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Cancer costs put treatments out of reach for many
By Debra Sherman
CHICAGO, June 6 (Reuters) - The skyrocketing cost of new cancer treatments is putting advances in fighting the deadly disease out of reach for a growing number of Americans.
Cancer patients are abandoning medical care because the costs are simply too high and medical bills -- even among the insured -- are unmanageable and put patients at a greater risk of bankruptcy, studies show.
"There's a growing awareness that the cost of cancer treatment is unsustainable," said Dr. Lee Schwartzberg, an oncologist who did a study examining the factors that contributed to patients quitting their oral cancer drugs.
Cancer is one of the most costly diseases to treat, largely because many patients are treated over a long term, often with expensive new drugs that are complicated to produce and not available in generic form. As insurance companies cut all benefits, reimbursements on cancer treatments have also declined.
"When it's an expensive drug, we have to have the hard discussion about a very substantial out-of-pocket payment. I ask: 'Do you want to spend this money for an average improvement of just a few months of life?' I'm very uncomfortable having those discussions because I want to focus on the patient getting better," Schwartzberg, medical director of the West Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee, said in an interview.
Schwartzberg's and other cost studies presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting come as U.S. lawmakers battle over ways to reduce the national debt, including cuts in healthcare funding. (For full ASCO coverage, see [ID:nN05141382] )
ASCO president Dr. Michael Link, a pediatric oncologist, said access to healthcare should be a national priority.
INSURMOUNTABLE BARRIERS
"We're thrilled with what we consider to be breakthroughs and wonderful new therapies ... yet the barriers for some patients to get them is insurmountable. It is an indictment of how we take care of patients in the United States," Link said.
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease. The incidence is expected to increase with an aging population.
The costs for cancer care topped $124 billion in 2010 in the United States, led by breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). That number is expected to rise as more advanced treatments -- targeted therapies that attack specific cancer cells and often have fewer side effects -- are adopted as the standards of care. The NCI projects those costs to reach at least $158 billion by 2020.
Until recently, almost all cancer drugs were administered intravenously. Today, about a quarter of them can be given orally, which means fewer visits to the doctor. But pills are often more expensive, have higher co-payments, and are reimbursed by insurers at lower rates than IV drugs, he noted.
Using a database of pharmacy claims paid by private insurers and Medicare, he found, not surprisingly, that those with higher co-payments quit their drugs more often.
Patients with co-payments of more than $500 were four times more likely to abandon treatment than those with co-payments of $100 or less, Schwartzberg said. Claims with the highest co-payments had a 25 percent abandonment rate, compared with 6 percent for co-payments of less than $100.
"Prices of drugs can't be set so outrageously high," he said. "We have a problem with cancer care ... All stakeholders have to get together and compromise to translate this great science into great patient care without breaking the bank."
Dr. Yousuf Zafar, an internist at Duke University Health System, did a separate study on the impact high medical bills have on patients' cancer treatment.
THE INSURED ALSO STRUGGLE
The thing that surprised him most, Zafar said, was how much the insured struggled with their medical bills.
"Ninety-nine percent of the patients in our study were insured and 83 percent said they had prescription coverage. People still couldn't afford groceries and were spending life savings on cancer care," Zafar said.
Even with health insurance, out-of-pocket expenses averaged $712 per month for co-payments for doctor visits, prescription drugs, lost wages, travel to appointments and other expenses.
Jean Holstein, 55, of Jackson, North Carolina, has Stage IV breast cancer. She has been receiving treatment for eight years. She has health insurance, but fears the co-payments to cover her $5,000 per month drug regimen, plus the $9,700 bimonthly diagnostic scans, will leave her broke.
"The joke is that when you get cancer, you go spend all this money and live it up," she said.
Rates of medical debt are growing, mainly among the insured. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), one in five privately insured Americans with chronic conditions have problems paying their medical bills. When out-of-pocket spending for medical care exceeds 2.5 percent of income, financial burdens become substantial.
RISK OF BANKRUPTCY
Dr. Scott Ramsey authored a study that examined a cancer diagnosis as a risk for personal bankruptcy. Using cancer registries and bankruptcy records in Washington state, he found that a diagnosis of lung cancer had the highest risk of bankruptcy -- 8 percent versus 0.3 percent in the general population in the same geographic area.
"We looked at (bankruptcy) one, three and five years after a diagnosis and the rate ranged from two to six times higher," he said.
Dr. Ronald Ennis, a radiation oncologist at St. Luke's-Roosevelt and Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, studied the impact of a weak economy on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. He said he found exactly what he had expected: There was a dramatic decline in cancer treatment during times of high unemployment.
Ennis looked at data from 1973 to 2007, the latest year for which data was available, and found that every 1 percent increase in unemployment was associated with a 7.4 percent decrease in diagnoses, a 16.8 percent decrease in radiation treatment and a 23.9 percent decrease in surgery.
"I suspect the recession we just had would have had an even more dramatic impact," Ennis said.
Dr. Otis Brawley, the chief medical officer for the ACS, said the whole American medical system needs to be overhauled.
"We need to change the culture of doctors and patients and how medicine is practiced. I wish it were as simple as (enacting) legislation," he said. (Reporting by Debra Sherman, editing by Gerald E. McCormick and Matthew Lewis)
Thank you Gold for clearing up the premise for RPC's so called cancer detection test.
Fibrin (also called Factor Ia) is a fibrous protein involved in the clotting of blood, and is non-globular
United States Patent Application 20100248269
Kind Code A1
Small-Howard; Andrea September 30, 2010
DETECTION OF FIBRIN AND FIBRINOGEN DEGRADATION PRODUCTS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF PRODUCTION AND USE FOR THE DETECTION AND MONITORING OF CANCER
Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods, systems and kits for the detection of, or monitoring the progression of, cancer by simultaneously detecting the presence of six fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) in a biological sample in a single assay system.
----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
Inventors: Small-Howard; Andrea; (Norwalk, CA)
Correspondence Address: K&L Gates LLP
1900 MAIN STREET, SUITE 600
IRVINE
CA
92614-7319
US
Assignee: New York Blood Center
New York
NY
Serial No.: 414518
Series Code: 12
Filed: March 30, 2009
Current U.S. Class: 435/7.92; 435/7.1
Class at Publication: 435/7.92; 435/7.1
International Class: G01N 33/00 20060101 G01N033/00; G01N 33/53 20060101 G01N033/53
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Pars...
http://nybloodcenter.org/corporate-overv...
HOUSTON—In the eyes of the average American consumer, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval signifies that a medical device has been thoroughly tested and has been found to be safe and effective. The average consumer, however, is typically unaware of the various methods of obtaining FDA approval, one of which does not require formal product testing of any sort.
Standard protocol for receiving FDA approval is the premarket approval process (PMA), which involves an extensive review of the product in question, including rigorous clinical trials. The process often takes nearly two years to complete and can cost the manufacturer upwards of $250, 000. It seems understandable then, that companies might seek a less involved option if one were available.
Enter premarket notification, or 510(k) Clearance, which requires manufacturers to notify the FDA of their intent to market a medical device at least 90 days in advance. If, during that period of time, the FDA determines that the “new” product is substantially similar to one that is already on the market, it will be approved without having to go through the normally required clinical trials. Shockingly, only about 10 percent of 510(k) applications are referred back to the manufacturer for further testing; which means that roughly 90 percent of devices made available through this process have scarcely been studied, and may never have undergone a single clinical trial. One such product that has recently come under fire for gross failure is the DePuy Orthodics, Inc. hip implant system, which includes the ASR XL Acetabular System and ASR Hip Resurfacing System. Approved through 501(k) Clearance in 2005, the device has since been implanted in more than 93,000 patients across the globe, and was originally anticipated to last for 15 years.
The ASR implant, a metal-on-metal ball-and-socket device used in hip replacement surgery, was touted by manufacturer Johnson & Johnson as a “high performance” replacement system that had significant advantages over other brands. However, the FDA began receiving complaints from patients and doctors regarding problems associated with the device as far back as 2008, and finally ordered a recall of the product in August 2010. A British study has since confirmed that nearly 12 percent of those who received the implants required corrective procedures, called revision surgeries, within five years.
While DePuy considered the metal-on-metal feature of the ASR device a notable attribute, some experts believe that it is to blame. The metal-on-metal contact of the ball and socket creates microscopic metal debris that damages nearby muscles and soft tissues. Some experts also believe that the design of the ASR hip replacement cup was too shallow making the system more difficult to position during surgery.
The premature failure of a hip implant can result in considerable physical, emotional, and financial hardship, none of which should become the patient’s responsibility. The fact that DePuy’s products were approved via an expedited FDA process means that defects the company may have been aware of were easily swept under the rug.
Remember this one Gold?
"Gold stated,"This is like a breath of fresh air. I was very depressed that a test supposedly equivalent to RECAF was selling so poorly. Now we understand why. It's actually less than worthless.
Want to hear some really good news? There will probably be no PMA required. The DR70 test will serve as a predicate for RECAF and a 510(k) will suffice. AMDL got approval using the CEA test as a predicate and IMO, that wasn't even close so the FDA is now trapped into giving RECAF an easy approval. There may indeed be a silver lining in every cloud. I think that Dr. Moro may indeed be able to scrape up enough money to do a 510(k) application himself and we would have an approved product. goldseeker 7/9/08.
Gold stated,"Once again, these are my opinions as I see them about RECAF and BioCurex. "
For Positives, RECAF probably could get FDA approval to monitor Colon cancer with serial testing, just as AMDL did,"
There is that word again? "We have seen a very significant reduction in the amount of false positives in animals with inflammatory diseases."
Battle With 'Rogue Testosterone'
If you have prostate issues, you're not alone. In fact, more than half of the men ages 40-59 have issues associated with an aging prostate. And the percentage of men continues to grow to 80% of men over 80.
Yet Dr. Brownstein would argue that age-related prostate issues do NOT have to be a natural part of the aging process. Instead, he says they are the result of a specific enzyme gone out of whack.
As he'll tell you, "Once you hit 40, your body secretes something called 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme starts to turn your normal manly testosterone into a rogue testosterone compound called DHT (dihydrotestosterone)."
"In short, DHT levels may rise as your regular testosterone level goes down. DHT is thought to be one of the primary reasons we start to experience symptoms related to an aging prostate and may be one of the main culprits of the common urinary symptoms that result."
"So a main cause of age-related prostate concerns is this build-up of DHT. What you need is something to block the 5-alpha reductase enzyme so it can't cause your testosterone to go rogue."
The Inflammation Factor
But DHT may not be the only factor contributing to age-related prostate concerns. It may also lead to collateral damage because of the inflammation it causes.
"So the second culprit in many prostate woes is inflammation," Dr. Brownstein emphasizes.
"Inflammation is the response of your body's tissue to injury, releasing chemicals that result in fluid retention in and around your prostate. And unlike most formulas on the market, Prostate Revive™ contains ingredients that not only help block 5-alpha reductase but also aid in promoting proper inflammatory response."
"Prostate Revive™ not only targets the inhibition of DHT but also the reduction of any collateral inflammation," Dr. Brownstein says.
Indeed, Dr. Brownstein's Prostate Revive™ formula includes an unprecedented 15 powerful, natural ingredients. All these ingredients combine synergistically to nurture, support, and promote the health of your prostate gland by focusing on the reduction of DHT and inflammation.
In fact, numerous medical studies on the key ingredients in Prostate Revive™ have shown a remarkable ability to support prostate health and urinary tract function.
All you have to do is ask them and they will tell you. See link below.
From the National Cancer Institute
Thus, there is no specific normal or abnormal PSA level. In addition, various factors, such as inflammation (e.g., prostatitis), can cause a man’s PSA level to fluctuate. It is also common for PSA values to vary somewhat from laboratory to laboratory. Consequently, one abnormal PSA test result does not necessarily indicate the need for a prostate biopsy. In general, however, the higher a man’s PSA level, the more likely it is that cancer is present. Furthermore, if a man’s PSA level continues to rise over time, other tests may be needed.
It is normal for men to have a low level of PSA in their blood; however, prostate cancer or benign (not cancerous) conditions can increase a man’s PSA level. As men age, both benign prostate conditions and prostate cancer become more common. The most frequent benign prostate conditions are prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (enlargement of the prostate). There is no evidence that prostatitis or BPH causes cancer, but it is possible for a man to have one or both of these conditions and to develop prostate cancer as well.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ksnviYAbMzEJ:www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/PSA+nci+inflammation+prostate&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com
Another interesting article discussing PSA and its issues with Inflammation.
http://www.biocurex.com/media/crystalreport.pdf
Biocurex regarding Inflammation...We have seen a very significant reduction in the amount of false positives in animals with inflammatory diseases."
Abbott regarding Inflammation...
What diseases is your prostate susceptible to?
Some of the prostate disorders that you might develop include benign conditions such as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis and, a more serious condition, prostate cancer.
BPH is an enlargement of the prostate gland that can make urination difficult. BPH is very common in men over 50 with four out of five men likely to develop the condition. It is important to note that BPH is not prostate cancer.
Prostatitis is an infection or inflammation of the prostate that can occur in men who are middle-aged or older. Symptoms of the condition include frequent urination, painful ejaculation and pain in the back or rectum.
Treatment options exist that can reduce symptoms of BPH and prostatitis without the risk and potential side effects of surgery. Additionally, BPH and prostatitis have not been shown to cause cancer and should not be confused with prostate cancer.
Interest issue regarding Inflammation Measuring PSA
PSA levels are measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). As your doctor will explain to you, PSA levels under 4 ng/mL are usually considered normal. If your PSA levels are greater than 10 ng/mL it is considered abnormal. With levels between 4 and 10 ng/mL your status may be borderline abnormal. Increased PSA levels can indicate inflammation, infection or simple enlargement of the prostate, stones within the prostate, urinary tract infection, other non-cancerous disorders or possibly prostate cancer.
“Normal” PSA levels can also vary due to your age or race. It should also be noted that cancer has been detected in cases where PSA levels were less than 4 ng/mL, so a thorough examination and discussion with your doctor should occur before reaching any conclusions. (see Table 1)
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ORQgIS2Ss-4J:www.abbottdiagnostics.com.au/your_health/Cancer-Oncology/prostate.cfm+inflammation+caqncer+abbott&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com
The actual word TUMOR =swollen part; a swelling.
Inflammation also = swelling
We have seen a very significant reduction in the amount of false positives in animals with inflammatory diseases."
Inflammation can encouraging cell growth.
RECAF's expression is related to rapid cell growth, which is characteristic of cancer and fetal development.
Inflammation is not a synonym for infection, even in cases where inflammation is caused by infection. Although infection is caused by a microorganism, inflammation is one of the responses of the organism to the pathogen.
Below are all potential causes of inflammation:
Acne vulgaris
Asthma
Autoimmune diseases
Chronic prostatitis
Glomerulonephritis
Hypersensitivities
Inflammatory bowel diseases
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Pneumonia
Reperfusion injury
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sarcoidosis
Transplant rejection
Vasculitis
Interstitial cystitis
Exercise-induced acute inflammationAtherosclerosis, Allergies, Vitamin A deficiency, causes an increase in inflammatory responses, Certain illicit drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy may exert some of their detrimental effects by activating transcription factors intimately involved with inflammation.
Tumours can cause inflammation, contributing to proliferation, survival and migration.
List of inflammatory diseases
A comprehensive list of inflammatory diseases would run to over 100 each of which cause the degeneration of connective tissue in one or more parts of the body. They include...Alzheimer's
arthritis
asthma
atherosclerosis
Crohn's disease
colitis
dermatitis
diverticulitis
hepatitis
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
lupus erythematous
nephritis
Parkinson's
ulcerative colitis The connection between progesterone and inflammatory diseases is well established. Progesterone is the "stress hormone" and inflammatory diseases are often the end result of long term stress. The stress can be caused by emotional or physical trauma, and nutritional or environmental pollutants. In most cases it is something of everything. It can be caused by...
a deficiency of the essential fatty acid Omega 3
a diet high in acid foods, particularly animal proteins
a lack of cortisone in the blood
a high level of estrogen
which accelerates the aging of collagen
The list of inflammatory diseases includes rheumatoid arthritis which is predominantly a disease of women in the 20 to 60 age group. It usually starts at around 35 with typical estrogen dominant symptoms: general aches and stiffness, particularly in the morning, pain in the joints, fatigue and difficulty sleeping. Many find their symptoms increase before menstruation.
Gold the point I was making is you posted this some time back.
"A positive result can also be due to inflammation" You do not know if the False positives due to inflammatory conditions would be a very small or a very large part of the overall false positives
If you claim to know this answer, then post it out here for everyone to see with back up documentation.
Gold posted, " We have seen a very significant reduction in the amount of false positives in animals with inflammatory diseases." That is all it says Gold...Then you read more into it. Amazing!
Gold stated,"What it does not change is the levels of RECAF that are found in normal individuals."
Great statement Gold but irrelevant thank you. The amount of Recaf changes often in any individual but within limits or cut off values.
OOPS...Gold your statements are worded very cleverly!
Gold stated, "Notice he said "inflammatory". It is a stated fact on the oncopet website that inflammatory conditions will give false positives, such as infection, etc. It would not reduce the main cause of false positives which is normals having varying levels of RECAF who do not have cancer."
Contrary to your carefully worded statement Gold, It will reduce the amount of false positives in the test and as you posted above (Significantly in those with inflammatory diseases! I have witnessed you arguing this in the past regarding Recaf as well as with other markers. You continued to point out that infections were a big issue. Now you want to minimize the fact that Biocurex has Greatly reduced this issue. Very nice work Gold.
Gold, many people have infections and don't even know it. Reducing the amount of infections picked up as false positives does indeed reduce the false positives of the test. This is a great deal for the company!!!
By our estimates BioCurex will sell 25,000
of its dog cancer diagnostic kits to distributors at a price of $20 per test, achieving a unit run rate of around 60,000
tests by the end of 2011, well within BioCurex’s production capacity of 5,000 kits per week. Our forecasted
volume represents only a sliver of a potential market we estimate at 10.8 million tests.
We project an initial unit manufacturing cost of $1.50 per test,
tapering to $1.00 per test by late 2011 as efficiency improves,
and a unit manufacturing overhead cost of $3 per test, charged
to the cost of sales instead of R&D expense. Higher than
anticipated volume or selling prices to distributors, or upfront
fees received in connection with a third licensing agreement
could lend significant upside to our forecast.
I took my dog to the Vet today. She had a lump on her shoulder. I asked the Vet if he had the Recaf test available... He took a biopsy as well as blood to run some tests.
The answer was no but that he would like to offer Recaf tests. Especially to screen older dogs. I emailed him the information. He also asked if it was a specific test or if it was a broad spectrum test. I explained that it was broad spectrum...This made him even more interested in the test.
I forgot to ask him if he can successfully operate a centrifuge...
Gosh I hope he is capable...
Screening for cancer
Colonoscopy linked to decrease in colorectal cancer deaths, but many more could have been prevented
In recognition of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month during March, GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy has published a special issue for March on colonoscopy and colorectal cancer. The issue includes a study showing that colonoscopy has prevented a substantial number of deaths from colorectal cancer and that many more could have been prevented with more widespread use. The analysis reports that approximately 13,800 to 22,000 colorectal cancer deaths could have been prevented in 2005, whereas 7,300 to 11,700 were actually prevented through colonoscopy use. GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy is the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
"March 2011 marks the twelfth annual National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Numerous efforts are made nationwide to increase patient knowledge regarding colorectal cancer, increase screening efforts and lifestyle changes to reduce risk. As gastroenterologists and practicing endoscopists, much of our daily efforts revolve around screening, diagnosis, and treatment for this malignancy. Therefore, GIE is devoting this issue to topics germane to these endeavors," said GIE Editor Glenn M. Eisen, MD, MPH, FASGE. "Among the important studies in this special issue is research reporting that a substantial number of colorectal cancer deaths have been prevented through the use of colonoscopy, however, many more deaths could have been prevented with more widespread use of this screening method. Colonoscopy can be an effective tool to reduce mortality rates from this largely preventable disease, but we still have a long way to go in getting more people screened for colorectal cance!
r."
"Colorectal cancer mortality prevented by use and attributable to nonuse of colonoscopy"
____________________________________________________________________
Colonoscopy has contributed to decreasing mortality rates and it is now the predominant tool for colorectal cancer screening in the United States. Results from national health surveys indicate that approximately half of the population eligible for colorectal cancer screening has had either a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy in the past ten years. To date, the effectiveness of the use of colonoscopy in reducing colorectal cancer-related mortality has only been directly shown in epidemiological studies. The effectiveness of colonoscopy use is indirectly supported by studies that showed decreases in colorectal cancer mortality associated with sigmoidoscopy and by studies that observed decreases in colorectal cancer incidence associated with removal of adenomatous (precancerous) polyps as well as with colonoscopy in general.
The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of current colonoscopy use on colorectal cancer mortality and the further potential of colonoscopy to reduce colorectal cancer mortality in the U.S. population by assuming effectiveness as reported in published epidemiological studies. Data from three sources were combined to perform the analysis. Data on history of colonoscopy use were obtained from the National Health Interview Survey; data on colorectal cancer mortality and on population sizes were drawn from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program database; and estimates of the effectiveness of colonoscopy were derived from the medical literature. The year 2005 was the latest for which mortality data and suitable colonoscopy use were available. The study was limited to the population aged 50 years and older, which reflects the screening-eligible age.
A statistical analysis was performed and showed that approximately 13,800 to 22,000 colorectal cancer deaths (depending on the assumed effectiveness) could have been prevented in 2005, whereas about 7,300 to 11,700 were actually prevented through the use of colonoscopy. Therefore, approximately twice as many colorectal cancer deaths could have been prevented by colonoscopy than were actually prevented.
Other highlights from the March issue:
"The Colorectal Cancer Control Program: partnering to increase population level screening"Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) authored a special article describing their work in extending screening for colorectal cancer prevention. In 2009, the CDC began a public health initiative-the Colorectal Cancer Control Program, which includes two components: a screening provision, supporting clinical service delivery for low income, under-insured persons; and screening promotion, involving activities to encourage broad, population-level screening. The article describes in detail their efforts to increase screening adherence to 80 percent of the population.
"Dynamic patient position changes during colonoscope withdrawal increase adenoma detection: a randomized, crossover trial"
Good colonoscopic withdrawal technique is associated with lower adenoma (precancerous polyp) miss rates and there has been a recent resurgence of research interest in elements of basic operator technique. Dynamic patient position changes during colonoscope withdrawal can improve luminal distension. In this study, researchers assessed whether position changes also improve polyp and adenoma detection, and the study concludes just that: dynamic position changes during colonoscope withdrawal significantly improved polyp and adenoma detection.
"Time of day variation in polyp detection rate for colonoscopies performed on a 3-hour shift schedule"
Recent research suggests that the colonoscopy polyp detection rate varies by time of day, possibly because of endoscopist fatigue. Mayo Clinic Rochester schedules colonoscopies in three-hour shifts, which should minimize fatigue. Researchers report that, at this institution, a three-hour shift schedule does not show a decrease in the polyp detection rate as the day progresses, as seen in other recent studies. Intervention trials at other institutions could determine whether alterations in shift length lead to polyp detection rate improvements.
Copyright (c) 2011 NewsRx Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. NewsRx is headquartered at 2727 Paces Ferry Suite 2-440, Atlanta, GA 30339. Phone: 770-507-7777 or 800-726-4550; Fax: 770-435-6800; Email: CustomerService@NewsRx.com.
Cancer Survivors in U.S. Climbed 19% in 2007 From 2001, CDC Says in Report
By Elizabeth Lopatto - Mar 11, 2011 11:55 AM ET
The number of U.S. cancer survivors increased to 11.7 million in 2007, a 19 percent rise from 2001.
About 4.7 million Americans received their cancer diagnosis at least 10 years earlier, according to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People living with breast cancer are the largest group and comprised 22 percent of the patients, followed by those with prostate cancer, representing 19 percent of the survivors.
Advances in early detection and treatment have enabled patients to live longer with the disease and, in some cases, made it curable, the authors of the report wrote. The aging population contributed to the increase in people living with the condition. Forty years ago, the number of cancer survivors was 3 million, according to the CDC report.
“It’s good news that so many are surviving cancer and leading long, productive, and healthy lives,” said Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, in a statement yesterday. “Preventing cancer and detecting it early remain critically important as some cancers can be prevented or detected early enough to be effectively treated.
A cancer survivor is anyone who has been diagnosed with the condition, from the time of diagnosis until death, according to the report.
To contact the reporter on this story: Elizabeth Lopatto in New York at elopatto@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reg Gale at rgale5@bloomberg.net.
Gold it is only February 17...(14 days) since you last brought this up. I will restate the same post I sent you 14 days ago.
Gold..Gold...Gold...
Mr.Burger just recently said biocurex was going to meet with Abbott and the date given was January 2011. Today is February 3 2011. Did you want a live broadcast of the meeting or do you think that as I-invest stated, these things take a little time as the lawyers do not move at your anticipated speed...
Gold, you know very little about Biocurex's synthetic peptide. You are assuming that it works how you think it works. Not good enough Gold.
"The synthetic peptide also allows for many other applications that cannot be performed with an antibody."
"This is one of our most significant technical advancements since the RECAF cancer test was announced," said BioCurex CEO and President Dr. Ricardo Moro-Vidal. "The product of several years of work, this patent will improve everything we do while reducing the complexity and cost of the process.
Gold, This is one of the reasons I pointed out that your comparison between Recaf and Onko Sure was unwarranted. You apparently have since agreed with me...You have pointed out that Onco sure was not selling and then incorrectly concluded that this would also apply to future Recaf sales. Your OnkoSure test is a test for blood clots which does not necessarily correlate with cancer progression.
Gosh, your test of choice (the DRE) which literally stinks, is looking much better when compared to Onko Sure...
Gold stated,"When colorectal cancer is progressing, Onko Sure is only right 57% of the time. 43% of the time, it says the cancer is NOT GROWING when in fact it is spreading.
Those numbers are from the FDA approved clinical trials. You should believe them.
Would YOU want Onko Sure used to see if your colorectal cancer was spreadig again? I don't think you would nor do I think your doctor would. Seven percentage points above a flip of the coin is just not good enough to be relied upon."
http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Business_%26_Finance/Investments/Stocks_%28A_to_Z%29/Stocks_R/threadview?bn=351&tid=47605&mid=48106
Duke, It would be awesome to see Recaf on the Abbott or Alere POC device(s).
Two minutes is a bunch better than 2 days or longer for current tests.
Tentacle, Gold has been hammering on another lesser diagnostic test board. That is the only reason he has not been honoring us with his presence lately.
He goes by Vestor_Guy
Same stuff different place
http://search.messages.yahoo.com/search?.mbintl=finance&q=vestor_guy&action=Search&r=Huiz75WdCYfD_KCA2Dc-&within=author&within=tm
Gold, I would ask the same of you...
Recaf has more to offer than CEA or CA-125 or PSA. Further, the doctors do not rely on these markers as full proof tests as you would like for people to think.
Did you know that CEA actually tends to rise in count during chemo treatments?
Did you know that while CA-125 may fall during chemo that this is only because the chemo attacked that part of the tumor receptive to the CA-125...This does not necessarily mean that the cancer is any less dangerous just because the CA-125 is lowered.
They are guides in the screening as well as monitoring.
You have an awful lot to learn about cancer and diagnostics Gold.
In regard to being flat on your back, I suppose your DRE guy also has a ton of idle time now. Maybe he can finally take a vacation.
Gold..Gold...Gold...
Mr.Burger just recently said biocurex was going to meet with Abbott and the date given was January 2011. Today is February 3 2011. Did you want a live broadcast of the meeting or do you think that as I-invest stated, these things take a little time as the lawyers do not move at your anticipated speed...
Gold, you know very little about Biocurex's synthetic peptide. You are assuming that it works how you think it works. Not good enough Gold.
"The synthetic peptide also allows for many other applications that cannot be performed with an antibody."
"This is one of our most significant technical advancements since the RECAF cancer test was announced," said BioCurex CEO and President Dr. Ricardo Moro-Vidal. "The product of several years of work, this patent will improve everything we do while reducing the complexity and cost of the process.
Gold, Selling $650 worth of Biocurex on Friday would be a great downpayment on something like the first ladder below with a safety cage. However, if one holds on to the $650 dollars worth of Biocurex until after FDA approval, they could afford a big safety lift below which IMO would allow one to hang or retrieve his or her Christmas lights without the need for ambulance assistance.
Gold, I figured you would try to get some mileage from the 10,000 share sale worth approximately $600 on Friday.
Someone probably needed the money to buy a better ladder or something?
When bees sting, they pump poison into their victims. Now the toxin in bee venom has been harnessed to kill tumor cells by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The researchers attached the major component of bee venom to nano-sized spheres that they call nanobees.
In mice, nanobees delivered the bee toxin melittin to tumors while protecting other tissues from the toxin's destructive power. The mice's tumors stopped growing or shrank. The nanobees' effectiveness against cancer in the mice is reported in advance online publication Aug. 10 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
"The nanobees fly in, land on the surface of cells and deposit their cargo of melittin which rapidly merges with the target cells," says co-author Samuel Wickline, M.D., who heads the Siteman Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence at Washington University. "We've shown that the bee toxin gets taken into the cells where it pokes holes in their internal structures."
Melittin is a small protein, or peptide, that is strongly attracted to cell membranes, where it can form pores that break up cells and kill them.
"Melittin has been of interest to researchers because in high enough concentration it can destroy any cell it comes into contact with, making it an effective antibacterial and antifungal agent and potentially an anticancer agent," says co-author Paul Schlesinger, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of cell biology and physiology. "Cancer cells can adapt and develop resistance to many anticancer agents that alter gene function or target a cell's DNA, but it's hard for cells to find a way around the mechanism that melittin uses to kill."
The scientists tested nanobees in two kinds of mice with cancerous tumors. One mouse breed was implanted with human breast cancer cells and the other with melanoma tumors. After four to five injections of the melittin-carrying nanoparticles over several days, growth of the mice's breast cancer tumors slowed by nearly 25 percent, and the size of the mice's melanoma tumors decreased by 88 percent compared to untreated tumors.
The researchers indicate that the nanobees gathered in these solid tumors because tumors often have leaky blood vessels and tend to retain material. Scientists call this the enhanced permeability and retention effect of tumors, and it explains how certain drugs concentrate in tumor tissue much more than they do in normal tissues.
But the researchers also developed a more specific method for making sure nanobees go to tumors and not healthy tissue by loading the nanobees with additional components. When they added a targeting agent that was attracted to growing blood vessels around tumors, the nanobees were guided to precancerous skin lesions that were rapidly increasing their blood supply. Injections of targeted nanobees reduced the extent of proliferation of precancerous skin cells in the mice by 80 percent.
Overall, the results suggest that nanobees could not only lessen the growth and size of established cancerous tumors but also act at early stages to prevent cancer from developing.
"Nanobees are an effective way to package the useful, but potentially deadly, melittin, sequestering it so that it neither harms normal cells nor gets degraded before it reaches its target," Schlesinger says.
If a significant amount of melittin were injected directly into the bloodstream, widespread destruction of red blood cells would result. The researchers showed that nanoparticles protected the mice's red cells and other tissues from the toxic effects of melittin. Nanobees injected into the bloodstream did not harm the mice. They had normal blood counts, and tests for the presence of blood-borne enzymes indicative of organ damage were negative.
When secured to the nanobees, melittin is safe from protein-destroying enzymes that the body produces. Although unattached melittin was cleared from the mice's circulation within minutes, half of the melittin on nanobees was still circulating 200 minutes later. Schlesinger indicates that is long enough for the nanobees to circulate through the mice's bloodstream 200 times, giving them ample time to locate tumors.
"Melittin is a workhorse," says Wickline, also professor of medicine in the Cardiovascular Division and professor of physics, of biomedical engineering and of cell biology and physiology. "It's very stable on the nanoparticles, and it's easily and cheaply produced. We are now using a nontoxic part of the melittin molecule to hook other drugs, targeting agents or imaging compounds onto nanoparticles."
The core of the nanobees is composed of perfluorocarbon, an inert compound used in artificial blood. The research group developed perfluorocarbon nanoparticles several years ago and have been studying their use in various medical applications, including diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis and cancer. About six millionths of an inch in diameter, the nanoparticles are large enough to carry thousands of active compounds, yet small enough to pass readily through the bloodstream and to attach to cell membranes.
"We can add melittin to our nanoparticles after they are built," Wickline says. "If we've already developed nanoparticles as carriers and given them a targeting agent, we can then add a variety of components using native melittin or melittin-like proteins without needing to rebuild the carrier. Melittin fortunately goes onto the nanoparticles very quickly and completely and remains on the nanobee until cell contact is made."
The flexibility of nanobees and other nanoparticles made by the group suggests they could be readily adapted to fit medical situations as needed. The ability to attach imaging agents to nanoparticles means that the nanoparticles can give a visible indication of how much medication gets to tumors and how tumors respond.
"Potentially, these could be formulated for a particular patient," Schlesinger says. "We are learning more and more about tumor biology, and that knowledge could soon allow us to create nanoparticles targeted for specific tumors using the nanobee approach."
More information: Soman NR, Baldwin SL, Hu G, Marsh JN, Lanza GM, Heuser JE, Arbeit JM, Wickline SA, Schlesinger PH. Molecularly targeted nanocarriers deliver the cytolytic peptide melittin specifically to tumor cells in mice, reducing tumor growth. Journal of Clinical Investigation. August 10, 2009 (advance online publication).
Source: Washington University School of Medicine
http://pda.physorg.com/_news169150957.html
January 20, 2011 (FinancialWire) (http://www.financialwire.net/) (Investrend Forums Syndicate) -- BioCurex, Inc. (OTCBB: BOCX) (Approx. Market Cap US$ 12.0 Mil.) is slated to present at the upcoming Financial Services Exchange ("FSX") event, scheduled for January 27-29, 2011, at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta, Georgia. BioCurex is a development stage company that engages in developing, producing, marketing, and licensing cancer diagnostic kits. It develops various product candidates based on RECAF technology. The company offers its RECAF technology in three basic formats, including automated testing in large clinical and hospital laboratories, non-automated or manual testing by clinicians in smaller laboratory settings, and point-of-care and rapid test formats for physicians' offices, urgent care facilities, or the bedside. It also develops RECAF marker, a cancer marker, which is used in blood tests to detect the presence of cancer in humans and animals. The company was formerly known as Whispering Oaks International, Inc., and subsequentlychanged its name to Biocurex, Inc., in October 2009. Biocurex was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Richmond, Canada.
FSX Conferences provide the opportunity for both public and private companies to meet and interact with a nationwide network of broker-dealer principals, investment bankers and other funders, in both formal and informal environments. For broker dealers, FSX events provide the opportunity to meet face to face with the CEO's of 20 or more presenting companies. In addition, events include broker education and FINRA updates, as well as a designated resource room to facilitate the creation of new business and for networking with current customers.
Exchange Links: BioCurex, Inc. (BOCX - OTCBB)
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Resource note: Previous presenting company profiles and additional information about FSX events is available via Investrend Syndications (at http://www.investrend.com/fsx).
Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/press-releases/11/01/c794285/biocurex-to-present-at-fsx-conference#ixzz1Bit7j0W8
No Gold, You are the one demanding a perfect test. I just want a better test than what is on the market currently and one that provides for early detection.....One like Recaf.
Gold, The truth of the matter is that I have used your past thoughts regarding those who were and are suffering from cancer which in my opinion is exponentially worse than your minor issue. I also believe you called the shareholders poor saps. Please do not look for Mercy now that the tables have turned.
Because it is now you that seems not to like the current real life issue regaring pain (mentaly as well as physically)for you and your family, I have been called what you now consider an ass. Now that you are temporarily feeling what cancer patients live on a daily basis, You should have more available reading time. Please go back and read your 6643 posts and maybe you will decide that crafted words may have also been written by a true
" fill in the blank "
I and others have assessed your past indignified posts regarding those who have been presented with cancer issues.
You blasted every diagnostic test available as "interesting science but clinically a waste of time".
For your information, in contrast to your past cancer posts on this and other boards, I have been very reserved and kind with regard to my constraint regarding your current issue.
Cancer patients also attempt to take as little pain medication as they can tolerate. The difficulty is that many of the pain meds have terrible side effects and the costs of each can be staggering.
There is only one easy way out in cancer and that is for a diagnostic test that would catch it early. You however have been beating on that method on this board since day #1. The only other road in cancer treatment is terrible times 100.
I would assume that of the 1,479,350 new cancer cases per year and the 562,340 deaths that occured from these cancer that most of these people were also practical persons. During their stay in the hospital they also had choices to make (lots of them)and they made them too.
Most of the one and a half million did not blindly accept anything either. They would have also had the choice to interview multiple doctors and they made their decisions after analyzing the pros and the cons.
You see Gold, your current issue is not even close to that of cancer. All you had to do was get an operation and feel some pain. Your epoxy injection will support your spine for many years. Next time you go to the hospital and are wheeled past the doors that say chemotherapy and Radiation therapy.....Count your blessings.
So Gold..You did avoid treatment for your injuries as you have preached to all of us concerning cancer...Didn't you? I believe you have discussed the disastrous consequences and errors that can lead to unnecessary proceedures, anxiety and pain....I mean a broken bone or two would be similar to a slow growing cancer right? You would just need to push through the pain thing and the anxiety that tomorrow might be better or maybe worse...
I guess you would be considered as a high risk group after improperly exiting a perfectly good ladder however from your past posts this would have no bearing on the diagnosis.....
Surely after telling persons with cancer not to rely upon MRI's and scans and x-rays and other diagnostic tests...You didn't actually trust those doctors to get your diagnostic procedures correct?? Or did you Gold? Is it different when it is a real life situation where it is you or a loved one involved.
Once removed from the crowd outside the ring and into the spotlight (center ring), the diagnostics and procedures become a little bit more front row don't they...
Tests may be misread by doctors or radiologists or they may be conducted wrong by lab technicians. These errors play a critical role in failure to diagnose. For example, failing to read an X-ray properly can result in the failure to notice a broken bone or a tumor. Even when test results are read properly, the doctor may fail to follow up with proper treatment for the patient which can result in Tests may be misread by doctors or radiologists or they may be conducted wrong by lab technicians. These errors play a critical role in failure to diagnose. For example, failing to read an X-ray properly can result in the failure to notice a broken bone or a tumor. Even when test results are read properly, the doctor may fail to follow up with proper treatment for the patient which can result in disastrous consequences.. Radiology Films/Improper Interpretations
The use of x-ray and other radiology studies is an important part of modern medicine. Physicians specializing in the interpretation of radiology films are called radiologists. Failure to properly interpret and report the findings of radiology studies, such as x-rays, MRI scans, CT scans and ultrasounds can result in serious injury to patients including failures to diagnose cancers, broken bones, and fetal abnormalities. Radiologists and other healthcare provider who fail to properly interpret and report results of radiographic studies, are responsible for injuries that result from these errors.
When it is good to get the Measles Virus...
Link to entire story is below.
Mayo Clinic's Molecular Medicine Program recently launched the first gene therapy clinical trial in which the entire preclinical cycle”concept, discovery of agent, vector manufacture, toxicology and efficacy studies, and new drug applicationrdquo;was conducted on Mayo's campus. The project engineered a measles virus, MV–CEA, which is specific to ovarian cancer, kills multiple cancer cells, and can be monitored with a simple blood test. The clinical trial is the first step in assessing its therapeutic effect for women who have progressive ovarian cancer that has failed to respond to standard treatment. The project is a fine example of a clear translational effort from bedside to bench and back to the bedside.
http://discoverysedge.mayo.edu/measles/
Gold you do remember what you said about Analysts don't you?
Gold stated,"Half, can you NOT read and understand the English language? The above statement was made by a Stock Analyst. Don't you think he understands penny stocks better than you?"
Analyst: Radient's revenues could be 4-5X greater than anticipated
01/05/2011 [ACCESSWIRE]
COMPANY UPDATE ISSUED BY BOGNER BUSINESS ASSOCIATES: RADIENT PHARMACEUTICALS CORP (AMEX:RPC)
RPC ($1.67)—AMEX
6-12 MONTH TARGET: $3.75-$4.00
UPSIDE POTENTIAL: $5.00+
LONG-TERM TARGET: $15.00-$20.00 RATING: SPECULATIVE BUY EPS
2009A $(0.75)
2010E $(1.70)
2011E $ 0.05
2012E $ 0.13
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=54886034&txt2find=analyst
Gold, Please do me a favor and post this with your other aliases.
It has to do with sales of a Universal marker which is not as good as Recaf. Wait until the analysts see Recaf's potential!
Link below
Analyst: Radient's revenues could be 4-5X greater than anticipated
01/05/2011 [ACCESSWIRE]
COMPANY UPDATE ISSUED BY BOGNER BUSINESS ASSOCIATES: RADIENT PHARMACEUTICALS CORP (AMEX:RPC)
RPC ($1.67)—AMEX
6-12 MONTH TARGET: $3.75-$4.00
UPSIDE POTENTIAL: $5.00+
LONG-TERM TARGET: $15.00-$20.00
RATING: SPECULATIVE BUY EPS
2009A $(0.75)
2010E $(1.70)
2011E $ 0.05
2012E $ 0.13
http://www.baystreet.ca/users/newswire/viewarticle.aspx?id=391081
Gold, With all of the false positives you have discussed in the past with x-rays & MRI's etc, Your spine may be just fine. I would play the watchful waiting game that you have discussed in the past for cancer patients. It may never even need any medical attention. Or maybe it will?
See BioCurex at the upcoming OneMedForum SF 2011. Jan 11-13, 2011 at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco OneMedPlace Announces “OneMedForum 2011” Finance Conference for Emerging Healthcare and Life Science Companies
4th annual event to be held January 11-13, 2011, in San Francisco
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- OneMedPlace announced today that its “OneMedForum 2011” business development and finance conference for emerging healthcare and life science companies will be held January 11-13, 2011, in San Francisco at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. The 4th annual OneMedForum event continues to be a vital connecting point for emerging companies, business development executives and investors involved in the healthcare/life sciences sector.
The three-day event will include industry-focused panel sessions, numerous networking opportunities and more than 125 presentations from some of the most promising emerging medical device, biotech and health information companies.
“Our mission is one of discovery. And our goal is to find the most promising and least known investment and partnering opportunities among both public and private companies. We have already enrolled nearly 50 very promising companies and are continuing to tap our investor network to identify additional companies with promise,” said Brett Johnson, CEO of OneMedPlace and founder of the OneMedForum.
The format of OneMedForum combines both strategy and company presentations. Focused panels of leading investors will be followed by 8-10 minute presentations by senior management of companies with the most interesting new technologies in that field. Panelists will include well-known strategic and institutional investors in Urology, Women’s Health, Cardiology, Orthopedics, Diagnostics, Oncology and Neurology. The event will showcase 60 microcap public companies.
Organizers have been working with investment boutiques focused on devices, biotech and information services to find those companies with little or no coverage but with big prospects. “Tight crisp presentations will be webcast by OneMedTV to a growing network of investors and corporate and strategic investors in North America, Europe and Asia,” said Johnson. At its 3rd Annual OneMedForum SF 2010, company webcasts had over 15,000 views from more than 9,000 investors.
“This OneMedForum has evolved into the premier gathering pairing promising young companies with corporate, institutional, venture and private equity investors,” said Casey McGlynn, Co-Chair of the OneMedForum Advisory Committee and Chair of the Life Sciences practice at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosatti. “It has proven to make a difference in the prospects of these firms to connect them with investors and partners,” added McGlynn.
“This event is a particularly effective opportunity to gain exposure to numerous investors because it is concurrent with the other investor events in close proximity. These events truly draw the world leaders in investment from around the globe,” said Christian Haller of MPR Associates, a leading global developer of medical devices and sponsor of the OneMedForum.
Companies confirmed to present as of October 18th include: Aduro Biotech, ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals, AesRx, Ascalon International, BioCurex, Biovista, Cambridge Heart, Cardiogenesis, CardioPolymers, Cardium Therapeutics, Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Cytori Therapeutics, DataPhysics Research, ECI Biotech, EMKinetics, EpiCept, Healthlink Europe, IntelleWave, Interface Biologics, JenaValve Technologies, Macuclear, Minnow Medical, Myeloma Health, NeoChord, NeoVista, Neurotez, New World Laboratories, Novadaq Technologies, Oculus Innovative Sciences, Ophthalmic Imaging Systems, OptiMedica, Ortho Kinematics, Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Ovatech, PearlDiver, PCAsso Diagnostics, Pico-Tesla Magnetic Therapies, Pressure BioSciences, Prochon Biotech, RepRegen, SEA Medical Systems, Soft Tissue Regeneration, Sound Surgical Technologies, Spherix, Telcare, Telik, Velomedix, Vyteris, and ZS Pharma.
Longterm, I agree !!
I just picked up some more shares of BOCX in the last few minutes.
I am looking for good things to happen.
Longterm, I agree !!
I just picked up some more shares today.
Interesting that RPC has bounced back. IMO their test is not as good as Biocurex's Recaf and yet their stock price continues to climb.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/quotes/radient-pharmaceuticals-corporation/rpc/ase
Gold your statement just contradicted your
Gold stated," I just present facts for the benefit of those who do not do their own DD."
And yet in your disclaimer you state,"I only post facts and my opinions."
You stae,"I do not post on IHUB with different aliases."
And yet you post on other boards with different Aliases.
With the half truths above, One has to wonder why you chose to place the following in your disclaimer and also wonder if it is a half truth.
I have never shorted nor intend to have any financial interest in BOCX.
This also brings the following in to question...
I am not connected with anyone who trades, shorts or has financial interests in BOCX.