Take note: Herbs and supplements are medicine, too Fact or fiction? Herbs are natural and come from plants, so they can’t hurt you. Absolute fiction – and for cancer patients on a regimen of drugs, nonprescribed substances can negatively affect their treatment or even be outright dangerous. “I view all herbs and supplements – anything over the counter – as medications,” says Naturopathic Oncologist Dr. Leticia Cain, ND, FABNO. “In order to provide our patients the very best care, we need to know everything they are taking.” There are several reasons the full disclosure is so important, she says. First, herbs and supplements can interact with other medications prescribed to combat the cancer directly or to deal with its secondary effects. These interactions can lessen the effectiveness of cancer treatment or increase negative side effects. Also, patients with decreased liver function will be even less able to process substances their provider isn’t aware of. MARCH/APRIL 2012 Your Stamp Here In addition, while something like vitamin C is regulated and very standard across brands, herbs and supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This means substances with the same name can vary widely in their potency and other factors. “For instance, I might prescribe something specifically for one of its subcomponents – such as a particular brand and dose of green tea for the level of polyphenols it contains,” she says. “But a generic, overthe-counter green tea pill might be nothing more than green tea in a capsule, with none of the medical effects we intend.” Dr. Cain says patients should review herbs and supplements with their provider: TUESDAY POTLUCK GROUP SHARES TIPS AND LAUGHTER 900 SW 16th Street, Renton, WA 98057 • When any factor of your cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, etc.) changes (with chemo on the side) • If you have new symptoms • If you start taking new medications • When you have any questions at all – it’s better to check in and be safe Check out our Natural Medicines Dispensary The Natural Medicines Dispensary here at Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center sells only the highest quality vitamins, herbs and supplements. Our suppliers are chosen for the quality and purity of their products, many of them “professional only” lines that are more potent than what you would buy over-the-counter. (A survey of more than 1,200 supplements by ConsumerLabs. com found one out of four to be contaminated or sub-potent.) So, if you want to play it safe and get more bang for your supplement buck, get your physician-prescribed supplements here. We also do not charge sales tax! Mark your C alendar MAY - is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. Learn more at www.melanomamonday.org. MAY 17 - Look Good...Feel Better, free hair and makeup session brought to you by American Cancer Society,® 1 to 3 p.m. at SCTWC. You must call 1-800-ACS-2345 to register. June 3 - Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® Puget Sound, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Seattle Center. Learn more at www.komenpugetsound.org. June 8 - SCTWC is sponsoring the American Cancer Society’s® annual Relay for Life® for the fourth year in a row, 6 p.m. at Renton Memorial Stadium. Go to rentonrelay.org to join the SCTWC HOPESQUAD, or to cancer.org to find the Relay for Life event nearest you. June 9 - Pancreatic Cancer Action Network® 6th Annual Celebration of Hope (PANCAN) Gala. Go to Pancan.org for more information and to register. It’s midday Tuesday, and the room bustles with laughter and activity. People chatter and mingle around a center table laden with fresh stir-fry, rice, beans and tortillas. With this cheerful atmosphere, you might have popped into a neighborhood barbecue. about What is different is the picnickers are at Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center (SCTWC) for their weekly chemotherapy, all seated around the room in white treatment chairs and hooked up to IVs. Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center When you or someone you know has cancer – even advanced cancer or complex cancer – you never give up hope. Neither do we. That’s because Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center believes that people with cancer deserve every chance to receive care that is tailored uniquely to their cancer, their needs. No one-size-fits-all approaches here. Your health care team includes board-certified medical oncologists, board-certified naturopathic oncologists, and other natural cancer care and supportive care practitioners. We are proud to have been the first cancer center in the Pacific Northwest where doctors, naturopathic physicians and other providers work side by side to practice true patient-centered care. We are experts in treating most types of cancer and have pioneered innovative treatment for pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer. We accept most health insurance plans. Our services and providers include: Medical Oncology and Clinical Research Nick Chen, M.D., Ph.D Atis Barzdins, M.D. Shawna Smith, ARNP Mind-Body Medicine Lori Nelson, MA, LMHCA, LMP Stacy Oxenhandler, ND, MA Mana Iluna, MSW Naturopathic oncology Dr. Letitia Cain, ND, FABNO Mark Gignac, ND, MSA, FABNO Paul Reilly, ND, LAc, FABNO Care Coordination and Patient Navigation Bennett Reyes Tanika Sims Instead of withstanding half a dozen hours of chemotherapy alone and leaving, they – and their families – have created a community, bringing and sharing food, laughter and stories at a time you might not expect people to be so jovial. “The people here are nice – they feed you!” says Tim Hill, as the wife of another patient bustles around the room, serving food and drinks. “If you’re having a problem with your treatment, someone else might say, ‘Here’s what worked for me.’” Duane Garrison adds: “We talk about normal parts of daily life, like, ‘How did you come through the storm?’ We don’t just cover the grim stuff – but it’s a safe place to share if that comes up.” Continued inside... Antonio Garza _________________ For more information, visit www.seattlecancerwellness.com or call 206-FOR-HOPE _________________ Conveniently located in Renton at 900 SW 16th Street, Suite 100 The Navigator is a publication of Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center. It is not intended to replace the advice of a physician. No case is typical. You should not expect to experience results described in this publication. © 2012 Rising Tide ehr Julie Bo ig Tiffany Arneber g-Patterson The CTCA difference Who’s in charge here? You are! There’s a reason it is called “the big C” – a diagnosis of cancer can be overwhelming, and it can often seem like the disease is the one in charge. But at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), our clinicians believe in your fundamental right to be informed about, and to choose among, the best available options for your cancer treatment. It’s all part of our Patient Empowerment Medicine® philosophy of care. Our health care providers do at least as much listening to you as talking. Rather than telling you what you need, your care team listens to you and provides clear, well-defined choices. Then, they help you decide on a treatment plan that best suits your individual needs. Far from being “just a nice thing to do,” patient empowerment care has real benefits that can help you withstand your cancer treatment and begin to heal. That means you can: • Feel more in control of your life • Make informed decisions about your care • Choose treatments best suited to you • Build confidence to face challenges • Feel hopeful rather than helpless The first step on the road to empowerment begins with some questions - the list below will get you started, and the answers will be unique to you. Bring your responses next time you meet with your providers: • Do you fully understand your medical condition? • Have we explained your treatment options? • Do you know what medications you are on and their potential side effects? • Have we addressed all your pain issues? • How can we improve your quality of life? At CTCA’s Western Regional Medical Center, which offers the same approach to integrated care as SCTWC, treatment options also include traditional therapies such as surgery and radiation plus pain management, oncology rehabilitation and other complementary services. “Everyone is different – the way your body reacts to cancer, how it responds to treatment, your lifestyle and expectations,” explains Medical Director Nick Chen, M.D., Ph.D. “By offering an integrative approach, we can use every possible tool to meet your unique care needs.” Antonio Garza, whose son is the stir-fry chef, is quieter than the rest, but his approval comes easily: “This group surprised me – it is so friendly. They’re real nice people, all of them.” Although the weekly potluck ritual is just a few months old, veteran patient and group member Dennis Phifer has brought his gourmet concoctions here for years, and he still attends frequently to socialize. And while the food keeps people moving about like bees in a hive, it is the family atmosphere that makes treatment more bearable for all. “The group dynamic here made me not want to change my chemo schedule,” says Tiffany Arneberg-Patterson. • Do you need help coordinating care at home? • Have we answered all your questions? And Julie Boehrig chimes in: “It’s often depressing on the ride over from Spokane, but by the time I go home I feel better.” To learn more about Patient Empowerment Medicine®, visit cancercenter.com Ben Taney even draws a direct connection between the Tuesday group and his resolve against cancer. “This potluck is really nice,” he says. “We’re all here to fight the fight. If you keep working toward something, eventually you’ll win.” Each patient is waging a very private and solitary battle, but there are no outsiders here. They are united in their choice to love and laugh and share – and to keep on fighting. Can we fix you a plate? Duane Integrative cancer care Unique among cancer centers across the nation, CTCA expands the boundaries of conventional care by bringing together traditional tools for fighting cancer along with supportive therapies. For example, at Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center (SCTWC), we provide chemotherapy along with naturopathic care and mind-body therapy. Our medical oncologists, naturopathic oncologists and mind-body specialists work side by side to determine the very best course of treatment for each individual patient. (Continued) • Would you like to speak with a financial counselor? What’s up with that? At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), integrative cancer treatment is not a buzzword or a recent trend. It is what we have provided to our patients since 1988. POTLUCK Cancer Research Headlines Caffeine may alter women’s estrogen levels Researchers now believe women who drink caffeine see greater changes in their estrogen levels. Variations in estrogen levels are associated with several diseases, including breast and ovarian cancers. Go to www.usatoday.com and search for estrogen, caffeine. Cancer patients suffer needlessly from lack of nutritional support Well-nourished cancer patients tend to have better clinical outcomes and lead better quality lives, but 20 to 40 percent of cancer patients die from causes related to malnutrition rather than the cancer itself. Go to www.prnewswire.com and search for Wholesome Temptation. Drug may slow early prostate cancer The cancer drug, Avodart, which is typically used to treat an enlarged prostate gland, could potentially help to slow the progression of early stage prostate cancer, according to a new study. Go to www.consumer.healthday.com and search for Avodart. Researchers identify liver cancer risk factors Two new studies from the Mayo Clinic find that hepatitis C infection and obesity could be to blame for a surge in liver cancer cases, which have tripled over the last 30 years. Go to www.consumer.healthday.com and search for hepatocellular carcinoma. on Garris When patients go the distance, so do WE When you come to Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center (SCTWC), you’re not only going to meet patients from Seattle, Renton or Tacoma. You are just as likely to run into someone from Juneau, Portland or San Francisco. SCTWC draws patients from all over the West Coast and beyond, and we work hard to make it easy on those who travel the farthest. “We want to take as much stress as possible off patients’ hands, so they don’t have to deal with that while they’re receiving care,” says Tanika Sims, patient navigator and care coordinator. Her experience on the job is truly soup-to-nuts: anything it takes to get patients and their families to SCTWC and make their stays easier, Tanika likely has done. “If someone’s coming into town and needs a place to stay, we have contracts for reduced rates with local hotels and extended-stay facilities. Or, if they’re driving here in an RV, we can find them a place to park their rig,” she says. Some patients and their families even fly in for their weekly treatments when staffing and weather allow, courtesy of Angel Flight, a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization that arranges free, non-emergency air travel for those with serious medical conditions. Julie Boehrig lives in Spokane and sometimes uses Angel Flight to come to SCTWC for treatment. “Driving five hours each way can get to be a grind, and it’s really expensive on fuel. So we are very grateful that Angel Flight can get me there,” she said. “It’s free, and it only takes an hour or two each way, depending on the plane.” “Just let us know what your travel needs are,” Tanika concludes. “Lean on us, and don’t feel bad about asking.” If you have questions about coordinating travel to SCTWC or making your stay in Seattle easier, contact Tanika Sims, 425-204-3898 or [email protected]. Get a good night’s sleep it’s not just mom’s advice Having cancer can often seem to work against getting a good, satisfying night’s sleep: You might be feeling increased stress or pain, and the medications you are on could be keeping you awake. But according to Naturopathic Oncologist Dr. Mark Gignac, ND, FABNO, cancer patients may have more to be concerned about than the peace of mind that proper sleep can bring – including their ability to effectively fight the disease. He says that during sleep, brain frequencies signal the release of chemicals for healing and proper immune function – and deep sleep is the only time this happens. “So there’s a scientific basis to telling patients to get a good night’s sleep,” he says. “It’s not just a platitude.” A few things to try at home to sleep well: • Make your bedroom as dark as possible, even changing your window coverings if necessary • Have a calming routine at bedtime – play relaxing music, read, pray, meditate or “cool down” with easy stretching exercises • Avoid activities that keep your brain running, such as checking your e-mail “The idea is to make your brain wind down, not crank up,” Dr. Gignac explained. To help cancer patients further battle sleeplessness, our providers use a three-phase approach when prescribing medication. First up are natural substances such as 5-HTP, theanine (a green tea extraction) or tryptophan. If those don’t work, Benadryl® often slows people down enough to sleep. Also, innovative treatments – such as various sound (auditory) technologies – have shown promise. Check with your provider for more information. “If a patient’s sleep habits still don’t return to a healthy level, prescribing an actual sleep agent is the next step,” Dr. Gignac says. “And people shouldn’t feel bad if they have to take a sleeping pill. In order to get well, you need the benefits that only good sleep can bring.” Recipe of the season cho Edamame GazCpa Natural Markets Recipe courtesy of PC and diced 3 cups tomatoes, seeded e (young soy beans) am am ed lled she es 10 ounc and diced 2 cups cucumber, peeled er pp pe en gre 1 cup diced low pepper 1 cup diced orange or yel ion on en ⅔ cup sliced gre te), seeded and diced 1 to 2 jalapeños (or to tas ey rsl pa ed te) ¼ cup freshly chopp er or chili powder (to tas wd po tle po chi ½ tablespoon lic 1 tablespoon minced gar ½ teaspoon salt d black pepper ¼ teaspoon freshly groun 3 cups tomato juice c vinegar ¼ cup red wine or balsami ept the tomato ce all of the ingredients exc tomato juice pla wl, bo ss gla ge lar a the In s gently to combine. Add juice and vinegar and tos to combine. tly flavors to and vinegar and stir gen several hours to allow the Cover and refrigerate for sonings as needed before serving. blend. Taste and adjust sea