‘A Fine Mess We’re In’: Majority of Cancer Preclinical Research Findings Not Replicable–Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

‘The failure to win “the war on cancer” has been blamed on many factors, … But recently a new culprit has emerged: too many basic scientific discoveries… are wrong.’~C. Glenn Begley It’s nothing new. Over 3 decades ago the problem was… Continue Reading

National Cancer Prevention Month: How’d We Get in This Cancer Research ‘Fine Mess’–and How Do We Get Out?

Remember C. Glenn Begley from “‘A Fine Mess We’re In’: Majority of Cancer Research Findings Not Replicable“? He made somewhat of a splash by asserting that the war on cancer is partially being lost due to sloppy research practices. Ring… Continue Reading

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National Domestic Violence Awareness Month: A Startling Consequence of Early Abuse

Clearly growing up with abusive parents is no great shakes no matter how you look at it. Early abuse has been correlated with later-life depression, stunted brain development, anxiety, alcohol abuse–and I’m just getting started. But, even knowing how damaging… Continue Reading

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September is National Yoga Month

Although yoga has been a trend for years, It is such a complex practice, that speaking in Sanscrit is only part of it.   Iyengar, Ashtanga, yin (which speaks Chinese, not Sanscrit)–hot yoga, power yoga, peace yoga, and more,  While… Continue Reading

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Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month

My mother has half a neck (missing the right sterno-cleito-mastoid muscle). She’s quite a stunning woman, tall, shapely, and she holds herself with a certain presence. With her grace and pride and sharp intelligence, she might almost be intimidating to… Continue Reading

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“Who You Gonna Call?”: Others’ Prayers Impact On Illness, Redux

My mother likes to compliment herself on her cooking. “That was truly delicious!” she’ll exclaim, her mouth still full of her last bite of a fancy beef stew. “And I was able to make it during such a hectic day.… Continue Reading

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September is Cancer Awareness Month For Five Cancers. . .

September is Cancer Awareness Month for: Gynecologic cancer, Ovarian cancer, Leukemia and Lymphoma, Prostate cancer, and Thyroid cancer. Know the facts about each, and think about taking some of the suggested actions to support awareness. As the infographic shows–Cancer touches everyone.… Continue Reading

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The Drug That’s Getting a Second Chance: Thioridazine and Cancer Stem Cells

Even when still available, Thioridazine was anything but a first-line drug in treating psychosis or schizophrenia–and that was before it was withdrawn from the market. In the class of the first-generation or ‘typical’ antipsychotics, its main purpose was to treat… Continue Reading

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A Retraction Here, A Retraction There. . .A Few Upsetting ‘Whats’ Before The ‘Why’

 “A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money” ~attributed to Everett Dirksen Unfortunately for us, the phrase goes differently–and, in cancer research, we’re already talking about ‘real money.’ A retraction of a scientific paper on… Continue Reading

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A Cell Donation Day That Will Live in Infamy–Part II

So back to Henrietta Lacks and her overly hardy–some say virulent–cervical cancer cells. You may recall from last post that Ms. Lacks’ cells, entitled HeLa, were taken without her permission, and without recompense to the family. They were nabbed by one Dr.… Continue Reading

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A Cell Donation Day That Will Live in Infamy–Part I

Henrietta Lacks was young, poor, unassuming, African-American. From Virginia, she earned her living as a tobacco farmer, happily married, had five children, and died of cervical cancer at 31. But her story doesn’t end there. In pain and bleeding as the… Continue Reading