Holy Cross Seeking Studio Audience Members!

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Cancer Center’s Exciting Updates

Happy Summer! Dr. Gutierrez and I have been on a sabbatical from writing our blog but we are committed to getting back to it. We have had a productive and busy first half of this year and we’ll be writing about each of these topics in future blogs.

First and of great interest was the initiation of our collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital in January of this year. This was their first arrangement with a hospital based cancer center outside of the Northeast. The finalization of this contract will allow us to work together formally in a number of ways including assisting patients who spend time both here in South Florida and in the New England area to have seamless easy to obtain care with professionals at both places familiar with their care. There are numerous other exciting opportunities that we will now have with Mass General Hospital.

Second Dr. Gutierrez has successfully opened several Phase 1 and 2 studies here at the Bienes Cancer Center. This is truly a unique feat. Very few hospitals outside an academic structure are able to do this. We now have the ability to offer patients extremely dynamic new treatment options. Those trials are listed on our website.

We also continue to grow. With the addition of a breast cancer nurse navigator we are set to launch our collaborative multidisciplinary breast clinic next month. We have a number of other great developments in our breast center that will be discussed in future blogs – not the least of which is the soon to be opening Dorothy Mangurian Comprehensive Women’s Center in September 2010.

And finally for this blog entry please note that since we last wrote we have hired three cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons and a urologic oncologist to join the Holy Cross Medical Group and Bienes Cancer Center physician team.

Stay tuned….it’s exciting!

Cancer Center Executive Director Maureen Mann & Cancer Center Medical Director Dr. Gutierrez

Posted in Breast Cancer Surgery, General Medical, Research and Genetics |

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Helpful Tools for Improving Nutrition During Cancer Treatment

Maintaining adequate nutrition is a crucial part of your cancer treatment. Eating a variety of foods daily from all food groups will help you obtain the nutrients you need to maintain your strength, feel better during your treatment, and/or heal any post-operative wounds. However, you may have difficulty consuming some foods either due to the cancer itself or to the side effects of the treatment. Therefore, you may need to make some changes to improve your food intake based on your symptoms. Keeping a food journal can take the confusion out of how many calories and how much protein you take in each day.

Nausea and Vomiting: Eat slowly and take small bites or sips. Eat dry foods like toast and crackers, especially after waking in the morning, and even before getting out of bed. Eat smaller portions of food that are low in fat since they are easier to digest and move through the the stomach faster, but eat more often to make up for your calorie and protein needs. Limit overly sweet or spicy foods. Do not lie down flat for at least 2 hours after eating. Resting should be done sitting down or if necessary to recline, make sure your head is at least 4 inches higher than your feet. Wear loose fitting clothing and breathe fresh cool air to help relieve symptoms.

Taste Alterations: Tart foods enhance flavors. Try orange juice, pickles, lemons, limes or tomato juice (avoid this if you have a sore mouth or throat). If meats are not appealing, try marinating meats in fruit juice, sweet wine or Italian dressing. Try meat alternatives such as eggs, cheese, tofu, vegetarian meat substitutes, yogurt and nuts. Serve foods chilled or at room temperature.

Loss of Appetite: Avoid drinking fluids with meals. Fluids can produce an early feeling of fulness; limit fluids to 1/2 cup at meals and drink other liquids 2 hours before the meal. Eat several small meals and snacks throughout the day. Keep nutritious snacks available at all times, even when on-the-go. Leftovers make good snacks. Eat a snack before going to bed. Avoid foods that may be gas forming such as salads, cabbage, broccoli, beans and carbonated beverages. Avoid foods with strong odors. Choose cold or room temperature foods and create plenty of ventilation. Create a pleasant environment; if desired spend the mealtime with family and/or friends. Eat when hungry, even if it’s not mealtime. Make every mouthful count! Eat mostly high protein, high calorie foods. To add calories an protein easily, mix powdered milk into foods and beverages or drink supplements such as Ensure or Boost.

There are many other challenges that patients deal with every day. If you have specific questions and would like to speak to a Registered Dietitian, please comment on this entry or call Maureen Mahoney, R.D. at the Bienes Cancer Center at 954-771-8000 x1528.

Posted in General Medical, Nutrition |

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Non-Small Cell Lung & Small Cell Lung Cancer Research Trials

Holy Cross Hospital is building a large portfolio of clinical trials for Lung Cancer to make available the latest in therapy for both Non-Small Cell Lung and Small Cell Lung Cancer patients.  You can access the trials on our web site and below is the press release that tells you all about our latest Phase 1 trial for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Holy Cross Hospital Leads in Cancer Research By Enrolling First Patient in International Clinical Trial

Hospital seeks participants with non-small cell lung cancer who have exhausted all other treatment options

 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Michael and Dianne Bienes Comprehensive Cancer Center at Holy Cross Hospital has enrolled the first patient in what will be the worldwide clinical trial of a new treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have exhausted all other options for treatment.

 Lung cancer accounts for the most cancer-related deaths in both men and women in the United States. Approximately 87 percent of all lung cancers are non-small cell, a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the lung.  Despite medical advances, the five year survival rate for patients diagnosed in any stage of NSCLC is just 15 percent and only 2 percent for those patients whose disease has metastasized and spread outside the lung.

 Holy Cross Hospital, which collaborates with Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in Boston to expand oncology services to South Florida residents, is participating in the FDA study of the new investigational drug PF-02341066 that selectively targets cancer-causing genes present in some NSCLC patients.

 “Depending on the patient’s age, stage of the disease and overall health, treatments for non-small cell lung cancer can include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or a combination of these.  In our investigation of this new drug, we are working with patients for whom these standard of care treatments have not been able to stop the growth of their disease,” said Dr. Martin Gutierrez, medical director of the Michael and Dianne Bienes Comprehensive Cancer Center at Holy Cross Hospital.

Eligible patients for the study can be male or female, must be at least 18 years of age and have a proven diagnosis of NSCLC that showed progression after at least one but no more than two chemotherapy regimens.  Patients accepted into the study receive the drug orally on a continuous schedule.

Holy Cross Hospital is participating in both Phase One and Phase Two of the trial which is officially titled “Open-Label, Randomized Study of the Safety, Efficacy, and Pharmacokinetics of Erlotinib with or without PF-02341066 in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Adenocarcinoma of the Lung.” 

The Holy Cross Hospital Cancer Center offers disease specific care in all oncology sub-specialties including medical, surgical and radiation oncology.  The Cancer Center also offers research trials that span from early drug development through the later Phase 3 stages for multiple types of cancer.

Those interested in enrolling in the study or learning more should call the Michael and Dianne Bienes Comprehensive Cancer Center research office at 954-267-7704 or visit www.holycrosscancer.com.

Tags: lung cancer, lung cancer clinical trials, lung cancer phase 1 clinical trials, lung cancer research trials, non-small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma, small cell lung cancer, small cell lung carcinoma
Posted in General Medical, Lung Cancer, Research and Genetics |

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