Cancer CarePoint Blog

State Medical Board - Georgia

Here's a link to the state medical board for Georgia.

Georgia Composite State Board of Medical Examiners

Here are links to the states contiguous to Georgia.

Alabama
Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners

Florida
Florida Board of Medicine
Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine

North Carolina
North Carolina Medical Board

South Carolina
South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners

Tennessee
Tennessee Department of Health

Misinformation about Preventing Cancer

Joe Oncology addresses self-serving comments from an independent consultant for the global drinks industry who touts that "whisky can protect you from cancer...."

Source: Joe Oncology: Single Malt Whiskey: The New Cancer Preventative

While it may be true that antioxidants may help ward off free radicals, what he forgets to mention is that alcohol use can lead to liver damage, esophageal cancer and a myriad of other diseases. Not to mention the addictive habits that illicit many of today's social ills such as drunk driving and mental or physical abuse....

What is disappointing about irresponsible statements like this is that it sets back the healthcare industry's efforts to educate the public about true preventative measures for cancer. Yesterday, I was reviewing news articles of when our cancer clinic was first opened in 1937. Guess what one of the major challenges cited to the success of the program was? Education of the public to the truths about cancer prevention and treatment. Overcoming the belief that cancer was a communicable disease was a monumental challenge in that day. At least then they didn't have news articles stating that it was.

Mood and Cancer

The Cancer Baby blog cites a study suggesting that having a negative attitude doesn't contribute to having cancer.

Source: Cancer Baby

...the American Society of Clinical Oncology is reporting that a new study by Denmark's Institute of Cancer Epidemiology undermines the well-established myth that a depressed mood or disposition contributes to the onset of disease.  In fact, the expert and amateur good mood pimps of oncology, I am sure, will be alarmed to learn that our Danish friends have discovered that people with high levels of depression -- and, presumably, very bad attitudes -- had a significantly lower risk of developing cancer than those with permasmiles etched into their faces.  So if you're worried that you are at fault for the onset of your disease, don't be.

Cancer-News-Watch highlights mesothelioma new detection test.

Source: New Blood Test Spots Early Mesothelioma

According to an encouraging report over at WebMD, researchers have discovered a potential new way to screen for pleural mesothelioma, a rare but particularly deadly form of cancer whose only known cause is exposure to asbestos–usually work-related.

The researchers found that levels of osteopontin, a blood protein, rise drastically during early-stage pleural mesothelioma development. By testing for high blood levels of osteopontin they hope to catch the disease while it’s still treatable. The current study included 190 people, of whom 76 had pleural mesothelioma, and 69 had non-cancerous asbestos-related lung disease–there were an additional 45 participants for comparison who’d had no asbestos exposure but were current or former smokers.

Apparently osteopontin levels can rise in patients with other forms of cancer as well, so the researchers note that asbestos workers who test positive for high levels of osteopontin, but don’t appear to actually have mesothelioma should probably be screened for other cancers. Larger studies of the blood test still need to be done to verify it’s effectiveness.

SOURCE: WebMD – Blood Test May Spot Asbestos-Linked Cancer

New Cancer Fighter: Big Mac Tax!

Joe Oncology feels that taxing fast food will not help people improve their nutrition and prevent cancer.

Source: Joe Oncology: New Cancer Fighter: Big Mac Tax!

The leading cancer specialist in Scotland, Dr. Anna Gregor, has called for a special tax on Big Macs and other fast foods to help battle cancer. Dr. Gregor believes that fatty foods and poor diet contribute to the poor health of her fellow Scots and she may be right. More and more research studies have shown that a fatty diet increases risk for certain types of cancers.

So since we have a tax on everything else it doesn't surprise me that someone is now proposing a tax on food. Now, I'm all for battling cancer but taxing Big Macs, Whoppers, and fries isn't the method to take. It will control people's desires for fast food about as much as it does for beer and cigarettes.

I believe education about diet and making those choices available or two of the main keys to a better diet.

Stem Cells Fight Cancer?

The Cancer News Watch blog uncovers some exciting news.

Source: Researchers Turn Stem Cells Into Cancer Fighting Immune Cells

There’s exciting new research coming out of the University of Minnesota, where scientists have managed to convert human embryonic stem cells into natural killer cells (NK cells,) one of the major cancer fighting immune cells in humans. If we can get past political and religious infighting, the finding could potentially lead to new, more effective cancer treatments. The study, which is to be published in the October 15 edition of the Journal of Immunology, also showed that these stem-cell-derived NK cells could actually penetrate the cell membrane (or outer shell) of cancerous or virus-infected cells – an important step towards tumor destruction. According to the article, the study made use of two of the embryonic stem cell lines that have been federally approved for use here in the U.S., but the lead researcher warned that in order to produce new cancer treatments, new lines of these controversial stem cells will need to be developed. If the United States isn’t up to the task, there are many, many other countries who would be happy to take the lead and run with it.

SOURCE: Red Herring - Stem Cells May Fight Cancer

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Patience with Patients

The Cheerful Oncologist invokes a key principle in medicine: The patient is the one with the disease.

Source: The Conundrum of Happiness

The patient, sitting before me with the disease, was suffering from two frustrating symptoms: dyspnea and pain that, unknown at the time, were actually the source of his misery. Myself being the person commanded to solve these problems I therefore placed him on appropriate pain medications, arranged to have his large pleural effusion drained and started his chemotherapy. My patient’s cheerfulness had rotted from the effects of his cancer. If I wanted a happy patient I needed to grab a plow and start sowing.

If there is a lesson in this vignette it is that when it comes to helping the sick, all the fancy office furniture, nattily-dressed assistants, self-congratulatory advertisements - all the gum-flapping-hand-holding-soulful-eye-gazing office encounters don’t compare one bit with the doctor who can solve the patient’s problem. As the father of modern medicine, Sir William Osler put it:

“To know just what has to be done, then to do it, comprises the whole philosophy of practical life.”

Most elegantly put - or as my patients say, “You want me to be happy, Doc? Then make me feel better!”

“Rem acu tetigisti.”