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Heart Disease News

Young adults not spared from heart disease

According to the report from Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) unveiled on yesterday, almost 15 people die every day because of cardiovascular diseases in Singapore. The study has also suggested that the young people are also suffering from heart attacks and strokes.

According to the experts, the young generation is falling in to the heart problems because of their unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles. The SHF aid it would continue its efforts to improve the awareness of the heart diseases and blood pressure diseases. Instead of the only mass screening the SHF is providing 300 blood pressure monitors at various schools to monitor the blood pressure of the pupils.

All the blood pressure monitors are donated by a company. The children are also trained to use the monitor to test the blood pressure of their parents at home. SHF has aimed to cover 15 more schools in the next year.

The SHF has also raised questions on the use of the diabetes drug Avandia and said the drug had a negative impact on the heart of a human body. On Friday the SHF had appealed to the people of Singapore not to use the drug.

Study: Walking, Cycling Keeps Heart Failure at Bay

A new Finnish study has indicated that going to work on foot or cycling can be useful in warding off the possibility of a heart failure. And a job that is not sedentary helps too.

Senior researcher, Dr. Gang Hu of Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, told Reuters Health in an e-mail that engaging in some physical activity is of course important, but being active at workplace is essential too.

Walking to work everyday or spinning two wheels is integral in keeping good health.

Heart failure takes place when the heart is not able to pump enough blood that is required by the body. At present, five million Americans fall prey to heart failure.

Hu said, “Increases in computerization and mechanization that have resulted in ever-increasing numbers of people being sedentary for most of their time”.

It is pertinent to mention that earlier studies were focused on positive outcomes of regular exercise on both coronary heart disease and stroke. But, the investigators had not examined the effects of physical activity on the peril of heart failure, or the exceptional roles of relaxation and non-leisure movements on the condition.

Dr. Luc Djousse of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, observed that the results are in agreement with the Physician’s Health Study.

In this study, he and his associates had revealed that regular exercise was linked with a minor risk of heart failure in men.

Kenyans warned as heart diseases on the rise

At least 17.2 million people are dying from heart disease and stroke each year but this is expected rise to 41 million in five years, says Gender PS James Nyikal.

Dr Nyikal warned Kenyans during celebrations to mark World Heart Day in Nairobi on Sunday that increased intake of salt, alcohol, cigarettes and lack of exercise, were a threat to life.

Could be avoided

He said 80 per cent of premature heart-related deaths could be avoided.

In Kenya, heart specialists have sounded the alarm and are advocating for a radical change in people’s lifestyles.

The government has already banned adverts on smoking and smoking in public places. “Even though a lot has been done to discourage smoking, it is disheartening to note that in Kenya, the rate is as high as 50 per cent, especially in colleges and universities,” said Dr Nyikal.

He said in urban areas, dietary preferences had shifted from vegetables, legumes, fruits and home-made meals to fast foods, especially among children.

“With urbanisation and a free economy, a lot of processed and pre-packed foods are available in supermarkets. The sale of fast foods to children must be regulated,” he said, adding: “Heart diseases develop slowly. A poor diet at a young age contributes to early child deaths.”

Dr Nyikal said the global goal of reducing the death rate of chronic diseases by an additional two per cent annually would prevent 36 million deaths in the next five years.

Speaking at the same event, Kenya Cardiac Society chairman Prof Gerald Yonga said many deaths in Kenya were related to how we eat, drink and move.

“Kenyans are advised to avoid excessive intake of certain foods like fatty meat, salt or sugar, alcohol or cigarettes,” said Prof Yonga.

“Treating heart diseases is very expensive yet it can be avoided by changing our lifestyles because if we continue living this, we will die like flies.”

Cancer and Chemotherapy

Cognitive Effects of Breast Cancer Tx Related to Age

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Point out that cognitive changes associated with chemotherapy are typically only seen in a subgroup of patients. This study represents an attempt to dissect out which patients are more susceptible to these effects.
Chemotherapy-related cognitive changes had significant associations with older age and lower baseline cognitive reserve, data from a case-control study of breast cancer patients showed.

Older patients with lower cognitive reserve who were treated with chemotherapy scored significantly lower on tests of processing speed than women treated only with tamoxifen (P=0.003) and a healthy control group (P<0.001), investigators reported in an article published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Chemotherapy also appeared to have a temporary adverse effect on verbal ability, which differed significantly from the tamoxifen-only and control groups at one month (P=0.01). Verbal ability improved, however, during two subsequent follow-up evaluations of patients who received chemotherapy.

The findings suggest that pretreatment factors, as well as various aspects of breast cancer and its therapy, have an impact on cognitive functioning, the researchers wrote.

“This study helps clarify two issues,” Tim A. Ahles, PhD, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, told MedPage Today. “The results indicate that only a subgroup of patients have long-term cognitive changes. Factors associated with long-term changes have been an area of interest to us and others.

“The second issue is that 20% to 30% of breast cancer patients appear to have lower-than-expected cognitive performance at diagnosis. This is higher than in the general population. We were curious to see whether that also predicted post-treatment cognitive changes, and our assessment of cognitive reserve sort of captures that.”

An exploratory analysis suggested that tamoxifen negatively affected certain aspects of cognitive function in patients who did not receive chemotherapy.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have yielded evidence that breast cancer chemotherapy causes changes in cognitive function in a subgroup of patients. Similar studies have indicated that tamoxifen also contributes to cognitive decline, Ahles and colleagues wrote in the introduction to their findings.

Other data have shown lower-than-expected performance on neuropsychological tests in subgroups of breast cancer patients before treatment, suggesting that certain aspects of the cancer itself may affect cognitive function.

“Taken together, these findings suggest that there are multiple aspects of breast cancer and its treatment that may impact cognitive functioning in a subgroup of vulnerable individuals, which highlights the importance of identifying risk factors for cognitive decline,” the authors wrote.

Age has a well-established influence on cognitive decline, leading to speculation that older adults may have increased vulnerability to cognitive adverse effects of chemotherapy. However, prior studies have not examined possible interactions between age and cancer treatment and resulting effects on cognitive functioning.

Cognitive reserve, which constitutes an individual’s innate and developed cognitive capacity, may also play a role in a patient’s vulnerability to the cognitive effects of chemotherapy. Ahles and colleagues examined associations among age, pretreatment cognitive reserve, and post-treatment cognitive function. They defined cognitive reserve by scores on the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT-3).

The study involved patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer of stages 0 to 3A. The study population included 60 patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy and 72 patients who received adjuvant tamoxifen but no chemotherapy. The control group consisted of 45 healthy women who met inclusion criteria except for a diagnosis of breast cancer.

All study participants completed a battery of tests that assessed verbal ability, verbal memory, visual memory, working memory, processing speed, sorting, distractibility, reaction time, and self-reported depression. Breast cancer patients completed the tests before treatment and at three intervals after completing therapy. Women in the control group were tested on four occasions that approximated the time intervals for the patients.

The analysis showed significant interaction among group, age, and baseline WRAT-3 reading score (P<0.001). Older patients with lower baseline WRAT-3 scores and exposure to chemotherapy scored significantly lower on processing speed, averaging 0.15 less per 10-year increase in age and one standard deviation lower WRAT-3 score than the no-chemotherapy group and 0.23 less than the control group.

The authors found a significant group-by-time interaction (P=0.01) and a significant age-by-WRAT 3 interaction for verbal ability but not a significant three-way interaction.

Age significantly affected performance on the verbal memory, visual memory, working memory, and sorting assessments, and baseline WRAT-3 reading significantly influenced distractibility.

To examine the impact of tamoxifen, the authors compared results of 39 patients treated with the drug, 20 patients who received no endocrine therapy, and the healthy controls. The analysis showed a significant impact of tamoxifen on processing speed (P=0.036) and verbal memory (P=0.05).

Patients treated with tamoxifen performed significantly worse than the controls on processing speed (P=0.016), verbal memory (P=0.018), and verbal ability (P=0.023). Patients who did not receive tamoxifen did not differ significantly from the controls in any of the analyses.

Spotting the signs of breast cancer early helped save my life

Sep 20 2010 By Lisa Adams

IN white, high-heel white boots and a daring psychedelic mini skirt, Christine Kelly felt fabulous at a 1960s-themed fancy dress party to celebrate her 40th birthday.

But only a few months later, her world collapsed after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Now the Edinburgh mum-of-two has been chosen to speak about her fight with the devastating disease at an event tomorrow to mark the launch of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Landmarks across the capital, including Edinburgh Castle gatehouse, the Balmoral Hotel and the HBOS building on the Mound will be flooded with pink light.

It is a signal to Scots women that thinking pink and checking their breasts regularly could save their lives.

Christine said: “They say life begins at 40. For me, life suddenly changed at 40. I’d started a new job, the kids were at school, we had a lovely house and things were looking rosy.

“Then it all fell apart. The only reason I’m here today is because I spotted the signs early. If breast cancer is caught early, there is hope you can get through it and have the rest of your life to live.”

The statistics are frightening. Breast cancer affects one in nine women, so the chances are we will all know someone touched by the disease.

Scientists at the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Unit at the University of Edinburgh are leading the world in the fight against the disease.

More than 7000 Scottish women have signed up to join the Breakthrough Generations Study – an examination of the health and lifestyles of 100,000 women over the next 40 years, which aims to find the causes of breast cancer.

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Scotland but modern treatments mean many more are surviving and going on to live healthy lives.

“Cancer services have developed and improved significantly in recent years, with state-of-the-art equipment and more doctors, nurses and other health professionals. Research is also vital and that’s why I am involved in the Breakthrough Generations Study.

“Hopefully, the knowledge gained through this survey, and others like it, will help to spare more mothers, daughters, grannies and best friends from the trauma of cancer.”

For Christine, it offers hope that her children Ashleigh, 21, and Nathan, 15, may one day live in a cancer-free world.

That’s why she has no fear of telling her story at tomorrow’s reception in front of more than 200 people, including other survivors as well as Sturgeon, scientists and charity representatives.

Christine said: “I am just about to turn 50, and want to celebrate by giving something back to those who made it all possible for me to have these years and many more to come. I’m determined to start my 50s as I would have liked to start my 40s.”

Christine, who is divorced, has raised more than 5000 for breast cancer charities and is planning a sponsored walk from Edinburgh to Glasgow to mark her 50th birthday in November.

But she recalls vividly how frightened she felt in the summer of 2001 when, after a holiday in France, she first felt a lump on her right breast.

Christine said: “It was Saturday night and I was massaging cream into my skin to keep my tan when I found a lump.

“I went to the doctor on Monday. At first, the doctor said I had lumpy breasts but I was certain that lump hadn’t been there before and I asked to be referred to the hospital. I had about six weeks to wait and got on with my life.”

The alarm bells started ringing after she was called back to the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh for a second mammogram. When a sample from the lump was taken to be analysed, Christine feared the worst.

She said: “I thought it must be time to accept some bad news. It was like an out-of-body experience. It felt like this was happening to somebody else.

“I’m very practical, so I thought we’d get through it. I had 101 questions after the doctor confirmed it was cancer.”

Telling her family was tough. She said: “How do you tell your mum you’ve got cancer? My daughter who was 12 at the time found it really difficult.

“She felt she couldn’t speak to me because she didn’t want to upset me. It took a long time and it was through the school that we finally got some counselling for her.

“I had a lovely book for my son which was written in child-friendly language. He was younger, so very accepting.”

Christine, who had no history of cancer in her family, had a grade-three aggressive tumour that was linked to hormone levels.

It had doubled in size in just a few weeks. At the end of September, after the tumour and the lymph nodes under her arm were removed, she heard her first good news. The cancer had not spread.

But chemotherapy transformed her from a fit young mum who went walking and running to a seriously ill woman with no hair who felt constantly on edge.

After six weeks of radiotherapy, Christine started feeling stronger. She took the drug tamoxifen for five years and, as she ticked each month off the calendar, slowly started to believe the cancer had gone for good.

Seven years on, she heard the magic statistics she’d been praying for – that she has the same chances of developing breast cancer as a woman of her age who had never had the disease.

But the experience had changed her. Christine said: “I see life differently. Before, I got stressed about the little things.

“If there’s one thing on my wish list for the future, it would be education to encourage all women to check their breasts regularly and if they notice any changes to consult their GP.”

The risk of breast cancer increases with age. Over-50s get an invitation for free screening every three years, which you should take. For more help, call 08080 100 200 or see breakthrough.org.uk.consult

Pediatric Cancer:Curing the Beast

Do you know how many children will die in 2010? Do you know their names? Some of you do.

“Our dear precious Sam has won the prize. He is celebrating in Heaven with Jesus and other family members that have passed on before him. We had told Sam all week this past week that we would be with him soon….in just the blink of an eye. How I cannot wait for that day! Everything feels so different. We knew this was coming 4 weeks ago when Sam was sent home in hospice care. Even knowing in our hearts that this would happen never prepares you for when it actually happens. Mike and I were holding Sam and he died in our arms and went straight to the arms of Jesus. He put up such a fight and never stopped fighting until the very end,” Sam’s Mom.

What would you do if you had taken your child to the doctor for flu-like symptoms and found it was so much more than the flu?

Peyton’s parents remember, “Our entire world stopped. We awoke to a phone call from our doctor saying we needed to pack a bag and take our daughter up to All Children’s Hospital immediately. Once in the doctor’s office at ACH, we were told that yes, she did have Leukemia. They gave her some local anesthesia and we sang some songs while I had to hold her down so they could do a bone marrow and spinal test. She was a trooper throughout, but we found out later that the Leukemia had invaded her body so much that the doctor was unable to get enough bone marrow to test.”

After immediate admission to the hospital, Peyton got an IV and morphine was administered every 15 minutes. Peyton’s dad said, “It may seem odd, but I had heard so much about morphine, I was actually leery of it. But it helped out with her pain, and made her silly. She got 2 blood transfusions. Her white blood cell count was high, but her red blood cell and platelet counts were low. Thanks to the morphine, she slept.”

The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) is a non-profit organization founded in 1982 to improve the care, quality of life and survival rate of children with malignant diseases.

Since its inception, PCRF has raised over $22 million to fund cuttingedge research that leads to medically sound treatment protocol for childhood cancers. Much progress has been made. For instance, childhood leukemia, once almost certainly fatal, now has a 70% survival rate. But the battle is far from over – cancer continues to afflict more children under the age of 18 each year than any other disease.

Due to the dedication of volunteers supporting PCRF, 80% of every dollar raised goes directly to research. PCRF is privately supported through donations from individuals, charitable foundations and businesses that recognize the urgent need to improve treatment and cure childhood cancers. The foundation raises funds through gifts from individuals, special giving programs, events, corporate sponshoships, grants and the sale of holiday cards drawn by children fighting cancer.

According to the PCRF website, they currently are funding grants for research in the areas of stem cell transplantation, stem cell biology, molecular oncology, and molecular and cellular genetics. PCRF supported over $1.2 million in research work in 2009.

There are some optimistic moments in the research and treatment of childhood cancers every time a child survives.

“At age 2, Sierra was diagnosed with PNET (primitive neuro ectodermal tumor). She received high dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue in May 1996. A very healthy Sierra now loves any sport, especially Little League, and physical education is her favorite subject in school! Sierra’s mother notes that “Sierra is tough! She has recently become very open about her cancer and she shared about her brain tumor and scar at her Share Day at school.”

“Eleven years ago, 4 year old Jack was diagnosed with acute lymhoblastic leukemia and immediately began treatment with aggressive chemotherapy for three years. Jack’s mom had been volunteering at PCRF prior to his diagnosis. Today Jack is a healthy and active freshman in high school, enjoying a life of soccer, football, fishing, surfing, boogie boarding and loves playing electric and acoustic guitar.” Now living like a typical teenager, his life as a young child was anything but.

There are thousands of stories about childhood cancers; there will be about 12,000 stories of cancer diagnosis this year. There will be about 4,000 stories of pediatric cancer related deaths; 11 stories a day.

September has been set aside as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month spotlighting the types of cancer that largely affect children, survivorship issues, and – importantly – to help raise funds for research groups working towards a cure.

The voices of the children cry out for a cure! The parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends of those children carrying the burden of fighting these terrible childhood cancers also cry out for a cure.

Pediatric Cancer needs to be brought out into the daylight where it can receive the attention it deserves as the ugly beast stealing our children before they have the chance to explore life. Research is essential in the discovery of Pediatric Cancer treatments, essential in saving the lives of these children.

Arthritis Treatment Today

Rheumatoid arthritis drug carries risk of potentially fatal allergic reaction

TORONTO – The maker of a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis is updating safety information after an elderly patient taking the medication died from a severe allergic reaction.

Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., in consultation with Health Canada, said allergic reactions can occur from Actemra (tocilizumab) and patients should be closely monitored while taking the drug.

Actemra is administered intravenously to treat adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. No Canadian cases of anaphylactic reaction have been reported.

The company said in an advisory Friday that the patient who died had a long history of rheumatoid arthritis and had also been taking other rheumatoid arthritis medications before and after starting treatment with Actemra. The patient was also on blood pressure medications.

The company said this is the first reported case of death due to a suspected severe allergic reaction in a patient treated with Actemra. Allergic reactions that required patients to stop taking the drug were reported in 13 of about 3,800 patients receiving the medication during clinical trials. These reactions usually occurred during the second to fifth infusion.

In the event of an allergic reaction, Actemra should be permanently discontinued, the drugmaker said.

Study proves arthritis supplements don’t work

According a new study, glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, prescribed to thousands of arthritis sufferers, have no effect.

The new research included 10 large, randomized, controlled studies. A team of researchers determined that individuals taking the supplements didn’t differ from those taking a placebo on measures of pain or any changes in joint space.

Lead researcher, Prof. Peter Juni, head of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Bern in Switzerland, concluded the supplements don’t pose any real danger, however they simply do not work.

When studied alone, Glucosamine monotherapy had a small edge over chondroitin monotherapy. Glucosamine had a small effect on joint space narrowing, while chondroitin alone had no effect.

“None of the two supplements we evaluated appears to have any clinically relevant benefit in terms of pain relief that could be detected by patients with knee or hip arthritis.” Jun and his team concluded.

Furthermore, when benefits were discovered for the two supplements, they tended to be in industry-funded trials as opposed to those without commercial sponsorship, Juni and colleagues indicated.

Worldwide sales of glucosamine hit nearly $2 billion in 2008, an jump of about 60% compared to 2003, Juni said. The supplement became popular after A team of researchers reported in The Lancet in 2001 that glucosamine may be one of the first products to prevent the worsening of osteoarthritis.

Arthritis is a very common condition with over 140 different types that can affect people of all ages. Osteoporosis affects approximately one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50 years Because it is a chronic disease, Arthritis continues indefinitely and may not go away. Regular flares in disease activity can occur.

Early care urged for rheumatoid arthritis

By Clive Cookson in Birmingham

Published: September 15 2010 23:35 | Last updated: September 15 2010 23:35

The onset of rheumatoid arthritis should be treated urgently, scientists say, because new research shows that the disease can often be controlled or even “switched off” in its earliest stage.

The British Science Festival in Birmingham heard on Wednesday that the development of arthritis in patients with early joint pain and inflammation can be predicted quite accurately with simple blood tests and biopsies. The auto-immune process responsible for the disease can then the targeted with drugs, before it causes severe and permanent damage to the joints and other parts of the body.
Karim Raza, of Birmingham University, said rheumalogists were gathering evidence about the benefits of early diagnosis, and the reasons why patients and their doctors delay taking action against rheumatoid arthritis, with support from the National Institute for Health Research, in preparation for a public health campaign on the issue.

“Early diagnosis of RA is essential as we have shown that the processes occurring in the joints of patients in the clinically apparent stage of the disease are different from those occurring later,” said Dr Raza.

Preliminary research suggests that the early disease process can be switched off in 50 to 60 per cent of patients with methotrexate, an inexpensive drug that damps the immune reaction. Those who do not respond can move on to – much more expensive – antibody treatments.

The problem, according to Dr Raza, is that most patients, and many GPs, still regard the onset of rheumatoid arthritis as a non-urgent matter, which they can do little about, apart from taking painkillers.

Although the most obvious effect of rheumatoid arthritis is to destroy bone and cartilage in the joints, its impact is more pervasive. “People with RA die 10 years younger than average … mainly because they are more susceptible to heart disease,” said Dr Raza.

On average today people take an average of six months from the onset of symptoms to see a rheumatologist, because the patient puts off seeing a doctor and then the health service delays the progress from GP to hospital appointment. But effective treatment needs to start within three or four months, according to Dr Raza.

The long-term aim of rheumatologists is for patients and the NHS to take the onset of rheumatoid arthritis as seriously as cancer.

Asthma Treatment

Asthma Drug Albuterol May Help Treat MS

Sept. 13, 2010 — Adding the asthma drug albuterol to a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) improved walking ability and delayed the time to first relapse among patients in a newly published study.

Patients starting daily injections of the MS drug glatiramer acetate — known by the brand name Copaxone — showed improvement over the course of a year when oral albuterol was added to the treatment regimen.

Those treated with Copaxone and placebo showed slight declines in function after a year of treatment, study researcher Samia J. Khoury, MD, of Harvard Medical School tells WebMD.

The study was small, but Khoury says the findings indicate the inexpensive drug may be a useful addition to early MS treatment.

“I do give albuterol to my patients early in treatment if they don’t have contraindications,” she says. “It is cheap and generally well tolerated and patients take just one pill a day.”
Albuterol for MS

The inhaled form of albuterol is widely prescribed to patients with asthma, COPD, and other pulmonary diseases to open constricted airways.

Khoury and colleagues at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital first considered using albuterol as an additional early treatment for multiple sclerosis almost a decade ago.

That was when the researchers first reported that the asthma drug inhibited production of specific inflammation-causing messenger proteins linked to MS, known as interleukin-12 (IL-12).

High levels of IL-12 have been reported in patients with secondary progressive MS, which is an advanced form of the disease characterized by progressive symptoms and few or no relapses.

Disease-modifying drugs like Copaxone, interferon-beta 1a and 1b, and Tysabri appear to slow the progression from early disease to secondary progressive MS. It is now recommended that patients consider starting these treatments as early as possible following diagnosis.

In the newly reported study, Khoury and colleagues randomly assigned 44 patients with relapsing-remitting MS who had not previously received treatment affecting the immune system to receive daily injections of Copaxone with oral albuterol or a placebo pill for up to two years.

Neurological testing was performed at the beginning of the study and again at three, six, 12, 18, and 24 months. Blood samples were collected four times over the first year. Brain imaging to look for the lesions associated with MS was also performed at enrollment and at 12 and 24 months.

Thirty-nine patients were included in the final analysis. Improvement in functional status was seen in the combined treatment group at six months and a year, but not at two years. Most of the improvement was related to walking and was measured by timing how long it took a patient to walk 25 feet.

Published online today, the study appears in the September issue of the Archives of Neurology.

Treatment with albuterol is generally not recommended for some patients taking beta-blockers or for those with heart palpitations or anxiety, Khoury says.

She adds that MS patients without these contraindications may benefit from taking the drug with disease-modifying therapy during the first year of treatment.

Second Opinion

National MS Society spokesman Nicholas LaRocca, PhD, says larger studies are needed to confirm the findings.

“This is a promising study, but it was small,” he tells WebMD. “I think it would be premature to recommend adding this to treatment based on one study.”

But Khoury says since albuterol is now generic, its manufacturers have little financial incentive to conduct additional research.

As researchers search for new and better MS treatments, LaRocca says taking a closer look at drugs that are already available makes sense.

“The cost of developing new drugs is astronomical,” he says. “If there are drugs already out there that are not overly expensive and can be used with the currently available treatments, that is certainly worth exploring.”

For the Treatment of Asthma, Surveyed Safety-Minded Physicians May Be the Most Rapid Adopters of Emerging Brands With a Novel Mechanism of Action

BURLINGTON, Mass., Sept 13, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Decision Resources, one of the world’s leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, identifies a segment of safety-minded physicians who are the most likely to rapidly adopt emerging brands with a novel mechanism of action when compared with other physician segments in the analysis. Thirty percent of physicians surveyed fall into the safety-minded physician segment and report their top drivers of brand choice when prescribing a drug for asthma include the drug’s risk of life-threatening side effects, risk of severe side effects and a long-term safety record.

According to the new report, Brand Perception Series: Physician Segmentation in Asthma, physicians report the greatest need in asthma treatment is for a drug with a novel mechanism of action. The safety-minded physician segment contains the greatest percentage of surveyed physicians who say they are familiar with such agents, including Aerovance’s Aerovant, GlaxoSmithKline’s Bostria and Ception Therapeutics/Cephalon’s Cinquil.

More than half of surveyed physicians in the safety-minded segment say they currently prescribe Sepracor/Nycomed’s Alvesco, the newest of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). The safety-minded physician segment is also a high-volume segment, treating more asthma patients per month and writing more prescriptions for asthma medications per week than other segments in the analysis.

“Surveyed safety-minded physicians’ use of Alvesco and their familiarity with emerging brands with a novel mechanism of action indicate they may more readily use these novel emerging brands despite their concern with long-term safety, especially if the mechanism of action is considered safe,” said Decision Resources Analyst Amanda Puffer, M.Sc. “Considering safety-minded physicians’ use of current brands and the patient populations they treat, these physicians may be a good target for emerging brands with a novel mechanism of action.”

About Brand Perception Series: Physician Segmentation

Brand Perception Series: Physician Segmentation identifies key physician segments to uncover targeted opportunities for current and emerging drug brands. This series offers a fresh look at a competitive drug market by analyzing physician perception of current and emerging drugs using unique physician profiles that will help biopharmaceutical companies understand and size market opportunities.

About Decision Resources

Decision Resources (www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in market research publications, advisory services and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources and master their chosen markets. Decision Resources is a Decision Resources, Inc. company.

About Decision Resources, Inc.

Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.

All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

For more information, contact:

Decision Resources Decision Resources, Inc.
Lisa Osgood Christopher Comfort
781-993-2606 781-993-2597
losgood@dresources.com ccomfort@dresources.com

Half of Children With Treatment-Resistant Asthma Not Treated According to Guidelines

September 14, 2010 — Many children with treatment-resistant asthma under specialist care are misdiagnosed. More than half would be successfully managed with a re-evaluation and better use of standard therapies, British researchers report.

In a review published in the September 4 issue of the Lancet, Andrew Bush, MD, consultant pediatric chest physician, and his colleague Sejal Saglani, MD, both from Royal Brompton Hospital in London, United Kingdom, examined evidence drawn from children with mild to moderate asthma and data extrapolated from adults with severe asthma. They will present the full results next week at the European Respiratory Society 2010 Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.

“Despite the interest in innovative approaches, getting the basics right in children with apparently severe asthma will remain the foundation of management for the foreseeable future,” Drs. Bush and Saglani write.

“The current best approach is thorough multidisciplinary assessment of children with problematic severe asthma, which should result in at least half of these children being successfully managed with conventional treatments,” they continue.

According to the authors, management strategies — incorporating improved asthma education related to adherence to treatment, inhaler technique, dose, and frequency — and minimization of environmental triggers need to be reviewed in these apparently treatment-resistant patients.

The review examines studies that have been published in the past 15 years. The authors make recommendations on the basis of findings from a literature review and from their own clinical practice. Drawing data from their own series of home visits to investigate therapy use, the authors report that “treatment-related issues contributed to poor control in about half the patients.”

Among areas discussed during home visits with patients, the investigators addressed psychosocial issues as a trigger for asthma exacerbations. They found anxiety and depression were common among children with severe asthma and their parents.

“Any major illness will have spin-offs on the child’s life. A child is more than a pair of lungs, so anxiety and depression are common in children and parents, very naturally, and need to be addressed,” Dr. Bush told Medscape Medical News.

Comorbidities such as reflux, rhinosinusitus, dysfunctional breathing, food allergy, and obesity were reviewed for their role in the potential exacerbation of asthma.

Once these potentially reversible factors have been identified in treatment-resistant patients, the authors recommend that the next step be a discussion with a multidisciplinary team.

“The aim is to decide whether further invasive investigations are justified and, if not, to develop a plan to address the reversible factors identified,” they write.

Dr. Bush added that good respiratory nurses find out far more than professors in clinics, “so we need a full multidisciplinary team to try to sort out an individualized treatment plan on the basis of what is causing the pathology. Let’s work together to get more information.”

However, if satisfied that the basic patient management needs are met, the review showed that there was less evidence available to help decide on the next steps.

Dr. Bush recommends open discussion of the options available. “The best trials are in omalizumab, which would be my first choice if the child met the criteria; otherwise we develop an individualized treatment plan based on the type of inflammation of the airway,” he said.

Commenting on the review, Jonathan Grigg, MD, professor of paediatric respiratory and environmental medicine at Barts and the London School of Medicine, Queen Mary University, United Kingdom, said difficult-to-treat asthma is a major problem but receives little attention.

“Bush and Saglani’s comprehensive review in the Lancet is welcome. What is now needed is a concerted effort by funders to support comprehensive trials of new therapies. Governments should also recognize the importance of innovation when evaluating the cost-effectiveness of therapies that may be used in children with difficult asthma,” he said.

Warren Lenney, MD, consultant respiratory paediatrician from the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in the United Kingdom, who also commented on the review, agrees that home visits are essential to understand if and how therapies are being used.

“Once these basic failings have been rectified there remain a small number of children with asthma who are problematic to manage and need the expertise of specialized children’s asthma centers. This paper gives an excellent plan to address the need at the very severe end of the spectrum,” he pointed out.

He added that often labeling a child’s asthma as “very severe disease” is unfounded. “Despite huge increases in our knowledge of childhood asthma over the past 30 years, the striking feature for all to consider is that basic diagnosis and decision making is weak.”

Dr. Bush emphasized a need for further research and collation of patient data, adding that an adult registry already exists and a pediatric one is being set up. His team is also part of European initiatives.

Dr. Bush’s emphasis “on reconsidering the diagnosis and carefully assessing whether there has been good adherence with treatment is crucial,” said Raezelle Zinman, MD, from the Division of Pulmonary Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, in an interview with Medscape Medical News.

“I am not sure that this necessitates an admission to hospital or home visit as a first step,” Dr. Zinman added. “There needs to be documentation of what medication has been prescribed and with what frequency the prescription is actually being filled. This can be clarified with a call to the pharmacy. Simply checking the technique of medication delivery can be done in the office and can be very informative. For example, I have seen patients with vocal cord dysfunction and asthma who have been instructed to take their medication by performing an inspiratory capacity and breath-hold maneuver. In this condition, the vocal cords come together rather than separate when trying to take a breath in and the medication is not able to penetrate to the lungs.”

“A better technique is to have the patient breathe in and out of a valved holding chamber 5 times after actuating the metered dose inhaler into the chamber,” Dr. Zinman suggested.

“Another frequent comorbidity in difficult-to-treat asthmatics is sinusitis. I frequently am able to gain control [of asthma] after initiating therapy for rhinitis and sinusitis,” she pointed out. “In children who have not responded to therapy, I have used a clinical trial of oral steroids for 2 weeks on an outpatient basis, with reassessment of lung function at the end of that period to look for improvement. These results are interpreted as evidence of reversibility but should not be presumed to be the ultimate improvement achievable.”

“It is rare that invasive investigations are required beyond [computed tomography] imaging of the chest and sinus to rule out other diagnoses if the patient fails to respond to the above,” Dr. Zinman asserted. “The difficult-to-control pediatric asthmatic patient warrants referral to a pediatric pulmonologist who has the expertise to work through these issues and determine appropriate therapy. We have all seen patients who have been misdiagnosed and overtreated with chronic steroid therapy to the point of becoming Cushingoid. Earlier referral should prevent this and decrease morbidity.”

Dr. Bush, Dr. Grigg, Dr. Lenney, and Dr. Zinman have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Depression Treatment News and Methods

Ricky Hatton goes into rehab amid cocaine allegations

Ricky Hatton has been called before the British Boxing Board of Control amid suggestions that he could be stripped of his promoter’s licence after allegations that he took cocaine.

Hatton, who was accused last weekend of taking “industrial quantities” of the drug on a night out in Manchester, has checked into a rehabilitation facility, with his spokesman, Max Clifford, revealing the boxer had been suffering from depression.

“His father has already been talking to the specialists over the last few weeks,” Clifford said. “He and others have been increasingly concerned about his depression and his drinking.
“He met with the specialist today and he was told that his depression is severe depression and that he has a drink problem. The drugs are quite recent.”

Mr Clifford said he was not yet sure how much time Hatton would spend in rehab or even if he would spend the night at the facility in an undisclosed location.

His treatment plan will be worked out around other commitments, but the specialists are confident he can make a full recovery.

“The problem is depression and the drink has been a problem for some time,” Mr Clifford said. “From everything they’ve said, the drugs are a far more recent thing and very much superficial alongside the drink and depression.

“They are very confident if he does what they tell him with the treatment, therapy and advice, he can sort himself out. And he will do what they tell him.”

To add to Hatton’s problems, Charles Giles, chairman of the board of control, said yesterday that the board wished to see him “at the earliest opportunity and discuss the issues raised in the press accounts with him”.

Elsewhere, Carl Froch may withdraw from his semi-final with Arthur Abraham in the Super Sixes Classic

super-middleweight tournament on Oct 2, because of a back injury.

Acupuncture a way out of depression

English.news.cn 2010-09-09 21:22:03

by Xinhua writers Li Huizi, Gu Ye

NANJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) — Chinese medical experts say Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), especially acupuncture, can help prevent suicide on the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day, which falls on Friday.

Du Wendong, president of the Institute of Psychology of the Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, said no suicide cases had happened in his university since 1985 when the school began to use TCM in students’ mental crisis intervention.

According to TCM psychological theories, mental disorders can be cured through “coordination of yin and yang and treatment of both mind and body.”

Chen Qing, Du’s student, suffered from chronic diarrhea and was ill-tempered. She often clashed with classmates. After talking with Chen, Du realized that Chen suffered from depression due to study stress. Chen often told him she wanted to commit suicide.

TCM showed that Chen’s diarrhea was caused by psychological disorders and her short temper was generated by “liver-yang hyperactivity,” a TCM term indicating headache, dizziness and red eyes.

After applying some prescription, acupuncture and massage therapy, Chen’s depression faded.

Du said such “mental crisis intervention” had helped prevent more than 160 suicide cases since 1985, and the school’s psychological center had offered consultation to about 80,000 people.

Those who suffered serious depression or anxiety disorders would receive further treatment in the Nanjing Neurological Hospital, he said.

Chen Mingkang, who had been treated in the hospital, said the side-effects of anti-depression drugs were “scary” and caused insomnia, but it was gradually relieved after applying acupuncture, and his depression had not recurred for years.

The hospital said more than 500 patients had benefited from such combined treatment of acupuncture and drugs.

Zhang Ning, the hospital’s vice president who specializes in treating mental disorders, said TCM-based treatment was more efficient than taking anti-depression drugs, and would improve sleeping.

He also said the recurrence rate was low and the side-effects few, both important factors when assessing depression treatment.

Young people’s psychological problems have caused concern in China as experts found a high correlation between suicide and mental illness — out of 287,000 people who committed suicide each year, 63 percent suffered mental disorders, according to research conducted by the government-funded Beijing Suicide Research and Prevention Center.

Zhang Chun, head of the Nanjing Psychological Crisis Intervention Center, said most people did not seek help before they committed suicide and he suggested depression sufferers try the TCM-based treatment.

The treatment has also been promoted in the United States, France, Germany, Portugal, Singapore and some other countries by foreign students studying TCM in Nanjing, he said.Editor: Tang Danlu

Back Pain Today

Hulk Hogan Hospitalized with Back Pain

Hulk Hogan has been hospitalized with back pain, his rep tells TVGuide.com.

The 57-year-old wrestling legend (real name: Terry Bollea) was taken Monday to the Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Fla.

Hogan, who recently appeared on Comedy Central’s Roast of David Hasselhoff and starred on the reality series Hogan Knows Best, posted a twitvid of himself in the emergency room Monday, telling his fans: “My back went into a major spasm from hip all the way to the middle of my back — it just totally overwhelmed me.”

On Tuesday, Hogan posted another twitvid saying he was feeling better and had several tests scheduled for the day.

View original Hulk Hogan Hospitalized with Back Pain at TVGuide.com

Back pain could end season for Florida Marlins’ Josh Johnson

PHILADELPHIA — Josh Johnson’s next start is up in the air because of tightness and pain in his back, and whether he pitches again this season is uncertain as well.

Johnson will fly home to South Florida on Wednesday to have his back and throwing shoulder examined by Dr. Lee Kaplan. Manager Edwin Rodriguez said the Marlins are more concerned about Johnson’s back than his shoulder.

Johnson definitely will miss Friday’s start and it is possible that he could be shut down for the remainder of the season.

Johnson’s routine side session throwing in the bullpen Tuesday was called off and Johnson did not take part in stretching exercises with the rest of his teammates before batting practice, either.

Instead, he remained in the training room, receiving treatment. Rodriguez said the severity of the problem at this point is uncertain.

Johnson’s injury comes at a tough time for the Marlins starting rotation. The starting staff already has been crippled by the loss of Ricky Nolasco to a torn meniscus in his right knee and pending suspensions for Chris Volstad and Alex Sanabia for their roles in a benches-clearing brawl with the Washington Nationals.

A source said Johnson has been bothered by the back issue for a while.

Johnson, who pitched in the All-Star Game on July 13, has a record of 1-3 with a 4.25 ERA in his seven starts since Aug. 1. Before then, he had gone 10-3 with a 1.73 ERA.

ON A FRANCHISE-RECORD PACE

Logan Morrison has hit the major-league scene like a one-man wrecking crew, and not just because he continues to collide with his teammates on fly balls as he continues to learn a new position.

Entering Tuesday, Morrison has reached base safely in 28 consecutive games after a first-inning double Tuesday, leaving him eight games shy of Hanley Ramirez’s rookie record for the Marlins.

“Not fearing being behind in the count is a big factor,” hitting coach John Mallee said of Morrison. “He doesn’t have that fear.”

Granted, Morrison’s sample size is small since he wasn’t called up until July 27.

But, of all major league players with at least 150 plate appearances, his on-base percentage of .421 is the same as Cincinnati’s Joey Votto and ranks below only Justin Morneau (.437) of the Twins and Miguel Cabrera (.428) of the Tigers.

“Those guys are great at what they do,” Morrison said. “I’m not there yet. But, hopefully one day.”

INJURY UPDATES

• Reliever Leo Nuñez said his stiff neck is improving, but it still could be a few more days before he’s able to pitch.

• Adalberto Mendez, who won his major-league debut on Monday but left the game after pulling up lame at first following his first big-league hit, was feeling better Tuesday and should be available to start again.

Weight Loss and Hypertension

Long-term weight loss may be risky to health

Long–term weight loss may be harmful to health as it can be linked to illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension and diabetes, researchers said on Tuesday.

Blood industrial pollutants compounds can be normally originated in fatty tissues, but during weight loss, when fat breaks down, it can go to the blood stream, according to lead researcher Duk-Hee Lee who conducted the study at the Kyungpook National University in Daegu in South Korea.
Mexican online pharmacy no prescription
Moreover, she wrote in an e-mail that we are living with a strong belief that losing weight is always advantageous, and that weight gain is always harmful to our health. She also added that we think that increased levels of pollutants in blood because of weight loss can influence our health in different kind of ways.

In addition, Lee and her team of international colleagues examined 1,099 contributors in the United States and focus on the seven such compounds found in their blood, according to what they said in an article available in the International Journal of Obesity.

Likewise, the researchers said in a statement that once the pollutants are discharged into the bloodstream, these can be able to reach vital organs.

Also, those people who lost most of their weight for more than ten years had the top concentrations of the compounds, dubbed as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), in comparison to those who maintained a stable weight.

Lee said that there is materializing proof that POPs are not safe. POPs are associated to periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, coronary heart disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

Several factors were seen including age, gender and race to clarify the distinction on concentrations of these pollutants, but history of weight stayed a statistically essential feature.

Furthermore, Lee said that more studies were required to ascertain if such hazard overshadowed the benefits to be attained from weight loss.

Ignoring ‘white-coat’ pressure dangerous

A blood-pressure reading contains two numbers that represent two different pressures. You may have heard blood pressures quoted as 120 over 80 or 140 over 90. The 120 number represents what is known as systolic pressure and the 80 is the diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the force exerted by blood pumped out of the heart to the blood vessels in the body. Diastolic pressure is the pressure in the vessels when the heart is relaxed. A normal pressure should be below 140 over 90. For those with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, a normal pressure is lower than 130 over 80. Hypertension is the number one risk factor for stroke. The complications for high blood pressure are very concerning, as it affects the eyes, kidneys and the heart.

Risk factors for high blood pressure

Your chances of developing high blood pressure increase with aging. It is estimated that 50 per cent of those over the age of 60 have high blood pressure. Obesity, kidney disease and diabetes are also risk factors. Your ethnic background can also be a factor as you are more likely to have high blood pressure if you are from South Asia, or from aboriginal or African-American ancestry. Excessive alcohol consumption, excessive caffeine consumption, sleep apnea, high stress levels and cigarette smoking are also contributors.

The white-coat phenomenon

This phrase applies to blood pressure that is only elevated when you are at a medical visit, whether at your physician’s office or the emergency department or walk-in clinic. It means that if you are feeling anxious at these visits, your blood pressure may be high but throughout the rest of your day, your blood pressure is normal. Approximately 20-30 per cent of patients with high blood-pressure readings will have this falsely high blood pressure (white-coat hypertension). Unfortunately, too many people with possible white-coat hypertension tend not to return to see their physician to have their blood pressure monitored. Anyone with a borderline blood pressure or white-coat hypertension should follow up with their family physician as soon as possible. Over 50 per cent of those with a high normal blood pressure reading go on to develop hypertension within four years.

How a diagnosis is made

High blood pressure diagnosis guidelines have become more aggressive in the last five years. The Canadian Hypertension Society (now part of Hypertension Canada) recommends that physicians make a diagnosis within one month of the initial blood-pressure reading by using more than one blood-pressure reading. Very high blood pressure should be treated even at the initial visit. Your physician may also order some other tests related to complications of high blood pressure. When there is doubt as to whether someone may truly have high blood pressure, a 24-hour blood-pressure monitoring can be done. This is a take-home blood-pressure device that you wear for 24 hours and it automatically takes your blood pressure at certain times. Do not rely on blood-pressure machines in stores to tell you if your blood pressure is OK. Your blood pressure should always be monitored by a medical or nursing professional.

Treatment

Research has shown that even those with borderline high blood pressure need to be treated because there is still a higher-than-average risk for stroke and heart disease. Usually, medication intervention is required to treat hypertension, but exercise is also important in the lowering of blood pressure. Weight reduction should also be a key focus. Also, keeping the amount of salt in your diet to a minimum is wise. Adults need only 1500 mg or less of salt per day and if you are over age 50, 1200 mg per day is plenty. Reduction of blood pressure will lower your risk of stroke by 40 per cent and risk of a heart attack by 25 per cent. If you have been told that you have white-coat hypertension, treat it like it may be true high blood pressure. Go back to your physician and have your blood pressure followed. For more information, check out the “For General Public” section on the Hypertension Canada website, www.hypertension.ca

Readers can ask Dr. Kennedy questions, but due to the volume of requests, replies are not guaranteed. Email

askthedoctor@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 7, 2010 D1

Cancer Treatments News

Magic mushroom improves mood and controls anxiety in cancer patients

Mushroom is one of the most common pizza topping and in some cultures it is referred as the umbrella for frog. Apart from adding taste to your pizza, pasta, mushroom contains a drug called as psilocybin, which can help anxiety and up lift mood of cancer patients. Psilocybin is a psychoactive or active ingredient found in varying concentrations in over 200 species of Basidiomycota mushrooms. These mushrooms are often called “magic mushrooms,” “zoomers”or “shrooms. The study reveals that advance stage cancer patients who generally experience anxiety can benefit from it without side effects.

About the study
The study was led by Charles S. Grob, M.D., of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Torrance. Dr. Grob conducted the study on 12 adults with advanced stage cancer and anxiety. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of psilocybin – a hallucinogen with some psychological effects similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).

The study included
Treatment in two six-hour sessions several weeks apart
One group of patient was given capsules of active psilocybin in a dose of 0.2 mg per kg body weight in one session and another group was given placebo in random order
Physiological responses like blood pressure, heart rate and temperature, and psychological responses including depression, mood and anxiety were measured or assessed
Frequency of analysis was before and at the end of the session, one day and two weeks after the session and at monthly intervals for the following six months.

The study scheduled to appear in the January 2011 print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry

Results of study
The study found that
anxiety scores improved at one and three months after treatment
mood was improved two weeks after treatment and a significant improvement in mood was observed at six months.
moderate doses of psilocybin given to patients with advanced-stage cancer and anxiety helps to reduce anxiety and improve mood.

Cancer Radiation Treatments: What Michael Douglas Can Expect

In last week’s segment I wrote about the need to “smell the roses” and to have some distractions and fun before and while you are undergoing cancer treatments. Today let’s get into some of the nitty-gritty of the various procedures, especially radiation treatment. Treating cancers is much like a horror show, so be prepared, it could get a bit rough and spooky here.

Just a few days ago I learned that the actor Michael Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer and has just started his radiation and chemotherapy. His cancer is stage 4, which means his has spread somewhat from its origin; mine was stage 2 and did not spread. – One always feels a kind of kinship when another person is suffering from a cancer so similar to ones own. – Michael will go through the same procedures as I did in 2007. It will be very rough and bumpy for him. My heart really goes out to him and his family.

After my initial throat (and thyroid) surgery everything needed to have healed up nicely before my radiation therapy could begin. But there was one item that, though another patient pointed it out to me, the radiology doctors neglected to mention entirely; – it was the need to have one’s teeth and gums thoroughly examined before you start neck treatment. So off I went to see my dentist, and since I knew that I had one tooth that was on the “iffy” list, we decided to have it extracted rather than to invite trouble. Other patients I talked to had a number of their teeth pulled before undergoing this treatment. I lucked out again with only a single loss. You see, radiation makes a real mess of bad or in flamed tooth or gum tissue.

I already mentioned that receiving radiation treatment means you are town-bound for a good lengthy time. For my neck treatment I showed up every single work day for seven weeks straight. Naturally after a while I got to know my radiation technicians and the other staff at the cancer center pretty well. I talked to them, I joked with them, and almost became buddies with them.

Scott was one of the wonderful radiology techs. Like the engineer in the Star Trek series, Scotty had to sometime nudge and coerce the big radiation machinery back into life and working order. Personally I found all this technical medical stuff very fascinating, and he willingly explained to me how it all worked.

Just to reiterate (but, of course, you knew all this already), radiation treatment works by bombarding the areas of your tumor (plus surrounding areas where the cancers may have spread to, plus possible lymph node areas that might be cancerous) with a strong powerful x-ray type beam (in my case it was ionized photons). Cells really don’t like that at all. All cell structures get damaged by the effects of the radiation. Now the trick is, that healthy cells can recover much faster from the beam’s damage than cancer cells. You see, – them cancer things, they’re a bit dim and slow, and by the time the healthy cells have repaired their DNA and are more or less OK again, the sluggish cancer cells are blasted again with the next dose; and eventually they cannot keep up anymore, throw up their arms in disgust, and then they shrivel and die. This is, of course, exactly what is intended here. Hurray, let’s beam ‘em away, Scotty! – That is also the reason radiation session are scheduled so close to each other and over a lengthy period of time. (Well, to be honest, I actually did not fully understand that this was the way it all worked. See, one never stops learning.)

At the very first visit to the radiation therapy center, the doctors usual do a comprehensive survey on you. That means they determine (by using a scanner) where exactly your cancer is located (to minimize, as much as possible, radiating any healthy tissue). – And I already mentioned the little tattoos they put onto your body in order to aim the equipment (and its guide laser beams) precisely at your tumor and treatment areas.
Remedies for Cancer and Tumors
With my neck cancer I had to have my head immobilized, so I received a custom made mask which was then bolted to the treatment table. No way could I move my head at all. Yes, it was a little claustrophobic, I must admit. – Here is a picture of me on the table wearing this face mask. I heard of people that could not stand this procedure at all, and had to be heavily sedated in order to make it through their radiation sessions.

There was music offered during the treatment sessions, but it was not to my taste, so I brought my own CDs from home to be played while I was screwed. Screwed, via the face mask, to the treatment table that is. Of course you are all alone in the radiation chamber and the massive lead-lined doors are closed while you receive your dose. The staff is monitoring you from the outside through a video link.

The treatment table was elevated to the exact position for the machine to start giving me the beam bursts. The entire head (the business end where the beam comes out), was movable and could circle all around me. It looked very surreal and scientific. Here is another picture of me on the table. – Some times the table was cranked up way high so that I was more than five feet above the floor (high enough to requested an oxygen mask and a parachute for safety’s sake).

The actual radiation does not take very long at all. From a few seconds to up to a minute or so per target area, but I had nearly a dozen different areas that needed to be treated, so the entire process (most of it involving the positioning of me in the precise spot) lasted about 40 minutes. – You hear a curious buzzing and clicking sound when the radiation is actually being applied.

First I didn’t notice much change to my skin, neither to the outside of my neck, nor inside to my throat. I was told not to wear deodorant to the radiation sessions (they often have metals [mostly aluminum] in them which would interfere with the radiation), and I was told to apply a special radiation ointment (to minimize the skin burning damage) to the affected areas after each session. Also the liberal use of aloe-vera gel was recommended. – So it took quite some time until I became aware of any reddening and tanning of my skin.

But about 4 weeks into the 7 week process, I began to really feel the effects. My throat started to ached mildly at first, and as the treatments went on further, the hurting became more severe and pain medication became a must. (I hate it when doctors talk about “discomfort” when it hurts like hell).

At about that time my normal (oral) meals started to become really difficult. Solid food was minimized, then stopped, and soup time arrived. Luckily my dear wife is an excellent cook, and we had some rather memorable soupy culinary delights. – And a little further into the treatment it was time to switch to the feeding tube. That on the other hand was no delight what-so-ever. Most disagreeable and horrid ! Cans of fortified nutritional stuff being pushed by a giant syringe through a tube directly into your stomach. It was mostly vanilla or choco flavors, and I soon hated them intensely. The mere odor of it made me run for cover (remember my ability to smell remained operational throughout this ordeal). – Luckily the feeding tube time lasted for only a little over 3 weeks and slowly I was able to have some real food down my throat again. What a relief!! – Believe me, that period on the PEG-tube was not at all to my liking.

And, as predicted, during that period, my taste buds went bye-bye. Not all at once, but gradually. I noticed that more and more things started to taste like really bland card board. Yuck! – And towards the end of my radiation treatments it was impossible for me to taste anything at all.

It took a good year until all my taste buds came back home. They came back as gradually as they left me. For instance, suddenly I noticed I could taste coffee again (but not yet tea). It was a little like the TV commercials with “Mikey likes it” – I had to use the trial and error method to see what “my personal” new flavor of the day was.

On a more somber note, a former neighbor of mine had a similar throat cancer, but not all of his taste buds regenerated successfully. To this day (eight years since treatment) he still cannot taste anything sweet. – Again, I found myself really lucky – and I am extremely grateful for that.

I was warned that after the radiation treatments were over, I would by no means feel better right away, on the contrary, the deterioration of the insides of my throat would continue for a few additional weeks before healing and improvements would start. And sure enough, I felt really dreadful for another two weeks. Slept or “zombied” through life for most of that time (well, the pain medication amplified this in that they made me very drowsy too). – So, please don’t schedule any trips or important things right after the end of your radiation treatment for throat cancer.

At one point I asked one of the radiation technicians which cancer they thought was the most difficult to treat, and the answer was (interestingly) anal cancer, but closely followed by throat cancer. Throat cancer because of all the possible side effects to various important areas in the neck, like teeth and gums, thyroid gland, vocal chords, tongue, taste buds, etc. – But I never found out why anal cancers are so difficult to treat with radiation.

At the end of my first 7 week treatment I was leaving good friends behind at the cancer center (I didn’t know then that I’d be back for an encore performance). – So, what do you say to a radiology technician at the end of your treatment? – I hope I never see you again? Good riddance? – I settled for the following: thank you so very much for all you did for me, and I hope we’ll meet again at the movies or at the supermarket in town, but please – not here again! (I also purchased two large boxes of chocolates which I left at the treatment center. One for the front office staff, one for the technicians and nurses).

Well, I did get another 5 weeks of radiation onto my arm and lymph nodes a few months later. And yes, I purchased more chocolate boxes!

—————

My chemo for the throat cancer happened concurrently with my radiation treatments, which meant that on Mondays I had them both. Radiation in the morning and chemo in the afternoon. More about the chemotherapy part of my treatment in next week’s installment which I entitled “Witches Brew”. Stay tuned for that potent concoction.

Here is to your health!

HD in Oregon

Osteoporosis Drugs May Boost Throat Cancer Risk

A new study suggests that people who take bone-strengthening drugs for osteoporosis for several years may have a slightly higher risk of developing esophageal cancer.

British researchers tracked almost 3,000 people with cancer of the esophagus or throat for eight years and compared each one to five similar people who didn’t have the disease matched for age and sex. The study revealed that 90 of the cancer patients and 345 people in the comparison group had been prescribed bone-building pills called bisphosphonates.

The findings are in contrast to a separate study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association early last month. That research used the same data of patients and concluded that there was no significant increase in esophageal cancer risk in users of the osteoporosis drugs. Authors of the new research suggest that more study is needed to verify if oral bisphosphonate intake really does increase esophageal cancer risk.

“But the risk, if it does exist, is small in absolute terms and is not something people taking these drugs should worry too much about,” said epidemiologist Jane Green, PhD, of Oxford University.

Oral bisphosphonates, sold as Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva and other brands, are a type of drug used after menopause to treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases and are the most commonly recommended treatment for such conditions.

Experts say it is still unclear why the drugs might lead to throat cancer. They do know however, that bisphosphonates can cause inflammation in the esophagus, which could cause cancer to develop more easily.

The research, published in the British Medical Journal on Friday, was only observational and is not the kind of evidence that can show whether such drugs cause cancer.

Wellness News

Flu Shot Clinics Begin This Week

The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness begins a series of walk-in flu shot clinics this week.

Starting Thursday, residents can visit firehouses and other sites across the city to get an immunization, which this year includes both the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccine.

There’s also push by health officials to vaccinate more African-Americans, who accounted for 35 percent of flu-related hospitalizations across the country last year.

Church leaders are joining the effort this year to spread the word, among them the Reverend Frank Smith.

“We’re asking for pastors to take a time in these next few weeks to specifically address from the pulpits and in your teaching formats the necessity of our faith community to participate in this effort,” he said.

The health department says there is an ample supply of flu vaccine this year.

Make wellness an integral part of your lifestyle

Fort Collins/Loveland was declared the leanest metro area in the U.S. by a Gallup Poll this year. Wellness is part of the cultural and physical landscape here.

In this column, Jeb and I will be sharing with you information as well as motivation for living the healthiest life possible. We’ll be showing how improving your lifestyle is not just about willpower or self-denial but rather more about having a vision, plan and the support you need for success. By sharing the latest research, the best how-to tips and inspiring stories, we hope to show you how to make wellness a natural part of your life.

The term “wellness” has been used and abused. My short definition is that wellness is living your life very consciously in ways that enhance your health and well-being. It’s remembering that we have choices, and then making those day-to-day decisions that improve our way of living.

Helping people be healthy is something I’ve been doing my entire career as a psychologist, wellness coach, author, trainer and consultant in the wellness business. My company, Real Balance Global Wellness Services LLC, has trained more than 2,000 wellness coaches worldwide. I’ve been involved professionally in the wellness field since the late 1970s, helping companies, health-care organizations and individuals maximize wellness opportunities. I also have the perspective of someone who is older than 60 but still runs, hikes, canoes and loves to dance, fish, cross-country ski, explore wilderness and travel. I’ve been practicing Tai Chi for more than 20 years and value the connectedness I have with family and friends.

An expert in the health, fitness and wellness industry, Jeb Gorham emphasizes that wellness is a vision of health that focuses on awareness, choice and results. Jeb has coordinated fitness programs for the University of Northern Colorado and directed a Global Education Division for Peak Pilates. In his current role as wellness director for Miramont Lifestyle Fitness, Jeb develops and manages programs and projects to incorporate exercise, overall wellness, proactive health and preventative strategies into people’s lifestyles.

Jeb is active with the Coalition for Activity and Nutrition to Defeat Obesity, or CanDo, and Fort Collins Well City initiatives. Jeb enjoys cycling, climbing and spending time with his growing family. As a Coloradoan columnist, Jeb hopes to share with the community current research and successful strategies for creating and adhering to a healthy lifestyle. As Jeb says, “Provided the fact that Michael has been involved in the wellness field since around the time I was born, we feel our cross-generational team presents an exceptional and unified vision of health and wellness.”

Jeb and I will be alternating the writing of this column. We invite you to join us on a wellness journey to better living.

Michael Arloski, Ph.D., PCC, is CEO of Real Balance Global Wellness Services LLC. Call him at (970) 568-4700, send e-mail to michael@realbalance.com or visit www.realbalance.com. Jeb Gorham, Ph.D., is wellness director and central manager for Miramont Lifestyle Fitness. Call him at (970) 672-1558 or send e-mail to jgorham@miramontlifestyle.com.

Council on Aging sponsoring “Road to Wellness” workshop for older drivers

THE ROAD TO WELLNESS OLDER DRIVERS WORKSHOP

(ASHEVILLE) — The Buncombe County Aging Coordinating Consortium Community Awareness and Advocacy Committee presents The Road to Wellness, a four-hour (10 a.m. – 2 p.m. ) workshop for older drivers, Wednesday, Sept. 15, at The NC Center for Creative Retirement. Space will be limited and registration is required; brochures are available from The Council on Aging – 277-8288 http://www.coabc.org – or the Land of Sky Regional Council Volunteer Services Department – 251-7441 or http://www.landofsky.org/volunteer. Registration is $5(five dollars) and includes a boxed lunch; checks should be made payable to The Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Inc., and note “Road to Wellness.” To register by phone, call Joe Kellum at The Council, 277-8288.

Topics will include how to assess your driving abilities, changes associated with aging that affect driving skills, hints for choosing the right vehicle for maximum safety and fit, how to Identify specialized safety equipment that can improve safety, reviewing basic road rules and tips to reduce your risk of being in a collision, exercises that improve or maintain the range of motion and muscle strength to improve driver safety, and CAR FIT — a program of AARP that assesses driver safety with the driver in the vehicle.

Sponsors include The NC Center for Creative Retirement, CarePartners, Mountain Mobility, Stacie’s Personal Care Services, Inc., and Round About Transportation.

Quick Facts about Driving:
• 131 million vehicles are registered in the United States;
• An older driver requires ten times more light to see than a 20 year old does;
• It takes a 55 year old driver eight times as long to recover from glare as a 16 year old;
• A typical driver makes twenty decisions per mile, with less than half a second to act to avoid a collision.

Skin Care Today

7 Reasons to Embrace Aging

As we age, our perception of beauty often changes. It’s easy to become fixated on imperfections like loose skin, lines and wrinkles. But don’t let the negative aspects of growing older cloud the benefits — and beauty — that’s earned with extra years. Here are seven reasons to embrace aging.

Less oil. The oil-producing glands beneath the surface of skin become less active as you age. In women, this typically happens after menopause. This is especially good news for those who struggle with oily skin. But keep in mind that dry skin demands special attention. Keep skin moist all day long with AHAVA Mineral Body Lotion, which boasts a blend of aloe vera and 21 vital minerals to hydrate and heal the skin.

Less acne. Another reason to embrace aging skin? After the age of 30, you’re less likely to deal with acne, which is most common in adolescents and young adults. However, occasional blemishes are still common. And, fortunately, there are plenty of products that are specially formulated to treat adult acne. MD Formulations Adult Anti-Blemish Kit is a comprehensive, clinically proven acne-fighting system that meets the needs of mature skin.

Less sweat. As you age, sweat glands become less active which translates into fewer problems with odor and wetness. While this is a welcome change for most, keep in mind that less active sweat glands might make it harder to keep cool. Drink plenty of water when working out or spending extended periods of time exposed to the heat.

Even though you might sweat less, you’ll probably still need to use an antiperspirant from time to time. Philosophy Pure Grace Perfumed Antiperspirant / Deodorant eliminates wetness with a clean, soapy scent. Infused with vitamin E, this silky deodorant is great for all skin types.

Less body hair. As you age, you can expect to see an overall reduction in body and facial hair. However, you may notice that the hairs you do have become slightly coarser. Those strays are easily targeted with Tweezerman Brow Duo Kit.

Increased satisfaction. Whether you’re worried that your reflection is getting older — both physically and mentally — or that your special trip to the spa might get stale, Science News Daily reports some encouraging research that links age with satisfaction. A study done at the University of South Wales reveals that if a young person and an old person have the same experience, the older adult is likely to find it more uplifting. Typically, older adults more easily appreciate the good things in life and are less upset when things go wrong.

More confidence. Being young isn’t without drawbacks. Sure, young skin may be firmer with fewer wrinkles, but youth is often accompanied by insecurity — especially when it comes to self-image and confidence. With aging, many find that they naturally become more self-confident. Encourage this confidence by practicing behaviors that promote self-acceptance. Every day, look in the mirror and identify your positive features — both inside and out. Sometimes we need a reminder about what makes us unique, special and beautiful. These qualities create a glowing character that shines from within, boosting beauty and happiness — in spite of a wrinkle or two.

Smarter beauty techniques. As all the younger ladies chase after that new-fangled beauty fad, you’ll be able to say, “Been there, done that.” As we age, we naturally develop a sense about what works — and doesn’t work for our skin, hair and overall sense of style. Embrace this wisdom, and enjoy the comfort of your tried-and-true beauty regimen.

If you still need some help to better understand your skin, The Skin Type Solution by Dr. Baumann is a great reference guide on how to create a skin care regimen that stands the test of time.

Adding another year to your age might mean another wrinkle here or age spot there. As much as you up the ante on your anti-aging arsenal, you can only do so much when it comes to turning back the hands of time. Unless you’re able to look in the mirror and love the skin you’re in, you’ll just become increasingly dissatisfied with your appearance. Focus on self-confidence and a healthy lifestyle — from skin care and sleep to nutrition and exercise — and you’ll glow at any age!

Local skincare firms say ECFA hurts

Taiwanese skincare and cosmetics enterprises yesterday lashed out at the government, saying the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) has put their industry at a disadvantage, and they urged the government to grant more subsidies to boost the development of locally made cosmetic products.

Under the ECFA’s early harvest lists, Taiwan has to open up six items in the skincare sector, including bath salts, deodorants and surfactants, while China will open up surfactants to Taiwan.

Tariffs on these items range from 4 percent to 6.5 percent, but will gradually be reduced to zero in a few years after the ECFA takes effect — possibly next month.

“We must negotiate on an ‘equal footing’ with China by taking into account the output of these items and not just judge from the item numbers,” Alex Ho (何堉勳), an assistant manager of Boching Enterprise Group (伯慶事業集團), told a press conference.

Skincare product makers said as many as 70 percent of Chinese cosmetic exports to Taiwan are duty-free, while only 1 percent of Taiwan’s exports to China are.

Therefore, the ECFA fails to offer Taiwanese firms an upper hand to expand their business across the Taiwan Strait, they said.

Ho said that the annual production value of Taiwan’s skincare industry is estimated at NT$20 billion (US$625 million), with the Chinese market alone representing half of the value.

To ensure Taiwan’s competitiveness, the government should play a greater role by offering research and development grants, among other incentives, to help push Taiwanese skincare brands in global markets.

“Skincare and cosmetic products are a ‘golden goose’ for most countries [since people are placing more emphasize on their looks],” said Delphine Chen (陳乃菁), a director of international sales for Bio-Nest Biochemical Technology Co (昱智生化科技).

South Korea, for example, gives research and development grants ranging from US$250,000 to US$1 million to companies if the products they are developing show market potential, Chen said.

In addition, the South Korean government subsidizes skincare companies’ participation in international exhibitions with grants of US$100,000.

“With two staff members managing the booth, and taking into account the booth decoration fees, the grant would be a great financial relief for participating companies to get their products to shine at those exhibitions,” Chen said.

Government-backed resources explain why South Korean firms such as LG H&H and AmorePacific are able to take Asian markets by storm, Chen said.

Michibao Bio-tech Co’s (宓芝寶生技化妝品) manager Fred Lee (李俊霖) agreed, saying he hoped Taiwan would pay more attention to the skincare industry.

The firm sells products under the name “Amazing Plus” in China, but has lagged behind its South Korean and Japanese peers in terms of advertising and marketing campaigns, he said.

“The Chinese market is huge and the marketing dollars we spend pale in comparison with those of our rivals, which recruit celebrities to promote their products,” Lee said.