Sandy Hutchens Cancer Prevention

Researchers could help elucidate how pregnancy provides protection against breast cancer and the findings may lead to a new way to prevent or treat the disease.

The University of Albany has connected the pregnancy protein alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) to breast cancer slowing down in rats exposed to pregnancy hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, or human chorionic gonadotropin.

These pregnancy hormones were shown by the authors to induce AFP during the term of pregnancy.

The hormones also appear to inhibit breast cancer growth in previous rat studies, although estrogen and progesterone fuel the growth of breast cancer in humans.

Herbert Jacobson, PhD, who has been studying AFP in rats for over twenty years, believes the protein is the cause of the pregnancy-related reduction in breast cancer risk.

“Twenty-five years ago I deduced that this must be the agent responsible for lowering breast cancer risk in women who have been pregnant,” he tells WebMD. “And the research we have done since then supports this hypothesis.”

Pregnancy, particularly before the 30 years old, lowers a woman’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Also having more than one child is preventative.

Alpha-fetoprotein is produced by the fetus, and size of the protein during pregnancy can help to screen out possible birth defects.

Extremely high AFP levels portend the appearance of neural tube defects or an abdominal wall defect known as omphalocele, and extremely low levels suggest Down syndrome.

The protein is usually not detected in the blood of healthy men and women who are not yet pregnant. In these groups, elevated AFP levels suggest the presence of some cancers.

In their new study, in the December issue of Cancer Prevention Research, Jacobson and associates treated cancer-exposed rats that were not pregnant with estrogen, estrogen plus progesterone, or human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).

As in previous studies, all of these treatments are associated with reduced levels of breast cancers in the high-risk rats.

Each of the hormone treatments were also connected with elevated AFP levels and AFP was found to slow down the growth of breast cancer cells in lab cultures.

“Hormones in pregnancy, such as estrogen, all induce AFP, which directly inhibits the growth of breast cancer,” Jacobson says in a news release.
Second Opinion

However, devil’s advocate and cancer specialist Powel Brown, MD, PhD, says the research does not show that this is true beyond a shadow of a doubt.

As is the case with these kinds of studies, says Sandy Hutchens Cancer Prevention, there will be those that promote the idea and there will be detractors. We await the results of further studies and even possibly some proof on this unique view into breast cancer prevention.

Pregnant and Facing Breast Cancer

One simple test could end up saving thousands of women’s lives. Yet, for those without health insurance, the test comes too late. According to the American Cancer Society, this year alone an estimated 40,170 women will lose their lives to breast cancer. Meanwhile, it is estimated that 4,000 breast cancer deaths could be prevented just by increasing to 90 percent the percentage of women who receive breast cancer screenings.

Breast cancer often can be treated with early detection. That’s why health insurance that pays for mammograms is especially important. But mammography rates declined between 2003 and 2005, with a notable decrease for Hispanic women (from 65 percent to 59 percent) and African-American women (from 70 percent to 65 percent). Never mind the controversy over mammograms for women under 50; an estimated one in five women over 50 has not received a mammogram in the past two years.

Everyone needs health insurance to keep healthy, yet women are disproportionately underinsured. An estimated 21 million women and girls went without health insurance in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And a recent congressional report found that 18 percent of all women not eligible for Medicare are uninsured.

Why are so many women left uncovered? Perhaps it’s because many medical situations faced by women are treated as pre-existing conditions, including breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimated that in 2004 approximately 2.4 million women had a history of breast cancer. Without continuing coverage, cancer survivors face steep risks.

Health Insurance Facts: Fighting Cancer With No Insurance

Why are women falling behind in insurance coverage faster than men? According to the Department of Health and Human Services, various factors restrict women’s access to health care, which include a vast array of “pre-existing conditions” such as breast cancer, pregnancy, caesarian section and domestic violence. In addition, women are less likely to be employed full time, which makes them less likely to be eligible for employer-based health benefits. In fact, fewer than half of women have the option of obtaining employer-based coverage.

Any health care reform proposal should take that into consideration and include access to comprehensive care, including preventative care such as mammograms. Americans, men and women alike, understand this need. A recent poll commissioned by Moving Forward, a values-based research initiative developed by the Women Donors Network and the Communications Consortium, found that a strong majority of voters — 87 percent — think insurance companies should be required to cover women’s preventive care and screenings, such as contraception, Pap tests for cervical cancer and breast cancer screenings.

Public health experts recommend health insurance coverage be universal and available to all regardless of work status, place of residence, health status or other factors unrelated to need. Reform should be aimed at achieving quality outcomes and eliminating disparities as well as at being affordable. Coverage also needs to be continuous from birth until end of life without interruptions or delays, as gaps in existing coverage allow women to fall through the cracks.

Reform will bring health care to more American women and their families than ever before in our nation’s history. Women would do well to learn more about their stake in health care reform. One good resource is www.WomenandHealthCareReform.org. The best thing we can do to end breast cancer is to make sure all health insurance coverage is universal — not limited by exclusions due to pre-existing conditions — and includes preventative care and basic services such as breast and cervical cancer screenings. Let’s create a system that provides health care, not just sick care.

Wendy C. Wolf is a board member of Living Beyond Breast Cancer and Women Donors Network and leads WDN’s effort on reproductive and other health issues.

Sandy Hutchens, Nov. 25, Toronto – Haydain Neale frontman for the group Juno Award-winning group Jacksoul was called as an “joyful presence” and an “amazing individual”. Astonished friends learned about his death from cancer on Monday. Neale died Sunday at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto at 39 years old, after a seven-month struggle with lung cancer, the family said in a press release Monday.

Neale had also been recuperating from injuries sustained after being hit by an automobile while driving his Vespa scooter in Toronto on Aug. 3, 2007.

His friends and musicians were totally shocked by the news, particularly since many of them thought that he was finished with the worst part of his illness and was in a recovery phase.

“That guy just exuded what it is to be a really cool, down to earth, just amazing individual,” Toronto hip-hop MC Kardinal Offishall told CP backstage at the SOCAN awards on Monday. “Wow. Canada really lost something special.”

Family members and some of his friends were at his side as he died.

“Through all these challenges, Haydain’s sense of humour and love of music were ever-present,” his wife Michaela said.

He consistently brightened the room with his singing and his dazzling smile. His playful presence and rich voice will be missed by us all. Jacksoul was to release “SOULmate,” on Dec. 1 with 10 new tracks.

The first single, “Lonesome Highway,” was co-produced and co-written by Neale, and touches on his recovery, supported by his wife, daughter Yasmin and numerous others. Former Treble Charger frontman Greg Nori considered Neale a close friend since the two men worked side by side in studio space at the Sony offices.

“This guy was an extremely, extremely generous person,” Nori said backstage at the SOCAN event. “(He) was always 120 per cent to me, as an individual, he really was. I always had a really great friendship with him and we had a great respect for each other.

“I never saw the guy get mad. He only had positive energy about him. That’s my recollection of him. Never, ever did I see any kind of jealousy out of him, or negativity.”

Kardinal Offishall, likewise, said Neale was a special human being.

“People who never had the chance to meet him were able to see that not just through his music, but just in how he carried himself, just the type of dude that he was,” said the rapper, who says he had checked in on Neale’s status by sending a text message to a mutual friend just days before his death.

Jacksoul’s previous hits include “Can’t Stop” and “Still Believe in Love.” Neale was known for his soulful, elastic croon, for a voice that was faithfully smooth but organic and expressive.

“Hopefully his music will live on,” said Hedley guitarist Dave Rosin. That’s all any artist can hope. … It’s a sad thing.”

Nori, meanwhile, praised Neale’s integrity, versatility and commitment to his artistic ideals.

“I think he was always tackling something that wasn’t the flavour of the moment,” Nori said. “I think it was always a struggle to him because it wasn’t flavour of the moment, and it didn’t sell as much.

“He always had the ability to go do that if he wanted to, but he stuck to his guns and stayed with what he knew was in his heart, and I commend him for that.”

An interment with a private family gathering will take place later this week.