Although the decrease in cancer deaths is small, experts are still hopeful that the trend will continue. Many experts believe the decline is due to a reduction in smoking, more effective treatments and improved screening methods.

Chemoprevention is the use of natural or synthetic substances to lower the risk of developing cancer.

National trials on chemopreventive agents are being conducted by researchers from the Division of Cancer Medicine at M. D. Anderson. These drugs consist of calcium compounds, retinoids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The current focus is on developing chemopreventive chemicals that work toward the prevention of specific, but common cancers with very minimal side effects.

The bone marrow is full of blood stem cells, which are cancerous in patients with leukemia and other blood cancers. In bone marrow transplants, the cancerous stem cells are replaced with healthy stem cells from a donor.

Traditional bone marrow transplants are complex procedures and often-times result in the rejection of the donor cells by the patient’s immune system. This is known as GVHD (graft versus host disease). As much as 50% of traditional bone marrow transplants in people over the age of 50 result in GVHD.

The new procedure includes irradiating only the areas of the body with lymph-nodes and taking an immunosuppressive agent. Experimental trials showed a reduction in the development of acute GVHD in patients. Further research involving more patients and a longer follow-up time is currently in the works.

The researchers estimate that the risk of a second melanoma is 11.4% in people who have already had one.

According to the study, the likelihood of a recurring melanoma is even higher if you have a family history or a personal history of abnormal moles. The risk for a second melanoma nearly doubles with these extra factors.

Over 4,400 melanoma patients were included in the study and were followed for 2.2 years on average.

For those who’ve had melanoma once, Dr. Coit recommends seeing a dermatologist for a skin surveillance at least twice a year and performing a self examination once a month. Fortunately, melanoma shows itself in the form of an abnormal mole.

The study presents evidence that taking 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D every day can lower some cancer risks. Most notable were reduced rates of colon, ovarian and breast cancer. 1,000 IU of vitamin D is 5 times what the current recommendations call for in people aged 50 and under.

You may read the paper in its entirety at PubMed by following the link provided below…

“The Role of Vitamin D in Cancer Prevention”

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