Questions of medicine and science formed half way ‘round the world By Dr. Aly Karsan on Mar 22, 2016 My path to a career in science and medicine was convoluted, but not without direction. I grew up in east Africa on an island in the Indian Ocean. Both my maternal grandparents died at very young ages of undiagnosed conditions. While the setting was idyllic, the reason for my grandparents’ deaths, or rather the lack of a reason bothered me. This great gap in understanding—the causes of... Continue Reading BC Cancer - Vancouver, BC Cancer - Victoria, BC Oral Cancer Prevention Program, Biobanking, Brachytherapy, BrainCare BC, Breast Cancer, Bust a Move, Cancer Control Research, Chemo SmartBook, Chemotherapy, Childhood cancer, Childhood Cancer Research Program, Clinical Trials, Colorectal cancer, Concrete Hero, Deeley Research Centre, Discovery Luncheon, Drug Development, Endometrial Cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Experimental Therapeutics, Functional cancer imaging, Gastrointestinal Cancer, Genomics, Golf Classic In Memory of Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins, Gynecologic Cancer, Head & Neck Cancer, Inspiration Gala, Jingle Mingle, Leukemia
Research leads to increased options for cancer treatment By Dr. Jessica McAlpine on Mar 09, 2016 In my previous post I shared how we have learned so much about endometrial cancer by analyzing the molecular features of the tumours. Recently, we have been really excited in showing that these molecular features can be determined on endometrial samples, and do not require analysis of the whole uterine specimen, such as from a hysterectomy. Most women diagnosed with... Continue Reading BC Cancer - Vancouver, Biobanking, Endometrial Cancer
Most common gynecologic cancer gets boost By Dr. Jessica McAlpine on Mar 08, 2016 It is a pleasure to be able to contribute to the BC Cancer Foundation blog again! Since I last blogged almost a year ago, we have gained further insight on the behavior of different endometrial cancers, and I had the pleasure of joining another Ride to Conquer Cancer last summer, in somewhat epic... Continue Reading BC Cancer - Vancouver, Endometrial Cancer, Ride to Conquer Cancer
Treating Endometrial Cancer in Young Women By Dr. Jessica McAlpine on May 21, 2015 We know that around 15% of endometrial cancers occur in women less than 50 years of age, and 5% in women less than 40. These women may not yet have had a family and likely have not entered menopause. Thus they may not be ready to have their uterus and ovaries removed, which is the usual surgical step when endometrial cancer is diagnosed. It is very challenging to advise these women as... Continue Reading Endometrial Cancer, Gynecologic Cancer
Endometrial Cancer: How Molecular Testing Can Improve Treatment Strategies for Women By Dr. Jessica McAlpine on May 20, 2015 Hello again and thanks for tuning in! Today I am going to share some recent work we have been doing in endometrial cancer or cancer of the ‘womb.’ This is the most common cancer in women in the developed world yet it is surprisingly understudied. More than any other cancer I treat there is profound inconsistency in how pathologists, surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists manage this... Continue Reading Endometrial Cancer, Gynecologic Cancer