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Today is Saturday, May 25, 2013 |
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When this edition of Words To Live By was originally published, the links below opened active web pages. |
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News HeadlinesHRT May Reduce Severity of Breast Cancer Cancerpage news is updated daily, Monday through Friday, and on the weekends as warranted. Twenty-one new articles have been added to cancerpage news since the last newsletter. To see ALL the latest stories, go to the cancerpage.com search page and click on Submit (but leave search field black.) May is Oncology Nursing Month Because cancers are diseases associated with
increased age, an aging society such as ours in the United States can expect to
see more cases of cancer as the big baby boomer bubble reaches toward retirement
and beyond. Earlier this week (April 30th), the Oncology Nursing
Society warned the Congress about a looming crisis in cancer care: "As
the overall number of nurses will drop precipitously in the coming years, we
likely will experience a commensurate decrease in the number of nurses trained
in the specialty of oncology. With an increasing number of people with cancer
needing high-quality health care, coupled with an inadequate nursing workforce,
our nation could quickly face a cancer care crisis of serious proportion, with
limited access to quality cancer care, particularly in traditionally underserved
areas," they said in written testimony
. A shortage of nurses available to work in cancer research and
clinical trials was also forecast. The ONS urged Congress to reject the
Administration's proposed $44 million cut in nursing-=
workforce funding in 2008 and instead pass
a $200 million funding bill for nursing-workforce development. Read the written testimony
here
. (This is a
.pdf file which requires an
Recalls of
Drugs Used by Some Cancer
Patients Recent studies have suggested that the gout drug
Colchicine may prevent some
liver cancers. The possible anti-cancer effects of Colchicine have been
studied for years and although it has not been approved by the
FDA for use against cancer, some patients might be taking it
off-label. ApothéCure and FDA notified all healthcare professionals, this week, of
recent deaths associated with the use of compounded injectable
Colchicine 0.5mg/ml, 4ml vials, lot number
20070122@26. The company issued an immediate drug
recall for all strengths, sizes and lots of compounded Injectable
Colchicine sold within the last year. Customers are asked to examine their stock
for ApothéCure compounded Colchicine on hand and to discontinue use immediately
and prepare the product for return to the company. Find out more here
.
The device company Gebauer is recalling several lots of
Salivart Oral Moisturizer . Salivart is an
aerosol that is used to lubricate and moisten the oral tissue of patients who
are suffering from dry mouth caused by a variety of drug treatments, head and
neck radiation, and autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome. It's being
recalled, the company says, "because some cans of Salivart do not meet the
company's specifications for aerobic microorganisms and mold." Anyone in
possession of the recalled product should stop using it and dispose of it
immediately. To find the affected lot numbers, contact call 800-321-9348.
See
the FDA advisory here
. FDA Again Warns about
Drugs Bought Online
New FDA warning
about a group of 24 web sites involved in selling counterfeit drugs. See the list here
. In Case of Flu
Pandemic
While media attention to the possibility of a flu pandemic has been mute in
recent months, health professionals and policy makers continue to work feverishly
on how to respond in case a pandemic arises. New this week are proposed
public guidelines for wearing face masks and respirators during a flu pandemic.
The CDC acknowledges there's little hard science to support public use
of such devices but concludes "these interim recommendations are based on the best
judgment of public health experts who relied in part on information about the
protective value of masks in healthcare facilities." You can read the guidelines
here
including what makes a mask different from a respirator
and when to use one or the other.
Living with
Cancer Tune in this Sunday, May 6 at 8 PM (ET/PT) to Discovery Channel or
Discovery Health for a program focused solely on the lives of
cancer patients—from the day-to-day challenges to the emotional ups and downs.
Among others, you'll meet Leroy Sievers, who was diagnosed with colon cancer and
has been keeping a running blog of his experiences at www.npr.org/mycancer. Over time,
a community of great insight and support has grown there. After the taped
portion of Sunday's program, a live discussion involving Elizabeth Edwards,
Lance Armstrong, and other cancer survivors will take place. Find out more about the show
and watch advance excerpts here.
Rare Cancer Gets Big Endowment
Before he died at age 49, Garry Betty told the New York
Times he
loved stories where good triumphs over evil. Betty was the CEO of Earthlink,
the internet company, when he was diagnosed with adrenal cancer last year.
When he lost his battle with the rare disease earlier this year, he left
$400,000 to the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center for the study
of adrenal cancer --- giving him the chance to play a part in that epic
good vs evil struggle against a type of cancer that is nearly always fatal.
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