Cary

Irradiated normal cells increase their transferrin(iron) receptors, allowing more uptake of iron and thus become sensitive to Artemisinin. Artemisinin therapy can be started a minimum of two weeks after radiation (preferably more). Basically your healthy brain cells that have been irradiated are trying to repair themselves and may absorb/attract the Artemisinin causing healthy cells to die. Generally people don't receive only one treatment of radiation(as you have)it also depends on the amount of radiation you received in your one treatment, so this rule may or may not apply to you. If you don't plan on doing further radiation I would start Artemisinin two weeks from the date you finished (Jan 09+two weeks). If you plan on doing further radiation I would wait to start Artemisinin, until two weeks after completion of your final treatment Artemisinin and its derivatives are compounds that are extracted from the wormwood herb. A mixture of Artemisinin, artesunate and artemether is slightly better than individual components In general, Artemisinin and its analogs are relatively safe drugs with no obvious adverse reactions or noticeable side effects. Some people complain of skin irritation and scratching in 1 to 2mg/kg/day doses. Artemisinin should be taken with a 1/4-1/2 cup of milk The drug may also not work under 5 possible conditions: 1) Cholesterol more than 150 and Triglycerides more than 150 (avoid sugar drinks) 2) HDL below 35. To raise it, try enjoyable exercise for 1-2 hour after dinner. 3) Blood or saliva pH below 7.3 and to raise it, drink vegetable juices and take B1 vitamin and magnesium at breakfast and lunch and do a enjoyable exercise for 1-2 hour after dinner 4) Inadequate dose of artemisinin 5) Stress level is too high Cary (this is just my opinion and you should always contact a medical professional before beginning any treatment.)

You should never use Artemisinin for a minimum of two weeks after radiation. I believe the link below is one of the best suppliers of Artemisinin, you can call them and they will be more than happy to help you. There are others suppliers that charge between $13-$20 for a bottle. Wormwood is not usually as potent as Artemisinin extract. I believe Artemisinin and its derivatives in specific portions are far Superior. http://www.hepalin.com/products.htm Kandi Wellcare Pharmaceutical Company PO Box 2858 Palos Verdes, CA 90274 310-377-0056 877-728-2073 (Toll free)

What I don't get is, why does she even need to lose weight. she was gorgeous in her bikini avatar. I guess some people are just never happy with their bodies. Cary

I wonder what angiogenic drug they used. I think if we could locate this information okdebi might have a chance at winning the diet contest. LOL

Research shows fat is an organ Guides new research, explains ruined diets Brad Evenson National Post Monday, September 08, 2003 In the anatomy textbooks, the major organs are easy to find. The liver is always brown, the spleen is green, the heart is red and the small intestine is squeezed like a row of sausages into the abdomen. But one of the principal organs, present in close to 50% of North American men and women, is missing. Fat. Fat cells are the colour of jaundice, greasy and thousands of times bigger than other cells. The average adult has close to 35 billion fat cells, or adipocytes, a number that balloons as high as 275 billion in the very obese.It was the accepted wisdom that these cells lived quiet lives as the body's cushions, insulation and fuel tanks. But in recent years, scientists have been stunned to learn fat is very busy indeed. When fat cells accumulate into a large enough mass, they begin pumping out a toxic array of chemical signals."It's a nasty soup that comes from our [fat cells]," says Daniel Drucker, a University of Toronto researcher. Many scientists now consider fat an endocrine organ, like the pancreas. And nobody will ever want a transplant. This explains why having a big pot belly often foreshadows such woes as diabetes, cancer and hardened arteries. "Think of it as a tumour," says another researcher. "One that's caused by soft drinks and french fries."If more people realized their "love handles" are in fact toxic, they might work harder to get rid of them, experts believe. Our new understanding of the secret life of fat has transformed the field of obesity research. Scientists now understand that blocking the molecular signals that fat transmits to the brain and body could lead to a thin pill. And that could be worth billions of dollars. "It's almost like a gold rush now," says David Lau, a University of Calgary endocrinologist and president of Obesity Canada, a non-profit research organization. "Everyone is looking for the magic bullet." The rush started in late 1994, when researchers at Rockefeller University discovered that fat cells secrete a hormone called leptin. Derived from the Greek word, "to thin," leptin acts on the hypothalamus in the brain, where the hunger and satiety centres are located. It was the first time research had shown fat can control appetite. Fat deposits, it dawned on scientists, are really organs. "[Leptin] was the transformational discovery," says Dr. Drucker. "The world realized fat is more of an active player than we previously appreciated." Since the discovery of leptin, researchers have found dozens of molecules made by fat. A little fat is essential to human survival. In normal amounts, fat cells make adiponectin, a beneficial hormone that makes the body more sensitive to insulin. But too much of a good thing can kill. A never-ending avalanche of new studies show that when large numbers of fat cells accumulate, especially in the belly -- creating the dreaded "apple-shaped" body -- they begin secreting chemicals known as adipokines, many of which trigger disease. For example, an adipokine known as resistin -- resistance to insulin -- is believed to cause blood sugar levels in the body to rise, leading to type 2 diabetes. More than 150 million people around the world suffer from this disease, a number predicted to rise to 280 million by 2025. "This is just a huge epidemic in the world," says Bernie Zinman, director of the Leadership Sinai Centre for Diabetes at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. "There are 1.5 million Canadians who have been diagnosed with diabetes, and about 750,000 who have it but don't know it yet." Accumulations of fat also churn out tumour necrosis factor-alpha (NTF-a), which causes rheumatoid arthritis, and C-reactive protein, which is linked to atherosclerosis and heart disease. This explains why obese people are often stricken with multiple health problems, which often vanish when they lose weight. However, a person who was once fat is different from someone who was always thin. "If I gain 20 kilograms and then I lose 20 kilograms, it's not certain I will have exactly the same biology as if I had not gained," says Angelo Tremblay, a professor of preventive medicine at Laval University in Quebec City. This is because humans are born with billions of tiny "baby fat cells," called preadipocytes. If we consume too many calories, filling our adult fat cells to bursting, they send out a molecular signal to the preadipocytes to mature. Before they can grow up to a life of storing body fat, however, these immature fat cells must divide at least twice. So not only do billions of new adult fat cells add to a burgeoning waistline, billions more baby fat cells are born. Diet and exercise reduce the amount of fatty oils stored in each of these fat cells. But they don't reduce the overall population of fat cells, with their cellular machinery, which may continue to pump out nasty adipokines, screwing up the body's normal hunger and satiety signals. This is why diets often tend to fail. Once fat, people will always struggle against their own bodies to be thin, which is why most obesity experts place their greatest hopes on prevention, not cure. "Childhood obesity is where we're really falling down," says Dr. Zinman. Children who are obese, carrying a fat organ in their bodies for decades, are more likely to face long-term medical woes. Some experts say it's useful to compare fat to cancer, particularly since the growth and proliferation of new fat cells can sharply increase the risk of breast, prostate, colon and other cancers. Studies now link the adipokines that switch on baby fat cells to the growth of these cancers, which means the same molecular forces that expand girth also expand tumours. Reducing weight can prevent the formation of these new fat cells and the cancer risk that rises with them."If you can reduce body weight, you can reduce cancers," Dr. Lau says. "If they're told they're 40 pounds overweight, people think, 'Don't worry, I can knock that off sometime,' " Dr. Drucker says. "But if you tell them they have cancer and they're going to lose 15 years of their life, they don't take it so lightly." The cancer analogy is now being applied to research, where some scientists are destroying fat cells using a method of killing cancer. Last year, U.S. researchers used a promising type of anti-cancer drug, which deprives tumours of a blood supply, to combat weight gain in rodents. The endeavour was based on the idea that fat tissue, like tumours, requires an extra supply of blood to grow. Fat tissue is filled with tiny blood vessels, which proliferate as the body thickens. Maria Rupnick, a researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, fed obese rats with experimental cancer drugs known as angiogenesis inhibitors to prevent excess weight gain. The drugs did more than prevent gain. The overweight mice lost significant amounts of fat -- in some cases 50% of their bodyweight. "We were surprised by how much weight they lost," says Dr. Rupnick, who reported the discovery in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Rupnick says fat tissue, like tumours, probably has fewer stable blood vessels than the rest of the body. The drugs probably destroyed capillaries in the fat tissue, leading to the death of fat cells. Moreover, once the "fat organ" had disappeared, the mice developed a normal appetite. Dr. Rupnick says further study is needed to understand the drugs' effects. Until then, or until a magic bullet is found, new anatomy textbooks should add a bright yellow organ to diagrams of the abdominal cavity.

Large trial fails to confirm role for adjuvant chemo in NSCLC A three-drug adjuvant regimen led to a 1% improvement in overall and progression-free survival.By Tammy Dotts Staff Writer January 2004 Adjuvant chemotherapy did not improve outcomes for patients with completely resected non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the Adjuvant Lung Project Italy (ALPI) trial. There were no significant differences in overall or progression-free survival between patients who received a three-drug adjuvant combination and those who received no treatment, said Giorgio V. Scagliotti, MD, PhD, from the University of Torino in Italy. Randomization The ALPI investigators designed the trial to evaluate a regimen of mitomycin C, vindesine (Eldisine, Lilly Europe) and cisplatin (Platinol, Bristol-Myers Squibb) in patients with radically resected stage-1 to stage-3A NSCLC. The researchers chose the three-drug regimen after reports of its efficacy in the neoadjuvant setting. Patients were recruited from January 1994 through January 1999 at 66 Italian centers and at five European centers outside Italy. The trial was the “first large, prospective adjuvant study designed to detect reasonably small differences in survival that were in the range of those detected by a NSCLC meta-analysis,” Scagliotti said. The 1995 meta-analysis suggested a 5% improvement in the five-year survival rate following cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy. After surgery, 548 patients were randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy and 540 patients were randomized to receive no chemotherapy. The decision to use adjuvant radiotherapy was made at the individual participating centers according to existing policies. There were 238 patients in the chemotherapy arm and 232 patients in the observation arm who received radiotherapy. The median duration of follow-up for all patients was 64.5 months. Although the median overall survival was longer by 7.2 months with adjuvant chemotherapy — 55.2 months compared with 48.0 months — the difference was not significant. The hazard ratio was 0.96, which led to a 1% absolute increase in both the two-year and five-year overall survival rates with the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. A hazard ratio of 0.89 for progression-free survival translated into a 4% absolute increase in both two-year and five-year progression-free survival rates. As with overall survival, the median progression-free survival was longer with adjuvant chemotherapy, but the difference was not significant: 36.5 months with adjuvant chemotherapy and 28.9 months without adjuvant chemotherapy. Scagliotti did not believe that newer chemotherapy agents would improve the outcomes of the study. Although agents such as gemcitabine (Gemzar, Lilly), taxanes and vinorelbine (Navelbine, GlaxoSmithKline) can improve response and toxicity in advanced NSCLC when combined with cisplatin and compared with older regimens, they resulted in only marginally better survival, he said. “It is unlikely the use of these new regimens as adjuvant treatment in early stages of NSCLC will greatly change the efficacy outcomes,” he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1017173.htm Cary

John Wayne was diagnosed with Lung cancer in 1963 or 1965, He subsequently had a lobectomy and was cured. In 1979 he developed Gastric cancer, had his stomach removed and died of a intestinal blockage from the progression of the Gastric cancer a few months later. I think the whole misconception got started here: http://www.saclung.org/thumbs/TUTDcelebs&smoking.htm CELEBRITIES KILLED BY TOBACCO... Courtesy of the Entertainment Industry Council's Tobacco in the Media Project and "Cigarette Hall of Fame," a report by the Roswell Park Memorial Institute. The following is a list of prominent celebrities that were heavy smokers and have died from smoking related illnesses. Celebrity Cause of Death Nat "King" Cole Lung Cancer Michael Landon Pancreatic Cancer (4 packs a day) Betty Grable Lung Cancer Humpherey Bogart Throat and Esophagus Cancer Gary Cooper Lung Cancer Sammey Davis, Jr Throat Cancer Walt Disney Lung Cancer Yul Brynner Lung Cancer Ed Sullivan Lung Cancer Desi Arnez Lung Cancer Duke Ellington Lung Cancer Lucille Ball Heart Disease (aortic aneurysm) Betty Davis Stroke John Wayne Lung Cancer, survived bypass surgery, died with gastric cancer

My dad had 21 brain tumors, after his whole brain radiation they are now gone. Cary

This is Great!! Cary

My dad currently has no evidence of disease he was recurrent Stage IV. You can look at my signature for further info. In addition to what is mentioned in the signature, his whole abdomen and lungs were filled with enlarged lymph nodes, some were 2-3cm. The lymph nodes had never been mentioned in any report until his latest scans(CT and Pet) and the report stated that the enlarged lymph nodes were no longer present. I was upset they had never been mentioned before, but overall I was just glad they were gone. - I guess I already added the lymph nodes the the signature- Cary

Welcome, I don't know too much about SCLC, but I am sure more people will be here later tonight and will be able to give you more insight. I think CT scans here in the US are also done about every 2-3 months. I would really try and get a MRI for the brain though. Cary

Drug Week, Dec 19, 2003 p169 COX-2 and tumor angiogenesis correlate in non-small cell lung cancers. Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2003 NewsRX 2003 DEC 19 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- COX-2 and tumor angiogenesis correlate in non-small cell lung cancers. "The role of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression and angiogenesis of lung cancer is yet to be delineated. Eighty four non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens were evaluated for COX-2 expression, microvessel density (MVD), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression by immunohistochemical methods. The relationships between COX-2 expression and MVD, VEGF expression, and survival time were analyzed," scientists writing in the journal Lung Cancer report. "COX-2 expression was observed in the cytoplasm and membrane of the carcinoma cells and premalignant cells. COX-2 was positive in 67 cases (79.8%). There was a statistically significant correlation between COX-2 expression and tumor size, TNM stage, tumor type, VEGF expression, and vascular pattern with survival in univariate analysis. No significant correlation was seen between COX-2, VEGF expression and MVD," noted H.S. Kim and colleagues, Chonnam National University, School of Medicine. "A lack of expression of either COX-2 or VEGF expression or both, however, was associated with lower MVD than the group with both expressed. The difference was statistically significant (p=0.005). Statistically significant differences were also observed according to TNM stage, vascular pattern, COX-2 expression, and VEGF expression." "With multivariate analysis, only TNM stage and COX-2 expression retained their significance as independent predictors of survival. COX-2 expression takes part in tumor angiogenesis and is a significant poor prognostic factor in the surgically resected NSCLC. COX-2 inhibitor, either in combination therapy with other agents, or for chemoprevention, may be effective via suppression of angiogenesis in this fatal disease," researchers concluded. Kim and colleagues published their study in Lung Cancer (Correlation between cyclooxygenase-2 and tumor angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer, 2003;42(2):163-170). Additional information can be obtained by contacting C.S. Park, Chonnam National University, School of Medicine, Department Pathology, 5 Hak Dong, Gwangju 501190, South Korea. The publisher of the journal Lung Cancer can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd., Customer Relations Manager, Bay 15, Shannon Industrial Estate CO, Clare, Ireland. The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Angiogenesis, Enzymology, Oncology, and Lung Cancer. This article was prepared by Drug Week editors from staff and other reports.

Katieb did a great job. Can someone help Norme.(I'm not good at explanations) Cary

Preferably Saturday and Sunday. Some people may not see this thread until after the weekend, but they should still email. You can and should email these and any other organizations in the future and do it as often as you see fit. Cary

It took my dad four months to develop a rash while on Iressa. In the mean time the Iressa was working and he currently has no evidence of disease. My dads results could be from the Iressa or the combination of treatments he is taking. Cary

Have you ever talked to a Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma support group. I have heard this same story many times before. Apparently many who survive the lymphoma treatments, develop lung cancer. I am surprised doctors don't warn people about this. Cary

We have a post in the general forum "Letter writing campaign" that lists the addresses. In addition Rick has posted a letter template in the general forum. Thanks, Cary

Rick, The letter is perfect, its exactly what all of us were discussing. Thanks, Cary

Dave did you have a PET scan of the brain? Jim maybe someone complained and they now have to follow procedure. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv ... enDocument Possible complications The PET scan is considered to be a safe procedure that exposes the patient to about the same amount of radiation as two chest x-rays. The injected radioactive chemicals have a very short lifespan and are removed fairly quickly from the body. However, it may be wise to avoid close contact with small babies or pregnant women in the few hours following your scan. PET scan procedure If you are having a brain scan, you might be asked to sit quietly in a dark room and not do anything that might stimulate your brain (such as reading, for example).

Hi everyone we are planning on doing a letter writing campaign this weekend. We would love for everyone to participate. Katieb has written an excellent form letter that all of us can use. The addresses are provided below and this link is our discussion we had in Activism. http://www.buy2k.net/lungcancersurvivor ... php?t=4630 I forgot to mention, don't forgot to email your local media also(TV and print) and any other organization you think may benefit our cause. Thank you everyone, Cary In case you can't find the forum letter, I have provided the link.(just cut and paste the letter) http://www.buy2k.net/lungcancersurvivor ... php?t=4695 Nightly news/24 hour news services Nightly@nbc.com evening@cbsnews.com Viewerservices@foxnews.com You must go to these pages to email(ABC + CNN) http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/Worl ... _form.html http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form1.html?33 Associated press(print) pr@ap.org TV news magazines email-dateline dateline@nbc.com Email-48 hours 48hours@cbsnews.com email-link 20/20(you must go to this page to email) http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/2020 ... _form.html Health Boards adminmod1@healthboards.com 60 minutes ADDRESS: 60 Minutes 524 West 57th St. New York, NY 10019

Here you go. Cary http://www.lungcancercoalition.org/

Rick has already increased the size of the forum icon on the main page, That was quick, I noticed it this morning. I was wondering if we are going to post this info in the general forum, with the additional email addresses Rick was going to supply. Thanks for everything Rick Cary

This was posted today by a guest in the new treatment section. http://www.or-live.com/healthalliance/1135 Innovative operation to treat lung cancer will be broadcast live on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 5:00 pm Est from University Hospital in Cincinnati. John Howington, M.D., director, division of Thoracic Surgery, will be demonstrating a Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) with lobectomy. This event will be moderated by Walter Merrill, M.D., chief, section of cardiothoracic surgery. The procedure being broadcast is performed on patients with small peripheral lung cancers, and is done with 2 to 3 small portals placed between the ribs and a three-inch access incision in the chest, without spreading the ribs. Because fewer and smaller incisions are made, the patient has a shorter recovery and is in less pain. Viewers to the live webcast will have the ability to email questions directly to the OR for an on-camera response. A preview video is currently available at http://www.or-live.com/healthalliance/1135

To answer your question, they would have to perform a biopsy. Cary