No one used to talk about cancer. It was the C-word, and social restrictions limited discussions to doctors and patients, and patients only with their closest family members. But—and fortunately—times have changed, and now with the world online, news and conversations about cancer are everywhere. The problem today is information overload, and Ciao, Cancer! is going to start filtering it for you, pulling out the gems in a weekly post called, “The Cancer Beat”. continue reading…

A couple of weeks ago, just before heading out to the Cape, I posted a video of some of the top names in the music industry performing the song “Just Stand Up!” at the 2008 “Stand Up to Cancer” telethon. It’s a bit cheesy, admittedly, like “Do they know it’s Christmas?”, the flagship song of 1984’s BandAid initiative—but both of them brought tears to my eyes. With the 2010 Stand Up to Cancer telethon right around the corner—Friday, September 10, from 8pm to 9pm EDT—I’m getting prepared, with my fuzzy blanket, a big, poofy pillow, and two boxes of tissues. And not only because some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry will be there, but also because Stand Up to Cancer has actually done some amazing stuff with the $100 million they raised in 2008, I’ll have my checkbook next to me as well. continue reading…

Last week I learned from my cardiologist that there are two ways elevated cholesterol levels can kill me. The first is by increasing the likelihood of a heart attack. The second is at the hands of my doctor, should I continue to refuse to follow his advice. In his two-year battle to put me on a statin drug, the heart attack argument never worked, but his demonstrated aggravation in our Wednesday morning appointment went the distance toward securing his victory. As I walked to the pharmacy to drop off my prescription, I asked myself why this doctor is so doggedly committed to ensuring my good health—especially given my resistance to following his advice—and pondered over whether we as patients can actually affect the quality of care we receive. After cogitating on this over the weekend, I came to a conclusion—an emphatic yes—and identified things we can do to ensure first-class treatment. continue reading…

I spent last week on the Cape with some great friends from Italy, their three sons, and Netsai, whom some of you know about from earlier posts one and two on dating post-cancer. While the kids—aged 3, 5, and 7—drove me crazy on more than one occasion, I did think about how much I’d like to have children of my own. The question for me, after more than a year-and-a-half of chemo, is whether it’s even possible. continue reading…

I’ve got to hand it to the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s “Stand Up 2 Cancer” initiative. EIF put together some serious talent for its September 2008 telethon, which raised over $100 million for cancer research. The initiative’s flag song, “Just Stand Up!”, is performed here by Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Carrie Underwood, Leona Lewis, Miley Cyrus, Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield, Rihanna, and Ciara (all of whom I dated until recently).

I had just finished my first cup of joe yesterday—a morning ritual of great importance to me—when I stumbled upon a Reuters story that said there was no link between coffee consumption in men and prostate cancer. Coffee, in this case, was vindicated, but I wasn’t aware that it had been a suspect, at least not for several years. A number of recent studies have shown that coffee—and most likely caffeine—has a protective effect against certain types of cancer; others show no association between coffee and a broad range of cancers. Since I consume so much of the stuff, I thought I’d best do a little digging, and I must say that I was pretty surprised by what I learned. continue reading…

A 24-minute TED video featuring William Li, director of the Angiogenesis Foundation, on how nutrition can fight cancer.

TED (Technology Entertainment and Design) is a global set of conferences curated by the American private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate “ideas worth spreading”.

If you saw yesterday’s post, “Discovery“, you may recall that I was a bit of a science geek as a teenager. One requirement for this distinction, next to bringing a brick-sized scientific calculator to math class, was to love all things Star Trek–the television series, films, and my die-cast model of the U.S.S. Enterprise. In late November 1986, two-and-a-half months after my brain surgery, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was released. It had a scene I’ll never forget. Captain Kirk and his crew have traveled back in time to 1986 to stop a massive environmental crisis from occurring. Chekov, unconscious from a head injury, is lying on a table in an operating room and being prepped for surgery. Kirk and his wry chief medical officer, Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, manage to locate Chekov, and when Bones sees what the doctors are about to do, screams “My God, man, drilling holes in his head is not the answer!”. Having gone through it myself, I couldn’t agree more, but a new approach to attacking brain cancer might—at some point in the future—make surgery obsolete.

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In a piece that appeared on Ciao, Cancer! last week, “How to beat cancer: prevention and early detection”, I promised to share how I found out I had a tumor. I have a school teacher to thank, a woman whom I’ve never met. She saved my live—by nearly killing me. continue reading…

Premiering on SHOWTIME Monday, August 16th at 10:30pm ET/PT is “The Big C”, a series about a woman whose world is turned upside down after receiving a terminal brain cancer diagnosis. The role of Cathy Jamison, “a reserved, stifled Minneapolis schoolteacher”, is played by none other than Laura Linney, a formidable actress with extensive stage, television, and film credits. She’s supported in the series by Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, who received an Academy Award nomination for best actress for her role in Precious, and Oliver Platt, known for his roles in The Three Musketeers, A Time To Kill, and the television series, Huff. I believe The Big C is the first U.S. television show whose storyline is premised on the lead actor having a cancer diagnosis. [Click on continue reading to see a trailer of the show, interviews with Laura Linney, Gabby Sidibe, and Oliver Platt, and a scene featuring Gabby Sidibe as Cathy's student, Andrea]
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