Websites
Websites to research...
Cancer Treatment Centers of America- No esophageal cancer patient is the same. Get a personalized treatment plan. https://www.cancercenter.com/esophageal-cancer/
American Society of Clinical Oncology- Understanding Immunotherapy: https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/immunotherapy-and-vaccines/understanding-immunotherapy
College of American Pathologists- Cancer Protocols and Electronic Cancer Checklists: http://www.cap.org/web/oracle/webcenter/portalapp/pagehierarchy/cancer_protocol_templates.jspx
Bone Scan Technique: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2109077-technique#showall
Esophageal cancer: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/esophagus-cancer.html
https://www.cancer.gov/types/esophageal
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/esophageal-cancer/symptoms-and-signs
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/277930-overview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esophageal_cancer
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/esophageal-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20356084
https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/esophageal-cancer#1
http://www.cancernetwork.com/cancer-management/esophageal-cancer
Treating Esophageal Cancer by Stage: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/esophagus-cancer/treating/by-stage.html Most of the time, the initial treatment of esophagus cancer is based on its stage – how far it has spread. But other factors, such as a person’s overall health, can also affect treatment options.
OncoLink: https://www.oncolink.org/ OncoLink’s content ranges from treatment and disease information for a newly diagnosed patient, support through the side effects of treatment, and into survivorship. It provides tools and educational materials to support the practice of busy practitioners, including on treatment education, psychosocial support and survivorship care plans. Their primary goal is to support patients, caregivers and practitioners through education. This can empower patients to make educated treatment decisions, be active participants in their care, and be their own advocate. They also have an excellent section on what to expect from the drugs you might go on.
Cancer Horizons https://www.cancerhorizons.com/ Patient resources. Specific local regional help section of Cancer Horizons https://www.cancerhorizons.com/local-cancer-resources/
Smart Patients Esophageal Cancer Community https://www.smartpatients.com/communities/esophageal-cancer Smart Patients is an online community for patients and families affected by a variety of illnesses. Here you can learn at your own level about scientific developments related to your condition, share your questions and concerns with other members, and use what you learn in the context of your own life.
Cathy's EC Café - a forum devoted to esophageal cancer http://www.ec-cafe.org/
General cancer information - Your chemotherapy plan: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/chemotherapy/planning/your-chemotherapy-plan Cancer Research UK
Cryosurgery in Cancer Treatment https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/surgery/cryosurgery-fact-sheet Cryosurgery (also called cryotherapy) is the use of extreme cold produced by liquid nitrogen (or argon gas) to destroy abnormal tissue.
Cancer Fighters Thrive® http://www.cancerfightersthrive.com/
Miami Cancer Resources https://www.cancerhorizons.com/cancer-resources/florida/miami/
Esophageal Cancer Treatment at clinics and hospitals worldwide https://www.medigo.com/en-us/oncology/esophageal-cancer-treatment
Clinical Trials
- Find National Cancer Institute Supported Clinical Trials: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/search
- https://clinicaltrials.gov/ is a database of privately and publicly funded clinical studies conducted around the world
- Cancer Research Institute Clinical Trial Finder: https://app.emergingmed.com/cri/home#createaccount
Phases of Clinical Trials
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/what-are-trials/phases
Should You Participate?
- https://www.cancerresearch.org/patients/clinical-trials/should-you-participate
- National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health- Clinical Trials Information for Patients and Caregivers: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials
- National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health- Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Treatment Clinical Trials: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/questions
- The New York Times- For Patients: Questions to Ask About a Clinical Trial: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/health/research/03trialside.html?ref=research&pagewanted=all
- American Cancer Society- Questions to Ask About Clinical Trials: https://web.archive.org/web/20121028034328/http://www.cancer.org:80/acs/groups/content/@nho/documents/webcontent/clinicaltrialpatientworksheetp.pdf
- American Cancer Society- Clinical Trials: What You Need to Know: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/clinical-trials/what-you-need-to-know.html
Smart Phone Applications
Medscape App https://www.medscape.com/public/medscapeapp To better understand what your doctors are telling you. Point-of-care decision making. Find vital information for patient care. Consult a continually updated clinical reference database with our evidence-based Disease & Condition reference tool. Quickly look up medications and dosages. Our Drug Reference tool allows you to look-up the most current prescribing and safety information. Visually identify drugs, OTCs, and supplements. Pinpoint pills by imprint, color, shape, form, or scoring with our Pill Identifier tool. Other useful tools within the app: Drug Interaction checker, medical calculators, procedure reference, and formulary information.
Ask The Nutritionist: Recipes for Fighting Cancer Apple iPhone and Android App http://www.dana-farber.org/for-patients-and-families/care-and-treatment/support-services-and-amenities/nutrition-services/ask-the-nutritionist-app/ Dana-Farber Cancer Institute created the app to help you find recipes for staying healthy, getting you through treatment, and living and eating healthy for the rest of your life. The app was developed by our staff of registered and board-certified dietitians and designed to help find the optimal diet for any type of cancer. It also offers users the ability to search by common symptoms (such as nausea or mouth sores), helping to customize dietary needs while going through treatment. There are also recipes and healthy eating tips for cancer survivors or anyone who would like to create healthy food choices.
Complementary Therapies and Integrative Medicine
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center- Complementary, Alternative, & Integrative Medicine: https://www.mdanderson.org/treatment-options/complementary-and-integrative-medicine.html
- Conventional medicine is the "traditional" medicine as practiced by a medical doctor (M.D.), a doctor of osteopathy (D.O.) and other allied health professionals.
- Alternative medicine is used in place of, or instead of, conventional medicine. Many alternative therapies and drugs do not have scientific evidence to back up their claims of effectiveness. Some have no therapeutic benefits at all or can even be dangerous.
- Complementary medicine is a group of mostly non-medical approaches to help patients cope with cancer and treatment side effects, pain, depression and anxiety. Research data has verified the benefits of many complementary therapies, including acupuncture, yoga, massage, stress reduction techniques and nutritional supplements.
- Integrative medicine is the practice of combining scientifically proven complementary therapies with conventional medicine as part of a comprehensive plan to treat both the disease and its physical and emotional side effects.
- From Cancer & Chemotherapy Reviews- Integrative Oncology: Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care: https://swedishhospital.com/util/documents/Integrative_Oncology.pdf
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center- Integrative Medicine Therapies and Your Cancer Treatment: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/integrative-therapies-cancer-treatment
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center- Developing Your Personal Care Plan: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/expertise
- National Center for Biotechnology Information- Is there a role for complementary therapy in the management of leukemia? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792198/
- Patient education: Complementary and alternative medicine treatments (CAM) for cancer (Beyond the Basics): https://www.uptodate.com/contents/complementary-and-alternative-medicine-treatments-cam-for-cancer-beyond-the-basics
- The Oncologist- Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Cancer: http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/9/1/80.full
- American Society of Clinical Oncology- Types of Complementary Therapies: https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/integrative-medicine/types-complementary-therapies
Food Websites
- NPR: Chemo Can Make Food Taste Like Metal. Here's Help https://www.npr.org/2014/04/07/295800503/chemo-can-make-food-taste-like-metal-heres-help
- NPR: 4 Tips To Help A Foodie Get Through Chemo https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/01/17/169333561/4-tips-to-help-a-foodie-get-through-chemo Time to get out the plastic forks.
- Cooking Through Cancer: 100+ Recipes for Treatment and Recovery https://web.archive.org/web/20151110023734/http://www.countrymanpress.com:80/titles/CookCancer.html
- Cathy's EC Café: Nutrition and Recipes http://www.ec-cafe.org/cnt/nutrition.html
- EATING TO WIN: A Collection of Recipes and Ideas from Esophageal Patients and Carers in the USA and the UK https://web.archive.org/web/20150117080957/http://freespace.virgin.net:80/gwen.harlow/Eatingtowin/Food/
- One Bite at a Time, Revised: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends by Rebecca Katz https://www.amazon.com/One-Bite-Time-Revised-Nourishing/dp/1587613271/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519103593&sr=8-1&keywords=One+Bite+at+a+Time%2C+Revised%3A+Nourishing+Recipes+for+Cancer+Survivors+and+Their+Friends
- The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz - Recipes and Excerpt https://www.scribd.com/document/108863292/The-Cancer-Fighting-Kitchen-by-Rebecca-Katz-Recipes-and-Excerpt
Metastasis
- Understanding Advanced Cancer, Metastatic Cancer, and Bone Metastasis: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/advanced-cancer/what-is.html Some cancers start in the bone, rather than spreading to the bones from somewhere else. Cancers that start in the bone are called primary bone cancers. These cancers are very different from bone metastases. Bone metastasis is much more common than primary bone cancers, especially in adults.
- Bone Metastasis: https://www.rogelcancercenter.org/bone-metastasis
- All About Bone Metastases https://www.oncolink.org/cancers/bone/bone-metastases/all-about-bone-metastases Bone metastases, also called "bone mets," occur when cancer cells break off from a primary tumor that is somewhere else in the body. These cells travel through the blood stream or lymph system to a part of the bone and become metastatic cancer cells. This is different than a primary bone tumor, which starts in the bone. When these cancer cells deposit themselves into bone, they release substances that turn on either osteoclasts or osteoblasts. Osteoclasts lead to breakdown of bone without new bone being made, which weakens the bones. Osteoblasts being turned on leads to new bone being made without the breakdown of old bone first, which makes the bones become abnormally hard.
- The immune system in cancer metastasis: friend or foe? https://jitc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40425-017-0283-9 Metastatic disease is the leading cause of death among cancer patients and involves a complex and inefficient process. Every step of the metastatic process can be rate limiting and is influenced by non-malignant host cells interacting with the tumor cell. Over a century ago, experiments first indicated a link between the immune system and metastasis. This phenomenon, called concomitant immunity, indicates that the primary tumor induces an immune response, which may not be sufficient to destroy the primary tumor, but prevents the growth of a secondary tumor or metastases. Since that time, many different immune cells have been shown to play a role in both inhibiting and promoting metastatic disease. Here we review classic and new observations, describing the links between the immune system and metastasis that inform the development of cancer therapies.
- Cancer’s Invasion Equation: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/09/11/cancers-invasion-equation We can detect tumors earlier than ever before. Can we predict whether they’re going to be dangerous?
- Zometa for Patients With Bone Metastases https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/462348 Bone health: It can treat high blood calcium levels. In addition it can treat bone damage caused by Paget's disease, multiple myeloma, and cancers that spread to the bone. It can also treat osteoporosis and reduce the risk of hip fractures in certain patients.
- Esophageal Cancer Metastases to Unexpected Sites: A Systematic Review https://www.hindawi.com/journals/grp/2017/1657310/ The most common pattern of esophageal cancer metastases (ECM) is to the lymph nodes, lung, liver, bones, adrenal glands, and brain. On the other hand, unexpected metastasis (UM) spread to uncommon sites has increasingly reported and consequently affected the pathway of diagnosis, staging, and management. Using the PubMed database, a systematic search of the following headings “Esophageal” and “Metastasis” or “Metastases” was performed, 10049 articles were identified, and the articles were included if they demonstrated unexpected ECM. 84% of cases were men with an average age of 60.7 years. EC was located in the lower third in 65%. Two-thirds of the UM originated from the lower esophagus, and the two major histological types were adenocarcinoma 40% and squamous cell carcinoma 60%. Metastases were disseminated toward five main anatomical sites: the head and neck (42%), thoracic (17%), abdomen and pelvis (25%), extremities (9%), and multiple skin and muscle metastases (7%). The EC metastases were found to be synchronous 42% and metachronous 58%, isolated in 53.5% and multiple in 46.5%. The overall survival rate was 10.2 months. Since distant metastases are responsible for most EC-related deaths, understanding of ECM dissemination patterns needs more extensive studies. These critical data are the cornerstone of optimal cancer approach and treatment.
- Treating Bone Metastases https://www.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/advanced-cancer/treating-bone-metastases.html Treatments can often shrink or slow the growth of bone metastases and can help with any symptoms they cause. But they usually do not make the metastases go away completely. Some people believe that nothing more can be done if the cancer can’t be cured, so they stop all treatment. But radiation, chemotherapy (and other drugs), surgery, and other treatments can often slow cancer growth and help control symptoms. And relieving symptoms like pain and constipation can help you feel better. Something can almost always be done to help maintain or improve your quality of life.
Side Effects & Symptoms
- Your Body after Treatment: https://www.dana-farber.org/for-patients-and-families/for-survivors/caring-for-yourself-after-cancer/your-body-after-treatment/
- SHORT-TERM SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY: https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/ShortTermSideEffectsofChemotherapy.html
- LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY: https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/LongTermSideEffectsofChemotherapy.html
- Side Effects of Chemotherapy https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/chemotherapy/side-effects-chemotherapy Chemotherapy treats many types of cancer effectively. But like other treatments, it often causes side effects. The side effects of chemotherapy are different for each person. They depend on the type of cancer, location, drugs and dose, and your general health.
- Tips for Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects https://www.webmd.com/cancer/tips-for-managing-chemotherapy-side-effects#1
- Natural Help for Treatment Side Effects https://www.webmd.com/cancer/cancer-natural-remedies-side-effects#1
- Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/chemotherapy/side_effects Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells because the medicines target rapidly dividing cells. But normal cells in your blood, mouth, intestinal tract, nose, nails, vagina, and hair also divide rapidly. So chemotherapy affects them, too.
- Natural Approaches to Chemotherapy Side Effects https://www.verywellhealth.com/chemo-side-effects-natural-remedies-88901
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects
- http://www.realiefcenters.com/treatments/
- https://www.dana-farber.org/health-library/videos/vitamins-and-supplements-–-the-benefits-of-food-first/
- https://www.dana-farber.org/health-library/videos/how-to-gain-weight-after-cancer-treatment/
Related to Specific Drugs
- Fluorouracil (Adrucil®, 5-FU) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/fluorouracil-adrucil-r-5-fu
- Fluorouracil (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/adrucil-fluorouracil-342092#91
- Leucovorin (Calcium Leucovorin, Citrovorum Factor, Folinic Acid) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/leucovorin-calcium-leucovorin-citrovorum-factor-folinic-acid
- Leucovorin (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/fusilev-levoleucovorin-leucovorin-343736#91
- Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/oxaliplatin-eloxatin-r
- Oxaliplatin (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/eloxatin-oxaliplatin-342106#91
- Docetaxel (Taxotere) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/docetaxel-taxotere
- Docetaxel (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/taxotere-docefrez-docetaxel-342192#91
- Dexamethasone (Decadron®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/dexamethasone-decadron-r
- Dexamethasone (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/decadron-dexamethasone-intensol-dexamethasone-342741#91
- Zoledronic Acid (Zometa®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/zoledronic-acid-zometa-r
- Zoledronic acid (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/reclast-zometa-zoledronic-acid-342858
- Denosumab (Xgeva®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/denosumab-xgeva-r
- Denosumab (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/xgeva-prolia-denosumab-999566#91
- Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/pembrolizumab-keytruda-r
- Pembrolizumab (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/keytruda-pembrolizumab-999962#0
- Fentanyl Transdermal (Duragesic®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/fentanyl-transdermal-duragesic-r
- Fentanyl transdermal (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/duragesic-fentanyl-transdermal-999646#0
- Morphine Sulfate Liquid (Roxanol®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/morphine-sulfate-liquid-roxanol-r
- Morphine (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/ms-contin-astramorph-morphine-343319#91
- Gabapentin (Neurontin®, Horizant®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/gabapentin-neurontin-r-horizant-r
- Gabapentin (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/neurontin-gralise-gabapentin-343011#91
- Cisplatin (Platinol®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/cisplatin-platinol-r
- Cisplatin (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/platinol-aq-cisplatin-342108#91
- Nivolumab (Opdivo®) https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/nivolumab-opdivo-r
- Nivolumab (Rx) https://reference.medscape.com/drug/opdivo-nivolumab-999989
Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)
- Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage) https://www.oncolink.org/support/side-effects/neurological-side-effects/peripheral-neuropathy-nerve-damage/peripheral-neuropathy-nerve-damage Neuropathy is irritation or damage to the nerves. Nerves are long, wire-like fibers in our body that transmit information from one area of our body to another. They carry sensations (feeling) of temperature, pressure, pain to the brain and control the movement of your arms and legs. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition in which a nerve or group of nerves have difficulty "communicating" with each other.
- https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2014/07/how-exercise-can-help-neuropathy/
- https://www.cancercenter.com/doctors/oncology-rehabilitation/
- https://www.cancercenter.com/ctca-difference/integrative-cancer-treatment/peripheral-neuropathy/
- https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kHri5j8N08Y#fauxfullscreen
- https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/patient-guide-peripheral-neuropathy
- https://www.oncolink.org/support/side-effects/neurological-side-effects/peripheral-neuropathy-nerve-damage/peripheral-neuropathy-nerve-damage
- https://www.dana-farber.org/health-library/articles/tips-for-managing-neuropathy/
- https://www.uptodate.com/contents/prevention-and-treatment-of-chemotherapy-induced-peripheral-neuropathy
- https://www.cancercenter.com/discussions/blog/finding-relief-from-chemotherapy-related-nerve-damage/
Bad Taste
- NPR: 4 Tips To Help A Foodie Get Through Chemo https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/01/17/169333561/4-tips-to-help-a-foodie-get-through-chemo Time to get out the plastic forks.
Oral Mucositis
- Magic Mouthwash Really Works, Says Phase 3 Trial https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/869314 Lidocaine-Based Rinse for Oral Mucositis
- Magic Mouthwash http://www.aannet.org/initiatives/choosing-wisely/choosing-wisely---magic-mouthwash Magic mouthwash is typically compounded by a pharmacy and most often contains anticholinergic agents such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl); an anesthetic, such as viscous lidocaine; and an antacid or mucosal coating agent, such as magnesium or aluminum hydroxide, kaolin, or sucralfate. In some cases the mixture may also contain an antibiotic and/or an antifungal medication such as nystatin, and a corticosteroid. The most common ingredients are diphenhydramine, viscous lidocaine, antacid, nystatin, and corticosteroids.
Nail Changes
- Nail Changes During Treatment With Taxane-based Chemotherapy: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/nail-changes-during-treatment-taxanes This information describes nail changes that you may have while taking taxane-based chemotherapy and how to manage these changes. Your fingernails and toenails may change if you’re taking a type of chemotherapy medication known as taxanes. There are a few kinds of taxane chemotherapy medications.
- Diagnosing And Treating Chemotherapy-Induced Nail Changes https://www.podiatrytoday.com/diagnosing-and-treating-chemotherapy-induced-nail-changes Patients on chemotherapy can often experience changes in the toenails and although some of these changes may be tolerable, others are more serious and require treatment. Accordingly, this author reveals how one can recognize common nail changes such as Beau’s lines and subungual abscesses, and provides a pertinent guide to prevention and treatment.
Thrombocytopenia
- Managing Thrombocytopenia Associated With Cancer Chemotherapy http://www.cancernetwork.com/oncology-journal/managing-thrombocytopenia-associated-cancer-chemotherapy Thrombocytopenia is a condition in which you have a low blood platelet count. Platelets (thrombocytes) are colorless blood cells that help blood clot. Platelets stop bleeding by clumping and forming plugs in blood vessel injuries.
Fatigue
- Cancer fatigue: Why it occurs and how to cope: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-fatigue/art-20047709 The exact causes of cancer fatigue and how best to treat it aren't always clear. Find out what doctors know about cancer fatigue and what you can do about it.
- Fatigue (Feeling weak and very tired): https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/fatigue.pdf Chemotherapy can make you tired. So can other things like anemia, which is a low red blood cell count. Being depressed or in pain, taking certain medicines, or having trouble sleeping can also make you feel tired.
- Fatigue and Cancer Fatigue: http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/side-effects/fatigue-and-cancer.aspx The best way to combat fatigue is to treat the underlying cause. Unfortunately, the exact cause may be unknown or there are multiple causes. There are some medical interventions that may assist some causes such as anemia or hypothyroidism. Other causes must be managed on an individual basis. The following are tips you can use to combat fatigue: Energy conservation, Nutrition, Exercise, and Stress Management.
- What Is Cancer-related Fatigue? https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/fatigue/what-is-cancer-related-fatigue.html Signs of cancer-related fatigue
- How to Fight Fatigue During Chemotherapy https://www.webmd.com/cancer/chemo-fatigue#1
- Coping With Cancer-Related Fatigue https://www.webmd.com/cancer/coping-fatigue#1 Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common side effects of cancer and its treatment. It is not predictable by tumor type, treatment, or stage of illness. Usually, it comes on suddenly, does not result from activity or exertion, and is not relieved by rest or sleep. It is often described as "paralyzing" and may continue even after treatment is complete.
- Fatigue and cancer drugs https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/cancer-drugs/side-effects/fatigue Tips for you: Do some gentle exercise each day, this can give you more energy, Get support from other people, knowing others are there to help can be a real energy booster, Don’t push yourself too hard, rest when you begin to feel tired, Eat a well balanced diet to try to keep your energy levels up, Learn to manage fatigue, get help with shopping and housework and don’t try to do it all yourself
- 8 Ways to Fight the Fatigue of Chemotherapy Treatment https://www.everydayhealth.com/cancer/8-ways-fight-fatigue-chemotherapy-treatment/
- Fatigue https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/side-effects/fatigue
Costs of Cancer
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America- Covering the cost of cancer care: https://www.cancercenter.com/community/thrive/covering-the-cost-of-cancer-care
- The cost of cancer: new drugs show success at a steep price: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-cancer-costs/the-cost-of-cancer-new-drugs-show-success-at-a-steep-price-idUSKBN1750FU
- The Profit Of Prestigious Cancer Care: The cash flow for Sloan-Kettering comes from more than just drug markups. It also comes from the high pricing enabled by a great brand and an enterprise that has learned how to expand the reach of its brand http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/21/the-profit-of-prestigious-cancer-care/
- Chargemaster- Memorial Healthcare System: Charge Description Master https://www.mhs.net/patients-visitors/billing/charges
- Is Billing Some Patients at Hospital Chargemaster Rates Legal? A recent study claimed contract law does not support providers billing hospital chargemaster rates for uninsured patients and out-of-network services. https://revcycleintelligence.com/news/is-billing-some-patients-at-hospital-chargemaster-rates-legal
- The chargemaster is health care’s most evil component https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2017/07/chargemaster-health-cares-evil-component.html
- Stricter chargemaster regulations needed to rein in healthcare costs http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20170419/NEWS/170419885
- Battling the Chargemaster: A Simple Remedy to Balance Billing for Unavoidable Out-of-Network Care http://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2017/2017-vol23-n4/battling-the-chargemaster-a-simple-remedy-to-balance-billing-for-unavoidable-out-of-network-care
- Patients don't pay hospital chargemaster prices, but they still can drive up payments, Health Affairs finds. An additional dollar in list price was associated with an additional 15 cents in payment to a hospital for privately insured patients. http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/patients-dont-pay-hospital-chargemaster-prices-they-still-can-drive-payments-health-affairs
- The Chargemaster: What’s Really Behind Those Hospital Bills https://www.topmastersinhealthcare.com/chargemaster-whats-hospital-bills/
- The Pricing of U.S. Hospital Services: Chaos Behind A Veil of Secrecy https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/521175_2
Additional articles
- What's The 5-Year-Survival Rate For Cancer Patients Around The World? https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/01/30/581914807/whats-the-5-year-survival-rate-for-cancer-patients-around-the-world
- Cancer ‘vaccine’ eliminates tumors in mice: Activating T cells in tumors eliminated even distant metastases in mice, Stanford researchers found. Lymphoma patients are being recruited to test the technique in a clinical trial. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/01/cancer-vaccine-eliminates-tumors-in-mice.html
- Your gut bacteria could determine how you respond to cutting-edge cancer drugs: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/11/your-gut-bacteria-could-determine-how-you-respond-cutting-edge-cancer-drugs
- Swiss lab develops genetic tool kit to turn any cell into a tumor killer: They’re designed to kill cancer cells, and they kill themselves in the process. https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/11/swiss-lab-develops-genetic-tool-kit-to-turn-any-cell-into-a-tumor-killer/
- Double-barrel cancer treatment wipes out tumors and goes hunting for more: https://newatlas.com/cancer-vaccine-tumors-mice/53219/
- What Do Asthma, Heart Disease And Cancer Have In Common? Maybe Childhood Trauma https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/01/23/578280721/what-do-asthma-heart-disease-and-cancer-have-in-common-maybe-childhood-trauma
- How Dogs Can Sniff Out Diabetes and Cancer: Our pet canines can be trained to detect diseases in people—and they're amazingly good at it. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160319-dogs-diabetes-health-cancer-animals-science/
- You Can Smell When Someone's Sick—Here's How: The curious case of a woman who can smell Parkinson’s reminds us our noses are our first defense against illness. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/smell-sickness-parkinsons-disease-health-science/
- After Surgery in Germany, I Wanted Vicodin, Not Herbal Tea https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/27/opinion/sunday/surgery-germany-vicodin.html
- Why A Cancer Patient Opposes The 'Right To Try' Experimental Cancer Drugs: https://one.npr.org/?sharedMediaId=582968685:582968686
- Doctors Said Immunotherapy Would Not Cure Her Cancer. They Were Wrong. Scientists are racing to understand why immunotherapy drugs have worked for a few cancer patients when the medicines should have had no effect. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/19/health/ovarian-cancer-immunotherapy.html
- Could Immunotherapy Lead the Way to Fighting Cancer? A new treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer is offering hope to patients with advanced disease https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/immunotherapy-lead-way-fighting-cancer-180968392/
- This DNA-Based Attack Against Cancer May Just Work. A newly approved treatment is a milestone in gene therapy for cancer. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/dna-based-attack-against-cancer-may-work-180968407/
- Where We Are in the Hunt for a Cancer Vaccine. Two new studies have promising results https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/where-we-are-hunt-cancer-vaccine-180968391/
- Vitamins K1 and K2: The Emerging Group of Vitamins Required for Human Health. Vitamin K2 may be a useful adjunct for the treatment of osteoporosis, along with vitamin D and calcium, rivaling bisphosphonate therapy without toxicity. Vitamin K2 appears promising in the areas of diabetes, cancer, and osteoarthritis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5494092/
- Groundbreaking gene therapy for cancer approved for use in US – but it's expensive...$475,000 per treatment https://newatlas.com/cancer-gene-therapy-fda-approved/51132/ Kymriah, a new form of genetically modified T-cell immunotherapy for treating young patients w/ blood & bone cancer is the 1st gene therapy of its kind to be approved in the US. It has the potential for severe side effects as well as an extraordinarily prohibitive price tag. "Novartis should not get credit for bringing a $475,000 drug to market & claiming they could have charged people a lot more," $600,000+ per treatment.
- Cancer Drug Keytruda Keeps Some Patients Alive For 3 Years https://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/cancer-drug-keytruda-keeps-some-patients-alive-3-years-n576376 The cancer drug that former president Jimmy Carter says made his melanoma seemingly disappear has helped about 40 percent of similar patients survive for as long as three years, oncologists said Wednesday. The drug, called Keytruda, takes a new approach to treating cancer by stopping tumor cells from cloaking themselves against the normal, healthy immune system response.
- Combined targeted ion channel therapy: Can it be an alternative choice for esophageal cancer patients? https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030698771730912X Esophageal cancer is a relatively common malignancy with a poor prognosis and is conventionally treated by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, due to the prevalence of cancer relapse with treatment resistance, novel molecular targets must be identified for the development of alternative therapies. Emerging evidence indicates that ion channels play important roles in cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis and differentiation and could therefore be considered as a potential oncological therapy. Therapies that target single oncogenic channel have shown promise. However, therapies that target more than one ion channel have not been developed. We propose that therapies targeting more than one type of ion channel might be an alternative treatment for esophageal cancer.
- MicroRNA-873 acts as a tumor suppressor in esophageal cancer by inhibiting differentiated embryonic chondrocyte expressed gene 2 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0753332218313994 Esophageal cancer is one of the most common digestive malignant diseases worldwide and emerging evidences revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) were implicated in the development and progression of esophageal cancer. However, the expression level and biological function of microRNA-873(miR-873) in esophageal cancer are still largely elusive. In this study, we investigated the expression and biological roles of miR-873 in human esophageal cancer. Our results revealed that miR-873 was significantly underexpressed in esophageal cancer tissues and cell lines when compared with the para-tumor tissue and primary human esophageal epithelial cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-873 could remarkably inhibit esophageal cancer cell growth, migration and invasion. Moreover, we validated differentiated embryonic chondrocyte expressed gene 2 (DEC2) as a direct target of miR-873 which could reverse the repressive effects of miR-873 on esophageal cancer cell. In summary, our investigation demonstrated that miR-873 was underexpressed in esophageal cancer and might act as a tumor suppressor gene by directly targeting DEC2.
- New class of drug compounds puts cancer in a sleeper hold https://newatlas.com/drugs-stop-cancer-cells-dividing/55769/
- A Reality Check for IBM’s AI Ambitions https://www.technologyreview.com/s/607965/a-reality-check-for-ibms-ai-ambitions/amp/ IBM, number 39 on our list of the 50 Smartest Companies, overhyped its Watson machine-learning system, but the company still could have the best access to the kind of data needed to make medicine much smarter.
- IBM’s Watson versus cancer: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/ibm-watson-versus-cancer-hype-meets-reality/ Hype meets reality Five years ago, IBM announced that its supercomputer Watson would revolutionize cancer treatment by using its artificial intelligence to digest and distill the thousands of oncology studies published every year plus patient-level data and expert recommendations into treatment recommendation. Last week, a report published by STAT News shows that, years later, IBM’s hubris and hype have crashed into reality.
- How Watson for Oncology Is Advancing Personalized Patient Care http://www.ascopost.com/issues/june-25-2017/how-watson-for-oncology-is-advancing-personalized-patient-care/
- IBM's Watson a Potentially Valuable Partner for Oncologists, But Still a Work in Progress https://www.targetedonc.com/conference/lynn-sage-2017/ibms-watson-a-potentially-valuable-partner-for-oncologists-but-still-a-work-in-progress
- The Hutch closes in on a cancer cure https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/the-hutch-is-closing-in-on-a-cure-for-cancer/ The driven leaders at Seattle’s landmark cancer-research center say a cure is within sight.
- IS THIS STEM-CELL CLINIC REALLY MAKING CANCER VACCINES? https://www.wired.com/story/is-this-stem-cell-clinic-really-making-cancer-vaccines/ Stem cell treatments usually involve sucking out some of a patient’s fat tissue, isolating the stem cells within, and reinjecting them into the patient’s body
- WITH MEDICARE SUPPORT, GENETIC CANCER TESTING GOES MAINSTREAM https://www.wired.com/story/with-medicare-support-genetic-cancer-testing-goes-mainstream Medicare will now cover FDA-approved gene sequencing tests to match patients with cancer treatments.
- Miami Cancer Institute Joins the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance https://www.mskcc.org/press-releases/miami-cancer-institute-joins-msk-cancer-alliance
Myths
Don’t believe the hype – 10 persistent cancer myths debunked https://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2014/03/24/dont-believe-the-hype-10-persistent-cancer-myths-debunked/#sweet-tooth
It's a myth that sugar feeds cancer
- No Sugar, No Cancer? A Look at the Evidence https://www.mskcc.org/blog/no-sugar-no-cancer-look-evidence
- Does sugar cause cancer? Sugar feeds every cell in our body - even cancer cells. https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/may-2015/FOH-cancer-love-sugar.html
- "CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS" STATEMENT: EMAIL HOAX REGARDING CANCER https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/news_events/featured/cancer_update_email_it_is_a_hoax.html
- Does sugar 'feed' cancer cells? https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/cancer/facts/does-sugar-feed-cancer-cells.htm
- TRUE OR FALSE: SUGAR FEEDS CANCER? http://www.doctorschierling.com/blog/sugar-feeds-cancer