Researchers at the University of Illinois reported in Gynecologic Oncology that hens fed a flaxseed-enriched diet for one year had a significantly lower rate of late-stage ovarian tumors than a control group that did not have the enriched diet. However, the hens fed the flaxseed-enriched diet did not have a lower incidence of ovarian cancer than the control group. These results are important because currently most women are stage 3 or 4 when diagnosed with ovarian cancer and “metastases that accompany late stage ovarian cancer are the main cause of death from the disease.” Thus, there is currently a high death rate from ovarian cancer. Previous studies have shown the effectiveness of flaxseed in inhibiting the formation of colon, breast, skin, and lung cancer and testing flaxseed for ovarian cancer was a next step. These finding should lead to clinical trials with flaxseed as a chemosuppressant of ovarian cancer in women.
Archive for the ‘ovarian cancer’ Category
Flaxseed Reduces Severity of Ovarian Cancer in Chickens
Friday, May 21st, 2010Is It Beneficial to a Woman’s Health to Remove Her Ovaries during a Hysterectomy?
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
In the past it has been common practice to remove both of a woman’s ovaries during a hysterectomy to eliminate the possibility of later ovarian cancer. Now researchers at St Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California results question this practice because although it does decrease ovarian and breast cancers it also increases the risk of death. In “Ovarian Conservation at the Time of Hysterectomy and Long Term Health Outcomes in the Nurses’ Health Study” published in the May 2009 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology researchers questioned the practice because ovarian cancer has a low risk of about 3% and is responsible for less than 1% of all deaths among women. In their study they focused on a set of 29,380 women who had been followed for years of which 13,035 had hysterectomies without their ovaries removed, and 16,345 had hysterectomies with their ovaries removed. They evaluated deaths and incident events from coronary heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, total cancers, hip fractures, pulmonary embolus, and death from all causes. Women were separated into pre and post menopausal groups at the time of hysterectomies and those who had estrogen replacvement therapy were identified.
After adjusting for multiple independent risk factors, the researchers found the following trends: Removal of both ovaries was associated with a markedly lower risk of ovarian. breast cancer and overall cancer. However, they also had a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. They also had a higher risk of death from coronary heart disease, lung cancer and all cancers. The researchers concluded that at least one in every 24 women having her ovaries removed will die prematurely from any cause as a result of the procedure.
The death rate for women who did not have their ovaries removed was very low: 34 deaths out of 13,305 or 0.26%
More information can be found in the original article.
Dr Carl O Helvie Interviews 5 Cancer Survivors
Sunday, July 19th, 2009




On Saturday, July 18, I interviewed 5 cancer survivors pictured from left to right–Aurea McGarry, Linda Wilson, Regina Leeds, Les Thiele, and Lori Kuban .
Aurea is a 9 year Non Hodskins Lymphoma survivor who won the Mrs. U.S. Beauty of Georgia Contest in 2003 and the title of Most Inspirational Contestant. She is the creator, producer and host of the television show Live Your Legacy with Aurea McGarry. Earlier she worked on the soap opera Edge of Night. She discusses her experiences with cancer in her book I Won’t Survive, I’ll Thrive. More information is available at: www.liveyourlegacytv.com
Linda had a tumor of the kidney and used alternative interventions. She and her husband have owned a rare and used book business for 25 years. She has degrees in English Literature, and Respiratory Therapy, and a Masters in Theology. She is an ordained Episcopal Minister but currently works with the Catholic Apolistic Church. She writes when she has time and has a novel placed with an agent currently. She can be reached at: littlegidding@hughes.net
Regina is a 7 year survivor of third stage uterine cancer who used traditional and alternative interventions. She is a professional organizer and authored six books including the New York Times best seller One Year to an Organized Life. More information is available at www.reginaleeds.com
Les is a 3 time ovarian cancer survivor who used complementary interventions. She talks with cancer patients several times a week and is in the process of putting up a web site. She can be reached at: (617) 834-1597.
Lori is a brain tumor survivor who used traditional and alternative interventions. She has a baccalaureate and masters degree and is a research librarian. She is also a cancer and health care advocate who speaks and provides workshops for cancer survivors and professionals including being a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society. She also gives radio and television interviews. More information is available at www.cancerologist.com
The interviews for this show follow.







