Important advice about ovarian cancer

The NYT has a great story this morning about the inadequate treatment given to 2/3 of women who have ovarian cancer. It's frightening.

Here's the short version. If you or anyone you know has ovarian cancer, go to a gynecological oncologist -- not to a general oncologist or gynecologist.

Surgeons who lack expertise in ovarian cancer should refer women to specialists if the women are suspected to have the disease, but often do not, Dr. Goff said. 

Why? Because they're unfamiliar with ovarian cancer and because they want to make more money. Read the story to learn the details. It seems that because women who suffer from ovarian cancer are older and less active (i.e., less likely to be activists than those who have breast cancer), the correct treatment remains largely unknown to both women and gynecologists.

Seriously, read the article. And when you encounter someone who has ovarian cancer, speak up and get them to a gynecological oncologist who handles at least 20 or more ovarian cancer cases a year.

Chimps, apes get a little respect

This was nice to see. Research chimps owned by the National Institutes of Health are being retired from lab work and moved into supportive, pleasant sanctuaries. This will affect approximately 450 chimps. The plan is to keep about fifty chimps on call, just in case there's a medical emergency and we need them for research. But there will be extensive discussion -- including public input -- before any are returned to the lab for experimentation. Basically, the chimps are movin' on out. It's about time.

And now for something completely different. With the help of Orangutan Outreach and the Apps for Apes program, apes at 13 American zoos are playing with iPad apps -- drawing, listening to music, whatever. Apparently, they like their apps as much as we like ours. (And they're looking for iPad donations, if you can help out.) The lesson, in case it's not obvious, is that these primates differ from us only in degree. Same idea, different model.

It's nice to see our extended family respected like this, especially in the case of animals who've "worked" for us. I hope to see many more stories like this.