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Age No Bar to Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer Fri August 29, 2003 05:28 PM ET By David Douglas NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Chemotherapy commonly used to treat lung cancer is as effective and is no more toxic for the elderly than for younger patients, researchers report in the medical journal Cancer. In fact, Dr. Thomas A. Hensing told Reuters Health, his group's research matches that of others showing that "age alone should not be used to determine treatment for patients with advanced lung cancer. Elderly patients who are fit and active should be offered standard therapy or encouraged to enroll in ongoing clinical trials for this disease." Advanced lung cancer is increasingly seen in people 70 years old and older, but they are less likely to be considered for the same treatment used in younger individuals. However, research shows that patients who are relatively healthy apart from their cancer survive as long as their younger counterparts, with a comparable quality of life. Hensing, who is currently with Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Evanston, Illinois, and colleagues analyzed the results of a trial involving 239 patients who had advanced "non-small-cell" lung cancer, nearly a third of whom were aged 70 or above. All the patients were treated with a combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel. Older patients were no more likely to suffer from severe nausea and vomiting, nor did they have more muscle and joint pain. Blood disorders that often accompany chemotherapy, such as low levels of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, were no worse in the older patients. When responding to questionnaires asking about their quality of life, the older age group was similar to the younger one. Survival rates after chemotherapy were not affected by age. In light of these findings, the researchers conclude that "in fit, elderly patients, carboplatin/paclitaxel represented a reasonable standard regimen." Nevertheless, Dr. Hensing added, "despite ongoing efforts, elderly patients continue to be underrepresented in clinical trials and we need to work harder to develop strategies that can increase the number of elderly patients in these studies." SOURCE: Cancer, August 15, 2003.

Actually, how to increase the OGG1 or 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 inside the body? What food contains these? ______________ Study Finds Enzyme That Disposes Smokers to Cancer Tue September 2, 2003 05:48 PM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli researchers said on Tuesday they had identified a naturally produced compound that may explain why only some smokers get lung cancer. Smokers with low levels of the enzyme were five to 10 times more likely to develop lung cancer than smokers with the highest levels, the team at Israel's Weizmann Institute found. The enzyme is called OGG1 or 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1. The enzyme fixes damage done to DNA by smoking and other environmental stresses and is one of a large group of repair compounds in the body. Writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Zvi Livneh and colleagues said 40 percent of the 68 lung cancer patients they tested had low levels of OGG1 activity, in contrast to 4 percent of a healthy group of 68 people. Nonsmokers with the lowest levels of OGG1 also had a higher risk of lung cancer, although their overall risk of cancer was much lower than that of the smokers. Lung cancer is by far the biggest cancer killer in the world, killing a million people every year worldwide and nearly 160,000 a year in the United States. Up to 90 percent of all lung cancer patients are smokers, but only 10 percent of heavy smokers develop lung cancer. Smoking is also a major cause of heart disease and stroke. The researchers said the findings needed to be confirmed in larger studies but they may lead to the development of a blood test that smokers could take to determine their personal risk

hello, welcome to visit this board and hope you can get what you want to get from this board. This is informative and all guys here are very nice and brave.

Thank you, this is very helpful.

Sandy, this is really really good news....congratulations!! One question ~~ Did you do the PCI?

Is there any Chinese/Japanese/Asian markets nearby your living place? In New York? I guess you could go to China town alike to buy those leaves. I don't know where you could buy it coz I live in Hong Kong. Sorry..

it is really nice to participate that so special wedding, it is memorable. Let's cry if you wanna cry, just follow your heart. Don't be shy.!

Terre, very sorry for your loss. Take good care. You are in our prayers.

My Dad is drinking Green Tea (leaves, not tea bag). This is organic. I don't know the exact benefits of Green Tea and I just know this is good only. But I can tell, the quality of Green Tea is important, I read a news regarding the origin of Green Tea, if the soil is bad (something harmful elements in the soil that put in by farmers), then the leaves will make negative impact instead....etc. Actually, I don't know what origin of leaves are good and what are bad, BUT, I think quality means something and if you can afford, you should buy higher price GREEN TEA leaves. Becoz higher price to the extent means higher quality. Morever, get the HOT one is better than COLD one (very ideal). You could add in some honey inside.

You are amazing, what a wonderful and strong will man. You are GREAT.

Truly thank you for your information and contribution. You will discover the beautiful side of LIFE, I believe. All the best.

Good to hear that you enjoyed the amazing play beyond the starry sky ! Fabulous!

hi Newbie my daddy is exercising Qi Gong and he feels soooo good. He tells me that his hair is returning black color from white!!! It is amazing. Keep it on....

finally, I can convert the pic and attach here... this may be a bit late to introduce my Dad and myself to you guys, BUT, at least now you know who you are talking to

Glad to hear that! Happy for you.

Fay & Cary, thank you for your response on this matter In Hong Kong, since TM is not officially being in clinical trial approved by government, so this is only done via private oncologists. So there is no any fund to support patients and sponsor them. We have to pay total USD154 for one week medicine + consultation fee (with blood testing), you know, we have to bear all costs not only the pills. I know only consultation fee without any pills that costs USD77 already. It is costly and we also pay USD360 for the chinese herb tea every month. Cary, your Dad is Small Cell or NSCLC ? THanks for listening.

Young lung cancer survivor set her own agenda 18 April 2002 VANCOUVER - While new statistics indicate that death rates for lung cancer in women have increased by 2 per cent, cancer survivor Janice Ireland chose to ignore the numbers. When she was 42, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Although she had quit smoking five years earlier, the damage had already been done. "Although I knew that lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death in men and women, I chose to set my own agenda." She didn't undergo chemotherapy or radiation treatment, but she did have an operation to remove part of her upper right lung. After the surgery, she began to take multivitamins and she also changed her diet to include more fruits and vegetables. She now practices yoga and meditation, too. 'Laughter is another great defence mechanism," Ireland says. "My family and friends helped me get through this with their support and much-needed sense of humour." Now that Ireland has been cancer-free for seven years, she's working full-time during the day and volunteering for the Canadian Cancer Society's CancerConnection program. This program provides telephone support to people living with cancer. Callers are matched with trained volunteers who have survived a similar cancer experience. "I am involved with CancerConnection because I am so grateful to be alive. I want to share my story with others and give them hope. I tell callers to ignore the statistics and keep fighting. It certainly worked for me."

Some of you may notice that I have talking about the new drug -- TM for patients to try, in fact, today my Dad just saw our private oncologist as well as to meet the oncologist at public hospital (dad's current treating place), my Dad met the Dr Private first and then the Dr Public, my dad is supposed to take the TM starting from today. But when my Dad told the dr. public about the TM, Dr. public did not suggest my Dad taking TM because TM is still in clinical trial stage and not yet approved. If you were him, what will you do? In fact, Dr. Private said TM has no side effect at all. Should my Dad take the bet? The TM is in the Phase III clinical trial..... Any advice? In fact, my Dad said he thinks he is like a rat to test new drug. He is not really eager to try TM and he thinks it costs too much.

I am very sorry for your loss. All of you are brave. Sometimes, I really don't know why human born and then die, sometimes, I will ask myself, this is really horrible for us, as children to lose our beloved parents, this is the toughest and the hardest and the first time in our life to accept such thing. I really cannot accept this happen in my life, I am 30 and in the past, almost nothing could make me feel sad like my dad getting LC. This is really unbearable. Sometimes, I ask GOD, why every people should face the same experience. How can they overcome this?! I don't want to experience such thing, I just want my sky is blue, always blue. No rain. Sorry for talking too much, deeply sorry for your loss

Hi Cary Many thanks for your detailed sharing. My dad in fact, is going to have his last round chemo this week, he is sclc patient, our private oncologist (second opinion onc.) suggested us to start taking TM after all treatments completed, then, from your experience, should i bring dad to see the private oncologist now? Because as what you said, it takes around 3 months to deplete the copper level. Remark : I live in Hong Kong. Thanks again for your help and I would like to see you keep on posting the progress for us.... Million thanks.

Glad to hear that you are discharged already. Hang in there

hey, what a good news...... don't give up..

I am so sorry...Lord is the sheperd.

Cary, sorry, may I ask you some questions? 1) When did your dad start the TM? in May? (bcoz you said the tumor has slight growth) 2) As of July, he was stable, do you mean tumor was no growth since starting the TM? 3) Do you mean TM helps ? Thank you very much......

You guys are very clever, the onc. told my dad not to swim if possible bcoz of the possible infection...... thx