Cancer Patients Want Doctors to Hit Them With the Truth

August 17th, 2010
Lenneice Drew asked:




Donna Hildreth fell ill with what doctors told her was bronchitis. When she wouldn’t get better doctors performed tests and discovered something much more serious. The 62-year-old woman said she sensed something bad was about to happen and wanted doctors to be straight with her. Donna insisted the doctor give her the worst case scenario of her health. The doctor told her lung cancer was the worst possible scenario.Turns out it was lung cancer. Throughout her chemo treatment Donna asked that doctors be honest and realistic about how long she had to live. Donna died one month after battling her chemo treatment.

Even though doctors had grim news Donna said she still wanted the truth. She is not among a small number of cancer patients who want honesty from doctors. According to a recent survey, 500 people with lung, breasts or prostate cancer said they would absolutely want to their odds of dying. Ninety-five percent said they wanted their doctor to be honest about their chances of a cure and how long they can expect to live, says Ajay Bhatnagar, MD, a radiation oncologist at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh.

Men with prostate cancer were more likely to want their doctors to be honest about their odds of survival than people with lung cancer: 97% vs. 91%.”In oncology, a strong physician-patient relationship is essential because the patients interactions with their doctor can help the patient confidently make life or death decisions, such as what cancer treatment is best for them,” Ajay Bhatnagar, M.D., lead author of the study, a radiation oncologist at Cancer Treatment Services International in Casa Grande, Ariz., and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh said. “Oncologists can use these results to provide greater patient satisfaction for their patients, and therefore significantly improve patient care.”

The most significant preference is that more than one-third of female cancer patients (37 percent) prefer to have their hands held by their radiation oncologists during important office visits, compared to 12 percent of men.

It is estimated that 555,500 Americans will die from cancer. Many of these patients will receive care and treatment. This study wanted to find out what cancer patients wanted from their patient-doctor relationship and whether their physicians would be able to change their behaviors to satisfy their patients’ preferences if they had knowledge of these preferences. Researchers emphasize that the results indicate that the ability of the staffs’ team with regard to interpersonal communication treatment is as important to patients as is their professional ability.

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New Changes in HER2 Testing For Breast Cancer!

August 6th, 2010
Thomas Lawton asked:




HER2 is a protein on the surface of cells that can be over-expressed (too much of the protein) in approximately 20% of breast cancers. HER2 over-expression is usually associated with a worse prognosis but it also is predictive of response to certain systemic therapies.

All invasive carcinomas of the breast need to be tested for HER2 over-expression. There are two main ways of testing: immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Both tests are acceptable and there is no consensus in the medical community as to which test is better. The criteria for the above tests were recently changed and new guidelines were proposed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists in 2007. These guidelines are discussed below.

HER2 by Immunohistochemistry (IHC)

IHC looks at the amount of the HER2 protein present on your cancer cells. If your cancer is tested by IHC, you will receive of a score of 0, 1+, 2+, or 3+. 0 and 1+ are considered negative (not over-expressed) and 3+ is considered positive (over-expressed). The criteria for a 3+ result have become more strict and now 30% of your carcinoma cells should show strong staining. A result of 2+ means the test was equivocal and FISH should be performed on your cancer.

HER2 by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH)

FISH is a test that looks at your carcinoma cells to see if they have too many copies of the gene that makes HER2, also known as gene amplification. If you have FISH performed on your invasive cancer, there are three possible results: the gene is not amplified, the gene is amplified, or the result is equivocal. If you look at your report there should also be a “ratio” score given which correlates to amplified or not amplified.

Regarding FISH, the cut-off points for amplified and not-amplified have changed. The new recommendations are any ratio below 1.8 is not amplified and any ratio above 2.2 is considered amplified. The “equivocal” group refers to cancers that have a ratio between 1.8 and 2.2. In these cases, it is recommended that more cells in your cancer are counted or the test be repeated on another portion of your cancer.

Changes is Processing Your Breast Biopsy
There are new recommendations about how long your doctors should “fix” your breast tissue to get optimal test results. All biopsies are usually placed in 10% neutral buffered formalin which “fixes” the tissue so that the laboratory can then process it and make slides for the pathologist to review (click to see how pathology processes your biopsy).

The new recommendations for excisions/lumpectomies, etc. is that the tissue be placed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for a minimum of 6 hours but no more than 48 hours. Since needle core biopsies are much smaller, they may not need as much time in formalin but should not be fixed for less than one hour (the recommendation was that they be treated similar to larger specimens, at least six hours). The reason this is important is that studies have shown that the amount of time the breast tissue “fixes” can affect a positive or negative test result. Many laboratories are now putting this information into your pathology report so it is something you can easily check.

Laboratory Accreditation
The College of American Pathologists is now requiring laboratories who perform these HER2 tests to prove proficiency by showing a 95% agreement between results using their HER2 test compared to another validated test in the same laboratory or a validated test from an external laboratory. In addition, laboratories are required to participate in yearly proficiency testing to maintain accreditation.

? 2008 Seattle Breast Pathology Consultants, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Recent Research on Exercise and Cancer

August 2nd, 2010
Jessica Heller, DC, CSCS asked:




Nausea, pain, fatigue…these are just a few of the results of undergoing chemotherapy. Those symptoms make it difficult to want to exercise, even if it is good for the patient. Also, when the treatment is over, patients usually do not know what, if any, exercise they should be doing.

One recent study shown introducing aerobic training, as simple as a basic walking program, one week prior to and continuing through eight weeks of chemotherapy improved five out of seven functional measures and decreased fatigue during and after performing activities of daily living.

Another recent study prescribed exercise programs (thirty minutes of ergometer daily, in an interval pattern) to hospitalized chemotherapy patients and compared the results to a control group. The exercise group showed reduced fatigue and had fewer complaints about pain than the control group. They also decreased their psychological stress over the course of the hospital stay.

Resistance exercise is also important for cancer patients. A 2007 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology followed three groups throughout their chemotherapy: aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and control. Those engaging in aerobic exercise improved their self-esteem, aerobic fitness, and percent body fat. The resistance exercise group showed improvements in self-esteem, muscular strength, lean body mass, and chemotherapy completion rate. Both groups showed increased quality of life scores and decreased fatigue, depression, and anxiety.

Exercise is also important after the cancer has gone into remission. A 2005 study followed nearly three hundred women who had been previously diagnosed with breast cancer. Survivors who engaged in more than nine MET hours per week (three hours of walking 2-2.9 mph) reduced their risk of mortality by six percent. The greatest benefits from exercise while in remission occurred in women who performed the equivalent of walking three to five hours per week at an average pace (2-2.9 mph). There was no evidence of correlation between greater energy expenditure and increased benefit. The exercise benefits especially helped women who had had hormone-responsive tumors.

In another study, twenty-seven breast cancer survivors were placed on an eight-week full-body resistance and aerobic training program. The sum of their skinfolds, waist girth, and hip girth were significantly reduced posttraining. Their body weight did not change, but that was most likely due to an increase in lean tissue mass. Improvements were also made in upper body strength and endurance, lower body strength and endurance, VO2max, trunk flexibility, and flexibility of both the surgical and non-surgical shoulder joints (in lymphadenectomy patients). Both psychological and overall quality of life also improved.

This recent research shows that exercise is both safe and beneficial for those undergoing cancer treatments, and for those who have been through treatment in the past. In patients undergoing chemotherapy, exercise can reduce fatigue, improve function, increase fitness, and improve psychological stress. Breast cancer survivors can safely engage in full-body exercise, and physical activity after breast cancer reduces risk of death from the disease.

References:

“Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2007.

“Effects of Aerobic Training Prior to and During Chemotherapy in a Breast Cancer Patient: A Case Study.” The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,” 2006.

“Effects of Physical Activity on the Fatigue and Psychologic Status of Cancer Patients During Chemotherapy.” Cancer, 1999.

“Full Body Exercise Training Improves Fitness and Quality of Life in Survivors of Breast Cancer.” The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2006.

“Physical Activity and Survival After Breast Cancer Diagnosis.” Journal of the American Medical Association, 2005.

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Which Jobs Are on the Rise in Bristol?

July 29th, 2010
Jonathan E Richards asked:




Health care jobs are on the rise in Bristol. There are currently plenty of jobs including the chance to be an IV nurse for some who happens to have cancer. In order to get this job you have to know something about oncology. There are also jobs in Bristol to work with people who have a development disability teaching them how to continue to grow within society. If you like working with children or people who need help having their basic needs met, this is the kind of position that is right for you. It is debatable as to whether positions as a physician are truly available within the field of health care, but people certainly need nurses in areas like home health care. The population of the United Kingdom continues to get older. The people there certainly need people and are willing to hire people in order help them stay in their home as elderly citizens.

There is even a nursing agency such as Office Angels who are looking for a nursing coordinator who can put together the staffing assignments for different nursing associations around the area. If a staffing agency does their job properly then in theory there will be enough nurses around to service all of the people. If you do not not enough nursing jobs you will not find enough nurses out there. You also will find a greater number of medical assistants jobs there in the city of Bristol. If you end up getting involved in the nursing recruitment world, you will need to be able to contact people who want these jobs in a timely manner.

Back during the taking of the 2001 Census the unemployment rate in Bristol was around five percent. The unemployment rate in Bristol currently is hovering about seven or eight percent. People obviously need these medical jobs and in particular nursing assistants are definitely necessary in the city of Bristol as people need more medication. The elderly and disabled still need someone someone to administer that medication to them.

You also are seeing a growth in the number of pharmacy positions in Bristol. People will need their medications filled as they end up finding these health care workers.

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Rest your Back With Office Chair Back Support

July 12th, 2010
Matt asked:




A job that requires you to stay at your desk, working on your computer for nearly 10-12 hours if not more, has become the norm of the day. Add to this our unhealthy food habits and complete lack of any physical activity and you have the perfect recipe for a health and mental disaster. We often take ourselves and our physical and mental health for granted, eating junk food at awkward hours and placing our body in completely unacceptable postures that are severely detrimental to our health. As a result, obesity, heart diseases, mental stress and of course back and spinal problems have taken over our lives. Every third person you meet has some sort of back or spinal pain or neck cramps and all this is mainly caused due to our bad sitting posture in our office. Simple exercises and devices can easily prevent this condition, like an office chair back support, but are we really paying attention?

The office chair back support is a device that is being adopted more and more offices for the health benefit and comfort of their employees. A person who is happy and comfortable will definitely be more productive for the company than a sick person and that is exactly the kind of comfort that is provided by a back support for your chair. The office chair back support is ergonomically designed to fit the natural shape of your spinal chord and it ensures that your sitting posture is perfectly balanced to provide the maximum support to your back and spinal chord.

When you use an office chair back support it is sure to ease out the discomfort of spending long, uncomfortable hours in your chair at office. You can then definitely concentrate better on your work and also your health remains in good shape. Minor pains and aches can also be gradually sorted out through the use of a back support for your chair. However, if you are suffering from a chronic back pain then without doubt, it is extremely necessary to consult a competent medical practitioner for advice, guidance and required treatment. Some back problems might need more than a back support to be cured completely and timely intervention and treatment is greatly required to achieve this result.

Besides using helpful devices like the office chair back support, it is also necessary to get up from your seat from time to time and carry out some light exercises that can be easily performed in the office. A few neck rolls and stretches are good enough to bring back the blood circulation in your body that stops when you have been sitting for long. Also, add some physical activity like walking or swimming to your regular schedule to ensure that you and your loved ones lead a happy, comfortable and pain free existence, always. Pick up a hobby that lets you out into the fresh air each day and take precautions at all times. A little alertness and care goes along way in ensuring that you lead a healthy life for as long as you live.



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Cancer Patient Wigs

July 7th, 2010
Steve Valentino asked:




When afflicted with cancer, along with the patient the entire family is emotionally affected. Cancer can be categorized as an ailment that directly affects the cells. If not detected in its early stages, cancer is known to spread very quickly through the lymphatic and bloodstream. This happens because the abnormal cells divide and grow. Cancer can also be present in the form of malignant tumors. The stress factor associated with cancer is the root cause of a number of related side effects, trauma and depression. Depending upon the type of cancer, patients may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, cytotoxic or hormonal chemotherapy, drugs or immunotherapy. Treatment of cancer is expensive and the disease is associated with a relatively high mortality. Complicated treatment, therapy and strong medication, causes drastic hair loss in a number of cancer patients. Apart from coping with the disease, hair loss can lead to chronic depression and loss of confidence. An effective method to combat such incidents is to make use of cancer patient wigs.

People who are undergoing continuous treatment after having been successfully treated also use cancer patient wigs. This is because even when the disease is under control, hair loss that has already occurred, takes a longer period to grow back. For the duration of this interim recuperation period, most people prefer to wear cancer patient wigs. Individuals who presume work and daily chores prefer them as it helps them fit in without having to continuously reply to curious onlookers about their condition.

It is possible to select cancer patient wigs that are almost identical to the affected persons original hair texture, color and length. Cancer can cause people to lose a considerable amount of weight, which makes them appear small, weak and frail. For this reason, short cancer patient wigs are popular, as they don’t get in the way and dot look out of place with a patient’s petite framework.

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Urologist – The Urinary Tract Specialist

June 22nd, 2010
Andrea Avery asked:




An urologist is a medical doctor that specializes in male and female urinary tract anatomy, function and pathological disease. The male reproductive system is often included in this specialty and trained professionals are able to diagnose and treat patients with these types of disorders. Organ systems treated by urologists include adrenal glands, kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra, testes, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate, and the penis. Urologists work closely with doctors that specialize in endocrinology, gastroenterology, gynecology, nephrology, oncology and pediatric surgery.

Diseases and disorders that urologists treat include urinary tract infections, benign prostatic hyperplasia, cancer, precancerous lesions, congenital abnormalities, stress incontinence, reproductive system disorders, and many other surgical and non-surgical problems.

Urinary tract infections are caused by bacterial infestation at any point along the urinary tract. Common symptoms include burning, increased need to void, urgency, pain during urination or cloudy, discolored urine. The most common cause of infection is E. coli. Any level of bacteria in urine is viewed as abnormal, although only higher levels are usually treated. The most common type of urinary tract infection is acute bladder cystitis. If the infection ascends into the kidney, it becomes much more serious and is known as pyelonephritis. However, most urinary tract infections are relatively innocuous and easily treated with a short course of antibiotics prescribed through a family medicine doctor or urologist.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an increase in the size of the prostate gland and is common in almost all men as they age. Symptoms that indicate treatment may be required include hesitation during urination, urgency, inability to void, family history of prostate cancer, painful urination, or increased incidence of urinary tract infections. An urologist may test levels of prostate specific antigen when diagnosing or following benign prostatic hyperplasia course and prognosis. Treatment may involve something as simple as lifestyle modifications or more invasive transurethral prostate resection.

Urologists also diagnose and treat different forms of incontinence. Stress incontinence is the inability to retain urine in the bladder due to weakness of muscles that support the pelvic floor. Urine leakage often occurs when coughing, sneezing or laughing. If the pelvic floor is unable to support an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, the urethra may displace downward and allow urine to pass. The most common types of stress incontinence in women are due to physical changes during pregnancy and childbirth. Men are often afflicted with stress incontinence after radical or conservative prostatectomy surgery to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer. Treatment ranges from minimally invasive weight loss and pelvic floor exercises to more extensive pessary or sling implantation and urethropexy surgery. An urologist may also prescribe alpha-1 adrenergic receptor blocker medication to help constrict muscles at the neck of the bladder and urethra.

Urologists must complete general medical educational training as well as an accredited residency program that is at least five years long. The American Board of Urology approves surgeons for board certification and reviews applications and examinations. Contact an urologist in your area today for a consultation and appropriate therapy recommendation.

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cancer

June 17th, 2010
Bishal Boro asked:




Cancer is the type of common disorder or diseases that is characterized by the unrestrained partition of the cells. Millions of people all over the world are affected by these dreaded diseases and majority of people are ignorant about the cure and its treatment and thus leads to most of the death in many countries. These cells have the aptitude to invade additional normal tissues. This disease occurs either by the insertion into the isolated sites by the metastasis or by the direct growth into the contiguous tissue throughout the invasion. The unregulated growths of all the cells are much caused by the damage of the “DNA”, which consequences in the mutations to the genes that instruct proteins scheming cell division. These mutations are much caused by the chemical and corporeal agents called as the carcinogens; it is also caused by the close contact to radioactive resources and by certain viruses which can put in their “DNA” into the human genome.

There are numerous types of cancer such as the adrenalin cancer, anal cancer, aids related lymphoma, bladder cancer, brain metastasis, brain tumors, breast cancer, cervical cancer colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, esophageal cancer, gall bladder cancer, gastric cancer, kidney cancer, laryngeal cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, maesothelomia, ovarian cancer, penile cancer, pituitary cancer, thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, small intestine cancer, small cell lung cancer, bone cancer and pancreatic cancer.

All these types of cancer are serious in its kinds and are needed proper care and treatment otherwise it would worsen up. If untreated, any type of cancers can ultimately cause poor health and ultimately death, Cancer is a serious disease which afflicts people at all ages but mostly during the later years of human where the body becomes to weak for fighting against the various bacterial influence.. Cancer is one of the most important causes of death in many urbanized countries. The majority of cancers have appropriate treatment and some are cured and treated by depending on the exact type, phase and location.

Some of the common forms of treatment that we have in the fast and developed medical techniques are biological therapy, bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, clinical trials, some of the complementary medicines, gene therapy, general treatment concerns, hormone therapy, proton therapy, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, targeted therapies, vaccines therapies and in most of the cases surgeries are done. In every thousand of people all over the world today we can see two of them are effected by cancer, but due to modern technology and proper treatment it can be cured to an extent cut are not able to get rid of the root of cancer.



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Common Pain Relievers May Reduce Cancer Risk

June 15th, 2010
Kirsten Whittaker asked:




There’s some new research that might help explain the link earlier studies have found between aspirin and other over the counter pain relievers and a reduced cancer risk – of both ovarian and the breast. The 740 postmenopausal women in the latest study (all Nurses Health Study participants) who took either aspirin, another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) or Tylenol on a regular basis had lower estrogen levels than women who didn’t regularly take these kinds of pain relievers.

The researchers collected information on the women’s use of pain relievers between the years 1988 and 1990. They also took blood samples from the subjects during this time. Women who said they used over the counter pain relievers at least 15 days out of a month had estrogen levels that were 13-15% lower than the women who didn’t use any analgesic.

The finding suggests a link between regular use of pain relievers and lower estrogen levels. Interesting that over the last ten years there have been no less than 12 studies to find an association between using aspirin (or NSAID) frequently and a reduced risk for breast and ovarian cancer. The trouble is, most all the research has been observational, and this method does have its limits.

One of the most widely reported studies was conducted by Columbia University researchers who questioned nearly 3,000 women, both with and without breast cancer, about their aspirin use. They found a 20% lower risk of breast cancer among the regular aspirin takers vs. the infrequent aspirin users.

Also last year, a team from Brigham and Women’s followed 4,000 nurses enrolled in the ongoing Nurses Health Study (NHS) who had been treated for breast cancer at least one year before. This work found the breast cancer survivors who took aspirin regularly had a reduced risk of cancer recurring, or dying from their disease, than those who didn’t take aspirin. There was even a lower risk in aspirin takers of the cancer spreading beyond the breast.

The researchers believe that the findings of the work support the idea that painkilling drugs could cut the risk of these cancers by suppressing the hormone that feeds them. The association must be confirmed by more research before your doctor will tell you to take these medications every day. There may be side effects that are more troublesome than the benefits you’re getting.

Remember, these drugs have been linked to some serious health issues. Aspirin and NSAIDs have been associated with rare but serious bleeding in the stomach or intestines. Tylenol has been tied to liver failure. New studies with participants randomly assigned to using painkillers or not would help to show if these medications really do have a link to estrogen levels, and if the link is worth any risk to health.

While you wait for more studies, be sure you’re doing all you can to reduce your risk of cancer of the breast or ovaries. Manage your weight, limit your consumption of alcohol and get as much exercise as you can. Don’t put off those annual exams and yearly screenings, these can, and do, save lives.

If you are especially worried and want to reduce cancer risk, talk to your doctor or a specialist about your unique situation, get a realistic risk assessment, and investigate any prevention and screening techniques that might be available to you.

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Breast Cancer and Reiki

June 15th, 2010
Laura Bruno asked:




The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2006, about 212,900 women in the U.S. will learn they have invasive breast cancer. American women have a 1 in 8 chance of developing this type of cancer at some point in their lives, and roughly 2 million have already been treated for the disease. Thankfully, death rates from breast cancer have dropped dramatically. Early detection as well as advances in chemotherapy and other treatments mean that each year yields more and more breast cancer survivors.[i]

As with any cancer, traditional treatments for breast cancer can cause their own array of health challenges. Nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and low blood cell counts often follow chemotherapy and radiation. In a recent study published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Michael Hassett of Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that 16 % of breast cancer patients under age 64 required a hospital visit to manage chemotherapy side effects.[ii] Chemotherapy targets all rapidly growing cells, including white blood cells (known as neutrophils), which support the immune system. Neutropenia, meaning white blood cell counts have dropped below normal levels, lowers immune response to invaders like bacteria, viruses and fungi.[iii] Consequently, the most common and serious reason for the post-chemo hospital visits was high fever from infections. Anemia-resulting from low red blood cell count-poses additional struggles in the form of extreme fatigue.

Anti-nausea drugs, blood transfusions and lab-made white blood cell “boosters” now form part of a growing arsenal of coping strategies.[iv] But for women who feel conflicted about taking drugs in the first place, these solutions can seem too toxic or even add additional complaints. The neurtophil enhancers, for example, cause temporary bone pain as the marrow rapidly produces more cells. Leigh Leming, 54, a breast cancer survivor whose cancer later returned and metasticized, decided that this time she wanted to try something different. Unable to eat due to nausea, she now follows the advice of an Ayurvedic chef. She drinks a shot of ginger, lemon juice, and honey before each meal. “It’s the only thing that keeps my food down,” Leming explains. She also takes wheat grass juice to build up her blood counts, because 2 ounces of wheat grass juice contain nutrients equivalent to 4 pounds of organic produce: “The difference in my energy levels is amazing!”

A patient at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Leming noticed fliers offering Reiki sessions there. Reiki (pronounced “RAY-key”) is an ancient healing energy system rediscovered in the late nineteenth century by a Japanese monk named Dr. Mikao Usui. The “Rei” stands for “universal,” and the “ki” refers to “life force energy” similar to “Chi” in Chinese healing or “prana” in yoga. Thus, Reiki means “universal life force energy,” which works on all levels-physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. By influencing all these levels, Reiki is believed gently but dramatically to amplify people’s innate abilities to heal themselves. One can perform Reiki with hands on or above the body, and even across great distances. Most people notice it as heat, tingling or a feeling of deep love and support.

Leming’s friends at St. Luke’s Wellness Center explained that they receive Reiki sessions prior to chemotherapy in order to offset some of their post-chemo reactions. Other patients noticed dramatic improvement in pain levels following Reiki treatments. After experiencing some of this pain relief herself-”I actually forget to take my pain pills after a Reiki session”-Leming gathered a group of patients and survivors to learn how to treat themselves with Reiki. Having received an attunement (opening of the body’s natural energy paths) from a Reiki Master Teacher, they can now feel Reiki flowing through their own hands. Although her pain returns, Leming reports a greater sense of calmness and peace when dealing with pain, as well as other cancer stressors like finances and family relationships.

No formal U.S. studies have proven Reiki’s effectiveness in treating cancer; however, The Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative recently awarded a $20,000 grant to Dr. Ahlam Mansour of the College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Mansour will study “the effects of Reiki on the level of anxiety, physical problems, spiritual well-being, and complete blood counts in patients undergoing their initial AC (chemotherapy).”[v] The June 1997 issue of Cancer Prevention Control shared preliminary results from a controlled study at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Canada. Twenty volunteers with chronic pain, including pain from cancer, received Reiki treatments from a certified Reiki Level 2 practitioner. Study supervisors used both a visual analog scale (VAS) and a Likert scale to measure pain before and after Reiki. The study found that receiving Reiki greatly improved pain levels.[vi]

Across the United States, hospitals and hospices have begun to value Reiki. In 1997, Nancy Samson, RN, BS, began coordinating a volunteer Reiki program in the radiation oncology ward at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. Today, the center hosts Reiki Certification Classes and advertises 50% reimbursement of class cost for DHMC employees. [vii] The esteemed California Pacific Medical Center’s Health and Healing Clinic offers Reiki, along with acupressure, nutritional therapy and yoga. [viii] Hospices increasingly offer Reiki to patients as a means of easing pain and reducing anxiety about the unknown.

Arizona hosts one of the longest relationships between Reiki and traditional cancer treatment. Sally Soderlund, RN (Support Services Coordinator for Oncology) directs the Tucson Medical Center (TMC) Reiki Clinic. The Reiki program at TMC began over 11 years ago in the Cancer Care Unit. It has since branched out to other areas of the hospital as well. Reiki practitioners at TMC usually describe Reiki as “healing energy” and work together in two person teams. They emphasize the relaxing and healing qualities of Reiki, rather than delving into metaphysics. Although some patients report spiritual experiences during Reiki sessions, volunteers explain that Reiki is a healing system, not a religion. The TMC clinic’s success continues due to patient requests for repeat sessions as well as nurse reports of improved patient mood and healing rate.[ix]

The American Cancer Society regards Reiki as a “safe” complementary cancer therapy. Their website acknowledges patients’ subjective reports of Reiki’s ability to speed healing and increase their sense of well-being. Like massage, Reiki induces relaxation, lowers heart rate and reduces stress levels. Studies indicate that people heal better if they can remain in a low stress state. Because massage actually manipulates tissue, though, the American Cancer Society recommends avoiding areas near tumors until research shows if tissue manipulation can spread cancer cells to other parts of the body.[x] Unlike massage, Reiki involves a light touch or no touch at all: there is no tissue manipulation. Recipients remain clothed while energy flows above and into their body. For people with multiple tumor sites, Reiki offers a chance to tap into the healing power of relaxation without any contraindications.

[i] American Cancer Society: Caner Reference Information. cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_1X_How_many_people_get_breast_cancer_5.asp?sitearea=

[ii] About Health and Fitness: breastcancer.about.com/

[iii] “How Cancer Can Put You at Risk of Serious Infection.” Healthmonitor: July-August 2006, p. S3.

[iv] “Take Care of Yourself.” Healthmonitor: July-August 2006, p. S4.

[v] Source: Office of Communications, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, usask.ca/communications/ocn/Apr24/news8.html.

[vi] Source: Olson K, Hanson J, 1997. “Using Reiki to manage pain: a preliminary report.” Cancer Prevention Control 1997, June, Vol.1(2): pages 108-13.

[vii] Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center: Classes and Events. dhmc.org/dhmc/webpage.cfm?site_id=2&morg_id=0&org_id=1&sec_id=3&gsec_id=3&item_id=3

[viii] CPMC Institute for Health and Healing. cpmc.org/services/ihh/professionals/overview.html

[ix] Rand, William Lee. “Reiki in Hospitals.” Reiki News Articles: The International Center for Reiki Training. reiki.org/reikinews/reiki_in_hospitals.html

[x] American Cancer Society. “Reiki” and “Massage.” cancer.org/docroot/eto/content/eto_5_3x_massage.asp?sitearea=eto

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