March 8, 2002

In This Issue: 
COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, Tomatoes and Prostates, Air Pollution and Lungs, Chemicals and Cancers, Saliva for Breast Test, National Cancer Act 

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THE LATEST NEWS 
Air Pollution - Cancer Risk Documented

Eat Tomatoes to Foil Prostate Cancer -Study

Labor Unions Ask For Cut In Cancer-Causing Chemical Exposure

Saliva Test to Detect Breast Cancer Under Study

cancerpage updates the news throughout the day, Monday through Friday, 
and adds late-breaking stories on holidays and weekends. 


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MARCH IS COLORECTAL CANCER MONTH: IT'S 90% PREVENTABLE
Experts agree: we can protect ourselves against colorectal cancer and reduce the number of people who die each year from the disease. Colorectal cancer - cancer of the colon or rectum - is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. If detected early, colon and rectal cancers are highly treatable. Advocates believe we can reduce the number of people dying by increasing the number of people screened; approximately 90 percent of colorectal cancers and deaths are thought to be preventable. Without early detection, there could be 56,600 people dying of the 148,300 new colorectal cancers diagnosed this year. The disease surpasses both breast and prostate cancer in mortality, second only to lung cancer in numbers of cancer deaths. Because there are often no symptoms, it is important to be routinely screened. For more information about screening tests and how to organize your own Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in your community, see 
http://www.preventcancer.org/colorectal/aboutcolo.cfm


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LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY APPLAUDS GLEEVEC
The New England Journal of Medicine reports that the drug Gleevec continues to show success in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and is becoming a common treatment for patients with the disease. According to one study of 545 CML patients, 95 percent are still alive. Approximately 4,700 cases of CML were diagnosed in 2001, with most cases occurring in adults. An estimated 2,300 people died of the disease last year. The overall five-year survival rate is currently 32 percent, but that could improve if Gleevec continues to show success with more patients and over time.
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_news_detail?item_id=61827


To read the news story on cancerpage.com, go to "High Response Rates Seen In CML Patients "
http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=4014


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NEW NATIONAL CANCER ACT PROPOSED
Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) has proposed the National Cancer Act of 2002 that would affect and finance key parts of the cancer health-care system, including training of nurses, developing guidelines for treatments, increasing services for survivors, and delivering end-of-life care for patients. Most advocacy groups support the legislation and you may want to learn more about it so you can let your voice be heard. To see the full bill and follow its status through Congress, go to
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c107:26:./temp/~c10724wYj9.