Yesterday was my 3-year anniversary of surgery for prostate cancer. I’m doing great in long-term remission and hopeful it stays that way. You never know. Knock on wood. Over the years, as both a cancer researcher and patient, I’ve found myself frustrated with the way the media fails at reporting on supposed risky behaviors for …
Media’s crazy cocktails on cancer: today’s case of whole milk and soda Read More »
I know. I know. Scientists are not supposed to publicly talk about the question of when life begins and about death, but these are kind of important things to talk about and think about, don’t you think? I do. So here goes…. It’s been a very intense, crazy few weeks for me and for many …
Cancer is often referred to as the “Big C”. It’s a powerful word with many implications. Another “Big C” word is “Cure”. I believe “Cure” is also a loaded word. I am a cancer survivor and cancer scientist. You can read more about my experience here. Recently I got some more good news on the …
I’m going to try to do a new feature on Fridays, a TGIF review of the week in stem cell headlines in the news. What’s the good, the bad, and the ugly? What’s been hyped? It was a busy week in stem cells. The good Prostate Cancer Stem Cells. I’d give the recent wonderful Cell …
TGIF: stem cell headline weekly review for May 4 Read More »
Is Vitamin D a miracle drug or a disappointment like almost all other vitamins? Just recently there was a piece saying that Vitamin D may reduce pain. Today there was another news article saying Vitamin D may protect men against more aggressive prostate cancer. You name the condition and Vitamin D is claimed to help with …
Vitamin D: is this supplement helpful or hype-ful? Read More »
Cancer invokes powerful feelings so it is not surprising that there are a lot of harmful myths and urban legends out there about it. As a cancer researcher and cancer survivor, I can see it from both the biomedical research side and the patient side. Here’s my top 10 list of myths & legends about …
Interestingly, the Komen Foundation appears open to funding human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research. The latest report from Science includes a quote from Komen that denies any changes in funding policy for research and suggests they have not ruled out funding such research: Contrary to circulating online reports, Komen has not “de-funded” any grantee based on human embryonic stem …
Komen Foundation open to funding human embryonic stem cell research Read More »
The use of stem cells for cosmetics and cosmetic procedures is exploding even while many important questions remain. How legitimate are these stem cell cosmetic products and procedures? Are they safe and effective? What kinds of medical conditions are they being used to treat? I also recently did a post on another area of medicine …
Exactly two years ago today, I was lying in a hospital bed literally across the street from lab here at UC Davis. It seems unreal in a way, but painfully real it was and still is. On November 30, 2009, I had surgery for prostate cancer. Two years ago, things seemed pretty bleak. Now on …
My 2 years with cancer and what I learned from Steve Jobs Read More »
When I talk to people about stem cell science and the timeline for turning data into treatments and cures, their reactions completely depend on whom they are. Scientists are patient, perhaps too patient….perhaps too understanding of the many years that we are told that science takes to get something to the clinic. Patients and patient …