the 2008 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting

There were many encouraging results for the future of lung cancer treatments that emerged from the 2008 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting:

• Cetuximab (Erbitux) was shown to provide an overall survival benefit in lung cancer when paired with standard chemotherapy.

Intriguing early results suggest that:

• celecoxib (Celebrex) may help to prevent lung cancer in those with a substantial smoking history,


• genetic analysis may predict which early-stage lung cancer patients will benefit from chemotherapy, and


• an investigational drug called CP-751,871 may improve response to chemotherapy.

To learn more about these results and others, please visit ASCO's website.

The State reports Quitting smoking just got tougher

By JOHN O’CONNOR - joconnor@thestate.com

State budget cuts and the failure to raise the state cigarette tax means S.C. smokers trying to quit the habit will get no help from the state next year.
Among the items cut from the state’s $7 billion-a-year budget by lawmakers was $2 million to pay for anti-smoking and cessation efforts.
A proposed 50-cent-a-pack cigarette tax would have budgeted $5 million of the $160 million raised by the higher tax to cessation and anti-smoking programs. But lawmakers failed to override Gov. Mark Sanford’s veto of a bill to increase South Carolina’s lowest-in-the-nation tax.
That means a state quit line — where smokers can call to get advice — will have to provide only bare-bones assistance, paid for with a federal grant. Youth anti-smoking programs will have to raise their own money, and South Carolina’s already low ranking for anti-smoking efforts will likely worsen.

South Carolina has received $364 million from its $910 million settlement with tobacco companies to pay the cost of providing health care to smokers.
But the state has spent just $5.4 million of that settlement on anti-smoking efforts — 1.5 percent of spending — according to the Office of State Budget.
The state should spend 11 times what it does on smoking cessation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends spending based on the number of smokers in a state.
Starting July 1, however, the state will spend no money on smoking cessation. That has anti-smoking advocates worried they could lose ground in the gains that they have made in reducing smoking since 1999.

Young fan battling cancer honored at Evergreen Speedway

By Scott Whitmore Herald writer - Everett, Washington

Mini-stock division driver Mark Weedin (left) and Kelton Little, 11, of Everett celebrate Weedin's feature race victory on Saturday, June 21 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington.

Kelton Little knows how to pick a winner.Standing on Evergreen Speedway’s frontstretch during the autograph session before Saturday’s races, the 11-year-old from Everett didn’t hesitate when asked who would win the mini-stock division feature race.“Him, the red 01 car” Kelton said, pointing to former champion Mark Weedin, who was standing next to his car.Kelton, who is battling cancer, was a guest of the speedway’s mini-stock division on Saturday. He was presented with a trophy and an autographed driver’s helmet, and Kelton also took a ride in the pace car.After Weedin made good on his prediction, Kelton also got to climb to the top step of victory stage with the four-time winner.“Kelton, you’re awesome,” Weedin said, holding his winner’s trophy. “This one is for you.”When he was 10, Kelton noticed a lump on the left side of his jaw. He was diagnosed with adenoma carcinoma of his parotid salivary gland — a rare cancer for someone so young.After surgery to remove the lump and radiation treatments, Kelton’s follow-up tests were cancer-free until last February, when spots were noticed on his lungs.It was determined that the cancer — stage 4 metastatic non-small cell lung cancer — had moved into his lungs, kidneys and his left leg.

A Website, www.keltonlittle.com, has been set up to give people a chance to learn more about Kelton, and make donations to help offset the cost of his treatment.

Yerington plaintiff in Wyeth case dies at 65

BY MARTHA BELLISLE of the Reno Gazette-Journal • mbellisle@rgj.com

June 21, 2008

One of three Northern Nevada women who recently was awarded millions in damages against pharmaceutical giant Wyeth has died.

Pamela Forrester of Yerington died Thursday at noon, said one of her Reno lawyers, Geoff White. She was under hospice care for her lung cancer, he said. She was 65.
Forrester, Arlene Rowatt, 67, of Incline Village and Jeraldine Scofield, 74, of Fallon, were awarded $58 million after a jury found that Wyeth drug, Prempro, used to counter menopausal symptoms, caused their breast cancer.
The jury initially ordered Wyeth to pay $134 million, but Washoe District Judge Robert Perry ruled that the verdicts were the "result of passion and prejudice" and should be lowered.
The $58 million remains the highest amount awarded yet as Wyeth faces thousands of similar cases across the country. Wyeth has appealed the verdict to the Nevada Supreme Court.
"One of her best events was her ability to get some degree of justice from Wyeth even though she knew she was going to die," White said.

WMFX’s rock loses battle with cancer

MIKE SCOTT 1962-2008

By OTIS R. TAYLOR JR. - otaylor@thestate.com

When Charles Wilkie, a local booking agent and concert promoter, thinks of classic rock, one person comes to mind: Mike Scott.
Scott, the WMFX-FM Fox 102.3 afternoon DJ, died of lung cancer Wednesday morning at age 46.
“He always cared about how the shows did, and that meant a lot to me,” Wilkie said.
Scott, whose real last name was Uischner, began his career at the classic rock Fox in 1988, a year after the station started broadcasting.
For more than 15 years, it was Scott’s voice that introduced segments with the familiar “Aah, Fox.”
“He was one of the true lovers of classic rock,” said Benji Norton, who hosts “The Early Game” on 107.5 The Game.