Cancer in the News: October 12, 2011

Posted by su2c on October 12, 2011 9:05 AM

The Cost of Cancer
Continuing advances in cancer treatment are a double-edged sword for many cancer patients. New drugs, surgical techniques and other innovations help them battle their disease, but better health and longer lives may come at a hefty cost, even for people with health insurance. Recent research spells out what patients are facing. A study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimated that between 2001 and 2008, 13.4 percent of adults younger than 65 who had cancer spent more than 20 percent of their income on health care, including premiums. That compared with 9.7 percent of people with other chronic conditions and just 4.4 percent of those with no chronic conditions. Researchers from the Duke University Medical Center and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute examined the cancer spending of 216 patients, most with breast cancer, and found their out-of-pocket costs averaged $712 a month. The biggest chunk of that outlay, apart from insurance premiums, went to prescription drugs, at $174. Long term, cancer treatment costs can also have a devastating effect on people's financial stability. A study by researchers at Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that in western Washington State, 0.5 percent of cancer patients declared bankruptcy in the first year after their diagnosis. Five years following diagnosis, the percentage was 1.9. By comparison, just 0.28 percent of the general population in that region declared bankruptcy over a 10-year period.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/cancer-treatment-costs-can-be-prohibitive-even-with-insurance/2011/10/06/gIQA8iBfaL_story.html

The New Front in Breast Cancer: After Treatment Ends
The mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone treatments are behind them. Now, the growing ranks of breast cancer survivors face long-term issues that are often overlooked. Despite all the pink ribbons and billions spent on breast-cancer research, there is surprisingly little data on issues that linger or emerge for the 10, 15 or more years after treatment ends. Although the odds of relapse fall with time, they never completely disappear. Some patients who had treatments years ago are encountering delayed side effects such as heart problems, nerve damage, osteoporosis and secondary cancers. Survivors say some of the toughest issues are social and emotional, according to a survey of 1,043 breast-cancer patients released Tuesday by the nonprofit Cancer Support Community with funding from Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Nearly 90% of respondents said they had at least one physical, psychological or social problem that was moderate to severe. Mentioned most frequently were fatigue, sexual dysfunction and sleep issues. What's more, 24% of those surveyed (almost all women, with an average age of 55 and averaging 5.6 years since diagnosis) reported being depressed--about twice the national rate. The survey also highlighted the need to give survivors better guidance for the years ahead. Only 10% of respondents had received a "survivorship care plan" summarizing what past tests and treatments they had, what side effects to expect, what lifestyle changes to make and where to obtain follow-up care--even though 96% said they wanted one. "Patients feel like they are walking out of active treatment and walking off a cliff," says Kim Thiboldeaux, president and CEO of the Cancer Support Community. "They're wondering, 'Am I coming back to you or to my primary-care doctor? When is my next mammogram? What kind of chemo did I have? How often do I need to get blood work?' " Having all that written down and portable can help manage some of the concerns that people have, she says.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203499704576622873279960148.html

California Takes a Stand: Minors No Longer Able to Use Tanning Beds
Minors in California will no longer be able to use tanning beds after Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Sunday backed by healthcare groups warning of skin-cancer risks. The current law allows minors who are at least 14 years old to use an ultraviolet tanning device if they have written permission from their parents. But Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) said his bill was needed to protect those under 18 from the risk of adverse health effects, including skin cancer, that are possible from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays. "If everyone knew the true dangers of tanning beds, they'd be shocked," Lieu said. "Skin cancer is a rising epidemic and the leading cause of cancer death for women between 25 and 29." SB 746, will take effect Jan. 1, 2012.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2011/10/tanning-beds-minors-bill-signed.html

Osteoporosis Drug may Benefit Breast Cancer Patients
Breast cancer patients who take drugs called aromatase inhibitors can experience a decline in bone density. However, a new study shows that adding an osteoporosis drug to their medication regimen prevents the bone loss. mAromatase inhibitors halt estrogen production in postmenopausal women, which is good for stopping the growth of cancer cells. But the loss of estrogen harms bone health and these patients are at higher risk for bone loss and fractures. In the new study, from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, women taking aromatase inhibitors were either prescribed the osteoporosis drug zoledronic acid (also known as Zometa) concurrently with cancer therapy or only after bone loss or a fracture occurred. The study, published online Monday in the journal Cancer, found that the women who toke zoledronic acid concurrently had significant increases in bone density. But those who took the medication only after a bone problem arose had steady declines in bone mass. Although giving zoledronic acid simultaneously with aromatase inhibitors builds bone health and is the "preferred treatment," according to the authors, even the women who received it later benefited from the osteoporosis medication and were able to reverse their bone loss.

In addition to being approved for osteoporosis, zoledronic acid is approved to treat the bone complications of cancer as well.
http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-breast-cancer-bone-20111010,0,4150700.story

 

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