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by Tamara Cohen | DailyMail.co.uk | 11.30.2009

A mushroom used in Chinese cooking is a potential weapon against cancer, shrinking tumours by up to 75 per cent, a new study has found.

The Maitake mushroom, which grows up to eight inches in diameter, could help combat bladder and prostate cancer which kill 15,000 British people every year.

Dr. Sensuke Konno found combining a tiny concentrated extract of the mushroom with an anti-cancer proteins called interferon alpha, reduced the growth of bladder and prostate cancer cells in patients by up to three quarters.

Anti-cancer proteins, used in other treatments, are only needed in small doses, according to the research by a team at New York Medical Centre which was published in the British Journal of Urology.

They believe the two used together at low doses may activate an enzyme that controls cancer cell growth.

Dr. Konno said hailed it as a ‘very significant’ breakthrough. He said combining the two ‘not only enhances the efficacy of the treatment but also improves the quality of life of the patients by reducing the dose of conventional therapies significantly.’

Dr. Alison Ross, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK said: ‘Many chemotherapy drugs currently in use have been derived from natural substances found in plants so it is not too far-fetched to think that mushrooms could be a valuable source of anti-cancer drugs.’

Copyright DailyMail.co.uk 2009

BY LENA HUANG

Two studies released this month shed light on how health and nutrition can affect prostate cancer patients. One study involved the impact of exercise and the other looked at red and processed meat consumption.

In “Can Men Reduce the Risk of Prostate Cancer Through Lifestyle Changes?” published in the Journal of Urology, researchers examined 190 men who underwent prostate biopsy at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In that group, researchers found that men who exercised moderately, such as walking three to six hours a week, were less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Researchers also found that of the men who were diagnosed, those who exercised had a lower risk of high-grade disease.

In another study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers at the National Cancer Institute followed more than 175,000 men for nine years and found that men whose diets were high in red meat and processed meat had increased risks for developing prostate cancer at any stage. Further, researchers looked at cooking methods and found that men who ate meats cooked at high temperatures, such as with grilling and barbecuing, were also linked to increased risk for prostate cancer. A similar connection was found between men whose diets were high in nitrates, which are chemicals used to preserve and cure meats, such as bacon and ham. For more on this topic and ways to grill healthier, check out my article “Good Grilling.”

While additional studies need to be completed on these topics, these studies provide more evidence that changes in lifestyle can influence our risk of certain cancers. And this is a powerful message–that we can make choices and change behaviors that may give us a better chance not get to cancer, and many other diseases, in the future.

Every year, one in six American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. The former lead singer of the Gap Band, Charlie Wilson, is now cancer-free, but is promoting awareness.

Every year, one in six American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. The former lead singer of the Gap Band, Charlie Wilson, is now cancer-free, but is promoting awareness.

Charlie Wilson is known for singing R&B hits, but he also wants to remind men about the importance of getting regular prostate checkups.

Wilson was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. “When the doctor told me I had prostate cancer I saw my whole career in the trash can,” said the singer.

According to Dr. Willie Underwood, III, Roswell Park Urologic Oncologist, African-American men are one and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and twice as likely to die and that is shame.”

Wilson told a crowd at Roswell Park “we (men) are ashamed of the exam, it’d be senseless to die of shame.”

Wilson wears his signature hat in concert and it is sold at his shows. Half of the proceeds go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Submitted by Chris Smith

NASHVILLE (AP) — Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt has announced that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

In a statement released through the Baptist Press, he said he will undergo initial treatment in January.

The 57-year-old Hunt, pastor of the Atlanta-area First Baptist Church of Woodstock, was elected SBC president at the convention’s June 2008 annual meeting in Indianapolis and re-elected at this year’s meeting in Louisville, Ky.

Hunt said he believes the cancer was detected early and that doctors have monitored his prostate carefully.

by Dr. Ford Vox | U.S. News & World Report | 11.13.2009

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force asked doctors last year to stop checking PSA levels in elderly men—the very men who are most likely to have prostate cancer. By age 75, the officials reasoned, doctors are more likely to keep tinkering with their patients until they die of treatment side effects or something other than prostate cancer altogether. This spring, the New England Journal of Medicine published two long-term studies that questioned whether knowing a man’s PSA level actually helps men survive. Healthcare commentators say that PSAs set off a cascade of overtreatment, endangering patients and tolerating wasteful medicine, and that patients should be wary.

You might expect that the surgical specialists at the center of prostate cancer treatment would have reined in their PSA testing, but they haven’t. The American Urological Association actually lowered its recommendation for the age at which doctors should start offering patients the PSA test from 50 to 40. It was the first revision of the guidelines in nearly a decade. The next one, says Kirsten Greene, a urologist who worked on the committee, should take just a year, in light of the accelerating data and heightened public debate.

“The key change is how we react to abnormal tests and to a cancer diagnosis, which is generally less aggressively for some men than in the past,” says Gerald Andriole, chief of urologic surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Andriole says that men shouldn’t be afraid to get diagnosed; good urologists avoid overtreating less-dangerous cancers. Active surveillance or targeted attacks on very small tumors that spare healthy prostate tissue are both popular options.

From the latest research, here are seven reasons why urologists are encouraging men of any age who expect to live at least another 10 years to think hard about getting a PSA test, even if they have to pay out of pocket:

1. Keeping tabs on PSA saves lives. Many urologists flat out reject a large study published in the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year that found men who got the PSA test did worse than men who didn’t. The dissenters say the results weren’t trustworthy—many of the men who weren’t supposed to get tested actually did, thanks to their proactive primary-care docs. Another recent large NEJM study found that nine years after entering the study, men who got regular PSA screening were 20 percent less likely to die of prostate cancer. One model suggests the PSA test has contributed to much of the 30 percent decline in prostate cancer deaths seen in recent decades.

2. There’s no magic PSA number. In the urologists’ latest recommendations, it is clear that there’s no one-size-fits-all age at which to be tested or bad PSA number. For many years, a particular reading of 4 or above was a battle cry that called for a biopsy or aggressive treatment. In reality, any reading is suspect. Without knowing much more about him, studies give a middle-aged man a 10 percent chance of having visible cancer on biopsy even if his PSA level is zero. Today, doctors consider a single PSA number in the context of your specific health background, race, and family history (it may also help diagnose benign enlargement or an infection), and then suggest when to be tested next. If you do get a biopsy, the criteria for serious concern are stricter, and there are more conservative treatment options.

3. Velocity matters. Your first PSA test is neither your last nor your most important. Depending on your age and your current PSA number, the question is how much, and how fast, subsequent test numbers increase. Researchers are busy determining just how much velocity is normal. (Some researchers say a speed bump of more than 0.25 in one year for a 40-year-old man should prompt concern.) Every man generates a history of data points his doctors can interpret in light of the research.

4. There’s more than one kind of PSA to measure. Enlarged but noncancerous prostates usually release “free” PSA that circulates through the body, while PSA produced by cancer cells tends to attach itself to proteins in your blood. By considering the ratio of the types of PSA, as is done by looking at the ratio of bad to good cholesterol for heart disease, doctors can offer you better advice about your risk and what you should do next.

5. The younger you are, the more meaningful the PSA test. Older prostates tend to get bigger and put out more PSA, complicating interpretation. Higher PSA levels at a younger age are an indicator of elevated risk and call for closer monitoring of factors like your PSA velocity. At the same time, prostate cancer therapies are most effective and sparing of function when the cancer is at an early stage.

6. PSA numbers reveal your prognosis and are critical in follow-up. If you do develop a serious form of prostate cancer that requires aggressive treatment, your PSA levels prior to treatment will help your medical team determine the risk of recurrence. It’s one factor among many others, such as how the tumor looked under the microscope after surgery, but the latest studies show it’s of real value. After surgery to remove the prostate, the PSA test is even more critical: Detection of extremely minute levels can signal cancer recurrence. The earlier doctors know the cancer is back, the earlier patients can decide about secondary treatments like radiation and hormonal therapy.

7. For now, PSA is the best we’ve got. Scientists are looking hard for a better “biomarker” than the PSA, ideally one that doesn’t require so much deliberation. Candidates are surfacing, but they require more proof. Physical measures like the prostate’s size can be misleading, as Mayo Clinic researchers reminded us this week. Studies show that a digital rectal exam plus a PSA test is the surest way to pick up prostate cancer. But if you’ve got to pick only one test, PSA is still the best.

Copyright U.S. News & World Report 2009

Malecare, under the direction and with the hard work of its Executive Director, Darryl Mitteldorf, has started a new web site (www.prostatecanceradvice.org) that is designed to allow anyone with a medical question about prostate to get an expert’s opinion.

Three medical experts in prostate cancer issues: medical oncologists Drs. “Snuffy” Myers and Daniel Petrylak, and naturopath Dr. Geo Espinosa will answer your questions.

Check out this new site at www.prostatecanceradvice.org.

TEN26

LOS ANGELES — Dennis Hopper has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is canceling all travel plans to focus on treatment, his manager said Thursday.

The 73-year-old actor and artist is being treated through a “special program” at the University of Southern California, said Sam Maydew.

Asked about Hopper’s prognosis, Maydew said, “We’re hoping for the best.” He would not elaborate on the actor’s condition.

Hopper was forced to cancel his appearance at an exhibition of his artwork and photography at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne. Called “Dennis Hopper and the New Hollywood,” the show celebrates “the work and life of an extraordinary filmmaker, artist and key figure in the evolution of Americas cultural scene from the 1950s to today.”

Hopper was hospitalized in New York earlier this month and treated for dehydration.

The “Easy Rider” star recently finished shooting the second season of “Crash,” a TV version of the Oscar-winning 2004 film. He plays maniacal music producer Ben Cendars on the series, which airs on the Starz network. Hopper also has several film projects in the works.

by Dr. Paul G. Donohue | SouthCoastToday.com | 10.19.2009

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: On one hand, I have been told that many men die with prostate cancer but few die of prostate cancer. On the other, statistics are announced stating that prostate cancer is in the top five causes of death in men! Hello? My doctor has not ordered a PSA test for me in a number of years. I don’t push the issue because I don’t want to appear to be a hypochondriac, but I don’t feel sufficiently informed. I would appreciate your comments. I am 82.

— F.O.

Cancers — all the varieties — are the second leading cause of death in men and women. Prostate cancer comes in second place for cancer-caused male deaths. Around 28,000 men die from it every year in the United States.

PSA, prostate specific antigen, is a blood test used for detection of prostate cancer. The problem with PSA is that it is sometimes high for reasons other than cancer, and it doesn’t indicate the cancer’s aggressiveness. Most prostate cancer isn’t lethal. Why, then, do so many men die from it? For one, many men have it. Almost all men in their 80s have patches of prostate cancer in their gland, and many men in their 70s have it. A large percentage of these men will live out their full life span without ever having a single prostate cancer symptom. If a man could be assured that his prostate cancer would not be lethal, that man most likely would choose not to treat it. Treatment can come at a price. It can lead to erectile dysfunction, urine leakage and the complications of radiation, such as damage to the rectum. For these and other reasons, the United States Preventive Task Force — an expert panel that gives guidance on which tests to have and which illnesses to treat — recommends that men 75 years and older or men with a life expectancy of less than 10 years not be tested with PSA.

Not everyone agrees with these guidelines. Testing for prostate cancer at older ages is something best left to a well-informed patient and his doctor.

Copyright SouthCoastToday.com 2009

Four years ago today I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  That’s the day I discovered a few things about my life: the true meaning of friendship, the love and support of my family, and the strength and peace that only God can give.  It’s the day I became a cancer survivor!

God gave me the courage to face it, the knowledge and wisdom to fight it, and His grace to beat it.

Here’s my story ….

A week before I was scheduled to run the Big Sur International Marathon, I found out that that my PSA was a little elevated.  I didn’t know much about PSA, but I did know I was in the best shape of my life.  This PSA thing must have been a fluke.  After competing Big Sur, which is one of the most difficult marathons on the face of this planet, I returned home and had another blood test.  This time my PSA was higher and it was recommended that I have a biopsy.

Over the course of the next 6 months, I had several blood tests and two biopsies.  It was after the second biopsy on October 26^th that it was determined that I had prostate cancer.  I refer to that date as TEN26.  It’s a day I will never forget.  Cancer didn’t freak me out, but the potential side-affects of incontinence and impotency did bother me a little  (a lot!).

Quickly I learned that researching my treatment options was difficult.  I couldn’t get a health care professional to give me an objective solution based on my age, Gleason score, staging, quality of life issues, etc.  Everybody had the best deal for me.  I was facing The Great Prostate Procedure Shootout!  I realized that it was my body, my life and I had to make the decision on which treatment solution was best for me.  So I decided to dig deep.  I spent hours on the internet, read books, talked with cancer survivors, and visited one of the best cancer hospitals in the world.

It was during this time of research that I found out about a doctor at Ohio State University, James Cancer Center.  This doctor was the only one that would call me back and/or email me when I had questions (which was frequently).  We made a connection right away.  And after 5 weeks of digging, discussing, and praying I scheduled surgery at OSU.  It was pretty simple: I flew in to Columbus, Ohio on Monday night, pre-op appointment on Tuesday, and surgery on Wednesday, and back to the hotel on Thursday, catheter removed on Monday and back home on Tuesday.

Here’s the long story short – I was never in much pain, I was walking around the OSU campus the day after surgery, and my recovery exceeded my expectations.  Three weeks after my surgery I was back at the gym working out.  I returned to work after 2 weeks.  Since my surgery I have run 6 marathons and countless other events.  But I must mentioned that I have had 4 other surgeries since that time!  I’m the comeback kid (not much of a kid anymore!).

In closing, the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System is considered the finest equipment for robotic prostatectomy and OSU is the premier hospital for this surgery.  But it’s more than equipment and expertise.  Through my cancer journey I found out the true meaning of friendship, the love and support of my family, and the strength and peace that only God can give.

I’m a survivor!

If you or anyone you know have questions concerning prostate cancer, please call me at 404-939-0348.

TEN26

Modified from a post from Prostablog

Incontinence and impotence are two frightening words for a man but they are the side-effects of removing the prostate. Worth the price, or at least that’s the calculation one makes beforehand: Cancer or dry underwear? Cancer or erections?

Most men don’t know what to expect of the incontinence and don’t hear a clear description (maybe because of feared hearing it).  We’re thinking puddles on the floor. But it’s nothing like that. It’s a matter of dribs and drabs for a period of time. We wish we understood the physical explanation of what’s happening but the end result is this: Sometimes, when you expect it (standing, coughing, lifting…) and sometimes when you don’t (that’s the tough part) you feel something moving where it shouldn’t. Drib. Next time, you hope you remember to clench your muscles first.  But rest assure that this is a short term issue you’ll face after surgery

After surgery you’re outfitted in a gigantic Baby Huey diaper plus a pad – which only heightened your fear – but you quickly realized this wasn’t necessary and downgraded to pads. After much trial and you’ll find your dream brand. You can’t believe you’ve become a connoisseur of such product.  You should also note that nighttime is usually not a problem — no bedwetting.

As for your “package” other job, well, that’s another story. The doctor will warned you not to expect anything in the near future. But it’s hard. Because it’s not.  We men have complicated relationships with our packages, of course. We follow them (that’s why they’re in front). They tell us what we like. They have minds of their own. Some men give them names. So when a man sees his package as an emaciated, depressed, shrunken old man in a hospital bed, well, it’s hard not to deal with.

There’s hope, however.  In time, your package may return to its previous form. But often you may have to get a little help — you know, a little blue pill.  And if that doesn’t work, then there are other options.  Don’t get discourage or give up.  It takes time.

Prostate cancer is all about you package.  You have to be patient.  It will all work out in time, but it may not be like it was before you had cancer — but that’s life.  DEAL WITH IT LIKE A MAN!

Question of the day:  Would you rather have cancer?

On Friday we reported about the #BeatCancer campaign to leverage social media for cancer charities. Their goal was to set a Guinness World Record for the most social mentions in 24 hours, which by Saturday had already topped 200,000 on Twitter, Facebook and blog posts.

Today Guinness World Record confirmed the success of the campaign, which at 209,771 mentions in a single day achieved an estimated 100 million overall impressions of the #BeatCancer message. Not only did the campaign set a newly-developed world record for online impressions, but raised over $70,000 in the process from its financial sponsors.

The funds raised from donors eBay/PayPal and MillerCoors will go to four non-profit cancer organizations including Spirit Jump, Bright Pink, Alex’s Lemonade, and SU2C (Stand UP to Cancer). Although the official Guinness World Record drive is now over, the campaign continues to raise awareness and encourage donations. You can donate and find resources to help you promote the endeavor on the Beatcancereverywhere.com website.

If you participated, let us know in the comments

From HealthNewsDigest.com

Cancer Issues

(HealthNewsDigest.com)-Superstar quarterback Tony Romo found himself in new territory when he learned that his father was battling cancer. Ramiro Romo had shown no signs or symptoms of the disease when a screening exam revealed he had prostate cancer. The experience shocked and scared his entire family.

Thankfully, the elder Romo’s cancer was caught early. Now, Tony and his dad have teamed up with the Prostate Conditions Education Council (PCEC) to urge men to get a prostate cancer screening as part of the national “Tackle Prostate Cancer” program. The Tackle Prostate Cancer program, which includes support from 13 teams around the country, hopes to encourage more than 100,000 men to be screened for prostate cancer over the course of the season.

“Prostate cancer was something we didn’t have a lot of knowledge about,” says Romo. “We were lucky that Dad found it early and really wanted to spread the word about the importance of screening so that others would have the same advantages.”

Nearly 200,000 men will go through a similar experience this year when they are diagnosed with prostate cancer. The disease remains the second-leading cause of cancer death among American men, with more than 27,000 expected to die from it this year. When detected early, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100 percent.

While prostate cancer is often treatable when detected early, there are frequently no warning signs or symptoms in its earliest stages-making early detection and screening crucial for saving lives. For this reason, PCEC and the Romos want men to “Choose to Know-and Know to Choose.” This means they should choose to know their PSA values, just as they would their cholesterol and know that there are many choices and variables in determining if they need a biopsy or treatment.

“It is as simple as this-screening saves lives,” said E. David Crawford, M.D., head of the Urologic Oncology Department at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and founder and chairman of PCEC. “We recommend that all men get a baseline prostate health assessment at 35 years of age and work with their doctors to determine a screening schedule that is right for them.”

Men who want to respond to the challenge should visit www.tackleprostatecancer.com to register and receive exclusive access to program information.

by Anthony J. Brown, M.D. | Reuters Health | 09.28.2009

New research indicates that over half of men who choose “watchful waiting” as the initial strategy for prostate cancer need no treatment over the long haul.

With “watchful waiting,” patients with early prostate tumors are monitored regularly and only treated if their cancer progresses.

“Patients and doctors should not assume that any/all cancer must be immediately treated,” lead researcher Dr. Martin G. Sanda, from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, told Reuters Health.

“Some very early tumors, such as prostate cancers that have the lowest risk profile, can safely be monitored and their treatment can be reserved for those that show growth during the subsequent monitoring period,” she added.

Sanda’s team investigated 3331 men diagnosed with prostate cancer from 1986 to 2007. Of these patients, 342 (10.3 percent) selected deferred treatment (watchful waiting), defined as not receiving treatment for more than 1 year after diagnosis.

During an average follow-up of 7.7 years, 174 (51 percent) of the deferred treatment patients remained untreated. For the remainder, treatment began 3.9 years after diagnosis, on average.

The rate at which prostate cancer spread beyond the organ was similar among the deferred treatment group and the immediate treatment group. Likewise, rates of death from prostate cancer were no different with deferred and immediate treatment.

The findings appear in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

In a related commentary, Dr. Anthony Zietman, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, says these findings add “to the body of evidence reassuring physicians that it is safe to observe before treating many men with localized disease.”

“I am optimistic that we can break our cultural addiction to immediate treatment for all and move toward discriminating, selective, and more socially responsible behavior in this challenging disease,” Zietman writes.

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2009.

Copyright Reuters Health 2009

By ERIC SCHMITT

WASHINGTON — Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of American military forces in the Middle East, learned in February that he had early-stage prostate cancer but has undergone “successful” radiation treatment for the illness, according to a statement issued late Monday.

General Petraeus, 56, who as head of the United States CentrCommand oversees operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, underwent two months of radiation treatment here at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the statement said.

The treatment had “minimal impact on his work schedule,” according to the statement.

The general’s spokesman, Col. Erik O. Gunhus, issued the statement in response to questions from The New York Times.

At the time of the treatment, the general was spending four or five days a week in Washington for various policy reviews, the statement said. General Petraeus also took at least one overseas trip during the period of the treatment, and he was able to maintain his regimen of physical training, the statement said.

“The treatment is assessed to have been successful,” the statement said.

The general is a fanatical devotee of physical fitness. He is known to be capable of trouncing 19-year-old recruits in pushup contests, and seven years ago, at age 49, he completed a 10-mile run in under 64 minutes.

General Petraeus has also survived close calls before. As a young battalion commander, he survived a gunshot wound to the chest, and he later shattered his pelvis during a parachute jump.

The general has been in Washington this week for meetings on Afghanistan and Pakistan with President Obama’s national security advisers. He is scheduled to address the annual conference of the Association of the United States Army here on Tuesday.

Mr. Obama; Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.; Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and other top officials were informed of the initial diagnosis and treatment, the statement said.

But the general did not make the information public until now because he and his family considered the situation a private matter and it did not interfere with the performance of his duties, the statement said.

Prostate cancer causes about 30,000 deaths a year in this country, making it the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in men, behind lung cancer. But when detected in its early stages, as it apparently was in General Petraeus’s case, it can be effectively treated with surgery or radiation treatments.

Robert De Niro
Diagnosed in 2003, De Niro kept secretive about his treatment, but many believe he underwent a prostatectomy.

Joe Torre
MLB Manager battled prostate cancer in 1999. He reportedly said he suffered no symptoms of prostate cancer. He opted for a prostatectomy.

Nelson Mandela
Former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001. It is reported that he went through radiation therapy as treatment.

Rudy Giuliani
Former Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani was diagnosed in 2000. His diagnosis was prompted by high PSA levels in his blood.

Arnold Palmer
Palmer was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. 8 weeks after surgery, he was on back on the green golfing.

Harry Belafonte
Actor Harry Belafonte was diagnosed in 1996 and now is an activist for prostate cancer survivorship.

Bruce Brooks
Aged Grasshopper, marathon runner, business owner, trusted friend, golfer, husband, & dad.  Activist for Survivorship.

Bob Dole
Former Seantor Bob Dole was diagnosed in 1991 and was treated with surgery.

Colin Powel
Powell underwent surgery in 2003 for prostate cancer and made a full recovery, becoming a prostate cancer survivor.

John Kerry
John Kerry’s prostate cancer was detected through a normal PSA test. It was significantly higher than the last PSA test, but still with the normal range. He was diagnosed in 2002 and has made a full recovery.

http://www.zerocancer.org/2009dashfordad1.html

It’s free. No appointments. No insurance needed. Snacks! And it features a big flat screen TV with satellite cable to watch the big game while you wait. It’s the way every doctor’s office ought to be!

ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer understands it’s hard enough with busy schedules for men to fit in regular doctor visits, but early detection is critical. That’s why we operate the Drive Against Prostate Cancer (the Drive), the only nationwide, mobile, free prostate cancer testing program. The Drive vehicles are sleek 39-foot mobile screening units, touring the country from coast to coast to offer free prostate cancer testing and an experience that provides a comfort factor often lacking in your traditional doctor’s office.

More than 90,000 men have been tested on the Drive Against Prostate Cancer since the program began in 2002. ZERO will test its 100,000th man in 2009.

The Drive offers free and confidential testing thanks to our sponsors and our lab partners Siemens Diagnostics for donating the test kits and University of Michigan Labs for analyzing the PSA test.

About the Free Prostate Cancer Testing

Early detection of prostate cancer consists of a simple blood test (prostate specific antigen blood test) and an optional physical exam.

What to Expect When You Visit the Drive

PSA Test: Understanding Your Test Results

PSA Calibration News A difference of 22 percent has been found between the Hybritech and World Health Organization (WHO) PSA tests. This could greatly impact your PSA test score, depending on which test was administered. To learn more, visit www.beckmancoulter.com/PSAValue

Here is a simple list of the most important facts everyone should know about prostate cancer:

1. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year — but (at least in the developed world) most of them will not die of this disease!
2. Men whose fathers or grandfathers, uncles or brothers have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are at higher risk than men with no family history of this disease.
3. At least in North America and the Caribbean, men of Black African ethnicity are at higher risk for prostate cancer than Caucasians, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asians (but we don’t really know why).
4. Two drugs (called finasteride and dutasteride) have each been shown to prevent prostate cancer for a prolonged period of time in about 25 percent of the men who take them, and these drugs have very few side effects.
5. In its early and most curable stages, prostate cancer causes no symptoms at all.
6. Every man should know and understand his risk for prostate cancer; the keys to risk management are regular physical exams and appropriate blood tests.
7. Many men, particularly older men, with early stage prostate cancer may never need to be treated at all.
8. There are many different ways to manage early stage prostate cancer, but there is no absolute proof that any one form of treatment for early stage disease is better than any other.
9. Every form of treatment for prostate cancer has serious risks and serious possible side effects (from inability to control the need to urinate to loss of erections to deterioration of bone health).
10. For any specific type of treatment, doctors with extensive experience using that treatment technique can reduce the patient’s risk for complications.

Major League Baseball Pitchers John Smoltz and Derek Lowe Help Raise Awareness Throughout Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

The 2009 One A Day Men’s Presents MLB Strikeout Prostate Cancer Challenge Has Raised More Than $268,000 to Date

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ — Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men in the United States. In fact one in six men will face prostate cancer in his lifetime. As Prostate Cancer Awareness Month begins, there is increased focus on an ongoing effort by Major League Baseball pitchers John Smoltz of the St. Louis Cardinals and Derek Lowe of the Atlanta Braves, who are spreading the word about prostate cancer awareness through the “One A Day Men’s Presents MLB Strikeout Prostate Cancer Challenge.”

“Even though prostate cancer is so common, it’s not something we talk about enough,” said Smoltz. “Through this program, we are helping to get the message out about the importance of prostate health and the simple things men can do.”

This is the second year of the Strikeout Prostate Cancer Challenge. During the inaugural 2008 season, the program raised a total of $333,780. Based on that success, One A Day and Major League Baseball have teamed up again to make a $10 donation for every strikeout recorded this season and postseason to The Prostate Cancer Foundation, the world’s largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research. To date, this year’s program has raised a total of $268,570 with more to come.

To show their commitment to this important program, Lowe and Smoltz are also personally donating $10 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation for every strikeout they record during the 2009 season.

“As a cancer survivor, raising awareness about vital health issues is particularly important to me,” said Lowe. “I want to do everything I can to spread the word — and each time I step on the field, I look forward to throwing a strikeout for such a great cause.”

“We are thrilled to once again be partnering with One A Day to support the fight against prostate cancer,” said John Brody, Major League Baseball Senior Vice President, Corporate Sales & Marketing. “And we would like to thank One A Day, The Prostate Cancer Foundation, John Smoltz and Derek Lowe and all within the Major League Baseball family who lend their support to this important initiative.”

“Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is the perfect time to educate men about prostate cancer and what they can do to help protect themselves,” said Dave Perron, Vice President, Baseball and Sports Enterprises for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. “And through the ongoing support from One A Day and MLB, along with the hands-on involvement of these well-known pitchers, we know we’ll be able to do even more to raise awareness and find a cure for this deadly disease.”

One A Day is the official multivitamin of Major League Baseball, and both One A Day Men’s Health Formula, and One A Day Men’s 50 Plus Advantage are specially formulated to help support a healthy heart, healthy blood pressure(**), healthy eyes and energy. Plus, One A Day Men’s 50+ Advantage includes ginkgo to support memory and concentration.

One A Day Men’s formulas are not intended to treat or prevent prostate cancer.

About Major League Baseball Properties

The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) in 1966 as the Clubs’ agent for marketing and trademark licensing and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with Clubs, broadcast rightsholders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a full-service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on to www.MLB.com.

About One A Day Multivitamins

Bayer Consumer Care’s complete line of One A Day products provides gender-specific and performance/lifestyle benefits based on individual health needs. The One A Day multivitamin line includes One A Day Women’s with calcium and vitamin D for bone strength and breast health; One A Day Men’s Health Formula specially formulated to support a healthy heart, healthy blood pressure, healthy eyes and energy; One A Day Men’s 50+ Advantage which supports a healthy heart, healthy blood pressure(**), healthy eyes and energy and includes ginkgo to support memory and concentration; One A Day Women’s 50+ Advantage with calcium and vitamin D for bone strength and breast health and ginkgo to support memory and concentration; One A Day Women’s Prenatal with DHA to support healthy fetal brain and eye development; One A Day Women’s Active Mind & Body to support mental alertness and physical energy; One A Day Teen Advantage for Her to help address teen girls’ important concerns like healthy skin; and One A Day Teen Advantage for Him to address teen boys’ important concerns like healthy muscle function*. For more information about One A Day multivitamins, visit www.oneaday.com.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is the world’s largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research focused on discovering better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. Founded in 1993, the PCF has raised more than $370 million and provided funding to more than 1,500 research projects at nearly 200 institutions worldwide. The PCF also advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more governmental research funds. PCF advocacy has helped produce a 20-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer since 1994. More information about prostate cancer and the PCF can be found at www.pcf.org.

(** )To( )help maintain blood pressure levels already within the normal range

(*) This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

SOURCE Bayer Consumer Care

For further information: Tricia McKernan, Global Communications, Bayer HealthCare, Consumer Care Division, 866…, tricia.mckernan.b@bayer.com; or Dave Schemelia, HealthSTAR Public Relations, +1-212-532-0909 or +1-609-468-9325, dschemelia@healthstarpr.com

© PR Newswire

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
____________________________________________________________________________

NATIONAL PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, SEPTEMBER 2009
- – - – - – -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

As a Nation, we have made significant progress in the fight against prostate cancer. Over the last decade, prostate cancer mortality rates have fallen substantially. Yet, despite this progress, among men in the United States prostate cancer remains the most  commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. One in six men in this country will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is an opportunity to renew our commitment to find better ways to prevent, detect, and control this disease.

Prostate cancer affects both those stricken with the disease and their families, often occurring when they least expect it. The cancer does not discriminate among husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons, and it does not differentiate on race, age, or income. Americans of every background know its dangers. Families share in the struggles of prostate cancer,bearing the emotional and financial concerns along with the afflicted.

My Administration supports prevention efforts and research to develop better screening tests, uncover more effective treatments, and ensure quality care for all who are diagnosed with this illness. We must ensure that more men are educated about all aspects of the disease including prevention, early detection and possible treatment options. To expand our knowledge of this cancer, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are playing leading roles in research. Their work is helping to reduce the burden of prostate cancer and save lives for generations to come.

This month, we remember the lives we have lost, and we recommit ourselves to supporting those currently battling against the disease. National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month also highlights the great medical advancements we have made and reminds us there is still much work to be done. As a Nation, we are united in our resolve to reduce incidence of prostate cancer and improve the lives of all those affected.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2009 as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. I encourage citizens, Government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other interested groups to join in activities that will increase awareness of what Americans can do to prevent and control prostate cancer.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Here are some links to places to start your prostate cancer education. Use these pages to write down a list of questions for your doctor. When you talk with him or her, you don’t want to forget anything that you wanted to ask about.

• The article titled “Finding cancer in a man’s prostate is NORMAL!” will help you to understand that prostate cancer is actually a very common problem that is increasingly well understood
• The article on the ”Staging and grading of prostate cancer“ will give you information about several of the things mentioned in your pathology report (which you need to get a copy of)
• The article on “Clinical staging of prostate cancer“ will offer more detail about this topic, and
• The article titled “Understanding Gleason grading” can help you take the first steps toward understanding your personal Gleason grades and Gleason score information.

People may use abbreviations that you haven’t heard before. We have provided a list of the most common prostate cancer-related abbreviations for you to be able to look up and use. If you come across ones that aren’t listed, leave us a message. We can probably tell you what they stand for.

When you start to consider your treatment options, you should begin with the article very reasonably entitled

• “In the beginning …“

because it will give you some idea of how difficult some decisions you will need to take may end up being.

After that, we suggest the following articles:

• “Treatment: the absolute basics“
• “First-line treatments for early stage (localized) prostate cancer” (because the chances are that it is early stage disease that you have), and
• Finding the prostate cancer specialist who is right for YOU

There are two other possible diagnoses that you may have received that are NOT prostate cancer. One is called “prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia” or PIN, and it is a widely considered to be a precursor of prostate cancer. Another is called “atypical small acinar proliferation” or ASAP. If either PIN or ASAP (or both) is the diagnosis on your pathology report, then have a look at

• “What on Earth is PIN?” and/or
• That’s not what ASAP stands for! Is it?

Basically a diagnosis of ASAP means that a tiny group of cells look like they might be cancerous when viewed under the microscope, but the pathologist just can’t be sure.

There are  just three more things you should absolutely do:

• First, look at the page titled “What cancer cannot do.” We know … “Real men don’t read poetry!” But we think you may WANT to read this.
• Second, look at “The ’top 10′ facts you need to know.”
• Third, if you haven’t done it already, tell your wife, partner, or “significant other” about this page on this site. This information will help them too!

We PROMISE that none of the pages we have told you about is very long. You can get through them all in an hour (or less). Print them out if you need to. And then you will be in a much better position to talk to your doctor about what comes next.

When you are ready, you can go to the home page or the site map or visit The “New” Prostate Cancer InfoLink Social Network. There’s a whole army of people out there to help you!

And finally … If you have immediate questions, try “Ask Arthur.” If your wife, partner or “significant other” has questions, she may find it easier to “Ask Amy.”

Sincerely

The “New” Prostate Cancer InfoLink

STEP FOUR: START LEARNING

First things first:

• You’ve got a lot of questions, but don’t for one minute think that you’ll be able to get answers to all of them tonight!
  
• Some of your questions may not even have good answers.
• We absolutely encourage you to try to do the learning WITH your wife/partner/significant other.

What?! … Why?

Because (trust us) this is going to affect her (or perhaps him) just as much as it’s going to affect you. This is not something you will be able to keep secret, and you’re going to need some help from someone who knows you inside and out! Two sets of eyes and ears working together at this will help you to get the very best treatment and to get answers to all the questions you should be asking (including many you haven’t thought of yet!).

STEP THREE: SLOW DOWN

• You have time to make good decisions.
• You almost certainly have time to get one or more “second opinions” about your treatment (or whether you even need treatment at all).
• If you act too fast, you may well make a decision you come to regret.

STEP TWO: APPRECIATE THE GOOD NEWS

Realize this:

• Finding cancer in the prostate of a man who is over 40 is quite normal. Finding cancer in the prostate of a man who is over 70 is very normal!
• Something like 95 percent of the men who get a diagnosis of prostate cancer today in developed countries are NOT going to die from it. They may die with it … but not from it. There’s a huge difference.
• Prostate cancer is not a death sentence for the vast majority of newly diagnosed patients in the developed world today!

STEP ONE: “DON’T PANIC!”

A cancer diagnosis is a fearful thing. Most of us are numbed by just the idea of cancer. But while you are numbed, you are not dealing with reality.

We don’t expect any man who has just been told he has prostate cancer to be sitting calmly saying to himself:

This may have been followed by a beer or two while you thought about any or all of the following:

• What and when and how to tell your wife/partner/significant other
• Better still, whether you could get away without telling her at all!
• Whether you had a friend who’d had this problem who you could talk to

Well you must have got past that, which is GOOD because you got here, and we’re going to help!

You need to put your fear behind you. You can do this by gaining knowledge. Your knowledge will give you the power to overcome this adversity.

Guest Blogger:  Hugh A.

From: A, Hugh H.
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 8:04 AM
To: Swinford, Don G.; H, Perry H.
Subject: Hi

 Hi Perry and Don

I made it back to work this past Monday.  I took my time driving back from California and arrived home last Tuesday. I worked from home for the remainder of the week. I am feeling well and other than a minor bit of fatigue, which I’m told is not uncommon after radiation, everything else is all working well.   I’m sure the time change and the 2,400 mile drive are part of the fatigue factor. 

After 11 weeks away from work there is plenty to catch up on here at work.  I did go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group at St. Joseph’s Hospital last Wednesday and shared my story of my treatment at Loma Linda.  A young man who was recently diagnosed asked me a lot of questions about proton radiation treatment and I did my best to answer his questions.  It is satisfying to try and help others as I was helped when I was first diagnosed

I am doing a triathlon with a friend up in Gainesville on September 19th.  She was intrigued enough by my tale of the one I completed in San Bernardino in June to agree to do one together.  I also challenged the young lady who is the prostate support group coordinator at Loma Linda to start training to do the one in San Bernardino with me next June, when I return for my yearly check-up.  She agreed and has started her training.

I hope you are both doing well and perhaps we can get together for lunch soon.

Best wishes

Hugh

SOURCE: http://vipfriendsonline.blogspot.com

August 13, 2009 - In the field of robotic prostate- cancer treatment, Florida Hospital surgeon Vipul Patel is a rock star.

Patel’s patients are a very appreciative bunch.

“It seems like when someone literally helps cure you of cancer, you feel this need to give back,” said Jordan, 68.

“The need for education and support for prostate care is clearly unmet in many communities,” said the association’s executive director, Christian Downs.

The best-practices project, funded by Pfizer Inc. pharmaceuticals, is designed to help hospitals and other medical facilities across the country improve prostate-cancer care, Downs said.

Dexterous robot

Patient outcomes are the best indicator of a model prostate-cancer care, Patel said.

Patel supports a multidisciplinary approach to prostate-cancer care in which patients not only visit with their surgeon, but they also are seen by a urologist, radiation specialist and medical oncologist.

“Men should have experts to inform them about their best treatment options, provide second opinions,” Patel said. “Thinking that your only option is to have open surgery and lose your sexual function is not acceptable.”

As for Jordan and his other devotees, Patel said they represent a growing trend among men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“Prostate cancer is coming into its own in terms of the level of knowledge and the level of public awareness,” Patel said. “Men are doing their homework and asking questions.”

Did his research first
When Jordan was diagnosed with cancer in July 2007, a local urologist recommended he undergo a traditional radical prostatectomy right away.

“Thank God I knew enough to do a little research first,” Jordan said.

He learned that there was a variety of treatment approaches. In addition to a radical prostatectomy, where the entire prostate gland and nearby lymph nodes are removed, some doctors employ radiation therapy.

A device like an X-ray machine is used, or radioactive pellets called “seeds” are injected into the prostate gland.

For slow-growing cancers, some doctors recommend simply monitoring the tumor.

Jordan learned his tumor was growing slowly, and that he had time to determine what was best for him. In his research, Patel’s name kept popping up.

Jordan, whose company specializes in outsourcing specialized surgical personnel, also contacted the manufacturer of the robot Patel uses in his surgeries.

Again, Patel got rave reviews.

“When he actually called me at home one night to talk to me about my surgery, that sort of clinched it,” Jordan said.

Willing to open up
Dr. Richard Reiling, an advisory member to the best-practices project and former president of the Association of Community Cancer Centers, applauds men such as Jordan for seeking out information and sharing it with other men.

“It used to be something men didn’t talk about because it meant discussing things like incontinence, erectile dysfunction and that uncomfortable exam in your doctor’s office,” Reiling said. “But society is opening up. Men are more willing to talk about things men of my generation once thought were too personal.”

Fernando Quintero can be reached at fquintero@orlandosentinel.com or 407-650-6333.

By the numbers
185,000 men developed prostate cancer.
29,000 died from the disease in 2005, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
13,253 cases in Florida.
2,154 deaths in Florida.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of death in men after lung cancer in the United States, accounting for about 10 percent of cancer death in men. The Canadian Cancer Society reports it is the third most common cause of cancer death in Canadian men (after lung and colorectal). However, when caught and treated early, the cure rate is greater than 90 percent, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Watchful waiting – a process where men with small, slow growing tumors undergo regular check-ups and begin treatment only if the disease worsens – is under examination in two national studies totaling 2,100 men is taking place in San Antonio.

• Delayed Treatment to Prostate Cancer is Examined
  by Don Finley | Express-News | 08.08.2009

Consuming moderate to heavy amounts of beer and “spirits” may be increasing men’s risk of 13 different types of cancer including prostate cancer, according to a University of Quebec study. The study also noted that heavy drinking is associated with risk for more aggressive prostate tumors and dilutes the effect of preventative medication.

• Drinking Moderately or More Ups Men’s Cancer Risk
  by Alan Mozes | US News & World Report: HealthDay | 08.07.2009

The 2009 Summit to End Prostate Cancer will be held Sept. 23-24 at the Liaison Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. This year the summit will focus on growing the advocacy base in communities across the country.

See what past attendees have to say about the Summit to End Prostate Cancer:

“Thank you so much for having us and all that you do for us. We had a great success with our senators and representatives, let’s keep the ZERO train going…” – Debb Dietch

“It was a fabulous three day event culmination with my walking the halls of Congress lobbying Congressional staffs on the need for prostate cancer funding. Meetings on the final day of the summit, three in number, that I attended with congressional staff of Kennedy, Kerry and Delahunt were exciting, invigorating and the clear highlight of my week. I found my audience articulate, knowledgeable and conversant on the subject of PC and willing to give me whatever time I might wish to speak with them on the subject.” – Patrick McDermott

ZERO is still accepting registration for the summit. Space is limited so act today! Please visit ZeroCancer.org to access further information and registration materials. To submit the registration materials for the 2009 Summit to End Prostate Cancer, you will need Adobe Reader 7.0 or higher. Download the latest version here.

• Download the 2009 Summit to End Prostate Cancer Registration Form
  To use the email function on the pdf application for the 2009 Summit to End Prostate Cancer, you will need Adobe Reader 7.0 or higher. Download the latest version here.
• The Summit to End Prostate Cancer

By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter
Source: http://www.medicinenet.com


MONDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) — A major study has good news for men who have prostate cancer surgery but leaves unanswered the complicated question of whether a man should have that operation, another treatment or just watchful waiting.

The study of almost 13,000 American men who had a radical prostatectomy — surgical removal of a cancerous prostate gland — between 1987 and 2005 found that only 12% of them died of the cancer, according to the report in the July 27 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

“Patients with what we thought of as high-risk prostate cancer had a much lower risk of dying of their cancers than we ever thought,” said Dr. Peter T. Scardino, chairman of the department of surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and a member of the research team. “Patients with more favorable prostate cancers did remarkably well, so well that you have to begin to question whether they should have been treated.”

The choice of surgery, radiation therapy or watchful waiting must be made each year for more than 190,000 American men, most middle-aged or older, who are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Most choose some kind of treatment, said Dr. Andrew Stephenson, head of urological oncology at the Cleveland Clinic’s Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, and another member of the research team. From 40% to 50% choose surgery, about 10% choose watchful waiting, and the rest choose some form of radiation therapy, Stephenson said.

For men who have surgery, the new research has produced a tool that can allow them to predict their chance of survival for at least 15 years, Scardino said. Survival is measured by essentially three elements: the clinical stage of the cancer when it is detected, determined in great part by how large it is; the Gleason score, a measure of how much of its normal structure the prostate gland has lost; and blood levels of prostate-specific antigen, a protein produced by the gland.

The study found that the score had an accuracy of 82% in predicting 15-year survival, Scardino said. “If you could predict what would happen in the stock market in the next 15 years with 82% accuracy, you would be a genius,” he said.

Overall, there was a greater chance that a man in the study would die of a cause other than prostate cancer. The rate of death from other causes was 38%, compared to 12% attributed to prostate cancer.

The new predictive method will be made public soon, after medical review, so that physicians and men can learn about their anticipated survival after surgery, Scardino said.

“Any person can look at it and put in the numbers,” he said.

The new predictive tool is an improvement over the existing method, which relies essentially on readings of prostate-specific antigen levels, Stephenson said.

But no such predictive method exists for newly diagnosed men who must chose between treatment and watchful waiting, and so the study presents a predicament for those men and their physicians, he said.

“It questions the lethality of prostate cancer,” Stephenson said. “Perhaps a similarly low risk might have been seen if the men did not have prostatectomy. We can’t say whether a cancer poses enough of a threat to the patient so that therapy is needed.”

Prostate cancer surgery is not free of problems, Stephenson said. Its major side effects are incontinence and loss of sexual function.

Many prostate cancers grow slowly — so slowly that an old medical byword is that “more men die with their prostate cancer than of it.” No existing method can single out the cancers that will be fatal if left untreated.

“We really need better tools for really identifying prostate cancers that pose a threat to longevity,” Stephenson said. “Many have been proposed. All are being investigated, and hopefully in the future we will have better tools that accurately predict the risk of dying from prostate cancer.”

Until those tools are available, the question is often “a balance between quantity and quality of life,” he added. “That is a very complicated decision that must take many factors into consideration.”

SOURCES: Peter T. Scardino, M.D., chairman, department of surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City; Andrew Stephenson, M.D., head, urological oncology, Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Ohio; July 27, 2009, Journal of Clinical Oncology, online

Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

Guest Blogger: Hugh A.

—–Original Message—–
From: A, Hugh H.
Sent: Sat 7/25/2009 7:24 PM
To: Swinford, Don G.; H, Perry H.
Subject: Pasadena 5k

Hi Don and Perry

Well, the Pasadena 5k was a success for me.  For having only been running for a month now and this being my second 5k, I managed to finish it in 32 min. 45 secs.   Not the greatest time, but at least it now gives me a reference point for future runs. It was very self satisfying, since I didn’t slow down to a walk once.  Out of  710 hundred runners, I was mid-pack at 354, with a large majority of time in the 26 to 35 minute range.  I think the cancer issue has heightened my awareness to live strong promoted by Lance Armstrong.  A personal victory.

Three treatments to go!!

Best wishes
Hugh

Guess Blogger: Hugh A.

From: A, Hugh H.
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 12:58 AM
To: H, Perry H.; Swinford, Don G.
Subject: Update

LIVESTRONG

Nearly 70,000 Americans between ages of 15-40 are diagnosed with cancer each year and 10,000 will not survive, numbers 7x greater than those in pediatrics. Unlike every other age group, there has been no improvement in the 5-year survival of young adults since 1976.  Check out these sites for more information:

http://stupidcancerblog.com/

http://i2y.com/

Fill in the blank, “Why did _____________________ happen?