As I was watching the 'In Memoriam' tribute segment of the Oscars last night, I noticed one name was absent from the slideshow: Farrah Fawcettt. As you know, Farrah died last summer, succumbing to her long battle with anal cancer. I have to wonder why the snub? Farrah remains a Hollywood icon and for her to be left out is unfortunate. She isn't the only one who was left out of the tribute, however. Bea Arthur, who died of cancer last year, was also noticeably absent from the segment.

According to several news sources, a spokesperson from the Oscars said that they simply cannot include everyone in the tribute. I found it a little odd that they chose to include Michael Jackson, who had little film contribution in his career. Don't get me wrong, MJ had immense talent that will never be replicated, but I believe a Grammy tribute would be much more fitting to pay homage  than an awards ceremony for film. Share your thoughts in the 'Comments' section below.

I came across an interesting interview with Sean Penn this morning at EntertainmentWeekly.com, where the controversial actor basically said that he hopes those who are cynical of him "die screaming of rectal cancer". Sean must really detest those who question his actions because advanced rectal cancer is truly no walk in the park - I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. The actor's off-the-wall comment, however, has raised a little, much needed awareness of the disease and just in time for Colon Cancer Awareness Month!

In all seriousness, his insensitive comment greatly demeans rectal cancer patients and survivors. As another reader pointed out in the "Comments" section below, Penn would never have gotten away with saying he hoped people died of AIDS or breast cancer. Just because rectal cancer isn't a highly publicized disease doesn't mean it isn't as serious or the people it affects less tolerant.

Rectal Cancer Basics:

• What is Rectal Cancer?
• Rectal Cancer Symptoms
• Colon Cancer at About.com

The use of medicinal marijuana has always been a controversial topic, but when the U.S. Attorney General set forth guidelines urging more states to be more lenient of medicinal users, it has become a hot political topic. Despite it's strong support from the medical oncologic community, some people strongly oppose medicinal marijuana. They claim it is highly addictive and a gateway drug

I certainly believe that marijuana is addictive and can be a gateway drug for those who use the drug for recreational use. People with cancer, however, do not use marijuana to get high. The goal is to control the pain, relieve the nausea, and hopefully stimulate the appetite. It is certainly difficult to completely understand the stress, frustration, and decline of the quality of life that people with cancer endure without experiencing it for yourself or witnessing a loved one go through it. I have known several cancer patients who used medicinal marijuana legally and have found immense, immediate relief. They only required one medication (medicinal marijuana) to combat treatment side effects instead of 4-5 pharmaceutical drugs.

With that being said, how do you feel about medicinal marijuana?

Poll: Do you think it is acceptable to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes?

• Absolutely
• No. A drug is a drug, regardless of how it is used.
• View Results

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NY Times reporter Amy Harmon has a gripping three-part article appearing in print this week about a new melanoma drug, PLX4032. While new drugs are featured in the media everyday, this one definitely stands out from the rest. Results from early clinical trials are beyond impressive and worth reading about, especially if you or someone you know suffers from melanoma. The article follows patients participating in the clinical trials for PLX4032, as well as the doctors researching the drug. The article gives a unique glimpse into the world of clinical trials with "behind the scenes" access. Check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of Amy Harmon's NY Times article about PLX4032.