French Mini Laser removes GBMs

Paris, France. Since 2006, French Neurosurgeons have been developing micro-surgery applications for the removal of Brain Tumors.
Using a mini-laser, which has a temperature-controlled tip, special software controls the entire operation at the neurosurgeon's finger tips.
Drilling a 3mm hole into the skull, the laser is directed to the particular tumor, where the laser tip burns the matastesing cells, while the specially developed software keeps control of temperature in the laser cutting head. The patient is only sedated with a local anesthetic.
Six voluntary patients have so far come through these "mini-laser" operations successfully. French technology researchers expect this form of neurosurgery to expand widely to include other forms of tumor removal in the near future. Acknowledgement: Le Monde, Paris. Geoff.

Danielle's survival of Cancer and Identity - CVQ. Agm

Cancer Voices Qld. first annual general meeting, August 14, was attended by mainly executive and intrastate committee members, and small band of general membership, held at the Heart Foundation Offices, Brisbane.
Following opening report by Chair Leonie Young, cancer survivor Danielle Tindle, presented her path in her life of cancer and identity. Struck down aged 22 years, diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, with a tumor the size of a football in her chest, and smaller lumps in neck and abdomen. Danielle went on to described how she has been able to modify her life to the demands cancer has made on her. As a teenager, Danielle was ready to party and enjoy life to the full. Her ideals in fashion and outlook were changed radically when cancer treatment took away all her hair, modifying her life presentation to include a wig, permanently. "I'm not who I was, but can't relate to anyone else; I don't know who I am becoming, or even If I will live. Who am I" Danielle exclaimed.
Now 28 years, Danielle took her audience through various stages of life-changing scenarios, where she had to re-appraise herself and future directions in life, trying to understand how objectives were seen for patients through the eyes of your GP/Specialists, and the questions posed by patients to help in their identity.
Now employed with Leukaemia Foundation Australia, Danielle is researching and developing a national education support program for young people affected by blood cancer. Special Grants have allowed Danielle to tour United Kingdom and Ireland health research centres, where similar programs are assisting teenage cancer/tumor
patients; reviewing the treatments received and how these centres are achieving results. Geoff.

Dietary Supplements OK for Cancer Survivors, but . . .

It is quite common practice for long-term cancer survivors to use wide-range of Dietary supplements. 753 Cancer patients with over 5 yrs. out-of-their-diagnosis, were phone-questioned about their dietary habits and supplement use.
Denise Snyder, RD. Clinical trials Manager, Duke University School of Nursing, expressed concern at the use of one specific type of nutrient, that could upset metabolic balance in the body processing nutrients. "Maybe too much of one thing, not enough of something else that may put your cells at risk", said Snyder.
Of those tested, 75% said they used dietary supplements. These ranged from multivitamins 80%; calcium 50%; antioxidants, C, E, carotenoids, selenium and combinations 41%; fish Oil 29%; glucosamine, chondrolin combinations 19%, and 18% took botanicals and herbs.
Denise Snyder was surprised at numbers taking supplements, with 90% claiming use off one formulation for 12 month or more. A healthier lifestyle seem to be main draw for adding supplements to diet.
Those who ate high amounts of fruit and vegetables, fibre and less saturated fats, tended to add supplement to their diet, too.
It would appear that 'balance' seems to be the clear winner, for it is recommended discussions with your GP or dietician to check a need to take so many supplements.
"If you eat fish three times per week, maybe there is need to cut down on fish oil" concluded Denise Snyder.
Acknowledgement WebMD/American Cancer Society.

Water better with Drugs - Juices unsettling!

Tablets! . . . when you swallow them down, is it with fruit juice, your brandy, beer, champas, or just plain Water? Have you noticed how tablet packaging advises fruit juices can decrease absorption of many Drugs? These comments should not be taken lightly as juice can effect allergies, transplant rejection, cancer and high blood pressure.
David G. Bailey, PhD., Professor Clinical Pharmacology, University of Weston Ontario, London, Canada and his researchers discovered in 1991, that grapefruit juice increased blood concentrations of blood pressure drug Plendil to possible dangerous levels, as well as slowing down key liver enzymes that clears Plendil, and some 40 other drugs, from the body.
Now new Bailey research reports grapefruit, orange and apple juices decease the absorption of several important medications. "This is just the tip of the iceberg. I'm sure we'll find more drugs affected this way," says Bailey, reporting his findings in a report to 236th annual meeting of American Chemical Society.
It was found a substance called naringin in grapefruit was a culprit, blocking OATP1A2, a transporter molecule in the gut, which carries some drugs from the samll intestines into the blood. Orange juice contains hesperidin, but a culprit in apple juice remains aloof for time being.
David Bailey says the concern is loss of benefit of medications essential for treatment of serious condituions.
Healthy volunteers took fexofenadine with either grapefruit juice, a glass of water mixed with naringin, or pure water. A drug taken with grapefruit juice or the nnaringin mixture halved the amount of drug absorption to reach the bloodstream.
People/patients should take their tablets with water only, advises Bailey. "People taking medications should check with their GP or Pharmacist before taking medications with fruit juices" Prof. Bailey concluded.

Booming-Base Decibels hinder Tumors

Hi, Music appreciated Tumor sufferers, recently we have been under sufferance of Deep Base Decibel syndrome from the younger set wanting to share their lust of powerful thumping base music via stereo systems.
Whether it is one of the neighbours, or the car that pulls up beside you at the traffic lights, the 'thumping' stress it blasts out on my partner's Meningioma is distressing to see. Not only this, but the music and public announcements in major shopping centres seems to have got louder, too.
Have you visited a Record Bar lately, or one of the 'new' fashion shops, where the Manager, in all their psychedelic color, appear to be dancing, or twitching to the rhythm, even when they try to sell you something? Enquiring into this 'new' form of retailing (having spent 40 years in the game), what was the advantage of this style of music?
"Man, you have'nt lived! This is cool for everyone. It puts customers into the swing to buy!".
My partner finds the violins playing in a store like Myers or Millers, for example, much more pleasant to her Meningioma. Has anyone else been affected by this trend in music? Geoff.

New Vaccine kurbs Glioblastoma

At a recent conference of American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) annual meeting, Duke University research group released news of a new vaccine containing common type of herpes virus, human cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Used in conjunction with the chemotherapy drug temozolomide, seems to be successful delaying the recurrence of glioblastoma in a small group of patients.
Researchers at Duke University built upon this knowledge by developing a CMV vaccine, testing it on nearly two dozen patients, where early results appeared promising, but continued research is still required.
A Duke news release on the study is available at http://www.dukehealth.org/HealthLibrary/News/10320. Geoff.

Saying Thanks cultivates a grateful Heart

By focusing on what we are thankful for, and saying thank you, even the most difficult times can create feelings of love, compassion and hope.
Mary Beth Sammons, Carepages.com, suggests these 10 tips for saying thanks.
1. Be grateful and recognise the things others have done to help you.
2. When you say "Thank you" tell the person specifically what it is you appreciate and why.
3. Post a 'thank you to all' on your Care page, or email those in your Care community.
4. Send a hand-written thank you note. These are noteworthy because so few of us take time to write.
5. Think thoughts of gratitude - two or three good things that happened today; notice a calm settle through your head, at least for a moment. It activates part of the brain that floods the body with endophins, or feel-good hormones.
6. Remember ways your life has been made easier or better because of others' efforts. Be aware of the many good things going on around you, and acknowledge them.
7. Keep a journal/diary to note a list of good things or people you are grateful for today. The list will grow as you notice more of the good things around you.
8. Being grateful shakes out of self-absorption and helps you recognise those who have done wonderful things for you. Expressing that gratitude will continue to draw people into your sphere.
9. Remember this: "When you learn, teach. When you get, give" - Maya Angelou.
10. Join forces to do good. If you survived illness or loss, you may want to reach out to others to help as a way of showing gratitude for those who reached out to you.
Acknowledgement Mary Beth Sammons, Carepages.com

Tumor Cells blood tagged by Microchip

In today's fast technical World, tumor cells are not only sought out by Biomedical research, but electronic techniques are fast approaching the stage where special software-controlled microchips analyse tumor cells from blood of patients with solid tumors.
A research team from Cancer Center, Massachusetts General, led by Dr.Daniel Haber, MD. Phd. says circulating tumor cells (CTC) are located in a fragile atmosphere and are scarce in the blood, accounting for one in a million cells of a typical cancer blood sample. Being very hard to detect in a patient's blood, a newly developed chip offers non-evasive monitoring of patients with solid tumors.
Research has shown CTC chip will identify genetic changes in blood samples of patients likely to benefit from recommended treatments from those not likely to benefit. A suprise to researchers was to find the genetic make-up of tumors changed continuously during treatment.
A spokesman for American Cancer Society said this new research will play a big role for new cancer treatments. "A major problem is that we are still using a definition of cancer established in early 1800's. A new 21st. century definition will examine genetics of a tumor to establish path of mutation or cause of cell death" he concluded.
Acknowledgment New England Journal of Medicine.

Understanding Cancer - Does not stick together or become specialised

Cancer Cells can lose molecules on their surface, that keep normal cells in the right place, become detached from their neighbours, allowing the cancer cell to spread to other parts of the body.
Unlike normal cells, cancer cells do not carry on maturing once they have been formed. With all the reproducing, it is not suprising that more of the genetic information in the cell can become lost.
Cells become more primitive tend to reproduce more quickly and even more haphazardly.
Understanding Cancer series, Cancer Research UK.

Understanding Cancer - Normal Cells

Normal body cells have a number of important characteristics
They can reproduce themselves exactly
Stop reproducing at the right time
Stick together in the right place
Self-destruct if they are damaged
Become specialised or 'mature'

PET, with FET, picks out Tumor activity

Within the World of Cancer and Tumors, the 'lingo' being used in everyday communications is forever changing, and is at times, difficult to keep up with. We have gotten used to such terms and acronyms as Xray, MRI, fMRI, CT, PET, Chemo, and so it goes on.
Now, Australian researchers have launched another new tab to describe fluoroethyltyrosine, or FET. Developed in trials by Cooperative Research Centre, Biomedical Imaging Developments, Melbourne, have shown that radio active amino acids are able to double the scans to locate active tumor cells in the brain.
Identifed as FET, fluoroethyltyrosine is injected into a patient prior to scanning the tumor. Used in conjunction with a PET (position emission tomography) scan, it correctly identifies patients needing treatment; FET pinpointing accurately active tumor cells in the brain.
A research spokesman said tumors require large amounts of amino acids to support abnormal growth, FET distinguishing active cancer tumor cells against normal brain tissue. Geoff.
Acknowledement theage.com