A call for more pancreatic cancer research

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | JANUARY 25, 2012

This past weekend I attended the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco. In addition to learning about advancements (and setbacks) and talking with researchers on colorectal, pancreatic, liver and gastric cancers, I also had the chance to talk to a few advocates, including Julie Fleshman, president of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and Anitra Talley, director of patient services and medical relations.

As we were talking about the studies presented on pancreatic cancer that first day, Julie mentioned that pancreatic cancer is still one of the hardest to treat cancers, and more research dollars and studies are desperately needed. She then laid out their goal for 2020 -- to double the five-year survival rate of pancreatic cancer from 6 percent to 12 percent. While 12 percent may not seem an ambitious goal to some, those in the pancreatic cancer community know what a huge leap this would be. It's an admirable goal, especially when the rate of pancreatic cancer is increasing, but not survival.

Included in their strategy is to increase the number of patients in clinical trials, which is probably around 3-5 percent. To do that, PanCan has designated January as National Pancreatic Cancer Clinical Trials Awareness Month. By increasing the number of patients in trials, research can move forward at a faster pace.

While PanCan has helped patients find clinical trials before, they really wanted to focus on this aspect of research. Before January, PanCan's record of calls and emails asking about clinical trials was 154.

"By the second week of January, we had 331, doubling our highest week ever," Julie said. I'll be interested in seeing how many inquiries they received the second half of the month.

I also learned that PanCan, as well as the Lustgarten Foundation, are working with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) on its first pancreatic cancer-specific meeting (Progress and Challenges) this summer, bringing researchers and clinicians together to devote three days to pancreatic cancer. PanCan has also brought in more than $4 million for research grants and awards to young investigators to study the disease.

With an approach that focuses on both patients and researchers, I'm hoping that at my next GI meeting, I'll hear more good news.

• Two new drugs approved, one pulled from the pipeline
• Cancer screening rates low
• An introduction to cancer: From a father and his daughter
• The cushion of silence
• Cancer apps

The Great American Smokeout

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | NOVEMBER 17, 2011

Today is the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout - a day smokers can circle on their calendars as the day they quit smoking.

While smoking has been most recognizably linked to lung cancer, quitting can also reduce your risk of bladder, head and neck, pancreatic and esophageal cancers - to name a few. And it's never too late to quit.

On my flight back from meeting with the American Cancer Society this week, I sat next to a man who mentioned that his father was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. He mentioned his father had been a smoker, but had quit and started treatment. It's never too late to quit. There have been several studies showing patients who quit smoking during treatment have a better response than those who continue to smoke.

Thankfully there are resources out there to help you to quit - and to help those you love to quit, including:

National Cancer Institute

SmokeFree.gov

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

American Cancer Society

For those who continue to struggle with tobacco addiction, I thought it might be nice to hear from someone who has been there - President Obama. "The fact is, quitting smoking is hard. Believe me, I know."

• Two new drugs approved, one pulled from the pipeline
• Cancer screening rates low
• A call for more pancreatic cancer research
• An introduction to cancer: From a father and his daughter
• The cushion of silence

Have you nominated a nurse yet?

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | NOVEMBER 8, 2011

There are two types of people - those who are early (planning ahead optional) and those who are last-minute. (Well, three types if you count those people who are spot-on, all the time ... but do those people really exist?)

I'm sure many people are doing their holiday shopping early, like my dad, who will be early to his own funeral. No joke. And then there will be people like my mom, who whip up something spectacular at the last minute. So, what type of person are you? One who will nominate a deserving oncology nurse for CURE's Extraordinary Healer Award early or last-minute?

If you haven't heard about the annual essay contest, each year CURE gives readers (patients, survivors, caregivers, and peers) a unique opportunity to honor an oncology nurse by describing the compassion, expertise and helpfulness that a special oncology nurse has shown to his or her patients. (For research, you can read last year's finalist essays here). At the end of the contest, we will offer three nurse finalists and the individuals who nominated them (plus one guest each) a trip to New Orleans to be honored at a reception on May 3.

If you want to get a jump on your nurse nomination, CURE is now accepting submissions to its 2012 essay contest. Why wait until the deadline of March 21st when you know how great your nurse is and can't wait to write about them?

We've had finalists who couldn't wait to submit their essay, and we've honored individuals who nominated their nurse at the stroke of midnight on the last day of the contest.

To learn more about the contest, go to curetoday.com/healeraward. We will also be updating the Extraordinary Healer pages with new features soon, so stay tuned!

• Learning to be a caregiver
• The burden and blessing of childhood cancer survivorship
• First day of school
• Walking the cancer journey
• Do men grieve differently?

Remembering Mr. Cora

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

This morning I learned that Spiro Cora, a beloved teacher at my high school, passed away from bladder cancer. He inspired many in the classroom, and it always amazed me that he knew me by name so many years after I graduated – and I wasn't the only one. His impact on all of his students was deep and meaningful.

His daughter, Cat Cora, filmed this Stand Up to Cancer video in honor of her dad, and I wanted to share it with you.

I'll be thinking of Mr. Cora and his family today. I spent some time this morning reading comments and stories other former students had posted about him, remembering what a great teacher he was. He always had a smile on his face and had such a wonderful attitude about everything, I can't help but try to do the same.

• Two new drugs approved, one pulled from the pipeline
• Cancer screening rates low
• A call for more pancreatic cancer research
• An introduction to cancer: From a father and his daughter
• The cushion of silence

Crazy Sexy Lifestyle

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | AUGUST 15, 2011

The New York Times Magazine profiled Kris Carr this past weekend ("Crazy Sexy Entrepreneur"). Carr, who was diagnosed with a rare sarcoma called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2003, filmed her cancer journey and detailed her shock, depression, and ultimately her attitude and lifestyle change in a 90-minute documentary.

Carr has stage 4 EHE, but has not had to undergo treatment. However, that could change at any time. So she lives with the reality of a life-threatening illness over her head. Where others might choose to push thoughts of cancer aside until absolutely necessary, Carr has chosen to think about it every day. Since her diagnosis, she has made her lifestyle changes and attitude into a type of wellness brand.

We published an earlier piece on Carr ("Scenes from a Cancer Quest") in Heal, a short-lived survivorship magazine that CURE produced through 2008.

Much like Lance Armstrong, but with green juices instead of yellow wristbands, Carr has become a "cancerlebrity." Her websites, best-selling books and tours have made Carr's cancer a springboard for a mission and, ultimately, a career. (CURE will be profiling other patient and survivors in a "making cancer your mission" feature later this year, so stay tuned.)

While some may be critical of Carr's über-healthy lifestyle and career aspirations, I think it boils down to cancer patients wanting to have some sort of control over their body, whether it's through exercise, supplement use, diet or enemas. Carr developed a lifestyle that she says has helped her live better – whether that has kept her cancer stable is still unknown.

• Two new drugs approved, one pulled from the pipeline
• Cancer screening rates low
• A call for more pancreatic cancer research
• An introduction to cancer: From a father and his daughter
• The cushion of silence

Want more birthday?

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | AUGUST 10, 2011

I'm sure you've heard of the More Birthdays campaign from the American Cancer Society. We've blogged on it, including a video of Ricky Martin crooning the birthday song on his bongos (Do cancer survivors celebrate birthdays differently?).

Earlier this summer, the ACS launched a grassroots Create More Birthdays Contest that asked individuals to upload videos of them singing the song or original artwork that has inspired them to celebrate a world with less cancer.

The non-profit has received more than 100 "Happy Birthday" videos and pieces of art. The top 12 finalists have now been announced, results came from public online votes and the contest's official judges. The grand prize winners will be selected by a final online poll that ends on Aug 22. Winners will be featured on the morebirthdays.com website with Ricky Martin and other music artists and have their artwork featured in an exclusive card collection.

Each person who votes is also entered into a sweepstakes for a More Birthdays gift pack, which includes "More Birthdays" gift wrap, posters, limited-edition prints and birthday cards.

You can view and vote for the videos and artwork of the top dozen at my.morebirthdays.com.

I have to admit that the CURE staff fiddled with the idea of creating its own Happy Birthday video, but we decided to leave it to the professionals--You!

From the ACS, here is the list of finalists:

MUSIC

• Jessi sings "Happy Birthday" (by Jessi Hardin)
• Happy Birthday on Lap Steel (by Greg Vorobiov)
• Happy Birthday to Me! (by Jeri Lyn Baker)
• Happy Birthday! :3 (by Mari-Ann Bui)
• Survivor (by Jennifer Taylor)
• Happy Birthday (by Shannon Eileen Bachmann)

ART:

• Sing (by Amy Turner)
• More Birthdays Because of Women's Screen (by Marilyn Brown)
• 11 Million Wishes (by Sam Mendez)
• Innocence (by Sylwia Baran)
• Relay For A Cure (by Johnny Gene Wilson)
• into dreams (by Faun Donald)

So, who are your favorites?

• Two new drugs approved, one pulled from the pipeline
• Cancer screening rates low
• A call for more pancreatic cancer research
• An introduction to cancer: From a father and his daughter
• The cushion of silence

Chemo Duck gears up to celebrate childhood cancer awareness month

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | AUGUST 8, 2011

I wrote a piece on Gabe's My Heart a while back (Friend in Need: Chemo Duck) when CURE recognized Lu Sipos as an advocate for childhood cancer patients because she offered something that helped her own son through cancer.

When Sipos' 1-year-old son, Gabe, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in 2002, he didn't understand the diagnosis or his treatment, which is why Sipos transformed a stuffed animal into Chemo Duck, complete with scrubs, a bandana and chemotherapy port. The toy became not only a source of comfort for Gabe, but also a learning tool.

Nearly 10 years later, Chemo Duck has found its way into hospitals across the country--not only for children with cancer, but also for children of parents who were facing cancer. It has become a learning toy that helps children understand certain aspects of the disease.

I appreciated the idea behind Chemo Duck. So when I heard that the young daughter of an acquaintance had developed leukemia, I put together a notebook for her and sent her a Chemo Duck.

This past week, Gabe's My Heart announced that it is celebrating Childhood Cancer Awareness in September by thanking all of their supporters and revving up its fundraising to provide 400 children with their very own Chemo Duck. They are hoping people will donate at least $25 by "adopting a duck" for a child with cancer.

The first 400 ducks "donated" before Oct. 1 will become an entry into a raffle. Four gifts, one of which is a new iPad, were donated to Gabe's My Heart to help the non-profit reach its fundraising goal. Winners will be notified via email and announced on the Chemo Duck Facebook page on Oct. 3.

• Two new drugs approved, one pulled from the pipeline
• Cancer screening rates low
• A call for more pancreatic cancer research
• An introduction to cancer: From a father and his daughter
• The cushion of silence

Pan-Massachusetts Challenge this weekend

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | AUGUST 3, 2011

This weekend (Aug. 6-7) is the annual Pan-Massachusetts Challenge. About 5,000 cyclists from around the U.S. (and six other countries) will ride across the state in the 32nd annual bike-a-thon. Their goal is to raise $34 milllion for cancer research and treatment for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. This year will bring the fundraiser's total Jimmy Fund contribution to more than $303 million.

Earlier this year, we published a guest blog "The beginnings of the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge" by the event's founder, Billy Star. Starr, who is also the executive director of the Pan-Mass Challenge, shared how the event began as a simple bike ride honoring his mother, who died of melanoma in 1974. It has now grown to be the single largest athletic cancer fundraiser in the country.

Good luck to all the riders this weekend -- and for all those who they are riding for.

For more information, visit pmc.org

• Two new drugs approved, one pulled from the pipeline
• Cancer screening rates low
• A call for more pancreatic cancer research
• An introduction to cancer: From a father and his daughter
• The cushion of silence

Standing up to melanoma

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | JULY 7, 2011

With all the melanoma research news lately, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the current study results involving Yervoy (ipilumumab) and vemurafenib that were announced at ASCO.

However, these drugs only work in certain patients. While vemurafenib targets the BRAF mutation, which occurs in about half of melanomas, it still doesn't work for every patient -- even patients with melanomas that carry the specific BRAF mutation that is targeted.

At the American Association for Cancer Research, which was held back in April, Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) announced the latest round of research grants, awarding nearly $10 million over three years to 13 early-career researchers who are pursuing "high-risk, potentially high-reward translational cancer research." (You can read more about the grants here.)

One of those grants, the Allan H. (Bud) and Sue Selig Stand Up To Cancer Melanoma Innovative Research Grant, was named in honor of Bud Selig, a melanoma survivor and Major League Baseball Commissioner. The recipient of the grant is a young investigator, Roger Lo, MD, PhD, from the University of California Los Angeles's Comprehensive Cancer Center, who is currently focusing on those BRAF-positive melanomas that are resistant to vemurafenib.

In addition, SU2C, partnering with the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), has committed to funding at least $6 million over a three-year period toward melanoma research. Wendy K.D. Selig, MRA's president and CEO, said in a statement, "This exciting collaboration comes at the perfect moment in the trajectory of melanoma research – a time when there is so much hope and optimism in the field about bringing better outcomes to patients and those at risk." (You can read Wendy Selig's guest blog on the future of melanoma research "The year of melanoma.")

This is just one example of how cancer research is staying one step ahead. Hopefully Lo can fulfill his hopes of "hitting a homerun" for Bud and others who are dealing with melanoma.

• Two new drugs approved, one pulled from the pipeline
• Cancer screening rates low
• A call for more pancreatic cancer research
• An introduction to cancer: From a father and his daughter
• The cushion of silence

The lonely patient

BY ELIZABETH WHITTINGTON | JUNE 29, 2011

One piece of advice we hear often for those newly diagnosed with cancer -- for both the patient and the caregiver -- is to ask for help. Set up a caregiver team. Keep a list handy so that when people ask what they can do, you can tell them. Set up a website to keep everyone informed. If you're a caregiver, make time for yourself. Remind people that you can only eat so many casseroles and bowls of pasta.

This is great for people who have that support system in place. What we forget sometimes is that there is a large group of people without that support.

Carol reminded us of that fact.

There's a forgotten group of cancer patients and survivors out here.

I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2008. Ever since that day, nearly every book, every article, every health care worker, every group, advises us how important our family and friends are and how much their support will help get us through our disease and treatments.

I have no family left except for a few cousins 1,500 miles away and friends, but not close ones. So I went through three surgeries, chemo and radiation entirely alone. I had to work part-time because I have only one income -- mine. I lay in bed every weekend with sores in my mouth and throat, pain in my arms and legs unable to clean or cook. I had to pay someone. There was no one to get me a drink of water when I couldn't walk to the kitchen because the pain would shoot through my feet and up my legs with every step.

I spent Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve and New Year's Day alone. Christmas I did have dinner with a friend and her family -- it made me feel more alone. I do belong to Gilda's Club South Florida, but they're closed on weekends and holidays, and most cities don't even have them.

I'm not alone because I'm a terrible person or because no one likes me; it's just that my family members have all passed away, and others have their own busy lives. I'm sure there are others who are in this situation as well. There seems to be a support group for just about every patient and every caregiver and every type of cancer but none for us who have no family or friends to make up a support system. What about us?

I'm bringing this to your attention as an appeal to you to reach out to the cancer patients who are going it alone like I did.

I would love to be able to round them all up and bring them to my place for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, Mother's Day and Father's Day, Ground Hog Day, Arbor Day, Flag Day....LOL. It would be great if there were someone to get the word out to those of us in different areas of the country, and someone to help us connect with one another.

No one seems to realize that we're out here because we have no one to tell. Will you help? Thanks.

Very truly yours,

Carol Boulet
Vero Beach, Florida

A few years ago, CURE touched on this topic in "On Their Own." It offers tips and suggestions on how to travel the cancer journey as a solitary patient, but I think Carol's suggestion should go to the top of the list. Are there support organizations or groups for solitary patients and survivors?

• Two new drugs approved, one pulled from the pipeline
• Cancer screening rates low
• A call for more pancreatic cancer research
• An introduction to cancer: From a father and his daughter
• The cushion of silence