Drug Warning - Zelnorm

Big heads up for people taking meds to treat their IBS.

On March 30 the makers of Tegaserod (Zelnorm) pulled the drug offf the market. It was the only approved drug for irritable bowel syndrome (constipation).
This follows analysis of 29 placebo-controlled, short-term trials. Those studies found a small but statistically significant increase in ischemic events, including angina and stroke: 13 such events, including one death in more than 11,600 patients versus one event among a placebo group.

If you're taking Zelnorm talk with your doctor about a new treatment plan.

Zelnorm is manufactured by Novartis.
For more information on IBS go to www.ccfa.org

Obesity and Prostate Cancer

An oversize waistline could be a bad prescription for men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

A new study finds biopsies may underestimate the severity of prostate cancer in obese men. The researchers say it's difficult to diagnose prostate cancer in obese men because they have lower levels of PSA. Add to that their larger prostates and it makes it more likely a biopsy will miss the disease. The researchers say, the latest findings suggest they could be missing even more 'high grade' disease in obese men.
To adjust for this, the researchers suggest taking more biopsy cores.

Just one more reason to reorient your eating and exercise habits.

btw: the study was funded by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the NIH, the Georgia cancer coalition and the American Urological Association Foundation.

MRI and Breast Cancer Detection

Big doings for women worried about breast cancer. Based on a couple of new studies the American Cancer Society has given its seal of approval to using MRI for certain women. These are the women who have a gene that raises their breast cancer risk .. brca 1 and brca 2, have a family history of breast cancer, have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer or those who've had radiation treatment to the chest area for a disease like hodgkins.
Okay, but what about the rest of us .. what about women with dense breasts for whom mammography is often not definitive? Well, the problem with saying okay to everyone, says the folks at the American Cancer Society, is that MRI is so detailed it can see problems where none exist - false positive is the term. That would mean so many more women would need to undergo biopsies to rule out cancer. That's both difficult for women and expensive.
Right now it looks like most insurers will cover the MRI for the high risk women. Only time will tell if screening that group proves so effective at saving lives and therefore saving money, that the decision to broaden the MRI scope occurs. In the meantime, if you think there's a problem that mammography or ultra sound is not finding, talk with your doctor - mri remains an option .. but one you may end up paying for.

Clip Job

As promised .. keeping you posted on people donating to locks of love.

Wednesday, March 28th ..( if you can't wait to donate with me in September) you can join the DiPietro's of Saratoga County as their youngest daughter, 5 year old Kelsy, donates her locks.

The cutting event is set for 3-7 at BELIZZA'S salon on Fuller Road in Colonie. Everyone who donates gets a free entree at the DAKOTA Steakhouse.

And remember, let me know if you've got a Locks of Love event upcoming.

Genetics and Cancer

I got this press release from Glens Falls hospital .. it's an interesting talk and figured I'd pass it along ..

The C.R. Wood Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital will host an upcoming presentation on the topic of genetics and cancer.

Carolyn Farrell, MS, CNP, CGC, clinical genetics service director at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY, will speak on "The Role of Genetics in Cancer" on Monday, April 2 at 7:00 p.m. The presentation will occur in the C.R. Wood Cancer Center waiting room, located on first floor of the Pruyn Pavilion, 102 Park Street, Glens Falls. Sponsored by the state Department of Health's Ovarian Cancer Education and Support Grant, the discussion will address the role of genetics and family history in the risk for development of breast and ovarian cancers.

For more information or to RSVP, please call Christine Henneke at 926-6640.

Moving toward better health

I'm just back from NYC - the MORE marathon and half marathon. I started doing this race 4 years ago - the inaugural event. It's sponsored by MORE magazine which is geared for women 40 and older. That first year the race was so small you felt as if you met most of the women by the time you reached the finish line. This year it was packed. It was wonderful. That first year I ran with 3 pals and we met, perhaps, 10 more women from the capital region. This year my 'posse' was 27 strong and we must have seen another 2 dozen local women.
Women came from across the country .. Texas, California, Louisiana. And so many more mature women, those over age 60. Many were running strong ... but also .. many more women came to walk the 13.1 miles for the half marathon. How encouraging to see them taking those steps to keeping strong and healthy.
I know, not everyone's capable to of covering that kind of distance but every journey begins with one step. If you can, get out as the weather improves and start walking. Guaranteed, you 'll feel better.