Sage Cancer Care

Here is what we are doing to help prevent the spread of while still providing quality care to our patients!

In honor of Black History Month we will be highlighting some amazing individuals to contributed to the world of cancer care:
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Dr. Jane Cooke Wright aka Dr. Jane Jones: Dr. Wright was a pioneering cancer researcher and surgeon noted for her contributions to chemotherapy. In particular, Wright is credited with developing the technique of using human tissue culture rather than laboratory mice to test the effects of potential drugs on cancer cells. She also pioneered the use of the drug methotrexate to treat breast cancer and skin cancer (mycosis fungoids).
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Dr. Wright attended Smith College, originally wanting to pursue a degree in art, however her father suggested to change her studies to pre-medical studies. After her studies at Smith college, Jane earned a full scholarship to study medicine at New York Medical College. She graduated as a part of an accelerated three-year program at the top of her class in 1945 with the honors award. After graduating from medical school, Dr. Wright earned an internship at Bellevue Hospital during 1945 and 1946. In 1947, she married David D. Jones, Jr, an attorney. In 1949, she completed her surgical residency at Harlem Hospital in 1948.
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In 1949, Dr. Wright joined her father at the Cancer Research Foundation at Harlem hospital. During her time at the research institute, she and her father sparked an interest in chemotherapeutic agents. They were interested in making chemotherapy more accessible for everyone because in the 1940s chemotherapy was a new development, so it was not a well-known or well-practiced source for treatment because it was still in its experimental stage of drug development. Wright's research work involved studying the effects of various drugs on tumors, and she was the first to identify methotrexate, one of the foundational chemotherapy drugs, as an effective tool against cancerous tumors.
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There is much more to be said about Dr. Wright, but we hope this will do for now!
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In honor of Black History Month we will be highlighting some amazing individuals who contributed to the world of cancer care:
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Henrietta Lacks - There is not a single person who has utilized modern medicine that does not have Henrietta Lacks to thank. Her story, both incredible and tragic, highlights the clear mistreatment of people of color by the medical establishment. Henrietta had cervical cancer and was treated with early forms of radiation treatment which left her skin and other organs decimated. Furthermore, tissue samples were taken without her consent and used for research. Scientists at the time were trying to grow out human cancer cell lines that could be used to test the effect of various medications (such and chemotherapy and antibiotics) without much success. Then Henrietta’s “HeLa” cells hit the scene and grew so amazingly that they began contaminating other cell samples in labs in other rooms!
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HeLa cells have now been used to deepen our understanding of cellular function, create hundreds of medications, and make billions of dollars for the pharmaceutical industry. The tragic part about Henrietta’s story is that she very painfully died of metastatic cervical cancer and her family never saw a penny of the money made off her cells. So to Henrietta Lacks: Thank you for your invaluable contributions to medicine. May we learn from your story so that we treat all patients with the upmost dignity and respect, regardless of skin tone, sexual presentation or orientation, religious beliefs, or any other factor.
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One of our favorite things to talk to patients about is the role of nutrition in cancer care, which has certainly changed over the years. For a long time, many oncologists thought that diet and nutrition did not matter and had no effect on a patient’s health or outcomes. This belief is starting to change as doctors begin to recognize the importance and role of a healthy diet. On the other side of the spectrum you have people like Chris Wark from Chris Beat Cancer who claim that diet and lifestyle changes alone can cure cancer. We believe the role of nutrition is somewhere in the middle, it is likely not a silver bullet for most people, but it can have a significant impact on overall health. .
When It comes to cancer, nutrition can play a big role in a number of areas such as:
* Helping the body heal from surgery
* Reducing toxicity from chemo and radiation
* Improving quality of life in categories such as energy, sleep, physical function, cognition, nausea, pain, appetite, and diarrhea/constipation
* Providing extra cancer fighting nutrients, vitamins, and minerals
* Changing the terrain of the body to help prevent recurrence .
The focus of conventional medicine with respect to cancer is the maintenance of body weight and BMI as this can significantly impact outcomes, but what if we took it a step further and focused not just on maintaining weight but incorporating healthy and cancer fighting foods? Stay tuned because later this week I’ll talk more about some awesome cancer fighting foods!! .

From .oncology: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a plant from the carrot family that you are likely familiar with if you have any significant history of cooking experience, as it is known for its strong flavor. In herbal medicine, fennel has a long history of use for digestive issues such as heartburn, gas and bloating, and loss of appetite. In 2015, a group of Chinese researchers decided to investigate this common digestive aid and whether it could potentially help patients with gynecological cancers recover from major surgery.
The study included 159 women, who were randomized to a tea group or a control group. The tea group drank two cups of fennel tea per day, beginning the day after surgery and continuing until the first flatus (i.e. passing gas). What the researchers found was that the addition of fennel tea in the post-surgical setting significantly improved multiple post-surgical outcomes. In addition, the control group was significantly more likely to have symptoms of ileus, a term referring to the lack of movement in the intestines, which can lead to intestinal obstruction. In summary, a cup of tea allowed women to leave the hospital and return home a full day earlier and significantly reduced their risk of complications. A cup of tea!
Fennel is generally considered a safe herb to take, but there are some notable cautions. First, due to estrogenic activity found in some of its components, a patient with a hormone receptor-positive cancer would be advised against taking fennel in large doses or over an extended period of time. Second, animal research suggests fennel in high doses may have some blood-thinning properties, so it would be best to avoid in the pre-surgical setting and in patients with bleeding disorders. Lastly, a patient who is allergic to celery, carrot, or mugwort should not take fennel. Despite these cautions, fennel tea appears to be an ideal post-surgical recommendation for patients undergoing surgery for gynecological cancers considering its simplicity, safety, affordability, and efficacy!
PMID: 26867333

Practitioner Highlight Fridays! Every Friday for Nov-Dec we will be highlighting one of our amazing practitioners. Here is Kathleen King, LAc, PTA:
The attraction of the Cascade mountains and Pacific coastline lead Kathleen to Oregon over twenty years ago. It is here, in Portland, the she earned her master's degree in acupuncture and Chinese medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine.
Kathleen has been working in the medical field since high school. Starting as a dental assistant for seven years and then receiving her Associates in Arts degree in physical therapy assisting. She has worked in a variety of medical settings and patient populations, including acute care, out-patient orthopedic and in-patient skilled rehabilitation. Navigating our modern medical institutions can be challenging and stressful. Kathleen strives to bridge Eastern and Western medical perspectives while understanding the value of a team approach to optimal wellness.
Physical therapy exercises and acupuncture complement each other to accelerate healing from soft tissue and skeletal injuries and build strength and resiliency to protect the body from unforeseeable stresses. Acupuncture, in particular, can bring balance, physical strength and awareness to your exercise routine and overall wellness. Kathleen brings her understanding and passion of both therapeutic approaches while specializing in pain management, chronic headaches, PMS and sports injuries with a strong focus on patient education.
When she isn't working, it is likely she is paddling her stand up paddle board on one of Oregon's pristine lakes or hiking on Mt. Hood or spending time in her community garden plot growing fresh vegetables. She is happy to call Portland her forever home and looks forward to offering her unique skill set to Sage Clinic.