Cancer

Without question, breast cancer is the disease many women fear the most-not only because of the disease, but also because of what treatment involves. However, as this program illustrates, dramatic differences exist between today's breast cancer therapies and the way the illness was treated a generation ago. Women with breast cancer detail their experiences with this disease, their reactions to the diagnosis, and the treatments that saved their lives. They also offer advice to other women about how to emotionally survive the breast cancer experience. Experts include Dr. Edith Perez of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Dr. Dennis Slamon of UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. (28 minutes)

UPDATED IN 2002. This program reviews the various types and stages of breast cancer, the methods for diagnosing the disease, surgical treatment options, and how various patients and their partners can learn to cope with their emotions while wrestling with the reality of the diagnosis. Additional content introduces or expands upon topics such as stereotactic breast biopsy, advanced breast biopsy instrumentation, vacuum-assisted core biopsy, and sentinel node biopsy; infiltrating lobular carcinomas; growth factor analysis; and pre-surgery chemotherapy. Also, genetic testing, hormone replacement therapy for survivors, and breast reconstruction surgery are set forth as issues to consider carefully with one's physician. New on-screen text and graphics are included as well. (40 minutes)

This program presents a concise overview of critical concerns and issues regarding breast cancer, a disease that affects one in five women. In a logical format using computer graphics and footage with real patients, the program addresses the general pathology of cancer, the specifics of breast cancer, and the various risk factors. A segment on self-examinations clearly demonstrates how these potentially life-saving checks are performed, explaining how they are the key to early detection. Treatment options are fully explained and illustrated, including chemotherapy, mastectomy, and reconstructive surgery. (20 minutes)

More than 10 million people around the world live with cancer pain, which can persist even after successful treatment. This program presents case studies of cancer survivors who have confronted ongoing, debilitating pain; it also features commentary from experts and highlights pain therapies-those available today and those on the horizon. Dr. Gail Cooney of the Hospice of Palm Beach County, Florida, overviews palliative medical advances and the use of the Wong-Baker FACES pain scale, while Valarie Worthy, a nurse and breast cancer survivor, discusses the problem of pain denial. Dr. Richard Payne, Professor of Medicine and Divinity at Duke University, also contributes expertise. (27 minutes)

This four-part series sets the medical and personal complexities of cancer into an easily understood framework. Designed to facilitate decisions involving the disease-whether those decisions are preventive in nature or are part of a treatment process-Cancer Story is an important resource for patients, healthcare providers, instructors, and support group participants alike. A Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Production. 4-part series, 57-59 minutes each.

Radiation and chemotherapy often make patients wonder which is worse-cancer or the weapons used to fight it? This program examines the many side effects of cancer treatments, revealing essential medical facts behind them and suggesting ways for cancer patients to feel better, despite the likelihood of pain, nausea, and other debilitations. Discussions address many frequently asked questions, such as: When should treatment side effects be considered too severe? Which of them can be life-threatening? What methods exist for reducing the impact of side effects and tangibly increasing quality of life? Expert commentary comes from Dr. Barry Meisenburg of the University of Maryland and Dr. Shakun Malik of Georgetown University. (25 minutes)

Plastics, cleansers, automobile exhaust-the list of carcinogens in our air, soil, and water seems to go on and on. Featuring an interview with activist Erin Brockovich, this program looks at the environmental dimension of the fight against cancer, presenting expertise from several sources and highlighting ways to reduce the cancer risks in one's surroundings. Case studies include a breast cancer patient from Cape Cod, which some researchers have designated a cancer cluster area, and a retired oil-refinery worker suffering from leukemia after prolonged exposure to benzene. Expert commentary comes from Dr. Anila Jacob, a senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group, and Dr. Maria Baer, a hematologist from the University of Maryland. (25 minutes)

I thought I was going crazy. I needed to talk to people who were experiencing what I was experiencing." When cancer strikes, spouses, siblings, or children can suddenly become caregivers for the ones they love, locked in a struggle with the disease as well as with their own feelings. Drawing on interviews with caregivers and the staff of Gilda's Club, the Manhattan-based support group, this program explores the emotional impact of cancer while offering insights into how people cope. (60 minutes)"

A regimen of chemotherapy and radiation treatment is a severe test of both physical and emotional endurance. In this program from The Doctor Is In, people with breast, lung, prostate, and ovarian cancer and Hodgkin's disease describe the treatments-what they are like, how they incorporate them into their daily routines, and how they deal with the side-effects-and the emotional ups and downs that accompany them. Information is also provided on new treatments that are extending the life expectancies of lung cancer patients. A Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Production. (29 minutes)

Just a generation ago, pediatric cancers were almost always fatal. But today, 80 percent of childhood cancers are cured-young patients are disease-free and go on to live a normal life span. This program explores how doctors and researchers achieved this milestone, considered one of the greatest success stories in modern medicine. Also, scientists detail how research into pediatric cancer helped oncologists to develop effective anticancer regimens for adults. Interviewees include Dr. Eugenie Kleinerman of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Elliot Vichinsky of Oakland Children's Hospital, and Dr. Stacy Berg of Baylor College of Medicine. (28 minutes)

One of the most deadly forms of cancer is also one of the most preventable. In this program, doctors from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and elsewhere focus on three case studies of senior citizens with colon cancer to explore the etiology and pathology of colon cancer, risk factors, and screening options. Prevention through colonoscopic examinations is emphasized, and treatments such as surgery with adjuvant therapy and combination chemotherapy involving 5-FU, Camptosar, and oxaliplatin are described. Some content may be objectionable. (24 minutes)

No drug or medicine has ever been proven safe and effective without a clinical trial. This program demonstrates the vital role of clinical trials in current cancer research, and explains why many medical experts view the clinical trial system as the basis for curing all forms of cancer-or turning it into a manageable disease that patients can live with. Personal testimony from trial participants who have survived lung, breast, and other types of cancer is juxtaposed with the problem of cultural and psychological barriers to participation, providing valuable insight into the sometimes mysterious clinical trial process. (28 minutes)

Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. In fact, 1 of every 4 fatalities in America is attributed to cancer, amounting to more than 1,500 deaths each day. After introducing the broad topic of cancer, this program narrows its focus to scrutinize breast, cervical, prostate, testicular, lung, and skin cancers. The symptoms of these cancers, as well as the steps that can be taken to minimize the risk of contracting them, are identified. Factors that appear to increase susceptibility, such as age, diet, gender, race, and personal behavior patterns, are considered as well. (29 minutes)

A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes in the United States, but the more than two million survivors are proof that the diagnosis does not have to be a death sentence. Indeed, if breast cancer is found early, it has a cure rate of 90 percent. This FREDDIE Award winner explains the four stages of tumor properties, provides key insight into studies linking the disease to estrogen-genetic factors, and explores the new drugs, treatment benefits, and diagnostic techniques used by leading cancer centers. Most important, it espouses the need for early detection. Featured interviews include survivors and leading physicians from M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Northwestern University. (23 minutes)

In the past, esophageal cancer was linked to heavy smoking and drinking, but recent research points to a new culprit: acid reflux. This program examines the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of esophageal cancer. Case studies and commentary from leading medical experts in the field elucidate the causal chain between age; obesity; gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD; and Barrett's esophagus, a precursor to esophageal cancer. Gastroenterologists also discuss how long-term use of over-the-counter and prescription antacids can mask important warning signs of this disease. (24 minutes)