Increased risk for cardiovascular diseases in survivors of adult cancers

A recent population-based study conducted by the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink set out to "identify cohorts of survivors of the 20 most common cancers in adults who were alive 12 months after diagnosis and controls without history of cancer."  While significant improvements in treatment regimens have results in about 50% of diagnosed cancer patients surviving for 10 years or longer post-treatment, cardiotoxic treatment effects have led to an increase long-term risk for cardiovascular diseases.


To read more about this study, click here.


Source mentioned:


Strongman H, Gadd S, Matthews A, Mansfield KE, Stanway S, Lyon AR, Dos-Santos-Silva I, Smeeth L, Bhaskaran K. Medium and long-term risks of specific cardiovascular diseases in survivors of 20 adult cancers: a population-based cohort study using multiple linked UK electronic health records databases. Lancet. 2019 Aug 20. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)31674-5. [Epub ahead of print]

Communication between cancer patients and healthcare professionals through digital media

Researchers representing the European Organization for Treatment and Research of Cancer (EORTC) have recently completed a study on the use of social media by cancer patients as a means of discussing the cancer journey with fellow peers.  According to study authors Daniel P. Oran and Eric J. Topol, "social media may be taken a step further to provide a new tool for patient-caregiver interaction that allows oncologists to learn their patients' true concerns."


To read more about this study, click here


Source mentioned: Oran DP, Topol EJ. The rise of the virtualist. Lancet 2019 Jul 6; 394(10192).

Jeffrey the sheep helps Alberta cancer survivors find their flock

Jeffrey the sheep visited Wellspring Edmonton recently, in the midst of an art class at the cancer support centre.  Wellspring, with locations in both Edmonton and Calgary, including a new centre, the Randy O'Dell House scheduled to open in south Calgary on September 30,  offers several non-clinical, alternative programs for cancer patients, cancer survivors, and their immediate caregivers.  According to Dr. Marilyn Hundleby, Wellspring Edmonton program director, the decision to try animal therapy and thus introduce Jeffrey to the class enforces the concept that "when we laugh and when we're distracted, when we're immersed in something, we forget about our pain."


To read more about this story, click here.  Further information regarding Wellspring is available at https://wellspringcalgary.ca and https://wellspring.ca/edmonton/.

New meta-analysis published on association between alcohol consumption and survival in colorectal cancer

A new meta-analysis has been recently published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention aimed at determining the association between consumption of alcohol and survival in colorectal cancer patients.  12 studies conducted amongst 32,846 colorectal cancer patients determined that "light and moderate pre-diagnostic alcohol consumption were associated with better survival in colorectal cancer."


To read more about this meta-analysis, click here.


Study mentioned: Kim Y, Je Y, Giovannucci EL. Association between alcohol consumption and survival in colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2019 Aug 9. pii: cebp.0156.2019. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-0156. [Epub ahead of print]

New manuscript published for young adult colorectal cancer partients

Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) has published a new manuscript following a working meeting of experts specializing in the study of colon and rectal/colorectal cancers in young adults.  Entitled A summary of the Fight Colorectal Cancer working meeting: exploring risk factors and etiology of sporadic early-age onset colorectal cancer, the manuscript functions as a roadmap aimed at better understanding "the causes of early-age onset colorectal cancer, as well as the best way to approach screening and prevention."


A summary of the working meeting is available here