FitSugar

New Drug Fights Breast Cancer

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 02:00:00 PDT

Breast cancer is a horrible disease that claims the lives of many daughters, mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and sisters. Anyone can get breast cancer, and over 12.6% of women will be diagnosed with it at some point in their lives. That's why research that finds medicines and treatments to cure this dreadful epidemic are so vital.

I didn't know this, but breast cancer isn't just one disease, but a family of diseases. That means not all tumors are the same, so they respond to different treatments. A new study has found a drug that can cut the recurrence of one type of tumor by 41%.

The drug called paclitaxel, when used with chemotherapy, can target HER2-positive (human epidermal growth factor receptor-2) tumors. Of course these findings need to be subjected to further research, but this news gives us great hope. We are learning that there isn't a "one size fits all" type of treatment for breast cancer. With more research, new treatments will be discovered to defeat all types of breast cancer.

Source

Group Therapy: After Convincing Me to Want a Baby He Changed His Mind

Tres Community — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:05:45 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

My boyfriend and I have been together for a couple years and at one point in our relationship he brought up the idea of children. He said he "wants life with me and to just let whatever happens happen." After looong nights of talking and discussing the changes it would make in our lives, I agreed we are where we should be in to just let it happen if it happens.

Well after 4 months I got pregnant. I was elated! I didn't know how much I DID want this and was so thankful he made me realize how badly I want to be a mother. Then disaster struck and I was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy and lost the baby at 10 weeks. This has broken my heart in a way I never thought it could. So I was getting a form of chemotherapy treatment to rid my body of the pregnancy which made me extremely ill and an emotional wreck. But he was there reassuring that as soon as we get the go ahead we can try again, that we'll have a family and we can do this together.

Those were the thoughts and words that I hung onto to get me through the grueling process. And now FINALLY after being pricked and poked and doctor appointments, we get the "go ahead!" I was ecstatic and talked with him how excited I was to start trying again and how happy I was and how much I really want this. Then all of a sudden he tells me "I don't want it". . . "I don't want a baby."

I don't know what to do! I want this so bad and he's the one who made me realize this and now after all I went through, I feel he wants to take it away from me. I've always wanted to have children and be a mother but I never knew how bad I truly wanted it until I had it. Why would he say he wanted something and tell me we would try again and have me go through that if he "doesn't want it?" I understand people change their minds and have a change of heart sometimes, but why fill my head and put hope in my heart when you had no intention? I don't know what to do.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

50/50: It's OK to Laugh

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:30:29 PDT

50/50 doesn't really deserve the label "cancer comedy," because it's so much more than that. The film finds humor in the realities of an ordeal that's often treated with kid gloves on screen, but how ever many laughs 50/50 finds (and there are many), the script never mocks the subject matter. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Adam, a guy in his late 20s who's otherwise healthy until the day he finds out he has a rare form of cancer and a 50 percent chance of survival. His best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen) supports him and provides a bit of comic relief after Adam is diagnosed and then undergoes chemotherapy and surgery.

Rogen is one of the producers, but he has a more personal stake in the film - his friend Will Reiser wrote the screenplay based on his own experience with cancer several years ago. The end product is a film that's very honest, with elements that are funny, heartfelt, and sometimes scary. To find out why I loved 50/50, just keep reading.

First Look: 90210's Beachy, Bikini Season 4 Premiere

Becky Kirsch — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:00:58 PDT

The last time we saw the 90210 gang, the kids had graduated and were gearing up for the next chapter in their lives. Now we've got a peek at the season four premiere, and it looks like there will be one last beach hurrah before college comes around - but these carefree pictures reveal more than you might think upon first inspection. For instance, Naomi's bikini bod shows no sign of her "pregnancy," Teddy's still around, and poor Raj appears to be feeling the effects of chemotherapy. Check out all of the photos and make your own predictions before the new season starts up on Sept. 13.

Ken Jeong Talks About Being Community's "Pathetic Outsider" and Making His Dreams Come True

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Community's Ken Jeong has had a heck of a Summer after starring in two of the highest-grossing movies of the season, The Hangover Part II and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Now he's about to return to the small screen for a third season of Community as the polarizing Chang, and we had a chance to chat with him at the Summer TCA. He hinted about Chang's different direction and gushed over how much he loves doing the show, how grateful and happy he is, and how people like Todd Phillips and Bradley Cooper have touched his life.

BuzzSugar: You just had two hit movies this Summer - is Community enough for you now?
Ken Jeong: This is the happiest I've been in my career. We just started shooting last Monday, and it was just picking up from where we left off. We're so happy we're coming back for another year. We genuinely love each other. We genuinely love each other's company and I've missed working with the people every day. For me, it's an embarrassment of riches. For me, as a 42-year-old Asian doctor, this is the peak of my career. It won't get any better than this. This is everything I wanted to do and then some. I never ever imagined I would be working this much and being this known. It's because of the fans and because of the people I work with. I'm just so blessed in terms of industry and in terms of the fans.

Buzz: Last year you gave the most impassioned speech at the MTV Movie Awards about that being a high point in your career, especially in light of your wife beating cancer. Are you still feeling that way?
KJ: She's still a doctor, and I used to be a doctor, and all our close friends are doctors. We're like, is this really happening? You can't believe it. We personally live the same lives that we lived years ago when we were physicians. As I say it out loud, it's still surreal. I was happy being the doctor from Knocked Up, alright? That was like, amazing. If that were to be the last thing I'd do, it would be a life well spent in the arts. So to be Mr. Chow and [star in] two Hangovers, a third season of Community and to be in Transformers? Come on, it's ridiculous. It's an embarrassment of riches. And what I like about it is that I really love acting and I feel like I'm getting better at it. That's the important thing; I love what I'm doing, and I'm getting better at the craft. Like I'm improving and naturally pushing myself to do this in a great way. [This is] the best way to sum it up in the last two years: [director] Todd Phillips on Hangover, after I did a scene with Paul Giamatti, said, "I don't know what's happened the past couple years, but you're like a much better actor than you were the first movie." And he goes, "How is that?" I go, "It's because of two seasons of Community." It's just made me a better actor.

To find out what else the actor had to say about Chang and whether Jeong will be back for The Hangover 3, keep reading.

Losing Your Hair? Eat These 9 Foods

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 02:36:18 PDT

Right around the time my daughter hit the 6-month mark, I freaked in the shower when clumps of hair came into my hands while shampooing. Then I remembered a mom in my postnatal yoga class complaining about gobs of her hair falling out months after giving birth. Losing hair after pregnancy is pretty ~~crappy~~ common, but if you didn't just have a baby and you're concerned that too many strands are ending up in your hairbrush, eating some of these nutrient-rich foods may help prevent thinning hair.

Tofu: This soy-based food is a healthy source of iron, with a one-cup serving offering 6.8 mg. If you're concerned about an iron deficiency, which is known to cause hair loss, make sure you're getting 18 mg of iron a day.
Cottage cheese: Dairy products are great sources of protein, especially since they contain whey and casein. If you're not a fan of the consistency of cottage cheese, snack on yogurt instead.
Oysters: These shellfish are another source of iron. A three-ounce serving contains 6.6 mg. People might eat oysters to inspire love, but they'll also inspire your hair to grow. Besides the iron, oysters are also high in the antioxidant zinc.
Flaxseeds: Another great source of iron, flaxseeds also contain omega-3s, which support scalp health and can encourage hair growth. One tablespoon of whole flaxseeds contain 2.3 grams of omega-3s, while one tablespoon of flaxseed oil offers 7.2 grams.

To see what other foods you can add to your diet to encourage a thick, lustrous mane keep reading.

DrSugar Answers: What's Causing My Night Sweats?

DrSugar — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:54:00 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's discussing possible causes for night sweats.

Dear DrSugar,
I have been having night sweats and waking up soaking wet about two nights a week. I am only 32, so it better not be menopause! This all started about two months, and interestingly enough I started training for a marathon four months ago. I have been steadily increasing my weekly mileage and have lost some weight and gained some muscle. My period has been a bit lighter too. I still get it, but it is shorter by two days or so. Any idea of what is going on?
- Sweaty Sleeper

First of all, congratulations on training for your first marathon; what an accomplishment that will be! To answer your question, there could be a lot of things going on, and I don’t think I can single in on even a couple of diagnoses, as there are so many things that can cause lighter periods/irregular periods as well as night sweats. Since you mentioned menopause specifically, I will discuss premature menopause today, as well as the common causes of irregular periods and night sweats. I suggest you be seen by your primary care provider for further workup, as there are many diagnoses that would need to be entertained for your constellation of symptoms. To learn more, keep reading.

DrSugar Schools Us on Skin Cancer

DrSugar — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:37:50 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's schooling us on skin cancer.

Given that summertime is right around the corner and with warmer weather blessing a good part of the country, I figured it was a good time to share some knowledge about how to recognize skin cancers and how to prevent them.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and is now the most common cancer among people 25-29 years old. Anyone can get melanoma and it can develop anywhere on one's body. Most often, however, according to the Mayo Clinic, it develops in areas that have had exposure to the sun, such as your back, legs, arms, and face. It can grow on areas where there is less exposure to the sun, such as the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, eyes, and fingernail beds.

Learn the signs of melanoma.

KidFlicks Extends DVD's Life For Ill Children

babysugar — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:00:37 PDT

There are cartoons and movies to help lil ones reach every milestone in their young lives – from reciting the ABCs, to potty training and becoming a big sibling. But once those markers have been met, what's a mama to do with the stack of DVDs that are gathering dust on top of her television? While it's easy enough to donate them to the local library, a quick trip to the post office will help thousands of sick tots around the world.

Kidflicks.org collects and distributes gently used kid's DVDs to children's hospitals and pediatric wings throughout the United States and South Africa. The organization was founded almost eight years ago when two California pre-teens were talking with a friend who was undergoing chemotherapy at a local Los Angeles hospital. To date, the sisters have donated 53,000 movies to more than 500 hospitals. Each time their donation pile reaches 100 DVDs, they seek out a new hospital and donate the flicks. With Spring cleaning and Earth Day inspiring many families to clean up their homes, now's the perfect opportunity to ship off the films your family has outgrown.

Health Headlines: The Fight Against Breast Cancer Is Stronger

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:00:02 PST

Two stories came out this week that show great promise for the fight against breast cancer by ridding the body of breast cancer stem cells. These stem cells have been resistant to chemotherapy treatments and remained in the breast even after the cancer went into remission. Researchers hope that if they can eliminate the stem cells responsible for breast cancer, they can control the spread and recurrence of the disease.

Spices May Prevent Breast Cancer
- WebMD
In combination, turmeric and black pepper were shown to halt the growth of new breast cancer stem cells when applied in a laboratory dish. Piperine, which is found in black and long pepper, enhances the cancer-fighting properties of curcumin, which is prevalent in the spice turmeric. Before you run out and grab that curry, keep in mind that the spice solution was 20 times more potent than the spices found in a normal diet. More studies will be done to find a safe dosage for patients.

Experimental Drug Kills Breast Cancer Stem Cells
- Reuters
In clinical trials, an experimental compound called MK-0752 was effective in killing breast cancer stem cells in lab mice. The mice were injected with breast cancer stem cells from women and grew tumors that were identical to those growing in the women. When researchers combined chemotherapy with the compound they found, they were able to halt the growth of new cells.