18 Mayıs 2010 Salı
WHAT IS HER2?
HER2+ Breast Cancer
Studies show that approximately 25% of breast cancer patients have tumors that are HER2+. HER2 stands for Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2. It is very important to find out your cancer's HER2 status. This is because HER2+ tumors tend to grow and spread more quickly than tumors that are not HER2+. In addition, the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer is different than the treatment of breast cancer that is not HER2+. Women who are uncertain of their cancer's HER2 status should talk to their doctor.
HER2+ breast cancer is aggressive, so it is important to find out your cancer's HER2 status. This can help your doctor choose which treatments may be right for you.
How is HER2+ breast cancer different?
HER2 stands for Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2. Each normal breast cell contains copies of the HER2 gene, which helps normal cells grow. The HER2 gene is found in the DNA of a cell, and this gene contains the information for making the HER2 protein.
The HER2 protein, also called the HER2 receptor, is found on the surface of some normal cells in the body. In normal cells, HER2 proteins help send growth signals from outside the cell to the inside of the cell. These signals tell the cell to grow and divide.
In HER2+ breast cancer, the cancer cells have an abnormally high number of HER2 genes per cell. When this happens, too much HER2 protein appears on the surface of these cancer cells. This is called HER2 protein overexpression. Too much HER2 protein is thought to cause cancer cells to grow and divide more quickly. This is why HER2+ breast cancer is considered aggressive.
Cancer Health Center
Cancer Treatment Costs Nearly Double
May 10, 2010 -- The cost of treating cancer in the U.S. has nearly doubled in the past 20 years, according to a new analysis.
The analysis also found that outpatient care has become a trend and out-of-pocket costs to patients have declined.
Researchers from the CDC and other institutions looked at data from the 1987 National Medical Care Expenditure Survey and compared the information with data from the 2001 through 2005 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey. The report is published online in the journal Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society.
Among the findings:
- The total medical cost of cancer in 1987 was $24.7 billion, expressed in 2007 dollars.
- The total medical cost of cancer increased to $48.1 billion during 2001-2005.
- The increase is the result of new cases in the aging population as well as an increase in the prevalence of cancer.
- As a share of overall medical expenses, cancer costs remained fairly constant, accounting for about 5% each time period.
- Outpatient care became more common, with the expenses for inpatient care for cancer falling from 64.4% to 27.5% of total cancer treatment costs.
- The share of cancer costs paid for by private insurance increased from 42% to 50%, and the share of out-of-pocket costs fell from 17% to 8%. In 1987,Medicare paid for 33% of costs; by 2001-2005, it paid for 34%.
The researchers note limitations of the study, such as the tendency for cancer patients with advanced disease not to participate in surveys, which may translate to an underestimate of costs. The data don't include some information on the "true burden" of cancer, such as the nonmedical costs for child care, travel, caretakers, and lost productivity.
Even so, the data ''enhances our understanding of the burden of cancer on specific payers and how this burden may change as a result of healthcare reform measures or other changes to healthcare financing and delivery,'' the authors write
CLARITIN ORAL USES
This medication is an antihistamine that treats symptoms such as itching, runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing from "hay fever" and other allergies. It is also used to relieve itching from hives.
Loratadine does not prevent hives or prevent/treat a serious allergic reaction (e.g.,anaphylaxis). Therefore, if your doctor has prescribed epinephrine to treat allergic reactions, always carry your epinephrine injector with you. Do not use loratadine in place of your epinephrine.
If you are self-treating with this medication, it is important to read the manufacturer's package instructions carefully so you know when to consult your doctor or pharmacist. (See also Precautions section.)
Do not use this medication in children younger than 2 years unless directed by the doctor.
How to use Claritin OralIf you are using the over-the-counter product to self-treat, read all the directions on the product package before taking this medication. If your doctor has prescribed this medication, follow your doctor's directions and the instructions on your prescription label. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually once a day or as directed by your doctor or the product package. If you are using the chewable tablets, chew each tablet well and swallow. Dosage is based on your age, condition, and response to treatment. Do not increase your dose or take this drug more often than directed. Do not take more of this medication than recommended for your age.
Tell your doctor if your allergy symptoms do not improve after 3 days of treatment or if your hives last more than 6 weeks. Seek immediate medical attention if your condition worsens or you think you have a serious medical problem (e.g., very serious allergic reaction/anaphylaxis).
Allergies Health Center
The Weather: Wreaking Havoc on Health
Migraine Headaches and Weather Changes
Falling barometric pressure, a sharp increase in humidity, a sudden drop in temperature -- these weather changes may trigger migraines in people already susceptible to them.
And it appears that stable weather may help reduce the incidence of migraines. "I had a patient here in New York who moved to Arizona and experienced an astounding improvement in her migraines," says Richard Lipton, MD, director of the Montefiore Headache Center. While New Yorkers endure sudden and frequent changes in humidity levels and temperature, Arizona residents enjoy fairly uniform conditions marked by dry, warm air.
Research supports the theory that changing weather triggers migraines. In one survey that asked migraine sufferers to list triggers, 53% responded "weather."
Not everyone can move to a different climate so they can feel better. But migraine sufferers can take some action against weather-induced headaches. First, Lipton urges his patients to keep a diary of their migraines to make cause-and-effect connections. Then, if weather changes seem to play a role in migraines, the next step may be to discuss pretreatment with a doctor to avoid the onset of pain.
Chilly, Damp Weather Stiffens Joints
While it's unusual for migraine sufferers to move for improved health, it's not uncommon for people with joint pain to do so -- particularly the elderly. "A lot of our patients migrate to warmer weather because they cannot tolerate the pain," says Javad Parvizi, MD, PhD, a joint specialist at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. In studying the relationship of weather to arthritic pain in weight-bearing joints, Parvizi says that his preliminary data show a significant correlation between joint pain and changes in weather.
"Baseline pain appears to be strongly affected by a drop in temperature and a change in humidity. Almost 80% to 90% of patients feel a difference in their pain's intensity and sensitivity," Parvizi tells WebMD.
Instead of simply reacting to weather-associated increases in joint pain with measures like placing heating pads over painful joints and doubling up on analgesics, Parvizi recommends that people use proactive measures to improve joint function, such as engaging in nonweight-bearing exercises. Other than that, he admits, "There's not a lot that can be done."
Extreme Temperatures Increase Heart Risk
When asked about the greatest exertion-related risk to patients with heart disease, cardiologist Steve Pollock, MD, director of St. Joseph's Heart Institute in Towson, Md., doesn't make a single mention of extreme activities like bungee jumping or deep-sea diving. "The only restriction I place on patients with heart disease is this: no shoveling snow," he tells WebMD.
Already, people who suffer from heart disease can have narrowed coronary arteries. Add to these factors the additional exertion required for shoveling snow, and the scenario can quickly turn into a dangerous, even deadly, heart attack.
Processed Meat Linked to Heart, Diabetes Risks
May 17, 2010 -- A new study shows eating processed red meat -- such as hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and cold cuts -- is linked to increased risks of heart diseaseand diabetes.
But the study, published in Circulation, shows no such link for unprocessed red meat.
Eating one serving a day of processed meat -- or the equivalent of a single hot dog or two slices of salami -- was associated with a 42% increased risk for heartdisease and a 19% increased risk for diabetes in the study, conducted by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Eating unprocessed beef, pork, or lamb was not linked to a higher risk for heart disease and diabetes.
The study is the largest research review ever to attempt to tease out the health impact of eating processed vs. unprocessed red meat.
The finding that all red meats are not equal when it comes to heart and metabolic disease risk has important implications for public health, says study researcher Renata Micha, PhD.
But that doesn't mean it's OK to eat steak for dinner every night if you cut way back on bacon at breakfast and hot dogs or deli meats at lunch.
"People should limit their consumption of processed meats," Micha says. "Eating up to one serving a week would not be associated with much risk. And this study should not be taken as license to eat unlimited amounts of unprocessed red meat."
Hot Dogs and Heart Risk
Micha and colleagues included 20 studies involving more than 1.2 million people in their analysis.
For the purposes of the study, red meat was defined as any unprocessed beef, lamb, or pork food.
Processed meat was defined as any meat preserved by smoking, curing, or salting, or any meat containing chemical preservatives such as nitrates.
Even after taking into account established risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, eating processed meat was associated with an increased risk for both.
Processed and unprocessed meats contained similar amounts of fat andcholesterol, but processed meats contained, on average, about four times more sodium and 50% more nitrate preservatives than unprocessed meats, the researchers note.
Salt consumption is a strongly linked to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).
"The major difference in heavily processed and less processed meat is sodium and chemical preservatives," AHA spokesman Robert Eckel, MD, tells WebMD. "We have tended to blame the saturated fat in red meat for heart disease, but this study suggests it may not be that simple."
The study was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/World Health Organization Global Burden of Disease initiative along with the National Institutes of Health and the Searle Scholars Program.
Cancer Risk Not Studied
Micha says it is clear that future research on red meat and health should separate processed and unprocessed meats.
The role of processed vs. unprocessed red meat in other diseases, such as cancer, also remains to be determined.
Eating red meat and processed meat have been implicated in colorectal cancer, for example. But like the heart studies, most of this research has considered the two types of meat together.
Eckel says more research is needed to better understand the separate impact of processed and minimally processed red meat consumption on health.
He is a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver.
"This study is certainly interesting, but the findings are hypothesis generating," he says. "They are not definitive."