Soy, Hot-Flashes, Menopause, Great Information!

A new study that was just released shows that Soy Supplements are not the answer for hot flashes and bone lose due to menopause. Soy supplements have been a popular alternative to hormone replacement therapy.

The trial had 248 women take either 200 mg of soy isoflavones or a placebo daily. Neither the researchers nor the women knew who was taking which until the end of the study.

After two years measurements of bone-mineral density in the women’s hips and spines showed no difference between the soy supplement and placebo groups. The women had small amounts of bone loss in each group.

As for the frequency of menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, loss of libido and vaginal dryness, still no difference. At the end of the study more women taking the soy reported having hot flashes.

What other options do women have? For hot flashes, some antidepressants and the antiseizure drug gabapentin have been shown to help. Women should still turn to calcium, vitamin D and regular exercise to prevent bone loss.

To your health
Leigh

Great information from: Time Magazine, August 22, 2011 Health and Science Briefing, Sora Song

Melanoma, Skin Cancer, New Drug, Zelboraf, approved by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Zelboraf (vemurafenib), a drug to treat patients with late-stage (metastatic) or unresectable (cannot be removed by surgery) melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

Melanoma is the leading cause of death from skin disease. The National Cancer Institute estimated that 68,130 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the United States during 2010; about 8,700 people died from the disease.

Zelboraf is specifically indicated for the treatment of patients with melanoma whose tumors express a gene mutation called BRAF V600E. The drug has not been studied in patients whose melanoma tests negative for that mutation by an FDA approved diagnostic.

Zelboraf is being approved with a first-of-a-kind test called the cobas 4800 BRAF V600 Mutation Test, a companion diagnostic that will help determine if a patient's melanoma cells have the BRAF V600E mutation.

The BRAF protein is normally involved in regulating cell growth, but is mutated in about half of the patients with late-stage melanomas. Zelboraf is a BRAF inhibitor that is able to block the function of the V600E-mutated BRAF protein.

Zelboraf's safety and effectiveness were established in a single international trial of 675 patients with late-stage melanoma with the BRAF V600E mutation who had not received prior therapy. Patients were assigned to receive either Zelboraf or dacarbazine, another anti-cancer therapy. The trial was designed to measure overall survival (the length of time between start of treatment and death of a patient). The median survival (the length of time a patient lives after treatment) of patients receiving Zelboraf has not been reached (77 percent still living) while the median survival for those who received dacarbazine was 8 months (64 percent still living).

To read the full FDA report with side effects and more go to: FDA PRESS RELEASE

To your health,
Leigh

Is your Beef part of the latest Beef Recall?

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc, Publix Super Markets Inc, and Kroger Co. announced the recall mainly in the southeastern US and said the problems arose at the National Beef Packaging Co of Dodge City, Kansas.
The USDA announced that National Beef was recalling more than 60,000 pounds of beef after Ohio Dept of Agriculture found the E coli bacteria during regular testing.
E.coli can be deadly and can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and other problems. In order to kill the E.coli the Agriculture Dept cautioned people to cook ground beef to a temperature of at least 160 Degrees.
Below is a list of the stores and a link to their web sites for more information.
http://www.winndixie.com/
See their alert window on the right side of the page for more information. Products include ground chuck and patties with “sell-by” label dates from July 31 to Aug. 12. Return the beef to your stores for a refund.
http://www.publix.com/about/newsroom/recalls/Recall.do?id=2561
Seasoned Beef Meatballs, Meat Loaf (Oven Ready), Ground Chuck Patties, Ground Chuck. Stuffed Peppers, Seasoned Salisbury Steak, Montreal Seasoned Chuck Patties,
And more. Full list with numbers on their page.
http://www.kroger.com/SERVICES/Pages/recall_information.aspx
See this page at Kroger’s for full list of their recalled items.
Please take care.
To your health
Leigh

One day Free Medical Clinic for the Uninsured New Orleans, LA,8-29-2011

If you live in the New Orleans, LA, area and have no insurance please take advantage of the following ONE DAY FREE HEALTH CLINIC.

The National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC) will be sponsoring a one day free medical clinic for the uninsured on Monday, August 29, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.The New Orleans C.A.R.E. Clinic will offer free basic medical care and health education.

PATIENT INFORMATION:
The New Orleans C.A.R.E. Clinic patient hours are from 11:00am to 7:00pm.
Patients are encouraged to call ahead and make an appointment for this clinic event. Patients can call 877-236-7617 to make an appointment.
Uninsured Patients Only. Walk-ins will be seen on a limited, first-come first-serve basis.
Please note:- This event is for those WITHOUT insurance. Recipients of Medicare, Medicaid, or Veterans Administration benefits are not eligible.
If you are taking medications, please bring your medicine bottles.- Parking will be free.
Event Date:
Mon. 8/29/2011, 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Location

Ernest N Morial Convention Center
900 Convention Center Blvd New Orleans, LA 70130
Get Directions ...

Call now and make an appointment now.

To your health,
Leigh

Hot Flashes from Menopause or Cancer Meds, Good for you?

As a woman that is going through “Hot Flashes”, mood swings, night sweats; not from menopause but from cancer medication, it is interesting to hear that hot flashes may help protect the heart. An article in the March 14, 2011, Time Magazine, by Alice Park, states that according to the latest research, it turns out that women who have these episodes in their 50’s or 60’s also have an 11% lower risk of heart disease over the next 10 years, compared with women who don’t suffer the same symptoms.

Because heart-disease risk increases in women’s postmenopausal years as levels of the heart-protective hormone estrogen decline, this risk reduction is potentially lifesaving.

My cancer medications are having the same effect of lowering the estrogen so I am hoping that this means that it will be helping my heart as well as fighting cancer.

To read the complete article go to:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2056704,00.html

To your health,
Leigh

Getting help with the cost of prescription drugs!

Need help with the cost of your medications. RX Outreach is a non-profit company that helps people with no insurance or low income to save on their medications.

In my own experience they were able to save me considerable amounts on a breast cancer medication I will be taking for 2 more years. I was part of the pharmaceutical company’s patient assistance program but the brand name medication was dropped from their list when a generic was put on the market. The generic still cost over $400.00 for a 30 day supply. RX Outreach saved me from having to quit taking the medication.

I gave their information to a friend and they were able to save her over $50 per month on her heart medications.

This company carries over 200 medications and I am sure they can save you money if you qualify for their program.

Their web site is: http://www.rxoutreach.org/
Or call : 1-800-769-3880

Check them out.

To you health
Leigh

Femara, Breast Cancer Medication, Replacement Success!

After Femara was dropped from the Patient Assistance Program of Novartis and I found out that the generic, Letrozole, cost $446.00 for a 30 day supply, I thought I would have to stop taking it. I searched all over locally and on the web for a reasonable price for the generic replacement of Femara. Let me tell you some of the things I found out.

All the major Pharmacies in my area, even the local drug store, all were over priced. On the web you will find list after list of Canadian Pharmacies that sell in the U.S. The online prices ran for a 90 day supply anywhere from $72.00 to $320.00. I just received my 180 day supply and it only cost me $55.00. If you have no insurance or meet their income requirements and can not afford your medications see if you qualify at RX Outreach.

The forms can be downloaded from the site and they cover many medications (not just cancer medications). Perhaps you will find you can save money there.

I hope this information helps some of you with the cost of your medications.

To your health

Leigh

A Gene for Depression?

Your DNA provides powerful clues to understanding disease, but genes aren’t destiny-- particularly when it comes to mental illness.

Researchers report that a particular gene may increase the risk of depression, but only in combination with an added, nongenetic factor--a stressful life event.

The scientists found that people with one form of a protein that ferries serotonin, a mood-related neurotransmitter, are especially prone to depression when faced with traumatic events, such as being diagnosed with a medical illness or being a victim of childhood abuse. The version of the gene that these individuals carry prevents nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing serotonin, which leads to feelings of sadness and negative mood and may make it harder for them to recover emotionally from a crisis.

The results confirm earlier work that had linked the serotonin-transporter gene to depression under stressful circumstances, a connection that subsequent studies had questioned. The current analysis includes a broader range of study date, however, and appears to confirm the association.

To your Health, Leigh


This article is from: Time Magazine, Jan 17, 2011, Lab Report by Alice Park

I’ve heard garlic is good for you, but what exactly does it do?

Are there any specific health benefits that come from eating a lot of garlic?

Ethnobotanist James Duke, Ph.D., one of the world’s leading experts in medicinal plants, places garlic among the best all-around plant medicines in the world. According to Dr. Duke’s seminal book, The Green Pharmacy, garlic is effective for alleviating conditions ranging from high cholesterol and high blood pressure to yeast infections and clotting disorders. Garlic compounds have the potential to help treat more than 200 ailments, Dr. Duke says. It’s the best overall plant for stimulating the immune system, the best anti-clotting herb, one of the best anti-fungals, and potentially useful for preventing heart disease and cancer.

How long has garlic been in the human medicine cabinet and what were its uses through the ages? Cultures throughout the world have recognized garlic’s healing abilities. The first-century Roman scholar Pliny the Elder cited uses for it from treating snakebites to dealing with dizziness and intestinal parasites. In China, records show garlic was used as early as the sixth century to treat conditions such as colds and digestive ailments.

For specific information on how much garlic is recommended for a particular condition, check out the articles at The Herb Companion, or read about garlic in The Green Pharmacy, a welcome addition to any home library.

Note: Because garlic is a powerful anti-coagulant (prevents blood clotting), don’t take it in large amounts if you have a clotting disorder, and consult with your health care practitioner if you take anti-coagulants, such as Coumadin, or therapeutic doses of aspirin. Stop using garlic two weeks before any scheduled surgery.

Even if garlic wasn’t healthy for you, my diet would still be full of the stuff considering that great aroma and flavor are part of what makes life worth living. Eat your garlic for health and enjoyment!

To you health and wealth, Leigh
Based on an article by K C Compton
Mother Earth News, 5-31-2011
Photo Credit: Fotolia

Cancer Drug Woes! Femara goes Generic, What Now?

If you have been getting Femara from the Novartis Oncology Patient Assistance Program you have probably received a letter letting you know that it will no longer be available through their PAP program.



Their reasoning is that there is now a generic alternative available in the marketplace. Letrozole



I called my oncologist and they confirmed this is the case.



In the letter Novartis recommended checking with the following programs to see if they could help with cost coverage:



Rx Outreach, a generic Patient Assistance Program - http://www.rxoutreach.org/ or 1-877-837-9896
Cancer Care - http://www.cancercare.org/ or 1-800-813-HOPE
Partnership for Prescription Assistance - http://www.pparx.org/ or 1-888-477-2669



My oncologist office told me they have had some success at Cancer Care with help for other medications and suggested I start there.



I went to my local Walmart pharmacy to find out how much the generic will cost and was shocked to find out that the cost was $446.42 for a 30 day supply. Femara was only (ha, ha) $564.00. I do not see a great savings with the generic.



I will let everyone know as I do more research and see where I can find help or the lowest prices.



Since the Protocols say you have to take Femara for 5 years I guess the drug companies feel they have a captive group to force paying the high prices.



Bookmark and come back for more info.



To your health (can’t say “and wealth” at these prices)
Leigh



PS: If you have any information that would help my readers please let us know. Thanks.

New Cancer Radiation Burn Relief! Sunburn Relief!

Are you having Radiation treatments and have red, blistered or irritated skin?
Do you sunburn when you go out to the beach or your child’s baseball game? This New Product May be just what you need!

I was talking to my best friend yesterday. She lives in Florida, had gone to the beach and had gotten serious sunburn on her head and face. She could not touch her forehead, it was so seriously burned.

A good friend of ours had recently gone through a series of radiation treatments for breast cancer. She had gotten severe Radiation burns and was given a new product to try on her burns
It immediately gave her relief and helped heal her blistered skin. She gave my friend some to try on her sunburn.

According to both of them this is the best product around for Radiation Burns and Severe Sunburn.

It is called: RADIADERM

Radiaderm is a 2 Step Treatment.

The first step is the cooling gel that cools and hydrates the skin to relieve discomfort and irritation and helps to promote healing. The gel is a water-based gel designed to quickly draw the heat out of a burn by acting as a heat exchanger. Heat energy is spread over the whole gel surface and at the outer surface of the gel, the heat is released into the air.

The second step is the Soothing Lotion that protects, moisturizes and helps promote healing. Also includes a sunscreen. The lotion helps to rejuvenate damaged skin stressed by radiation. It can also be included in your daily skincare routine.

The Cooling Gel and Soothing Lotion contain Lactokine™ Fluid, a milk-based skin rejuvenator that has been used in personal care products for over 15 years. Lactokine helps build the skin’s defense and protects against inflammation and helps stressed skin recover faster.

The Radiaderm™ Advanced Skincare System with Lactokine™ is listed in most national drug databanks with the National Drug Code Number NDC 59898-130-30 and may be eligible for reimbursement through insurance.

You can go to their web site at http://www.radiaderm.com/ to get all the information about this new product.

You can order online at http://www.radiaderm.com/ and Get free ground shipping!
Order Toll-free at 1-800 -693-1171or Contact your radiation center or hospital pharmacy.

To your Health, Leigh



Medical Disclaimer: All information on this site is of a general nature and is furnished for your knowledge and understanding only. This information is not to be taken as medical or other health advice pertaining to your specific health and medical condition.

Scoping Out Colon Cancer!

It’s not likely to make anyone’s bucket list, but a colonoscopy could save you from needing to do everything on that list anytime soon.

A new study confirms that regular colonoscopy screening, which involves inserting a scope through the rectum and into the intestines to detect and sometimes remove growths, can lower the risk of colon cancer by 77%. That number changes depending on the exact site of tumors: risk is reduced just 56% if the growth is on the right side of the intestines (which is harder to reach with the scope), but that is still a big improvement over people who did not get routine screenings.

Common wisdom calls for a colonoscopy once every 10 years for anyone over age 50, but that advice has been questioned by recent studies suggesting that the invasive and relatively expensive procedure does not find more tumors than less expensive tests that analyze fecal blood or use a shorter scope. The reason for the varying results may be operator skill; proper preparation and thorough execution of the test could improve its effectiveness.

For patients, it may be worth seeking out such skilled physicians, since colonoscopy is one of the few screening tools that can both detect precancerous growths and remove them, preventing cancer in a single procedure.

This information is from Time Magazine Jan 17, 2011, Lab Report by Alice Park.

If you are over 50 please discuss with your doctor scheduling a colonoscopic screening for your health and life.

To your Health, Leigh

Use Music to Soothe Cancer Treatments

Listening to music can be good therapy for people undergoing cancer treatment, according to recent research. The American Cancer Society reports that music therapy can help reduce pain and relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Studies also have shown that listening to music can slow your heart and breathing rate, reduce blood pressure, improve mood and even help you sleep better.

Here are some easy ways to get your musical "dose":

Bring an iPod or CD player with a headset to medical appointments. Listen to classical music, instrumental arrangements or anything you find soothing in the waiting room or during chemo infusions.

Tune your car radio to easy-listening stations. Or, listen to favorite CDs while driving to or from the clinic or hospital. Avoid jarring tunes and downbeat news stations.

If you play a musical instrument, carve out time for personal jam sessions.

Sing along to your favorite tunes-don't by shy!

this article was in the Healthmonitor Magazine, Feb/Mar 2011.

Check for this magazine at your doctors office, they have some great articles.

Good health and wealth to all,

Leigh

Jennie-O Turkey Burger Recall, Does it effect you?

On April 2, 2011, Jennie-O Turkey Store, owned by Hormel, issued a recall of 55, 000 pounds of frozen ground turkey burgers that may be contaminated with Salmonella, according to US Dept of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service. The recall pertains to packages of “All Natural Turkey Burgers with seasonings Lean White Meat” with a “use by” date of December 23, 2011.

The ground turkey, which comes in four pound boxes containing 12 patties, is sold exclusively at Sam’s Club. Consumers who have purchased the product should not consume it and return it to a Sam’s Club for a full refund, Jennie-O said.

If you are a cancer patient and on chemotherapy, or have any other immune weakness for an illness or age, infants and the elderly, Salmonella infections can be life-threatening. Salmonella's is caused by consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella and is one of the most common bacterial food borne illnesses. The most common symptoms of the Salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever (according the FSIS). Additional symptoms may be chills, vomiting and nausea that can last up to 7 days.

Be sure to check your Turkey Burger Packages NOW!

To your Health, Leigh

Mammograms find more than Breast Cancer.

Mammograms Do Double Duty! Mammography is one of the best ways to detect breast cancer early, but the routine scans may also be useful in picking up signs of kidney disease. X-ray based mammogram screenings expose calcium deposits - one of the by-products of malfunctioning kidneys - in the arteries of breast tissue. This was reported in the Feb 11th issue of Time magazine in the briefing section, Lab Reports, by Alice Park. This just adds to the reason to be sure to get your mammogram; Early detection of breast cancer and early detection of kidney disease. To your health Leigh

Relay for Life, American Cancer Society Support!

It is Relay for Life time, Get your teams together and get signed up. This annual event to benefit the American Cancer Society is coming up the first of May and now is the time to start collecting sign ups and contributions.

There will be events from the 24 hour walk/run to Survivor walks.

This is one of the biggest Cancer events of the years and it supports ACS research for a cure for breast cancer as well as other cancers.

I will be walking for myself as a Survivor of breast cancer and for my best friend that past away 6 months ago from breast cancer. My sister will be walking (if she is well enough) as a survivor of bladder cancer.

If you do not have a team of your own contact your local hospital or doctors office and find one you can join.

WE can stop cancer through research. Join in now!

get more information here: www.relayforlife.org/

To your health!

Leigh

Bladder Cancer, What Now!

My sister just had her bladder removed last week due to bladder cancer. For 10 years she has had a cystoscopy starting at every 6 months to in the end having them every three months. She has gone through 2 sets of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatments which did not make much difference. Luckily the cancer stayed a stage 1 for most of that time and only in the past year has become aggressive in its growth. It has gone from what the doctor described as broccoli to looking like a full forest.

I will be covering some of the information I have found out about this cancer from different web sites and also some of the trials and triumphs that have occurred.

This is the basic definition of BLADDER CANCER as defined by the MayoClinic.com site.

Bladder cancer is a type of cancer that begins in your bladder — a balloon-shaped organ in your pelvic area that stores urine. Bladder cancer begins most often in the cells that line the inside of the bladder. Bladder cancer typically affects older adults, though it can occur at any age.
The great majority of bladder cancers are diagnosed at an early stage — when bladder cancer is highly treatable. However, even early-stage bladder cancer is likely to recur. For this reason, bladder cancer survivors often undergo follow-up tests to look for bladder cancer recurrence for years after treatment.

If you have been diagnosed with bladder cancer please ask your doctor questions. He or she should be your first line of action. But never be afraid to look to others for more information. The internet has a wealth of information and support groups across the country can help answer questions also.

Good Health to us all!
Leigh


This information in not medical advise and is information only. Please discuss any questions with your doctor.

Women, Coffee and Stroke Risk!

According to an article published online Thursday in the American Heart Association Journal Stroke, women who enjoy a daily dose of coffee may be lowering their risk of stroke.

Women in a Swedish study who drank at least a cup of coffee everyday had a 22-25 percent lower risk of stroke, compared to those who drank less coffee or none at all.

"Coffee drinkers should rejoice. Coffee is often made out to be potentially bad for your heart. There really hasn't been any study that convincingly said coffee is bad", said Dr Sharonne N Hayes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "If you are drinking coffee now, you may be doing some good and you are likely not doing harm," she added.

The study shouldn't send non-coffee drinkers running to their local coffee shop. The study doesn't prove that coffee lowers stroke risk, only that coffee drinkers tend to have a lower stroke risk.

Well, I am headed to Starbucks for my daily cup of coffe, have a good one.

Good health and wealth to all,

Leigh

Breast Cancer and Tobacco, the Link!

The list of cancers associated with smoking is a long one: Lung, esophagus, throat and larynx, as well as kidney, bladder, pancreas and stomach. Now add Breast Cancer to the toll.

Until now, studies had not been able to definitively link smoking to breast cancer because of tobacco's double-edged effect. While its carcinogens can trigger tumors to grow in breast tissue, its ability to block estrogen, a hormone that promotes breast cancer, may actually work to suppress malignancies. The latest research clarifies the risk, finding that per menopausal women who smoke had a higher risk of breast cancer than women who did not, but after menopause, women who puffed cigarettes were slightly less likely to develop the disease than nonsmokers. The theory is that postmenopausal women have low levels of circulating estrogen and may benefit further from tobacco's antiestrogenic effects.

Overall, the added Breast Cancer risk from regular smoking at any age was 6%, but that figure shot up for heavy smokers. Women who lit up before age 18 and smoke for three decades or longer had a 25% greater chance of the disease than nonsmokers.

Given the small window of time during which smoking may protect against cancer in the breast, it is a good idea to kick the habit now.

This article was in the February 7, 2011 Time Magazine in the Lab Report section by Alice Park.

If you happen to be a smoker, I know it is hard to quit smoking but for your health please quit.

Talk with you doctor to find out what medications may be available to help you quit.

My father developed throat cancer and 3 years later died from lung cancer for smoking.

My sister has developed bladder cancer which may be related to her many years of smoking.

Breast cancer does not happen just to smokers but please do anything you can do to reduce your chances of getting it.

To your health

Leigh

Can an Aspirin a day help Prevent Cancer?

Could preventing cancer be as simple as popping an Aspirin a day?

According to an analysis of data on more than 25,000 volunteers who in trials took low-dose aspirin or a placebo in trials to lower their risk of heart disease, researchers found that the aspirin takers reduced their risk of dying from solid cancers by 21% vs. the placebo group during a five-year follow-up.

The results open the possibility that aspirin may become a powerful tool in the prevention of a variety of cancers.

This information is from the December 20, 2010 Time Magazine, Lab Report section.

Be sure to discuss with your doctor before taking any over the counter medications including Aspirin.



To your health
Leigh

Get Financial Help with Cancer Treatments!

Even as new cancer treatments offer hope for some, their cost is out of reach for many. Tens of thousands of people seek help from drug companies and charities that provide free medicines or cover copays for people who can't afford it.

Here is a list (from the Associated Press on 9-27-10) of places to seek help:

Genentech: http://www.genentechaccesssolutions.com/

Novartis: http://www.patientassistancenow.com/

Patient Advocate Foundation: 800-532-5274 http://www.patientadvocate.org/

CancerCare: 866-552-6729 http://www.cancercarecopay.org/

Chronic Disease Fund: 877-968-7233 http://www.cdfund.org/

Healthwell Foundation: 800-675-8416 http://www.healthwellfoundation.org/

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: 877-557-2672 www.LLS.org/copay

National Organization for Rare Disorders: 800-999-6673 http://www.rarediseases.org/

Patient Access Network Foundation: 866-316-7263 http://www.panfoundation.org/

Patient Advocate Foundation: 866-512-3861 http://www.copays.org/

Patient Services Inc.: 800-366-7741 http://www.patientservicesinc.org/

As more and more people lose their jobs and can not get insurance and as the price of cancer drugs skyrocket, these services will be more in demand. If you need help with the cost of your treatment contact the companies above and see if they can help you. Who knows how long these programs will be available?

Good Health in the New Year to us all.
Leigh

PS: be sure to check with your doctor about clinical trials and reduced drug cost for chemo drugs. I was able to get one of my medications replaced by the drug company to the hospital. If not it would have cost me about $50,000.00 ($5,000 per dose) at the hospital where I had my chemo treatments. If you need financial assistance be sure to talk to your local hospital Patient Assistance person also. They may know of some assistance that the doctor may not even know about. Never be afraid to ask.

Blood Test To Spot Cancer to be studied.

According to an article by the Associated Press writer Marilynn Marchione a BLOOD TEST so sensitive that can spot a single cancer cell lurking among a billion healthy ones is moving one step closer to being available at your doctor's office.

Boston scientists who invented the test and health care giant Johnson & Johnson announced that they are joining forces to bring it to market. Four big cancer centers also will start studies using the experimental test this year.

Stray cancer cells in the blood mean that a tumor has spread or is likely to, many doctors believe. A test that can capture such cells has the potential to transform care for many types of cancer, especially breast, prostate, colon and lung.

Initially, doctors want to use the test to try to predict what treatments would be best for each patient's tumor and find out quickly if they are working.

"This is like a liquid biopsy" that avoids painful tissue sampling and may give a better way to monitor patients than periodic imaging scans, said Dr Daniel Haber, chief of Massachusetts General Hospital's cancer center and one of the test's inventors.

Ultimately, the test may offer a way to screen for cancer besides the mammograms, colonoscopies, and other less-than-ideal methods used now.

"There's a lot of potential here, and that's why there's a lot of excitement," said Dr Mark Kris, lung cancer chief at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He had no role in developing the test, but Sloan-Kettering is one of the sites that will study it this year.