end of october. all right, that will do it for me, cnn continues at the top of the hour, with don lemon, for now, sanjay gupta. hi, thank you for joining us, i'm reporting from los angeles today where we'll talk about omega 3 supplements. a full disclosure, i do take them myself, but a new study says don't bother. and the triathlon, after a big race, we'll see more. and first, cancer cures under the microscope. this week, md anderson, the largest cancer center in the world make this surprising announcement. they say we're finally in a position to radically reduce the death rate from several common cancers. not some someday, far off in the future, but instead, soon. including cancers like melanoma,

prostate, lung cancer, the biggest killer. it is a big challenge, but some say we just simply can't afford the huge cost of new treatments. and we've also heard new ideas before, but this time they say it is different. she was half way through her senior year of college last december when she noticed something strange in her left breast. >> something was just not right. and i knew it was not. and i just felt like it was something not good. >> two doctors told her not to worry. but a biopsy told her the truth. it was cancer. rose linn lives outside houston, but the first thing, they drove to md anderson. this place is big, in fact, a whole center devoted to fighting cancer. hallways, like highways here.

and if you're walking, stick to the side. that is the part with the blue stripes. more than 100,000 patients every year, more than a thousand clinical trials, all of it going on at once. and now, the president of md anderson says we're at a turning point. >> we're in a position to make dramatic impact on cancer morality in this decade. >> you say if we're doing everything right, five years from now there will be far fewer people dying from cancer? >> yes, with the application of what we know now, we'll see less deaths, in years five through ten, and beyond, set the stage for control of the disease. >> he calls it the moon shots program, they're pouring in 3 billion over ten years at a time when national funding for cancer refund is flat.

they say it will come from donors, research grants and profits from hospitals. how will it save lives? you may think it is wonder drugs. but what surprises me, it involves things much more basic. >> when people talk about curing cancer and wrestling the disease to its knees, they really thing in turns of having a magical cocktail for a patient with the advanced disease. it is much more than that. >> take lung cancer, the biggest killer of men and women. also the first on the list. >> so if you catch stage one cancer, you're dealing with about a 20% morality, as opposed to advanced stage cancers where you are dealing with about ten percent survival. so just by shifting the stage you have an opportunity to impact on 170,000 deaths per year. >> he is talking about screening. but that does have a down side.

false-positive test results, leading to invasive procedures. research shows if you focus on current or heavy smokers, the down side is finding them. more people have cancers. >> with the heavy smokers, you can make a huge impact. >> a huge impact, or look at melanoma. >> when you sort of forecast into the future, this is a big moment you describe for md anderson, is there a particular cancer you think will be the greatest impact? >> well, the one i'm most excited about is melanoma. >> i got a look at exclusive therapies that in a handful of cases are reversing the diseases, where even now once it is fatal usually spreads. it is very important science, but md anderson says we'll save more lives through systemic

screening and basic tools, like keeping children out of the sun. >> we know that leading to skin lesions led to a 50% morality. >> also, prostate cancer, two times of leukemia. there are new medicines and a growing understanding of the gene genes involved. also targeted, triple negative ovarian cancer, and breast cancer. like roselinn's these cancers are aggressive. but the doctor says they can make rapid progress developing and using the right treatments. >> i came back positive. >> roselinn was fortunate, in that she caught her cancer early, and after surgery and chemotherapy, the doctors say the cancer is gone. her goal is to be a doctor, and right now she is devoting her time to patients.

>> i tell people i see a bright future ahead of me. so i'm going to get right back in school and act like this pretty much never happened. >> the moon shot vision is big, as big as md anderson itself. >> it is about not just studying, but it is about doing. >> and when i asked them isn't it too audacios to say we'll cure cancer? they remind me, after all we did put a man on the moon. >> we didn't know everything, and it took mercury and apollo to mature, and get the job done. >> and next week we'll take a closer look at cancer medicines which cost more than $30,000 for a single round of treatment. now in some cases they prolong life, but just by a few months. some patients, though, they mean real hope. the question a lot of people ask, who pays? but up next, heart health and omega 3 supplements.

there is a controversial study, i'll tell you what you need to know. ♪ constipated? yeah. mm. some laxatives like dulcolax can cause cramps.

but phillips' caplets don't. they have magnesium. for effective relief of occasional constipation. thanks. [ phillips' lady ] live the regular life. phillips'.

. well, a lot of people make a point of eating fish and other foods rich in omega three fatty

acids, or take supplements for those benefits. in fact i take them myself. but a new study shows that the benefits just don't exist. a nutrition specialist on our program, thank you for joining us. this has got you up in arms. >> this really does. >> so the study basically says look, the supplements, they just didn't pan out in terms of the reported benefits? your immediate reaction to that? >> that is what the study said, and when i first heard it this has really profound implications for my practice, and also, in my opinion, for the health of americans across the country. so i looked over this study with a fine tooth comb and also look the at the 20 studies. in my opinion, there are a couple of major problems with the interpreting, that first of all, these were done with sick

people. they had already had a heart attack. many of them in the last decade were on multiple cutting edge treatment to stop a second heart attack. so they had ied's, this is not you and i taking an omega 3, this is sick people. second of all, they're a supplement, a nutrient, they're not a drug. less focused than a drug, there is also fewer side effects. so even if there is a small potential of risk in even the high-risk patients, i think these supplements, or foods. the study included two food studies -- >> first of all, omega three fatty acids are supposed to decrease inflammation, but to be clear, if somebody is not sick but makes a lot of bad life-style choices what can they

reasonably expect out of taking the omega 3s? >> that is a gat question, they're not going to solve -- if you're eating fast food and big gulps, they can only do so much. they're just one soldier in this battle. they won't cure everything. but neither are medications. drugs don't work as well in people who have is life-styles. and the majority of us, 95% of us are not following four basic things, getting to a healthy weight, not smoking, exercising daily and eating lots of fruits and vegetables. so we're not even doing the basics. >> yes, we talk about this, and real quick, looking at the studies. its hard to get the good stuff out and put it in a pill form, as much as we would like to think. is there a benefit with the pill supplements? how much benefit are you getting? >> well, i think in most cases

getting benefits from the food are best, they come with other nutrition. so we're looking at dietary patterns, some people don't like fish. i don't actually like salmon myself, it is a little more expensive. some worry about contaminates, so -- >> we have a list of foods, not everybody likes these foods, salmon, lake fish, flax seed, tofu, walnuts, you always love having you on the program. up next, a woman who fell from the sky after surviving a helicopter crash. she is now helping other trauma survivors heal as well. stay with us. hey! did you know that honey nut cheerios

has oats that can help lower cholesterol? and it tastes good? sure does! wow. it's the honey, it makes it taste so... well, would you look at the time... what's the rush? be happy. be healthy.

four years ago, laura sharp's life changed in an instant, she survived this terrible helicopter crash, and now works today to help other trauma survivors through art therapy. memorial day weekend, laura sharp and her stepdaughter are headed out of town from long beach, california, to catalina island. >> there were four of us traveling with the helicopter company staff. and -- life changed. there was some mechanical

failure, and we lost power. >> three of the six on board died in the crash. an eyewitness appeared on cnn news room later that afternoon. >> it had already crashed and burst into flames, i started to run towards it. i could see people laying outside the helicopter. >> reporter: laura's stepdaughter, badly injured herself saw her unconscious mother and dragged her from the wreckage by her hair. >> i think that this was one of those moments that the contrasting blonde helped her recognize and identify me. >> critical care specialist dr. andrea fineburg assumed responsibility for her. >> she had fallen out of the sky, every part of her body was fractured in some way, i didn't know how she would survive. >> laura suffered burns over half her body and had severe brain trauma, severe damage to

her face, dozens of fractures, collapsed lungs and severe psychological trauma. >> it is really powerful that four years -- that it could still be that strong. >> for the first time in years, laura is opening a time capsule that she has kept sealed since the crash. inside the plastic container, her purse, which she had with her after the crash. >> so i dedicate this to the lives lost. they did such a beautiful job putting me back together. i am like humpty dumpty, definitely took all the king's horses and king's men. but there are remaining visuals. and i am delighted to still present myself as a woman. and a fashion statement. and not hide -- my new beauty. >> never fly faster than your

guardian angel can fly. >> today, laura is moving forward, healing by expressing herself through art. >> this piece is called "remembered." and the piece that is at the heart is representative of the crash in 2008. >> reporter: laura believes in this so strongly she founded arts through trauma, dedicated to helping others who suffered trauma heal. shelly jones has been paired with potter. >> to see it, exactly, when i make a claim, i can feel it. >> and laura feels she has found her life's purpose. >> to bring some joy to distract the survivor from their pain. bring them the love. >> if you want to learn more

about the arretist for trauma, u can even make a donation. and the big race, the lucky 7 and i who were all put to the test hmm, it says here that cheerios helps lower cholesterol as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios to provide a better benefits package... oahhh!

[ male announcer ] it made a big splash with the employees. [ duck yelling ] [ male announcer ] find out more at... [ duck ] aflac! [ male announcer ] ...forbusiness.com. ♪ ha ha! ♪ i i had pain in my abdomen...g. it just wouldn't go away. i was spotting, bui had already gone through menopause. these symptoms may be nothing... but they could be early warning signs of a gynecologic cancer, such as cervical, ovarian, or uterine cancer. feeling bloated for no reason. that's what i remember. seeing my doctor probably saved my life. warning signs are not the same for everyone. if you think something's wrong... see your doctor. ask about gynecologic cancer. and get the inside knowledge. and the candidate's speech is in pieces all over the district. the writer's desktop and the coordinator's phone are working on a joke with local color. the secure cloud just received a revised intro from the strategist's tablet. and while i make my way into the venue, the candidate will be rehearsing off of his phone.

[ candidate ] and thanks to every young face i see out there. [ woman ] his phone is one of his biggest supporters. [ female announcer ] with cisco at the center... working together has never worked so well.

. last december we put out a call to all viewers to join me in training for and racing the nautica race. we call the team we put together the lucky 7. after all the preparation, it

was finally time for the big race. >> i raise my glass, buddy! >> fun like when i was a kid,

man! >> what a great place to be, what a great day. [ cheers and applause ] >> how was the bike? >> it was good, awesome, lost my chain about half way, but other than that, no problems. >> like always to make it to the half way point, now i know i can doit. >> re-fill. >> water! >> awesome. it is awesome. it is great. >> right around the corner. >> all right. let's get in.

>> allison -- >> i didn't stop on the swim, bike or run, and that was my goal. i didn't crash. >> one step at a time. >> probably the most difficult thing that i have done since leaving the military 12 years ago. >> 70 -- are you kidding me --? >> this is the new me. and i love you, brother. i love you so much. my family. god bless you guys. this has been an incredible -- i wouldn't trade this for anything in the world. and i'm just crazy enough to be looking forward to the next one. >> the lucky 7!

whoaa. and we had one other member of the team that you didn't see in the video. the astronaut, sunny williams, currently on the space station. >> thank you, congratulations on completion of the first triathlon in space. >> for her, this is the swim. >> and this simulates the muscles she would be using. >> and then this, the bike, 18 miles, and then finally, the treadmill, four miles, same as we did at the very same time we were running on earth. >> and in malibu, i'm happy to be done, i'm sure everybody out in california is excited to be done, too. >> you can see she has race number 83 hanging right there next to her. that was actually my race number, what about her time? >> my watch says1:4843, for the three events and transition. >> that was faster than mine

was, i should say down here, we did have to deal with gravity. i have to say i'm so proud of each and every one of the participants, also, stay tuned for how to join next year's challenge. now, stay tuned for chasing life. carlos solis, one of the lucky 7 triathlon reminds me that small changes are the key to changing life. now carlos has type two diabetes, and had he started -- when he started this, he was significantly overweight and was taking several medications. well, today, carlos is 80 pounds lighter, and nearly off all of his medications. now, the pounds came off, he just slowed down while eating. you see as a school teacher, carlos was used to eating food very quickly and snacks in between. now, he sets h