The Chicago Tribune posted an article about the risks of CT scans which is quite informative.  CT scans while a powerful tools for diagnosing a wide range of diseases has the potential to cause problems as well.
Although the AMAS test is not by itself diagnostic of the presence or absence of disease, it can be used as an aid to diagnosis, detection or monitoring of disease.  Since the AMAS test is non-invasive, in some cases it can be used for screening rather that CT scans which can lessen the exposure to potentially harmful radiation.

The full article can be found here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-radiation-exposure-20100307,0,619847.story

March is colorectal cancer awareness month.  Information about the risks, when to start screening and the types of screening can be found at the links below. 

http://www.cdc.gov/features/colorectalawareness/

http://www.bcm.edu/news/item.cfm?newsID=1841

An interesting article was recently posted on CancerConsultants.com about ovarian cancer and how the symptoms are not particularly helpful in its early detection.  In 2000 an article was published in Cancer Detection and Prevention about the link between Anti-Malignin Antibody and ovarian cancer and more importantly how it can be used for early detection.  The AMAS test looks for this antibody in the blood and has been shown to be more sensitive than the CA125 test.

Both articles can be found at the links below:
http://www.cancerconsultants.com/symptoms-improve-early-detection-ovarian-cancer/
http://www.oncolabinc.com/paper.php?id=CancerDet_Prev.Antibody.2000.pdf

February 4th marks the fifth year of the World Cancer Day which is lead by The International Union Against Cancer (UICC)  Each year focuses on a different initiative, this year's being  "Cancer can be prevented too". 

More information can be found here:
http://www.worldcancercampaign.org/

Dr. Kandace Klein of the Medical College of Georgia has linked the breast cancer mortality rate to the availability of mammograms.  While Mammograms are typically seen as the best cancer screening tests there are downsides.  Mammograms are quite intrusive and painful.  By no means do we suggest that the AMAS test is a replacement for mammograms but the AMAS test can be used along side standard cancer screening tools to increase the possibility of spotting a malignancy in the early stages.

The full article can be found here:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-01/mcog-mal011110.php

CancerConsultants.com (an informational cancer website) posted an article citing an American College of Radiology Imaging Network study that found approximately 58% of women with a high risk of breast cancer agreed to a MRI screen while the remainder refused for a variety of reasons. 

An update of our previous entries pertaining to AnyLabTestNow draw sites.  We have since received several more contracts from the following locations:

Oncolab will be closed Thursday December 24th, Friday December 25th and Friday January 1st.  Oncolab wishes everyone Happy Holidays. 

Oncolab has been working diligently for the past several months to sign up official draw sites to perform the AMAS draw.  As posted earlier, we have started to sign AnyLabTestNow sites and thus far we have received fourteen contracts: 

Oncolab is pleased to announce that AnyLabTestNow franchise locations now have the chance to become official draw sites for the AMAS test.  As locations are signed up their contact information will be placed into the Lab and Doctor maps found Here.  This is a great opportunity for AnyLabTestNow locations, Oncolab and most importantly for patients wanting to run the AMAS test.  Our goal is to make the process of taking the AMAS test as easy as possible and this is another step in that direction.

AnyLabTestNow