Acupuncture may ease pain tied to breast cancer care

New research conducted at the Breast Cancer Program, Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in New York City indicates that acupuncture may ease joint pain, a common side effect of breast cancer medications. According to Dr. Lauren Cassell, chief of breast surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, "if something so simple as acupuncture can improve...symptoms and the patients' quality of life, we will have more women becoming compliant in taking their medication."

To read more about this research, click here. 

new trial alert: Walk on: a community-based approach to promote participation in physical activity among men treated for colorectal cancer

The Wellness Beyond Cancer Program at the Ottawa Hospital is recruiting men 18 years or older, diagnosed with colorectal cancer and having completed treatment, to participate in a clinical trial.  The primary purpose of the trial is to determine if a "men's group-based walking program [could be] an effective way to reach men and promote quality of life after cancer treatment."

To read more about this trial, click here.

Acupressure may ease fatigue after breast cancer

The targeted massage therapy known as acupressure may help breast cancer patients overcome fatigue, according to a new study.

As reported online July 7 in JAMA Oncology, the researchers randomly assigned 288 breast cancer survivors to one of three groups. One group was told to continue their usual care. A second group received acupressure that targets relaxation points. The final group received stimulating acupressure, intended to increase energy.

Study mentioned:
Zick SM, Sen A, Wyatt GK, Murphy SL, Arnedt J, Harris RE. Investigation of 2 Types of Self-administered Acupressure for Persistent Cancer-Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. Published online July 07, 2016. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.1867.

Read more here.

A new review shows that depression relapse prevention with mindfulness therapy is 'on par' with drugs

April 27, 2016 - People who've recovered from depression stave off relapses with mindfulness therapy as well as with antidepressants, a new review finds.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an eight-week group program that helps people become better observers of their own thoughts and emotions and to learn to distance themselves before ruminations spiral downwards.

An international team of psychiatry researchers combined data from nine randomized trials of 1,258 patients total with recurrent depression to compare the mindfulness therapy to placebo, treatment as usual and other active treatments including antidepressants. Read more here.

Read the review published in JAMA here.

Meditation may ease pain, anxiety from breast cancer biopsy

A new study conducted at the Duke Cancer Institute in Durham, North Carolina, indicates that meditation and music can reduce pain, anxiety and fatigue associated with a breast cancer biopsy.  According to study lead author Dr. Mary Scott Soo, "patients who experience pain and anxiety may move during the procedure, which can reduce the effectiveness of the biopsy."  Meditation in particular was noted as an alternative to anti-anxiety drugs, and in Dr. Soo's study, patients in the mediation group experienced considerably less pain during their biopsy.

To read more about this study, click here.

Lifestyle choices may help to reduce the risk of having another diagnosis of breast cancer or dying from the disease

World Cancer Research Fund International’s Continuous Update Project report on breast
cancer survivors is the most rigorous, systematic, global analysis of the scientific
research currently available on breast cancer survivors, and how certain lifestyle factors
affect how likely it is that a person will survive after developing the disease.
The report is the latest from our Continuous Update Project - the world’s largest source
of scientific research on cancer prevention and survivorship through diet, weight and
physical activity. Connect to the full report, Diet, nutrition, physical activity and breast cancer survivors, here.

UCLA study finds tai chi reduces inflammation in breast cancer survivors

UCLA researchers have discovered that the Chinese practice of tai chi can reduce inflammation in people who have had breast cancer, thereby reducing a risk factor for the recurrence of the cancer. “We saw that tai chi reversed cellular inflammation, by producing a down-regulation of the genes that lead to inflammation,” said UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center member Dr. Michael Irwin. Read more here.

Studies show exercise therapy, acupuncture benefit breast cancer survivors

Two new studies from the Abramson Cancer Center and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania offer hope for breast cancer survivors struggling with cancer-related pain and swelling, and point to ways to enhance muscular strength and body image. The studies appear in a first of its kind monograph from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs focusing on integrative oncology, which combines a variety of therapies, some non-traditional, for maximum benefit to cancer patients. Read more here.

Study shows clear new evidence for mind-body connection

For the first time, researchers have shown that practising mindfulness meditation or being involved in a support group has a positive physical impact at the cellular level in breast cancer survivors. A group working out of Alberta Health Services’ Tom Baker Cancer Centre and the University of Calgary Department of Oncology has demonstrated that telomeres — protein complexes at the end of chromosomes — maintain their length in breast cancer survivors who practise meditation or are involved in support groups, while they shorten in a comparison group without any intervention. Read more here.

Killam scholar focuses on supporting cancer patients' families

Nursing PhD candidate Colleen Cuthbert is researching the benefits of exercise for caregivers. "There are lots of dedicated programs for patients, but our health-care system doesn't function well in supporting the families of patients," says Cuthbert, a registered nurse who graduated in 2008 with a master of nursing and a nurse practitioner diploma. "I want to discover ways to improve their care. In my practice, I tell family members it's good to relieve stress; they often don't participate in self-care and so are prone to conditions like depression, insomnia, poor quality of life and exacerbation of chronic health conditions," she says. Read more here.

Exercise boosts tumor-fighting ability of chemotherapy

New research from University of Pennsylvania scientists suggests that exercise may have an added benefit for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Their work, performed in a mouse model of melanoma, found that combining exercise with chemotherapy shrunk tumors more than chemotherapy alone. Joseph Libonati, an associate professor in the School of Nursing and director of the Laboratory of Innovative and Translational Nursing Research, and colleagues were particularly interested in testing whether exercise could protect against the negative cardiac-related side effects of the common cancer drug doxorubicin. Though effective at treating a variety of types of cancer, doxorubicin has is known to damage heart cells, which could lead to heart failure in the long-term. Read more here.

Pepper and halt: spicy chemical may inhibit gut tumors

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that dietary capsaicin – the active ingredient in chili peppers – produces chronic activation of a receptor on cells lining the intestines of mice, triggering a reaction that ultimately reduces the risk of colorectal tumors. The receptor or ion channel, called TRPV1, was originally discovered in sensory neurons, where it acts as a sentinel for heat, acidity and spicy chemicals in the environment. Read more here.

Acupuncture improves quality of life for breast cancer patients using aromatase inhibitors

Use of electroacupuncture (EA) – a form of acupuncture where a small electric current is passed between pairs of acupuncture needles – produces significant improvements in fatigue, anxiety and depression in as little as eight weeks for early stage breast cancer patients experiencing joint pain related to the use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) to treat breast cancer. The results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial examining the intervention led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania are published online this week in the journal Cancer. Read more here.

Vitamin D linked to colon cancer survival

Colon cancer patients with high levels of vitamin D in their blood are more likely to survive the disease, according to research published this week. Scientists who studied almost 1,600 patients after surgery for colon cancer (also known as bowel or colorectal cancer) found those with the highest levels of vitamin D have half the risk of dying of the disease compared with those with the lowest levels. The study is the first to correlate the long-term survival prospects of colon cancer patients after diagnosis with their total blood levels of vitamin D. Read more here.

Exercise may help chemotherapy side effects

Dr. Kristin Campbell, lead researcher of the exercise study and an assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of British Columbia, and colleagues recruited women treated for early-stage breast cancer in advance of a pilot study, presented in early June at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago. At the end of the study, women in both the control and exercise groups showed little difference in their neuropsychological test results and self-reported cognitive functioning. However, the brain-imaging tests showed significantly increased activity in the exercise group in brain regions known to support task performance, attention and decision-making, Campbell said. Read more here.

One in three Americans mixing supplements with drugs

In a recent study, researchers analyzed data on 9,950 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In this nationally representative sample of adults, 34.3 percent reported using dietary supplements and prescription medications together. Furthermore, adults diagnosed with a medical condition were 2.5 times more likely to mix supplements with drugs than those without a medical condition. The authors concluded that dietary supplement use was highest among patients with medical conditions like osteoporosis, arthritis, cancer, liver conditions, heart conditions and diabetes while prescription medication use was highest among patients within many of the same categories. Read more here.

Cancer patients should focus on present: expert

Staying in the present sounds simple, but it's not easy, especially for cancer patients. Read more about Dr. Linda Carlson from today's Leader-Post.

Meta-analysis of Vitamin D sufficiency for improving survival of patients with breast cancer

Breast cancer patients who have higher vitamin D blood levels are more likely to survive breast cancer than those with lower levels, according to a recent study.

Researchers analyzed data from five studies to assess the relationship between vitamin D blood levels and breast cancer survival rates. Data was assessed based on death rates following the diagnosis of breast cancer.

The researchers found that patients with the highest vitamin D blood levels had about half the risk of death from breast cancer when compared to the patients with the lowest vitamin D levels. The authors noted that vitamin D levels should be monitored to ensure levels are maintained within a normal range of 30-80 nanograms per milliliter of blood.

Yoga regulates stress hormones and improves quality of life for women with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy

Researchers found that while simple stretching exercises counteracted fatigue, patients who participated in yoga exercises that incorporated controlled breathing, meditation and relaxation techniques into their treatment plan experienced improved ability to engage in their daily activities, better general health and better regulation of cortisol (stress hormone). Women in the yoga group were also better equipped to find meaning in the illness experience, which declined over time for the women in the other two groups. Read more here.

Yoga improves quality of life and physiological changes associated with radiotherapy in breast cancer patients

For patients with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy, yoga offers unique benefits beyond fighting fatigue, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Researchers found that while simple stretching exercises counteracted fatigue, patients who participated in yoga exercises that incorporated controlled breathing, meditation and relaxation techniques into their treatment plan experienced improved ability to engage in their daily activities, better general health and better regulation of stress hormone cortisol. Patients in the yoga group were also better equipped to find meaning in the illness experience, which declined over time for the patients in the other two groups. Read more here.