Latest Medical & OCAN News Articles

The Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Nevada wants to help extend your knowledge by keeping you informed about the latest happenings in this area of your health. They consist of articles not only about medical breakthroughs, but of success, hope, and actions. The following links are to articles for the current month, that have appeared in newspapers, publications and TV stations from sources throughout both the U.S. and world wide, and are available with on-line editions. Each listing has a short opening paragraph of the article. The listing of the links are by date published, with the most recent found listed first.

For archived articles prior to the current calendar month, please see: Ovarian Cancer Archived News

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May 2006

May 31, 2006 - "Greeley Tribune", Greeley, CO
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT
Judi Gates-Foster can't explain how or why she knew she had cancer. During one set of blood tests Gates-Foster, 58, of Greeley told the lab technician about her suspicion. Gates-Foster's mother and grandmother both died of breast cancer. She was aware of her own risks but didn't even think to worry about ovarian cancer, which has recently been linked to hereditary breast cancer.

May 30, 2006 - "The London Free Press", London Ontario Canada
Researchers seek ways to spot ovarian cancer
The 'silent killer' is among the most frustrating. Frustrated by the dismaying death toll from ovarian cancer, a team of researchers from Quebec and Alberta is launching a multi-centre study to find a way to identify women with ovarian cancer in the early stages -- when it can still be successfully treated.

May 26, 2006 - "Washington TImes", Washington, DC
Few women know ovarian-cancer risk factors
Only 15 percent of U.S. women are familiar with ovarian-cancer symptoms, and 82 percent have never discussed it with their doctors, a survey finds. The national survey sponsored by the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition finds 54 percent of the women who have not spoken to their doctors about ovarian cancer do not think it's an issue because the doctor never initiated the discussion.

May 24, 2006 - "Star Tribune", Minneapolis, MN
First chemotherapy, and then the game
Kelly Hibbard began a course of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer on Monday, the same day she ended her lacrosse career at Benilde-St. Margaret's. Hibbard found out last week she will require additional treatment for Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor, a rare form of cancer found primarily in young women.

May 24, 2006 - "Oxford Press ", Oxford, OH
Woman wins cancer fight a micrometer at a time in Relay for Life
Most families have facial features, a last name and genetic composition in common. But for Oxford resident Sue Summers, the connection she shares with her family is a battle with cancer. Summers was diagnosed with melanoma in 1997. This follows her sister’s struggle with breast cancer, her mother’s death from complications to remove ovarian cancer and an aunt, uncle and cousins passing away due to the carcinogenic killer. Needless to say, cancer is no stranger to Summers. “Cancer doesn’t care who you are, how well you live your life, how talented or smart you are,” she said. “Cancer is an equal opportunity killer.”

May 08, 2006 - "Womens Cancer Network", Chicago, IL
Age-by-age guide to help you stay smart about your health
The teenage patients of Dr. Onelia Lage look nothing like the fragile-boned, curved-shouldered elderly victims of osteoporosis, yet the advice she gives them today - go for the grilled cheese for lunch, join a sports team or dance regularly, don't watch TV or play on the computer more than two hours a day - are tips that could prevent young girls from developing the painful disease. It's the kind of lifespan approach to health that doctors are preaching to their patients - that is, how you treat your body as a child, teenager and young adult has a direct impact on your quality of life as a senior citizen. "Good nutrition really begins in infancy," says Lage.

May 24, 2006 - "Marietta Daily Journal", Marietta , GA
Ovarian cancer research fund-raiser takes participants on a ride for their life
Three years ago, fitness instructor Bethany Diamond was looking for two things: a way to motivate people to get fit via indoor cycling and a way to improve the fight to end ovarian cancer. "I was looking for a way to make (cycling) easy and to give (people) a reason outside of themselves to do it," said Ms. Diamond, who lives in Marietta with husband Bret. "Because we put ourselves last. But if you give them a reason - like a three-day walk or a six-hour bike ride - they'll do it."

May 22, 2006 - "CentreDaily", State College, PA
Listen to body for signs of ovarian cancer's advance
It is sometimes referred to as Gilda's disease, after the late, great comedienne Gilda Radner. To me, with sadness and hope, it is now Wendy's disease. It is ovarian cancer. In a typical act of generosity, Centre County native Wendy Bollinger, a nutritionist, researcher, educator, wife and mother, has chosen to share a firsthand account of her experiences in an effort to educate our community about the need to take charge of one's own course when facing a cancer diagnosis. Here is her story:

May 22, 2006 - "Medi News",
PET-CT More Accurately Detects Ovarian Cancer Recurrence
The accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) for detecting recurrent ovarian cancer is high, more accurate even than either CT or PET alone, according to a new study

May 22, 2006 - "Medi News",
Equation Predicts Ovarian Cancer in Women With Pelvic Masses
A basic mathematical equation has been devised that can predict which women with pelvic masses are liable to have ovarian cancer, according to recent research.

May 22, 2006 - "Knoxville News Sentinel", Knoxville, TN
'Road to Recovery' makes ride smoother
Cancer patients taking chemotherapy or radiation are already fighting a tough fight. But for some of them, getting to treatment is half the battle. "Some patients simply do not have a vehicle or may be too ill to drive," said Michael Holtz, communication specialist for the Mid-South Region of the American Cancer Society. "Family and friends can sometimes help provide transportation. Emery Schriver of Knoxville is one of those drivers. A two-time survivor of ovarian cancer, now in remission, Schriver, who is retired from the University of Tennessee, saw a newspaper announcement about the program early this year and felt called to volunteer.

May 19, 2006 - "Cancer Consultants", Ketchum, ID
Combination of Markers Improves Identification of Ovarian Cancer
According to a study published in the International Journal of Cancer, testing for serum levels of three markers—CA-125, IL-18, and FGF-2—more accurately detects ovarian cancer than testing for CA-125 alone. Due to a lack of definitive symptoms, the majority of women with ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until their cancer has reached an advanced stage and is considered incurable. For this reason, ovarian cancer has been referred to as the “silent killer.”

May 19, 2006 - "The UCLA Daily Bruin", CA
Proteins aid ovarian cancer treatments
UCLA scientists recently discovered a panel of four proteins that enabled them to detect early-stage ovarian cancer with around 99 percent accuracy. This breakthrough will impact the lives of many women because "it enables the detection of ovarian cancer in its earliest stages, which creates the hope for a better survival rate," said Srinivasa T. Reddy, an associate professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine.

May 17, 2006 - "The Connection", Reston, VA
Learning to Listen
For several weeks last year, Charlene Bartol experienced pains in her stomach. “And my belly got really big,” said Bartol of Nokesville, Va., adding she knew something was wrong but didn’t know what. At first, they thought it was my liver,” said Bartol. After weeks of tests, Bartol, 48, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. “It’s so hard to diagnose. Finally, a Cat scan found out for sure,” said Bartol.

May 15, 2006 - "Pharma Live", Waltham, MA
U.S. FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to OXiGENE's Lead Clinical Candidate, Combretastatin A4P (CA4P), for the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer
OXiGENE, Inc. (NASDAQ: OXGN, XSSE: OXGN), a leading developer of biopharmaceutical compounds to treat cancer and certain ophthalmologic diseases, announced today that the Office of Orphan Products Development of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to the company's lead vascular disrupting agent, Combretastatin A4P (CA4P), for the treatment of ovarian cancer. CA4P is being evaluated in a Phase II clinical trial in combination with the widely used chemotherapy regimen, carboplatin and paclitaxel, for the treatment of platinum resistant ovarian cancer. Results previously reported from a Phase Ib clinical trial showed a 67% response rate to the combined CA4P-chemotherapy treatment among women with advanced ovarian cancer (all types) who failed previous cancer therapy.

May 15, 2006 - "Reno Gazette-Journal ", Reno, NV
Thousands join battle against breast cancer
Thousands of moms and moms' best friends ran, jogged and strolled Sunday in a festive fight against a killer. A sunny Mother's Day morning offered a bright setting for the sixth Annual Moms on the Run, a popular fundraiser to battle breast cancer. About 2,000 people participated, said Dennis Flannigan, race director. "The success is really in watching all the families," Flannigan said. "It's not a racer's race, this is a family race."

May 12, 2006 - "The News Times", Danbury, CT
Lip gloss to raise funds to fight ovarian cancer
A Danbury business is combining a girl's best friend with a girl's favorite cosmetic to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. ACI Consulting Group is launching a line of lip gloss with a .46-carat, manmade diamond in the tube. But before deciding you can't afford it, think about this: the tube of lip gloss sells for $105 and about 20 to 30 percent of the proceeds go to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, an organization devoted to placing ovarian cancer education, policy and research issues on the agendas of lawmakers and health care leaders.

May 11, 2006 - "WXIA TV - CH 11", Atlanta, GA
Doctors Offer Cancer Cure Hope
Four years ago was the happiest time in Mony Pagan's life. She had come to America from Indonesia. She had fallen in love and gotten married. And her dream was to start a family. "I want to have children -- I want to have kids", she said. One month after her wedding day, she believed her dream had come true. "I'm thinking I'm pregnant,” she said. ”Because the people think I'm pregnant. My stomach is like bloating. The doctors think I'm pregnant, too." But Mony Pagan was not pregnant. She had ovarian cancer.

May 11, 2006 - "Herald Today", Bradenton, FL
Bark from birch tree holds medicinal promise
Imagine the treatment for some cancers growing in our forests. Or powerful drugs for herpes, HIV or liver disease. How about a natural source of biodegradable plastic, skin conditioner or mosquito repellent? Or maybe a nontoxic pesticide or fungicide for gardens? Behold the birch tree, the noble Northland native that someday might serve as a medicine chest for the world.

May 11, 2006 - "CNET News", San Francisco, CA
Knowledge Is Power, But Can You Handle It?
Gene testing--medical analysis to detect alterations in a person's DNA or chromosomes--has been around for a while. It allows people to detect everything from infertility causes to cancer risks. Now the Internet is allowing consumers direct access to genetic testing--if they want it. Nearly a dozen direct-to-consumer gene testing companies are giving people the ability to send a blood sample or a swab of saliva to a lab to learn about their genetic predisposition for diseases like ovarian cancer.

May 10, 2006 - "The Edmond Sun", Edmond, OK
Cancer survivor's glass remains full
Tina Page could open a lemonade stand this summer. The recently retired Edmond Public School teacher was handed a load of lemons in late 2003 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In the nearly three years since her diagnosis, Page, 52, has made gallons of the tasty sweet beverage. Page had noticed a change in eating habits and some abdominal bloating for several months. She dismissed the symptoms as those of menopause.

May10, 2006 - "Drug Discoverey & Development", Morris Plains, NY
Natural Products Reemerge
Long a mainstay of the industry, natural products fell out of favor in the 1980s and 1990s, but there are signs of renewed interest. Natural products on the market is Taxol (paclitaxel), which became a blockbuster drug when it came on the market in 1993 for the treatment of ovarian cancer

May 10, 2006 - "Doctors Guide Publishing",
Simple Equation Predicts Ovarian Cancer in Women With Pelvic Masses
A simple mathematical equation has been developed that predicts which women with pelvic masses are likely to have ovarian cancer, according to a study presented here. Deborah A. Ronco, MD, resident in obstetrics and gynecology, St. Vincent Hospital and Health Services, Indianapolis, Indiana, and coinvestigators reported on their new assessment tool at the 54th Annual Clinical Meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

May 09, 2006 - "Bernardsville News", Bernardsville, NJ
Family Affair
Founded in 2000 by three local ovarian cancer survivors – Patty Stewart and Lois Myers of Harding, and Gail MacNeil of Chatham, the aim of the non-profit group is to raise funds for research and for increasing awareness of the disease.

May 08, 2006 - "Macon Telegraph", Macon, GA
Age-by-age guide to help you stay smart about your health
The teenage patients of Dr. Onelia Lage look nothing like the fragile-boned, curved-shouldered elderly victims of osteoporosis, yet the advice she gives them today - go for the grilled cheese for lunch, join a sports team or dance regularly, don't watch TV or play on the computer more than two hours a day - are tips that could prevent young girls from developing the painful disease. It's the kind of lifespan approach to health that doctors are preaching to their patients - that is, how you treat your body as a child, teenager and young adult has a direct impact on your quality of life as a senior citizen.

May 08, 2006 - "LA Times", Los Angeles, CA
Stalking an insidious killer
Ovarian cancer is rare and often overlooked. Scientists hope protein markers can help them catch it earlier. A few weeks ago, Lois Myers, 51, of Morristown, N.J., got rid of her wig. She had just ended a one-year-long chemotherapy regimen to treat a recurrence of ovarian cancer that had spread to other parts of her body. In 1998, she'd been diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer. She had her ovaries and uterus removed, but it was too late. The cancer had already spread.

May 08, 2006 - "USA Today", NYC, NY
Here comes the sun debate
Sun exposure can cause cancer. Sun exposure might prevent cancer. People who wear sunscreen probably lower their risk of skin cancer and wrinkles. People who wear sunscreen remain at risk for skin cancer and wrinkles. All of the above statements are true, and some have received wide publicity. The mixed message worries skin doctors. "Unfortunately, there's a lot of confusion out there right now," says James Spencer, a dermatologist in St. Petersburg, Fla.

May 07, 2006 - "WTNH TV - CH 8", New Haven, CT
Researchers working on possible Ovarian Cancer Vaccine
More people these days are surviving devastating illnesses thanks to modern science. Research at UConn's Health Center is impacting one of the deadliest forms of cancer among women. Ethelyn says,"The symptoms were so vague. I would never have gone to the doctor for it." Dr. Carolyn Runowicz says, "When I was a medical student, it was a death sentence."

May 05, 2006 - "Medicine News Net", Italy
Two methods, after surgery, for women with advanced ovarian cancer
The National Cancer Institute ( NCI ) issued an announcement encouraging treatment with anticancer drugs via two methods, after surgery, for women with advanced ovarian cancer. The combined methods, which deliver drugs into a vein and directly into the abdomen, extend overall survival for women with advanced ovarian cancer by about a year.

May 05, 2006 - "The Miami Herald", Miami, FL
CANCER STUDIES FOCUS ON EARLY DETECTION
The survival calculus for many cancers is simple: Find the cancer early on, you live. Find it late, you die. Yet since Richard Nixon declared ''war on cancer'' a generation ago, the lion's share of attention has gone to figuring out how to treat existing cancers, not working toward earlier detection. That may be changing. In recent years the National Cancer Institute has funneled tens of millions of dollars into early detection research. A $144 million program to fund nanotechnology and cancer research will go largely toward searching for new ways to catch cancers early.

May 02, 2006 - "The Daily Northwestern", Evanston, IL
Grad student competes to fund research
During her first two Chicago marathons, Erin Chernick felt pain but kept running. “I sort of walked/shuffled it,” she said. She had broken bones, torn ligaments and needed surgery. She planned to take a year off. Then her uncle got cancer. Her answer was another marathon. “I thought of what I could do,” she said. “I could still run.” Now, Chernick, 25, a fourth-year NU graduate student in chemistry and six-time marathon veteran, is preparing for an even greater challenge: the Ford Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon.

May 02, 2006 - "Newswire", Charlottesville, VA
PET-CT Highly Accurate for Detecting Ovarian Cancer Recurrence
The accuracy of PET-CT for detecting recurrent ovarian cancer is high, more accurate even than either CT or PET alone, says a new study by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. For the study, the researchers reviewed 54 body CT, PET and PET-CT examinations on 53 patients with ovarian cancer who were being evaluated for tumor recurrence. The researchers found that PET-CT demonstrated an improved accuracy (49/53, 92%) over CT alone (44/53, 83%) and over PET alone (41/53, 77%).

May 02, 2006 - "The Arizona Republic", Phoenix, AZ
Students raise money to fight cancer
More than 900 students, staff members and parents from the Glendale Union High School District's nine high schools participated in Relay for Life at Cortez High School last weekend, raising more than $72,000 for the American Cancer Society. Since the annual event started in 2004, the district has raised more than $300,000. One member from each team was required to be on the track at all times throughout the night to signify that "cancer never sleeps."

May 02, 2006 - "Ivanhoe Broadcast News", Winter Park, FL
New Imaging Technology Better at Detecting Ovarian Cancer Recurrence
Women with ovarian cancer may want to opt for a new imaging technology when undergoing tests to see whether their disease has recurred, according to research presented today at the American Roentgen Ray Society Annual Meeting in Vancouver. The new study, conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, showed PET-CT is significantly more accurate in pinpointing a recurrence of the disease than either PET or CT scans alone.