Acrylamide found in roasted coffee beans, brewed coffee -- BERLIN (Reuters) German scientists have found acrylamide, a substance that causes cancer in animals, in all brands of ground coffee and expresso they tested.

The substance was also found in brewed coffee, but at a lower level. It appears to be a result of roasting coffee beans.

Acyrlamide is the same substance that was reported in potatoes and bread by Swedish scientists earlier this year.

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A self-study program in stress management was more effective than an hour with a psychologist for chemotherapy patients -- A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reported on stress management techniques for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Of three groups -- a meeting with a clinical social worker, an additional meeting with a psychologist, and a short meeting with take-home tapes and materials -- the group with the self-help materials reported better physical functioning, greater vitality, fewer role limitations, and better mental health.

Read the abstract here.

Stool DNA test for colon cancer may be on market by next year -- CHICAGO (AP) August 21, 2002 -- A test that detects changes in DNA in stool is in development by the applied genomics company Exact Sciences Corporation.

The test requires no dietary preparation. The sample is mailed to the laboratory which then analyzes the DNA. It is expected to be able to detect cancer 65 percent to 70 percent of the time, comparing well to the 50 percent sensitivity for sigmoidoscopy and 30 percent for a single fecal occult blood test. Colonoscopy has about a 90 percent ability to detect cancer, but cannot detect the very early changes in DNA that might lead to cancer.

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St. John's Wort interferes with the action of irinotecan -- NEW YORK (Reuters Health) -- Scientists in the Netherlands have discovered that St. John's Wort, when taken during treatment with irinotecan (CPT-11 or camptosar) increases levels of a liver enzyme CYP3A4. The enzyme changes the chemotherapy drug, making it less able to destroy cancer cells.

Dr. Alex Sparreboom of the Erasmus McDaniel den Hoed Cancer Center gave St. John's Wort to 5 cancer patients who were already being treated with irinotecan. Levels of the active form of the cancer drug were reduced by 42%.

Sparreboom speculates that other chemotherapy drugs that are altered by CYP3A4, such as paclitacel, docetaxel, and tamoxifen, may also be affected by the herb.

He also believes that other substances that raise or lower levels of the enzyme may also change the ability of chemotherapy drugs to kill cancer cells including garlic supplements, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and kava.

Their findings are reported in Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002;94:1247-1249.

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Synthetic compound similar to a natural substance in broccoli shows promise in preventing breast cancer -- (Intellihealth News) August 19, 2001 -- Scientists have formulated a compound, oxomate, that is similar to the natural cancer-preventing sulforaphane that is found in broccoli. Both compounds increase the production of enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing chemicals and reduce cancer risk.

Oxomate reduced the number of tumors in female rats by 50%, but no human studies have been done. Oxomate is an improvement over sulforamane in being easier to synthesize and less toxic. High amounts of the natural compound can kill cultured animal cells. Additional testing is planned on other tumor types.

Results were announced at the meeting of the American Chemical Society by Jerry Kosmeder, Ph.D., a reseacher at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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It does help to take someone else along on visits to the doctor --NEW YORK (Reuters Health) August 16, 2002 -- A companion improves communications with the doctor, according to a study by Dr. Lisa M. Schilling of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Both patients and doctors reported that the companions were an asset during the visit.

Companions helped patients express their concerns, remember what the doctor had said, and make decisions.

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When treatment is equal, survival rates for blacks and whites with colon cancer are the same -- NEW YORK (NY Times) August 13, 2002 -- The colon cancer survival rates for whites are 62 percent compared to 51 percent for blacks. However, nothing in biology seems to account for the difference.

A study by Dr. A. David McCollum and Dr. Charles S. Fuchs found that when black and white patients are given the same access to chemotherapy the survival rates are almost exactly the same. Dr. Fuchs said that the research supported the belief that disparities in care accounted for the difference in mortality. Other researchers have shown that colon cancer is often diagnosed later in blacks making treatment more difficult.

Their study is reported in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Read it here in the NY Times.

COX-2 inhibitors reduce colon cancer cells in vitro and in mice -- NEW YORK (Reuters Health) August 15, 2002 - COX-2 inhibitors reduced liver tumors in mice and kept colon cancer cells from multiplying in a petri dish. Nobuya Yamada and his colleagues in Osaka, Japan said that they suspect that COX-2 inhibitors may help prevent recurrence of colon cancer that has spread to the liver. The particular inhibitor used in both in vitro and mouse studies was JTE-522.

The study is reported in the International Journal of Cancer 2002, 100:515-519.

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Programs to help physicians talk to patients about transitions to palliative care - MEDSCAPE August 6, 2002 The Bayer Institute for Health Care Communications helps oncology clinicians learn how to communicate with patients about treatment failures and palliative care. Care Not Cure: Dialogues at the Transition emphasizes relating to the patient, reviewing previous treatment goals, revising those goals, and reflecting on them. Oncologists communicate hopelessness to the ppatient and family when they say, "There is nothing more I can do for you." The course emphasizes that giving up on chemotherapy or radiation does not have to mean giving up on the patient. New goals for pain control, planning some special activity, reconciling with loved ones, or simply reflecting on their lives and legacies can be set with the help of the oncology team.

Read the article on Medscape.

Approval of Eloxatin was fast tracked by FDA -- NEW YORK (NY Times) August 13, 2002

The FDA approved oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) for colorectal cancer treatment in a record 46 days based on randomized clinical trials that showed it reduced tumor size and slowed time to progression of the disease.

Read it here in the NY Times.

Invitation to participate in a study of an online support group for CRC caregivers (spouses and partners) -- ANNOUNCEMENT from Andrea Meier at the University of North Carolina: Dr. Meier is doing a study of on line support groups and needs colon cancer patients and/or spouses and partners to participate. Complete information, as well as the informed consent is available on the Colon Cancer Alliance website.

Read complete information here.

Eloxatin (oxaliplatin) is approved by FDA for metastatic colorectal cancer that has progressed after treatment with irinotecan. PARIS (Sanofi-Synthelabo Press Release) August 12, 2002 -- Eloxatin, in combination with infusional 5FU/leuvovorin has received FDA approval for advanced colorectal cancer patients whose cancer has progressed or recurred following treatment with bolus 5FU/LV plus irinotecan therapy (the Saltz regimen). Approval followed a 46-day priority review.

Read the press release here on Sanofi-Synthelabo site

Surgeons can remove and test sentinel nodes during colon cancer surgery -- (ACS News Today) August 8, 2002 By injecting dye into the lymph node system near a colon tumor, surgeons can trace drainage into the closest lymph node for pathological testing of spread. Dr. Juan C. Paramo and his colleagues removed both the nearest 10 dye-marked nodes and then went on the perform the normal lymphedectomy on 45 patients. The sentinel node correctly predicted spread of the cancer in 44 patients.

Their research is reported in the Annals of Surgical Oncology.

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Does sunlight reduce risk of colon cancer? NEW YORK (New York Times) August 6, 2002 -- Maps of cancer incidence show that the highest colon cancer death rates are in northern states, actually about three times as great as rates in the South. Scientists have been exploring Vitamin D and the hormone it produces -- calcitrol -- to inhibit cancer growth in petrie dish (in vitro) and rodent studies. A study in men with prostate cancer shows possibilities that calcitrol added to chemotherapy improves outcomes and will be followed up with a larger randomly controlled trial.

Doctors warn that large doses of Vitamin D, over 2000 units, are toxic. They believe that the current recommended daily dose of 400 units is sufficient to produce protective effects. However, there is scientific disagreement over the connection between epidemiological studies and direct effect of Vitamin D or Vitamin D supplement in preventing colorectal cancer.

Read it here on InteliHealth.

Master gene discovered that appears to control the genes that cause cell death - MELBOURNE (Reuters) August 7, 2002 -- Scientists at the Monash Institute in Melbourne have found that the molecule ETS1 is essential to cell death (apoptosis) in mouse models. The discovery could mean a potential target for fighting cancer, although the scientists predict that it will take from 5 to 10 years to move the idea to clinical trials in humans.

The research was done in stem cells, not cancer cells.

Source: European Molecular Biology Organization Journal, August 1.

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Yahoo! News - Scientists Find New Clues About How Cancer Spreads

A large twin study showns no personality link to breast cancer development --NEW YORK (Reuters Health) August 2, 2002 --


Yahoo! News - Grouchy? Type A? It Won't Affect Breast Cancer Risk

Swedish studies that show acrylamide in potatoes and bread spur lawsuits against both fast food restaurants and a whole foods grocery chain -- NEW YORK (New York Times News Service) July 31, 2002 -- California law (Proposition 65) requires that manufacturers warn consumers about toxic chemicals in food. When tests show acrylamide in carbohydrate foods that have been baked or fried, it is not clear how much acrylamide is carcinogenic or how much of what kind of food would cause cancer.

Read it here on IntelliHealth.