On the pulse
Cancerkin’s News…
Music Therapy…
Cancerkin is pleased to announce the pilot introduction of a brand new therapy: Music Therapy. Therapist, Karina Gretere, will be running three taster sessions on September 24th, October 1st and October 8th. Karina will use improvisation to draw her patients into shared music making, engaging in a person’s innate creativity and working with difficulties affecting their well being. If you are interested in taking part in these sessions or would like more general information about music therapy please speak to Jean on reception.
New Intern…
Another week, another intern! This summer, Cancerkin is lucky enough to have the help of Athena Tasou. Athena, who is currently studying a Psychology degree at Oxford Brookes, will be in the Cancerkin office three days a week to assist on fundraising, PR and events. We are extremely happy to have her and wish her the best of luck during her time here.
In the News…
A gift of life….
In a story as good as any Hollywood blockbuster, 37 year old Nikki Blunden, mum to a four year old little boy, has been given the gift of life by a complete stranger. Nikki, whose breast cancer had spread to her liver, lymph nodes and brain, was denied life-prolonging drugs by her health authority who claimed they were too expensive, and thus was not expecting to live out the year. However, in a lucky twist of fate businessman Nazir Mohammed heard of Nikki’s story through a friend and has generously donated the £25,000 needed for the treatment, saying ‘If I can give her the chance of a few more months by paying for the drug, I’m happy to do that.’
Although this story reminds us all that generosity and selflessness is still alive in our society, it is yet another example of the emergent number of young women suffering with cancer. Cancerkin’s La Boheme benefit opera evening will be raising money to help these women by setting up a Young Women’s Support Group later this year. If you would like to attend the opera or would like more information on the Young Women’s Support Group please contact l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk .
This story was featured in the Metro (p34) on Thursday 24th June
Double- mastectomy for mother and son….
Following the death of her mother from ovarian cancer when she was just 12 years old, and the later diagnosis of her two sisters, (both with breast cancer), Lynda Skillom agonised for months over whether to have a double- mastectomy. After choosing to go through with the surgery, Lynda was dealt another blow, as her only child, 29 year old son Cedric was also found to have pre-cancerous tissues in both breasts.
After informing the doctor of her family history with cancer and herself having cancerous lumps removed from both breasts, Linda was tested for a mutation in the BRCA2 gene; a mutation which drastically increases a carrier’s risk of breast and other forms of cancer. Sure enough the result was positive.
Breast cancers are five times more likely in women who inherit the BRAC2 mutation. Furthermore, cancer in carriers of the faulty gene is also notoriously aggressive. Knowing this information Lynda took decisive steps to prevent her cancer returning, opting to have both a double mastectomy and her ovaries removed- a step she took to prevent ovarian cancer, a disease linked to the BRCA2 mutation.
After experiencing tenderness and chest pain for around 2 years, Lynda’s son Cedric also fell victim to the BRCA2 gene, and he was promptly diagnosed with breast cancer. Following in the footsteps of his mother, Cedric too opted for a double- mastectomy. Commenting on his drastic decision Cedric says, "Most of all I felt surprised, really surprised. I didn't know that men could get breast cancer. As a man it felt strange, but I wanted to take care of it there and then, so I wouldn't have to worry about it coming back.”
"While breast cancer is rare in men, those who carry the BRCA2 gene are at greater risk of getting the disease," says Dr Patricia Robinson, the oncologist who treated mother and son at the Loyola University Health System, in Chicago. "A double mastectomy is often the best option for long-term prognosis for these patients.” A fault in the BRCA2 gene, which is needed for effective DNA repair, is thought to be responsible for about 10 per cent of breast-cancer cases in men. For male carriers of BRCA2 mutation, the lifetime risk of the disease is as high as 10 per cent. It also seems to raise the risk of prostate cancer, causing a particularly aggressive form of the disease.
Read the Skillom’s full story here
Lauren Newton 18th June 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Monday 28 June 2010
Friday 18 June 2010
On the pulse...for people affected by breast cancer
On the pulse
Cancerkin’s News…
Hyde Park Walk…
On behalf of everyone at Cancerkin I would like to say a very BIG thank you to everyone who attended our Hyde Park Walk on Sunday. It was a fantastic event; with beautiful weather, a buzzing atmosphere and the biggest turnout Cancerkin has ever seen. I sincerely hope you all enjoyed it as much as we here at the office did. All that is left for you to do is send in your sponsorships forms and money (in cheque form where possible) to: The Cancerkin Centre, The Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, Hampstead, NW3 3QG. There are three prizes (donated by Floris) up for grabs for the top fundraisers. To be in with a chance of getting your hands on these you MUST send your sponsorship money in before Friday 13th August. For those of you who have fundraised via Just Giving do not fear, your total will also be included in the prize draw.
There were a few items that were left behind on the day. If you think any of the following could be yours please drop me an email at l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk.
1. A pair of tortoise shell sunglasses, left on the O-Z registration desk
2. A DOMKE protective wrap, most likely an attachment to a rucksack- left in the bandstand
3. A ring found along the Serpentine route.
In the News…
Lisa Lynch: A young woman with breast cancer….
This week Lisa Lynch, shared the story of her invasive breast cancer diagnosis at the age of only 28 with the Guardian, ahead of the launch of her new book, ‘The C-Word’. In keeping with the digital media generation, the book was born out of the tales Lisa uploaded onto her blogspace ‘Alright Tit, where she wittingly documented, "the frustrating, life-altering, sheer bloody pain-in-the-arse inconvenience of getting breast cancer at 28." This however was no normal blog space, it managed to gain 140,000 hits within a year and soon captivated QI presenter Stephen Fry, who called her “funny and brilliant”.
Other than the sardonic, (and yet positive!) retelling of Lisa’s own experiences, The C-Word explores the difficult change in familial dynamics that face young women with breast cancer. By documenting the feelings that her parents experienced in her cancer journey, Lisa touches on a key question for many parents whose children are sick: is it any less painful for the parents of an adult child to have to cope with the news of such a devastating prognosis? Indeed Lisa’s mother said "I felt guilty that it wasn't me. It seemed so unfair. Just because your child has grown up and left home, it doesn't mean they are not your child”. Her father Ian adds: "As a parent you feel totally helpless."
Lisa’s story is a vibrantly honest one, and touches on some of the issues that we at Cancerkin want to help our young women to deal with. With the beginnings of a Young Women’s Group in place, it is our vision that we will help women like Lisa in dealing with issues such as: telling the parents, telling the children, career and job prospects, fertility, genetics, sexuality and body image. Our fundraising opera evening on Saturday 31st July will be raising money for our Young Women’s Group. If you feel that you would benefit from the group, would like to offer a donation towards the establishment of the group or would like tickets to our opera please email me at l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk.
Read the rest of Lisa’s inspiring story here
A common blood pressure drug found to increase risk of cancer
A new research study has found that Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), commonly used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and kidney damage pose a risk of cancer to anyone taking the tablets.
The research which was carried out at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and published on line by The Lancet Oncology journal, included 13 trials of the drugs on more than 150,000 patients. The results found, according to researchers: “The increased risk of new cancer occurrence is modest but significant …[However] the finding of a 1.2 per cent increase in absolute cancer risk over an average of 4 years needs to be interpreted in view of the estimated 41 per cent background lifetime cancer risk.”
Senior Cardiac nurse for the British Heart Foundation , Judy O’Sullivan, said: “This analysis of previous research is inconclusive and anyone taking ARBs to treat their heart disease, or risk of developing it, shouldn’t stop based on this alone. Mark Lerwick of Cancer Research UK, too called for a more in-depth study but noted that: "It’s important that we try to understand all the side effects of drugs so that people can make an informed choice about their treatment. “ Read the full article here
LaurenNewton 18thJune 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Cancerkin’s News…
Hyde Park Walk…
On behalf of everyone at Cancerkin I would like to say a very BIG thank you to everyone who attended our Hyde Park Walk on Sunday. It was a fantastic event; with beautiful weather, a buzzing atmosphere and the biggest turnout Cancerkin has ever seen. I sincerely hope you all enjoyed it as much as we here at the office did. All that is left for you to do is send in your sponsorships forms and money (in cheque form where possible) to: The Cancerkin Centre, The Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, Hampstead, NW3 3QG. There are three prizes (donated by Floris) up for grabs for the top fundraisers. To be in with a chance of getting your hands on these you MUST send your sponsorship money in before Friday 13th August. For those of you who have fundraised via Just Giving do not fear, your total will also be included in the prize draw.
There were a few items that were left behind on the day. If you think any of the following could be yours please drop me an email at l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk.
1. A pair of tortoise shell sunglasses, left on the O-Z registration desk
2. A DOMKE protective wrap, most likely an attachment to a rucksack- left in the bandstand
3. A ring found along the Serpentine route.
In the News…
Lisa Lynch: A young woman with breast cancer….
This week Lisa Lynch, shared the story of her invasive breast cancer diagnosis at the age of only 28 with the Guardian, ahead of the launch of her new book, ‘The C-Word’. In keeping with the digital media generation, the book was born out of the tales Lisa uploaded onto her blogspace ‘Alright Tit, where she wittingly documented, "the frustrating, life-altering, sheer bloody pain-in-the-arse inconvenience of getting breast cancer at 28." This however was no normal blog space, it managed to gain 140,000 hits within a year and soon captivated QI presenter Stephen Fry, who called her “funny and brilliant”.
Other than the sardonic, (and yet positive!) retelling of Lisa’s own experiences, The C-Word explores the difficult change in familial dynamics that face young women with breast cancer. By documenting the feelings that her parents experienced in her cancer journey, Lisa touches on a key question for many parents whose children are sick: is it any less painful for the parents of an adult child to have to cope with the news of such a devastating prognosis? Indeed Lisa’s mother said "I felt guilty that it wasn't me. It seemed so unfair. Just because your child has grown up and left home, it doesn't mean they are not your child”. Her father Ian adds: "As a parent you feel totally helpless."
Lisa’s story is a vibrantly honest one, and touches on some of the issues that we at Cancerkin want to help our young women to deal with. With the beginnings of a Young Women’s Group in place, it is our vision that we will help women like Lisa in dealing with issues such as: telling the parents, telling the children, career and job prospects, fertility, genetics, sexuality and body image. Our fundraising opera evening on Saturday 31st July will be raising money for our Young Women’s Group. If you feel that you would benefit from the group, would like to offer a donation towards the establishment of the group or would like tickets to our opera please email me at l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk.
Read the rest of Lisa’s inspiring story here
A common blood pressure drug found to increase risk of cancer
A new research study has found that Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), commonly used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and kidney damage pose a risk of cancer to anyone taking the tablets.
The research which was carried out at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and published on line by The Lancet Oncology journal, included 13 trials of the drugs on more than 150,000 patients. The results found, according to researchers: “The increased risk of new cancer occurrence is modest but significant …[However] the finding of a 1.2 per cent increase in absolute cancer risk over an average of 4 years needs to be interpreted in view of the estimated 41 per cent background lifetime cancer risk.”
Senior Cardiac nurse for the British Heart Foundation , Judy O’Sullivan, said: “This analysis of previous research is inconclusive and anyone taking ARBs to treat their heart disease, or risk of developing it, shouldn’t stop based on this alone. Mark Lerwick of Cancer Research UK, too called for a more in-depth study but noted that: "It’s important that we try to understand all the side effects of drugs so that people can make an informed choice about their treatment. “ Read the full article here
LaurenNewton 18thJune 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Friday 11 June 2010
On the pulse...for people affected by breast cancer
On the pulse
Cancerkin’s News…
Hyde Park Walk…
Our Hyde Park Walk takes place this Sunday, 13th June. Registration will be between 9-10.30am with the walk finishing at approximately 2.30pm. Graeme Le Saux, ex Chelsea and England football player will be there to open the event. Entry will be available on the day so please feel free to bring anyone along with you who would like to take part. As always many hands make light work, so if you know someone who would like to volunteer to help in the smooth running of the day they would be more than welcome. If your T-shirt has not yet arrived do not fear as there will be spare available on the day as well as extra sponsorship forms, maps and donation slips. If you want any more information about the day’s events please contact l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
La Boheme
On Saturday 31st July in coordination with new production company Opera Up Close, Cancerkin will be hosting their benefit performance of Puccini’s La Boheme. By now you should all have received your invitations to this exciting event. With only 7 weeks to go, ticket requests are coming in thick and fast. To be sure you don’t miss out send your form back asap to:
The Cancerkin Centre, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, NW2 3QG.
In the News…
Trials show revolutionary Intrabeam treatment working…
In 2008 Cancerkin donated a revolutionary piece of equipment known as the Intrabeam to the Royal Free Hospital. The machine allows surgeons to perform targeted radiotherapy whilst a patient is in theatre, thus negating the need for the patient to return to hospital for radiotherapy following their surgery. This could avoid a patient making up to a further 35 visits to hospital for post operative radiotherapy whilst reducing waiting times of patients and saving much needed NHS funds.
After a 10- year clinical trial around the world, involving 2,200 patients, results presented to the American Society of Clinic Oncology have shown the use of the Intrabeam to be safe. The findings were published in the medical journal The Lancet, with surgeons at the Royal Free stating that the process signals “the future of breast cancer treatment”. Mr Mohammed Keshtgar, consultant surgical oncologist at the Royal Free and supporter of Cancerkin said: “The most important finding is that the procedure is safe. It has fewer side effects, is as effective as conventional radiotherapy and is far more convenient for the patient who has gone through the psychological and physical trauma of having surgery for breast cancer.”
After approval from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) it is hoped that this could be available on the NHS within 2/3 years for most breast cancer patients with early cancer who are also undergoing a lumpectomy. Projections suggest it could help up to 70% of the 50,000 patients diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year. Cancerkin is extremely proud of its involvement with such revolutionary work and will continue to follow the progress of the treatment with interest.
New treatment for early stage breast cancer…
Removal of the underarm lymph nodes next to a cancerous breast was long the standard treatment. However, a study involving 991 women has found that the removal of the nodes did not necessarily prolong survival or prevent recurrence of the cancer. Michael Baum, lead investigator of the radiation study at the University College London said that “The theme [of research] is now how can we improve the quality of life for women”.
All of the 991 women involved in the study had had lumpectomies, radiation therapy and a positive sentinel lymph node; while half had the other lymph nodes surrounding the breast removed the other half did not. The results show that after five years there was no difference in survival or disease recurrence between the two groups with Dr Armando Giuliano, lead investigator of the study even going so far as to call the evidence overwhelming: “The evidence is overwhelming that the operation might not be necessary,” .Dr. Giuliano did say however, the results of the study apply only to women who undergo a lumpectomy followed by radiation, not women who undergo complete breast removal, who do not typically get radiotherapy.
Some critics of the study have said that it has several shortcomings namely that the women who were tested seem to have quite favourable prognoses between them and that the study needs to encompass a larger number of women. Read the full article here
LaurenNewton 11th June 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Cancerkin’s News…
Hyde Park Walk…
Our Hyde Park Walk takes place this Sunday, 13th June. Registration will be between 9-10.30am with the walk finishing at approximately 2.30pm. Graeme Le Saux, ex Chelsea and England football player will be there to open the event. Entry will be available on the day so please feel free to bring anyone along with you who would like to take part. As always many hands make light work, so if you know someone who would like to volunteer to help in the smooth running of the day they would be more than welcome. If your T-shirt has not yet arrived do not fear as there will be spare available on the day as well as extra sponsorship forms, maps and donation slips. If you want any more information about the day’s events please contact l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
La Boheme
On Saturday 31st July in coordination with new production company Opera Up Close, Cancerkin will be hosting their benefit performance of Puccini’s La Boheme. By now you should all have received your invitations to this exciting event. With only 7 weeks to go, ticket requests are coming in thick and fast. To be sure you don’t miss out send your form back asap to:
The Cancerkin Centre, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, NW2 3QG.
In the News…
Trials show revolutionary Intrabeam treatment working…
In 2008 Cancerkin donated a revolutionary piece of equipment known as the Intrabeam to the Royal Free Hospital. The machine allows surgeons to perform targeted radiotherapy whilst a patient is in theatre, thus negating the need for the patient to return to hospital for radiotherapy following their surgery. This could avoid a patient making up to a further 35 visits to hospital for post operative radiotherapy whilst reducing waiting times of patients and saving much needed NHS funds.
After a 10- year clinical trial around the world, involving 2,200 patients, results presented to the American Society of Clinic Oncology have shown the use of the Intrabeam to be safe. The findings were published in the medical journal The Lancet, with surgeons at the Royal Free stating that the process signals “the future of breast cancer treatment”. Mr Mohammed Keshtgar, consultant surgical oncologist at the Royal Free and supporter of Cancerkin said: “The most important finding is that the procedure is safe. It has fewer side effects, is as effective as conventional radiotherapy and is far more convenient for the patient who has gone through the psychological and physical trauma of having surgery for breast cancer.”
After approval from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) it is hoped that this could be available on the NHS within 2/3 years for most breast cancer patients with early cancer who are also undergoing a lumpectomy. Projections suggest it could help up to 70% of the 50,000 patients diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year. Cancerkin is extremely proud of its involvement with such revolutionary work and will continue to follow the progress of the treatment with interest.
New treatment for early stage breast cancer…
Removal of the underarm lymph nodes next to a cancerous breast was long the standard treatment. However, a study involving 991 women has found that the removal of the nodes did not necessarily prolong survival or prevent recurrence of the cancer. Michael Baum, lead investigator of the radiation study at the University College London said that “The theme [of research] is now how can we improve the quality of life for women”.
All of the 991 women involved in the study had had lumpectomies, radiation therapy and a positive sentinel lymph node; while half had the other lymph nodes surrounding the breast removed the other half did not. The results show that after five years there was no difference in survival or disease recurrence between the two groups with Dr Armando Giuliano, lead investigator of the study even going so far as to call the evidence overwhelming: “The evidence is overwhelming that the operation might not be necessary,” .Dr. Giuliano did say however, the results of the study apply only to women who undergo a lumpectomy followed by radiation, not women who undergo complete breast removal, who do not typically get radiotherapy.
Some critics of the study have said that it has several shortcomings namely that the women who were tested seem to have quite favourable prognoses between them and that the study needs to encompass a larger number of women. Read the full article here
LaurenNewton 11th June 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Friday 4 June 2010
On the pulse...for people affected by breast cancer
On the pulse
Cancerkin’s News…
Hyde Park Walk…
Our Hyde Park walk on Sunday 13th June is fast approaching but there is still time to register your entry. If you, or someone you know would like to get involved please email l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk for more information.
In the News…
Trials of breast cancer prevention vaccine set to begin…
A vaccine designed to deter the risk of breast cancer amongst young healthy women could go to clinic trial stage within the next two years. The jab, which has so far only been tested on animals, has impressed doctors so much that there is a high possibility that in the future GPs could offer the vaccine to women before they reach their mid 40s- an age when the risk of breast cancer rises.
Vincent Tuohy an immunologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, believes “that breast cancer is a completely preventable disease” and that these drugs" will provide substantial protection". The vaccine attacks a certain protein found in the majority of breast cancer cells as well as in the mammary glands of women who are breastfeeding; as a result, the jab would only be available to those who are not going to breastfeed in the future.
The trial injected 12 mice at the age of 2 months; 6 with the vaccine and 6 with a sham vaccine. All the mice were bred to be prone to breast cancer. At the 10 month period those who had received the sham vaccine had developed cancerous tumours and those who had received the protein vaccine were all clear. However, despite these figures, as with all new testing there are sizeable risks to be considered. Furthermore previous studies have shown that between 50-70% of human breast cancer cells carry the alpha-lactalbumin protein the vaccine targets – figures that suggest the jab would not destroy all of a patient's breast cancer cells.
Read the full article here
A blood test that can spot cancer before it develops…
Proteins, known as antigens are produced from cancerous cells, triggering the immune system to produce large amounts of autoantibodies. A new revolutionary blood test is said to recognise the initial signals of such a process, through monitoring the activity of a person’s immune system and the analysis of just 10ml of a patient’s blood. Research has even suggested that such signals can be detected up to 5 years before a tumour is spotted, giving doctors and patient’s vital time to fight the disease.
Professor John Robertson, a breast cancer specialist who for the past 15 years has led a team of clinicians working on the research in Nottingham and Kansas said “The earliest cancer we have seen is a cancer that has been screen detected, and yet biologically that’s late in the road of cancer development…We are starting to understand carcinogenesis in a way that we have never seen before — seeing which proteins are going wrong, and how the immune system responds. It’s as if your body is shouting ‘I’ve got cancer’ way before a tumour can be detected.” The research involved 8,000 patients and the test, known as EarlyCDT-Lung, is due to be introduced in Britain early next year.
Read the full story here
A preventative solution to the hair loss debate…?
The fear of hair loss is common amongst most women who undergo chemotherapy. Indeed only two weeks ago I reported on the risks of permanent hair loss from the chemotherapy drug, Taxotere. Chemotherapy drugs target fast-growing cells, in a bid to stop cancer reproducing at a rapid rate. Hair follicles are second only to bone marrow, in terms of their regenerative capacity, and so their growth and function is severely inhibited when in contact with a chemotherapy drug. Philip Kingsley, whose wife Joan had cancer, has suggested wearing a cool cap during treatment. Cool fluid to be pumped through the soft silicone cap which constricts the tiny capillaries that feed the hair, reducing the amount of drugs reaching the follicles. The drawback is that it can be uncomfortable and most patients can only tolerate it for about 20 minutes. Read more here
Lauren Newton 4th June 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Cancerkin’s News…
Hyde Park Walk…
Our Hyde Park walk on Sunday 13th June is fast approaching but there is still time to register your entry. If you, or someone you know would like to get involved please email l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk for more information.
In the News…
Trials of breast cancer prevention vaccine set to begin…
A vaccine designed to deter the risk of breast cancer amongst young healthy women could go to clinic trial stage within the next two years. The jab, which has so far only been tested on animals, has impressed doctors so much that there is a high possibility that in the future GPs could offer the vaccine to women before they reach their mid 40s- an age when the risk of breast cancer rises.
Vincent Tuohy an immunologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, believes “that breast cancer is a completely preventable disease” and that these drugs" will provide substantial protection". The vaccine attacks a certain protein found in the majority of breast cancer cells as well as in the mammary glands of women who are breastfeeding; as a result, the jab would only be available to those who are not going to breastfeed in the future.
The trial injected 12 mice at the age of 2 months; 6 with the vaccine and 6 with a sham vaccine. All the mice were bred to be prone to breast cancer. At the 10 month period those who had received the sham vaccine had developed cancerous tumours and those who had received the protein vaccine were all clear. However, despite these figures, as with all new testing there are sizeable risks to be considered. Furthermore previous studies have shown that between 50-70% of human breast cancer cells carry the alpha-lactalbumin protein the vaccine targets – figures that suggest the jab would not destroy all of a patient's breast cancer cells.
Read the full article here
A blood test that can spot cancer before it develops…
Proteins, known as antigens are produced from cancerous cells, triggering the immune system to produce large amounts of autoantibodies. A new revolutionary blood test is said to recognise the initial signals of such a process, through monitoring the activity of a person’s immune system and the analysis of just 10ml of a patient’s blood. Research has even suggested that such signals can be detected up to 5 years before a tumour is spotted, giving doctors and patient’s vital time to fight the disease.
Professor John Robertson, a breast cancer specialist who for the past 15 years has led a team of clinicians working on the research in Nottingham and Kansas said “The earliest cancer we have seen is a cancer that has been screen detected, and yet biologically that’s late in the road of cancer development…We are starting to understand carcinogenesis in a way that we have never seen before — seeing which proteins are going wrong, and how the immune system responds. It’s as if your body is shouting ‘I’ve got cancer’ way before a tumour can be detected.” The research involved 8,000 patients and the test, known as EarlyCDT-Lung, is due to be introduced in Britain early next year.
Read the full story here
A preventative solution to the hair loss debate…?
The fear of hair loss is common amongst most women who undergo chemotherapy. Indeed only two weeks ago I reported on the risks of permanent hair loss from the chemotherapy drug, Taxotere. Chemotherapy drugs target fast-growing cells, in a bid to stop cancer reproducing at a rapid rate. Hair follicles are second only to bone marrow, in terms of their regenerative capacity, and so their growth and function is severely inhibited when in contact with a chemotherapy drug. Philip Kingsley, whose wife Joan had cancer, has suggested wearing a cool cap during treatment. Cool fluid to be pumped through the soft silicone cap which constricts the tiny capillaries that feed the hair, reducing the amount of drugs reaching the follicles. The drawback is that it can be uncomfortable and most patients can only tolerate it for about 20 minutes. Read more here
Lauren Newton 4th June 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
