'Off switch' for pain discovered: Activating the adenosine A3 receptor subtype is key to powerful pain relief -- ScienceDaily
In research published in the medical journal Brain, Saint Louis University researcher Daniela Salvemini, Ph.D. and colleagues within SLU, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other academic institutions have discovered a way to block a pain pathway in animal models of chronic neuropathic pain including pain caused by chemotherapeutic agents and bone cancer pain suggesting a promising new approach to pain relief.The scientific efforts led by Salvemini, who is professor of pharmacological and physiological sciences at SLU, demonstrated that turning on a receptor in the brain and spinal cord counteracts chronic nerve p...
Source: Psychology of Pain - November 27, 2014 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Source Type: blogs
A Teenage Boy and His Parents Walk Into a Sperm Bank
As published on The Huffington PostI have become desensitized to the annual ritual where my dad hands me an envelope he's received in the mail addressed to me and that has no return address. After 14 years, we are both nearly positive of the envelope's origin. I open one side and remove the bill just enough to see Fairfax Cryobank across the top, and then hand it back to him. "I think this is for you."My mom and I visited Fairfax Cryobank for the first time on September 25, 2000. The doctor explained my risk of sterility and the sperm banking process, and then asked my mom for written permission for me to use pornography. ...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - August 11, 2014 Category: Cancer Tags: bodily function family Source Type: blogs
Rare Cancer are Subsets of Common Cancers
In June, 2014, my book, entitled Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs: Keys to Understanding and Treating the Common Diseases was published by Elsevier. The book builds the argument that our best chance of curing the common diseases will come from studying and curing the rare diseases. One of the key ideas developed in the book is that each common diseases is actually an aggregate of cellular processes that are present, individually, in rare diseases. In the case of the common cancers, we can find specific rare diseases that are subsets of the common diseases. Here is an excerpt from Chapter 8: 8.3.3 Inherited syndromes that...
Source: Specified Life - July 9, 2014 Category: Pathologists Tags: cancer syndromes carcinogenesis common cancers common disease familial cancer syndromes genetic disease orphan disease orphan drugs rare cancers rare disease Source Type: blogs
Recovering from my superman complex
As published on reimagineYou have a tumor,” my mother told me. I was 16 years old. I didn’t cry that day, but I did force tears the day after. I was alone in a small basement room, yet the sobbing humiliated me. I vowed to never cry again. I decided I would become superhuman.I received treatment at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, for Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. I would often compare myself to other patients on the pediatric floor. Besides our identical hairless appearance and disease, we had nothing in common. Some of them would call the poison “cheemy...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - July 7, 2014 Category: Cancer Tags: life lessons Source Type: blogs
A prayer by a physician
When I first met Ralph, he was 82-years-old. He suffered from shortness of breath which started when his wife of 56 years was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. Upon further investigation, I diagnosed him with a weak heart and a very tight aortic valve which required immediate surgery. Ralph made it; his wife died. Today, twelve years later, he brings me treasures from his metal detecting hobby on the beaches of Santa Monica. In that interim, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma with a nasty relapse and was treated twice, now in full remission. He has a full set of hair, and by the way, he remarri...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - June 21, 2014 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Afshine Ash Emrani, MD Tags: Physician Primary care Source Type: blogs
I Hope My Friends Forgive Me: What It’s Like to Fundraise
"I'm determined to get $50,000." (my email to JD, June 12, 3:55 p.m.)"What are you at now? $50k seems VERY improbable by Saturday. Believe me I'm rooting for it, but seems like a long shot." (JD email to me, June 12, 3:58 p.m.)"We are at $41,000." (my email to JD, June 12, 4:01 p.m.)"We are up to $43,600. We are going to get $50k. I am going to tell LLS that I promise to pay the remainder if we don't get there at the Grand Finale Gala. No f.ing way am I going to get that close and not close it out." (my email to JD, June 13, 10:12 p.m.)This is the story of how my fundraising team raised $50,000 including $8,000 in less tha...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - June 18, 2014 Category: Cancer Tags: fear and rage man of the year Source Type: blogs
After Cancer, Giving Back
As published on The Huffington PostResting anxiously on a retractable bed and about to begin the chemotherapy drug Cytoxan, I sent my mom for a chocolate iced glazed Krispy Kreme donut from the hospital cafeteria. During treatment there were just three times each day when I could eat: immediately upon waking, and before and after the infusion.Mom returned with an original glazed. I yelled at her: "The chocolate would drown the nickel taste of the infusion, but I don't want this!" "I'm sorry. That is all they had," she said with her usual patience. Two hours later with the infusion complete, I asked for small cereal boxes f...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - June 4, 2014 Category: Cancer Tags: family man of the year Source Type: blogs
BREAKING NEWS: I Wrote a Second Book. Pre-Publication Copies Available Now.
The secret is out: I wrote a second book titled Secrets of the Cancer-Slaying Super Man, an illustrated book for young readers and teens, or adults who want a quick read, about my cancer experiences. You can get a special pre-publication autographed copy at a discount price of $15. In support of my Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) “Man of the Year” campaign, my publisher, Woodley Books, and I are also donating twenty percent of all income from the sale of the book throughout my campaign, to LLS. Buy a special autographed not-even-released-yet book between now and June 14 for 20% off. We donate $3 to charity. Email...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - April 23, 2014 Category: Cancer Tags: man of the year writing/speaking Source Type: blogs
2-Can Device from Flow-FX for Biologics Delivery During Fracture Repair Procedures
Flow-FX, a new company based outside of Chicago, is set to release a new device for delivering biologics to fractured or diseased bone tissue. The 2-CAN is a multichanneled cannula for over the guide-wire delivery of orthobiologics. Here’s more about the device, according to the still stealthy company:
The patent pending 2-CAN enables over the guide-wire bone void filler delivery in situations where an implant may not be indicated or a Flow-FX implant is unavailable.
“The very near future will require the precision delivery of biologics to injured or pathologic bone. Osteoporosis, osteomyelitis, non-unions, segme...
Source: Medgadget - March 6, 2014 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Editors Tags: Orthopedic Surgery Source Type: blogs
Novel Genetic Mutations Discovered in Two Benign Bone Tumors
All readers of this blog should now be familiar with how genomic analysis of malignant tumors can provide information about their prognosis and the best treatment choices. For the most part and with exceptions like the Philadelphia chromosome, genomic testing hasn't provided much help in tumor diagnosis up to now. A recent article on the web discussed how two genetic errors have been linked to chondroblastoma and giant cell tumor of bone (see: Novel Mutations Define Two Types of Bone Tumor: Two Related Genes Underlie the Development of Two Rare Bone Tumors in Nearly 100 Per Cent of Patients). Below is an excerpt ...
Source: Lab Soft News - November 4, 2013 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Medical Research Surgical Pathology Source Type: blogs
Ewing Sarcoma and a Purpose Driven Life: Part II
This is the final installment of a three-part short story which spans my 11th and 12th anniversaries of surviving bone cancer. You can read the first two parts here (in order):
The Journey of Ewing Sarcoma
Ewing Sarcoma and a Purpose Driven Life: Part I
Ewing would need an assistant to help him fulfill his purpose. He considered contacting local high schools for cheap labor, but who was he kidding—nobody was as brilliant or fun as Pong. Some of their oxy and sewage-charged evenings were epic. If he returned his brain to that precise chemical imbalance then maybe he would remember the forest trails that led back to Pon...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - September 15, 2013 Category: Cancer Tags: life lessons cancer-free anniversary imaginative animals Source Type: blogs
Ewing Sarcoma and a Purpose Driven Life: Part I
This is the second of three installments of this short story which spans my 11th and 12th anniversaries of surviving bone cancer. You can read the first part, which I wrote last year, here: The Journey of Ewing Sarcoma
Ewing Sarcoma hopped much of the day and slept all night. He paid no attention to the date, time, angle of the sun, or anything else that keeps creatures grounded in reality. He ate when he felt hungry and found shelter when his bum got cold. He lived a clean life, breathing fresh, forest air and consuming only organic plant products. And he said the Shema for Ben, his creator, every night.
Wow, had time p...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - September 14, 2013 Category: Cancer Tags: cancer-free anniversary imaginative animals Source Type: blogs
Ewing Sarcoma and a Purpose Driven Life: Part II
This is the final installment of a three-part short story which spans my 11th and 12th anniversaries of surviving bone cancer. You can read the first two parts here (in order):
The Journey of Ewing Sarcoma
Ewing Sarcoma and a Purpose Driven Life: Part I
Ewing would need an assistant to help him fulfill his purpose. He considered contacting local high schools for cheap labor, but who was he kidding—nobody was as brilliant or fun as Pong. Some of their oxy and sewage-charged evenings were epic. If he returned his brain to that precise chemical imbalance then maybe he would remember the forest trails that led back to Pon...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - September 14, 2013 Category: Cancer Tags: life lessons cancer-free anniversary imaginative animals Source Type: blogs
6 More Ways to Manage Clinical Depression
In a prior blog post, I listed seven ways to manage severe, clinical depression when you can’t get out of bed.
The suggestions are different than the popular tips most depression experts give for boosting your mood, which are usually written for those with mild or moderate depression — or the really lucky people who just want to feel better.
I thought it would be helpful to expand my list and give you six more ways to manage severe depression.
1. Remember your heroes.
When making it to the breakfast table is a humble feat, it helps to remember I’m in good company with depressives past and present: Abraham Linc...
Source: World of Psychology - September 14, 2013 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Therese J. Borchard Tags: Brain and Behavior Depression Disorders General Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Abraham Lincoln Art Buchwald Black Dog Breakfast Table British Prime Minster Brooke Shields Death Thoughts Good Company Kay Redfield Jamison Source Type: blogs
Ewing Sarcoma and a Purpose Driven Life: Part I
This is the second of three installments of this short story which spans my 11th and 12th anniversaries of surviving bone cancer. You can read the first part, which I wrote last year, here: The Journey of Ewing Sarcoma
Ewing Sarcoma hopped much of the day and slept all night. He paid no attention to the date, time, angle of the sun, or anything else that keeps creatures grounded in reality. He ate when he felt hungry and found shelter when his bum got cold. He lived a clean life, breathing fresh, forest air and consuming only organic plant products. And he said the Shema for Ben, his creator, every night.
Wow, had time p...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - September 13, 2013 Category: Cancer Tags: cancer-free anniversary imaginative animals Source Type: blogs
