Supportive care is becoming increasingly important in the treatment of cancer. And its evaluation is developing. At the Conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, an American study showed that for patients being treated for cancer, yoga provides a way of combating the fatigue that often accompanies treatment. The YOCAS study – which stands for Yoga for Cancer Survivors – was based on 410 patients with early stage cancer. Professor Karen Mustian’s team from the University of Rochester studied the effects of yoga on sleep. Indeed, many patients being treated for cancer suffer from sleep problems, often accompanied by diurnal somnolence, and this can impact significantly on their quality of life.

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Bone metastases are observed in 15 percent of men suffering from prostate cancer. A study presented at the Conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago has shown the benefits of a treatment based on denosumab – a humanised monoclonal antibody – in preventing the appearance of such metastases.
Professor Karim Fizazi, head of Oncology at the Gustave Roussy Institute (IGR), Villejuif, France, revealed the results. This phase III clinical study, conducted between 2006 and 2008, was based on 1,901 patients suffering from metastatic prostate cancer. Its purpose was to compare denosumab with the current standard treatment which uses zoledronic acid – Aclasta®. read more...

A new, experimental treatment – the drug crizotinib – has proven to be “spectacularly” effective in patients with advanced lung cancer and a specific genetic profile. The results of a Korean study presented this Saturday at the Conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago revealed that 57% of patients responded positively to this treatment. In other words, the authors noted a significant tumoral regression.
“This is an exceptional response rate”, stated Professor Jean--François Morere, a cancer specialist at the Avicenne de Bobigny Hospital in France. “Particularly in lung cancer”. The treatment in question targets an enzyme – “anaplastic lymphoma kinase” or ALK – essential to the development of cancer cells. The study presented in Chicago relates to a group of  82 patients, all of whom had a specific genetic variation of the ALK enzyme. This variation is rare: only 5% of “non-small cell” lung cancer sufferers – who themselves account for 75% to 80% of lung cancer cases – are carriers of this. read more...

The Director of the Bamenda Regional Hospital, Dr Awasum Charles, has warned nurses and other staff of the hospital against any involvement in the sale of drugs within the hospital premises. Dr. Awasum was speaking to journalists on June 15, on the state of preparedness of the hospital, as the Northwest Region awaits the visit of President Paul Biya to Bamenda.Describing the illegal sale of drugs within the hospital as cankerous, Dr. Awasum said hospital hierarchy was doing its best to stamp out the practice.The Director said the staff of the hospital needs to be more receptive to patients and other users of the hospital. “We expect our nurses and other staff of the hospital to be nice and polite to patients to boost their morale when they come for treatment,” Dr. Awasum said.The Director urged patients and other hospital users to report any poor treatment at the customer service for action to be taken.

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The Minister of Public Health, André Mama Fouda, proceeded last Friday, May 27, at the Douala Laquintinie Hospital, to the inauguration of two health centres. The first is called "Hôpital de Jour", which was entirely renovated by a petroleum company based in Douala and whose purpose is to take care of patients living with HIV/AIDS, notably children. The second is a space for the health security of the staff. The SUN gathered that it will enable all the workers of the Douala Laquintinie Hospital benefit from a medical treatment each time the fall sick. The minister was accompanied by the Governor of the Littoral Region, Fai Yengo Francis, the Senior Divisional Officer for Wouri, Bernard Okalia Bilai, the representative of the Government Delegate to the Douala City Council, several MPs like Jean Jacques Ekindi, Mayors, businessmen, etc read more...