Cancer - October 2012 Archives

BOSTON — October 30, 2012.  An oral rinse of the antidepressant doxepin significantly eased pain associated with oral mucositis in patients receiving radiation therapy for ...

Breast cancer does not discriminate. We know that any woman of any race or ethnic background can get it. But what might not be common knowledge ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — October 19, 2012.  Statins, a cholesterol lowering drug, may lower the risk of esophageal cancer, especially in patients with Barrett's esophagus, Mayo Clinic researchers report in a study being presented at the American College of Gastroenterology annual meeting. There are two main types of esophageal cancer: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Barrett's esophagus, a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease, raises the risk of adenocarcinoma, the more common type of esophageal cancer. Barrett's esophagus is a precancerous condition in which the lining of the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach, is damaged by stomach acid. MULTIMEDIA ALERT: A video interview with Dr. Singh is available for journalists to download on the Mayo Clinic News Network. Although still uncommon, adenocarcinoma is on the rise in the United States. About 16,000 people are diagnosed with esophageal cancer annually, of which more than 60 percent are adenocarcinomas. Only 1 in 5 patients with this cancer will still be alive five years after diagnosis. "Unfortunately, survival rates for this cancer are low, so prevention is critical," says Siddharth Singh, M.B.B.S., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and study author. "So these results are supporting and encouraging, but more research is needed before we recommend that patients at risk of esophageal cancer take statins." The Mayo study combined data from 13 studies that included over 1.1 million patients, of which 9,285 had esophageal cancer. The analysis found statins lowered cancer risk by nearly one-third; the longer a patient was on statins, the greater the protective effect. Researchers also looked at aspirin's effect on reducing the risk of esophageal cancer. When researchers looked specifically at Barrett's esophagus, patients taking a statin and aspirin reduced their risk of esophageal cancer by 72 percent. The results, researchers say, support a protective association between statin use and esophageal cancer. Given the high mortality rates of the cancer, researchers say these results support randomized trials to evaluate statins in patients who are at high risk of developing esophageal cancer.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — October 9, 2012.  Few physicians recommend active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer rather than pursuing surgery or radiation, according to a Mayo Clinic study being presented at the North Central Section of the American Urological Association's annual meeting Oct. 10–13 in Chicago. Mayo Clinic urologists also are discussing findings on enlarged prostates, bladder cancer and other research and will be available to provide expert comment to journalists on others' studies. Mayo studies being presented, and their embargo dates and times, include: Active Surveillance for Low-risk Prostate Cancer Recommended Least Often by Physicians Friday, Oct. 12, 2012 While active surveillance is widely regarded as an effective strategy for managing low-risk prostate cancer, a Mayo Clinic study of 643 urologists and radiation oncologists found that only 21 percent of physicians studied recommended the strategy while 47 percent recommended surgery and 32 percent recommended radiation therapy. Overall, physician recommendations aligned with their area of expertise. Most urologists recommended surgery, and most radiation oncologists recommended radiation therapy. "Our results may explain in part the relatively low use of active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer in the United States," says lead author Simon Kim, M.D., M.P.H., a urologic oncologist at Mayo Clinic. Laser Surgery Relieves Symptoms After Unsuccessful Surgery for Enlarged Prostate Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012 Holmium laser prostate surgery is safe and effective at relieving persistent lower urinary tract symptoms after an unsuccessful surgery to treat an enlarged prostate, a Mayo Clinic study has found. The laser surgery reduces the size of the prostate gland or increases the size of the channel through which urine flows. The study compared surgical and postsurgical outcomes among patients who had a previous unsuccessful surgery for enlarged prostate and a group with no previous surgery. "Other than a slower morcellation rate — the rate at which the laser removes tissue — and a slower average urine flow rate for patients who had a previous surgery, the study found no significant difference in outcomes between the groups," says urologist Amy Krambeck, M.D., the study's senior author. Half of Urothelial Cancer Patients Who Get Surgery Aren't Cisplatin Chemotherapy Candidates Friday, Oct. 12, 2012 Nearly 50 percent of urothelial cancer patients receiving a radical cystectomy are not eligible to receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy before surgery, based on their kidney function alone, a Mayo Clinic study shows. Urothelial cancer is the most common form of bladder cancer in the United States. The study also found that nearly one in five patients who were candidates for cisplatin-based chemotherapy before surgery were no longer eligible for it after surgery. Older patients and patients undergoing a continent urinary diversion, such as a neobladder, were more likely to have reduced kidney function after surgery. The study included 741 patients with urothelial cancer who had a radical cystectomy at Mayo Clinic between 1980 and 2005. "This study highlights the fact that many patients who need a cystectomy for bladder cancer are not great candidates for cisplatin-based chemotherapy, both before and after surgery," says lead author R. Houston Thompson, M.D., a Mayo urologist. "It also is notable that after surgery some patients become ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy, and this should be kept in mind as doctors counsel patients.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — October 4, 2012.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in the United States and ranks second as a cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. About 1 in 8 women and 1 in 1,000 men will develop breast cancer. Although treatment advances have improved survival rates, a cure for breast cancer remains elusive. Assessing risk, understanding the disease, navigating treatment options, managing the side effects of treatment and coping with a cancer diagnosis are just some of the issues patients may face. The following Mayo Clinic Cancer Center experts are available to discuss those and other topics: Lynn Hartmann, M.D.: Researching breast cancer risk. Dr. Hartmann is working to develop a new way to identify breast cancer risk based on the makeup of breast tissue. She is co-editor of the Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book. James Ingle, M.D.: Breast cancer is not one disease. In a recent study in the journal Nature, researchers identified four genetically distinct forms of breast cancer and within those subtypes; they found characteristics of other types of cancers. The hope is that current treatments for other forms of cancer may also work for these breast cancer subtypes. Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.: Helping patients navigate treatment options. Dr. Pruthi developed an interactive multimedia breast cancer decision tool to help patients learn about treatment options. Charles Loprinzi, M.D.: Managing the side effects of cancer therapy. Dr. Loprinzi has conducted research on ways to lessen the impact of treatment side effects such as peripheral neuropathy, nausea, vomiting and hot flashes. He is also co-editor of the Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book. Amit Sood, M.D.: Coping with a cancer diagnosis. Ongoing stress among cancer patients and survivors negatively affects health, happiness, relationships and quality of life. Dr. Sood specializes in mind-body approaches to decrease stress and enhance resilience, well-being and coping skills.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Breast Cancer Awareness: Mayo Clinic Experts Available for Interviews  Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in the United States. About 1 in 8 women, and 1 in 1,000 men, will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Assessing risk, understanding the disease, navigating treatment options and managing the side effects of treatment, and coping with a cancer diagnosis are just some of the issues people may face. A reporter pkg."The Risk of Breast Cancer' is available in the downloads above with script and b-roll. Medical Edge pkgs. can be edited into vo/sots and incorporated into your local reporting. To interview any of the following Mayo Clinic Cancer Center experts:  Lynn Hartmann, M.D.   James Ingle, M.D.  Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.  Charles Loprinzi, M.D.  Amit Sood, M.D. Please contact: Joe Dangor 507-284-5005  newsbureau@mayo.edu   

ROCHESTER, Minn. — October 3, 2012.  The Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book, available online and in retail outlets nationwide starting in October, helps women and their families better understand the disease, make informed decisions regarding treatments, and cope with the emotional and physical effects of breast cancer. MULTIMEDIA ALERT: A video interview with Dr. Hartmann is available for journalists to download on the Mayo Clinic News Network. "We wrote The Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book to take the mystery out of breast cancer and give women guidance and tools for what to do if they are diagnosed," says Charles Loprinzi, M.D., a breast cancer expert at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and the book's medical co-editor. "The good news is that deaths from breast cancer are declining, due in large part to ongoing research and advances in diagnosis and treatment. We are seeing the cancer as a longer-term, manageable condition, such as heart disease or diabetes." This straightforward yet approachable resource from Mayo Clinic, one of the most respected names in medicine, will empower all who are, or might be, affected by breast cancer. "Thanks to new research discoveries about how breast cancer develops and how to block it, we have a much better chance of treating it and, one day, preventing it," explains Lynn Hartmann, M.D., medical co-editor of The Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book and another breast cancer expert at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. "It's also important to understand your risk of getting the disease. Then you can decide what steps to take, if any, to reduce your risk." The Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book offers solid tools for coping with the uncertainties and decisions that must be made after a breast cancer diagnosis. Janet Vittone, M.D., is an internist and specialist at Mayo Clinic and a breast cancer survivor. She says, "Even though I was lucky enough to have world-renowned colleagues just down the hall, I wish I had a book like this for myself, and to give to my family, after my mother, two sisters and I all received a breast cancer diagnosis within the same year." The book guides women and their families through every available option in supportive, comprehensive, and easy-to-understand language. Along with the cutting-edge medical information, The Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book addresses questions such as: How do stress, obesity, and alcohol intake impact the likelihood of getting breast cancer? Are ovarian or uterine cancers related to breast cancer?<'li> Am I at high risk for breast cancer? Does my having breast cancer mean my daughter will get it too? How do I sort through treatment options? What options are available? Each chapter in The Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book was reviewed by multiple experts at Mayo Clinic. The book, which also has a Glossary of Terms and Additional Resources sections, is divided into three parts: Part 1: Cancer Basics — What to do when cancer strikes, and understanding cancer. Part 2: Breast Cancer — A complete overview, including making sense of risk statistics, preventing breast cancer, the latest on screening, different types of breast cancer, treating invasive breast cancer, breast reconstruction, what if the cancer comes back, and ovarian and uterine cancer. Part 3: Life After a Cancer Diagnosis — Feelings and emotions, treatment side effects, complementary therapies, survivorship, and advice for partners.

Melanoma is on the rise, and a Mayo Clinic review has found that transplant recipients and lymphoma patients are more likely to get that form of skin cancer ...