I love it when I find research coming straight from the halls of the very hospital where I received my breast cancer treatment. It reminds me that I'm in good hands, that University of Florida researchers are on the cusp of breaking through the mysteries of cancer, that I may one day be the lucky recipient of cutting-edge discoveries, like this:

University of Florida researchers report in a paper to be published in the August issue of Stem Cells that bone marrow stem cells attracted to the site of cancerous growths often take on the appearance of the malignant cells surrounding them. While these cells look like cancer, though, they may not act like cancer. They have the same skin, says lead study author Dr. Chris Cogle. But the question is: do they have the same guts?

"Our results indicate these cells act as developmental mimics; they come in and look like the surrounding neoplastic tissue, but they aren't actually the seed of cancer," said Cogle who is affiliated with the cancer center I've called home for more than two years.

I've always heard the use of herbs and supplements and alternative therapies can be a potentially dangerous pursuit when combined with cancer treatment. But this may not be entirely true.

Think about this:

Using Chinese herbs alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy may help protect a breast cancer patient's bone marrow and immune system. It may also improve the overall quality of life for women, say researchers at the Chinese Cochrane Centre in Chengdu, China.

It is well known that women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer experience significant short term side effects such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, inflammation of the gut lining, decreased numbers of red and white blood cells, and decreased numbers of blood platelets. Those is search of some relief may wish to give Chinese medicinal herbs a try.

Researchers say there is conventional evidence indicating that these medicines are safe and effective. Still, "further trials are needed before the effects of traditional Chinese medicines for people with breast cancer can be evaluated with any real confidence," says one professor involved in this area of study.

In the April issue of the journal Radiology, researchers published a report that says they have used adult bone marrow stem cells to regenerate healthy human liver tissue.

When cancer invades the liver sometimes it is impossible to have surgery performed to remove the tumor. This is because there is not enough healthy liver left behind to support the body. These stems cells help to regenerate the healthy portion of the liver so surgery can be performed.

Gunther Furst, M.D, coauthor and professor of radiology, says "Our study suggests that liver stem cells harvested from the patients own bone marrow can further augment and accelerate the liver's natural capacity to regenerate itself."

Noxafil (posaconazole), an anti- fungal agent may be better than other anti-fungals in helping cancer patients that have GVHD.

GVHD, graft-versus host disease, is a potential complication that can happen after a stem cell transplant. What is really happening is that the new stem cells given from a donor are now giving the patient a chance to build a new immune system--hopefully one that will give a cure. The foreign immune system can begin to attack the cancer patients body that received the transplant. Just like your immune system might reject a heart transplant, the new immune system is seeing the organs of the body as foreign and attack.

To combat this from happening the patients are usually given agents that suppress the immune system. This however, can then cause infections that can quickly develop into a life threatening situation. Researchers are continuing to look for ways to combat the infections that arise.

Noxafil was compared to Diflucan in a study of 600 patients with GVHD who were also receiving therapy to suppress their immune system. The anti-fungal agent that won out was Noxafil for the prevention of fungal infections.

Former Cincinnati Reds pitching coach Vern Ruhle died Saturday after a year-long battle with myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow. He was 55.

Ruhle, who missed the entire 2006 season following his diagnosis, had recently undergone stem cell transplants in hopes the procedures would successfully treat his cancer. But complications of the disease rendered the attempts unsuccessful.

Ruhle served 12 years as a major league pitching coach and worked in Houston, Philadelphia, and New York before joining the Reds in 2004. He had a career record of 67-88 with a 3.73 ERA.

Ruhle is survived by his wife, Sue, his daughter, Rebecca, his son, Kenny -- and his Cincinnati Reds family.

"The baseball and Cincinnati Reds families mourn the loss of an excellent coach, wonderful husband, and loving father," the Reds said in a statement. "In his 35 years in professional and collegiate baseball, Vern touched many people inside and outside the game. We are privileged to have been a part of his life. He will be greatly missed."

Michael Brecker, Grammy Award-winning jazz saxophonist who performed with the likes of Joni Mitchell and Herbie Hancock, died Saturday of cancer. He was 57.

Brecker, considered one of the most influential saxophonists of the past 25 years, died at a hospital in New York City as a result of myelodysplastic syndrome -- a form of cancer in which the bone marrow stops making healthy blood cells.

The Philadelphia native, who began his solo career in 1987 with a self-titled debut recording that turned into Jazz Album of the Year, was forced by his illness to stop playing music at times. So he channeled his creative efforts into raising awareness of a very important cause -- bone marrow donation.

Brecker is survived by his wife, Susan; his children, Jessica and Sam; a brother and a sister.

The two drugs Velcade (bortezomib) and Revlimid (lenalidomide) are designed to treat the bone marrow cancer called multiple myeloma. A Phase I clinical trial has shown that the drugs may be more effective together than when used individually.

The trial was led by researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. It included 38 patients who had their cancer recur despite other therapies. The patients were divided into groups that received successively higher doses of Velcade and Revlimid. Some patients also received the drug dexamethasone which can add to the anticancer effects of these two drugs.

Fifty-eight percent has responded to the combined treatment, six percent achieved complete remission. Researcher Dr. Paul Richardson said in a prepared statement "We are hopeful that this combination will prove to be a key therapeutic backbone in improving outcomes for our patients, both early and later in the course".

I've been reading her blog ever since Kristina Collins first wrote about her. I've been reading about her battle with leukemia -- for the second time -- and about the bone marrow transplant she received just recently. I read about her brother who became her bone marrow donor and her family and friends who became fierce supporters and cheerleaders for this young woman sure to beat cancer six years after she first conquered the disease.

Courtney Nicole did not win this battle. Just days ago, in the midst of her bone marrow transplant process, Courtney's body was infected with a bacteria that forced the removal of one leg. It turned out the bacteria was not confined to her leg -- it had invaded her entire body -- and it became clear that the fighting spirit of this woman was needed not here on Earth, but in the heavens above.

On November 14, 2006, Courtney earned her angel wings. In the words of her sister, "she will be young and beautiful forever and always." Indeed, she will.

Testicular cancer, cancer in one or both of the testicles, usually occurs in young men and will strike about 8,250 of these men this year. About 370 men will die.

A man's lifetime risk of developing this cancer -- that typically shows up in only one testicle -- is 1 in 300, securing it as one of the less common cancers in the United States. The chances of dying from testicular cancer are 1 in 5,000, making it one of the most curable forms of cancer. Yet it is still the most common form of cancer in men ages 15-34. It is also a cancer commonly characterized by denial and embarrassment. As a result, it is one of the least mentioned cancers.

I came across Courtney's webpage last week and have been reading updates every day since. Her mom is keeping friends and family updated on Courney's progress at her website called Courtney Nicole. Right now Courtney is in the hospital on day +19 after receiving a bone marrow transplant. Her brother Gabe was a match and became Courtney's donor.

Courtney's mom lives at the hospital with her daughter, day and night watching and waiting for her to recover. Thats what moms do. It just breaks my heart knowing that Courtney is suffering each day not able to be given any food or liquids because of complications from the chemotherapy/bone marrow transplant.

Courtney was first diagnosed with Leukemia (ALL) in September of 2000. This is her second time battling the disease. I thought that it would be nice to have some survivors, moms of survivors or anyone for that matter to leave a message on Courtney's guestbook. I know I'm going to!

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) was founded in 1824 in Charleston. MUSC started a Blood and Marrow Transplant Program (BMT) in 1987 and has performed its 700th transplant for patients with benign and malignant hematological disorders.

MUSC continues its excellence after 80 years in education, research, and patient care. They have the only unrelated-donors program in the state and it is the only location in the state for pediatric cord blood transplants.

Those who wish to donate bone marrow, call 1-800-Marrow-2. Bone marrow donations save many lives. A match for a patient in need is so important. The better the match the better the patient has the chance of having a successful bone marrow transplant.

I never thought the time would come when I could fill a page with names of people I know who have cancer or have died from cancer. When my mom's very best friend died years and years ago of pancreatic cancer, it seemed a remote chance that something like that would happen to someone I know. And then slowly, either because cancer cases increased or because my awareness increased -- or both -- my list of people with cancer grew and grew and grew. And now it's quite long. And it's quite disturbing. And it's empowering too -- because most people on my growing list are surviving. And here are seven survivors who are somehow connected to me -- seven survivors who make up just the tip of the cancer iceberg in my life that stretches far and wide.

Four-time Iditarod champion Susan Butcher died Saturday of complications from a recent bone marrow transplant. Her health concerns began three years ago when she was diagnosed with polycythemia vera -- a rare disease that causes bone marrow to produce excess blood. Then last winter, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Her subsequent bone marrow transplant on May 16 cleared her system of cancer. But she developed graft-versus-host disease -- where transplanted cells start attacking the digestive system. A fever, a change in her potassium level, and a trip to intensive care prompted her husband to write on his blog Friday of her condition. He reported that if she remained stable, she would return to her previous hospital room and would work on recovering. But sadly, Butcher did not recover.

Butcher dominated the 1,100-mile sled-dog race from Anchorage to Nome in the late 1980s and brought national attention to the grueling competition. She won the 1986 race and became the second female champion -- and then won again in 1987, 1988, and 1990. She finished in the top four through 1993. Butcher also made headlines in 1979 when she helped drive the first sled-dog team to the 20,320-foot summit of Mount McKinley -- the highest peak in North America.

Butcher, who ran her last Iditarod in 1994, grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts and was married with two daughters -- ages 10 and five. Butcher was 51 years old.

Sadly, another cancer death has occurred -- this one caused by leukemia and ending the life of Arthur Lee. Lee, eccentric singer and guitarist with the 1960s rock band Love, died Thursday at the age of 61. His death was shocking to many who knew him because he had the ability to bounce back from just about everything. Leukemia was usually no exception. But recently, Lee, who was diagnosed this year with acute myeloid leukemia, was not faring well after three rounds of chemotherapy failed. And despite a bone marrow transplant using stem cells from an umbilical cord -- the first of its kind for an adult in Tennessee -- Lee could not overcome cancer.

Lee, a Memphis native, called himself "the first so-called black hippie." In 1965, he formed Love -- the first multiracial rock band of the psychedelic era -- and his groundbreaking albums featured a blend of folk rock, blues, and early punk. Lee is remembered for his hit singles My Little Red Book and Revelation, for influencing bands like Led Zeppelin and Echo, and for spending six years in prison during the 1990s for firing a pistol into the air.

After his release from prison in 2001, Lee formed a new version of Love and performed in Europe and North America. And then others -- like former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant -- performed for him this June in benefit concerts to raise money to help Lee with his medical bills.

Arthur Lee died in at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis -- with his wife Diane at his side.

I was hospitalized twice last year for chemo-induced fever and low blood counts. My first stay came at a busy time -- the hospital's oncology floor was full and there was no space for me. So I was admitted to the bone marrow transplant unit as an overflow patient and suddenly -- even in my very sick and compromised state -- I became the healthiest person on the floor. My white blood count was 700 -- sounded pretty bad to me -- but some of the patients staying on this floor with me had no blood counts because in order to receive a transplant, their own bone marrow is completely depleted in order to prepare for new bone marrow. Patients on this floor are considered pretty healthy when their counts reach 500. I was considered sick and was hospitalized at 700. Adults and children on this floor stay in rooms behind glass panels and with special -- and loud -- air flow systems that push germs out of the room. Visitors must wear gowns and shoe covers and must wash their hands before entering the rooms. Patients might stay on this floor for months at a time, receiving chemotherapy and preparing for their eventual bone marrow transplants. Some patient rooms are decorated and arranged just like home. Parents prepare rooms for children with play areas and craft areas and television areas. This floor is home to many sick children -- and this is what affected me most. For my five days on the bone marrow transplant unit, I gained an up-close and personal look at what many parents and children encounter when cancer derails their lives. It was so much more than I had to encounter. It must be quite an undertaking to prepare a child for this experience.

I picked up a coloring book the day I was discharged and walked off this floor and back into my own life. It's a coloring book that comes from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and is made by bone marrow transplant patients for children preparing for their own transplants. There is a poster for children to color and hang on their hospital room walls that says I Will Get Well, there is a page that terms chemo and radiation as Laser Rays and Guard Dogs and pages that help children visualize happy moments -- like playing a favorite sport or activity and jumping rope in the warm sunshine. This book reminds children that it is okay to cry and it even includes a prescription: Make sure you get at least one hug every day!

The overall message of this coloring book, which is stated in writing is, "A good attitude does not mean being cheerful all the time; it just means that you know that this is necessary to help fight your cancer."  Well said. And something I will always remember.