Basketball writer, Jonathan Tjarks of the Ringer in Hospice battling cancer (update: Tjarks has sadly passed away)

[righterwriter]

RIP Tjarks

[The High Cyde]

RIP good sir. Thank you for your contributions to our favorite sport and pass time.

On the topic of cancer, I’d like to share a post by fellow poster ryan in Maine from the CA board, all credit to him for digging this up.

If we can’t beat cancer then the next best alternative is to nip it in the bud as early as possible.

Sorry not sorry if this is a repost.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/sep/11/galleri-blood-test-multiple-cancers-before-clear-symptoms-study

Blood test spots multiple cancers without clear symptoms, study finds
Doctors hail new era for cancer screening as major research shows effectiveness of Galleri test

Ian Sample Science editor
@iansample
Sun 11 Sep 2022 10.30 EDT

The Pathfinder study offered the blood test to more than 6,600 adults aged 50 and over, and detected dozens of new cases of disease. Many cancers were at an early stage and nearly three-quarters were forms not routinely screened for.

It is the first time results from the Galleri test, which looks for cancer DNA in the blood, have been returned to patients and their doctors, to guide cancer investigations and any necessary treatment.

“I think what’s exciting about this new paradigm and concept is that many of these were cancers for which we do not have any standard screening,” Dr Deb Schrag, a senior researcher on the study at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, told the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Paris on Sunday.

In the Pathfinder study, 6,621 adults aged 50 and over were offered the Galleri blood test. For 6,529 volunteers, the test was negative, but it flagged a potential cancer in 92.

Further tests confirmed solid tumours or blood cancer in 35 people, or 1.4% of the study group. The test spotted two cancers in a woman who had breast and endometrial tumours.

Beyond spotting the presence of disease, the test predicts where the cancer is, allowing doctors to fast-track the follow-up work needed to locate and confirm a cancer. “The signal of origin was very helpful in directing the type of work-up,” said Schrag. “When the blood test was positive, it typically took under three months to get the work-ups completed.”

The test identified 19 solid tumours in tissues such as the breast, liver, lung and colon, but it also spotted ovarian and pancreatic cancers, which are typically detected at a late stage and have poor survival rates.

The remaining cases were blood cancers. Out of the 36 cancers detected in total, 14 were early stage and 26 were forms of the disease not routinely screened for.

Further analyses found the blood test was negative for 99.1% of those who were cancer-free, meaning only a small proportion of healthy people wrongly received a positive result. About 38% of those who had a positive test turned out to have cancer.

It's not ready to roll out, so for now we're still reliant on the usual cancer screenings.

Maybe I'm pie in the sky on this, but I think this blood screening tech could help pull US life expectancy back up over the rim.

[MotownMadness]

RIP good sir. Thank you for your contributions to our favorite sport and pass time.

On the topic of cancer, I’d like to share a post by fellow poster ryan in Maine from the CA board, all credit to him for digging this up.

If we can’t beat cancer then the next best alternative is to nip it in the bud as early as possible.

Sorry not sorry if this is a repost.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/sep/11/galleri-blood-test-multiple-cancers-before-clear-symptoms-study

Blood test spots multiple cancers without clear symptoms, study finds
Doctors hail new era for cancer screening as major research shows effectiveness of Galleri test

Ian Sample Science editor
@iansample
Sun 11 Sep 2022 10.30 EDT

The Pathfinder study offered the blood test to more than 6,600 adults aged 50 and over, and detected dozens of new cases of disease. Many cancers were at an early stage and nearly three-quarters were forms not routinely screened for.

It is the first time results from the Galleri test, which looks for cancer DNA in the blood, have been returned to patients and their doctors, to guide cancer investigations and any necessary treatment.

“I think what’s exciting about this new paradigm and concept is that many of these were cancers for which we do not have any standard screening,” Dr Deb Schrag, a senior researcher on the study at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, told the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Paris on Sunday.

In the Pathfinder study, 6,621 adults aged 50 and over were offered the Galleri blood test. For 6,529 volunteers, the test was negative, but it flagged a potential cancer in 92.

Further tests confirmed solid tumours or blood cancer in 35 people, or 1.4% of the study group. The test spotted two cancers in a woman who had breast and endometrial tumours.

Beyond spotting the presence of disease, the test predicts where the cancer is, allowing doctors to fast-track the follow-up work needed to locate and confirm a cancer. “The signal of origin was very helpful in directing the type of work-up,” said Schrag. “When the blood test was positive, it typically took under three months to get the work-ups completed.”

The test identified 19 solid tumours in tissues such as the breast, liver, lung and colon, but it also spotted ovarian and pancreatic cancers, which are typically detected at a late stage and have poor survival rates.

The remaining cases were blood cancers. Out of the 36 cancers detected in total, 14 were early stage and 26 were forms of the disease not routinely screened for.

Further analyses found the blood test was negative for 99.1% of those who were cancer-free, meaning only a small proportion of healthy people wrongly received a positive result. About 38% of those who had a positive test turned out to have cancer.

It's not ready to roll out, so for now we're still reliant on the usual cancer screenings.

Maybe I'm pie in the sky on this, but I think this blood screening tech could help pull US life expectancy back up over the rim.

Yeah its just one of those things to catch early you gotta stay on top of physicals with blood work and stuff.

It will usually show up in your enzyme count i believe.

[RamonSessions7]

Damn. RIP. Best to his family and loved ones

[eyeatoma]

Absolutely tragic. Rest in Peace Jonathan.

[Ryoga Hibiki]

Read on Twitter

this guy had just an incredible inner strength, I am not sure I could face what he faced with that level of grace and dignity.
We'll not forget you Jonathan.

[Froob]

So tough to read he had passed after he wrote that article a while back on losing his father as a kid and that was the last thing he wanted for his son. Was really hoping for some kind of miracle for him.

Much love to Tjarks and his family. One of the best people to come out of RealGM.

[Sugarless]

Rest in peace.

[mccluskey]

sucks to hear this, RIP to him.

[slick_watts]

i've been following tjarks' saga since he's put it out there- sad stuff. having been part of this community so long, when someone like tjarks gets their start here and then 'makes it' i suppose there's a bit of pride that goes along with that. and even though i didn't know him personally, it makes this feel just a tad bit more close to home.

cancer sucks.

[KokoKaizer]

Really if you think about it the most you can hope for on earth is to have that kind of impact on everyone around you. If you can look in the mirror and say honestly that you added good to everyone’s lives, you had an incredible legacy.

He was a great example of a man of faith who didn’t judge or mistreat others, but used his own convictions to love and be better. For his age he was already making such a difference. The world lost a bright light last night, but heaven gained one.

Great post !

RIP JT

[Edrees]

RIP, he will be missed

[PaulKellerman]

Devastating news. He was a heck of a writer and by all accounts, a stupendous human being

May his wife and son find peace and solace in this trying time

[Message Boar]

Tragic. I really enjoyed his work, both in writing and in voice. Seemed like a lovely family man, too.

May he rest in peace, and may his family find the strength and support to get through these sad times.

[basketballRob]

Loved his takes when evaluating young players. The first time I heard him I thought it was Bill Simmons because they have similar voices.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

[SonicMcMahon]

Terrible for his family, if I could take his cancer from him, I really would, as a person with strong depression, to me, fighting for your life is such an alien concept, I fighting for opposite. I would really give him my years, that person has young child and has lots of things to look forward to. Sadly things aren't looking good.

Just want to take the time to say, I think you’re a really good poster who brings new angles and insights to my daily reading. No one on realgm brings precisely what you do. You’d be surprised the positive impact you can have on people w/o knowing. Wouldn’t want to lose you either. I bet a lot of people feel that way.

And PS. My wife approaches things like this too. “Why him? Take me!” But she’s a badass with a world to offer too.

All this to say, you’re worth more than you think if that’s the attitude you’ve got. I hope you discover this at your own pace.

[SonicMcMahon]

Double.

[The Box Office]

RIP Jonathan Tjarks. Sad lost for the basketball community and his friends and family. Life is extremely short for humans.

[SonicMcMahon]

Really so sad to hear this.

[azcatz11]

Simmons is doing a tribute to Tjarks on tomorrow's (Tuesdays) podcast. Check it out tomorrow