It's been quite a dark season for our country, for our world. I'm not sure if it's because I am getting older that I see and understand tragedy or simply because there really is more tragedy in our world. Whatever the case, I am looking forward to the blooms of a new year. 2013 is going to be a good year... In March I will celebrate 5 years as a cancer survivor. Wow, my first personal landmark! I still think about cancer daily but not always in a scary way. Most of the time, I am reading current studies, learning of a newly diagnosed person or reading a blog of a cancer patient's journey. Even if you haven't had cancer, don't you feel like it's all around you? I vow to finish the format of my blog Anticancer Amy in 2013. There are so many things I want to add, but just need to find a professional to help me. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear from you.
If you are on the hormone therapy drug tamoxifen for breast cancer, you may have noticed it in the news this month. One study published in Lancet looked at the benefits of staying on tamoxifen for 10 years vs. 5. In this study, women who stayed on the drug for 10 years lowered their risk of cancer recurrence by 25% and lowered their risk of dying from cancer by 29% compared to those who took the drug for 5 years. In another study published this week, researcers at Mayo Clinic found that the liver enzyme CYP2D6 plays a key role in how the body metabolized tamoxifen. Women who are unable to effectively metabolize tamoxifen may benefit from switching to another drug. A simple blood test can determine how this enzyme works in your body. Keep note of these studies to ask your doctor about her recommendation.
As you start to think about your resolutions for the new year, consider the phrase anticancer lifestyle. Small changes in your lifestyle could potentially alter the health of you and/or a family member for the BETTER. If you live in Houston, save the date January 14 from 6-7:30 pm. MDAnderson's Integrative Medicine clinic will present Cancer Prevention and the Power of Lifestyle Change. Lorenzo Cohen, PhD and Richard Lee, MD will be discussing recent scientific evidence linking lifestyle to cancer.
