Monday, November 30, 2009
CureToday.com: Blogs - Kathy LaTour - Do you understand your diagnosis?
"'I literally wrote the book but it made no difference,'"
Just medicare: what's in, what's out ... - Google Books
This book is available free through Google books or can be purchased online.
Malignant Ascites Symptom Cluster in Patients Referred for Paracentesis
click on the pdf icon for full free access the paper
New Class of Platinum-Based Anti-Tumor Drugs, Bisplatinates, Demonstrates
New Class of Platinum-Based Anti-Tumor Drugs, Bisplatinates, Demonstrates Potent Anti-Tumor Activity and Ability to Overcome Resistance to Currently Available Platinum-Based Agents
Sunday, November 29, 2009
OCATS requires your help
Message forwarded: website http://www.ocats.ca
H E L P!!! We know it’s Grey Cup weekend, and Christmas is coming, and we’ve all got better things to do. But, imagine in the middle of all this our Ministry of Health, without any consultations or even contacting the doctors with urgent and critical issues CANCELLED the meeting where they promised they would finally have a solution for us.
H E L P!!! We know it’s Grey Cup weekend, and Christmas is coming, and we’ve all got better things to do. But, imagine in the middle of all this our Ministry of Health, without any consultations or even contacting the doctors with urgent and critical issues CANCELLED the meeting where they promised they would finally have a solution for us.
You know that for over a year now, since spring 2008, we’ve been asking for proper support for our gynecologic oncologists serving southern Saskatchewan. In every other jurisdiction these specialists working in a clinical setting (i.e. a hospital!) with proper medical, nursing, pathology, radiology support. But OH NO, not in Regina! Here we expect these doctors to continue struggling to find simple office space to examine their patients and keep files. They have to go out and find their own nursing, after hours and medical support. This is beyond BIZARRE! In the medical issues business, this has got to be something we can actually figure out and fix? No?
Last meeting, I presented a solution for the interim. Reimburse the doctors immediately for their private practice space, get a proper nurse in their for them. This is minimal, while a real solution is sought. Gov’t response – NONE, NADA.
This meeting was put off because not only is there no solution yet, no one has even contacted the doctors, visited them, observed their needs, nothing. NADA. Do we want/need these specialists - highly sought out and highly skilled experts who need to be in the operating room or examining patients – to be out looking for appropriate office space, trying to figure out how to PAY for it, recruiting for their own support staff, filling the supply cabinets????
Remember in the spring when a Regina gyne onc told the media that the working conditions had become unworkable? This meant the specialists were considering closing their private practices. This meant patients had to be shipped out of Regina? Well – they were told a lot of promises, as was OCATS. They were told a solution would come before Sept 1st, then they said oh that was summer; we’ll get it done by fall. Well fall has been deferred til next year! Enough is Enough!!!! Evidently the only time the Ministry seriously listens is when women in large numbers speak loudly. The legislative assembly will be sitting for only a few more days.
P l e a s e h e l p u s s p e a k l o u d l y !
Write to: The Honourable Don McMorris, Minister of Health, Government of Saskatchewan, Minister's Office, Room 302, Legislative Building, 2405 Legislative Drive, Regina, SK, S4S 0B3, Fax (306) 787-0237, minister.he@gov.sk.ca, sophie.ferre@gov.sk.ca
Copy to: (this is really the job of the Regina Qu’Appelle Health District) Dr. Dwight Nelson, CEO RQHD dwight.nelson@rqhealth.ca, Dr. Chris Vuksic, Chris.Vuksic@rqhealth.ca
And Copy to: Dwain Lingenfelter, Leader of the Official Opposition and Opposition Health Critic, Judy Junor, c/o Dwight Yasinowsky at dyasinowski@ndpcaucus.sk.ca
Short, Sweet and To the Point is all you need:
Dear Minister – Ovarian cancer patients don’t have enough time for this continue bureaucratic fumbling. There are highly paid administrators and executives are various levels who should be able to resolve the issue of poor working conditions for Gynecologic Oncologists serving Southern Saskatchewan. Enough is enough. At minimum get these specialist’s office space and support staff in place and paid for before the end of the year.
John L. Marshall -- How health-care reform can cure cancer - washingtonpost.com
"At the moment, there is a giant disconnect between patients, the cost of care and the clinical benefit of the treatment -- a disconnect that has caused us to lose perspective. When it comes to cancer care, we're not getting what we pay for.
Cancer medicine is often regarded as an area of significant progress and clinical research, so we should be able to tell without much difficulty what kinds of treatment are valuable and what kinds aren't.
But given that 80 percent of my patients will die of their cancer, it's clear that we have not found an "optimum" therapy."
CBC News - Health - Ontario expands access to costly cancer drug
CBC News - Health - Ontario expands access to costly cancer drug
Ontario is expanding access to a cancer drug that was the subject of a scathing report by the province's ombudsman earlier this year.....
news item: see - Top 10 most common primary site cancers diagnosed with more than 1 cancer
my view: according to ACS stats, but I full expect that these numbers are very low estimates
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Social Media Use in the United States: Implications for Health Communication | Chou | Journal of Medical Internet Research
Social Media Use in the United States: Implications for Health Communication | Chou | Journal of Medical Internet Research
(full free access is available by registering with the site)
Aggressive Treatment of Ovarian Cancer Not Supported By Science
Exactly!
"To get the science to back-up the practice is something that really needs to be done," concluded Ms. Symecko.
EvidenceUpdates: Phase III trial of observation versus six courses of paclitaxel in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer in complete ....
Phase III trial of observation versus six courses of paclitaxel in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer in complete response after six courses of paclitaxel/platinum-based chemotherapy: final results of the After-6 protocol 1
Comments from Clinical Raters
Gynecology
This article clarifies a terrible doubt of gynecological oncologist: a consolidation treatment with six cycles of paclitaxel does not prolong progression-free survival or overall survival in patients in complete response after first-line paclitaxel/platinum–based regimens.
Oncology - Gynecology
Definitive answer on this question should come from a GOG trial that is currently still accruing. Consolidation remains an option, with conflicting Ph3 trial results.
Chapter 22: Ovarian Cancer - Cancer Network
Cancer Management Handbook, 11th Edition » Chapter 22:
Cancer Management: A Multidisciplinary Approach, 11th Edition (2008).
Chapter 22
Ovarian Cancer
Stephen C. Rubin, MD, Paul Sabbatini, MD, and Akila N. Viswanathan, MD, MPH
Friday, November 27, 2009
Counterpoint: No 'magic' involved in naturopathic medicine
Counterpoint: No 'magic' involved in naturopathic medicine
Posted: November 27, 2009
Counterpoint, naturopathy
Progress often faces resistance. Even with the substantial challenges facing health care in Ontario, the province’s recent decision to award prescribing authority to naturopathic doctors has its critics, as evidenced by Scott Gavura’s op-ed piece in Nov. 24th’s National Post (“A Prescription for Quackery”).
Ontario’s decision is a step forward in improving patient care by allowing naturopathic doctors to use their training to help address the substantial health challenges facing Ontario.
Read more: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/11/27/counterpoint-no-magic-involved-in-naturopathic-medicine.aspx#ixzz0Y6WTmvDE
Volunteers cut adrift by mental health charity - thestar.com
This is a wider issue although the article focuses on the mental health charities:
Volunteers cut adrift by mental health charity - thestar.com
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
BRCA1 5272-1G>A and BRCA2 5374delTATG are founder mutations of high relevance for genetic counselling in breast/ovarian cancer families of Spanish ori
BRCA1 5272-1G>A and BRCA2 5374delTATG are founder mutations of high relevance for genetic counselling in breast/ovarian cancer families of Spanish origin
World J Gastroenterol - Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome
World J Gastroenterol
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is an inherited, autosomal dominant disorder distinguished by hamartomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract and pigmented mucocutaneous lesions. Prevalence of PJS is estimated from 1 in 8300 to 1 in 280 000 individuals. PJS predisposes sufferers to various malignancies (gastrointestinal, pancreatic, lung, breast, uterine, ovarian and testicular tumors).
Statement on the politicization of evidence-based clinical research
Statement on the politicization of evidence-based clinical research
ACP urges Congress, the administration, and patient and physician advocacy groups to respect and support the importance of protecting evidence-based research by respected scientists and clinicians from being used to score political points that do not serve the public's interest.
Canadians demand better health care service | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
Canadians demand better health care service | Canada | News | Toronto Sun:
"More and more, Canadians view themselves as consumers of health care, not mere patients."
"Half of those surveyed said they’d like access to a secure Internet site that lets them schedule doctors’ visits,
see their own medical records or order their own prescription refills."
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
This flu outbreak, health workers quicker to roll up their sleeves.
JAMA -- Hormone Therapy Use and Risk of Ovarian Cancer--Reply, November 25, 2009, Mørch and Lidegaard 302 (20): 2204
JAMA -- Hormone Therapy Use and Risk of Ovarian Cancer--Reply, November 25, 2009
JAMA -- Hormone Therapy Use and Risk of Ovarian Cancer, November 25, 2009, MacLennan and Baber 302 (20): 2203
JAMA -- Hormone Therapy Use and Risk of Ovarian Cancer, November 25, 2009
Creating a System for Performance Improvement in Cancer Care: Cancer Care Ontario’s Clinical Governance Framework
Creating a System for Performance Improvement in Cancer Care:
Cancer Care Ontario’s Clinical Governance Framework
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