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Vical Reports Second Quarter and First Six Months 2008 Financial ... PR Newswire (press release), NY - Potential applications of the company's DNA delivery technology include DNA vaccines for infectious diseases or cancer, in which the expressed protein is an ...VICL Infinity Highlights Clinical Advances in Its Portfolio of Anti ... MarketWatch - Aug 4, 2008 an innovative cancer drug discovery and development company, today provided a research and development (R&D) update and announced financial results for the ...INFI QIAGEN Reports Second Quarter 2008 Results and Increases Full Year ... CNNMoney.com (press release) - Aug 4, 2008 The reimbursement and the implementation of the HPV test with routine screening "will help to identify pre-stages of cervical cancer that are treatable and ...QGEN Edward Owens Buys UnitedHealth Group Inc., Merck & Co. Inc ... GuruFocus.com, TX - Cardinal Health Inc. has a market cap of $19.87 billion; its shares were traded at around $54.29 with a P/E ratio of 10.99 and P/S ratio of 0.21. ...UNH - UNM - MLNM ASCO 2008: The Evolving Role of EGFR Inhibitors in Colorectal Cancer Cancer Consultants, ID - Jul 31, 2008 Overall survival was similar between the two groups at approximately 20 months (P=0.21). Both groups achieved a 44% combined complete and partial response ... OSI Pharmaceuticals Announces Second Quarter 2008 Financial Results MarketWatch - Jul 23, 2008 The Company's oncology programs are focused on developing molecular targeted therapies designed to change the paradigm of cancer care. ...OSIP - DNA Erbitux?/Avastin? Combo Not Effective in Colorectal Cancer Cancer Consultants, ID - Jul 7, 2008 Overall survival was similar between the two groups at approximately 20 months (P=0.21). Both groups achieved a 44% combined complete and partial response ... Stocks End Lower BusinessWeek - Jul 21, 2008 Roche is taking advantage of the weak US dollar to get a bigger share of earnings from Genentech drugs such as Avastin, which treats cancer. ...DNA - OTC:RHHBY - SWF:RO Stocks Rise on M&A, Strong Earnings BusinessWeek - Jul 21, 2008 Roche is taking advantage of the weak US dollar to get a bigger share of earnings from Genentech drugs such as Avastin, which treats cancer. ...DNA - OTC:RHHBY - SWF:RO Benelux shares close lower; Fortis dives UPDATE Forbes, NY - Jul 15, 2008 OncoMethylome Sciences was up 0.21 euro or 2.88 percent at 7.50 euros. The biotechnology group said Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (nyse: LH ...OTC:FORSY

Skin deep: One man's fight against and words of advice on cancer Skin Cancer Dr. Timothy Jochen, a Palm Springs dermatologist, explained the two types of cancer that affect the skin and react differently: nonmelanoma cancer cells and melanoma cancer cells.

Nonmelanoma cancers include Basal Cell and Squamous Cell cancers. They often do not spread, therefore they are less severe, Jochen said. However, they should be treated immediately.

· Basal Cell cancer is the most common of skin cancers. It forms on the lowest layer of the skin, according to the American Heart Association, and grows slowly. If untreated, the cancerous cell can grow into nearby areas and damage bone or tissue. As many as half of the people who are diagnosed with Basal Cell cancer will develop a new skin cancer, the Society reported.

· Squamous Cell cancer is found in the top layer of the skin and accounts for about 1 of 5 skin cancers. It is most commonly found on the facial tissue, including lips and ears, but also on the backs of hands and where scars or ulcers once laid. This cancer creeps into fatty tissues, the Society reports.

· Melanoma cancer is a beast all on its own. Less common but far more serious, these cancerous cells are found in the cells that make melanin, or give us our skin color.

My first experience with the dermatologist was when I was about 14 or 15 and she started drawing circles in marker around moles on my body. Because of my physical makeup (blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin) I was at very high-risk to develop skin cancer if I wasn't careful. I also have a history of cancer in my family, skin included, which was like a double-whammy.

We had a long discussion about sunscreen and best practices to minimize the risk (avoid going outside - yeah right), and that was the end of it.

Over the past decade, I've done my best to heed the advice the dermatologist gave me. But that being said, I certainly wasn't going to let it change the way I lived my life.

Following a fishing trip, I discovered a small, moleish-looking spot on the top of my ear about the size of a pinky nail that hadn't been there before. I was a little concerned since this spot had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and had gotten discolored so quickly. There were a few other moles on my body I had been concerned about, so I figured the sooner I got these things looked at, the better.

I could tell immediately the dermatologist was concerned with the way my ear looked. He scanned my body, marker in hand, and circled a number of moles that concerned him.

He found plenty of potential candidates; eventually we settled on four different "problem areas" to remove and to perform biopsies on, the ear included.

Biopsies are not fun. They either shave - where they take a scalpel and shave the affected skin area clean off, leaving what is underneath behind - or punch - where they take a tool that is a hollowed out circular blade and literally punch out the area in question - going a little bit deeper to remove more cells. In order to stop the bleeding, they either cauterize the area or they stitch it. With a local anesthetic it still didn't feel very pleasant, especially on the ear, and the smell of burning flesh is one that I recommend avoiding at all costs.

So I left the office with two wounds stitched up and two cauterized along with instructions to call back in two weeks for the results of the biopsies.

A little over a week later the dermatologist called. He told me he had some "concerns" about the biopsies and wanted me to come in. I didn't get much sleep that night because I had a lot of things running through my mind.

One of the biopsies showed "abnormal cell growth that looked like Basal Cell skin cancer," the dermatologist told me the next day. It was a mole from my lower back, and not the growth on my ear.

A Pathologist who drew blood and did a bunch of tests assured me it was not Melanoma, but the dermatologist still wanted to re-excise the area on my back where he had done the previous biopsy to be sure the abnormal skin growth wasn't spreading.

The results of that biopsy are still not back yet, but I'm going in this week to get the stitches removed and hopefully get the good news that the abnormal skin cells aren't present in the surrounding area.

As a man with a number of moles that will be removed I offer one piece of advice: The sooner you get your skin checked out, the better. When dealing with something like this it's not a good idea to put it off, because the longer you go without treatment, the worse the situation gets.

And stay positive. OK, that's two pieces of advice.