New York, New Jersey, Connecticut News: cancer

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Thursday, 27 September 2012

Woman arrested, accused of faking cancer

Matt Kozar, Eyewitness NewsDELRAN, N.J. (WABC) -- A woman in New Jersey is charged with faking cancer, and collecting thousands of dollars in donations for her "treatment."

Authorities say 40-year-old Lori Stilley from Delran, New Jersey played the part of a sick cancer patient and had everyone fooled, even her sister.

"She was good. She convinced a lot of people that she was sick," said Lisa DiGiovanni, Stilley's sister.

Lisa DiGiovanni says she was heartbroken when she heard the news.

So, she did what she could to help including fundraisers, T-shirt sales and raffles.

She even helped plan and pay for a wedding between her sister and her boyfriend to grant her dying wish.

"I just felt like I was doing something even though I couldn't help fix her. I tried to be there as much as I could," DiGiovanni said.

DiGiovanni says things just didn't add up.

Like when her sister was preparing for hospice care, but all of the sudden started feel better and canceled the care.

"She came to my daughter's playoff field hockey game and it was very dramatic, in a wheelchair and she was supposed to go in hospice the next day and I was staring at her saying, she doesn't look sick," DiGiovanni said.

She told her friends and family members she had stage three bladder cancer.

Investigators say Stilley even published an e-book about her struggle with the disease.

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new jersey, cancer, fraud, new jersey news

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Monday, 24 September 2012

New breast cancer clues found in gene analysis

NEW YORK -- Scientists reported Sunday that they have completed a major analysis of the genetics of breast cancer, finding four major classes of the disease. They hope their work will lead to more effective treatments, perhaps with some drugs already in use.

The new finding offers hints that one type of breast cancer might be vulnerable to drugs that already work against ovarian cancer.

The study, published online Sunday by the journal Nature, is the latest example of research into the biological details of tumors, rather than focusing primarily on where cancer arises in the body.

The hope is that such research can reveal cancer's genetic weaknesses for better drug targeting.

"With this study, we're one giant step closer to understanding the genetic origins of the four major subtypes of breast cancer," Dr. Matthew Ellis of the Washington University School of Medicine said in a statement. He is a co-leader of the research.

"Now we can investigate which drugs work best for patients based on the genetic profiles of their tumors," he said.

The researchers analyzed DNA of breast cancer tumors from 825 patients, looking for abnormalities. Altogether, they reported, breast cancers appear to fall into four main classes when viewed in this way.

One class showed similarities to ovarian cancers, suggesting it may be driven by similar biological developments.

"It's clear they are genetically more similar to ovarian tumors than to other breast cancers," Ellis said. "Whether they can be treated the same way is an intriguing possibility that needs to be explored."

The report is the latest from the Cancer Genome Atlas, a federally funded project that has produced similar analyses for brain, colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancers.

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cancer, breast cancer, health news

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Tuesday, 11 September 2012

50 types of cancer added to 9/11 health program

Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK -- The federal government has added about 50 types of cancer to the list of Sept. 11 World Trade Center-related illnesses that will be covered by a program to pay for health coverage.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety announced the change Monday, the eve of the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

"The publication of this final rule marks an important step in the effort to provide needed treatment and care to 9/11 responders and survivors through the WTC Health Program," NIOSH director Dr. John Howard said in a statement.

The institute said last June that it favored expanding the existing $4.3 billion Sept. 11 health program to include people with 50 types of cancer. That move followed years of lobbying by construction workers, firefighters, police officers, office cleaners and others who fell ill in the decade after the terror attack, which destroyed the 110-story twin towers, spewing toxic dust.

NIOSH acted after an advisory committee made up of doctors, union officials and community advocates recommended that cancer be added. Previously, the aid effort had covered only people with mostly less-serious ailments, including asthma, acid reflux disease and chronic sinus irritation.

While stories about first responders struck by cancer are common, there is still little scientific evidence of elevated cancer rates connected to World Trade Center dust or other toxins at the ground zero recovery site in lower Manhattan. Scientists say there is little research to prove that exposure to the toxic dust plume caused even one kind of cancer.

Questions about whether the dust truly caused cancer were a reason Congress did not include it in the initial list of covered illnesses.

But some occupational health experts expressed concern about the presence of carcinogens in the ash and soot, and the advisory panel said it believed there were enough toxins present that it was plausible that some people with heavy exposures might get cancer.

Elected officials praised Monday's decision.

"We have urged from the very beginning that the decision whether or not to include cancer be based on science; Dr. Howard's decision, made after thorough consideration of the latest available research and data, will continue to ensure that those who have become ill due to the heinous attacks on 9/11 get the medical care they need and deserve," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

New York's two U.S. senators, Democrats Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, said in a statement: "Today's announcement is a huge step forward that will provide justice and support to so many who are now suffering from cancer and other illnesses."

There had been some concern that adding cancer to the list of covered conditions could strain the program's resources. Congress capped funding for the program at $1.55 billion for treatment and $2.78 billion for compensation payments, and adding cancer to the eligible diseases will not increase the funding.

Some 60,000 people already have enrolled in 9/11 health programs for those who lived or worked within the disaster zone. Up to 25,000 more could join before the program closes.

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new york city, september 11, september 11 health, health insurance, new york news

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Friday, 4 May 2012

Woman allegedly fakes cancer to get breast implants

Eyewitness NewsARIZONA (WABC) -- An Arizona woman is accused of pretending to have breast cancer in order to get money for breast implants.

Investigators say the website Jami's Hope is a fraud.

It says Jami Toler has no health insurance and needed surgery.

In fact, prosecutors say, the 27-year-old raised $8,000 for a double mastectomy she didn't need.

They say she actually used the money for breast augmentation.

Toler is charged with fraud and theft.

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Saturday, 28 April 2012

Woman coughs up seed that led to cancer diagnosis

Eyewitness NewsFLORIDA (WABC) -- A woman from Florida is feeling very fortunate Friday after growing problem in her lungs led to a suspected cancer diagnosis.

For 28 years, Blanca Riveron had breathing problems, and doctors recently told her that a tiny spot on an X-ray could be cancerous.

She had been treated several times for asthma and pneumonia, but after she coughed up blood in December, her daughter took the 62-year-old to the doctor's again. This time, doctors found a mass in her lung.

Then, she remembered she had inhaled a fruit seed nearly three decades ago.

Blanca managed to cough up the seed while sitting at a traffic light and is now breathing much easier.

She is breathing much better and will head to the doctor next week to get the exact diagnosis.

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