From self-exams to mammograms, explore our online resources today to research information and feedback about screening methods from other cancer forum members at CancerCompass.com. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/cancer-prevention/screening/1,0,127,108.htm Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ My son was diagnosed with embryonal rhabdomyasarcoma last August. They scanned his bones, blood, and marrow, and he was clear. He went through 11 months of chemotherapy, and one round of radiation. His scans showed he was clear of the tumor (in his cheek) 2 months after he started the chemo, he had to complete the year.Now they're telling us they're going to scan his bones again, as far of his post-chemo scans (his last day of chemo was last week).Is this normal? http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,38480,0.htm MANHOODLUM Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT I am 22 and have been dealing with this stuff for 2 years now.  I have had 4 biopsies, 1 cryo and was just informed after my last biopsy a week ago that my dr is very concerned about a place inside my cervical canal. Turns out the places have spread since my last one. I ended up having 6 places. He said he was real concerned about that one and that I would most likely be getting the LEEP procedure. I would have preferred the cryo again but he said he cant get to the one inside the canal. He said he isnt necessarily saying it has already turned to cancer but we needed to wait til the results which I should get in the next few days. I am scared! For one I dont really know what to expect. I am absolutely terrified of needles. My last biopsy was awful. He took one from one of the places and of the one in the canal. They hurt so bad they had to try to keep me on the table cuz I was trying to get away from him. The cryo didnt phase me but this scares me. We first talked about it 2 years ago but he decided to wait. I have dreaded this the whole time. I would prefer to be asleep so I didnt know what was going on but its going to be an in office procedure. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,36290,0.htm britt3673 Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT I just wanted to post about how important self testing is. I saw a commercial on TV for an iFOB test that had a lot of information about colon cancer attached to it. I got really nervous and decided to order a test and try it out. I'm a 33 year old male with no family history of colon cancer.After taking the test from colonhealthcheck.com, I went to my doctor and he gave me a colonoscopy, and found out I had some polyps which he removed. Since then, I've been testing myself and encouraging my family and friends to test themselves as well. The Colon Health Check Kit comes with two tests, which is great for me since I'm paranoid and like to take the test more than once a year.I never knew that a test like this existed or was available over the internet. On this site, it talks about needing to send the sample to your doctor, but this test allows you to do the test yourself all in just a couple easy steps. I tried a couple different ones since the first time I used it, but this is the one I like the best. Check it out yourself. There's a cool link on about.com that talks about the test as well.iFOB testing really saved me, as far as I'm concerned. Early detection is the best cure. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,32750,0.htm robertw900 Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT The headlong rush to develop companion diagnostics to identify molecular predisposing mechanisms still does not guarantee that a cancer drug will be effective for an individual cancer patients. Nor can they discriminate the potential for clinical activity among different cancer agents of the same class. The drug discovery model has been limited to one gene/protein, one target, one drug. The "cell" is a system, an integrated, interacting network of genes, proteins and other cellular constituents that produce functions. You need to analyse the systems' response to drug treatments, not just one target or pathway. Uncovering the genetic differences that determine how a person responds to a drug, and developing tests, or biomarkers, for those differences, is proving more challenging than ever. As a result, patients with cancer are still being prescribed medicines on a trial-and-error basis. The key to understanding the genome is understanding how cells work. The ultimate driver is "functional" diagnostics (is the cell being killed regardless of the mechanism) as opposed to "target" diagnostics (does the cell express a particular target that the drug is supposed to be attacking). While a "target" diagnostic test tells you whether or not to give "one" drug, a "functional" diagnostic test can find other compounds and combinations and can recommend them from the one test. The core of functional diagnostics is the cell, composed of hundreds of complex molecules that regulate the pathways necessary for vital cellular functions. If a targeted drug could perturb any one of these pathways, it is important to examine the effects of the drug within the context of the cell. Both genomics and proteomics can identify potential new thereapeutic targets, but these targets require the determination of cellular endpoints. Cell-based functional diagnostics are being used for screening compounds for efficacy and biosafety. The ability to track the behavior of cancer cells permits data gathering on functional behavior not available in any other kind of testing. The cell "function" methodology measures the net effect of all processes within the cancer, acting with and against each other in real-time, and it tests "living" cells actually exposed to drugs and drug combinations of interest. It would be more advantageous to sort out what's the best "profile" in terms of which patients benefit from this drug or that drug. Can they be combined? What's the proper way to work with all the new drugs? If a drug works extremely well for a certain percentage of cancer patients, identify which ones and "personalize" their treatment. It may be very important to zero in on different genes and proteins. However, when actually taking the "targeted" drugs, do the drugs even enter the cancer cell? Once entered, does it immediately get metabolized or pumped out, or does it accumulate? In other words, will it work for every patient? All the validations of this gene or that protein provides us with a variety of sophisticated techniques to provide new insights into the tumorigenic process, but if the "targeted" drug either won't "get in" in the first place or if it gets pumped out/extruded or if it gets immediately metabolized inside the cell, it just isn't going to work. DNA microarray work will prove to be highly complementary to the parellel breakthrough efforts in targeted therapy through cell function analysis. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,30968,0.htm Gdpawel Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT I like to show you some thing that I thought was amazing  It from the book the Cell Factor by Dr Ross Walker MB..BS (HONS),F.R.A.C.P it concerns cancer and heart disease you can see a bit about him at  http://www.icmi.com.au/Speaker/Health_Lifestyle/Dr_Ross_Walk  Most people don't know about how cancer works (please feel fee to get this check out with your doctor.) and what I'm going to tell you is a bit basic  it a lay mans way of looking at it  so just bear with me. It about saturated fat and cancer. It not a theory that cancer may be curse by saturated fats (or ti-fats ) you see the cell cant tell one lot of fat from an other. The membrane of the cell is made of fat when a tri-fat comes along the normal cell just make it into part of it  membrane the problem is tri-fats are smaller then normal fat. so when nutrient come along they find it hard to get though the cell wall or  membrane. so the cell start to starve. Now  the cell a living thing and it wants to stay alive, one way of doing that, is to tern it self into a  cancer cell. A cancer cells use fermentation to produce energy. You see cancer don't need oxygen, but they do need sugar and protein. Cancer can absorb  protein from near by normal mussel cells so it can  turn that protein into glucose. and the glucose into energy that why the patient body get shinier because the main function of a cancer cell is to make more cancer cells. if you put energy into the normal cell you stop it going into cancer, but if the cell is cancer’s all ready,  The cancer cell will use the  energy to make more cancer cells. that why when we have cancer we have to stay away from Sugar it hard in this day and age as ever thing got sugar in it There is a whole lot more I like to tell you about this book but it a lot to take in so for now Ill leave it there. Take Care Ray     http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,26222,0.htm jcr65566 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT My mom has been back and forth from MD Anderson and her home town which is a four hour drive. And still they have not diagnosed her yet, but will when her other test come back. I know this is what she has. Her dr. in her home town kept telling her the test where comming back as ovarian cancer but she had total hystorectomy when i was five. Now we know why he kept telling her this. Everything im reading is so bad and im not gonna kid myself. Ive worked in nurseing homes. I know what cancer does. But this one seems to be so hateful in such a rush. I guess what i want to know is what can i expect from her surgery and chemo. Is the post surgery really that bad? I know what lies ahead but dont really want to face it at this time. But i know i must to prepare myself and be strong. My other sister is so stressed out over this she is haveing heart and blood pressure problems. Another question is, is this cancer really not stageable? I thought i read somewhere it could be. Any feed back would be great. God bless you all... http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,20517,0.htm twithers Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT  i suffereed pain in my left leg as it run to my thigh  my stomach fells full always my vowel disposal is not normal its is smaller amts in 3 times a day. i feel so weak  always i have myomas and been ligated when i was 26 yrs old. im overweight 192lbs and im financially unstable so i only depend on my computer to know where i stand please help me  answer me any one who have d knowledge.im afraid  this condition of mine will lead to a serious disease .............tanks jenny http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,15223,0.htm momjenny Sun, 12 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT Two weeks ago I had a pet scan, I am looking for anyone who is familiar with the scan.  I had a booster shot Monday & Tuesday then the pet scan on Wednesday.  The result of my scan showed my bones let up like a Christmas Tree.  The people doing the scan was unaware I recently had Boosters that week.  So I am concerned the material they injected 45 minutes before the scan went only to my bone marrow because of the booster.  Is this possible?  My scan results came back no evidence of recurrencts or resideual adenopathy.  I am hesitant to believe the impression from the office.  I feel a new lump on my neck and continue to feel the mass under my arm still.  I am curenlty on my 8 treatment for HL stage 3 B.  I would appreciate any insight on this matter ?   Thank you http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,14836,0.htm Your_Friend Sun, 29 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT Two weeks ago, a 1.5 cm nodule was found on my thyroid via ultrasound.  I have no symptoms;  my doctor felt a lump during a routine exam.  I cannot get into an Endo for a biopsy for another 6 weeks.  Is this typical?  It seems cruel to make a patient wait so long.  Should I keep calling around  -- or even travel to another city -- for a prompter appointment.  And, just one more question.  Does the fine needle biopsy hurt? http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,8401,0.htm Newyorklc Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT