "However, that's not the whole issue. It is also the case that what we now call melanoma, one disease, may actually be many different diseases caused by many different things. And with that there may be genetic differences, all else being equal, in how men and women get these different diseases in the first place. This study didn't look at that. But that's another important aspect to consider."

More information

For more on melanoma, visit the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

SOURCES: Arjen Joosse, M.D., department of public health, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Vernon Sondak, M.D., surgeon and chair, department of cutaneous oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa; April 30, 2012, Journal of Clinical Oncology, online

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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Is Your Doctor Telling You the Whole Truth? Maybe Not, Says New Study

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The remote server returned an unexpected response: (417) Expectation failed.

April 08, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Is Your Doctor Telling You the Whole Truth? Maybe Not, Says New Study

In our culture, doctors have an almost mythical reputation as the wielders of exclusive knowledge about the mysteries of the human body. Sometimes this standing allows us to forget that, just like their patients, physicians are only human.

One new study bluntly reveals how human many doctors really are. New research, published in the prestigious journal Health Affairs, paints a grim picture about the level of dishonesty infecting the medical profession. The report just may have you wondering whether you really know the person you have entrusted with your wellbeing -- and reaching for the number of a respected NYC medical malpractice law firm.

Physician Dishonestly About Drug Company Ties, Medical Mistakes Prevalent

Researchers surveyed almost 2,000 practicing physicians throughout the United States to compile the results of the Health Affairs study. They captured information about a wide spectrum of untruthfulness.

Some doctor dishonesty sprang from honorable intentions: more than half of physicians told patients their prognosis looked better than it did (55 percent admitted to delivering an inaccurately positive health report in the last year); others attempted to "scare" patients out of bad health behavior by making a prognosis seem more threatening than it truly was. Yet, studies consistently show that patients prefer the truth about their medical condition, even if it is grim -- understandable, given that what a doctor may see as a white lie in this context precludes the patient from exercising his or her own autonomous judgments about the situation.

Noble, if misguided, intentions did not account for all doctor mendacity reported in the study. Many doctors were unwilling to reveal their own ties to pharmaceutical or medical device companies: about 40 percent said they do not believe it is necessary to tell patients when they have a financial stake in companies whose products they may be recommending.

A significant minority of doctors responded troublingly when asked about reporting medical mistakes to patients. Approximately one-third of physicians said they did not completely agree that patients should always be informed about serious medical errors (and just over 10 percent admitted to telling a patient a lie in the last year). Even though such lies may be intentioned as a means of dodging a medical malpractice suit, the study's lead author noted that they often have the opposite effect: patients are more likely to pursue legal claims against doctors who are not open and honest about their mistakes.

Doctor Lies Can Lead To Legal Culpability

A doctor's dishonesty can cause you harm in many ways, from delaying the diagnosis of a serious health threat to usurping your right to make your own medical decisions based on full and accurate information. If you believe a physician's untruthfulness may have had a negative impact on yourself or a family member, contact a medical malpractice lawyer to learn more about your right to compensation.

Article provided by Powers & Santola, LLP
Visit us at www.powers-santola.com

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Scientists Map Melanoma's Genome

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The remote server returned an unexpected response: (417) Expectation failed.

WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have completed the first genome sequencing of melanoma, an aggressive and frequently fatal form of skin cancer.

Understanding the genomic landscape that contributes to melanoma development could provide new insight into tumor biology and therapeutic resistance, the study authors said. They believe the discoveries may spur the development of new treatments for melanoma, which will likely kill more than 9,000 people in the United States this year, according to cancer experts.

In a study published online May 9 in the journal Nature, the scientists describe sequencing 25 human metastatic melanomas -- cancers that have spread -- and finding a common thread between melanomas and breast cancer, plus evidence that the rate of mutation in melanoma varies with the level of ultraviolet light.

The authors found PREX2, a gene associated with breast cancer, in about 14 percent of the melanoma tumors. "This is a light-bulb moment in research," said study author Dr. Lynda Chin, chairman of the Department of Genomic Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Potentially, this could change "the paradigm of how we understand what is happening in cancer," she added.

The research showed that PREX2 starts directing cancerous activity when genetic mutations change or turn off cell functions. Other mutations also were identified for the first time in the studied tumors.

The next challenge will be to understand how the PREX2 gene makes a melanoma tumor grow, Chin said. "PREX2 is a large gene, and we're not sure what aspects are critical to cancer development. We have the 'what' but now we need the 'why' and the 'how.'"

Their study also helps lay the groundwork for a new definition of cancer that includes the genetic makeup of a tumor as well as the specific organ site.

Those characteristics will also direct the development of future cancer treatments, Chin said. "This adds another layer to how we approach cancer. We will be saying, first tell me the genetic makeup of the tumor, and then tell me the tumor's origin," she said.

Cancers are described now by a system based only on a tumor's location and its microscopic anatomy. Chin says the research shows how genetic information adds a new element that can help understand and classify tumors more accurately.

The authors also learned that the rate of mutation is highest in people with chronic sun exposure. This fits other evidence that links development of the disease to ultraviolet light.

In the United States, melanoma has increased over the past three decades. It is one of the more common cancers among young people, and more than 76,000 new cases will be diagnosed across all age groups this year, according to the American Cancer Society.

While the study has uncovered important new information, Chin warned that the melanoma genome is highly complex. For instance, the researchers saw what she described as a great deal of "structural rearrangement" on the genome. It is unclear what that means.

"It's like a bomb's gone off and everything's in the wrong order," she said. "And we're not sure how to put it all back together."

Dr. Darrell Rigel, a clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center, said it is interesting that the researchers found a breast cancer gene in a melanoma tumor. "We group melanomas together as one type of cancer now, but in five to 10 years, we'll most likely see them as many different types of cancer," he said.

Rigel also said he was encouraged that the researchers may have found another potential target for drug therapy.

More information

Find out more about melanoma at the American Cancer Society.

SOURCES: Lynda Chin, M.D., chairman, Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston; Darrell Rigel, M.D., clinical professor, dermatology, New York University Medical Center; May 9, 2012, Nature, online

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Summit Soapbox: Near-shore Outsourcing and the Case for Capital Efficiency

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The remote server returned an unexpected response: (417) Expectation failed.

Alandra Medical
    MEXICO CITY, MEXICO, March 18, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- At the conclusion of a recent business trip, as I was traveling from Minneapolis back to Mexico City, I had a chance to catch up on my reading. Flipping through the pages of several device-industry periodicals, it was blatantly obvious that the terms outsourcing, China, and India were key words forming a common thread through most of the literature.

Outsourcing and low-cost manufacturing options are key influences for medical device manufacturers. However, is outsourcing to Asia actually economically viable? If a device maker is manufacturing a mature product such as a drainage catheter, categorized as a commodity product for years, Asia might be the correct outsourcing solution. If the outsourcing requirements are much more prescriptive, i.e., design and development support, intellectual capital needs, project management oversight, the need to protect intellectual property (IP); or the need to shorten the actual supply chain, then the case for "Capital Efficiency" needs to be made.

Capital efficiency
In the business world, capital efficiency is a term often associated with evaluating a business process and determining if the process is capable of supporting the sustainment of profitability. If the collective output of a process does not support profitability then changes are in order. In the context of this paper, the operative word of capital efficiency can be viewed as steps taken by a device manufacturer to measure the economic reality of outsourcing while assessing if their outsourcing model is effectively addressing business needs, including the meeting of design, quality, regulatory, and clinical requirements.

The regulatory path for obtaining device clearance in the United States, although well-defined, can be unpredictable; and for a Class III Device the Pre-Market Approval (PMA) process can be a daunting task requiring a significant amount of capital. This is why identifying the correct resources in support of the outsourcing process is so critical. To ensure suppliers are capable of supporting the overall device development and subsequent approval process, resources such as:

- Talent or the intellectual capital;
- Robust design and development tools;
- A Quality Management System (QMS) in compliance with recognized standards (ISO 13485:2003, ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14155:2011, and 21 CFR, Part 820);
- Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), Good Documentation Practices (GDP), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP);
- Written procedures to support activities such as Design History File (DHF) and Device Master Record (DMR) creation and management;
- Project Management skills; and
- An economical business model that results in competitive pricing becomes basic requirements.

Need to accelerate development
Additionally, medical device innovators, from large and small companies, are driven by the need to develop and iterate new devices quickly, including the design and execution of clinical trials, often employing a virtual team. Outsourcing quickly becomes the only viable solution for ensuring product development and the overall innovation cycles are shortened.

At the end of the day, it makes perfectly good sense for organizations that routinely outsource their development and clinical activities to keep these closer to home. Accessibility is extremely important to ensure development remains on target and clinical trials are being executed in accordance with protocols approved by institutional IRBs overseeing the clinicians. The key is for organizations to keep development and clinical trials close to home to ensure accessibility.

Qualified partners
Furthermore, for outsourcing to be successful, suppliers selected must have qualified engineers. Outsourcing success will be a fleeting experience if project managers, biomedical, electrical, mechanical, quality, and software engineers, with medical-device expertise, are not available to support outsourced projects. Ease and quality of communication are also important factors that have to be considered as part of the outsourcing equation.

To summarize, suppliers selected for medical device outsourcing must be technical competent, possess excellent communication skills, be agile and responsive to the device manufacturer's needs, and have an effective QMS deployed. The salient message here needs to be as medical device innovators look to economize without the sacrifice of high quality, they will continue to look offshore for the synthesis of capable quality partners that can be categorized as affordable. However, partners in Asia are not the only viable option.

North American option
It is already a significant challenge managing and maintaining control over suppliers. In fact, FDA has already voiced concerns over an increase in product recalls due to the lack of effective supplier controls.

Why then complicate supplier oversight even more by placing design, development, and clinical trials on the other side of the world (China and India), when viable options in North America exist?

Mexico, and Mexico City specifically, can be a viable solution. There are a plethora of reasons outsourcing to Mexico City makes economic business sense. For example, the following factors should also be considered as part of the outsourcing equation.

Ease of access to intellectual capital;

Incredibly affordable costs;

IP is protected under the rule of law;

Proximity (direct flights five-hours or less) to Mexico City from all major American cities (quick and easy to get to);

No special visas, such as China (visas are granted at point of entry);

Same time zones as the U.S. to support effective collaboration during normal working hours;

NAFTA has stimulated years of rapid economic and infrastructure development and a dynamic business culture;

Strong commitment to native research and high education, as well as collaboration between American and Mexican Institutions;

Harmonization between U.S. FDA and COFEPRIS regulatory and quality requirements (cGMPs, GLPs, GDPs, GCPs, and overall standards or patient care); and

Predictability in the regulatory and institutional IRB processes.

Conclusion
Contrary to popular belief Asia is not the only economically-viable solution for outsourcing in support of the medical device industry. Viable outsourcing options in North America are capable, competent, and support the concept of capital efficiency.

Design, development, manufacturing, and clinical expertise are just a short flight away. There are many reasons device manufacturers find themselves outsourcing critical business operations. However, accessibility, availability of technical expertise with medical device experience, ease of communication, and the protection of IP must be considered as part of the overall outsourcing equation. At the end of the day, suppliers located in Mexico City are clearly an economically viable option for device manufacturers to consider as outsourcing partners.

About the Author:
David Hite is the CEO of Mexico City-based Alandra Medical, a medical device CRO and engineering outsourcing company, that provides clinical and engineering services to the innovators and Venture Capital communities in the major medical device clusters in the U.S. David has lived and worked full time in Mexico for nearly nine years. In addition, he has held high technology executive management roles in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Colombia and Brazil and worked extensively throughout Asia and Latin America.

Website: http:///www.alandramedical.com/

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Healthy Lifestyle Choices Could Cut Cancer Rates: Report

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IP is over the quota

THURSDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Most people know what lifestyle choices will keep the chances of a cancer diagnosis low: Don't smoke, eat healthy, exercise and get the recommended screenings.

But, many Americans don't make those choices, and a new report suggests that lawmakers and private industry need to do more to help make those changes easier ones to make.

The report, released by the American Cancer Society Thursday, details the shortcomings that contribute to cancer deaths and notes that social, economic and legislative factors help shape health behaviors.

"With increased efforts toward more fostering of and support for cancer prevention and early detection activities, we can reduce incidence, death and suffering from cancer," report co-author Vilma Cokkinides said in a cancer society news release.

"The price and availability of healthy foods, incentives and opportunities for regular physical activity in schools and communities, advertising content, as well as the availability of insurance coverage for screening tests and treatment for tobacco addiction all influence individual choices. Improved collaboration among government agencies, private companies, nonprofit organizations, health care providers, policy makers and the American public can lead to continued improvements, and more favorable trends that reduce the risk of death from cancer and other chronic diseases," Cokkinides stated.

One expert agreed that the premise is sound.

"The [cancer society] report provides the public with valuable information about cancer risk and risk reduction. An informed public has the opportunity to make good decisions about lifestyle and modifiable risk factors, and other health behaviors," said Dr. Freya Schnabel, director of breast surgery at NYU Clinical Cancer Center in New York City. "The challenge for all of us is putting this information into use every day," she added.

"The ACS has emphasized the importance of smoking cessation programs in reducing the risk for smoking-related cancers," Schnabel noted. "The link between smoking and cancer is well-established, and an investment of resources into smoking cessation programs would be expected to translate into saving many lives, and relieving the burden of the related cancer from the affected individuals, and from society as a whole."

The report found that if comprehensive smoke-free laws were passed by states that currently don't have such laws, there would be 624,000 fewer cancer deaths over the long term and $1.32 billion less in cancer treatment costs over five years.

While there was a modest overall decline in cigarette smoking among adults between 2005 and 2010 (an estimated 21 percent of men and 17 percent of women smoked in 2010), decreases did not occur in all subgroups of smokers, the report said.

Among daily smokers, light smoking (less than 10 cigarettes a day) increased from 16 percent in 2005 to 22 percent in 2010, while heavy smoking declined from 13 percent to 8 percent.

In 2009, 19.5 percent of high school students were current smokers and 7.3 percent were frequent smokers. Smoking among high school students did not decrease between 2003 and 2009, but declined significantly among teen student smokers between 2010 and 2011 and among smokers aged 12 to 17 between 2008 and 2010.

Smoking is not the only area where lifestyle changes are still needed, the report authors said.

Increasing rates of obesity seen since the early 1980s appear to have slowed or leveled off since 2003, but an estimated 18 percent of adolescents and 36 percent of adults are still considered obese. Mississippi had the highest overall obesity rate, at nearly 35 percent.

The report also found that cancer screening rates are not always what they should be.

In a bit of good news, the proportion of girls aged 13 to 17 who started the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination series increased from 25 percent in 2007 to nearly 49 percent in 2010, and about one-third of those girls got all of the three doses required for full coverage. The vaccine protects against the two strains of the virus that cause 70 percent of all cervical cancers.

However, the use of mammograms has not increased since 2000. In 2010, 66.5 percent of women aged 40 and older had a mammogram in the past year. Women without health insurance had the lowest use of mammograms, at 31.5 percent.

And colon cancer screening rates present a mixed picture. In 2010, 59 percent of adults aged 50 and older were screened for colon cancer, but screening rates remain much lower among uninsured and poorer people. Currently, only 28 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation ensuring coverage for colon cancer screening, the report noted.

Schnabel noted that any efforts to increase overall screening rates would make a difference in cancer death rates.

"There are effective methods to screen for cervical cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer," Schnabel noted. "More widespread uptake of these screening strategies could alter the outcomes for these cancers in a very significant way."

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about cancer prevention.

SOURCES: Freya Schnabel, M.D., director, breast surgery, NYU Clinical Cancer Center, New York City; American Cancer Society, news release, April 19, 2012

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Katherine L. Knight Named a VIP Member of Cambridge Who's Who for Excellence in Radiologic Technology

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    JOHNSON, AR, March 28, 2012 /Cambridge Who's Who/ -- Katherine Knight, Director of Imaging Services for Northwest Health System-Willow Creek Women's Hospital was recently named a VIP member of Cambridge Who's Who. This special distinction honors individuals who have shown exceptional commitment to achieving personal and professional success.

With 10 years of experience as the Director of Imaging Services for NWHS-Willow Creek Women's Hospital, Ms. Knight is responsible for the staffing the radiology and ultrasound departments and managing the day-to-day operations of the Imaging Department.

Additionally, Ms. Knight serves as the Radiation Safety Officer, responsible for monitoring radiation badges on a monthly basis, ensuring that patients receive the lowest radiation dose possible and providing quarterly safety updates to the hospital's Environment of Care Committee. She attributes her success to self-motivation, adeptness, and the support she receives from her husband. She became involved in her profession because of her desire to help others.

She has over 30 years of experience in the field of Radiology Technology having worked in hospitals and clinics in Fresno and San Luis Obispo, California prior to moving to Arkansas. She has advanced education and licensure in Fluoroscopic Procedures and Mammography.

Ms. Knight received an Associate of Science in Health Care Management from Moorpark College in 1977, having received a Certification in Radiology Technology from the University of California, San Francisco in 1979. She is a member of the Arkansas Department of Health Radiologic Technology, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, and The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. In 2007, Northwest Health System recognized her outstanding achievements with a Clinical Leader of the Year Award.

For more information about Northwest Health System, visit http://www.nwahealth.org.

About Cambridge Who's Who
With over 400,000 members representing every major industry, Cambridge Who's Who is a powerful networking resource that enables professionals to outshine their competition, in part through effective branding and marketing. Cambridge Who's Who employs similar public relations techniques to those utilized by Fortune 500 companies and makes them cost-effective for members who seek to take advantage of its career enhancement and business advancement services.

Cambridge Who's Who membership provides individuals with a valuable third party endorsement of their accomplishments and gives them the tools needed to brand themselves and their businesses effectively. In addition to publishing biographies in print and electronic form, it offers an online networking platform where members can establish new professional relationships.

For more information, please visit http://www.cambridgeregistry.com.

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Mesothelioma Breathing Device Could Lead to Safer Diagnosis

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Seidman Law Offices
    CHICAGO, IL, April 02, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The breathalyzer is widely used by law enforcement to determine the amount of alcohol a person has consumed. Researchers from the Netherlands and Italy have, with a level of certainty, developed a device that detects malignant pleural mesothelioma from a breath sample, according to Medical News Today.

The report says the "electronic nose," known to developers as Cyranose 320, is able to analyze a person's breath and pick out harmful compounds in the sample.

The research conducted at the respiratory disease departments of the University of Bari in Italy and the University of Amsterdam could dramatically change the way mesothelioma is diagnosed. A thorascopic biopsy is currently the most common way to diagnose the disease. The invasive procedure involves a thin tube, which is inserted into the chest through an incision to allow extraction of a tissue sample. However, it is risky because it can cause a collapsed lung, clotting or blood loss, among other complications. The "electronic nose" would be a far safer option.

The report suggests the device can distinguish, with at least 80 percent accuracy, between breath samples of people with MPM and healthy individuals who have had long-term asbestos exposure even without having developed mesothelioma. The study used 13 patients with biopsy-confirmed MPM, 13 people with known long-term exposure to asbestos but no MPM and 13 individuals with no known asbestos exposure.

In addition to exhibiting an 80 percent accuracy rate when differentiating between those with MPM and those without (despite long-term exposure to asbestos), the device also proved 85 percent accurate when choosing between those with MPM and those who are asbestos-free. The experiments were conducted several times, each time returning the same results. If further studies confirm these success rates, the Cryanose 320 could be developed into a preferred way to diagnose mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma: A Closer Look

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the membrane lining the chest and abdomen. It is caused by significant and prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers.

Asbestos was widely used in home and manufacturing construction materials during the 20th century. Typically asbestos is commonly found in:

- Ceilings
- Basements
- Attics
- Flooring
- Pipes
- Insulation

Because of its strength and tolerance to extreme heat, asbestos can also be found in materials such as:

- Floor tiles
- Fuse boxes
- Window sills

Once inhaled, asbestos fibers become lodged in the body and can cause inflammation and irritation.

Problems can worsen over time. Mesothelioma, like the other asbestos-related health problems -- such as asbestosis and lung cancer -- generally take dozens of years to appear, and once diagnosed, treatment is rarely successful.

There are several variants of mesothelioma. MPM is the most common, affecting the lining of the lungs, though it is not lung cancer. It is reported about 2,500 people are affected by the disease each year. That number continues to rise, though some of the increase can be attributed to better diagnostic techniques -- which could soon include the Cyranose 320.

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Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers
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20 S Clark St.
Chicago, IL
United States 60603

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Screening for Other Health Problems May Aid COPD Survival

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FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- People with the often deadly lung condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, have an increased risk of death if they also have certain types of other health problems, according to new research.

COPD is a progressive disease involving bronchitis and emphysema, often tied to smoking, that makes it hard for patients to breathe.

The new study included more than 1,600 COPD patients in the United States and Spain who were followed-up for an average of 51 months. The findings were released online May 4 ahead of print publication in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

The researchers looked at 79 other health problems in the COPD patients and found that "12 were significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of death," lead study author Dr. Miguel Divo, a physician in the pulmonary and critical division at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said in a news release from the American Thoracic Society.

These 12 conditions were: lung cancer; pancreatic cancer; esophageal cancer; breast cancer; pulmonary fibrosis; atrial fibrillation/flutter; congestive heart failure; coronary artery disease; gastric/duodenal ulcers; liver cirrhosis; diabetes with neuropathy; and anxiety.

Overall, the average number of other health conditions per patient was six. The average number of other health problems was 6.5 among patients who died and 5.8 among those who survived, the investigators found.

Screening people with COPD for these other conditions and treating them may help improve their survival, noted Divo, who is also an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School.

While the study uncovered an association between higher death rates and coexisting health problems in COPD patients, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

SOURCE: American Thoracic Society, news release, May 4, 2012

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40 Years On, the Triumphs and Challenges of America's 'War on Cancer'

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WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Jack Whelan first knew something was wrong when it got harder and harder to walk from the train station in Boston to the financial district where he worked.

He knew something was terribly wrong when he started getting nose bleeds.

A consultation with an oncologist confirmed Whelan's fears: He had advanced Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, a rare form of blood cancer that affects only about 1,500 people in the United States each year.

Forty years ago, Whelan would have had five years to live -- at the outside -- and who knows what his quality of life would have looked like.

But today, five years after his diagnosis and almost 40 years to the day that President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act declaring "war" on cancer, Whelan, 63, is power-walking, raking leaves, shoveling snow and back at work as a marketing executive.

Whelan is just one of the millions of Americans who have benefited from continued advances in cancer research. He has participated in four different clinical trials and is currently taking an experimental drug called LBH589 which, Whelan said, makes him "feel like Popeye the sailor after having spinach."

Just this month, scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, where Whelan is being treated, discovered a single gene mutation present in 90 percent of patients who have this rare type of cancer, raising the hope that an even more targeted treatment will soon be able to attack the disease.

Since Dec. 23, 1971, and the passage in Congress of the National Cancer Act, research has made tremendous progress against what is still one of the world's foremost killers, experts say.

"Back at that time point, cancer essentially was a death sentence," said Dr. Raymond N. DuBois Jr., provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

That's no longer the case, however, thanks to advances in early detection, improved therapies and a better understanding of the genetics driving different forms of cancer, he said.

"Forty years ago, fewer than one-third of patients with a diagnosis of cancer lived five years. Almost no children with a diagnosis of the most common form of childhood cancer, acute leukemia, lived [that long]," said Dana-Farber president Dr. Edward Benz Jr. "In 2011, nearly 90 percent of children diagnosed with acute leukemia will be cured and nearly two-thirds of all people diagnosed with cancer will live at least five years."

Since 1991 alone, there's been more than an 18 percent reduction in deaths from cancer, added Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society.

An ounce of prevention

Much of this progress may have started with prevention.

Declines in smoking rates, helped by the landmark U.S. Surgeon General's Report in 1964 linking smoking to cancer, have continued over the decades, preventing countless cases of lung malignancies and other forms of cancer.

Colonoscopies to detect pre-cancerous polyps have not only reduced mortality but prevented many cases of colorectal cancer outright.

The adoption of regular mammography screening for breast cancer is another success story in its own right, as is screening for cervical cancer.

Thanks to, first, the Pap smear (which looks for abnormal cells on the cervix) and now the HPV test (which detects the human papillomavirus that can cause cervical cancer), death rates from cervical cancer in the United States plummeted more than 60 percent between 1955 and 1992, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

No doubt, incidence and mortality from cervical cancer will continue to decline with the advent of another major weapon: newly approved vaccines that prevent infection with the strains of HPV that cause most cases of this type of cancer.

These vaccines (two have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) have great potential to reduce head and neck cancers, as well as anal cancer deaths, which can also be caused by HPV, Brawley said.

But advances in detection have been complemented by improvements in treatment, the experts added. These include better surgical techniques. For example, studies suggest that women who have a lumpectomy to conserve their breast along with radiation typically have as good a prognosis as women who undergo a full mastectomy.

Targeted radiation has also made treatment much less onerous for prostate cancer patients, and new chemotherapies often arrive with drastically fewer side effects than in decades past.

The age of "targeted therapies" or "personalized medicine" -- an era ushered in by anti-estrogen breast cancer therapies such as tamoxifen (which debuted in the 1980s) -- is here, Brawley said. Those highly targeted medications were later joined by aromatase inhibitors as well as Herceptin (trastuzumab) to attack a specific form of Her2neu-positive breast cancer.

Scientists are also finding new targets for lung, colorectal and other cancers. For example, studies show that Tarceva (erlotinib) can improve the average survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer by about two months. That may not sound like much but, in lung cancer, it represents a huge stride.

"Wonder drug" Gleevec, a medicine used to push certain blood cancers into remission, is another targeted-therapy success story. In fact, a colleague of Whelan's was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia while still in his 20s and subsequently died. Had he been diagnosed a few years later, after the discovery of Gleevec, he would have lived, Whelan believes.

Brawley agrees that "personalized medicine is the future," and he predicts many more advances in this area in the next five years.

Dubois added: "We are doing molecular fingerprinting of each individual tumor and, although we're not using that right now to direct cancer care, the idea is once we have that information we will be able to use it to figure out exactly which treatments a patient needs so they're not being given unnecessary treatment. And the treatment they do get is going to be much more effective on the first round of therapy when it really makes the biggest difference."

Doctors now also know that "multi-modality" therapy -- meaning the combined use of surgery, radiation and drug therapy -- "has given people the best chance for good outcomes for particular kinds of cancer," said Benz.

Progress lacking on some fronts

But while there's been undisputed progress, "it's very incomplete progress," Benz and others acknowledged.

"If you look over the past 40 years, on some fronts we've actually been winning and on some fronts we're losing terribly," said Brawley. "We are our own worst enemy in terms of battling cancer with tobacco control, diet and exercise and getting everybody adequate preventive screening and treatment.

"In excess of 200,000 of the 500,000 lives that will be lost from cancer this year could have been avoided if we simply adopted all the cancer-control technologies that we've learned over the last 40 years," he added.

Although the smoking rate has declined dramatically since publication of the U.S. Surgeon General's 1964 report, it's been stalled at about 20 percent for 10 years now, Brawley said.

There are also lingering disparities in both prevention and treatment by race, socioeconomic status and urban versus rural locations, said Brawley.

Cancer therapies are also becoming increasingly complicated and expensive "at a time when the trend in health care and in support for cancer research is going down," added Benz. "I worry that we're going to see increasing disparities as cancer and personalized medicine becomes more complicated and expensive. It will be harder and harder to offer it to everybody who needs it."

Clinical trials may also become more difficult and expensive to conduct, as scientists recognize more and more subtypes of cancer. That means fewer people fit each particular subtype, Benz said.

Nevertheless, the overall message is a positive one.

"It's been a huge evolution since 1971," said DuBois. "It's just incredible."

More information

There's more on the National Cancer Act at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

SOURCES: Jack Whelan, Andover, Mass.; Raymond N. DuBois Jr., M.D., Ph.D., provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston; Edward Benz Jr., M.D., president, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston; Otis Brawley, M.D., chief medical officer, American Cancer Society

Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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Worldwide Who's Who Names Luis Mendoza, MD, Ph.D. Professional of the Year in Oncology

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    PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC, April 23, 2012 /Worldwide Who's Who/ -- Dr. Luis Mendoza, Senior Medical Director of Clinical Development for INC Research, has been named a Worldwide Who's Who Professional of the Year in Oncology. While inclusion in Worldwide Who's Who is an honor, only a small selection of members in each discipline are chosen for this distinction. These special honorees are distinguished based on their professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, years of service, and the credentials they have provided in association with their Worldwide Who's Who membership.

Dr. Mendoza is a medical oncologist with nearly two decades of professional experience with strong knowledge in the research of anticancer vaccines. His further areas of expertise include in-vitro and in-vivo drug development, pharmacovigilance, clinical trial design, clinical development planning and project management. Dr. Mendoza brings his experience and skills to his role as senior medical director of clinical development for INC Research, a trusted pharmaceutical company that consults in the areas of oncology and pharmacovigilance. His position entails monitoring European and global clinical trials for oncology projects. He manages new projects and proposals, reviews new plans for oncology drugs, anticipates potential hurdles and provides contigencies and solutions. Dr. Mendoza ensures the safety of all studies, performs data review and interpretation, and provides study team and investigational site training. Furthermore, he gives advice regarding regulatory and ethical framework consistent with the requirements of local government authorities. Having served in this capacity for the past six years, Dr. Mendoza attributes his success to his hard work, integrity, and passion for what he does.

In 2008, Dr. Mendoza earned a Ph.D. in immunology and oncology from Palacky University. He previously earned an MD in medical oncology from the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in 1995. He remains current in his field through affiliation with ASCO and ESMO. Certified in clinical oncology, he has authored and co-authored more than 40 published papers. In the years to come, Dr. Mendoza intends to continue helping the pharmaceutical sector in developing more oncology drugs.

For more information about Dr. Mendoza, please visit http://cz.linkedin.com/pub/luis-mendoza-md-phd/12/565/a13.

About Worldwide Who's Who
With over 500,000 members representing every major industry, Worldwide Who's Who is a powerful networking resource that enables professionals to outshine their competition, in part through effective branding and marketing. Worldwide Who's Who employs similar public relations techniques to those utilized by Fortune 500 companies, making them cost-effective for members who seek to take advantage of its career enhancement and business advancement services.

Worldwide Who's Who membership provides individuals with a valuable third-party endorsement of their accomplishments, and gives them the tools needed to brand themselves and their businesses effectively. In addition to publishing biographies in print and electronic form, it offers an online networking platform where members can establish new professional relationships.

For more information, please visit http://www.worldwidewhoswho.com.

Contact:
Ellen Campbell
Director, Media Relations
mediarelations@wwregistry.com

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Endometriosis Could Raise Risk of 3 Ovarian Cancers

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WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Women with a history of endometriosis have a significantly increased risk of developing three types of ovarian cancer, according to a new study.

Endometriosis is a disorder in which cells from the lining of the uterus grow in other areas of the body. It affects about 10 percent of women of reproductive age.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 23,000 women in 13 studies and found that those with a history of endometriosis had a more than threefold increased risk of clear-cell ovarian cancers, a more than two-fold increased risk of endometrioid tumors, and a twofold increased risk of low-grade serous ovarian cancers.

There was no link between endometriosis and increased risk for high-grade serous, mucinous, serous borderline, or mucinous borderline ovarian cancers.

The study is published online Feb. 22 in The Lancet Oncology.

"This breakthrough could lead to better identification of women at increased risk of ovarian cancer and could provide a basis for increased cancer surveillance of the relevant population, allowing better individualization of prevention and early detection approaches such as risk-reduction surgery and screening," lead author Celeste Leigh Pearce, at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, said in a journal news release.

Despite the seeming association, the risk of a woman with endometriosis developing ovarian cancer is small, and the study did not show a cause-and-effect relationship.

"Although we have reported strong associations between endometriosis and risk of clear-cell, endometrioid, and low grade serous ovarian cancers, most women with endometriosis do not develop ovarian cancer," Pearce and her colleagues said. "However, health care providers should be alert to the increased risk of specific subtypes of ovarian cancer in women with a history of endometriosis."

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has more about endometriosis.

SOURCE: The Lancet Oncology, news release, Feb. 21, 2012

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Healthy Weight Loss May Also Cut Your Cancer Risk

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TUESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Moderate weight loss reduces levels of inflammation that have been tied to certain cancers, at least in postmenopausal women, a new study suggests.

According to the findings, older women who lost at least 5 percent of their body weight through diet alone or diet plus exercise showed significant reductions in key inflammatory blood markers such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6.

In addition to risk for heart disease, elevated levels of these markers have also been associated with increased risk for several cancers, including breast, colon, lung and endometrial cancer.

The findings appear May 1 in the journal Cancer Research.

"Our findings support weight loss through calorie reduction and increased exercise as a means for reducing inflammatory biomarkers and thereby potentially reducing cancer risk in overweight and obese postmenopausal women," said researchers led by Dr. Anne McTiernan, director of the Prevention Center at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in Seattle.

Aiming to lose 10 percent of their body weight, the women were either placed on a calorie-restricted diet, asked to participate in moderate-to vigorous-aerobic exercise for 45 minutes a day for five days a week, or told to do both.

During the one-year study, C-reactive protein levels went down by about 36 percent in the diet-alone group and by 42 percent in the diet and exercise group. Interleukin-6 levels decreased by about 23 percent in the diet group and 24 percent in the diet and exercise group, the study showed. There were greater reductions in these levels seen among women who lost at least 5 percent of their body weight. Exercise alone did not affect levels of inflammation markers.

There was no information on which, if any, of the 438 women in the study went on to develop cancer. But a 40 percent reduction in C-reactive protein "could be expected to reduce breast, endometrial and other cancer risk in postmenopausal women," the study authors said.

Dr. Louis Aronne, founder and director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, in New York City, said: "This adds to the body of evidence showing that with small weight loss, fat cells shrink and inflammatory hormones go down. There are many things besides coronary disease that depend on inflammation."

Dr. Mitchell Roslin, chief of obesity surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, agreed. "Obesity induces a chronic state of inflammation that may also be the cause of metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and certain cancers," he said. "Obesity is driving this inflammatory state, and when we reverse it, we also reverse the process that causes some cancers and diabetes."

More information

Learn about the health benefits of moderate weight loss at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: Louis Aronne, M.D., founder and director, Comprehensive Weight Control Program, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York City; Mitchell Roslin, M.D., chief of obesity surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; May 1, 2012, Cancer Research

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Older Lung Cancer Patients Less Likely to Be Treated

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FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- A study of seniors with non-small cell lung cancer found that older patients are less likely to receive treatment than younger patients, regardless of their overall health and prognosis.

Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer.

For this study, U.S. researchers looked at data from more than 20,000 lung cancer patients aged 65 and older in the VA Central Cancer Registry between 2003 and 2008 and found that, for all stages of lung cancer, younger, sicker patients were more likely to receive treatment than otherwise healthy older patients.

That may not be best for patients, the researchers said. Previous research has shown that older lung cancer patients who are otherwise healthy can benefit from treatment, while those with other illnesses are more vulnerable to the toxicity of cancer treatments.

"It's clear that, as human beings and physicians, we fixate on age in deciding whether to pursue cancer treatments, including lung cancer treatments. Instead, we should be looking at our patients' overall state of health," lead author Dr. Sunny Wang, a physician at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of California-San Francisco, said in a university news release.

The study was published May 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Patients aged 65 to 74 who were severely ill from other illnesses -- and thus less likely to benefit from and more likely to be harmed by cancer treatment -- received treatment at about the same rate as patients in the same age range with no other illnesses.

These patients were more likely to receive treatment than patients aged 75 to 84 who had no other illnesses and better prognoses.

"The message here is, don't base cancer treatment strictly on age," Wang said. "Don't write off an otherwise healthy 75-year-old, and don't automatically decide to treat a really ill 65-year-old without carefully assessing the risks and benefits for that patient."

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about non-small cell lung cancer.

SOURCE: University of California, San Francisco, news release, May 1, 2012

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U.S. Health Care Spending High, But Quality Lags: Report

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THURSDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- Despite the fact that Americans spend more on their health care than citizens of 12 other developed nations, a new report finds that more does not necessarily equal better when it comes to quality of care.

The Commonwealth Fund report, led by senior research associate David Squires, revealed that the United States is shelling out roughly $8,000 per capita for health care, according to 2009 figures. By contrast, the Japanese and New Zealanders spend just one-third of that amount on health care, while Norwegians and the Swiss cough up about two-thirds.

Yet Americans now fare the worst in terms of preventable asthma fatalities among patients aged 5 to 39. The country also ranks poorly -- alongside Germany -- in diabetes-related amputations. As for in-hospital heart attack and stroke death rates, the United States stacks up as average at best.

"It is a common assumption that Americans get more health care services than people in other countries, but in fact we do not go to the doctor or the hospital as often," Squires said in a Commonwealth Fund news release. "The higher prices we pay for health care and perhaps our greater use of expensive technology are the more likely explanations for high health spending in the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not seem to get better quality for this higher spending."

Released on Thursday, the report analyzed health spending in Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, France, Canada, Germany, Norway, Japan, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as well as the United States -- the only nation among those studied that does not provide universal health care.

The authors found that in 2009, the United States ranked No. 1 (followed by the Netherlands) in the proportion of its gross domestic product devoted to health care: a full 17 percent. By comparison, the other countries in the report spent 12 percent or less, with Japan ranking as the lowest spender at about 9 percent.

Despite their country's spending, Americans can expect poorer access to physicians than people in other industrialized nations, with just 2.4 doctors for every 100,000 citizens. On that score, only Japan fared worse, according to the report.

Other troubling indicators included the fact that Americans also have the second-worst rate of physician consultations (behind Sweden), relatively few hospital beds, fairly short hospital stays in acute-care situations and a low rate of hospital discharges.

It wasn't all bad news, however. The United States is No. 1 in survival rates among breast cancer patients. It also shares the top spot (with Norway) for survival rates among colorectal cancer patients.

But when it comes to both hospital and prescription drug costs, Americans are at the highest peak by far.

By the time a U.S. patient is discharged from a hospital, he or she will have cost the health care system about $18,000 on average. Care for a similar Canadian patient comes to just $13,000, while in many other countries (Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, France and Germany) it dips below $10,000.

When comparing the cost of the 30 most common prescription medications, the report found that Americans are paying one-third more than Canadians and Germans, and twice as much as their Australian, French, Dutch, British and New Zealand counterparts.

Americans can take some solace in the report's observation that every nation in the study is battling a trend of ever-increasing health care costs. Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, noted that recent legislative changes have the potential to help improve the financials of health care across the country.

"The Affordable Care Act gives us the opportunity to build a health care system that delivers affordable, high-quality care to all Americans," Davis said in the news release. "To achieve that goal, the United States must use all of the tools provided by the law, including new methods of organizing, delivering and paying for health care, that will help to slow the growth of health care costs while improving quality."

More information

Visit the World Health Organization to learn about global health expenditure.

SOURCE: Commonwealth Fund, news release, May 2, 2012

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