Experts Available to Discuss Affordability of Cancer Treatment

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TOPIC: Due to the rise in chemotherapy costs, oncologists will receive guidelines on how to approach the subject of affordability for patients in need of treatment, according to an article by The Associated Press. While many cancer patients are living longer due to new medical developments, they will also need to receive treatment for longer periods of time, which means more of an expense. Cost is also of particular concern among cancer patients who can't be cured, but are considering treatments to ease suffering and improve quality of life. The guidelines will be developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story:

Dr. John Link, medical director of Orange Coast Memorial Hospital's Breast Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., is recognized as one of the foremost breast cancer doctors in the world. He actively practices at Breastlink, the comprehensive breast cancer group he founded in 1995. He also conducts research, writes books and teaches. In 1998, he founded the Breast Cancer Care and Research Fund, a non-profit charity dedicated to educating and helping women achieve Optimal Care. He has been recognized by numerous organizations for his dedication and contributions to women with this disease. John Link was born in San Diego, California on December 2, 1946. His parents were school teachers and he is the oldest of three children. His mother was a New Zealander and his two sisters now live in New Zealand. His childhood heroes were Mickey Mantle and Edmund Hillary.

As a youth, he was a gifted runner and received a track scholarship to USC, where he was an academic All American, captain of the track team and world-record holder in the two-mile relay. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in English literature. He decided on a career in medicine when his beloved track coach, Willie Wilson, died of cancer at age 42. He attended the USC School of Medicine and graduated in 1972 in the top 10% of his class. He went into the practice of medical oncology and taught at his alma mater. After several years in general oncology (cancer medicine), Dr. Link decided to dedicate his career to the care and cure of women with breast cancer. He founded one of the first "comprehensive breast cancer diagnostic and treatment centers" in the U.S. at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in 1985. This center has been recognized as a leader and innovator in breast cancer care (Self Magazine and ABC's 20/20). He has authored two books for women with breast cancer: The Breast Cancer Survival Manual (Holt, 4th edition 2007) and Take Charge of your Breast Cancer (Holt, 2002). His present goal is to continue to care for women with breast cancer and make a difference. He says, "We are putting together the best breast cancer treatment group possible that will give women 'optimal care' for their particular, unique situation. We will do this through our books, research, website and our center."

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Robert A. Nagourney, MD, is Medical and Laboratory Director at Rational Therapeutics, Inc., in Long Beach, California, Medical Director of the Malcolm C. Todd Cancer Center at Memorial Medical Center of Long Beach, Long Beach, California, and Adjunct Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of California at Irvine. He is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology.

A native of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Dr. Nagourney completed his undergraduate education at Boston University, Massachusetts, earning a BA in Chemistry, graduating with high honors and with Distinction in Biochemistry. Dr. Nagourney went on to receive his MD at McGill University in Canada, where he was a University Scholar. He then completed his Residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, and the Long Beach VA Medical Center. Dr. Nagourney completed his Fellowship in Medical Oncology at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. As a recipient of the Scripps Institute Young Investigator Award, he completed further study in Hematology at Scripps Clinic and Research Institute in La Jolla, California.

Rational Therapeutics is a pioneering cancer research center specializing in new treatment protocols and individualized therapy. Dr. Nagourney’s focus on programmed cell death events in the test tube has provided a robust method for the prediction of response and survival in the clinical setting. The initial application of this process was in the study of existing cytotoxic drugs and radiation effects on human cancer cells. As clinical correlations became increasingly strong, the laboratory tests are now also applied to the study of novel drugs and combinations.

Dr. Nagourney has over 20 years experience studying human tissue cultures. He has authored over 100 manuscripts and abstracts, to include publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Gynecological Oncology and Oncology. He is the co-investigator of two national GOG trials. Dr. Nagourney is a frequently invited lecturer for a variety of professional organizations and universities. He serves on several editorial boards and reviews numerous professional journals to include Clinical Cancer Research, British Journal of Cancer, Gynecologic Oncology, Oncology Research and Journal of Medicinal Food.

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