North Carolina Public Health And North Carolina's Leading Cancer Centers Join With The Colon Cancer Alliance To Present A Colorectal Cancer Seminar

Main Category: Colorectal Cancer
Also Included In: Public Health;  Conferences
Article Date: 31 May 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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On Saturday, June 9th, North Carolina Public Health and North Carolina's leading cancer centers will join together to present a free seminar for colorectal cancer patients and their loved ones to exchange and receive information on the latest treatment advances and disease management strategies. Colorectal cancer is the second- leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Every four minutes someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with colorectal cancer, a diagnosis that can be overwhelming without appropriate information and support.

The statewide initiative, titled "Conversations about Colorectal Cancer," will be held at the Greensboro AHEC (Area Health Education Center) on the campus of Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital. The seminar, which runs from 8:00 a.m. until 3:15 p.m., will encourage discussions about improving quality of life and give patients and caregivers the chance to hear and support each other in the fight against colorectal cancer. This event is part of a 10-city, national series of free colorectal cancer educational seminars. This is the first time that these three institutions have partnered to host such a seminar.

"This program is an important way for those living with colorectal cancer to learn more about the nation's second-leading cancer killer," says Gordon Cole, the Colon Cancer Alliance's Voices of Greensboro Chapter Coordinator. "As a survivor, I know the importance of giving those affected by colorectal cancer the opportunity to hear from leading physicians and learn how best to become an active partner in treatment programs."

Cancer experts from Duke University, University of North Carolina and Wake Forest University's comprehensive cancer centers will present information on a range of topics about colorectal cancer-from the latest treatment advances with targeted therapies to managing treatment side effects.

"North Carolina is home to three of the world's leading comprehensive cancer centers and this is the first time that they have come together to engage patients and caregivers in an interactive seminar on treatment options and issues related to living with colorectal cancer," notes Walter L. Shepherd, Director of the NC Comprehensive Cancer Program and Executive Director of the NC Advisory Committee on Cancer Coordination and Control. "By encouraging increased dialogue between patients, health care providers and caregivers, we hope to help patients learn how to successfully continue their daily activities and ultimately improve their quality of life."

A recent Harris Interactive survey of more than 500 cancer patients and 300 oncologists found that patients who discussed cancer topics with their physicians were more knowledgeable about their conditions than those who did not. For example, 90 percent of patients who didn't have discussions with their physicians were unaware of the extent of available treatment options. In addition, those patients were less informed about the possibility of treatment delays, infection, the effects of low red and white blood cells, and the value of proper patient education.

About Colorectal Cancer

Although more Americans have become aware of colorectal cancer in recent years, one person still dies of the disease every nine minutes. Colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer in the United States. One in 18 people in the United States will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime; yet, if caught early, it is one of the most curable cancers. The American Cancer Society has estimated that 153,760 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2007 and an estimated 52,180 people will die from colorectal cancer. In North Carolina, approximately 4,120 new cases were diagnosed and 1,530 people died from the disease in 2006.

The Colon Cancer Alliance

Dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colorectal cancer, the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) is a national patient advocacy organization, with chapters located across the country. It is the official patient support partner of Katie Couric's National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA). The Colon Cancer Alliance brings the voice of survivors to battle colon cancer through patient support, education, research and advocacy. CCA invites organizations, government agencies, members of the medical community and individuals impacted by this disease to add their voices by joining CCA in their determination to eradicate colorectal cancer.

The North Carolina Comprehensive Cancer Program

The North Carolina Comprehensive Cancer Program, a unit within the NC Division of Public Health, is a statewide initiative that works to ensure that North Carolina's collective efforts will enable the state to become the national leader in responding to the many challenges associated with cancer. These challenges include: the promotion of health lifestyles and preventative behaviors; the provision of universal access to screening and early detection resources; ensuring that patient- and family-centered care is accessible and affordable; promoting a cancer survivorship approach that is a collaboration between the patient, the family, the community and the health care system; and the elimination of all disparities related to accessing resources and services. For more information, please visit http://www.nccancer.com.

The Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center was established in 1973 by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as one of the original eight comprehensive cancer centers. Today, Duke is ranked as one of the nation's top 10 cancer hospitals by U.S.News & World Report and is one of only 39 NCI recognized Comprehensive Cancer Centers nationwide. Last year, nearly 5,000 new patients were diagnosed and treated for cancer at Duke in over 150,000 clinic visits. Duke patients represent virtually every county in North Carolina and every state in the nation. An additional 15,000 new cancer patients have access to services offered by the Duke Oncology Network, a collaborative effort by the Duke University Health System and the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. Through this effort, the Cancer Center affiliates with hospitals and private practices throughout North Carolina and the Southeast in order to provide patients with the highest quality of cancer care. Please visit us at http://www.cancer.duke.edu.

The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

One of three National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer programs in North Carolina and 39 across the nation, the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center takes the team approach to cancer care. In our gastrointestinal (GI) cancer and 12 other multidisciplinary programs, patients are seen by a team of experts who work together to develop the best individual treatment plan for each person. In addition to providing the highest quality and most compassionate clinical care, the UNC Lineberger is one of the nation's leading cancer research centers. The Center holds many grants, including NCI's Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in GI and breast cancers; the Cancer Genome Atlas project's genome analysis center; and the Carolina Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence. For more information, please visit http://cancer.med.unc.edu.

The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University

Since 1972, the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University has been recognized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a national leader in cancer care-offering the latest technologies and treatments, and access to innovative cancer clinical trials to patients throughout the region and across the country. It is among an elite group of only one percent of U.S. cancer centers that have been designated as "comprehensive" by the NCI-indicating excellence in patient care, research and education. For patients, this designation means the assurance of receiving the latest treatments, including access to novel drug, immunologic and gene therapies through the Comprehensive Cancer Center's extensive cadre of clinical trials. U.S. News & World Report ranks the Comprehensive Cancer Center among the nation's top hospitals for cancer care, and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center leads the nation in patient satisfaction for centers of its size. The Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of the most active cancer treatment facilities along the eastern coast of the U.S., attracting patients from the Carolinas, southern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, Georgia, West Virginia, as well as other states and countries. As the only academic medical center in western N.C., the Comprehensive Cancer Center offers research efforts and advanced therapies not available elsewhere. Please visit us at http://www1.wfubmc.edu/cancer.

Colon Cancer Alliance
http://www.ccalliance.org

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