0:00:00.039,0:00:01.649 Cancers including leukemia, 0:00:01.720,0:00:02.400 lymphoma, 0:00:02.440,0:00:06.119 and myeloma make them about 10% of all new cancer diagnosis. 0:00:06.159,0:00:08.949 That's according to the National Foundation for Cancer Research, 0:00:09.199,0:00:10.810 and that is today's Health Watch. 0:00:10.920,0:00:10.960 Yeah, 0:00:11.079,0:00:13.039 so here with us today is Dr. Tara Gregory, 0:00:13.239,0:00:14.069 hematologist, 0:00:14.239,0:00:17.670 oncologist and medical director at the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute. 0:00:17.879,0:00:19.120 We are so excited that you're here with us today. 0:00:19.200,0:00:20.120 Thank you so much for having me. 0:00:20.200,0:00:21.110 I really appreciate it. 0:00:21.139,0:00:21.870 Absolutely! 0:00:21.959,0:00:22.079 Well, 0:00:22.200,0:00:22.530 first of all, 0:00:22.639,0:00:25.020 how is blood cancer different than other cancers? 0:00:25.079,0:00:28.000 Blood cancer is very different than other cancers in 0:00:28.000,0:00:29.719 terms of the way that we screen for it. 0:00:30.798,0:00:31.458 First of all, 0:00:31.738,0:00:34.417 many cancers you have routine screening like colonoscopies, 0:00:34.577,0:00:35.057 mammograms, 0:00:35.138,0:00:35.728 as you know, 0:00:35.978,0:00:38.457 blood cancer is one of those insidious 0:00:38.457,0:00:38.647 diseases. 0:00:39.018,0:00:42.298 Either people are diagnosed just happenstance by 0:00:42.298,0:00:43.847 seeing their primary care doctor, 0:00:43.937,0:00:44.698 getting some blood count, 0:00:44.818,0:00:45.967 something looks a little bit off, 0:00:46.127,0:00:49.978 or they can become very ill and end up in an emergency room in an urgent care center. 0:00:50.097,0:00:50.178 Yeah, 0:00:50.338,0:00:51.608 talk about those symptoms real quick. 0:00:51.627,0:00:53.568 What are the symptoms that people can look out 0:00:53.568,0:00:55.748 for and are there any early warning signs? 0:00:55.897,0:00:56.088 Sure, 0:00:56.338,0:00:59.088 definitely. I think in blood cancer it's important to know your body 0:00:59.217,0:00:59.548 how you normally 0:00:59.726,0:01:04.146 feel. We're specifically looking at people who are losing a lot of weight rapidly, 0:01:04.765,0:01:04.845 20 0:01:04.845,0:01:06.625 pounds without trying in a month. 0:01:07.236,0:01:07.289 It 0:01:07.289,0:01:10.545 can be severe sweats and I know a lot of us sweat at 0:01:10.545,0:01:10.646 night. 0:01:11.236,0:01:11.666 However, 0:01:11.755,0:01:13.316 we're talking about drenching sweats, 0:01:13.435,0:01:14.115 changing our clothes, 0:01:14.236,0:01:15.055 changing the 0:01:15.055,0:01:15.185 sheets, 0:01:15.596,0:01:16.475 those are some of the big things. 0:01:16.486,0:01:16.996 Fatigue, 0:01:17.115,0:01:18.945 not being able to get out and do the things that you enjoy, 0:01:18.956,0:01:19.505 or even, 0:01:19.625,0:01:19.865 you know, 0:01:19.875,0:01:20.875 used to be able to mow the yard, 0:01:20.956,0:01:21.386 no problem, 0:01:21.396,0:01:23.106 have to do that and go in and take a nap. 0:01:23.396,0:01:23.636 Okay, 0:01:23.795,0:01:23.916 great, 0:01:24.075,0:01:24.195 yeah, 0:01:24.236,0:01:24.945 it's great information. 0:01:25.236,0:01:25.350 What's 0:01:25.350,0:01:28.335 the treatment for those who have blood cancers and what's the survival rate? 0:01:28.636,0:01:29.875 Our treatments have 0:01:29.914,0:01:32.844 just been exploding over the last couple of years. 0:01:32.893,0:01:35.164 What I do today is not what I did 2 years ago, 0:01:35.774,0:01:35.870 and 0:01:35.870,0:01:37.374 each of those different cancers that 0:01:37.374,0:01:39.933 you mentioned have very specific different treatments. 0:01:40.054,0:01:42.253 I would see the newest thing that we're doing in blood cancer 0:01:42.253,0:01:45.613 is that we're looking at how to involve own immune systems 0:01:45.853,0:01:48.083 and recognizing our cancers and fighting them off. 0:01:48.134,0:01:50.643 And so, we're calling that immune effector cell therapy, 0:01:50.893,0:01:52.804 and that's become one of the most 0:01:53.094,0:01:55.283 high growth areas in treatment right now. 0:01:55.293,0:01:57.134 Now for those that have been diagnosed or 0:01:57.134,0:01:59.440 perhaps people that want to prevent this from happening, 0:01:59.442,0:02:01.991 is there may be like a recommended diet that people 0:02:01.991,0:02:03.751 can use or for even for treatments? 0:02:03.791,0:02:04.741 That's a great question. 0:02:04.832,0:02:07.711 Right now we have about 1.5 million patients in the 0:02:07.711,0:02:09.981 United States living with some form of blood cancer, 0:02:10.431,0:02:10.550 either 0:02:10.550,0:02:11.992 active or in remission. 0:02:12.072,0:02:13.942 What we do know in terms of diet, 0:02:14.432,0:02:14.532 both 0:02:14.532,0:02:16.582 for prevention and then for 0:02:16.832,0:02:18.001 maintaining your health 0:02:18.272,0:02:18.372 while 0:02:18.372,0:02:21.671 you're in treatment is as close as you can get to the Mediterranean diet. 0:02:21.992,0:02:23.272 So, rotating proteins, 0:02:23.412,0:02:24.472 lean proteins, 0:02:24.951,0:02:25.055 whole 0:02:25.055,0:02:25.822 grains, 0:02:26.442,0:02:26.550 really 0:02:26.550,0:02:29.051 moderate or reduced 0:02:29.051,0:02:29.151 on 0:02:30.009,0:02:30.759 wine intake, 0:02:31.089,0:02:31.189 that 0:02:31.189,0:02:31.850 sort of thing. 0:02:33.000,0:02:33.279 Very interesting. 0:02:33.770,0:02:33.870 Where 0:02:33.870,0:02:36.250 can we find more information about blood cancers? 0:02:36.369,0:02:39.919 The Leukemia Lymphoma Society has a fantastic website. 0:02:40.330,0:02:40.410 They 0:02:40.410,0:02:42.919 also have a program where they can connect patients 0:02:43.050,0:02:43.110 with 0:02:43.110,0:02:45.009 other patients who have gone through treatments similar to 0:02:45.175,0:02:47.324 what they'll go through and match them up together 0:02:47.324,0:02:49.315 so that they have that personal resource as well. 0:02:49.524,0:02:50.205 Very insightful, 0:02:50.244,0:02:50.804 Dr. Gregory. 0:02:50.884,0:02:51.725 Thank you so much for joining us. 0:02:51.964,0:02:52.835 Thanks so much for having me. 0:02:52.845,0:02:53.365 I appreciate it. 0:02:53.445,0:02:53.955 Of course. 0:02:54.085,0:02:56.604 And if you want to see this interview or other Health Watch interviews, 0:02:56.645,0:02:59.964 you could always go to our website CBSCOLORADO.com. 0:03:00.044,0:03:00.645 We'll be right back.