Kathy Bates’ Cancer
The actress who scared us in her Oscar-winning portrayal of a psychotic in the 1990 film, “Misery,” now can encourage us as a cancer survivor. Kathy Bates went on to several other box office smashes such as “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “Titanic,” “Primary Colors,” and most recently, “Revolutionary Road.” Kept a secret from her fans, ovarian cancer invaded her life in 2003, and she dropped out of the limelight for several months of chemotherapy. On the Today Show last January, she explained that, for her, it had to be a private thing. It was important to her to maintain her independence in battling the disease. “I even got to the point where I didn’t go with my friends to chemo. I went by myself. I just had to do it on my own.” She attained remission after the chemo treatments and has been cancer free for over five years. Unlike the celebrities highlighted in previous blogs, Kathy Bates story ended on a happy note.
Ovarian cancer forms in the tissues of the ovary. The cause is unknown, but the risk increases for women over 50 and who have a family history of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, colon or uterine cancer, or pancreatic cancer. Last year this type of cancer attacked 21, 650 new victims. It took 15,520 lives. As with most cancers, its mortality rate is high if not caught early. Screening from regular gynecological exams is the best way to prevent the disease. Ms. Bates regrets that she did not make her condition public sooner, because it might have persuaded more women to take precautions and get regular check ups. Now she is all about group involvement as she does public service announcements for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.
In addition to research into better conventional treatment for ovarian cancer, various biologic therapies are being tested for strengthening the patients own immune system. Targeted therapy is also gaining ground using drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells. Although development of these integrative methods is funded at a only a minuscule level, they continue to hold great promise. An important aspect of integrative oncology is the mental, spiritual, and emotional health of the patient. It has been scientifically proven that attention to these “whole person” enhancements are critical to the healing process. By Kathy Bates’ own testimony, these areas were apparently not exercised significantly during her cancer battle. Unfortunately, few oncologists offer any counsel or options in these areas, even though they are evidence-based necessities to optimum and expeditious recovery. These therapies need to be researched further, and more oncologists need to be trained in integrative practice. This is what a new strategy for the war on cancer is all about. Join in the effort by learning more and participating.