Heard about this article from one of my profs today, the article talks about a link between periodontitis and pancreatic cancer (one of the more fatal cancers) just one more reason to keep and eye on your oral care.

Quote:
One possible explanation for the results is that inflammation from periodontal disease may promote cancer of the pancreas. “Individuals with periodontal disease have elevated serum biomarkers of systemic inflammation, such as C-reactive protein, and these may somehow contribute to the promotion of cancer cells,” she said.

Quoted: Link Found Between Periodontal Disease and Pancreatic Cancer, press release of Tuesday, January 16, 2007, Harvard School of Public Health

More cervical cancer causes...stop smoking ladies..

Quoted: HPV, the human papillomavirus, is vastly more dangerous in women who smoke, a Swedish study finds.

I've been volunteering at this particular breast cancer walk for the last 4 years...it is held this sunday the 15th starting at 9 am...its only 5 k...come by and check it out..I'll probably be at the registration desk or along the 5k cheering people on and handing out bottled water...

Allen donates $5 million toward early cancer detection.
Quote: Early cancer-detection research focuses on identifying specific biomarkers -- tumor-derived or responsive proteins in the blood that can indicate the presence of cancer long before symptoms begin, when the likelihood of finding a cure is highest.

A new way to attack cancer using the immune system! Immune cells that are genetically modified by the presence of a virus allows them to attack and kill cancer cells. This is only a clinical trial, and so far only proved to work against melanoma, but what an amazing development. Awesome!

Quoted: Instead of using surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, researchers from the National Institutes of Health are finding so-far limited but inspiring success in a new approach for fighting cancer, using the immune system to attack the tumors the way it would a cold or flu.

I think it's more the mental satisfaction than the physical gratification that makes the difference in these women. Exercise helps them coop with lost self-esteem.

Quote: However, the women in the exercise group said they felt they had more strength, speed and self-confidence as a result of the workouts. It appears the weightlifting helped them regain a feeling of control of their bodies, researchers said.

Holy crap this is amazing...once a cancer has metasised - meaning it has entered the blood stream - it can travel to other parts of the body and setup shop. The goal of a cancer cell is to proliferate as fast as possible, this require a specific environment, ie food supply and supporting tissue. This article talks about mapping where the cancer could travel to by following an envoy, which is sent out by the cancer to prepare the new site of infection. If researchers are able to map this out it could defiantly help with providing earlier detection and care for patients who have reoccurring cancers, especially breast cancer patients who are most likely to have the cancer come back.