Sept 14, 2001

In This Issue:
Survivors Postpone Washington Event, Ranking Managed Care, Checking Drug Firms' Influence, Understanding Gleason Scores

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THE LATEST NEWS

Consumer Reports Poll Ranks Managed Care Plans

California Leads Nation In Anti-Smoking Efforts

Medical Journals Act to Limit Drug Firms' Influence

New Study Shows Bigger Risk From Arsenic In Water

Breast-Sparing Cancer Surgery Works In Elderly

Preoperative Radiotherapy Can Allow Conservative Surgery Of Large Breast Tumors

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CANCER SURVIVORS POSTPONE WHITE HOUSE EVENT

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship issued this statement: "NCCS shares in our nation's sorrow and outrage over the acts of terrorism that occurred Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Because of those events, and implications for all traveling from across the country, NCCS must postpone the Rays of Hope event that had been planned for Saturday, September 15 on The Ellipse of the White House. A new date will be announced for Spring 2002."

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BASIC EXPLANATION OF THE GLEASON GRADING FOR PROSTATE CANCER

The Gleason Grading System is the most widely used system for measuring prostate cancer. Introduced by Dr. Donald Gleason, the grading system is based on the patterns of cancer glands identified by pathologists. Dr. Gleason prepared a rating system that ranges from Grade 1 through 5, with Grade 1 being the most well-differentiated cancer and Grade 5 the most poorly differentiated cancer. To learn more about the Gleason Grading System, see http://www.cooleyville.com/cancer/caglegr.htm