Posts Tagged ‘Colon Cancer’

Rocks Against Cancer benefitting EIF

July 9th, 2010

We thought you might want to know why we chose EIF for our Rocks Against Cancer benefit. The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), as a leading charitable organization of the entertainment industry, harnesses the collective power of the entire industry to raise awareness and funds for critical health, educational and social issues in order to make a positive impact in our community and throughout the nation.

Thanks to the commitment of an extraordinary number of people and companies, EIF is able to champion a wide variety of worthy causes.  EIF’s national initiatives raise awareness and crucial funds to address leading health and social issues to include:

EIF’s National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA ) which is dedicated to the eradication of colorectal cancer by promoting the importance of early medical screening and funding research to develop better tests, treatments, and ultimately a cure.  The initiative was co-founded in March of 2000 by Katie Couric, Lilly Tartikoff, and EIF.

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) founded by EIF on the belief that there is now sufficient knowledge of the basic science of cancer and that technologies are available to allow the focused practical application and proximal translation of even more basic science knowledge to patients with cancer. Furthermore, the successful application of this knowledge will result in more rapid advances in the treatment of patients and the prevention of cancer in those individuals who are at risk. The purpose of SU2C is to establish and support a focused and intense effort to effect these advances as rapidly as possible. SU2C believes that it can benefit the most patients by accelerating the course of cancer research through raising philanthropic dollars and developing unique mechanisms to utilize these funds. SU2C will utilize mechanisms to foster collaboration of the most talented and promising researchers across institutions; a team-oriented approach that promotes the sharing of information; and a goal-oriented focus on key problems in cancer designed with measurable milestones of progress.

Through its Women’s Cancer Programs, the Entertainment Industry Foundation created and funds two distinct, cutting-edge research projects: one to develop an early detection blood test for breast cancer; and the other to fast-track more effective, less toxic treatments for breast cancer. Annually, EIF runs two of the largest single-day women’s cancer fundraisers in the country — EIF Revlon Run/Walk for Women and Lee National Denim Day.

EIF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Los Angeles and meets all 20 rigorous Better Business Bureau charity standards. To learn more about EIF cancer programs please visit the Entertainment Industry web site.

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Mayo researchers find that obesity-related biological factors can influence clinical outcome in colon cancer

March 15th, 2010

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic campus in Minnesota have found that obesity is associated with worse outcomes in patients who have already been diagnosed and treated for the cancer.

Their data also showed that depending on a patient’s gender, varying levels of obesity were associated with an increased risk of death ranging from 19 percent to 35 percent, compared to non-obese patients.

“We found that obesity is associated with more aggressive colon cancers, with the effect being stronger in men than in women,” says the study’s lead author, Frank Sinicrope, M.D., a Mayo Clinic medical oncologist. “Our data suggest that a little extra weight is okay, but body weight in the obesity range puts a patient at increased risk for cancer recurrence and spread and, based upon other studies, also would be expected to increase the risk of precancerous colon polyps and a second colon cancer.”

to read more on this study go here: Mayo Clinic News Feed

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Colon Cancer Month

February 28th, 2010

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

Colorectal cancer usually develops slowly over a period of many years. Before a true cancer develops, it usually begins as a noncancerous polyp, which may eventually change into cancer. A polyp is a growth of tissue that develops on the lining of the colon or rectum. Certain kinds of polyps, called adenomatous polyps or adenomas, are most likely to become cancers, although most adenomas do not become cancerous. More than half of all individuals will eventually develop one or more adenomas. About 96% of colorectal cancers are adenocarcinomas, which evolve from glandular tissue. The great majority of colon and rectum cancers arise from an adenomatous polyp, which is visible through a scope or on an x-ray.

Colorectal cancer is equally common in men and women. An estimated 147,000 people will be diagnosed in 2010, and an estimated 50,000 people will die from the disease. With recommended screening, this cancer can be prevented (by removing polyps before they become cancerous) or detected early, when it can be more easily and successfully treated.

Help raise awareness at the colon cancer challenge

People who are at risk

Men and women age 50 and older
People who use tobacco, are obese or are sedentary
People with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or benign (not cancerous) colorectal polyps
People with a personal or family history of inflammatory bowel disease, such as long standing ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease
People with a family history of inherited colorectal cancer

Early Detection
If you are at average risk for colorectal cancer, start having regular screening at age 50. If you are at greater risk, you may need to begin regular screening at an earlier age. The best time to get screened is before any symptoms appear.

Screening intervals for tests that find pre-cancer and cancer:
Colonoscopy: Every 10 years
Virtual colonoscopy: Every 5 years
Flexible sigmoidoscopy: Every 5 years
Double-contrast barium enema: Every 5 years

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