Dr. Neal Slatkin, Director of Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, will join Selma Schimmel, Founder and CEO of Vital Options® International TeleSupport® Cancer Network and host of The Group Room, during the two-hour live broadcast that reaches more than half-a-million listeners each Sunday in addition to its worldwide web audience, which hears the show simulcast on the Internet at www.vitaloptions.org

"Cancer-related fatigue is often overlooked and one of the most common and debilitating side effects of cancer and its treatment," said Schimmel. "It affects about three-quarters of patients, is different and more serious than common fatigue, can be diagnosed with a simple blood test and can be effectively treated, leading to a better quality of life for patients."

All phone calls to The Group Room are screened by a licensed oncology social worker. During the week, individuals can reach Vital Options for support or to receive more information about cancer resources or stations carrying the broadcast. Callers worldwide can call into the show toll-free to voice their opinions, question and concerns. Callers from the U.S. dial 1-800-GRP-ROOM (1-800-477-7666). For station information and additional toll-free access codes for other countries please go to www.vitaloptions.org.

The Group Room's regular on-air medical experts include: medical oncologist Dr. Michael Van Scoy-Mosher, radiation oncologist Dr. Leslie Botnick and therapist Halina Irving, MFCC.

Founded in 1983 when Schimmel was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 28, Vital Options was the first organization to address issues related to young adults with cancer before expanding to include issues and information related to everyone touched by cancer. In 2001, Vital Options was officially renamed Vital Options International to reflect its international expansion.

In addition to The Group Room, other Vital Options' projects include CancerTalk™, an in-flight audio program on American and Northwest airlines; The Cancer NewsMinute™, a cancer news radio feature; and The Professor and The Survivor™, an international clinical trials awareness project.

Vital Options International is a not-for-profit cancer communications, support and advocacy organization headquartered in southern California. Vital Options and The Group Room are supported through educational grants from founding sponsor Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and corporate sponsors Ortho Biotech Products, L.P. and Pharmacia Oncology.

Ortho Biotech is the lead sponsor of Vital Options International's growth in Europe; Pharmacia Oncology is an associate sponsor.