(I forgot to blog yesterday. Feel free to blame chemo brain, fibro fog or whatever.)
I just learned about some new research which has lead to the use of mutation tracking in the blood of patients previously treated for breast cancer. They look for DNA mutations to detection recurrence months before anything would be detectable through scans.
This makes a lot of sense to me. Why can't cancer be detected in DNA or some other way long before it can be found in a scan? Wouldn't it be wonderful to just go for an annual blood test or something that told you if you had cancer developing? Not to get ahead of myself but I am all for this.
I like this kind of progress. It actually seems that doctors are beginning to use it.
Showing posts with label cancer research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer research. Show all posts
Nov 18, 2019
Sep 11, 2018
Breast Cancer Research Topics
In the middle of pinktober, after Metastatic Breast Cancer Day (October 13), I have some thoughts on breast cancer research I would like to share:
My first wish is that more money, time, and focus would be on metastatic breast cancer research. Breast cancer does not kill, metastatic or late stage breast cancer kills. The proportion of funds spent on metastatic breast cancer is minuscule. This needs to change or more and more women (and men) will continue to die from this disease.
My second wish is that more research would be done on DCIS to determine which cases are more likely to develop into potentially fatal disease vs. those which will remain benign. The vast majority of cases of breast cancer which are diagnosed are DCIS. Many of these patients are subjected to extensive surgery without really knowing if it was necessary or not. This needs to change.
Finally a cure for cancer would be quite welcome as well. According to Star Trek, a cure for cancer was discovered in the 21st century.....
My first wish is that more money, time, and focus would be on metastatic breast cancer research. Breast cancer does not kill, metastatic or late stage breast cancer kills. The proportion of funds spent on metastatic breast cancer is minuscule. This needs to change or more and more women (and men) will continue to die from this disease.
My second wish is that more research would be done on DCIS to determine which cases are more likely to develop into potentially fatal disease vs. those which will remain benign. The vast majority of cases of breast cancer which are diagnosed are DCIS. Many of these patients are subjected to extensive surgery without really knowing if it was necessary or not. This needs to change.
Finally a cure for cancer would be quite welcome as well. According to Star Trek, a cure for cancer was discovered in the 21st century.....
May 8, 2018
Good things come to those who wait
Back in 2010, I blogged about wishful thinking for a cure for lymphedema and other things, like cancer. And now, (insert drum roll here), a study is going on in the UK on 'replumbing' lymph nodes after breast cancer surgery. Barbara Jacoby over at Let Life Happen blogged about this.
So five years after first hearing about this surgery to reattach lymph nodes now there is a trial going on. This doesn't mean I can talk to my doctor about having this surgery any time soon, but I can see the progress.
The world of a patient is filled with hope and waiting. It is nice to see that progress is happening once in a while. We hear about all these breakthroughs but then it is rare to see them start to actually be rolled out. That is when good things come to those who wait.
We just sometimes get sick of waiting so long.
And I would like to point out that there is no way that I will undergo a five hour surgery under local and use my other arm to read a book or use an ipod during it. I will be fast asleep so I don't freak out. Yuck.
So five years after first hearing about this surgery to reattach lymph nodes now there is a trial going on. This doesn't mean I can talk to my doctor about having this surgery any time soon, but I can see the progress.
The world of a patient is filled with hope and waiting. It is nice to see that progress is happening once in a while. We hear about all these breakthroughs but then it is rare to see them start to actually be rolled out. That is when good things come to those who wait.
We just sometimes get sick of waiting so long.
And I would like to point out that there is no way that I will undergo a five hour surgery under local and use my other arm to read a book or use an ipod during it. I will be fast asleep so I don't freak out. Yuck.
Apr 30, 2018
More 'wonderful' news for me
I have to stop reading the news, damn it. I have tried to wean myself off the news, particularly medical news, Then I stop feeling educated and start feeling like a stupid patient. And if I stopped reading all news I could skip all elections and their related stupidity and inanity. But I haven't been able to stop, so I keep reading medical news and sometimes I find all sorts of stuff I may or may not want to know.
So today I have all sorts of 'great' news' I am not sure I wanted to know, well some I do like and some I don't.
First let's start off with the news that in view of huge increase in thyroid cancer diagnoses, new recommendations are that small papillary thyroid cancers be left alone and not treated.
"An increase in thyroid cancer diagnoses has led to unnecessary biopsies and surgeries. New guidelines from the American Thyroid Association endorse close observation as a possible treatment option for many small papillary thyroid tumors rather than surgery. The guidelines also caution against biopsies for many small tumors and say that when surgery is required, partial — not total — removal of the thyroid should be considered."
After a total thyroidectomy, the usual treatment for any thyroid cancer, the patient is left without a thyroid and requires lifetime follow up and medication. Thyroid cancer is slow growing and some unlikely to ever cause problems for the patient. This isn't that bad and it does show more progress in thyroid cancer treatment - instead of the usual 'one size fits all' approach.
Second, patients who are diagnosed with thyroid cancer and breast cancer are tested for Cowden's syndrome, a genetic trait which is characterized by the diagnosis of several cancers.
"Approximately 1 in 200,000 people are affected by Cowden disease and those who have the disorder have about an 85% lifetime risk for breast cancer and a 35% lifetime risk for epithelial thyroid cancer. Cowden disease is also associated with elevated risks for uterine, kidney and colon cancers."
I was tested for Cowdens and told I did not have it. And was told that I could have another mutation for which a gene had not yet been discovered. Now "Researchers have discovered a new gene, SEC23B, associated with Cowden disease, an inherited disorder that increases risk for thyroid, breast, endometrial and other cancers." This is real progress in that more than one gene mutation can cause similar problems.
So maybe there is a gene for me which would explain my unhealthy body. A note about gene mutations is that they do not have to be inherited, they can mutate just for you.
I saved the best for last. Rheumatoid arthritis has been shown to shorten your lifespan. Yippee yahoo. I needed to know that.
"Rheumatoid arthritis may raise the risk of early death by as much as 40 percent, with heart and respiratory problems the most common contributors to a shortened life span, a new study suggests."
And did you know that some RA medications can cause respiratory problems? Since my diagnosis I am back to yearly chest x-rays.
See I really need to stop reading medical news. Its bad for my mental state, whatver that may be.
So today I have all sorts of 'great' news' I am not sure I wanted to know, well some I do like and some I don't.
First let's start off with the news that in view of huge increase in thyroid cancer diagnoses, new recommendations are that small papillary thyroid cancers be left alone and not treated.
"An increase in thyroid cancer diagnoses has led to unnecessary biopsies and surgeries. New guidelines from the American Thyroid Association endorse close observation as a possible treatment option for many small papillary thyroid tumors rather than surgery. The guidelines also caution against biopsies for many small tumors and say that when surgery is required, partial — not total — removal of the thyroid should be considered."
After a total thyroidectomy, the usual treatment for any thyroid cancer, the patient is left without a thyroid and requires lifetime follow up and medication. Thyroid cancer is slow growing and some unlikely to ever cause problems for the patient. This isn't that bad and it does show more progress in thyroid cancer treatment - instead of the usual 'one size fits all' approach.
Second, patients who are diagnosed with thyroid cancer and breast cancer are tested for Cowden's syndrome, a genetic trait which is characterized by the diagnosis of several cancers.
"Approximately 1 in 200,000 people are affected by Cowden disease and those who have the disorder have about an 85% lifetime risk for breast cancer and a 35% lifetime risk for epithelial thyroid cancer. Cowden disease is also associated with elevated risks for uterine, kidney and colon cancers."
I was tested for Cowdens and told I did not have it. And was told that I could have another mutation for which a gene had not yet been discovered. Now "Researchers have discovered a new gene, SEC23B, associated with Cowden disease, an inherited disorder that increases risk for thyroid, breast, endometrial and other cancers." This is real progress in that more than one gene mutation can cause similar problems.
So maybe there is a gene for me which would explain my unhealthy body. A note about gene mutations is that they do not have to be inherited, they can mutate just for you.
I saved the best for last. Rheumatoid arthritis has been shown to shorten your lifespan. Yippee yahoo. I needed to know that.
"Rheumatoid arthritis may raise the risk of early death by as much as 40 percent, with heart and respiratory problems the most common contributors to a shortened life span, a new study suggests."
And did you know that some RA medications can cause respiratory problems? Since my diagnosis I am back to yearly chest x-rays.
See I really need to stop reading medical news. Its bad for my mental state, whatver that may be.
Apr 23, 2018
Important but scary clinical trials
We always hear about these new lifesaving drugs that are discovered and going through clinical trials. The good part of clinical trials is that they help other patients who get their diagnosis later on. It is also supposed to help the current patient who has a late stage disease for which there is no cure.
There is a scary side to clinical trials for these late stage patients. Will the new drug kill them or cause horrible side effects?
As patients we hear about clinical trials and how new drugs are always coming out and if we go on clinical trials they will help future patients. 'You are doing something good as well as trying to save your life.' That is the Rah-Rah-Take-One-For-The-Team attitude that pushes forth on the wave of clinical trials. You can do it! You are helping others!
But no one ever talks about the fact that the clinical trial drugs are very unproven, which are why they are in clinical trials, and not much is know about them. The official definition of a stage I clinical trial is:
"Phase I: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects."
So not much is know about its safety. Will it kill the patient? Will the side effects be horrible and weaken your body so you cannot handle other future medications?
I never really thought about this until I read this article, 'Breakthrough drugs are saving lives but wrenching souls', the other day.
There is a scary side to clinical trials for these late stage patients. Will the new drug kill them or cause horrible side effects?
As patients we hear about clinical trials and how new drugs are always coming out and if we go on clinical trials they will help future patients. 'You are doing something good as well as trying to save your life.' That is the Rah-Rah-Take-One-For-The-Team attitude that pushes forth on the wave of clinical trials. You can do it! You are helping others!
But no one ever talks about the fact that the clinical trial drugs are very unproven, which are why they are in clinical trials, and not much is know about them. The official definition of a stage I clinical trial is:
"Phase I: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects."
So not much is know about its safety. Will it kill the patient? Will the side effects be horrible and weaken your body so you cannot handle other future medications?
I never really thought about this until I read this article, 'Breakthrough drugs are saving lives but wrenching souls', the other day.
Apr 9, 2018
Gene editing to cure cancer
Okay, I admit I know about the 'genome project' but have basically ignored it because I did not understand much about it. And I still don't understand much about it. But because of what was learned about genomes and genes, there have been advances in what can now be done to treat cancer and other diseases.
So there is a little girl in England who was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) shortly after her birth that was very aggressive and recurred seven weeks after treatment ended. They ran out of treatment options and as a last ditch effort, they used a gene editing tool to save her life. Since the treatment four months ago, she is doing well and is at home with her parents.
I don't really understand it well enough to explain it all. But you can read about it here.
Its too soon to tell if this is actually the cure that was hoped for and what the long term effects will be. There is no way of telling if this could some day work for more children with cancer.
What I do find interesting is that this represents a big advancement in cancer treatment and represents the first steps in what the future could be.
So there is a little girl in England who was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) shortly after her birth that was very aggressive and recurred seven weeks after treatment ended. They ran out of treatment options and as a last ditch effort, they used a gene editing tool to save her life. Since the treatment four months ago, she is doing well and is at home with her parents.
I don't really understand it well enough to explain it all. But you can read about it here.
Its too soon to tell if this is actually the cure that was hoped for and what the long term effects will be. There is no way of telling if this could some day work for more children with cancer.
What I do find interesting is that this represents a big advancement in cancer treatment and represents the first steps in what the future could be.
Feb 6, 2017
This is not a study
There is exciting new research out about a new liquid breast cancer biopsy. Wow! Wonderful! Not so fast. The study looked at FOUR people so far. I know they have more patients lined up to include but I do think announcing advancement based on four people is a bit premature.
That's like saying 'I went to the beach and found four blue grains of sand immediately' so it was a blue sand beach. Um, that doesn't work.
In this case I clearly think more research is needed.
But what is very sad about this is that I hope it is not the wave of the future where initial results and greatly publicized. Even now it is difficult enough to figure out what medical research really is promising and which is not and is still years out from hitting the market. Media hype might get the researchers more money or help their CVs but it won't help the patients who are supposed to be the beneficiaries in the long run.
Let's please go back to focusing on the patients. We are supposed to be the focus of all the research anyway.
That's like saying 'I went to the beach and found four blue grains of sand immediately' so it was a blue sand beach. Um, that doesn't work.
In this case I clearly think more research is needed.
But what is very sad about this is that I hope it is not the wave of the future where initial results and greatly publicized. Even now it is difficult enough to figure out what medical research really is promising and which is not and is still years out from hitting the market. Media hype might get the researchers more money or help their CVs but it won't help the patients who are supposed to be the beneficiaries in the long run.
Let's please go back to focusing on the patients. We are supposed to be the focus of all the research anyway.
Sep 6, 2016
Progesterone too?
So I have always wondered, what about progesterone in breast cancer treatment. A big part of your breast cancer diagnosis is its hormone status. My breast cancer was the most common type - ER+/PR+/Her2-. That translates to estrogen and progesterone positive and her2 negative.
This determines a big part of your treatment. If you are estrogen positive you are treated with Tamoxifen and/or one of the aromatase inhibitors. If you are Her2 positive, you can receive Herceptin. But no one ever said anything about progesterone. I always wondered why it was part of the diagnosis if it didn't affect treatment. I mean why bother?
But now things have changed. New research has found a way to control progesterone as well:
"Cancers with progesterone receptors are known for growing more slowly, however scientists have not been able to exploit this fact until they discovered the way they interact with estrogen, which causes the growth of some tumors"
"In the new study, researchers found that progesterone receptors interact with estrogen receptors in the tumor, changing their behavior and slowing the tumor's growth."
"Roughly 75 percent of women with breast cancer have tumors with the estrogen receptor, and 75 percent of those tumors also have progesterone receptors -- suggesting more than half of these patients could benefit if the treatment is shown to be successful."
And the outcome should be a cheap and safe treatment option.I'm all for this.
This determines a big part of your treatment. If you are estrogen positive you are treated with Tamoxifen and/or one of the aromatase inhibitors. If you are Her2 positive, you can receive Herceptin. But no one ever said anything about progesterone. I always wondered why it was part of the diagnosis if it didn't affect treatment. I mean why bother?
But now things have changed. New research has found a way to control progesterone as well:
"Cancers with progesterone receptors are known for growing more slowly, however scientists have not been able to exploit this fact until they discovered the way they interact with estrogen, which causes the growth of some tumors"
"In the new study, researchers found that progesterone receptors interact with estrogen receptors in the tumor, changing their behavior and slowing the tumor's growth."
"Roughly 75 percent of women with breast cancer have tumors with the estrogen receptor, and 75 percent of those tumors also have progesterone receptors -- suggesting more than half of these patients could benefit if the treatment is shown to be successful."
And the outcome should be a cheap and safe treatment option.I'm all for this.
Sep 5, 2016
Breast cancer and flabbiness
I am not sure this article tells me that much but it did try to figure out if breast cancer and its treatment cause weight gain. It discusses the results of a recent study that was recently published.
So breast cancer increases in incidence right about the same age as menopause. Therefore there has been some confusion if its menopause or cancer and its treatment that cause weight gain. But this article did nothing to help me.
First of all it looked at an average weight gain of 4 lbs for women with breast cancer who did not have chemo and of 11 lbs for women who received chemotherapy. 4 lbs or 11 lbs? That's nothing. I am more concerned about the 20 or 30 lbs weight gains. I know women who said they gained 5-10 lbs during treatment and then lost them. Those of us who gained more, even if active during treatment, have many more problems losing weight.
The real concern is that weight gain can have longer term health risks.
But the study promises to follow up with the women over a longer period of time. I would like to see a study about the women who gain 20 lbs or more during cancer treatment and ensuing health issues. No one ever seems to care what I think. Or to include me in research because I have too many other issues and would skew their data.
So breast cancer increases in incidence right about the same age as menopause. Therefore there has been some confusion if its menopause or cancer and its treatment that cause weight gain. But this article did nothing to help me.
First of all it looked at an average weight gain of 4 lbs for women with breast cancer who did not have chemo and of 11 lbs for women who received chemotherapy. 4 lbs or 11 lbs? That's nothing. I am more concerned about the 20 or 30 lbs weight gains. I know women who said they gained 5-10 lbs during treatment and then lost them. Those of us who gained more, even if active during treatment, have many more problems losing weight.
The real concern is that weight gain can have longer term health risks.
But the study promises to follow up with the women over a longer period of time. I would like to see a study about the women who gain 20 lbs or more during cancer treatment and ensuing health issues. No one ever seems to care what I think. Or to include me in research because I have too many other issues and would skew their data.
Aug 22, 2016
Research hope and hopes dashed
I do follow the latest breast cancer, thyroid cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia medical research. Some inner child is waiting for the cure to all of these ailments. I have learned a great deal about these ailments through reading the advances and get hope that some day a cure will be there. I also welcome the access to medical and other research across the board.
When I was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 1981, if I wanted to find information I had to go to a university's research library and read medical text books. It was confusing to say the least. In those days research was left to scientists and published in technical journals that were dense and textbooks for those learning the science or medicine that were no easy read.
Times have changed and I can find research every where. I can browse scientific journals online, set up Google alerts to send me the latest news, review the disease information on association websites, and have access to advances as soon as they are announced. However they all seem to be followed with the disclaimers 'more research is needed' and 'FDA approval is 5-7 years away'. Which can be frustrating, to say the least.
Every so often, I read some research that makes me wonder if I am over thinking, and perhaps the rest of us are too. I read this article on the impact of stress hormones on breast cancer recurrence or progression due to treatment resistance. It starts out by saying progesterone may stimulate that growth of cells that make cancer resistant to estrogen based treatments. Then it goes on to talk about the role of CK5 and goes on from there...
I admit it, I got lost. My breast cancer was ER-/PR- so do I have to worry about this at all? Well once I read it three times, I figured it out and could follow along.
But it made me wonder (which can be a bad thing), should I try to NOT follow all this research? Am I over thinking the hope that there is a cure out there? Should I leave this research to the scientists and not get myself bogged down in the details? I mean I do get the sense of hope from all the research that some day that cure will show up.
But is it worth letting myself get excited about the potential in the research and then get let down by the fact that the ending is 'more research is needed' and 'FDA approval is 5-10 years away'. Am I contributing to my own emotional medical roller coaster by trying to follow the advances and ensuing waiting?
A big part of any medical ailment is the emotional roller coaster that becomes part of your life after diagnosis. Learning how to cope with the roller coaster can be very difficult. And am I aggravating my own stress levels by accessing all this research? I will have to do some more thinking on this.
When I was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 1981, if I wanted to find information I had to go to a university's research library and read medical text books. It was confusing to say the least. In those days research was left to scientists and published in technical journals that were dense and textbooks for those learning the science or medicine that were no easy read.
Times have changed and I can find research every where. I can browse scientific journals online, set up Google alerts to send me the latest news, review the disease information on association websites, and have access to advances as soon as they are announced. However they all seem to be followed with the disclaimers 'more research is needed' and 'FDA approval is 5-7 years away'. Which can be frustrating, to say the least.
Every so often, I read some research that makes me wonder if I am over thinking, and perhaps the rest of us are too. I read this article on the impact of stress hormones on breast cancer recurrence or progression due to treatment resistance. It starts out by saying progesterone may stimulate that growth of cells that make cancer resistant to estrogen based treatments. Then it goes on to talk about the role of CK5 and goes on from there...
I admit it, I got lost. My breast cancer was ER-/PR- so do I have to worry about this at all? Well once I read it three times, I figured it out and could follow along.
But it made me wonder (which can be a bad thing), should I try to NOT follow all this research? Am I over thinking the hope that there is a cure out there? Should I leave this research to the scientists and not get myself bogged down in the details? I mean I do get the sense of hope from all the research that some day that cure will show up.
But is it worth letting myself get excited about the potential in the research and then get let down by the fact that the ending is 'more research is needed' and 'FDA approval is 5-10 years away'. Am I contributing to my own emotional medical roller coaster by trying to follow the advances and ensuing waiting?
A big part of any medical ailment is the emotional roller coaster that becomes part of your life after diagnosis. Learning how to cope with the roller coaster can be very difficult. And am I aggravating my own stress levels by accessing all this research? I will have to do some more thinking on this.