Barry Stein, a Montreal lawyer, has never met Pat Burns, coach of the New Jersey Devils. But the two have something in common: a successful career interrupted, at least temporarily, by a diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
Mr. Stein was diagnosed in 1995, and after nine rounds of surgery, he remains healthy and active. He has also founded the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, a patient-advocacy group.
There's no good time to get cancer, but there are so many new developments in the field of colorectal cancer right now that there's never been a better time to be treated," Mr. Stein said.
In a statement to the media on Sunday, Mr. Burns provided very little information on his current health status, except to say he has a "long summer of treatment and surgery to go through that starts this week." He said the treatments will be daily, five days a week, for up to eight weeks. That suggests a fairly advanced cancer
It is unclear whether Mr. Burns, 52, underwent these screening tests. What is clear, however, is that the long-time coach had at least one obvious risk factor: being overweight. And many people in high-stress jobs like his do not eat well or exercise, two other key risk factors.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Monday, April 19, 2004
Dying of shame
PAT BURNS' PUBLIC ADMISSION MIGHT SPARK OTHERS TO GET TESTED, DOCTORS HOPE
Burns vowing to beat cancer
NEW JERSEY Devils coach Pat Burns stood before the world yesterday and said he was in the fight of his life against colon cancer. Burns is used to the spotlight, even in his most private moments, but many other people are literally dying of embarrassment.
"People are dying needlessly from colon cancer because they're too shy to get tested," said Dr. Andy Smith, a colorectal cancer surgeon at Sunnybrook & Women's hospital. "The disease is 95 to 100% curable if it's caught in its early stages."
Colorectal cancer kills 8,300 Canadian women and men a year, making it the country's second biggest cancer killer, next to lung cancer.
"Too often it is not diagnosed until the symptoms appear and by then the chances of survival are much lower," Smith said.
'REGULAR TEST'
"The best way to spot it early is with a colonoscopy. It needs to be a regular test for people over 45 or so, just like mammograms are routine tests for women."
With the test -- using a flexible fibreoptic tube to look at the inside of the large intestine -- doctors can spot pre-cancerous polyps and surgically remove them before they turn into tumours.
"People who have never had the test worry," Smith said. "Sometimes you hear things like 'I don't want somebody sticking things up my butt.' "
But the test is done under a general anesthetic and only takes a few minutes.
"After it's over, people are surprised because they barely noticed it was happening," he said.
LOW-FIBRE DIET
Colorectal cancer is caused by a combination of a high fat, low-fibre diet, genetics, and exposure to myriad cancer-causing chemicals, Smith said.
The tumours form on the soft pink tissue that runs from the inside of the mouth to the rectum. If the disease progresses too far, some or all of the colon may have to be removed. Chemotherapy is also used to battle the cancer.
Relatively few people get tested, Smith said, although numbers went up by 20% after Today Show host Katie Couric had a colonoscopy on the air in 2000.
"A lot of people simply don't want to talk about it. Colons, rectums, bowels -- it's not exactly the stuff of cocktail party conversation," said Couric, whose husband Jay Monahan died of the disease nine months after he was diagnosed in 1997.
Former Maple Leafs captain Darryl Sittler has been crusading for colon cancer awareness since he lost his wife Wendy to the disease in 2001.
PAT BURNS' PUBLIC ADMISSION MIGHT SPARK OTHERS TO GET TESTED, DOCTORS HOPE
Burns vowing to beat cancer
NEW JERSEY Devils coach Pat Burns stood before the world yesterday and said he was in the fight of his life against colon cancer. Burns is used to the spotlight, even in his most private moments, but many other people are literally dying of embarrassment.
"People are dying needlessly from colon cancer because they're too shy to get tested," said Dr. Andy Smith, a colorectal cancer surgeon at Sunnybrook & Women's hospital. "The disease is 95 to 100% curable if it's caught in its early stages."
Colorectal cancer kills 8,300 Canadian women and men a year, making it the country's second biggest cancer killer, next to lung cancer.
"Too often it is not diagnosed until the symptoms appear and by then the chances of survival are much lower," Smith said.
'REGULAR TEST'
"The best way to spot it early is with a colonoscopy. It needs to be a regular test for people over 45 or so, just like mammograms are routine tests for women."
With the test -- using a flexible fibreoptic tube to look at the inside of the large intestine -- doctors can spot pre-cancerous polyps and surgically remove them before they turn into tumours.
"People who have never had the test worry," Smith said. "Sometimes you hear things like 'I don't want somebody sticking things up my butt.' "
But the test is done under a general anesthetic and only takes a few minutes.
"After it's over, people are surprised because they barely noticed it was happening," he said.
LOW-FIBRE DIET
Colorectal cancer is caused by a combination of a high fat, low-fibre diet, genetics, and exposure to myriad cancer-causing chemicals, Smith said.
The tumours form on the soft pink tissue that runs from the inside of the mouth to the rectum. If the disease progresses too far, some or all of the colon may have to be removed. Chemotherapy is also used to battle the cancer.
Relatively few people get tested, Smith said, although numbers went up by 20% after Today Show host Katie Couric had a colonoscopy on the air in 2000.
"A lot of people simply don't want to talk about it. Colons, rectums, bowels -- it's not exactly the stuff of cocktail party conversation," said Couric, whose husband Jay Monahan died of the disease nine months after he was diagnosed in 1997.
Former Maple Leafs captain Darryl Sittler has been crusading for colon cancer awareness since he lost his wife Wendy to the disease in 2001.
Sunday, April 18, 2004
"It puts everything into perspective."
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- New Jersey Devils coach Pat Burns has announced he has colon cancer and will begin treatment immediately.
Burns, 52, said his status with the team will be determined in six to eight weeks, when the treatment ends. He will undergo treatment five days a week beginning this week
Burns had missed two practices last week for undisclosed personal reasons.
"The last month or so I have not been feeling well," he said. "There were signs that something was not right but I was reluctant to do anything because the playoffs were coming up."
But Burns, a former policeman from Hull, Quebec, with a sullen personality and a self-proclaimed inability to smile, meshed well with the Devils.
Defenceman Scott Stevens described the reaction of his fellow players to Burns' illness as "shock and depression."
Burns and the Devils are fresh off a series pasting by the Philadelphia Flyers, who defeated New Jersey four games to one in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
Burns stated that even if New Jersey advanced in the post-season, he could not have been behind the bench in the second round or beyond. Burns will begin treatment and his status will be evaluated after the summer.
"All my time and energy must be focused on this," Burns said. "I need my energy."
Burns knew of his health prior to the opening round versus Philadelphia.
The Devils hired Burns in June 2002 and last season won their third Stanley Cup since 1995.
Burns is the only coach to win the Jack Adams Trophy three times. He won the award for the league's best coach with Montreal in 1998-89, Toronto in 1992-93 and Boston in 1997-98.
"I like his chances and we're all going to be behind him" Devils star defenseman Scott Stevens said. "It puts everything into perspective."
Burns, 52, said his status with the team will be determined in six to eight weeks, when the treatment ends. He will undergo treatment five days a week beginning this week
Burns had missed two practices last week for undisclosed personal reasons.
"The last month or so I have not been feeling well," he said. "There were signs that something was not right but I was reluctant to do anything because the playoffs were coming up."
But Burns, a former policeman from Hull, Quebec, with a sullen personality and a self-proclaimed inability to smile, meshed well with the Devils.
Defenceman Scott Stevens described the reaction of his fellow players to Burns' illness as "shock and depression."
Burns and the Devils are fresh off a series pasting by the Philadelphia Flyers, who defeated New Jersey four games to one in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
Burns stated that even if New Jersey advanced in the post-season, he could not have been behind the bench in the second round or beyond. Burns will begin treatment and his status will be evaluated after the summer.
"All my time and energy must be focused on this," Burns said. "I need my energy."
Burns knew of his health prior to the opening round versus Philadelphia.
The Devils hired Burns in June 2002 and last season won their third Stanley Cup since 1995.
Burns is the only coach to win the Jack Adams Trophy three times. He won the award for the league's best coach with Montreal in 1998-89, Toronto in 1992-93 and Boston in 1997-98.
"I like his chances and we're all going to be behind him" Devils star defenseman Scott Stevens said. "It puts everything into perspective."