Speaking Frankly About Liver Cancer

The Tulane Cancer Center will host a one-hour workshop on "Frankly Speaking About Liver Cancer" at 3 p.m. today (Feb. 19), in the Tulane Cancer Center Comprehensive Clinic, 150 S. Liberty St. in downtown New Orleans.

The workshop, which is free and open to the public, is designed to help liver cancer patients and their families learn more about the disease and what to expect during and after cancer treatment.

The workshop will feature Tulane oncologist Dr. Marcelo Blaya, who will discuss liver cancer diagnosis, symptoms, treatment strategies and side-effect management. Sean Ransom, director of the Patricia Trost Friedler Center for Psychosocial Oncology at the Tulane Cancer Center, will talk about life beyond treatment and skills for coping with the stress of cancer.

The workshop is geared toward patients whose primary cancer is in the liver, as well as those whose cancer has spread to the liver from some other primary cancer site.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 22,620 new cases of primary liver and bile duct cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2009, and more than 18,000 Americans died from the disease. Liver cancer is more common in men than in women. An average man's lifetime risk of getting liver or bile duct cancer is about 1 in 100, while an average woman's risk is about 1 in 217.

Funding for the program is provided through a charitable gift from Bayer HealthCare and Onyx Pharmaceuticals in cooperation with the Wellness Community. Validated parking is available in the Saratoga Parking Garage, located at the corner of Cleveland and S. Saratoga streets in downtown New Orleans. The Tulane Cancer Center Comprehensive Clinic is located on the first floor of the garage. Refreshments will be provided.

To register or for more information, e-mail Kasi Guillot or call 504-988-3068.