Cancer causes, trends, success stories part of first-ever Gulf Coast ...

PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- When Stan Gartman of Ocean Springs was diagnosed with advanced throat cancer last summer, he and his family chose Singing River Health System's Regional Cancer Center out of several nationally renowned centers they visited.

That was because, Gartman said, Singing River not only had state-of-the-art equipment, but a friendly, patient-centric atmosphere that made his wife and their three teen boys feel welcome.

After 6-8 weeks radiation treatment, Gartman was deemed cancer-free and in remission about half a year ago. He shared his story Thursday with about 70 American Cancer Society volunteers at Singing River Hospital as part of the inaugural Gulf Coast Research Day, hosted by ACS.

Local, state and national experts spoke about the roles of the society and volunteers in cancer research; research goals and accomplishments; and cancer trends and efforts, particularly in Mississippi.

"The American Cancer Society invested $120 million in cancer research in Mississippi this year," Buddy Graves, ACS asset and services director, said.

About 40 percent of funds went toward research, he said, with the rest going toward efforts such as:

• Providing 562 patients rides via its Road to Recovery program.
• Providing 300 wigs for chemotherapy patients.
• Sponsoring 80 Camp Rainbow visits for children with cancer and blood-related diseases.
• Awarding 11 college scholarships.
• Sponsoring 295 Look Good ... Feel Better sessions for teens and adults.
• Housing 200-plus patients' families in Hope Lodge or other lodging, representing 4,293 room nights.

Graves spoke about trends such as obesity overtaking smoking as the No. 1 cause of cancer in the next decade.

"Lifestyle is going to be an ever more important part of the equation," he said.

To that end, a new research effort is being launched that will look at over 300,000 individuals ages 30-65 over a 20-year span to help determine just how much of a role lifestyle plays in determining likelihood of a cancer diagnosis.

The local arm of the American Cancer Society reports that there were more than 300 volunteers for the study in south Mississippi, which well exceeded their goal.

Earline Cuave of ACS's Health Initiatives urged more people to volunteer, whether through participating in fundraisers such as Relay for Life or Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, or giving rides to patients.

Cancer in Mississippi by the numbers ?

15,190 new cases

2,550 lung

2,230 prostate

1,990 breast

6,300 people expected to die from cancer

Source: American Cancer Society

"We need your help," she said. "Be our voice."

She said that events provide a chance to have fun for good cause. "You should have seen our Relay for Life in Biloxi last year," she said. "There were 6,400 at the town green, and men, women and children decked out in pink."

That event raised about $262,000, she said.

Chris Holland, Singing River's senior vice president of cancer services, presented a slide show of the equipment and facilities in both Ocean Springs and Pascagoula.

"It's as close to rocket science as you can get," Holland said of the scanning, radiation and other technology.

Founded in 1946, the ACS is the largest non-government source of cancer research funding in the nation. It has played a key role in research that linked smoking and cancer, for example, and DNA research that today helps solve homicides and other violent crimes.

At Singing River, research includes studies involving shortening the treatment time for cancer patients, Maggie Clarkson, regional cancer center director, said. So, far she said, the research has yielded positive results."We're excited about the breast cancer study," she said. "Our patient went from needing to have radiation nearly every day for 6-8 weeks to having it over three weeks with the same outcome.

"We were able to keep the toxicity under control, and she was able to go to work almost every day. It worked beautifully." ?

To find out about volunteering opportunities, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org. To learn more about cancer services at Singing River Health System's Regional Cancer Center, visit www.mysrhs.com. ?

Source: http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/07/cancer_causes_trends_success_s.html

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