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April 28th, 2008
by Denise, Cancerwarriors volunteer writer
If you have been recently been given a diagnosis of cancer you are probably experiencing a wide variety of emotions: fear, anger, sadness, guilt, helplessness and anxiety. It is important to deal with these feelings so that they do not hinder you in your fight against the cancer. At some time or another almost all people with cancer will have some or all of the following feelings:
Denial and Disbelief
Newly diagnosed patients sometimes deny that they have cancer. After all, they think, “I‘ve not been that sick, how could I have cancer?” Denial can be an obstacle to appropriate and timely treatment; you must accept the diagnosis to begin fighting the cancer.
Fear
The word “cancer” stirs up fears in everyone. Fears such as “What is going to happen to me?” “Am I going to survive?” “Who is going to pay for all this medical care if I am sick?” are very common in newly diagnosed cancer patients. Talking with others with cancer can help resolve some of the fears.
Anger
Anger may stem from feelings of “Why did this happen to me?” Anger also comes from the disruption of your life, goals and your dreams. Discussing your feelings with others who are in the same situation can help put these feelings into perspective.
Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are common reactions to a cancer diagnosis and may manifest with physical symptoms such as headaches, difficulty sleeping, and loss of appetite. The immune system may be affected so finding a means to relieve stress is very important. Go get a manicure or a massage, walk, read a good book. Attend a support group; ask your oncologist for a referral to a mental health professional for a consultation if you are not able to cope.
Loss of Control
A cancer diagnosis can make life seem out of control. You can help reduce these feelings of powerlessness by exercising the control you do have over your situation. Increase your knowledge and understanding of the cancer that you are diagnosed with, research your treatment options and the side effects of these treatments.
Guilt
You may blame yourself for causing your family worry and grief. You may worry about becoming a burden to your family; physically and financially. Support groups and counseling for both the patient and the family, can be helpful in the ability to overcome the destructive impact these feelings can bring.
Loneliness
It is not uncommon for newly diagnosed cancer patients to want to shut out everyone and everything at times but the support from caring friends and family can be a tremendous resource. They may not know how you feel, but they do want to help you.
Depression
Many patients with cancer and their families can experience some level of depression. Feelings of dread, hopelessness and a sense that life has no meaning are not uncommon feelings. If you experience symptoms of depression, ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional.
It is important to remember that you are not alone in your fight against cancer and to not lose hope. Researchers are constantly making discoveries that one day might result in a cure for cancer. In the meantime, the best hope for successful treatment comes from learning all you can about the details of the cancer diagnosis and the treatment options available. First, find out the name of the cancer, its size and location, where it started and if it has spread. Find out if it’s usually a slow growing cancer or an aggressive one. You need this information for get an accurate understanding of your options.
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April 28th, 2008
by Denise, Cancerwarriors volunteer writer
If you have recently been diagnosed with cancer, you may feel overwhelmed, afraid, and alone. Coping with the challenges of a cancer diagnosis can be very difficult and hard to talk about even to your closest friends and family members. Joining a support group may help you feel less alone and can improve your ability to deal with the challenges that a cancer diagnosis brings. Cancer support groups give people who are affected by cancer an opportunity to meet and discuss ways to cope with the illness, emotionally and physically.
1. How a Cancer Support Group Helps
When you receive a cancer diagnosis you may need help coping with the emotional as well as the medical aspects of the disease. Cancer support groups are designed to provide an atmosphere where cancer patients and cancer survivors can discuss the challenges of the disease with others are facing the same challenges. People gather to discuss the feelings they have experienced after being diagnosed with cancer, to exchange information about their treatments, and to learn about the disease.
2. Should my Family and Friends Participate in Cancer Support Groups?
To help meet the needs of the family and friends of people with cancer, some support groups are designed just for family members of people diagnosed with cancer; other groups encourage family and friends to participate along with the cancer patient or cancer survivor.
3. How Do You Find a Cancer Support Group?
There are many support groups for people diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones. The NCI fact sheet lists many organizations that can provide information about support groups. This fact sheet is available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/support/organizations ; many of these organizations provide information on their web sites about contacting support groups. Your healthcare provider may also have information about support groups. Most hospitals provide information about cancer support programs.
4. What Types of Cancer Support Groups are Available?
Cancer support groups are available to help meet the individual needs of cancer patients at all stages of cancer treatment, from the initial diagnosis, during treatment and through follow up care. Some groups are general cancer support groups, while more specialized groups may be for teens, for family members, or for people affected by a particular type of cancer such as breast cancer. Support groups may be led by a professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker, or by cancer patients or survivors. There are many online cancer support groups for those people who are more comfortable finding the support they need in this way.
Whatever cancer support group that you decide to attend, it is important for you to find an atmosphere that is comfortable and meets your individual needs. Whether you are just looking for information or you need a shoulder to lean on, there is a cancer support group available for you and your loved ones to be a part of.
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April 28th, 2008
What to Do When Someone You Love is Diagnosed with Cancer
by Denise, Cancerwarriors volunteer writer
According to the American Cancer Society, three out of every four American families will have at least one family member who is diagnosed with cancer. A cancer diagnosis affects not only the cancer patient, but also their families, friends and coworkers. If you’re a caretaker, a spouse, family member or friend of someone diagnosed with cancer, find support from others who understands what you are going through.
A cancer diagnosis can be a real crisis; everything has been turned upside down and you don’t know where to turn. There is also a profound feeling of helplessness, of not knowing what to do as you struggle to comprehend your own feelings and, at the same time, provide reassurance and support to your loved one. You may need to be able to help your loved one navigate the maze of details that accompany a cancer diagnosis – finding an oncologist, understanding their treatment options, furnishing health updates to others and managing side effects.
Here are some tips to help you cope when someone you love is diagnosed with cancer:
1 One way to keep from feeling helpless and overwhelmed is to offer support. Offer to help with practical things such as driving them to treatments or doctor’s appointments, run errands, babysit, doing housecleaning, gardening, or yard work. Ask them what they are most concerned about not being able to do.
2 Ask the doctor questions if you accompany your loved one to their appointments.
3 Be prepared for changes in their behavior and mood. Cancer medications, sickness, and stress can cause your loved one to become depressed or angry.
4 Encourage them to be as active and independent as possible. This will help your loved one regain a sense of confidence and control over their life.
5 Be realistic about your own needs. Get enough sleep, eat properly, and take some time off for yourself. It is hard to be of much help when you are exhausted and sick. If you take care of yourself and your needs, it will be easier to meet the needs of your loved one.
6 Ask other family members and friends for help. They will appreciate the opportunity to help.
7 Keep a positive attitude.
8 Accept that there are some things that are out of your control.
9 Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry, combative, or passive.
10 Fight stress, learn to relax. Exercise regularly.
11 Give yourself permission to not know the right answers; it is ok if you just listen.
12 Join a support group for friends and families of cancer patients.
Remember that you are not alone if someone you love is diagnosed with cancer. Help and support are available in many forms. You will likely experience a conflicting range of emotions, including disbelief, denial, anger, relief, worry and even guilt. Fears of mortality, changing family roles, having your own needs met, and uncertainty about the future can surface when someone you love is diagnosed with cancer. These are normal feelings and it may be beneficial to talk with others who are experiencing the same problems.
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April 28th, 2008
A Child’s Questions When a Parent Has Cancer
by Denise, cancerwarriors volunteer writer
When a child finds out that one of his parents has cancer, they will have many questions on their mind, many that they will not ask. When appropriate, it may be better to answer some questions before they are asked. It may be hard for them to talk about or ask questions of their peers or family members so a support group for children who have a parent with cancer may be helpful. Some questions they may have are:
● Why did my mom or dad get cancer?
● Did I do something that made them get cancer?
● Who did my mom “catch” cancer from?
● Since dad got cancer will mom get sick too?
● Will I catch cancer too?
● Will mom or dad’s hair come out?
● Will my mom and dad still be able to take care of me?
● Will we lose our home since Dad can’t work anymore?
● Will we have food to eat since Mom is not able to cook?
● Will my friends at school know about Mom or Dad’s cancer?
● Should I talk to my friends about it?
● Will people treat me differently?
● Will I still be able to do things I want to do?
● Will Mom or Dad still do “fun things” with me?
● Who will take care of Mom or Dad?
● When will the medicine from the doctor make mom or dad’s cancer go away?
● Will my mom or dad die from cancer?
● Who will take care of me if they die?
Children can feel very isolated when a parent is sick and may think that no one else has the same feelings and worries. They may be angry and act out because they are so confused. They may think that cancer is like a cold and they may catch it too. They may wonder why the medicine isn’t making mommy better like it always does them. They may be afraid their parent will die and wonder who will take care of them.
It may be helpful for the child to join a support group of children who have a family member with cancer. The support group should be lead by a professional therapist who is knowledgeable about cancer and the issues it raises for families. They may feel more comfortable asking questions and may be reassured by the other children’s experiences; they will not feel so alone in their worries and fears.
Children often get pushed to the side so they will be protected from the worry of seeing their parent sick. This often worries the child more because he or she doesn’t know what is going on. Children often tell us what they are feeling by how they act. A quiet child may become more silent and withdrawn; an active child may become extremely hyperactive. They may become afraid to be away from a parent and have trouble sleeping. Teenagers may sleep a lot, have trouble in school and seem more distant than usual. Some children express emotional stress with physical symptoms like headaches and stomachaches. They may seem tired or sad a lot of the time.
Any change in your child’s behavior may be a red flag that they need some attention and reassurance. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. It is hard to fight a serious illness like cancer and be able to take care of your child’s emotional needs as well. Though it is difficult, try to be as honest and straightforward about your illness as your child’s age and emotional maturity allows. Most children are resilient and capable of living with the difficulties in life if they are offered the chance to help and they are able to express their feelings without the fear of being criticized or made fun of.
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April 6th, 2008
Information courtesy of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Memphis, Tennessee, March 24, 2008
Physicians at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have demonstrated that children with bilateral Wilms tumor, a cancer of the kidneys, can retain normal function in both kidneys by undergoing a procedure called bilateral nephron-sparing surgery, even when preoperative scans suggest that the tumors are inoperable.
Between 1999 and 2006, all St. Jude patients with bilateral Wilms tumor exhibiting favorable histology (cell characteristics) underwent bilateral nephron-sparing surgeries, or partial nephrectomies. Nephron-sparing surgery is designed to remove the malignant tumor, sparing as much healthy kidney tissue as possible. In all 10 instances where the procedure was used, the surgery was successful, often despite preoperative imaging studies suggesting that kidney preservation might not be possible.
“Many times, physicians will look at a child’s scans and assume that it is impossible to remove the tumor while preserving some uninvolved kidney, but our study indicates that surgeons should not rely solely on the imaging to make that decision,” said Andrew Davidoff, M.D., division chief of General Pediatric Surgery at St. Jude and the senior author of a retrospective study that appears in the advance online publication of the journal Cancer.
Traditionally, patients with bilateral Wilms tumor have one—and sometimes both—kidneys removed in an attempt to eradicate the cancer. If one kidney is removed and the cancer recurs in the other kidney, the possibility of losing renal function is high. If both kidneys are removed, the child must endure dialysis and a possible kidney transplant.
“In most cases, the surgeon will be able to save normal kidney on both sides,” Davidoff said. “The study indicates that, when combined with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, this surgical approach provides an opportunity to preserve renal function while maintaining a high probability of cure.”
Wilms tumor is the third most common solid tumor in children, with approximately 500 cases diagnosed each year in the United States. Only 5 to 7 percent of those patients will have tumors in both kidneys. Because children with bilateral disease are at risk for developing renal failure, physicians must balance a desire to maintain long-term renal function with the goal of eliminating the cancer.
Since 1999, St. Jude patients whose bilateral Wilms tumor exhibits favorable histology have received chemotherapy, consisting of vincristine, dactinomycin and doxorubicin, followed by bilateral partial nephrectomies within 12 weeks of initiation of chemotherapy. Patients in the retrospective study ranged in age from 5 months to 9 years old and were generally referred to St. Jude because of poor response to therapy or unfavorable anatomy. Many of the children received radiation after undergoing surgery.
According to Davidoff, nephron-sparing surgery is a more complex procedure than a complete nephrectomy. “Commonly, when a child has bilateral disease, the surgeon will remove the kidney that has the most tumor and do a partial nephrectomy on the other side,” he said. “But if a patient then develops problems in the remaining kidney, the options are limited because one kidney has been taken out of the equation. At St. Jude, we try to save as much kidney as possible in children with bilateral disease. Thus far, 100 percent of the time we have been able to save normal kidney on both sides.”
All patients who exhibited favorable histology Wilms tumor are still alive, a mean of nearly four years after initial surgery. Nine of the patients exhibited normal renal function at their most recent follow-up exams.
Other authors of this paper include Jesse J. Jenkins and Matthew J. Krasin (St. Jude); Mark A. Williams and Deborah P. Jones (St. Jude and University of Tennessee, Memphis); Dana W. Giel (University of Tennessee, Memphis); Fredric A. Hoffer (University of Washington, formerly of St. Jude); and Jeffrey S. Dome (Children’s National Medical Center, formerly of St. Jude and the University of Tennessee, Memphis).
This work was supported by a U.S. Public Health Service Childhood Solid Tumor Program grant, a Cancer Center Support Grant from the National Cancer Institute and ALSAC.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. No family ever pays for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization.
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April 6th, 2008
Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 4/03/2008
NEW YORK, NY - A study led by researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) has uncovered how breast tumors use a particular type of molecule to promote metastasis - the spread of cancer cells. Metastasis is the cause of approximately 90 percent of all cancer-related deaths. The study is published in the April 4, 2008, issue of Cell.
The work examines how cells in the body communicate with each other through cytokines, signaling molecules that direct a wide range of activities such as cell growth and movement. One important cytokine - transforming growth factor (TGF) - normally suppresses tumor development. However, according to the findings, cancer cells in humans are able to misuse these cytokines for their own gain by compelling TGF to enhance a tumor’s ability to spread instead of suppressing it.
Using computer-based analysis to classify patient tumor samples based on their levels of TGF, the researchers observed that about half of all breast tumors contained active TGF. The affected tumors were found to be more aggressive and more likely to metastasize to the lung during the course of the patients’ disease.
Using mice for their next set of experiments, the researchers discovered that TGF prompts breast cancer cells to make a second cytokine, known as angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4), which enhances the ability of the cancer to spread to the lungs through the blood circulation. The results show that the breast cancer cells use ANGPTL4 to break down the thin capillaries of the lung, thus facilitating their escape into the lung tissue.
“Our work shows that TGF enhances human breast cancer metastasis and reveals how tumor cells learn to exploit cytokines by making them work as a relay system to promote the spread of breast cancer,” said the study’s senior author, Joan Massagué, PhD, Chairman of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program at MSKCC and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.
The researchers are now seeking to determine whether TGF and ANGPTL4 may also be active in other types of tumors, and are evaluating ways to interfere with the action of these cytokines to prevent metastasis in cancer patients.
“Deciphering how cancer cells take advantage of these cytokines is essential for developing therapies that can prevent this process,” said the study’s lead author David Padua, a graduate student in Dr. Massagué’s lab. “Because cytokines act outside of cells they can be more easily targeted by drugs that block their activity.”
The study provides support for developing agents to interfere with TGFin order to prevent and treat cancer metastasis. It points at ANGPTL4 as a possible target to interrupt the TGFstimulus of metastasis without interfering with the molecule’s beneficial effects. Several pharmaceutical companies are currently testing TGF-blocking compounds in clinical trials as candidate drugs against breast cancer, melanoma, and other types of cancer.
This work was co-authored by Xiang H-F. Zhang and Qiongqing Wang of MSKCC’s Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, and William L. Gerald, MD, PhD, a surgical pathologist and member of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program at MSKCC. Cristina Nadal, PhD, of the Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS and Roger R. Gomis, PhD, of the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), both of Barcelona, Spain, also contributed to this research.
The study was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Kleberg Foundation, the Hearst Foundation, and the BBVA Foundation.
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April 6th, 2008
Source: UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center 03/31/2008
UCLA Researchers Design Nanomachines that Kill Cancer CellsUCLA researchers have developed a novel type of nanomachine that can capture and store anticancer drugs inside tiny pores and release them into cancer cells in response to light.
Known as a “nanoimpeller,” the device is the first light-powered nanomachine that operates inside a living cell, a development that has strong implications for cancer treatment.
UCLA researchers reported the synthesis and operation of nanoparticles containing nanoimpellers that can deliver anticancer drugs March 31, 2008, in the online edition of the journal Small.
The study was conducted jointly by Jeffrey Zink, UCLA professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and Fuyu Tamanoi, UCLA professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics and director of the signal transduction and therapeutics program at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Tamanoi and Zink are two of the co-directors for the Nano Machine Center for Targeted Delivery and On-Demand Release at the California NanoSystems Institute.
Nanomechanical systems designed to trap and release molecules from pores in response to a stimulus have been the subject of intensive investigation, in large part for their potential applications in precise drug delivery. Nanomaterials suitable for this type of operation must consist of both an appropriate container and a photo-activated moving component.
To achieve this, the UCLA researchers used mesoporous silica nanoparticles and coated the interiors of the pores with azobenzene, a chemical that can oscillate between two different conformations upon light exposure.
Operation of the nanoimpeller was demonstrated using a variety of human cancer cells, including colon and pancreatic cancer cells. The nanoparticles were given to human cancer cells in vitro and taken up in the dark. When light was directed at the particles, the nanoimpeller mechanism took effect and released the contents.
The pores of the particles can be loaded with cargo molecules, such as dyes or anticancer drugs. In response to light exposure, a wagging motion occurs, causing the cargo molecules to escape from the pores and attack the cell. Confocal microscopic images showed that the impeller operation can be regulated precisely by the intensity of the light, the excitation time and the specific wavelength.
“We developed a mechanism that releases small molecules in aqueous and biological environments during exposure to light,” Zink said. “The nanomachines are positioned in molecular-sized pores inside of spherical particles and function in aqueous and biological environments.”
“The achievement here is gaining precise control of the amount of drugs that are released by controlling the light exposure,” Tamanoi said. “Controlled release to a specific location is the key issue. And the release is only activated by where the light is shining.”
“We were extremely excited to discover that the machines were taken up by the cancer cells and that they responded to the light. We observed cell killing as a result of programmed cell death,” Tamanoi and Zink said.
This nanoimpeller system may open a new avenue for drug delivery under external control at specific times and locations for phototherapy. Remote-control manipulation of the machine is achieved by varying both the light intensity and the time that the particles are irradiated at the specific wavelengths at which the azobenzene impellers absorb.
“This system has potential applications for precise drug delivery and might be the next generation for novel platform for the treatment of cancers such as colon and stomach cancer,” Zink and Tamanoi said. “The fact that one can operate the mechanism by remote control means that one can administer repeated small-dosage releases to achieve greater control of the drug’s effect.”
Tamanoi and Zink say the research represents an exciting first step in developing nanomachines for cancer therapy and that further steps are required to demonstrate actual inhibition of tumor growth.
For an abstract and the full-text of the Small paper, visit www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/117949998/ABSTRACT.
The Nano Machine Center for Targeted Delivery and On-Demand Release is a multidisciplinary research center at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA. The center is co-directed by four professors who have expertise in different chemical, biological and medical disciplines. Jeffrey Zink, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, studies mechanically, electrically and optically functional silica-based nanostructured materials; Fuyu Tamanoi, professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics and director of the signal transduction and therapeutics program at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, studies signal transduction and the development of anticancer drugs; Dr. Andre Nel, professor of medicine and chief of the division of nanomedicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, is an expert on nanoparticles and their interaction with substrates at the nano/bio interface; and Fraser Stoddart, professor emeritus of chemistry and biochemistry, has pioneered the design and template-directed synthesis of supramolecular and molecular machines. The team has co-authored seven papers on the topics of light activated release, pH-activated release, anticancer drug delivery and cellular uptake mechanisms of nanoparticles.
The California NanoSystems Institute was established in 2000 as a joint enterprise between UCLA and UC Santa Barbara, with $100 million in funding from the state of California and an additional $250 million in federal research grants and industry funding. The CNSI is a multidisciplinary research institute whose mission is to encourage university collaboration with industry and enable the rapid commercialization of discoveries in nanosystems. CNSI members at UCLA include some of the world’s preeminent scientists working in five targeted areas of nanosystems-related research: renewable energy; environmental nanotechnology and nanotoxicology; nanobiotechnology and biomaterials; nanomechanical and nanofluidic systems; and nanoelectronics, photonics and architectonics. For additional information, visit www.cnsi.ucla.edu.
UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center comprises about 235 researchers and clinicians engaged in disease research, prevention, detection, control, treatment and education. One of the nation’s largest comprehensive cancer centers, the Jonsson center is dedicated to promoting research and translating basic science into leading-edge clinical studies. In July 2007, the Jonsson Cancer Center was named the best cancer center in California by U.S. News & World Report, a ranking it has held for eight consecutive years. For more information on the Jonsson Cancer Center, visit our Web site at www.cancer.ucla.edu.
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