Consumer Health Databases Exercise

Using the type of cancer of your choice (you may use the same type as
in the Biomedical Literature Databases exercise), search each of the
databases below for the kind of information specified. Copy this page
and use it to organize your results. You should include a few sentences
for each item and its web address unless otherwise specified. Youll
want to refer to the Intro PPT for web addresses and orientation
information.
1. In the National Cancer Institutes website locate:
a. The name and brief description of a treatment clinical trial in
Texas and its location (include the web page address)
The Efficacy of CASAD in Patients With Diarrhea Related to
Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Diarrhea in patients with MTC (Medullary Thyroid Cancer) can be
debilitating and, in some cases life threatening. Findings in such
patients include volume depletion, renal insufficiency, and
electrolyte disorders. Diarrhea can also lead to increased cost of care,
reduced quality of life, and treatment delays. Not all patients benefit from
conventional anti-diarrheal therapy. CASAD is proven to reduce diarrhea
in humans and animals.
http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/search/view?
cdrid=743664&version=HealthProfessional&protocolsearchid=11
568827
b. A fact about the risk factors for or prevention of this cancer
(include the web page address)

Radiation exposure as a consequence of nuclear fallout has

also been associated with a high risk of thyroid cancer,
especially in children.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/thyroid/Health
Professional
2. In MEDLINEPlus , locate:
a. Information about a test used to diagnose or follow the
progression of this cancer (include the web page address)

The CT scan is an x-ray test that produces detailed cross-sectional

images of your body. It can help determine the location and size of
thyroid cancers and whether they have spread to nearby areas,
although ultrasound is usually the test of choice. A CT scan can also
be used to look for spread into distant organs such as the lungs.
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/thyroidcancer/detailedguide/thyroid
-cancer-diagnosis

b. Spanish language information about this cancer (include the web

page address)
Cancer De Tiroides
El cncer de tiroides es el cncer endocrinolgico ms frecuente;
sin embargo, es raro en comparacin con otros cnceres. En los
Estados Unidos slo hay aproximadamente 20,000 pacientes
nuevos por ao. Aunque el diagnstico de cncer suele ser
aterrador, el pronstico para los pacientes con cncer de tiroides
es usualmente excelente. Primero, porque la mayora de los
cnceres de tiroides son fcilmente curables con ciruga.
Segundo, el cncer de tiroides rara vez produce dolor o
incapacidad. Tercero, existe un tratamiento efectivo y fcil de
tolerar para las formas ms comunes de cncer de tiroides.
http://www.thyroid.org/cancer-de-tiroides/
3. From Cancer.net, locate:
a. An illustration or picture related to this cancer (include the web
page address)

http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/thyroid-cancer/stagingillustrations
b. Definitions of Stages I-III of this cancer (include the web page
address)
Medullary thyroid tumors
Stage I: This stage describes a small tumor (T1) with no spread
to lymph nodes (N0) and no distant metastasis (M0).
Stage II: This stage describes a larger localized tumor (T2, T3)
with no spread to lymph nodes (N0) and no metastasis (M0).

Stage III: This stage describes any localized tumor (T1-3) that
has spread to the central compartment of lymph nodes (N1a) but
has not metastasized (M0).
Stage IVA: This stage describes a tumor that has spread to
nearby structures (T4a), regardless of whether it has spread to
the lymph nodes (any N), but it has not spread to distant places
(M0). Or, this describes a localized tumor (T1-3), with lymph node
spread beyond the central compartment (N1b), but no distant
spread (M0).
Stage IVB: This stage describes a tumor that has spread beyond
nearby structures (T4b), regardless of spread to lymph nodes
(any N), but no distant spread (M0).
Stage IVC: This stage is used when there is evidence of
metastasis (any T, any N, M1).
http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/thyroid-cancer/stagingillustrations
4. In Cancer online resources (www.acor.org) find:
a. The sign-up page for a mailing list related to the cancer (include
the web page address)
https://acor.org/listservs/join/126
5. From the American Cancer Society website, go to the Explore
Research section, where you can locate Cancer Facts and Figures,
and find:
a. The most current available statistics (2012) comparing the
incidence of this cancer in Texas compared to the U.S. in general
(include the web page address)
There are 14,810 cases of lung & bronchus cancer in Texas
compared to cancer in general for the U.S., which are 110,470.
http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveila
nce/documents/document/acspc-031941.pdf
(Note: If the cancer type was not listed on the American Cancer
Societys site, you can use the CDC cancer statistics site at:
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/)