Skin Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Skin cancer is a malignant growth on the skin which can have many causes. Skin cancer is the most common form of human cancer. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of cancer, with about a million new cases estimated in the U.S. each year. Basal cells line the deepest layer of the epidermis. Basal cell carcinomas are malignant growths--tumors--that arise in this layer. Cancers caused by UV exposure may be prevented by avoiding exposure to sunlight or other UV sources, wearing sun-protective clothes, and using a broad-spectrum sun screen. Skin cancers are the fastest growing type of cancer in the United States. 

The sun is responsible for over 90 percent of all skin cancers. The most common sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, such as a growth or a sore that won't heal. Sometime there may be a small lump. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. It affects deeper layers of the skin and has the greatest potential to spread to other tissues in the body. It is one of the rarer types of skin cancer but causes the majority of skin cancer related deaths. It is more common in caucasian populations living in sunny climates than other groups. Melanoma can also appear on the body as a new mole. Men most often get melanoma on the trunk (the area of the body between the shoulders and hips) or on the head or neck; women most often get melanoma on the arms and legs.

Squamous cell carcinoma is a form of cancer of the carcinoma. This type of cancer is characterized by red, scaly skin that becomes an open sore. Light-colored skin and a history of sun exposure are even more important in predisposing to this kind of cancer than to basal cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma affects more than 200,000 people in the United States alone every year. Smoking is a significant risk factor. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is often caused by long term exposure to the sun. Other risk factors include sun exposure, radiation therapy, exposure to carcinogens, chronic skin irritation or inflammation, genetic diseases, and presence of premalignant lesions. Squamous cell carcinoma is usually developed in the epithelial layer of the skin.

Treatment for skin cancer and the precancerous skin lesions known as actinic keratoses varies, depending on the size, type, depth and location of the lesions. Radiation therapy and cryotherapy can provide adequate control of the disease; both, however, have lower overall cure rates than surgery. Alternative medicine approaches that endeavor to optimize the capabilities of the immune system against cancer are especially attractive. Avoiding sun exposure in susceptible individuals is the best way to lower the risk for all types of skin cancer. Regular surveillance of susceptible individuals, both by self-examination and regular physical examination, is also a good idea for people at higher risk. People who have already had any form of skin cancer should have regular medical checkups.

Colorectal Cancer – Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatments

Colorectal cancer is a term used to describe cancers (lumps, growths, tumours) of the colon (the large intestine or bowel) and rectum. Together, they are one of the most common cancers in the world. Tumours can be described as benign or malignant. Benign tumours do not spread, but malignant tumours, such as in colorectal cancer, are made up of cells that can spread to and damage other parts of the body.

If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms. This mass of extra tissue, called a growth or tumor, can be benign or malignant.
Benign tumors are not cancer. They can usually be removed and, in most cases, they do not come back. Most important, cells from benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body. Benign tumors are rarely a threat to life.

Causes

Researchers do not know the cause of colorectal cancer. But they do know that certain risk factors make it more likely that a person will develop the condition. These risk factors include:
Family history. About 10 percent of all cases of colorectal cancer are thought to be hereditary. People whose family members have had the disorder are more likely to contract it themselves.
History of colorectal cancer. Some people contract colorectal cancer more than once. New cancers develop in areas other than those in which the cancer first appeared.

Symptoms 

The symptoms of bowel cancer are very similar to common complaints such as piles or irritable bowel syndrome. Blood in your stool may be a sign of cancer, but it can also indicate other conditions. Bright red blood you notice on bathroom tissue may come from hemorrhoids or minor tears (fissures) in your anus, for example.

When symptoms are present, some of the most common symptoms are:

* Rectal bleeding
* Changes in bowel habits.
* Stomach cramps or abdominal pain.

Diagnosis
Screening Tests: Early diagnosis depends on routine screening. The stool can be tested for occult blood. To help ensure accurate test results, the person eats a high-fiber diet that is free of red meat for 3 days before providing a stool sample. Alternatively, a doctor can test stool obtained during a digital rectal examination, in which a gloved finger is inserted in the person's rectum. If blood is detected, further testing is needed.

Treatment

Surgery – Surgery is an operation that involves removal of cancerous part of the colon. It acts as a primary treatment for colon cancer.
Biological therapy, also called immunotherapy, uses the body's immune system, either directly or indirectly, to fight cancer. The immune system recognizes cancer cells in the body and works to eliminate them. Biological therapies are designed to repair, stimulate, or enhance the immune system's natural anticancer function.

Chemotherapy – This treatment includes treatment with drugs that kills the cells, like cancer cells. This treatment is given to those with advanced cancers that have spread others parts of body, possibly outside colon.

Radiation therapy – Radiation therapy is a special kind of treatment, which uses radiation to destroy fast growing cancer cells.

Colorectal Cancer

Thyroid Cancer Occurs In All Age Groups

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 Adams 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.

Oral Cancer – What is Oral Cancer

Cancer is defined as the uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Oral cancer appears as a growth or sore that does not go away. Oral cancer —which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheek, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat) — can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.

The term oral cancer includes cancers of the mouth and the pharynx, part of the throat. About two-thirds of oral cancers occur in the mouth and about one-third are found in the pharynx. Oral cancer will be diagnosed in an estimated 28,000 Americans this year and will cause approximately 7,000 deaths. It is the 6th most common cancer in men and the 14th most common cancer in women.

Each year, more than 30,000 new cases of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx are diagnosed and over 8,000 deaths due to oral cancer occur. The 5-year survival rate for these cancers is only about 50 percent. Mortality from oral cancer is nearly twice as high in some minorities (especially black males) as it is in whites. Methods used to treat oral cancers (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy) are disfiguring and costly. Preventing high risk behaviors, that include cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking, use of smokeless tobacco, and excessive use of alcohol are critical in preventing oral cancers. Early detection is key to increasing the survival rate for these cancers.

Oral cancer can form in any part of the mouth or throat. Most oral cancers begin in the tongue and in the floor of the mouth. Anyone can get oral cancer, but the risk is higher if you are male, over age 40, use tobacco or alcohol or have a history of head or neck cancer. Frequent sun exposure is also a risk for lip cancer. Smoking and other tobacco use are associated with 70-80% of oral cancer cases. Smoke and heat from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth. Use of chewing tobacco or snuff causes irritation from direct contact with the mucous membranes. Heavy alcohol use is another high-risk activity associated with oral cancer.

Oral cancer is as common as leukemia and kills more Americans each year than either skin or cervical cancer. Patients with oral cancer have a poor prognosis, and the 5-year survival rate of approximately 50% has remained unchanged for the past 50 years. Perhaps the single most important reason for this is the fact that oral cancers continue to be diagnosed in advanced stages. Research studies have repeatedly demonstrated that the survival rate for oral cancer patients increases dramatically when the diagnosis is established in early stages.

Oral cancer can spread quickly, early detection is important. An oral cancer exam can identify early signs of this disease. The exam is quick and painless, and can be done during your regular dental check-up. Be sure to tell your dentist if you notice persistent changes in your mouth or throat, such as sores, swelling, or numbness, or if you have difficulty eating or swallowing.

Approximately 35,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. Some 25 percent of those people will die of the disease. According to the American Cancer Society, oral cancer occurs almost as frequently as leukemia and claims more lives than melanoma or cervical cancer. Oral cancer’s incidence is rising among women, young people and non-smokers.

Information on Throat Cancer Cure

Throat cancer is a condition where cancer affects the vocal cords, voice box (larynx), or other areas of the throat. About 600 people in Victoria are diagnosed with cancer of the throat, mouth or nose each year. Throat cancer affects more men than women. It affects more people aged over 50 years than those aged under 50. Risk factors include smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. Smokers who drink heavily are at even greater risk.

Throat cancer often develops from squamous cells on the mucosal surfaces of the larynx, pharynx or mouth. Smoking cigarettes and drinking large quantities of alcohol can increase a person's risk for developing throat cancer. Head and neck cancers account for about 5 percent of cancers in the United States. Throat cancers usually develop around age 60, and men are 10 times more likely to develop them than women.

Mouth sores, tender gums, and a sore throat or esophagus often result from radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or infection. If you are under treatment for cancer and have a sore mouth or gums, see your doctor to be sure the soreness is a treatment side effect and not an unrelated dental problem. The doctor may be able to give you medicine that will control mouth and throat pain. Your dentist also can give you tips for the care of your mouth.

Throat Cancer Treatment

Surgical removal of the tumor, including all or part of the vocal cords (laryngectomy) may be necessary in some cases. If a laryngectomy is required, a surgical prosthesis (artificial vocal cords) may be implanted, voice aids may be used, or speech therapy may be recommended to teach alternative methods of speaking.

If the tumor that contains the cancer cells is small, either surgery or radiation therapy alone can be used to eliminate the tumor. If the tumor is not small, or has spread to lymph nodes in the neck, a more aggressive treatment of radiation and chemotherapy is often needed.

Rehabilitation therapy – this may include assistance from a dietitian, speech therapist and physiotherapist. Social workers, counsellors and clinical psychologists can help patients come to terms with the post-operative changes to their finances, social and professional lives, and appearance.

The decision of which treatment to pursue is made with your doctor (with input from other members of your care team) and your family members, but ultimately, the decision is yours.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Researchers are looking for effective drugs or drug combinations to treat throat cancer. They are also exploring ways to combine chemotherapy with other forms of cancer treatment to help destroy the tumor and prevent the disease from spreading. Chemotherapy is given at the time of radiation therapy in select tumors usually in the setting of a therapeutic clinical trial.

Radiation

At Mayo Clinic, patients receive state-of-the-art radiation therapy alone or combined with chemotherapy or surgery. Highly skilled radiation oncologists use radiation therapy for throat cancers of all stages, providing several types of radiation therapy, including intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy. A multidisciplinary team of oncologists evaluates patients with throat cancer and tailors treatments to each patient.

Angiogenesis inhibitors. Cetuximab (Erbitux) is a medication that stops the growth of new blood vessels that cancers need to grow. This drug has recently been approved for use along with chemotherapy in cancers of the oral cavity.

Stomach Cancer -  Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis,Treatement, and Prognosis

Stomach cancer is common throughout the world and affects all races, it is more common in men than women, and has its peak age range between 40 and 60 years old. Stomach cancer mortality is higher in Japan and Chile, presumably because of the different diets in those countries where they are less dependent on red meat.

Over the last 25 years the incidence of stomach cancer in the western world has decreased by 50% and the resulting death rate is less than a third of what it used to be but in less developed countries it is still a major cause of death, probably because in these countries by the time the disease is diagnosed (usually by means of a Barium meal) the stomach cancer is at a very advanced stage.

TYPES OF STOMACH CANCER

There are several different types of stomach cancer, some of which are very rare. The most common types of stomach cancer start in the glandular cells of the stomach lining (adenocarcinomas), this is where stomach acid and digestive enzymes are made, and where most stomach cancers start. When the stomach cancer becomes more advanced, it can travel through the bloodstream and spread to organs such as the liver, lungs, and bones. Stomach cancers that start in the lymphatic tissue (lymphoma), in the stomach's muscular tissue (sarcoma) or in the tissues that support the organs of the digestive system (gastrointestinal stromal tumors) are less common and are treated in different ways.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Early clues to stomach cancer are chronic dyspepsia and epigastric discomfort, followed in later stages by weight loss, anorexia, a feeling of fullness after eating, anemia and fatigue. Blood in the stools may also be present and if the Cancer is in the Cardia (top) vomiting may occur.

CAUSATION

The exact cause of stomach cancer is unknown although the presence of the Helicopter pylori bacterium seems to be a major factor. Predisposing factors include environmental influences such as smoking and high alcohol intake. Because stomach cancer is more common amongst those with a family history and with people with type A blood, genetic factors are also implicated. Dietary factors, particularly methods of food preservation such as pickling, smoking or salting also have an influence on the prevalence of stomach cancer.

DIAGNOSIS

Stomach cancer is diagnosed through an examination that may include an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series; endoscopy or gastroscopy where a thin flexible tube is passed down the throat so the doctor can see into the stomach, esophagus and upper part of the bowel Barium meals and Barium swallows. Because stomach cancer can spread to the liver, the pancreas, and other organs near the stomach as well as to the lungs, the doctor may order a CT scan, a PET scan, an endoscopic ultrasound exam, or other tests to check these areas.

Stomach cancer can spread (metastasize) to the esophagus or the small intestine, and can extend through the stomach wall to nearby lymph nodes and organs. Metastasis occurs in 80-90% of individuals with stomach cancer, with a five year survival rate of 75% in those diagnosed in early stages and less than 30% of those diagnosed in late stages.

TREATMENT

Although stomach cancer may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy, in many cases surgery is the treatment of choice. Even in patients whose disease is not considered surgically curable, resection offers a palliative effect and improves potential benefits from chemotherapy.

The nature and extent of the cancer determines what kind of surgery is most appropriate. Common surgical procedures include, partial and total removal of the stomach.

Antiemetics can control nausea, which increases as the cancer advances. In the more advanced stages, sedatives and tranquilizers may be necessary to control anxiety. Narcotics are commonly necessary to control sever and unremitting pain.

In some cases of advanced stomach cancer, a laser beam directed through an endoscope can vaporize most of the tumor and relieve obstruction without an operation.

PROGNOSIS

Stomach cancer is curable if detected early, but most people don't seek medical help until the disease is quite advanced, possibly because symptoms occur late and are often vague and non-specific. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidant vitamins (such as A and C) appears to lower the risk of stomach cancer. The rate of stomach cancer is about doubled in smokers so the cessation of smoking is essential.

In the United States and most of the Western world, the 5-year survival rate ranges from 5-15%. In Japan, where stomach cancer often is diagnosed early, the 5 year survival rate is about 50%. Five year survival rates for more advanced stomach cancers range from, around 20% for those with regional disease to almost nil for those with distant metastases.

Treatment for metastatic stomach cancer can relieve symptoms and sometimes prolong survival, but long remissions are not common. The survival of inoperable stomach cancer is usually only a few months if untreated. With chemotherapy the average survival is about 12 months. If cancer is found before it has spread, the five-year relative survival rate is about 61%.

Brain Cancer - Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms, Treatment

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

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 brain tumors start in the brain. Metastatic brain tumours 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 OF BRAIN CANCER

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 brain 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 brain cancer. Patients with a history of melanoma, lung, breast, colon, or kidney cancer are at risk for secondary brain cancer.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BRAIN CANCER

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, brain cancer 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 OF BRAIN CANCERS

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 OF BRAIN TUMORS

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 brain metastases. Brain cancer and brain tumors 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 brain cancer, 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 brain cancer 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.

Kidney Cancer Causes, Symptoms, Risks Factors and More

kidney cancer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is liver cancer?

what is liver cancer?


 

The liver, one of the largest organs of the body, has many important functions that keep a person healthy. It removes harmful material from the blood, produces enzymes and bile that help digest food and converts food into substances needed for life and growth.

How can cancer involve the liver?

There are two ways in which cancer can involve the liver. The cancer can arise from the liver itself (primary liver cancer) or it can spread to the liver from a primary tumour at another site (secondary, or metastatic, cancer).

In the UK, secondary liver cancer is about 28 times more common than primary liver cancer. Each year there are about 70,000 patients in the UK with secondary liver cancer and about 2,500 with primary liver cancer.

Liver cancer can arise in two ways:

· Primary liver cancer (most commonly hepatocellular carcinoma) originates in the liver.
· Metastatic liver cancer results from the spread (metastasis) of cancer from other areas of the body.
What is primary liver cancer?
Primary liver cancer starts in the cells, bile ducts, blood vessels or connective tissue of the liver. It’s not very common. Primary liver cancer is different from cancer that started somewhere else in the body and spread to the liver (called secondary liver cancer or metastatic liver cancer).

The liver is one of the largest organs in the body. It’s found in the upper part of the abdomen on the right-hand side and is protected by the lower ribs. The liver has two parts, called lobes – the right lobe and the smaller left lobe.

Causes

Your liver is a football-sized organ that sits in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath your diaphragm and above your stomach. Your liver processes most of the nutrients absorbed from your small intestine and determines how much sugar (glucose), protein and fat enter your bloodstream. It also manufactures blood-clotting substances and certain proteins. Your liver performs a vital detoxifying function by removing drugs, alcohol and other harmful substances from your bloodstream.
What are the main treatments for liver cancer? Surgery for primary liver cancer.
Surgery for liver cancer is the best treatment we have if the cancer hasn't spread.

There are two main options
· A liver transplant
· Surgery to remove the cancer from your liver
Liver transplant

Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is more likely to develop in people with chronic cirrhosis. Your specialist may suggest a liver transplant if you have cirrhosis of the liver because of previous liver disease, infection with a hepatitis virus or from drinking alcohol.

Other Treatments
Your specialist may suggest one of the following treatments to help control liver cancer
· Percutaneous ethanol injection
· Radiofrequency ablation
· Chemoembolisation
· Cryosurgery or cryotherapy

New Treatment Targets Liver Cancer

In the interventional radiology suite, physicians use Selective Internal Radiation Therapy to treat patients with inoperable liver cancer.
Physicians at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center are performing a new treatment for inoperable liver cancer known as Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT). SIRT is a non-surgical outpatient therapy that uses microscopic radioactive spheres, called SIR-Spheres®, to deliver radiation directly to the site of the liver tumors.

Liver Cancer Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Liver cancer survival rates indicate the chances a cancer patient has of surviving the disease for a specified length of time. The rates are by no means a definite indicator of what will happen to a patient; they can at best predict a patient's chances of what might happen to him, if a type of treatment plan is opted for, based on what has happened to other patients in similar circumstances.

Liver cancer is a very serious disease that can be fatal within a year of being diagnosed for some patients. This is because the symptoms you will notice with liver cancer won't usually appear until it has become a serious medical condition. There are two major types and they are called hepatocellular and metastatic.

Primary liver cancer instances in the United States are increasing over the years as are metastatic cancer or cancer that spreads to the liver from other parts of the body. These cancers are not labelled as liver cancer but as metastatic cancer of whatever organ they originated from (i.e. metastatic colon cancer for cancer of the colon spreading into the liver).

The liver makes the different proteins that your body needs, which include enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and other substances necessary for the proper functioning of your body. It is the power plant of your body since it is the primary source of energy. It also filters your blood to remove toxins and produces bile to help in the digestion of fat. It is the most parsimonious organ in the body, extracting anything that can be used from your blood and storing it for future use.

Hepatic tumors also called Liver cancer. Hepatic tumors is are tumors or growths on or in the liver. There are many forms of liver tumors premary is Malignant. Malignant, primary liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (also named hepatoma, which is a misnomer). These growths can be benign or malignant (cancerous). They may be discovered on medical imaging (even for a different reason than the cancer itself). Most of the time when cancer is found in the liver, it did not start there but spread to the liver from a cancer that began somewhere else in the body.

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.

On a broad basis, we can classify liver cancer as primary liver cancer and secondary cancer. When cancer originates in the liver itself, it is called as primary liver cancer. Liver cancer is known as secondary liver cancer when it originates in some other part of the body and then spreads to liver (e.g. due to proximity of liver to the place where cancer originated in the body). Hepatoma and bile duct cancer are the two main types of liver cancer.

Bone Cancer – Information on Bone Cancer

Bone cancer that originates in the bone — primary bone cancer — is rare. Fewer than 2,500 Americans are diagnosed with this type of cancer each year. The condition affects more children than adults. Bone cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor of the bone that destroys normal bone tissue (1). Not all bone tumors are malignant. In fact, benign (noncancerous) bone tumors are more common than malignant ones. Both malignant and benign bone tumors may grow and compress healthy bone tissue, but benign tumors do not spread, do not destroy bone tissue, and are rarely a threat to life.

Most of the time when someone with cancer is told they have bone cancer, the doctor is talking about a cancer that spread there from somewhere else. This is called metastatic cancer and can be seen in people with advanced breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer as well as many others. When these cancers in the bone are examined under a microscope they resemble the tissue they came from. If someone has lung cancer spread to bone, the cells of the cancer look and act like lung cancer cells, not bone cancer cells, even after they have spread from the lungs to the bones. They are treated with the same kind of treatment (chemotherapy drugs, for example) that is used for lung cancer.

Malignant tumors that begin in bone tissue are called primary bone cancer. Cancer that metastasizes (spreads) to the bones from other parts of the body, such as the breast, lung, or prostate, is called metastatic cancer, and is named for the organ or tissue in which it began. Primary bone cancer is far less common than cancer that spreads to the bones.

Bone cancer: Primary bone cancer is cancer that forms in cells of the bone. Some types of primary bone cancer are osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and chondrosarcoma. Secondary bone cancer is cancer that spreads to the bone from another part of the body (such as the prostate, breast, or lung). The most common types of primary bone tumour are osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma, both of which are most frequently diagnosed in children and young adults.

The first symptom of bone cancer is usually pain or tenderness near the cancer. Bone pain is caused by stretching of the periosteum (thick membrane that covers bone) by the cancer, or by stimulation of nerves within the bone. Bone pain may be hard to differentiate from ordinary low back pain or arthritis. Usually the pain due to bone metastasis is fairly constant, even at night. It can be worse in different positions, such as standing up, which may compress the cancer in a weight bearing bone. If pain lasts for more than a week or two, doesn't seem to be going away, and is unlike other pain that may have been experienced, it should be evaluated by a physician.

Bone cancer is caused by a problem with the cells that make bone. More than 2,000 people are diagnosed in the United States each year with a bone tumor. Bone tumors occur most commonly in children and adolescents and are less common in older adults. Cancer involving the bone in older adults is most commonly the result of metastatic spread from another tumor.

The most common symptom of bone cancer is pain. Other symptoms may vary depending on the location and size of the cancer. Surgery is often the main treatment for bone cancer. Other treatments may include amputation, chemotherapy and radiation.

What Is Lung Cancer And What Cause It

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both women and men in the United States and throughout the world. Lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in women.

In the United States in 2007, 160,390 people were projected to die from lung cancer, which is more than the number of deaths from colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer combined.

Only about 2% of those diagnosed with lung cancer that has spread to other areas of the body are alive five years after the diagnosis, although the survival rates for lung cancers diagnosed at a very early stage are higher, with approximately 49% surviving for five years or longer.

Some lung tumors are metastatic from cancers elsewhere in the body. The lungs are a common site for metastasis. If this is the case, the cancer is not considered to be lung cancer. For example, if prostate cancer spreads via the bloodstream to the lungs, it is metastatic prostate cancer (a secondary cancer) in the lung and is not called lung cancer.

Cancer occurs when normal cells undergo a transformation that causes them to grow and multiply without the normal controls. The cells form a mass or tumor that differs from the surrounding tissues from which it arises. Tumors are dangerous because they take oxygen, nutrients, and space from healthy cells.

About 90% of lung cancers arise due to tobacco use. Cigarette smoking is the most important cause of lung cancer. Research as far back as the 1950s clearly established this relationship. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, many of which have been identified as causing cancer. A person who smokes more than one pack of cigarettes per day has a risk of developing lung cancer 20-25 times greater than someone who has never smoked.

However, Once a person quits smoking, his or her risk for lung cancer gradually decreases. About 15 years after quitting, the risk for lung cancer decreases to the level of someone who never smoked. Cigar and pipe smoking also increases the risk of lung cancer but not as much as smoking cigarettes.
Most lung tumors are malignant. This means that they invade and destroy the healthy tissues around them and can spread throughout the body.

The tumors can also spread to nearby lymph nodes or through the bloodstream to other organs. This process is called metastasis. When lung cancer metastasizes, the tumor in the lung is called the primary tumor, and the tumors in other parts of the body are called secondary tumors or metastatic tumors.

Adenocarcinoma (an NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, making up 30%-40% of all cases. A subtype of adenocarcinoma is called bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma, which creates a pneumonia-like appearance on chest x-rays. Squamous cell carcinoma (an NSCLC) is the second most common type of lung cancer, making up about 30% of all lung cancers. Large cell cancer (another NSCLC) makes up 10% of all cases. SCLC makes up 20% of all cases. And finally, Carcinoid tumors account for only 1% of all cases.

Lung cancers are usually divided into two main groups that account for about 95% of all cases. These division into groups is based on the type of cells that make up the cancer. About 5% of lung cancers are of rare cell types, including carcinoid tumor, lymphoma, and others.

The two main types of lung cancer are characterized by the cell size of the tumor when viewed under the microscope. They are called small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC includes several subtypes of tumors. SCLCs are less common, but they grow more quickly and are more likely to metastasize than NSCLCs. Often, SCLCs have already spread to other parts of the body when the cancer is diagnosed.

Up to one-fourth of all people with lung cancer may have no symptoms when the cancer is diagnosed. These cancers usually are identified incidentally when a chest x-ray is performed for another reason. The majority of people, however, develop symptoms. The symptoms are due to direct effects of the primary tumor, to effects of metastatic tumors in other parts of the body, or to disturbances of hormones, blood, or other systems caused by the cancer.

Symptoms of primary lung cancers include cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Symptoms of metastatic lung tumors depend on the location and size. About 30%-40% of people with lung cancer have some symptoms or signs of metastatic disease.

A cough that does not go away or gets worse over time should be evaluated by a health-care provider. Also, Coughing up blood (hemoptysis) occurs in a significant number of people who have lung cancer. Any amount of coughed-up blood is cause for concern. Chest pain is a symptom in about one-fourth of people with lung cancer. The pain is dull, aching, and persistent and may involve other structures surrounding the lung.

Additionally, shortness of breath usually results from a blockage to the flow of air in part of the lung, collection of fluid around the lung (pleural effusion), or the spread of tumor throughout the lungs. Wheezing or hoarseness may signal blockage or inflammation in the lungs that may go along with cancer. Finally, Repeated respiratory infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia, can be a sign of lung cancer.

Cancer Awareness 

Awareness jewelry and other products are designed to help spread support and bring awareness to diseases and to help raise funds for patient services and research.

Whether you are personally affected by a disease or show your support for a family member or friend, it is easy to find a variety of awareness gift ideas. From rubber bracelets, awareness tokens, beaded awareness bracelets, car magnets, and more, you will find something to help show your support.

The search now is drawing to who provides more and donates back to organizations as opposed to companies just promoting awareness products. Be sure when purchasing products, they are purchased from a source that donates back to an organization or association. Let's not forget, the reason behind spreading awareness is to help raise funds.

Whether you are looking for an general cancer awareness bracelet or a specific cancer awareness bracelet, you need not search far. Many diseases have colors that have been assigned to them. We have provided a few of the colors below.

Gold=Childhood Cancer

Red=Aids

Purple=Alzheimer, Lupus

Gray=Brain Cancer, Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis

Pinstripe=ALS

Pink=Breast Cancer

Dark Blue=Colon Cancer

Yellow=Hope

We can all do our part in helping find cures to diseases that someone affects us all through purchasing awareness items. They make great gift ideas to help heal, show support and encouragement and spread awareness.

Jewelry is always a great gift idea; however, more gifts are becoming available in different awareness themes including gift basket care packages, cookie bouquets, lollipop bouquets and tasty fortune cookies.  If one is not available to support your cause, most manufacturers are willing to create one.

Blood Cancer - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Blood Cancer - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Blood is a parts of the body. Blood has different components sch as red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. The red blood cells (rbc), platelets also called monocytes because it is belong to the “myeloid” group and other white blood cells belong to the “lymphoid” group. Lymphoid cells are affected. Disease progresses quickly. This is most common among children. Blood cancer or Leukaemia is actually a group of diseases, each of which impede with the normal functioning of blood cells and progressively weaken the system.leukaemia is classified as either Acute or Chronic. Blood and urine samples may also be tested for various substances, called tumor markers, which may indicate cancer.

Tumor markers are typically chemicals made by tumor cells, but tumor makers are also produced by some normal cells in your body. Lymphoid cells are affected. Disease progresses over a long period.Usually affects adults, more men than women.Myeloid cells are affected. Disease progresses over a long period of time. More common among adults. One of the major goals of the trial was to compare the two groups in terms of risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a common and sometimes fatal complication of allogeneic transplants in which the patient’s immune system attacks the transplant.

Causes of Blood Cancer

1. Exposure to radiation.

2. Exposure to chemicals.

3. Human T-cell Leukaemia Virus (HTLV)

4. Genetic factors (chromosomal abnormalities).

Symptoms of Blood Cancer

1. Tiredness.

2. Bleeding.

3. Bruising.

4. Fever.

5. Weight loss.

Treatment of Blood Cancer

Chemotherapy is destroy the abnormal cancer cells. If the leukaemia returns (relapses), intensive treatment may be given. This involves a bone marrow or a stem cell transplant.Stem cell transplant involves transplanting stem cells (the most basic type of cell, from which all types of blood cells develop), rather than bone marrow cells. Stem cells can be harvested (collected) from a leukaemia patient's own blood or from a donor. Bone marrow or stem cell transplants allow much higher doses of chemotherapy to be given. Before transplantation, very high doses of chemotherapy and sometimes radiotherapy are given to destroy all the bone marrow, both abnormal and normal.

Blood Cancer Treatment - Get it in India

Blood has several components like-red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma -and the cells of the blood are produced at the bone marrow. When the cells of the blood grow abnormally, it is called blood cancer or leukaemia. The whole system of production of blood cells is a controlled activity and when cancer occurs in the bone marrow, it affects the process of regulation of cell production. The abnormal growth of the blood cells weakens the body's defence mechanism. There are two types of blood cancer-acute leukaemia and chronic leukaemia.

Acute leukemia:

Acute leukemia is a type of blood cancer in which the cells develop rapidly. The immature white blood cells gather in and consequently enter the other different parts of the body. Depending on the affection of white blood cell type, in clinical terms acute leukaemia is called either acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). The symptoms of acute leukaemia are

• Generalized weakness and fatigue (this may be due to anaemia) 
  
• Fever 
  
• Weight loss 
  
• Frequent infections 
  
• Excessive bruising 
  
• Bleeding (of the gums or nose) 
  
• Blood in the urine or stools 
  
• Pain in the bones and joints 
  
• Breathlessness (can be due to anaemia) 
  
• Enlarged lymph glands, liver and/or spleen. 
  

Chronic leukemia: 

In chronic leukemia, the white blood cells of cancer develop slowly than acute leukaemia and they gradually could not do their function well. An increased number of lymphocytes, which make up one of the main sub-groups of white cells in the blood, are seen in chronic leukaemia. This blood cancer has a slow process of development of cancer cells. Depending on the affection of white blood cells, chronic leukaemia is called either chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) or chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). The peak age for CLL is 65 and it is rare in people under the age of 45.

The following signs may oocur due to chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL):

• Abdominal discomfort (this could be the result of an enlarged spleen) 
  
• Infections caused by not having enough healthy white blood cells 
  
• Fever 
  
• Night sweats 
  
• Swollen lymph glands 
  
• Bone pain 
  
• Weight loss 
  
• Headaches and vision problems 
  
• Tiredness 
  
• Anaemia 
  

Our medical team will guide one to quality blood cancer treatments in Apollo Hospitals. We offer quality treatments at an affordable price with free consultation and no waiting periods. Blood cancer treatment in India for foreign clientele will become easy under the guidance of our medical team. Present scenario of medical treatments in India attracts a good number of health tourists from all over the world.

There Are Many Different Types of Cancer

In its most general terms, cancer is a word used to describe the occurrence of cells in any part of the body or on the external skin to grow out of control and in a dis-ordered manner. Normal cells are able to regulate their growth and division, but cancer cells do not have this ability. There are many different types of cancer, many of which are more treatable than others, but all forms of cancer share at least one common feature: they are abnormal cells.

Sometimes, different types of cancer consist of very different types of abnormal cells. This is why different types of cancer are treated with different medications and procedures. For example, the treatment for breast cancer is completely different from the treatment a mesothelioma patient receives.

In terms of mesothelioma, a tumor begins to form when the cells on the mesothelium begin to grow abnormally and out of control. Normally, these abnormal cells do not know how to stop dividing and they grow and grow until a lump or a tumor can be seen. Eventually, the tumors begin to inhibit the functioning of the normal cells. When this occurs, a person's body does not work as it should, and the person becomes dangerously ill.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that produces tumors, and when just a few cells from the tumor break away and travel through the blood stream, they can land in another area and begin growing. This is called metastasis, and is an extremely common occurrence with malignant mesothelioma.

The general public is constantly cautioned about what causes an increased risk of developing cancer. In general, risk factors boil down to habits (i.e. smoking and drinking, excessive sun exposure), family history, health conditions, and the environment in which a person works and lives. In the case of mesothelioma, it has been determined that almost every single case is due to the unprotected exposure and inhalation of asbestos particles at any time during a person's life.

A diagnosis of any form of cancer, including mesothelioma, can only be diagnosed by way of a biopsy. For a biopsy, doctor will take a tiny sample of the cells causing a lump, tumor or suspicious group of cells, and look at it under microscope. While tests such as x-rays and other imaging scans can see masses or lumps, they can not determine the type of cells that make up abnormal growths. When a doctor looks at the cells under a microscope, it can be determined if the cells are cancerous, and usually what type of cancer is present.

The Different Types of Breast Cancer

In most luggage, it isn't bright what causes routine breast cells to become cancerous. Doctors do know that only 5 percent to 10 percent of breast cancers are inherited. Families that do have genetic defects in one of two genes, breast bane gene 1 (BRCA1) or breast sarcoma gene 2 (BRCA2), have a, much larger endanger of developing the breast and ovarian bane. Other inherited mutations — with the ataxia-telangiectasia mutation gene, the chamber-phase checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK-2) gene and the p53 growth suppressor gene — also make it more expected that you'll advance breast tumor. If one of these genes submit in your family, you have a 50 percent occasion of having the gene.

Inflammatory breast plagued is a variety of breast plague that involves the skin of the breast. This sorted of pest composes excluding than 4% of all breast cancers diagnosed each year in the US. The bodily symptoms of inflammatory breast melanoma enter rosiness of the skin of the breast and a general boil of the breast. In some bags, a lump may be present.

Types of Breast Cancer

Tumor grade: If the melanoma is an insidious typeface, the pathologist assigns it a grade. The grade is based on how closely cells in the test hankie resemble habitual breast bandanna under the microscope. The grading information, along with the group enter, helps your physician establish handling options.

Tubular carcinoma: This singular form of breast blight gets its name from the appearance of the plague cells under a microscope. Though it's an insidious breast evil, the outlook is more kind than it is for insidious ductal carcinoma or invasive lobular carcinoma.

Metaplastic carcinoma: Met fake carcinoma represents excluding than 1 percent of all newly diagnosed breast cancers. This lesion tends to continue localizing and contains several different types of cells that are not typically seen in other forms of breast evil. Prognosis and treatment are the same as for invasive ductal carcinoma.

Lobular Carcinoma In Situ is NOT sarcoma. Nevertheless it’s a signal that the lady who has it is 6 to 7 more times possible to progress melanoma, over the course of her existence, than a lady who doesn’t have LCIS: the same risk you’d be at if your mother and sister both had disease.

Most lumps corner out to be fibrocystic changes. The name "fibrocystic" refers to fibrosis and cysts. Fibrosis is the formation of fibrous (or wound-like) hankie, and cysts are fluid-crammed sacs. Fibrocystic changes can start breast growth and ache. This often happens just before a phase is about to create. Your breasts may feel lumpy and, sometimes, you may sight a filmy or slightly dull nipple discharge.

Herbal Medicines for Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women. Women between the ages of 30 and 55 have the highest incidence of cervical cancer. Women who have had sexually transmitted disease, and those who have had many pregnancies beginning at a young age, are at greater risk. If you smoke, quit. Cigarette smoking is a suspected risk factor for cervical cancer. Getting an annual pelvic examination and Pap test is the only way to screen for cervical cancer. A Pap test can detect malignant cells before symptoms are present.

Fortunately, cervical cancer is slow to develop. If diagnosed at an early stage, when the cancer is still confined to the outermost layers of cervical tissue, cervical cancer has a cure rate of almost 100 percent. Even in more advanced cases, when the cancer spreads deeper into the cervical wall, the chances of recovery are good. On the other hand, if the cancer is allowed to spread to other organs, the prognosis is not as good.

Signs and Symptoms

Cervical cancer in its early stages usually does not produce symptoms. Later, the most common symptoms are:

Bleeding from the vagina after intercourse, between periods, or after menopause

Bloody vaginal discharge

Conventional Medical Treatment

If you notice any type of unexplained bleeding or discharge, see your gynecologist immediately, who performs a pelvic examination and Pap smear. If the Pap smear reveals abnormalities, your doctor examines your cervix closely (using a device called a colposcope) and takes a tissue sample to check for malignant cells. If cancer is confirmed, your doctor may take X-rays to determine if the cancer has spread to any of the surrounding organs.

Treatment for cervical cancer depends on what stage it is in. If it is caught early, laser surgery, freezing, or cauterization may be used to remove the malignant cells from the outer layer of tissue. If the cancer has advanced into the cervical wall, radiation may be performed. (See "Conventional Medical Treatment" in the "Bladder Cancer" entry for more information on radiation therapy.) Your doctor also may recommend a hysterectomy, an operation in which the cervix and uterus are removed.

Complementary and Alternative Treatments

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture Acupuncture may be used as an adjunct treatment during the early stages of cervical cancer to boost the body's immune system and improve the flow of chi to diseased cells.

Acupressure Acupressure may be useful in alleviating the pain of cervical cancer and the stomach upset caused by conventional treatments.

Chinese Herbal Therapy Garlic has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cell while promoting the production of healthy cells, which may account for this herb's popularity in the prevention and treatment of all types of cancer, including cervical. Ginseng also is known for its immunity-boosting, anti-cancer properties.

Get Successful Breast Cancer Treatment By Including Complementary And Alternative Therapies

Author: Brooke Hayles

Chemotherapy along with surgery is traditionally the most common form of treatment for breast cancer. However, recently, holistic treatments have become more popular. The reasons for this are many, but the usually, it is because the patient doesn't want to endure chemotherapy or surgery, or feels there is a better way to combat the disease.

The Problem Of Traditional Breast Cancer Treatment

Modern medicine claims that if the cancer is caught early enough, breast cancer treatments like radiotherapy or chemotherapy can help the patient lead a long and active life. However, it has been proven that if chemotherapy is used too soon, it may actually shorten the life of the patient.

Another risk of modern medicine is using mammograms as an early diagnostic tool, rather than preventative. Mammograms will sometimes give false positives and leave some women enduring treatments, only to find out later they may never have had cancer at all.

When mistakes happen with traditional breast cancer treatments, harmful side effects may shorten, rather than prolong a patient's life.

Getting Help By Alternate Therapies

Serious heath problems such as breast cancer are being treated more frequently by holistic medicine. Holistic therapies go beyond the traditional remedies that only treat mainly the body. Holistic medicine also treats the mind and spirit as well. It is important to note that, even though you may experience fewer side effects with holistic medicine, you don't choose to forgo traditional medicine, but add holistic practices to it.

Also, it is important to remember that just as there are side effects of chemotherapies and other types of medical treatments, there are side effects to using holistic breast cancer treatments as well. However, there have been many studies done that show patience frequently live longer than what doctors had estimated they would.

Women fighting breast cancer may seek out holistic therapists to detoxify her body. The therapist would use Naturopathy to detect certain toxins in the body. After this, kinesiology is employed to check the body's energy fields. After checking these two items, the therapist can put together a course of treatment that will revolve around natural remedies.

There are many types of detoxifying programs that may be used during breast cancer treatment. One is to cleanse the liver and involves black walnut, wormwood and cloves. There are also detoxifying programs for the mind to help patience achieve a better emotional state.

Holistic therapies help by ridding the body of deep-rooted toxins; also by treating your mind so you can better fight the disease of breast cancer. When a patient is first diagnosed with cancer, it can lead to fatigue and stress within the body and mind. Once you can focus on the treatment, your chances of beating cancer increase. It is important to keep mind body and spirit in good health.

Seeking breast cancer treatment from a holistic therapist is perfectly all right as long as you don't forgo traditional breast cancer medicine. While holistic treatments may take away some of the symptoms traditional medicine have, it should not be a substitute for medical advice. Keeping your mind calm will help in receiving treatments.

Summary:

Holistic therapist shouldn't be used in place of medical breast cancer treatment, but it can help treat your emotional needs that will make your overall state of being as well as helping with the side effects such as vomiting and nausea. Sometimes, holistic treatments will prolong a patience life, some times by years.

About the Author:
Brooke Hayles Check Out More Helpful Information About Breast Cancer Treatment For FREE! Visit Breast Cancer Treatment Vault now!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/get-successful-breast-cancer-treatment-by-including-complementary-and-alternative-therapies-61524.html

Alternative Medicine - Macronutrients

Author: alternative medicine

Macronutrients
Origins and History
Food is the basic resource of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that allow our body to do its daily performance. Our ability to eat foods and then extract the proper nutrients is what allows us to gain both energy and the building blocks for our immune system and other bodily functions. To understand human nutrition we must begin with the basics, that is, the building blocks and the chemical structure of food. Some reeducation is useful to help realize that many of the foods that we buy in food stores, fast food chains, and in health food stores may not actually be healthy for the human body. No longer may we overlook terms such as complex carbohydrates, simple carbohydrates, processed foods, refined grains, caffeine ingestion, alcohol consumption, and refined oils..(Macronutrients) Food intake and type have a profound effect on individual health. Although the ingestion of foods may not cause any acute deleterious effects on the health for humans, the long-term effects have been clearly documented in the literature. (Macronutrients)

As we cross the line into the new millennium, physicians and other health care providers need to consider how to effect change in our patients with less emphasis on the use of synthetic drugs and other chemical concoctions. Nutritional literature supports a growing realization that food could have a significant contributory factor in many of our chronic ailments of today, including cancer, collagen vascular diseases, arthritis, and even progressive aging. Our patients are spending billions of dollars on diets like high protein, low carbohydrate, low fat, low protein, Paleolithic, blood typing, zone, starvation, food pyramid, allergic disorder, caloric restriction, and juicing diets. Unfortunately, none of these specialized protocols is universally ideal. Individualized treatment and prescription of the appropriate diet is essential for the improvement for a patient's nutritional status. (Macronutrients)

About the Author:

Macronutrients

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/alternative-medicine-macronutrients-127869.html

Cancer - An Overview

Author: Dick Aronson

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. Carcinomas 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 tumor, 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 tumour 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 tumors are 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 nearly100%.



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. Self examination is an important diagnostic measure, particularly for breast tumors.



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 tumor 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.

About the Author:
Dick Aronson has been involved in the healthcare industry for 35 years. He has written numerous articles on the subject and runs a number of informative websites, viz: Go to Cancer Information-online , Go to Prostate Information-online and for unique health products Go to Health Innovations

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/cancer-an-overview-507791.html