Fighting Rare Cancers With The Immune System
erkel cell carcinoma (MCC) begins as a painless lump on the skin that can seem completely harmless but if left untreated the cancer can spread rapidly and be fatal. “It will initially seem completely innocuous,” says Dr. Marcus Butler, oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. “The patient may notice a lump and […]
IRIC: Fuelling Innovation In Cancer Research, Improving Patient’s Quality Of Life
An ultra-modern research hub and training centre located in the heart of the Université de Montréal, the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) was founded in 2003 to shed light on the mechanisms of cancer and discover new effective therapies. It operates according to a unique model in Canada, focused on results that […]
Enjoying Life To The Fullest As A Man Living With Prostate Cancer
Stewart Campbell describes himself as someone who is “living with cancer.” In 2007, the Cochrane, Alberta resident was diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer after feeling lower back pain and going for a checkup with his family physician. At that point, the disease had already escaped his prostate gland and metastasized to several lymph nodes. It […]
Getting Personal With Cancer: Targeted Therapies Breathe New Life Into Treatment Options For Patients
In November 2012, when Ian McAlpine’s wife, Cathy, told him he was breathing strangely, he had no idea that his whole life was about to change. “I didn’t think anything of it,” says Ian. “I was involved with kickboxing at the time. I was in excellent shape.” But a few months later, when a pain […]
Actress Emmanuelle Chriqui Is Committed To Educating Canadians About Colon Cancer
Mediaplanet: You’ve been a social advocate for colon cancer awareness for a number of years now. Can you tell us how colon cancer has affected you personally? Emmanuelle Chriqui: My mother had colon cancer. It wasn’t her primary form of cancer, but the colon cancer is the part that I remember the most — only because […]
Leaving With Love The Difference Palliative Care Makes
“I lost my best friend — we were literally like brothers — and I lost my father and my biological brother, all within a three year period, to cancer,” says Garrett, best known for his role as Ray Romano’s brother on Everybody Loves Raymond. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, cancer is the nation’s leading […]
Cutting Edge Treatment Improves Prospects For Liver Cancer Patients
All to increase awareness of breast cancer and raise money to treat it. While people across the Western world are aware of this disease and a handful of other cancers, liver cancer is not on their radar. But that may soon change.It is less prevalent here than in countries where chronic hepatitis B and C, […]
Thyroid Cancer: A Rare But Unwelcome Disease
At a time when the general public is more well-informed about cancer than ever before, thyroid cancer remains an unclear and misunderstood disease. There is little known about its causes or how to prevent it. “There is very little awareness about thyroid cancer,” explains Rita Banach, a thyroid cancer survivor and one of the founders […]
Using The Body’s Natural Defence System To Battle Cancer
Immuno-oncology, also known as immunotherapy or biological therapy, is a relatively new treatment that uses the body’s immune system to fight cancerous cells. “Cancer cells can manipulate the immune system and make it ineffective,” explains Dr. Michael Smylie, professor of medical oncology at the University of Alberta. “All we’re doing [with immuno-oncology] is reversing that […]
Bladder Cancer Is The Hidden Cancer With A Big Impact
In addition to being the fifth most common cancer in Canada, it is the fourth among men and twelfth among women. There are an estimated 80,000 bladder cancer patients in Canada — about 8,300 more are diagnosed every year and 2,300 will die of the disease. “Blood in the urine does not always indicate bladder […]