To make the watchdog group’s safe list, sunscreens must be free of oxybenzone, retinyl palmitate (a type of vitamin A), not have SPF above 50 and protect against UVA and UVB sunrays. Although The American Academy of Dermatology says oxybenzone is safe. “Oxybenzone is one of the few FDA-approved ingredients that provides effective broad spectrum protection from UV radiation, and has been approved for use since 1978,” said Dr. Daniel M. Siegel, president of the academy. The Environmental Working Group and other toxicology experts believe that oxybenzone is linked to hormone disruption and potentially to cell damage that may lead to skin cancer. The Environmental Working Group says 56% of beach and sport sunscreens contain the chemical oxybenzone. The primary function of oxybenzone is to absorb ultraviolet light, but some research shows oxybenzone can be absorbed through the skin. The Environmental Working Group also warns consumers to avoid retinyl palminate. Government-funded studies have found that this particular type of vitamin A may increase risk of skin cancer when used on sun-exposed skin. However, these reports have been in mice and evidence has been inconclusive for humans.

Understanding SPF:
SPF is a measure of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin. Here’s how it works: If it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red, using an SPF 15 sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer — about five hours. Studies show that sunscreen with SPF 15 can block about 93% of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97%. SPF 50 blocks 98%. A product with SPF 100+ blocks about 99.1 percent of the UVB rays. The Environmental Working Group said consumers should not purchase sunscreens with SPF greater than 50. SPF (sun protection factor) works by absorbing, reflecting or scattering the sun’s rays on the skin.

You can go to the site and see if your sunscreen is listed or to find a sunscreen that is safe and will work for you EWG list

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Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer, followed by Melanoma, which is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for young people 15-29 years old. Facts to know about tanning:

• Frequent tanners using new high-pressure sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to the dose they receive from sun exposure. ¹
• Ten minutes in a sunbed matches the cancer-causing effects of 10 minutes in the Mediterranean summer sun. ²
• Indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors. ³
• People who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. ⁴

What can you do to prevent skin cancer:

• Do not burn
• Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths
• Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen
• Examine your skin

2. World Health Organization. Sunbeds. World Health Organization. 2010. Link. Accessed October 25, 2010.
3. Lazovich D, Vogel RI, Berwick M, Weinstock MA, Anderson KE, Warshaw EM. Indoor tanning and risk of melanoma: a case-control study in a highly-exposed population. Cancer Epidem Biomar Prev 2010 June; 19(6):1557-1568.
4. Karagas MR, Stannard VA, Mott LA, Slattery MJ, Spencer SK, and Weinstock MA. Use of tanning devices and risk of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002; 94:224; doi:10.1093/jnci/94.3.224.

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HPV virus

Did you know that virtually all cervical cancers are caused by HPV infections? Types 16 and 18 are responsible for about 70 percent of all cases of cervical cancer (1). HPV also causes anal cancer. 85 percent of all anal cases are caused by HPV-16. Close to half of vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancers are caused by HPV types 16 and 18(2). Its only recently, HPV infections have been found to cause cancer of the oropharynx, which is the middle part of the throat including the soft palate, the base of the tongue, and the tonsils.

In the United States, more than half of the cancers diagnosed in the oropharynx are linked to HPV-16 (3). Oral HPV infection is more common among men than women, explaining why men are more prone than women to develop an HPV related head and neck cancer.

To understand the factors associated with infection, data was collected from 5,579 men and women who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 2009 and 2010. It was found that 7 percent of the U.S. population between ages 14 and 69 had an oral HPV infection, with the infection being three times more common in men than women, 10.1 percent vs. 3.6 percent, respectively.

About 1 percent of the population had an HPV 16 infection, with it being five times more common in men than women, correlating with the higher incidence of HPV-related cancer in men than women. Researchers do not yet know why the infection is more common in men than women. Patients infected with oral HPV type 16 have a 14 times greater risk of developing one of these cancers.

How can people learn more about HPVs and HPV infections?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1–800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636)
1–800–877–8339 (TTY)
English- and Spanish-speaking specialists are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
cdc.gov/hpv

1) Schiffman M, Castle PE, Jeronimo J, Rodriguez AC, Wacholder S. Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer. Lancet 2007; 370(9590):890–907.
2) Watson M, Saraiya M, Ahmed F, et al. Using population-based cancer registry data to assess the burden of human papillomavirus-associated cancers in the United States: overview of methods. Cancer 2008; 113(10 Suppl):2841–2854.
3) Jayaprakash V, Reid M, Hatton E, et al. Human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 in epithelial dysplasia of oral cavity and oropharynx: a meta-analysis, 1985–2010. Oral Oncology 2011; 47(11):1048–1054.

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Over the past decade, an increasing number of young, non-smokers have developed mouth and throat cancer. Recent research could explain the increase of oral cancer incidence in young adults, a group traditionally at low risk. This phenomenon has been at least partly attributed to the rise of the human-papillomavirus (HPV), a cancer-causing virus that can be transmitted through oral sex. Though oral cancers associated with the papilloma virus are still relatively rare, they typically are found near the base of the tonsils and the back of the tongue, areas that are often difficult to see during visual screenings until the cancer is in a late stage. An early indication of oral and throat cancer is one or more changes in the way the soft tissues of your mouth usually look or feel.

Signs and symptoms may include:
A sore in your mouth that doesn’t heal or increases in size
Persistent pain in your mouth
Lumps or white, red or dark patches inside your mouth
Thickening of your cheek
Difficulty chewing or swallowing or moving your tongue
Difficulty moving your jaw, or swelling or pain in your jaw
Soreness in your throat or feeling that something is caught in your throat
Pain around your teeth, or loosening of your teeth
Numbness of your tongue or elsewhere in your mouth
Changes in your voice
A lump in your neck
Bad breath
Most oral cancers arise on the lips, tongue or on the floor of the mouth. They also may occur inside your cheeks, on your gums or on the roof of your mouth.

Peter Tork formally of the monkeys talks about his battle with cancer and promotes OHANCAW® 2012.

Read the Good Morning America piece on the HPV oral cancer link

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What they found in these studies is that 45% of colorectal cancer cases could be prevented if people consumed more fiber-rich plant foods, consumed less meat and alcohol, became more physically active, and maintained a healthy weight. That would prevent more than 64,000 cases in the United States every year.

The World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research recommend that the consumption of red meat be limited to 500 g/week, which is roughly the equivalent of 5 or 6 medium portions of beef, lamb, or pork. They also recommend that processed meat be avoided.

According to their data, if 3.5 ounces of red meat are consumed every day (24.5 ounces per week), the risk for colorectal cancer will be 17% higher than if no red meat is consumed. If the amount of red meat consumed is doubled (7.0 ounces every day; 49 ounces per week), the risk is 34% higher. However, the evidence found that there was very little increase in risk for individuals who ate less than 18 ounces of red meat per week.

The cancer risk associated with processed meat, which includes ham, bacon, pastrami, hot dogs, and sausages, was much higher. Consuming 3.5 ounces every day (24.5 ounces per week) was associated with a risk that is 36% higher than the risk of consuming no processed meat. As with red meat, the higher the rate of consumption, the higher the risk for colorectal cancer.

You can download the full report here: REPORT

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A new American College of Physicians (ACP) guidance statement recommends individualized assessment of risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) in all adults and that encourages adults to get screened for starting at the age of 50. The new recommendations and an accompanying patient summary appear in the March 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. You can download them HERE

Specific ACP recommendations include the following:

Clinicians should perform individualized CRC risk evaluation in all adults. Risk factors for CRC incidence and mortality include older age; black race; personal history of polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, or CRC; and family history of CRC.
Clinicians should screen for CRC in adults at average risk beginning at 50 years of age, and in adults at high risk beginning at 40 years of age or at 10 years younger than the age at which the youngest affected relative was diagnosed with CRC. In these populations, the potential benefits of reduced mortality from earlier detection of CRC outweigh the potential harms of screening.
Patients at average risk may undergo CRC screening with a stool-based test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or optical colonoscopy. Patients at high risk should undergo screening with optical colonoscopy. The benefits, harms, and availability of the specific screening test, as well as patient preferences, should affect choice of screening test. For adults older than 50 years who are at average risk, the recommended screening interval is 10 years for colonoscopy; 5 years for flexible sigmoidoscopy, virtual colonoscopy, and double contrast barium enema; and annually for fecal occult blood test.
Clinicians should stop CRC screening in adults older than 75 years or who have a life expectancy of less than 10 years because the potential harms of screening outweigh the potential benefits. Risks of colonoscopy include bleeding, intestinal perforation, and adverse reactions related to preparation for the procedure.

The bottom line is get screened especially if you have a family history.

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Dr. Timothy Chen

We would like to welcome Dr. Chen to The Farber Center family. Dr. Timothy H. Chen, MD, is a board-certified Radiation Oncologist. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Taipei Medical College’s School of Medical Technology in Taiwan, Dr. Chen went on to complete his medical degree and then completed his residency at SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse. Dr. Chen served as Chief Resident of the Department of Radiation Oncology at The New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center.

Dr. Chen holds special interest in the treatment of gynecologic malignancy, lung cancer, central nervous system malignancy, prostate implant, stereotactic radiosurgery, and brachytherapy (seed implantation). His passion for the field of medicine is further evidenced by his appointments as assistant professor at the SUNY Health Science Center at Stony Brook and instructor in Human Anatomy, Pathology at New York Methodist Hospital’s School of Radiation Therapy Technology.

In addition, Dr. Chen is an active member of various professional associations including: the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, American College of Radiation Oncology, American Medical Association, and American Cancer Society. Dr. Chen is also president at the American Cancer Society Asian Initiative. Dr. Chen is fluent in Mandarin and Taiwanese. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife Laura, and two kids Krista age 13 and Joshua age 9.

We have also featured Dr. Chen in our new monthly newsletter click here: FARBER NEWSLETTER

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Lynch Syndrome International

Lynch syndrome has no gender, ethnic or cultural preference. It targets families, predisposing them to cancer at a younger than average age. Children of a Lynch syndrome parent possess a 50% risk of acquiring a mutation. During their lifetimes, those diagnosed face up to an 80% risk of contracting colon cancer and, women have up to a 60% risk of contracting endometrial cancers. An increased risk exists of contracting a myriad of other cancers. Lynch syndrome cancers are extremely aggressive and don’t have the extended “dwell time” (time tumors live and exist in the body until becoming cancerous) as other cancers, thus the reason it is very important to obtain regular surveillance testing.

LYNCH CANCERS LIFETIME RISKS
Colon Cancer – Up to 80% General Population 2%
Endometrial Cancer – Up to 60% General Population 1%
Stomach – Up to 13% General Population – 1%
Ovarian – Up to 12% General Population 1%

The only known method of accurately diagnosing Lynch syndrome is through genetic testing. If the family medical history indicates three family members, two of which are directly related to a third, and who each sustained Lynch cancers (Colorectal Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Gastric Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Hepatobiliary Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Ureter Cancer, Renal Pelvic Cancer, Skin Cancer (Muir Torre) and Brain Cancer. genetic testing should be discussed with one’s physician.

Once Lynch syndrome has been diagnosed, a highly targeted screening and medical management program is essential and may be lifesaving. During routine surveillance screening, tumors may be discovered and are more easily removed or treated before becoming life threatening. To learn more about Lynch Syndrome go here: Lynch Syndrome International

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Have you ever wondered if there was an easier way to raise money for a friend or loved one in need. As we all know even those who have medical insurance, the out-of-pocket expenses can be daunting. Unfortunately, most sites are set up to help you raise monies for existing non-profit organizations, but I did find a great site called Give Forward. The site started in 2008 and has helped to raise over $5million for out-of-pocket medical expenses. They have over 10,000 users and completed over 5,000 fundraisers.

GiveForward provides personalized fundraising webpages to users, the majority of whom are looking for help for themselves or someone close to them for expenses like co-pays, travel to treatment and making ends meet in the face of a devastating illness. GiveForward funds its service by deducting a 7% fee from donations, which covers credit-card processing fees and the company’s own expenses.

Take a look, its easy to set up:GiveForward

A few of their current fundraisers

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The Farber Center for Radiation Oncology Receives 2011 Best of Manhattan Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

NEW YORK, NY, December 10, 2010 — The Farber Center for Radiation Oncology has been selected for the 2011 Best of Manhattan Award in the Medical Centers category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2011 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@uscaaward.com
URL: http://www.uscaaward.com

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