The journal of clinical oncology is a book called “The Journal of Clinical Oncology” (JOC) and is a publication of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. It is the foremost peer-reviewed biomedical journal that focuses on clinical cancer research throughout the world and is the most authoritative source for current information on the diagnosis and treatment for patients with specific cancers.
At the Journal of Clinical Oncology website there are hundreds of articles available that allow you to research any specific cancer. There are editorials and many original reports. The reports contain information and articles about such widely varying topics as sarcomas, gynecologic cancer, breast cancer, hematologic malignancies, genitourinary cancer, pediatric oncology, diagnostics, lung cancer, and supportive care and quality of life. It has sections on the biology of neoplasia, diagnosis of oncology and other special departments.
This publication will happily provide you with a FREE trial issue of “Journal of Clinical Oncology.” Go to the website and fill out and submit some information and they will send you the latest issue. If you decide to subscribe to the journal, simply respond to the invoice. If you are not satisfied, write “cancel” on the invoice and just send it within 30 days. For a subscription to JCO, email the program at membermail@asco.org or contact member services at 703-299-0158.
There are hundreds of articles that address hundreds of cancer topics. The journal is a valid research tool that can answer many of your questions. Here are a few articles and their topics:
“Concerns About Fertility Affect Treatment Decisions in One-Third of Young Breast Cancer Patients” was an article published on October 12, 2004 . A new study proves that concern about infertility resulting from breast cancer therapy influenced treatment decisions in nearly one-third of young patients. This study was the largest to date that examined fertility concerns among young women with breast cancer. It found that the majority of the women were very concerned about the ability to have a child as well as the impact that pregnancy might have worried on disease recurrence, despite the relative lack of data on these risks.
“History Of Smoking Significantly Reduces Survival In Head And Neck Cancer Patients” is another article published September 29, 2004 , which shows that a history of smoking affects the survival of patients with cancer in the head or neck. Patients who smoked less than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime were three times more likely to have better overall survival and better disease-specific survival. This is pertinent to the approximately 38,000 new cases of head and neck cancer cases in the United States each year. A vast majority of these people are or were smokers.
“Variations in DNA Repair Genes May Predict Survival in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients.” This article was published June 1, 2004 in the “ Journal of Clinical Oncology ,” and showed that genetic variations in an individual's ability to repair DNA damage may help predict survival in lung cancer patients treated with the most common chemotherapy drugs, Cisplatin and Carboplatin . The findings, if verified in further larger studies may help oncologists tailor chemotherapy to patients based on their specific genetic make-up.
Most people have been affected by cancer, whether their own or that of a friend or family member. If you have had or have known someone who has had cancer, the vast amount of research covered in this magazine will probably be of interest to you. The information is also useful to those who have a family history of cancer and want to take precautions in their own life.
By Jessica Maughan