Aspirin reducing breast cancer deaths?

Last Tuesday, The Journal of Clinical Oncology published the results of a study showing that aspirin appears to have a dual benefit: it reduces both the risk of cancer death and the risk of early-stage breast cancer spreading to other body sites.

The study involved over 4,000 nurses who have been participating in the Nurses Health Study since 1976. Early-stage breast cancer survivors who took aspirin 2 - 5 days a week reduced their risk of death by 71%, and their risk of their cancer spreading by 60%. Interestingly, taking aspirin 6 to 7 times a week reduced death risk by 64% and spread risk by 43%, so more frequent dosing did not increase the protective effect of the drug.

How aspirin and other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen work to stop tumors from spreading and recurring is not yet known. Study researchers think that tumor growth may be fueled by inflammation; NSAIDs interfere with this process, depriving cancer cells of a favorable environment in which to grow and thrive.

Both estrogen-positive and non-hormone dependent tumors were adversely affected; so this finding could potentially benefit virtually all breast cancer patients.

At the moment, no one should start taking aspirin or other NSAIDs in the hope of preventing future cancers; patients on radiation or chemotherapy should NOT take these drugs due to their potential side effects. Also, NSAIDs can cause stomach irritation and bleeding; so consult with your oncologist first before adding any other drug to your cancer regimen.

Interesting news, though! Perhaps aspirin really is a "wonder drug" in an entirely new way.

It's My Birthday - Time To Look Fabulous!!

Today is my Birthday, the third one I've been able to celebrate since being diagnosed! I'm not a girl who enjoys getting dressed up and going out; I'd rather relax at home. But, I can "dress up" and give myself a new look via the magic of the Internet. In the spirit of my friends at Fight Pink, I now have pink hair - without using any harmful chemicals!

Thanks to RuPaul's "dragulator" website http://www.dragulator.com , I can channel my inner fabulousness! Try it, it's really fun and great for a laugh!

This is my alter ego, "Cinnamon Lakewood"...you'll see how I got this name if you visit the website.

Breast Cancer Isn't the #1 Killer of Women

With all of the constant publicity about breast cancer, you might be tempted to believe that it is the #1 killer of women. Breast cancer is so much in the public eye that it's easy to have the impression that most women die from it than any other medical cause. This is NOT the case; there is another disease which claims ONE of EVERY THREE WOMEN, and we all need to remember this fact (even myself, a breast cancer patient!).

Heart Disease claims the lives of more women than any other disease, even breast cancer! To raise awareness of this sobering fact, today has been designated as "National Wear Red Day" by the American Heart Association. Women wear red today to spread the message that Heart Disease claims far too many women (and men), and leads to years of disability and diminished quality of life for others.

My Mother had debilitating congestive heart failure for years; she was a heavy smoker for decades, and could never manage to quit. She had to sleep sitting up, could barely walk even a few steps without becoming exhausted, and she died at age 59 from a heart attack. My goal even before I lost her 22 years ago was to adopt a healthy lifestyle so that this would not happen to me. Until I was diagnosed with cancer, I led a model life in terms of heart health. I'm struggling to get back to my former weight and level of activity, because I know this is vital to my survival.

Do you know the risk factors for heart disease? Having even one of these doubles your risk of developing heart disease:

Smoking

Diabetes

Overweight/obese

Physically inactive

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Age (55 and older for women)

Family history of coronary disease

Visit the Go Red for Women website for valuable information and assistance in improving your heart health: http://www.goredforwomen.org/index.aspx

Do what you can to improve your risk factors and to lead a long, healthy life. We all can agree on this!

Winter Dreams of Maui

Here, a cold rain is falling, but 6,000 miles away, the air is fragrant and warm...

You look up and see the green slopes of Haleakala above you, rising to the cloudline...

Turn around, and the warm water and powdery beach sand are there for your relaxation; there is always an island in sight:

You are in paradise, and there is nowhere else that you would rather be...

Maui, you live in my heart...

Pomegranates May Fight Breast Cancer in 2 Ways

A recent study found that a specific group of chemicals found in pomegranates successfully inhibited the cell growth of estrogen-positive breast cancer tumors; and, these compounds also suppressed aromatase from being used by the body to produce estrogen. So, these chemicals both prevent or slow the growth of actual cancer cells, and, they simultaneously create an environment detrimental to the creation of estrogen-positive tumor cells. Right now, one specific compound called urolithin B was found to have the greatest significant effect upon inhibiting the growth of breast cancer cells.

Because pomegranates have a high antioxidant content, they have gotten attention in recent years. You can easily find pomegranate juice and juice drinks containing pomegranate in supermarkets these days. I myself have been drinking a cranberry-pomegranate juice combination for well over a year now, because it's not soda (!) and I enjoy the taste.

Being 2 years into a 5-year course of an aromatase inhibitor (Arimidex), I know that many women discontinue these drugs due to severe joint pain, increase of fractures, and uncontrollable flushing/sweating. I haven't experienced joint pain, I take Fosamax weekly (which is thought to also prevent against cancer spreading to the bones), and daily meds for the increased flushing events. I will continue to take Arimidex faithfully until the end of my 5 years.

It would be extremely beneficial to patients who can't tolerate the aromatase inhibitors if eating pomegranates or drinking pomegranate juice could equal the drugs' proven results. One question is, how much pomegranate would have to be consumed, and how often, in order for the phytochemicals to be effective? Also, the results can be markedly different in a laboratory environment versus being tested on actual patients. What works in a petri dish, sadly, does not always work in the bloodstream.

I am hopeful about this news, and until then, it certainly couldn't hurt for estrogen-positive breast cancer patients to add pomegranate products to their diet. Aromatase inhibitors are still the most effective treatment for hormone-positive cancer, and we should keep this in mind.

Showtime Picks Up Linney Cancer Comedy

I just saw this headline, and I have to say that I find the expression "cancer comedy" offensive and disturbing. I'd wager that other cancer patients will feel the same way. As a person who has lost a parent, aunt, and uncle to cancer, it's troubling; never mind the fact that I'm a cancer patient myself! This strikes me as a little too casual, and disrespectful. Basis for the show: "A suburban wife and mother finds out that she has cancer" - hilarious! No, it's not humorous: it's devastating. Ask anyone who has been in this situation.

Of course, there are going to be comedic moments as part of the cancer experience: the very day that I was diagnosed, my OBG said on the phone, "I'm going to prescribe an anti-depressant for you right now." My response was, "Okay, thanks; I guess that I might become a little depressed about getting this news." I was being ironic, but she was prescribing the drug for my hot flashes and night sweats, not for depression! The point is, I could decide to joke about this at the time of my diagnosis; but cancer is no joke to those who have to deal with it each day.

If you want to see a TV series which truly depicts what goes through the mind of a person who is diagnosed with cancer, watch "Breaking Bad" on AMC. Bryan Cranston is nothing short of brilliant in his portrayal. His entire world, and most notably, his moral compass, are changed by his will to live long enough to provide financially for the family he will be leaving behind. He ably portrays the shock, numbness, grief, anger, and conflicting emotions which a cancer patient goes through. Ultimately, he leads a double life in his quest to ensure that his wife, physically challenged teenage son, and newborn daughter will not live in poverty when he dies.

Correctly, this show does not take a comedic approach to a man and his terminal disease. It shows the sheer desperation and urgency he feels in the face of impending death, and what he chooses to do with the time he has left.

I still have my sense of humor, and I joke about various aspects of my cancer experience: being a "radiation and imaging supermodel", my many medications, my wicking t-shirts and PJs, not needing to give up my "pre-cancer lifestyle" because I'm so boring, etc.

But, I still find treating cancer in a comedic light unsettling. Perhaps I'm being too sensitive?

A New Year!

Today is the first day of 2010; the entire year is spread out before us right now, full of possibilities and opportunities. It is a time to celebrate, because we have been given another chance, another "blank slate", in which to improve our lives.

I don't believe in resolutions; they are too easily broken, but I do believe in positive thinking and working towards a goal. Whatever motivates you is the key to success. And, keeping your goals attainable and your expectations reasonable will provide much more fulfillment on a personal level. "Baby steps, baby steps!"

Here's what I would like to focus on in 2010:

• letting my precious husband know every day how much he is loved
• treasuring the life that I have been given, and never taking it for granted
• maintaining healthy exercise and eating habits
• slowly getting back to my pre-cancer weight for my continued health
• seeing the beauty in the tiniest things all around us
• not giving up my dream of retiring to Maui (and hoping to be back there very soon!)
• keeping my heart open to others and the joy that this gives back to me
• being thankful for my wonderful job, my friends, my home

Happy New Year, Everyone! May we all have health and happiness in 2010.