“˜Insights into Cancer’ gives elusive disease a closer look

For cancer patients and families who have questions about their cancer diagnosis, information can be sought out at UCLA’s free “Insights Into Cancer” lecture series.

The lectures are presented by the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, who seek out world renowned doctors in respective fields to speak at the monthly lectures.

Topics covered in the past include cancers in the breast, brain, lung and other vital organs.

“An absence of resources for patients inspired this lecture series, beginning in 1994. Our primary goal is to offer people high quality education and empower them to have (information) that may be useful to them,” said Anne Coscarelli, psychologist and director of the oncology center.

The lectures provide information about the latest discoveries made in the field being discussed and are geared toward helping families cope with the reality of cancer, both psychologically as well as taking preventative measures, when applicable. Though the lectures are informative, they are not replacements for physician consultations.

“The intention of the lectures is to ground patients with information in a method more comprehensive than what they get from their doctors. Since our lecturers are top-notch, they can talk about a wide range of topics such as new treatments and the different stages of cancer,” Coscarelli said.

A lecture was held Tuesday night in Stein Plaza, titled, “Melanoma of the Skin and Eye: Treatment Strategies for Local and Widespread Diseases.” The lectures are available online, though attendance is encouraged for the benefits of an interactive environment.

According to lecturer Antoni Ribas, oncologist and associate professor of medicine and surgery, one in 75 Americans will suffer from skin melanoma. There has been a 619 percent increase in incidence over the past 50 years. Skin melanoma cancer appears as moles on the skin that develop as a result of tanning or of genetics.

The genes which trigger a risk for this cancer have been identified, though more research is needed to find a stable cure.

Oncologist Tara McCannell emphasized the need for patients to partake in research studies as part of regular treatment.

“Fifty percent of patients, regardless of treatments taken, develop ocular melanoma to the metastatic stage of cancer in which the cancer spreads throughout the body and there is no cure” McCannell said.

The UCLA Medical Center is one of the few research centers for ocular melanoma and patients are encouraged to participate in clinical studies to help forge the path to finding a cure.

The “Insights Into Cancer” lecture series can provide more extensive information about the studies needing to be conducted.

Interested community members can find a complete annual listing of upcoming lectures online at http://www.simmsmanncenter.ucla.edu/insights/insights.asp. Patients have access to clinical as well as psychological advice concerning cancer if they wish to seek it.

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