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Over the past several years,
cancer researchers have established the heartening fact
that proper diet, surgery to
remove premalignant growths, and even aspirin may help
prevent colon and rectal cancers.
Nevertheless, with an estimated 56,000 deaths
predicted for 1998, colorectal
cancer remains the second most common cause of
cancer death in the United
States, after lung cancer.
Despite this sobering statistic,
colorectal cancer has been called "the cancer no one
wants to talk about," and lacks
the advocacy and financial resources that have
recently boosted research on
cancers of the breast and prostate. Luis E. Brilanti, of
Mexico City, himself a colorectal-cancer
patient, recently helped close this gap by
funding a two-day symposium
at MSK in February entitled "Novel Therapeutic
Targets for the Treatment of Colon
Cancer." Mr. Brilanti opened the
symposium by saying, "Making things
happen requires not only great ideas but
people who are willing to give of
themselves. Hope will stay alive as long
as we see there is much to learn."
Conceived and directed by MSK's Dr.
Nancy E. Kemeny, a leading clinical
researcher in the treatment of colorectal
cancer, the symposium brought together
30 outstanding researchers in cell
biology, molecular genetics, and
oncology to formulate strategies
for more effective treatments and modes of
prevention.
After reviewing current treatments,
Dr. Kemeny said, "Colorectal cancer has been
resistant to many drugs, but
we now know quite a bit about the molecular biology of
the disease and the biochemistry
of drugs used in treating it. By discussing our latest
research findings, perhaps
we can devise new and viable approaches to treatment."
One such approach centers on
the p53 tumor-suppressor gene. This gene is altered
in most advanced colorectal
cancers, and tumors with defective p53 tend to be
resistant to chemotherapy.
Dr. Robert J. Coffey, Jr., of Vanderbilt University
Medical Center, described how
giving patients certain antioxidant substances along
with chemotherapy restores
normal p53 activity, enhancing the effectiveness of
chemotherapy and prolonging
survival.
New technologies, such as tumor
vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, were
discussed by Dr. Jeffrey Schlom
of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and MSK's
Dr. Sidney Welt. Dr. Yuman
Fong, also of MSK, reported on preclinical studies of
highly specific tumor vaccines
to treat colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver.
The vaccines incorporate genes
that control the production of proteins which
stimulate the immune system
to fight tumor cells.
Other researchers, such as Dr.
Steven Grant of the Medical College of Virginia,
described new drugs that may
stimulate apoptosis (the natural process of cell death
that is circumvented in many
cancers) in cancer cells. Dr. John J. Wright, of the NCI,
described other new targets
for drug development, including: interfering with
cell-signaling pathways; inhibiting
angiogenesis (the formation of blood vessels
tumors need in order to grow);
and initiating mechanisms that allow the immune
system to recognize cancer
cells.
Dr. Andrew J. Dannenberg, of
Cornell University Medical College, discussed
colon-cancer prevention, including
the use of inhibitors of the cyclooxygenase-2 gene
(Cox II), which is often activated
in colon cancer. Decreasing Cox II activity -- as
aspirin and substances known
as retinoids do -- may prevent the development of
colon cancer.
As Dr. Kemeny had hoped, the
symposium closed amid plans for fresh research
collaborations.
Vicci Ewen wrote:
Hi I'm new to this...I'm scared.....and I found this group by putting in
Adeno Carcinoma in Yahoo's search engine. My son (age 27) was diagnosed
with this cancer last Friday. He thought he had hemmoroids and so did the
doctor. The doctor told him to go home and forget it, as there is not much
we can do. My son said "No way". " I am in pain and your suppositories
aren't helping.""Send me to a Surgeon" An appt. was made for him and they
did a sigmoidoscopy, I believe. A biopsy was taken of what the first
doctor thought was a hemmoroid and 3 inches up inside of him a biopsy was
taken. These 2 biopsies were sent to 2 different labs by the surgeon.
They both came back, Adeno Carcinoma.
The doctor had scheduled a follow up for the next Fri. They called him to
schedule another procedure instead. They took pictures of his intestines
on Fri. am and we were to come back at 1:30. That's when the surgeon told
us that not in a million years did he expect to get the results he did from
the biopsy. The cancer is within 3 inches of his rectum so he said Rich
will have to have a colostomy for the rest of his life. Reason being, they
will have to remove to much of the muscles around his rectum, to get all
the cancer. This is about ALL I know right now. But I do have lots of
questions. Who do I ask? He is scheduled for surgery June 29, next
Monday. Do I need to do any checking on the Doctor? Do we need a 2nd
opinion? Will the insurance pay for a 2nd opinion. Will this affect his
bladder function? or his sexual functions? How long before he's on his
feet after surgery? The doctor said if this cancer had been up higher they
could have taken that part out and he would not need the colostomy. Since
my son was in dire pain and the doctor said cancer usually does not have
pain, where was this pain coming from? If it had been higher up I guess he
might not have had the pain and then we would not even know that he had
this cancer. I've read a few of the messages and will go back and read
more. If anyone wants to respond, please feel free. Thank you so much
The Mom------------------------------------------------------------------------
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