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Hi everyone! Texas warmed up here nicely for a few days last week; however, we are now looking at highs to stay near 32 today. Slightly chilly. The Texas team were supposed to travel to Chicago today but due to the expected weather the Chicago office cancelled our trip for our safety. So Texas is where we will stay and resume our normal days. How is your week going?

10 Things to Think about When Choosing an Oncologist When it comes to big decisions - for example, buying a home - we often do plenty of ground work. We check out neighborhoods, community activities, and of course, location. When we are diagnosed with cancer we are faced with an even bigger decision - one that could mean life or death - and at a time when we don't have the luxury of leisurely considering options. How can you make such an important decision, at a time when you are emotionally overwhelmed? Here are a few things to consider: 1. What oncologists and cancer centers are included in your insurance plan? 2. Do you have a type of cancer that would make treatment at a larger cancer center preferable? For example, if you are having lung cancer surgery, outcomes appear to be better at hospitals that perform a greater number of these surgeries. If you have a rare cancer you may be more likely to find a doctor who is familiar with your cancer at a larger cancer center. 3. Personality. Are you someone who desires a lot of compassion and empathy? Or are you instead someone who prefers a doctor who is to-the-point? 4. Access to clinical trials. The only way we make strides in managing cancer is through patient participation in clinical trials. That said, only a small number of cancer patients participate in these trials. Worldwide clinical trial databases and matching services (a free service in which nurse navigators match cancer patients with clinical trials that are available around the world) are available for people with cancer, that outline the purpose of various clinical studies as well as list cancer centers and oncologists who are involved in the clinical studies. 5. Board certification. Is the doctor you are interested in seeing board certified (or board eligible) in oncology? 6. Are other specialists you may need to see available at the same institution. For example, if you will likely need surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy for your cancer, are all of these services available at the cancer center you are interested in choosing? 7. Cancer type. Does the oncologist you are considering have a special interest in your type of cancer? 8. Available services. For example, if you have lung cancer, does the cancer center offer less invasive forms of surgery such as video assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS)? 9. Is the oncologist at a cancer center that is considered a National Cancer Institute designated cancer center? (These centers not only treat patients but are dedicated to research on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.) 10. Experience. How long has the doctor been in practice? Does the doctor have experience with cancers like yours? http://ow.ly/thB0a

All the taste of a loaded baked potato, in a hearty soup. Minutes to Prepare: 60 Minutes to Cook: 20 Number of Servings: 8 Ingredients 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large white or yellow onion, diced (about 3/4 cup) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 celery ribs, diced (about 1/4 cup) 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 cup low-sodium or homemade chicken stock 1 pound potatoes, baked (about 3 medium potatoes), peeled and chopped 2 cups skim milk 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 2 strips bacon 2 green onions, sliced 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese Directions Place a stock pot over medium heat, then add the butter. When the butter is melted and frothy, add the onions. Cook for two minutes, then add the celery and garlic. Sweat the vegetables for three minutes, then lower heat to medium-low. Stir in the flour. Cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the stock. Add the potatoes then the milk. Cook for about 20 minutes, never allowing the soup to boil, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp. Place on a paper towel, blot away any excess grease, then crumble. After 20 minutes remove the soup from heat. If you prefer a smooth soup, use an immersion blender to puree it. Serve immediately, garnishing with the bacon, green onions, and cheese. Recipe makes 8 one-cup servings

Sometimes Love Is Not Enough January 31st, 2014 - by Bob Hertzel In the summer of 2008, my wife Susanne, started to cough. At first we did not think too much about it, but as the year continued, the cough did not go away and she began to have trouble breathing. In an effort to figure out what was wrong, we sought the opinions of various doctors- endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist and finally pulmonologist. She did not have a threatening thyroid problem, nor acid reflux disease, nor a cardiac condition. After many tests, X-rays, CT Scans, and finally a bronchoscopy, Susanne was diagnosed with Bronchiolo-Alveolar Carcinoma- BAC, a non-smoker’s very rare form of lung cancer. This type of cancer tends to stay in the alveoli of the lungs and does not tend to metastasize to other organs. As such it was deemed treatable, but not curable. But treatable to what extent? Susanne was first given the normal, insurance approved drugs for treatment. She was then given Tarceva, which worked very well for about 6 months, and then two trial drugs over two years at Smilow Cancer Center at Yale, and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. As the trial drugs proved no longer effective over time, and Susanne began to run out of options, we began to explore the possibility of lung transplants, as a last ditch effort to make something work to save her life. Most transplant centers will not consider performing transplants on patients with lung cancer because of the huge risk of the cancer spreading outside the affected lungs. It was at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) that Susanne was listed after lengthy testing. UPMC is one of the leading lung transplant hospitals in the country. They will perform 100-130 transplants per year while other major transplant centers may do 20 such procedures, and they have been doing these procedures since the 1980’s. Nine days after we arrived in Pittsburgh and Susanne was listed, she crashed and was place in ICU for two months, being kept alive by a ventilator. She could not talk. She could not eat. She was told that we had to keep her exercised all through this otherwise she would get deconditioned and she could be de-listed as a result. We learned in this process about all the work she had to do to get strong enough to survive the transplant operation. We learned about the precision of matching lungs from a donor, about the false alarms we had, and about the agonizing wait for a match. Finally on Christmas Eve day, 2011, she got her new lungs after a 12 hour procedure. She then went through recovery, and was allowed to return home after six months in Pittsburgh. Once we got home she went through pulmonary rehab, lots of followups, and was doing great………until she was diagnosed with liver cancer in September of 2012. She again sought as much treatment as she could take. Throughout this whole process, she never complained about the nausea, the throwing up, the extreme fatigue and the weakness. I got her to write down her thoughts, when she was able, during her two months on the ventilator. She just wanted to stay strong enough for the payoff of new lungs, and wanted to “live a kick *ss large life” after she received them. And she did as long as she could. After Susanne finally lost her battle this past August, I finished writing a book chronicling the struggles of fighting a rare form of lung cancer, from diagnosis, to treatments, to lung transplant, to recovery, to recurrent cancer, all from a caregiver’s perspective. I originally started to write the book “Sometimes Love Is Not Enough” as a cleansing experience for myself and to chronicle events of her strength, grace and courage for our family and friends. I then realized that there may be some very relevant topics about the confusion of diagnosis, about patient advocacy and caregiving, about treatments and of course, the possible lung transplant option. After Susanne passed away, I realized that this was also a love story. We had been married for almost forty years. She was only 56 when she was first diagnosed. I was with her every step of the way. I gave her care, advocated for her and loved her very, very much, but sometimes, love is simply not enough. This book is now available through the publisher, Xlibris, http://www.Xlibris.com. or through me at bob.hertzel09@gmail.com, at discount prices. Much of the proceeds will go to LUNGevity for research projects, and some will also go directly to lung transplant research at UPMC. I hope many who read this will get at least one nugget to use as they confront their own lung issues. http://blog.lungevity.org/2014/01/31/so ... ot-enough/

by Lynn Eldridge MD Sometimes it seems like we are getting nowhere fast when it comes to lung cancer survival rates. Despite worthy excitement surrounding genetic testing and targeted therapies, the overall 5-year survival rate has remained painfully low - within a percentage point or so from what it was at the time I was born. But that appears to be changing, at least at Moffitt Cancer Center where this study was completed. This study, in fact, has me wanting to blow on those New Year's Eve noisemakers that have yet to be packed away. Researchers began this study by looking at lung cancer survival rates among nearly 5,000 people treated at Moffitt Cancer Center over 5 time periods spanning 22 years; from 1986 to 2008. During this time period Median survival (that is the time period at which 50% of people are still alive and 50% have died from lung cancer) increased from slightly over 1 year to a little over 2 years Overall survival increased from roughly 15% to 31% For people with stage 1 disease 5-year survival improved from 32% to 54%, the improvement for those with stage 2 disease rose from 13% to 36%, for stage 3 the increase was from 10% to 22%, and for stage 4 disease 5-year survival grew from only 3.4% to 9.6% A significant improvement in survival was noted for: People who were age 70 and older Women People who had never smoked or who had quit smoking Those with stage 1 lung cancer This represents data from only one cancer center, but the results are exciting as we are finally seeing the survival rate budge for lung cancer - a cancer that has resisted any significant change in survival for several decades. http://ow.ly/tfnEy

... and make finding a cure the priority. Lung Art By Melissa D. Calder Someone that I love dearly and respect greatly was diagnosed with lung cancer last fall. This person never smoked a day in his life. The individual is extremely personal so I will not say who he is, however, I will disclose that he received one of the best possible treatment outlooks for fighting the disease that one could receive. When I talk to people about it, their first response is usually... "I didn't know he smoked." It's a good opportunity to educate people, but I am sure it gets old for non-smoking lung cancer patients. Besides being shocking and soul crushing news, it made me realize how little I know about non-smoking lung cancer. I consider myself highly educated on a lot of subjects in healthcare, at least in the wound care management space. However, I was unaware of how many cases of non-smoking lung cancer occur each year. I was also shocked to learn of the lack of funding for lung cancer patients because of the connection and association with smoking. Most people hear the words lung cancer and have a negative association with the word smoking and don't take the cause as seriously as some of the other types of cancer. At times it seems as if there are underlying tones in America where people assume that all lung cancer patients are smokers, and it is simply not true. We must change the way that we think about this disease and give it the awareness that is needs to give the non-smokers a fighting chance. In my journey for more information I stumbled on the LUNGevity Foundation on Facebook. It is a national nonprofit, which is headquartered in Chicago and Washington DC with satellite offices in NY and Dallas. "LUNGevity connects people to lung cancer survivorship through research, education and support," according to Katie Brown, Director of Support and Advocacy. "We are the largest private funder of lung cancer research and also provide a community of support and hope for everyone affected by lung cancer." Seven lung cancer survivors founded LUNGevity in 2001 and in 2010 LUNGevity merged with the organization Protect Your Lungs. According to Brown, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and currently 1 in 14 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer, however it remains the least funded of the cancers. "Because of the lack of funding, there are fewer treatment options for people diagnosed with lung cancer and the mortality rate is very high," she says. "By funding cutting edge research LUNGevity is working to change that, but I believe there is a lack of funding for lung cancer research because of the misconceptions surrounding the disease. Many people think that lung cancer is simply a preventable disease or a smoker's disease and that's a misconception." There is a growing number of lung cancer patients whom were never smokers or ex-smokers that quit long ago. "The fact is 60% of people diagnosed with lung cancer are never smokers or ex-smokers who quit smoking decades ago," Brown says. "There are other causes of lung cancer. Anyone with lungs can get lung cancer." Focus on the patients that never smoked I want to focus this article on the people that never smoked, and why we can't ignore increasing the funding, awareness and research for lung cancer because of those individuals and their fight. According to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health (NCBI) approximately 10-15 percent of lung cancer cases happen to patients who have never smoked. The NCBI states that the 16,000-24,000 deaths per year and lung cancer in never smokers would rank among the most common causes of cancer mortality in the U.S. if considered to be a separate category. Using social media to change how people think about the cause of lung cancer The LUNGevity Facebook page has a hub of support, information and education for people impacted by lung cancer. "We use our page to connect people to lung cancer survivorship through research, education, support," Brown says. "We provide opportunities for them to engage with others and become involved in raising awareness and patient advocacy." Besides Facebook the organization is also active on Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, blogging, webinars and their own social network, The Lung Cancer Support Community message boards. "The Lung Cancer Support Community is a message board with many different forums where users can engage with others who have shared the same experience," she says. "It's peer-to-peer support 24/7. All anyone has to do is visit the message board to read over 400,000 postings." There's a quick sign up option for folks to become members, which then allows them to post and ask and answer questions, private message or subscribe to topics that interest them. There's also a mobile app to access the message boards. "People newly diagnosed with lung cancer can feel isolated and alone," Brown says. "There isn't a lot of public support for people with lung cancer. Local resources that are specific to people with lung cancer are few if any." The organization also has a very active mentoring program called LifeLine Support Partners Program, where they match survivors to patients and caregivers to other caregivers for one on one support. Hospitals and other cancer organizations around the country use their LifeLine program to find support for their patients. The need for for financial support to find a cure for lung cancer According to Brown, LUNGevity-funded projects represent almost $16 million spent on 100 research projects at 56 institutions in 23 states. "LUNGevity research investments focus on early detection, because the survival rate jumps when lung cancer is detected while still localized," she says. "We also focus on personalizing treatment approaches through biomarkers -- getting the right treatment to the right patient at the right time." These projects are translational, meaning that they move basic research toward clinical practice. The goal of the LUNGevity research program is to fund the research that is most likely to result in patient benefit in the foreseeable future. "Break through research includes molecular testing for people diagnosed with lung cancer and targeted therapies for people with those molecular markers," Brown says. "There is ongoing research into second and third line targeted therapies and immunology in lung cancer is also something being explored through research." LUNGevity accepts donations on their website to contribute to their efforts in fighting this deadly disease. Let's collectively change the conversation from "did they smoke" to "how can we help." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-cal ... 14090.html

Researcher Profile: Lauren Byers Dr. Lauren Byers Lauren Byers, MD, Assistant Professor of Thoracic and Head and Neck Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was awarded a LUNGevity Career Development Award. Though she is still building her career as a scientist, her exceptional discovery of a potential new treatment for small cell lung cancer has demonstrated her promise as a lifelong lung cancer researcher. In studies published in the journal Cancer Discovery, Dr. Byers has found a new therapeutic approach that might help patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). She discovered that patients with SCLC have an over-abundance of a specific protein, called PARP1, which helps repair damaged DNA. She found that she could kill SCLC cells in the laboratory by adding a drug that stops PARP1 from working. In additional laboratory experiments, she has found that the drug also improves the activity of chemotherapy drugs that work by causing DNA damage. Eager to determine if this PARP1 inhibitor drug could be used with chemotherapy to become a new treatment option for SCLC patients, Dr. Byers is assembling a Phase II clinical trial that has already been approved by the National Cancer Institute. This award will support her continued progress in developing a new lung cancer treatment and her continued growth as a scientist focused on lung cancer solutions. In addition to the financial investment, the award requires Dr. Byers to participate in a structured mentoring program at her institution, as well as become an ex officio member of LUNGevity’s Scientific Advisory Board for the duration of her award. This LUNGevity grant allows Dr. Byers to use data and samples collected from her clinical trial to discover biomarkers to identify patients that are most likely to benefit from this treatment. In addition, it allows her to continue her work defining the sensitivity of SCLC to the PARP1 inhibitor drug in the presence and absence of chemotherapy. By conducting these follow-up studies, Dr. Byers is taking steps toward her ultimate goal of using PARP inhibitor drugs to advance the treatment of small cell lung cancer. http://events.lungevity.org/site/PageNa ... Byers.html

Antioxidants speed lung cancer growth in mice: study By Kerry Sheridan (AFP) – 1 day ago Washington — People who smoke or have lung cancer should think twice about taking vitamin supplements, according to a Swedish study Wednesday that showed certain antioxidants may make tumors grow faster. Lab mice that already had cancer were given vitamin E and a drug called acetylcysteine, which sped the growth of their tumors and made them die faster than mice that did not ingest supplements. "Antioxidants caused a three-fold increase in the number of tumors and also tumor aggressiveness, and the antioxidants caused the mice to die twice as fast," said study author Martin Bergo of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. "If we gave a low dose, tumors increased a little bit. And if we gave a high dose, tumors increased a lot." Research on human lung cancer cells growing in a lab dish also showed that the antioxidants caused the cells to multiply faster than they would have alone, suggesting the same might happen in human patients. While more work needs to be done to confirm the effect in people, Bergo urged those with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and smokers to take caution. "You can walk around with an undiagnosed lung tumor for a long time," he said. "If you are in this patient group, then taking extra antioxidants might be harmful and it could speed up the growth of that tumor." Mixed results from supplement studies The body produces its own antioxidants to prevent DNA damage from chemicals known as free radicals, but needs more from healthy foods like leafy greens, vegetables and fruits to stay healthy. However, a large body of research on antioxidant supplements in humans has returned mixed results. Some studies have suggested that people who take antioxidant supplements actually face a higher risk of cancer than those who do not. One such study of nearly 30,000 men in Finland, which concluded in 1993, found that smokers who took the antioxidant beta carotene had a higher rate of cancer and greater risk of dying. Other studies, such as the SELECT trial which enrolled 35,000 US and Canadian men beginning in 2001, found that men who took vitamin E were more likely to get prostate cancer. "We haven't completely ironed out which vitamins, if any, may prevent cancer and which may cause cancer development or growth," said Benjamin Levy, director of thoracic medical oncology at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York. "This study may help explain the negative findings from prior clinical lung cancer studies, including the ATBC and SELECT studies," said Levy, who was not involved in the research. Antioxidants protect tumors too Researchers said their findings suggest antioxidants help tumors cut down on harmful free radicals, just as they do in normal cells, allowing the tumors to grow faster. Free radicals can damage cells and possibly lead to cancer. But free radicals exist in cancer cells, too, explained Bergo. "So it is also in the tumor's interest to suppress free radicals, and that is what we are doing when we take extra antioxidants -- or give it to the mice in this case," he told reporters. A protein called p53 can sense when DNA has been damaged by the buildup of molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS). P53 can stop the growth of the cell and thereby stop the cancer. When extra antioxidants reduce the level of ROS, this "allows the cancer cells to escape their own defense system," said co-author Per Lindahl from the University of Gothenburg. Of particular concern is the finding that acetylcysteine increased tumor growth, since the drug is often given to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a way to help them breathe better and clear mucus from their lungs. "We think that the use of acetylcysteine in this patient group should probably be carefully evaluated," said Bergo. He added that researchers are now combing through data registries to find out if COPD patients -- including people with chronic bronchitis and emphysema -- have higher cancer rates after taking the drug. The research appears in the journal Science Translational Medicine. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... tioxidants

Cancer fatigue is one of the most common and annoying symptoms you may experience during lung cancer treatment. In one study, cancer survivors quoted fatigue as interfering with their quality of life more than nausea, depression, and pain combined. We all talk about being tired, but the fatigue associated with cancer treatment is much different. What does cancer fatigue feel like, what causes it, and what can you do to feel better? What Does Cancer Fatigue Feel Like? Cancer fatigue is different from ordinary tiredness –- the kind of tiredness you experience after a busy day, or when you haven’t had enough sleep. With cancer fatigue, you can feel tired despite an excellent night’s rest, and determination (or caffeine) just doesn’t work to get past it. You may experience any of these symptoms as you live with fatigue during cancer treatment: An overwhelming sense of tiredness, often described as “whole body” tiredness Tiredness that persists despite rest Becoming tired even with simple activities, such as walking to the mailbox Difficulty concentrating Feeling more emotional than you ordinarily would Rapid onset of fatigue Less desire to participate in activities you usually enjoy Everyone experiences the fatigue of cancer treatment in different ways, but most people agree that it is a different sense of tiredness than they experienced prior to cancer treatment. What Causes Cancer Fatigue? There are many causes of fatigue. Some of these are related to the cancer itself, some due to treatment, and others related to the day-to-day stress of living with lung cancer. Some of these are treatable; whereas others can be managed by recognizing your limitations at this time and making needed adjustments. Some causes of fatigue during cancer treatment include: The cancer itself. Changes in your metabolism due to the cancer itself can drain your energy Treatment and side effects of treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery can all contribute to tiredness Shortness of breath – The increased work of breathing when you feel short of breath can sap your energy Depression – Depression and fatigue often go hand-in-hand, and it can be hard to determine which symptoms came first Anemia – Anemia, due to bleeding following surgery, chemotherapy, or simply being ill, can lower your energy level A low oxygen level in your blood (hypoxemia) – Oxygen poor blood can make you feel more tired Medications – Several medications used during cancer treatment, including pain medications, can contribute to fatigue Uncontrolled pain – Pain clearly increases fatigue, so it is important to discuss any uncontrolled pain you have with your oncologist Lack of rest, or resting too much – Both a lack of, and an excess amount of rest, can increase fatigue Immobility and lack of activity. Deconditioning, from time spent in the hospital or recovering at home can lower your energy level Stress – Stress can make you feel more tired, and the stress of being limited by fatigue increases this further Difficulty eating (due to loss of appetite, mouth sores, or taste changes). Inadequate nutrition can lower your reserve and add to your sense of tiredness What Can I Do About Cancer Fatigue? The most important thing you can do for yourself is to recognize that cancer fatigue is real and unique. Share your symptoms with your oncologist at each visit. He or she will want to rule out any treatable causes such as anemia. Beyond this, a few tips may help you cope at this time: 12 Tips For Coping With Cancer Fatigue When Should I Worry? You should share any symptoms you are experiencing with your oncologist –- including fatigue –- at each appointment. He or she may have suggestions for coping, or consider changes in your treatment plan. Make sure to contact your health care team between visits if you note any sudden changes in your energy level, if your tiredness is interfering with daily activities such as eating, or if you find that coping with the fatigue of cancer has become overwhelming in any way. Do you have any tips for those who experience fatigue often? http://lungcancer.about.com/od/livingwi ... e.htm?nl=1

BOSTON, Mass. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – More people in the United States dies from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. This is true for both men and women. In the next twelve months, more than 200 thousand people will be told they have it. Now, in a breakthrough procedure, doctors have developed a new way to more precisely pinpoint where the tumor is. Surgical teams are now performing a new innovative technique that could mean the difference between life and death for Madeleine Florio. Madeleine opted for this ground breaking procedure after watching her mother, father, and sister die of lung cancer. “This is really like GPS. You don’t have to waste time looking at the map,” Raphael Bueno, MD, Thoracic Surgeon, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, told Ivanhoe. A real-time CAT scan done during the surgery makes this different than a traditional procedure. That accurate image allows Dr. Bueno to mark the location of the tumor with a wire. He then makes a small incision and a tiny camera finds the wire and finds the tumor. Dr. Bueno says had he performed the traditional procedure he would have removed more of madeleine’s lung to make sure all the cancer is removed. With the new procedure, he knows he got it all. “I knew it would have been a longer recovery,” Madeleine told Ivanhoe. Dr. Bueno says many patients are at risk for reoccurrence. So by preserving more of the lung the first time, it could help them later on in life. He says this procedure is for patients with small lung nodules. Patients with large cancers will need a bigger operation. BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., and this holds true for both women and men. A tumor is the biggest indication that a person may have cancer. Tumors may be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Lung cancer is known to spread throughout the organs of the body and is very hard to control. Lung cancer can spread to the brain, liver, bones, or adrenal glands. (Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/lung_cancer/ ... ncer_facts SYMPTOMS: At times, symptoms do not arise until later stages. Most symptoms of lung cancer include: • Wheezing • Chest pain • Coughing • Shortness of breath • Coughing up blood • Hoarseness (Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lung-c ... N=symptoms) NEW PROCEDURE: Now, doctors are taking CAT scans during surgery to remove cancerous parts of the lung. This procedure is beneficial because doctors are able to see an accurate image of the tumor so they can pinpoint exactly where to make the incision and remove the tumor. Traditional procedures require a lot of guessing and uncertainty, which often leads to the reoccurrence of the cancer. This new procedure provides patients with better lung function, faster recovery, and quicker delivery of therapy. Similar techniques include: • Navigational bronchoscopy uses real-time electromagnetic guidance to improve navigation within the lung parenchyma and offers diagnostic benefits over standard flexible bronchoscopy. This technique is valuable in performing biopsies of peripheral lung lesions and mediastinal lymph nodes for the staging of lung cancer. • Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) enables visualization of the tissue beyond the bronchial wall, including lymph nodes and lesions outside of the bronchial airways. This technique also enables simultaneous diagnosis and lung cancer staging (Source: http://www.brighamandwomens.org/Medical ... racic.aspx) Raphael Bueno, MD, Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and the Associate Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, talks about a new way researchers are pinpointing lung cancer. Tell me first off about Madeleine. What did you discover? Dr. Bueno: She is a woman who had a slowly growing small nodule in her lung. Because of her history, we were very concerned with the possibility of lung cancer. She had multiple nodules at different stages of growth. We wanted to get this one out, but leave enough lung should we need to go back in a few years to get another nodule because we were very concerned that she had lung cancer. Did it end up being lung cancer? Dr. Bueno: Yes, in fact, she had two of them right next to each other; that was a surprise, but they were very, very early. They were stage 1 and they were the type of cancer that you discover early that is barely forming so you can’t even feel it with your finger, you just can tell what it is on the CAT scan and under the microscope. What does the new procedure entail? Dr. Bueno: The old procedure is called VATS, video-assisted thoracic surgery; it’s a minimally invasive way to cut a piece of the lung to get it out, minimally invasive to make it less painful. We added the “I” in it, and we call it IVATS. It’s image-guided video-assisted thoracic surgery, and it lets us mark the nodule in real time in the operating room. The reason is that with the old procedure we have to look at the CAT scan on the screen to find the spot in the lung. In the new procedure, we can mark the spot just before doing the surgery using the CAT scan in the operating room and then be precise on removing the exact area of the cancer without having to remove extra lung and without leaving anything behind. I compare it to driving and plotting your course with a map versus plugging it into a GPS. I have a GPS in my car, so I don’t use the maps anymore. What’s the benefit to the patient? Dr. Bueno: There are a couple of benefits to the patient. For small nodules, we can identify them; we can take the nodule and not too much additional lung so they have more lung left to breathe with. Many patients with early lung cancer, we can cure now. The problem is once they get one lung cancer, they are at risk down the line of having a second lung cancer, and if we take too much lung at the beginning, 5, 6 years later, we don’t have enough lung to take out the second cancer. This helps solve that problem as well. How did you come up with this process? Dr. Bueno: Well, it occurred to me that after doing thousands of lung surgery using the VATS technique that it was often hard to find the small nodules and the technology existed to identify them, so I married the imaging technology live with the surgery technology and we tested it on animals. We trained the team on how to do it and then we got approval from the institution to do a research trial which we’re still doing and that’s what we have been doing and she has been the first patient and she has done great. How do you think this helps quality of life for patients? Dr. Bueno: I think it helps in a lot of ways that we haven’t thought about before. I think by making it more exact, we are making the patient more comfortable that we get the cancer out. We are also making the patient better in the sense that we take less lung out. In addition, we make the operation happen much faster. We know where the nodule is, we put in the probe, we do the operation, and it only takes 20 minutes to do the operation now. How long would it have been? Dr. Bueno: Sometimes it only took 20 minutes when you could see or palpate the nodule. But sometimes when you couldn’t see the nodule, you had to really work hard, hard to identify where the nodule was and that could take an hour sometimes. I believe this is really like GPS; you don’t have to waste time looking at the map. You just press the button and presto you got it. This information is intended for additional research purposes only. It is not to be used as a prescription or advice from Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. or any medical professional interviewed. Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. assumes no responsibility for the depth or accuracy of physician statements. Procedures or medicines apply to different people and medical factors; always consult your physician on medical matters. http://www.mysuncoast.com/health/news/p ... f6878.html What are your thoughts on this? Please comment below.

Good evening everyone, The weather has warmed up nicely here in Dallas to a blistering 45. Warning vent ahead: My husband has not fixed our pool pump all winter nor has called a repair company. So for the last 3 months I have had to hear what sounds like Chewbacca going on a tangent everyday, every minute the temps fall below 40. Other than that, the blue jay's were still flying around in front of my window & I got to see my daughter for her lunch time for the first time this year. She appreciated that. We both enjoyed chicken nuggets, peas and an unlimited salad bar. How was your day?

Antioxidants speed lung cancer growth in mice: study By Kerry Sheridan (AFP) – 55 minutes ago Washington — People who smoke or have lung cancer should think twice about taking vitamin supplements, according to a Swedish study Wednesday that showed certain antioxidants may make tumors grow faster. Lab mice that already had cancer were given vitamin E and a drug called acetylcysteine, which sped the growth of their tumors and made them die faster than mice that did not ingest supplements. "Antioxidants caused a three-fold increase in the number of tumors and also tumor aggressiveness, and the antioxidants caused the mice to die twice as fast," said study author Martin Bergo of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. "If we gave a low dose, tumors increased a little bit. And if we gave a high dose, tumors increased a lot." Research on human lung cancer cells growing in a lab dish also showed that the antioxidants caused the cells to multiply faster than they would have alone, suggesting the same might happen in human patients. While more work needs to be done to confirm the effect in people, Bergo urged those with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and smokers to take caution. "You can walk around with an undiagnosed lung tumor for a long time," he said. "If you are in this patient group, then taking extra antioxidants might be harmful and it could speed up the growth of that tumor." Mixed results from supplement studies The body produces its own antioxidants to prevent DNA damage from chemicals known as free radicals, but needs more from healthy foods like leafy greens, vegetables and fruits to stay healthy. However, a large body of research on antioxidant supplements in humans has returned mixed results. Some studies have suggested that people who take antioxidant supplements actually face a higher risk of cancer than those who do not. One such study of nearly 30,000 men in Finland, which concluded in 1993, found that smokers who took the antioxidant beta carotene had a higher rate of cancer and greater risk of dying. Other studies, such as the SELECT trial which enrolled 35,000 US and Canadian men beginning in 2001, found that men who took vitamin E were more likely to get prostate cancer. "We haven't completely ironed out which vitamins, if any, may prevent cancer and which may cause cancer development or growth," said Benjamin Levy, director of thoracic medical oncology at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York. "This study may help explain the negative findings from prior clinical lung cancer studies, including the ATBC and SELECT studies," said Levy, who was not involved in the research. Antioxidants protect tumors too Researchers said their findings suggest antioxidants help tumors cut down on harmful free radicals, just as they do in normal cells, allowing the tumors to grow faster. Free radicals can damage cells and possibly lead to cancer. But free radicals exist in cancer cells, too, explained Bergo. "So it is also in the tumor's interest to suppress free radicals, and that is what we are doing when we take extra antioxidants -- or give it to the mice in this case," he told reporters. A protein called p53 can sense when DNA has been damaged by the buildup of molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS). P53 can stop the growth of the cell and thereby stop the cancer. When extra antioxidants reduce the level of ROS, this "allows the cancer cells to escape their own defense system," said co-author Per Lindahl from the University of Gothenburg. Of particular concern is the finding that acetylcysteine increased tumor growth, since the drug is often given to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a way to help them breathe better and clear mucus from their lungs. "We think that the use of acetylcysteine in this patient group should probably be carefully evaluated," said Bergo. He added that researchers are now combing through data registries to find out if COPD patients -- including people with chronic bronchitis and emphysema -- have higher cancer rates after taking the drug. The research appears in the journal Science Translational Medicine. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... tioxidants

Genetic Testing New technology pinpoints cancer’s code By Laura Putre When Heidi Henn, a mother of two and a program manager for the U.S. Navy, started having trouble breathing in October 2011, she thought it might be heart problems. Heart disease ran in her family, after all. But when a surgeon at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., did a biopsy, he found that Henn’s lungs, not her heart, were causing her problems. A nonsmoker all her life, Henn was stunned to find out she had stage 3 lung cancer. She quickly started chemotherapy, but the treatment didn’t help. The cancer was still spreading, and the chemo gave her nausea and fatigue that left her bedridden and miserable. Because Henn was only 48—young for a cancer patient—and had never smoked, her oncologist wondered whether her cancer might be linked to a genetic mutation and could be treated with a new generation of cancer drugs called targeted therapies. That’s when he had her tumor samples sent off for a pair of genetic tests that look for common mutations linked to certain types of lung cancer. Patients with such mutations sometimes improve when treated with targeted therapies, which work on specific molecules in the body to block cancer growth. Taking aim Targeted therapies are different from chemotherapy in that they are tailored to reach the cells that cause tumors to grow and spread. Chemotherapy, on the other hand, can harm normal cells along with cancer-causing cells—but can also be especially effective in combating certain cancers, like testicular cancer. Targeted therapies are sometimes used alone, sometimes in combination with other targeted therapies, and sometimes with chemotherapy. Henn’s doctor’s instincts were right. Henn tested positive for a mutation that causes overactivity of the enzyme ALK, and in February 2012 she was started on a targeted therapy called crizotinib, a pill that the FDA had approved just six months before. The drug worked initially, and when it stopped working her oncologist suggested trying chemo again. But Henn, who lives in southern Maryland, had done her research and found a clinical trial at Fox Chase for an experimental targeted therapy called LDK378. “When it’s a matter of life and death, you get smart any way you can,” Henn says of her quest to find the best treatment, even if it meant traveling outside the state. “My daughter is 18 and my son is 15. I definitely want to be around for my kids.” “The biggest challenge is getting this technology and this sort of knowledge—these new tools for cancer care—from the laboratory to the patient.” – Jeff Boyd, executive director, Cancer Genome Institute In January, with the cancer spreading to Henn’s brain, doctors at Fox Chase began treating her with the experimental drug, which is designed to decrease the activity of the defective gene linked to the cancer’s spread. Within two weeks, Henn started feeling better. Her next scan, on February 15, showed a dramatic reduction in the size of her lung tumors. Three of four of her brain lesions were no longer measurable, and the remaining one had shrunk by half. Though it’s too early to tell whether the drug will work in the long term, “I’m thrilled it seems to be successful in crossing to the brain,” Henn says. “It’s very rare that chemo drugs do that.” The drug has since eradicated the cancer in her lymph nodes and a lesion on her liver, and even the largest brain tumor can no longer be measured. Henn is exercising again and has gone back to work part-time. “I’m feeling almost normal,” she says. “My quality of life is incredible.” A changing landscape Cancer treatment has been changing rapidly since the FDA approved the first targeted cancer therapy, tamoxifen, for the treatment of breast cancer more than 30 years ago. In 1992, the National Institutes of Health began mapping the human genome—sequencing all 3 billion base pairs in human DNA. That project, completed in 2003, has so far led to the discovery of more than 1,800 genes linked to various diseases, according to the NIH, and opened wide the development of therapies that target them. It’s given scientists a detailed map of the makeup of human DNA. Instead of having the sole option of traditional chemotherapy—which may act more like a bludgeon than a scalpel—today’s cancer patients may be able to take a specialized pill or injection to either eradicate their cancer or keep it under control. That’s the case for those with chronic myeloid leukemia, or CML; a medication called Gleevec®, which was introduced in 2000 and targets an abnormal protein present in most CML sufferers, has extended patients’ survival rates from a few months to indefinitely. The drug may benefit patients with other diseases as well. Photo: Jessica Hui One Fox Chase patient with melanoma is living proof of the difference that targeted treatments can make. Before the man, now 73, started targeted treatment, “he had an expected survival rate measured in months,” says his doctor, Anthony Olszanski, a Fox Chase oncologist and drug-development researcher. “I started him on Gleevec, and he had a complete response. We cannot find his disease. He’s been on therapy for over two years, and he’s capable of doing the things he wants to do.” ‘Where the excitement is’ The latest advances in gene sequencing allow doctors to test for many genetic alterations at once, in patients with many different types of cancer. At Fox Chase’s new Cancer Genome Institute, a single tissue sample can be tested for 50 genes and hundreds of genetic mutations related to cancer. Not all of the mutations have therapies available, but the hope is that eventually, they will. The multidisciplinary Institute provides the 50-gene test using new technology referred to as “next-generation DNA sequencing” to help guide the treatment of patients with advanced cancers and, when appropriate, match them with the latest trials of targeted drugs. The genetic information collected from the test goes into patients’ medical records with their other personal health information. With informed consent from the patient, the data is also included in an institutional review board-approved data registry without the patient’s name or other identifying information (such as address or social security number). Researchers can access the data and patient characteristics like race, ethnicity, and age to see how certain types of patients are responding to clinical trials. The Cancer Genome Institute provides a 50-gene test to help guide the treatment of patients with advanced cancers and match them with approved or experimental drugs. Such multiple-gene testing “is where the excitement is,” says Olszanski, the Institute’s senior medical advisor. “We know about this one gene that’s important in colon cancer, but we do not know about many other genes that may be important. And we think that if we study a number of patients with colon cancer, for example, we will find other important changes in DNA that will allow us to treat them more effectively.” Formally launched in January, the Institute strives to promote precision medicine—or medicine specifically tailored to each patient at the molecular level—in oncology through patient care, prevention research, partnerships, and education. The Institute brings together doctors, scientists, and pathologists from various disciplines at Fox Chase who not only are up on the latest research and have the best technology at their disposal, but also can bring those advances to the patient in a meaningful way—interpreting and explaining test results in ways patients can understand, enrolling them in clinical trials for experimental therapies, and monitoring their progress on a long-term basis. “The biggest challenges aren’t the technology or the bioinformatics that go along with interpreting the data,” says Jeff Boyd, the Institute’s executive director and an expert in the genetics of breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer. “The biggest challenge is getting this technology and this sort of knowledge—these new tools for cancer care—from the laboratory to the patient.” Which is what the Institute is doing. On trial With the help of $2.9 million in funding from Temple University, the Institute is offering its services through a series of clinical trials in which certain patients are eligible to participate. Boyd calls the funding from Temple “tremendous,” adding, “It allows us to undertake exciting and important clinical research, the goals of which are to generate useful scientific findings and advance clinical care.” Igor Astsaturov, a Fox Chase medical oncologist and researcher who works closely with the Institute, says 30 or 40 of his patients already have undergone genetic testing at Fox Chase or other institutions as part of their treatment. Binders on his desk are filled with their tumorgenetic profiles, information that helps him determine the best treatment options. In the case of one of Astsaturov’s patients with a rare type of gastrointestinal tumor called neuroendocrine carcinoma, unexpectedly finding a mutation of the C-KIT gene resulted in starting the patient on a targeted therapy that in four months substantially reduced the size of the person’s tumors. In the coming months, the Institute plans to enroll about 200 patients in five clinical trials of genetic testing related to lung, colorectal, rectal, and neuroendocrine cancers, as well as of the efficacy of using genetic sequencing to guide therapy. Which patients will qualify for the free testing is not yet clear. “We won’t discourage the testing based on cancer type,” Olszanski says, noting that the various targeted therapies have had an effect on a “pretty wide range” of cancers. “But we sometimes will discourage it based on when the patient was diagnosed. If they’ve not yet received the standard of care, we generally tell them that we think the test will be better for them later.” Just the start Fox Chase has long been a pioneer in the field of cancer genetics. The first link between cancer and a genetic abnormality was discovered in 1960 by David Hungerford of Fox Chase’s Institute for Cancer Research and Peter Nowell from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Their discovery of the Philadelphia chromosome, a chromosomal abnormality in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, paved the way for the eventual development of Gleevec. As a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, Fox Chase has an obligation “to move the field of personalized medicine forward,” Boyd says. Charis Eng, director of the Genomic Medicine Institute at Cleveland Clinic, agrees. Eng says that every cancer center “worth its salt” is either testing for genetic alterations in cancerous tumors or will soon be doing so. With dozens of targeted therapies already approved or in clinical trials, he says, “this is the time that if you find certain types of alterations, you can say, ‘Yes, let’s choose this type of treatment and yes, the tumor will respond.’” With more than 25,000 genes in a single human (though not all are linked to disease), the Institute’s 50-gene test captures just a fraction of the potential for genetic testing. Plans call for testing even more genes. “The more we learn about certain cancers and genes and drugs—which is just a matter of time and experience—then the number of patients we can help will obviously increase,” Boyd says. Questions and quandaries Even as it opens the door to new hope and knowledge, genetic testing also raises fresh issues and questions. One concerns cost: the test is expensive to provide, running institutions up to more than a thousand dollars per tumor—and whether insurance companies will reimburse that cost remains an open question. Genetic test results are kept private under HIPAA laws, which prevent the sharing of medical information without a patient’s consent. Photo: Jessica Hui Olszanski predicts the answer to that question will be “yes” and that within the next year, insurance companies will begin to cover the cost of providing the test. “I think they will have no choice,” he says. “They already cover other tests that have clinical validity.” Insurance companies look at data on positive outcomes, he reasons, and there will be more such data available as more patients undergo genetic testing and targeted therapies. Privacy is another concern for those who undergo testing. Is anyone’s genetic information completely confidential? In January, a researcher publishing in the journal Science was able to uncover the identity of five people and 45 of their family members using “blind” genetic data posted online, as well as information that anyone can access on genealogy websites. Theoretically, someone with access to a genetic database could identify people through that data, Boyd says. But they could not use the information in any meaningful way. Federal law prohibits health insurance companies from using genetic information to raise rates or deny coverage. At Fox Chase, genetic test results are placed into a patient’s electronic medical record like any blood test or CAT scan would be. The information is kept private under HIPAA laws, which prevent the sharing of medical information without a patient’s consent. “It is not available to insurance companies, and it is not available to employers,” Olszanski says. The test results are also entered into an institutional review board-approved research registry at Fox Chase that may include the patient’s age, characteristics of the tumor, and type of follow-up treatment. Identifying information such as the patient’s name, location, and social security number are not included. Boyd says the registry is “vitally important” to advancing research and providing data to show whether genetic sequencing provides a path to better cancer care. Another issue arises in about 1 percent of cases, according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, when genetic testing reveals information that the patient wasn’t looking for—like a gene for a disease other than the one being tested for, or maybe that their paternity was different from what they thought. “You have to be ready to handle that as part of informed consent,” says Arthur L. Caplan, head of the Division of Bioethics at New York University Langone Medical Center. If the test might reveal something unexpected, he suggests the test provider explain, “‘We may find out certain things that you may or may not want to know, so you have to tell us how you want us to handle these things as we find them.’” Incidental findings are rare but can happen, Olszanski acknowledges. Fox Chase is working with its clinical genetics group to come up with a policy on how to reach out to patients if they do find something they weren’t looking for. To a great degree, he says, the patient would have a right to refuse to be informed of unexpected information. Scratching the surface So what could the future hold for genetics and cancer treatment? Thanks to genetic testing, Olszanski looks forward to a day when cancers that cannot be cured can be treated as a chronic disease with targeted therapies—that just like patients with diabetes or heart disease, cancer patients will be able to live full lives while taking medications to control their cancer. “We’re just beginning to scratch the surface,” he says. “I think the future will have us testing more genes and discovering new drugs with the hope of helping more patients with cancer.” Laura Putre is a Cleveland freelance writer whose work has explored the mysteries of Vitamin B12, genetic research on the Hutterite colony in South Dakota, and using computer modeling to develop tropical disease vaccines. Her work has been published in The Root, Pacific-Standard, and O: The Oprah Magazine. FAQs: Genetic testing and targeted therapies with Anthony Olszanski, senior medical advisor, Cancer Genome Institute Who can benefit most from genetic testing? I see a number of patients with late-stage disease where we are, unfortunately, running out of standard treatment options. And that’s where I think that genetic testing really makes sense. Then we can possibly identify targets that we can inhibit with new targeted drugs, most often on clinical trials, which may make a difference for patients who are running out of options. How do targeted medications work in cancer treatment? Many of them are given as tablets or pills; others need to be given as intravenous medications. They work by different mechanisms to block the growth of cancer cells. Some of them target receptors on the cell surface, and some attack signaling pathways inside the cells. One interesting approach is to combine a targeted therapy with a chemotherapy drug. These combinations are called antibody-drug conjugates. The goal of these drugs is to use the targeted portion to seek out tumor cells. It’s like the Trojan horse. The tumor cells ingest or engulf the antibody-drug conjugate, and the toxic therapy is released inside the tumor cells and specifically kills those cells, sparing most healthy cells. Are certain types of cancer more appropriate than others for genetic testing and targeted therapy? That’s part of what we’re trying to figure out. We do know that some types of cancer harbor more genetic mutations than others, but we do not know the mutation status on some cancers. Photo: Joe Hurley For example, we know that lung cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer have high mutation rates. But there’s not a lot of data out there to tell us about the mutation rate in neuroendocrine tumors, for example. Part of the reason we’re doing these studies is to try to learn the details about how many mutations occur in each type of cancer, how often we can find a targeted therapy for an individual patient, and how often that therapy actually works. http://pubweb.fccc.edu/forward/?p=3654 © Copyright Fox Chase Cancer Center 2012. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Switch to our mobile site

TRUE! Are you on the go a lot? Don't want to take the time to pack a healthy lunch? Well here is some fast food you can pre pack and take with you before you head out of the door! Grab a quart sized baggie with a sliding zipper or a plastic cups with lids (frequently found at large grocery stores & warehouse discount clubs) , and load it up with whichever you like! -Baby Carrots -Broccoli florets (save your extra to go ranch dressings for this snack) -Sugar Snap Peas -Cucumber slices (mmm, paired with a laughing cow cheese wedge & saltines) -Celery sticks (slip in a to go cup of Jif peanut butter in your baggie) -Apple slices -Grapes (when they are frozen they resemble a candy crunch!) -Kiwis (just slice a sliver off the end, and scoop out the green parts with a spoon!) -Blueberries -Strawberries -A pear -A mango Which will you choose? Did I miss your favorite? Please reply with your favorite fast food! Happy snacking!

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Back in May of 1980, Neil Vicino was in a small boat on the water covering one of the greatest tragedies to hit Tampa Bay. In the video, he describes the collapse of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, with the freighter responsible for the deadly accident in the background. More than 30 years later, he found himself writing the last chapter of his life story. "Being a former journalist, and journalist teacher, it's about seeking the truth and reporting it. And in this case, I had to seek the truth and report it for myself," he said. Neil was a smoker. A cough kept getting worse, and doctors eventually discovered lung cancer. "I asked him, please be brutally honest with me. What are my chances here? I give you maybe a 50-50 for a year and a half," he recalled. Short on options, Neil found a clinical trial at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. "This is really a game changer," said oncologist and researcher Dr. Ben Creelan. Creelan is Neil's doctor and is testing an infusion made of two drugs, Nivolumab and Ipilimumab. (Brand name: Yervoy) One is FDA approved to treat other types of cancer, like melanoma; and the second is experimental MPDL3280A, to help shrink tumors. Cancers are able to spread and grow by using a cloaking mechanism that hides it from the immune system. Four new drugs are now in development that target a protein, PDL-1, that is involved in helping some tumor cells hide. These new drugs help unmask the cancer cells so the patient's own immune system can recognize, attack, and eliminate them. The drug Neil is using is made by Bristol Myers Squib. But because this pathway is so promising, three other companies -- Genentech, Medimmune, and Merck -- also have drugs in the pipeline. They are also being used on other kinds of cancers. Because they modify the immune system, the hope is that these drugs will continue working longer than targeted therapies do. "There has been nothing else coming out in the past 20 to 25 years, not only reducing remissions in 1 in 4 patients, we're talking durable remissions here, remissions that last for years. And many patients who have been treated since 2008, their cancer hasn't come back yet. It might never come back." The drug combo is not side-effect free, but unlike chemo, there's no fatigue no hair loss and no loss of appetite. We asked Dr. Creelan, on a scale of 1 to 10, what is this going to do to cancer therapy? "I think it's an 11," he smiled. "I think it's the most exciting thing in decades." That's because Neil's had three infusions. Since starting the trial, his tumors shrunk 58 percent. He's feeling better and has more energy. "I'm fortunate to be in the trial, because this is my best hope, my last hope...And so far it's proven to be that," he said. Neil is grateful for his opportunity and hopes others can do the same. ****** MORE INFORMATION: Clinical Trials: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=PD-1&pg=2 More information: A Phase II, Multicenter, Single-Arn Study of MPDL3280A in Patients with PD-L1-Positive Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Not everyone responds to PD-1 pathway therapies. Early trial results show lung cancer patients had response rates on the order of 10% to 18%. Researchers are studying whether biomarkers - proteins such as PD-L1 on the surface of immune system or tumor cells - might indicate which patients will respond well to PD-1 therapies. That is why some trials (but not all) require a biopsy for testing before accepting the patient into the trial. Read more: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/2455 ... z2rngPmqrx

Hi everybody! It's cold here in Dallas too! When I walked my kids to school this morning it was 19 degrees outside. My poor kiddos felt like they could hardly breathe. They toughed it out, they're okay. It has warmed up to a comfortable 30 degrees now. With the wind chill it feels like 21. The skies are beautiful here though. The sky is bright blue with stripes of clouds that look like stretched out cotton balls. The sun is shining brightly above them. Donna, stay safe where you are. UPS always delivers so if you need anything, everything is on Amazon. Oh and while you shop on Amazon your purchases can help LUNGevity raise fund for lung cancer research. Just sayin'. Lily I hope you have fun playing Bunco. I used to play with a group of ladies every first Friday of the month and we would all rotate who's house it would be at. We would have brownies decorated as dice, and cakes decorated with the words, "Bunco Babes" written on them It was so fun. We stopped because the childrens school year started and things just get too hectic. I would like to start up another group again, but I don't know... Where is BRUCE? I haven't seen him post in here in weeks. I hope he is okay and safe. Talk to y'all later!

Eat Fresh All Year: A Guide to Seasonal Cooking Buying fresh fruits and vegetables in season at farmers' markets or roadside stands - or growing them yourself - is the first step in making tastier, healthier meals. By Julie Davis Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH Making Sure It's Locally Grown There are ways to determine if the produce in your farmers' market is in season and grown locally. First, farmers' markets have rules that govern what can be sold. If it is a "producer only" market, vendors must have grown or made the foods they are selling. If "carrying" is allowed, vendors may carry or sell products made elsewhere. To ensure freshness, some markets limit the distance from which a farmer or vendor can travel. Farmers also have to adhere to national, state, and local laws about everything from food handling to labeling. LaBant also suggests that you engage farmers in a conversation. Besides learning about what crops they grow, this gives you the opportunity to develop a good customer-supplier relationship. "To get to know your farmers, strike up a conversation. Ask a question that doesn't have a yes or no answer. How many acres is your farm? Are you all natural and sustainable? What kind of irrigation do you use? Do you weed by hand? If they're passionate about it, farmers will give you long-winded answers, but you can learn a lot," says LaBant. You can read more here: http://ow.ly/t2kZ8

Connect with other Caregivers who understand what you are going through. We can connect you. Follow this link to find out how. http://events.lungevity.org/site/PageNa ... eLine.html

Lung cancer survivor Kim Wieneke talks about making peace with her diagnosis and learning to living well with lung cancer. She describes the value of connecting with other survivors and her experiences at LUNGevity’s HOPE summit: "...there's someone sitting next to me who's been a survivor for thirteen years. That's so exciting. That gives me hope!" Please watch her video with this link.

In Case Someone Is Wondering January 27th, 2014 - by Kenneth Lourie I don’t mind being alive, really I don’t. Occasionally though, I receive well-intended inquiries – electronic and otherwise, from people (who know my cancer story) who are sort of wondering if perhaps I’m not. When people haven’t heard from me in a while – and this is a category of people with whom I don’t have regular/recurring interactions, but rather a group of people who reach out and attempt to touch me (figuratively speaking) every three or four months or so – there is a presumption on their part that my silence (so far as they know) is not in fact golden, but rather ominous, as in the cancer might have won and yours truly didn’t. And when I respond, their pleasure/relief at my not having succumbed to the disease is quite positive, generally speaking. Their honesty and joy in learning that I’m still alive is both rewarding and gratifying. Rewarding in that they care and gratifying in that I must be doing something right which enables me to sustain myself through a very difficult set of medical circumstances: stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer, the terminal kind (is there any other kind?). Statistically speaking, stage IV (there is no stage V) non-small cell lung cancer patients, according to various studies by The American Cancer Society, The National Cancer Institute, N.I.H. are not long-term survivors (the understatement of the year). Those of us who survive five years should have a parade, but very few would be alive to attend. February 27th, 2014 will be my five-year anniversary. Lucky doesn’t begin to accurately describe my feelings. Amazing begins to scratch the surface. Obviously, I understand the underlying concern of those individuals who don’t hear from me and can’t help but wonder (presume even; let’s be realistic) that I’ve joined the ranks of the undesirables: those who have died and not left a forwarding address. In a peculiar way, these queries are my most favorites. They reinforce to me everything I’ve done right and minimize anything I’ve done wrong. They make me proud of who I am and how long I’ve survived with a “terminal” disease. And the longer I continue to receive them, the longer I will have survived. What’s better than that? (That’s a rhetorical question). Nothing is better than that! Still, there are many ongoing challenges I face every day. Perhaps as alluded to in the previous paragraph, grasping at straws (figuratively) is one of my enduring pursuits: attempting to find solace, comfort, understanding, support and an indescribable number of non-quantifiable emotions which build me up and make me feel whole again despite being splintered into a million figurative pieces when unexpectedly diagnosed with an inoperable, incurable, terminal disease at age 54 and a half. After having never suffered a broken bone in my entire life or even spent a single night in a hospital (and only one visit to the E.R.), here I was, in the prime of my middle age, being told in effect that my life (certainly as I knew and understood it) was over. If I was in college, I would have put that in my pipe and smoked it. However, as a mid-fifties-aged adult, recently orphaned, I was left to ordinary devices, which had never been so thoroughly tested. Presently, five years after the fact, the tests still left to be taken mostly involve well-meaning friends and acquaintances wanting to know my status. A little awkward? Sure. A lot of care and concern? Absolutely! Inquiries I can live without? Not a chance. http://blog.lungevity.org/2014/01/27/in ... wondering/

When Don Stranathan opened his heart to Penny Blume, he had a pretty good idea that he would love her forever but they wouldn’t be together long. Don was at home in Santa Rosa and Penny in rural, southeastern New York State when they “met” in fall 2011 — on a health-and-wellness website. Both struggled against advanced-stage lung cancer. Of the two, Penny had the worse diagnosis. Their initial online exchange turned into a conversation and then a flirtation, despite the fact neither was looking to be in a relationship again. Don was 59 and Penny 49. They’d both been married and each had two grown children; both were fighting for their lives. They fell in love anyway. The virtual relationship turned real when Penny, long a beloved waitress at the former Blanche’s Cafe on Route 17B in Sullivan County, flew to Santa Rosa to really meet Don, then a valued employee of Scott Technology copier repair service. Since that first face-to-face in January 2012, they’ve taken turns flying across the country. Don has come to feel at home in Sullivan County and he loved showing Penny his state. “She had never been to California,” he said. “I took her to Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, the Mendocino Coast, the desert, Los Angeles. I took her all over the place.” When both were at their respective homes, they kept close by phone as they underwent their treatments. “We spoke every day for 2-1/2 years,” said Don. “We never missed a day.” In recent months, as Penny became seriously debilitated, Don cared for her at his home with the indispensable help of people from Memorial Hospice. Penny’s sons, Eddie Blume and Josh Sprague, were there with her when she died at midday Tuesday. Before she passed, she spoke via Skype with her elderly father in Sullivan County. Don is now back there, helping to plan the services on Monday. He’s honoring Penny’s wishes by telling folks that if they’re interested they can make a donation donation in her memory to the LUNGevity Foundation. You can read this story straight from the source in this following link: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20 ... 701#page=2

You are looking great Kellie! I keep checking back here to see if you have posted any new photos. I think the one of you on the beach is my favorite so far. You just look so free and happy. Thanks for keeping us updated! As far as the rash, could you use coconut oil? It might sooth the dryness. I look forward to your next update.

Oh gosh Amy456, I'm sad to hear that you suffered with the H1N1 virus. It seems like you are feeling better which is great! How are you feeling now that it is over?

Hi everyone. Whether you are new or have been here for several years, I challenge you to take this quiz and test your knowledge. Please comment with your answers below. I can't wait to see your results! Stay tuned for the answers. TRUE OR FALSE 1. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, regardless of gender or ethnicity. 2. One in 100 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and it kills more people than colorectal, breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancers combined. 3. Lung cancer kills almost twice as many women as breast cancer, and almost three times as many men as prostate cancer. 4. About 10% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers. 5. Lung cancer accounts for 14% of all new cancer diagnoses but 27% of all cancer deaths.

Please watch her video on YouTube today. Her optimism will inspire you! It inspired me! http://ow.ly/sTke4