Ovarian cancer Whispers …

… so listen… Watch for Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort; vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, and indigestion; frequency and / or urgency of urination in the absence of an infection; unexplained weight gain or weight loss; pelvic and / or abdominal swelling, bloating and / or feeling of fullness; ongoing unusual fatigue; or unexplained changes in bowel habits… If symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, ask your doctor for a combination pelvic / rectal exam, CA-125 blood test, and transvaginal ultrasound. A Pap Test WILL NOT detect ovarian cancer.

Let’s shout, yell, cry, scream, bellow, screech, bawl, holler and roar until everyone knows its name…

Therapy may cut lung cancer risk

Smoking raises the risk of lung cancer

Treatment with a derivative of vitamin A called retinoic acid may help to cut former smokers’ risk of lung cancer, research suggests. It is suspected that lung cells damaged during years of smoking may continue to grow and evolve into cancer even after that person has quit.

Scientists found the therapy reduced growth among those lung cells.

The University of Texas study is published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

These early results are intriguing, but much more work is needed before we know for sure whether these chemicals could prevent or slow lung cancer growth Josephine Querido Cancer Research UK

Tobacco smoking accounts for 90% of the attributable risk for lung cancer, but the risk of the disease remains elevated for many years after people give up and never decreases to the level of that for non-smokers.

Nearly half of newly-diagnosed lung cancers occur in former smokers.

The researchers, from the university’s MD Anderson Cancer Center, work focused on 225 people who were once heavy smokers, but who had quit the habit.

The volunteers either received a three-month treatment combining a form of retinoic acid with vitamin E; a different form of retinoic acid in isolation; or a placebo.

Tissue samples

The researchers examined samples of lung tissue taken from all the volunteers before and after treatment.

They measured proliferation of the cells by recording levels of a tell-tale chemical “biomarker” called Ki-67.

Both treatments reduced cell proliferation in one layer of the lung cells - the parabasal layer.

But the researchers were surprised that neither reduced cell growth in a second, the basal layer.

They say more work will be needed to tease out the exact effects of retinoic acid treatment.

But writing in the journal, they said decreased proliferation of lung cells should slow tumour development by reducing the number of cells in which things could go wrong, and minimising the potential for uncontrolled cell growth.

Dr Eva Szabo, of the US National Cancer Institute, agreed that more research was needed before the therapy could be tested in more advanced clinical trials.

She said: “We do not have a full understanding of the effects of these agents on [lung cells] or their effects during the full spectrum of carcinogenesis.”

Josephine Querido, of the charity Cancer Research UK, said: “The effect of vitamin derivatives and supplements on lung cancer is unclear - so giving up smoking is by far the best way for smokers to reduce their risk of the disease.

“These early results are intriguing, but much more work is needed before we know for sure whether these chemicals could prevent, or slow, lung cancer growth.”

Chemo best for child brain cancer

Radiotherapy can have dangerous side-effects in the brain

Using chemotherapy instead of radiotherapy in children with brain tumours reduces the risk of long-term brain damage, say UK researchers. Radiotherapy was thought to offer the best chance of survival for such tumours, despite a likelihood of future learning difficulties.

But a decade-long Lancet Oncology study in young children found safer chemotherapy is as good a treatment.

Children under three are particularly vulnerable to radiation side-effects.

A total of 89 children aged under three years who had been diagnosed with a type of rare brain cancer called an ependymoma all underwent surgery to try and remove their tumours.

It’s clear from this study that a significant proportion of children can be spared, or have delayed, the effects of radiotherapy by using chemotherapy Professor Richard Grundy, study leader

They were then given an intensive course of chemotherapy “the baby brain protocol” to kill off any remaining cancer cells.

Radiation treatment was reserved only for those children whose disease had spread or progressed.

But of these patients, the chemotherapy treatment managed to delay their need for radiotherapy by more than one and a half years, so the children were older and their brains were more developed.

Overall, 42% of the patients did not receive any radiation treatment for their cancer and almost two-thirds of the children - 64% - were still alive five years after diagnosis - similar if not better rate than with radiotherapy alone.

Side-effects

Around 350 children under the age of 15 are diagnosed with brain cancer each year in the UK, say Cancer Research UK who funded the research.

Around a tenth of these cases are ependymomas - equating to around 35 cases each year - half of which occur in children under the age of four.

Study leader Professor Richard Grundy, professor of paediatric neurooncology at the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre, the University of Nottingham, explained that radiotherapy in young brains could cause short-term memory loss and reduced IQ.

“We know radiotherapy can be harmful to the developing brain, so avoiding it or using it at an older age if needed will hopefully reduce any learning difficulties these children may develop as a result of this treatment without compromising their chance of a cure.”

Dr Judith Kingston, paediatric oncologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital said they were now trying the treatment in other brain tumours.

“It’s becoming standard in the UK to treat young children in this way.”

Amanda Froggatt, aged 16, was just two when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Amanda was two when diagnosed and is now a healthy teenager

Her mum Diane is incredibly grateful that Amanda was able to take part in the trial.

“There was no need to have radiotherapy because there has been no change since the chemotherapy.

“She had mild learning difficulties but they’re very mild and we don’t know if it was because of any treatment or just one of those things.

“But with radiotherapy kids can have really bad problems.”

Despite suffering a stroke due to the surgery she had to undergo, Amanda, who lives in Mansfield, is now a happy healthy teenager and about to start a foundation studies course at a local college.

“If she hadn’t been able to have the chemotherapy she wouldn’t be here now.”

Via BBC Health