Many of us rushed off to the tanning salons when they began opening all over the country. Today, even the smallest towns seem to have at least one tanning salon making them easily accessible to teenagers. Many parents thought the tanning salons were safer than outdoor tanning and encouraged the use. After all, the time of exposure was limited, there was privacy, and teenagers could avoid a burn on vacation by getting a starter tan. If you have recently adopted a teenager, she may pressure you for a membership. She may think that a tan could help her fit in, make... more

A new study is indicating that more than half of mothers are declining their doctors’ offers and the government’s guidelines to vaccinate their young daughters, those under 13 years, with Gardasil. The vaccine known as Gardasil offers protection for women against the human papillomavirus (HPV.) The FDA approved the Gardasil vaccine in 2006 for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. It is the primary cause of cervical cancer. The U.S. Center for Disease... more

There are certain gene mutations that predispose a person to cancer. Through the miracle of modern medicine, genetic testing is available to identify gene mutations that may lead to cancer. A person armed with information about being predisposed to developing cancer can take preventative measures in some cases to prevent its development. If you have an adopted child without much medical history, then genetic testing may help answer some of your questions. For example, women with a harmful mutation in the BRCA1... more

A recent example involved treatment with a new cutting-edge drug for brain cancer. This promising treatment for medulloblastoma brain tumors short-circuits tumor growth at a molecular level. The drug, HhAntag, is a signal transduction inhibitor (STI) which has been successful in treating about one-third of brain cancers in adults with non-toxic safe results. HhAntag targets the so-called "hedgehog" pathway and shuts down a signaling mechanism critical to the proliferation... more

Is there something different about your adopted child’s eyes, especially in photographs? I was reading about the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s child of the month recently. Her name is Jaylynn and her mother noticed that Jaylynn’s eyes looked different in photographs. The nine-month-old’s eyes took on a yellowish reflection in her photos. Sometimes her eyes would cross. Her mother took her to the doctor, who referred her to specialist who discovered the tumors, and referred her to the Mayo clinic. Jaylynn was diagnosed... more

A molecule has been isolated from the egg cell of the Northern Leopard frog that recognizes the sugary coating found on tumor cells. This molecule attaches itself to the sugary coating, then invades and kills the tumor cells. A synthetic molecule, called Amphinase, based on the one found in frog egg cell can easily be synthesized in the laboratory.

This has researchers excited over the potential use of this molecule to treat brain tumors. The Journal of Molecular Biology also suggests that the molecule could potentially treat cancers. Current treatment for brain... more

Have you ever wondered about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital? Which childhood special needs or diseases are treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital? How does a child with medical special needs get accepted to the hospital? Where do families stay when they have a sick child at the hospital? Is it expensive? Frequently when I’m researching a medical condition or a treatment I’ll look on the St. Jude website. That is what made me curious about the children they provide treatment to and I thought you might be curious as well.

The late entertainer Danny... more

If multiple family members of your chosen child have developed melanoma, then other family members, including your chosen child, should have regular exams as melanoma seems to run in families. A person with numerous dysplastic nevi also should be examined regularly. An infant born with a congenital nevi or giant hairy nevi may have an increased risk of malignant melanoma, those bigger than the open palm of an adult pose the greatest risk.

Moles are growths... more

Dr. Paul C. Nathan and colleagues of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto did a survey involving 8,522 adult survivors of childhood cancer. The purpose of the survey was to determine if the survivors had received the recommended cancer follow-up health care. The average age of the survivors was 31.4 years at the time of the survey and 6.8 years at the time of their cancer diagnosis.

It is so important for cancer survivors to be diligent in scheduling recommended... more

French researchers recently identified that agricultural workers, including farmers and vineyard workers, who have the highest level of exposure to pesticides, are twice as likely to have brain cancer, than workers not exposed to pesticides are. The study involved nearly 700 adults. If that doesn’t concern you because you don’t have a farm or a vineyard, where you spray hundreds of gallons of pesticides, then read on. People who treat houseplants with pesticides also... more