Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Walk hopes to raise awareness, support for pancreatic cancer research
DENVER - Have you or a loved one been affected by pancreatic cancer? Show your support by walking in the annual Rich Phillips Memorial Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk on Sunday at Sloan's Lake Park.
Meg, Kim and Kara Phillips lost their husband and father, Rich, to pancreatic cancer in 2005. They wanted to honor Rich Phillips in some way, as well as raise money for research for the disease. The Phillips family became inspired by the Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk that took place in Boston and decided to bring it to Denver. Now, four years later, the Phillips family has made a difference by raising $200,000 since 2007 and has brought together the Denver community.
Pancreatic cancer is hard to detect in the early stages, which in turn leads to the deaths of almost 38,000 people a year. Risk factors include family history, smoking, age and diabetes. Symptoms are usually vague and life expectancy after diagnosis is just 3 to 6 months. Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2003 and recently passed away in early October of 2011.
The Lustgarten Foundation ensures that 100 percent of every donation given goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. Pre-registration is $50 and the walk-in registration fee is $60. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Sunday and the walk starts at 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit http://2011denverwalk.kintera.org.
Alanna Eaton contributed to this report.
(KUSA-TV © 2011 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)
Meg, Kim and Kara Phillips lost their husband and father, Rich, to pancreatic cancer in 2005. They wanted to honor Rich Phillips in some way, as well as raise money for research for the disease. The Phillips family became inspired by the Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk that took place in Boston and decided to bring it to Denver. Now, four years later, the Phillips family has made a difference by raising $200,000 since 2007 and has brought together the Denver community.
Pancreatic cancer is hard to detect in the early stages, which in turn leads to the deaths of almost 38,000 people a year. Risk factors include family history, smoking, age and diabetes. Symptoms are usually vague and life expectancy after diagnosis is just 3 to 6 months. Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2003 and recently passed away in early October of 2011.
The Lustgarten Foundation ensures that 100 percent of every donation given goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. Pre-registration is $50 and the walk-in registration fee is $60. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Sunday and the walk starts at 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit http://2011denverwalk.kintera.org.
Alanna Eaton contributed to this report.
(KUSA-TV © 2011 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)
Monday, November 28, 2011
Wings of Hope -- A big success!
Five months after losing her brother, Victor, to cancer of the pancreas, Maureen Shul received another bit of devastating news: her mother had it, too.
Shul, a former mayor of Castle Pines, had remained at her brother’s side during his four-year battle with the disease and she was equally as attentive during the three months that her mother, who also had Alzheimer’s disease, suffered from it. When Blanche Shul died in the summer of 2009, she passed not knowing that her son had also died from pancreatic cancer.
“When pancreatic cancer barges into your family with no forewarning and little available information from which to draw upon, you are left with horrendously sobering statistics and little else,” Shul states, adding that she and her family were stunned as to how little there was in the way of early diagnostic testing for pancreatic cancer.
“Just as shocking,” she said, “is that the five-year survival rate has remained unchanged at just six percent for the last 40 years and only two percent of the National Cancer Institute’s federal research funding is allocated to pancreatic cancer.”
The double tragedy spurred Shul to action. In cooperation with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, she started Wings of Hope, an aviation-themed benefit held at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. It was held just days before the start of National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.(November)
There was a silent auction, cocktails and appetizers, followed by dinner and a talk by Shul’s other brother, Brian, who had been shot down and left for dead while serving as a fighter pilot in Vietnam. His story didn’t end in the jungle; following his rescue, he went on to become a SR-71 pilot of the top-secret Blackbird, the world’s fastest and highest-flying jet aircraft.
“My desire is that Wings of Hope will raise awareness, as well as research funding, to mount a viable assault on this disease,” Shul said. “When you suffer through losses this profound you are compelled to do something to honor your loved ones in ways that will hopefully result in more awareness and tools to help the many others whose lives have been or will be impacted by this horrific disease.”
Guests at Wings of Hope included Walt Imhoff, who lost his wife, Georgia, to pancreatic cancer; Robert and Marilyn Olislagers (he’s executive director of Centennial Airport); Aircraft Performance Group co-founder Rogers Hemphill and his wife, Lorraine; Linda Goto, event planner with The Denver Hospice; Richard and Judith Kleiner; Linda Michow and Sam Realmuto; the John Buffington family; Anne Ricker and Bill Cunningham; Jennifer Havercroft and Greg Miller; Dr. Gregg Dickerson; Steve Mithuen; and Chip and Debbie Coppola. In addition, Judge Patricia Hartman was there from Albuquerque, N.M., while Joseph and Connie Via came in from San Diego, Mary Jamison from Las Vegas and Jeannine Erickson from Vail.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@denverpost.com and @GetItWrite on Twitter
Shul, a former mayor of Castle Pines, had remained at her brother’s side during his four-year battle with the disease and she was equally as attentive during the three months that her mother, who also had Alzheimer’s disease, suffered from it. When Blanche Shul died in the summer of 2009, she passed not knowing that her son had also died from pancreatic cancer.
“When pancreatic cancer barges into your family with no forewarning and little available information from which to draw upon, you are left with horrendously sobering statistics and little else,” Shul states, adding that she and her family were stunned as to how little there was in the way of early diagnostic testing for pancreatic cancer.
“Just as shocking,” she said, “is that the five-year survival rate has remained unchanged at just six percent for the last 40 years and only two percent of the National Cancer Institute’s federal research funding is allocated to pancreatic cancer.”
The double tragedy spurred Shul to action. In cooperation with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, she started Wings of Hope, an aviation-themed benefit held at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. It was held just days before the start of National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.(November)
There was a silent auction, cocktails and appetizers, followed by dinner and a talk by Shul’s other brother, Brian, who had been shot down and left for dead while serving as a fighter pilot in Vietnam. His story didn’t end in the jungle; following his rescue, he went on to become a SR-71 pilot of the top-secret Blackbird, the world’s fastest and highest-flying jet aircraft.
“My desire is that Wings of Hope will raise awareness, as well as research funding, to mount a viable assault on this disease,” Shul said. “When you suffer through losses this profound you are compelled to do something to honor your loved ones in ways that will hopefully result in more awareness and tools to help the many others whose lives have been or will be impacted by this horrific disease.”
Guests at Wings of Hope included Walt Imhoff, who lost his wife, Georgia, to pancreatic cancer; Robert and Marilyn Olislagers (he’s executive director of Centennial Airport); Aircraft Performance Group co-founder Rogers Hemphill and his wife, Lorraine; Linda Goto, event planner with The Denver Hospice; Richard and Judith Kleiner; Linda Michow and Sam Realmuto; the John Buffington family; Anne Ricker and Bill Cunningham; Jennifer Havercroft and Greg Miller; Dr. Gregg Dickerson; Steve Mithuen; and Chip and Debbie Coppola. In addition, Judge Patricia Hartman was there from Albuquerque, N.M., while Joseph and Connie Via came in from San Diego, Mary Jamison from Las Vegas and Jeannine Erickson from Vail.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@denverpost.com and @GetItWrite on Twitter
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Advanced pancreatic cancer clinical trial opens at University of Colorado Cancer Center Combination of targeted therapy, chemotherapy, showed promise in Phase I trial
11/23/2010
AURORA, Colo. - The University of Colorado Cancer Center is enrolling patients in a clinical trial for a new treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer that showed promise in early clinical trials.
“Pancreatic cancer remains of the most difficult to treat,” says Wells Messersmith, MD, FACP, director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center gastrointestinal medical oncology at University of Colorado Hospital. “In fact it has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers, with only six percent of patients surviving more than five years from diagnosis. People with advanced disease live only a few months after diagnosis, and there hasn’t been much improvement in survival over the past 40 years. That’s why this new treatment is exciting.”
The new oral treatment, IPI-926 from Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., takes a new approach—blocking the Hedgehog pathway. Scientists think this pathway plays a key role in passing information to adult stem cells that regulate tissue regeneration, and that if the pathway breaks down, diseases like cancer occur.
The Phase 1b/2 clinical trial is for patients with previously untreated pancreatic cancer that has spread beyond the initial tumor site (metastatic disease). Patients enrolled in the trial will be treated with a combination of IPI-926 and Gemzar® (gemcitabine), a chemotherapy drug used to treat advanced pancreatic cancer.
In a Phase I study, a single daily dose of IPI-926 was well-tolerated and resulted in clinical activity in patients with basal cell carcinoma. The new trial will first aim to determine the recommended combined therapy dose for a multi-center, randomized, double-blind Phase 2 study, which will evaluate overall survival, progression-free survival, time to progression and overall response.
“Clinical trials that evaluate potential new treatments for pancreatic cancer, like this study with IPI-926, represent important efforts and potentially promising clinical advances to find more effective ways to better treat patients and make a meaningful difference in their lives,” says Messersmith, associate professor of medical oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “There are many patients in Denver, in Colorado and in the Rocky Mountain region who are waiting for an alternative, and we are hopeful that our efforts will have a positive impact.”
About 43,140 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year and 36,800 will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society website, http://cancer.org. About 430 Coloradoans died from the disease in 2009, the website said.
Clinical Contact Information
For information about the Colorado arm of this clinical trial, please contact Stacy Grolnic, UCCC Phase I Team Coordinator, at 720-848-0655 or stacy.grolnic@ucdenver.edu.
About the University of Colorado Cancer Center
The University of Colorado Cancer Center is the Rocky Mountain region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. NCI has given only 40 cancer centers this designation, deeming membership as “the best of the best.” Headquartered on the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, UCCC is a consortium of three state universities (Colorado State University, University of Colorado at Boulder and University of Colorado Denver) and five institutions (The Children’s Hospital, Denver Health, Denver VA Medical Center, National Jewish Health and University of Colorado Hospital). Together, our 440+ members are working to ease the cancer burden through cancer care, research, education and prevention and control. Learn more at www.uccc.info.
About Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Infinity (NASDAQ: INFI) is an innovative drug discovery and development company seeking to discover, develop, and deliver to patients best-in-class medicines for difficult-to-treat diseases. Infinity combines proven scientific expertise with a passion for developing novel small molecule drugs that target emerging disease pathways. Infinity’s programs in the inhibition of the Hsp90 chaperone system, the Hedgehog pathway, fatty acid amide hydrolase and phosphoinositide-3-kinase are evidence of its innovative approach to drug discovery and development. For more information on Infinity, please refer to the company’s website at http://www.infi.com.
# # #
Contact: Lynn Clark, 303-724-3160, lynn.clark@ucdenver.edu
AURORA, Colo. - The University of Colorado Cancer Center is enrolling patients in a clinical trial for a new treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer that showed promise in early clinical trials.
“Pancreatic cancer remains of the most difficult to treat,” says Wells Messersmith, MD, FACP, director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center gastrointestinal medical oncology at University of Colorado Hospital. “In fact it has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers, with only six percent of patients surviving more than five years from diagnosis. People with advanced disease live only a few months after diagnosis, and there hasn’t been much improvement in survival over the past 40 years. That’s why this new treatment is exciting.”
The new oral treatment, IPI-926 from Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., takes a new approach—blocking the Hedgehog pathway. Scientists think this pathway plays a key role in passing information to adult stem cells that regulate tissue regeneration, and that if the pathway breaks down, diseases like cancer occur.
The Phase 1b/2 clinical trial is for patients with previously untreated pancreatic cancer that has spread beyond the initial tumor site (metastatic disease). Patients enrolled in the trial will be treated with a combination of IPI-926 and Gemzar® (gemcitabine), a chemotherapy drug used to treat advanced pancreatic cancer.
In a Phase I study, a single daily dose of IPI-926 was well-tolerated and resulted in clinical activity in patients with basal cell carcinoma. The new trial will first aim to determine the recommended combined therapy dose for a multi-center, randomized, double-blind Phase 2 study, which will evaluate overall survival, progression-free survival, time to progression and overall response.
“Clinical trials that evaluate potential new treatments for pancreatic cancer, like this study with IPI-926, represent important efforts and potentially promising clinical advances to find more effective ways to better treat patients and make a meaningful difference in their lives,” says Messersmith, associate professor of medical oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “There are many patients in Denver, in Colorado and in the Rocky Mountain region who are waiting for an alternative, and we are hopeful that our efforts will have a positive impact.”
About 43,140 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year and 36,800 will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society website, http://cancer.org. About 430 Coloradoans died from the disease in 2009, the website said.
Clinical Contact Information
For information about the Colorado arm of this clinical trial, please contact Stacy Grolnic, UCCC Phase I Team Coordinator, at 720-848-0655 or stacy.grolnic@ucdenver.edu.
About the University of Colorado Cancer Center
The University of Colorado Cancer Center is the Rocky Mountain region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. NCI has given only 40 cancer centers this designation, deeming membership as “the best of the best.” Headquartered on the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, UCCC is a consortium of three state universities (Colorado State University, University of Colorado at Boulder and University of Colorado Denver) and five institutions (The Children’s Hospital, Denver Health, Denver VA Medical Center, National Jewish Health and University of Colorado Hospital). Together, our 440+ members are working to ease the cancer burden through cancer care, research, education and prevention and control. Learn more at www.uccc.info.
About Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Infinity (NASDAQ: INFI) is an innovative drug discovery and development company seeking to discover, develop, and deliver to patients best-in-class medicines for difficult-to-treat diseases. Infinity combines proven scientific expertise with a passion for developing novel small molecule drugs that target emerging disease pathways. Infinity’s programs in the inhibition of the Hsp90 chaperone system, the Hedgehog pathway, fatty acid amide hydrolase and phosphoinositide-3-kinase are evidence of its innovative approach to drug discovery and development. For more information on Infinity, please refer to the company’s website at http://www.infi.com.
# # #
Contact: Lynn Clark, 303-724-3160, lynn.clark@ucdenver.edu
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Steve Jobs helps bring recognition to Pancreatic Cancer
Last month the world mourned the loss of the technological genius Steve Jobs. His life was cut short by pancreatic cancer. He actually outlived many people who have gotten that grim diagnosis. He was told the bad news in 2003.
Only four percent of people live beyond five years after being diagnosed. The reason it is so deadly is because it is nearly impossible to detect early. Therefore, once a person experiences symptoms, the cancer has spread to vital organs, such as the liver.
Studies show that certain lifestyle choices can greatly influence whether you will get pancreatic cancer. Since the long-term prognosis is so bleak, it makes sense to focus on prevention, keeping in mind that some people who live a healthy lifestyle still get cancer.
Smoking is the chief risk factor. Smokers are almost twice as likely to get pancreatic cancer than non-smokers. But remember, if you quit smoking, the longer you are tobacco-free, your risk of getting the disease is reduced. So if you smoke, quit! See your doctor about the smoking-cessation drug Chantix. It is highly effective, but is not suited for everyone.
Obesity is a key risk factor, so if you are overweight, this is now greater motivation to shed those extra pounds.
Similarly, a poor diet is also a risk factor. These would include diets that are high in sugar, processed foods, trans fats, and red meat. Poor diets are usually lacking enough fresh vegetables, water, fresh fruits, and whole grains.
Lack of exercise has also been a proven risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Keep in mind that every little bit helps. Even an hour and a half a week of walking has been shown to decrease your risk factor for cancer. So if you are out of shape, just start walking a little bit and gradually increase your speed, duration, and frequency. Then you can graduate to more vigorous cardiovascular exercise.
Genetics plays a role, too. About 8 percent of pancreatic cancer patients have someone in their family who had the disease, and your risk increases with every family member who had it.
And speaking of genetics, Jewish Ashkenazi decent is a risk factor. Those are people with a Central or Eastern European background.
Diabetes can be not only a risk factor, but an early sign of the disease.
Gingivitis or periodontal disease is another red flag. So brush and floss daily and keep up with those regular dental check-ups.
So while cancer isn't completely preventable, there are certainly many things that we can control that will lessen the chances of us getting it.
http://blogs.cbn.com/healthyliving/archive/2011/11/08/steve-jobs-death-shines-light-on-pancreatic-cancer.aspx
Only four percent of people live beyond five years after being diagnosed. The reason it is so deadly is because it is nearly impossible to detect early. Therefore, once a person experiences symptoms, the cancer has spread to vital organs, such as the liver.
Studies show that certain lifestyle choices can greatly influence whether you will get pancreatic cancer. Since the long-term prognosis is so bleak, it makes sense to focus on prevention, keeping in mind that some people who live a healthy lifestyle still get cancer.
Smoking is the chief risk factor. Smokers are almost twice as likely to get pancreatic cancer than non-smokers. But remember, if you quit smoking, the longer you are tobacco-free, your risk of getting the disease is reduced. So if you smoke, quit! See your doctor about the smoking-cessation drug Chantix. It is highly effective, but is not suited for everyone.
Obesity is a key risk factor, so if you are overweight, this is now greater motivation to shed those extra pounds.
Similarly, a poor diet is also a risk factor. These would include diets that are high in sugar, processed foods, trans fats, and red meat. Poor diets are usually lacking enough fresh vegetables, water, fresh fruits, and whole grains.
Lack of exercise has also been a proven risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Keep in mind that every little bit helps. Even an hour and a half a week of walking has been shown to decrease your risk factor for cancer. So if you are out of shape, just start walking a little bit and gradually increase your speed, duration, and frequency. Then you can graduate to more vigorous cardiovascular exercise.
Genetics plays a role, too. About 8 percent of pancreatic cancer patients have someone in their family who had the disease, and your risk increases with every family member who had it.
And speaking of genetics, Jewish Ashkenazi decent is a risk factor. Those are people with a Central or Eastern European background.
Diabetes can be not only a risk factor, but an early sign of the disease.
Gingivitis or periodontal disease is another red flag. So brush and floss daily and keep up with those regular dental check-ups.
So while cancer isn't completely preventable, there are certainly many things that we can control that will lessen the chances of us getting it.
http://blogs.cbn.com/healthyliving/archive/2011/11/08/steve-jobs-death-shines-light-on-pancreatic-cancer.aspx
Friday, November 25, 2011
Time for Timer: 1970's ABC Time For Timer Brush Your Teeth PSA
Don't forget that good dental health is a great way to ward of the common cold or even infection. When you are under going chemo and radiation treatments, your body is weaker and it's important to stay healthy in every other way. Brushing your teeth is an important step, plus it gives you an excuse to smile and smile often.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving was Mom's Tradition
 |
| Jim and his Mom, Hildy. |
Hildy Burness passed away from pancreatic cancer early Thanksgiving morning, 2005. She was a beloved teacher for over 20 years at San Francisco Day School, a long-time member of Saint Aidan's Episcopal Church, loving wife of Dave, and great mom to me (Jim) and my brother Pete (and a number of other kids she took under her wing).
Her memorial service at Saint Aidan's was the largest event the building had ever seen, with visitors left standing in the stairwells and out the doors. She was an environmentalist and a recycler long before it was "cool" and was beloved by both her students and her friends for giving it to you straight with a big helping of love.
 |
| Jim Burness, master turkey carver |
Nothing was more important to Mom than her family and her extended family. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday and our small San Francisco house was always filled to the brim with family and friends (and often some new friends brought along by other friends). She never wanted anyone to alone on that day. If she heard that you had no place to go, you suddenly did. There was never an option to say no.
In fact, Thanksgiving was so important to her, she had a full dinner with all the trimmings the year we didn't even have a kitchen or dining room. The house was undergoing a major remodel and Mom and Dad had been getting by on a hot plate and a microwave oven in the front hallway for months. But this was Thanksgiving, so she secured the use of ovens of the various neighbors who would be away for the holiday, had the construction crew stop what they were doing, and asked them to make a big dining room table out of plywood sheets and sawhorses. As with every other year, the dinner was wonderful, the conversation was lively and the wine never stopped flowing. It's that Hildy Spirit and Determination we all miss the most.
 |
| Table set with loving care |
To this day, the tradition continues, beginning with that fateful day. Each year we all travel to San Francisco -- family and friends -- to celebrate the holiday and of course, Mom. The family is bigger now and we each play a role in making the feast. Pete makes the stuffing (or dressing as Mom called it) from her special recipe and I carve the turkey. Our wives take turns between child wrangling and cooking, and my cousin Carol is in charge of the turkey-shaped cranberry cut outs. It's our celebration of Mom!
 |
| The tradition continues and has long reached beyond this table. Tables are set up throughout the house. |
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Acton family among those in pancreatic cancer battle
Acton, Mass. — For the Takacs family of Acton, purple is more than a color.
On Sunday, Nov. 20, Alison Takacs plans to take part in the Purple Light National Vigil for Hope in Copley Square in Boston, in which participants will listen to the names of those who have lost their battle to pancreatic cancer.
 |
Each time a name is read, a purple glow stick will be broken, to create a cloud of purple light in honor of their memories.
The name of her husband, James Takacs, a Boston attorney and law professor, will be among those that are read aloud.
The event is a fundraiser and function of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network; this year marks the first time the network’s Boston affiliate is participating.
Since her husband’s death in 2008 at age 47, Takacs has tried to channel her grief into ways to raise awareness and promote a proactive approach to finding effective treatment.
“The legislation is the biggest piece,” Takacs said. “Not telling the scientists how to do science, but to make them come up with a plan.”
A key part of that, she said, is proposed legislation — known as the National Cancer Education and Research Act — that would direct the National Cancer Institute to create a strategic plan to address the disease.
Takacs said she has reached out senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, as well as U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, for their support.
Advocates say they would also like to see more public awareness and more media attention about pancreatic cancer.
“Part of the reason we haven’t gotten as much coverage as that we haven’t had the survivor base,” said Michele Wood, spokesman for the Boston affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Acton Network.
She said, because the prognosis for most pancreatic cancer patients is so poor, there are few who are battling the disease who are in a position to act as spokesmen, which leaves the task, often, to loved ones.
Wood said, if any good can come of the recent deaths of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and actor Patrick Swayze to different forms of the disease, it is such high-profile public figures have generated more interest.
“It has done a lot for the organization,” Wood said. “A lot of companies have come forward and will think about doing something. Any time a big name celebrity has a disease, it does bring awareness to it.”
Local, national measures
The Takacs family ordeal began in 2008, when James Takacs was diagnosed with so-called Stage Four pancreatic cancer. He died in November 2008, just months after his diagnosis.
Since then, his family has talked with their friends, raised money for cancer research and sought to understand the fatal disease. Most recently, they traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with lawmakers and ask them to help fund further research.
In the meantime, Takacs said, she does what she can, through fundraising efforts such as the Purple Stride walk for pancreatic cancer, also sponsored by the network.
Her daughters have asked friends to donate money in lieu of birthday presents, she said.
She posts Facebook messages and even taking her cause, literally, on the road.
“I painted the back of my car the website, knowitfightitendit.org,” she said. “I do at least one Facebook pancreatic cancer awareness post every day. Just the other day, a friend said, ‘I saw your post, and I signed up.’”
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Folate intake not linked to pancreatic cancer risk
A review of published literature has found there is no link between intake of folate and the risk for pancreatic cancer.
Because pancreatic cancer is still among the most deadly cancers, researchers are striving to identify modifiable risk factors that could reduce the disease’s incidence. Prior research has been inconsistent and inconclusive about the role that folate intake may play in the risk for pancreatic cancer.
In the pooled analysis, researchers analyzed primary data from 14 prospective cohort studies. The studies included more than 300,000 men and more than half a million women. In all of the studies, folate intake was collected at baseline.
Among the population of all of the studies - followed for between 7 and 20 years - 2,195 cases of pancreatic cancer occurred. The researchers of the pooled analysis found no association between folate intake and risk for pancreatic cancer. When comparing the highest quintile of folate intake with the lowest quintile, the RR of pancreatic cancer was 1.06.
Although this study had a large sample size, with a large number of pancreatic cancer cases, it also had some weaknesses. Among the study’s limitations are the fact that folate was examined only at baseline, not taking into account any dietary changes that may have occurred during the study period. In addition, the role that folate intake during childhood may play was not examined.
http://www.hemonctoday.com/article.aspx?rid=89410
Because pancreatic cancer is still among the most deadly cancers, researchers are striving to identify modifiable risk factors that could reduce the disease’s incidence. Prior research has been inconsistent and inconclusive about the role that folate intake may play in the risk for pancreatic cancer.
In the pooled analysis, researchers analyzed primary data from 14 prospective cohort studies. The studies included more than 300,000 men and more than half a million women. In all of the studies, folate intake was collected at baseline.
Among the population of all of the studies - followed for between 7 and 20 years - 2,195 cases of pancreatic cancer occurred. The researchers of the pooled analysis found no association between folate intake and risk for pancreatic cancer. When comparing the highest quintile of folate intake with the lowest quintile, the RR of pancreatic cancer was 1.06.
Although this study had a large sample size, with a large number of pancreatic cancer cases, it also had some weaknesses. Among the study’s limitations are the fact that folate was examined only at baseline, not taking into account any dietary changes that may have occurred during the study period. In addition, the role that folate intake during childhood may play was not examined.
http://www.hemonctoday.com/article.aspx?rid=89410
Monday, November 21, 2011
LETTER: November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
Marblehead — With November here and Thanksgiving around the corner, our thoughts tend to focus on family, friends, and all that we have to be thankful for. Did you know that November is also Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month? What is pancreatic cancer, you ask? A very reasonable question, as there is very little known about this insidious disease.
The pancreas is an organ that aids in the digestion of food, producing enzymes and hormones. This year, 44,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and this year, more than 37,000 people will die from this disease. The number of people who die from pancreatic cancer is disproportionately higher than other cancers, including breast cancer and prostate cancer. In fact, pancreatic cancer has the number-one fatality rate of all cancers. In the U.S., it is ranked as the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in women and men. The overall survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 6 percent, the lowest of all the major malignancies.
Because of the work of many individuals and organizations, there has been some progress made in pancreatic-cancer treatment. The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research has funded more than 90 research studies leading to small but measurable progress in survival (from three months to six-to-12 months). These small increments matter tremendously to patients and their families. My mother died from this disease, and looking back, I know that I am thankful for those few additional months.
If you would like to learn more about pancreatic cancer, log on to lustgartenfoundation.org.
Because of the work of many individuals and organizations, there has been some progress made in pancreatic-cancer treatment. The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research has funded more than 90 research studies leading to small but measurable progress in survival (from three months to six-to-12 months). These small increments matter tremendously to patients and their families. My mother died from this disease, and looking back, I know that I am thankful for those few additional months.
If you would like to learn more about pancreatic cancer, log on to lustgartenfoundation.org.
— Leda Joyce, Shetland Road
Gluten Free Recipes for the Holidays
 |
| Need a gluten-free pumpkin pie recipe? No problem. And it's vegan to boot. |
The Big T. Thanksgiving. Nothing sends shivers of trepidation up a gluten-free or dairy-free girl's spine like the mental image of Grandma's sage pungent white bread dressing or shimmying slabs of Aunt Ida's pumpkin pie. It's a butter and wheat flour gorge fest with danger at every turn. The gruesome gut-twisting threat of thirty-six hours chugging Pepto Bismol
is poised to strike on every holiday decorated plate- jovial forkfuls of tradition and conviviality aside. It can be a nightmare.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Pancreatic Cancer: The ‘silent killer’ remains as deadly as ever
Medical care has advanced immeasurably since 1971, and many cancer sufferers now often have more of a fighting chance as deputy features editor John Baker found out:
Medical care has advanced immeasurably since 1971, and many cancer sufferers now often have more of a fighting chance. But there is one cancer where the survival rate has not changed in that time – and campaigners are desperate for that to change. Pancreatic cancer is a painful and horrible way to die and sufferers typically experience weight loss, jaundice, nausea and vomiting, and extreme pain before they die. So for their sakes, and the sake of their families, it is a fight worth tackling, as deputy features editor John Baker discovered.
NOVEMBER is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, a campaign spearheaded by Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Pancreatic cancer has the highest fatality rate of any cancers in the UK, and is heading towards being the fourth most common cause of cancer deaths – the top four are currently breast, lung, bowel and prostate cancer.
Often known as the ‘silent killer’, UK pancreatic cancer survival rates are poorer than in many other countries, including many European countries, the US, Canada and Australia.
Last month it came to prominence when it claimed arguably its highest-profile victim, the chief executive and co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs.
But others who have died from pancreatic cancer include actor Patrick Swayze, Italian opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, and actor Michael Landon, who lasted just three months after being diagnosed.
The pancreas is a large gland that lies behind the stomach at the back of the abdomen. Shaped a bit like a flattened leaf, it has two very important functions.
As well as making a number of different enzymes (digestive juices) that break down food so that nutrients can be absorbed into the body, it also makes hormones that are released into the blood stream.
One of these is insulin, which regulates the amount of sugars in blood and around the body. The blood supply to the liver, intestines, kidneys and lower part of the body can all be in contact with the pancreas – which is why it is such an important organ.
While more than 7,600 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK every year, less than three per cent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK will survive more than five years. And these figures have not changed for 40 years.
So this year Pancreatic Cancer UK is making an extra push by launching its new Campaign for Hope, marking an ambitious new goal to double survival rates for pancreatic cancer patients in the UK by 2020. This would help to save the lives of up to 250 people each year.
In the Anglia region 22.1 per cent of those diagnosed live a year, but only 5.2 per cent reach three years and just 3.1 per cent reach five.
A press officer said: “We are appealing to the public to get involved with fundraising and help raise much needed cash to reach the goal of doubling survival rates within the next five years.
“We’re asking you to help us raise awareness of pancreatic cancer by fundraising and joining our Campaign For Hope. We need you to get involved by raising awareness in your local community, contacting your MP, fundraising for us and wearing our Ribbon of Hope.”
An awareness month pack is now available by contacting the Pancreatic Cancer UK office on 02035357090 or visit www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/fundraising/pancreatic-cancer-awareness-month
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
PANCREATIC cancer is the fifth most common form of cancer in the UK.
Out of the 21 people who will be diagnosed today, only one of them is likely to be alive in five years time.
It has a very poor survival rate, mainly because it does not display any symptoms in the early stages.
Furthermore, as it grows, the symptoms will depend on the type and the location of the cancer within the pancreas.
Many of the early symptoms are common for lots of other illnesses and diseases, which can also delay correct diagnosis.
The more common signs to look out for are as follows:
- Pain: Often starts as general discomfort or pain in the stomach area that might spread to your back. It is sometimes made worse by lying down or after eating, and is relieved by sitting forward.
The pain might start off as sporadic, but as the cancer becomes larger it may become constant.
- Jaundice: This is when your skin and the whites of your eyes turn yellow. It can cause your urine to become very dark, your stools to become pale and your skin to itch. It develops when there is a build up of a chemical in your blood called bilirubin. Jaundice can also be caused by other conditions.
- Unexplained weight loss: This is common because of the interference with digestion (the enzymes produced by the pancreas aid digestion), sugar metabolism, and loss of appetite.
- Later symptoms might include: Diabetes, lethargy, bowel disturbances, nausea and vomiting, fever and shivering.
- If you are concerned at all about your symptoms, if they develop suddenly or cause you pain, you should contact your GP immediately.
‘I really wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy’
Victoria Munton was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June 2009 – and six weeks later she had gone.
When she finally went into Peterborough District Hospital at the age of 63, having suffered with stomach pains in silence for some time, her family noticed that she was actually quite jaundiced.
Her doctor diagnosed cirrhosis of the liver, but sent her for additional tests.
And those tests uncovered something else, something they had never considered, especially as there was no history of cancer in the family.
Her daughter Lucy (31), who lives in Oundle, said: “When my mum was diagnosed I had never heard of it before. Now, two years on, I know a lot more.
“The main thing is that people sitting in their homes may be experiencing similar symptoms, and if they do they need to get them checked out.
“The side effects are very similar to diabetes, or back problems. So many people think that it might be just a bad back when in actual fact it could be a life-threatening illness.”
Victoria did not tell her husband Peter and children Lucy, Jemima and Fleur how much she was suffering.
“Even when she was taken into hospital she had been doing the housework and looking after the cooking and cleaning,” Lucy said.
“She was very stubborn and didn’t want to go to the doctor’s, but we found out that she had been poorly for some time.
“But it wasn’t until she turned yellow that we realised something was wrong.
“They did a series of tests and after two weeks they found that she had a shadow on her liver, but further tests also revealed that she had pancreatic cancer.
“The doctor didn’t misdiagnose it, that’s why you send people in for tests. But he said that she might be out in 24 to 48 hours – she never came out.”
Victoria was moved to a specialist unit at Leicester Hospital, where a stent was fitted. But her condition deteriorated.
Lucy, whose partner’s name is Gary Bennett (29), said: “Because we had never heard of it, it was a particular shock, but it was probably the worst thing I have ever experienced in my life, there’s no other way to describe it.
“One of the last things they did was a gastric bypass to try to relieve her symptoms, but if we had known of the pain it would cause her we may have thought twice.
“She came out and within a week she had passed away. And when she did come out she was terrified, and suffered from hallucinations.”
When it was decided that nothing more could be done, it was Victoria’s last wish to be taken home, where she passed away peacefully on August 16.
Lucy said: “The hospital got on the phone to our local doctor and between them they made it possible for mum to spend her last night at home, surrounded by her family and much loved dog, Copper.
“She was in the final stages and was barely conscious, but I think she knew she was home.”
Lucy’s telemarketing company, Telechief, is constantly fund-raising for Pancreatic Cancer UK, making regular donations.
Lucy said: “At the time it was absolutely horrendous and for the first year it was so raw for all of us, it shook dad’s world.
“The doctors couldn’t have diagnosed it earlier – perhaps the hospital could have given us more information.
“Not enough money is spent on Pancreatic cancer, which is why the survival rate has not changed in 40 years. Not many people know about it and there is not as much research done as for other cancers.
“But by the end of the year it may be the fourth biggest cancer killer in the UK, so we need to create hard-hitting advertisements to raise awareness of it.
“We had never heard of it, but now I know one thing – I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/features/pancreatic_cancer_the_silent_killer_remains_as_deadly_as_ever_1_3236021
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Purple Light -- Denver
| |||||||||
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thank You Denver!
The 2011 Denver Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk raised more than $80,000 and attracted over 400 participants! |
| We look forward to seeing you again next year! Through 2010, the Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk series has raised more than $12.7 million! Your participation will help us reach our goal of better treatment, early detection and ultimately a cure for pancreatic cancer. 100% of donations will go directly to pancreatic cancer research. Cablevision Systems Corporation underwrites all of The Lustgarten Foundation's administrative expenses to ensure that 100% of every donation goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. |
| |
| Donations for the 2011 Denver Walk are still being accepted. Keep fundraising! Sponsor Sheet: Download the Sponsor Sheet and ask friends and family to support you. Walker Cards: Walker cards are a quick and easy way to share your personal Walk Page. Matching Gifts: Matching-gift programs are an easy way to significantly increase the impact of your contributions. Spread the Word: Help spread the word! Email your friends, family and co-workers, and invite them to visit this site. |
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Meg Phillips and her inspiration
Sometimes one picture can say it all. Below is Denver Walk Founder, Meg Phillips, at the 2011 Lustgarten walk.
Meg is holding a Buffalo symbolizing her husband Rich who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer several years ago. Rich continues to be her inspiration for the walk. As one committee member said: "I think it is one of the most moving pictures I have seen. You are surely holding Rich to your heart."
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Did you know?
There is a day called Colorado Cancer Day?
Check out the photos on the University of Colorado's Cancer Center Facebook Page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lustgarten-Foundations-Pancreatic-Cancer-Fundraising-Walk-Denver/161854773899129#!/media/set/?set=a.10150919873580615.762379.289522920614&type=1
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Walk Photos
It's a little like "Where's Waldo?"
But can you spot yourself in the crowd?
Thank you to the over 500 people who participated
and the endless volunteers to helped make our walk on Sunday, November 6th happen!
We raised over $80,000 for pancreatic cancer research!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)