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.

How to Do CPR - Update!

For 50 years, CPR has been performed the same way: quick breaths into the victim's mouth, followed by chest compressions in a repeated cycle to get the heart beating again. But in recent years, studies have shown that doing away with rescue breathing and using chest compressions alone may be just as effective, if not more so, in resuscitating victims of cardiac arrest. That's why the American Heart Association is updating its guidelines and urging both trained and untrained rescuers to start with the compressions and either eliminate or delay mouth-to-mouth breathing in cases when a victim's heart has stopped.

There are both social and medical reasons for the shift. About a third of people who collapse from cardiac arrest never receive CPR, largely because bystanders are unsure or squeamish about delivering it the right way. Streamlining the procedure to include only compressions - which should be firm enough to depress the chest by about 2 inches (5 cm) - could make it easier for more people to attempt resuscitation.

Medically, say experts, the body has enough oxygen to function for a few minutes after the heart stops, so using compressions to restore its pumping action should be the priority.

This article is from the Nov 1 Time Magazine by Alice Park.

Heart Disease is the number one killer of women. All adults should take CPR classes or learn how to do CPR. You never know when you will need it to possibly save the life of a loved one.
I just finished my class and realized I should have do it years ago. It makes you feel like you have the knowledge to help another in an emergency.

To Your Health,
Leigh

Tips for Eating Healthy for Cancer Patients and Everyone!

Additional Tips for Eating Healthy!

Eat Breakfast: One of the best things anyone can do is to eat something nutritious at the beginning of the day. Having a good breakfast will help keep you from getting to hungry by lunchtime, a problem that often leads to overeating.

Order from the Kid’s Menu: If you want to cut down on the amount of calories you consume at lunch, the kid’s menu is a great place to start. Many restaurants will allow adults to order from the children’s menu, just ask.

Put another Shrimp on the Barbey: Ordering grilled items like chicken and fish are a much healthier choice than other protein sources at many restaurants. Try to consume fresh fish - grilled if possible- at least three days per week for more healthy benefits.

Downsizing: Portion sizes are out of control so be aware of how much food is put in front of you when you eat out. If possible, get a to-go box at the beginning of your meal and take half of your meal home or back to the office to eat another day.

Start bringing something from home: If people could do one thing to help them eat healthy, it is to prepare more meals at home. Fix a little extra to take for lunch the next day.

Healthy eating is one of the most important thing a cancer patient can do to help themselves.

Good health to us all!

Leigh

Healthy Ways to Eat OUT.

One of the hardest things to do is to Eat Out Healthy!

We are always so busy running through the drive-through on the way to the children's events (football, soccer, cheerleading, etc). There never seems to be enough time so we get in the habit of quick food. Lunches at work seem to get shorter and shorter. You are late getting out of work so you run through the drive-through or call ahead for a pizza. That does not mean it has to be FAT food.

First you need to educate yourself on what your favorite drive-through or restaurant has available. Then plan ahead what you will be getting to eat. Ask the kids ahead of time or in the car before you get there,what they would like to eat from a healthy choice, not waiting for the last minute and letting them have whatever they want.

Even when we think we are eating healthy at a fast food place, often that turns out not to be the case. Just because it says "Salad" does not mean it is healthy. Pre-prepared salads have more sodium and calories than the regular items on the same menu. Some of the calorie amounts in many salads will open your eyes to this fact. Ordering a side salad or a small salad when possible is a better choice.

If you like the "Buffet" style restaurant, keep in mind those green beans, cabbage and squash are swimming in butter, oily stuff or a lot of water, then losses all it's vitamins. If you can order fresh vegetables and have melted butter on the side.

Watch for more tips!

To your health, Leigh

Can Breast Cancer be Prevented? Risk Factors!

Can Breast Cancer be Prevented?

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is always an ideal approach, but breast cancer is never the fault of the individual. A balanced diet, a lifestyle that includes abstaining from smoking and drinking alcohol in excess and regular exercise are all ways to stay healthy, but none will guarantee a woman or man will not get breast cancer.

Are there Risk Factors for Breast Cancer?

BreastCancer.org notes that there are factors a woman or man can control that might lessen their risk for breast cancer. Those risks include:

• Weight. Post-menopausal women in particular can reduce their risk of breast cancer by maintaining a healthy weight. Fat tissue is the body's main source of estrogen after menopause, and having more fat tissue means higher estrogen levels, which increases breast cancer risk.
• Diet. Many cancers are linked to diet, but studies have yet to show for certain which types of foods increase the risk for breast cancer. In general, it's good to restrict sources of red meat and other animal fats, such as fats from dairy products. Some studies have shown that eating a lot of red and/or processed meats is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer. Eating a diet low in fat and rich in fruits and vegetables is often recommended to reduce cancer risk.
• Exercise. The American Cancer Society recommends engaging in 45-60 minutes of physical exercise 5 or more days per week, as evidence continues to mount that exercise can reduce breast cancer risk
• Alcohol and smoking. Alcohol limits the liver's ability to control blood levels of estrogen, which can increase risk of breast cancer. Similarly, smoking has been associated with a small increase in breast cancer risk.

BreastCancer.org also notes additional risk factors for breast cancer can include recent oral contraceptive use, stress and anxiety and exposure to estrogen.

While all of the mentioned risk factors are within an individuals control, there are a host of additional factors beyond a person's control that can increase risk of breast cancer. These factors include age, family history, personal history, and race among others.

Remember, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Join a group in your community and give anyway you can. Some of the things you can do, donate time to your local hospital or cancer support group, run in a race for a loved one or friend, donate old wigs or hats and scarves for cancer patients that can't afford them (contact your hospital and they will know who you should get in touch with) and you can also donate to the Cancer group of your choice.

Stay health and support Breast Cancer Awareness!

Leigh