HealthCare

Mind-body techniques may not cure cancer, but they make living with it a whole lot easier Mary Peterson stands in a conference room at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston with her arms stretched above her head. As her instructor intones directions, she visualizes energy pouring into her liver, leans against a wall, then lets out a resounding exhalation. Peterson, who has metastatic breast cancer, receives regular chemotherapy. She and three other women are also taking part in another form of cancer treatment called qigong, an ancient Chinese movement and meditation technique....

IMPROVED RADIATION TECHNOLOGY TARGETS CANCER CELLS MORE PRECISELY Radiation therapy is often used to treat cancer. Radiation works by using packets of energy to destroy the cancer - often by damaging the genetic material of the cancer cell itself, to make it impossible to grow. Over the past decades radiation was established as a highly effective, generally targeted, form of cancer treatment. The higher the radiation dose that could be delivered, the better the size and growth of the tumor could be controlled. Unfortunately, the radiation doses tolerated by a person is very low....

The Miracle Hunter How Elizabeth Corsi turned a drug nobody wanted into a company that could soon gross $500 million--and prolong the lives of cancer patients. For Ernest Lynton, the diagnosis was a death sentence. He had cancer of the pancreas, a disease so lethal that he would be lucky to live six months. Surgery had failed--the tumor was too large--and the usual cocktail of chemotherapy drugs didn't hold much promise. He might very well have written a will and waited to die. But Lynton was a scientist by training, a retired physicist, and he was intrigued by the notion of using his cancer to advance knowledge.

Helping cancer patients look good and feel better Just because a woman is undergoing treatment for cancer doesn't mean she has to look like it. Advances in pain, fatigue and anti-nausea medications lesson the side effects of chemotherapy and help a person feel better faster. However, chemotherapy also has side effects that show externally. Hair loss, dry, pale skin and brittle finger nails are all common consequences of chemotherapy. People lose hair because the chemicals used to combat cancer cells also weaken hair follicles

Molecular Revolution A new generation of drugs takes aim at the very heart of cancer--the abnormal genes that make cells malignant in the first place Last week's miracle-in-mice may have launched a thousand premature hopes, but there's no doubt in the minds of cancer researchers today that a new era is dawning in the treatment of the U.S.'s No. 2 killer. Three decades ago, the Federal Government's "War on Cancer" underwrote basic discoveries about the ways broken-down genes lead to malignancies. Now that work is beginning to pay off.

A breast cancer cure or curse?, It is worth exploring simulating pregnancy to avert breast cancer, says ALLAN LANGLANDS, but don't trade one risk for another, urges LYN SWINBURNE.THERE can surely be no greater geographical contrast than that between Australia and Iceland, yet both rank among the countries with the highest incidence of breast cancer. We also know that when women from low-incidence countries such as our Pacific neighbours (except New Zealand) migrate to Australia, they and their children

The war on cancer, Twenty-five years after the war was declared, new insights are plentiful, but the death toll has mounted Imagine declaring war when you know little about your enemy's firepower, strategies or tactics. That's what happened on Jan. 22, 1971, when President Richard Nixon proclaimed war on cancer in his State of the Union address. Many anticipated swift victory, with the taming of the dread disease likened to a moon landing. Even as recently as 1984, the National Cancer Institute's director predicted that cancer deaths could be halved by the year 2020 \\

Event raises cancer awareness, funds When Paula Naylor was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1984, she never imagined that seven years later she would feel well enough to participate in a 5-kilometer run through LaFortune Park."There was a period of time when it was just such a shock to think I had cancer. It was so scary," Naylor, 45, said, recalling the day when she discovered a lump in her breast while showering."But women can recover from breast cancer - recover to walk and run.

"We Beat Breast Cancer" If there's one message you can take away from this story, know that breast cancer is not a death sentence. This truth may come as a relief in an age when Black women, although less likely to get breast cancer than their White counterparts, are more likely to die from it when they do. "Finding breast cancer early — before it has spread from the breast — means a 97 percent five-year survival rate,

The Lung cancer poses deadliest threat by far, Cross-sectional scan showing top-to-bottom views of the lungs revealed Sherry Walker's tiny tumour In the time it takes to read the next few paragraphs, someone will die of lung cancer somewhere in the world.The Global Lung Cancer Coalition says lung cancer consumes one human being every 30 seconds - more than breast and prostate cancer combined, with another 1.2 million new cases diagnosed every year.If everything goes well, Milton resident Sherry Walker, 57, won't be among the casualties.

For Katie Couric, the fight against cancer is a deeply personal cause: In 1998, the CBS Evening News anchor lost her husband, Jay Monahan, to colon cancer, and in 2001 her sister Emily died of pancreatic cancer. Long a devoted activist, Couric cofounded the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA) and famously underwent a colonoscopy on the Today show. Recently, she helped develop the idea for Stand Up to Cancer, a star-studded fund-raising special airing Sept. 5 on NBC, CBS and...

Cancer Data? Sorry, Can't Have It Not long ago, I asked a respected cancer researcher if he could send me raw data from a trial he had recently published. He refused. Sharing data would make the study team members "uncomfortable," he said, as I might use this to "cast doubt" on their results.I'd heard this before: as a statistician who designs and analyzes cancer studies, I regularly ask other researchers to provide additional information or raw data.

The Changing Face Of Breast Cancer Six months ago, Liu Lichun didn't know her breast could contain cancer. No one had taught the 40-year-old Chinese woman from Inner Mongolia what the disease was. She'd never heard of a mammogram or mastectomy. It had thus never occurred to her that she would lose her left breast to the mysterious illness nor that such a loss would probably save her life. The lump that transformed Liu's world was not much larger than a marble.

TO a public now accustomed to calls for "a cure for cancer," it can come as an unpleasant surprise to learn about the complexities of cancer. "Cancer" is not one disease, but a category encompassing many different diseases, and we are more likely to see incremental advances against individual types of cancers than universal cures. But there is also promise in this more nuanced view. The great variety of cancers reflects the fundamental

BREAST CANCER FACTS + Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among American women, behind skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women, behind lung cancer.+ This year, more than 200,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, which a woman has a 1-in-8 chance of developing during her lifetime.+ An American woman's chance of dying of breast cancer is about 1-in-33. About 40,000 American women will die of the disease this year

The decision by an advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to recommend the approval of the drug tamoxifen to prevent cancer shows we are finally learning how to attack the disease before it occurs.This marks a breakthrough in medicine that doctors and researchers have been working on for decades.Women with a high risk, including those with a history of breast cancer in their families.

GOOD HEALTH HEDGING THE BET AGAINST CANCER IN 1981, writer Max Lerner, developed two life-threatening cancers: a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and prostate cancer that had spread to the lungs. He was a vibrantly alive 78-year-old man, but he was not given long to live.I HAD BEEN EXPLORING mindbody health and complementary, or alternative, therapies professionally for 10 years. So I started to study whether any might be of benefit to him, and have now spent another decade studying complementary cancer therapies.

CANCER PREVENTION: CHOICES ARE OURS If we want to prevent most human cancers, we must stop using tobacco and eating high-fat, low-fiber food. That is why there is an increasing emphasis on research programs for cancer prevention, the only truly definitive "cure."Although there has been a major national effort in cancer treatment research over thepast three or four decades, the gains made against established human cancers are less than was expected.

BREAST CANCER: THE TREND IS AWAY FROM MASTECTOMIES There is good news: A new study indicates that breast-cancer surgery that removes the malignant lump but saves the breast is often as effective as a disfiguring total mastectomy for controlling this major killer of women But there is bad news.Dr. Merrill Feldman, a radiation oncologist at University Hospital in Boston who participated in the study, said, ``The bottom line is that breast cancer is predominantly a systemic disease, and that what is done locally (breast surgery).

Nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. More than 40,000 of them will die. Approximately 2,000 men will also be similarly diagnosed and more than 20 percent will die. And those are only the statistics reported to the American Cancer Society.Frightening numbers? Yes. And it sometimes seems like a fruitless crusade to stay ahead of the numbers.But if you talk to two women who are battling in the midst of the fray, you'll find combatants.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: ENERGY-BOOSTING HERBS Adaptogen is an important word to know, especially if you're frequently running on empty, energy-wise. Adaptogens are herbs that help your body adapt to challenges posed by physical, chemical and biological stress. Adaptogenic herbs rev up vitality -- and your physical and mental capacity for work.Coined by Russian scientists, the word is a synonym for tonic, which refers to a botanical that boosts energy and makes you feel better.

Know your herb! The diet advice going around at a furious pace is `Go herbal'. Want to gain weight? Go herbal. Lose excess fat? Go herbal. Want glowing skin? Go herbal. Want a healthy life? Go herbal. Want an ideal husband... well, maybe that is expecting too much from nature's wonder plants!Still, herbs are undeniably important in our everyday life. Take a closer look into their usefulness and you will wonder what this gift of nature can't do for us.

Nature's gift for hormone replacement I was delighted to attend a lecture on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) recently given by a GP colleague who works in gynaecology. It was refreshing to hear the clinical evidence and feedback from women taking natural products containing phytoestrogens --natural plant estrogens and progesterones.Many women taking natural hormone therapy have had great relief from distressing symptoms like hot flushes, headaches, irregular periods and mood swings, while avoiding the side effects of... Purchase Complete Article, of 341 words 184. East Sussex County Publications (England) - August 28, 2003 Nature's gift for hormone replacement I was delighted to attend a lecture on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) recently given by a GP colleague who works in gynaecology. It was refreshing to hear the clinical evidence and feedback from women taking natural products containing phytoestrogens --natural plant estrogens and progesterones.Many women taking natural hormone therapy have had great relief from distressing symptoms like hot flushes, headaches, irregular periods and mood swings, while avoiding the side effects.

Choconella(TM) is a bite-sized organic dark chocolate bonbon infused with a unique combination of Goji berries and exotic Amazon rainforest herbs. It is designed to increase libido and energy levels, reduce stress, support memory and mental clarity, and enliven the mood. Choconella is a natural energy source without the caffeine

AN ASIAN TIGER IN YOUR METABOLIC TANK, STUDIES CROWN GINSENG EMPEROR OF THE ENERGIZERS Adaptogen is an important word to know, especially if you're frequently running on empty energywise.Adaptogens are herbs that help your body adapt to challenges posed by physical, chemical and biological stress. Adaptogenic herbs rev up vitality and your physical and mental capacity for work.Coined by Russian scientists, the word is a synonym for tonic, which refers to a botanical that boosts energy and makes you feel better.

Containing Brahmi and Ashwagandha, Jeevanprash improves concentration among the children, pointed out the company and added that it helps in cases of coughs, wounds, headaches and immune system deficiencies.

Indian scientists have developed an herbal drug to alleviate stress among army soldiers posted at the Siachen glacier - the highest battlefield in the world, it was reported Wednesday. Called Composite Indian Herbal Preparation, or CIHP-1, the drug is made from 15 commonly available herbs like ashwagandha, brahmi and chyawanprash that also boost immunity and aid digestion. MAHARISHI AYURVEDA Corporation has launched an energy drink called Herbonic It contains ashwagandha and brahmi to enhance mental and physical acumen and adaptability.

sing herbs for health In the Vedic Hindu civilisation, which flourished on the banks of the Indus valley 5, 000 years ago, the scholars and the people detoxed and rejuvenated the whole being. They took care of mind, body and spirit - in order to live more than 100 years and enjoy good health into old age.They created a system of meditation and yoga for the ultimate spiritual healing of the body, mind and emotions to keep you feeling young and energetic well into old age.Along with this, the Ayurvedic.

emedies Books by seasoned practitioners of Ayurveda up for grabs Ayurvedic companies offering discounts up to 20 per cent : How many of us know that Bhoomiamla (Philanthus Niroori), a plant that grows quite commonly near any water body in our neighbourhood, can cure liver diseases like jaundice? Or for that matter have we ever bothered to think about the wide range of medicinal properties possessed by another most commonly available plant Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera).

Ginseng? The little plant with roots prized by Asians as an aphrodisiac, a sort of an herbal Viagra.Turnpike officials paid Raymond Rybar Jr., a Washington County herbalist and metals artisan, for his home-grown ginseng plants,

Ginseng on the up and McMaster team finds chemical in root that can alleviate 'erectile dysfunction' Four undergraduate students at Hamilton's McMaster University, three of them women, have helped prove scientifically that one of the most stubbornly durable "myths" of ancient medicine is probably true: ginseng is good for men's sex life.Under chemistry professor Russell Bell, the students conducted a two-stage experiment that showed that the type of steroid compound called saponin in ginseng ( Panax) is a vaso-dilator dilator.

Ginseng Poaching on Rise in Virginia Economic problems lead illegal harvesters into state's woods Prices are up, wages are down and it sounds like nothing but trouble in the Middle East. With things going from bad to worse, who could be surprised that ginseng poaching is on the rise?Here in the mountains of western Virginia, legal and illegal hunting of ginseng - the bitter root coveted for its legendary recuperative and aphrodisiac powers - is thriving like rarely before.The main reason, according to hunters and state officials, is the nation's weakening economy....

GINSENG BUSINESS TOUGH TO TAKE ROOT Summary: Clark County's few growers of the popular herb cope with a long maturation and wide price swings Out on Northeast 10th Avenue north of the Clark County Fairgrounds, a giant ginseng root floats in a tank of vodka.A legendary product purported to increase energy and stamina, ginseng as an agricultural crop in Clark County has experienced dizzying ups and downs."

Tracing the history and mystery of ginseng -- in the Midwest? Here's a little gem of a book, detailing America's oldest, richest export. We've been shipping ginseng to the Far East for 300 years now. Daniel Boone trafficked in it. Panax quinquefolius was early recognized as a sovereign remedy. In 1728, a Virginia surveyor named William Byrd wrote, "Its vertues are that it gives an uncommon warmth and vigor to the blood, and frisks the spirit, beyond any other cordial.

PRICEY ROOT GINSENG, BELOVED IN ORIENT, IS HUNTED IN PA. BACKWOODS Fur trapper Ed Danko scours the backwoods of southwestern Pennsylvania in search of ginseng, a wild root that fetches $125 a pound and is valued as a cure-all in some parts of the world.But to get 1 pound, the 66-year-old Danko must dig up 350 plants and walk five to 10 miles over rugged, snake-infested terrain."It isn't a lazy man's job. You'd better have a good set of legs. You've got to get back in the remote areas.

Deer could wipe out wild American ginseng, biologist says White-tailed deer have become so abundant in the eastern United States that their voracious appetites threaten the extinction of a beloved wild herb, American ginseng, researchers said Thursday. Deer munch the tops of the ginseng plants, causing the roots to die, the researchers say.The loss of ginseng, widely known for its supposed medicinal qualities, would wipe out the harvest and trade of the wild plant -- a practice deeply rooted in the culture and economy of central and southern...

FORAGERS GRUB FOR GINSENG GOLD RISING PRICE OF HERB DRAWS WOODSMEN TO OHIO FORESTS A mysterious plant with mystical prowess has sparked a gold rush on the shadiest slopes of Ohio's deepest woods.Foragers are grubbing for wild ginseng, a bashful little herb that hides in the unsettled forests of Appalachia. The roots are a cash crop worth nearly their weight in gold.Traders pay up to $400 a pound for dried wild ginseng that usually winds up in China - all cash, few questions asked.

KOREANS PUT FAITH IN GINSENG FABLED ROOT TAKES 17 YEARS TO MATURE For most of his 80 years, Lee Bong-hee has roamed dark regions of Korea's tough hills, looking for shady, rocky patches suitable for planting ginseng.The root is fabled in Asia for its ability to promote health and vitality, but it is a tough crop to grow "

What You Don't Know About Lung Cancer... Q.Can you really get cancer from secondhand smoke? What about cigar smoke? A."Yes, you really can," says Norman H. Edelman, M.D., chief medical officer at the American Lung Association. In fact, secondhand smoke is responsible for approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths annually among nonsmokers in the United States. And take note: While the overall rate of lung cancer cases appears to be dropping among Black men, '

being exposed to secondhand smoke increases the risk of breast cancer in women, it places young children at a greater risk of developing lung malignancies.

Many studies have linked long-term smoking to a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, adding that adopting certain lifestyles by smokers is the main factor leading to the condition.

Fight Breast Cancer with Fruits and Vegetables For anyone who has had breast cancer, this is important news. A recent study finds that certain breast cancer survivors who load up on fruits and vegetables, eating far more than current U.S. guidelines, can slash their risk the tumors will come back by nearly a third. The finding only held for women who did not have hot flashes after their cancer therapy, the researchers said, suggesting that the fruits and vegetables act on estrogen.Their analysis may explain why some studies have shown...

Breast Cancer: Facts and Fiction A simple pink ribbon serves as a constant reminder of the millions of women struggling with breast cancer. Yet despite the high visibility, confusion still surrounds some important basics about the disease. For instance, if your sister gets breast cancer, are there things you can do to avoid getting it yourself? If you find a change in your breast that's not a lump, could it be cancerous? "Most women think all breast cancers are the same,

Please don't call me a survivor Until there's a cure found, I'm actually `living with breast cancer' I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time in 1993, and then a second time in 1996. Obviously, I'm still alive, but I do not call myself a breast cancer survivor. There are several reasons why. One is that the term "survivor" suggests--wrongly--that breast cancer is curable. It is true, thank goodness, that many of us will live long enough to die of something else. But most women diagnosed with breast cancer live with the threat

An actress. An athlete. A Supreme Court justice. They come from many walks of life, but breast cancer made them all simply victims. Happily, they shared the determination and good fortune to conquer their illness Olivia Newton-John Once she learned she had cancer, the singer acted quickly and never looked back Olivia Newton-John didn't have second thoughts--or seek second opinions. She had had several benign lumps in her breasts over the years, but when her doctor discovered a malignant tumor in her right breast in July 1992, he recommended swift action. "He wanted to remove all the tissue," she says. "I'd done a lot of reading; it seemed.

New drugs bring hope in breast cancer fight A revolution in the fight against breast cancer is well under way. The decision by an advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to recommend the approval of the drug tamoxifen to prevent cancer shows we are finally learning how to attack the disease before it occurs. This marks a breakthrough in medicine that doctors and researchers have been working on for decades.Women with a high risk, including those with a history of breast cancer in their families