Cancer Studies

The Benefits of Infrared Saunas Theraphy

2010-05-01T03:31:00.000-07:00

What type of therapy can provide saunas? What about the infrared sauna therapy? What are the benefits of that? There are several answers to these questions and few proven therapeutic sauna that most people are surprised.

Take advantage of the infrared sauna as the same heating power as sunlight. Make them much more effective long-term Finnish saunas because your body is directly affected and with heating. Thus, any healing effect is felt in a Finnish sauna intensified in an infrared sauna. All the therapeutic effects are felt to be one thing, however, the increased blood flow through the body that covers the heat.

Due to increased blood flow to your body experiences, your whole body feels the positive effects of the sauna - not just one party. The oxygen-enriched blood is carried by the body and the places that need it most. The healing process is even accelerated by the large oxygenated blood.

Besides the great oxygenated blood, which helps all parts of your body, heat detoxifies the body. Heat is how you feel the heat of the sun and it feels wonderful that you sit in an infrared sauna therapy. Not only is the outside of your body warm in an infrared sauna, but the radiant energy that is heated by penetrating deep into the muscles as well. Sweat is produced in the infrared sauna therapy will produce toxins seeping out of you. There is little chance that your entire body to warm up, and knows it. It also extracts the toxins from your right to own skin, giving it a healthy glow.

The psychological effects come with some sort of experience of the sauna. How can you not relax in a comfortable and cozy that you know is good for your body? Infrared saunas therapy has been shown to reduce stress by nearly everyone who uses them. Besides the convenient, the increased blood flow relaxes your muscles and your mind in a sense that makes it even heavier burden of mental feel as if you were completely out of his hands for the period you are in the sauna.

When Was Skin Cancer First Discovered

2009-08-04T01:17:00.000-07:00

Skin cancer is one of the primary types of cancer and one of the most treatable if caught early. As such, it is important to pay attention to changes in the skin and have them removed. While family history plays an important role in getting skin cancer, can also minimize the risk of limiting sun exposure. It is well known that people with fair skin are more potential to evolve skin cancer. Other types of skin can get skin cancer, so even very dark-skinned people contract the disease. Sun protection is important for everyone to help prevent cancer affecting the skin.

Skin cancer defined as a condition in which there is a cancerous growth of skin. In fact, there are different types of skin cancer. The primary types are basal and squamous cell and melanoma. The most dangerous type is malignant melanoma.

When Skin Cancer First Diagnosed?

The history of skin cancer is not well documented, but is obviously not a new disease. In reality, some mummies 2400 years old found in Peru were found to have had skin cancer.

Skin cancer was first identified as a disease by the French physician, René Laennec who spoke to a conference in 1804. It is believed that the disease was named. Laennec findings were published in 1806.

The first person has operated in a skin cancer lesion Scottish anatomist and surgeon John Hunter in 1787. Hunter did not know what it was, but said it appeared a "cancerous fungous excrescence" - translated to "cancerous fungus. Interestingly, this fabric is so well preserved, scientists were able to examine in 1968 and was confirmed as a melanoma.

In 1840, Samuel Cooper reported that most of treating melanoma was during the late stage. This situation has remained more or less true today.
How are diagnosed with skin cancer

Once the suspicion of skin cancer has been raised, a biopsy is performed to confirm the diagnosis. In many cases, the patient who first notices changes in a mole or wart on the skin and brings it to your doctor or dermatologist to care. There are two types of incisional and excisional biopsies. The excisional biopsy removes the entire growth for its consideration. With incisional, the dermatologist is only part of the tissue to be examined for cancer cells.

Treatment and Prevention of Skin Cancer

While sun exposure is the major constraint in skin cancer prevention; it is difficult to limit exposure to the sun all at once. Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher is recommended to provide some level of protection. The use of hats and clothing limiting sun exposure is also good, especially if you are in when the sun is hotter. Between 10 AM and 3 PM are the hours when the sun is at its warmest and exposure should be limited wherever possible. The complete removal of the sunlight is not recommended as sunlight is the best source of vitamin D. It is best to reapply sunscreen every two hours as sweat will help reduce the coverage.

Infrared sauna health improvement role and benefits

2009-07-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

If you sit in a sauna for a certain time will result in your sweat, which has many health benefits. Infrared saunas, specifically, is used for weight loss and relaxation. Infrared is used to heat objects in the sauna, not the air. One of the respiratory system is not exposed to high heat such as in the conventional sauna. He also saves a lot of time.

At this time people became more aware of health and beauty of the human body. They try various different methods and procedures used by the predecessor of healthiest and most useful. Infrared sauna health improvement role and health benefits are enormous.

Because the skin is the largest organ of the body, the use of synthetic clothing, bathing in chlorinated water and exposure to hundreds of chemicals can make your skin out. Taking consideration that excessive sympathetic nervous system activity and emotions such as fear, anger and guilt cause blood to be taken from the skin, the activity contribution from skin. Infrared saunas provide many benefits including improving circulation and oxidation of the cells. Visiting regularly far infrared Saunas can help lower high blood pressure and increase the elasticity of arteries.

Saunas this based on infrared technology, will be more effective to achieve the more heat in the skin is not like conventional saunas. Deep heat penetration allows removal of toxins, alcohol, nicotine and metals. Assist in the treatment chronic fatigue; promote muscle growth, increase growth hormone levels and reduce cellulite. Calories used in a half hour in an infrared sauna session are more than that used when running for the same time. Infrared Saunas, which often have a maximum capacity of four, can be used anywhere in the house. Of course at this time Portable infrared saunas are also available.

Electric light infrared saunas are very helpful for cancer patients. They raise oxygenation and remove radio active residues. Infrared saunas are good for chronic infections. Infrared saunas require 90% less energy and faster than traditional saunas selection. This sauna can also be used for patients suffering from varicose veins, metal implants, hypertension and diabetes where conventional saunas do not help.

New method to kill cancer found in stem cells

2009-06-30T18:59:00.000-07:00

Genetic engineering of bone marrow stem cells showed promise as a possible new way to deliver cancer killing protein in the tumors, the British researchers said on Tuesday.

Experiments in cell cultures and in mice showed the adult stem cells - a type known as mesenchymal stem cells - can be at home, in cancer cells and deliver a lethal protein only attacked to prevent cancer, while normal tissue and healthy.

"We have developed specifically to cancer cells through the body and deliver an anti-cancer protein which is necessary to seek an approach-and-destroy," said Dr. Michael Loebinger of University College London, who presented his findings in American Thoracic Society conference in San Diego.

"Basically, we have combined two pieces of research. The first is that mesenchymal stem cells have an innate ability to find tumors throughout the body," Loebinger said in a telephone interview.

Loebinger, Dr SM Janes and colleagues of the cells altered to express or make the cancer-killing protein called TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand or TRAIL.

"This protein has the capacity to kill only cancer cells. By combining these two approaches, we have a cell that has the ability to go through the body and find and destroy the tumors," said Loebinger.

Studies in cell culture showed that cells are able to find and kill the cells of the lung, squamous, breast and cervical cancer. "Many cancers have sensitivity to the protein of this route," said Loebinger.

We also injected the cells into mice with breast tumors and showed that they were able to kill tumors with security, but leave healthy tissue intact.

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New Cancer Treatment Remarkably Effective in Tests

2009-06-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

A new method of attacking cancer cells, developed by researchers in Australia, has proved remarkably effective in animal tests.

The method is designed to circumvent two major drawbacks of standard chemotherapy: treatment of the lack of specificity and the fact that cancer cells often develop resistance.

In a surprising use of the method, reported online Sunday in Nature Biotechnology, mice were implanted with a human uterine tumor was highly aggressive and resistant to many drugs. All treated animals were free of tumor cells after 70 days of treatment, untreated mice had died after a month.

The initiative investigators, Jennifer A. MacDiarmid and Himanshu Brahmbhatt, said that his company EnGeneIC in the suburbs of Sydney has achieved a similar outcome in dogs with advanced brain cancer. "We've been treating more than 20 dogs and have spectacular results," said Dr. Brahmbhatt. "The majority has answered all the dogs and some are in remission." These experiments have not yet been published.

Cancer experts not involved in the investigation say the new method is of great interest, but many treatments that work well in laboratory mice found to be ineffective in patients.

Bert Vogelstein, a leading cancer researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the so-called "creative and promising line of research," but noted the likelihood of success in general.

"Unfortunately, our record shows that much less than 1 percent of our promising approaches actually make the grade in the patients," he said.

EnGeneIC The researchers said they had successfully carried out safety tests on a large number of monkeys and begin safety trials in patients with all types of solid tumors in three hospitals in Melbourne next month. They said they had discussed licensing its technology to major pharmaceutical companies and others.

Stephen H. Friend, head of cancer research at Merck until early this year, said he had been following the work of EnGeneIC for over a year, and commended the company to try a method that others have written untreated.

"I think the approach that is more remarkable and fascinating," said Dr. Friend, who is now at Sage Bionetworks in Seattle. However, he cautioned that cancer cells are extremely versatile and can "move around to any pressure put on them," so that no approach can offer a cure.

EnGeneIC The method uses minicells to deliver a variety of agents to tumor cells, both toxins and the mechanisms for the suppression of genes that make tumors resistant to toxins.

The minicells are generated from mutant bacteria that are increasingly divided, pinch small bubbles of the cell membrane. The minicells can be loaded with chemicals and coated with antibodies directed toward tumor cells.

No tumor cells, it is known, produces a molecule specific surface of the toxin to act. But 80 percent of solid tumors, have their cell surfaces studded with extra-large numbers of receptors for a hormone called epidermal growth factor.

The minicells can be coated with an antibody that recognizes this receptor, so it is more likely to adhere to the tumors to which normal cells of the body. Tumor cells engulf and destroy the minicells, a standard defense against bacteria and in doing so explained that the load carrying minicells.

What also helps to direct the minicells to tumors, researchers say EnGeneIC is that the blood vessels around tumors tend to be leaky, and the minicells are small enough to exit the circulation at sites of leakage.

The minicells not seem very provocative to the immune system, although they are made of the bacterial cell membrane. The reason may be that the provocation of the membrane are masked by antibodies with which the minicells are coated, Dr. Brahmbhatt said.

In the experiments reported EnGeneIC treatment of cancer-ridden mice with two waves of minicells. The first wave contained an agent which removed a major gene for resistance to the toxin. The gene makes a protein that pumps the toxin from the cells and is a major cause of tumor resistance to chemotherapeutic agents often.

After the expulsion of toxin gene had been knocked down in tumor cells, researchers injected EnGeneIC a second wave of minicells, each loaded with half a million molecules of doxorubicin, a toxin used in chemotherapy.

The treatment of two detainees’ wave tumor growth in mice implanted with human colon or breast tumors or human, and enabled the mice with drug-resistant human uterine tumors to eliminate tumors completely.

"The technology is very good," said Bruce Stillman, president of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island. Provides a general method for delivering chemicals to the tumors, he said, especially those that are usually degraded in the bloodstream.

Dr. Stillman, who has advised EnGeneIC and is co-author of the report, said that the minicells may be particularly useful for delivery of silencing RNAs, a promising new class of drugs that are rapidly destroyed in the body less protected.

Although the minicells can be varied to target different receptors and to import any gene of interest in the elements called plasmids, the method still has several obstacles to jump.

Robert M. Hoffman, University of California, San Diego, said that the minicells were "good strategy and good science," but that the researchers had human tumors implanted under the skin of mice, a position from which they generally not spread through the body. Therefore, the experiments do not answer the question of whether minicells can attack cancer metastasis, he said.

Dr. Hoffman, who is president of Anticancer Inc., has obtained remarkable remissions of metastatic cancer in mice by treatment with salmonella bacteria. The bacteria are engineered to lack of two types of amino acids, making them unable to grow in normal tissue. In cancer cells, however, that the missing are the most abundant amino acids, the bacteria are highly virulent and kill cells.

The idea of treating cancer with the bacteria was back to the 19th century, when doctors found that cancer patients who are infected often have a remission. Dr. Hoffman, the method and minicells, in different ways, back to these old comments. Both may face particular scrutiny from regulators concerned with the prospect of putting people in bacteria.

Hoffman says his studies with the defective bacteria were going well and that your company might be willing to initiate a safety test in patients in two years if they can find a good partner. Use of bacteria in cancer "is an old story, but it is definitely a great promise there," he said.

Genetic Marker Can Predict The Early Onset of Prostate Cancer

2009-06-07T04:47:00.001-07:00

Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers have identified a genetic marker that is associated with an earlier onset of prostate cancer in Caucasian men who have a family history of prostate cancer. If the data are confirmed, the marker may help doctors personalize the prostate cancer screening.

Veda Giri, MD, a medical oncologist and director of the risk of prostate cancer in the Assessment Program, Fox Chase, and the data presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Saturday, May 30. itnjyvbmda

"Genetic testing for prostate cancer has not yet been clinically well characterized as for breast, ovarian cancer and colon cancer," said Giri. "Such markers are useful because they can help clinicians distinguish between people who are at risk of the disease before intensive selection approaches can be discussed. Men who have no genetic markers of risk may not need this type of screening measures. “

More than half of all prostate tumors carried a gene fusion, TMPRSS2-ERG, which may have a role in the formation of prostate cancer. Recently, scientists reported that a single nucleotide polymorphism, called Met160Val SNP (also known as rs12329760) is associated with gene fusion. In particular, prostate cancer patients who carry the T allele of Met160Val are more likely to have prostate cancer with gene fusion that patients have the allele C.

To determine whether the T allele is clinically relevant in men who are at high risk of developing prostate cancer, but still do not have the disease, Giri and colleagues genotyped 631 men enrolled in the risk of prostate cancer in the Assessment Program Fox Chase. In general, although there were differences in the distribution of alleles of the race, the risk allele has no significant contribution to the disease in 400 African American and Caucasian men in 231 men with a family history of prostate cancer. Then the evaluation of this marker in 183 Caucasian men who have a family history of prostate cancer subject to monitoring in the prostate cancer risk assessment program. They found that the risk allele was associated with a 2.5 times greater risk of developing prostate cancer in conjunction with low-risk allele. In addition, more men carrying the risk allele for prostate cancer developed before the men were not carrying the risk allele.

"We need longer follow-up to know the precise time frame for development of cancer, but we've learned something about the difference in time to diagnosis in this study," said Giri.

According to Giri, the same association between the T allele and the disease can exist in African American men with a family history of prostate cancer; however, there are not enough of these men in the study to test the possibility.

"This was a pilot study," said Giri. "We are expanding the study to see if the association has a large population of Caucasian patients. We are also planning collaborations with other researchers to test whether this would be informative marker in African American men with family history."

New Therapies, Exploiting Cancer Cell Addiction

2009-06-07T04:35:00.000-07:00

A new study finds a gene expression signature that reliably identifies cancer cells whose survival depends on a common signaling pathway, even when the cells contain multiple other genetic abnormalities. The research, published by Cell Press in the June 2 issue of the journal Cancer Cell, identifies critical vulnerabilities molecular, which shows promising therapeutic targets for treating a common and highly resistant cancer.

While previous work has identified K-Ras as a frequently mutated oncogene in solid tumors, the development of clinically effective cancer therapies that target K-Ras has proven difficult and has been largely unsuccessful. "It remains a pressing need to identify pharmacologically manageable components of K-Ras-driven tumorigenesis," says senior study author Dr. Jeff Settleman Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Settleman and colleagues conducted a series of studies to determine the defining characteristics of K-Ras addiction. “Oncogene addiction refers to the requirement for a sustained tumor for the expression of a single gene aberrantly activated, even in the presence of other mutations. Settleman the group identified two classes of cancer cells: mutant K-Ras K-Ras-dependent and-independent. "We have established a gene expression signature that distinguishes these two groups and identified the genes that are specifically upregulated in Ras and K-dependent cells are necessary for its viability," says Settleman.

The researchers went on to show that several genes associated with K-Ras-dependent cancer cells need to maintain a state of cell differentiation. Furthermore, oncogene dependence (and therefore the viability of cancer cells) was strongly linked with the state of differentiation. "The idea that poorly differentiated tumors are generally more resistant to drugs and are associated with worse prognosis has been widely recognized in clinical practice in oncology, and our findings may offer some mechanistic view on this observation," offers Dr. Settleman.

The authors conclude that the comparison of gene expression profiles between cancer cell lines on the basis of oncogene addiction is unlikely that a comprehensive strategy useful for the specific purpose of drug discovery. In this study, a gene ITGB6, was strongly associated with differentiation of K-Ras-driven tumors. "Efforts to ITGB6's actions are now underway," says Settleman.

The researchers include Anurag Singh, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA; Greninger Patricia, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, Daniel Rhodes, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI; Louise Koopman, Biogen Idec, Cambridge, MA; Sheila Violette, Stromedix Inc., Cambridge, MA, Nabeel Bardeesy, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, and Jeff Settleman, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA.

Nutrition Tips to Prevent Breast Cancer

2009-05-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

Approximately 178,480 women in the United States have found will invasive breast cancer in 2007, is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. Although some risk factors for breast cancer we do not control, such as gender, age or family history, there are several factors that are in our control, such as diet and exercise. In the case of lifestyle, this research shows that:

Maintain a healthy body weight
Studies show that maintaining a healthy body weight (especially for postmenopausal women) are important aspects of a decrease in the risk of developing breast cancer. In fact, one study showed that obese women (BMI> 30) has a 31 percent greater risk of developing breast cancer compared with women of healthy weight (BMI <25).

Exercise routine
One study showed that women who engage in recreational activities strong for more than six hours a week have a 23 percent reduction in risk of breast cancer. Other studies show that anywhere from five to seven hours per week decrease in risk. Even on the home has been shown to reduce the risk!

Note the number and type of fat that you eat
Research shows that consumption of total fat is greater (about 40 percent or more of daily calories) poses a greater risk for breast cancer is lower than the total consumption of fat (about 20 percent of daily calories). With that in mind, try to Feed restrict total fat to less than 30 percent of calories daily to help in the prevention of breast cancer.

Saturated Fats found in meat marbled and high-fat dairy products are more likely to increase the risk of breast cancer from the unsaturated Fats found in nuts, seeds and avocados, and olive oil and canola. Feed Try to limit saturated fat to less than 7 percent of total daily calories (if you follow the 2000 calorie diet, which is not more than 15 grams).

Skin Cancer Treatment

2009-05-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

Skin cancer is something that most people do not even think about because they thought it would never happen to them, but the truth is that it can happen to anybody. Good about skin cancer is that the symptoms directly affect the skin so that it is easy to detect early. Search for true skin cancer treatmentdisease. At this early stage will improve the prognosis is

Skin cancer treatment is given to the patient to remove and destroy a cancer and as small and unnoticeable scar as possible. The size and location of skin cancer, patient age, patient's medical history, patient health risk scarring and will help to determine the best form of treatment for skin cancer patients. Skin cancer treatment is usually a form of radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery. Doctors may recommend a combination of methods to eradicate this cancer from the skin of the patient.

There are several types of skin cancer treatment commonly used to treat skin cancer. Treatment method used is dependent on where the cancer and stage of development. Most skin cancer can be treated effectively with the removal of the skin lesion and make sure that the edges of the lesion free of tumor cells.

This may be the most effective for the treatment and healing of both the early and high-risk skin cancer patients. For many low-risk skin cancer patients, a mixture of radiation therapy and cryotherapy (or freezing) will be used to treat and control this disease.

Common types of skin cancer treatment are:

Surgery offers a quick and easy way to remove skin cancer. Cut from the skin cancer and the recovery time is very short.

Mohs surgery skin cancer treatment is specifically aimed to remove the least amount of healthy network and all network cancer. It is also used to treat recurrent cancer and large tumors in hard to treat areas.
A method that is popular with doctors using curettage. Laser therapy used to treat cancers involving the external layer of skin where a narrow beam of light damage and eliminate cancer cells.

Precancerous skin conditions and skin cancer is best treated smaller with cryosurgery. Skin care is not injured, but there may be pain and swelling once the area thaws out. Warm with chemotherapy, anticancer drugs such as lotion or creams applied to the skin and are best for cancer limited to the epidermis.

The best treatment is where the high energy-ray radiation used to destroy cancer cells and stop them from growing. While there are effective treatments skin cancer, can reoccur in other places on the skin. This is followed up with routine care doctor checkups, and regular self-examination following the instructions from your doctor it is important to minimize the risk of skin cancer recurring again.

If you have skin cancer you may continue to worry about the cancer that spread throughout your body and getting worse. Not all cancers are curable, but many customers, so never give up to get the answers to your problem skin cancer.

There are some out there who are able to remove the cancer and keep the wound skin cosmetically attractive. If you suspect you may have the disease, whether you consult a doctor immediately to seek appropriate medical advice on the treatment of skin cancer that are available to treat and control diseases.

Role Of Low Vitamin D In Cancer Development

2009-05-22T05:05:00.000-07:00

In studying the preventive effects of vitamin D, researchers at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego, have proposed a new model of development which hinges on the cancer cell-cancer cells lost the ability to stick together. Model, known DINOMIT, differ substantially from the current model of development of cancer, genetic mutations that indicate the beginning of the driving force behind cancer.

"The first event in the loss of communication between cancer cells is caused, among others, low vitamin D and calcium levels," said epidemiologist Cedric Garland, DrPH, professor of family and preventive medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, who led the work. "In this new model, we propose that the loss in May this play an important role in cancer by the communication between cells that are important for healthy cell turnover, so the cancer cells more aggressively to take over."

Reporting online May 22, 2009 in the Annals of Epidemiology, Garland suggests that such cellular disruption could account for the earliest stages of many cancers. He said that previous theories linking vitamin D to certain cancers have been tested and confirmed in more than 200 epidemiological studies, and understanding of its physiological basis stems from more than 2,500 laboratory studies.

"Competition and natural selection among disjoined cells within a tissue compartment, such as might occur in the breast's terminal ductal lobular unit, for example, are the engine of cancer," Garland said. "The DINOMIT model provides new avenues for preventing and improving the success of cancer treatment."

Garland went on to explain that each letter in DINOMIT stands for a different phase of cancer development. "D" stands for disjunction, or loss of intercellular communication; "I," for initiation, where genetic mutations begin to play a role; "N" for natural selection of the fastest-reproducing cancer cells; "O" for overgrowth of cells; "M" for metastasis, when cancer cells migrate to other tissues, where cancer can kill; "I" refers to involution, and "T" for transition, both dormant states that may occur in cancer and potentially be driven by replacing vitamin D.

While there is not yet definitive scientific proof, Garland suggests that much of the evolutionary process in cancer could be arrested at the outset by maintaining vitamin D adequacy. "Vitamin D may halt the first stage of the cancer process by re-establishing intercellular junctions in malignancies having an intact vitamin D receptor," he said.

According to Garland, other scientists have found that the cells adhere to one another in tissue with adequate vitamin D, acting as mature epithelial cells. Without enough vitamin D, they may lose this stickiness along with their identity as differentiated cells, and revert to a stem cell-like state.

Garland said that diet and supplements can restore appropriate vitamin D levels, and perhaps help in preventing cancer development. "Vitamin D levels can be increased by modest supplementation with vitamin D3 in the range of 2000 IU/day," he noted.

The researchers noted that many studies show an apparent beneficial effect of vitamin D and calcium on cancer risk and survival of patients with breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. However, there are some studies that have not found such benefit, especially when taking smoking, alcohol and viruses into account. While more research needs to be done, Garland recommends that individuals should have their vitamin D level tested during an annual check up.

Garland and his colleagues have published epidemiological studies about the potential preventive effects of vitamin D for some two decades. Last year, his team showed an association between deficiency in sunlight exposure, low vitamin D and breast cancer. In previous work, they showed associations between increased levels of vitamin D3 or markers of vitamin D and a lower risk for breast, colon, ovarian and kidney cancers.

Bring Awareness Of Liver Cancer Risk To Carriers Of Hepatitis B Virus

2009-05-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

New cases of liver cancer among Asian American and Pacific Islanders are expected to soar in coming years, results in a higher persistently chronic hepatitis B, leading causes of disease, and population growth as projected by the United States Census.

The UC Davis Cancer Center works to handle the disproportionate burden of liver cancer in the United States Pacific Islands and Asia, through research funded by the National Cancer Institute and National Center on Minority Health and Health disparities. As this research is expected to generate findings important to reduce the mortality rate that is not necessary for liver cancer among people of all colors.

UC Davis Cancer Center also houses the Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training (AANCART), which is dedicated to addressing the unique, unusual and unnecessary cancer burden among Asian Americans.

A recent report from the Journal of Clinical Oncology determined that by 2030, the number of new liver cancer cases among Asian and Pacific Islanders will increase by 134 percent compared to an increase of 28 percent among non-Hispanic whites. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders most commonly get liver cancer through hepatitis B, which in these populations is typically passed from mother to baby during the birthing process. Symptoms do not typically appear until the infection becomes liver cancer, over a period of decades. The risk of liver cancer for those with hepatitis B is 100 times greater than it is for the general population. By contrast, liver cancer risk factors for non-Hispanic whites are attributable to other factors such as hepatitis C infections.

World Hepatitis Day (May 19) and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May) provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the projected rise in liver cancer cases among Asians and Pacific Islanders and to highlight important information about the control of hepatitis B.

Chronic hepatitis B can result in long-term health problems, including liver damage, liver failure and liver cancer. An estimated two million Americans are thought to be infected with hepatitis B. Liver cancer is a conspicuous cancer health disparity, being most common among Asian and Pacific Islanders and other people of color, and is least common among non-Hispanic whites.

Truth about cancer

2009-05-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

The primary cause of cancer was discovered by Dr. Warburg who is considered best biochemist of world. He was mainly interested in respiration of cells and particularly cancer cells.

"Life without oxygen in a living world that has been created by oxygen was so unexpected that it would have been too much to ask that anaerobiosis of cancer cells should be accepted at once by all scientists. "

Anaerobiosis means “life can sustain without Oxygen”

So the low oxygen level inside the human body promotes the growth of a special kind of cells named cancer, which is primary cause of cancer. For his discovery of the nature and mode of action of the respiratory enzyme DR. Warburg awarded with Nobel Prize in medicine. Enzyme is a catalyst that helps other cells to react together. But respiratory enzyme enables the body cells to respire.

For sustaining cancer cells require much less oxygen in comparison to healthy cells. But still cancer cells take more energy than healthy cells. Then what type of diet promotes the growth of cancer cells? Healthy cells rich in sugar and low in protein will prefer to change in to cancer cells in low level of oxygen. It should be vital that we find out how to give our cells all the oxygen they could possibly need.

Cancer can be accomplished by oxygenating the body in a normal healthy way that can be exercised through eating things, which promote the healthy respiration or breathing of body cells. Calcium rich food can also be taken. Avoiding the cigarette smoking, we will become able to avoid the primary cause of cancer but this does not mean that cigarettes cause cancer rather these can lower down the oxygen level of body which differ from man to man, for example some people smoke through out the life and do not become cancerous while other become cancerous in a short time.

Stopping Cancer Without Killing It

2009-05-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

Cancer experts may have found a new way to curb cancer: halting cancer cells in their tracks. That tactic is called senescence. In senescence, cells don't divide, which means a cancer could not grow. Triggering senescence in certain cells appears to hamper the growth of some tumors, according to lab tests done on mice (www.webmd.com).

The tests were done by researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, including Sandy Chang, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of molecular genetics. Their study appears online in EMBO Reports, a publication of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).

Main reasons for cancer

2009-05-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

DR. Warburg thought that the people are looking for the causes of cancer from decades and I will explain the basic or primary cause of cancer so that people will identify and understand the secondary causes of cancer.

Lack of oxygen or de-oxygenation is the primary cause of cancer. Some people become cancerous in twenties of cigarette smoking while other smoke for eighties and remain healthy. This is because smoking lower down the oxygen level and body cells try to mutate to live in the abnormal state and as a consequence the cells may die or they adapt to survive. “Most of North Americans and Europeans sustain in this type of abnormal state”. Cells mutate to become cancerous or deadly in the low oxygen environment ”. As a result Cells mutate to become cancerous and of course deadly if these cells reproduce and spread through out the body and the process is called metastasis.

Discovery of doctor Warburg was not accepted at once but he has discovered something marvelous that cancer cells metabolize and live in an anaerobic (without oxygen) environment. But these cells are transformed from healthy cells, which can’t live without oxygen for long time so cancer cells are quite different from the healthy cells. Cancer cells are enemies of our body as these metabolize at higher rate and consume maximum amount of energy.

Sodas and cigarettes create an environment, which is susceptible for cancer cells; hence these are secondary causes of cancer. Cigarettes inhibits the alveoli in the lungs from getting oxygen.

Now that you know the primary cause of cancer you are ahead of most folk, and can focus on truly protecting your health by keeping your body oxygenated using the many methods available through nutrition or simple lifestyle changes.

What Leukemia cancer Means?

2009-05-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

Cancer can affect every part of body, but when it affects the most critical organs like heart, lungs and blood, it is considered most harmful and non-curable disease. But when cancer affects the blood tissue it become a threat to life and this type of cancer is known as leukemia. An over-exposure to benzene or radioactive radiations can cause leukemia. It will cause abnormal circulation of blood, which affects supply of essential nutrients to the body.

Blood is the most important connective tissue of a living being or we can call it life of man. Leukemia can affect the whole body, as Blood inter-relates all body organs like heart, brain, kidneys and lungs with one another and also supplies oxygen and essential nutrients to every part of body. So it will cause the dysfunction of organs by supplying injurious particles. Hence blood cancer is most terrible disease.

In leukemia white blood cells or leukocytes become abnormal. These are vital for functioning of body as these fight against the infection. So due to fall in number and change in form of leukocytes because of leukemia, cellular immunity fell down damaging the body defense against infection. Main symptoms of disease are high production of abnormal and infected leukocytes by the marrow. Modified leukocytes can damage the normal functioning of red blood cells leading to the hindered oxygen supply and of course leading to Anemia. Cancerous cells obstruct the tissue supply with hemoglobin and the body cells suffer from the lack of iron. Headache, night sweats and neuro-psychic appears when cancerous cells reach the brain.

Cancerous leukemia cells are easily detectable under microscope and suspected is advised to undergo bone marrow inspection. Leukemia is pointed out by swollen lymph nodes through out the body and mainly around neck and thighs. Chemotherapy is most effective treatment when patient have to swallow many drugs. Patients losing hair and skin texture may go under radiotherapy.

Leukemia can be cured if detected and treated at right time. Bone marrow transplant can help to regain healthy white cells.

What Lymphoma cancer means?

2009-05-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

Lymphoma is a group of disease rather than a single disease in which the cells of the immune system become cancerous and start multiplying wildly in a lymph node. In the beginning a single lymph node can be affected but later cancer spread fast through lymphatic system in order to affect other nodes and also the other tissues, like bone marrow, become affected.

Immune cells including the T and the B cells which in turn are the two main defense mechanisms against infection and illness, become cancerous. These cells travels via blood through lymphatic system and hence lymphoma cancer can be very mobile and affect far located areas of body than original site of cancer. A sufferer due to the higher mobility of the lymphoma cancers often experiences symptoms like swollen lymph glands at other places but these may be related with cancer or other diseases like flu, because a lymphoma patient become less resistant even to the weakest of pathogens.

If you have swollen lymph glands that do not mean that you have lymphoma cancer because many other disease that requires immune system will produce mild swelling in the lymph glands. But if you feel swelling in the gland that is painless you should consult your doctor.

Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma are two main types of lymphoma cancer. In Hodgkin’s disease, painless enlargement of one or more lymph nodes, commonly in neck, chest and armpits takes place. Fevers, night sweats, weight loss and bone pain are main symptoms showing spreading of cancer from the initial sites. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, more common of the two, can initiate in the same manner but the patient can also develops an enlarged spleen anemia and general malaise.

Lymphoma patient need not to be hopeless as it is diagnosable. Lymphoma patient Chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a bone marrow transplant can get rid from lymphoma cancer.

Lymphatic cancer

2009-05-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

Lymphoma or lymph node cancer is approximately 5% of all cancers. The high risk is between fifteen to thirty four and over forty-four, but this does not mean that people outside this range are not at risk. Men are affected more by lymphoma than women. Lymph node cancer is also called lymphatic cancer as it involves lymphatic system. Lymphatic system is an integral part of human body immune system.

Hodgkin’s disease is a type of lymph node cancer. Statistically it also affects in the same age group. Night sweat, unexplained weight loss, constant fatigue and fever are most common symptoms of Hodgkin’s disease. All other types of lymph node cancer are known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Symptoms of Non-Hodgkin’s are similar to that of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Families with lymph node cancer history fall within higher risk group.

In United States 75% lymph node cancer has increased since 1973. Research has shown that one in fifty-two men and one in sixty-one women in the United States will catch Non-Hodgkin lymphoma within their lifetime. This big increase is due to the greater exposure to herbicides and pesticides.

If lymphatic cancer is detected at early stages then there are many modern and effective treatments are available for it’s cure. A person suffering from lymphatic cancer need not to become tense, because now a day’s medical science has a vast understanding of lymph node cancer, and a number of new inventions are made regarding the cure of this type of cancer. Also the sufferers need to accept the challenge of cancer and struggle in life and I am sure that one-day man will defeat cancer.

Whom Lymphatic cancer most affects

2009-05-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

Lymphocytes are specialized and very important cells of the human immune system and in a lymphoma patient these cells get affected and become cancerous. As a result immune response to bacterial and viral attack become weak. According to me lymphoma is the most dangerous type of cancer, as the sufferers realize it in the later stages.

There are two main age groups, which are likely to be affected from lymphoma, one is 25 to 35 and second is above 60s. Immune system of people above 60s become weak naturally and prone to infection, and as a consequence body is no longer able to eradicate the mutated cells and these cells multiply and change in to cancer. On the other hand researches had shown that 25 to 35 years old people are also more susceptible to this disorder.

There is a little bias in the disease regarding gender; men are three times more susceptible to the disease than women. Some scientists think that Female hormones may protect from disease, as the women become aged and hormone level decreases, the chances of developing lymphoma starts equal to their male counterparts. On the other hand male hormone make men more susceptible and with decrease in hormone level male become less prone to the disease.

Geographically Western countries like UK, America, Australia and Germany etc have higher incidences of lymphoma than Asia and Africa. Their rich lifestyle with alcohol and fatty foods and polluted environment with carcinogenic substances dispose westerners to lymphoma.

But, this not answerable why some people get affected and others not, while both are living in similar environment.

Facts about prostate cancer

2009-05-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

Prostate cancer is most common cancer in American men apart from skin cancer. This type of cancer directly affects the prostate gland, which is located in front of rectum and beneath the urinary bladder. This gland produce the sperm transporting milky fluid called seminal fluid.

Cancer symptoms like inability to urinate can imitate with other diseases, so one has to undergo a check-up. One may not experience the symptoms of prostate cancer if caught earliest. There are a number of symptoms of prostate cancer and if you experience one or more symptoms it does not mean that you have prostate cancer.

A prostate biopsy usually confirms the diagnosis or your doctor advises you to undergo one or more tests like PSA test. Now a day a new test, which is more sensitive than PSA test, is available named AMACR, used for determining prostate cancer. Urinalysis shows whether there is blood in urine or not.

Treatment wise speaking prostate cancer patient can undergo surgery but only after thorough evaluation. Patient can undergo prostatectomy, which removes the complete prostate gland. Surgical removal of testes can be done after hormonal drugs and hormonal manipulation. Levels of testosterone should be adjusted.

Main complication after prostatectomy is weakness. Another option available is radiation therapy, which is used to treat A, B and C stages of prostate cancer. Surgery is a risky option for some patients, so the straight option them is radiation therapy. Some drugs with numerous side effects are being used to treat advanced prostate cancer, blocking the production of testosterone; it has the same result as surgical removal of the testes.

Prostate cancer mainly affects the old age men, most of whom will be facing many other physical complications. So person having prostate cancer need not to fear from death because a number of treatments are available to cure it and we have to make a firm decision to face this problem.

Lifestyle change helps to avoid cancer

2009-05-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

Fruits and vegetables can help us in fighting against cancer along with making us healthy but this can be done effectively if we are serving these “5 a day”. Black raspberry is helpful in inhabiting throat cancer. In recent it is also discovered that Black raspberry, blueberry and cloudy apple juice are helpful in inhabiting colon cancer. But irrespective of all this there is a list of 5 lifestyle guidelines to counterpart the risk of cancer, which are as following –

1. Five serving of produce every day
Polynutrients are natural chemical compounds, which are helpful; in maintaining health, their number is up to thousands and many of them are helpful in protection against cancer. Fruits and vegetables are main sources of phytonutrients. These fruits and vegetables are having different combination of phytonutrients. A man is suggested to have nine serving of these fruits and vegetables but need to eat at least five of them daily so that they got a variety.

2. Avoiding more pickled, salty and smoked foods
Through salt Helicobacter pylori bacteria can flourish which increases the risk of cancer. Salt can also damage the lining of throat and stomach and can cause esophageal cancer. This category includes the salts, pickles, salted fish and meats and also the pickled vegetables; but all these are brand based i.e. if these are processed well then they are less harmful. Smoked meats like smoked lox and whitefish can also increase the risk of stomach cancer.

3. Avoiding more saturated and trans fat
Studies show that saturated and trans fats increase the risk of prostate and breast cancer, but their role is entirely clear whether they cause cancer or not but everyone need to avoid these fats as these are bad for health. These unhealthy fats can cause the inflammation in whole body, which will in turn cause damage of cells.

Animal based foods like beef, butter, milk dairy products, lard; fried foods are the sources of saturated fats. On the other hand trans fats are found in some packed baked goods and snack foods, fried foods and fast food dishes.

4. Taking good dose of Vitamin D
Colon, prostate, ovaries and breast cancer are some how linked with vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D stops the proliferation of cancerous and pre-cancerous cells and also blocks the development of blood vessels, which feed the tumors. So everyone is suggested to take enough amount of vitamin D rich foods like fatty fish, non-fat yogurt and reduced fat cheese and sunlight, which is a great source of vitamin D.

5. Avoiding high temperatures cooked meats
Heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which increase the risk of stomach, colon, breast and pancreatic cancer, are produced when meat is cooked at high temperatures. HCAs are mostly found in fried, broiled meats, which are prepared at high temperatures. Boiling and stewing of meat produce the least, while Roasting and baking produce fewer HCAs.

Obesity enhances risk of cancer

2009-05-13T19:37:00.001-07:00

A chemical produced by fat cells makes colon cancers grow faster, a US study has suggested. The hormone leptin is a key for the rapid growth of human colon cancer cells. Leptin is found to be more in those people who have more fat cells in the body. Hence obese people are found to have three times more chances of developing colon cancer (BBC NEWS).

Study of San Diego team has shown that the hormone leptin hindered the process of programmed cell death, and hence resulting in cancerous cells. Researches have shown that the colon cancer cells have "receptors" on their surfaces for the attachment of the hormone leptin. Hormone binds with receptors and forms a hormone receptor complex that triggers the growth of human colon cancer cells. Obesity increases the chance of developing breast cancer and also doubled the risk of prostate cancer.

Professor Alan Clarke said: "This research builds on previous work suggesting that leptin, a hormone released from fat cells, may play a role in the link between obesity and cancer.

"Although at an early stage, the findings shed light both on the development of bowel cancer and the link between obesity and cancer."

Dr Kim Barrett, who led the research, said: "These results may explain why obesity increases a person's risk of colonel cancer"

So, all this shows that obesity and cancer are highly linked. An obese person is at much higher risk position of developing cancer than a healthy man and the reason is fat hormone which are in high concentration in an obese person than a normal healthy person.

Genetic cause of cancer

2009-05-13T19:36:00.001-07:00

Cancer has become the most fatal disorder these days. Genetically Cancer can be looked upon as a problem with differentiation and development. When normal cells of animals differentiate, there are control mechanisms to regulate their growth and division. When cells multiply, they become crowded and start touching each other. This surface contact results in inhibition of cell movement and division.

On the other hand, cells which continue to divide and give rise to a tissue mass referred to as tumour. These can also invade other tissues and tumours can arises in new locations, this is cancer. The genetic information is present in codon form and due to the attack of X-rays, viruses and chemical mutagens these codons get change. Epstein-barr, herpes virus and Papilloma virus are main cancer causing viruses. Many cancers appear essentially due to the activation of a set of genes referred to as ONCOGENES.

There are about 20 viral genes, which are known to cause cancer. These genes are called VIRAL ONCOGENES. Surprisingly, each VIRAL ONCOGENES has a homologous base sequence in the DNA of the normal animal cells. This sequence is named PROTOONCOGENE. PROTOONCOGENES control the production of proteins, which stimulate the growth and cell division. PROTOONCOGENES turned on to cause cancer and this happens in 2 ways -
1. A PROTOONCOGENE is placed next to a gene that is not normally next to it and this boosts its expression.
2. PROTOONCOGENE is moved from its normal position on a chromosome and placed next to a gene, which is normally very active.

Many PROTOONCOGENES are involved in normal growth and development of cells. In cancer this normal function is subverted so that the PROTOONCOGENES are slightly altered or broken into fragments or amplified and are transferred to a new chromosomal location. These ONCOGENES now come under an altered environment and different regulatory controls. All these changes result in altered genomic complement and lead to the formation of abnormal proteins, which now are responsible for the uncontrolled growth, which is cancerous.

Preventing cancer with natural products

2009-05-13T19:35:00.001-07:00

Vegetables cannot be substituted with vitamins pills and other synthetic substances as scientists have found that fruits and vegetables are major source of phytochemicals and antioxidants that reduces the chances of cancer.

Phytochemicals are the chemicals of natural origin from plants. They are not the minerals or vitamins, not even nutrients and cannot be obtained from animals. In the recent time study shows the beneficial effect of phytoChemicals in protection from cancer. These also help in other diseases like heart diseases, adult diabetes etc.

Phytochemicals acts as blocking agent or suppressing agent that suppress the cancer causing factors, Carcinogens. Hence check for the growth of cancerous cells in the body. For example:

Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower) contain a phytochemical INDOLE that acts as suppressing agent by increasing the enzymes in colon that inactivates the carcinogens. Carcinogens interfere in normal functioning of body cells by acting as free radicals but the suppressing agents have checked this.

Some fruits and vegetables contain more potent cancer fighters than others. Crucifers for colon cancer, risk of lung cancer decreases considerably through high fruit and carrot intake. Risk of stomach cancer can be decreased through eating one or more onions every day. Studies suggest that soy foods diminish cancer risk in many areas, including breast, colon, rectum, lung, and stomach. The National Cancer Institute advocates a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Some people do not eat any at all. Phytochemicals benefit whether fruits or vegetables are raw, canned, frozen, juiced, or peeled. Pickling, boiling, microwave, baked or dried.

PSA Test for prostate cancer

2009-05-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

Prostate cancer will kill a man if not recovered and got a right treatment at right time. The prostate cancer PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test is the simplest test for the detection of cancer in prostate. Blood is taken and the doctors will detect whether there is cancer or not. PSA test is accurate up to 85 to 90% for cancer detection but not 100%.

Elevated PSA test may put forward the prostate cancer and if you got important results you have to go for supplementary testing for assessment of prostate cancer. The last thing you want to do is to allow prostate cancer to grow beyond the prostate gland.

Elevated PSA test results may be due to BPH or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or may be due to Prostatitis and Lower Urinary Tract symptoms, so do not get tense of abnormal results. Results more than higher does not mean that you have got cancer and on the other hand if the results are normal then it doesn’t mean that you are free from cancer.

In dealing with the Prostate Specific Antigen test cancer results one have to take the guide of doctor and follow it significantly. PSA levels can also increase with age. Relative size of your prostate also plays a vital role in the results. It is also noticeable that two out of three people who have shown the elevated PSA results are not having a MALIGNANT TUMOUR.

A PSA test can be helpful in detecting cancerous condition before other symptoms, and the early detection helps in controlling the prostate cancer in the early stages. PSA test has significantly decreased the number of deaths due to prostate cancer.

Smoking cause mesothelioma cancer

2009-05-13T19:32:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma is also known as lung cancer. Mesothelioma is the most fatal among all the cancers. Number of people dying from breast, colon and prostate cancer is much less than the people dying from lung cancer. According to the reports of American Cancer Society there will be 213,380 new cases of mesothelioma in 2007, Out of which around 160,390 people will die.

Chain-smoking is the major reason for lung cancer. In US, out of the mesothelioma cases diagnosed, about 80 percent cases are because of smoking. Cigarette smoking is most dangerous as it greatly increases the chances of developing mesothelioma. Cigar smoking and tobacco smoking is also very harmful and can enhance the chances of developing mesothelioma. Avoiding cigarette smoking, cigar smoking and tobacco smoking before the development of lung cancer can reduce this and it will replace the affected tissues with normal one i.e. help in maintaining the healthy lungs.

If you are a passive smoker i.e. if you live with one who smokes, greatly increases the chances of developing cancer than a person who doesn’t live with a smoker. A passive smoker is at high risk of getting cancer than a smoker. There are some other factors which also enhance cancer and these are as following
* Arsenic in drinking water.
* Exposure to asbestos, asbestos cause cancer in lining of lungs and cause Mesothelioma.
* Marijuana cigarettes have more tar than regular cigarettes, hence more harmful.
* You are at higher risk if you had family member who had Mesothelioma.
* Exposure to radon, also cause cancer.
* Lack of fruits and vegetables in diet also increase the risk of cancer.

The most common symptoms according to American Cancer Society are – Regular cough, Roughness, Breath shortness, Bloody sputum, Weight loss, Loss of hunger.

How to avoid Mesothelioma Cancer

2009-05-13T19:31:00.001-07:00

Inhalation of asbestos fibers in to the lungs is the main reason of Lung cancer or Mesothelioma. Asbestos is highly associated with lung cancer because the workers who are working in asbestos exposing units are mainly detected with this disease. Mesothelioma mainly affects the lungs and abdomen.

A person working in environment having Asbestos did not mean that he has Mesothelioma because some persons are highly resistant genes to the diseases. But we do not know what our body can handle regarding our health. So we need to take some precautions while working in such an environment. People working around asbestos must have to wear shielding clothing, which will avoid the hazard. After you need a clean change of clothes because if the asbestos fibers remain intact to your clothes then that will be risky for your family and you. So your child get Mesothelioma is some how depends upon you, because if you carry asbestos fibers at home then your child can caught to the disease.

You should watch for the signs or symptoms of Mesothelioma and get early treatment. Abdominal pain, weight loss, blood clotting, anemia and fever are the main symptoms. These symptoms may be of other disease so you have to consult a doctor.

Radiation or Surgery is better for Mesothelioma Cancer

2009-05-13T19:29:00.002-07:00

Mesothelioma patients after the early treatment for chemotherapy, radiation treatments is better option than surgery for the advanced non-small lung cancer and out of all lung cancer cases about 80% are non-small lung cancer cases. 579 new cases of late stage of lung cancer are reported in the Journal of National Cancer Institute. These non-small lung cancer cases are so advanced that surgery is no more beneficial.

Out of these 579 patients 167 patients got surgery and165 received radiation treatment after performing or undergoing chemotherapy. Patients having radiation treatment survived for 17.5 months and those who undergo a surgery survived for 16.4 months in average. Because of its low complications and deaths radiation treatment is more preferable than surgery irrespective of the reports. According to which five year survival rate is 15.7% for the patients having surgery and 14% for the patients having radiation treatment.

These results are important for the patients who have undergone chemotherapy and are still suffering from lung cancer. So the patients as well as the centers providing treatment to mesothelioma patients are advised to follow the radiation treatment after chemotherapy.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer

2009-05-13T19:29:00.001-07:00

The most painful and deadliest form of cancer, peritoneal mesothalioma is caused by asbestos. Asbestos is used as heat-resistant and flame-retardant in myriad manufacturing. During this process asbestos fibers are released in air. Asbestos fibers are small, jagged particles, not visible to the naked eyes, so the workers inhale these fibers or these attach to the hair and clothes of the workers and consequently carry these fibers to the friends and family members.

When these asbestos fibers are ingested and reached the digestive tract, these cut through the lining of stomach and intestines. Asbestos fibers here cut these organs and penetrate the peritoneal mesothelium, develop tumors and hence, develop peritoneal mesothelioma. As a result hinder the lubricating action of these organs. As a consequence these organs are no more able to lubricate and process the food.

Abnormal bowel function, Fluid buildup in the abdomen, Weight loss, Abdominal mass, Abdominal pain and blood clots are the main symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma. But unluckily peritoneal mesothelioma is detected only when it reached the most advanced and non-curable stage. It is 100% mortal and highly painful. So the patient should be provided with a treatment that give comfort and lessen the pain. After diagnose most of victims surrender within 6 to 8 months while a few cases administer to survive longer.

New treatments like photodynamic, gene, angiogenesis, and immunotherapy are somehow hopeful for victims of this deadly disease.

Fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of cancer

2009-05-13T19:28:00.003-07:00

If you want to reduce your risk of several common types of cancer, help may be no farther away than your kitchen (Yahoo News).

A trio of new studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research on Sunday found that vegetables and fruits help lower your chances of getting head and neck, breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers.

One of the studies even found that just one additional serving of vegetables or fruits could help lower the risk of head and neck cancer. Still, the more fruits and vegetables you can consume, the better.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma cancer

2009-05-13T19:28:00.001-07:00

Prior exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma cancer. People working in asbestos environment used to inhale asbestos dust and fibers, which will cause mesothelioma. Malignant cells develop in the protective lining covering most of the internal organs and cause mesothelioma. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma cancer is of two types - (1) Pleural - it affects pleura, which is outer lining of lungs and chest cavity. (2) Peritoneal mesothelioma – peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) or the pericardium (sac surrounding heart).

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are – chest wall pain, pleural outpouring, cough, hoarseness and shortness of breath, all due to accumulation of fluid in pleural space. Many tumor masses get developed in severe cases. Collapse of lungs or Pneumothorax is other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity) are symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma. Blood clotting abnormality, bowel obstruction, anemia and fever are some other symptoms.

Tumors affecting abdominal cavity do not produce symptoms until the late stage. It causes abdominal pain ascites, abnormal buildup of fluid in abdomen that cause abdominal problems and weight loss. A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.

Thrombophlebitis disseminated intra-vascular coagulation due to blood clots in veins is another symptom of mesothelioma. This may cause harsh bleeding in body organs, jaundice, yellowish eyes and skin, low blood sugar level and blood clots in arteries of lungs

Pleural Mesothelioma cancer

2009-05-13T19:27:00.001-07:00

These days among the cancer mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma is found to be the most lethal. It affects the lining surrounding and lubricating the lungs, which is mesothelium. Without lubrication expansion and contraction of lungs get affecting, resulting in to the abnormal exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. But unluckily, this vital part of our body mostly caught to mesothelioma when we came in the asbestos environment and inhale asbestos. Asbestos is used as heat-resistant and flame-retardant in myriad manufacturing.

Asbestos fibers are small, jagged particles, not visible to the naked eyes, so the workers inhale these fibers or these attach to the hair and clothes of the workers, and as a consequence the workers and families of these workers caught to mesothelioma. On inhalation these jagged asbestos remains cut in to the inner layers of lungs and reach pleura mesothelium. After cutting mesothelium these remains cause irritation and develop cancerous tumors. Pleural mesothelioma is not easy to diagnose at early stage as it take a long time to develop.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma at early stages are- chest pain, pleural effusion, coughing, blood clots, shortness of breath, wheezing and hoarseness. But these symptoms are similar to that of flu or pneumonia, which are less fatal. But pleural mesothelioma is not easy to diagnose at early stage as it take a long time to develop. When it is detected it is so deep rooted that it is too late for the treatment. The cancer cells from the lungs can easily circulate throughout the bloodstream and spread cancer to other organs, which will produce the most difficult situation. Hence, pleural mesothelioma is 100% mortal. Treatments such as photodynamic, gene, angiogenesis and immunotherapy treatments, however give some hope of life to the people suffering from mesothelioma.

Breasts Cancer And Smoker Adolescent

2009-05-13T19:26:00.000-07:00

The risk of breast cancer began in the women broke for adolescent smoking or not. Women who smoke in adolescents at risk of further developing breast cancer. According to another study of women who start smoking before the first pregnancy is more risk in breast cancer after menopause than women who began smoking after the first pregnancy.

Researches like adolescent women who smoke regularly can develop or they are at more risk of developing cancer, are factual and not only the gossips. This is because a women who has undergone one pregnancy, is in the close connection with the development of the breast as a women serve her baby with her milk, and hence is at less risk of developing breast cancer if they start smoking after one pregnancy. On the other hand a smoker adolescent women or a women who has postponed first pregnancy is more at breast cancer risk, as she has to develop breasts.

Dr Olson and the team carried out investigation on a range of the women aged 55 till 69 years during 1986 and afterwards were followed to 1999. On the whole 37.105 women it was identified were risky breasts cancer including 7.095 women who began smoked before they experienced first pregnancy. At the same time 4.186 among them smoked after first pregnancy. 2.017 women are affected by breast cancer during the study period. A woman who has smoked before the first pregnancy is at 21% more risk of developing breast cancer than a woman who had not smoked. Women who began smoked after giving birth first will enter the healthy category.

Tea, lemon peels and skin cancer

2009-05-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

Taking two cups of tea daily can decrease the risk of skin cancer

US researchers cater the tea taking Habits of 1400 people with skin cancer and 700 people without skin cancer for the research. Chemicals in the tea provide some protection against cancer, according to a study of European journal of cancer. While some British cancer experts consider protection of skin as the best method for the protection against the disease. In Britain every year around 70,000 people become cancerous. According to a team at Dartmouth Medical School sunlight is main cause of 90% of skin cancer cases. It looked upon 770 adults with basal cell carcinoma and 696 with squamous cell carcinoma. Both are skin cell cancers.

Lemon peel

Two groups ageing between 25 to 74 years are taken, one of healthy and other of cancerous people group. Their utilization of both green and black teas is taken in to account. Antioxidants are present in both of kinds, which will check the development of cancer cells. According to this research people who are habitual of taking tea are at lower risk of developing cancer. People taking tea two or more cups of tea daily are at 65% lower risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma. Drinking tea can protect against basal cell carcinoma but to a lesser degree. Benefits of drinking tea can increase by adding lemon peel to the tea, which is very common in US than UK. According to a team led by Dr Judy Rees, the constituents of tea are found to protect against a variety of diseases and cancers. But the most intoxicating are Polyphenols. The protective effect of tea can also reveal that how cancer develops.

Mesothelioma cancer

2009-05-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma is the most deadliest form of cancer caused due to previous exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma develops when the malignant cells develop in the protective covering named peritoneal mesothelium protecting most of the body organs internally. Most of People suffering from mesothelioma cancer are the people working on the jobs where they inhale asbestos fibers or dust or the people inhaling asbestos in the cement environment or people inhaling asbestos while washing the asbestos stacked clothes. People working in the industries like cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation are more at risk.

Asbestos

Asbestos has also been shown to mediate the entry of foreign DNA into target cells. Incorporation of this foreign DNA may lead to mutations and oncogenesis by several possible mechanisms:
* Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes
* Activation of oncogenes
* Activation of proto-oncogenes due to incorporation of foreign DNA containing a promoter region
* Activation of DNA repair enzymes, which may be prone to error
* Activation of telomerase
* Prevention of apoptosis

Mesothelioma cancer does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.
Types of mesothelioma cancer

There are two main types of mesothelioma cancer. Pleural mesothelioma or lung cancer and peritoneal mesothelioma

1. Pleural mesothelioma or lung cancer
Pleural mesothelioma is found to be the most lethal. Asbestos remains cut in to the inner layers of lungs and reach pleura mesothelium. After cutting mesothelium, these remains cause irritation and develop cancerous tumors and affects the lining surrounding and lubricating the lungs. Without lubrication expansion and contraction of lungs get affecting, resulting in to the abnormal exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide

Signs and symptoms of Pleural mesothelioma:
* Shortness of breath
* Persistent coughing
* Chest wall pain
* Wheezing and hoarseness
* Pleural effusions or fluid surrounding the lung
* Blood in the sputum coughed up

Diagnosis
* Medical history of patient
* Chest X-ray. It shows the thickening of pleural wall, which is commonly due to asbestos exposure.
* Lung function tests
* CT scan or MRI
* If a large amount of fluid is present, abnormal cells may be detected by cytology
* Biopsy is needed if cytology is positive
* Detection of mesothelin related protein in the serum
* Thoracoscopy -. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples.

2. Peritoneal mesothelioma

Asbestos fibers ingested and reached the digestive tract, these cut through the lining of stomach and intestines. Asbestos fibers here cut these organs and penetrate the peritoneal mesothelium, develop tumors and hence, develop peritoneal mesothelioma. As a result hinder the lubricating action of these organs. As a consequence these organs are no more able to lubricate and process the food.

Signs and symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma:
* Weight loss and Cachexia
* Abdominal swelling and pain
* Bowel obstruction
* Anemia and fever
* Blood clotting abnormalities
* Abdominal mass
* Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
* If mesothelioma spread beyond mesothelium then it may cause pain, dangerous swelling, swelling of neck or face. But all the symptoms of mesothelioma develop after 20 to 50 years exposure of asbestos.

Diagnosis:
* Medical history of patient
* Chest X-ray
* Detection of mesothelin related protein in the serum
* EMA (epithelial membrane antigen) in a membranous distribution
* Laparoscopy - To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.

Treatment

1. Surgery
(a) Pleurectomy / decortication- lining of chest is removed. This is the most common surgery (b) Extra pleural pneumonectomy (EPP)- lining of the inside of the chest, the hemi-diaphragm and the pericardium are removed.

2. Radiation
Tumor is highly resistant to radiotherapy and this is helpful in obstructing the major blood vessel and hence, prevents the growth of tumors.

3. Chemotherapy
Pemetrexed is used for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. It is used in combination with Cisplatin.

4. Heated Intraoperative Intra-peritoneal Chemotherapy
The surgeon removes as much of the tumor as possible followed by the direct administration of a chemotherapy agent, heated to between 40 and 48°C, in the abdomen. Perfuse the fluid for 60 to 120 minutes and then drain it. Heating the chemotherapy treatment increases the penetration of the drugs into tissues. Also, heating itself damages the malignant cells more than the normal cells.

Prevention of Cancer

2009-05-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

Cancer

Cancer is uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis. Risk of cancer tends to increase with age. It is one of the principal causes of death around the world. Brutality of symptoms depends on the site and character of the malignancy and metastasis. The uncontrolled and unregulated growth of cells cause damage to the DNA, which in turn cause gene mutation. These mutations can be caused by radiation, chemicals or physical agents that cause cancer, which are called carcinogens, or by certain viruses that can insert their DNA into the human genome.

Prevention

This can be done only through avoiding carcinogens or altering their metabolism. Cancer can be prevented through studying a close association between daily routine activities, styles of living, environmental exposures and the specific cancers. Alcohol drinking is associated with risk of oral, esophageal, breast, and other cancers. Smoking is closely associated with lung cancer or mesothelioma. Exposure to the radiations like ionizing radiation and ultraviolet radiation can cause a number of cancers. Physical inactivity is associated with increased risk of colon, breast, and possibly other cancers. Overweight is associated with colon, breast and endometrial. So through avoiding excessive alcohol consumption and smoking, physical activities and through maintaining body weight one can decrease the risk of developing several types of cancers. And also through avoiding the exposure of ionizing radiation and ultraviolet radiation one can decrease the risk of developing several types of cancers.

Leukemia Cancer

2009-05-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

Leukemia is the most dangerous type of cancer in which the blood cells mainly the white blood cells become affected. These cells are the abnormal cells which differ in appearance from healthy blood cells and do not function effectively.

Leukemia is caused due to the infection of two types of cells. If the lymphoid cells are affected, the disease is called Lymphocyte Leukemia and if the myeloid cells are affected, it is called Myelogenous Leukemia. Depending on the rate of growth leukemia may be acute or chronic. Acute Leukemia: the affected cells divide and grows rapidly and do not work normally. Loss of muscle controls, vomiting, and seizures are the symptoms of acute leukemia. Sores in the eyes or on the skin may produce. In some cases leukemia may collect in the testicles and produce swelling. Chronic Leukemia: Chronic leukemia cells grow slowly. In the initial stage symptoms are not found but in the later stages when the leukemia cells increases in the blood symptoms are detected.

Types of leukemia

there are mainly four types of leukemia
1. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
this type of leukemia is mainly found in children and in some cases of adults over the age of 65. It is rarely found in the age group of 20-65.
2. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
this type of leukemia is found in adults and rarely in children.
3. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
This type of leukemia mainly affects adults of the age group of over 55 and rarely Young. It is not found in children.
4. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
This type of leukemia is mainly found in adults and rarely children.

Causes of Leukemia

There are many factors that induce Leukemia. These are the following:
1. Workers working with chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde are at a greater risk of developing leukemia.
2. High-level exposure to radiations may induce leukemia.
3. Cancer fighting drugs, which are used by cancer patients, may induce leukemia.
4. Smoking induces AML
5. Family life history of leukemia.
6. People diseased with Myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disease; possess higher risk of developing leukemia.

* Swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck or armpit
* Swelling of liver, spleen
* Petechiae - tiny pinpoint red spots under the skin
* Anemia - red blood cells are unhealthy
* Shortness of breath, coughing, chest pains
* Swelling or discomfort in the abdomen (from an enlarged spleen)
* Chronic infections
* Loss of appetite and hence weight loss
* Headache
* Loss of muscle control

Diagnosis

After carefully looking at the symptoms of leukemia the doctor may ask about the family medical history of the patient. After that ask for the following tests
1. The doctor checks for swelling of the lymph nodes, spleen and liver.
2. Leukemia causes a very high level of leukocytes and low level of platelets hemoglobin.
3. Cytogenetics- chromosomes of cells from samples of peripheral blood, bone marrow, or lymph nodes should be examined.
4. Chest X-ray will show the effect of leukemia in the chest.
5. Biopsy- The doctor extracts a small part of bone marrow from a large bone and examines it under the microscope. Biopsy is the sure way for the detection of leukemia.

Spinal tap-The doctor removes some of the cerebrospinal fluid and the lab checks the fluid for leukemia cells or other signs of problems

Osteosarcoma

2009-05-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

Osteosarcoma is also called bone cancer. It is the most terrible disease all around the world. It mainly affects children because it develops from osteoblasts. It caused by the genetic factors. Genetic factors change immature bone cells into cancer cells. Around the knee joint and close to the shoulder are the main sites of osteosarcoma. Swelling just above or below knee joint/ upper arm/ near shoulder, painful & limited movements of joint, limping gait in case of leg swelling, signs of incontinence of bladder/ bowel in case of pelvic or spinal osteosarcoma and backache are the main symptoms of osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is of 2 types 1. Central or lower grade Osteosarcoma. 2. Surface or high grade Osteosarcoma. Diagnosis of Osteosarcoma can be done through X-ray of bone- Lytic lesion with indistinct margins or ossification in the soft tissue with sunburst pattern. Reactive new bone formation is seen as a periosteal elevation, a sign named as a ‘Codman’s angle’, MRI of involved bone, CT chest, Bone scan, Tru-cut needle biopsy of tumor. Through all this a doctor can be able to examine osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma needs to treat at right time. Surgery is one option for its treatment. Surgical treatments for osteosarcoma consist of either amputation or limb-salvage surgery. Limb salvage surgery also preferred. For the metastatic disease in the lungs, surgery is done to do pulmonary metastatecomy. Chemotherapy is another option. Chemotherapy is given before or after surgery. Radiotherapy is the still another option for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

Kidney Cancer and risk factors

2009-05-13T19:15:00.002-07:00

Number 0f simple things like smoking, exposure of chemicals, overweight and inactive lifestyle, which we ignore in our daily life, can cause kidney cancer. High blood pressure, taking diuretics, race, gender and certain medications are some other risk factors, which lead to kidney cancer. The physician gets an idea to assess the symptoms through risk factors. The physician has to watch closely a patient who have higher amount of risk factors.

The risk factors give an idea about the disease before its occurrence so the risk factors help in preventing the disease from occurring. According to the risk factors one can avoid smoking and can increase the intake of vitamins. If a person avoid smoking then risk of kidney cancer reduced to 40%. Obesity is the main cause of adult and juvenile diabetes, which cause the need of dialysis or kidney failure. So through losing weight or through exercise you can reduce the risk of kidney cancer. But there are some genetic factors related to the kidney cancer, which are not avoidable.

So the thing what we have to consult our physician is about the risk factors. Prevention is better than cure so keeping this in mind one has to look for the risk factors and try to avoid them if not possible then need to go for treatment.

How Acupuncture and Massage help after cancer surgery

2009-05-13T19:15:00.001-07:00

A cancer patient feels a lot of pain (intolerable pain) and a lot of anxiety or worry after undergoing a cancer surgery.

According to a new study acupuncture and massage combination can ease depression and pain after cancer surgery. Acupuncture helps in decreasing the pain and also control the vomiting after the surgery. Massage aid to the anxiety of cancer patients. But there are still no evidences of combining the two therapies for the well being of the people who accompany a lot of pain and worry after undergoing cancer surgery. They are passing through the emotional and physical difficulties.

Two studies are done keeping in view the effects of acupuncture and massage in reliving the cancer patients from pain and anxiety after cancer surgery. One study is done on 138 patients who are provided with a standard post-operative care or standard care plus acupuncture and massage for 2 days after their cancer surgery. The second study is also done on 138 people. According to this study patients after cancer surgery are provided with standard post-operative care or standard care plus acupuncture and massage for 2 days. The studies find that there is a steeper decline in pain over 3 days and depression of the patients receiving therapies.

Overall, the study found, patients who received the therapies had a steeper decline in pain over 3 days, as well as fewer symptoms of depression. The findings are published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.

"We can say that adding acupuncture and massage definitely helped," said lead study author Dr. Wolf E. Mehling, an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of California San Francisco.

So the patients receiving both acupuncture and massage in combination after cancer surgery got the benefit of lowering the pain and anxiety or we can say they got extra attention of the family members than the other patients.

Statins May Fight Lung Cancer

2009-05-13T19:14:00.001-07:00

Cholesterol-Lowering Drug May Have Added Benefit for Lung Cancer People taking statins to control their cholesterol levels may be getting an unexpected benefit for their lungs, new research suggests (From ABC News).

A study appearing in the latest issue of the journal Chest showed that patients who had taken statins for six months or longer cut their lung cancer risk by more than half.

In the study, a team of researchers led by Louisiana State University's Dr. Vikas Khurana looked back at the records of more than 400,000 patients in the Veterans Administration Hospital System, more than 160,000 of whom were taking statins at the time.

The research lends credence to previous animal and test tube studies suggesting that statins are capable of blocking the growth of cancer cells.

"Our study suggests that statins have a potential role in primary chemoprevention for lung cancer," the researchers write in their conclusion. "Due to the high prevalence of statin use and grave prognosis of lung cancer, even a modest reduction means a considerable effect on public health."

The numbers seem to agree. In 2005, lung cancer accounted for about 160,000 deaths in the United States. The researchers note that they hope future studies will help determine whether the drugs can one day be used to fight lung cancer in a clinical setting.

Dr. Tim Johnson, ABC News' medical editor, said on "Good Morning America" Tuesday that the findings, though preliminary, are intriguing. But he agreed that more research is needed to clarify the effects of statins on lung cancer and to iron out some potentially confusing trends.

"When they looked at people who had taken statins for less than six months, they seemed to have somewhat of an increased risk," Dr. Tim said. "So it is a complicated study and we now need a so-called gold-standard randomized trial."

How Cancer Develops

2009-05-13T19:13:00.001-07:00

Proliferation and programmed cell death are totally in balance to ensure the veracity of organs and tissues. But some times some type of mutations occur in the DNA of the cell, which results imbalance in proliferation and programmed cell death. This may cause uncontrolled and rapid division of cells, which lead to benign tumor initially but some times it may turn in to a malignant tumor and hence CANCER. The benign tumors do not attack and spread to other body organs or tissues but they are harmful only when their target is any vital organ of the body. While malignant tumors are life takers as they can spread and even attack other organs.

How a malignant tumor develops

Tumors act as the self-regulating target of natural selection. Mutated cells promote their own growth and proliferation. Mutations may cause rapid growth, ability to migrate and capacity to spout into blood vessels. If these mutant strains come to dominate the clone the tumor may progress towards a malignant status. Invasive and proliferation abilities of the normal cells are similar to that of cancer cells. But the regulatory mechanisms of normal cells are different from the cancer cells. Hence in the cancer cells mutations mainly affect the regulatory genes of the cells. Rapidly dividing cells provide an opening for cancer. Cancer cells even becomes resistance to the anti cancer pharmaceuticals. The more rapidly the cells divide, the more likely that a variant will amplify into a clone. That is why skin and blood cancers are more common than the bone cancer.

Breast Cancer in Males

2009-05-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

Most of the men thought that breast cancer only affects women and not men. They accept it as a truth that they are not at the risk of getting breast cancer. But this is not true; men are also at the risk of developing breast cancer. The main symptoms and signs of male breast cancer are given below.

Signs and symptoms

Breast lumps, swelling, dimpling around the breast area, nipple retraction, redness, scaling and nipple discharge are the main symptoms of breast cancer among males. The breast mass in men is much less than the women have, so in males breast cancer can easily affect the closer tissues than in females. That’s why these symptoms in males need not to ignore as these breast cancer in more dangerous in males than the females.

Risk factors

In the age of 60 men is more likely to develop breast cancer, so the main risk factor is advanced age. The other well-known risk factor is the family history. Liver disease can reduce the levels of androgen and can raise the levels of estrogen in males that make men more prone to the disease. Exposure to radiation can also develop breast cancer. Genetic mutations like Kleinfelters syndrome can also develop breast cancer in men.

Diagnosis

Screening mammograms are simply x-rays of each breast. The breast is placed between two plates for a few seconds while the x-rays are taken. If something appears abnormal, or better views are needed, magnified views or specially angled films are taken during the mammogram. There are some experimental screening modalities that are currently being studied. These include MRI, ductal lavage, ultrasound, optical tomography, PET scan, and digital mammograms. Depending on the results of the mammograms and/or ultrasounds, your doctors may recommend that you get a biopsy.

Treatment

There are a number of options available to men with regard to the treatment of breast cancer like surgery (modified mastectomy), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. The survival rates for the males with breast cancer are similar to that of females with breast cancer. So men should be made mentally prepared about the fact that breast cancer can also affect them. So males need to examine regularly for the breast cancer in advanced age.

Environmental Factors in Breast Cancer

2009-05-13T19:11:00.001-07:00

Researchers from Harvard University, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University of Southern California, along with the Silent Spring Institute, collected and assessed existing scientific reports of breast cancer and environmental pollutants, diet, body size, and physical activity. Also reviewed were animal studies that identify chemicals as potential mammary carcinogens. The study findings were released in the online version of the American Cancer Society's scientific journal, Cancer (From Associated Content).

The free, searchable database reveals that exposure to potential breast cancer-causing agents is widespread from chemicals used in consumer products, food, women's workplaces, and in air and water pollution. The database includes references to 900 studies of which 460 are human breast cancer studies. The researchers stressed that 29 of the potential cancer-causing carcinogens are found in massive amounts in the U.S., but little is known yet about their effects on human health.

New Technology Helps Doctors Diagnose Skin Cancer

2009-05-13T19:10:00.001-07:00

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Researchers are working on a new technology to help doctors diagnose skin cancer without cutting into the skin.

A small changeable dark spot on your skin may not look like much, but only a doctor's trained eye can rule out skin cancer.

"Melanoma is a very serious and deadly cancer and way too common. And if caught early, can be cured with simple excisions," said Dr. Allan Halpern, a dermatologist.

Currently, suspicious moles are biopsied. The doctor takes a small tissue sample by cutting into the skin, which leaves a car. If melanoma is discovered, a second surgery makes a wider cut. At Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, researchers are looking for a way to detect skin cancer more quickly and painlessly without scarring.

Habits and Cancer

2009-05-13T19:09:00.001-07:00

Smoking

A number of researches over the years show that lung cancer is greatly linked with smoking this means that there is a close relationship between cancer and tobacco. Lung cancer deaths in the United States show that there is a drastic increase in lung cancer deaths with the increase of smoking and in recent there is a decrease in lung cancer deaths with the decrease in smoking. Similarly tobacco, diet, exercise, alcohol, tanning choices, and certain sexually transmitted diseases are the major risks for other types of cancer.

Light

There is a correlation between cancer incidence with the lower levels of melatonin produced in the body when people spend more time in bright-light conditions. This effect is compounded in people who sleep fewer hours and in people who work at night, two groups that are known to have higher cancer rates.

Diet

Obesity increases the risk of cancer. Cancer is greatly linked with the eating habits, for example gastric cancer is more common in Japan and colon cancer is more common in the United States. Epidemiologists studying both diet and serum levels observed that high levels of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, were associated with a protective effect, reducing the risk of cancer. Effect is strong in lung cancer. Tests found no benefit of beta-carotene supplementation in reducing lung cancer incidence and mortality.

Modern lifestyle given rise to cancer rate

2009-05-13T19:08:00.001-07:00

According to the experts from UK, many foods, alcohol and sun has given big rise to certain forms of cancer. Data from Cancer Research shows that cases of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, have risen by 40% in the past decade.

The cases of mouth cancer have increased by 25 percent that is linked with high amount of drinking and smoking. Researchers suggested that around 50 percent of these cases can be avoided if we make some healthy changes to our lifestyle.

Get slim if want to cut risk of cancer

2009-05-13T19:07:00.001-07:00

A Major international study claimed that who are not overweight should also slim down if they want to cut down the risk of cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund issued some severe recommendations.

They include not gaining weight as an adult, cutting sugary drinks and alcohol and stop eating bacon and ham. All of us need to get slim but avoid getting underweight. People with BMI in the range 18.5 to 25 are considered healthy weights. But the study suggests that risk increase when we move towards25 mark. So we need to try in remaining as close as to the lower end.

A cup of coffee daily keeps cancer away

2009-05-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

A latest finding in US suggests that drinking a cup of coffee daily might reduce the risk of developing skin cancer. This study was started in 1990 and investigated 77,000 white postmenopausal women in the US.

These women provided lot of information about themselves like how much coffee or tea they drink and whether they had ever been diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer.

The study recorded many factors about the investigating women like their age, BMI, smoking habit and whether they live in a sunny area.

The researchers found that a daily cup of caffeinated coffee was connected with a five percent drop in the women's odds of reporting non-melanoma skin cancer, reported the online edition of health magazine WebMD. Women who drank six cups of caffeinated coffee per day were 30 per cent less likely than other women to report non-melanoma skin cancer, the researchers said.

Foods that can protect you against cancer

2009-05-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

There is no single food or its substance that can save you from cancer. But the scientists from the American Institute for Cancer Research have named 11 foods that can protect you from cancer. To use them effectively, you have to use the right combination of foods in a predominantly plant-based diet.

The facts are mounting that the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in plant foods interact to provide extra cancer protection and this idea is called synergy. Here is the list of those 11 foods that can protect you against cancer:

1. Beans
2. Berries
3. Cruciferous Vegetables
4. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
5. Flaxseed
6. Garlic
7. Grapes and Grape Juice
8. Green Tea
9. Soy
10. Tomatoes
11. Whole Grains

Kidney Cancer - Causes, Symptoms and Risks Factors

2009-05-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

Kidney cancer or renal carcinoma usually occurs in older people and accounts for about 2 to 3% of cancers in adults, affecting about twice as many men as women. In adults, the most common type of kidney tumor is renal cell carcinoma, which begins in the cells that line the small tubes within your kidneys. Kidney cancer rarely strikes children and young adults; the exceptions are a pediatric kidney cancer called Wilms tumor and some forms of hereditary kidney cancer syndromes, such as von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Causes of Kidney Cancer

The causes are not known, however external factors, such as smoking and obesity, have been related to a higher incidence of kidney cancer and changing environmental factors as well as population aging has seen an increase in the presentation of this form of cancer.

Signs and Symptoms

Kidney cancer symptoms are often overlooked because tumours are usually slow growing and not suspected until the patient begins to experience symptoms such as blood in the urine, pain, tiredness and a palpable mass. Since back pain is common among people over 40 years of age, such pain is often ignored and the presence of kidney cancer can go undetected. Kidney cancer may also cause high blood pressure.

Risk Factors

The risk of developing kidney cancer is four times higher if a close relative has had kidney cancer. Being on dialysis for many years is a risk factor for kidney cancer.

People who have had bladder cancer are more likely to develop kidney cancer, and vice versa. About three per cent of kidney cancer patients have inherited a damaged gene that will make it likely the cancer will also be found in their second kidney.

Prevention

Not smoking is the most effective way to prevent kidney cancer and it is estimated that the elimination of smoking would reduce the rate of renal pelvis cancer by one-half and the rate of renal cell carcinoma by one-third.

Other factors that may decrease the risk of developing kidney cancer include: maintaining a normal body weight, a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables, especially in bananas and root vegetables such as carrots, maintaining normal blood pressure and limited exposure to environmental toxins.

Diagnosing Kidney Cancer

Cancer of the kidney is most commonly detected with either computed tomography (CT) scan, ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cystoscopy can rule out associated bladder cancer. Kidney cancer cells may also break away from the original tumor and spread (or metastasize) to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, bones or lungs, with about one third of cases showing metastasis at the time of diagnosis.

Types of Kidney Cancer

Almost 85% of this tumor are renal cell carcinomas. A less common type of kidney is Papillary carcinoma. Other rare kidney cancers include: Renal sarcoma, Collecting Duct carcinoma, Medullary and Chromophobe carcinomas.

Treatment

Radical nephrectomy with or without the removal of lymph nodes offers the only cure but treatment of kidney cancer may include: surgery, arterial embolization, radiation therapy, biological therapy or chemotherapy depends upon the stage of the disease and the patient's overall health.

Nephrectomy or removal of the entire organ including the adrenal gland, adjacent lymph nodes and surrounding normal tissue has been the norm, but recent research shows that removal of just the tumor, produces similar survival rates and offers less chance of subsequent renal failure in selected cases.

Scientists have also isolated the gene responsible for VHL disease, and this discovery offers exciting future possibilities for improved diagnosis and treatment of some kidney cancers. Various combinations of interleukin-2, interferon, and other biologic agents and even vaccines developed from cells removed from the kidney cancer are also being investigated.

Survival Rates

With prompt and appropriate treatment, the kidney cancer mortality rate is fairly low, unfortunately kidney cancer has a tendency to spread early, especially to the lungs, sometimes before symptoms develop. The five year survival rate is around 90-95% for tumors less than 4 cm. For larger tumors confined to the kidney without venous invasion, survival is still relatively good at 80-85%. If it has metastasized to the lymph nodes, the 5-year survival is around 5 % to 15 %. If it has spread metastatically to other organs, the 5-year survival rate is less than 5 %.

An important factor for those with this form of cancer and for that matter with all cancers is that assertive patients who actively work to overcome cancer often increase the odds of survival, live longer, and enjoy life more.

Wigs Keep Cancer Patients Looking Great

2009-05-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

If you or someone that you are close to is currently going through cancer treatment therapy then you for sure know what a real struggle it is. With so much going on and priorities being so drastically reorganized, the fact that their hair has fallen out can be easily overlooked when it doesn't have to be. The truth is that "looking and feeling" good with a good head of hair "is" a crucial element of the recovery process that doctors don't often talk about.

Human Hair

The great news is that there is now a huge selection of high quality human hair wigs online. Human hair is always the best way to go if you can, but if you are on a tight budget you can get by with other fibers. However; if you choose a fiber other than human hair you will want to pay close attention to its maintenance because it is when they are poorly maintained that they begin to look less than perfect.

Glue or Tape

You or the person undergoing chemotherapy is also going to have to play catch-up on learning how to attach and maintain the wig properly. There are two basic common methods for attaching a wig and those are with special wig glue and with special two sided tape. Test them both to determine which one works best for the person using the wig and if the glue or tape causes any irritation quickly switch over.

One Wig - Many Looks

It is important to bear in mind that before long your treatment will be through, you will have your own hair back and the cancer will be behind you. So, you don't need to purchase several different wigs. Look for a wig and hair filler products and hats that go good together, so you will have more then one look without having to spend a bunch of money.

Cancer Prevention

2009-05-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

Cells are the building blocks of all living things. Cells in the human body are replaced regularly, with each being replaced on a certain timetable. Within each cell is a code that tells it when to multiply and when to die. Cancer grows out of normal cells in which something has disrupted the normal multiplication process, allowing cells to develop abnormally and grow uncontrollably. Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue. When these malignant cells multiply and spread, they damage healthy tissue, blood vessels, and nerves.

Fortunately, in many cases the body is able to identify these rogue cells and destroy them before they become a threat to health. Boosting the immune system to it's optimum level, by eating lots of fruits and vegetables, is a key ingredient in the body's defense system. Antioxidants, produced by the body or derived from food and supplements, can inactivate free radicals and aid the immune system in early purging of cancer cells.

Some vitamins and herbs are considered helpful in preventing cancer. Herbs, and other healing foods, which may be beneficial include: almonds, apples, amaranth, apricots, artichoke, asparagus, avocado, banana, barley, basil, beans, beets, berries, bilberry, blackberries, black walnut, blueberries, broccoli, brown rice, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cayenne, chickpeas, citrus fruits, coffee, collards, corn, cruciferous vegetables, cucumber, currants, dates, eggplant, figs, fish, flaxseed, garlic, ginger, ginseng, goldenseal, grapefruit, grapes, green & black teas, horseradish, kale, kelp, kiwi, legumes, lemons, lentils, licorice root, limes, mango, melons, mustard greens, nectarines, nuts & seeds, oats, okra, olive oil, onions, orange, papaya, parsley, peach, peanuts, pears, pecans, peppers, persimmon, pineapple, pomegranate, pumpkin, quinoa, radish, raspberries, rosemary, spinach, squash, spicy foods, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tangerine, thyme, tomatoes, turmeric, turnips, watercress, watermelon, wheat bran, whole grains, yarrow, yogurt, and yucca. Supplements which may be helpful, include: arginine, B6 (pyrodoxine), B complex, beta-carotene, C, calcium & magnesium, cysteine, D, E, folic acid, glutathione, multi-vitamin, multi-mineral, omega-3 fatty acids, and selenium. It should be noted, however, that the best recommendation may be to simply include lots of fruits and vegetables in the diet.

Certain types of food may actually increase the risk of cancer. Those to avoid include: alcohol, animal fats, artificial coloring, artificial sweeteners, artificial anything, fake foods (man-made substitutes), fluoridated water, fried foods, hydrogenated & partially hydrogenated oils, imitation foods, iron supplements, meats cooked in intense heat, any cured or smoked meats, canned meats, micro-waved foods, moldy foods, overcooked foods, pork, processed meats, roasted nuts, sugar, white bread and other products made from white flour, white rice, any food barbecued or burned, and bread crusts or any other toasted foods. Also avoid antibiotics, household pesticides, low-fat diets, stress, tobacco smoke, and unnecessary x-rays. Avoid the ACA's inadequate recommendation of fives servings of fruits and vegetables daily (you need at least nine). In addition, limit: coffee (2-3 cups daily), dairy foods, all meats, processed foods, protein, and salt.

Maintain a healthy weight and get moderate exercise (strenuous exercise may increase risk of cancer). Have a positive outlook and enjoy life. Drink 8-12 cups of water daily. Consume 9+ servings of fruits & vegetables daily (especially raw) daily. Eat whole grains, and get a high fiber diet. Get 7-9 hours sleep nightly.

In case I haven't mentioned it, in this article, it is very important to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. You should get 9-11 servings a day. A serving is about half a cup.

When Your Loved One has Cancer

2009-05-13T18:58:00.001-07:00

That time, you were left in awe at what you have heard. The light enclosed on you, and the whole world revolved in faint whispers, "It mustn't be." Cancer is not a simple matter, and you couldn't believe someone very close to you has it. The news was more than shocking... it was heartbreaking.

Cancer has developed a connotation to being a fatal term, itself. It is a single term that people have dreaded to utter, even jokingly. It is a serious matter, and if your loved one has been diagnosed to be having it, this can be a very difficult journey for you, if you don't take it lightly and with courage.

Cancer or what we call malignant neoplasm is a medical disease that happens when a group of cells display uncontrolled growth or division, which at times, may be at a fairly early age or at a critical stage. Most of them time, doctors would say a certain estimate of how long a person may live battling the disease, with or without treatments. Aside from the fact that financial expenditures build up because of costly cancer medications, the family can be subdued to a roller-coaster ride of emotions.

However, no matter how painstaking this situation is for you, you must be strong. Your loved on depends highly on your care and attention. After all, you both want to spend more time in this life together. Here are some simple ways that may help you cope up with this unnerving situation, and make it easier for you and your loved one:

1. Do not show them how hurt you are. If you have to wear a mask everytime, do it. Your loved one will draw strength from your strength, therefore, you must show him or her that you will be with him, in this difficult time, no matter what. If he sees you crying or in pain, the effect of that on his mindset is as painful.

2. Do normal things with them if they can. When they are strong enough, be normal with them. Take them to places, eat with them and spend great days with them very fondly. This will enlighten their minds, and yours, too. The both of you may actually forget about the intensity of the situation that you are facing. Cancer may be serious, but you can shrug it off at times with subtle moments of laughter.

3. Communicate your love to them. Talk to them and communicate your love to them, by giving them flowers and do with them things that they love to do. As much as possible, do not talk about their sickness, and live life as it is. Listen to their pains, yet do not break down in front of them. Assure them that it is going to be alright sincerely, without making them feel that they are just words said to make them feel better.

No matter how painful it is for you, you may not even begin to imagine how painful it is for them. Be very patient and understanding in making them feel loved. Especially, at this moment of difficulty, your utmost concern will leave them a mark that will help them fight for their life and be stronger. When a loved on has cancer, the battle must begin and end with strength and endurance.

Blood Sugar and Cancer

2009-05-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

Blood sugar has been linked to the cause of a variety of different cancers. High insulin levels promote and environment that makes it much easier for certain tumor to grow. Research and testing is still being done so it is very hard to make any kind of bold statements regarding blood sugar levels and cancer. However, there is cause for great concern with certain cancers. These are the cancers we are going to be talking about.

Colon and Rectal Cancer

In a Harvard University study that involved more than 50,000 middle aged men, those whose diets were most likely to raise blood sugar fast and high were 32 percent more likely to develop colon and rectal cancer over 20 years. The effect is much stronger for heavier men.

Breast Cancer
In the Women's Health Study, women who followed a blood sugar-boosting diet were 135 percent more likely to develop breast cancer in seven years than woman whose diets were more blood sugar friendly. Many different studies have shown a huge increase in breast cancer in women that do not follow a blood sugar friendly diet. It was linked to even be a higher percentage to woman who do not exercise frequently.

Endometrial Cancer
In the Iowa Women's Health Study, which involved more than 23,000 post-menopausal women, those who didn't have diabetes and followed blood sugar-spiking diets were 46 percent more likely to get this cancer over 15 years. An Italian study that compared women who developed endometrial cancer with a similar group of women who didn't found a 110 percent increase in risk linked to this type of diet.

Prostate Cancer
Here we go men, are you ready for this? An Italian study looked at men ages 46-74 who developed prostate cancer and compared their diets to a group of similar men who didn't get the cancer. Those whose diets were most likely to spike blood sugar were 57 percent more likely to have prostate cancer. A similar Canadian study found a 57 percent increase in risk.

Pancreatic Cancer
Even the organ that produces insulin may be more prone to cancer if it's constantly bathed in that hormone. A study using data from the Nurses' Health Study over 18 years found that women whose diets raised blood sugar the most were 53 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than women whose diets raised it the least. Women in the first group who were overweight and physically inactive were 157 percent more likely to get the cancer than similar women in the second.

If this information does not make you realize how important blood sugar can be in your life, then I truly hope you find the information that will help you realize it. Blood sugar can be very serious and it should be treated that way. It is very important for training reasons as I pointed out in previous articles, but it is more important for life and living reasons.

Genetic Factor in Colon Cancer Discovered

2009-05-13T18:54:00.002-07:00

Researchers have discovered an abnormality in a gene that they have strongly linked to the development of inherited colon cancer, which may account for up to 20 percent of cases of colon cancer. As VOA's Jessica Berman reports, scientists believe the discovery could lead to a simple blood test to identify people susceptible to inherited colon cancer.

People are normally protected against colon cancer by inheriting two healthy copies of a gene called TGFBR1, from each parent.

But in a study involving about 200 colon cancer patients at Ohio State University in Columbus, investigators found a weak copy of TGFBR1 in about 10 percent or 24 patients.

"This gene is under-expressed in these patients and it seems to cause them to have about an 8.7 times more likely [greater likelihood of contracting colon cancer] than if you don't have this particular genetic finding," said Heather Hampel.

Experts say the lifetime risk of colon cancer is six percent, particularly in the West where the disease is common. The abnormality would increase the risk of the disease to nearly fifty percent for people found to have the susceptibility gene.

As a genetic counselor, Hampel says she would urge people with the genetic abnormality to get a colonoscopy, a procedure to look for potentially cancerous polyps, at a younger age and more often.

Hampel says the genetic finding may also explain why the disease seems to run in families.

"Once you identify a patient who has this characteristic, we would want to offer testing to all of their brothers and sisters and children to let them know whether they have inherited this characteristic and also have an increased risk for cancer," she said.

Hampel says investigators have reason to believe the gene may be responsible for a higher percentage of colon cancers, something still to be teased out by genetic researchers. Meanwhile, when a blood test based on the research is available, possibly within a few years, it would allow susceptible patients to be screened regularly to catch colon cancer early, when it is most treatable.

Facts on Pancreatic Cancer

2009-05-13T18:54:00.001-07:00

The pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system. It produces several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin as well as secretes pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes. It is a very important organ dealing with digestion and hormone production but unfortunately also vulnerable to many infections including pancreatic cancer. Every year about 33,000 individuals in the United States and more than 60,000 in Europe are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Early diagnosis for pancreatic cancer is very difficult because most of its symptoms are non-specific. The most common noticeable symptoms for this type of cancer are pain in the upper abdomen, loss of appetite, significant weight loss and painless jaundice related to bile duct obstruction. All of these symptoms can potentially have multiple causes, which is the reason why pancreatic cancer is often not diagnosed until it is in its advanced stages.

There are many different causal risk factors associated with the development of pancreatic cancer. These risk factors include age, male gender, African ethnicity, smoking, obesity, a high meat diet, and diabetes. Pancreatic cancer is usually discovered during the course of the evaluation of all of these symptoms. Liver function tests are often performed to verify if there is any obstruction in the bile duct. Ultrasound and CT scans are also used to scan the inside of our bodies and to identify tumor growths.

The prognosis for pancreatic cancer is not very good at all; the reason for this is because cancer of the pancreas are often not diagnosed until they are in some advanced and harmful stages. The average survival rate after being diagnosed is between 3 to 6 months, and the 5-year survival rate is around 5%. Pancreatic cancer has the highest death rate of all types of cancer and is the fourth highest cancer killer in the United States among both men and women alike.

There are several ways to prevent the development of pancreatic cancer. Smoking is the most significant and easiest avoidable risk for getting this type of cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight and constant exercise is also another good way to not only prevent cancer but to keep your body fit and healthy. Consuming fruits, vegetables and grains and decreasing red meat intake in your diet is another recommended prevention. Vitamin D has also been shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing this type of cancer by up to 50%.

Pancreatic cancer is definitely a deadly disease and it is important for all of us to know the facts about it, the different symptoms it manifest and the ways of preventing it.

Lester Lee is the webmaster of http://www.Cancer-Tumor.info, an informative website that provides the latest advice, info and updates on Pancreatic Cancer. Visit our site today for more helpful info on Pancreatic Cancer and other similar topics.

Treatment For Cancer

2009-05-13T18:53:00.001-07:00

Cancer is the disease that is dreaded as the worst cause of deaths in the world. One, it can't be prevented unlike AIDS which has no cure but is preventable. There is no effective and safe treatment for cancer.

Treatment for cancer exists in a wide rage; surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, clinical trials, proton therapy, complementary medicine, and cutting edge technologies. All this treatments are there but none of them guarantees good end results. When one is on the operating table under going either of the treatments, it is a matter of life and death. If one is lucky to live his/her life would never be the same again. One has to bear with the side effects that come with this disease such as hair loss sometimes even one of their body part like a leg might be amputated.

Many foundations are being formed so as to assist those inflicted by cancer. The main purpose of the foundations is to assist with the finances that cancer brings about. It is very difficult for a single person to be able to pay for treatment of cancer disease.

There are also different organizations that provide assistance to the infected. There are those who give free transportation for those seeking distance treatment. Others provide free of charge accommodations and other supportive services to patients and their families when confronted with medical emergencies. While some pharmaceuticals companies have programs to assist patients of cancer cover or ease the cost of the medications they manufacture.

Before going for treatment for cancer, the ailing person must make a decision before choosing any of the treatments. This is because they all have different complications and also it depends with the kind of cancer one may have. Otherwise let's continue wishing for a better treatment or better yet a "cure".

Talcum powder can raise cancer risk

2009-05-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

Ladies, please note -- the next time you use talcum powder to keep fresh, make sure you don't sprinkle it in your lower body.

A new study has revealed that women who use talcum powder around their private parts everyday are actually 40 per cent more likely to develop ovarian cancer -- the risk is only restricted to the lower body.

Talc is made from a mineral called hydrous magnesium silicate which is crushed, dried and milled to produce powder used in cosmetic products.

And, according to researchers, powder applied to the private parts in the lower body may travel to the ovaries and trigger a process of inflammation that allows cancer cells to flourish.

Lead researcher Dr Maggie Gates said that until the outcome of further researches, women should avoid using talc in the genital area, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

Dr Gates and colleagues at Harvard Medical School have based their findings on an analysis of over 3,000 women -- the study found using talcum powder once a week raised the risk of ovarian cancer by 36 per cent.

The risk increased to 41 per cent for those applying the powder every day, the researchers found.

The study also revealed that the risks were greater still for those with a certain genetic profile. Women carrying a gene called glutathione S-transferase M1, but lacking a gene called glutathione S-transferase T1, were three times likely to develop tumours.

The study has been published in the latest issue of the 'Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention' journal.

Breast cancer awareness – Early detection

2009-05-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

October is designated annually as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So what better time to not only talk about breast cancer, but to also encourage all women to follow the American Cancer Society guidelines for early detection.

Breast cancer, the most common disease among women in the United States, accounts for nearly one of every three cancers diagnosed. You no doubt know someone in your family or circle of friends and acquaintances who has been touched by this disease. Even though the vast majority of breast cancers occur in women, men are at risk as well.

Breast cancer is a disease that begins in the tissue of the breast. Sections of the breast known as lobes are divided into smaller lobules, which have bulbs capable of producing milk. Passageways called ducts connect these structures and eventually lead to the nipple. The spaces around the lobules and ducts are filled with fatty tissue as well as blood vessels and lymph vessels. The lymph vessels lead to small organs called lymph nodes, which are found under the arm, above the collarbone and in the chest (as well as many other parts of the body).

By year's end, more than 180,000 women throughout the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Sadly, about 40,000 women will die from this disease in the coming year. That is the bad news. The good news is that because of medical advancements in diagnosing and treating cancer, there are approximately 2.5 million breast cancer survivors!

Yet many women refuse to take a proactive role against breast cancer and ignore the situation completely. Just being a female is the greatest risk factor for breast cancer. Yes, increasing in age and family history are other risk factors - and it can and does touch women of all races and ages. In fact, 90-95 percent of all breast cancers are found in women with no family history of the disease. That is why it is important to be vigilant.

There are things you can do to greatly reduce your chances of developing breast cancer. You can include regular exercise in your daily routine; eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet; avoid smoking; and use alcohol in moderation.

If you are 40 years of age or older, please get a mammogram and have a clinical breast exam every year. And don't forget the importance of monthly breast self-exams. If you are between the ages of 20 and 39, make certain you perform a monthly breast self-exam and have a clinical breast examination by your health care professional every three years.

Most breast lumps are benign; that is, they are not cancerous. Benign breast tumors are abnormal growths that do not spread outside of the breast and they are not life-threatening. But some benign breast lumps can increase a woman's future risk of getting breast cancer so it is important to have regular breast exams.

That is why mammograms are important. A mammogram, a low-dose X-ray that helps find a cancerous tumor before you feel it during a monthly breast self-exam, gives the woman (or man) a crucial head start on potentially lifesaving treatments. That makes this test one of the most powerful protections a person has against dying from breast cancer.

But there is a caveat to that statement. For maximum protection, a woman needs to have mammograms on a regular schedule. Occasional mammograms simply do not provide enough protection against advanced breast cancer. Studies suggest that regular mammograms can decrease a woman's risk of dying from breast cancer by roughly 30 percent.

Mammography is now available as a digital test at Battle Creek Health System's Mary Coleman Mammography Center. While the procedure for taking the images is the same for traditional film and digital mammograms, the digital images are recorded and processed on a computer. They offer faster and more accurate images for physicians to read, and also the ability to enhance, magnify and manipulate them for further evaluation.

Remember, early detection can save your life or the life of someone you love. If you have not already done so, please talk with your physician about scheduling your mammogram today. Early detection is the key to survival.

If you would like more information about breast cancer, stop by the American Cancer Society Resource Library in The Cancer Care Center or call the BCHS breast nurse navigator at 269-966-8647.

Dr. Wendy French and Dr. Sue Tobin are medical oncologists with The Cancer Care Center at Battle Creek Health System.

Trust Maune Raichle Law Firm for the compensation

2009-05-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma is one of the types of cancer and cancer of the mesothelium, is to maintain the container defends organ of the body. Mesothelium is divided into two different levels, one of which covers the organ and the other a bag outline around it. Mesothelioma that occurs when cells grow to a consistent and does not separate from the control or propagate. This is similar to other cases of cancer. At last metastasize or cells can grow and occupy the other organs and multiply to other parts of the body. Generally, is that cancer patients from mesothelioma in the layer of the lung or in the layer of the heart.

The Maune Raichle Law Firm is a Mesothelioma law firm and it is solely committed to all the customers. They employ only the lawyers who have experience in mesthoelioma law. They have many years of experience in dealing with the sufferer of mesothelioma that is sourced through asbestos exposure. They have corresponded to several peoplewith the mesthoelioma cases from all over the world in their law office. In their law firm they understand the problem and genuineness of every person and handle each case with the extra care and attention. Their lawyers try their level best to make sure that you obtain the most appropriate reimbursement from the organizations that withdrawn the hazards of asbestos from you.

It might be very difficult for you to decide that which lawyer you should hire as your Mesothelioma Attorney. As for you your case is very important and sensitive and this decision could be a delicate decision that you have to make. And more over this decision can make a huge difference in your life, as it could be success and failure for you. In this kind of situation you should look for an experienced Mesothelioma Attorney with the evidence of success in the mesothelioma cases. You should expect personal service and a lawyer dedicated for your case.

The Maune Raichle Law Firm don’t charge single money if there is no recovery and they have stated in their contract that no fees unless and until the recovery takes place. They usually get outcome in less than seven months. They can help you to get the compensation that you deserve. You can call the Maune Raichle Law Firm at 1-800-358-5922.

Smokeless Tobacco and Cancer

2009-05-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

What is smokeless tobacco?
There are two types of smokeless tobacco—snuff and chewing tobacco. Snuff, a finely ground or shredded tobacco, is packaged as dry, moist, or in sachets (tea bag-like pouches). Typically, the user places a pinch or dip between the cheek and gum.
Chewing tobacco is available in loose leaf, plug (plug-firm and plug-moist), or twist forms, with the user putting a wad of tobacco inside the cheek. Smokeless tobacco is sometimes called “spit” or “spitting” tobacco because people spit out the tobacco juices and saliva that build up in the mouth.

What harmful chemicals are found in smokeless tobacco?
• Chewing tobacco and snuff contain 28 carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). The most harmful carcinogens in smokeless tobacco are the tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). They are formed during the growing, curing, fermenting, and aging of tobacco. TSNAs have been detected in some smokeless tobacco products at levels many times higher than levels of other types of nitrosamines that are allowed in foods, such as bacon and beer.
• Other cancer-causing substances in smokeless tobacco include N-nitrosamino acids, volatile N-nitrosamines, benzo(a)pyrene, volatile aldehydes, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, hydrazine, arsenic, nickel, cadmium, benzopyrene, and polonium–210.
• All tobacco, including smokeless tobacco, contains nicotine, which is addictive. The amount of nicotine absorbed from smokeless tobacco is 3 to 4 times the amount delivered by a cigarette. Nicotine is absorbed more slowly from smokeless tobacco than from cigarettes, but more nicotine per dose is absorbed from smokeless tobacco than from cigarettes. Also, the nicotine stays in the bloodstream for a longer time.

What cancers are caused by or associated with smokeless tobacco use?
• Smokeless tobacco users increase their risk for cancer of the oral cavity. Oral cancer can include cancer of the lip, tongue, cheeks, gums, and the floor and roof of the mouth.
• People who use oral snuff for a long time have a much greater risk for cancer of the cheek and gum than people who do not use smokeless tobacco.
• The possible increased risk for other types of cancer from smokeless tobacco is being studied.

What are some of the other ways smokeless tobacco can harm users’ health?
Some of the other effects of smokeless tobacco use include addiction to nicotine, oral leukoplakia (white mouth lesions that can become cancerous), gum disease, and gum recession (when the gum pulls away from the teeth). Possible increased risks for heart disease, diabetes, and reproductive problems are being studied.

Is smokeless tobacco a good substitute for cigarettes?
In 1986, the Surgeon General concluded that the use of smokeless tobacco “is not a safe substitute for smoking cigarettes. It can cause cancer and a number of noncancerous conditions and can lead to nicotine addiction and dependence.” Since 1991, NCI has officially recommended that the public avoid and discontinue the use of all tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco. NCI also recognizes that nitrosamines, found in tobacco products, are not safe at any level. The accumulated scientific evidence does not support changing this position.

What about using smokeless tobacco to quit cigarettes?
Because all tobacco use causes disease and addiction, NCI recommends that tobacco use be avoided and discontinued. Several non-tobacco methods have been shown to be effective for quitting cigarettes. These methods include pharmacotherapies such as nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion SR, individual and group counseling, and telephone quitlines.

Who uses smokeless tobacco?
In the United States, the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, which was conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, reported the following statistics:
• An estimated 7.6 million Americans age 12 and older (3.4 percent) had used smokeless tobacco in the past month.
• Smokeless tobacco use was most common among young adults ages 18 to 25.
• Men were 10 times more likely than women to report using smokeless tobacco (6.5 percent of men age 12 and older compared with 0.5 percent of women).
People in many other countries and regions, including India, parts of Africa, and some Central Asian countries, have a long history of using smokeless tobacco products.

Detecting prostate cancer

2009-05-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

Prostate cancer facts
Only men can develop prostate cancer and the risk of developing it increases with age.
Many prostate cancers grow slowly and may not cause problems, but some grow quickly and need early treatment. It is important to be aware of the symptoms so you
can tell your doctor.

How common is it?
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in UK men. Prostate cancer is strongly linked to age. Three quarters of cases are in men over the age of 65. Prostate cancer is on the increase in the UK. One reason for this is that men are living longer. They are more likely to reach old age and develop prostate cancer. Another reason is that more men are being tested and found to have the cancer.

What is the prostate?
The prostate is a small gland about the size and shape of a walnut. It lies below the bladder and surrounds the upper part of the urethra – the tube that carries urine and semen out through the penis. The prostate gland produces a thick clear fluid that mixes with sperm to form semen.
As a man gets older, his prostate may get bigger and restrict the flow of urine. This is a very common condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is not cancer but causes some of the same symptoms as prostate cancer.

What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer develops when a single cell in the prostate begins to multiply out of control and forms a tumour. Some cells may break away starting tumours in other parts of the body.
In many men, prostate cancer grows slowly and may not cause any problems. But in some men, the cancer grows more quickly.

What affects your risk?
Certain things increase a man’s chance of developing the disease:
• Age – the older you are, the greater the risk.
• Family history – if a close relative had prostate cancer, particularly at a young age, then your risk may be higher.
• Breast cancer in the family – a strong family history of breast cancer may increase your risk of prostate cancer, particularly if you have a close relative diagnosed under the age of 40. African ancestry – prostate cancer is more common in black men than white or Asian men.
• Diet – In recent years we have learned more about food and the risk of prostate cancer. It seems that dairy foods such as milk and cheese may increase the risk, while some vitamins and
• minerals may reduce prostate cancer risk. Try to eat a diet that is high in fruit, vegetables and fish.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
The following symptoms may be caused by problems that are much less serious than prostate cancer. Try not to worry if you develop any of them, but do get them checked out:
• needing to pee often, especially at night
• difficulty in starting to pee
• straining to pee or taking a long time to finish
• pain when peeing or during sex when you have an orgasm.

And less commonly:
• blood in the urine or semen
• impotence
• pain in back, hips or pelvis.

What will happen at the doctor’s?
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and may suggest a blood test. This will tell the doctor about the level of a protein called PSA (prostate specific antigen) in your bloodstream.
High levels of this protein, produced by the prostate, can indicate prostate cancer. But the test can be positive for other reasons and does not mean you have cancer.
The doctor may do a physical examination to see if the prostate is enlarged. If your PSA level is high and the prostate gland feels enlarged, further tests may be needed.

Nutrition, Exercise and Prostate Cancer

2009-05-08T01:50:00.000-07:00

Treatment options for prostate cancer are more effective than ever before. Yet, for many men, the diagnosis and treatment of cancer brings to their attention the need to change their diet and exercise behaviors. While the primary focus of the prostate cancer survivor is to live a life free of cancer, more men are beginning to realize that a healthy diet and regular exercise can be an important step toward preventing other diseases that commonly occurs with aging, including heart disease and diabetes. Exciting new data suggest that this same approach may also slow prostate cancer growth. This guide takes the best published evidence from population studies, basic science, and limited human studies, and puts them together in ways that make practical sense — with the overall goal of helping you achieve “thriveship” not just survivorship.

What is thriveship? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines thriver as one who progresses toward a goal despite circumstances, and flourishes. The diagnosis of prostate cancer can lead you in one of two directions. Some will react to this diagnosis with a sense of resignation and fatalism. This view can lead to helplessness — waiting for the other shoe of cancer recurrence or progression to drop. On the other hand, thrivership puts you in the driver’s seat — making you as vital to your care and treatment as any doctor or nurse. You may have had prostate cancer, but now you are in charge of your life, adopting new healthy habits and enjoying each day to its fullest. As a prostate cancer thriver, you can use the latest knowledge about nutrition and exercise to improve your overall health and quality of life. Your diagnosis of prostate cancer can be the beginning of a healthier lifestyle. A working group of the leading experts and scholars in nutrition, exercise, and prostate cancer were gathered from across the United States and asked to provide their advice to us in developing this guide. It is our hope that you will benefit from the recommendations in this guide for a healthy diet and regular exercise, and that you will achieve a better understanding of the roles of diet and exercise in the prevention of age-related diseases, as well as in the recurrence and progression of prostate cancer.
2

Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis, Fundamental points and principles

2009-05-08T01:47:00.000-07:00

• In June 2003, the European Parliament called for establishment of a programme by 2008, which should lead to a future 25% reduction in breast cancer mortality rates in the EU and a reduction to 5% in the disparity in the survival rates between member states.

• Implementation of population-based breast screening programmes, prioritization of quality assurance activities such as training and audit, together with the setting up of specialist breast units for management of breast lesions detected inside or outside screening programmes are regarded as essential to achieving these aims.

• Results of randomized trials have lead to the implementation of regional and national population based screening programmes for breast cancer in at least 22 countries within the past 20 years

• An international agency for research on cancer (IARC) expert working group, has reviewed the evidence and confirmed that service screening should be offered as a public health policy directed to women age 50-69 employing two-yearly mammography (IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Cancer Preventive Strategies 2002). This is consistent with the European Council Recommendation of 2 December 2003 on Cancer Screening

• Breast cancer screening is a complex multidisciplinary undertaking, the objective of which is to reduce mortality and morbidity from the disease without adversely affecting the health status of participants. It requires trained and experienced professionals using up-to-date and specialized equipment.

• Screening usually involves a healthy and asymptomatic population, which requires adequate information presented in an appropriate and unbiased manner in order to allow a fully informed choice as to whether to attend. Information provided must be balanced, honest, adequate, truthful, evidence-based, accessible, and respectful and tailored to individual needs where possible.

• Mammography remains the cornerstone of population-based breast cancer screening. Due attention must be paid to the requisite quality required for its performance and interpretation, in order to optimize benefits, lower mortality and provide an adequate balance of sensitivity and specificity.

• Physico-technical quality control must ascertain that the equipment used performs at a constant high quality level providing sufficient diagnostic information to be able to detect breast cancer using as low a radiation dose as is reasonably achievable. Routine performance of basic test procedures and dose measurements is essential for assuring high quality mammography and comparison between centers.

• Full-field digital mammography can achieve high image quality and is likely to become established due to multiple advantages such as image manipulation and transmission, data display and future technological developments. Extensive clinical, comparative and logistical evaluations are underway.

• The role of the radiographer is central to producing high quality mammograms, which, in turn, are crucial for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Correct positioning of the breast on the standard lateral oblique and cranio-caudal views is necessary to allow maximum visualization of the breast tissue, reduce recalls for technical inadequacies, and maximize the cancer detection rate.

• Radiologists take prime responsibility for mammography image quality and diagnostic interpretation. They must understand the risks and benefits of breast cancer screening and the dangers of inadequately trained staff and sub-optimal equipment. For quality, loop purposes the radiologist performing the screen reading should also be involved at assessment of screen-detected abnormalities.

• All units carrying out screening, diagnosis or assessment must work to agreed protocols forming part of a local quality assurance (QA) manual, based on national or European documents containing accepted clinical standards and published values. They should work within a specialist framework, adhering to set performance indicators and targets. Variations of practices and healthcare environments throughout the member states must not interfere with the achievement of these.

• A robust and reliable system of accreditation is required for screening and symptomatic units, so that women, purchasers, and planners of healthcare services can identify those breast clinics and units, which are operating to a satisfactory standard. Any accreditation system should only recognize centers that employ sufficiently skilled and trained personnel.

• The provision of rapid diagnostic clinics where skilled multidisciplinary advice and investigation can be provided is advantageous for women with significant breast problems in order to avoid unnecessary delay in outline of management planning or to permit immediate discharge of women with normal/benign disease.

• Population breast screening programmes should ideally be based within or closely associated with a specialized breast unit and share the services of trained expert personnel. European guidelines for quality assurance in breast cancer screening and diagnosis

• All staff in a screening programme should:
- Hold professional qualifications as required in each member state
- Undertake specialist training
- Participate in continuing medical education and updates
- Take part in any recognised external quality assessment schemes
- Hold any necessary certificate of competence

• Each screening unit should have a nominated lead professional in charge of overall performance, with the authority to suspend elements of the service if necessary in order to maintain standards and outcomes.

• All units involved in screening, diagnostic, or therapeutic activities must ensure the formation of proper multidisciplinary teamwork involving a full range of specially trained professionals including a radiologist, radiographer, pathologist, surgeon, nurse counselors, and medical oncologist/radiotherapist.

• All women requiring breast surgery or other treatment should have their clinical, imaging and pathology findings discussed and documented in regular pre-operative and post-operative meetings of the full multi-disciplinary team.

• The surgeon must ensure that women receive information on treatment options and be aware that breast conserving surgery is the treatment of choice for the majority of small screen detected cancers. Where appropriate, patients should be offered a choice of treatment including immediate or delayed breast reconstruction should mastectomy be required.

• The pathologist is a key member of the multidisciplinary team and must participate fully in preoperative and post-operative case discussions. Accurate pathological diagnosis and the provision of prognostically significant information are vital to ensure appropriate patient management as well as accurate programme monitoring and evaluation.

• Patient support must be provided by specialist breast care nurses or appropriately psychologically professionally trained persons with expertise in breast cancer. They must be available to counsel, offer practical advice and emotional support.

• Quality assurance programmes should be mandatory for breast cancer services in order to qualify for funding from healthcare providers.

• Evaluation of the impact of screening requires the complete and accurate recording of all individual data pertaining to the target population, the screening test, its result, decisions made, and the eventual outcome in terms of diagnosis and treatment.

• The protection of individual data is a basic right of every citizen in the EU – however, if appropriate precautions are taken, personal data may be used for promotion of public health.

Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis

2009-05-08T01:45:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is currently the most frequent cancer and the most frequent cause of cancer induced deaths in women in Europe. Demographic trends indicate a continuing increase in this substantial public health problem. Systematic early detection through screening, effective diagnostic pathways and optimal treatment have the ability to substantially lower current breast cancer mortality rates and reduce the burden of this disease in the population.

In order that these benefits may be obtained, high quality services are essential. These may be achieved through the underlying basic principles of training, specialization, volume levels, multidisciplinary team working, the use of set targets and performance indicators and audit.

Ethically these principles should be regarded as applying equally to symptomatic diagnostic services and screening. The editors of the fourth edition have maintained focus on screening for breast cancer while at the same time supporting the provision of highly effective diagnostic services and the setting up of specialist breast units for treatment of women, irrespective of whether a breast lesion has been diagnosed within a screening programme or not. By so doing we support the resolution of the European Parliament in June 2003 (OJ C 68 E, 2004), calling on the EU member states to make the fight against breast cancer a health policy priority and to develop and implement effective strategies for improved preventive health care encompassing screening, diagnosis and treatment throughout Europe.

The primary aim of a breast-screening programme is to reduce mortality from breast cancer through early detection. Unnecessary workup of lesions, which show clearly benign features, should be avoided in order to minimize anxiety and maintain a streamlined cost-effective service. Women attending a symptomatic breast service have different needs and anxieties and therefore mixing of screening and symptomatic women in clinics should be avoided. Our incorporation of additional text and sections on diagnostic activity has resulted in an expanded fourth edition. We have prepared this Executive Summary in an attempt to underline what we feel to be the key principles that should support any quality screening or diagnostic service.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer — the facts

2009-05-08T01:29:00.000-07:00

Worldwide, after breast cancer, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer that affects women. In 99.7% of all cases, cervical cancer results from a history of persistent infection by a ‘high risk’ subset of a family of viruses called human papillomavirus – or HPV. Some cancer-causing HPV types (particularly HPV-16) are also believed to cause a substantial number of other genital cancers, as well as some cancers of the mouth, throat, and anus. To support you in the delivery of informed care to patients and clients, this publication gives you up-to-date and comprehensive information about HPV, its links to cervical cancer and the latest developments related to the identification and treatment of HPV.

Types of cervical cancer

There are two main types of cervical cancer; squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma. SCC is the most common and accounts for approximately 90% to 95% of all cervical cancers.

The precursor lesions for SCC are identified as dyskaryosis (cell change) through cervical smear tests, and through colposcopy and biopsy as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) – the abnormal growth of precancerous cells in the cervix.

There are three distinct CIN classifications or grades for categorising abnormal (precancerous) cell growth; CIN 1, CIN 2 and CIN 3. These generally correspond to the smear results of mild (CIN 1), moderate (CIN 2) or severe dyskaryosis (CIN 3) respectively.

In most women, it takes many years to progress from a normal cervix to CIN 3. However, it should be noted that not all women with CIN 3, even if left untreated, will go on to develop cancer.

The challenge is in identifying those women who have the potential to progress to cancer and those who do not. As a result, we treat all women with CIN as if they have the potential to develop cervical cancer. Adenocarcinoma is far more difficult to detect at a pre-cancerous stage. Smear testing is unreliable at picking-up the glandular changes that indicate that an adenocarcinoma could develop.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

As long ago as 1995, the causative association between HPV and SCC was recognized (International Agency for Research on Cancer, 1995). The HPV family of viruses contains more than 100 types; some HPVs cause benign skin warts, or papillomas, for which the virus family is named. Approximately 40 HPV types affect the genital area. They can be sub-divided into those that are low risk for cervical cancer (such as HPV-6 and HPV-11, which are responsible for causing genital warts) and those, which are high, risk for cervical cancer. The high-risk types occurring most frequently in cervical cancer include HPV-16 and HPV-18; together these account for over 70% of SCCs (Munoz, 2005). HPV-18 is also thought to account for approximately 50% of all adenocarcinomas.

The identification of HPV

Testing positive for a high risk HPV does not guarantee that a woman will go on to develop cervical cancer. It does, however, indicate that she is at greater risk than a woman who tests negative. In most women, the immune

System successfully deals with any initial HPV infection. This happens before the HPV can completely incorporate itself into the cell DNA and disrupt cell reproduction, leading to CIN.
Confirmation of the presence of high risk HPVs can only be achieved using biomolecular HPV testing. There is currently only one commercially available HPV test – Digene’s Hybrid Capture II. HPV testing is not routinely available on the NHS but may be done privately or as part of a research programme. Outside the UK, however, this test may be performed during a routine gynaecological check-up. Reporting an HPV identified through a smear test or seen at colposcopy is not always valuable, as there is no way of identifying if the HPV is a high risk or low risk strain – it’s like telling someone they have a mole which might become a malignant melanoma, but there’s no way of confirming this potential until the changes start to occur.

HPV and cervical cancer

Around 30 HPV types are transmitted through sexual contact, including the high risk HPVs implicated in cervical cancer. An increase in the incidence of genital HPV infection occurs when individuals begin to engage in sexual activity. The great majority of genital HPV infections never causes any overt symptoms and are spontaneously cleared by the immune system in a matter of months. It’s not known whether the immune system clears the HPV virus from the body, or whether the virus remains but causes little harm.

Genital HPV infection is very common and all sexually active women are at risk. Indeed, HPV is so common that it can almost be considered a normal consequence of having sex. Estimates suggest that between 50% and 79% of all women who have had sexual intercourse have a lifetime risk of becoming infected with one or more of the sexually transmitted HPV types. Often the infection is transient and it is only when it becomes persistent, and in a small minority of women, that this may lead to CIN.

The psychological impact of HPV infection

Women who have a positive HPV test frequently express surprise and anxiety about the link to cancer and the stigma of sexually transmitted infection or STIs. These feelings of guilt and shame are closely linked to concerns about transmission, and disclosure to current or future sexual partners.

Women frequently demonstrate confusion between high-risk HPV and genital warts. This bewilderment can be exacerbated by the use of the phrase ‘wart viruses, a term which women find both baffling and very upsetting. Referring to someone as ‘HPV positive’ can also lead to misunderstanding and confusion with HIV.

HPV transmission

Transmission of HPV infection occurs through skin-to-skin contact; in the case of genital HPVs this transition takes place as a result of sexual activities. Some low risk HPV types, such as genital warts have however been found where an individual has not had a sexual experience.

There is also evidence to suggest that high risk genital HPV has been detected in nongenital areas such as the mouth, oropharynx (back of the throat) and conjunctiva (the thin transparent tissue that covers the outer surface of the eye) (Cason, 1996). It would therefore seem that HPV can be transferred during oral sex and may be transferred via the hands, but at this moment, this remains unproven.

It is usually impossible to identify from whom the virus was initially contracted. It is also not known how long it takes for the virus to cause neoplasia, but it is thought to take many years. HPV has fewer implications for carcinogenesis in males. Research has shown clusters of cervical and penile cancer in some geographical regions but penile cancer is rare; in 2005, there were only 400 reported new cases in the UK and only 1 in 10 of these was associated with high-risk HPV.

Treatment and prevention of HPV

Condoms offer a degree of protection against the initial transmission of HPV infections. However, as HPV has a field effect and is present over all the genitalia, this protection is not comprehensive or complete. There is currently no medical treatment for HPV, but as most HPV infections are cleared rapidly by the immune system, in most cases it is unnecessary to treat a virus, which may indeed cause no problems.

Vaccination

Two prophylactic vaccines have been developed; Gardasil (Merck) and Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline). It is hoped that these will avert 70% or more of SCCs by preventing some HPV infections.

Gardasil is a quadrivalent vaccine, protecting against four types of HPV – 16, 18, 6 and 11. Cervarix is bivalent and protects against HPV types 16 and 18. In September 2006, Gardasil was granted a license by the European Commission for use in children and adolescents aged 9 to 15 years, and in adult females aged 16 to 26 years. It is anticipated that Cervarix will be granted a license in the next few months. At the time of going to print there have been no decisions reached regarding NHS national vaccination programmes.

There are, however, some unanswered questions relating to the scope of protection such vaccines will deliver. It is unclear, for example, how long immunity will last, whether other HPV types will take over as the main carcinogens, and whether cross protection against other HPV types will occur. Extensive research programmes are currently underway to address some of these issues.

Cancer of the Thyroid

2009-05-08T01:04:00.000-07:00

Cancer of the Thyroid

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine-related cancer; however, it is rare compared to other cancers. In the United States, there are only about 20,000 new patients annually. Even though the diagnosis of cancer is terrifying, the outlook for patients with thyroid cancer is usually excellent. First, most thyroid cancer is easily curable with surgery. Second, thyroid cancer rarely causes pain or disability. Third, effective, and well-tolerated treatment is available for the most common forms of thyroid cancer.

What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer?

The key sign of thyroid cancer is a lump (nodule) in the thyroid, and most thyroid cancers do not cause any symptoms (see Thyroid Nodule brochure). Instead, your doctor may discover the nodule during a routine physical examination or you may notice a lump in your neck while looking in a mirror. A few patients with thyroid cancer complain of pain in the neck, jaw, or ear. If the cancer is large enough, it may cause difficulty swallowing or cause a “tickle in the throat” or shortness of breath if it is pressing on the windpipe. Rarely, hoarseness can be caused if the cancer irritates a nerve to the voice box.

What causes thyroid cancer?

Thyroid cancer is more common in people who have a history of exposure of the thyroid gland to radiation, have a family history of thyroid cancer, and are older than 40 years of age. However, for most patients, we do not know the specific reason why they develop thyroid cancer.

Exposure of the thyroid to radiation causes thyroid cancer in susceptible patients, especially if the exposure occurred as a child. Many years ago (ie, in the 1940s and 1950s), radiation exposure included X-ray treatments for acne, inflamed tonsils, adenoids, lymph nodes, or an enlarged thymus gland. X-rays also were used to measure foot sizes in shoe stores. Currently, X-ray exposure is usually limited to treatment of serious cancers such as Hodgkin’s disease (cancer of the lymph nodes). Routine X-ray exposure (e.g., dental X-rays, chest X-rays, mammograms) does not cause thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer can be caused by absorbing radioactive iodine released during a nuclear power plant emergency, such as the 1986 nuclear accident at the Chernobyl power plant in Russia. Children who were exposed were the most affected, and cancers were seen within a few years of that disaster. You can be protected from developing thyroid cancer due to a nuclear power plant emergency by taking potassium iodide, which blocks your thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine. The United States government is currently developing guidelines to distribute potassium iodide to people living near nuclear power plants.

How is thyroid cancer diagnosed?

A diagnosis of thyroid cancer is made on the basis of a biopsy of a thyroid nodule or after the nodule is removed during surgery (see Thyroid Nodule brochure). Although thyroid nodules are very common, less than 1 in 10 harbor a thyroid cancer.

What are the types of thyroid cancer?

Papillary thyroid cancer. Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type, making up about 70% to 80% of all thyroid cancers. Papillary thyroid cancer can occur at any age. There are only about 12,000 new cases of papillary cancer in the United States each year, but because these patients have such a long life expectancy, we estimate that 1 in a 1000 people in the United States have or have had this form of cancer. Papillary cancer tends to grow slowly and to spread first to lymph glands in the neck. Unlike some other tumors, the generally excellent outlook for papillary cancer is usually not affected by spread of the cancer to the lymph nodes.

Follicular thyroid cancer. Follicular thyroid cancer, which makes up about 10% to 15% of all thyroid cancers in the United States, tends to occur in somewhat older patients than does papillary cancer. As with papillary cancer, follicular cancer first can grow into lymph nodes in the neck. Follicular cancer is also more likely than papillary cancer to grow into blood vessels and from there to spread to distant areas, particularly the lungs and bones.

Medullary thyroid cancer. Medullary thyroid cancer, which accounts for 5% to 10% of all thyroid cancers, is more likely to run in families and be associated with other endocrine problems. In fact, medullary thyroid cancer is the only thyroid cancer that can be diagnosed by genetic testing of the blood cells. In family members of an affected person, a positive test for the RET proto-oncogene can lead to an early diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer and, subsequently, curative surgery to remove it.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer. Anaplastic thyroid cancer is the most advanced and aggressive thyroid cancer and is the least likely to respond to treatment. Fortunately, anaplastic thyroid cancer is rare and found in less than 5% of patients with thyroid cancer.

What is the treatment for thyroid cancer?

Surgery. The primary therapy for all forms of thyroid cancer is surgery. The generally accepted approach is to remove the entire thyroid gland, or as much of it as can be safely removed. After surgery, patients need to be on thyroid hormone for the rest of their life (see Thyroid Hormone Treatment brochure). Often the thyroid cancer is cured by surgery alone, especially if the cancer is small. If the cancer is large within the thyroid or if it has spread to lymph nodes or if your doctor feels that you are at high risk for recurrent cancer, radioactive iodine can be used as a “magic bullet” to destroy thyroid cancer cells after removal of the thyroid gland by surgery.

Radioactive iodine therapy. A major reason for the usually excellent prognosis for patients with papillary and follicular thyroid cancer is that radioactive iodine can be used as a magic bullet to seek out and destroy thyroid cancer cells with little or no damage to other tissues in the body. Thyroid cells normally concentrate iodine from the bloodstream to use to produce the thyroid hormones. By contrast, thyroid cancer cells usually take up only tiny amounts of iodine. However, high levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) can arouse thyroid cancer cells to take up significant amounts of iodine.

If your doctor recommends radioactive iodine therapy, high levels of TSH will be produced in your body by making you hypothyroid for a short time—either by not starting thyroid hormone pills after the thyroid gland is removed or by stopping your thyroid hormone pills if you are already on medication. Sometimes, to minimize your symptoms of hypothyroidism, your doctor may prescribe Cytomel (T3) to take while you are becoming hypothyroid. Also, you may be asked to go on a low iodine diet before the treatment to increase the effectiveness of the radioactive iodine. Once the TSH level is high enough, a whole body iodine scan is done by administering a small dose of radioactive iodine to determine if there are remaining thyroid cells that need to be destroyed. If enough cells show up on the whole-body iodine scan, a large dose of radioactive iodine (I131) is given, and then the thyroid pills are re-started. Radioactive iodine therapy has proved to be safe and well tolerated, and it has even been able to cure cases of thyroid cancer that had already spread to the lungs.

What is the follow-up for patients with thyroid cancer?

Periodic follow-up examinations are essential for all patients with thyroid cancer because the thyroid cancer can return—sometimes many years after the apparently successful initial treatment. These follow-up visits include a careful history and physical examination, with particular attention to the neck area, as well as blood tests to determine if any changes of your thyroid hormone dose are needed. In particular, blood tests are done to measure the levels of T4 and TSH as well as a thyroid cell protein, thyroglobulin, which serves as a thyroid cancer marker. The thyroid hormone dose is adjusted to lower the TSH level into the low range. If the thyroglobulin level is still detectable despite a TSH in the low range, it means that there still are potential thyroid cancer cells functioning in the body. This finding may lead to additional tests and possible further treatment with radioactive iodine and/or surgery. Unfortunately, in some thyroid cancer patients the presence of interfering antibodies in the blood may prevent accurate thyroglobulin measurement.

In addition to routine blood tests, your doctor may want to repeat periodically a whole-body iodine scan to determine if any thyroid cells remain. This can be done after your TSH level is raised, either by stopping your thyroid hormone and your becoming hypothyroid (see above) or by administering Thyrogen™ (synthetic human TSH) injections.

What is the prognosis of thyroid cancer?

Overall, the prognosis of thyroid cancer is very good. In general, the prognosis is better in younger patients than in those over 40 years of age. Patients with papillary carcinoma who have a primary tumor that is confined to the thyroid gland itself have an excellent outlook: only 1 out of every 100 such patients have died of thyroid cancer by 25 years later. The prognosis is not quite as good in patients over the age of 40, or in patients with tumors larger than 4 centimeters (1½ inches) in diameter. Still, even those patients who are unable to be cured of their thyroid cancer are able to live a long time and feel well despite their cancer.

Lung Cancer

2009-05-08T00:57:00.000-07:00

When a person has lung cancer, cells in the lungs grow out of control. More people die from lung cancer than from any other kind of cancer. More women die each year of lung cancer than of breast cancer.

What causes lung cancer?

• Smoking causes almost all lung cancer.
• The more you smoke and the longer you smoke, the more likely you are to have lung cancer.

Can I lower my chances of getting lung cancer?

• If you smoke, try to quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
• Stay away from other people who are smoking. Breathing other people’s smoke can cause lung cancer too.

What are the signs of lung cancer?

• A cough that does not go away
• Chest pain
• Weight loss
• Not feeling hungry
• Coughing up bloody mucus
• Trouble breathing
• Hoarseness
• Lots of lung infections, such as pneumonia

How is lung cancer found?

• Chest X-rays or scans to check for spots on the lungs.
• Looking at coughed up cells under a microscope.
• A doctor can use a small, flexible tube with a camera that is put into the airways. It checks for parts of the lung that don’t look normal and takes samples of tissues.

There are two kinds of lung cancer:
• Small cell lung cancer
• Non-small cell lung cancer

Each kind of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways and is treated differently.

Stages of lung cancer:

• “Stage” means how far the cancer has spread. Sometimes lung cancer is found early and it is only in the lungs. Other times it has spread to other parts of the body.
• When lung cancer is found, the doctor will do tests to see how far the cancer has spread. The tests will help the doctor decide which treatments to suggest.
• How well those treatments work depends on how far the cancer has spread.

How is lung cancer treated?

• Surgery—An operation to take out the cancer
• Chemotherapy—Drugs that kill cancer cells
• Radiation—High-dose X-rays that kill cancer cells

You might need two or more of these treatments.

Get the facts on breast cancer

2009-05-08T00:54:00.000-07:00

Because the causes and cures of breast cancer are not yet fully known, many people have misconceptions about the disease. Here is what we know for sure:

I am only 35. Breast cancer happens only in older women.

While the risk of breast cancer increases with age, all women are at risk for getting breast cancer.

Women with a family history of breast cancer typically get breast cancer.

Actually, most women who get breast cancer have no family history of the disease. However, a woman whose mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer has an increased risk. Having a male relative with breast cancer, although rare, can also increase your risk.

If I do not have a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, I won’t get breast cancer.

Just because you do not have a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, you can still get breast cancer. About 90 to 95 percent of women who get breast cancer actually do not have an inherited form of breast cancer, or a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.

Women with more than one risk factor typically get breast cancer.

Most women diagnosed with breast cancer have no known risk factors except being a woman and getting older. All women are at risk.

You can prevent breast cancer.

Because the causes of breast cancer are not yet fully known, there is no way to absolutely prevent it. However, the drugs tamoxifen or raloxifene can help reduce the risk.

If I had a mammogram every year, I would be exposed to too much radiation, and that would cause cancer.
The small level of radiation from mammograms is believed to be safe, with the benefits outweighing the risks.

Breastfeeding can increase my risk of breast cancer.

Breastfeeding may decrease a woman’s risk of getting premenopausal breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors

2009-05-08T00:24:00.000-07:00

What affects your risk of getting breast cancer?

The causes of breast cancer are not fully known. However, researchers have identified a number of factors that increase one’s chances of getting breast cancer. These are called risk factors. Risk factors are not necessarily causes of breast cancer, but are associated with an increased chance of getting breast cancer. Some women have many risk factors but never get breast cancer. Some women have few or no risk factors but do get the disease. Being a woman is the number one risk factor for breast cancer.

Talk to your health care provider about your personal risk. There are some risk factors you can control, and others you cannot. Remember, even if you do not have any of these risk factors, you can still develop breast cancer.

Factors that may increase your risk of breast cancer

• Starting menopause after age 55
• Never having children
• Having your first child after age 35
• High bone density
• being overweight after menopause or gaining weight as an adult
• having more than one drink of alcohol per day
• Currently or recently using combined estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• Being younger than 12 at the time of your first period
• Current or recent use of birth control pills
• being a woman
• Getting older — the older you get, the greater your risk of breast cancer
• Having an inherited mutation in the BRCA1 or
BRCA2 breast cancer genes
• having a previous biopsy showing hyperplasia or carcinoma in situ
• A family history of breast cancer
• Having high breast density on a mammogram
• Being exposed to large amounts of radiation, such as having very frequent spine X-rays for scoliosis or treatment for Hodgkin’s disease at a young age
• A personal history of breast or ovarian cancer

Food Safety, Important for You

2009-05-08T00:14:00.000-07:00

As a cancer patient, your healthcare provider may have recommended that you take chemotherapy, radiation, and/or other medications to help fight your disease. A side effect of these therapies is that they may weaken your immune system. Cancer also may weaken your immune system over time due to its chronic disease process.
• A properly functioning immune system works to clear infection and other foreign agents from the body. However, cancer and its treatments can weaken your immune system — making you more susceptible to many types of infections. These infections include those that can be brought on by disease-causing bacteria and other pathogens that cause foodborne illness.
• Because you have cancer and you are receiving cancer treatment, you are more likely to have a lengthier illness, undergo hospitalization, or even die should you contract a foodborne illness.
• To avoid contracting a foodborne illness, you must be especially vigilant when handling, preparing, and consuming foods.

CERVICAL CANCER

2009-05-07T23:40:00.000-07:00

Cervical cancer is the twelfth most common cancer in women in the UK and the second most common worldwide. It causes around 1,000 deaths each year in the UK. Cervical screening programme have reduced mortality rates by 62% between 1987-2006. From autumn 2008, a UK-wide programme will immunize adolescent girls using a new vaccine against a sexually transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer. This note gives an overview of cervical cancer prevention strategies, including vaccination, and the issues arising.

Incidence and mortality

In the UK in 2005 , there were 2,800 diagnoses of invasive cancer of the cervix, accounting for 2% of all female cancers and 950 deaths. It was the third most common cancer in fewer than 35s, with 670 new diagnoses in 2004.

Human Papilloma Virus

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections; 30% of females are infected within two years of becoming sexually active. while most HPV infections show no clinical symptoms, persistent infection with a high-risk HPV type causes almost all cervical cancers. Of the 100 HPV types, 40 infect the genital tract and are sexually acquired. Thirteen of these are known high-risk types that cause cervical cancer, of which two (16 and 18) are responsible for over 70% of all cervical cancer cases in the UK. High-risk HPVs also cause other, less common, non-cervical cancers. Two low-risk HPV types (6 and 11) cause approximately 90% of anogenital warts. Other factors can affect the risk of cervical cancer through increasing the risk of HPV infection and/or increasing the risk of progression to cervical cancer. They include smoking, sexual activity at a young age, number of sexual partners, oral contraceptives, and socio-economic factors.

Cervical cancer prevention strategies

Women are offered free cervical screening to detect and treat cervical abnormalities or lesions. The programme calls and recalls women between the ages of 25-64 for regular screening. Screening has depending on a woman’s age). In 2006-07, (England) 4.3 million women of all ages were invited for screening, with 3.4 million women screened.4 this means that 79% of women eligible for screening attended at least once in the last five years. Reduced cervical cancer incidence and prevents ~4,500 deaths each year. Estimated savings are £36,000 per life saved and £18,000 per cancer prevented.3 the programme and treatment costs are estimated at £157 million a year in England. The percentage of women screened in the last five years has been falling slightly over the last decade, mainly in lower age groups. Data for 2006-7 show that this is the second year it has dropped below 80% since the early 1990s. This is of concern as there is strong evidence that the death rate is lower in women first screened at a young age.

Human Papilloma Virus vaccines

Two vaccines are licensed in the UK and both are highly effective at preventing infection by the HPVs they cover:
• Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline) protects against two HPV types 16 and 18 (this is a bivalent vaccine);
• Gardasil (Merck) protects against HPV types, 16 and 18, as well as 6 and 11, which can cause anogenital warts (this is a quadrivalent vaccine).

The vaccines protect only against HPV infection by the types indicated; they do not have any therapeutic effect in women already infected with these HPV types at the time of vaccination. Both vaccines provide some cross protection against other, closely related HPV types. To be most effective, three doses of vaccine should be given, optimally within six months. There is no evidence that brands are interchangeable. Best protection occurs if females are vaccinated prior to becoming sexually active. Long-term follow-up research will assess the longevity of immunity and whether booster doses will be needed.
There is concern that if immunity wanes, women may not be protected through their teens and early 20s, when they may be at highest risk of acquiring HPV infection. Cervarix recipients have been monitored for six years; there is no evidence that their immunity is waning.

UK policy on HPV vaccination

Several countries have HPV vaccine programmes including USA, Australia, Canada (some provinces), and New Zealand. In 2007, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) advised the Department of Health (DH) that HPV vaccination should be offered to females aged 12-13 with a catch-up campaign for those up to 18 years. Vaccinating all women over 18 was not considered cost-effective, although the DH is considering whether some high-risk groups of women might benefit.

The decision was based on unpublished clinical trial data, published papers, and peer-reviewed economic modeling of cost-effectiveness by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).5 The HPA concluded that either vaccine would be cost-effective with 70% or greater vaccine take-up in 12 year old females, assuming protection lasts 10 years or more. Up to 70% of cervical cancers could be prevented and up to 400 lives a year saved with either vaccine; if a quadrivalent vaccine was used, most cases of anogenital warts in both sexes would also be prevented.5 Vaccinating males was not cost-effective.

Choice of vaccine

The DH according to a range of criteria given different weights awards the contracts related to cost-effectiveness:
• Quality of protection against cervical cancers caused by HPV types 16 and 18;
• Duration of protection against cervical cancers caused by HPV types 16 and 18 for more than 10 years;
• Protection against HPVs 6 and 11;
• Quality of protection against other HPV types;
• Manufacturing and supply arrangements.

The weight given to price per dose is not disclosed. Since Gardasil (quadrivalent) protects against HPVs for cervical cancer and anogenital warts it has a cost-effectiveness advantage, unless Cervarix (bivalent) is cheaper. The HPA’s analysis concluded that for the bivalent vaccine to be chosen, it would have to cost £13-21 less per dose (depending on duration of protection) than the quadrivalent vaccine. This difference would amount to potential savings of £11.5-18.6m in the first year of the programme. The contract was awarded to GSK (Cervarix). This has been criticised by sexual health campaigners who believe that choosing the quadrivalent vaccine would also protect against anogenital warts.

The DH began the routine vaccination programme for 12-13 year old females in September 2008. Over the next three years, a catch-up campaign will vaccinate all girls aged 14-18, with 17-18 year olds offered the vaccine in 2008. A total of 1,800,000 doses will be purchased in year one. At least 80% take up is needed for full costbenefits to be realised. Surveys of parents and a pilot vaccination project (Box 2) indicate broad support for the vaccine. Insights gained from attitudinal research informed a range of government communication materials that were tested with girls and their parents.

Impacts of HPV vaccination

High vaccine coverage should result in fewer abnormal screening results and thus eventually reduce cervical cancer incidence. Outcomes will not become clear until females become eligible for cervical screening (2015 for those turning 18 in 2008 in England). The government will monitor vaccine coverage, safety and impact on HPV infections. The DH and cancer charities advise that women need to attend cervical screening regardless of their vaccination status, as one-third of cancers are caused by HPV types not covered by the vaccine.

HPV testing and the future of screening

Testing for HPV status is not currently recommended for primary cervical cancer screening. A large trial involving 25,000 women to assess the value of HPV testing as part of the cervical screening programme is ongoing. Future vaccines that protect against a wider range of HPV types may also be a consideration.

Oral Cancer Self-Exam

2009-05-07T23:34:00.000-07:00

The following is an oral cancer self-examination that can be taught to patients. Look at and feel your:
1. Head and neck, look at your face and neck in a mirror. Normally, the left and right sides of the face have the same shape and are symmetrical. Look for any lumps, bumps, or swellings that are only on one side of your face.
2. Face, examine the skin on your face for changes in color or size, sores, moles, or growths.
3. Neck, press along the sides and front of the neck for tenderness or lumps.
4. Lips, pull your lower lip down and look for sores or color changes. Then, use your thumb and forefinger to feel the lip for lumps, bumps, or changes in texture. Repeat this on your upper lip.
5. Cheek, examine your inner cheek for red, white, or dark patches. Put your index finger on the inside of your cheek and your thumb on the outside. Gently squeeze and roll your both sides of your cheeks between your fingers to check for any lumps or areas of tenderness.
6. Roof of the mouth, tilt your head back, and open your mouth wide to look for any lumps and see if the color is different from usual. Touch the roof of your mouth to feel for lumps.
7. Floor of the mouth and tongue, extend your tongue and look at the top surface for color and texture. Pull your tongue forward to look at both sides for any swellings or color changes. Examine the underside of the tongue by placing the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Look at the floor of your mouth and the underside of your tongue for color changes, and press your finger against the underside of your tongue to feel for any lumps or swellings.

If you find anything out of the ordinary, particularly anything that does not heal or go away in two weeks, or that has recently changed discuss it with your oral health professional or physician.

Ask Your Dental Hygienist about Oral Cancer

2009-05-07T23:26:00.000-07:00

This year alone, more than 30,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer and 8,000 will die of the disease. More common than leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and cancers of the brain, liver, bone, thyroid gland, stomach, ovaries, and cervix, oral cancer is a major cause of death and disfigurement in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Risk Factors

Approximately 75% of all oral cavity and pharyngeal cancers mouth, tongue, lips, throat, parts of the nose, and larynx are attributed to the use of smoked and smokeless tobacco, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those who choose to use cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, snuff, and/or biddies (cigarettes from India that come in a variety of flavors and contain less tobacco than regular U.S. cigarettes, but have three times more nicotine and five times more tar), place themselves at a much higher risk of developing oral cancer and other diseases, such as heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) a term used to describe emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Studies also have linked chronic alcohol use to oral cancer. Researchers believe that chronic alcohol use, combined with the use of tobacco products, multiplies the risk. In addition, sun exposure is a risk factor for lip cancer.

According to CDC, oral cancer occurs twice as often in males as in females. This is considerably different from the 5:1 male to female ratio of 40 years ago. Increased tobacco use among women is the main reason for the changes in cancer rates compared with the rates in the 1950s. Age is also a factor; 95% of oral cancer occurs in persons over the age of 40, with 60 being the average age of diagnosis.

Early Detection Is Key

In its early stages, oral cancer can be treated in up to 90% of cases. However, if the cancer goes undetected, it can spread to other parts of the body and become more difficult or nearly impossible to treat. The oral cancer screening head and neck exam—is one of the most critical components of a routine dental hygiene and dental exam. Dental hygienists and dentists can alert patients to suspicious growths and changes, noted during head and neck exams, and urge them to seek medical care.

Signs and symptoms of oral cancer can include:
• Sores that do not heal
• Lumps on the lip or in the mouth or throat
• White or red patches on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
• Unusual bleeding, pain, or numbness in the mouth
• Sore throats that do not go away, or a feeling that something is caught in the throat
• Difficulty or pain with chewing or swallowing

Treatment

As researchers continually, seek out drugs that are more effective and drug combinations to help combat oral cancer, the most common current treatment for oral cancer, according to NCI, is to remove any tumors surgically. Oral cancer also may be treated using intensive chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to destroy the cancer cells. Anticancer drugs stop cancerous cells from growing and multiplying. Often, combination chemotherapy multiple drugs administered together are more effective than single agents.

Radiation is another option for patients with small tumors. Larger tumors may require both radiation and surgery. Recovery usually takes place through outpatient therapy that requires several days a week for multiple weeks for best results. To help prevent serious problems and eliminate the chance for undesirable side effects, patients should see their oral health care providers at least two weeks before starting radiation, for a full mouth evaluation.

Rehabilitation may range from speech therapy and reconstructive plastic surgery to nutritional and psychological counseling. Whatever the treatment used to treat oral cancer, regular oral health care is essential to prevent infection and support the healing process.

Testicular Cancer

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Cancer of the testicle, the male reproductive organ responsible for making sperm, is common, especially among younger men. In developed nations, the chance of a man developing testicular cancer during his life is 1 in 300.

The risk of dying from testicular cancer is very low, because it can be treated and even cured when found early. Regular self-examination of the testicles is the best way for a man to detect testicular cancer as early as possible. Treatment and prognosis (chances of cure) depend on the type of cancer found in the testicle.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Testicular cancer is usually painless until it is advanced. Most often, a hard lump on the testicle is found either by self-examinations or by physical examination in a doctor’s office.

Some men complain of a heavy feeling in their groin. When testicular cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastasis or metastatic disease), symptoms develop related to those locations, such as back pain, shortness of breath, or coughing.

DIAGNOSISSIGNS

• A complete physical examination and medical history look for possible spread of testicular cancer, as well as other medical problems that may affect the treatment plan.
• Complete blood count and blood chemistries including tests for serum alpha-fetoproteins, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, and lactate dehydrogenated
• Chest x-ray (looking for metastatic disease)
• Ultrasound of the testicle
• Magnetic resonance imaging
• Computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis

TREATMENTS

Testicular cancer is treatable and is now curable in many cases. Orchiectomy (surgery to remove the cancerous testicle) is the main treatment. More advanced surgical procedures, such as lymph node dissection, may be required if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Radiation therapy, where specialized forms of radiation are directed to the testicular, groin, and pelvic areas, may be prescribed if there has been spread of the cancer.

Chemotherapy (drug treatments for cancer) may also be used in combination with surgery in patients with advanced or metastatic testicular cancer.

Medicines in Development Offer Hope in the War on Cancer

2009-05-07T23:04:00.000-07:00

Few things cause patients more fear and uncertainty as a cancer diagnosis. Yet today because of a steady stream of new and improved medicines and treatments, cancer can increasingly be managed and even beaten. Patients and their families are looking for even more and better treatments, and America’s research biopharmaceutical companies are responding.

Biopharmaceutical researchers are working on 399 medicines for cancer. Many are high-tech weapons that fight the disease in new ways, while some involve research on new ways to use existing medicines. The research is being conducted by 178 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and by the National Cancer Institute.

The medicines in development either all in clinical trials or under Food and Drug Administration review include 62 for lung cancer. the leading cause of cancer death in the United States; 49 for breast cancer, which is expected to strike more than 200,000 American women this year; 35 for colon cancer, the third most common cancer in both men and women in this country; and 50 for prostate cancer, which this year is expected to kill more than 30,000 American men. Additional medicines target kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, skin cancer, ovarian cancer, and others. In addition, companies are working on medicines to improve the quality of life for people undergoing cancer treatment.

This commitment to patients and research promises to continue and accelerate the remarkable progress made in the past decade against cancer, which led to declines in both cancer cases and cancer deaths. Death rates for eight of the top 10 cancers remained level or declined during the 1990s, according to a Journal of the National Cancer Institute report.

Research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies have made progress by bringing cutting-edge new cancer treatments to patients. For example:
• A breakthrough medicine to treat metastasis colorectal cancer is the first treatment approved to prevent the formation of new blood vessels that provide tumors with oxygen and nutrients a process known as angiogenesis.
• A medicine for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer inhibits the formation and growth of tumor cells.
• The first in a new class of drugs prevents acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.

Many of the new medicines in the pipeline also use new approaches and technologies to fight cancer. They include:
• A medicine that targets a protein that may interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
• A drug that delivers a synthetic version of a substance derived from scorpions directly to brain tumor cells.
• A medicine designed to induce a powerful immune response to melanoma.

Despite the progress, cancer remains the second leading cause of death by disease in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. This year, some 570,280 Americans are expected to die of cancer more than 1,500 people a day. The hundreds of new medicines to treat cancer now being developed by the research biopharmaceutical industry demonstrate our commitment to meeting patient needs as well as our best hope for stemming the toll of cancer-related deaths.

Cancer

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Cancer is caused by abnormal cells that grow quickly. It is normal for your body to replace old cells with new ones, but cancer cells grow too fast. Some cancer cells may form growths called tumors. All tumors increase in size, but some tumors grow quickly, others slowly.

Types of Tumors

• Sometimes tumors are not cancerous. These are called benign tumors. They are made up of cells much like those of healthy tissue. This kind of tumor stays in one area and does not spread to healthy tissues and organs.
• Cancer tumors are also called malignant tumors. Cancer from these tumors spread through the blood and lymph systems to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it is called metastasis. Cancer cells travel through the body from the tumor, called the primary site, to other parts of the body.

Types of Cancer

There are many kinds of cancers.
• Carcinoma is the most common type of cancer. Lung, colon, breast, and ovarian cancers are often this type of cancer.
• Sarcoma is found in bone, cartilage, fat, and muscle.
• Lymphoma begins in the lymph nodes of the body’s immune system. They include Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas.
• Leukemia starts in the blood cells that grow in the bone marrow and are found in large numbers in the bloodstream.

Signs of Cancer

Signs of cancer depend on the type and location of the tumor. With some cancers, there may not be any signs until the tumor is large. Common signs include:
• Feeling very tired
• Weight loss that occurs without knowing why
• Fever, chills or night sweats
• Lack of hunger
• Physical discomfort or pain
• Coughing, shortness of breath or chest pain
• Diarrhea, constipation or blood in the stool
When a cancer is found, tests will be done to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. Scans, x-rays, and blood tests may be needed.

Your Care

Your doctor will decide what care is needed based on:
• The type of cancer
• How fast the cancer is growing
• Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of your body
• Your age and overall health

The most common cancer treatments are:
• Surgery to remove the tumor and nearby tissue
• Radiation in controlled amounts to shrink or destroy the tumor and cancer cells
• Chemotherapy medicine to slow the growth or destroy cancer cells
• Other medicines to treat side effects and help you heal better

Prevention

You can reduce your risk of cancer by:
• Not smoking or using tobacco
• Using sunscreen, hats and clothing to protect your skin when outside
• Limiting the amount of alcohol you drink
• Limiting the amount of high fat foods you eat, especially from animal sources
• Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and high fiber foods
• Being physically active
• Seeing your doctor each year. Cancer screenings may help find cancers at their early, most treatable stages.

Talk to your doctor or nurse about your cancer risks.

Ovarian Cancer

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There are fi ve main types of cancer that affect a woman’s reproductive organs: cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar. As a group, they are referred to as gynecologic (GY-neh-kuh-LAH-jik) cancer. (A sixth type of gynecologic cancer is the very rare fallopian tube cancer.)

This fact sheet about ovarian cancer is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Campaign. The campaign helps women get the facts about gynecologic cancer, providing important “inside knowledge” about their bodies and health.

What is ovarian cancer?

Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later.
When cancer starts in the ovaries, it is called ovarian cancer. Women have two ovaries that are located lithe pelvis, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries make female hormones and produce eggs.

When ovarian cancer is found in its early stages, treatment is most effective.

What raises a woman’s chance of getting ovarian cancer?

There is no way to know for sure if you will get ovarian cancer. Most women get it without being at high risk. However, there are several factors that may increase the chance that you will get ovarian cancer, including if you:
• Are middle-aged or older.
• Have close family members (such as your mother, sister, aunt, or grandmother) on either your mother’s or your father’s side who have had ovarian cancer.
• Have had breast, uterine, or colorectal cancer.
• Have an Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish background.
• Have never given birth or have had trouble getting pregnant.
• Have endometriosis (a condition where tissue from the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body).

If you have one or more of these factors, it does not mean you will get ovarian cancer. But you should speak with your doctor about your risk.

Who gets ovarian cancer?

All women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but older women are more likely to get the disease than younger women are. About 90 percent of women who get ovarian cancer are older than 40, with the greatest number being age 55 or older.
In 2005,*

19,842 women were told that they had ovarian cancer, making it the second most common gynecologic cancer.
Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other gynecologic cancer, but it accounts for only about 3 percent of all cancers in women.

What are the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer often causes signs and symptoms. See your doctor, nurse, or other health care professional if you have any of these signs every day for two weeks or longer and they are not normal for you, especially if they get worse:
• Pain in the pelvic or abdominal area (the area below your stomach and in between your hipbones).
• Back pain.
• Being tired all the time.
• Bloating, which is when the area below your stomach swells or feels full.
• A change in your bathroom habits, such as having to pass urine very badly or very often.
• An upset stomach or heartburn.
• Discharge from your vagina that is not normal for you.

Also, see your doctor if you have any bleeding from your vagina that is not normal for you, particularly if you are past menopause. These symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know is to see your doctor. Treatment is most effective when ovarian cancer is found and treated early.

How can I prevent ovarian cancer?

There is no known way to prevent ovarian cancer. But these things may lower your chance of getting ovarian cancer:
• Having used birth control pills for more than five years.
• Having had a tubal ligation (getting your tubes tied), both ovaries removed, or hysterectomy (an operation in which the uterus, and sometimes the cervix, is removed).
• Having given birth.
• Are there tests that can find ovarian cancer early?
• There is no simple and reliable way to test for ovarian cancer in women who do not have any signs or symptoms. The Pap test does not check for ovarian cancer. However, here are steps you can take:
• Pay attention to your body, and know what is normal for you.
• If you notice any changes in your body that are not normal for you and could be a sign of ovarian cancer, talk to your doctor about them and ask about possible causes, such as ovarian cancer.
• Ask your doctor if you should have a test, such as a rectovaginal pelvic exam, a transvaginal ultrasound, or a CA-125 blood test if:
o You have any unexplained signs or symptoms of ovarian cancer. These tests sometimes help find or rule out ovarian cancer.
o You have had breast, uterine, or colorectal cancer; or a close relative has had ovarian cancer.

What should I do if my doctor says I have ovarian cancer?

If your doctor says that you have ovarian cancer, ask to be referred to a gynecologic oncologist—a doctor who has been trained to treat cancers like this. This doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan.

Ovarian Cancer

2009-05-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

Colorectal Cancer

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What is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer is cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum. Sometimes it is called colon cancer, for short. As the drawing shows, the colon is the large intestine or large bowel. The rectum is the passageway that connects the colon to the anus. Colon and Rectum

It’s the Second Leading Cancer Killer

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, but it doesn’t have to be. If everybody age 50 or older had regular screening tests, at least one-third of deaths from this cancer could be avoided. So if you are 50 or older, start screening now.

Who Gets Colorectal Cancer?

• Both men and women can get colorectal cancer.
• Colorectal cancer is most often found in people 50 and older.
• The risk for getting colorectal cancer increases with age.

Are You at High Risk?

Your risk for colorectal cancer may be higher than average if:
• You or a close relative have had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer.
• You have inflammatory bowel disease.

People at high risk for colorectal cancer may need earlier or more frequent tests than other people. Talk to your doctor about when you should begin screening and how often you should be tested.

Screening Saves Lives

If you’re 50 or older, getting a screening test for colorectal cancer could save your life. Here’s how:
• Colorectal cancer usually starts from polyps in the colon or rectum. A polyp is a growth that shouldn’t be there.
• Over time, some polyps can turn into cancer.
• Screening tests can find polyps, so they can be removed before they turn into cancer.
• Screening tests can also find colorectal cancer early. When it is found early, the chance of being cured is good.

Colorectal Cancer Can Start With No Symptoms

People who have polyps or colorectal cancer sometimes don’t have symptoms, especially at first. This means that someone could have polyps or colorectal cancer and not know it. That is why having a screening test is so important.

What are the Symptoms?

Some people with colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer do have symptoms. They may include:
• Blood in or on your stool (bowel movement).
• Pain, aches, or cramps in your stomach that happen a lot and you don’t know why.
• A change in bowel habits, such as having stools that are narrower than usual.
• Losing weight and you don’t know why.

If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor. These symptoms may also be caused by something other than cancer. However, the only way to know what is causing them is to see your doctor

Oral Cancer

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Basic description

Cancer can affect any part of the oral cavity, including the lips, tongue, mouth, and throat. There are two kinds of oral cancer: oral cavity cancer, which starts in the mouth, and oropharyngeal cancer, which develops in the part of the throat just behind the mouth (called the oropharynx).

The most common symptom of oral cancer is a sore in the mouth that bleeds easily and does not heal. Another common sign of oral cancer is pain in the mouth that does not go away. Other signs and symptoms include:
• A lump or thickening in the cheek
• A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or lining of the mouth
• A sore throat or a feeling that something is caught in the throat
• Difficulties in chewing, swallowing, or moving the tongue or jaw

Many of these signs and symptoms may be caused by other cancers or by less serious problems. It is important to see a doctor or dentist if any of these conditions lasts more than two weeks.

Opportunities

Prevention Most oral cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors, primarily tobacco and alcohol use. Smoking, smokeless tobacco, and alcohol substantially increase the risk of developing oral cancer. Quitting tobacco and limiting alcohol use significantly lower the risk of developing these cancers, even after many years of use. In addition, eating a healthy, balanced diet with at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day may provide some protection against oral cancer. Finally, lip cancers can be prevented by avoiding unprotected sun exposure, as well as pipe and cigar tobacco.

Detection The American Cancer Society recommends that primary care doctors and dentists examine the mouth and throat as part of a routine cancer-related checkup. Dentists and primary care doctors have the opportunity, during regular checkups, to see abnormal tissue changes and to detect cancer at an early, curable stage. Many doctors and dentists also recommend that people, especially those at higher risk, take an active role in the early detection of these cancers by doing monthly self-examinations. This means using a mirror to check for any of the signs and symptoms of cancer in the mouth and throat.

Treatment Radiation therapy and surgery are the main methods of treating oral cancers. In advanced cancer, chemotherapy may be used in combination with either treatment.

Statistics

The five-year relative survival rate represents the percentage of patients who live at least five years after diagnosis, whether disease-free, in remission, or under treatment (after excluding people who die of other causes from these calculations). It does not imply that five-year survivors have been permanently cured of cancer. Localized cancer represents cancer that, at the time of diagnosis, had not spread to additional sites within the body. Typically, the earlier cancer is detected and diagnosed, the more successful the treatment, thus enhancing the survival rate.

Who is at risk?

Gender Oral cancers are more than twice as common in men as in women. This is because men are more likely to use tobacco and alcohol over long periods of time and in large enough doses to cause these cancers.

Age The likelihood of developing oral cancer increases with age, especially after age 35. Half of all oral cancers are diagnosed in people older than 68 years.
Other risk factors
• 90% of patients with oral cancers use tobacco. The risk of developing these cancers increases with the amount smoked or chewed and the duration of the habit. Smokers are six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop these cancers.
• 75% to 80% of all patients with oral cancer drink alcohol frequently. These cancers are about six timesmore common in drinkers than in nondrinkers.
• More than 30% of patients with cancers of the lip have outdoor jobs associated with prolonged exposure to sunlight.
• A diet low in fruits and vegetables is associated with an increased risk of developing cancer of the oral cavity.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) may contribute to the development of approximately 20% to 30% of oral cancer cases.

Quality-of-life issues

From the time of diagnosis, the quality of life for every cancer patient and survivor is affected in some way. The American Cancer Society has identified four quality-of-life factors that affect cancer patients and their families; these factors are social, psychological, physical, and spiritual.
The concerns that patients and survivors most often express are fear of recurrence; chronic and/or acute pain; sexual problems; fatigue; guilt for delaying screening or treatment, or for doing things that may have caused the cancer; changes in physical appearance; depression; sleep difficulties; changes in what they are able to do after treatment; and the burden on finances and loved ones. People with oral cancers often feel social stigma and guilt associated with their history of tobacco and alcohol use, as well as self-consciousness due to the disfiguring effects of some oral cancers.

Emerging trends

Emerging trends in the area of oral cancers include:

Prevention Since the early 1980s, incidence and death rates for oral cancers have been decreasing. Although cigarette smoking among young people increased significantly during the 1990s, recent data suggest that this increase has leveled off and begun to decline. If this trend has reversed, the chance of developing oral cancer will be significantly lower in the next generation.

Tumor growth factors Researchers have discovered naturally occurring proteins in the body, called growth factors, that promote cell growth. Some oral cancer cells grow especially fast because they contain more growth-factor receptors than normal cells. New drugs are being developed to block the effects of these growth-promoting proteins. Some of the drugs are now being tested in clinical trials.

Chemotherapy Researchers are testing new methods of administering chemotherapy drugs to develop more effective treatments against advanced oral cancers. For example, one study is measuring the effects of injecting chemotherapy drugs directly into the tumor, while another is evaluating the effect of injecting chemotherapy drugs into the blood vessels that feed the oral cancer.

Radiation Clinical trials are testing the effectiveness of new twice-a-day radiation regimens in treating oral cancers. Initial work in this area has found high cure rates with some of the new regimens when the cancer has been detected at an early stage. There has also been progress in reducing dry mouth, one of the most common side effects of radiation.