news-record.com
Greensboro, North Carolina
Showing posts with label North Carolina News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Carolina News. Show all posts
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Young cancer survivor touches senator
from NEWS & RECORD
news-record.com
Greensboro, North Carolina
By: Doug Clark, Staff Writer
news-record.com
Greensboro, North Carolina
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Newsday.com reports: Bill to regulate tobacco products a sharp departure for industry-friendly Congress
In the half-century since the surgeon general issued his culture-changing report linking smoking to lung cancer, the tobacco industry has had little trouble defeating efforts to regulate cigarettes and other products. That could change this year.
The Senate is debating legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to control ingredients going into tobacco products, restrict marketing and ads aimed at young people, and ban words such as "light" or "low tar" that may mislead people about the health risks of smoking.
The legislation, said Matthew Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, is "by far the strongest bill to reduce tobacco use that this nation has ever seriously considered."
Myers and other supporters, such as the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association, say the stars may finally be aligned for decisive action on the tobacco issue. The House passed a similar bill by a wide margin and President Barack Obama supports it. It also commands a majority in the Senate, although tobacco-state senators say they won't give up without a filibuster fight.
The Senate is debating legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to control ingredients going into tobacco products, restrict marketing and ads aimed at young people, and ban words such as "light" or "low tar" that may mislead people about the health risks of smoking.
The legislation, said Matthew Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, is "by far the strongest bill to reduce tobacco use that this nation has ever seriously considered."
Myers and other supporters, such as the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association, say the stars may finally be aligned for decisive action on the tobacco issue. The House passed a similar bill by a wide margin and President Barack Obama supports it. It also commands a majority in the Senate, although tobacco-state senators say they won't give up without a filibuster fight.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Top NC advocate of smoking ban has lung surgery
The powerful state House Democratic leader who drove the Legislature to pass a statewide indoor smoking ban had surgery Tuesday to remove part of his lung, his legislative aide said.
House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, D-Davidson, had surgery at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem and was recovering in the hospital's intensive care unit, his legislative assistant, Carol Bowers, said after speaking with the legislator's wife, Ellen.
Holliman had a lower lobe of his right lung removed, Bowers said. Test results will determine later whether the removed section was cancerous, Bowers said. He was in stable condition Tuesday, hospital spokeswoman Freda Springs said.
Holliman's surgery came a week after he was collecting plaudits from Gov. Beverly Perdue as the driving force behind legislation that will ban smoking inside restaurants and bars when it takes effect in January. Perdue called the law a turning point for the state that remains the country's largest tobacco grower.
Read more.
House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, D-Davidson, had surgery at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem and was recovering in the hospital's intensive care unit, his legislative assistant, Carol Bowers, said after speaking with the legislator's wife, Ellen.
Holliman had a lower lobe of his right lung removed, Bowers said. Test results will determine later whether the removed section was cancerous, Bowers said. He was in stable condition Tuesday, hospital spokeswoman Freda Springs said.
Holliman's surgery came a week after he was collecting plaudits from Gov. Beverly Perdue as the driving force behind legislation that will ban smoking inside restaurants and bars when it takes effect in January. Perdue called the law a turning point for the state that remains the country's largest tobacco grower.
Read more.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham, NC reports:
The North Carolina Legislature voted to pass a broad smoking ban Wednesday.
The measure would ban lighting up in all enclosed restaurants and bars.
The final 62-56 vote came in the House where Majority Leader Hugh Holliman urged fellow House members to support the Senate version of the bill.
The Senate version bans smoking in nearly all restaurants and bars. It leaves out workplaces where children visit, which the House agreed to last month.
According to the state Division of Public Health, secondhand smoke is responsible for $289 million in state health care costs resulting from lung cancer and other diseases.
While the bill is meant to protect the public's health from second hand smoke, it provides some exceptions to private clubs, cigar bars and non-profit establishments and some feel like that is discrimination.
Opponents of the smoking ban also argue it violates the right of business owners to choose whether to allow smoking, and of their patrons.
"The bill that we have before us that we are being asked to vote on is as I've said before a terrible intrusion - a terrible governmental intrusion of personal freedom," Harnett County Rep. David Lewis said.
The bill now goes to Governor Beverly Perdue for her approval, and she has indicated she will sign it.
Read more.
The measure would ban lighting up in all enclosed restaurants and bars.
The final 62-56 vote came in the House where Majority Leader Hugh Holliman urged fellow House members to support the Senate version of the bill.
The Senate version bans smoking in nearly all restaurants and bars. It leaves out workplaces where children visit, which the House agreed to last month.
According to the state Division of Public Health, secondhand smoke is responsible for $289 million in state health care costs resulting from lung cancer and other diseases.
While the bill is meant to protect the public's health from second hand smoke, it provides some exceptions to private clubs, cigar bars and non-profit establishments and some feel like that is discrimination.
Opponents of the smoking ban also argue it violates the right of business owners to choose whether to allow smoking, and of their patrons.
"The bill that we have before us that we are being asked to vote on is as I've said before a terrible intrusion - a terrible governmental intrusion of personal freedom," Harnett County Rep. David Lewis said.
The bill now goes to Governor Beverly Perdue for her approval, and she has indicated she will sign it.
Read more.
Friday, April 10, 2009
News from Winston-Salem: Local Radio DJ Remains Upbeat About Battle With Cancer
A beloved local radio DJ gave his first media interview on Friday about his recent battle with lung cancer.
Bill Dobson, who goes by "Brother Bill" on his afternoon radio show at WTQR-FM, in Greensboro, announced several weeks ago that he was undergoing surgery to treat the disease.
Dobson said he had been experiencing pain for a year and a half but struggled to get a conclusive diagnosis.
"Everybody thought it was everything from arthritis to you name it," Dobson said in an interview on WTQR Friday morning.
Bill Dobson, who goes by "Brother Bill" on his afternoon radio show at WTQR-FM, in Greensboro, announced several weeks ago that he was undergoing surgery to treat the disease.
Dobson said he had been experiencing pain for a year and a half but struggled to get a conclusive diagnosis.
"Everybody thought it was everything from arthritis to you name it," Dobson said in an interview on WTQR Friday morning.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
N.C. nears House vote banning smoking in public
North Carolina legislators were facing a narrow vote on a proposed law that would ban smoking at indoor restaurants, bars and any other places people are working.
The House was scheduled to vote Wednesday on legislation that advocates say aims to eliminate the dangers of secondhand smoking. Opponents said it takes away a business owner's choice.
Read more.
The House was scheduled to vote Wednesday on legislation that advocates say aims to eliminate the dangers of secondhand smoking. Opponents said it takes away a business owner's choice.
Read more.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Carolinian Staff burns smoking ban from both ends
from The Independent Student Newspapter of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
"There is currently a university rule banning smoking within 25 feet of any building entrance. When we were contacted by the Eta Sigma Gamma, the National Health Education Honorary, about their plans to petition that the distance be increased to 100 feet, it spurred some conversation in our newsroom."
Read more.
"There is currently a university rule banning smoking within 25 feet of any building entrance. When we were contacted by the Eta Sigma Gamma, the National Health Education Honorary, about their plans to petition that the distance be increased to 100 feet, it spurred some conversation in our newsroom."
Read more.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Carotenoid supplements tied to lung cancer risk
Based on the findings from a new study, it appears that people who take higher than recommended doses of carotenoid supplements hoping to keep from getting sick, may actually be doing themselves harm. The long-term use of beta-carotene, retinol, and lutein supplements at doses higher than in multivitamins, increases lung cancer risk, especially in smokers and former smokers, according to investigators from the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) study.
High-dose beta-carotene supplements increase the lung cancer rates in high-risk individuals, even though carotenoids from dietary sources tend to lower risk, Dr. Jessie A. Satia and co-researchers note in the American Journal of Epidemiology. "Whether effects are similar in the general population is unclear."
Read more.
High-dose beta-carotene supplements increase the lung cancer rates in high-risk individuals, even though carotenoids from dietary sources tend to lower risk, Dr. Jessie A. Satia and co-researchers note in the American Journal of Epidemiology. "Whether effects are similar in the general population is unclear."
Read more.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Blue Cross: Secondhand smoke pinned at $289M in NC
The state Division of Public Health is backing an estimate by North Carolina's largest health insurer that pins the statewide healthcare costs from secondhand smoke at about $289 million a year.
The chief of the division's chronic disease section plans to discuss the report with a legislative committee in Raleigh on Tuesday. The committee is considering a bill that would ban smoking in public places, including workplaces.
The $289 million figure comes from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina staffers based on increased cases of lung cancer and other diseases. The insurance company's calculations are modeled on a peer-reviewed study published last month of the likely cost of secondhand smoke in Minnesota.
The chief of the division's chronic disease section plans to discuss the report with a legislative committee in Raleigh on Tuesday. The committee is considering a bill that would ban smoking in public places, including workplaces.
The $289 million figure comes from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina staffers based on increased cases of lung cancer and other diseases. The insurance company's calculations are modeled on a peer-reviewed study published last month of the likely cost of secondhand smoke in Minnesota.
Friday, March 13, 2009
When Genes Cooperate, Lung Cancer Grows and Spreads
By Duke Medicine News and Communications
The combined expression of three specific genes in lung cancer tumors may predict both cancer growth and a poorer prognosis, according to a study led by researchers in the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy and the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"Previous work had shown that three genes -- TTF-1, NKX2-8 and PAX9 -- were amplified in early stage lung cancer tumors," said David Hsu, MD, a medical oncologist at Duke and lead investigator on this study.
"Our study showed that these genes actually work together to provide an environment conductive to the growth and proliferation of cancer cells." The researchers published their findings in the March 9, 2009 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study was funded by the Emilene Brown Cancer Research Fund, the Jimmy V Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Joan's Legacy Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
The combined expression of three specific genes in lung cancer tumors may predict both cancer growth and a poorer prognosis, according to a study led by researchers in the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy and the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"Previous work had shown that three genes -- TTF-1, NKX2-8 and PAX9 -- were amplified in early stage lung cancer tumors," said David Hsu, MD, a medical oncologist at Duke and lead investigator on this study.
"Our study showed that these genes actually work together to provide an environment conductive to the growth and proliferation of cancer cells." The researchers published their findings in the March 9, 2009 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study was funded by the Emilene Brown Cancer Research Fund, the Jimmy V Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Joan's Legacy Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Science Daily reports: New Platinum-based Anti-tumor Compound Developed
ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2009)
Researchers in the Department of Chemistry at Wake Forest University in collaboration with colleagues at the Wake Forest University Health Sciences Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a new class of platinum-based anti-tumor drugs that animal studies have shown to be 10 times more effective than current treatments in destroying certain types of lung cancer cells.
The results were published in the December 11 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and highlighted in Science-Business eXchange (SciBX), produced by the publisher of the journal Nature. They suggest a new approach to fighting non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for more than three-quarters of all lung cancers. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women. Less than a third of non-small cell lung cancer patients respond to traditional platinum-based therapies, and those who do respond have a median survival of less than a year.
“We are able to slow the growth of this cancer substantially in mice,” said principal investigator Ulrich Bierbach, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Fellow and associate professor of chemistry at Wake Forest. “That is very good news, since this is such a rapidly growing, intractable type of cancer.”
The new compound’s potency derives from its ability to rapidly bind with and disable a tumor cell’s DNA before the cell’s natural repair mechanisms are activated. That repair process causes drug resistance, which reduces the effectiveness of currently used platinum-based drugs.
Bierbach has focused his research efforts since 1992 on finding ways to overcome the resistance problems inherent in platinum-based drugs. He joined the Wake Forest faculty in 1999, and since 2001, has led a research team that included participation by eight graduate students and more than 30 undergraduate students. The recent paper marks the 25th he has published on the topic.
“If this ends up in clinical trials in the next few years, that will fulfill a dream of mine,” Bierbach said.
His research efforts will now be directed toward finding ways to boost the tumor-killing potency of the new compounds while reducing harmful side effects.
The new hybrid compounds are available for licensing from the Wake Forest University Office of Technology Asset Management.
Researchers in the Department of Chemistry at Wake Forest University in collaboration with colleagues at the Wake Forest University Health Sciences Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a new class of platinum-based anti-tumor drugs that animal studies have shown to be 10 times more effective than current treatments in destroying certain types of lung cancer cells.
The results were published in the December 11 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and highlighted in Science-Business eXchange (SciBX), produced by the publisher of the journal Nature. They suggest a new approach to fighting non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for more than three-quarters of all lung cancers. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women. Less than a third of non-small cell lung cancer patients respond to traditional platinum-based therapies, and those who do respond have a median survival of less than a year.
“We are able to slow the growth of this cancer substantially in mice,” said principal investigator Ulrich Bierbach, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Fellow and associate professor of chemistry at Wake Forest. “That is very good news, since this is such a rapidly growing, intractable type of cancer.”
The new compound’s potency derives from its ability to rapidly bind with and disable a tumor cell’s DNA before the cell’s natural repair mechanisms are activated. That repair process causes drug resistance, which reduces the effectiveness of currently used platinum-based drugs.
Bierbach has focused his research efforts since 1992 on finding ways to overcome the resistance problems inherent in platinum-based drugs. He joined the Wake Forest faculty in 1999, and since 2001, has led a research team that included participation by eight graduate students and more than 30 undergraduate students. The recent paper marks the 25th he has published on the topic.
“If this ends up in clinical trials in the next few years, that will fulfill a dream of mine,” Bierbach said.
His research efforts will now be directed toward finding ways to boost the tumor-killing potency of the new compounds while reducing harmful side effects.
The new hybrid compounds are available for licensing from the Wake Forest University Office of Technology Asset Management.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
North Carolina's NBC 17 reports: Minimally Invasive Lung Cancer Surgery Speeds Recovery
By: Julie Henry Health & Fitness ReporterYOUNGSVILLE, N.C. - It started with a spot on her lung. Erin Sampson's doctor found it during a routine chest x-ray. As a lifelong smoker, the former nurse knew it was cancer.
"It's a terrible thing to be told that you've got lung cancer," she said.
But the odds were in her favor. Sampson was one of only 15 percent of patients whose cancer is localized to one area of the lung, making her a candidate for surgery.
That could have meant a large incision on her back and maybe even removal of ribs to get to the lung. But Duke thoracic surgeon Dr. Tommy D'Amico chose a minimally invasive technique called thoracoscopic lobectomy. A national leader in the procedure, he used camera operated equipment to remove the large lobe of her lung through an incision just two inches long.
But the odds were in her favor. Sampson was one of only 15 percent of patients whose cancer is localized to one area of the lung, making her a candidate for surgery.
That could have meant a large incision on her back and maybe even removal of ribs to get to the lung. But Duke thoracic surgeon Dr. Tommy D'Amico chose a minimally invasive technique called thoracoscopic lobectomy. A national leader in the procedure, he used camera operated equipment to remove the large lobe of her lung through an incision just two inches long.
"Patients go home after the minimally invasive approach and they can return to normal activity faster," he said. "If they work, they can go back to their jobs. Because they're not taking pain medicine, they can drive again. They get back to their life much sooner."
When Sampson reported for pulmonary rehab less than two weeks after her surgery, therapists and other lung cancer patients were shocked.
When Sampson reported for pulmonary rehab less than two weeks after her surgery, therapists and other lung cancer patients were shocked.
Read more and view the video at: http://www.nbc17.com/midatlantic/ncn/news.apx.-content-articles-NCN-2008-07-12-0008.html
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