The ASCO Post Publishes Multiple Perspectives On Outcome Of ODAC Meeting Regarding Bevacizumab In Advanced Breast Cancer

The ASCO Post captured initial reactions to the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) recommendation that the breast cancer indication for bevacizumab (Avastin) be revoked in interviews with ODAC voting members, breast cancer specialists, oncologists in private practice, third-party payers, and a patient advocate..

"It is important that the breast cancer community rest assured that ODAC is an independent, unbiased panel of experts in oncology whose mission is to provide their best objective scientific and clinical recommendations to the FDA for drug approval," said ODAC Chair, Wyndham Wilson, MD, PhD. Dr. Wilson is Chief of the Lymphoid Therapeutics Section of the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute.

Bevacizumab is currently approved in combination with paclitaxel for the first-line treatment of advanced HER2-negative breast cancer, based on encouraging results of the E2100 trial (N Engl J Med 357:2666-2676, 2007). The FDA provisionally granted accelerated approval but requested confirmatory data from the manufacturer, Genentech. In November 2009, Genentech supplied the results of the AVADO (J Clin Oncol 28:3239-3247, 2010) and RIBBON-1 trials (J Clin Oncol 27(abstract 1005), 2009). On July 20, 2010, ODAC recommended against conversion to full approval.

Joanne Mortimer, MD, a member of ODAC, who voted to approve bevacizumab in advanced breast cancer in December 2007 based on the E2100 study, said, "The additional data from AVADO and RIBBON-1 supported an increased response rate, but also confirmed the increased toxicity and lack of survival advantage with bevacizumab. Like the majority of panel

Sexual Health Specialists Support FPA Campaign On STIs In The Over 50s, UK

Specialists who run the UK's sexual health clinics strongly support the FPA's campaign to raise awareness of increasing STI risk in the over 50s.

Peter Greenhouse, Sexual Health Consultant at Bristol, and spokesperson for the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), commented:

"The post-pill, pre-AIDS generation - who are now well into "Middle Youth" - were less likely to use condoms than any generation before or since, and will have carried a higher risk of STIs from their teenage years onwards: from here to infirmity, so to speak.

"We're especially concerned about the risks of undiagnosed HIV for this generation, which are increased in postmenopausal women because of vaginal fragility, particularly if they're not using hormone replacement therapy.

"Most doctors don't think to ask older people about their sexual activity, let alone their HIV risk: About a third of all cases of HIV are undiagnosed, so we want older people to get themselves checked if they think they may be at risk.

"Sexual Health clinics aren't just for youngsters: Older people shouldn't feel embarrassed to attend, because most of us who run the clinics are from the same generation, and we've 'been there'."

Notes

1. BASHH is the lead professional representative body for those managing STIs and HIV in the UK. It seeks to innovate and deliver excellent tailored education and training to healthcare professionals, trainers and trainees in the UK and to determine, monitor and maintain standards of governance in the provision of sexual health and HIV care.

Sexual Health Week, UK

The HPA fully supports the FPA's sexual health campaign - The Middle Age Spread - which reminds older adults they are also risk of STIs and should wear condoms with all new or casual partners.

The HPA recently launched its annual STI figures which showed that the two groups most at risk of an STI remains young adults and men who sex with men. However, there was an increase in diagnoses among all age groups. The agency also published findings early this year showing that HIV diagnoses have doubled in the over 50's in the past decade. The HPA supports any campaign or initiatives which will encourage the practice of safe sex.

Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of STIs at the Health Protection Agency said:

"The Health Protection Agency collects and publishes annual data on sexually transmitted infections in England and the UK. Although rates of infection are highest in young adults, we have seen an increase in diagnoses in all age groups, including those aged over 45. We are doing more testing and using more sensitive tests, which means we are picking up more infections, however, we think the rise may also by due to more people having unsafe sex. Anybody who has a new sexual partner is at risk of an STI, whatever their age.

"It is important to continually reinforce the safe sex message: If you have a new or casual sexual partner, using a condom is the surest way to avoid a sexually transmitted infection."

In a recent study conducted by scientists at the HPA, it was found that numbers of HIV were also increasing in the over 50s.

Dr Valerie Delpech, Head of HIV surveillance at the Health Protection Agency said:

"Although adults aged 50 and over account for just eight percent of all new HIV diagnoses, the fact that cases have more than doubled in recent years serves as a timely reminder that anybody is at risk of HIV infection if they do not use protection and practice safe sex.

"HIV remains a serious infection particularly when diagnosed late. The fact that we've seen an increase in the number of older adults getting diagnosed, and in particular getting diagnosed late, highlights the need for raised awareness in that age group.

"Medical guidelines issued in 2008 encouraged widespread testing in areas where there is a high prevalence of HIV and the HPA fully supports any NHS or charity organisation initiative which will encourage increased testing and increased offering of testing across the UK."

The Art of Foreplay

by Kevin Davies
You probably know that most women find foreplay a very important part of sex. What you may not know is that a study in 1976 found that when it came to foreplay most women liked the same thing. What I'm about to tell you is based on that study and my own experience. It is what the study found most women liked and when during foreplay they liked it.

Hugging

Start by just holding your lover close and pressing her body against yours. As an aside a lot of women get turned on by their lover smelling their neck and shoulders.

Stroking

While still holding her close start stroking her back. If she's not already, lie her down on a bed or sofa. Move your hand up and down the side of her body, exploring the curve of her hip. At this stage you may like to let your hand "slip" down to her buttocks, just to tease her.

Kissing

Now kiss her. It's important when kissing to start slowly, so no tongue, just a soft pressing of lips. Gently suck her lower lip and push your tongue out just a bit, subtly coaching her to open her mouth. Then as her mouth opens push your tongue in further and press your lips harder against hers.

Of course not every woman likes to be kissed in the same way, but the above is what I've found works best.

From her mouth move to her neck and other parts of her body.

If you haven't already now is the time to take off her top.

Breast fondling

By now your lover should be quite turned on. Place a hand on her breast and softly caress it. At the same time use your thumb to feel how hard her nipple is. Usually at this stage she'll want her bra to be taken off so that she can really feel your hand. So reach around her back and undo her bra clip (that is if she hasn't already).

Take a moment to just admire her body. Tell her how beautiful she looks and how much she's turning you on. Then take her nipple into your mouth and caress her other breast with your hand.

Genital touching

Time to start paying her vulva some attention. Move your mouth from her breast and softly kiss down her tummy to her waist. If she's wearing jeans undo and unzip them, and either let her take them off or take them off for her. Same thing if she's wearing a skirt. Move back up her body and kiss her again, deeply, and at the same time place your hand between her legs, over her panties, and gently rub her. While still kissing her move her panties to the side and very lightly touch her vulva with your fingers.

Next

What happens next just depends. If you like you could go down on her. By the way, some women find it more of a turn on to give oral sex than receive.

At this stage she may want to take control. She may start grinding her hips against you as a signal she wants you, or she may start touching your crotch.

One important thing to remember is that sexual excitement follows a pattern of gradual increase in physical and emotional sensitivity - in other words, start slow and increase the stimulation as arousal mounts.

Here are some other ideas you may like to incorporate into your foreplay routine:

Massages.
Dry sex.
Erotic literature.
Talking sexy.
Using whipped cream.
Fantasies.
Teasing - make out that you're going to do something but stop just before you do it. Done right, this can drive some women crazy with lust.


This article courtesy of http://www.zoomarticles.com.

Finding the G-Spot and all its Glory

by Jon Gammon
So finding the g-spot is on your to do list. Well you should, the G-Spot is the most powerful and mysterious of all the erogenous zones. While some say that it doesn't exist, while others say it is a region of the anterior wall of the vagina that is sensitive to the touch. The G-Spot was named after Ernst Grafenberg, who was a German gynecologist who discovered it in the 1940's, which was found while researching birth control. The G-Spot is defined as a group of nerve endings, blood vessels and glands around a women's urethra on the inside, front wall of her vagina. When the women is aroused the G-spots swells up and protrudes, until it feels like a fleshy knob.

Finding the G-spot shouldn't be all that hard right, check it out, but remember that it may not exist in your partner. So don't think there is anything wrong when you can't find it. But if you are still interested in finding the allusive G-spot there are two ways to attempt to locate it. The first way to locate it is to have your partner lay down on a bed with her hips under some pillows. Stimulate her clitoris, and when she becomes really aroused slip in two fingers into her vagina, while keeping your palm up so that your fingers can brush the front, upper wall of the vagina. If the G-spot can be located it will feel like a small bean shaped piece of flesh. When stimulated, the orgasms are a lot more intense than a regular orgasm. Certain sex positions allow a better stimulation of the G-Spot, especially the ones where your partners on top or rear entry, so that the penis is able to contact the inner walls of the vagina stimulating the G-Spot better.

So what is the G-Spot, some say it is a bunch of pipes that help drain the urethra, some even say that it is an undeveloped female prostate gland, but since the prostate is a male gland, hormones never helped the prostate to mature in women. Like men, the prostate is very sensitive to erotic touch, and when furthered examined, the females too had a gland very similar to the male prostate. Blood test where used to detect the two substances of the male prostate gland, and the results found that in 2/3 of the women examined the same substances were found in them as well. So, can it be said that the G-Spot is nothing more than an undeveloped female prostate gland that never matured due to the fact that it needs a male hormone to fully mature. So if it is nothing more than an undeveloped prostate gland, why do women have it? I believe it helps bridge the gap that the male and female bodies are more in tune with one another than previously thought.

This article courtesy of http://www.zoomarticles.com

Best Sexual Positions ~ Spicy Up the Woman on Her Back Position

by E.J. Davis
Are you tired of having your lover fall asleep on top of you after sex? Then it’s time to introduce the best sexual positions into your love making and possibly even fire-up the intimacy between the sheets. Adding variety in sexual positions with the woman on her back can potentially lead to the most amazing sex and bring you the most incredible orgasm, if you know how.

First, spice up the woman on her back position by participating in the pumping, the gyrating and all that coital hip movement that comes with this sexual position. Lift your hips and meet him thrust for thrust. Experiment with different angles in this sexual position. This will allow for variance in depth of penetration, intensifying the sex. To get the best out of this sexual position, raise your knees up, bracing your feet on the bed or ground or wherever you are lying down, gyrate your hips as you bring your lover towards the pinnacles of sexual pleasure.

One of the best sexual positions to try during love making is to open your legs wide lifting them up. Open your legs as wide as you can in a letter V-shape and you’ll see that this simple leg movement allows for even deeper penetration. The higher you can lift your legs up, the deeper your lover can penetrate you. For best results, embrace your lover with your legs or brace your feet on his butt and increasing the depth of his thrust.

The key to the best sexual position for the woman on her back is to prolong your orgasm by relaxing your vaginal muscles. Put your legs down alongside or underneath your lovers’. The shallower thrust with this position enables him to maintain a rock-hard erection and make the loving last for hours.

Most important of all, is to practice these sexual positions, it is essential to unlocking the secrets to sexual pleasure. By making your lovemaking technique supercharged, steamy and earth-shattering the last thing he’ll do is fall sleep!

This article courtesy of www.zoomarticles.com

Green Tea and Its Relation to Promoting Periodontal Health

by: Zyra Robinson
Since ancient times, green tea has been popular in Asian cultures like China and Japan. It is their beverage of choice because of its medicinal benefits. Its popularity has surged in the western hemisphere largely because of its proven ability to treat ailments such as headaches and depression. Dentist Burbank supports the scientific research regarding green tea and its health benefits. It has proven effective in fighting cancer, lowering high cholesterol levels, dealing with cardiovascular problems, ensuring immune infection, and preventing arthritis, among others. What makes green tea special is that it is rich in catechin polyphenols (epigallocathechin gallate or EGCG), which is an effective antioxidant. Green tea is known to prevent cancer and weight loss. It also inhibits abnormal formation of blood clots.

Dental Burbank believes that the study published by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) about green tea consumption should be taken seriously. Given the close links between dental health and overall health, it has been found that green tea also helps promote healthy teeth and gums by fighting periodontal diseases. According to Dentists Burbank, there are lots of information regarding the study done before by Japanese researchers when they analyzed 940 men focusing on their periodontal health. They found out that people who drank green tea regularly obtain good periodontal health.

There were three indicators examined regarding periodontal diseases. When green tea was consumed during the study, it was discovered that the periodontal pocket depth, attachment loss of gum tissue and bleeding on probing of the gum tissues (three indicators) decreased its potential on having periodontal disease. According to Cosmetic Irvine, the research has shown that the catechin, which is an antioxidant in green tea, helps promote good periodontal health. Catechin interferes in the body's inflammatory response to periodontal bacteria. Because of this type of antioxidant, there is less chance of getting chronic inflammatory disease (periodontal disease) that affects gums and bones that support the teeth. DDS Irvine agreed with what Dr. David Cochran, DDS, PhD, President of the AAP and Chair of the Department of Periodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, when he said: "That is why it is so important to find simple ways to boost periodontal health, such as regularly drinking green tea - something already known to possess certain health-related benefits."

Green tea helps promote periodontal health and prevents diseases closely associated with in periodontal diseases. This is because green tea interferes with our body's response to periodontal bacteria. There are, however, concerns regarding the harmful effects of drinking green tea because it also has caffeine. Although it contains caffeine, which sometimes lead to insomnia (the only negative side effect reported), the caffeine content in tea is relatively small. Coffee, on the other hand, has more caffeine in its content compared to tea. Tea, therefore, is safe to drink. This is a beverage that is easy to find. It gives a lot of health benefits not only to our overall health but also to our dental health.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7874.shtml

Women's Thoughts on Penis Size

Admit it or not, we've always been bothered or bombarded with questions on penis size for a long time. Who or what else is there to blame? Films and TV series like "The Sweetest Thing" and Sex and the City" all show women characters who leave their men because of one obvious reason-- a small penis. Even pharmaceutical companies and health and medical retail outlets are incessantly introducing sexual enhancers and penis enlargement tools to help men with their penis size problems. But of course, men who avail or are still thinking of getting these products also wonder: does the size of the penis really matter to women?

Let's look at two points regarding the penis size issue from the female perspective. One side, in particular, includes those who hate size queens, people who care or "pretend" to care about penis size, and those who don't believe that penis size matters. For these women, size queens only "pretend" to care about the penis size issue to feel dominant; since women feel secondary to men, some feminists take advantage of this penis issue to feel a sort of power over men. Moreover, some women view the penis size issue as that of a male obsession because of the scientific fact that the women's most sensitive sexual nerves are located around the vagina's opening so there is really no need for a longer penis when the pleasure nerves are just around the opening area. Others, meanwhile, simply say that penis size isn't a factor that affects men's personalities.

Logically speaking, a longer penis is more able to have an erection than a shorter one. If the penis is not able to erect during intercourse, then dissatisfaction would definitely arise, which can lead to further complications in the sexual relationship. Another related notion is that having a longer penis usually means having a desirable girth, which means more friction and pleasure for the women during sex.

But aside from the demands of women for their partners to have larger penises, some women really have their own opinions based on the behavior and view of men. Most also feel the necessity to consider a penis enlargement process. Even today, men consider long and large penises as trophies worth boasting of and adulating over. In such case, inevitably, someone who's not as well-endowed as the others often feels insecure and inferior. Arguably, the large penis ideal has become part of male culture because it adds up to their masculinity. There are many men, both young and old, who often think that they lose sense of masculinity if their penises don't measure above the average or as expected by their peers and sexual partners.

Because of the increasing number of people who think that having a larger penis is worth all the effort, several companies have been coming up with different ways on how to help those who are not so gifted down there. For instance, penis enlargement tools are rampant in the market today, including penis pumps. Some men even undergo surgical procedures such as phalloplasty, a male organ enlargement surgery, just so that the size of their penis get the approval of many, including their women.

But for those who are not yet convinced to go all out and take drastic procedures for the penis enlargement desires, supplements that are made of natural ingredients are also available. For many men and women, going for the alternative option of supplements is deemed safer and less risky, and thus, is much more appealing.

Most women recommend those with safe and herbal contents such as VigRX Plusâ„¢, which is a supplement that improves the sexual performance of men. According to Dr. Michael Carter, male enhancement products like VigRX Plusâ„¢ often contain natural ingredients such as herbs from China, South America, and Europe. These herbs usually include the Hawthorn Berry, a strong antioxidant that smoothes blood circulation, the Catuaba Bark Extract, which helps relieve stress and stimulates the nervous system, and the Asian Red Ginseng, which helps cure erectile dysfunction.

Aside from the fact that they reinforce the notion that bigger is better and that they are safe, supplements like VigRX Plusâ„¢ are medically proven for their natural methods of enhancing penis size, increasing libido, and improving erection. Once a patient encounters any problem such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation, he may take these supplements, aside from consulting with the doctor, so that he does not have to deal with further complications in his reproductive system. Even medical professionals and doctors take these supplements for their own penis size problems. Luke Adams, for one, noticed the positive effects of VigRX after using it for two weeks; according to him, his penis has become larger and firmer every time it erects since he took the supplements.

Much have been said about women's thoughts about size, but what ultimately matters most is what the method can do for the body and how it can change the individual's sex life. So, whether men believe that women care about penis size or not, they still have to take care of their body and at the same time, make themselves happy and satisfied.

About the Author

Tomas M. is owner of www.male-enhancement-pills.us with resource on male enhancement products, articles and male sexual health issues. For more information on male enhancement visit VigRX
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Treatment for Phobias

by: Kevin Hutchinson

This article discusses some of the techniques that hypnotherapists use to treat phobias. It is not intended to be a substitute for attending a well-recognized hypnotherapy courses.

Therapy sessions, regardless of the techniques chosen, should always begin by helping the client to understand that all phobias can be reduced to a learned and (subsequently) habitual fear response to a set of stimuli – the object of their fear. The client will recognise that it is often the anticipation or thought of the object or circumstances that trigger the fear. This is especially true for clients with a fear of flying where the anticipation of the event may last for several weeks.

In treating clients it is important to use the language of ‘correcting habits’ rather than applying a medical label. In this way a ‘habitually fearful’ client is more likely to see their phobia as a habit that needs to be broken rather than having a more complex illness.

While there are many approaches to phobia therapy, three are outlined below. Each should begin with an induction and deepening of the trance state.

A regression approach to phobia therapy is based on the premise that uncovering the root cause of the fear (the point from which the learned behaviour stems) allows the client to reflect on and ultimately overcome their habitual response. This could be used successfully with parts integration between the rational and fearful parts of the client’s mind to acknowledge the reason for the fear and suggest alternative behaviours.

Systematic desensitisation (in the context of hypnotherapy) is an alternative approach to phobia therapy that uses visualisation to gradually expose the client to the fear-inducing stimuli. When the client experiences catharsis, the process of gradual exposure is repeated until the fear response dissipates or is reduced to manageable levels. A client with a fear of flying would be asked to visualise themselves (with as much sensory experience as they are able) planning a holiday, then looking at the calendar as the flight-date approaches, driving to the airport, waiting in the lounge as the watch the aircraft land and take-off, being called to the departure gate, boarding the aircraft, anticipating take-off etc. When there is a strong cathartic response the client will be placed visually back in the holiday planning to repeat the process as many times as becomes necessary. The session would usually end with future pacing and ego-strengthening to reinforce the client’s success.

The Fast Phobia Model is often favoured by exponents of NLP and lends itself well to hypnotherapy applications. After explaining the nature of phobia and the client’s ability to learn new responses, the therapist establishes the behavioural scenario or strategy employed by the client during the phobic response. One way to do this is using the TOTE model. The client is then asked to replay a scenario in which the fear has manifested itself, but to do this in a dissociated fashion by (for example) visualising themselves watching the events on a movie screen. To emphasise the dissociation, the client would usually be asked to view the movie in black and white. After the movie has finished and the image faded to black or white, the client is asked to associate themselves into the scenario and to run the movie in reverse and in colour to the beginning. For a client with a phobia of flying, the client would now for example associate themselves into a scenario where they are at some point flying backwards, then find themselves disembarking backward down the aircraft steps before walking backwards to the departure area. The movie is then faded again and the process of association repeated with the movie once again run in reverse and in colour. With each repetition, the client should see a reduction in their physiological fear response. The session would usually end with an assessment of the client’s ecology and future pacing to evaluate the success of the treatment, followed by ego-strengthening to reinforce that success.

For clients that have identified their phobia with a specific event in their life, such as ‘ever since I went on holiday to Spain as a child, I’ve had a fear of flying’, the regression approach could prove effective. Regression to the particular event may prove beneficial in its own right but will at the very least provide a visual scenario as well as evidence of the strategy employed and will hence be of use if other phobia techniques are to be used.

Whilst parts integration will be useful for analytical clients, this may be less effective for clients that are less able to intellectualise or rationalise their fear. For these clients the systematic desensitisation or fast phobia cure are more appropriate.

If you are thinking about becoming a hypnotherapist please take time to research the type of accreditation and quality of tuition you will receive. Attending a well-recognised hypnotherapy training course is essential if you want to ensure you are safe and competent to practice.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7866.shtml

Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Health

by: Mary Watson

The choices you make are important to healthy living. If you are one of the many people who has begun to think about what lies ahead for you, it’s time to begin to look toward doing something about it. The choices you make now and in the future will determine how well you will stand up to the perils of life as you approach your senior years. By taking the time to learn some ways you can improve your life now can help you live longer and healthier.

Eating a Healthier Diet

Most of us are guilty of not eating foods that are good for our health. We develop poor eating habits at an early age, and we tend to put off making changes that will improve our well being. We may make small changes when the need for losing weight is important or during a time when certain foods may take a tool on the way we feel, but it takes something major for us to really make a change in the way we eat. The problem is that quite often by the time we make the decision to make changes, it’s too late for them to make a difference. We must begin early in life to develop healthy eating habits, and we must continue those habits through out our lives.

Develop an Exercise Routine

Exercise is an important part of remaining healthy. If you don’t have an exercise routine already, you should develop one based on your own abilities. Even if you are only able to walk around the block a few times a day, you will be doing something that is good for your body. No matter what the condition of your health may be it’s important to exercise on a regular basis. Aerobic exercises such as walking, swimming, skiing, and bicycling are best, and you want to perform your routine long enough to increase your heart rate.

Reduce Stress

Stress is always an important issue, but as we get older, it begins to take a greater toll on our health. It’s important to learn to reduce stress levels before they cause severe health problems, and the best time to do that is when you are still young enough to fight the impulse to allow stress to consume you. Even every day conditions such as asthma, allergies, and even colds and hay fever can be caused by stress. Stress can cause the immune system to break down, and when that happens, it is ripe for many different conditions and illnesses.

Maintain a Proper Weight

In order to stay healthy, you need to keep your weight within normal range. If you are overweight, you will have less energy and thus be unable to exercise or even do household chores. Excess weight also puts a strain on your heart and makes you more likely to have a heart attack. Of course, maintaining a proper weight falls in directly with the other methods of developing a healthy lifestyle since you need to exercise and eat healthy foods in order to maintain a proper weight. Since many people have a tendency to overeat when they are under stress, keeping that in control can also help you keep your weight within normal range. Although some recent evidence suggests that being up to 10% overweight is healthier than being 10% underweight, it is healthier to be as close to a normal range as possible.

Making the choice to change your lifestyle is essential if you want to live a healthy and pain free lifestyle. There is no substitute for healthy living, and healthy living comes from making lifestyle changes that affect your complete body and mind. Only by making those important changes can you expect to live a normal, healthy life into your golden years.

About The Author

Mary Watson writes weight loss, diet plan, health, beauty and general well-being articles for the Slim Eazy website at http://www.slimeazy.com