The SOS Porch Light: January 2008

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the January 2008 edition of the SOS Porch Light newsletter!

DID YOU KNOW:
The name 'January,' is derived from the ancient Roman name 'Janus' who presided over the gate to the new year. He was revered as the 'God of Gateways', 'of Doorways' and 'of the Journey', later known as 'St. Januarius.' Janus protected the 'Gate of Heaven', known as the 'Lord of Beginnings', is associated with the 'Goddess Juno-Janus', and often symbolized by an image of a face that looks forwards and backwards at the same time.

This symbolism can easily be associated with the month known as for many the start of a new year bodes opportunity, casting out the old and in with the new. It is the time when many reflect on events of the previous year and often resolve to redress or improve some aspect of daily life or personal philosophy. - Source:http://www.google.com/

We hope that your new year is off to a good start with many wonderful moments and opportunities in the coming months. May 2008 be good to one and all!

BIG HUG - Josie

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SPECIAL REQUEST:

Presently, we are having difficulty gaining entrance into the church for scheduled meetings and need a volunteer, preferably someone who lives in New Territory, to offer their assistance. If you can help facilitate the process for key access prior to the meetings, please contact Rosemary Herron as soon as possible, at greatwhiteheron@alltel.net .

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MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION:

This month's contribution comes from Marsha Yeager.

Bad Cancer Tests Drawing Scrutiny
By ANNA WILDE MATHEWS
Wall Street Journal
January 4, 2008; Page B1

Thousands of breast-cancer patients may be getting the wrong treatment because of errors in two laboratory tests widely used to determine which drugs are prescribed. The tests are used to help determine whether women with invasive breast cancer will receive drugs such as Genentech Inc.'s Herceptin, GlaxoSmithKline PLC's Tykerb and a number of antihormone medications, including the generic tamoxifen and newer treatments such as AstraZeneca PLC's Arimidex and Faslodex.

The pharmaceuticals industry is trying to develop more medicines tailored to the individual characteristics of patients and their diseases. Herceptin, which went on the market in 1998, has been hailed as a breakthrough because it is designed for a certain subset of breast-cancer patients rather than everyone who has the disease. But recent studies that turned up problems in testing point to a potential snag for such drugs: They depend on accurate lab results.

"We all make the assumption that every test is done well. It turns out it's not a correct assumption," says Lee Newcomer, a cancer doctor who is senior vice president at insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc. Several major private insurers, including UnitedHealth, Aetna Inc. and WellPoint Inc., say they will generally pay for second-opinion breast- cancer tests. However, Dr. Newcomer says that even though UnitedHealth covers a second test, few doctors order them.

In 2007, around 178,000 patients were expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. The tests relating to Herceptin and the antihomone drugs are less straightforward than many traditional lab procedures. They require pathologists to make judgment calls after looking at tissue through a microscope, rather than giving simple yes-or-no answers as in a pregnancy test.

One test examines whether a patient's tumor cells have too much of a protein called Her-2. If they do, Herceptin can help by targeting and destroying those cells. The other test checks for the presence of cell proteins that serve as receptors for the hormones estrogen or progesterone. These hormones can help tumors grow, so if the test is positive, doctors often prescribe drugs such as tamoxifen to suppress or block the hormones.

Karen Ivester, a manager at a construction firm in Boca Raton, Fla., was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, when a marble-sized tumor was removed from her right breast. Ms. Ivester, 50 years old, says the local lab found her negative on both tests, meaning she wasn't given Herceptin or hormone therapy. She weathered chemotherapy and radiation. Last year, after Ms. Ivester had a shooting pain in her ribs during a golf match, doctors found her cancer had returned in the bones of her spine. The new tumor tested positive on the hormone test. More surprisingly, so did her 2002 tumor, which was retested.

Her current doctor, Chuck Vogel, says early use of tamoxifen might have headed off or delayed the cancer's return. "I was absolutely, absolutely furious to know it was wrong, it could have been wrong," Ms. Ivester says. "I lost my first line of defense, and who knows what difference it would have made."

In a study published in 2006 on Her-2 tests -- led by researchers at Genentech -- a large laboratory that is experienced in the procedures reviewed tests performed by local labs around the country. It found that 14% to 16% of those judged positive for Her-2 were actually negative. Of those judged negative, 18% to 23% were in fact positive.

After signs of problems with hormone testing at a lab in Newfoundland, tissue from 763 patients with negative results was retested at a different lab in 2005 and 2006. The new tests concluded that 317 of those were actually positive. Officials at the provincial Eastern Regional Health Authority in Newfoundland, which oversees the lab that had inaccurate tests, said they can't comment on potential causes for the problems because of an ongoing government inquiry and a class- action suit by patients. But they said the authority did pursue the issue.

In another analysis of labs in multiple countries, published online last August in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, 70% of 105 patients scored as negative on the estrogen test were relabeled as positive when the tissue was retested by an experienced lab. The analysis found that positive results were almost always correct.

"If we tried to market pregnancy tests with this rate of inaccuracy, they would be taken off the market," says Allen Gown, chief pathologist of PhenoPath Laboratories, a Seattle lab. "It means there are a lot of women being treated inappropriately." When PhenoPath checked its performance on both breast-cancer tests using different methods, its results were consistent at least 95% of the time, he said. In the U.S., such concerns could add momentum to efforts by Congress and consumer groups to push for increased oversight over the lab- testing business, which is booming because of factors such as the rise in genetic testing and the aging of the Baby Boom generation.

In 2007, overall lab revenues grew 6.5% to around $51.7 billion, according to Washington G-2 Reports, a unit of the Bureau of National Affairs Inc. "We're going to be looking at a future where diagnostic medicine will be the norm," says Pamela Klein, a vice president at Genentech. She says lab-testing consistency "can still be improved."

While every prescription drug must receive Food and Drug Administration approval, labs have considerable freedom to develop and perform their own tests. The FDA does approve certain testing kits, but labs can tweak the procedures without being required to get a regulatory sign-off on each home-grown method. Lab-industry officials say this flexibility allows them to quickly translate emerging science into help for patients. They also say labs, which must be inspected every two years by outside examiners, receive strong oversight.

"The process and the authority is there and it does work," says Alan Mertz, president of the American Clinical Laboratory Association, a trade group. "Our system across the industry is a good one, and getting better," said Mara Aspinall, president of the genetics unit at Genzyme Corp., adding she is "very confident" of her own labs' tests.

However, Rolf Ehrnstrom, corporate vice president of research and development at Dako Denmark A/S, a maker of diagnostic tests and equipment manufacturer that sells both Her-2 and hormone-receptor test kits, said that if labs follow the recommendations in testing kits, "you have a much more standardized way of doing it," and the company believes "we need to standardize and make more quality-assurance throughout the labs."

Barry M. Straube, chief medical officer at the U.S. agency that regulates labs, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, says his agency is examining tougher quality-control requirements. Now labs must pass outside proficiency checks on only 83 types of tests. That list, devised in 1992, doesn't include the breast-cancer tests or dozens of others developed more recently.

"We're considering adding additional tests," Dr. Straube said. The two breast-cancer ones are likely candidates, he says. However, he says that, in general, "oversight is good."

Starting this year, the College of American Pathologists plans to require proficiency checks from the labs it oversees if they want to offer the Her-2 test. The college and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which issued guidelines for the Her-2 test a year ago, estimated that around 20% of Her-2 testing may be inaccurate.The two groups also plan to look at the other breast-cancer test.

Some industry executives reject the notion that tests are often inaccurate. Joseph Purvis, executive director of clinical research oncology at drug maker AstraZeneca, says he hasn't seen evidence of extensive problems with hormone tests. "I don't think most patients should worry about the quality," he says.

But pathologists and cancer doctors say labs inexperienced in a particular test may not always understand how small variations in procedure can affect results. Reviews of hormone-receptor tests show that findings can change depending on how much the tissue samples are heated and what preservative is used.

Pathologists at Intermountain Healthcare, a hospital group based in Salt Lake City, found that results varied based on the day of the week a patient had surgery -- apparently because tissue that sat in a refrigerator or in preservative over the weekend was different from tissue examined quickly. Intermountain has since changed its procedures.

Hormone-testing methods are "a chaos," says Soonmyung Paik, director of the pathology division at the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, a nonprofit clinical research group, because "every lab uses a different method and different criteria to call a case positive."

Write to Anna Wilde Mathews at anna.mathews@wsj.com
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press

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SOS SURVIVOR UPDATE

Michelle Amos

We send ongoing prayers and well-wishes to Michelle for a speedy recovery following recent surgery.

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FROM THE KITCHEN: New Year, New You!

Raise your hand if you ate a bit too much during the holidays and are now paying the piper. Come on, raise 'em up. Just as we thought — quite a few hands! Forget the fad diets and their bland cuisine. With lightened up recipes and support in our Diet Forums, you can start living a healthier lifestyle right now!

We have low-fat, low saturated fat and low-calorie recipes that are so sinful and indulgent, your taste buds won't know what they're missing!All the info you need to stay on track is here — every one of our recipes displays the nutritional information at a quick glance. Another figure-friendly tool to try: our Recipe Sifter! Combine a few of our categories to whittle down your list, or search by any nutritional variable you like. Want to only see Main Dishes with fewer than 300 calories per serving? Done! (We've got more than 1,500!) With our help, you'll be glad to pay the piper. Heck, you'll feel so happy and healthy, you might even give him a tip!

Source: Recipe Zaar http://www.recipezaar.com/sitenews/post.php?pid=892

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Lazy Day Quick Fix:

Incredible Turkey Chili by Mrs Caz
6 servings
4½ hours 20 min prep

1 lb ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
2 teaspoons chili powder (or more, according to your preference)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 (14 ounce) can corn

Brown turkey with onion and green pepper until turkey is no longer pink.
Combine all ingredients in crock pot or slow cooker.
Cook on low 4-5 hours.

© 2007 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com/
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FYI
FYI:

From Josie Sethi:

This is a great idea. Do it now before you forget, and please forward to your family and friends:

From Paul A. Levine, MD, FHRS, FACCSpread the word!! We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends.

If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence this "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) Campaign.

The concept of "ICE" is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name "ICE" ( In Case of Emergency).

The idea was conceived by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as "ICE." For more than one contact name, simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc.

Let's spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in our Mobile phones today! Please forward this. It won't take too many "forwards" before everybody will know about this It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest . ICE will speak for you when you are not able to.

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From : Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Great news! Thanks to the efforts of Champions like you, Congress has passed legislation to extend the Breast Cancer Research Stamp four more years, through 2011. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Tuesday, and the Senate followed suit last night. The bill now awaits signature by President Bush.

This victory would not have been possible without the dedication and tireless efforts of more than 50,000 Komen Champions for the CureTM who let Congress know how important the stamp is through petitions, letters, and phone calls.

Now, let's thank Congress for doing its part. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Representative William Lacy Clay (D-MO) spearheaded the effort in Congress to extend the life of the Breast Cancer Research Stamp.
Thank these legislators for their leadership!

The Breast Cancer Research Stamp is the top-selling commemorative stamp of all time. Since the program started in July 1998, more than 785 million stamps have been sold, raising more than $58.3 million for breast cancer research. The extension of the stamp will allow Americans to continue contributing to the fight against breast cancer and raising awareness about the disease. Send your thank you note now.

Congratulations on this victory in the battle to end breast cancer forever. This achievement would not have been possible without your efforts.

Sincerely, Diane Balma
Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance

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From Julia Kerner

Today...I wish you a day of ordinary miracles
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself.
An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.
I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in...
The fastest line at the grocery store.
A good sing along song on the radio.
Your keys right where you look.
I wish you a day of happiness and perfection-little bite-size pieces of
perfection that give you the funny feeling that the Lord is smiling on you,
holding you so gently because you are someone special and rare.
I wish You a day of Peace, Happiness and Joy.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciatethem, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. - Unknown

Wishing you the very best for 2008 - Julia

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AROUND & ABOUT HOUSTON Mark Your Calendars!

ASK THE EXPERT - M.D. Anderson Cancer CenterWould you like to talk to an M. D. Anderson expert about Nutrition and Cancer? Dena Norton, Senior Clinical Dietitian at M. D. Anderson, joins Ask the Expert January 7-11 to answer patients' and their caregivers' questions about nutrition and cancer.

Ask the Expert, Anderson Network's online message board, allows cancer patients and caregivers to submit questions to M. D. Anderson experts on specific topics. Subscribe or log on to the board at www.mdanderson.org/asktheexpert to submit questions January 7-11, 2008 or to view past topics archived on the site. These topics include lymphedema, clinical trials, fatigue, cancer prevention, patient safety, exercise and bone health, as well as site-specific questions and answers.

SOS SURVIVOR GROUP MEETING
Tuesday, January 8, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Holy Cross Episcopal Church
Directions Below.

HOPE STONE
World Premiere of "See Me"Just hit our sweet new website (http://www.hopestoneinc.org/ ) go to the MONEY MATTERS tab and buy yourself some tickets for a good ole fashion art date! Hey, you can even buy one or two for a deserving child.....they make handy holiday gifts as well! Come early to see photographer Simon Gentry's silent no more photo exhibit in the green room (doors open 6:15 p.m.)Vitals: Jan 10 & 11, 2008, 7:30 p.m., Cullen Theater, Wortham CenterNote: SEE Me Tickets so on sale! http://www.hopestoneinc.org/ http://www.stubdog.com/ (1/2 price tickets...great for tight holiday budgets!)

THE ALICE THOMSEN LYMPHEDEMA AWARENESS GROUP of Houston Meetings are scheduled on the 3rd Tuesday of every other month at the American cancer Society Building, 6301 Richmond (between Hillcroft and Fountainview) at 7:00pm. Due to numerous factors the January 2008 meeting is being cancelled. We are sorry for this disappointing news but hope you will join us on March 18, 2008 at 7 pm
Hope to see you then, Cynthia Gdula.

PINK RIBBONS PROJECT FUND RAISER
St. Thomas High School vs. Westside High School, 6 P.M., Saturday, February 2, 2008 at
St. Thomas High School - Hotze Field (in Granger Stadium), 4500 Memorial Drive
Cost is $5.00 Proceeds from the day will benefit Pink Ribbons Project, in motion against breast cancer, and St. Thomas High School Rugby.

For weekly updates and additional events, please refer to: http://pinkcrusader.blogspot.com/ ********************************************************

Directions to Holy Cross Episcopal Church:
From the corner intersection of Hwy 6 and Hwy 59: Continue South on Hwy 59. Exit at Grand Parkway-Texas 99. You will go by an H.E.B. grocery store on the right as you turn right at a traffic light to get on the Grand Parkway. Proceed to the next traffic light (River Park Drive). Turn left. You will be facing the church. Go through the next intersection (traffic light at Texas 99) and park in the church parking lot. The address is 5653 West River Park Drive. If coming from New Territory: Go to the intersection of New Territory Blvd. and Texas 99. Turn South on to Texas 99. River Park Drive is one intersection (traffic light) past New Territory Blvd. Turn right at that intersection. If coming from 90A: Turn at intersection of 90A and Texas 99 (Grand Parkway). Go South on Grand Parkway, passing Sand Hill Blvd. and New Territory Blvd. Next intersection is River Park Drive. Turn right. Church is right there.
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This concludes this month's issue of the SOS Porch Light. We encourage you to share your thoughts, suggestions, photographs and topics of interest with all members for future editions of the newsletter. Comments may be posted directly to the blog or by email to JosieSethi@aol.com

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THOUGHT OF THE MONTH:

Recipe for a Happy New Year
Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time. Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing— don’t do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor. - Anonymous

Until next month, take care, stay well, and have a delightful year!