cancer-diseases

Stomach Cancer Treatment

2008-11-07T02:41:00.000-08:00

Stomach cancer treatment largely depends on the stage the disease has reached. Surgery is an option any stage.

The purpose of surgery may be

* to remove the cancer itself, or
* to relieve discomfort from the symptoms of cancer.

The first step is normally a CT scan or a laparoscopy. This will help your doctor determine the stage.

However, it may be impossible to determine the stage without surgery because specimens may need to be taken from the stomach. But your doctor may not be able to tell you exactly how far the cancer has progressed with a lab analysis, and that requires getting a surgical sample from the stomach itself. A pathologist looks at the specimen under a microscope and makes a judgment which give the most accurate measure of the cancer stage.

Stomach cancer can sometimes be cured by removing the cancerous part of the stomach. The percentage of the stomach that will be removed depends of course, on where the tumor is located and how big it has grown.

A subtotal gastrectomy is a common surgical treatment for stomach cancer. This is when surgeon removes a part of the stomach, and possibly some lymph nodes. The procedure might also include removing the spleen.

If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or to the liver, you may also need chemotherapy.

In some cases, surgery is performed to relieve symptoms. The goal is to give the patient a better quality of life for as long as possible. Surgery of this kind is typical if the tumor has blocked the entrance or exit areas of the stomach.

An important part of stomach cancer treatment is determining if the Helicobacter pylori bacterium is present in the stomach. Helicobacter pylori, which is also known as H. pylori, appears to be a cancer-causing agent. It's believed this bacterium damages the DNA in the cells of the stomach lining, which may eventually lead to a tumor. If H. pylori is discovered during the course of surgery, the doctor may prescribe an aggressive antibiotic therapy to kill it.

If the disease has reached an advanced stage, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy may be necessary in addition to surgery. Chemotherapy is intended to kill cancer cells or prevent them form dividing and growing. It can be done orally or intravenously. It can also be accomplished or by directly introducing the chemotherapy compounds into the spine, organs, abdominal cavity.

Chemoradiation, which is also called adjuvant therapy, combines radiation with chemotherapy.

There's a growing body of research into stomach cancer treatment. Some treatment regimens are considered standard, while others are experimental.

As always, it's best to work closely with a physician to determine the best possible course of treatment.

Ask a question, offer a tip to others about stomach by visiting the The Stomach Health Forum.

For more information on topics related to this article, click on Stomach Cancer.

George McKenzie is a retired TV anchor, medical reporter and radio talk show host. He is a frequent contributor to Health Information Articles, a resource site about health and wellness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_McKenzie

Mouth Cancer

2008-11-07T02:39:00.000-08:00

Cancer is one of the most deadly diseases known to the world. There are various causes which are responsible for different types of cancer in different parts of the body. Mouth cancer is one of them. Unwanted growth of cells in the mouth region is termed as mouth cancer. It can be developed in any part of the mouth. This includes jaws, lips, gums, cheeks, tonsils, etc. All the mouth parts are covered by a sheet of soft cells called as squamous cells. These cells are very much prone to cancer cells thus causing mouth cancer. Mouth cancer can be also called as squamous cell carcinoma.

There is a wide range of causes which are responsible and many bad habits like smoking, tobacco chewing, in take of alcohol are the main causes of mouth cancer. Apart from these the other reasons for mouth cancer is exposure to UV rays, Candida infection in mouth etc. Lack of vitamin A, E, C, iron, zinc etc. is also responsible for mouth cancer. This can be diagnosed by a large number of symptoms. One can do a biopsy of the mouth to diagnose mouth cancer. Different technology like endoscopy, MRI scan, X-ray, CT scan can also be used for diagnosing mouth cancer.

Mouth cancer can be easily treated if diagnosed in an early stage or it can be said that treatment of cancer depends on the stage it is diagnosed in. There are three useful methods which have proved themselves helpful in treating mouth cancer. These include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. During chemotherapy treatment is done using the intravenous injections containing the anticancer drugs. It is possible that the victim may experience some side effects of chemotherapy. These side effects can include hair loss, quick weight loss, mouth sores, nausea, vomiting etc. In radiation therapy beta rays are used for killing the deadly mouth cancer cells. This surgery is usually done when the tumor is small and gentle. Some physicians suggest all these three ways for the treatment of mouth cancer.

There are many steps which can be taken to minimize the risk and as stated above, mouth cancer is generally caused by the consumption of alcohol or due to cigarette smoking. So, by avoiding these things you can keep yourself less prone to mouth cancer. We can also reduce the risk by avoiding tobacco chewing as it is also one of the major causes of this deadly disease. One can remain away from mouth cancer by in taking a healthy diet. Taking a diet rich in vitamins and minerals can help in staying fit thus avoiding mouth cancer. Keeping mouth clean can also help in avoiding skin cancer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Candis_Reade

Different Types of Chemotherapy

2008-11-03T23:19:00.000-08:00

Nowadays chemotherapy is found to be the best treatment to kill cancer cells. A combination of different drugs is used to destroy major number of cancerous cells. Some side effects like weight loss, memory loss, hair fall, nausea and so on may occur due to chemotherapy treatment and these drugs can also damage healthy cells.

There are various types of cancers and every type requires different drugs at different stages. Before going through chemotherapy treatment, drugs used in it should be tested in clinical trials to prove its effectiveness. It's side effects also depend on other conditions like age and health of patient.

Following are the types of chemotherapy:

* Alkylating medications: Alkylating agents block DNA replication of cancer cells, which can destroy cancer cells at any phase of cancer. These drugs are commonly used for cancer of ovaries, breast and lungs. Some alkylating agents are alkylsulfonates: busulfan, metal carboplatin, oxalipaltin, salts: cispaltin and many more are used in chemotherapy treatment.
* Anti-tumor antibiotics: These are natural products produced by soil fungus streptomycin. Anti tumor antibiotics work during the multiple phases of cancer cell cycle. Some examples of anti-tumor antibiotics are mitomycin, plicamyacin, dactinomycin etc.
* Antimetabolite medications: It effectively blocks the enzymes found within the cancerous cells. Antimetabolite medication works by interfering with DNA and RNA growth. These drugs are very effective during Synthesis phase of cell cycle.
* Anti-tumor Antibiotic medications: It works interfering with DNA of cancerous cell. This interference blocks the enzymes and changes the cell membrane of cancerous cells and also interrupts cell division.
* Plant alkaloids: These are naturally produced from herbs and shrubs. Plant alkaloids like vinca, taxanes, paclitaxel, docetaxel, etc are used to treat cancer cells.
* Anthracyclines: Anthracyclines interfere with enzymes required to reproduce the DNA. Some anti-tumor antibiotics and non-particular antibiotics are used to cure different types of cancer. Doxorubicin, bleomycin and mitomycin are examples of some drugs used for chemotherapy treatment.
* Topoisomerase inhibitors: It plays important role in controlling the exploitation of DNA structure. Topotecan, etoposide phosphate, ironotecan and teniposide are some examples of drugs used during this type of chemotherapy treatment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Savage

Moisturized Mice Mean Skin Cancer - Do They?

2008-11-03T23:17:00.000-08:00

Women and men around the world owe the vitality of their skin to moisturizers. However, the seemingly harmless cosmetics, moisturizers, could be a cause for developing skin cancer, suggests a recent study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

But are the results of the study a reason to be scared of moisturizers? Even though the study has surprised one and all, many have questioned the validity of the study and have expressed that there's no need to worry for now.

As always is the case, the mice used in the experiment have hogged all the limelight, when four randomly chosen moisturizing creams were applied on bald mice. Which later caused tumors to develop fast on these mice. And the mice not treated with moisturizers didn't show this effect.

The fact that bald mice were experimented upon and not humans means, that the findings aren't exactly applicable to humans. And the authors themselves put forth this very viewpoint. Another reason that goes against the study is that type of skin cancer found in humans is pretty different than those found in animals.

Further, one of the cream's manufacturers have been skeptical about the study and have opined that their product has been used for over 30 years with great results. At the same time, there are pointers that the components, namely mineral oil and sodium lauryl sulfate, known to cause irritation might be the culprits. Because when they were removed from the moisturizers the tumors didn't seem to develop so rapidly.

The non-melanoma skin cancer that developed is quite common in humans, and for the most part is curable surgically and with cancer drugs And it is fatal only rarely.
While, there's a lot of skepticism surrounding the study's findings, the findings can't be completely shunned outright. Perhaps the best option is to wait and watch as more research throws light on the issue. As the author's of the study have stated that this research should encourage experts to verify and have more conclusive evidence about the cancer risk moisturizers pose to humans.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Freddic_Clay

Chemotherapy - A Cancer Treatment

2008-10-31T05:02:00.001-07:00

Chemotherapy is the general term in which many different chemical agents are used to kill or stop the growth of cancer cells and even kills cancer cells; those are in existence since a long way from the original cancer. This treatment helps to break off the process of multiplication of cells.

Injection run drugs, in a pill form or even applied on skin. Dose or duration of chemotherapy depends on the type of cancer you have, your current state of health, your medical history, area of cancer etc. Sometimes different drug combinations are also used for better result. Doctor keeps trying constantly with new combinations to improve treatment.

It is true that chemotherapy gives best and effective result but sometimes it may cause side effects, which may be temporary or permanent. Chemotherapy treatment causes to depress the immune system and patients may prone to opportunistic as well.

Most people identified with cancer are treated with chemotherapy treatment because of the effective results. Chemotherapy helps cancer patient to live and enjoy day to day life. Drugs used for the chemotherapy treatment plays different roles, some are planned to fight cancer cells while some planned to support the cancer fighting drugs.

Most of cancer drugs are planned to kill fast growing cancer cells but these drugs can't distinguish fast growing cancer cells and other fast growing cells like blood and hair cells. However it is very effective and best choice for cancer treatment, even if it is causing some side effects. There are different medicines used for chemotherapy and the total cost of medicines depends on medication type prescribed for you.

Chemotherapy may cause various side effects like hair loss, memory loss, weight loss, bowel lining that leads to nausea and harms to healthy cells in body. However there are some drugs that help to control these side effects.

Chemotherapy patients find harder to fight the cancer cells. There is regular blood test that monitors the levels of different cells and is called as blood count. Chemotherapy affect on the energy of patient and fertility of both men and women.

Before going through chemotherapy, you must prepare yourself for chemotherapy treatment to get better result. Think that the chemotherapy is battle field for you and you have to go there with preparation that will help you to be healthy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Savage

Cancer Treatments in India

2008-10-31T05:02:00.000-07:00

The country of India is a study in contrasts, old and new, ancient and modern, and this is shown even in their health and medical care today. Over 50 years ago there was a society called the Indian Cancer Society which was established as a Public Trust for the country. This is still the leading national anti-cancer group for India. They work to care for the poor in India and they help keep track of incidences of different types of cancers, as well as serving many other functions. This society keeps track of all of the resources that are available for cancer treatments and also helps to record the trends and other statistics about cancer in India which are needed by the government and medical professionals. Much work is done in working with the rural poor and they have even established a Rehabilitation Center for cancer patients and survivors in the country which is known as one of the largest and best in all of Asia.

The modern approach to cancer treatment in India does not differ much from standard protocols in the USA. Treatment in the USA is more advanced in some ways and it is also more widely accepted among the population as a whole. India has access to the many different surgical operations and palliative therapies. They also have radiation clinics and treatment centers, usually located in the hospital settings. Chemotherapy treatment modalities and other drugs are also in use. There are many skilled doctors in India and many of them have trained for years in other countries to learn the latest skills.

One of the biggest differences in the cancer treatment setting in India lies with the population and the ancient beliefs and traditions of their Swamis and other herbal healers. There is an ancient practice of medicine in India that is called Ayurevedic medicine and the Swamis, or holy men, are some of the more devoted participants in this form of medicine. An Ayurevedic healer has been trained in the art of using herbs and other plants to treat any ailment or disease. Many of the Indian people will use this form of medicine as opposed to any modern practices.

Ayurevedic medicine practitioners claim that anything can be healed with natural means and that you do not have to use any chemicals, drugs or surgical procedures. Some of the herbs and plants that are used do indeed have properties that are helpful to people and many of them are used in modern pharmaceuticals. There are hundreds of herbs found in India whose effectiveness or potential for human benefit are unknown. These natural cures are not all scientifically proven nor have most been subjected to rigorous independent testing procedures. Most of the treatments are spread by word of mouth or are those that are passed down in teachings to the Swamis. The benefit of these herbs is debatable at best and will continue to be so until the many claims about them can actually be proven one way or the other.

Laura Guthrie is a former cancer patient who successfully recovered. She now shares her best of the best information to give back.

She's put together a website simply to give back to people just like you with tons of free information, you can get free instant access at http://www.savemefromcancer.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Guthrie

Miracle Heart Drug Causes Cancer? This is Insane! Are There Safer Alternatives?

2008-10-27T05:15:00.000-07:00

On the first page In USA Today (July 25, 2008) the opening paragraph states: "A study that unexpectedly linked the heart drug Vytorin to excess cancer deaths has provoked controversy among heart specialists worried that the drug's risk may outweigh its benefits." Apparently the purpose of the drug is to help relieve and even prevent a persons concern that heart valve problems may occur by using this drug to reduce cholesterol.

The only problem is that this same article above states: "The 2,000- patients SEAS study found a roughly 70% increase in the risk of dying from cancer." I don't know about you, but even though I may not want to disturb Merck and Shering-Plough's drug companies alleged 4 billion dollar a year sales for this type of drug, (they must be nice companies trying to help people), if I were suffering from high cholesterol and my doctor prescribed this for me, I'd quickly run for the office door and yell: This is Insane, There Must Be a Better Way!

I'd sure try to find a better way, like naturally trying to get my body in better shape, improving my diet (eating good food while avoiding the bad), get regular moderate exercise, improve my lifestyle and manage stress better, take nutritional supplements like Fish Oil and other nutritionals to help my body function better and I would work with a doctor more alternatively inclined to sit down with me and tell me that all life's problems aren't solved by taking chemicals and drugs.

Personally, in addition to improving the above areas of my life and working with a "healthy advocate doctor" I want to logically find safer nutritional alternatives that would also help support my new healthier body, like using a product called Circulatory Support that has all in one product ingredients like: Nattokinase, Bromelain, L-Carnitine, Organic Pomegranate, Hawthorn Berry, Green Tea, Grape Seed Extract, Vitamin D3, Cayenne and Resveratrol that may help support my bodies cells to aid more natural healthy Blood flow while giving me some Extra Energy enhancement at the same time.

I'd also look for a CoQ10 Supreme type product that has the up to 8 times more bioavailable Ubiquinol form of CoQ10 that my heart cells would find Energizing and that would help enhance and support my circulatory system to perform better. I'd add a great multivitamin like Four A Day and with an added Fish Oil product; I would step back and logically say: Now this is a sane approach.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hal_Decker

There's Something About Parabens

2008-10-27T05:14:00.001-07:00

The use of preservatives in natural bodycare products has been a source of controversy for a number of years. This article will focus on the most contentious of the preservative groups - parabens.

A paraben is part of a group of chemicals called esters (esters occur when an alcohol meets an acid) , used by cosmetic companies for many years and have been considered generally safe. Using parabens is a cost effective way to preserve cosmetics with a low risk of odor and a change to the texture of the product. It works as an anti-microbial agent, preventing bacteria and mold from getting into products. The most common forms are: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben. Parabens can also be found in combinations such as Phenonip and Germaben. Manufacturers usually add 0.1% - 1% to their formulations.

However, there has been recent concerns surrounding the use of parabens in cosmetics. Most of this controversy stems from a study that showed higher estrogenic activity in women who had breast cancer. The assumption was that using products that had parabens (such as deodorants and lotions) on areas with thinner skin (underarms) lead to the cancer.

In subsequent studies (including one by the American Cancer Society), have shown this to not be true. According to their website "There is no good scientific evidence to support this claim. The American Cancer Society is not aware of any strong epidemiologic studies reporting a statistical link between breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use."

For manufacturers who are concerned about the use of parabens, but want to use a product with proven effectiveness, I would recommend Phenoxyethanol - also known commercially as Optiphen. Phenoxyethanol can be added to formulations the same way you would add parabens. Optiphen also works as an anti-microbial agent and also does not release formaldehyde.

As consumers become more aware about ingredients in cosmetics, the marketplace is responding by seeking out better and more conscious products. For the manufacturer, it is a matter of answering customer demand. Hopefully, this is only the beginning of research into safer ways of making and preserving cosmetics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caren_Young

Practical Ways to Prevent Cancer

2008-10-27T05:14:00.000-07:00

Cancer is one the leading causes of death all over the globe. It can be a real threat in one's health. You can prevent acquiring this disease by implementing practical tips on small lifestyle changes that can drastically keep you away from the risk of developing this dreaded disease.

Check on your family history

There are certain types of cancer that may be genetic. It is important that you know your family history of cancer so you can change your lifestyle accordingly to avoid getting the same disease. Knowing that you are at a higher risk of cancer can help you make informed choices about your health.

Stay away from cigarettes

The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking. You can also be at risk of cancer if you are getting second hand smoke. It is important to stay away from cigarettes and cigarette smokers. If you have a habit of smoking, quit today!

Exercise daily

Obese people are more prone to cancer. You can shed off excess fat and body weight by exercising daily. Doing so can help you create a stronger defense against cancer.

Stay away from too much sun

Although morning sunshine contains vitamin D, being exposed to too much sunlight can put you at risk of skin cancer. Ultraviolet rays from the sun can do you harm especially during the hours of 10 am to 2 pm.

Enjoy eating fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetable are very good for the body and contains antioxidants that can repair malfunctioning cells. Antioxidants have great cancer preventing properties.

Drinks lots and lots of water

Research shows that people who drink 8 glasses of water a day can reduce the risk of cancer of the bladder. It can also help lessen the risk of colon cancer and aides in the normal functioning of the body systems.

Easy on the alcohol

Excessive drinking can actually be a cancer risk factor to certain types of cancer. Limit the amount of alcohol you take. A glass of beer or wine actually has some health benefits, but don't overdo it.

Avoid smoked or cured foods

Watch the meat that you eat. They may contain animal fat that may put you at more risk of cancer. Stay away from salted fish, pickled vegetables and smoked or cured foods.

Stay away from hazardous chemicals

You should know what chemicals you are exposed to at home and in the workplace. There are a number of chemicals that are carcinogens and can put you at risk. Some of the chemicals are vinyl chloride, coal products, gasoline, arsenic, diesel exhaust and nickel chromates, among others.

Visit your doctor for regular check-ups

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tan_Joel_Wyn

The Immune System, Inflammation, and Cancer

2008-10-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

THE IMMUNE SYSTEM EXPLAINED

The immune system is wonderful system of cells and signaling cytokines that fight infections and keep us healthy. We come in contact with billions of microorganisms every day. These include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. To protect us, we have an immune system. The immune system is a fascinating collection of infection fighting white blood cells and their partners the complement system and cytokines.

The complement system contains small proteins which circulate throughout the blood system. Their job is to recognize foreign substances (antigens), bind to them, and then activate the rest of the system. They stick to the bad cells and mark them so that the other immune cells can recognize the infectious cells. Another role of the complement system is to kill bacteria.

The next group is phagocytes. These cells can eat bacteria a process called phagocytosis. The phagocytes include granulocytes, macrophages which are converted monocytes, and dendritic cells. This system of cells is the first line of defense against infections.

Lymphocytes make up the next set. There are different types of lymphocytes and each has a specific function. T-helper cells are the main regulators of the immune system. When they come in contact with an antigen presenting cell such as a macrophage that has just eaten a bacteria, the helper cell is activated and it then helps turn on the rest of the immune system. Another type of T-cell is a killer T-cell. These cells circulate in the body looking for infections or infected normal cells, or even cancer cells. Their job is quite simple, when they find a bad cell, they kill it. B-lymphocytes help the immune system kill bacteria by producing immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins act as tags that mark bacteria for removal by the phagocytes. These are produced every time you get and infection or an immunization. When the same bug invades your body, the B-lymphocytes remember and then produce more immunoglobulins via the plasma cells to help kill the infection.

Finally, there are substances called cytokines. These substances are used for a variety of purposes. They help the cells signal to each other, they can act as growth factors, they recruit immune cells, they activate immune cells, they turn off immune cells, and some even act as hormones. The cytokines are very important to keep the system running and they need to be in a balance. There are cytokines to turn on the system and to turn off the system. When there is an imbalance, the end result is either an immune deficiency or an overactive immune system. The overactive immune system is what is involved in chronic inflammation and this is a bad thing because of the diseases chronic inflammation causes. In fact, chronic inflammation has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, dementia, and cancer.

INFLAMMATION AND CANCER

We have known about inflammation and cancer since 1863 when Rudolph Virchow discovered white blood cells in tumor tissues. Today, the connection between chronic inflammation and cancer is commonly accepted. Some common examples of cancers resulting from chronic inflammation include ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease leading to bowel cancers. Barrett's esophagus results in cancer of the esophagus. Celiac disease can lead to small bowel lymphomas. Hashimoto's thyroiditis can lead to lymphoma of the thyroid.

Inflammation stimulates tumor development at all stages; initiation, progression, and metastasis. Tumor initiation is the process when a normal cell becomes malignant. Tumor progression is the process by which the cancer cell grows, and metastasis is the process by which the cancer cell spreads to distant sites either through the lymphatics to the lymph nodes or through the blood to distant organs.

The role inflammation plays in tumor cell initiation is clear but the mechanism is not worked out yet. It is thought to be a two part process. The inflammatory cells are responsible for secreting reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). These normally are used to kill bacteria or virus-infected normal cells. In a chronic state, these ROS and RNS can damage the DNA of normal cells causing mutations. A mutation in an oncogene can be the initial process that eventually leads to a cancer. The second step is the inflammatory cells secrete cytokines that increase cell growth, so not only are the cells stimulated to grow but they are doing so in an environment full of ROS and RNS setting up a perfect situation to produce mutated oncogenes.

The manner in which chronic inflammation encourages tumor cell progression is not well described. It is thought that the inflammatory cytokines produce many effects especially growth promotion and degradation of the tissues surrounding the tumor (stromal matrix) which helps tumor cells spread and migrate.

Finally, the milieu of cytokines also encourages metastasis. Some of them serve as growth factors for blood vessel formation. This is called angiogenesis and it is necessary for tumor cells to metastasize. Additionally, as the blood vessels are being formed around the tumor cell, additional cytokines have protease activity which break down the stromal matrix and allow the cancer cells to migrate in to the blood vessel and then metastasize.

When the immune system is in good working order, we remain in the best of health protected from infections and also cancers. A healthy immune is our best defense, but what foods are best for your immune system? Here is a list, and as always, it is best to get these nutrients directly from foods rather than a pill.

NINE OF THE BEST IMMUNE BOOSTING NUTRIENTS

1. Vitamin C: Increases the production of white blood cells, antibodies, and the production of interferon. Only 200 mg/day is necessary. Mega doses end up in the toilet. It is best to get your vitamin C from citrus fruits, green peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and sweet and white potatoes.
2. Vitamin E: Improves natural killer cell and B cell function. It can be found in seeds, oils and grains.
3. Carotenoids: Vitamin A and beta-carotene increase infection fighting cells and are powerful anti-oxidants. They have also been found to have anti-cancer activity and can be found in green leafy vegetables, intensely colored vegetables, fish, fish, eggs, and dairy products.
4. Bioflavenoids: Are anti-inflammatory and anti-viral. They improve cell walls and are essential to absorb vitamin C. Bioflavenoids can be found along side vitamin C in citrus fruits.
5. Zinc: Improves production of white blood cells especially T cells. Zinc has been shown in clinical studies to duration of common cold. You can find zinc in peanuts, peas, lentils, and lima beans.
6. Garlic: Boosts white blood cells, natural killer cells, and production of antibodies. It also has direct anti-bacterial effects. Try to add garlic whenever possible to your diet.
7. Selenium: Increases natural killer cells and cancer fighting cells. There is some promising evidence of its cancer prevention abilities.
8. Omega-3 fatty acids: Is a very beneficial fat. It is anti-inflammatory, associated with good heart health, boosts immune system especially the phagocytes, and has anti-cancer effects.
9. Mushrooms: Known for centuries to have immune boosting qualities in the Orient. Maitake, Reishi, and Shiitake strengthen the immune system and fight diseases like cancer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Avery_M.D.

Are Chemical Fertilizers Causing Ovarian Cancer?

2008-10-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Talk about chemical fertilizers shouldn't just be limited to our gardens. Time and time again, new studies reveal the damaging effects of chemical fertilizers on human life. A study conducted at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia compared over 800 women with ovarian cancer and found surprising results.

What researchers found is that women who ate two or more eggs per week had double the risk of ovarian cancer. The culprit? The abundance of chemical fertilizers routinely used by chicken farmers. (This shouldn't come as a surprise if you know anything about the effects of chemical fertilizers.)

Dr. David Purdie, a researcher at the institute, believes that chickens exposed to fertilizers or pesticides while they forage for food may pick up the poisons in these agricultural products and transfer them to their eggs. Easily passed from the mother hen, chemical fertilizers or pesticides make their way into the egg. We then eat the eggs, unaware of the hazardous chemicals that we are consuming. Although many of the substances thought to cause ovarian cancer have been since banned, these chemicals have a tendency to stay in the environment for a very long time.

Interestingly, the study also suggests that these women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer were actually first exposed to these chemicals by eating contaminated eggs twenty or thirty years ago. What happens is that these harmful chemicals accumulate in the body and are never disposed of. Years later, their harmful effects surface in the form of cancer, specifically of the ovarian kind.

Thankfully, the risk of cancer from eating eggs is probably less now than it was decades ago because chicken farmers have since recognized that a lot of fertilizers used to grow chicken feed are, in fact, dangerous. It also helps that many farmers are now using all-natural fertilizers which guarantee healthy, organic eggs for consumers.

So what can you do to avoid this risk? Eat eggs marked organic. We have more options at the grocery store than we had decades ago. Be selective of the eggs you buy in your local grocery store. Check the labels first. Don't settle for something that may cause you cancer twenty or thirty years from now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_A._Williams

Coping With the Side Effects of Chemotherapy

2008-10-17T03:05:00.002-07:00

For some forms of cancer, such as leukemia or ovarian cancer, chemotherapy is the main form of treatment available. In other cases, such as mesothelioma (a form of lung cancer caused by asbestos) or colon cancer, chemotherapy is an adjuvant therapy, meaning that it is administered after the main treatment. When possible, the main treatment is usually surgery to remove the cancerous growth, followed by chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancerous cells.

Even when chemotherapy is only being used as an adjacent treatment, it can still have serious side effects. This article will describe the most common symptoms suffered by chemo patients, and give advice on how to counteract them.

One of the most common side effects of chemotherapy is nausea. Doctors can prescribe drugs to help patients cope with this. These drugs will either be anti-nausea, meaning that they help to combat the feeling of queasiness, or antiemetic, meaning that they help prevent vomiting. One of the more common anti-nausea drugs is Compasine. Zofran is a widely-prescribed antiemetic. THC, the active component of marijuana, has also shown to be effective in treating nausea. If you live in an area where medical marijuana is available, this might be a good option to look into. If not, the prescription drug Marinol, which is essentially synthetic THC, may help.

There are also remedies besides drugs that can help with nausea. Some people report that tea made with chamomile or caraway seed helped them feel better. Other patients rely on drinks such as ginger ale or sports drinks to calm their stomachs. Mild broths are usually easy to keep down and can be soothing. Alternative medications such as acupuncture or aromatherapy also help some people.

Many chemotherapy patients experience memory problems and a "foggy" feeling. This is commonly known as "chemo-brain," and it can be a real nuisance. Some patients find that mild physical and mental exercise helps - take walks when you're up to it, and work on puzzles or riddles to stay sharp. Taking careful notes on everything you need to remember can help you cope with memory issues.

One of the most widely-known side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. This may seem trivial, but many cancer patients, particularly women, are concerned about their appearance while undergoing treatment. Keeping your spirits up is important to the healing process, and this can be difficult to do when you look (and often get treated) like a sick person. Some patients wear wigs to hide hair loss, while others prefer hats or scarves. The company Chemo Savvy offers a variety of hair products, hats and tips for maintaining a good appearance throughout chemo.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine

Barrett's Esophagus - The Body's Early Warning Defense System For Esophageal Cancer

2008-10-17T03:05:00.001-07:00

Barrett's esophagus, also called Barrett esophagus, results from repetitive reflux or backing up of stomach acid and contents into the esophagus. With the passage of time, this constant assault causes injury and can cause pre-malignant changes to occur to the esophageal tissues.

The body's ability to heal is a marvelous thing to witness, and we have all seen it firsthand when we have sustained cuts, bruises, wounds, and broken bones (during childhood at the very least) and have lived to tell the tale. When such injuries occur, our bodies produce new cells and form scar tissues to repair the damages.

But the marvelous adaptability of the human body does have its limits. In the case of Barrett esophagus, normal cells lining the esophagus called squamous epithelium (the type most prevalent in the body) that have fought the good fight finally give up and start to mutate to columnar epithelium, the cell type found in the stomach. Of those who suffer from chronic acid reflux, 9-15% will undergo this cellular surrender and adaptation. This esophageal cellular change, called metaplasia, enables the esophagus to withstand the constant barrage of stomach acid/contents.

Now this may sound like a good thing: after all, when this occurs the acid reflux sufferer may experience relief from symptoms that may seem like his/her acid reflux is improving. This is, however, a mistaken belief because the esophageal cells are mutating and advancing to a pre-cancerous condition. Does this mean that a person with Barrett's esophagus will get cancer? The answer is no, but there is a higher incidence, approximately 30-100 times higher, that a person with this condition will be predisposed to it.

Acid reflux has gotten a lot of press over the years, which is good. New medications have been developed to deal with it. Once thought to be just a nuisance, this condition has been taken more seriously and people are more educated about it.

Now people are becoming educated about Barrett esophagus, also a good thing. Knowledge is power, and the more all of us know about this condition, the sooner we can get medical intervention and the proper treatment to greatly diminish the odds that it will advance to esophageal cancer, which continues to rise and has a mortality rate exceeding 80% after five years. Early detection is key, and there is now hope that the mortality rate of esophageal cancer can be drastically reduced.

The best defense is a good offense not only holds true in football but also in medicine. Never was this truer than with esophageal cancer and its early warning defense system, Barrett's esophagus.

Barrett's Esophagus is not a death sentence. Knowledge is power, so learn more about it by going here: Acid Reflux Info Center.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Ruff_King

Barrett's Esophagus - The Body's Early Warning Defense System For Esophageal Cancer

2008-10-17T03:05:00.000-07:00

Eleven Established Risk Factors For Pancreatic Cancer

2008-10-17T03:04:00.000-07:00

Pancreatic cancer is currently the fifth most common form of cancer in the United States and is diagnosed in around 40,000 Americans each year. In most cases the disease has an extremely poor survival outcome. Just 1 in 20 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will still be alive after five years.

The main reason pancreatic cancer has such a poor survival outcome is that the majority of cases are diagnosed when the cancer is at a very late stage. This is due to the non-specific symptoms associated with the disease in its early stages. Early warning signs include pain in the upper abdomen, jaundice, loss of appetite, and weight loss.

There are several risk factors that are known to affect an individual's probability of developing pancreatic cancer. While some of these cannot be changed, several can be influenced by sensible lifestyle and diet modifications.

Here are eleven of the more established risk factors for pancreatic cancer.

Age: The incidence of pancreatic cancer increases dramatically with age. The disease is extremely rare in people under the age of 50 with under 5% of all cases being diagnosed in this age bracket. Three-quarters of all cases occur in people over the age of sixty.

Gender: As is the case with most other forms of cancer, males are around 10% more likely to develop cancer of the pancreas than females.

Race: African Americans are 50% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer in their lifetimes than Caucasians. Native Hawaiians and New Zealand Maoris also have relatively high rates of the disease.

Obesity: People who are overweight, and in particular those who carry a large amount of abdominal fat are at a greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Diabetes: People who have been diagnosed with diabetes are slightly more likely to develop cancer of the pancreas.

Family History: It is thought that around 10% of pancreatic cancers are inherited. A first degree relative who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer increases your chances of developing the disease three-fold.

Smoking: Heavy smokers who have been smoking for at least twenty years are at almost twice the risk of developing pancreatic cancer as non-smokers. Former smokers, light smokers, and tobacco chewers are also at a greater risk.

Diet: A fatty diet, a diet high in red or processed meat, a high cholesterol diet, and a diet lacking in fresh fruit and vegetables are all thought to be linked to an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Physical Inactivity: People who engage in physical exercise less than once a week are at a significantly higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer than those who exercise three or more times a week.

Exposure To Carcinogens: Exposure to certain carcinogenic chemicals such as pesticides, dyes, cadmium, nickel, chromium, and asbestos dust may increase a persons chances of developing the disease.

Alcohol Consumption The evidence for a link between pancreatic cancer and alcohol is mixed. Heavy drinking can cause pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) which has been linked to an increased risk of the disease.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_M_Wilson

Wu-Yi Tea Cures Cancer?

2008-10-14T04:05:00.000-07:00

Wu-Yi Tea is now the most known green tea supplement on the market today. The fat and weight loss effects of this tea have been phenomenal, but else can it do? Scientists are now saying that certain chemicals in green tea can actually fight and maybe even cure cancer. The antioxidants in Wu-Yi tea have been known to help prevent cancer and keep the body healthy. Now, researchers are saying the tea can actually shut down a key molecule that can play a significant role in the development of the disease.

The molecule is know as AH, and is responsible for activating genes. This is the same way as getting blue eyes, or having a deep voice, but AH can also work later on in life to develop certain diseases. Scientists are now starting to notice that two compounds present in green tea can help stop the AH molecule from activating diseases such as cancer.

When green tea is consumed and the body begins to digest, it sends different vitamins and nutrients to different parts of the body. One of these nutrients in particular is sent to the cells in the body responsible for cancer. The AH molecule is present in these cells, but somehow the minerals in green tea are able to shut off the molecule and prevent cancer from forming. The only problem is that cancer is very developed and can sometimes morph its identification and still form. Scientists are still working on a way to stop the morphing from happening.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_J_Anderson

Is This the Greatest Cancer Breakthrough Ever?

2008-10-14T04:04:00.000-07:00

Vitamin D -The Sunshine Vitamin!

I more than suspect that most doctors have no idea when it comes to the full benefits of vitamin D. As well as its use in a whole range of treatment and prevention such as:

- Type 2 diabetes

- As an anti-inflammatory agent...

- Protection against multiple sclerosis

- Reducing bone fragility in old people

- Parkinson's disease

- Renal (kidney) failure if in chronic deficiency of the vitamin

- Much more prone to chronic pain if in deficiency of the vitamin

Vitamin D also has showed some amazing results when looked at as a form of cancer prevention.

The Creighton, Nebraska Study 'The Greatest Cancer Breakthrough Ever?'

In June 2007, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published an article. It showed by means of a three-year study how 1179 post-menopausal women in Nebraska prevented cancer risk by as much as between 60-77%. This amazing result was achieved by giving the women vitamin D3, the sunshine vitamin (so called the sunshine vitamin because humans can obtain all the requirements of vitamin D3 through getting 10-15 minutes of natural sunlight daily). This was given in the way of dietary supplementation. Principally, Professor Joan Lappe of Creighton University School of Medicine had conducted the study.

One website had called it the 'greatest breakthrough on cancer, ever.' The findings certainly show that vitamin D is a lifesaver when it comes to cancer prevention and it alarmingly reveals how it is neglected in the diet. From her results, Professor Lappe at the university described vitamin D as '...a critical tool in fighting cancer as well as many other diseases.'

In spite of its important findings, the report did not make it to the more prestigious journals such as the 'Journal of the American Medical Association.' It was also published on a Friday, a low impact news day, a time usually for less significant research.

I have no doubt, the reason being for its lack of recognition was due to the fact that the medical/pharmaceutical establishment don't want this effective form of cancer prevention to be pursued: Think of the money they would lose if the public knew that sunshine could be doing more good than their expensive invasive medicine that can do more harm than good!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_A_Phillips

Bone Cancer - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis

2008-10-12T05:07:00.000-07:00

Bone cancer is rare and accounts for less than 1% of all new tumors. Not all bone tumors are fatal in fact benign (non cancerous) abnormalities are more common than malignant ones. Most bone cancers are secondary and have been spread from another site. Primary bone cancer which starts in the bone is quite rare constituting less than one per cent of all malignant tumors. They are more common in males, especially in children and adolescents. The most common type of primary bone cancer is osteosarcoma. This type of carcinoma usually affects young adults. It can affect any bone, but the arms, legs and pelvis are more commonly affected. Other less common forms of primary bone cancer include Ewing sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and chondrosarcoma.

Primary Bone Cancer
The causes of primary bone tumours are not known; however, adults who have Pagets disease (a bone disease) may have an increased risk.

Secondary bone cancer
Secondary bone cancer is the most common bone cancer. It is a carcinoma that starts somewhere else in the body and spreads (metastasises) to the bone. The most common cancers that spread to the bone originate in the breast, prostate, lung, kidney and thyroid.

Reticulum cell sarcoma of the bone
A cancerous tumor of the bone marrow presenting in more males than females.

Leukaemia
Cancer of the blood, which starts in the bone marrow

Symptoms of bore cancer
Symptoms tend to develop slowly and depend on the type, location, and size of the tumor. The signs and symptoms of bone cancer include: painful bones and joints, swelling of bones and joints, problems with movement, susceptibility to fractures. Less common symptoms include: unexplained weight loss, tiredness, fever and sweating.

Remember bone cancer is very rare so if you have any of these symptoms it is likely to be caused by another condition. Always see your doctor if you have for a diagnosis.

Causes
Although bone cancer does not have a clearly defined cause, researchers have identified several factors that increase the likelihood of developing these tumors. A small number of bone cancers are due to heredity.

Diagnosis
Bone cancer can present itself in any of the bones of the body, but it is diagnosed most often in the long bones of the arms and legs.

Diagnosing bone cancer involves a number of tests, including: X-rays and bone scans to show the exact location and size of the cancer (these are always done prior to biopsy), bone biopsy where a small sample of the cancer is removed from the bone and examined in the laboratory for the presence of malignant cells, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan similar to a CT scan but uses magnetism instead of x-rays to build three-dimensional pictures of your body.

Treatment
The treatment and prognosis of bone cancer depend upon multiple factors including the type and extent of the cancer, the patient's age and overall health status. Tumors may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these.

Primary bone cancers:
The tumor, surrounding bone tissue and nearby lymph nodes are surgically removed. In severe cases, the affected limb may need to be amputated, but this is rare. Treatment may also include radiotherapy (x-rays to target and kill the cancer cells) and chemotherapy (anti-cancer drugs). These may be given before surgery, to shrink the cancer and/or afterward to destroy any remaining cancer cells.

Secondary bone cancer:
Treatment depends on the treatment for the original tumor, but usually includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormone therapy. Surgery may be needed to strengthen the affected bone.

Prognosis
Overall, the chance of recovery (prognosis) for bone cancers has improved significantly since the development of modern chemotherapy. The chance of recovery will depend on a variety of influences; if the cancer has spread, the type of bone cancer, the size of the tumour, location, the person's general health and other individual factors.

If the tumor is very small and localized, the five-year survival rate is close to 90 percent. If the cancer has begun to spread, however, survival becomes more difficult. The five-year survival rate is only about 60 percent, and the prognosis is poor once the cancer spreads.

Bone cancer in cats and dogs
Bone carcinoma in dogs and cats can be a challenging disorder. Osteosarcoma is by far the most common bone tumour if dogs, usually striking the leg bones of larger breeds. Chemotherapy significantly prolongs the survival of animals with osteosarcoma when used in conjunction with surgery. For dogs Cisplatin alone or in combination with doxorubicin markedly improves survival time to a median of 8-10 months with the percentage of dogs alive after11 months at 50%.

Feline Osteosarcoma unlike its canine counterpart it has a much lower rate of metastasis and longer term survival can be expected with complete excision. Median survival for cats with osteosarcoma is approximately 2 years with many cats outreaching that.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dick_Aronson

Thyroid Cancer - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis

2008-10-12T05:06:00.000-07:00

Thyroid cancer is a fairly common malignancy which can occur in any age group especially in people who have had radiation therapy in the neck area, although it is most common after age 30 and its aggressiveness increases significantly in older patients. Thyroid cancer develops in your thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck, just below your Adam's apple.

Types of Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancers are divided into papillary carcinomas, follicular carcinomas, medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs), anaplastic carcinomas, primary thyroid lymphomas, and primary thyroid sarcomas.

Papillary tumours account for half of all thyroid cancers in adults, it is most common in young adult females. Follicular carcinomas are less common but more likely to recur and metastasize to the regional nodes and through blood vessels into the bones, liver and lungs. Medullary carcinoma is a rare familial cancer which is completely curable if detected before it causes symptoms. The least common type of thyroid cancer is anaplastic which has a very poor prognosis. Anaplastic thyroid cancer tends to be found after it has spread and is not cured in most cases

Causes of Thyroid Cancer
Predisposing factors include; radiation exposure, prolonged thyroid stimulating hormone exposure, familial predisposition and chronic goiter.

Signs and Symptoms
The primary signs of thyroid tumors are: a painless nodule, a lump or swelling in the neck sometimes growing rapidly, a pain in the front of the neck sometimes going up to the ears, hoarseness or other voice changes that do not go away, trouble swallowing, breathing problems, a cough that continues and is not due to a cold.

Diagnosis
The first clue is usually an enlarged palpable nodule in the thyroid gland, neck, lymph nodes of the neck, or vocal chords. Tests must rule out non malignant thyroid enlargements which are much more common. Thyroid scans measure the ability of the nodules to trap isotopes in comparison to the rest of the thyroid. Other tests include CT scans, biopsy and ultrasonic scans.

Treatment
Treatment options may include surgery to remove the thyroid gland and nearby lymph nodes, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Anaplastic cancer patients
often require a tracheostomy during the treatment and treatment is much more aggressive than for other types of thyroid cancer.

Radioactive Iodine is given to the patient with thyroid cancer after their cancer has been removed because if there are any thyroid cancer cells remaining in the body then these cells will absorb and concentrate the radioactive poisonous iodine.

Prognosis
The survival rate for patients with papillary tumors which have not spread is excellent.
Medullary cancer of the thyroid is significantly less common, but has a worse prognosis.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dick_Aronson

Cancer is an Opportunity For Change

2008-10-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

Cancer is 'an opportunity for change' -If you have cancer then it's your body's own way of telling yourself this: That you cannot, of course, go on the way you are forever... Now, with the realisation that a real change is needed you have to ask yourself: 'How committed are my to making the vital and necessary changes needed to bring about a health transformation in my life and beat the cancer?' You see, as Doctor Larraine Day once said: 'Some people chose to die rather than change their habits or lifestyles.'

Maybe you're someone who could change their lifestyle pretty quickly, knowing that there is something so greatly at stake...but for many, their detrimental habits need to be changed slowly and trickle by trickle over appropriately lengthy time periods, with no going back to the old habits. A useful tactic to employ in your resolve to beat cancer would be to declare to someone your intentions about taking control over your health and lifestyle, so that they can encourage and watch over you. That is, someone to hold yourself accountable to in your fight to beat cancer.

The American Cancer Research, like all cancer research based institutions is based on disinformation: All the money for cancer research goes to the greedy pharmaceutical companies who don't want you to know that there are cheap, natural and non-toxic methodologies that may cure and they have no intentions of letting to know about this. Think of the money they would stand to lose if this were well known to the public at large: So it would be natural for them to give you a fatalistic mindset...

-Get wise folks. The main answer lies in nutrition and dealing with toxicity and stress. This includes solutions like: Vitamin B17 nutritional therapy using apricot kernels as this food source and other forms of good nutrition which would act synergistically, Bob Beck's electromagnetic technologies, exercise and a commitment to having a positive outlook in life and not sinking into victim consciousness.

Do profoundly realise, your health is really up to you. It is not in the dictates of some white-coated individual who, by the way, had only received around four hours of training in nutrition during medical school days. Nor is your health determined by some genetics. Maybe you have genetics dormant in you that can serve as a cancer health preventative measure if you had the willingness and resolution to activate it.

The truth is that your health is in your hands and always has been.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_A_Phillips

Hope Lodge

2008-10-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

The siren of summer lured me off my writer's path and I went willingly to sit on the ocean's edge and contemplate. Stretched before me was the Atlantic, so far into the horizon that even squinting did not allow me to see its end. When these moments came there was no choice but to stop and raise a hand to shield the sun from my eyes, to pause for the solar rising or setting. All thoughts passed away and my mind was relieved of burdens and bundles of musts and must-nots.

As I shake the sand from my suitcase and out of my shoes I am reluctant to return to the pace and routine I set aside. Vacation is a place where time stops, there is no calendar and no alarm clock. The beach beckons and you go, nothing else is required of your time. Nothing.

Days before I journeyed to the shore I was given a tour of a facility in New York City: Hope Lodge. There I met a team of persons dedicated to serving the needs of people undergoing therapy for cancer. Reminiscent of a five star hotel, Hope Lodge provides patients and their caregivers accommodations during the long treatments related to their disease. Individuals who live at a distance and require a commute over an hour are eligible to be one of the over sixty guests at the Lodge.

Walking along the shore with sea water lapping my ankles I thought long and hard about Hope Lodge. I prayed that I might never have to use the facility for the purpose it was intended and despite the beauty of its interior and the warmth of the staff, I mumbled to myself an entreaty to God that He might spare me that fate.

The people I met on my tour were extremely enthusiastic and excited about the subject of my book and how we could (I could) become a part of the fight against breast cancer. Without knowing a reason to write about a character with breast cancer other than the old stand-by, I had to; I discovered on that tour and during my subsequent meditations by the ocean, a more valid reason.

Perhaps another entity was at work, guiding my hand and my imagination, and perhaps that entity had a knowing that I would be introduced to Hope Lodge and when that day came, which it did, I would recognize the reason.

There is a place where we all must travel, a place along our path that is not illuminated, where darkness rules. The descent into darkness is not unlike being swallowed by the biblical whale. Hope and survival is the message of my story and hope and survival are the premise on which Hope Lodge was built.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Merlino

Some Causes Of Lung Cancer

2008-10-04T03:20:00.000-07:00

There are a several endanger factors that are connected to lung tumor. The most reliable known causes are as follow:

Cigarette Smoking Cigarette smoking is maybe the most densely connected link to develop lung menace. A persona who smokes two packs or more of cigarettes per day has a one in seven venture of developing lung evil. Those that smoke one push of cigarettes per day have a twenty-five epoch bigger option of developing lung tumor than a non-smoker. In addition, those people that smoke a twitter or cigar have a five times superior option of developing lung growth than a non-smoker.

The stake of developing lung menace increases with the number of cigarettes smoked over your time. Cigarette smoking indemnity the cells in your lungs. The instant you finish smoking, your lungs start curative themselves, replacing dented cells with healthy, regular cells. Your jeopardy of developing lung blight begins decreasing almost immediately when you renounce smoking. Every year that you do not smoke, your chances of developing lung blight crash expand. By the fifteenth year, your chances of developing lung scourge are about the same as those of a person who has never smoked.

Secondhand Smoke Also known as passive smoking, people exposed to secondhand smoke on a regular basis will have a senior threat of developing lung plague, even if they do not smoke themselves. Studies have revealed that those who live with a smoker have a 24% bigger gamble of developing lung sarcoma than most non-smokers. Doctors price that about 3000 lung bane deaths a year are allied to secondhand smoke.

Asbestos Exposure Exposure to asbestos is another well-known start of lung sarcoma and mesothelioma - evil of the pleural lining of the lungs. Asbestos was generally used in construction and everyday goods in the behind 1800s through the 1960s. Asbestos separates into penalize silica fibers that become intent in the tissues of the lungs. Mesothelioma is inextricably connected to asbestos exposure. There are no reported gear of mesothelioma in people who were not exposed to asbestos moreover in the office or through their environment. A non-smoker who was exposed to asbestos has a five times greater attempt of developing lung tumor than a non-smoker who was not exposed. Smoking increases the endanger dramatically - a smoker who was exposed to asbestos has a hazard of developing lung tumor that is 50 to 90 times greater than that of a non-smoker.

Radon Gassed It is estimated that about 12% of lung growth deaths can be attributed to radon gas, a colorless, odorless gas that is a sincere result of the decay of uranium. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that as many as 15% of homes in the United States have unsafe levels of radon gas, which will account for 15,000 to 22,000 deaths from lung disease annually.

Air Pollution Scientists valuation that as many as 1% of all lung melanoma deaths are attributable to air pollution. They trust that prolonged exposure to very tainted air can upgrade the risks of developing lung cancer to about the levels of a passive smoker.

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Spotting The Signs Of Lung Cancer

2008-10-04T03:19:00.000-07:00

Lung canker is a very deadly disease. The most significant venture caused of this disease is cigarette smoking. Lung canker proves to be one of the most deadly vigor problems among Americans.

Studies show that lung blight account for twenty-eight percent of all plague deaths among American men and women.

Records extend show that lung canker is the most lethal spiteful growth worldwide causing up to three million deaths annually.

Even with the recognition that cigarette smoking is the major threat dynamic of lung growth, it is important to footnote that not all smokers die of lung melanoma but just the same, not all non-smokers are safe from lung bane.

It is more important to concede that early symptoms of lung disease will help guarantee modest management of this health risk provision.

Doctors deem that detection of early symptoms of lung pest will help halt the progression of lung growth and put the symptoms to cutback.

There are diverse treatments unfilled against this disease but if you will neglect the early symptoms of lung melanoma, it may be hard to cope and perhaps, it is already impossible to sway. This is because difficult perform of the disease already involves lesser bane sites developed in the other parts of the body.

Various treatments compose surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, radio immunotherapy and the new lung disease therapy, photodynamic therapy.

All the lung melanoma treatments will become rubbish especially if the detection of the bane is already on its superior scaffold.

Thus, it is required to identify early symptoms of lung growth to guarantee you will be able to halt the symptoms and not merely diminish the symptoms.

Early symptom of lung bane such as persistent coughing is usually associated with sheer pimples of the throat from smoking. This makes smokers neglect it and set it whisper.

Most smokers commonly care about lung sarcoma symptoms only when they see blood in the sputum. Do not tumble quarry to this site because, when you finally see blood in the sputum, this means that you are already on the complex podium of the lung sarcoma.

Other communal early symptoms of lung bane that is regularly neglected are hasty credence shortfall, chest agony and frequent tiredness, when you create concern all these signs and you are a smoker, you may neediness to see your physician and have him examine you for feasible signs of lung tumor.

The next symptoms of lung tumor, which will place to a future scaffold of the disease are habitual suitcases of pneumonia or bronchitis, and isthmus and facial abscess.

Ensure that you will not neglect early symptoms of lung melanoma to help you manage the disease properly. Visit your physician if you are a smoker torment from persistent coughing and recurrent fatigue.

Furthermore, if you are working in an environment where you are regularly exposed to impure air such as chemicals and asbestos ashes, even if you are not a smoker, you may poverty to repress with your doctor when you feel anything related to the early symptoms of lung melanoma.

There is yet no known therapy for this disease, thus detection of early symptoms of lung plague is the only defence you have to dodge this lethal cancer from touching your life.

It would also help to make surely you will not bear from lung cancer if you diminish smoking or fully remove smoking from your life and live a vigorous and active lifestyle.

Regular effect and ingestion a well-balanced diet will ensure you will not bear from lung cancer and will not experience even the early symptoms of lung cancer.

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Surviving Cancer- Mankind's Grim Ordeal

2008-10-04T03:18:00.000-07:00

Cancer, according to recent reports, kills more people than do road accidents and air accidents put together. Cancer has become the single most dreaded killer disease, striking more and more people. World over there has been a whopping increase in the number people being afflicted with Cancer. While in the US it is mostly Colon,Breast and Lung Cancers that afflict people most, in Australia ,Skin cancer too joins the list. In the developing countries like India, Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer and Liver Cancer dominate, along with Oral Cancer because of the large number of Tobacco-chewing people.

Cancer patients are on the rise, but the heartening factor is that great advancements are being made in treating cancer. New effective drugs are being used, new pain alleviating methods treatments are in place and advanced surgical techniques are being deployed. This phenomenon of great developments in Oncology (the study and treatment of Cancer) is spreading throughout the world without exception. The far-reaching and beneficial results of the untiring research in the field of Oncology, are definitely going to reach out to the suffering millions of Cancer patients, imparting them hope and alleviation.

Cancer is a double-edged sword. It strikes a patient physically and it causes untold mental trauma. They say Cancer is curable if detected early. Early detections do occur but these constitute an abysmally low percentage of the total number of Cancer cases detected. In developing countries like India, routine health checks are unheard of. People approach the hospital or the doctor only when they fall sick. Here most Cancer cases are detected only at an advanced stage, with metastases already in progress.

Cancer gives one the stark realization that an incurable affliction has struck entailing huge treatment expenses with negligible chances of survival. On top of this the concern that the surviving members of the patient's family would face serious financial issues, wreaks mental havoc on the patient as well as the family. But still the treatment has to be somehow undergone. The initial shock at being told by your doctor that you have Cancer, is followed by dejection and self-pity. It is very hard indeed to accept the fact that one has Cancer. Then follows the protracted courses of treatment -Chemotherapy, Surgery and Radiation, not necessarily in that order.

Cancer treatment is indeed traumatic,both physically and mentally. The cost of treatment apart, the treatment itself leaves long-standing scars on the mind as well as the body. The Chemo Injections have a wide range of side-effects like loss of hair, nausea and lowering the vital blood count, leaving the door open to infections. Continuous care and monitoring are vital. Surgery of course ,means removal of the affected part. Radiation too leaves scars and permanent discomforts to the patient's body, the most prominent being the unbearable burning sensation on the skin.

Cancer patients have to somehow generate the will to survive and withstand the traumas of treatment. Keeping the mind diverted during the treatment helps. Listening to Music, Listening to Cancer patients who have survived the crusade, Reading -all these things help. Everything helps- the kind words from a well-wisher, the soothing prayers of the believers, the constant attention by the nurses and the doctors- every little thing helps.

Cancer patients, best of all , have to believe in themselves. But thanks to modern medicine, new cancer-fighting drugs are available. It has been found that in the case of even advanced Breast cancers , hormone treatments are providing miraculous recoveries. Transplants are too helping the cause, like liver and lung transplants. Even the dreaded Leukemia which meant certain death, today is being treated with a great amount of success. New medicines, New technologies, New treatment approaches are working together to rid humanity of this great malignancy that is Cancer.

Cancer care today lays the emphasis on treating not only the patient, but the patient's family as well. The goal is to get patients home as quickly as possible, for as long as possible, helped by home nursing aides. The philosophy is to let the patient have a say in his own treatment, to the extent it is medically safe.

Cancer treatment has shown that the key is not to lose hope at any time. It may sometimes seem that life is going to ebb away. You may come perilously close to the edge. But do hold on. Have faith! In God or the Doctors or the people around you. It doesn't matter who it is that you are banking on. All that matters is that you hang on!

Cancer today is becoming curable. Is this not enough to help you to transcend the trauma of this great malice?

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Electromedicine Introduction - Fights Cancer, Powers Up Immune System

2008-09-30T04:48:00.000-07:00

Electromedicine is defined as a discipline within the field of medicine that uses electronics and energy technologies to aid in the treatment of a variety of physical symptoms, ailments and disease conditions.

Electromedicine recognizes that the body is primarily electric and some form of electricity is found naturally in all of us and controls the function of every cell of our bodies and that a wide variety of electrical impulses in our bodies help facilitate all bodily functions including all actions needed for health maintenance, healing and regeneration.

By transmitting and conditioning the cells of the body with harmonic electrical impulses that occur in a perfect state of energetic health, we can help balance and direct these impulses.

Although electromedicine has been around since the late 1800's, the control and profits of conventional medicine, namely surgery and drugs, has overshadowed and forced into the background many viable alternatives and treatments that offer, many times, better results and, most times, less side effects.

The historic advances in electromedicine technology make it a safer, and more noticeably effective alternative. Some of the latest technologies have enabled us to see noticeable improvement in a wider variety of symptoms and in more serious conditions. The most advanced, like the Photon-Genie by Ed Skilling, have become a significant complement to other therapies without negative side effects.

Electromedicine - A Brief History

Electromedicine was first documented in 1890 at the American Electro-Therapeutic Association's annual conferences on the therapeutic use of electricity and electrical devices by physicians on ailing patients.

Since 1890, electromedicine has evolved significantly:

o Nikola Tesla - in 1895 discovered alternating current and invented the AC generator, published many papers, and invented numerous electrical devices including Tesla coil therapy instruments.

o Alexander Gurvich - in 1922 discovered "biophotons" and "mitogenic" "mitotic" waves. His work is the first documented evidence of "biophotons," and became the basis for the design of later bioelectromagnetic therapy devices.

o Georges Lakhovsky - in 1925 invented the multi-wave oscillator which produced a spectrum of electrical frequencies that restored cell equilibrium in the body, and published a paper in "Radio News" magazine titled "Curing Cancer with Ultra Radio Frequencies."

o Royal Raymond Rife - in the 1930's demonstrated how his frequency research and mitogenic impulse-wave technology (specifications in public domain) could cure cancer.

o Ed Skilling - 1950's break through discoveries with space-age electronics, transmission and communication with the cells and the body's immune system; results supercede all prior electromedicine technologies.

Quantum Leap in Electromedicine

Ed Skilling's work with advanced electronics in the late 1950's leads to a quantum leap in electromedicine. His discoveries take the results of electromedicine to a new and profound level by communicating with the cells of the body using harmonic energy impulses and by introducing the harmonic balance and flow of life-force energy throughout the body.

This harmonic energy communication triggers and directs the balanced energetic function of the cells of the body. This dynamic communication works at the cellular level and orchestrates more balanced and empowered function of organs and systems of the body.

From the inside out, these harmonics empower the body's immune system to overcome diseases and other body ailments and imbalances.

Prior electromedicine technology including Rife specifications (still used today) works with "frequencies" that do not penetrate the body at the cellular level. The difficulty is in the way our bodies are created.

The human body is created "resistant" to protect us from things flying around the universe such as ultra-violet rays and microwaves, etc. The proof is in the way we can lay out in 100 plus degree sun and burn our skin and not hurt our brain, liver, kidneys, or internal organs. While this is a blessing that protects us all, it is a problem in treating, reaching and improving internal organs and functions of the body. This is primarily why past technologies that basically "zapped" the surface of the body got limited results that were not consistent for everyone.

Skilling's breakthrough technology changes this and improves results more noticeably than any technologies of the past. His technology transmits life-force energy (the kind of energy in the cells, and natural cellular energy that the cells use to communicate with each other) and achieves energetic communication with all the organs and systems of the body at the cellular level in harmony with the "impedance" (resistance) of the body.

The Skilling technology, unlike all before, achieves communication with the body at the cellular level, moves and balances body fluids (including the lymph system), re-flows all the nerve paths, improves natural regeneration, balances and improves the immune system.

"The only known "cure" for anything is your own God given immune system. All I did is figure out how to communicate with it and power it up." Ed Skilling

Since the late 1950's, Ed Skilling has innovated and engineered many electromedicine technologies. The culmination of all his breakthroughs and developments is available in the "upgraded" Photon Genie electromedicine instrument. Some of the positive results include:

o Stimulates and strengthens immune system

o Reduces and eliminates pain

o Ozonates and oxygenates the body

o Moves and balances fluid systems of the body through blood vessels, lymph, capillaries, etc. for the transport and utilization of nutrition and vital energy

o De-vitalizes pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungus, parasites, mold, yeast), & clears infections - examples include staff infection, lyme disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, autism, ms, etc.

o Eliminates blockages by re-polarizing cells and molecules; dissolves lumps, clots, mineral deposits, etc.

o Re-establishes the cells' balanced and energized state

o Neutralizes negative thought-forms; improves emotional states

o Increases energy levels and provides a sense of well-being, relaxation and clarity

o Re-charges life-force energy at the cellular level and facilitates higher and clearer states of awareness

o Increases athletic performance and helps athletes maintain consistent peak performance without interruption from muscle stress, strain and injury; used in sports medicine and therapy for injuries, sports medicine therapy injuries, minor muscle pain relief

o Provides alternative medicine for pets, holistic pet treatments, therapy for pets, pain relief for pets: dramatic, rapid, reliable, lifesaving results for animals

o Enhances, regenerates, and tones skin making it more youthful

o Accelerates the removal of fat and cellulite, when used in conjunction with long-term exercise and proper diet

o Alleviates symptoms of PMS and menopause, including pain, irritability, bloating, depression, migraines, and hot flashes through hormonal balancing

o Supports weight-loss by neutralizing and balancing appetite cravings and increasing cellular energy levels

Discover the Link Between Chlorine in Drinking Water and Cancer

2008-09-30T04:47:00.000-07:00

If you were worried about chlorine in drinking water, just look what they've found now.

It has been recently reported that water samples taken from a US town's water supply showed that the average level of trihalomethanes has increased about 9 percent from its previous average, which was above standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The trihalomethanes are a carcinogenic byproduct formed when chlorine used to disinfect drinking water interacts with organic materials in the water supply.

One theory about why the trihalomethanes levels might be higher is that the farther water travels from the water treatment plant, the more time chlorine has to interact with organic materials.

There have also been reports of drugs found in drinking water samples taken from all over the United States, Canada and other areas of the world.

These were waters intended for public use.

As if we don't have enough to worry about.

First, it was simply a matter of taste.

The level of chlorine in drinking water at my house varies, but sometimes it would smell like pool water.

One day, I went to cook pasta and luckily looked in the bottom of the pot first. It was yellow. You could literally see the chlorine granules.

Of course, you couldn't see the drugs found in drinking water.

And, there are lots of other contaminants too small to be seen by the naked eye, but that does not mean that they are not dangerous.

My family has had a kitchen purifier since the day that the treatment facility said the level of chlorine in drinking water was considered safe, even though I could see it.

The taste was terrible.

Later, I learned that when used to disinfect, chlorine in drinking water releases toxins known as THMs or trihalomethanes.

Recently, I learned that those cause cancer.

Apparently, researchers have known for a while, but journals were afraid to publish the results.

They were afraid that there would be protests about chlorine in drinking water and the result would be that facilities would stop disinfecting.

Chlorination is the best way to kill E-coli and other bacteria that cause illnesses and death.

During a cholera outbreak in Peru, officials hesitated to use chlorination, even though it was recommended by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

They hesitated because they knew that THMs cause cancer.

Over 10,000 people died as a result in less than a month.

So, if chlorine in drinking water is news to you, don't petition the government to stop using it.

That would be a threat to public health.

Just buy a filtration device for your kitchen and you won't have to worry about it.

If you get a good system, you won't have to worry about the drugs found in drinking water either.

The levels are very low, but scientists are unsure about what the combination of the different drugs found in drinking water samples could do over the course of a person's life.

There is no immediate health risk. It's a long term risk, similar to the risk of cancer from THM exposure.

Is There Any Way to Beat Cancer?

2008-09-30T04:46:00.000-07:00

If you have been diagnosed with cancer it can be overwhelming. There is alot of information all over the internet and in the medical community that can seem very confusing. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer one of the most important things you need to realize is there is hope for total remission. The very first step is believing in yourself and that you can beat your cancer. Cancer is a process that happens over a period of time. You do not get cancer over night. There are several things that have gone wrong in your cell development and your body and your healthy cells where not able to fight the cancer cells. You can however reverse the process. It can take time and determination but it can be done. The further the stage your cancer is in the longer it may take to reverse the process, but you can do it. Your body is designed naturally to heal itself. When we get a cut, an injury, major surgery, illness, broken bones, etc. your body will repair itself. The brain automatically sends out signals to your entire body to fight the ailment or illness. The better you take care of yourself and provide your body and cells with the essentials it needs the easier your body can heal itself. Your body does this everyday of your life, healing itself, rebuilding itself and providing you with life.

You may not be aware of this, but everyone has cancer cells. Your body, especially your white cells (NK Cells) fight off and kill the cancer cells. One NK cell attaches to a cancer cell and kills it in a matter of seconds. That same NK cell can continue to kill numerous cancer cells before that NK cell dies off. Your body will naturally continue producing more NK cells. It is an ongoing natural process in your body.

Women and cancer

2008-09-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

These 18 articles consider cancers that affect both men and women as well as those particular to women. They cover the effects of the near-epidemic rate of lung cancer on women, surgical treatment of breast cancer, including an analysis of tissue diagnoses and the outcomes of each surgical option, medical management and evaluation therapy for breast cancer, breast reconstruction surgery from a female surgeon's point of view, colorectal cancer and its effects on sexual function and body image, gynecological cancers (of the ovary, uterus, cervix, and vulva and gestational trophoblastic disease), psychosocial issues and their effects on women's body image during cancer treatment, sexuality and self-identity amongst women with cancer, cancer's effects on life cycles such as fertility and menopause, and treatment of women with venous thromboembolism and cancer.

Fundraising for cancer

2008-09-28T06:05:00.001-07:00

The national president of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars will visit Salt Lake City and Layton April 13-15 as part of Cancer Awareness Month.

President Virginia Carman is asking the public to join the auxiliary in the fight against cancer. The National Ladies Auxiliary raises more than $3 million each year for research and for grants to members stricken with cancer.

During her visits, Carman will visit local members in different parts of the state, including an open house reception Sunday, April 13, from 5-6 p.m. at the VFW Post 3586 in Salt Lake City and a dinner at the Layton VFW Post 8307 Monday, April 14, at 6 p.m.

Prostate cancer

2008-09-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

The editors (both of the Institute of Urology, U. College London, UK) present 18 papers on prostate cancer therapies. They open with chapters on nutrition, lifestyle interventions, and prevention; the current state of biomarkers for prostate cancer; histopathological markers and precursor lesions; and prostate cancer screening. A section on regional prostate cancer includes chapters on assessment of treatment strategies using risk stratification and prediction of clinical outcomes, treatment strategies for low-risk and high-risk cancers, and treatment strategies for biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer. Advanced prostate cancer is the subject of the next section, which includes discussion of hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, molecular strategies and clinical trial design, and therapeutic strategies of palliative care. The final chapters address management of complications, including spinal cord compression and fractures, urinary obstruction, erectile dysfunction, and pain. Published by Clinical Publishing, UK, an imprint of Atlas Medical Publishing Ltd; distributed in the US by BookMasters.

CANCER CYCLE

2008-09-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

TWO Kerry men are cycling 737 miles around Ireland for cancer charities. Kilcummin natives Kieran Lynch and David Fleming, started their trip last week and hope to end in Killarney on September 2.

How to Care For Cancer Pain at Home

2008-09-26T02:07:00.000-07:00

Pain is a kind of subjective feeling against the harmful stimulation to the body. Cancer pain is one of the main symptoms of cancer. Particularly more than 60% patients of terminal cancer are suffering from serious pain.

For the cancer patients in family therapy who has longer course and less pain, we can relieve their pain through psychotherapy and physical therapy. It is easy to do, and can enhance their confidence to overcome the disease.

Below are some commonly used methods:

1. Psychological hint: This method is mainly to enhance the confidence of their own to overcome diseases. We imply that patients do some self-regulations, tell them that they can be cured through the treatment, and enhance their courage to survive. Give patients adequate nutrition and let them do rehabilitation training, stimulate the potential of patients to kill cancer cells and alleviate the symptoms of pain.

2. Relaxation: Relaxation can reduce body pain, muscle relaxation can block the pain response. Let the patient close eyes, breathe deeply and relax the whole body. This will let the patient feel comfortable and forget pain temporarily.

3. Physical treatment: We can stimulate the skin around the pain to stop aching. The methods include massage, wiping pain-killers and temperature stimulation. For example, use hot compress bag 20 minutes per time.

4. Attention transfer: Let the patient sit comfortably, close the eyes, recall some interesting things or do what he likes to do, each time 15 minutes. In addition, we can increase some nice music with rhythm, or some jokes and comedies. So to transfer the attention of patients and alleviate their suffering.

Handling Cancer on the NHS

2008-09-26T02:06:00.000-07:00

The NHS boasts it is "best in the world". So why do we have one of the worst post cancer survival rates in Europe?

Possibly this is partly our fault. Most people diagnosed with cancer in Britain meekly accept what doctors offer; they feel it is wrong to challenge a diagnosis, and as one doctor told me "patients should ask for a second opinion".

My favourite medic told a conference at the Royal Marsden, Britain's flagship cancer treatment centre, "doctors don't know how to talk to patients": loud cheers from patients in the audience, whilst medics sat stony-faced. Revd. David Brown was Chaplain at the hospital for 21 years, and said doctors would come to him and say "David, I don't know how to talk to patients".

So it is up to patients to talk WITH their doctors. Don't worry about being a nuisance, as privately oncologists admit patients that "kick up a fuss" generally recover better. We need to get over NHS arrogance, and copy what is offered to patients in Europe. As a patient, I became incensed when doctors in Britain dismissed blindness in one eye, caused by one of the drugs I was on, with "I have never seen this before". It was a French professor who said this was a rare but well-documented side effect of the drug I had been put on, Tamoxifen.

I saw what help I could get in Europe, mostly common sense, but denied to patients in Britain because doctors just won't look abroad and copy procedures and treatments. If we find information on the Internet that will help us, we don't have to meekly accept arrogant decisions and advice from our medics. We should demand treatment and products European cancer patients receive - so hopefully we all survive longer.

For most patientss, everything goes relatively well. Yes, you are going to get tired for no apparent reason. Yes, you get nauseous and have problems with chemo, but as time goes on these are much better handled. You get used to talking to medics, and find whilst you arebeing treated in hospital your problems get sorted. Complicatons come when you are given a hormonal drug such as Tamoxifen, and told you don't have to come back for three months.

5% of patients won't get any side effects, and sail through the next five years. The other 95% do, and these can include temporary blindness and peeling, bloody and painful skin eruptions. These made me the patient from hell. I didn't believe attempts to fob me off with "it's your age" and demanded to know "why?"

Eventually it became obvious that the NHS is overstretched; it concentrates on primary treatment, leaving cancer charities to pick up the aftermath.

So, why not take advantage of a short break holiday and go to Europe? In most EU countries patients live longer post cancer, and I suspect this is because their doctors don't dismiss side effects from hormonal drugs, but help patients throughout the five years they take them. I had a lovely time learning about good post cancer treatment. Who could complain joining German cancer patients having free massages, or French women getting skincare advice with lovely clinically-tested products proven to do cancer-skins good?!

Currently the UK ranks between 17th and 25th for life expectancy post cancer (depending if it is NHS or World Health Organisation survey), I asked the Dept of Health if the NHS were sending people to Europe to see what we could copy. Their arrogant reply "we have no plans" beggars belief.

Pound for pound, euro for euro, French cancer treatment is probably the best in world. Overall their health service (state and health insurance top ups together) costs roughly the same as our NHS. But when private insurance companies are involved, they demand accountability. No insurance company would allow hospitals get away with the expensive administration we have in the NHS. The Sunday Telegraph wrote recently that in the past ten years "NHS administrator numbers increased 64%, as against 43% for doctors and 25% for nurses", yet "productivity has fallen by 10%".

With administrators on lb150,000+ salaries we still have the worst MRSA figures in Europe. So instead of giving us similar treatment to Europeans, the NHS is paying for the extra administrators, and, as cancer guru Prof. Karol Sikora says, "the depth of pile in their carpets".

But there is no reason why we can't copy some of the European treatments, and have fun after cancer. These aren't 'airy fairy' treatments or 'miracle foods', but clinically approved products, some of which we can obtain on NHS, but doctors don't have time to tell us, and things such as massage that Macmillan surveys have proven to be very helpful. But before trying anything, tell your doctor or oncology nurse - there might be contra-indications.

Cancer Surgery - Get it in India

2008-09-26T02:05:00.000-07:00

Cancer treatments have made many miracles to the patients from all over the country. There are several cancer research centers all over the countries that are inventing various new methods in treatment of cancer. The cancer centers hospitals of India provide treatment to abroad patients at a very less price as compared to the cost of abroad cancer surgery hospitals. In India medical treatment centers for cancer treatment are at Delhi, Chennai, Calcutta, Hyderabad and Mumbai. Cancer surgeries have produced 85% of successful results in India by completely curing the patients. The development of advanced cancer surgery procedures lead to higher survival rate and improve the quality of life. The cancer survival patients have been back to their work normally as before they were. Because of low cost of cancer treatment and availability of experienced surgeons in India, cancer surgery hospitals of India are gaining more popularity in abroad, many abroad patients are attracted to India for getting their cancer treatment done at low cost.

Cancer is simply an abnormal growth of cells in various body parts that have to be dealt within proper time. All cancers begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. Cells make up tissues, and tissues make up the organs of the body. Normally, cells grow and get multiplied to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old and die, new cells take their place. Sometimes this orderly process breaks down. New cells form when the body does not need them, or old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor. Thus we can say cancer is abnormal growth of body cells. Different cancer surgeries available in India are Bladder cancer surgery, bone cancer surgery, brain tumor surgery, breast cancer surgery, liver cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, salivary gland cancer surgery, head and neck cancer surgery, prostate cancer surgery, pituitary gland tumor surgery, pancreatic cancer surgery, penile cancer surgery, leukemia surgery, lymphoma surgery. Cancer though a life threatening disease it can be prevented and cured if early detected. There are various methods of treatment for cancer like surgical removal of cancer, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, Hormonal therapy, Immunological therapy etc. The success rate of cancer surgery at the early stage of cancer is very good but the success rate reduces as the stage of cancer increases but it can also be cured with most advanced techniques available in medical field.

Medical tourism is a new and growing concept worldwide many countries invite patients from other countries and provide low cost packages to abroad patients for their treatment. Medical tourism of India provides different low cost packages to abroad patients for their treatment in India. For comfortable stay of abroad patients they arrange very good accommodation, their tickets and provision of good treatment facilities is also taken care by them. Many abroad patients are getting attracted to India for their cancer treatment.

Where Do Celebrities Go For Cancer Treatment?

2008-09-24T05:57:00.000-07:00

Celebrity Cancer Treatment

Where do celebrities like Kylie Minogue, Marianne Faithfull and others go for cancer treatment? Off to France.

France has some of the best cancer treatment in the world. Britain is getting better, but once hospital treatment finishes - that's it. "Take these pills every day for the next five years". Then you'll get a hurried check-up every six months.

These pills are hormonal drugs, often fought over in the Courts for our treatment (remember Herceptin?). But what no-one tells 95% of British patients is that side effects from these drugs often need specialist treatment; which the NHS is loath to provide. So, if you are a celebrity, or one of a gathering number of Brits who are prepared to pay for informed advice - off you go France.

French cancer treatment doesn't stop with hospital visits. They know side effects are going to be with you for a long time, so provide excellent care, often at a local medical spa. No prizes for guessing British post cancer survival rates hover a blush-making bottom of European Statistics; France comes top of table.

So when you need treatment or TLC for hormonal drug side effects, how can you follow celebrities to France?

I found the best way is a letter of introduction from any doctor, listing your medical history. Send this to the Medical Director of your chosen spa, and you are in the system. Can't find the right person? The tourist office will be able to help.

French doctors understand side effects of hormonal drugs, and help you get through the five years' treatment cycle as easily as possible. There is expert help, allied to proven therapies which are usually very pampering: think massage, face treatments for dry skin, reflexology, etc. All you have to do is lie back, knowing the massage or treatment you are having is supervised by medical staff.

When the figures came out in The Lancet, showing Britain way down the tables for post cancer survival, I asked what plans the Dept. Health had to copy post cancer care in Europe.

"None" - came back arrogant reply.

One wonders if this is because the treatments are often similar to 'beauty' treatments? But charities like Macmillan have done extensive studies proving their benefits.

After cancer treatment in London, I tapped into the French system, and now every few weeks off I go for a short break. I call this medical treatment; any fly on the way will know that I constantly have a smile on my face. Talking to doctors about any niggling worries or problems that have cropped up, I then indulge in treatments, and the only nasty side is knowing that many of the local patients are getting this on their health schemes.

There doesn't seem to be a language problem. You can request an English-speaking doctor, and many therapists and staff speak English; but medicine is international; just lie back and leave them to sort out your massage, skin problems, or whatever.

Most medical spas specialising in post cancer treatment have the word 'Bain' in their names; this is because treatments followed healing thermal waters. At Aix-les-Bains you see patients smiling as tiny jets of warm water play on throat cancer sites. Brides-les-Bains is a lovely old Thermal spa with aromatherapy massage and reflexology and the chance to lose weight with fantastic menus; useful if hormonal drugs have caused weight gain.

Or head towards the west coast and La Roche Posay. They have been treating patients here ever since a knight's horse fell into the river and was cured of eczema. Today it's more likely that patients come to have special warm water massages to restore dried-out cancer skin; the selenium in the water is particularly helpful.

Originally the spa developed skincare to disguise burn marks, and just grew. The medics produced a fantastic range of skincare products, using the local water, and recently they developed a range specially for post cancer patients. Now, the skincare production has been taken over by Vichy, and these products are going to be available in Britain at chemists under the name of La Roche Posay skincare- so you can use the same creams as the celebrities.

Typically French, La Roche Posay realised women like to look good, so not only are skin creams formulated for post cancer, but so are cosmetics. My favourite is a mascara developed especially for cancer patients; any patient who has despaired of ever seeing their eyelashes again, should try this.

Looking in the mirror you see you have almost-celebrity style lashes. Sitting next to me at the make-up bar - nothing 'hospital-like' about this treatment centre, a fellow Brit suddenly beamed: Vive La France - I've got my face back!

How to Care For Cancer Pain at Home

2008-09-24T05:56:00.001-07:00

Cancer - The Social And Spiritual Dynamics

2008-09-24T05:56:00.000-07:00

Cancer, just hearing it mentioned strikes fear, dread, sadness, and anger: emotions now prevalent in our daily lives. Cancer is "the disease" of these modern times. Why has this illness become as common as owning a computer in this country? How did cancer become such an epidemic? Where does it come from? What can we learn from it and what can we do about it and with it?

As I look upon our society as a whole and examine the overall infrastructure, I feel and see a society that is ill; overrun with materialism, competition, coldness, sadness and a sincere lack of true community and a sincere lack of having a real interest in and heartfelt thinking towards each other.

I peer through these observations with a heavy heart because I have experienced these feelings and pressures of life. Striving to see the positive, I know many folks are waking up and seeking and building community, peace, a higher calling to serve mankind, and heartfelt thinking and feeling towards one another.

However, cancer is not going away anytime soon, and why is that? From the spiritual/emotional/ mental aspect, I sense that isolation and loneliness, coupled with the lack of real communication and the over stimulation of our senses with materialism, is a core factor. People, on the whole, are rather lost and isolated in the true sense of human connection and community. Loneliness, anxiety, separation, and stress all lead to a feeling of despair, a feeling of life as a struggle; this in turn weakens all of the bodies that make up the human being: physical, etheric, astral, and ego. When the bodies are not properly aligned, illness and disease can manifest. Two quotes by Rudolf Steiner come to mind in regards to disease and suffering.

There is exactly as much suffering and pain in the world as there is interest only in the physical and material.

And for the whole human being, there is hardly anything worse than being far away in the soul, with one's heart, from what the head must perform. The more people have to do what does not interest them, the weaker they make their ether body.

From these statements, we realize the gravity and seriousness of why cancer is so prevalent in our society. Most folks, including myself, have experienced that painful feeling of doing something with your head that your heart has no interest in. Now, I am not saying this in regards to doing chores or other obligations and responsibilities of life, but in regards to a vocation or project that you have no interest in or a relationship that is not fulfilling, yet you are afraid to leave it and move on. These things can literally tear your soul and drastically weaken your etheric body. This, I feel, is a huge phenomenon in life, especially the working of a job that is slowly killing your soul. New creative jobs and community-based industries that support the local economy in all aspects are needed to create a feeling of worthiness and respect for many people and for the good of the entire community.

The quote about the relationship of pain and suffering and an individual's interest only in the physical and material holds true, though not in direct proportion to the person who only has material interests. Many people diagnosed with cancer are loving and caring individuals and many people with only material thoughts and interests do not contract this disease. Perhaps those with cancer are better able to deal with it, or perhaps they are taking a higher role in taking on the consequences of all the material and physical thoughts that are produced every day in the world. I really do not know, but it is definitely a huge and deep thought to ponder. What are the spiritual aspects behind someone contracting cancer? I think deeply on this because my mother, Kay Gillette, lived life with a passion for helping others with love and kindness; yet, she left the physical world at the age of 63 from the effects of a brain tumor.

We also need to look at the prevailing materialistic forces, as they are definitely influencing mankind in a way that is out of balance. These forces go hand in hand with modern diseases like cancer; they strive to infuse materialistic thoughts in everyone, with no inclination toward spiritual forces and a living spiritual world.

Unlike in the past when different forces influenced diseases infused with heat (fever), accompanied with hallucinations, vivid images and a sense of lifting out of the physical body, the materialistic forces of today are connected with cold, accompanied by hardening, homogenization and a feeling of being driven deep into the physical body.

Our society is cancerous and it is deeply affecting everyone.

Looking to the physical world, we have to take into account, the "Toxic Load" of this world in which we live. There is no need to go into detail as it is blatantly obvious that the water, the air, the commercial food, and the chemical products that are a part of our daily lives are affecting the health of everyone and the health of our society and are, clearly, a part of this cancer epidemic.
Therapeutically, what can be done to decrease the risks of cancer and effectively nourish someone who has this disease, with a high possibility of transforming that person's health so that the cancer is no more an issue and health and vitality are restored?

The total view of life must be taken into account when someone is working on breaking free of cancer and breaking into a new life. Aspects of nutrition, relationships, spirituality, mental/emotional powers, movement, vocation, and other life attributes have to be brought into balance and harmony. New ways of living, feeling, willing, and thinking must be brought forth.

Nutritionally, I have found that a predominately raw foods diet, including raw meat, raw eggs, and raw dairy, especially raw butter, gives the body the necessary nutrients to remove and dissolve toxins, dead cells and cancerous cells and to regenerate new cell growth that allows for rebuilding and revitalizing the effected areas of the body. Raw meat is the best source of food to generate new cellular growth and raw fat is the best source of food to dissolve and remove toxins, dead cells and cancerous cells. Raw fresh vegetable juices will alkalize and oxygenate the body and aid the raw fat in dissolving toxins. This diet can take some time to get used to, but in my professional opinion, it is the best diet to heal from cancer and bring forth health and vitality. All foods should be free of chemicals and the dairy, eggs, and meat should be from pastured chickens, wild fish, and cows that eat grass. Various herbs and supplements are also very important to facilitate healing and detoxification.

In addition to cleansing the body with organic whole foods, supplements, and other natural protocols, the home must be cleansed of all toxic cleaners, detergents, body care products, etc. The water for drinking and bathing must be filtered. Even the clothes a person wears should be natural, like cotton, wool, and silk.

To a certain extent, those with cancer need to get back to nature as much possible, including walking with and enjoying Mother Nature and all her healing and comforting attributes.

Furthermore, any negative relationships, vocations, and or mental/emotional states need to be addressed and guided back to harmony through diligent and courageous inner work. The serenity prayer is a wonderful prayer to take to heart and soul during a challenging time.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change:
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Although cancer is normally seen as a tragedy in our society, a new prospective must be considered. Cancer must be looked upon as a calling to change our society and ourselves: a deep change that brings life back to a balanced living state where the physical and spiritual worlds are working together and guiding mankind to why we are really here: to evolve as the universe evolves with higher spiritual thinking, to fully grasp and understand the spiritual mysteries, to develop heart felt and loving relationships that can be continued into the spiritual world, and to develop a true sense of brotherhood and sisterhood by sincerely becoming interested and concerned with how your fellow human beings are doing and living.

Cancer can take our society and us on the present currents of fear, isolation and gross materialism, or we can alter the currents and change the direction of cancer with love, a real sense of community, the cleansing of our bodies and the environment, and the persistent and devoted work we must perform with each other and with the spiritual world.

Medically Safe Total Cystectomy Available in India

2008-09-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

As if you know, international patients are coming to India for total cystectomy. In western countries, the cost of urosurgery is 10 times more as compared to our country. We all know that medical facilities in that side are excellent. But just because of cost consideration people are traveling here for medical treatment. Medical infrastructure of our country is becoming stronger day by day. There is no doubt that India is becoming a medical hub. When you decide to come to India for the treatment, you need someone here, someone whom you can trust to find the best and cost effective hospitals, accommodation and other travel plans. Urosurgery is one of those surgeon centric medical specialties, since the results of a procedure is mainly depends of the skills and precision of the urosurgeon. The rate mainly depends on the surgeon's fee and the hospital you select because most of the surgeons work in more than 1 hospital and the operation room charges etc are different from hospital to hospital... Medical tourism can be broadly defined as provision of 'cost effective' private medical care in collaboration with the tourism industry for patients needing total cystectomy in India and other forms of specialized treatment. This process is being facilitated by the corporate sector involved in medical care as well as the tourism industry - both private and public. Medical or health tourism has become a common form of vacationing, and covers a broad spectrum of medical services. It mixes leisure, fun and relaxation together with wellness and healthcare.

It also known as radical cystectomy is surgical is the removal of the entire bladder, nearby lymph nodes (lymphadenectomy), part of the urethra, and nearby organs that may have been invaded by the cancer cells. In men, the nearby organs that are removed are the prostate, the seminal vesicles, and part of the vas deferens. In women, the cervix, the uterus, the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, and part of the vagina are also removed. The ureters are disconnected from the bladder and urinary diversion is created. If you have bladder cancer that has invaded the muscle layer and is locally invasive or if your cancer has come back after the initial treatment, then you are an ideal candidate.

Benefits

The 5 year survival rate after total cystectomy, for people who have bladder cancer is 75%.

Risks

Bowel obstruction
Perforation of bowel with peritonitis
Injury to urethra and / or rectum
Erectile dysfunction

The idea of the health holiday is to offer you an opportunity to get away from your daily routine and come into a different relaxing surrounding. You can enjoy being close to the beach and the mountains. At the same time you are able to receive an orientation that will help you improve your life in terms of your health and general well being. It is like rejuvenation and cleans up process on all levels - physical, mental and emotional. Many people from the developed world come here for the rejuvenation promised by yoga and Ayurvedic massage, but few consider India a destination for total cystectomy or brain surgery. However, a nice blend of top-class medical expertise at attractive prices is helping a growing number of Indian corporate hospitals lure foreign patients, including from developed nations such as the UK and the US. As more and more patients from Europe, the US and other affluent nations with high medicare costs look for effective options, India is the best, which have good hospitals, salubrious climate and tourist destinations with advanced medical facilities and built-in medical tourism options have been drawing foreign patients of the order of a couple of lakhs per annum, the rapidly expanding Indian corporate hospital sector has been able to get a few thousands for treatment.

What to Do When You Have Cancer?

2008-09-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

Whenever people get cancer, meditationwise and dietwise here's what I'd tell them:

1. Dietwise, they should cut out sugars immediately as cancer thrives on sugars. Milk, for instance, is a sugar so cut out the dairy products (which most people are allergic too anyway). Grains easily turn into glucose, too, so cut down on the grain consumption as well.

No one, without testing can tell you which diet is best for the cancer patient. We have the Budwig diet, Gerson diet, macrobiotic diet and all sorts of diets and supplements. Some will work well for you, and others are exactly the worst diet to try.

What we can say is to cut out food allergens that may be taxing your immune system, as the government now recognizes that most cancers are caused by dietary factors and the environment. For this I recommend the ImmunoLabs blood test out of Florida. And for rebuilding the body, take green powders as they are easily absorbed and supply all sorts of the right ingredients for fighting cancer and rebuilding the body. There are also products like Seacure you can use when taking chemotherapy, but I basically tell folks to supply their bodies with the greens, cut out the sugars and food allergies.

Without tests, that's all anyone can safely say. If you do blood tests and hair analysis and urine tests to see what's going on internally, you can see what people are missing nutritionally, and then you can intervene with supplements. But if you just star popping supplements it can sometimes be a waste.

2. As to the immune system, once again you could spend a fortune on supplements to bolster the immune system but many doctors recommend mushrooms, particularly those from JHS Naturals. Remember, mushroom supplements are the FIRST thing a doctor from Japan will put you on (and don't tell me their medical knowledge is inferior to ours, as they do double blind studies as well). You can also try supplements like Immune26, but it depends on the situation.

3. For detoxing the body, which is usually necessary when the cancer has an environmental cause (exposure to chemicals, etc.) there's our detox ebook, which is what I recommend people purchase and why I recommend people detox once per year. Right now I'm on my yearly detox schedule using Nature's Pure Body, enzymes, lipoic acid and nattokinase. I also like the Richard Schulze (American Botanical Pharmacy) insights in fighting cancer as a terminal disease, which focus on detoxification, and I like his insights on dealing with the terminal patient mentality.

Now lack of detoxification is not always the main culprit behind cancer, but often it's part of the puzzle. The problem with detox as a cure is that if this has contributed to cancer in the first place, by the time the cancer surfaces, the detoxification required to help the situation is SO severe that too much has to be done all at once. That's why I recommend detoxing every year.

Women, for instance, don't recognize that their breasts are simply collection pools for all the chemicals and pesticides sprayed on the food that we eat nowadays, so lymph drainage and detox routines are a way to cut down on those risks. Men... all of you will have some degree of prostate cancer by the time you are a senior, but it's just that you usually don't die from it.

4. To fight the cancer directly, you have to recognize that most cancer chemotherapy is based on platinum compounds and there's been dozens of cases trickling in now of people who've taken colloidal platinum who've reported cancer cures. One doctor I know of even talked to researchers at Sloan Kettering who said they knew it killed cancer, but they said no one was interested in sponsoring the detailed research because there's no money to be made without a patent. This doctor, however, went on to cure his bladder cancer by drinking stuff.

This is all anecdotal, mind you, but the science behind the use of colloidal platinum for cancer is there. However, I'm not about to believe that a billion dollar industry wants to study and popularize a $100 supplement like this, so you're on your own. I could tell stories about this sort of thing where really good supplements get destroyed by the system, but you're left to using your own wisdom muscles. All I can do is alert you to this stuff, as it can save your life.

5. As to meditation, once again it all comes down to letting go of thoughts and abiding in emptiness. Once you do that and let go of the thoughts that bind you, your chi can arise unobstructedly and spread throughout your body, without constraint, and help in your recovery. It's all science. Even Richard Schulze found out that when people let go of some hateful thought patterns they clung to for years, that release helped in their recovery. Why? Same reason! They let go of thoughts, and finally their natural chi flows were restored which helped heal them. The cancer--in the first place--arose partially due to a non-natural set of consciousness-chi linkages which should NOT have been clung to.

Naturally meditation doesn't work 100% of the time, but Ainslie Meares found it resulted in "spontaneous remission" in 10% of the cases he studied. At the minimum it produces less pain and death with dignity. That's far better than getting cut up (surgery), drugged up (chemo) and radiated when there's no hope.

In Hindsight, Pancreatic Cancer Reared Its Ugly Head With Subtle Early Signs

2008-09-22T22:27:00.000-07:00

My father died over 4 years ago from pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, the first sign my father had of this cancer (he awoke jaundice) was also the final stages of this hideous disease. All cancers are terrible, but pancreatic cancer takes it one step further. Its first noticeable symptoms are usually the final ones. In hindsight, I realize my family and I were given many clues that my fathers health was changing. Unfortunately, not one of us noticed those signs in time.

One of the first signs of pancreatic cancer is abdominal pain, frequently radiating to the back. My father did not have radiating back pain, but instead suffered a dull, achy pain. Since he had always had a troublesome back which lead to surgery years earlier, he dismissed this as nothing serious. He started sessions with a chiropractor, who tried to alleviate the constant ache.

Another symptom that was overlooked, was his weight loss. He had always been a giant of a man and usually maintained his weight at 240. He started losing weight, but insisted that he was tired of his belly being his table and wanted to lose the pounds. I believe he truly felt what he was saying was true, but the underlying cause is what has me convinced that pancreatic cancer was rearing its ugly head very early.

Around the beginning of 2003 my father started getting picky about his food. Nothing grossly peculiar, but for a man who would sit down and enjoy every hearty meal, suddenly some of his favorite foods just didn't taste right to him. He would have my mom taste the morsel and although she would tell him that it was fine he would insist it tasted funny or was not prepared right.

In hindsight my Dads food tasting different was a very big sign that his health was changing, but certainly not the biggest clue that we got and failed to notice. My Dad was a beer drinker his whole life. He drank beer everyday. I don't want to make him sound like a hobo on the tracks, but he worked hard and he played hard. He enjoyed beer with his meals. He enjoyed beer after mowing his grass. He enjoyed beer watching his football games. He was a beer drinking guy.

Imagine to our amazement, when he just stopped drinking it. He just didn't care for the taste any longer and drank water or diet cola with his meals. That still didn't trigger a clue for us and it masked the clue for losing weight. With my father not drinking beer it was a given that he was going to lose weight. Therefore we lost another valuable clue that my fathers health was changing. All of this was approximately 1 year before his diagnosis.

Another sign that we didn't recognize was my Dad constantly eating peanuts. He could not get enough of them. Shortly before his skin turned jaundice, his whole body became itchy. I have since learned that the itchiness was caused from bile salt crystals backing up under his skin. The tumor was at the head of the pancreas and unknowing to us was already blocking his bile duct. I don't know where the peanuts fit in other then their salt content. He might have been craving for salt since it was accumulating in his skin tissue instead of being distributed throughout his body, but that I'm just guessing.

I am not in the medical field, but I have been obsessed with pancreatic cancer funding and trying to find early detection. Pancreatic cancer is a silent killer and the deadliest of all cancers. I am hoping that by writing this article it can bring awareness to its readers on some very subtle changes in ones health that were obviously noticeable in my Dads case, but not observed or processed by us as anything major or needing our immediate attention.

New Smart Bomb Gives Hope For Kidney Cancer

2008-09-20T02:27:00.000-07:00

There's new hope for kidney cancer patients as a new so called "smart bomb" could reach the clinical test stages in the next few years.

In the UK kidney cancer is the 10th most prevalent cancer and effects about 7000 people a year resulting in about 3500 deaths a year. It's also been given the title of "silent killer" because it doesn't always present with symptoms and in a number of cases (including mine) it's found incidentally.

The problem to date is that treatments such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy have limited impact on kidney cancer, and although huge strides have been made over the past few years generally these drugs will only help to stabilise the condition. That's not to say that some people don't have a complete response with these treatments it's just less prevalent than in other forms of cancer.

The current kidney cancer drugs have a tendency to be very toxic and the side effects make it difficult for some patients to tolerate over a prolonged period. This is where the new "smart bomb" technology steps in, it enables the packaging of smaller doses of drugs into nanoparticles where they can be targeted at cancer cells rather than the current method of large doses.

Although there seems to be no claim that the drugs will be any more effective it does mean that the side effects will be dramatically reduced which you'd hope would give patients more strength to fight and the medics more options.

They've been testing on mice so far with a drug found in soil fungus, but the tests show that tumour shrinkage was on average 35% and metastases was reduced by 91% compared to mice that received the formula in the usual way.

It's really encouraging to see these new developments, maybe in the not too distant future there'll finally be a real cure for this silent killer.

Beating Cancer - Wonder Foods Believed to Cure Cancer

2008-09-20T02:26:00.001-07:00

We all know it is important to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. If you have cancer, it is even more important that you're getting your daily intake of essential vitamins and minerals. But did you know there are certain foods that can help you beat cancer? Not only can they slow and prevent tumor growth, some have actually been proven to shrink tumors and improve your immune system's ability to beat cancer.

Apricots, peaches, cherries, and berries all contain amygdalin. This is probably one of the best-known cancer fighting agents and is found in over 1200 different natural foods. Berries also contain various phytochemicals that slow tumor growth and block further cancer development. The foods with the highest sources of the cancer-fighting agent amygdalin are in the seeds of non-citrus foods.

Strawberries contain all of the cancer fighting ingredients as other berries, but also contain high amounts of vitamin C. Vitamin C has been shown to help the body's natural defenses in fighting cancer by boosting the immune system and is a powerful antioxidant. It has also been shown to encapsulate tumors and prevent the further spread of cancer. Other foods high in vitamin C include papaya, raw red bell peppers, steamed broccoli, brussel sprouts, oranges, cantaloupe, kiwi, cauliflower, and kale.

Broccoli contains high amounts of vitamin C and is also highly rich in beta carotene. Beta carotene strengthens your body's immunity and has been proven in animal studies to decrease tumor growth, prevent cancer reoccurrence, and extend survival rates and is a powerful antioxidant. It is especially effective in cancers developing from epithelial tissue, which accounts for 90% of all cancer cases. Carrots and zucchini are also high in beta carotene. It can be found in many green and yellow fruits and vegetables and most mixed vegetable juices are rich in beta carotene.

Olive leaves are emerging as another powerful cancer fighting food. It has now been found to contain a very powerful phytochemical that may prove to kill cancer cells as well as lower blood pressure and cholesterol. In fact, it has been found to have five times the antioxidant effects as that of vitamin C. Olive leaves may not be the most tasteful of foods, but it can be combined in tasty recipe dishes or even mashed and made into a tea or thick green drink.

Barley and wheat grass are cereal grasses that are powerful cancer fighters. They are rich in chlorophyll, which has great health promoting effects. They are also known to have an anticarcinogenic effect and prevent further tumor growth. They contain high amounts of phytonutrients and have a highly antioxidant effect. Dried wheat grass has more vitamins and nutrients in a small spoonful than many servings of fruits and vegetables and is often called a green super food. Did you know that wheat grass even contains many more times the amount of vitamin C than oranges?

There are many foods that will help you in your cancer fight. You should combine as many cancer-fighting foods as possible by creating your own cancer fighting diet for the best results. Cancer fighting foods have been proven to reduce the growth and spread of cancers and prevent reoccurrences. They will also improve your body's natural defenses to help you overcome the odds and live a full cancer free life.

Coffee & Cancer Facts

2008-09-20T02:26:00.000-07:00

A regular cup of coffee contains a number of antioxidants that are good for health. Antioxidants are chemical compounds present in foods that help to shield the body from various toxins and can even be preventative in the development of cancer in the body. Most antioxidants are derived from plants, coffee being one of them. Research done has shown that there are many antioxidant benefits of coffee. In these research studies conducted by various universities, however, there was no apparent relation found between the consumption of coffee and cancer development in a person; many believe that the amount of coffee that would need to be consumed in order to reap the anti-cancer benefits of the antioxidants found in coffee is just too high. It has been shown; however, that drinking coffee in moderation can decrease risk of cancer development for coffee drinkers as compared to non-coffee drinkers. Here are some of the cancers that have a decreased risk for coffee drinkers:

* Breast Cancer: Research from Malamo University in Sweden and The Harvard School of Public Health in Boston have shown that women who drank two or more cups of coffee a day were at A lesser risk of cancer as compared to women who drank no coffee at all. The cancer preventing properties of coffee have been attributed to caffeine present in the coffee that modifies the carcinogenic components of female sex hormone Estrogen.
* Skin Cancer: A cup of coffee after a walk in the sun can help reduce the risk of skin cancer. According to a study published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, coffee consumption can cut the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer by 35%. The antioxidants present in coffee have a protective effect on the DNA synthesis, and this can help decrease the cell division of the cells.
* Liver Cancer: Coffee drinking has been shown to have a preventive effect on cirrhosis which is the starting stage for liver cancer compared to non-coffee drinkers, those who drank up to 1-2 cups of coffee daily had a 50% less risk of first stage liver cancer. Caffeine present in coffee is found to be the main reason for coffee's effect on liver cancer.
* Colon Cancer: Drinking more than five cups of coffee a day can lower the risk of colorectal cancer. Along with increasing the movement of food in the bowels, coffee is believed to help reduce the production of bile acids that are known to increase the threat of bowel cancer. Antioxidants present in coffee also play a significant role in preventing cell damage.

Can Eating Cure Cancer?

2008-09-18T00:39:00.001-07:00

The latest study reported in the British Journal of Cancer recommends the Mediterranean Diet, saying fruits, vegetables, cereals, and fish are good, and we should eat less red meat. Another study also commends broccoli.

However, currently there is no one 'superfood' that can stop you developing cancer.
But if you eat healthily, you have a better chance of a good recovery. The healthier your body is, the more reserves you have to fight nasty 'invasions'.

Fish comes highly recommended - BUT - having seen how farmed fish live, I would strongly recommend that if you buy salmon, ensure that it is organically farmed, unless you can afford wild salmon; Waitrose and good fishmongers sell both types in season. Looking at the fish counter in the average supermarket, you see how organic salmon is a paler colour, and fish farmers are given a chart to match the colour supermarkets think customers want. Me, I don't want any artificial colouring in my food, thank you.

If you like meat, try things like kidneys and liver; lambs' kidneys are incredibly cheap, and can be cooked in olive oil, adding more brownie points. Peas and beans also score highly, both are easily frozen, and recent studies confirm that frozen veg. have all the benefits of fresh, but in an easy form to store.

Sara Hiom, from Cancer Research UK, said "it shows there are a number of things you can do, and there is no one 'superfood' that can stop you developing the disease."

What else to eat

After cancer, patients say they are bombarded with diet sheets. Friends add to the confusion by telling you "I've just read an article that says you should/should not eat X - ranging from tomatoes to strawberries.

Anyone who wants their 15 minutes of fame will announce they have just carried out a survey that says eating grapefruit/apples/meat/milk/nuts or just about anything you name will/won't give you cancer.

I have a nasty suspicious mind. During my cancer journey I had been given diet sheets and advice from six different hospital dieticians. Surprise, surprise - advice sometimes contradicted their colleagues. So now I just eat what I want, which basically follows the usual diet eaten around the Mediterranean. Luckily I do love fruit and veg (sorry to be so smug!). So if you like what is supposed to do you good, go for it!

Milk

It's nice to talk to enquiring minds who challenge and investigate eating habits. Michel Montignac was the French scientist who first took on the Canadian research into Low Glycemic Index foods, and developed a diet that has kept French women (and Kylie Minogue) slim for twenty years. It is thanks to him that a lot of sensible dieting is now around, and talking to him over lunch recently I asked him what he is up to now.

"Milk" he said.

He says he couldn't understand why a food that for centuries had been regarded as essential for life, has suddenly been demonised. So he is carrying out detailed research on milk and dairy produce. Although milk doesn't feature so much in a Mediterranean diet, yoghurt is a staple.

He strongly suspects that the problems, allergies etc. that are being reported as being the fault of dairy produce, are in fact caused by the way that today many cows are reared on hormones and anti-biotics, kept indoors all year round, fed on 'made up' foods, etc. He strongly advocates that we don't forsake milk (unless we really have a dairy allergy) but instead change to organic milk.
So far, what I have read about organic milk bears out what he says. In a recently published book 'Eat Your Heart Out', Felicity Lawrence said that "you are what you eat" applies to cows as much as humans. In the past 60 years iron content of milk appears to have dropped by more than 60%, it has lost 2% of calcium and 21% of its magnesium.

On the plus side, if you drink organic milk, a recent study showed that on average, a pint of organic milk contained 68% more omega-3 fatty acids than conventional milk.

In many areas you can still order milk from a milkman - and this can be organic milk. Go on the web to find nearest delivery round, and support this very British industry. If we don't we will soon find that our milk is imported many hundreds of miles in a tanker right across Europe, coming from cows kept indoors all year round and fed on growth-hormones - and we will wonder what happened to our farmers. www.findmeamilkman.net.

Watch this space - Bon Appetit - and try snacking on fruit and veg to add the Mediterranean essentials to your diet.

Top 5 Kinds of Food Anti-Cancer

2008-09-18T00:39:00.000-07:00

1. Tomato

Tomato is one of the best sources of vitamin C, can significantly reduce the risk of cancer, especially prostate cancer. Elements in tomatoes can prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease, also can reduce the incidence of prostate cancer. Tomato juice without salt does really good for hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

Nutrition experts recommend we eat 1 or 2 fresh tomatoes a day for our health.

2. Nuts

Nuts, including peanut and almond fruit, may raise good cholesterol and lower triglycerides in the blood, and prevent heart diseases. Nuts are the essence of plants, rich in proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, can contribute to human growth and development, also can enhance physical fitness and prevent cancers.

Nutrition experts recommend we eat 30 grams a day. But we can not eat too much, or we will be fat.

3. Oat

Moderate daily consumption of oat can lower cholesterol. Oat is rich in fiber and make people feel enough to eat, so can reduce the intake of other greasy food. Daily consumption of 35 grams oats can provide adequate nutrition and maintain long-term vitality.

4. Garlic

Apart from the rich in antioxidants, garlic has recently been found to prevent colon cancer. Japanese scientists found that those who eat garlic daily were less suffering from colon cancer.

Nutrition experts recommend those sedentary white-collar crowd should eat garlic.

5. Red wine

Red wine contains alcohol and tannin, can inhibit bacterial growth. It contains Vitamin C, E, and carotene, has anti-oxidation function, can effectively prevent cataracts, immune barriers, artery atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and cerebral vascular diseases and cancers.

Nutrition experts recommend that moderate consumption of red wine does good to our health, 1-3 cups a day is usually the best.

Alcohol and Cancer

2008-09-15T04:36:00.001-07:00

There are mounting evidence that alcohol increases the risk of many type of cancers including mouth cancer, oesophagus, larynx, pharynx, liver (especially in men), and also breast cancer.

Regardless of the type, alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer. Whether it is in the form of beer, wine or spirits, it is the alcohol itself that does the damage. Our upper-respiratory tract has sensitive tissues that are directly exposed to alcohol; consuming alcohol will cause damage to our body cells and may lead to cancer. After many years, alcoholic liver cirrhosis will eventually develop and will finally lead to liver cancer.

To lower your risk of getting cancer, you should opt to not drink any alcohol at all or if you have to drink, you should drink in moderation only. Moderate drinking differ from men to women. The recommended amount for women is not more than a drink per day; a drink is equal to a bottle or a can of beer (12oz). For men, the recommended amount is an average of not more than 2 standard drinks per day. The different limit for men and women is because men can metabolize alcohol quicker than the women as they have more muscle. Muscle tissue holds more water than fat, so that more alcohol can be diluted. As woman's body has less muscle and more fat, the alcohol will stay in their bloodstream longer than a man's.

Of course, not everyone who drinks alcohol will develop cancer. But, cancer is more common in people who drink alcohol than people who don't drink. People who stop their consumption of alcohol can significantly reduce their cancer risk. Other than reduce your intake of alcohol, you should also eat in moderation, exercise daily and lead a healthy lifestyle.

The Power of Naturals Against Cancer

2008-09-15T04:36:00.000-07:00

A couple of days back, the USFDA sent letters to several companies asking them to explain their claims about the efficacy of some alternative medicines in fighting cancer.

Though there still doesn't exist a panacea for treating the disease, some promising reports recently published have raised hopes vis-a-vis the power of naturals in arresting the disease.

How wine could help?

Wine, or rather a constituent of the red wine called "resveratrol" could aid in cancer prevention. The ingredient is actually a part of red grapes from which the red wine is derived.

The researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have found that it works by inhibiting abnormal cell growth. Abnormal cell growth is a prime characteristic of many forms of breast cancers. Consequently, the wine's powers could be harnessed to possibly prevent breast cancers.

In fact "resveratrol" is also sold as a dietary supplement, but its effectiveness in suppressing abnormal cell growth has come to light only recently.

A natural substance to the rescue

Cancers can sometimes be quite problematic to treat, as they can stop responding to cancer drugs, or even become resistant to them. But a natural substance "argyrin" has been found to destroy the unwanted tumor cells. This discovery has been published in the journal "Cancer Cell," and the research was conducted at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research.

While, research on naturals has shown promise, an advancement has been registered in conventional medicine as well. For instance a compound called "STF-62247" discovered by the Stanford University researchers has been found to selectively damage cancer cells only, rather than target healthy cells too. Since cancer drugs can sometimes harm healthy cell too, this research published in the journal "Cancer Cell," is perhaps just the first step towards developing effective cancer therapy with minimal side effects.

So till the time the science of cancer drugs with less side effects is perfected, the promise of naturals in treating cancer is welcome news for sure.

Calcium and Cancer

2008-09-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

The link between calcium, vitamin D and reduction of cancer risk has been the subject of many researches over the past half-century. In the 1950s, scientists examined weather data and health statistics to show that areas with the higher amount of sunshine, a source of vitamin D, had the lowest death rates from colon cancer. Since then, studies in both humans and animals have pointed toward both vitamin D and calcium as having cancer-preventive effects; from prostate cancer to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but mainly for breast and colon cancers.

Recently, two separate studies published new evidence on the effect of calcium and vitamin D from food or supplement sources as a strong protection from cancer. The first study from Harvard researchers reported that premenopausal women with high levels of vitamin D and calcium in their diets have a lower risk of breast cancer compared to women with lower intakes of these nutrients. The discovery is further supported by the second study which found that dietary supplementation of these nutrients reduces the risk of various types of cancer. These studies provide robust evidence on the beneficial effects of calcium and vitamin D for cancer prevention.

This latest finding can be explained with the theory of 1932 Nobel Prize in Medicine winner, Otto Warburg; cancer is caused by a lack of free oxygen in the body. In order to retain its oxygen, blood must always remain at an alkaline pH 7.4. Adequate mineral consumption in a diet will supply crucial minerals required to maintain this alkalinity; mineral insufficiency will force the body to rob other body fluids to supplement the blood, removing crucial minerals such as calcium, from spinal fluids, liver, kidneys, and saliva to maintain the blood at pH 7.4. The de-mineralized organs and fluids, in turn, become acidic and lacking in oxygen; inducing cancer and a host of other degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and lupus.

Avastin - Wet Macular Degeneration

2008-09-12T04:55:00.000-07:00

Avastin is the brand name for Bevaciumab a monoclonal antibody or an antibody that is an identical clone of a single parent cell. It was approved in 2004 by the FDA for use in the treatment of some cancers and is used as a first or second line treatment for patients.

As the first clinically available angiogenesis inhibitor the United States it inhibits new cancer cells by blocking the growth of blood vessels in pre-existing tumors. A solid, non-liquid, tumor needs to grow additional blood vessels to be able to reach a certain size.

With an angiostatic agent such as Avastin the growth of new blood vessels is slowed stopping the cancer from growing indefinitely. It is usually given every 14 days intravenously in the arm and can be used with other drugs in combination and with intravenous 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy.

Developed by Genentech (NYSE: DNA), a leading biotechnology corporation, it is marketed in the United States under the Genentech name and outside the US under Roche.

When it was originally available in 2004 it was only FDA approved for the treatment of many forms of small cell lung cancer and metastatic colon cancer. A metastatic cancer, in this case colon cancer, is a cancer that spreads from one part or organ to another non-adjacent part or organ.

In 2008 the FDA opened up the doors and allowed for the treatment of breast cancer. There are also clinical trials under way to use Avastin for the treatment of non-metastatic colon cancer, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, metastatic breast cancer, metastatic glioblastoma multiform, metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer, metastatic or unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer, and metastatic ovarian cancer.

Avastin is also currently being used off-label, the practice of prescribing drugs for a purpose outside the scope of the drug's approved label, for the treatment of wet macular degeneration by some retinal specialists.

Wet macular degeneration or AMD is a condition that causes loss of vision from the growth of abnormal blood vessel choriocapillaries, through Bruch's membrane. This eventually leads to blood and protein leaking below the macula, an oval spot near the middle of the retina in the human eye. With AMD rapid, often irreversible vision loss can occur through the leaking, bleeding and scaring of the blood vessels if left untreated.

Dr. Philip J Rosenfeld, MD, PhD of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute conducted a study that showed positive results for the treatment of AMD with Avastin. According to Dr. Rosenfeld's study Avastin improved vision in as little as one week for patients treated for AMD.

For AMD treatment Avastin is used in very low amounts by retinal specialists. They usually have a pharmacists transfer the drug from the original vile to a pre-filled needles containing single doses. The specialists will then usually treat the patient in their own office.

As with any drug it is always best to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any treatment.

Natural Remedies Explored - Cancer

2008-09-12T04:54:00.001-07:00

Another very serious subject and not to be dealt with glibly, so I will not be making bold claims about a cure all.

It seems that cancerous cells are present in all of us but when our immune system fails to kill these cells they multiply rapidly.

Our immune systems needs a good diet to be able to function correctly and it is for this reason why scientists recommend 5 helpings of fresh fruit and veg a day:

* Poor levels of vitamin C have been linked with cancer of the oesophagus, larynx and the cervix.
* Cervical cancer has also been associated with low levels of folate and vit B6.
* Low levels of beta carotene are linked with cancer of the larynx, lung, stomach, large bowel and the bladder.
* Fibre is thought to be vital protection against cancer of the colon, rectum, prostate, uterus and breast.

The theme that seems to apply to all health problems is a good diet, which is based on a moderate intake of unrefined complex carbohydrates, moderate amount of protein, low amounts of saturated fat, plenty of fresh fruit and veg.

Berries contain ellargic acid, gallic acid, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acid and lignans all of which, are thought to fight against the development of cancer. I am not sure if we are talking about every type of berry or a combination of different berries here, most likely the latter. Phenolic compounds from Blueberries apparently limit cancer cells ability to multiply and can also kill them.

Certain mushrooms apparently suppress oestrogen production, especially in post menopausal women. I have read a claim that 60% of pre-menopausal women and 75 % of post menopausal women with breast cancer had excess oestrogen, which had triggered the cancer. The mushrooms contain a phytochemical called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). This inhibits the protein that makes oestrogen. If you know the name of the mushrooms containing the CLA please let me know. Since I first wrote this I have read up some more and looked at a few forums. It seems a number of mushrooms are quite useful for varying reasons, but I still cannot find a source to confirm which mushrooms contain CLA.

Selenium is a very important antioxidant. In some countries, such as the UK, levels of selenium in the soil are very poor. Therefore it would seem important to supplement the diet. Brazil nuts are a good natural source of the mineral.

* Pomegranates - research has shown the juice maybe able to prevent prostate cancer.
* Red grapefruit contains lycopene, as do tomatoes and sweet red peppers, which is a potent antioxidant. Grapefruit is also a good source of limonoids and vitamin C, both shown to have anticancer properties.

As I said earlier cancer is a very serious subject and I feel loathed to make claims about natural cures for the condition. Personally I rather prefer to talk about doing everything we can to prevent cancer from developing in the first place. Herbs play a strong role in this but you may wish to look at this site if you unfortunately do have cancer. I have no association with the site.

Please feel free to discuss your experiences with me.

What I Would Do If I Had Cancer

2008-09-12T04:54:00.000-07:00

The benefits and real breakthroughs in cancer have been well documented over the years. Sadly, the medical/pharmaceutical establishment have ignored or quashed them: The pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know about these cheap, natural and non-toxic methods that can cure. They fear that their business would be greatly compromised if cancer sufferers or the public at large found out.

The governments, who rake in huge revenues from ineffective and potentially harmful cancer treatment through the pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know either. The press are by paid off by their main sponsors, the medical/pharmaceutical establishment and the governments to suppress information relating to these real natural cancer breakthroughs and cures. Consequently, many people remain ignorant through a lack of information related to all this and die of cancer.

I have written much material, touting the benefits of these natural approaches to cancer healing and I guess it is therefore a fair question to forward put to me: What would I do if I had cancer?

The first comment I would like to make is that I consider myself to be taking the reasonable precautionary measures that I have written about in my other articles and ebooks. However, this is what I would do.

The first thing I would do after the doc tells me the bad news is get a second opinion. If this confirms the first finding, then next, I would ask if there's anything that needs to be done immediately. For example, I would find out if an emergency operation was needed to remove a tumour that could be doing some serious damage by blocking a duct or obstructing blood supply...

If no immediate surgery were necessary, then I would flatly refuse orthodox medicine's treatment of chemotherapy or radiation. I wouldn't allow myself to be coaxed, cajoled or bullied into receiving this treatment. I have done my research on this and I'm convinced that these treatments are illogical, barbaric and should be redundant: They can do more harm than good, particularly chemotherapy.

Next I would take up the strict dietary regime called 'metabolic nutritional therapy.' This involves eating good wholesome organic food, including the juicing of raw vegetables and some fruit in between meals. I'd make sure that my meals would be full of vitamins C, E, A, B15 and last but not least get plenty of Vitamin B17. A good supply of vitamin B17 can be got form of apricot kernels. I would make sure of getting a good diet of greens, mushrooms garlic and onions for my much needed supplies of zinc, selenium and calcium. Magnesium is another important anti-cancer mineral I would make sure I'm getting.

I'd be out in the sun regularly for about 30 minutes a day making sure I get my supply of vitamin D that way and exercise regularly. I'd make sure I get plenty of good mineral water.

In addition to the above, each day, I would use Bob Beck's blood electrification treatment and colloidal silver. If you don't know what this is, then I strongly suggest that you look it up in the Google.

Not sinking into victim consciousness, I would make a real commitment to having a positive outlook on life.

Finally, in conjunction with my nutritional and Beck's blood electrifier therapists I would find a place where my cancer progress could be monitored, using instruments such as infrared thermography. This is chosen because it is reliable and has no side effects unlike the orthodox medical methodologies.

I would be careful to avoid: Dairy products, meat, processed and fried foods, refined and artificial sugar, too many caffeinated drinks, too much alcohol, no smoking or no contact with smoke, unclean water and fluoride containing toothpaste. I would also avoid chemical laced toiletries.

A few words of warning...
This was written as a guideline and for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the trusted advice and direction of fully qualified health professionals, who you should consult for diagnosis, treatment and medical attention at all times.

Why Regular Reexamination After Cancer is Cured?

2008-09-10T05:58:00.001-07:00

For most diseases, you may not see a doctor any more when you have been cured. But cancer is an exception. When a patient was discharged from hospital, he has always been told to have a regular reexamination. Why?

Results of cancer treatment are divided into four types: cure, improvement, stability and deterioration. Cure generally refers to completely eradicating tumor cells through surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy in the early or mid-term. However, the most important thing to test the treatment is time, for example, five-year survival rate or ten-year survival rate. The emergence of tumor is slow, and the development is covert, it is very difficult for people to find out that. It can be discovered via CT or B-mode ultrasonography only when abundant tumor cells assemble and take shape.

After the clinical treatment, it will take a period of time to find out the recurrence of a mass transfer if there are residual cancer cells. That's one of the reasons why patients should have a regular reexamination after be cured. In addition, many cancer recurrence can be cured if found in time, which may prove the necessity of regular reexamination. Patients should know some symptoms and signs of tumor metastasis and recurrence when they are discharged from hospital, so they can go back to the hospital for an examination immediately when these situations arise. Treatment such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy have certain side effects, including the near- and long-term harm, some symptoms can be reduced through the reexamination and treatment. Additionally post-operative complications may occur, and can be found through reexamination, then can be dealt with in time to promote rehabilitation.

Children As Young As Eight Using Sunbeds

2008-09-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

Children as young as eight are using sunbeds in Britain, the consumer watchdog Which? has revealed today.

Its survey of over 1,000 eight to 15-year-olds found that three per cent had used a sunbed - equivalent to around 170,000 children in Britain.

Further interviews with 47 16- to 17-year-olds found that 13 per cent had used a sunbed.

Young people using sunbeds increase their risk of a life-threatening form of skin cancer.

A recent report from the International Agency for Research into Cancer found that people who use sunbeds before the age of 35 increase their risk of malignant melanoma by over seven times.

The Sunbed Association (TSA) instructs its members to ban under 16s and to advise people with type one skin to avoid sunbeds, but its membership covers only a quarter of the UK's 6,000 salons, and other salons are not regulated at all.

The World Health Organisation advises that under 18s, fair-skinned people and people with a lot of freckles or moles should never use sunbeds.

Despite these guidelines Which? found that many staff are failing to warn potential sunbed users about the associated health risks.

The watchdog sent undercover researchers to ten salons. All ten said someone with very pale skin could use a sunbed and just three gave a verbal warning about the risks.

A government review is currently underway on possible regulation of the sunbed industry and a proposed public health bill in Scotland includes measures to improve staff training.

Which? editor Neil Fowler described the number of children using sunbeds as "shocking".

"Without regulation, the industry needs to be responsible about protecting those most at risk, but staff at the salons we visited failed to give adequate health warnings," he added.

"We're pleased to see that the government is looking at this issue. And in the meantime if you can't live without a tan, consider faking it with a bottle rather than putting your health at risk."

Commenting on the research, Rebecca Russell, Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign manager, said it is "extremely shocking" to learn that eight-year-olds are using sunbeds.

"This example of poor industry practice is exactly why Cancer Research UK is calling on the government to introduce legislation to regulate the industry," she added.

"Tighter control of the industry will help to ensure that children are protected from putting themselves at an increased risk of skin cancer and that adults who choose to use sunbeds themselves are made fully aware of the risks."

The Key to Early Prevention and Treatment of Cancer

2008-09-10T05:57:00.000-07:00

For cancer treatment and prevention, we advocate the "three early": early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment. Early symptoms of cancer are not obvious, mainly must be found by professional inspection. Once there are symptoms, most of the cancers are in intermediate stage or terminal stage.

In recent years, the incidence of cancer was significantly increasing. 90% of the early cancers have no obvious symptoms, may not be found unless checked by professional doctors in specialist hospital. Unfortunately, most cancer patients went to the hospital to see a doctor when symptoms appeared, when cancer has developed into intermediate stage or terminal stage at that time, and they lost the best treatment opportunity. Previously, cancers mostly occurred in older groups, but in the past 20 years, cancer incidence age was 15-20 years ahead of time, and the 35-55 age group has been the major incidence groups.

For cancer treatment and prevention, we advocate the "three early": early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment. The medical examination of cancer is the effectual means to find early cancer. Not everyone will be suffering from cancer, but we recommend that people should have at least one medical examination annually. To the people who have a family history of cancer, it is very necessary to have 4 medical examinations annually.

There are three groups need to do preventive medical examination:

1. Someone suffered from cancer among the direct relatives.
2. People over 45 years old.
3. Find some carcinogenesis factors.

What is Bone Cancer?

2008-09-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

Someone telling you that you have cancer is one of the most horrible things one can hear. Just thinking about all the problems that can come up and how long treatment takes can affect not only the person who has it, but also the people around them. However, the scariest part of cancer is that there are so many types of it out there, and people might not even know anything about them. Yes, everyone knows the main ones like lung, breast and brain cancer, but what about the other not so common ones. Bone cancer is one such example and is a type that is often overlooked, but it's never too early for us to become informed about it.

More than 2,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with bone cancer or a bone tumor each year. The tumors often occur in children and adolescents more than it occurs in adults. If an adult does have bone cancer, it's most likely because the disease has spread from another area in the body.

There are several types of bone cancer and the most common is called Osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is primarily a malignant form of the cancer occurring mainly in males between 10 to 25 years of age. The cancer forms in the long bones of the arm and legs at time of rapid growth rate.

Another form of bone caner is Ewing's sarcoma. This is the most aggressive form of bone cancer and occurs in children between 4 to 15 years of age. It is more common in males but rarely occurs if they are over 30 years old.

Chondrosarcoma is the second most common form of bone cancer. It accounts for about 25% of all malignant bone tumors. However, what is interesting about this form of cancer is that it is most commonly found in adults over 40 years old. It is most commonly found in males and has a tendency to spread to the lungs. It occurs in the hips and pelvis.

These types of bone cancer are the more common forms although there are several more types which are not covered here. Cancer is becoming increasingly hard to diagnose because there are just so many different types of it. In addition, it's actually quite difficult to know where to look for it. However, the more we know about the different types of cancer, the more easier it is for us to recognize them when they occur and to take early remedial action to arrest or eradicate this deadly disease. Earlier positive intervention can increase our chances for an early recovery and a higher survival rate.

Brain Cancer Symptoms

2008-09-08T03:22:00.000-07:00

Brain cancer accounts for about 1.4% of all cancer cases and about 2.4% of all cancer deaths. This may not seems like a lot but don't let the numbers fool you on the severity of brain cancer. Once the cancer turns malignant, the tumors grow aggressively and overpower the healthy cells taking up their space, blood and nutrients. This is an area of grave concern because the brain is the most important part of your body and controls everything. Whenever there is something wrong with your brain, it affects the entire body. Knowing what the brain cancer symptoms are and able to recognize these symptoms is incredibly important for our prognosis and survival from this deadly disease.

The biggest problem with brain cancer and brain tumors is that their symptoms are often nonspecific making it is very difficult to know if you have it or not, unless you are seriously looking for it. The most common symptoms of brain cancer are headaches, general weaknesses, difficulty in walking, clumsiness and seizures. Other more serious symptoms include difficulty with speech, abnormal vision, nausea, vomiting, quick emotional changes, and an altered mental state. An altered mental state can include changes in concentration, memory, intellectual capacity, attention and alertness.

Several different factors can cause these symptoms. Some of these symptoms are caused by the tumor pressing on different parts of the brain and impairing them from functioning properly. The symptoms can also be caused by the swelling of the brain, the tumor or the area around the tumor. Unfortunately, these brain cancer symptoms usually develop very slowly and gradually over time and this makes it really difficult for anyone to confirm the existence of this deadly disease. For instance, people often think that a headache is just a headache or that the dizziness felt is due to any other reasons except cancer. If these symptoms occur frequently and very rapidly, you should definitely visit your doctor to see what the problem is.

The doctors will often make you take a CT scan if they feel you have brain cancer. A CT scan is like an x-ray except in shows the brain in three-dimensions. A harmless dye is usually injected into your bloodstream to make abnormalities more visible in the CT scan. Other tests include blood tests, liver tests, urine tests and blood coagulation profiles. MRI scans are sometimes used instead of CT scans. The reason for this is because MRI has a better ability to assess the changes in a tumor.

Brain cancer is an incredibly serious form of cancer and it is important for us to know what these brain cancer symptoms are so that we can take necessary action to arrest the situation early. If you suspect you are suffering or are suffering from these symptoms, please consult your doctor early to ascertain your actual medical condition. If brain cancer is confirmed, discuss with your doctor for an appropriate course of treatment best suited for you. An early intervention increases your chances for an early recovery and a prolonged survival.

Cancer Prevention

2008-09-08T03:20:00.000-07:00

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radicals are molecules with incomplete electron shells, making them unstable. Free radical formation can be caused by various environmental exposures, including cigarette smoke, radiation, and surgery. This situation may lead to cancer if the body lacks the necessary antioxidants or is too overrun with free radicals.

In humans, the most common type of free radical is oxygen. When oxygen molecules becomes electrically charged or "radicalized," it tries to steal electrons from other molecules, causing damage to DNA and other molecules. These free radicals can be neutralized by antioxidants donating their electrons to stabilize them. Antioxidants themselves possess the special quality to be able to lose its electrons without becoming free radicals themselves. Considerable laboratory evidence indicates antioxidants may slow or prevent the development of cancer.

There are currently six classes of free radicals linked to chronic illnesses such as cancer. They are referred to as reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity) scale was developed to measure the capacities of antioxidants against free radicals. The test is used extensively in scientific research, and is used by the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.

Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in other foods such as grains, nuts, and select meats, poultry, and fish.The ORAC test gives the values of fruits and vegetables. The higher the score, the better to fight free radicals. Simply stated, antioxidants obtained from a healthy diet can effectively fight free radicals. However, being that there are thousands of free radical families and that no one single antioxidant can neutralize all of them, it is of extreme importance to eat a wide variety of different, brightly colored fruits and vegetables. This is something that barely 17 percent of Americans do. What percentage are you in?

The Cause and the Cause and Prevention of Cancer

2008-09-08T03:18:00.000-07:00

The main cause of cancer particularly because of internal factors:

External factors:

Chemical carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (mainly exists in the modern industrial and modern transport emissions and cigarettes, Xunkao food); aromatic amines and azo dyes category (stored in the textile printing and dyeing, cosmetics); Asia Glass amines (widespread in the food system), metals (asbestos-containing products containing chromium compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of high, which can be carcinogenic).

Physical factors, such as ionizing radiation (including medical and occupational exposure); long-term exposure, such as the sun.

Biological factors, such as Aflatoxin (found in mouldy peanuts, corn); virus (human herpes virus, EB virus, hepatitis B virus, etc.); parasites (Xixue Chong, etc.).

Internal factors:

The lower immune function;
Large, long-term hormone;
Nervous system disorders (mental and emotional tension in long-term poor, to endocrine disorders);
Genetic factors (liver cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, and other families with a genetic phenomenon).

Prevention:

Reduce chronic stimulation: stop smoking, avoid drinking alcohol, eat too hot and provocative-food.
Infection control: prevention and treatment of hepatitis B and schistosomiasis, and other cancer-related diseases.
The timely treatment of precancerous lesions: such as chronic ulcers, chronic atrophic gastritis, such as colon polyps.
Avoid eating food containing carcinogenic substances: if mouldy peanuts, grain, salted products, preservatives.
The consumption of vitamin-rich large number of A, B, C and E of food: fresh vegetables from the main intake.

A balanced diet: fresh multi-fiber foods, to avoid.
Develop long-term the good habit of tea drinking, especially green tea.
Attention to personal hygiene: to maintain mood, appropriate exercise, avoid the use of carcinogenic substances in cosmetics, hair dyes, and so on.

All About Liver Cancer

2008-09-05T04:49:00.001-07:00

The cancer of the liver is also known as primary or metastasis liver cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer in the Western world (1% of all cancers), but much more common in Africa and in parts of Asia (10% to 50% of all Cancer). It is much more common in men and the incidence increases with age. The cancer of the liver is rapidly fatal, usually within 6 months of the gastro-intestinal bleeding, liver failure or metastases.

Types of cancer in direct
Most primary tumors of the liver are known under the name hépatomes (primary and hepatozellul"arem cancer less than cancer cells). Some primary schools cancer of the liver are the bile ducts and these are known under the name cholangiomas.Some rare cancer of the liver cells and contain Chuffer hepatoblastomas sarcoma (which is almost exclusively in children and are usually curable and considerable). Métastatique, cancer of the liver is 20 times more frequently than primitive cancer of the liver and cirrhosis, it is the first form of liver death.

Signs and symptoms
The cause cancer of the liver, not the symptoms normally until it is at an advanced stage.
The clinical effects of advanced cancer of the liver include:
1st The mass in the right upper part.
2nd Offers, nodular on the palpation of the liver
3rd The pain in the upper-right corner
4th Weight loss, loss of appetite, weakness, fever
5th Exclusive series jaundice or asides (fluid in the abdomen)

CAUSATION
The exact cause of liver cancer in adults is unknown in children, but it will be May a genetic disease. Carcinomas the liver May adults as a result of environmental exposure to carcinogens such as mold, contrast (no longer in operation), the androgens and estrogens, oral, hepatitis B or damage to the liver due to cirrhosis, caused by too much imbibing of alcohol .

DIAGNOSIS
The cancer of the liver is difficult to diagnose in the presence of liver cirrhosis, but several attempts can help to identify the combination of a study of imaging (ultrasound, CT or MRI) and a high blood-alpha fetoprotein the effectiveness of cancer diagnosis Liver, electrolyte studies show May at retention of sodium, a biopsy of the liver, a final diagnosis.

TREATMENT
The treatments for cancer of the liver are primitive by the measure (state) of illness, age, general health, the feelings and personal preferences. The surgery is the most effective treatment for cancer of the liver primitive, but that is not always possible because of the size or the location of the tumor. Radio-frequency ablation with an option for people with small tumors and non-hepatocellular for certain types of metastasis breast cancer in the liver. During this procedure, the hepatic artery (the artery of cancer of the liver, from their supply of blood) is safe, and the chemotherapy drugs are injected between the slope and the liver. CRYOABLATION May, an option for the use of people from primary school with metastasis breast cancer and liver. The deletion of the entire liver and replace a liver with another person is another form of cancer treatment for primary liver cancer.

Even if the treatment is not too much in improving the cancer of the liver itself, the pain and other signs and symptoms caused by the cancer of the liver can be treated, energetically to improve the quality of life. In general, the treatments intended for children as for adults, and the best approach depends on the date and type of cancer and the age of the child and general health.

Difficulties and Countermeasures Liver Cancer Treatment

2008-09-05T04:49:00.000-07:00

Human liver cancer is the most common one of the most difficult treatment of the disease. With the scientific and technological progress, liver cancer diagnostic technology has been improving, sub-clinical stage liver cancer can be diagnosed. Early detection and removal as soon as possible, but also to the early and mid-term liver cancer patients has brought vitality. But those recurrence, and then again with a relapse and recurrence and to prevent the transfer of such issues; those who can not accept surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment or intervention in patients with advanced liver cancer and the postoperative physical rehabilitation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy after the toxicity of The treatment of such issues; Western medicine, it is helpless. At that time Chinese medicine treatment or combination of traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment has great advantages. These difficulties are now on the solution for brief introduction.

Difficult one: pre-cancerous lesions of the prevention and treatment

1. Prevention

(1) to guide people to improve their living conditions, such as water sanitation, food hygiene, living conditions.

(2) treatment of active viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, and so on. With particular emphasis on hepatitis B and hepatitis C treatment.

2. Treatment

Actively seeking Chinese medicine treatment and control of pre-cancerous lesions progress.

(1) Bushen Yanggan, enhanced macrophage phagocytosis. Common side were: 2 to balls, fried, and so consistent. Hepatitis is less than suitable for liver and kidney, Yangan dry mouth, insomnia weak, soft Dengzheng knee pain, long-term use.

(2) Jianpi Yiqi, nourishing and promoting NK cell activity, commonly used to: Yang-ginseng soup ( "Punishment and the Council"), Shiquandabu soup. Suitable for liver disease of people falling into the frail, long-term use.

(3) heat Xiehuo antidote to enhance cellular immune function, a common side: Huanglianjiedu Decoction, Effects of Decoction, such as: suitable for viral hepatitis, are hot Kouzao, Diarrhea, yellowed Dengzheng, should be recovered For the addition and subtraction.

(4) Yiqi invigorate the spleen and liver and kidney replenishing, Huayu, such as promoting blood circulation can be anti-oxidation. Common side: four gentlemen's soup, Wuzi Yanzong pills, really solid pill (Polygonum multiflorum, Cistanche, Raspberry, Achyranthes, off-, Chinese wolfberry son), Buyanghuanwu soup. Through anti-oxidation and inhibit liver cell mutation.

The second difficulty: the recurrence prevention and treatment

It has been reported after radical resection of liver cancer, 1,3 and 5-year recurrence rate was 17.1%, 32.5% and 61.5%. No recurrence of the 5-year survival rate is much higher than the recurrence, respectively 48.9 percent and 11.0 percent. 2 years after the peak period for relapse. This shows that recurrent problem of a serious impact on long-term effect of liver cancer, prevention and treatment of postoperative recurrence has become the focus of current research.

(1) regular follow-up review: 1-2 years after February inspection once every two years or more can be 3-4 months, more than once every six months. Review include: AFP, B-ultrasound, CT scan, X-ray and liver function, and so on.

(2) the prevention of recurrence: the prevention of recurrence should be mainly in Chinese medicine, commonly used methods of prevention and drugs:

Jianpi Yiqi, anti-cancer ability to raise the body, a common side: Liujunzi soup, Buzhongyiqi soup can be modified with the permit application changes.

a Jianpi Shugan Qi, the prevention of recurrence of liver cancer. The election Xiaoyaosan addition and subtraction.

(3) recurrence of treatment: For liver cancer recurrence, should be early detection, early removal. Not with the choice of Western medicine, Chinese medicine with Western medicine or intervention in the treatment of reperfusion embolism, tumor could also consider narrowing after surgery for the treatment. Selection of reperfusion embolism can not intervene in the choice of treatment in Chinese medicine Differential Treatment.

Difficulties three: the transfer of liver cancer

Transfer of cancer research has been little progress in recent decades as medical biology and immunology of progress, the transfer of cancer research great progress has been made, first of all, invasive cancer is a prerequisite for the transfer, the transfer process and infiltration " Gene transfer "and" metastasis suppressor gene ", which can increase the transfer of tumor cells to induce tumor angiogenesis. In recent years the restrictions of Chinese medicine to prevent cancer metastasis to a lot of studies, popular is the limit tumor angiogenesis, enhance immune function, such as the study of Chinese medicine 'is commonly used in Chinese medicine: ginseng, astragalus, Cordyceps sinensis, dangshen, thorn 5 Canadian, Chinese wolfberry son, Epimedium, kiwifruit, Polygonum multiflorum, fungus, white tricks, Zhu Ling, mushrooms, Fuling, Ligustrum lucidum, cornus officinalis, Shengde Huang, psoralen, Bupleurum Powder, and so on.

Difficulties four: cancer pain Chinese medicine treatment

Pain is common symptoms of advanced liver cancer. Pain characteristics and the nature of the tumor site, size, growth rate and degree of differentiation vary, and often take pain treatment. Should follow the "three steps" and "on time, individual and oral administration," the pain principle. Under the guidance of this principle can also meet Chinese medicine and western medicine treatment with pain caused by side effects. Chinese medicine commonly used pain treatment are: internal medicine, external analgesics; Chinese Oral Health-Runchang catharsis; can effectively achieve therapeutic purposes.

Difficulties five: advanced liver cancer, loss of appetite - the evil of disease syndrome (CACS)

Differential Treatment

HCC will happen late inevitable evil of disease. Of the evil result of the reasons not entirely clear, consider consumption and cancer, cancer patients endocrine and metabolic disorders, nutritional intake of obstacles related to such factors, another hurt in anti-cancer treatment is also an important factor. Western medicine for diagnosis and treatment of CACS more generally are in nutritional support as the main means of treatment, but less effective, most only get temporary relief.

The CACS, according to Chinese medicine and more to Xulao Differential Treatment that Jiubing with serious illness, lost in conditioning, stolen or misused government rule, or Gongfa too, depletion and upright, and Jiubing injury viscera, and other relevant functions of qi and blood. Treatment of qi and blood of the five internal organs should distinguish between true, a permanent cure; distinguish what evil invasion carcinogenic to treating the symptoms.

Fruits and Vegetables - The More Delicious the More Anti-Cancer

2008-09-05T04:48:00.000-07:00

About 30% -65% of cancers are diet-related, that means improper diet leads to many cancers. There is no doubt that fruits and vegetables are the most important protective factors of diet.

The Mechanism Of Anti-cancer

1. Antioxidant against free radicals. Fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids, selenium, plant phenols and so on. The most notable of which is lycopene found in tomatoes, it's anti-cancer effect is 2 times stronger than carotene (full in carrots, tomatoes, citrus fruits and other foods).

2.The reduction of carcinogens, absorption and activation. Vitamin C can prevent the synthesis of nitrite, which can be converted into powerful carcinogen nitrosamine. Dietary fiber can promote defecation, then reduce the absorption of carcinogens.

3.Sulfur compounds and carotenoids can inhibit DNA and protein synthesis, and promote normal cell differentiation. Retinol can also increase the body immunity against cancers. Vitamin E may also regulate apoptosis.

The Anti-cancer Members In Fruits And Vegetables

Lycopene is full in tomatoes, watermelons, and Cherries. The It has significant effect against prostate, lung and stomach cancers, also it does good for the prevention and treatment of the pancreas, colon, breast and uterine cancer.

Trans-resveratrol exists in grapes, can optional destroy cancer cells, and prevent the spread of cancer.

-carotene exists in carrots, can reduce the incidence of lung cancer.

Lentinan exists in lentinan mushrooms, has been proven a effective cancer inhibitor.

Since different fruits and vegetables contain different anti-cancer substances, the right way is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, rather than look for a certain kind of anti-cancer vegetables.

Alkalizing Test Measures Tissue Acidity As a Marker For Cancer

2008-09-01T04:05:00.001-07:00

A new MRI technique using sodium bicarbonate could detect a cancerous condition before tumor formation or tissue degeneration. This experimental alkalizing test measures tissue acidity and could gauge if medical or natural treatments are actually working.

A new imaging technique that relies on naturally occurring baking soda or sodium bicarbonate in the body could help pinpoint a cancerous condition earlier and quickly gauge if treatments are working, British researchers said on Wednesday.

The non-invasive method uses magnetic resonance imaging to measure changes in alkaline pH -- or acidity --in tissue that is often the hallmark of a cancerous condition and other conditions such as heart dis-ease and strokes, said Kevin Brindle of the University of Cambridge, who led the study.

Currently there are no safe ways to measure tissue pH levels in humans but doing so is important because tumors, for example, are far more acidic than surrounding tissue.

The urine pH is a simple and an inexpensive way to determine the acid/alkaline pH of the body tissues. When the morning urine pH is below 7.2 this indicates tissue acidosis and a potential for a cancerous condition in the body tissues.

"You are imaging not just tissue structure but tissue function," said Brindle, whose study is published in the journal Nature. "We wanted to measure tissue pH, which is a surrogate for dis-ease."

Disease is the expression of an over-acidic body and the causative factor in all symptoms.

"The researchers injected mice with a tagged form of sodium bicarbonate -- an alkali more commonly seen in baking soda -- that occurs naturally in the body and balances acidity of the body," Brindle said.

They used MRI to see how much of the tagged sodium bicarbonate was converted into carbon dioxide within the tumor. In more acidic tumors, more bicarbonate is converted into carbon dioxide.

The body tissues use sodium bicarbonate as a primary buffer to maintain the natural alkaline design of the tissues and to prevent degeneration of that specific tissue.

The researchers measured pH levels using an emerging technique called dynamic nuclear polarization that boosts MRI sensitivity more than 10,000 times.

The method developed by GE's GE Healthcare unit involves cooling down molecules to near absolute zero and then warming them up quickly -- a process that keeps them polarized and easier to detect as an image.

"MRI can pick up on the abnormal acidic pH levels found in cancerous tissues and it is possible that this could be used to pinpoint where the disease is present and when it is responding to treatment," Brindle said.

The next step is testing the technique in humans in early stage clinical trials expected to start in 2009, he added in a telephone interview.

Hyper-alkalization of the body tissues with sodium bicarbonate is the safest and most effective and natural way of reversing ANY cancerous condition.

The New Mega Cancer Fighter - Vitamin D

2008-09-01T04:05:00.000-07:00

In some recent animal studies vitamin D has strikingly reduced cancerous tumor growth. In addition, a large number of observational studies in people have linked low vitamin D consumption to an increase risk of cancer. The type of cancers linked are numerous: breast, rectum, esophagus, stomach, bladder, ovaries, prostate, kidney, uterus and lung; a substantial list of cancers to say the least.

Researchers at Creighton University in Omaha conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial, the most reliable form of clinical information obtained. Among 1,179 community-living, healthy, post-menopausal women, they reported last year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that over the course of four years, those that took calcium and 1,100 International Units of vitamin D-3 developed roughly 80% fewer cancers than those that just took calcium or a placebo. What an extraordinary endorsement for the benefits of vitamin D!

Vitamin D is quickly becoming the powerhouse nutrient and for good reason. Vitamin D has significant benefits and with the latest findings we are discovering that the current RDA for vitamin D might be dramatically low. Currently the RDA for vitamin D is 400 I.U. Probably over the next few years, as the information uncovered by these types of studies is finalized and the information gets processed by the FDA, you will see a dramatic increase in the RDA for vitamin D.

Vitamin D is not just beneficial in reducing the risk of cancer. Vitamin D has many significant responsibilities in the body. These include...

*Maintaining Your Calcium Balance
*Immune Boosting
*Plays a role in Insulin Secretion
*Regulates Blood Pressure
*Disease Prevention

Many of you may know that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin as opposed to a water-soluble vitamin like vitamin C for instance. The danger with fat-soluble vitamins is that it is possible to overdose and develop vitamin-toxicity. Healthy people rarely get vitamin D toxicity. One should not be concerned about this unless they are taking extremely high amounts consistently, such as 7,000 - 10,000 I.U.s. Also, don't worry about getting vitmain D toxicity due to overexposure of sunlight as this is very uncommon.

It is very difficult to get all the nutrients we need from the food we eat. Vitamin D is no exception and there are a wide range of vitamin D supplements in the marketplace. We strongly recommend getting your vitamin D in a non-synthetic vitamin D3 form and definitely take it with calcium in the proper ratios.

Vitamin D is tough to get from food especially for vegetarians. Here is a list of foods that are a natural source of vitamin D...

*Herring
*Catfish
*Salmon
*Mackerel
*Sardines
*Tuna
*Eel

...and the one natural source not found in water...

*Mushrooms

The more research being done on vitamin D, the more we are understanding its overall importance to our health.

What Actually Causes Cancer?

2008-09-01T04:04:00.000-07:00

There is currently research going on to figure out what causes cancer, which is the killer of millions of people worldwide.

Are you suffering with cancer or know someone who had fallen ill to it? This article goes into detail about 3 possible factors in the development of cancer. The factors are microorganisms, environmental toxins, and the body being out of balance.

Do Microbes Cause Cancer?

I wanted to probe the idea of cancer being started by microorganisms, or at least these microbes being a factor in the development of cancerous tissue. For years scientists were unaware of microbes even existing. After the invention of the microscope scientists could actually start to see microorganisms. There was another 200-year period where physicians knew about microbes, but didn't know they could play a role in the development of disease.

For some reason, many physicians didn't believe or weren't aware that certain kinds of microbes could be found in cancerous tissue. The cancerous tissue, which contained the microbes, had to be seen with a certain acid-fast tissue staining procedure. The same microbes found in cancerous tissue have also been seen in other diseases. For example, in scleroderma the same cancer microbes are found in that diseased area.

Are Environmental Toxins Causing Cancer?

Environmental toxins are also associated with causing cancer. There was a study done on volunteers who work in a laboratory where various chemicals are found in great abundance. Studies showed that in the nine volunteers ninety one industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals were found in their urine. The National Toxicology Program has named many of these toxins as cancer causing agents. Below are a few of these toxic compounds..

Dioxins-

these are organic compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. This toxin accumulates in animals with high fat content such as shellfish and fish.

Furans-

these are chemicals related to PCB'S and dioxins are linked to problems with the endocrine system

Metals-

Metallic particles of lead, mercury, aluminum, arsenic and cadmium accumulate in the soft tissues of the body. Mercury is found in tap water and mercury in canned tuna.

Phthales-

These is a chemical that soften plastics and lengthen shelf life of cosmetics, mousses, hair spray and fragrances

Out Of Balance

Studies have shown that when the human body is in acidic state it is more susceptible to various diseases such as cancer! In contrast, when the human body is in an alkaline state it's virtually impossible to succumb to any disease including cancer. As new information is documented I will update this article accordingly.

DISCLAIMER

The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practitioner/ patient relationship with its readers.

Beating the Lack of Energy Due to Chemotherapy

2008-08-30T00:23:00.001-07:00

A cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy suffers from side-effects like hair loss, vomiting tendency, loss of appetite and mouth sores. When they suffer this pain they take it as a package deal with the treatment and bear the pain throughout the treatment session. They feel that all the patients who undergo chemotherapy have to bear this traumatic condition which not only weakens the body but also affects the mental state of the person and snatches away the desire to live.

The patient feels lethargic and losses all energy. He feels tired and weak even if he does a light work; this is because chemotherapy treatment adversely affects the healthy red and white blood corpuscles and destroys them. The body takes its own time to repair the damage. During that period the patient feels as though his body has been drained of all energy and this makes him weak which also develops the lethargic feeling.

All the adverse effects of chemotherapy can be warded off by taking herbal drugs made by combining many herbs which have the potentiality to rejuvenate the healthy cells and bring them up to their normal level. It has two fold effects, the person is saved from the agony of the dangerous side-effects and the healthy white cells, that is the bodies armed force fights against the cancerous cells and helps in the process of eliminating them.

The natural herbs work efficiently as they are combined together which increases their potentiality. Nearly 15 natural herbs having the potential to fight cancer are combined to form the drug. The effect of the combination is more on the body which helps the body to recover rapidly and overcome the adverse effects of chemotherapy. If these herbs are taken individually they might not prove to be as effective as a single herb does not contain all the anti-oxidant properties.

These herbal drugs can be taken prior to the commencement of the chemotherapy and can be continued during the treatment and also after the completion of the chemotherapy treatment. The herbal drug can be taken without the fear of facing any side effect as it has been scientifically proved that herbs do not have any adverse effect on the body. A patient can take the advantage of both the medical and the herbal treatment and relieve his body from a terminating disease to lead a healthy life.

Chemotherapy and Reflexology

2008-08-30T00:23:00.000-07:00

Reflexology is a zonal therapy and a science in which skillful manipulation is applied to the individually identified points on the body for stimulation of each functional system or parts of the body. These stimulation areas are basically located on the feet and the hands. It can help alleviating many problems in natural way. Reflexes are generated due to the manipulation of the response focal points on the body for each functional system for the resultant response. These response focal points have been effectively used in getting relief from a wide range of ailments with no chance of adverse side effects, otherwise, inevitable in case of chemotherapy. It has proved beneficial in rendering stress, pain, anxiety and nausea.

The first evidence of efficacy of the reflexology lies in innumerable corroborations by the patients endorsing easy relaxation followed by the quick and soothing feeling. Besides this, there are endorsements from the patients of great relief with positive results in treatment of cancer with no chances of any kind of side effect. There have been stories and claims that since reflexology eliminate toxins of the body, chemotherapy ceases to be effective.

It is reported that the patients at the large get the ability to cope up with chemotherapy and the related side effects. The oncology units of Charring Cross Hospital, Lister Hospital, Hammersmith Hospital and Harley Street Clinic are a few among many who have adopted using reflexology as a complementary therapy. As an endorsement to the efficacy and god results, many Macmillan cancer relief hospices and day care centers have inducted the technique in their treatment routine.

The technique has one good seriously helping the patients of lymphoedma (swelling of limbs) patients, after surgical removal of lymph glands by improving the circulation and the flow of lymph. Certain cases of lymphodeoma are quite painful due to accumulation of the fluids. In such cases reflexology techniques have proved to be good supportive action to induce flow or lymphatic drainage. It has been also found improve circulation, cause relaxation and better breathing.
Apart from effects in cases of lymphatic problems, there have been reports where other health related issues were addressed by the reflexology. There are reports of tackling weight loss, improving circulations, prostrates problems, hyperthyroidism, and several minor diseases.

It is important that the patients must voice their problems openly, and accept or endorse good effects of a treatment freely, just not confining to there the experience only with close ones for a larger benefit.

Lung Cancer - Symptoms You Should Look Out For!

2008-08-30T00:22:00.000-07:00

The implications of lung cancer are fatal and hence its seriousness cannot be undermined. Though steps cannot always be taken to prevent the disease, its symptoms can be understood and the paranoia reduced. A basic awareness of lung cancer symptoms can help us combat the disease.

The following are the frequently reported symptoms of lung cancer:

* The shortness of breath, which is more commonly known as dyspnea, is a symptom. Though excessive physical activity warrants dyspnea, it is also a lung cancer symptom.
* The coughing up of blood, which is medically known as hemoptysis, is an indication. It should not be confused with hematemesis, which denotes blood vomiting.
* An ache while coughing could be a warning. When there is an uncommon change in the pattern of coughing, lung cancer should be suspected.
* Weight loss, extreme exhaustion and a lack of desire for food, also called cachexia, can also be considered a symptom.
* Chest pain, which again is associated with heart disease and other medial causes, is a sign of lung cancer.

The following are the less common symptoms of lung cancer:

* Hoarseness in voice, medically termed as cachexia, is an indication the disease.
* A complication in swallowing, also known as dysphagia, is yet another sign. Though painful swallowing could also be classified under odynophagia, dysphagia should not be ruled out.
* Swelling of the face and the neck could be a sign of lung cancer. Where swelling in the neck arises due to bloated lymph nodes, the main blood vessel blockage from the head is the reason for facial swelling.
* Deformity in fingers and fingernails, also known as finger clubbing could be an uncommon lung cancer symptom.
* Apart from dyspnea, the shortness of breath could also be caused by pleural effusion. Pleural effusion is uncommon and denotes fluid around the lungs.
* Cancer that spreads itself at the upper lung is called pancoast tumor. This tumor could lead to a shoulder pain, pain in the bones, muscle weakness, weakening eyelids and a decrease in the sweating on a side of the face.

There are certain lung cancer symptoms, which are considered odd. These odd symptoms occur due to the unwelcome hormones brought about by lung cancer. These are:

* Protrusion of the eyes
* Numbness in the fingers, hands or legs
* Manifestation of lumps in the skin
* Changing sugar levels and an excruciating pain in the abdomen
* Swelling of breasts in men
* Manifestation of a lump in the tonsil or a salivary gland

It is important to look out for the common, uncommon as well as the rare symptoms of lung cancer. The doctors should be notified immediately so that they perform a diagnosis and clarify the underlying cause. Establishment of the cause, whether lung cancer or not, could hasten the treatment and lead to the betterment of the patients.

The Miracle Cure - Does Red Rice Cure Cancer?

2008-08-30T00:21:00.000-07:00

THE BACKGROUND

It has been widely reported in the press that a possible "miracle cure" for cancer has been discovered in Chinese food. Not only that, there are also claims that the chemical concerned can help cure heart disease.

THE FACTS TO DATE

The miracle component is an extract of red yeast rice and is that which gives dishes such as Peking Duck its distinctive red colour. Scientists have claimed that if their findings are correct, it could CUT CANCER DEATHS BY A STAGGERING TWO-THIRDS and HEART DISEASE BY A THIRD.

In terms of heart disease, scientists feel that the extract has the potential to play an important part in improving heart health as initial findings indicate that it's performance is better than statins, the traditional drugs prescribed routinely for the treatment of high cholesterol.

When given to patients who had already suffered from at least one heart attack, the chances of a repeat attack were reduced by an amazing 45%.

No individual results are available for the types of cancers which were treated in the study group. However, scientists claimed to be "confident" that the initial findings are significant.

A leading doctor, David Capuzzi gave the following warning though.

"It is important to recognize that we do not know exactly how Chinese red yeast rice works...the capsules used in the study were carefully prepared for the research and are not the same as the red yeast supplements available in health food stores"

He and other doctors have strongly warned against buying over the counter supplements to self-medicate saying that these would not have the same effect. In addition, doctors have confirmed that consuming huge quantities of red rice would not be beneficial. Indeed either of these two practices could be dangerous.

We can only await further findings with great interest. I, for one, will be keeping a very close eye on developments.

ALTERNATIVE CANCER TREATMENTS

Although I am very much an advocate of alternative therapies and treatments, personally I would never recommend omitting standard medical and surgical treatments for cancer. However, I do feel that alternative complementary therapies can work very well alongside traditional treatments and a book I have discovered recently exemplifies this perfectly.

The book is called THE ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT-OVER 350 CANCER TREATMENTS THAT WORK.

In addition, the price includes 3 further ebooks completely free of charge.

Here is the total package:

NATURAL CANCER TREATMENTS - The most comprehensive book of its kind anywhere in the world. Over 350 treatments and 400 fully-indexed pages with a comprehensive table of contents enabling you to quickly locate information.

I BEAT CANCER- A directory of over 2000 cases including people telling their own stories of how they beat cancer using natural and alternative treatments. All cancer types are covered.

HOW SUCCESSFUL ARE CONVENTIONAL CANCER TREATMENTS - An inside look at the scientific basis for conventional cancer treatments. The observations and studies from experts will startle and unsettle you but will help you on your own quest for answers and additional knowledge to help you beat your cancer.

WHO CAN HELP ME WHEN I HAVE CANCER - This report will immediately put you in touch with people who care and can offer effective help to assist you beat your cancer.

The information is both comprehensive and mindblowing at the same time. The testimonials are quite amazing.
Bill Henderson, the author of Cancer Free and Cancer Free Newsletter says "The best reference books on alternative cancer treatments. What a treasure for cancer patients and caregivers!"

"Everything you ever wanted to know about alternative cancer treatment is contained in this unique guide" Karen Beattie, Author of Natural Cancer Treatments That Work

At such a difficult and sensitive time, it is essential to have all the means to hand to combat this condition and these books provide comprehensive and workable remedies and, it is claimed, strategies for curing cancer.

BE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES TO GAIN ACCESS TO THESE LITTLE-KNOWN TREATMENTS THAT THOUSANDS HAVE USED TO BEAT THEIR CANCER.

Killing the Killer Cancer

2008-08-29T03:58:00.000-07:00

The number of people who die from cancer each year is more than the addition of HIV/AIDS malaria and tuberculosis combined together.The human body inhibits various forms of grwoth.The benign forms do not have the ability to spread to distant organs is not referred to as cancer. A typical example is the fibroid or uterine fibroma. However the growth of cells that have acquired the property of multiplying and spreading by various means of blood vessels or lymphatic channels to other organs like the lungs or bones are named as malignant cancers. The other human induced causes of cancer include smoking which is associated with lung cancer, Radiation to sarcomas and leukemia and other various viruses. Cancer often implicates a genetic element in the body during its development.

The Oxford Medical dictionary says that in half of all the cancerous developments a gene named as P53 is deleted or impaired which prevents the uncontrolled division of cells in the body, thus disabling the bodies fight against spread of cancer. The p54 is a gene which in the event of mutilation would form a gene called ontogeny which is capable of both initiation and continuation of malignant transformation of normal cells. It probably produces proteins which are growth factors regulating cell division that, under certain conditions become uncontrolled and may transform a normal cell to a malignant cell. Recent trials of gene therapy that involved replacing the ontogeny with the normal version of the gene have had limited success.

A cancer treatment often depends on the type of the tumor, the location of primary tumor and the extent of its spread. Some experts cite the early detection of the disease is the only cure for this disease. Here the cure defiles itself as the state of inability of the abnormal cells to grow and spread in the body.Those remains in the body in a state of suspended animation until death. There have been occasions where an absolute cure can be achieved by the removal of the cancer from the body by surgery. Here the grade of the malignancy can be determined due to the act of defining the stage, type or degree of cellular division. If the cancer is in early stages then it is hoped that almost all of it has been cut or excised and adequate radio therapy to the area where the tumor is can further assure the patient of satisfactory results of the surgery.

Specialized drugs though toxic to the cells provide useful adjuvant chemotherapy to the patients. Due to the toxic nature their selection has to be careful so that the patient can avail of their full treatment to get cured. Since inappropriate dosages can end up being toxic to 'good cells' of the blood and the gastro-intestinal tract. Specialized counters have been made for the the supply and distribution of these drugs, not a ordinary pharmaceutical medicine you find at any medical store.

The best ways of curing cancer include early detection of it through surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. They have been bringing a hope to all patients suffering from cancer. Cancer management is a tedious tasks often a multidisciplinary approach involving surgeons, physicians, medical and radiological oncologists, pathologists, nursing care as well as palliative doctors. Management of cancer from the earliest time of discovery must be regarded as a palliative procedure even if a cure is envisioned. Continuous counseling and maintenance of life style, including adequate dieting, is extremely important in the patients' continued well being. Support and motivation are always a vital part of any treatment. All these with a small magical thing called as hope can often help fight the worst cases of cancer on this planet. Take Lance Armstrong as an example. How did he do it?

A Meningioma Brain Tumor Diagnosis Needn't Be the End of the World!

2008-08-29T03:57:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, on the list of scary things that can happen to someone, being diagnosed with a meningioma type brain tumor has got to be pretty high on anyones list. But, whether it's happened to you or to a loved one, a meningioma brain tumor diagnosis needn't be the end of the world.

In the summer of 2006 my wife was suffering from involuntary spasms in her leg. She initially thought this was probably a trapped nerve in her back, (Note to reader:- Unless you're a doctor, self diagnosis is a big no-no)!

When this started to happen on a fairly regular basis it became more than a little annoying and so a trip to the doctors was arranged. Thankfully we have a very good doctor who decided as a first option rather than a last one, to arrange an MRI scan. But an MRI scan on the head and not her back, where she had thought the problem may be!

The MRI scan was carried out and being rather optimistic by nature, we both thought that it would reveal nothing and that it would then be a case of physiotherapy or some such treatment. What happened next changed our lives overnight. A meningioma brain tumor was diagnosed as being the cause of the 'kicking leg' effect.

To say we were both shell shocked would be an understatement. When someone tells you you have a brain tumor, the automatic first thought is that you are going to die. Period. I know that was true for my wife and I'd be less than honest if I said that it wasn't the first thought in my head as well.

I believe it is the case that benign meningiomas are far more common in women than they are in men.

The fact is though, that a meningioma type brain tumor can be one of the most operable type of tumors there is. Also, they are most often benign, which was the case for my wife.

After the initial shock had subsided a little, we started to try to think positive again. We made an appointment with the neurosurgeon and my first question to him was, "how much pain will my wife experience?" His answer came as quite a surprise.

"No pain", he said. This man was exactly the sort of person you would want if someone was going to open up your skull and start delving around inside! He was the epitome of the word 'calm'. He exuded such a relaxed attitude to the whole affair that he instilled a great deal of confidence in both of us. We both began to feel that perhaps a meningioma brain tumor diagnosis was not going to mean the end of the world after all.

And so it proved. The 5 hour operation was a completed success. The meningioma was removed in one piece and after a few days in intensive care my wife was moved to a general ward area of the hospital to complete her recovery.

I kept asking her if she was in any pain and always the answer was "no". In fact we now look back and laugh at the fact that the most pain she experienced during the entire hospital stay was indigestion from the hospital food!

Within 10 days my wife was back home and the day after that she was back working on her computer. I tried to stop her but she wanted to do it, saying she was bored and just wanted to get back to normal.

So although it's a very scary thing to be told, a meningioma brain tumor diagnosis need not be the end of the world.

Cancer Approach and Treatment

2008-08-29T03:54:00.000-07:00

Cancer which is one of the top three causes of mortality (death) in developed countries . There are more than one hundred types of cancer which affects various tissues & organs, blood and lymphatics and skin. There is a sense of despair, anger, anxiety when someone is diagnosed with cancer because many people associate cancer with suffering, pain and ultimately death. Modern medicine has made great strides in the war against certain types of cancer like childhood leukemia, skin, prostate and colon cancer but not against others like lung, brain, pancreas and liver cancer.

The likelihood of cure increase with early diagnosis and treatment i.e before the cancer has grown to large enough size that press against and cause damage to neighboring tissues and organs. The other concern is that the cancer has already metastasize (spread) to neighboring and distant tissues and organs. General symptoms of cancer include persistent fatigue, unintentional weight loss, prolonged fever or infection, and changes to the skin ( jaundice, darkening of skin, abnormal hair growth, skin itchiness).

Cancer is a very difficult disease to treat because it is a disease that involve your cell genes that control cell multiplication. Survival rate (doctors call it remission) varies depending on type and stage of cancer. For example about 49 percent, or about half, of people diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer live for at least five years after diagnosis. The five-year survival rate for people diagnosed with lung cancer that has spread (metastasized) to other areas of the body is 3 percent. Of the survived cases about 90% is due to surgery and balance by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. There are pros and cons using chemotherapy or radiotherapy is readily available on the internet . Both of these treatment as they can cause side effects or worse still cause secondary cancer.

The human body can defend itself against bacteria and viruses and even kill cancer cells through intervention of our immune system. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells as well as other useful cells including immune system cells (white blood cells) which are needed to defend our body against diseases and cancer. When someone has cancer he/she needs to strengthen his/her immune system to fight off the cancer. So chemotherapy cannot be considered as a good treatment for cancer and the same applies to radiotherapy. Furthermore doctors cannot detect cancer via X-Ray or MRI when it is smaller than 1 centimeter in size which is equivalent to 1,000 million cancer cells. So if a person has say 10 million cancer cells remaining in his/her body after chemotherapy or radiotherapy, doctors will say that the cancer is in remission as it can't be detected. But don't be surprised when a cancer patient suffer a relapse even after a remission.

To understand how to treat cancer we need to know why normal cells that make up tissues and organs become cancerous. Normal cells when continuously exposed for years to toxic environment become cancerous in order to survive. Reason being cancer cells have higher survival rate compared to normal cells as cancer cells thrives in anaerobic (lack of oxygen) environment, can generate its own blood vessels to supply nutrients, able to multiply more rapidly, can disguise itself from immune system cells, can dissolve normal cell walls and invade them, and can produce chemicals to destroy white blood (immune system)cells. In fact cancer cells can survive indefinitely in laboratory while normal cells can multiply about 53 times before it stop and cell death occurs. So the secret to treat cancer is to reverse the toxic environment that finally trigger normal cells to become cancerous. Cleansing of the the cell internal toxic environment and improving blood circulation is the key to reverse cancer.

The Many Feelings of a Diagnosis of Cancer

2008-08-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

If you have been recently been given a diagnosis of cancer you are probably experiencing a wide variety of emotions: fear, anger, sadness, guilt, helplessness and anxiety. It is important to deal with these feelings so that they do not hinder you in your fight against the cancer. At some time or another almost all people with cancer will have some or all of the following feelings:

Denial and Disbelief

Newly diagnosed patients sometimes deny that they have cancer. After all, they think, I've not been that sick, how could I have cancer? Denial can be an obstacle to appropriate and timely treatment; you must accept the diagnosis to begin fighting the cancer.

Fear

The word cancer stirs up fears in everyone. Fears such as What is going to happen to me? Am I going to survive? Who is going to pay for all this medical care if I am sick? are very common in newly diagnosed cancer patients. Talking with others with cancer can help resolve some of the fears.

Anger

Anger may stem from feelings of Why did this happen to me? Anger also comes from the disruption of your life, goals and your dreams. Discussing your feelings with others who are in the same situation can help put these feelings into perspective.

Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety are common reactions to a cancer diagnosis and may manifest with physical symptoms such as headaches, difficulty sleeping, and loss of appetite. The immune system may be affected so finding a means to relieve stress is very important. Go get a manicure or a massage, walk, read a good book. Attend a support group; ask your oncologist for a referral to a mental health professional for a consultation if you are not able to cope.

Loss of Control

A cancer diagnosis can make life seem out of control. You can help reduce these feelings of powerlessness by exercising the control you do have over your situation. Increase your knowledge and understanding of the cancer that you are diagnosed with, research your treatment options and the side effects of these treatments.

Guilt

You may blame yourself for causing your family worry and grief. You may worry about becoming a burden to your family; physically and financially. Support groups and counseling for both the patient and the family, can be helpful in the ability to overcome the destructive impact these feelings can bring.

Loneliness

It is not uncommon for newly diagnosed cancer patients to want to shut out everyone and everything at times but the support from caring friends and family can be a tremendous resource. They may not know how you feel, but they do want to help you.

Depression

Many patients with cancer and their families can experience some level of depression. Feelings of dread, hopelessness and a sense that life has no meaning are not uncommon feelings. If you experience symptoms of depression, ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional.

It is important to remember that you are not alone in your fight against cancer and to not lose hope. Researchers are constantly making discoveries that one day might result in a cure for cancer. In the meantime, the best hope for successful treatment comes from learning all you can about the details of the cancer diagnosis and the treatment options available. First, find out the name of the cancer, its size and location, where it started and if it has spread. Find out if it's usually a slow growing cancer or an aggressive one. You need this information for get an accurate understanding of your options.

What You Need to Know About Brain Cancer

2008-08-27T00:01:00.001-07:00

Malignant brain tumors occur in about 4.5 people per 100,000 population, they may occur at any age but brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in patients younger than age 35. In adults, incidence is generally highest between ages 40 to 60.

There are two main types of brain cancer. Primary cancers start in the brain. Metastatic cancers start somewhere else in the body and moves to the brain. The most common tumor types in adults are gliomas and meningiomas. In children, incidence is generally highest before age 1 and again between ages 2 and 12. The most common types of brain tumour in children are astrocytomas, medulloblastomas, ependymomas and brain stem gliomas.

CAUSES
What causes brain cancer is not exactly known but there has recently been a great deal of speculation on the role of cell phone radiation in the development of cancer. In fact, while studies generally have shown no link between cell phones and brain cancer, there is some conflicting scientific evidence that may be worth additional study, according to the FDA.

More accepted risk factors for brain cancer include; exposure to vinyl chloride and individuals with risk factors such as having a job in an oil refinery, as a chemist, embalmer, or rubber industry worker show higher rates of brain cancer. Other risk factors such as smoking, radiation exposure, and viral infection (HIV) have been suggested but not proven to cause tumors. Patients with a history of melanoma, lung, breast, colon, or kidney cancer are at risk for secondary brain cancer.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Onset of symptoms is usually insidious and brain tumors are often misdiagnosed. Brain Cancers cause central nervous system changes by invading and destroying tissues and by secondary effects such as pressure on the brain. Symptoms vary but in general, symptoms include: Abnormal pulse and breathing rates, deep, dull headaches that recur often and persist without relief for long periods of time, difficulty walking or speaking, dizziness, eyesight problems including double vision, seizures, vomiting and at the late stages of the disorder dramatic changes in blood pressure may occur. Although headaches are often a symptom of brain cancer, it is important to remember that most headaches are due to less serious conditions such as migraine or tension, not cancer.

DIAGNOSIS
In most cases a definitive diagnosis is made by a tissue biopsy. Other diagnostic tools include; patient history, a neurologic assessment, skull x-rays, a brain scan, CT scan, MRI, a lumbar puncture and cerebral angiography. Meningiomas, arising from the covering around the brain or spinal cord, account for about 20% of brain cancers and are generally more benign.

TREATMENT
How to treat brain tumors depends on the age of the patient, the stage of the disease, the type and location of the tumor, and whether the cancer is a primary tumor or metastases. Brain cancer are somewhat unique because of the blood brain barrier, which severely restricts the types of substances in the bloodstream that are allowed by the body into the brain and makes drug treatment extremely difficult. Because of this more and more research is being undertaken in delivering medication by means of nanoparticles, amongst the properties of nanoparticles that make them ideal candidates for recognizing and treating tumors, their ability to deliver a wide variety of payloads across the blood-brain barrier is perhaps the most important.

Brain cancer's location and ability to spread quickly makes treatment with surgery or radiation like fighting an enemy hiding out among minefields and caves, and explains why the term brain cancer is all too often associated with the word inoperable.

Brain cancer survival statistics for the deadliest of tumors such as gliomas have not improved significantly over the past two decades and the clinical armamentarium is, to a large extent, still dependent on surgery and radiation therapy, treatments known to leave survivors with devastating cognitive deficits. Gamma knife surgery is a radiosurgery technique used to treat people with brain cancer and other neurological disorders

The most deadly form of brain cancer may be treatable with a vaccine that uses proteins. Unlike measles or mumps vaccines, which are meant to prevent disease, the vaccine turns on the patient's own immune system so it will help kill the tumor. When the vaccine is injected, it stimulates the immune system to kill off brain cancer cells and prevent the regrowth of tumors that have already been treated.

PROGNOSIS
The chances of surviving for a person with a brain tumor: Prognosis greatly depends on all of the following: type of tumor extent of the disease size and location of the tumor presence or absence of metastasis the tumor's response to therapy, age, overall health, and medical history, tolerance of specific medications, procedures, or therapies. Metastatic brain cancer indicates advanced disease and has a poor prognosis. Unfortunately, the most common form of primary brain cancer, glioblastoma, is also the most aggressive and lethal but teratomas and other germ cell tumors although they have the capacity to grow very large may have a more favorable prognosis.

Liver Cancer - Incidence, Symptoms, Causation, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis

2008-08-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Liver cancer also known as primary or metastatic hepatic carcinoma is a fairly rare form of cancer in the western world (1% of all cancers) but much more common in Africa and parts of Asia (10% to 50% of all cancers). It is much more prevalent in men and incidence increases with age. Liver cancer is rapidly fatal, usually within 6 months from gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hepatic failure or metastasis.

TYPES OF LIVE CANCER
Most primary liver tumors are known as hepatomas (hepatocellular carcinoma and primary lower cell carcinoma). Some primary liver cancers originate in the bile duct and these are known as cholangiomas. Some rare liver cancers include Kupffer cell sarcoma and hepatoblastomas (which occur almost exclusively in children and are usually respectable and curable). Metastatic liver cancer is 20 times more common than primary liver cancer and after cirrhosis this is the leading form of liver related death.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Liver cancer does not normally cause symptoms until it is in an advanced stage.
Clinical effects of advanced liver cancers include:

1. A mass in the right upper side.
2. Tender, nodular liver on palpation
3. Severe pain in the epigastrium or upper right side
4. Weight loss, anorexia, weakness, fever
5. Occasional jaundice or ascites (fluid in the abdomen)

CAUSATION
The exact cause of liver cancer is unknown in adults but in children it may be a genetic disease. Adult liver carcinomas may result from environmental exposure to carcinogens such as mold, contrast media (no longer in use), androgens and oral estrogens, the hepatitis B virus or by damage to the liver due to cirrhosis caused by too much prolonged imbibing of alcohol.

DIAGNOSIS
Liver cancer is difficult to diagnose in the presence of cirrhosis, but several tests can help identify it: The combination of an imaging study (ultrasound, CT, or MRI scans) and an elevated blood level of alpha-fetoprotein will most effectively diagnose liver cancer, electrolyte studies may indicate increased sodium retention, a liver biopsy can make a definitive diagnosis.

TREATMENT
Treatments for primary liver cancer depend on the extent (stage) of the disease, age, overall health, feelings and personal preferences. Surgery is the most effective treatment for primary liver cancer, but this is not always possible due to the size or position of the tumor. Radiofrequency ablation is an option for people with small, unresectable hepatocellular tumors and for some types of metastatic liver cancers. During this procedure, the hepatic artery (the artery from which liver cancers derive their blood supply) is blocked, and chemotherapy drugs are injected between the blockage and the liver. Cryoablation may be an option for people with inoperable primary and metastatic liver cancers. Removing the whole liver and replacing it with a liver from another person is another possible form of treatment for primary liver cancer.

Even when treatments fail to provide much improvement in the liver cancer itself, pain and other signs and symptoms caused by liver cancer can be aggressively treated to improve quality of life. In general, the treatments available for children are the same as for adults, and the best approach depends on the stage and type of cancer as well as the child's age and overall health.

What is Kidney Cancer?

2008-08-25T04:03:00.001-07:00

There are basically three types of kidney cancer:

1. Renal Cell Carcinoma: Renal cell carcinoma is cancer that forms in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products.

2. Renal Pelvis Carcinoma: Renal pelvis carcinoma is cancer that forms in the center of the kidney where urine collects.

3. Wilms Tumor: Wilms tumor usually develops in children under the age of five.

This year, it is estimated that there will be 54,390 new cases diagnosed. It is also estimated that there will be 13,010 deaths caused by the disease.

People are born with two kidneys. One is located on each side of the spine in the lower abdomen. The good news is that people can live full lives with a normal life expectancy with only one. It is important to note here that all tumors found in the kidneys are not cancerous. As a matter of fact, most cancers found are benign.

Most often, renal cell carcinoma and renal pelvis carcinoma develop in people over the age of 40. There is no way to determine who is more likely to develop the disease but there are some factors that raise the risk.

Smoking: Smoking both cigarettes and/or cigars raises the risk of developing all kinds of cancer, including kidney cancer.

Obesity: Obesity seems to be a major risk factor in developing this type if cancer.

Gender: Men are more likely to get the disease than women. About 20,000 men and 12,000 women learn they have kidney cancer each year in the United States.

Occupation: Iron and steel workers and workers who are exposed to asbestos and cadmium are more likely to develop kidney cancer.

What is Cancer - Incidence, Diagnosis, Causation, Symptoms, Treatment and Prognosis

2008-08-25T04:03:00.000-07:00

Cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in the Western world. Although Cancer is primarily a disease of the elderly with more than 60% of deaths from cancer occurring in those over the age of 65, cancer can strike even the youngest of children.

Cancer appears to occur when the growth of cells in the body is out of control and cells divide too rapidly. Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue, such as the lung, colon, breast, skin, bones, or nerve tissue.

Most common sites are:

Prostrate 24%
Breast 13%
Lung 13%
Colon and Rectum 9%
Bladder 3%
Uterus 2.5%

The cause of Cancer is believed to be a combination of genetic factors and outside carcinogens such as tobacco, viruses, infection, asbestos, vinyl chloride, inappropriate diet.

Cancer often has no specific symptoms, so it is important that you limit your risk factors and undergo appropriate cancer screening. The signs and symptoms will depend on where the cancer is, the size of the cancer, and how much it affects the nearby organs or structures.

If a cancer spreads (metastasizes), then symptoms may appear in different parts of the body. As a cancer grows, it begins to push on nearby organs, blood vessels, and nerves. If the cancer is in a critical area, such as certain parts of the brain, even the smallest tumor can cause early symptoms.

But sometimes cancers start in places where it does not cause any symptoms until the cancer has grown quite large. Pancreatic cancers, for example, do not usually grow large enough to be felt from the outside of the body. By the time a pancreatic cancer causes these signs or symptoms, it has usually reached an advanced stage.

A cancer may also cause symptoms common to many other problems, such as; fever, fatigue and weight loss. This may be because the cancer uses up much of the body's energy or it may cause the release of substances which affect metabolism.

Some lung cancers make hormone-like substances that affect blood calcium levels, affecting nerves and muscles and causing weakness and dizziness.

It is important to know what some of the general (non-specific) signs and symptoms of cancer are, but remember that having any of these does not mean that you have cancer.

Most cancers can be treated and some cured, depending on the specific type, location, and stage. The earlier the cancer is found, the better the prognosis.

A good example of the importance of finding cancer early is melanoma skin cancer. Skin cancer can be easy to remove if it has not grown deep into the skin, and the 5-year survival rate (percentage of people living at least 5 years after diagnosis) at this stage is nearly 100%.

Screening for breast cancer with mammograms has been shown to reduce the average stage of diagnosis of breast cancer in a population. Colorectal cancer can be detected through fecal occult blood testing and colonoscopy, which reduces both colon cancer incidence and mortality, presumably through the detection and removal of pre-malignant polyps. Similarly, cervical cytology testing (using the Pap smear) leads to the identification and excision of precancerous lesions.

Testicular self-examination is recommended for men beginning at the age of 15 years to detect testicular cancer.

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS

Pain may be an early symptom with some cancers such as bone cancers or testicular cancer.

Long-term constipation, diarrhea, or a change in the size of the stool may be a sign of colon cancer.

Pain with urination, blood in the urine, or a change in bladder function (such as more frequent or less frequent urination) could be related to bladder or prostate cancer.

Skin cancers may bleed and look like sores that do not heal.

A long-lasting sore in the mouth could be an oral cancer and should be dealt with right away, especially in patients who smoke, chew tobacco, or frequently drink alcohol.

Sores on the penis or vagina may either be signs of infection or an early cancer, and should not be overlooked.

Unusual bleeding can happen in either early or advanced cancer.

Blood in the sputum (phlegm) may be a sign of lung cancer.

Blood in the stool (or a dark or black stool) could be a sign of colon or rectal cancer.

Blood in the urine may be a sign of bladder or kidney cancer.

A bloody discharge from the nipple may be a sign of breast cancer.

Many cancers can be felt through the skin, mostly in the breast, testicle, lymph nodes (glands), and the soft tissues of the body. A lump or thickening may be an early or late sign of cancer.

While they commonly have other causes, indigestion or swallowing problems may be a sign of cancer of the esophagus, stomach, or pharynx (throat).

A cough that does not go away may be a sign of lung cancer.

A cancer may be suspected for a variety of reasons, but the definitive diagnosis of most malignancies must be confirmed by histological examination of the cancerous cells by a pathologist.

TREATMENT

Once diagnosed, cancer is usually treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Radiation therapy may be used to treat almost every type of solid tumor, including cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, larynx, lung, pancreas, prostate, skin, stomach, uterus, or soft tissue sarcomas.

Most forms of chemotherapy target all rapidly dividing cells and are not specific for cancer cells, although some degree of specificity may come from the inability of many cancer cells to repair DNA damage, while normal cells generally can.

Contemporary methods for generating an immune response against tumours include intravesical BCG immunotherapy for superficial bladder cancer, and use of interferons and other cytokines to induce an immune response in renal cell carcinoma and melanoma patients.

Pain medication, such as morphine and oxycodone, and anti-emetics, drugs to suppress nausea and vomiting, are very commonly used in patients with cancer-related symptoms. transmission and disease.

Advances in cancer research have made a vaccine designed to prevent cancer available. The vaccine protects against four HPV types, which together cause 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts.

The consensus on diet and cancer is that obesity increases the risk of developing cancer. The cancer-fighting components of food are also proving to be more numerous and varied than previously understood, so patients are increasingly being advised to consume fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables for maximal health benefits.

What is Pancreatic Cancer?

2008-08-25T04:01:00.000-07:00

First, the good news - research is being done and scientists are learning more every day about the causes of pancreatic cancer. Progress IS being made, and research has already led to better treatment for the diasease, a better quality of life for patients, and a decrease in deaths from pancreatic cancer.

The pancreas is a little organ only about 6 inches long that is located between the stomach and the spine. It is responsible for producing insulin as well as other hormones. Additionally, it makes pancreatic juices containing enzymes that help in digesting food.

Most cases of cancer starts in the ducts that carry pancreatic juices. Cancer of the pancreas is also called carcinoma of the pancreas. The terms are used interchangeably.

*Note: There is a rare cases that start in the cells that make insulin and other hormones. Cancer that starts in these cells is called islet cell cancer.

There are, of course, certain risk factors that scientists say increase the chances of a person developing the disease. It is important to note, however, that many people with all of the risk factors do not get pancreatic cancer and that people who have none of the risk factors do get it.

The risk factors that scientists have identified are:

1. Smoking: Smoking increases the risk of developing all kinds of cancer, according to scientists.

2. Age: Most cases if this type of cancer are diagnosed in patients over the age of 60.

3. Race: African Americans have a greater risk of developing the diasease than other ethnic groups.

4. Sex: Males more often develop pancreatic cancer than females.

5. Family History: If there is a history of pancreatic cancer in the family, there is a greater risk for a patient to develop it.

Coping With Cancer Pain

2008-08-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Cancer can cause a great deal of pain. The treatments for cancer can also cause a great deal of pain. But pain is not a "done deal" - it isn't inevitable. Pain control is part of the overall treatment for cancer. Physicians have a whole arsenal of methods and options at their disposal. The best defense is always a good offense, whether you are talking about a football game, a basketball game, or fighting cancer pain.

First, there are a few facts that patients need to know: (1) pain CAN be managed; (2) talking openly with your physician will help him help you; (3) there are a great many pain medications, and when one doesn't work, another will; (4) people who take pain medications prescribed by their doctors for cancer-related pain very rarely become addicted to them; and (5) the human body does not become immune to pain medication. There is no point in "saving" a medication for later.

There are as many different causes of pain as there are patients who have pain. Pain relief does not come in a "one-size-fits-all" pill. It can be caused by medical tests, tumors, spinal cord compression, and treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There are different relievers available for pain that is caused by different things.

Doctors use prescription medications, of course, and all of the hundreds and thousands of pain medications can be prescribed for a cancer patient. But medications are not the only weapon to combat pain in the doctor's bag. Many doctors prescribe the use of such alternative medicines as aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture, biofeedback, and others.

The idea is often just to relieve the pain, but an even better idea is to prevent the pain in the first place. Talk to your doctor about pain prevention.

Causes of Cancer - Symptoms and Treatment

2008-08-23T02:04:00.001-07:00

Most cancers are named for where they start. For example, lung cancer starts in the lung, and breast cancer starts in the breast. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis.
Cancer Causes
Symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer type and how advanced it is. Treatment plans may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. Causes of cancer cells are the building blocks of living things. Cancer grows out of normal cells in the body. Normal cells multiply when the body needs them, and die when the body doesn't. Cancer appears to occur when the growth of cells in the body is out of control and cells divide too rapidly. It can also occur when cells "forget" how to die. There are many different kinds of cancers. Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue, such as the lung, colon, breast, skin, bones, or nerve tissue. The mutation in the DNA changes these instructions so that the cells carry on growing. This causes the cells to reproduce in an uncontrollable manner, producing a lump of tissue known as a tumor.
Cancer Symptoms
Symptoms of cancer depend on the type and location of the tumor. For example, lung cancer can cause coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain, while colon cancer often causes diarrhea, constipation, and blood in the stool. Local symptoms occur when the cancer is contained in one part of your body. These include changes in bowel or bladder habits, a sore that does not heal, unusual bleeding or discharge, thickening or lump in the breast or any other part of the body, indigestion or difficulty swallowing, obvious change in a wart or mole, or nagging cough or hoarseness.
Cancer Treatment
Treatment varies based on the type of cancer and its stage. The stage of a cancer refers to how much it has grown and whether the tumor has spread from its original location. If the cancer is confined to one location and has not spread, the goal for treatment would be surgery and cure. If the tumor has spread to local lymph nodes only, sometimes these can be removed.
Complementary medicine techniques such as acupuncture, meditation, and yoga could be a helpful addition to your regular medical treatment. If all of the cancer cannot be removed with surgery, the options for treatment include radiation, chemotherapy, or both. Some cancers require a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Diet and Cancer

2008-08-23T02:04:00.000-07:00

Over the past decade, the incidence of cancer has risen faster than other chronic diseases in the United States. Cancer strikes one out of every three people. Only heart disease, which affects one out of two 2 people, affects more people..
The relationship between diet and cancer exists: 40% of men and 60% women have a casual relationship between diet and cancer.
In all research, what remains unclear is whether certain foods have protective properties, or if consuming these foods decreases the effect of other foods that have a strong association with carcinogens.
Today, the research does indicate that low intakes of lentils, green vegetables, fresh fruit, and certain vitamins creates an increased risk for many cancers. The cancers I want to highlight are the ones that are the most prominent; breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, testicular cancer, and Hodgkin's disease.
Before we discuss the specific protective agents found in food, I would like to start with general diet. Fats, carbohydrate, protein and fiber all have a strong influence on developing cancer.
In many of my writings, I have discussed high fiber-low fat importance, especially animal fat, relative to heart disease. It would seem logical the same diet would contribute to cancer. The key ingredient, like heart disease, is the increased consumption of dietary fiber and a decrease in red meat consumption. The increase in red meat consumption and low fiber intake has a strong associate with colorectal cancer. Unsaturated fats, unlike the saturated fats found in red meat, decrease colorectal cancer.
Western diets have a casual relationship with cancer. Most Asians, Africans and Hispanics have lower incidence of cancer until exposed to Western diets. Breast cancer, which is one of the fastest increasing forms of cancer, correlates with changes in hormonal levels. High dietary fat intake increases the hormones in women. Pre-pubescent young women who eat a high saturated fat diet will begin menstruation 1 to 2 years before young women who do not consume high amounts of animal fat and are not overweight.
Body weight, body fat, body height-to-weight ratio, and obesity are strongly associated with increases in almost all cancers. This risk increases more in post-menopausal women.
Apart from reducing red meat consumption to 4 ounces or less a day and bringing fiber up to greater than 30 mg a day, there are important nutrients that can provide protection.
Carotenoids and Retinoids are found in green leafy and yellow vegetables, fruits, and dark wines. Supplements I work with are from Waiora, a health and nutrition company that has a governing body of 10 physicians and a bio-scientist who produce some powerful supplements.
Other agents that decrease the risk for many cancers include:
Vitamins C - found in citrus;
B vitamins Riboflavin - found in dark green leafy vegetables, enriched bread, and cereals;
B6 - found in fish, poultrym fruits and vegetables;
B12 - found in eggs and milk products;
Fat soluble vitamin A -- found in dark green leafy vegetables, orange and yellow fruits, dark fruits (grapes), and fortified milk and cereal;
Vitamin K - found in dark green leafy vegetables;
Vitamin E -- found in vegetable oils; and
Trace Elements Selenium and Zinc - found in fish, dark leafy vegetables and grains.

What is Endometrial Cancer?

2008-08-23T02:03:00.000-07:00

Endometrial cancer is cancer that forms in the tissue that lines the uterus. The uterus is a small, pear-shaped organ that is located in the lower pelvic area of a woman. The uterus is the organ in a woman's body where a baby grows.
It is estimated that in 2008, there will be about 40,100 new cases of endometrial cancer diagnosed, and that there will be about 7,470 deaths caused by endometrial cancer. One is too many, but these numbers show a dramatic decrease in new cases of endometrial cancer as well as deaths from it over the last several years.
Science is making progress and learning more about the causes of endometrial cancer. Scientists are exploring new ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat the disease. Research has helped to improve patients' quality of life and decrease the chance of dying from endometrial cancer - and more progress is being made all the time.
There are several benign conditions of the uterus that often cause great fear in women:
Fibroids: Fibroids do not develop into cancer. They grow in the muscle of the uterus. Most often fibroids occur in women who are in their 40s. Fibroids usually just disappear after menopause.
Endometriosis: This is a condition in which endometrial tissue begins to grow on the outside of the uterus and on nearby organs. It most often occurs in women in their 30s and 40s who have never been pregnant. Endometriosis can cause a great many problems, but cancer isn't one of them.
Endometrial hyperplasia: Heavy menstrual periods, bleeding between periods, and bleeding after menopause are the most common symptoms of hyperplasia. Endometrial hyperplasia is not cancer, but it can develop into cancer.
All problems associated with the uterus are not cancer - the odds are that when you experience problems, it is NOT cancer.

Cancer Quotes

2008-08-23T02:02:00.000-07:00

I like quotes about all kinds of things. I love the way that some people can express what the rest of us are thinking in just a few well-chosen words. The subject of cancer and cancer treatments are no exception. Some of the best advice and the best observations about this dreaded disease are found in quotes.
For one thing, cancer is held up as the ultimate disease - the standard by which all really bad things in life is measured. Maya Angelou was an American poet who said, "Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host," and Edward Abbey was an American writer and environmentalist who said, "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." No matter what "it" is, the worst is always compared to cancer.
Then there are those famous people who say things that echo in our minds forever. Olivia Newton-John said, "My cancer scare changed my life. I'm grateful for every new, healthy day I have. It has helped me prioritize my life." Lance Armstrong, the famous cyclist, is quoted as having said, "If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell."
Melissa Bank, an author, wrote, "During chemo, you're more tired than you've ever been. It's like a cloud passing over the sun, and suddenly you're out. You don't know how you'll answer the door when your groceries are delivered. But you also find that you're stronger than you've ever been. You're clear. Your mortality is at optimal distance, not up so close that it obscures everything else, but close enough to give you depth perception. Previously, it has taken you weeks, months, or years to discover the meaning of an experience. Now it's instantaneous."

Spiritual Beliefs and Cancer

2008-08-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

There is no scientific proof about how spirituality is related to health. Frankly, there simply is no way to quantify the relationship between spirituality and how it affects cancer patients. There are, however, some research studies that show that spiritual or religious beliefs and practices promote a positive mental attitude that may help a patient feel better.

Spiritual beliefs have a definite impact on quality-of-life issues. Deep religious beliefs have proven to reduced anxiety, depression, and discomfort as well as to reduced sense of isolation (feeling alone). Cancer patients who are deeply religious make better adjustments to the effects of cancer and its treatment and have an increased ability to enjoy life during cancer treatment. They also often express a feeling of personal growth because of living with cancer. People with strong religious beliefs also have better outcomes of all health-related problems, including cancer.

When people are conflicted about their spiritual or religious beliefs, the opposite is true. Professionals refer to this as "spiritual distress." A great deal of spiritual distress interferes with a cancer patient's ability to cope with having cancer as well as with cancer treatments. Spiritual distress does contribute to poorer treatment outcomes. Health care professionals who note this spiritual distress will often encourage the cancer patient to seek guidance from the appropriate spiritual or religious leaders to help them resolve their issues. Resolving religious issues and relieving spiritual distress helps to improve cancer patients' overall health, provide them with a better quality of life, and help them cope with having cancer as well as with cancer treatments.

The direct effect of spirituality and religious beliefs on health is recognized as a real concern by health professionals. Today, many doctors who treat cancer patients do a spiritual assessment of patients they treat, so that they can better help them to cope.

Mistletoe For Cancer

2008-08-21T05:56:00.000-07:00

Mistletoe is that little sprig of green stuff with white berries that people hang in doorways during the holiday season to encourage kissing. Kissing under the mistletoe is an age-old tradition with an interesting history that I won't get into here.

Mistletoe is a parasite that grows in certain trees (apple, oak, maple, elm, pine, and birch, for example). Mistletoe can actually suck the life out of the trees that it lives on. But extracts from this "nuisance" plant have proven to kill cancer cells as well as to boost the human immune system. Do not go out and grab yourself a handful of mistletoe to eat, though. The cute little white berries of the mistletoe plant are very poisonous. Obtaining a mistletoe extract is a multistep process that is best left to professionals.

Mistletoe extracts can be purchased at health food stores; but actually in medical trials and studies, the mistletoe extract is administered by injection or intravenously.

The conclusions drawn from clinical trials of using mistletoe as a cancer treatment are mixed. There isn't much doubt that mistletoe extract does boost the immune system. Most researchers agree that mistletoe extract does, indeed, boost the immune system, but whether mistletoe extract is effective as a cancer treatment has not been established to any degree of medical certainty. There have been problems associated with all of the studies that have been done. Studies have only been conducted in Europe, and in every study, there were limitations - the study was too small, the results were mixed, the patient data was incomplete, the information about dosage and frequency was skewed, or there were problems with the design of the study.

Mistletoe may be our next best hope for treating cancer, but at this point, there is no proof of its effectiveness.

Tai Chi As a Cancer Treatment

2008-08-21T05:55:00.000-07:00

Tai chi is an ancient Chinese martial art. Tai chi is a mind-body, self-healing system that uses mild exercise, meditation, and breathing to improve health and overall well-being. Tai chi has been in practice for many centuries, and now even modern Western medicine agrees that tai chi is an excellent form of exercise that can improve posture, balance, muscle mass and tone, flexibility, stamina, and strength in young adults as well as in older adults.

Tai chi is not a cure for cancer. Tai chi is a complimentary therapy that is often recommended for people who are undergoing conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It is important for people who are going through cancer treatments to remain as active as possible. The gentle movements and deep-breathing exercises of tai chi can reduce stress. Reducing stress can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of many heart problems.

Those who promote the use of tai chi say that it helps to balance qi or chi - the vital energy or life force of the body. Balanced qi is said to prevent illness, improve health, and extend life expectancy. Tai chi also is based on the ancient theory of yin and yang and those who promote the use of tai chi for cancer patients say that balancing yin and yang helps patients to achieve inner harmony.

Researchers agree that tai chi can reduce stress and provide the same cardiovascular benefits as moderate exercise like a slower heart rate and lower blood pressure.

Because the physical movements of tai chi are so slow and gentle, it is considered to be the safest form of exercise for older people as well as people who are undergoing rigorous treatments for cancer as well as for many other human ailments like arthritis, osteoporosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and peripheral artery disease.

Vaccines For Cancer

2008-08-19T05:21:00.002-07:00

There are only two vaccines that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of cancer...so far. There is a vaccine that has been approved to prevent infection with the human papillomavirus virus (HPV). HPV is known to cause most cases of cervical cancer. There is also a vaccine that prevents infection with the hepatitis B virus. The hepatitis B virus is known to cause many cases of liver cancer.

There are more than 300 types of cancer, and so far we have only two vaccines; but it is a start. For years, the treatment of cancer (after the fact, so to speak) was the focus of most research, and there has been a lot of progress in treating cancer with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. The credit for every bit of the progress that has been made in cancer treatment goes to researchers and scientists who dedicate their lives to learning more and finding new treatments. This progress was made in laboratories as well through clinical trials of new drugs and new procedures. Now the focus has broadened to include the idea of prevention through the use of vaccines.

Researchers and scientists have learned a lot more over the years about how the body fights cancer on its own. The body has a built-in defense system that is called the immune system. The human immune system is really amazing. It's a network of specialized tissues and cells that fight disease. The idea of vaccines to prevent diseases of all kinds is to make use of the body's natural defense system - the immune system. Vaccines are called "biological" therapies - a kind of germ warfare to prevent diseases in the human body.

Vaccines for cancer will be developed in laboratories and through clinical trials just like treatments have been developed. There isn't likely to be an announcement on the evening news that a vaccine has been developed that totally prevents all kinds of cancer, but the researchers are out there looking for it. Maybe someday...

Meditation Therapy For Cancer

2008-08-19T05:21:00.001-07:00

Oncologists and those who care for cancer patients are usually open to any and all suggestions for ways that a cancer patient can be treated or cared for better. These doctors and caregivers see the minute-by-minute suffering and pain (both physical and mental) that cancer causes.

It's been proven that meditation therapy is an effective complimentary therapy for cancer patients. There are several types of meditation. One very common-type meditation is called transcendental meditation. Transcendental meditation involves repeating a word or phrase (mantra) over and over, either silently or aloud. Another type meditation is often referred to as mindfulness meditation. In mindfulness meditation, a person observes sensations, perceptions, and thoughts without judgment as they arise. There are other kinds of meditation that focus attention by walking or visualizing.

Meditation is often used in conjunction with other kinds of complimentary therapies for cancer patients, like massage therapy, biofeedback therapy, hypnosis therapy, acupuncture therapy, etc. Meditation is not a cure for cancer. It is only a therapy that is used in conjunction with standard cancer treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and drug therapy.

There are many instructions for meditation, but basically all meditation starts the same way. You start by choosing a quiet place without distractions. You sit or rest quietly with your eyes closed and pay attention to your breathing and physical sensations. You notice them and then let go of all intruding thoughts.

In the last two decades, meditation has been studied in clinical trials with a focus on reducing stress on the mind and body. Research has proven that meditation can help reduce anxiety, stress, blood pressure, chronic pain, and insomnia. It stands to reason that meditation can help cancer patients reduce pain, stress, anxiety, and fear. Meditation can improve the quality of life.

Coping With Cancer Fatigue

2008-08-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

Cancer Related Fatigue (CRF) is a real side effect of cancer and of cancer treatment. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network defined CRF as "a persistent, subjective sense of tiredness related to cancer or cancer treatment that interferes with usual functioning."

Cancer patients very rarely describe the feeling as "fatigue." They describe the feeling as being "bone tired." What they are saying is that they feel emotionally, mentally, and physically drained.

Most cancer patients simply accept fatigue as a part of having cancer and don't ask for help in coping with it. But there is help.

One of the major causes of CRF is anemia. Anemia in cancer patients can be caused by a variety of things like bleeding, bone marrow involvement of the disease, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dysfunction, of organs like the heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease, or nutritional deficiencies.

When the cause of CRF is anemia, blood transfusions can help. But blood transfusions are not the answer for all cancer patients. Patients who are bleeding or having other symptoms don't benefit from blood transfusions, and blood transfusions are not without risk. Although blood transfusions are relatively safe and there are a great many precautions in place, blood transfusions can lead to transmission of viruses, allergic reactions, and lung injury.

Another very effective way that physicians can treat the anemia that is responsible for CRF is to stimulate the bone marrow to make more red blood cells.

There is a protein called erythropoietin that is released into our bloodsteams naturally when our red blood cell count drops. Erythropoietin stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. A synthetic version of erythropoietin has been developed, and in clinical trials, there has been a marked decrease in fatigue and a marked increase in the quality of life.

Biofeedback Therapy For Cancer

2008-08-19T05:20:00.000-07:00

There have been claims (by unscrupulous creeps) that by learning biofeedback therapy, cancer patients can slow or stop the progression of cancer. These claims are fraudulent and, in my not-so-humble-opinion, cruel. The idea of placing the cause for the progression of cancer on the shoulders of the patient amounts to mental and emotional torture.

The truth is, however, that biofeedback therapy can be a very good complimentary therapy for cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery. Biofeedback cannot stop cancer. It can't cure cancer, either, but it can provide a cancer patient
with the ability to reduce his stress, muscle tension, and pain.

The principle of biofeedback therapy is technicians using monitoring devices to provide information about physical processes (blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, etc.), that are hard to detect without help and then giving (feeding back) this information in the form of a continuous signal like a sound or an image to the patient. The idea is that the patient can adjust his or her thinking, emotional state, or other mental processes for the purpose of controlling bodily functions and can see what works by changes in the signal being provided.

A biofeedback therapist provides guidance as the patient concentrates on changing a specific physical process, such as heart rate, temperature, perspiration, blood flow, brain activity, or muscle tension. When a patient learns how to control these normally automatically controlled functions, he or she can learn how to control pain, stress, and tension.

Biofeedback will NOT cure cancer, and it will not stop or slow the growth of tumors. But it can help to provide a better quality of life for cancer patients while they are going through the treatments that do have the potential to cure the cancer.

Vitamins and Minerals As Cancer Treatment

2008-08-16T05:20:00.001-07:00

The conventional wisdom (?) of cancer researchers is that there is absolutely no connection between eating (or not eating) certain foods and taking (or not taking) dietary supplements. As a matter of fact, Dr. Daniel W. Nixon, the president of the Institute for Cancer Prevention in New York, said, "Vitamins and minerals are probably more or less worthless as far as cancer prevention is concerned." Horse feathers!

There is not nearly enough information available about the cause of OR the prevention of cancer for anybody to make that kind of sweeping (and dismissive) statement.

Most cancer researchers will tell you that cancer has everything to do with vitamins, minerals, foods, and nutrition, and they'll tell you that many of the cancers we see today are caused by cancer-causing food ingredients like sodium nitrate, hydrogenated oils, MSG, artificial food colors, and all kinds of chemical preservatives.

So the question is, if there are cancer-causing ingredients in the foods that we eat, might there not also be cancer risk-reducing substances as well? The answer is a qualified "yes." The fact is that you can increase the intake of foods, vitamins, minerals, and herbs that are known to reduce the risk of cancer, but if you don't eliminate or at least greatly reduce the intake of cancer-causing food additives and preservatives, there will be no benefit gained.

Some foods that reduce the risk of cancer and even help to cure cancer include garlic, onions, broccoli, cabbage, berries, cauliflower, any of the sprouts, green food concentrates like wheat grass, barley grass, and others, cereal grasses, super foods like chlorella and spirulina, unsaturated oils, and many medicinal herbs. These foods and supplements all fight and even prevent cancer by supporting a healthy functioning of our immune systems.

The Effect of Diet on Cancer

2008-08-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

First, it is important to note that one should not change their diet suddenly and completely based upon the results of one study or one news report about the effect that any one food, vitamin, mineral, dietary supplement, or additive has on cancer. "Studies" and "reports" are published all the time, and many of these studies and reports are based upon limited research. The conclusions are not established within any medical degree of certainty.

Now, having said that, we do know with a high degree of medical certainty that certain foods, beverages, vitamins, minerals, etc., do impact cancer risk. For example:

We know that consuming two alcoholic drinks per day by a man increases his risk of getting cancer of the mouth, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), esophagus, liver, and breast, and probably of the colon and rectum. A daily intake of only one alcoholic drink by a woman creates the same risk.

We also know that the body uses the antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables to fight cancer. Results of research tells us that people who eat more vegetables and fruits that are rich sources of antioxidants have a lower risk for some types of cancer.

It has been established that the consumption of processed meat as well as red meat is linked to a higher risk of certain kinds of cancer. However, there is no indication that reducing cholesterol (found in processed and red meat) has either a positive or a negative effect on cancer risk. Lowering cholesterol does, however, lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The red-orange carotene pigment called lycopene is found mainly in tomatoes and tomato-based foods and to some extent in pink grapefruit and watermelon. There have been several studies that have reported that consuming tomato products reduces the risk of some cancers.

Five Herbs to Treat Cancer

2008-08-16T05:19:00.001-07:00

There is a great deal of interest today about the use of Chinese herbs to treat cancer. This interest is caused for several reasons. Two reasons are (1) the high cost of traditional cancer treatments; and (2) the side effects of the synthetic drugs that are used in conventional cancer treatments.

It is important to note that any treatment for cancer should be discussed with the presiding physician. Some combinations of drugs and herbs can cause an adverse reaction.

It is also important to note that the information provided here should not be considered medical advice. It isn't intended to replace the advice offered by your physician. This is merely information.

Dong ling cao: Dong ling cao was not listed in herbal dictionaries of early dynasties. It became available only in 1972. Dong ling cao is being used to treat cancer of the esophagus, breast, and liver, as well as for swelling of throat, insect bites, snake bites, and inflammation of the tonsils.

Yi yi ren (also called semen coicis): Yi yi ren is typically used to invigorate the function of the spleen and to reduce pain and swelling caused by arthritis. It is also used to relieve diarrhea, to remove heat, and to facilitate the drainage of pus. Yi yi ren is used by Chinese herbalists to treat cancer of the lung or spleen.

Tu fu ling: In animal studies, tu fu ling has proven especially effective in treating cancers in the urinary tract (bladder) and the liver.

Ling zhi: Ling zhi is used to enhance the immune system. Specifically, ling zhi is known to increase monocytes, macrophages, T-lymphocyt cytokine, interleukin, tumor necrosis, and interferon.

Ren Shen: Ren Shen is a herb that is known to enhance the immune system, and it helps to relieve the side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiation therapy, as well.

Acupuncture For Cancer

2008-08-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

First, nobody (reputable) claims that acupuncture will "cure" cancer - and it won't. Acupuncture is an ancient method of treatment that dates back to the Stone Age in China. Just because acupuncture cannot cure cancer does not mean that acupuncture does not have a place in cancer treatment. As a matter of fact, many oncologists recommend acupuncture for their patients both before and after surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Oncologists recommended acupuncture treatments for the purpose of reducing or eliminating pain as well as for reducing or eliminating the nausea that is often caused by treatments.

Cancer is a general term that covers more than 300 different diseases and can affect every part of the human body. The first line of defense against cancer is a healthy lifestyle and good health choices, but even the healthiest lifestyle is no guarantee that some form of cancer cannot strike.

The second line of defense is early cancer diagnosis. The earlier that cancer is found, the greater the chances that it can be cured. Treatments for cancer can include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Combination of two or all three of these options is very common - and this is where acupuncture comes in. This is where acupuncture can help a cancer patient.

Acupuncture can help reduce pain after surgery. There really isn't much debate about this, even in the established medical community. Acupuncture can reduce the pain and the need for pain medication in cancer surgery patients. Acupuncture has been used as a replacement for anesthesia.

Acupuncture is also regularly used to relieve nausea that is often caused by chemotherapy. Nausea is one of the most frequent side effects of all chemotherapy treatments, and it is also the one that is most dreaded by cancer patients that are undergoing chemotherapy. Acupuncture is used regularly and very effectively to relieve or even eliminate the nausea associated with chemotherapy treatment.

Cancer Treatment Scams

2008-08-14T03:27:00.000-07:00

Cancer is a serious and terrifying disease. The very word "cancer" is enough to scare the socks off of average people. The scam artists of the world know this. They make very, very large fortunes by preying on the fear of cancer that is coupled with a basic mistrust of "the system" that those who are part of the baby boomer generation have.

Now, I am not saying that the health care system is flawless. It isn't. But there is not a secret cure for cancer that is being withheld from the public, either. You can bet that if there were a magic little pill that would cure the most dreaded disease on the planet, it would be available (albeit at a dear price) to the public.

There ARE alternative medicine cancer treatments that are effective in relieving the pain without the use of drugs. Nutrition IS important to good health, but there is NOT a food or a food plan that will cure cancer. There is NOT a dietary supplement or a magic combination of dietary supplements that will cure cancer, either.

No matter how much you pay for these bogus treatments, they aren't going to work. Well, they WILL work to line the pockets of the creeps that are out there promoting them, but they won't work to cure cancer.

"Caveat emptor" is Latin...it means Buyer Beware! Buyer Beware is a good motto for cancer patients who are searching for a magic cure for the dreaded disease. There is an old saying that applies here, too. "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." When we are afraid - when pain and death are very real possibilities - it is only natural to look beyond the established medical community in hopes of finding a cure.

Cancer patients just need to be aware that so far, there IS NOT a cure within or outside of "the system." There is treatment, though. And more and more cancers are being cured everyday. There IS hope, so don't give up.

Chemotherapy Cancer Treatment

2008-08-14T03:26:00.000-07:00

Chemotherapy has come a long way in the last several years. Many of the awful side effects of chemotherapy can be controlled or even prevented today and chemotherapy is often the best option available for treating cancer.

Chemotherapy is a general term that covers the use of many different chemical agents with the objective of inhabiting or stopping the growth of cancer cells and even killing cancer cells at sites in the body that are a long way from the original cancer.

The greatest majority of people who are diagnosed with cancer of any kind are treated with chemotherapy. That is because chemotherapy is effective. Chemotherapy can allow cancer patients to enjoy rich, full lives.

A treatment plan and a treatment schedule (a regimen) are recommended by the doctor for the administering of drugs included in the chemotherapy treatment. Some of these drugs are intended to fight the cancer, and some are intended to help support the cancer-fighting drugs. Doctors agree that keeping to the recommended schedule provides the best opportunity for the chemotherapy treatment to be successful.

The drugs used in chemotherapy treatment can be delivered by injection, by intravenous drip, or orally in pill form. The way the drug is administered is determined by the drug being used. Many of the cancer-fighting drugs used in chemotherapy are designed to kill fast-growing cancer cells. The problem is that these drugs can't tell the difference between fast-growing cancer cells and other fast-growing cells, including hair and blood cells.

Still, chemotherapy is often the very best choice available for treating cancer, even with the side effects. The best defense is always knowledge. Talk with your doctor. Work to understand the goals as well as the risks associated with each treatment. Only you can determine the benefit/risk balance that is right for you.

Liver Cancer Prevention

2008-08-14T03:25:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly enough, many liver cancers can be prevented. There isn't a liver cancer vaccine yet, but there IS a hepatitis B vaccine that was approved for use in the United States in the early 1980s. The hepatitis B vaccine protects both children and adults from the hepatitis B virus. Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus is one of the leading causes of liver cancer worldwide.

It is recommended that all children be given the hepatitis B vaccine and that all adults who are at risk, like health care workers and those who engage in risky behavior, get the vaccine as well.

The other leading cause of liver cancer is chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus. So far, there is not a vaccine to protect against hepatitis C infection. The best prevention against hepatitis C as well as hepatitis B (for those who have not been vaccinated) is understanding how the viruses are spread and how to avoid contamination.

Both hepatitis B and hepatitis C are spread through shared use of a contaminated needle (drug use), through unprotected sex, and through childbirth. There was a time when a blood transfusion carried a major risk of contracting hepatitis B or hepatitis C, but better screening has reduced that risk to only one per two million transfusions today.

If you are at high risk for contracting hepatitis B or hepatitis C, you should be tested for these infections often. There are drugs that your doctor can give you to treat these infections. There are no drugs that cure these infections, however, and it is unclear whether treatment actually lessens the chances of cancer developing.

Alcohol abuse is the number one cause of cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis can lead to liver cancer. This cancer prevention technique is quite simple - don't abuse alcohol and if you are abusing alcohol, stop.

Endometrial Cancer Prevention

2008-08-13T06:07:00.001-07:00

I wish I could tell you that there is a simple way to totally prevent endometrial cancer. Unfortunately, that is not the case. We can't really prevent endometrial cancer, but there are certain steps that we can take that will reduce the risk of endometrial cancer.

Amazingly enough, using oral contraceptives seems to reduce the risk of endometrial cancer. The longer a woman takes oral contraceptives, the lower the rate of developing endometrial cancer becomes. It also appears that this protection provided by oral contraceptives keeps right on
being effective for about 10 years after the woman ceases taking the oral contraceptives.

*A note: The choice of birth control should not be based solely upon endometrial cancer risk. There are other factors that women should also consider. Openly discussing birth control options with one's physician is recommended.

Endometrial cancer risks can be lowered by avoiding known risk factors for developing all kinds of cancers. Smoking cigarettes, for example, is a known risk factor for developing cancer. An unhealthy diet that contains a great deal of saturated fats and food preservatives is also a known risk factor for developing cancer. A sedentary lifestyle is conducive for the development of cancer as is obesity. Basically...

* Eat a healthy diet

* Exercise regularly

* Maintain an optimal body weight

* Don't smoke cigarettes

For some women, both during and post menopause, HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) is a good choice, but not for all women. It is known that HRT does lower the risk of developing endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women. However, there are other risk factors to consider when making the decision to use hormone replacement therapy. For example, doctors now know that HRT INCREASES the risk of breast cancer. The best idea is to discuss all of the possibilities and options with your doctor.

Esophageal Cancer Prevention

2008-08-13T06:07:00.000-07:00

There is no known way to totally prevent esophageal cancer. Researchers and scientists are working on cancer prevention day and night, but so far the only vaccine that has been developed is one for the prevention of cervical cancer caused by exposure to the HRT virus. Maybe someday there will be a little pill we can all take that will prevent all kinds of cancers from developing. Meanwhile, we concentrate on lowering the risk of developing cancer, including esophageal cancer. The good news is that there really are things that we can do to lower the risk.

There are, of course, risk factors that none of us have the slightest control over, like age, sex, and race. But there are other lifestyle choice risk factors that we do have control over. In the United States the two biggest lifestyle choice risk factors for developing esophageal cancer are cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse.

The risk of esophageal cancer increases by 18 times in people who drink more than 13 ounces of alcohol a day over a period of years. If this same alcohol-drinking person smokes one or two packs of cigarettes a day, the risk of esophageal cancer increases to 44 times. Avoiding alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking are the best ways to reduce the risk of esophageal cancer.

Exercise and diet are also important lifestyle risk factors for esophageal cancer that we can all exercise some control over. A daily diet that contains at least five servings of fruits and vegetables and some whole grain foods and that is low in saturated fats and prepackaged food is the best esophageal cancer-preventing diet. Regular aerobic exercise is also known to lower the risk of all kinds of cancers.

What is Cancer?

2008-08-12T05:22:00.000-07:00

Cancer is not a single disease with a single cause or cure. Cancer is the result when cells divide uncontrollably and invade other nearby tissue in the body. Cancer spreads through the body by way of blood circulation or by the clear fluid that travels through the lymphatic system and carries cells that help fight infections and other diseases.
There are more than 100 types of cancers, but they are divided into the following main categories:
1. Carcinoma: Carcinoma is cancer that begins on the skin or in tissues that line or cover the internal organs.
2. Sarcoma: Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective tissue.
3. Leukemia: Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced that then enter the bloodstream.
4. Lymphoma and myeloma: Lymphoma and myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells that make up the immune system.
The body is made up of many different types of cells. Cells grow and divide in a normal and controlled way to produce more cells as they are needed. When cells get old or are damaged, they die and then they are replaced with new cells.
When this normal process goes wrong (the genetic material - DNA - of a cell becomes damaged or changed) the body begins producing mutations that affect normal cell growth. The result is that cells don't die when they should, and new cells form when the body doesn't need them. These extra and mutated cells then can form a mass of tissue that is called a tumor.
All tumors are not cancerous. Most tumors are benign. "Benign" means that the tumor is not cancerous. Tumors that are cancerous are called "malignant" tumors.

What is Bladder ?

2008-08-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

The bladder is the organ in the body where urine is stored before it is expelled through urination. There are several different kinds of bladder cancer:
* Transitional cell carcinomas (cancer that begins in cells that normally make up the inner lining of the bladder) are the most common.
* Squamous cell carcinoma is cancer that begins in thin, flat cells.
* Adenocarcinoma is cancer that begins in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids.
The cells that cause squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma grow in the inner lining of the bladder and are caused by chronic irritation and inflammation.
Cancer that is in cells in the lining of the bladder is called superficial bladder cancer. Your doctor might call it carcinoma in situ. This kind of bladder cancer comes back many times, even after treatment. When the cancer returns, it is usually as another superficial cancer in the bladder.
Cancer that begins as a superficial tumor can grow through the lining and into the wall of the bladder. When this happens, it is known as "invasive" cancer. Invasive cancer can grow through the bladder wall. It can also grow into nearby organs like the uterus or vagina in women or into the prostate gland in men. This type of invasive cancer can also attack the walls of the abdomen.
When cancer spreads from one organ to another organ in the body, the new tumor will have the same kinds of cells as the original tumor. That is, if cancer cells that originated in the bladder invade the lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are actually bladder cells. The tumor in the lung will be treated as though it were bladder cancer rather than as lung cancer. Sometimes doctors call new tumors "distant" disease.