Patients With Rare Cancers Want More Shared-decision Making About Their Cancer Treatment

Cancer patients under 55 and those with some rarer types of cancer want more of a say in the decisions made about their treatment, according to new research being published in the British Journal of Cancer today (Wednesday). Recently, several US states have introduced legislation or other policies supporting share-decision making.

The research also shows that ethnic minorities and patients with rectal, ovarian, multiple myeloma and bladder cancers are more likely to feel they aren't being given a big enough say in how they are treated.

Scientists funded by the National Institute for Health Research at the University of Cambridge looked at more than 40,000 responses to the 2010 English National Cancer Patient Experience Survey. More than 70 per cent said they felt suitably involved in decisions about their treatment. But younger patients in particular responded to the survey saying that decisions are made without enough of their personal input.

Dr Anas El Turabi, study author based at the University of Cambridge, said: "Although the overall results are very positive and most patients do feel suitably involved in their treatment decisions, there are distinct groups where this isn't the case and we need to address this. There appears to be a generation gap, possibly because younger patients expect to have more of a say in their treatment than older patients.

"This study should help us to focus on those groups of patients who feel the least involved. This means doctors, nurses and the patients themselves need to work together and build strong relationships that allow them to discuss treatment options in every case. Some patient groups may also need extra support to make sure they're properly involved in making these decisions, such as having a longer consultation with doctors or specialist nurses."

Dr Georgios Lyratzopoulos, study author, said: "Although there are differences between the US and UK healthcare systems, we would expect to find similar variation between American patients with different cancers.

"Additionally, this evidence highlights the importance of studying the experience of cancer patients using large national patient surveys such as in the UK, and we feel similar US-wide surveys of this kind would be very useful in identifying those patients who feel side-lined during decisions around their own treatment for cancer."

Martin Ledwick, head information nurse at Cancer Research UK, said: "All patients should feel entitled to discuss the options available with their doctors and nurses and be given the chance to do so. It's important that they're made to feel more like the co-pilots, rather than the passengers, on their own cancer journeys.

"Doctors want the best possible outcome for you when they're considering the most appropriate treatment but that doesn't mean the treatment will always suit every patient. Being able to talk freely about different options will help patients feel more involved."

Source-Eurekalert

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Before Giving Your Children a Mobile Phone, Advice About Phone Safety is a Must

According to experts, parental advice regarding sexting should ideally begin before middle school or just before they get their mobile phones.

Even though such occurrences may be rare among teens, one disturbed child can begin a dangerous trend among peers. Dr. Susan Lipkins, a psychologist who specializes in school conflict, said, "They're acting out, needing attention, and there may be some reason. There may be something in the child's life where they have already been exposed to sex, either by seeing things or hearing things they shouldn't, or perhaps being abused. One child who acts out will be the one with the problem, and the others who are watching may follow."

Just like we advice children to protect them against child abuse, parents can advice teens not to take a picture of anything private or send their name or any identifying information. Ideally parents must also check the phone and be able to read texts, see photos and have the passwords to apps used by the children.

It is important to establish some rules before handing them the phone and then periodically check if the kid is following the advice.

Source-Medindia

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H7N9 Bird Flu Kills About 1/3 Hospitalised Patients in China

by Bidita Debnath on? June 24, 2013 at 4:54 PM Bird Flu News Researchers who labelled the virus "less serious" but probably more widespread than previously thought said that the H7N9 bird flu that hit China this year killed over a third of hospitalised patients.
They warned watchdogs not to take comfort from a lull in new infections, as the virus may reappear in the autumn.

In what they described as the most complete picture of the virus' severity, researchers in Beijing and Hong Kong found that H7N9 proved fatal in 36 percent of patients admitted to hospital in mainland China.

This was a lower fatality rate than H5N1-type bird flu which emerged in 2003 and killed about 60 percent of hospitalised patients.

It was higher, though, than the H1N1 "swine flu" outbreak of 2009-10, which had a 21-percent death rate among people requiring hospitalisation.

A total 131 human infections have been recorded on the Chinese mainland since the outbreak started in February, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said in its last monthly update.

Of these, 123 were admitted to hospital, and 39 died.

One other case was recorded in Taiwan.

The virus is believed to spread to humans from birds. The fear is that it could mutate into a form transmissible from human to human.

Writing in The Lancet medical journal, the researchers estimated that between 0.16 percent and 2.8 percent of all people infected with H7N9, and who displayed symptoms of flu, were at statistical risk of dying.

"Human infections with avian influenza A H7N9 virus seem to be less serious than has been previously reported," they wrote.

But many mild, unreported cases may have occurred -- between 1,500 and 27,000 -- said the study, urging "continued vigilance and sustained intensive control efforts".

In a separate paper also published by The Lancet, the researchers said there was a possibility H7N9 could rebound within months.

"The warm season has now begun in China, and only one new laboratory-confirmed case of H7N9 in human beings has been identified since May 8, 2013. If H7N9 follows a similar pattern to H5N1, the epidemic could reappear in the autumn," they wrote.

"This potential lull should be an opportunity for discussion of definitive preventive public health measures, optimisation of clinical management, and capacity building in the region in view of the possibility that H7N9 could spread beyond China's borders."

The team also estimated the virus' incubation period -- the time between infection and the onset of symptoms -- at about three days, shorter than previous estimates.

Last month, a study in The Lancet said laboratory tests had revealed resistance in some H7N9 patients to the only available treatment.

And the results of a lab study published in the US journal Science showed the H7N9 strain can spread among mammals, specifically ferrets, and could do the same between humans under certain conditions.

H7 influenza viruses comprise a group that normally circulate among birds, of which H7N9 forms a subgroup that had never been found in humans until the Chinese outbreak.

In a comment on the studies, The Lancet said that while the number of new cases had stalled, probably in response to authorities closing live bird markets, the threat persisted.

"Continued monitoring of infections, together with near-real-time estimation of case fatality risk and serological surveys, remains crucial," it said.

Source-AFP

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Researchers Uncover Clue About Hearing Loss

Dr Justin Tan of the University of Melbourne and lead author of the study said individuals who lack both copies of this good gene were reported to lose their hearing from 20 years of age.

"This is unusual because most people show gradual signs of age-related hearing loss from 60 years of age onwards but mutations in SERPINB6 accelerate this process. It is not yet clear how this mutation causes hearing loss."

Working with animal models induced with the condition, mice started to lose their hearing at three weeks of age, which is comparable to teenage years in humans. Hearing loss continued to worsen as the mice aged, a trend that was also noticed in humans. When the inner ears of these mice were examined under the microscope, the Melbourne team uncovered that tiny, specialised cells in the inner ear, responsible for hearing, had died.

These cells include, not only the sensory hair cells that detect sound vibrations, but also neighbouring cells that belong to a group of cells called fibrocytes.

Both types of cells are required to transform sound into electrical signals in our hearing nerve. Mutations affecting the sensory hair cells have been known for decades to cause hearing loss in humans but mutations affecting the fibrocytes remain uncommon.

"This is an exciting discovery for our hearing because the role of SERPINB6 as an inhibitor is now being unraveled," said Dr Tan.

Source-Eurekalert

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All About Eve

I first heard about Eve many months ago when I was perusing videos about MCS on Youtube. I saw her video link entitled “How to Detox your Body Tips – and MCS Recovery.” Eve was the first person I had found who had recovered and was sharing in detail just how she recovered.

I soon watched all of her videos she has on her Youtube channel, Eve’s Pot of Gold. Her intro video recalls how she initially became sick and the steps she took to become well. Her story is very similar to mine in how she became sick, and it was the first time in a long time that I too believed I could recover.

Eve developed her wellness plan through her own research on the Internet. Medical doctors were of no help so she became the architect of her own health.

Her plan for recovery includes a wide variety of healing modalities, but the foundation of her program is detoxification, based on the principles recommended by Dr. Sherry Rogers. Dr. Sherry Rogers has written many books on MCS, including Detoxify or Die, Tired or Toxic and the E.I. Syndrome. The program that Dr. Sherry Rogers outlines in her book include use of daily sauna, coffee enemas (which is also part of the Gerson Therapy) and a detoxification “cocktail” of glutathione, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Vitamin C.

Eve also discusses gut health, nutrition, supplementation, living in a non-toxic home, emotional health, stress reduction and physical fitness. She even offers Zumba and personal training online through video chat. This is a short list of the health topics she addresses. She updates her website and Facebook page daily with new information to help others detoxify, strengthen their immune systems and get well.

I get emails from a lot of people who are newly chemically sensitive. They are afraid and upset that the life they once knew is gone. I know they are looking for help and hope, and one of the first recommendations I make is for them to read Eve’s pages and watch her videos. Her story of recovery is what gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get back to taking charge of my own health, and continue to detoxify on a regular basis. I was stagnating in my efforts and I quite often felt like I was doing all this for nothing.

I hope Eve’s story will inspire others that you can get well and you can recover from MCS. I have always believed MCS can be reversed if the body is given what it needs in order to be able to heal. Detoxification is peeling back the layers of toxicity our bodies have become mired in through living in this modern chemical world.

Detoxification Tips:

How to Do a Coffee Enema:

You can find more info at her website, Detox the Body MCS. She also has a very active Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DetoxTheBody.

Eve is not a medical doctor (nor am I.) Everything she posts is based on her own personal experiences and neither she nor I are offering medical advice. Everything you choose to do in regards to your health is done at your own risk.

Tags: Artist, Chemical Sensitivity, Chemicals, Coffee Enema, Cured, Detox, Detox the Body, Detoxification, Detoxify or Die, Eco-Friendly, EI, Environmental Illness, Environmentally Friendly, Eve, Facebook, Fragrance, fragrance-free, Gerson, Green Renovations, Heal, Healing, Health, Healthy, Hope, Hygiene, Laundry Detergent, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Natural, Nutrition, Perfume, Personal Care Products, Petrochemicals, Recovered, Recovery, Sauna, Scent Free, Scents, Sherry Rogers, Supplements, The E.I. Syndrome, Tired or Toxic, Toxic, Toxins, Vitamins, Wellness

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