No Cost Esophageal Cancer Screenings in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Chapel Hill

unclaw2002

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Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I am not offering medical advice. However, I wanted to let you know about a study going on to help develop new screening protocols to detect Esophageal Cancer and Barrett’s Esophagus in its early stages. This research study is being funded by the NIH. Before doing anything you should check with your own medical professionals and investigate whether this is something that is appropriate for you to participate in.
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No Cost Esophageal Cancer Screening

I wanted to let everyone know about this opportunity and perhaps you might want to participate in helping to establish some screening guidelines for future standards of care in Esophageal Cancer. I have signed up to have the procedure done am going to be included in the study. There are not many spots left – and it won’t cost you anything . . . in fact you will get a $25 gift card and it may alert you to a potential problem. If you have any questions please let me know I will be happy to discuss them with you. And yes I know that not everyone can get to one of the sites, but for those of you who can it may be worth the effort. This is just one small step in raising awareness about Esophageal Cancer and the need for early diagnosis and treatment.

This is a one Visit only research Study being conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Case Western in Cleveland, Ohio and UNC in Chapel Hill, NC. UPMC is conducting the study under a grant from the NIH. Blair Jobe, MD, of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery At UPMC, is leading this study to learn more about the risk factors to help prevent cancer of the esophagus and to diagnose and treat it sooner.

The study is for Women & Men Ages 40 thru 85.

You will be asked to:

• Have your esophagus screened for Barrett’s Esophagus, using a state of the art small caliber flexible tube (endoscope) with local spray anesthesia while you are awake. A small piece of tissue from the lining of your esophagus will be removed and examined. You will be notified of the findings. View the endoscope procedure as seen on Good Morning America at www.abcnews.com. The video is at:
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7167408 and click on the link to the video.

• Complete questionnaires on health, lifestyle, and diet.

You will receive:

• Parking voucher or bus ticket

• $25 debit card

• Peace of mind knowing that you have been screened for Barrett’s Esophagus

To learn more the contact at UPMC is:
Diane Connors, RN, MPH, at 412-623-3134 or connersd@upmc.edu


Below is the contact info for UNC and CASE:

Susie Bream
Clinical Research Coordinator
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Program in Digestive Health
130 Mason Farm Road
4162-J Bioinformatics Building
Campus Box 7555
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7555

Office: (919) 966-7655
Pager: (919) 216-0303
Fax: (919) 843-2508
Email: susan_bream@med.unc.edu

Beth Bednarchik, RN, BSN, CCRP
Research Coordinator
UH Digestive Health Institute
Wearn Building 227B
Phone: 216 844 7314

Ola Ghaith, MD
Clinical Research Assistant, Division of Gastroenterology & Liver Disease
University Hospitals Case Medical Center
Cleveland, OH, 44106
Phone: 216-844-3878

Any questions let me know. I am scheduled for the test on April 25th - All the best,
Cindy

Callaloo

What a great opportunity.
What a great opportunity. In Japan, EC screenings are routine... in fact, I'm told that you can get screened for EC at the shopping malls. I doubt it will ever go that far here, but EC screenings should be at least as common mammograms and colonoscopies.

By the way, Cindy, how's your dad doing? Has he started on the chemo yet? Let me know if you hear anything about opening up the trial to squamous cell carcinoma. I know there aren't many of us, but I don't see why we still can't be included in the 2nd line trials. Sorry to go off-topic.

Lu

Susie_Brendon

ECAN?
Hi Cindy,
Are you a member of ECAN? This test study might be something they can incorporate onto their site this month being as April is EC Awareness Month.. Just a thought?!?
Susie

unclaw2002

Susie_Brendon said:

ECAN?
Hi Cindy,
Are you a member of ECAN? This test study might be something they can incorporate onto their site this month being as April is EC Awareness Month.. Just a thought?!?
Susie

Susie,
Yes I am - I will
Susie,

Yes I am - I will send Mindy an email with the information. Thanks for the prompting. You may want to see if you can do this when you are in Pittsburg if they are still doing the study --- if nothing else you can tell Brendon you are going to get scoped so he isn't alone The procedure is done in the same office that you will visit to see Dr. Luketich.

Let me know if you have any questions about what you might need at the family house. One trick call and get your name on the list as soon as you know your travel dates, then on the morning you arrive call right at 9 am and you should get a room without a problem at Shadyside. It reminds me of having to call those fancy restuarants three months in advance at 9am to get a reservation. LOL.


Best,
Cindy

Susie_Brendon

unclaw2002 said:

Susie,
Yes I am - I will
Susie,

Yes I am - I will send Mindy an email with the information. Thanks for the prompting. You may want to see if you can do this when you are in Pittsburg if they are still doing the study --- if nothing else you can tell Brendon you are going to get scoped so he isn't alone The procedure is done in the same office that you will visit to see Dr. Luketich.

Let me know if you have any questions about what you might need at the family house. One trick call and get your name on the list as soon as you know your travel dates, then on the morning you arrive call right at 9 am and you should get a room without a problem at Shadyside. It reminds me of having to call those fancy restuarants three months in advance at 9am to get a reservation. LOL.


Best,
Cindy

McKee
Hi Cindy -
When I called the Family House facilities, they said that we would be staying either at McKee or University Place. I already have our "tentative reservations" set. We will be at UPMC...is that the hospital closest to Shadyside? Or is there another hospital that's closer??

We won't be up there until the end of May and I think the trial will be over by then...however, I will still check into it. Would like to get checked anyway. :-)

Glad you will contact Mindy with this info! You go girl!!!

Susie

K_ann1015

Such awesome info---thanks!!!
thanks Cindy!---I wish it was available more widespread---but still it is neat---thanks for sharing!
kim