Cancer News - Human Interest

Cancer patients help shape medical treatment with trials

http://www.wisinfo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009909060439

Cancer, comedy and a cure
Young cancer patient uses blame game to amuse and save lives

Blame it on the rain. Blame it on the stars. And when there is nothing else to do, blame it on Drew.

More than 10,000 people have blamed more than 22,000 things on Drew Olanoff's cancer ever since he started #blamedrewscancer, the social-media Twitter campaign that unites online communities in the fight against cancer.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32509413/ns/us_news-giving/

Managing Hair Loss After Chemotherapy

If you are undergoing chemotherapy as part of your lung cancer treatment, it's possible that you'll lose your hair. Here's how to handle this very visible side effect.

If chemotherapy is part of your lung cancer treatment, you may lose your hair. Some people decide to take control of the situation and shave their head, while others let it happen on its own. Either way, it may be distressing. Some simple steps can help you minimize the loss and manage the mental toll.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/lung-cancer/hair-loss-after-chemotherapy.a...

Cancer survivor provides free health care for uninsured

BUNNELL, Florida (CNN) -- Faith Coleman had no health insurance when she learned she had cancer, but she describes her battle with the illness as "one of the absolute greatest blessings" of her life.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/20/cnnheroes.faith.coleman/index.html

Palliative Care for Patients with Advanced Cancer Improves Quality of Life and Mood

Aug. 18, 2009 – One of the reasons the provision to pay doctors to provide end-of-life counseling was added to the health care reform bill, was to be sure Medicare patients were aware of the availability of palliative and hospice care. A new study confirms that at least for patients with advanced cancer, such care focused on physical and psychosocial issues and care coordination improved quality of life and mood, even though there was not much change in days they spent in the hospital or the severity of their symptoms.

http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Eldercare/2009/20090818-PalliativeCare...

For Patients: Questions to Ask About a Clinical Trial

Most who enroll in clinical trials say they want to help themselves and others. But how can patients decide that a trial is worth their while?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/health/research/03trialside.html?_r=1

Lack of Study Volunteers Hobbles Cancer Fight

Not long ago, at a meeting of an advisory group established by Congress to monitor the war on cancer, participants were asked how to speed progress.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/health/research/03trials.html?hp

Complementary Therapies for Brain Tumors
Find out how certain vitamins, herbs, and mind-body therapies help ease brain tumor symptoms and treatment side effects.

An estimated 50,000 people are newly diagnosed with brain tumors every year. Most tumors are not cancerous, but even benign brain tumors can cause pain, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Patients who have a malignant brain tumor have the added burden of chemotherapy and radiation side effects to contend with. Fortunately, a variety of complementary and alternative therapies have been shown to alleviate some of these debilitating brain tumor symptoms and side effects.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/brain-tumor/complementary-therapies-for-br...

The Right Hat Can Help Prevent Skin Cancer
Learn how to choose a hat that will provide the best sun protection.

Hats can be a stylish accessory to top off an outfit, or a convenient way to hide a multitude of sins… Bad hair day? Throw one on and you are out the door. But hats can do much more, namely, they can help prevent skin cancer, by keeping the sun's damaging rays away from the sensitive skin on your scalp, face, ears, and neck. Unfortunately, not all hats are created equal, so if you want a hat destined for sun protection, you need to know what to look for. .

http://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-cancer/sun-protection-hats-to-prevent...

Blind women help detect breast cancer

The program, called "Discovering Hands," is the brainchild of German gynecologist Dr. Frank Hoffmann.

Two years ago, he created Braille strips as a system of orientation, allowing the blind to carry out breast examinations.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/29/german.blind.cancer/index.html