cancer

Fast Therapy For the Cure or Prevention of Cancer and Other Diseases

2010-08-16T03:34:00.001-07:00

The fear of being diagnosed with a disease sometimes is much more than the diagnoses itself. This does not have to be so these days because a therapy has been developed which cures, prevents and remedy a whole lot of disease like cancer, diabetes, arthritis, herpes, acne, hemorrhoids etc. The natural cancer remedies therapy which has been developed for remedying of most infections is very effective you will think you have stumbled on gold.

Through various researches and studies it has been discovered that the eradication of diseases and disorders that make life unbearable for us can be a thing of the past. Many people are unable to live life to the full because of diseases that are easily curable and preventable. That the natural cancer remedies therapy without sensationalism can deal with these ailments is a plus to the society.

You are set to be liberated from the strongholds of disease that plague mankind only if you will take action as soon as possible. It gives me a lot of concern to see that so many people have the option of getting themselves back into a healthy state still overlook opportunities that are tailor made for them. But I am hoping this will not be your case.

This therapy employs natural means for curative, prevention and remedying. Oxygen which is naturally abundant in the atmosphere cannot be absorbed at the same rate by everyone. In most people there has to be a higher concentration of oxygen than is normally available in the atmosphere. Natural cancer remedies therapy creates an environment within the body to make the absorption of oxygen easy. In this environment damaged body cells are restored back to life.

Carbon monoxide and lactic acid are released from the body through the application of the natural cancer remedies system. This system is very easy to understand there is no need of any special tutorials or classes because any normal person can understand its workings. Although oxygen administration systems are mostly used in the hospitals there are home made systems which can be recommended by doctors.

Signs of Rare Breast Cancer in Teenagers

2010-08-16T03:33:00.001-07:00

Breast cancer originates from breast tissue. This type is usually common in women over the age of forty years, although there are a few men who suffer from it. It is also known to occur in teenagers, although it is not so common. One of the worst types is inflammatory breast cancer, which does not usually present any signs or symptoms. It is therefore one of the most difficult to diagnose especially in teenagers who may not be aware of changes in their bodies. However, where signs and symptoms are present, the breasts appear swollen, tender and often itch. Other symptoms are inverted nipples and bruises on the breast and formation of lymph nodes on the armpits.

When a teenager notices a lump, they should be taken to hospital immediately for a proper examination. However, not all lumps are cancerous and only a qualified physician can determine this. In most cases, lumps are caused by changes in the breast during the menstrual cycle. These lumps are usually fluid filled cysts. Lumps which are benign are usually smooth, and move easily within the breast tissue. Most of these lumps do not need to be removed unless they are causing serious discomfort or causing noticeable changes in the shape of the breast.

A lump that appears to be growing in size and that is immobile even when manipulated with the fingers could be an indicator that it is not benign and a sign of breast cancer. These kind of lumps should be taken for additional tests immediately. Teenagers should be encouraged to perform self-examination, and report any changes to their parents. They should be on the look-out for symptoms such as; changes in shape and size of the breast. One breast could appear to be bigger or smaller. One should also be on the look-out for change in the texture of the breast. This includes hardening and thickening of the breast.

In some cases, breast cancer in teenagers is characterized by pain. The teenager will complain about pain that comes and goes frequently on the breast. In some cases it could be constant and will last for more than one day before it stops. One should also check for change in color in parts of the breast. If these color changes do not disappear in a short-while, then it should be a cause for concern. Teenagers facing this disease need a lot of help from family members and support groups. This is especially important because, they feel that they do not fit in with their age-mates and are unlikely to find survivors among their peers.

Life After Successful Breast Cancer Treatment

2010-08-16T03:31:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is a malignant growth originating from the breast tissues. It is diagnosed using self-examination or through mammograms, breast ultrasound or biopsy. These examinations are recommended for women above the age of thirty years. They should be done yearly or as advised by a doctor. The disease can be life threatening if not diagnosed in time and treatment started immediately. Treatment usually takes between six months and one year. Many survivors are able to live a full life after completing treatment. In addition, recurrences are not very common and only happen in some cases.

After successful treatment, one needs to adjust to life as a breast cancer survivor. Many changes occur in your life and body after treatment which one needs to learn to deal with. Your hair begins to grow back on your head together with eyebrows and eyelashes which you had lost due to treatment. You are also likely to suffer from bouts of memory loss and also lack of concentration. In addition, due to the battery of tests that you had to go through, your body is fatigued and will take a long time to recover. This means that, despite completing treatment, you will still not be able to go back to activities that you performed with ease before.

In cases where treatment has not resulted in infertility, then a woman can go ahead and have children. Biological motherhood is now not an elusive dream for breast cancer survivors as doctors are even encouraging survivors to have children. This is also time to re-enter the social scene. This is the time to meet more friends as you are likely to have lost some due to your illness. It is also time to re-acquaint with old friends. For single women, it is important as they will want to settle down and start families after facing mortality.

For breast cancer survivors, going back to work can be a very daunting task. This is because, you feel unable to cope with the demands of the workplace. However, maintaining good eating habits and a regular exercise regime is advised to help one cope. This will help in boosting your energy levels, improve your overall health and help you stay cancer free. This is also the period that women decide to cut down on their working hours in order to focus more on family. Being a survivor helps you put things in perspective.

The Benefits of Bilberry

2010-08-01T01:49:00.000-07:00

While a bilberry may seem as insignificant as a "schnozberry," something the fictional Willy Wonka might produce in his candy factory, the bilberry is actually a cousin to the blueberry and the cranberry, another low-growing shrub that gives off tiny berries chockfull of healthy antioxidants. Found throughout the world but rarely cultivated, the bilberry has a lot to offer the human body.

Although smaller than a blueberry, the bilberry has a similar taste but is almost black in color and has a potent ability to stain the skin and clothes. Apparently in Europe some dentists are known to have children swish bilberry juice in their mouth before and after brushing in order to stain hard-to-reach areas that didn't get touched by the toothbrush. Bilberry is not yet commonly known or used but some people have started taking an extract made from the plant in order to gain the benefits without the stain-quality of the fruit.

Bilberry has been experimented with all over the world for years as an alternative medicine to treat diarrhea symptoms, increase blood flow, help strengthen gums, protect the skin from irritation and infection when used as a salve, and help heal the body from gastrointestinal discomfort. It is known to help with menstrual cramps and bilberry contains glucoquinine that is said to significantly lower blood sugar while still keeping blood pressure levels normal. There are other claims that bilberry tea is used to treat sore throats and an old wive’s tale that bilberry can keep varicose veins at bay.

The largest of the folklore claims is that British pilots flying in World War II said that they had improved night vision when they consumed bilberry jam, which ultimately led to a study done by the Navy that proves that bilberry doesn't actually have any scientific evidence to support the long-standing claim. However, bilberry is used in traditional medicine to help stop the spread of macular degeneration—the result of damage to the retina usually in people over the age of 50, hindering their ability to read or recognize faces making their mainline vision blurry—and can also be used against cataracts. The positive effects on the eyes are largely due to the flavonoids in bilberry which build up the collagen in the blood vessels in your eyes helping to protect your sight and the sensitive areas around your retina. In a double-blind, clinical trial, 50 volunteers with cataracts took a mixture of vitamin E and bilberry extract for four months and 97 percent stopped the progress of the cataract on the lens

Electronic Health Records Closer to Reality for All Americans

2010-08-01T01:47:00.000-07:00

It’s been a long time coming. Back in 2008, then-President Bush had a goal to implement an interoperable, secure electronic health record for most Americans by 2014. The development and implementation of Electronic Health Records will prevent medical errors, bring greater efficiency at lower costs, decrease administrative paperwork, and most importantly, will result in better patient care. Today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the final rules for the expanded use of electronic health records (EHR).

“For years, health policy leaders on both sides of the aisle have urged adoption of electronic health records throughout our health care system to improve quality of care and ultimately lower costs,” Secretary Sebelius said. “Today, with the leadership of the President and the Congress, we are making that goal a reality.”

Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, eligible health care professionals and hospitals can qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments when they adopt certified EHR technology and use it to achieve specified objectives. One of the two regulations announced today defines the “meaningful use” objectives that providers must meet to qualify for the bonus payments, and the other regulation identifies the technical capabilities required for certified EHR technology.

Announcement of today’s regulations marks the completion of multiple steps laying the groundwork for the incentive payments program. With “meaningful use” definitions in place, EHR system vendors can ensure that their systems deliver the required capabilities, providers can be assured that the system they acquire will support achievement of “meaningful use” objectives, and a concentrated five-year national initiative to adopt and use electronic records in health care can begin.

According to the press release: “This is a turning point for electronic health records in America, and for improved quality and effectiveness in health care,” said David Blumenthal, M.D., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. “In delivering on the goals that Congress called for, we have sought to provide the leadership and coordination that are essential for a large, technology-based enterprise. At the same time, we have sought and received extensive input from the health care community, and we have drawn on their experience and wisdom to produce objectives that are both ambitious and achievable.”

Prostate Cancer - What is it and Why Should I Care?

2010-07-22T03:22:00.000-07:00

The Basics:

The prostate is a walnut sized sex gland located just beneath the bladder in males. It surrounds as portion of the urethra and is just above the pelvic wall muscles. The primary function of the prostate is to provide some of the fluid which accompanies ejaculation. Prostate cancer generally occurs in men over 50, but early screening from 40 on is recommended in particular because during the early stages of the disease there are usually no symptoms. African American men are disproportionately affected by prostate cancer for many socioeconomic reasons and are 2.5 times more likely to die from prostate cancer than white men.

If there are symptoms present related to the disease they can include: frequent urination at night; difficulty starting or stopping urine; blood in the urine or painful urination; and/or sexual dysfunction. The primary treatments for the disease are surgery or radiation therapy and, if caught in time, usually the cancer can be removed and/or is not fatal.

What You May Not Know:

Over the past 20 years the survival rate for prostate cancer has gone up from 67% to 97%
The rate of prostate cancer is higher for African American men than any other ethnic group
Prostate Cancer is the most common form of cancer, other than skin cancer, among men in the United States, and it is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer-related death among men.
Screening for the disease involves a simple blood test and physical examination and can be done in about 10 minutes

What You Need to Know:

1. One in four Black Men is at Lifetime risk of prostate cancer.
It is the single most diagnosed non-skin cancer among Black Men. 30,770 will be diagnosed this year alone.

2. Cancer of the prostate is the second-leading cause of death in Black men.
An estimated 5,505 will die from prostate cancer this year.

3. Black men have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world: 1 in 4 men.
Black men also are 2.5 times most likely to die from the disease than Caucasian men. Rates in the U.S. are 60% higher among African American men, and the mortality rate is 2.5 times that of white men. Studies are being done on potential differences in physiology, diet, and access to health care. Rates of prostate cancer in the U.S. are 60% higher among African American men, and the mortality rate is 2.45 times that of white men. Studies are currently being done on potential differences in physiology, diet, and access to health care.

4. The changes of getting prostate cancer are 1 in 3 if you have just one close relative with the disease (father, brother).
The risk is 83% with two close relatives. With three, it is almost (97%).

5. There are no noticeable symptoms of the disease while it is still in the early stages.
This is why screening is so critical.

6. Obesity and high cholesterol levels are strongly associated with advanced stages of the disease.
Men with a body mass index over 32.5 have about 1/3 greater risk of dying from the disease.

Increased Risk of Heart Disease Linked to Early Menopause

2010-07-20T01:30:00.000-07:00

While the average age for women entering menopause is currently 51, it is not uncommon for women to begin in their early forties. And while many may believe it a blessing to experience an early menopause, it can also be a detriment, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

A study out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, presented today at a meeting of the Endocrine Society in San Diego, found that those women who go through menopause prior to age 46 may have more than twice the risk of having a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event later in life.

Following 2,500 women aged 45 to 84, researchers found that those who experienced an early menopause fared well until the age of 55, regardless of whether they were given hormone therapy or not. But after that age, almost 6 percent of the women experienced some sort of heart event, compared to 2.6 percent of women who had an average or later onset of menopause.

Dr. Melissa Wellons, who led the study, stated that “study is observational; therefore, we cannot conclude that early menopause somehow causes future cardiovascular disease. However, our findings do support the possible use of age at menopause as a marker of future heart and vascular disease risk."

Heart disease is currently the number one killer of women in America, affecting 1 in 4 women. Factors contributing include obesity, lack of exercise, and improper diet. For more information on what you can do to prevent heart disease, check out the information on Sister to Sister: The Women’s Heart Health Foundation, the nation’s only large-scale provider of free heart health screenings.

Bone Drugs May Lower Risk for Breast Cancer

2010-07-20T01:29:00.000-07:00

For the millions of women who are already taking medications to help improve bone density, there may be more than one benefit. New results from a landmark women’s health study raised the exciting possibility that bone-building medications such as Actonel and Fosamax may help lower the risk or even prevent breast cancer.

The women who were already using these medications when the study began were approximately one-third less likely to develop invasive breast cancer over the next seven years when compared to the women who were not taking these pills, doctors reported on Thursday. However, the study alone is not enough to prove that these drugs, called bisphosphonates, prevent breast cancer. More definitive studies should be able to give us a clearer answer in a year or two.

This information greatly amplifies the hopeful buzz that started last year when the researchers reported that bisphosphonates reduced the chances that cancer would relapse in women that have already been treated for the disease.

Dr. Peter Ravdin, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, said, “Now we’re actually looking at this in the general population – healthy women who have never had breast cancer. And it looks like it’s protective in those women as well.” Ravdin help review the research for the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, where the results were reported on Thursday, said, “This is very promising.” Millions of women are already taking bisphosphonates for bone-thinning osteoporosis, or to help prevent fractures from cancer that has spread into their bones.

The medications range from $100 dollars for a three-month supply of the generic versions of Merck & Co. Inc.’s Fosamax pills to as much as $1,200 dollars for an infusion of Novartis AG’s Zometa, which is given every six months to treat osteoporosis. Other brands that have these kinds of medications are Warner Chilcott PLC’s Actonel and GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s Boniva.

After finding out last year that Zometa cut the risk of cancer recurrence, doctors started to wonder if it just making the bones more resistant to the spread of cancer, or does it have wide anti-tumor effects that may help prevent the cancer from developing in the first place?

Dr. Rowan Chlebowski, from Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California, sought these answers from the Women’s Health Initiative, which is a federally funded study that is best know for revealing previously unrecognized risks from progestin and estrogen pills that are taken after menopause.

Of the 151,592 participants in the study, 2,216 were taking the bisphosphonates, mostly Fosamax, when the study first began. Approximately seven years later, 31 percent fewer invasive breast cancer cases have occurred among those women when compared with the others. The benefit still persisted even after the researchers took into account differences in smoking, weight, age, vitamin D and hormone use, and other things that affect bone density and the risk for breast cancer.

However, the women that were taking bisphosphonates were more likely to develop a noninvasive tumor of the milk duct called DCIS and Chlebowski said that this would be an acceptable trade-off. For every 1,000 women that took the bisphosphonates for one year, one fewer case of invasive, life-threatening breast cancer would occur. Overall, the results from the study suggest that bisphosphonates have direct anti-cancer effects and are not just helping the bones resist the spread of cancer.

Chlebowski, who has consulted the makers of bisphosphonates and other cancer prevention medications, said that if the medications only worked in the bone marrow then it would not be influencing incidence of new cancers.

A second study also supported that view. Dr. Gad Rennert, from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel, compared approximately 2,000 women that were postmenopausal with breast cancer to 2,000 similar women that did not have the disease. He said those that had the cancer were 29 percent less likely to have been taking the bisphosphonates. However, neither of the studies collected information about the side effects. Bisphosphonates can cause muscle, bone or joint pain and in rare cases, jawbone decay can occur.

Dr. Eric Winer, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Center in Boston, said, “These are drugs that, generally speaking, are relatively well tolerated,” and are fairly safe, but they still should not be taken for prevention of cancer until more definitive studies show their benefits and risks.

The only medications approved now for the prevention of breast cancer in healthy women at higher risk are the hormone blockers raloxifene and tamoxifen. The side effects for these medications are high blood pressure, hot flashes and a higher risk of blood clots, which have limited their use.

Blood Pressure Adversely Affected by Diets High in Sugar

2010-07-10T07:07:00.000-07:00

Salt has long been the enemy for people suffering from hypertension (high blood pressure), but now another white granular substance will be joining its ranks on the restriction list: sugar. High consumption of sugar-based products—including those made from high-fructose corn syrup—has been shown to increase the risk of high blood pressure, while cutting back on such products can lower the risk.

Researchers at the University of Colorado conducted a study consisting of 4,528 men and women ages 18 and older with no previous history of high blood pressure. Detailed dietary intake was gathered from each participant, including both food and drink. Those with diets that contained 74 grams of high fructose products had up to a 77 percent higher risk of hypertension.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has come under fire from a variety of sources as an unhealthy sweetener frequently used in beverages and other food products due to its low cost. HFCS is a mixture of fructose and glucose, both components of common table sugar. The difference is in the ratio of the two in HFCS, which causes the body to respond differently.

The study showed that the more fructose that appeared in the participant’s diet, the more likely they were to have increased blood pressure. While other factors could be at play, such as obesity, stress and disease, the odds of increased blood pressure due to fructose was above average in this study.

The last century has seen a rise in hypertension, with almost one-third of Americans having elevated blood pressure, although not all require medication and diet to keep it in check. If you have high blood pressure there are ways to lower and keep it in check. Diet and exercise, as well as reducing stress, are the obvious solutions. Low-carb diets have been proven to lower your blood pressure, so you might try either Atkins or the South Beach Diet, reviews of which can be found on the HealthNews Diet Pages. And according to HealthNews columnist Melanie Grimes, you can lower your blood pressure naturally through specific vitamins, foods and natural remedies.

Rheumatoid Arthritis on the Rise in Women

2010-06-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

In the United States, the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had steadily declined in both men and women from 1955 to 1994. That ten-year trend led researchers to assume that the incidence of the disease was continuing to drop in recent years. But studies of recent data found that from 1995 to the beginning of 2005, the number of American women with RA increased by nearly half from 36.4 per 100,000 in the previous 10 years to 54 per 100,000.

Research released today from the Mayo Clinic analyzed data and confirmed this upward tick, a rise of 2.5% from 1995 to 2007. RA among men, however, decreased during the same period of time.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that affects the entire system of the body. RA causes pain, stiffness, swelling and loss of motion in the joints. It is an autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system attacks the tissue that lines the joints, called the synovium, causing inflammation and tissue overgrowth.

Researchers have hypothesized reasons for the increase, with possible suspects including environmental or possibly hormonal factors, smoking, diet, alcohol consumption, coffee intake, and body mass index (BMI). A study is set to examine the effects that vitamin D has in preventing RA from developing.

Funded by Arthritis Research UK, research will be headed up by Dr. David Sansom and Dr. Karim Raza from the University of Birmingham. "We have recently found that vitamin D can have powerful effects on the type of immune cells which may cause rheumatoid arthritis…. This study will help us understand a lot more about how this happens. This is the first stage in considering whether vitamin D could be used as a treatment alongside or instead of current treatments."

While there is no cure for arthritis, there are medications and techniques that can relieve the pain and inflammation associated with the disease. New medications are being approved, including the recent Simponi, the first self-administered, monthly, injected drug for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Simponi, also known as golimumab, has shown good success in post-approval trials.

Yoga can be a helpful, non-medical tool and you can also minimize inflammation through nutrition. Beneficial nutritive substances include foods with flavocoxid, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid.

Lowering LDL Cholesterol Can Increase Life Expectancy

2010-06-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

While it has always been assumed that lowering your LDL (think of the “L” as “lousy”) cholesterol would help your overall health, twenty-five years of research at the University of Minnesota has definitively proven this theory. Through the long-term research headed by Henry Buchwald, M.D., Ph.D., bariatric surgeon at the University of Minnesota Medical School, a randomized control study conducted between 1975 and 2000 shows the life-sustaining benefits of lowering cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a waxy-fat type substance that is produced naturally by your body. It helps protect nerves, make cell tissues, and produce certain hormones. But when there is too much cholesterol in the blood, the excess builds up on the walls of the arteries, causing them to narrow and harden. Large deposits of cholesterol can completely block an artery.

The Program on Surgical Control of the Hyperlipidemias (POSCH) randomized controlled trial followed 838 heart attack survivors between the ages of 38 and 60 who had received a bypass in the ileum where cholesterol is absorbed, along with diet instructions. This type of bypass surgery is rare and utilized only when high-risk heart attack patients cannot tolerate any kind of cholesterol-reducing medication. The bypass group lived one year longer than their counterpart who received diet instruction alone.

Typical patients with high cholesterol can rely on a class of medication called statins. Statins are known for being one of the most effective classes of drugs in reducing elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol. Statins are for use by people who cannot lower bad cholesterol to a healthy level with diet and exercise alone. Typical brands are Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, and Pravachol.

Statins lower cholesterol by blocking an enzyme in the liver that is used to make cholesterol. When less cholesterol is produced, the liver uses more of it from the blood, which results in a lower cholesterol level. Statins can also lower triglycerides (a type of fat found in the blood) and raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

Diet can also play an important role in keeping LDL cholesterol low. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed the findings of eight previous studies on fats and came to the conclusion that reducing the amount of saturated fats—those from items such as butter/dairy, meat, egg yolks—and replacing them with polyunsaturated fats—those that are liquid at room temperature—increases good cholesterol and improves your chances of staving off heart disease.

So what type of fats should you be using? Steer clear of unsaturated and trans fats (often found in processed foods). Instead, look for polyunsatured fats (also known as Omega-6 fatty acids) and monounsaturated fats. They are found in vegetable oils, fish, bananas, avocados, nuts and sunflower seeds, among others.

Key Elements to Protecting Your Skin: Sunscreen and Sun Exposure

2010-06-10T04:03:00.001-07:00

This Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer festivities, meaning additional time exposed to the sun’s rays. To keep your skin healthy and to decrease the likelihood of developing skin cancer, it is recommended that you limit the time you spend in direct sunlight and use the proper sunscreen.

With over 1 million Americans diagnosed with skin cancer each year, it is wise to take precautions. Overexposure to the sun has been directly linked to the development of skin cancers, including the deadly form known as melanoma, but research has proven that the application of sunscreen can significantly reduce the chance of development.

Although applying sunscreen is a simple task, surveys show that almost one-third of Americans are not bothering with this simple yet life-saving effort. According to a 2009 survey of 1,000 adults conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, 31 percent of Americans don’t use sunscreen at all while 69 percent only use it occasionally. The survey also revealed that men tend to use sunscreen less often than women. In addition, about 27 percent of parents having children under the age of 12 reported that they seldom apply sunscreen to their children for two to four hours of sun exposure, while 14 percent don’t apply any sunscreen to their children, even for a lengthy amount of sun exposure.

Considering the lack of use of sunscreen by many, it is vexing that one-fifth of those surveyed visited a physician out of fear that they may have skin cancer. Their fear is not unfounded. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. There are more new cases of skin cancer each year than there are occurrences of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer combined. It is estimated that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime. In addition, the incidence of melanoma is increasing at the fastest rate of the seven most common cancers with an expectation that 62,480 melanomas will be diagnosed this year, with almost 8,420 of them resulting in death.

To best protect against the development of skin cancer, The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends the daily use of a sunscreen having an SPF of 15 or higher. In addition, avoid the sun during the peak hours of 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and avoid burning and tanning, including UV tanning booths. Apply sunscreen in the amount of 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) over your entire body at least 30 minutes before going outside and then reapply every two hours. As a further precaution, cover your body with clothing, as well as a broad-brimmed hat and wear UV-blocking sunglasses. Sunscreens may be used on infants over the age of six months. However, newborns must be kept out of the sun for total protection. Closely examine your skin on a monthly basis and visit your physician annually for a professional exam.

Pomegranates Could Be the Next Treatment for Breast Cancer

2010-06-10T04:01:00.000-07:00

Pomegranate juice could be the next estrogen-responsive breast cancer treatment. A new lab study has demonstrated promising results when evaluating the use of pomegranate juice, a juice rich in antioxidants, as a way of fighting off and preventing breast cancer.

More than 75 percent of all breast cancer cases are fed by estrogen and there are over 400,000 women dieing annually, around the world, from breast cancer. Researchers with Ohio State University focused on the benefits of pomegranates in the breast cancer fight. The team discovered the large red fruit filled with juicy seeds naturally produces a chemical known as ellagic acid, which seems to help slow and even prevent the growth of cancer cells in breast tissue.

According to researchers, the pomegranate has recently been noted for its antioxidants and potential cancer fighting attributes, as well as its heart healthy benefits. However, the study recently published in Cancer Prevention Research is the first to take a look at the affects of the pomegranate on breast cancer and aromatase, an enzyme that plays a key role in making estrogen and promoting the growth of breast cancer.

In a lab, the team studied the effects of ten ellagitannin-derived compounds produced by pomegranates, which are thought to potentially prevent estrogen-related breast cancer. They considered the effects of the ten compounds on the growth of breast cancer cells and aromatase activity. Of the ten ellagitannin-derived compounds studied, the researchers discovered urolithin B was the standout in the fight against breast cancer.

Researchers have created a scale called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity scale (ORAC) which measures the antioxidant level in fruits and vegetables. Dr. David Hnida, a CBS3 medical editor said, “The higher the number on the scale, the more antioxidants and disease-fighting chemicals in the food.” Researchers have measured antioxidant levels in over 200 different fruits and vegetables. Those at the top of the list include blueberries, plums, blackberries, raspberries, dark grapes, apples and strawberries.

While experts aren’t recommending substituting pomegranates for prescribed medicine yet, we may see the fruit being used in breast cancer treatment and prevention efforts eventually. Many experts in the cancer field see the test results as very promising. However, according to Powel Brown, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the clinical cancer prevention department at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, who was not involved in the pomegranate and breast cancer study, “More research on the individual components and the combination of chemicals is needed to understand the potential risks and benefits of using pomegranate juice or isolated compounds for a health benefit or for cancer prevention.” In the meantime, women may want to add a daily pomegranate to their daily diet as an extra effort to ward off the leading form of cancer found in women.

Steps in Reducing the Risks of Breast Cancer

2010-06-09T03:29:00.002-07:00

Here are a few steps which will help reduce the risks of breast cancer to a great extent. These steps are not only useful in reducing the risks of breast cancer but also to help you lead a healthy lifestyle. Cause of breast cancer is still a question mark and no one can pin point a particular cause which causes this painful situation. So what we can do is reduce the risk or take preventive measures. Leading a healthy life style with proper food, discipline and exercises are known to keep lots of diseases and painful situations at bay. Let's take a look at some steps that will help everyone in reducing the risks of breast cancer.

Limit consumption of alcohol and quit smoking. Alcohol; whether it is beer, wine or whiskey either limit it to one glass a day or just completely avoid it. It is not doing any good anyways. And if you smoke its high time you have to quit those things as well. It might be hard if you are addicted to these but as we always know it prevention is better than cure. These factors can cause a drastic change in one's life style and other metabolic activities which is said to be the most common cause of cancer. Why risk it?

Eating properly on low fat food and keeping a calorie counter is really important. You can seek a consultant if you need help with your diet so that they can tell you what the best is for you from your weight, height and other factors. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and preferably cook for the day and don't keep it for a week or two days, just for the day, what is needed. This can ensure you are eating healthy as well. Eating at proper timings is also important.

Working out, taking yoga classes, going to the gym, jogging, aerobics or any other form of physical exercises to ensure each and every part of your body is actually at work. Sometimes when certain parts go idle they get too lazy and creates enough problems to give us painful situations. Let us not give into the laziness, let us work hard. These days lack of exercise is being a major concern

Obesity is linked with breast cancer as a possible cause. Maintain your weight. Make sure you work out enough and if you are overweight, please consult a physician's advice to cut down the weight. There is nothing to worry about if you are obese as well; these are just some prevention measures to help in reducing the risks of breast cancer.

You can also consult your doctor regarding hormonal therapy as a step for reducing the risks of breast cancer. You should also stay away from unwanted drugs. Make sure you do breast cancer checks by yourself often. If you find anything suspicious, please visit your doctor. You can also take mammograms and other methods to keep a check on your health. These steps however are just prevention procedures. Practice it and lead a healthy lifestyle, do all you can from your side and hope nothing will happen.

Mammography For Early Detection of Breast Cancer

2010-06-09T03:29:00.001-07:00

Mammography is a special type of noninvasive imaging technique that uses a low-dose x-ray system to examine breasts. The medical test is conducted for early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women. During the test, a part of the body is exposed to a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce images of the inside of the body.

Two recent developments in mammography include digital mammography and computer-aided detection.

Digital mammography: Digital mammography, also called full-field digital mammography (FFDM), is a mammography system in which solid-state detectors are used to convert x-rays into electrical signals. To produce images of the breast, the electrical signals are used that can be displayed on a computer screen or can be printed on a special film similar to traditional mammograms.

Computer-aided detection (CAD) systems: In this technique, a digitized mammographic image can be obtained from either a conventional film mammogram or a digitally acquired mammogram. The computer software tries to figure out abnormal areas of density, mass, or calcification that may indicate the presence of cancer. The Computer-aided detection (CAD) systems highlight these areas on the images that can help doctors in further analysis.

Some of the benefits of using this technique are as given below:

· Physicians can detect small tumors. When cancers are detected at an early stage, the woman has more treatment options.

· Small abnormal tissue growths confined to the milk ducts in the breast, called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) can be detected by the use of screening mammography. These early tumors if removed on time, can prevent further proliferation of cancer cells.

· Detection of all types of breast cancer, including invasive ductal and invasive lobular cancer is possible.

· No radiation remains in a patient's body after an x-ray examination.

· X-rays usually have no side effects in the diagnostic range.

However, there is always a slight risk of cancer due to excessive exposure to radiation. However, the benefit far outweighs the risks involved.

The Self Examination of the Nipples

2010-06-09T03:28:00.001-07:00

It is vital to examine the breasts after eighteen, twenty years old, especially in the first week after the menstrual period.

Before menstrual period the nipples are growing up becoming strength or nodule full. After the period it passes away.

During the pregnancy the breasts are growing up and become strength in order to be prepared for suckles.

All you need to do is to get used with the normal state of the breast in order to detect any kind of changes, such as a nodule growth. Inform your physician for any change.

The advices are available for men too.

In order to examine the nipples the next procedures are recommended:

1. Raise your arms above your head. Observe the margins of the nipples, while you are in front of a mirror. Then put your arms on your hips to see if are there any tissue and nipple irritations, a nipple different then the other one, bumps, painful nipple, nipple leaks, except the milk.

2. Put one arm on your head. With the other one examines the breasts. Start from the margins with a circular movement that goes to the nipple. Insist on the part between nipple and arm. There are lymphatic ganglions which has to move free and not to be painful when are touched. Look for hard nodules.

3. Stay on your back and repeat the second tip. See if your nipples has licks, except the milk.

According to American Cancer Society all the women have to go to the doctor every three years. Those that are over forty years old should go annually.

The breast cancer can be cured and prevented. Just believe it. It is possible. It has been done before. I want to aware all the women and men about the danger of this disease, but to help all the people, including man, who go it. Read the short information about how can be prevented and healed. Fill the form, in order to receive some free report about breast cancer healing and prevention.

Prostate and Cancer - Fundamental Things You Should Know Immediately About the Cancer

2010-06-05T23:48:00.000-07:00

The prostate gland lies just under the bladder and surrounds the urethra. Prostate produce semen fluid that nourishes sperm. In young men, gland prostate sized like Walnut, then the gland would enlarge with age. Three common disorder affect the prostate are: benign prostatic, prostate cancer, and prostatitis.

What exactly Prostate Cancer Is?

it is more accurately described as a cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. This occurs when prostate cells mutate and begin to grow out of control. These cells may spread from the prostate to other body parts, especially bones and lymph nodes.

Prostate cancer has become one of the most frequent types of cancer in male. Commonly, this cancer found in elder men because the risk of the disease are increased by age.

Large number of this cancer are diagnosed in men aged fifty or above. Since the disease usually grows very slow and could take decades to produce symptoms, many men with prostate cancer die without ever knowing that the cancer was present.

What Causes the disease?

The exact cause of prostate cancer remains a mystery. Scientists and researchers estimated this cancer occurs due to a combination of several factors, such as derivatives, ethnicity, hormones,diet or food and environment.

Signs and Symptoms

In early stage, prostate cancer usually cause no symptoms. These symptoms do not developed until the cancer grows large then compress urethra to partially block the flow of urine. It will cause pain and difficulty urinating, erectile dysfunction and other symptoms. Worse, in advance stage it may cause bloody urine or sudden inability to urinate.

Indah Amisani is a dentist which has been interested in writing articles about cancer since her neighbor died because of cancer and also her grandfather was diagnosed with the disease. She read medical text book a lot, do searching, browsing and then wrap it in several articles.

Foods That Help Prevent Prostate Cancer

2010-06-05T23:47:00.000-07:00

When asked what they fear about getting older most men agree that heart disease and prostate cancer are the top two.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men. A quarter of a million cases are diagnosed each year. And it causes over 40,000 deaths annually.

If men would like to live into their eighties and beyond they must protect themselves form this cancer. In the case of prostate cancer the best defense is a good offense.

Despite the high number of diagnosed cases and deaths from this cancer, there is good news. And that news centers around two powerful cancer prevention and fighting foods, tomato paste and green tea.

Tomatoes and Lycopenes

The numbers are impressive! Research shows men who frequently eat foods containing tomatoes tomato paste are as much as one third less likely to develop prostate cancer. Men who eat tomato product at least ten times a week have a 34 percent reduction in severe metastatic prostate cancer.

Why?

It appears a substance in tomatoes, lycopene is a very powerful antioxidant that helps retard or reverse cells in the prostate that promote cancer.

It appears geographical location has little to do with the likelihood of a man developing the caner of the prostate. However, the areas of the world with the lowest of severe or metastatic prostate cancer are Mediterranean countries, in particular Greece and Italy. In these two countries tomato based foods occupy a high percentage of their diet.

Green Tea

Studies have shown that men who's diets include large amounts of green tea appear to have lower rates of cancer. The active component in green tea that retard cancer is the hydroxy 8 molecule. Scientists agree this molecule is the most powerful antioxidant discovered, even more powerful than vitamin E or C.

One of the problems with the hydroxy 8 molecule is it is highly unstable. For a man to receive full benefits he would need to drink up to 50 cups of tea per day. Most supplements on the market subject the molecule to freezing and dehydration which compromises its effectiveness.

Bottom Line

#1 - Add tomato and tomato paste products to your diet.

#2 - Drink green tea. Also, be very careful what marketing literature your believe form supplement manufactures about their green tea supplements.

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A Fight For a Cure

2010-06-02T03:24:00.001-07:00

It was three years ago my best friend's mother lay peacefully asleep under her duvet cover set next to her husband of almost twenty years. At about five in the morning one lazy Sunday afternoon her husband woke her up in a fluster, she pulled back the duvet covers from her face and sat up to see what the problem was. He rubbed his chest and said that he thought he felt a lump there. She checked for him but, she told him it was probably nothing. After a couple of months the lump would appear visible from a distance but, since most people think that only women can get breast cancer they only thought that a was something that was caused from over working the body at work. Two years later my friends father died from breast cancer.
I have known this friend all my life and spent more time at his house than my own. To me he is like a brother and his parents are like a second family. When news of his father's condition reached me it hit hard for both of us. I remember feeling as though life as I knew it had all but ended and that the world would never again be the same. This feeling is something that I would not wish on my worst enemy and I hope no one else will have to go through. My friends father would have had a chance for survival if he would have known what it was. Before we can move forward we must educate ourselves and then spread the word to the world. This fight has gone on for too long if you know how this feels than tell someone spread the word and educate people, if more people know than more people will care that something changes. Although the victims can no longer speak it is up to the families of the victims to be strong, talk about it, walk for it, and donate to it to make sure that in time we will find a cure. It is up to us to make a better tomorrow today.

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Urinary Tract Infection Pain Relievers - How to Get Rid of Your UTI Naturally

2010-06-02T03:23:00.001-07:00

The worst part about having a urinary tract infection is the amount of pain that is involved and you can definitely attest to that. You know how bad this infection hurts and how it is slowly controlling your life each and every day. You want to get rid of this infection and you want to make that happen now.
You are looking for some natural urinary tract infection pain relievers. You are looking for a way to get out of this pain and on with your life. You don't want to deal with the constant throbbing pain in your lower abdomen and you are also tired of the burning sensation when you urinate. You just want your body to be normal again.
Luckily, there are natural ways that you can get some pain relief so you can start to feel better as soon as possible. First of all, heat is one of the best treatments that you could ever use for pain on your body. Heat works to relieve your tense muscles by opening them up and allowing fresh blood to flow through them. Fresh blood is filled with white blood cells that help to attack any infection that is in your body. This will give you great pain relief and it will help you tremendously.
Another way to get great pain relief from your urinary tract infection is to take more vitamin C. This helps to boost up your immune system so it can fight off the infection in no time at all. With a strong immune system, you will be able to get rid of your infection and you will also get rid of the pain for good. You need to make sure that your immune system is strong so you can fight off the infection faster and so the pain won't be all that bad.
You can also soak in the tub with Epsom salt to help you relax and to get the pain relief that you are looking for. The hot water will soothe your body and it will make you feel better. Plus, Epsom salts work to relieve tension and pain within your body as well. Soaking in a hot bath will definitely bring you some relief.
You don't have to worry about the pain from your urinary tract infection bothering you anymore. You can get the relief that you have been searching for and you can make a difference about it today. It is time that you got rid of this infection once and for all.

There are natural and effective ways to cure your urinary tract infection. Find out more about what you can do to relieve the pain and discomfort, from this helpful site.
You don't have to resort to medications to cure your urinary tract infection. If it's impacting your life or if you've had recurring episodes, there is a natural cure that will offer complete relief in just 48 hours.

How to Stop Ovarian Cyst Pain - Natural Ways to Get Relief From Your Painful Cyst

2010-06-02T03:22:00.001-07:00

You know that the pain from your ovarian cyst is unmatched by anything else. You know how badly it hurts when you sit, stand or try to sleep. The pain always seems to bother you and at sometimes, even control your life. Not only do you want to get rid of your cyst, but you really want to stop ovarian cyst pain.
You would do whatever it takes to get rid of your ovarian cyst pain and now you are growing desperate. However, you don't want to spend a lot of money to get the results that you are looking for. You want to take a natural approach to healing your body and now is the time that you made that possible.
In order to stop ovarian cyst pain, there are a few things that you can do that are both natural and very effective. If the pain becomes too much for you, then heat can really work in your favor. Heat is a very natural way of getting the relief that you are so desperate to have. Heat works to reduce the cramping that you are feeling within your body and it also helps to reduce inflammation. If your cyst is inflamed and swollen, heat will help to reduce that and will bring you some instant relief. The best part about using heat as a form of treatment is that it will definitely work and it doesn't cost you any money at all.
Another effective way to stop ovarian cyst pain is to change your diet. The foods that you are eating can actually have a very negative impact on your cyst. Some foods can actually make your cyst worse and cause even more problems within your body. For example, seafood and red meat can make your cyst a lot worse. Even drinking coffee can worsen the state of your cyst. Instead, you need to keep your diet extremely healthy and natural during this time of healing. Eating fresh fruits and legumes can help to heal your cyst and it can make you feel a lot better. Drinking tea is much better for you as well and it helps to heal your cyst. Drinking herbal chamomile tea can impact your cyst in a very positive way and it can actually help you to break down the cyst and get rid of it forever.
Using these natural forms of treatment can really work in your favor and you can stop ovarian cyst pain right in its tracks today.

Many women suffer with ovarian cysts at some point in their lives. If you decide to pursue the traditional route of treatment be prepared to take medications or undergo surgery. There are natural ways to shrink and even destroy the cyst. Find out from this helpful site what you can be doing at home to remedy this condition.
You no longer have to live with the pain, bloating and weight gain that comes with having an ovarian cyst. If it's impacting your life, it's time to make a change. There is help and it's all natural and effective. You can be rid of your ovarian cyst without surgery.

How to Grow Your Breasts Naturally and Safely

2010-05-29T22:46:00.001-07:00

Every woman wants to possess fuller and bigger breasts. No wonder more and more women are seeking ways to enhance their breast size. Procedures like surgery do not have many takers for obvious reasons. Not only is it painful and expensive but can also lead to some rather unwanted complications.

Implants can break or leak and create huge discomfort. Not only this, they can also spoil the shape of your breasts. This can make all the effort and money spent worthless.

Breast exercises, on the other hand, are effective as far as increasing breast firmness is concerned. There is not much they can do to extend your bust line.

How to Grow Your Breasts Naturally

One of the best ways to increase the size of your breasts is with the help of certain herbs. Women have been using such herbs for hundreds of years to ensure bust growth. Some of such herbs include fenugreek, wild yam, damiana, saw palmetto etc.,

Ever wondered by harem girls used to have fenugreek?

The reason is simple- It resulted in enlarged breasts and also increased firmness.

However, there is nothing that can match the results provided by Pureria Mirifica. This is a herb that is native to Thailand and Myanmar. Women in these countries have been taking advantage of such herbs for centuries to get bigger and more attractive breasts.

The tuberous root of this herb is a rich source of phytoestrogens and ensures natural breast growth.

Now an extract of the same herb called Mirofirm is being used to formulate a bust serum. Such a serum is a new age breast enhancement product that has take bust enlargement to a new level.

It is extremely easy to use and with every day application you can actually make a your breasts increase by a full cup size within 4 weeks!

Not only this, you can experience noticeable lifting within 7 days of applying such a serum.

How does a Bust Serum Work

As already mentioned above, Mirofirm is the main ingredient is such a serum. It makes your milk ducts strong. More importantly, it ensures expansion of fat tissues in the breasts. This is what results in natural growth.

There are a couple of other benefits as well such as a reduction in wrinkles and freckles in the bust area. This can help you get younger and more fuller breasts.

One of the best part about such a serum is that there are additives or preservatives in it. Neither does it leave any residue behind nor does it have any smell or odor. There are no side effects. Yet, pregnant and nursing mothers must not use it.

How to Prevent and Manage Dry Skin During Chemotherapy

2010-05-22T00:26:00.000-07:00

Dry skin is often a side effect of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs like 5-FU can cause the skin to become dry, cracked and peeling. Dry skin can also occur as a result of dehydration, weather conditions, and other medications.

Dry skin occurs when the layers of the skin lose essential oils and moisture.
How to Manage Dry Skin During Chemotherapy
There are several things a patient and caregiver can do to help prevent and manage dry skin at home:

* Recognize when skin is dry. Dry skin appears rough and flaky. It may also become cracked and peeled. Skin may feel tight and become itchy.

* Keep hydrated Drink plenty if of fluids to keep body well hydrated. Dehydration is a common cause of skin dryness.

* Avoid extreme weather conditions. Try to stay out of extreme weather, like severe cold and hot weather. Dry and windy conditions can aggravate dry skin.

* Avoid personal products containing perfumes and scents. The chemicals in perfumed products like soaps, cosmetics, moisturizers, lotions, and body sprays can irritate skin, causing it to become dry. They also can worsen already dry skin.

Use products labeled perfume-free, allergen-free, or "for sensitive skin." Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter product like Cetaphil to cleanse skin.

* Take care in drying yourself after bathing. Instead of rubbing yourself with a towel, allow body to dry naturally or pat dry carefully. The friction of rubbing a towel over wet skin can cause and irritate dry skin. Do not use a blow dryer to dry yourself. This can add to dryness.

Baby oil can also be applied to wet skin before drying skin. Baby oil is a excellent skin moisturizer. It also can be very slippery, so be careful when stepping out of the tub or shower.

* Wash clothes in a mild detergent. Some detergents contain perfumes which can irritate skin. Choose laundry detergents that are free of perfumes, scents and allergens. They may be labeled as "allergen free," "unscented" or as as a "clear" liquid. Detergents that are marketed for babies also may be mild enough for dry skin, but are often more expensive.

* Protect hands when doing household/outdoor chores.When doing chores like cleaning, washing dishes, or gardening, protect hands by wearing rubber gloves. The gloves will protect hands from chemicals in household cleansers and outdoor lawn/gardening products.

When Skin Becomes Extremely Dry and Painful
If skin becomes extremely dry and painful, talk to your doctor. Signs of extreme dryness includes painful, cracked skin that may or may not bleed, intense itching, redness and inflammation. Your doctor may be able to prescribe a topical cream or lotion. He or she may also refer you to a dermatologist to aid with care of the skin.

Man whose son fled Minn. to avoid chemo has cancer

2010-05-20T03:51:00.000-07:00

SLEEPY EYE, Minn. – A Minnesota man whose son fled the state because his parents wanted to avoid courtc ordered chemotherapy said Wednesday that he has cancer but isn't ruling out chemotherapy.

Anthony Hauser, 55, of Sleepy Eye, told reporters at his farm that he was diagnosed last month with a rare and aggressive form of leukemia. For now, he is treating the disease with blood transfusions and dietary therapies, similar to what he and his wife first wanted for their 14-year-old son, Daniel.

But Hauser said he isn't ruling out later chemotherapy or radiation.

"It's up to God, I guess, what happens, but I'm just going to take it one day at a time, one step at a time," he said.

His wife fled to California with Daniel early last year after a judge ordered the boy to undergo chemotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma, which his doctors said was highly curable but would likely be fatal without treatment. His parents wanted to use alternative therapies.

The case made national headlines and triggered a debate over the rights of parents to make medical decisions for their children.

Daniel and his mother returned home after a week on the run, and he underwent conventional treatment. He remains in remission and is doing well with no signs of cancer, his parents said.

His parents acknowledged Wednesday that their son benefited from the court-ordered treatment. But they maintain that without the strict diet they put him on — and have kept him on — the chemotherapy and radiation might not have worked.

Anthony Hauser said he began feeling fatigued in February and lost about 35 pounds, but regained some weight on a diet heavy on leafy greens and nuts, with no animal fats or sugars. The diet is similar to his son's.

He and his wife, Colleen Hauser, said they face severe financial hardships because he hasn't been able to work because of his illness, they have minimal insurance and she had their ninth child two months ago.

"It's hard, it's hard," she said. "Words can't describe it. Because first now our son, now Tony himself."

Drug may prevent lung cancer, study finds

2010-05-20T03:47:00.000-07:00

A drug approved to treat a range of conditions may also work to prevent lung cancer in people who have given up smoking, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

The drug, called iloprost, is approved in inhaled forms to treat pulmonary hypertension, when blood pools near the lungs, a connective tissue disease called scleroderma and a nerve condition called Raynaud's phenomenon.

Dr. Robert Keith of the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center and colleagues tested an oral version to see if it might prevent lung cancer in smokers and former smokers.

"Oral iloprost showed promise for preventing lung cancer in former, but not current, smokers in a phase II clinical trial," they wrote in a summary presented to a meeting of the American Thoracic Society in New Orleans.

Iloprost is a version of prostacyclin, a drug in the prostaglandin class that prevents lung cancer in mice.

Keith, who has been testing several drugs to prevent lung cancer, looked at biopsies taken from the lungs of 125 current and former smokers.

They treated half with placebo and half with iloprost, and then performed bronchoscopy examinations to assess precancerous changes in the lungs.

Six months later, "former smokers showed significant improvements on all measures, indicating that treatment with iloprost may reduce the risk of developing lung cancer among former smokers," the researchers said.

"Interestingly, current smokers did not show any significant improvements," they added.

"Oral iloprost significantly improves endobronchial dysplasia in former smokers and deserves further study to determine if it can prevent the development of lung cancer."

ITALIAN RESEARCH

Swiss drug maker Actelion markets inhaled iloprost under the brand name Ventavis.

It is also sold in an intravenous form under the trade name Ilomedin by Schering, acquired by Merck.

In April, researchers said a natural supplement derived from food, called myo-inositol, seems to stop the precancerous changes that lead to lung cancer.

Cigarette smoke causes 90 percent of all cases of lung cancer, which kills 1.2 million people a year globally. But only about 10 percent of smokers ever develop lung cancer, although they often die of other causes like heart disease, stroke or emphysema.

Separately, Italian researchers reported that advanced lung cancer patients given the targeted therapy drug Tarceva as so-called maintenance treatment -- after they finished a course of standard chemotherapy -- lived a little bit longer.

Federico Cappuzzo from Ospedale Civile di Livorno in Italy and colleagues did a phase 3 trial in 889 patients who had already had chemotherapy and whose tumors had not come back.

They received either Tarceva, a drug sold by Roche and OSI Pharmaceuticals and known generically as erlotinib, or a placebo until they got worse or died.

The patients who got Tarceva lived a little longer without their tumors growing -- 12 weeks versus 11 weeks on average and they lived a month longer on average -- 12 months versus 11 months.

This was seen even among patients who did not have the EGFR genetic mutation that Tarceva targets, they reported in Lancet Oncology.

Fewer than half of all lung cancer patients who do well after a first course of chemotherapy get more treatment, but the Italian group said their study shows this is worth doing.

Should Obese Teens Be Considering Bariatric Surgery?

2010-05-15T00:45:00.001-07:00

Bariatric surgery, while not without risks, can be a successful way to lose weight, influence health, and increase life expectancy. The procedure is performed on individuals who are severely obese who have not been able to lose the weight by other methods. More recently, this type of surgery is being used on adolescents who are morbidly obese, but there are concerns about the effectiveness, safety and long-term benefits in this age group.

The risk of an adult dying from a weight-loss surgery has fallen below 1 percent within recent years. However, studies on teenagers who undergo these procedures are rare. Researchers Sue Kimm of the University of New Mexico, Debbie Lawlor of Britain's Bristol University and Joan Han of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, suggest that weight-loss surgery should be considered with extreme caution and only in the most obese who had exhausted all other avenues.

The article, which appeared in the current issue of The Lancet, reviewed the increase in childhood obesity between the 1970s and 1990s in ten countries. They found that the incidence had doubled and even tripled in some countries, and that a sedentary lifestyle and food choices were the biggest factors. The increase in childhood obesity had given rise to the incidence of serious health issues in children, including high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, insulin resistance/ diabetes, fatty liver disease, and psycho-social complications.

One recent study, published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed the positive effects of surgery on this age group. Researchers found that gastric band surgery produces significantly more weight loss in obese teens than diet and exercise alone. Over two years, the surgery group lost an average of 76.2 pounds, while the lifestyle intervention group lost 6.6 pounds. In other words, 84 percent of the gastric band group lost more than half of their excess weight, compared to just 12 percent of the lifestyle group.

In the U.S., Lap-Band is currently approved for use in weight reduction for severely obese adults 18 years of age or older, though the FDA is considering broadening its standards on gastric banding to include adolescents 14 to 17.

While any type of bariatric surgery is costly, when it is deemed medically necessary insurance companies will pay for the procedure. In fact, insurance companies recoup the cost of the surgery in two to four years, according to a 2008 study. The resulting weight loss improves the overall health of the individuals and reduces or eliminates chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea and heart disease, all which require regular doctor visits and medication. With improved health, medication can be reduced or eliminated and doctor visits decrease. According to the study, the average monthly medical costs for the people who had laparoscopic bariatric surgery were approximately $900 lower than those people who did not, roughly a year after the procedure.

Do Skin Moisturizers Promote Cancer?

2010-05-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

Every day, women (and men) all over the world slather on moisturizing creams of all prices and varieties, trying to keep their skin supple and defy aging. Starting with advice from our mothers on skin care, and reinforced by modern media, facial creams have always been deemed a must-do ritual. However, several common moisturizing creams have been shown to promote the spread of skin cancer and the growth of tumors in mice exposed to UV radiation. Does this mean you need to retreat and forget all you have learned? No. It just means you need to read the label more carefully to be absolutely safe.

Hairless mice were exposed to UV radiation twice weekly for 20 weeks. The UV treatment was followed by the application of the four common brands of skin moisturizers to the skin of the animals five days weekly for a period of 17 weeks. The treatment resulted in the generation of non-melanoma skin cancer.

The research group, from Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey, discovered that the mice treated with the skin moisturizers showed an increase in the rate of tumor formation and found that more tumors developed on mice treated with moisturizers than on those only treated with UV radiation. The rates of increase in tumor activity from the application of each moisturizer in the analysis were:

24 Percent for Eucerin Original Moisturizing Cream (Beiersdorf of Hamburg Germany)
58 Percent for Vanicream (Pharmaceutical Specialties Inc., in Rochester, Minnesota)
69 Percent for Dermabase (Patrick Laboratories in Minneapolis)
95 Percent for Dermovan (Galderma Laboratory Inc. of Fort Worth, Texas)

Lead researcher Allan H. Conney from the university's Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research noted, "These creams we tested have tumorigenic (tumor-causing) activities." He also stated, "I need to emphasize that what we have done is only in mice. We don't know what the implications are for humans. But it does raise a red flag that this is something that should be considered."

Some ingredients in the moisturizers were identified as seeming to enhance tumor growth. When mineral oil and sodium lauryl sulfate, previously linked to skin irritation, were removed from the lotion in a mixture created for the analysis by Johnson and Johnson, the altered lotion did nothing to encourage the growth of cancer in mice exposed to UV radiation.

"We really don't know what ingredients in these creams are doing that," Conney said. "There is a need to have the various companies test their creams to see whether or not there is a problem." Conney believes that companies can remove the effect by modifying their products. He also added, "I am sure there are creams on the market that do not have tumorigenic activities and some of them may have anti-tumorigenic activity."

Non-melanoma skin cancer is very common in humans, and is usually surgically curable. However, it can prove fatal in very rare cases. Conney said that further studies are necessary to determine the effects of topical creams on humans since the skin of mice is thinner and more porous than human skin. Many experts doubt the significance of the study for humans.

It is important to note that consumers should not simply stop using moisturizers. As we age and our skin becomes drier, moisture is needed to ward off conditions such as the outbreak of rashes, eczema and dermatitis.

Green Tea May Reduce Lung Cancer Risk—Even for Smokers

2010-05-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

For thousands of years, the people of China, Japan, India, and Thailand have consumed green tea and used it medicinally to treat everything from headaches to flatulence. In fact, the ancient Chinese proverb, “better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one,” gives us an idea of how much they believed in its curative abilities. Over the past few decades, however, research in both Asia and the West has begun providing scientific evidence of green tea’s numerous health benefits.

As a whole, studies indicate that regular consumption of green tea may slow or prevent conditions including high cholesterol, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, impaired immune disease and liver disease. In addition, some studies have indicated green tea may have cancer-fighting properties, lowering the rate of gastric, esophageal, and mouth cancers. And in a conference this week sponsored by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), researchers reported that Taiwanese smokers who consumed one cup of green tea each day significantly reduced their chances of developing lung cancer.

For their study, Dr. I-Hsin Lin, of Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan, and her colleagues recruited 170 people with lung cancer and 340 healthy patients as controls. The participants completed questionnaires regarding their lifestyle habits, including how much they smoked, how much green tea they drank, their dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, cooking practices and family history of lung cancer. They also underwent genotyping on insulin-like growth factors: IGF1, IGF2, and IGFBP3, all of which have been reported to be associated with cancer risk.

The results showed that both smokers and non-smokers who did not drink green tea were 5 times more likely to develop lung cancer compared to those who drank at least one cup of green tea per day. Smokers who did not drink green tea at all were more than 12 times more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those who drank at least one cup of green tea per day. However, the protection was greatest for those carrying certain genes. Green tea drinkers, whether smokers or non-smokers, with non-susceptible IGF1 (CA)19/(CA)19 and (CA)19/X genotypes reported a 66 percent reduction in lung cancer risk compared with green tea drinkers carrying the IGF1 X/X genotype.

Lin explained that green tea’s cancer-fighting benefits are due to its rich concentration of chemicals called polyphenols, notably a catechin called as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which acts as a powerful antioxidant. “Tea, particularly green tea, has received a great deal of attention because tea polyphenols are strong antioxidants, and tea preparations have shown inhibitory activity against tumorigenesis,” she said. “Our study may represent a clue that in the case of lung cancer, smoking-induced carcinogenesis could be modulated by green tea consumption and the growth factor environment.”

But cancer experts say the findings don’t change the fact that smoking is bad for health and shouldn’t be used as an excuse to continue smoking. “Smoking tobacco fills your lungs with around 80 cancer-causing chemicals. Drinking green tea is not going to compensate for that,” said Yinka Ebo, of Cancer Research UK. “Unfortunately, it’s not possible to make up for the harm caused by smoking by doing other things right like eating a healthy, balanced diet. The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and more than a dozen other cancer types, is to quit.”

More people, both male and female, die from lung cancer than from any other type of cancer. In 2005 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), 196,687 people in the United States were diagnosed with lung cancer, and 159,217 died from it. About 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in women are due to smoking.

Will the FDA Step In and Regulate Salt Intake?

2010-04-27T04:23:00.000-07:00

Every body needs salt, but the amount in which it is consumed in America is far greater than necessary. Salt helps to maintain the water content in blood, balances blood’s acids and bases, and is essential for the movement of electrical charges in the nerves that move our muscles. However, the overuse of salt can result in chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

The National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association recommends a diet containing no more than 2,400 mg of sodium (1 teaspoon) per day, but it is estimated that Americans consume, on average, 4,000 to 6,000 mg of sodium per day. Salt is heavily used in processed and prepared foods, from salad dressings to cookies to your favorite potato chips.

Today, a panel from the Institute of Medicine recommended that the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulate the amount of sodium used in processed food. Decades of recommendations have not been heeded by the public, and given the amount of processed food purchased in this country, the best way to reduce salt consumption is by regulating the companies preparing the food.

Jane Henney, panel chairwoman, said "For 40 years we have known about the relationship between sodium and the development of hypertension and other life threatening diseases, but we have had virtually no success in cutting back the salt in our diets…. The best way to accomplish this is to provide companies the level playing field they need so they are able to work across the board to reduce salt in the food supply."

Whether or not the FDA complies with the recommendation remains to be seen, but the panel has our best interests at heart, so to speak. According to recent research, a combined effort made by the United States government and the food industry to reduce American salt consumption by just 10 percent could prevent as many as half a million heart attacks, while saving the nation about $32 million in healthcare costs.

Along the same lines, another program known as the National Salt Reduction Initiative is calling for a 20 percent reduction in salt intake over the next five years. The initiative is lead by the New York City Health Department, under the direction of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and is aimed at both food manufacturers and restaurants. If nothing else, both of these recommendations may reach public eyes and consumers will make more informed decisions on their food purchases.

Taking control of your diet and choosing to eat heart-healthy is an important step in maintaining your overall health. Check out a recent Healthy Eating column, “Sodium: Friend or Foe” penned by chef Terry Madigan, which offers alternatives to the salt shaker and start your plan for eating healthy by visiting the Health News Diet Page

Vaginal Cancer Treatment

2010-04-25T01:07:00.001-07:00

There are a variety of ways that vaginal cancer is treated. Treatment will vary from patient to patient depending upon these factors:

general health of the patient

the type of vaginal cancer

the stage of the vaginal cancer

whether the patient has had a hysterectomy or still has uterus

whether the patient has had pelvic radiation in the past

Once this factors have been determined, a treatment plan can be organized. Once a doctor recommends treatment, a second opinion may be required by the patient's insurance company. This is standard procedure for most companies. Many times the patient will request a second opinion.

Vaginal Cancer Treatment Methods

Many times, several different types of treatment will be used to treat vaginal cancer. For example, a patient may have surgery, then pelvic radiation therapy. This is not uncommon.

Surgery is a common vaginal cancer treatment method. There are several types of surgeries used to treat vaginal cancer, such as:

Laser Surgery Laser surgery involves the use of a light beam to ast as a knife to remove abnormal tissue.

Wide Local Excision A wide local excision is surgery that removes the abnormal tissue and some of the healthy tissue around it.

Vaginectomy A vaginectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the vagina.

Total Hysterectomy A total hysterectomy is the removal of the cervix and uterus.

Lymphadenectomy During a lymphadenectomy, the lymph nodes are removed and then examined for the presence of cancer.

Pelvic Exenteration Pelvic exenteration is the surgical removal of the colon, bladder, and rectum. For women, the vagina, cervix, ovaries, and lymph nodes are removed as well.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs that either kill cancer cells or preventing the cells from dividing. Chemotherapy can be given in a variety of ways, with IV infusion and pill being more common. The type of chemotherapy given depends on the stage and type of vaginal cancer.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is the use of certain types of energy, radiation is used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. This energy can be waves or particles like protons, electrons, x-rays and gamma rays.

Radiation can be given internally or externally. The type of radiation given depends on the stage and type of vaginal cancer.

Beauty Is in the Gendered Eye of the Beholder

2010-04-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

The brain of the beholder dictates the manner in which beauty will be appreciated. While men process beauty with only the right side of their brains, women employ their entire brain for the activity.

Researchers were surprised at the findings that are detailed in a report published in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. According to researcher Camilo J. Cela-Conde of the University of Baleares in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, “It is well known that there are differences between brain activity in women and men in cognitive tasks. However, why should this kind of difference appear in the case of appreciation of beauty?” His answer reveals an idea that women link an object to language when they ponder it, whereas men tend to focus on an object’s spatial aspects.

Men appear to focus on "coordinate" spatial awareness that is located in the right side of the brain and involves precision mental mapping with the use of co-ordinates to establish an object's position in space. The "categorical" spatial awareness is located in the left side of the brain and involves evaluating the position of objects in accordance with categories such as above, below, left, and right.

Cela-Conde acknowledged that the explanation of differences in the perception of beauty does not explain why or how the human capacity to appreciate beauty evolved. However, he noted, “The differences that we have found might relate to the different social roles that, hypothetically, men and women had during human evolution.”

For the study, the researchers put 10 men and 10 women to the test by presenting paintings and photos of urban scenes and landscapes to them and then asking them to evaluate each scene and describe it as being either beautiful or not beautiful. During the evaluations by the participants, the researchers used imaging technology called magnetoencephalography to monitor images of magnetic fields produced by electrical currents in their brains. No differences were noted between male and female brains during the first 300 milliseconds, but increased activity was seen in all participants from 300 to 700 milliseconds for objects that were described as beautiful.

The most active brain region among participants was the parietal lobe, which manages visual perception, spatial orientation and information processing. The difference noted was that for the men, the activity was focused only on the right side of the brain, while both sides were active in the women.

Although there were differences between people as to what was described as beautiful and what not, the researchers found no identifiable differences related to gender. Regarding this aspect of the research, Cela-Conde said, “Any person can find beautiful a landscape, a building or a canvas that some others will find awful. But sex has little to do with those differences. Perhaps they relate with other variables, such as age or education.” He also noted, “It is curious that, using different neural networks, the final result is very similar in women and men. But this seems to be the case.”

Smokeless Tobacco Products: A New Danger for Children

2010-04-25T00:59:00.001-07:00

We childproof our kitchen cabinets, place cough syrup and aspirin out of harm’s way and keep cleaning products on a high shelf in the garage, but some items, like nicotine gum and tobacco mints are left out on a dresser, stuck in the corner of our purses, or in the console of the family minivan. And they are poisonous and potentially deadly when ingested by children.

With an increasing number of cities, counties and states mandating no-smoking zones, people are turning to alternatives, either to quit or to take the edge off during long lulls between puffs. To adults they can be lifesavers, but to children they can be life-enders. The amount of nicotine found in smokeless products that mimic children’s gum and candy, Approximately .5 milligrams of nicotine per pound of body weight is the minimum lethal dose for a child. New products, such as the Camel Orbs, contain .83 milligrams of nicotine. These dissolving mints can easily be mistaken for ordinary candy and a small child eating several could spell disaster

Greg N. Connolly, D.M.D., the director of the Tobacco Control Research Group at the Harvard School of Public Health, led a study that found that smokeless tobacco products are the second most common cause of nicotine poisoning in children. After reviewing data from 61 poison control centers, the researchers identified almost 14,000 cases of tobacco ingestion between the years of 2006 and 2008, the vast majority of which were in infants. Smokeless tobacco was involved in approximately 13 percent of the cases.

"Nicotine is a poison, and now we're seeing smokeless tobacco products that look like Tic Tacs or M&M's, which parents can leave on the counter and children can be attracted to," Connolly said.

In addition to the Camel Orbs, which come in both mint and cinnamon flavor, other smokeless tobacco products that are sending up red flags are the Camel Sticks, which resemble toothpicks and also dissolve in the mouth, and Snus, which are small tobacco-filled pouches used similarly to snuff. Connelly is concerned that “snus are attractive, flavorful, and easily ingested by an infant or child."

This is a strong reminder that any tobacco products, much like over-the-counter and prescription medicines, should be kept inaccessible children, be it cigarettes, nicotine gum, or any of the new tobacco substitutes.

Do Women Have a Hard-Wired Aversion to Obesity?

2010-04-25T00:57:00.000-07:00

I think we have all long known what John Gray put down in words in his bestseller, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: There are differences between the sexes, not just physically, but psychologically. And a new study being published in the May issue of Personality Individual Differences reinforces that belief.

Researchers at Brigham Young University set out to gauge hidden feelings about body image. They conducted psychological screenings of both men and women using brain imaging technology. MRI scans were employed to monitor the brain activity of the participants while they were shown computer-generated images of different body types. While viewing each image, the participants were asked to imagine that someone else was saying the model looked like them.

Not surprisingly, the images of overweight women triggered the self-reflection and identity processing area in the brain in only the female participants. The medial prefrontal cortex lit up in not just a few, but all of the women. Mark Allen, a neuroscientist at BYU said, "This is kind of validating the suspicion that most women are teetering on the edge of an eating disorder. If the brain response is so strong in these apparently healthy women, maybe most of us could use a little dose of what it is that you go through in an eating disorder therapy."

It does illuminate the fact that women are very sensitive about their appearance when it comes to weight. The study shows them having an aversion to looking obese, even though all participants were carefully screened for any hint of an eating disorder. Men, on the other hand, had no response to images that were either fat or thin (but did have some cortex activity when shown bodybuilder images).

While women may not own up to the fact that they are conscious of body image issues, the brain scans tell a different story: We are from Venus.

Teens With Psychosocial Disorders Prone to Internet Addiction

2010-04-23T23:35:00.000-07:00

In recent years, there has been an explosion of Internet use, and it’s easy to understand why. The Internet provides affordable up-to-date information on almost any topic imaginable, around-the-clock entertainment, social networking sites that allow for both public and anonymous communication, and email or online chat that lets us keep in contact with family and friends, even if they’re in another time zone. Most people are able to integrate online time into their lives in a balanced healthy manner, but others develop a stronger dependency, often replacing work, school, friends and even family with countless hours surfing the Web, instant messaging and blogging, or playing Internet video games. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 10 percent of Internet users may be considered addicted. Experts say that people who abuse the Internet are typically struggling with other problems, like anxiety or depression, and new research lends credence to that theory.

To access the risk factors for Internet addiction, Cheng-Fang Yen, MD, PhD, of Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital in Taiwan, and colleagues conducted a prospective study of 2,293 seventh-graders, whose average age was 12, from 10 junior high schools in southern Taiwan in September of 2005. The students were asked to fill out questionnaires that assessed whether they had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, social phobia or abnormal feelings of hostility. Then, 6, 12 and 24 months later, they were asked about their Internet usage, including the number of hours they spent on the Internet and the sorts of sites they frequented.

After two years, roughly 11 percent of the students were addicted to the Internet. Males, those who spent more than 20 hours a week on the Internet and teens who played online games were more likely to be deemed addicted. But the greatest risk factors were found to be ADHD and hostility. Boys and girls with ADHD had a 72 percent increased risk of developing unhealthy dependence on the Internet and those who exhibited significant hostility had a 67 percent increased risk. Girls with social phobias and those suffering depression were also at greater risk, though these factors did not affect boys.

Michael Gilbert, senior fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication, says it makes perfect sense why the Internet would appeal to children with these issues. “If you have a child that is hyperactive, the Internet can move at their pace. If you have a child that is depressed or has social phobia, they can get in touch with other kids dealing with the same kinds of issues,” he said. “They can go into artificial worlds, like ‘Second Life,’ where they can live out fantasies or take on different personas. For kids who have anger or hostility, the Internet gives them a chance to play out their aggression there.”

The study authors say that because computer use is a way of life in the United States, the potential exists for childhood computer addiction to become a major public health problem, a sentiment echoed by the authors of an editorial accompanying the study in the October Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. “Woven as it is into the fabric of today’s society, the potential for Internet use to lead to overuse and ultimately to addiction is concerning,” wrote Drs. Dimitri A. Christakis and Megan A. Moreno of the University of Washington in Seattle.

As the Internet becomes more intertwined in everyday life, eliminating its use is unrealistic, making prevention all the more critical. Experts say parents of teens should monitor the time their children spend on the Internet and the sites they visit and pediatricians and mental health professionals should ask their teenage patients about their Internet usage. This is especially important for children with mental health conditions.

Internet addiction is not currently recognized as a separate disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. There is debate about whether to include Internet addiction as a separate illness in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, due in 2012, which determines which mental illnesses are covered by insurance.

High-Glycemic Foods Can Increase Heart Disease in Women

2010-04-23T23:34:00.001-07:00

As if we didn’t already know that cake, cookies, and white bread are not the healthiest options for us to eat, a new study suggests that women’s hearts would be better off on a lower-carbohydrate, low-glycemic index diet. While the occasional slice of pie or dinner roll isn’t going to induce heart disease, limiting those refined carbs and sweet treats could help stave it off and help us live a longer, healthier life.

An Italian research team, led by Sabina Sieri, Ph.D., surveyed 47,749 Italian adults for their dietary habits and followed them for an average of 7.9 years. During that time, 463 participants developed coronary heart disease. The researchers found the 25 percent of women who consumed the highest glycemic load were at 2.25 times greater risk for heart disease compared with the 25 percent eating the lowest glycemic load. The men in the study showed no such disparity, meaning that they may be effected by or process carbohydrates differently.

The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking system of how carbohydrates affect the glucose levels in the blood. Ingesting foods that have high GI levels cause our blood glucose and insulin levels to peak and valley, causing cravings and overeating, while those that have a low GI level allow the levels to remain relatively unchanged, with less rise and fall. The index ranks food values on a 0-100 scale. High GI scores are 70 and above, mid-range GI scores are 56-69, and those considered low GI are below 55.

Published in the April 12th issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, Dr. Sieri said, “"We hope to be able to repeat this analysis on...more than 500,000 subjects in order to confirm our results."

There are a number of lower carbohydrate diets available for review on the HealthNews diet pages, including the Glycemic Impact Diet, Atkins Diet Plan, and the South Beach Diet. Independent unbiased reviews on each diet are available as well as an Individual Diet Selection tool, which can help you choose the diet that meets your needs.

The Secret Behind the Mediterranean Diet: Olive Oil

2010-04-23T23:32:00.000-07:00

The heart-healthy Mediterranean diet has been getting a whole lot of press lately due to some pretty significant research into its benefits. It has been shown to lower the incidence of asthma and allergies in children, lower the risk of metabolic syndrome, possibly eliminate diabetes medication for Type II diabetics, and may lessen the risk of cancer and depression.

Just last month research came out of the Netherlands on the Mediterranean diet and fertility. While the study didn’t actually prove that the diet alone boosts fertility, but found that two common diet patterns emerged: women who adhered to the Mediterranean-style diet had a higher pregnancy rate following in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In fact, the women who were consistent with the tenets of the diet were 40 percent more likely to get pregnant than those women whose diets were farthest from the Mediterranean Diet.

More recent findings, out of Spain and published in the April online issue of BMC Genomics, show that specific components in olive oil, a major player in the Mediterranean diet, may suppress genes that promote inflammation. "These findings strengthen the relationship between inflammation, obesity and diet and provide evidence at the most basic level of healthy effects derived from virgin olive oil consumption in humans," said study leader Francisco Perez-Jimenez of the University of Cordoba.

In this study, researchers focused on the genes in 20 participants who all had metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that occur together which can increase your tendency to develop coronary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, and how they were effected by a diet rich in phenol compounds. The researchers identified almost 100 genes whose inflammatory activity is dampened by consumption of olive oil, in particular extra virgin olive oil. Dr. Perez-Jimenez concludes that “Several of the repressed genes are known to be involved in pro-inflammatory processes, suggesting the diet can switch the activity of immune system cells.”

Extra-virgin olive oil, which is produced by pressing the olives without the use of any chemical or heat treatments, contains phytochemicals that are otherwise lost in the refining process. In 2008, Spanish researchers conducted a study, also published in BMC Cancer, in which they separated the extra-virgin olive oil into fractions and then they tested these against breast cancer cells in the laboratory. The researchers found that all of the fractions that contained major extra-virgin phytochemicals polyphenols (lignans and secoiridoids) effectively inhibited the breast cancer gene called HER2.

Antidepressants Linked to Increased Stroke Risk in Postmenopausal Women

2010-04-12T03:16:00.000-07:00

Depression—it’s more than an occasional down-in-the-dumps feeling. It’s a low mood, despair or hopelessness that lasts for weeks, months, or even longer. In fact, most health professionals today consider depression a chronic illness that requires long-term treatment, much like diabetes or high blood pressure. The most common treatments are psychotherapy and antidepressants, which work to correct the chemical imbalance in the brain thought to cause depression. There are several different classifications of antidepressants, depending on which brain chemical the drug affects. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase the production of serotonin in the brain; monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) block monoamine oxidase, an enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters. All antidepressants have some side effects, the most common being headache, nausea, constipation, dry mouth, agitation and sexual problems. But most occur in the early weeks of therapy and lessen over time.

However, some side effects can be serious. In October 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) directed manufacturers to add a boxed warning, the most serious type of warning used on prescription drugs, to the labeling of all antidepressant medications to alert the public about the increased risk of suicidal thinking or suicide attempts by children and adolescents taking antidepressants. In May 2007, after a more detailed analysis of antidepressant clinical trials, the FDA directed that the warning be extended to include young adults up through age 24.

Earlier this year, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology concluded that women with no history of cardiac problems but who used antidepressants are at heightened risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD), though the exact reason for the link remains unclear. And most recently, a report published in the December 14 Archives of Internal Medicine shows that postmenopausal women who take antidepressants have an increased risk of stroke and death compared to women of the same age who don’t take the drugs.

Bone Drugs May Lower Risk for Breast Cancer

2010-04-12T03:15:00.000-07:00

Dennis Hopper's Cancer is Terminal

2010-04-02T23:56:00.000-07:00

Reports Claim Actor Is Losing Prostate Cancer Battle

A fragile, yet smiling Dennis Hopper accepted his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last week, after a hiatus from the media since being diagnosed with cancer. The 73 year old legendary actor is battling prostate cancer -- a fight that numerous reports claim he is losing. Hopper's attorney in a legal matter with his wife has said that the actor's disease is terminal and he is far too weak to give a deposition in the case. Some would balk that his attorney is using cancer as a means to avoid a deposition, but one glance at Dennis Hopper will reveal a man who has endured the wrath of cancer and it's aggressive treatment. It's obvious that he is very weak and frail.

Hopper was diagnosed in October of last year with prostate cancer and immediately canceled all upcoming projects to concentrate on treatment. An ongoing bitter divorce battle with his wife began in January, which has to have added stress during treatment. According to reports, the actor underwent chemotherapy, but is now too weak for treatment. Fans are outraged that his wife, Victoria, is leading such an assailing legal attack on the actor in such a sensitive time. According to several news sources, she is seeking alimony and other entitlements beyond what the star has claimed to be able to afford. It is a typical Hollywood divorce, but I can certainly see how the pressure and emotional distress could affect Hopper's health and progress.

Your Thoughts on the Health Care Reform Bill?

2010-04-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

The monumental passing of the Health Care Reform Bill has Americans cheering and jeering across the nation. I think we can all agree that heath care did need an overhaul -- rising health care costs and lack of coverage by so many was getting out of hand. For some people with cancer, health care costs and insurance can be matters of life and death. I don't know how many times I have heard patients say "I can't afford this treatment, even though my doctor says it will work" or "I can't get insurance coverage because I was treated for leukemia 5 years ago, but it's in remission".

On paper, so many points of the Health Care Reform Bill look good. I have scoured news reports and read countless comments by readers concerning the bill and the consensus is clearly divided. News sources aren't much help in telling us UNBIASED points about the bill. One source says it will ruin us all, while the other claims it will be our saving grace. Over the next few days, I will be bringing you information about how the healthcare bill will affect those with cancer or who are at high risk of developing cancer. I am getting down to to the "nitty gritty", so to speak, and hope to provide up-to-date unbiased information about how the bill will affect you. Please stay tuned!

Sound Off! I want to know how you feel about the passing of the Health Care Reform Bill! Please share your thoughts in the "Comments" section below. I hope we can all engage in civilized, polite conversation about how the Health Care Reform Bill will affect cancer patients and survivors.

Genetic Test May Help Millions Identify an Effective Diet

2010-03-15T05:53:00.001-07:00

Being overweight is a hefty problem in the United States, affecting approximately 1 in 6, or 39.8 million American adults. And it seems as if there are at least that many different diets or weight-loss products to choose from. So, how do you find a plan that suits you and works for your body? You could ask your health care provider for their recommendation, or find out what has worked for your friends. But researchers at Stanford University say there is a much more reliable source of nutritional advice: your genes.

Their study, aimed at validating a new genetic test by Interleukin Genetics, Inc., involved over 100 overweight women who had participated in diet research published in 2007 that tested four diets (2 low-carb diets and 2 low-fat diets). After sending cheek swabs with their DNA to Interleukin, participants were classified as either “low-carb appropriate” or “low-fat appropriate.”

When the researchers looked back at the original study’s results, they found that those on diets that matched their genetic predisposition lost 2 to 3 times more weight than women on the “wrong” diets. “We were able to explain why some people were successful” and others were not, even though they followed the same diet, said Mindy Dopler Nelson, a nutritional biologist at Stanford and the study’s lead author. The researchers also tested themselves. “It confirmed my suspicion,” Nelson said of her result. “When I eat a lot of carbohydrates, I tend to put on weight.”

Genetic testing was originally aimed at finding risk for diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s, but Interleukin hopes to expand its use to include lifestyle counseling—determining what type of diet or exercise is best. “Knowing your genotype for low-carb or low-fat diets could help you increase your weight-loss success,” said Dr. Christopher Gardner, an Associate Professor of Medicine at Stanford and a co-author of the study. “It’s not the end of the obesity epidemic, but we need every leg-up we can get.” The new test is available in the market for a price of $149.

However, some scientists aren’t buying into the findings, saying it’s just another test being promoted without enough research to show it really works. “I’m afraid this may be another attempt to lure the public into purchasing genetic tests that provide little value for those struggling with their weight,” said Raymond Rodriguez, director of the National Center of Excellence for Nutritional Genomics at the University of California, Davis. “I have serious reservations with this study and studies like it,” Rodriguez agreed. “The idea that genetic variants in these genes can predict the likelihood for weight loss in such a small population, particularly since the tendency for weight loss is probably more behavioral than genetic, is simply hard to believe.”

Obesity Linked to Increased Stroke Rates Among Young Americans

2010-03-12T23:37:00.001-08:00

The mounting obesity epidemic in the United States has contributed to an increase in the number of strokes occurring among younger Americans. New research has revealed that the average age of patients suffering a first stroke in the greater Cincinnati area has dropped by almost three years between 1993 and 2005. The findings of the analysis were recently presented at the American Stroke Association conference in San Antonio.

Brett Kissela, M.D., of the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute set out to determine why many of the stroke patients seen in the neurology department of the hospital were not much older than the age of 50. Kissela and his colleagues analyzed data from 17 hospitals in the Cincinnati metropolitan area spanning two counties in Ohio and three in northern Kentucky, which provided a nationally representative population of approximately 1.3 million people. They discovered that the average age of stroke victims had decreased from 71.3 in 1993 to 68.4 by the end of 2005.

During the same period of time, the percentage of patients suffering a stroke prior to reaching the age of 45 jumped from 4.5 percent to 7.3 percent. Kissela described the findings as “tragic” because young people who become disabled from stroke lose a lot of productive life. Kissela theorized that the increase in risk factors among younger Americans such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, may be the reasoning behind the trend. Prior findings of his research team have shown that diabetes alone can contribute to a five to 10 time greater likelihood of stroke among people under the age of 65. Kissela pointed out, “We’re just seeing these conditions come sooner, so it’s probably not surprising that the strokes would come sooner.”

In contrast to the increased number of strokes seen in younger patients, rates have actually declined among whites ages 65 and older, as well as in blacks ages 85 and older. However, the rates may be offset by the number of younger patients suffering strokes. Kissela maintains that generally, the absolute risk of stroke remains significantly lower among younger Americans than in the older population. Occurrences numbered about 25 per 100,000 whites and 55 per 100,000 blacks between the ages of 20 and 44 in 2005. In comparison, the rates were 1,263 per 100,000 whites and 1,029 per 100,000 blacks, in patients ages 85 and older.

Thick & Thin: How Genetics Play a Role in Obesity

2010-03-10T04:51:00.002-08:00

Tall and short, dark and light, freckled and tanned, we come in many packages with innumerable features, most of them determined by our genetics before we ever draw breath. Very few of these traits can we control, and we just have to play the hand we're dealt.

But when people are earnestly trying to lose weight and failing again and again, many ultimately get the sneaking suspicion that they really are playing against a stacked deck. They may be right.

If you're one of those who subscribes to the notion that America's growing weight problem is solely a failure of personal restraint or will, it's time to reconsider. Solid research is helping us understand just how truly stacked that deck is. For some people who struggle with their weight, it seems that any given exercise effort will yield far less result than it offers everyone else because of what's already coded on their DNA.

When it comes to weight management, genetic factors get blamed for a lot of body issues where they may or may not play a role: "She's just big-boned." "He just carries his cargo up front." "The whole family is built that way." You've heard them all, and they might have sounded more like excuses than explanations.

But think about the genetically based elements that we already know are out of our control. People certainly do have different body types, with some of us thicker or thinner than others, and shorter or taller.

Then there's the particular predisposition for distribution, for having our weight in certain places on our bodies, which could be the old apple/pear body-type contrast, or a tendency to carry fat on the arms.

Add to those a predisposition for building muscle easily or not. And if you want to be very specific, throw in that natural love or dislike of athletic pursuits that would certainly come into play with exercise.

Weight Gain Contributes to Breast Cancer Risks

2010-03-10T04:51:00.001-08:00

If you were to do a little time traveling, flashing back to when you were 18, how would your weight differ from what it is today? According to research by the American Cancer Society, the amount of weight a woman gains after the age of 18 is a strong indicator as to whether she will get breast cancer later in life.

Weight gain and body mass were identified long ago as risk factors for breast cancer. The Cancer Society estimates between one-third and one-half of all breast cancer deaths among older women have been contributed to weight.

Fat tissue makes estrogen, and estrogen can help breast cancer grow. Heather Spencer Feigelson, senior epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society said, “Breast cancer is strongly dependent on body weight. Even modest amounts of weight gain lead to a significantly increased risk of breast cancer.”

One of the largest studies of breast cancer and weight included 1,934 breast cancer cases among 62,756 women involved in a separate long-term study. Women ages 50 to 74, who were post-menopausal, were asked their weight in 1992 when the study began and their weight when they were 18 years old. They were also sent questionnaires at yearly intervals.

The researchers said older women who gained 20 to 30 pounds after high school graduation were 40 percent more likely to get breast cancer than women who kept the weight off. If the weight gain was more than 70 pounds, the risk was doubled. Lean post-menopausal women not taking hormone replacement therapy produce very little estrogen and had the lowest cancer risk in the study.

Associate professor of surgery at Columbia University, Dr. Paul Tartter said, “The more fat you have—fat cells are capable of synthesizing estrogen—the heavier you are, the higher your estrogen levels. There’s no question that estrogen is the common denominator of most of our risk factors for breast cancer.”

Lactose Intolerance: Actual Prevalence and Levels of Severity Unknown

2010-03-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

In ancient Greece, the physician Hippocrates first noted gastrointestinal upset in some people who consumed milk. While we don’t know what the good doctor’s diagnosis was or how he treated the problem, modern medical science tells us those people may have been suffering from lactose intolerance, a condition in which the body isn’t able to fully digest lactose, a type of natural sugar found in milk and dairy products. Common symptoms include nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea, which begin within thirty minutes to two hours after eating or drinking foods containing lactose. It is estimated that close to 50 million American adults have some degree of lactose intolerance, but a government panel says not enough research has been done to know exactly how many people have the condition or how it ultimately affects their health.

The 14-member panel, composed of experts from across the medical spectrum and convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), spent nearly three days in Bethesda, Maryland assessing the available information on lactose intolerance and made their findings known on Wednesday in a draft report. They concluded that, of the nearly 60 relevant studies, none of them “evaluated a representative U.S. sample” and thus “cannot be used to estimate the prevalence” of the condition. “I think that there are huge gaps in knowledge,” said panel chairman Dr. Frederick J. Suchy, professor and chief of pediatric hepatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “There is a huge amount of research that needs to be done.”

Some studies show that a sizable number of people who believe they are lactose intolerant do not actually have impaired lactose digestion, which means that many people who think they must avoid all dairy products may not need to. “A lot of people who think they have lactose intolerance don’t,” Suchy said. “They may have other conditions, or they may just need to consume smaller amounts of dairy products.” According to the report, some people with lactose deficiency can tolerate moderate amounts of ingested lactose. “The available evidence suggests that adults and adolescents who have been diagnosed with lactose malabsorption could ingest at least 12 grams of lactose (equivalent to the lactose content found in one cup of milk or one cup of yogurt) with no or minor symptoms,” the report reads. Some also increase their tolerance to lactose with repeated intake.

Suchy said eliminating dairy products could be detrimental to your bones and, possibly, your heart, blood pressure and colon, so it’s important that regardless of whether a person is truly lactose intolerant or not, they get the recommended amounts of calcium and other essential nutrients.“It is startling and disappointing to learn how little we know about the consequences of avoiding lactose-containing products,” he said. “Health care providers are concerned, but we don’t have good data on bone health outcomes in people who have lactose intolerance or who avoid dairy products for other reasons.”

Common Anti-Inflammatory Drug May Help Prevent Specific Skin Cancer

2010-02-25T03:32:00.002-08:00

The popular anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib, more commonly known as Celebrex, could significantly reduce the number skin cancer tumors among people who have a rare condition called Gorlin syndrome. Patients with this genetic condition are highly vulnerable to developing skin basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer, and often experience hundreds or even thousands of these tumors over a lifetime.

Celecoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) differs from other NSAIDs in that it inhibits the inflammation-causing enzymes called cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2), whereas other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen inhibit mainly COX-1 enzymes. Previous research has shown celecoxib to have success in opposing squamous cell carcinoma, another type of skin cancer. In addition, other research has suggested that COX inhibitors in general can have anticancer effects.

According to Ervin H. Epstein, Jr., M.D., of Children's Hospital of Oakland Research Institute, and colleagues, the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib may substantially decrease the vulnerability of Gorlin syndrome patients of developing basal cell carcinoma tumors. In a Phase II trial, the use of celecoxib in patients with Gorlin syndrome slowed the increase of tumors by 11 to 30 percent. These significant effects were seen in patients having less severe cases of the condition. A report on the findings was recently published in the American Association for Cancer Research’s journal Cancer Prevention Research.

Gorlin syndrome, also known as nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, is a condition that affects multiple areas of the body, and increases the likelihood of developing various types of benign tumors. It is caused by a genetic mutation of the PTCH1 gene that is often inherited from one affected parent. Although the PTCH1 gene normally provides instructions for making a protein functions to keep cell growth in check, the mutated gene prevents production of the protein or results in an abnormal version.

During the initial study, mice that lacked a functional PTCH1 gene were found to develop basal cell carcinoma when exposed to ultraviolet light. However, when the mice were given celecoxib, cancerous lesion development was reduced by a third. In Phase II of the study, the researchers randomly assigned 60 people with Gorlin syndrome to receive either celecoxib or a placebo. The study subjects were followed over a two-year period.

Findings revealed that of the 33 participants who received celecoxib, those with mild Gorlin (defined as having less than 15 skin cancer tumors at the beginning of the study) experienced improvement. Compared to patients who received a placebo, these patients developed 50 percent less new cancerous lesions and only had about half as much skin area covered with tumors, meaning that those who did develop cancer tumors experienced less severe cases.

Other findings of the study showed that patients who started the study with more than 15 tumors did not benefit from receiving celecoxib. In addition, the study authors cautioned, “the potential cardiovascular risks associated with celecoxib would seem to preclude its widespread use.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, it is estimated that about 1 in 57,000 people have Gorlin syndrome. Of the more than 1 million new cases of basal cell carcinoma diagnosed each year in the United States, less than 1 percent of them are related to Gorlin syndrome.

Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations Under Review

2010-02-25T03:32:00.001-08:00

FDA Approves Non-Hormonal Therapy for Treatment of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

2010-02-25T03:31:00.001-08:00

Help is on the way for some 3 million U.S. women of reproductive age who suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding, a condition also known as menorrhagia. Research into the treatment of this medical condition has led to the recent approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a new drug as the first non-hormonal therapy for menorrhagia.

The number of American women who experience menorrhagia is based on estimates from annual reports to the FDA, and according to the agency, many of these women develop the condition with no apparent cause. Menorrhagia is an abnormally heavy and prolonged menstrual period that occurs at regular intervals. Possible causes include abnormal blood clotting, disruption of normal hormonal regulation of periods, and disorders of the endometrial lining of the uterus.

Menorrhagia is the most common type of abnormal uterine bleeding, and may sometimes become so severe as to interrupt daily activities. In addition, it may be associated with abnormally painful periods, a condition known as dysmenorrhea. According to Kathleen Uhl, M.D., the FDA’s associate commissioner of women’s health, “Menorrhagia can be incapacitating for some women.” She also added, “Heavy menstrual periods can cause pain, mood swings, and disruptions to work and family life.”

The newly FDA approved tranexamic acid, also known as Lysteda, is made is by Newport, Kentucky-based Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals. Lysteda tablets reduce the menstrual flow by working to stabilize a protein that helps blood clot. The FDA first approved the drug in 1986 under the brand name Cyklokapron as an injection for use in the reduction or prevention of bleeding during and following tooth extraction in patients with hemophilia. Hemophilia is a genetic disorder that prevents blood from clotting.

The FDA approved Lysteda based on a request submitted by Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals on January 30, 2009 after completing phase 3 of clinical trials during which women took either Lysteda or a placebo. Findings showed a statistically significant reduction in menstrual blood loss in women who received Lysteda compared with those taking placebo. Common side effects of Lysteda included headache, sinus and nasal symptoms, back or abdominal pain, muscle or joint pain, anemia and fatigue.

According to Scott Monroe, M.D., director of the division of reproductive and urologic products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, women who take Lysteda should avoid the use of hormonal contraceptive drugs, as this drug combination can increase the risk of blood clots, stroke and heart attacks. These medications should only be used together if there is a strong medical need, and if the benefit of treatment will outweigh the potential increased risk.

Founded in 2001, Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals specializes in development and marketing of drugs for pain management and women’s healthcare including prescription pharmaceuticals, as well as a line of prenatal vitamins. Regarding the FDA’s recent approval, Dr. Gary A. Shangold, Chief Medical Officer of Xanodyne, said “We are very pleased with the U.S. approval of Lysteda, which represents an important new non-hormonal treatment option for women suffering from heavy menstrual bleeding.” He also pointed out, “Lysteda is a significant addition to Xanodyne’s emerging product portfolio and represents the company’s second FDA drug approval within five months.”

Smoking, drinking up risks of gut, throat cancers

2010-01-02T21:34:00.001-08:00

A new study confirms that smoking raises a person's risks of the major forms of esophageal and stomach cancers, while drinking has more narrow effects.

In a study that followed more than 120,000 Dutch adults for 16 years, researchers found that smoking increased the risk of the two main forms of stomach cancer, as well as the two forms of esophageal cancer -- by anywhere from 60 percent to 263 percent versus non-smokers.

Alcohol, in contrast, affected only the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, the form found in the upper part of the esophagus.

People who, at the study's start, drank more than 30 grams of alcohol per day -- equivalent to two to three glasses of wine -- were nearly five times more likely to develop the cancer than abstainers were.

The findings, published in the journal Gut, underscore general health recommendations to drink only in moderation and to quit, or preferably never start, smoking.

In addition, they also suggest that smoking and drinking cannot account for the changing face of esophageal and stomach cancers in Western countries, according to Jessie Steevens of Maastricht University in the Netherlands and co-investigators.

In recent decades, the rate of esophageal adenocarcinoma, the other major form of esophageal cancer, has been rising in the U.S. and Europe. A similar trend has been seen with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. (Most stomach cancers are adenocarcinomas, which arise in the stomach lining; gastric cardia adenocarcinoma and non-cardia adenocarcinoma are the two forms.)

However, because alcohol is not associated with either cancer, changes in drinking habits cannot explain these increases, Steevens and her colleagues point out. Nor can smoking, since rates of the habit have not been rising in Western countries.

"Therefore," the researchers write, "we suggest that further research should focus on other risk factors for (esophageal) and gastric cancer subtypes, to search for explanations for these increases."

The findings are based on a long-term study of 120,852 Dutch adults who were between the ages of 55 and 70 at the outset, in 1986. At that time, participants completed detailed questionnaires on their diets and other lifestyle habits.

Over the next 16 years, 491 people developed non-cardia adenocarcinoma of the stomach, and 164 were diagnosed with a cardia adenocarcinoma. Another 107 developed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, while 145 developed esophageal adenocarcinoma.

People who, at the study's start, said they currently smoked had higher risks of all four cancers than those who had never smoked.

Former smokers also had elevated risks, though they were lower than current smokers' -- around 40 percent for each cancer, versus people who had never smoked.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was the only cancer for which smoking and drinking were both risk factors. What's more, the two habits showed additive effects; current smokers who drank more than the equivalent of a glass or two of wine per day were eight times more likely to develop the cancer than non-smokers who drank little to no alcohol.

There was no such "synergistic" effect seen for the other three cancers, according to the researchers.

Other known or suspected risk factors for stomach cancer include family history of the disease, diets high in salted, smoked or pickled foods, and infection with the ulcer-causing bacterium H. pylori (though most people with this common infection never develop the cancer).

For esophageal cancer, other risk factors include obesity and chronic acid reflux. Men have higher rates of both stomach and esophageal cancers than women do.

SOURCE: Gut, January 2010.

Cancer Patients with Dense Breasts Face Greater Risk of Disease Recurrence

2010-01-02T21:29:00.000-08:00

Women who have dense breasts, and undergo lumpectomies for the treatment of breast cancer, are at a greater risk of a recurrence of the disease. In fact, breast cancer patients with more dense breasts are four times as likely to have their cancer return than women with less dense breasts.

The new information comes from research performed by Steven A. Narod, M.D., of the Women's College Hospital in Toronto, and colleagues. According to Dr Narod, “The composition of the breast tissue surrounding the breast cancer is important in predicting whether or not a breast cancer will return after surgery.” The study report can be found in the journal Cancer.

The researchers analyzed data on 335 breast cancer patients having an average age of 63.5 years, who had undergone lumpectomies for the removal of cancerous tumors from their breasts. Findings revealed that for women having more dense breasts, the risk of the cancer recurring over 10 years was more than four times higher at 21 percent than the 5 percent average. In addition, women who did not receive radiation as part of their initial treatment faced an even higher risk (40 percent) of a tumor recurrence that puts them at an 8 times greater likelihood of developing the disease again.

With the use of mammography, about one in three of the women in the study were found to have large amounts of dense tissue in their breasts. Breast density was discovered to be higher among the younger women in the study, and these women were less likely to be postmenopausal than the others. Of the total number of women in the study, 99 had low-density breasts with dense tissue in less than 25 percent of the breast, 107 had intermediate density in 25 percent to 50 percent of the breast, while 129 women had high-density breasts with more than 50 percent density.

Although it is not known why the density of a woman’s breast has an impact on the risk of developing cancer, it is known that high breast density can reduce the sensitivity of a mammogram by causing a masking effect. In addition, it is the belief of the researchers that the hormonal profile of denser breast tissue makes it more susceptible to cancer. Although Dr Narod noted that breast density has been found to be modifiable to some extent by physical activity and hormone therapy, the researchers cautioned that it is not clear whether these measures would impact the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Due to this significant increase in risk for cancer recurrence, the researchers maintain that women having more dense breasts should undergo additional treatment after surgery to decrease the chances of the cancer returning. On the other hand, since radiation therapy appeared to eliminate the increased risk for cancer recurrence, they also acknowledged that the findings are an indication that women with low-density breasts may be able to safely avoid radiation. However, they also cautioned that because the study was small, further research will be necessary determine if this is the case.

According to The American Cancer Society an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2009, and of these 40,170 lives will be lost. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is also the second leading cause of cancer death among women, after lung cancer. About 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer at some time during life, and about 1 in 35 will lose the battle against the disease.

Early Detection of Recurring Breast Cancer Key to Survival

2010-01-02T21:28:00.000-08:00

One of the most common fears people have after cancer treatment is, “What if it comes back?” This is a valid concern since women who have been treated for cancer in one breast have triple the normal risk of developing a second primary cancer in the opposite breast. This risk is even higher for those who have a strong family history or a mutation in one of the BRCA genes, and reaches beyond breast cancer to include an increased risk of certain other cancers as well, especially ovarian cancer. Fortunately, there are steps that can reduce the risk of recurrence. The most important is to get regular medical care after treatment. The tests and examinations done at these follow-up visits are extremely important in helping detect cancer that has returned to the same breast, as well as cancer in the opposite breast. In fact, early detection of second breast cancers can reduce the risk of death by nearly half, according to a new international study.

For the study, published online in the Annals of Oncology, researchers analyzed information on 1,044 women who were seen at a medical center in Florence, Italy from 1980 to 2005 and who developed a second breast cancer. In 699 of the women, the second cancer was diagnosed in the asymptomatic state, while the remaining 345 women had already started to experience symptoms. A mortality registry was used to calculate the impact of cancer diagnosis timing on rates of survival.

Based on the data, the study authors concluded that the chances of survival improved between 27 and 47 percent when the second breast cancer was detected in the asymptomatic stage rather than at a later stage when symptoms were already apparent. Asymptomatic tumors were smaller than symptomatic ones, and early-stage tumors were more common in asymptomatic women (58 percent) than in symptomatic women (23 percent). Fewer women with asymptomatic cancer in the opposite breast (contralateral) than symptomatic cancer had node metastases, an indication the cancer may have spread.

In addition, mammography was found to be more sensitive than clinical examination for detecting second breast cancers—86 percent compared to 57 percent. Nonetheless, a significant number (13.8 percent) of the cancers were detected only by clinical examination. “Our study provides new evidence on several aspects of early detection of second breast cancers,” lead author Dr. Nehmat Houssami, a breast physician in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney, Australia, said in a news release.

Previous studies have explored this topic, but each had certain methodological limitations, the study indicates. “We set out to estimate the effect of early, asymptomatic detection while adjusting for the two main biases known to be associated with non-randomized studies of the impact of early detection—lead time and length bias—so we believe that the estimates we report are more valid than previously reported estimates, while acknowledging the limitation that the evidence is not from a randomized, controlled trial,” Houssami said. “In addition, we have estimated this for early detection of either ipsilateral (same breast) or contralateral (opposite breast) cancer, while other studies have focused on one or the other, so our estimates may be more useful for clinicians discussing this aspect of breast cancer follow-up with their patient.”

“Intuitively, it makes sense to consider that early detection of second breast cancers will improve prognosis, since breast cancer survivors have a long-term risk of developing further disease or relapse in either breast,” Houssami concluded. “I think this work provides a timely reminder of the potential benefit of early detection of second breast cancers and supports ongoing surveillance in this group of women.”

Approximately 2.5 million women in the U.S. have been treated for breast cancer. And though annual mammograms are strongly recommended for these women, a report issued in April of 2006 showed that as many as two-third of survivors were not getting them. Screening rates in the study were high early on, with four out of five getting a mammogram in the first year after treatment. However, that rate declined over time and by year five, only a third of the women had gotten an annual mammogram every year since their cancer treatment ended. Women who saw their primary care physician or gynecologist regularly were more likely to get screened than women who did not.

The report noted that too many survivors are “lost in transition” once treatment ends and said more attention needs to be paid to follow-up care in the transition from cancer patient to cancer survivor. It also called for every cancer survivor to receive a comprehensive care summary and follow-up plan in writing that would include a specific schedule for future cancer screenings.

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death among women in most of the Western world and the leading cause of death for women under 50. The disease strikes more than 211,000 American women each year and kills 46,000.

Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations Under Review

2010-01-02T21:26:00.000-08:00

The world of cancer screening was upended in mid-November when changes in screening recommendations for two common types of cancer, breast and cervical, were announced within a week of each other. Not only did the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) advise that women wait until age 50 to begin mammography screening, but the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued revised guidelines for cervical cancer screening, recommending that women wait until they reach the age of 21 to have their first Pap Test. Both groups also recommended less frequent screening, except for higher risk cases. And though the new USPSTF guidelines are based on an in-depth analysis of data that suggests the harms of testing earlier and more frequently outweigh the benefits, they have sparked a great deal of controversy and drawn criticism from some advocacy groups and specialists organizations—some going so far as to say that the new recommendations were politically motivated.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is one organization that has disagreed with the new USPSTF breast cancer screening recommendations. “Our definition of cancer was given to us by German pathologists in the 1840s after they looked at biopsies from autopsy specimens. Now, 170 years later, we’ve progressed in terms of imaging, in terms of medical diagnostics into what I call the genetic and molecular biologic age, but our ability to define cancer has not progressed beyond the light microscope,” explained Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the ACS. “What we need to be able to do eventually is say that ‘this cancer is never going to progress,’ it is not going to spread and invade other organs in the body. But right now we don’t have the molecular tools to predict their behavior.” Brawley concluded: “Our view is that breast cancer screening saves lives and women aged 40 and above should get a high quality mammogram and clinical breast exam on an annual basis.”

And on December 2, the USPSTF’s top officials, including Dr. Ned Calonge, were summoned before a Congressional committee. Calonge, chairman of the USPSTF and chief medical officer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and associate professor of family medicine and of preventive medicine and biometrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, defended the task force and its revised recommendations but acknowledged that portions of the mammography recommendations, specifically those pertaining to women aged 40-49, were poorly phrased and “did not say what the task force meant to say.” Calonge then clarified the USPSTF’s stance. “Screening starting at age 40 should not be automatic, nor should it be denied,” he said in his testimony. “What we are saying is that the decision to have a mammogram for women in their 40s should be based on a discussion between a women and her doctor. Many doctors and many women, perhaps even most women, will decide to have mammography screening starting at age 40. The task force supports those decisions.” Calonge said the task force is committed to changing the way it communicates to ensure that “this kind of miscommunication does not occur in the future.”

Calonge also said the task force voted on the recommendations in June 2008—well before the presidential election and the national health reform debate that followed, adding that the release date of the recommendations was determined by the Annals of Internal Medicine’s publication schedule. “We are well familiar with the ruthless horror of cancer, and the role that detection and treatment plays,” he testified. “We certainly know that mammography saves lives. However, our job as the task force is to rigorously review scientific evidence. Politics play no part in our processes. Cost and cost-effectiveness were never considered in our discussions.”

“It’s unfortunate that things like this become so politicized, that science can’t just be science,” said Judy Ockene, a disease prevention specialist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and a member of the USPSTF who helped draft the new breast cancer screening recommendations. “I found it personally frustrating to see so much of a response and people being maligned and it being said that they’re doing this for their own self-interest. There’s not one member of that task force that gets any money out of it.” Ockene’s term on the task force ended a year ago.

However, not everyone has been critical of the task force. “I think it’s a coincidence that this (the mammogram recommendation) came out when it did, right in the middle of the healthcare reform discussion,” said Dr. Robert J. Barnet, senior scholar in residence at the Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. “It’s a good panel, one that was dedicated to getting the right answer to what should be done about this.”

Soy Products May Actually Lower Breast Cancer Patients Risk of Death

2009-12-16T02:52:00.000-08:00

There has been conflicting evidence as to whether soy foods increase breast cancer risks or reduce the chances of breast cancer. With soy products of all kinds gaining in popularity, women are concerned about consumption when they are at risk of or have experienced breast cancer. Now, there is new evidence indicating soy foods may actually benefit women that eat moderate amounts by reducing their risk of breast cancer recurrence and lower their risk of death.

Because soy contains isoflavone, an estrogen-like compound which in labs seemed to help cancer cells to grow and increase tumor growth in animals, many breast cancer patients have worried that by eating soy products they may be increasing their odds of recurrence or death. However, based on a new study published in the December 9^th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, there seems to be no reason for breast cancer patients to avoid soy foods.

The lead author of the newly released study, Dr. Xiao Ou Shu, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University, and her colleagues used data from the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study that consisted of 5,042 Chinese women ranging in age from 20 to 75 that had been diagnosed with breast cancer between March 2002 and April 2006, for their study. The group examined data on cancer progression at six months following a breast cancer diagnosis, and again at 18, 36, and 60 months following the diagnosis. The group considered the cancer diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle factors of the patients, including their diets.

Dr. Shu said, “There was a linear response, and we found the higher the intake, the lower the mortality, up to 11 grams of soy protein.” One-fourth of a cup of tofu daily would grant someone 11grams of soy protein, according to Dr. Shu. The study found the group of women with the highest intake of soy products had a 29 percent lower risk of death, and a 32 percent less chance of suffering a recurrence of breast cancer, when compared to the group of ladies that consumed less than 5.3 grams of soy daily during the study.

Dr. Shu said, “Some doctors have advised women not to eat soy foods…. But another school of physicians think it’s safe. So it has been controversial. Our findings are important because, nowadays, it’s very difficult to avoid soy exposure. Soy flour and soy protein has been added to many foods in this country. Women may consume it and not even know it.”

Dr. Shu and her colleagues didn’t notice any adverse effects caused from soy consumption in women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, a form of cancer where tumors grow faster when exposed to estrogen or in those cancer patients with estrogen receptor-negative, a type of breast cancer thought to not be affected by estrogen. The study also found no difference in women who were taking Tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer patients, or breast cancer patients not taking the drug. However, it seems based on Dr. Shu’s study patients taking Tamoxifen and consuming lower to moderate amounts of soy products benefited from a lower risk of death. But women who consumed the most soy products and were not taking Tamoxifen, had the highest rates of survival and lowest chances of recurrence, compared to those taking the drug and eating less soy.

While the new research brings more insight into the link between soy products and breast cancer survival and recurrence rates, there is still a lot of research needed. This study was based on soy consumption in Chinese women which differs from the consumption in women in the U.S. While this study gives us a little reassurance as far as soy products being safe if consumed by a breast cancer patient, the author states, “we cannot conclude from this study that there are no negative effects” of soy. Dr. Shu cautions that her study was considering soy as a whole food and not its components and there could be some components of soy that are not good for everyone. However, she said overall they are seeing women who eat more amounts of soy are helping in their fight against breast cancer recurrence and death.

Bone Drugs May Lower Risk for Breast Cancer

2009-12-16T02:50:00.000-08:00

Health department plans more H1N1 clinics in Pueblo

2009-12-16T02:49:00.001-08:00

Pueblo County could see more mass vaccination clinics after the new year begins, but for now the health department is moving vaccines through other channels to reach people who did not attend the large clinics.

Dr. Christine Nevin-Woods, executive director of the Pueblo City-County Health Department, said that 13,706 doses of H1N1 flu vaccine were given at nine clinics held at schools and the Colorado State Fairgrounds, and at the health department in sessions for health care workers.

Another 18,000 doses were sent out to hospitals and other health care providers. She said that about 2,000 doses were left over from Saturday’s open clinic at Centennial High School and 7,200 more are expected to arrive this week.

Nevin-Woods said as many as 700 doses will go to the Pueblo Community Health

Center, which she said can deliver them very efficiently to low-income clients. Other batches will go to pharmacies and doctors' offices in an effort to reach

seniors who did not attend the department’s mass clinics.

The health department also will give second doses to children 9 years old and younger. To get those, parents should call the health department to schedule an appointment.

When vaccines first were distributed, it was difficult for doctors to get them but Nevin-Woods said that situation has changed and she’s encouraging doctors to call the health department to obtain them.

She said that doctors and pharmacies could provide vaccines for many people who haven’t gotten them yet and that she and her staff are having talks this week to decide if the county needs any more mass clinics.

“We may have a mechanism in house for people who can’t afford the administration fee,” she said, referring to the $18 maximum charge that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allows doctors and pharmacies to assess for paperwork costs. The health department does not charge a fee at its clinics and she said that some doctors are waiving the fee.

Jody Carrillo, director of disease prevention and emergency preparedness for the health department, is contacting pharmacies to find out which are offering vaccinations and to what age groups. She said she should have a list today.

Meanwhile, the H1N1 flu seems to have slowed its spread. Nevin-Woods said that there has been a significant decline in new cases of H1N1 but that opinions are split on whether the virus has peaked permanently or will stage a resurgence in 2010.

State health officials said Tuesday that people should not forget to get their seasonal flu shots.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued a reminder that seniors 65 and older and caregivers of that age group are at high risk for seasonal influenza, not H1N1, and should receive a seasonal vaccination.

State health officials have heard from concerned seniors that they feel overlooked this year in not being considered a priority group for receiving the H1N1 vaccine.

But Margaret Huffman, CDPHE Immunization Outreach and Clinical Services Program manager, said, “Seniors 65 and older are not at high risk for H1N1 influenza because of previous exposure to a similar virus. However, this does not mean they can’t get H1N1 and are encouraged to also receive their H1N1 vaccination.

“Seniors’ priority should be on getting their seasonal flu vaccine as they are and always have been considered high risk for seasonal influenza.” Every year, more than 36,000 persons die from flu in the United States and the majority of those deaths are among seniors.

In just 5 years tobacco caused 2.4 million cases of cancer in the U.S. (Yahoo News-8/09/2008)

2009-11-14T22:44:00.002-08:00

The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S. reveals some shocking figures. The CDC report says in the five year period between 1999 to 2004, tobacco was responsible for 2.4 million cases of cancer in the U.S. Top of the table were as might be expected, lung and bronchial cancer which accounted for almost half the cases, but the CDC says cancers of the larynx, mouth and pharynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, cervix, as well as acute myelogenous leukemia, were also found to be caused by tobacco. The CDC says the data in the report provides additional, strong evidence of the serious harm associated with tobacco use. Dr. Sherri Stewart of the CDC's Cancer Prevention and Control Division, who led the study, and her colleagues examined cancer surveys and registries covering 92 percent of the U.S. population. The study revealed Kentucky had the highest rates of lung cancer among men and women, while western states with low rates of smoking also had low rates of cancer; tobacco-related cancers were more common among blacks, non-Hispanic whites and men, reflecting the groups that use tobacco more. The CDC says tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States and the most prominent cause of cancer. Dr. Matthew McKenna, from the CDC says tobacco use causes a third of the cancers in America, kills 438,000 people prematurely every year, including 38,000 people who breathe secondhand smoke.

The CDC says tobacco use causes more deaths each year than alcohol use, car crashes, suicide HIV/AIDS, homicide, and illegal drug use combined and accounts for $167 billion annually in health care expenditures and productivity losses. For the report the CDC researchers analyzed data from the National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology and Results Program. The study is the first by the CDC reporting on all tobacco-related cancers for more than 90 percent of the population.

Cancer Research UK launches campaign to protect children from tobacco (Yahoo News-15/09/2008)

2009-11-14T22:44:00.001-08:00

Through 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind', the charity is aiming to protect the next generation from this deadly addiction and is calling on people across the UK to sign up to a petition to support its aims. Research shows that the younger people start to smoke, the harder they find it to quit and to stay quit for good, a worrying statistic as over 80 per cent of smokers start before the age of 19.
The focus of the new campaign is on protecting children from cigarette advertising that makes smoking look glamorous and attractive. Despite the ban on cigarette advertising and marketing, children continue to be exposed to cigarette advertising on a daily basis because of loopholes in the ban. The charity wants the Government to close the existing loopholes and protect children by preventing tobacco being displayed in shops at the point of sale, prohibiting the sale of cigarettes from vending machines and making plain packaging for tobacco products compulsory. Jean King, Cancer Research UK's director of tobacco control, said: "It's a shocking fact that half of all long-term smokers will die from smoking. What's even more frightening is that the majority of smokers could be putting themselves in this fatal situation at an age when they are easily influenced. "We have launched this campaign to help protect all children from the dangers of tobacco. We know that many underage smokers buy cigarettes from vending machines. We also know that attractive branding makes cigarettes more appealing to young people and dilutes the impact of health warnings. We want to keep cigarettes out of sight and out of mind to help prevent young people from taking up smoking in the first place."

CERVICAL CANCER AND OTHER HPV-RELATED STUDIES

2009-11-06T06:23:00.000-08:00

Portland Kaiser Cohort Study of HPV and Cervical Neoplasia
The Portland Kaiser Permanente cohort study of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical neoplasia was established in 1989-1990 by enrolling almost 24,000 women obtaining routine Pap smear screening at any one of seven Portland Kaiser-Permanente screening clinics. The enrollment phase yielded a prevalent case-control comparison which demonstrated that HPV was the primary risk factor for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia explaining other traditional risk factors, an "atypia" study which showed HPV testing could be used to clarify borderline smears, and a study of determinants of HPV DNA in controls and several ancillary studies on the women with atypia. In the prospective years of the project, we have focused on 3 sub-cohorts: the incidence , recurrence, and progression cohorts. An incident case-control study based on the first five years of follow-up has been published. The full cohort based on up to 10 years of follow-up is underway.
The Guanacaste Study of HPV Natural History

Guanacaste Province is an area in Costa Rica with a very high incidence rate of cervical cancer. This prospective cohort study of HPV infection and cervical neoplasia is based on the recruitment and ongoing 7-year follow-up of a random sample of approximately 10,000 women 18+ years of age, residing in Guanacaste. The study is the companion to the prospective study of HPV and cervical neoplasia in Portland, which is a very low-risk, well-screened, mainly white middle-class U.S. population. Enrollment in 1993-1994 included a personal interview, cervical cytologic smears, Cervicography, cervical swabs for HPV, and a blood specimen. Participation was about 93% and all women with any screening abnormality were referred for colposcopy and biopsy. The prevalent phase of the study permitted several studies of HPV infection, cytology, Cervicography, and the whole spectrum of cervical neoplasia. The epidemiologic risk factors for each stage of neoplasia were identified, controlling for the central role of type-specific HPV infection. Follow-up of the cohort at six month to yearly intervals depending on disease status is now underway, to examine the origins of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
Vaccine Trial

A large randomized trial is planned in Costa Rica to evaluate the efficacy of two virus-like particle (VLP)-based prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines developed at NCI. Volunteers in the trial will be screened for cervical disease at entry and will receive three VLP or three placebo vaccinations over the course of six months. Participants will be actively followed for a period of four years and information will be collected on side effects of the vaccine (safety), immune induction by the vaccine (immunogenicity), and the occurrence of cervical disease (efficacy).
ASCUS/LSIL Triage Study (ALTS)

This project is a study of the clinical management of low-grade cervical cytologic abnormalities. The major hypothesis to be tested is whether HPV testing can reliably triage the common cytologic diagnoses of ASCUS (Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance) and LSIL (Low-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesions), which represent the bulk of cervical abnormalities seen on Pap smears. Currently, the most aggressive standard of care is immediate colposcopy and biopsy of all suspected lesions. This type of aggressive management is expensive with some associated morbidity, and probably represents over-treatment, since evidence indicates that most cases of ASCUS and LSIL eventually regress. This clinical trial of management alternatives consists of three arms: immediate colposcopic referral of all patients; triage using HPV testing as an adjunct to cytology; and conservative management with repeat Pap smears. All participants are being followed every 6 months for two years. Over 5,000 women were randomized during enrollment that ended in December, 1998.
ALTS Immunology

The ALTS Immunology Study is a prospective study designed to identify biomarkers associated with a permissive versus protective immune response to low-grade cervical lesions. Approximately 900 women with low-grade cervical disease have been enrolled in this study and are being followed at 6 month intervals for two years. Cellular and humoral immunological responses at entry will be correlated with progression, persistence or regression of low-grade lesions during follow-up. Immunological parameters are also being measured over time in a subgroup of approximately 300 women in our study. Both systemic and local responses are being examined.
Cervical Adenocarcinoma Case-Control Study

A multi-center case-control study of cervical adenocarcinomas and other rare histological forms of cervical cancer was conducted to examine the role of viral and non-viral exogenous and endogenous factors associated with cervical adenocarcinomas and adenosquamous carcinomas. Incident and histologically confirmed cases of in situ and invasive cervical tumors of glandular histology were ascertained. Two control groups were also selected for study. The first comprised a sample of women with squamous cell cervical cancer and the second comprised population controls selected by a modified random digit dialing method. A total of 595 women agreed to participate in the study. Participants responded to a detailed risk factor questionnaire and had blood and cervical specimens collected for HPV testing and other bioassays of interest.

HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS (HPV):

2009-11-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

A virus that is the cause of warts of the hands and feet, as well as lesions of the mucous membranes of the oral, anal and genital cavities. More than 50 types of HPV have been identified, some of which are associated with cancerous and precancerous conditions. The virus can be transmitted through sexual contact and is a precursor to cancer of the cervix. There is no specific cure for an HPV infection, but the virus often can be controlled by podophyllin (medicine derived from the roots of the plant Podophyllum peltatum) or interferon, and the warts can be removed by cryosurgery, laser treatment or conventional surgery. Some scientitsts believe HPV can "clear" out of the body.
CDC Report to Congress, Prevention of HPV and cervical cancer, July 2004

Dear Colleagues:

Genital HPV infections are estimated to be the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States (U.S.), with roughly 5.5 million persons becoming newly infected each year. Although the majority of infections cause no symptoms, are self-limited, and go away on their own without clinical consequences, genital HPV is of public health concern because persistent infection with certain high-risk types can cause cervical cancer in women. Fortunately, cervical cancer is an uncommon consequence of HPV, especially if women are screened for cancer regularly with Papanicolaou (Pap) tests and followed up with appropriate treatment, and in the past 40 years, widespread cervical cancer screening using the Pap test and treatment of precancerous cervical abnormalities have resulted in a dramatic decrease in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in the U.S. However, in spite of the success of prevention programs, cervical cancer remains an important health issue for women in the U.S., with an estimated 12,200 new cases and 4,100 deaths from cervical cancer occurring each year.

To describe the current state of the science on the prevention of genital HPV infections and its associated diseases of genital warts and cervical cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently prepared a Report to Congress. The report, entitled the Prevention of Genital Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection, describes key aspects of the epidemiology of genital HPV infection and its transmission and reviews strategies for the prevention of genital HPV and its associated diseases. Based on this critical review, the report recommends individual and public health strategies to prevent genital HPV infection and the important complication of cervical cancer.
The National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP) is pleased to share the enclosed report with you and your constituents. Key recommendations from the report are as follows:

Priorities for Public Health Agencies
Promote increased cervical cancer screening of never- and rarely screened women and appropriate follow-up for those with abnormal Pap tests.
Work with public and private partners to increase awareness among health care providers and the general public about prevention of genital HPV infection and cervical cancer.
Collaborate with private industry to promote and accelerate the development of a safe and effective HPV vaccine.
Continue epidemiologic, laboratory, and behavioral research on genital HPV infection, including studies of the prevalence of HPV in the United States,
Research on the attitudes and concerns of women diagnosed with HPV infection (e.g., concerns about cancer or about transmission), and surveys of provider knowledge and practices regarding HPV.
Individual Strategies for Preventing Genital HPV Infection and Cervical Cancer
Regular cervical cancer screening for all sexually active women and treatment of precancerous lesions remain the key strategy to prevent cervical cancer.
The surest way to eliminate the risk for future genital HPV infections is to refrain from any genital contact with another individual. For those who choose to be sexually active, a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner is the strategy most likely to prevent genital HPV infections. However, it is difficult to determine whether a partner who has been sexually active is currently infected. For those choosing to be sexually active and who are not in long-term mutually monogamous relationships, reducing the number of sex partners and choosing a partner less likely to be infected may reduce the risk of genital HPV infection. Partners less likely to be infected include those who have had no or few sex partners.
While available scientific evidence suggests that the effect of condoms in preventing HPV infection is unknown, condom use has been associated with lower rates of the HPV-associated diseases of genital warts and cervical cancer. The available scientific evidence is not sufficient to recommend condoms as a primary prevention strategy for the prevention of genital HPV infection. There is evidence that indicates that the use of condoms may reduce the risk of cervical cancer.
In the future, receiving a safe and effective HPV vaccine to help prevent genital HPV infection, as well as the HPV-associated diseases of genital warts and cervical cancer, would be an important prevention measure. However, an effective HPV vaccine would not replace other prevention strategies.

Types of Cervical Cancer

2009-11-06T06:20:00.000-08:00

The cervix is the narrow opening into the uterus from the vagina. The normal “ectocervix” (the portion of the uterus extending into the vagina) is a healthy pink color and is covered with flat, thin cells called squamous cells. The “endocervix” or cervical canal is made up of another kind of cell called columnar cells. The area where these cells meet is called the “transformation zone” (T-zone) and is the most likely location for abnormal or precancerous cells to develop.

Most cervical cancers (80 to 90 percent) are squamous cell cancers. Adenocarcinoma is the second most common type of cervical cancer, accounting for the remaining 10 to 20 percent of cases. Adenocarcinoma develops from the glands that produce mucus in the endocervix. While less common than squamous cell carcinoma, the incidence of adenocarcinoma is on the rise, particularly in younger women.

Causes of Cervical Cancer

2009-11-06T06:19:00.000-08:00

Causes of Cervical Cancer

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is found in about 99% of cervical cancers. There are over 100 different types of HPV, the majority of which are considered Low Risk and do not cause cervical cancer. High Risk HPV types may cause cervical cell abnormalities or cancer. More than 70 percent of cervical cancer cases can be attributed to two types of the virus, HPV-16 and HPV-18, often referred to as High Risk HPV Types.

HPV is estimated to be the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. In fact, by age 50 approximately 80% of women have been infected with some type of HPV. The majority of women infected with the HPV virus do NOT develop cervical cancer. For most women the HPV infection is transient and 90% of infections resolve spontaneously within 2 years. A small proportion of women do not clear the HPV virus and are considered to have persistent infection. A woman with a persistent HPV infection is at greater risk of developing cervical cell abnormalities and cancer than a woman whose infection resolves on its own.

Signs and Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

2009-11-06T06:18:00.002-08:00

Signs and Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

Precancerous cervical cell changes and early cancers of the cervix generally do not cause symptoms. Abnormal or irregular vaginal bleeding, pain during sex, or vaginal discharge may be symptoms of more advanced disease.
Notify your healthcare provider if you experience:
Abnormal bleeding, such as,
Bleeding between regular menstrual periods
Bleeding after sexual intercourse
Bleeding after douching
Bleeding after a pelvic exam
Pelvic pain not related to your menstrual cycle
Heavy or unusual discharge that may be watery, thick, and possibly have a foul odor
Increased urinary frequency
Pain during urination

Detecting Cervical Cancer

2009-11-06T06:18:00.001-08:00

Detecting Cervical Cancer

The best way to determine if precancerous or cancerous cells are present is with a Pap test. The Pap test can determine if cell changes have taken place that may indicate precancerous or cancerous development. (See Pap Testing for more information). In addition to a Pap test, your doctor may recommend an HPV test. The HPV test does not indicate the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells. It determines whether or not a woman has an HPV infection with any of the 13 high-risk HPV types. The test cannot tell you whether your infection is new or if it is persistent. This information will assist you and your doctor to determine appropriate follow-up and intervals for cervical cancer screening. (See HPV Testing for more information).

Protecting Myself from Cervical Cancer

2009-11-06T06:17:00.000-08:00

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers today. If caught early, the 5-year survival rate is almost 100%. Regular Pap testing is the best method to protect against invasive cervical cancer. It is most important to remember that cervical cancer takes many years to develop. Regular Pap tests will help detect any precancerous or abnormal cells early enough so that cervical cancer can be prevented.
In addition to routine Pap testing, you may want to consider minimizing risk factors that could contribute to cervical cancer. Those factors include:
Multiple sexual partners
Multiple full-term pregnancies
Sexual intercourse at an early age
Chlamydia infection
Cigarette smoking
Use of oral contraceptives
Weakened immune system or HIV infection

Cancer Awareness Day on Nov 7

2009-11-06T06:10:00.000-08:00

The Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) at Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital will observe the
National Cancer Awareness Day on November 7.

Additional director, medical, Dr B Paul Thaliath said cancer refers to a group of diseases which share similar characteristics. Cancer can affect all living cells in the body, at all ages and in both genders. The causation is multi factorial and the disease process differs at different sites. Tobacco is the single most important identified risk factor for cancer, he said.

He said diagnostic work-up, treatment methods and outcome of treatment are not uniform for all cancers. "Advanced technology is required in many situations and ongoing research initiatives might lead to better understanding of the disease and its control,'' Dr Paul added.

The control of cancer requires the effective implementation of knowledge derived from more than two decades of successful research. It is now known that over one-third of cancers are preventable, and one-third potentially curable provided they are diagnosed early in their course, he added.

Further, the quality of life of patients with incurable disease can be improved with palliative care. "Financial and geographic constraints, and lack of manpower have contributed to the urban concentration of facilities. An unestimated number of cancers diagnosed in the population are not treated," said Dr Paul.

In majority cases, cancer is detected in the advanced stage and this adds to the already high morbidity, morality and expenditure. Treatment results are about 20% less than what is observed for similar conditions in more developed countries, mostly due to late diagnosis and inappropriate treatment, said Dr Paul. "Paediatric cancers are highly curable but this has not been achieved in India due to lack of access to quality care and lack of support systems,'' he added.

On the occasion of Cancer Awareness Day, RCC will organise a marathon race for schoolchildren which will be flagged off from the hospital campus by Maj Gen A K Sahni. A street play on cancer awareness will also be performed by the NCC cadets.

Later, a public awareness function will be held which will be presided by commissioner, Allahabad division, Uma Dhar Dwivedi. Maj Gen A Sahni will be the chief guest. Dr D C Doval, chief oncologist, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, New Delhi will deliver the key note address on "Journey of cancer from incurable to a chronic disease". Dr A K Diwan, oncosurgeon will speak on the recent development in cancer treatment.

What Are the Symptoms of H1N1 ?

2009-10-23T10:07:00.001-07:00

The symptoms of the H1N1 virus are very similar to the season flu. They include:

fever
coughing
fatigue
diarrhea and/or vomiting
runny nose
body aches/headaches
sore throat

If you begin to experience these flu symptoms, it is very important to call your doctor. Even better, you and your doctor should develop a course of action in the event you develop flu-like symptoms or are exposed to someone with the H1N1 virus. You probably already have a plan in action already if you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy to monitor for signs of illness and infection anyway, but it's important to know in what event your doctor wants you to go into the emergency room.

What Do I Need to Do to Reduce My Risk of the H1N1 Virus?

2009-10-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

There are several things you can to do to reduce your risk of being exposed to the H1N1 virus. It is important that other people who you live with or associate with on a daily basis follow these tips to help reduce your exposure. These are very simple tips that don't require much more effort than your oncologist probably already recommends.

Wash hands with soap and warm water frequently. Don't forget areas under wristwatches or rings.
If you soap and water are not available, use an alcohol based hand sanitizer. Soap and water is always the first choice, but if you can't wash your hands, at least use a hand sanitizer. These products are usually found in the liquid soap aisles of retailers. They come in small, travel sizes and also on keychains.
Cough or sneeze into your shoulder or arm and ask that those around you to do the same.
Avoid people who have flu-like symptoms. If you have come in contact with someone with the flu, alert your doctor. There is no need to panic, but your doctor may want to give provide preventive care, depending on your exposure and its risks.
Don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you have to do so, try to wash hands before and after.
Consider limiting your time with small children, if possible. Children may be contagious for longer periods of time than adults. They are also exposed more frequently to viruses because of the amount of people they are around every day, and because their personal hygiene standards generally aren't as strict. If you are a parent, teach your children how to properly wash his hands and cough into his shoulders or arms.

What People With Cancer Need to Know About the H1N1 Virus

2009-10-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

The novel 2009 H1N1 virus, also referred to as the "swine flu," is a major health concern for most people -- especially people with cancer. Many myths exist about the H1N1 virus, but one thing remains true: it can be serious and fatal in those with compromised immune systems. This includes people undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

You should also know that more common strains of seasonal flu can be equally serious in cancer patients who are undergoing these cancer treatments, so taking extra precautions during flu season is highly recommended.

igh school teams raise breast cancer awareness

2009-10-18T23:36:00.001-07:00

Seeing pink throughout October makes sisters Cara and Mary Kate Facchina feel fortunate.

More than most teenagers, the Mount de Sales tennis players understand the importance of the pink initiatives supported by many high school teams during breast cancer Awareness Month to raise money for the cause and emphasize the need for early detection.

Had it not been for early detection, their mother, Eileen Facchina, might not be coaching Cara and Mary Kate on the tennis court today.

Seven years ago, Eileen Facchina was diagnosed with breast cancer. Because her mother had died from the disease and her sister had had it, too, she was vigilant. Her cancer was caught early, when, she said, it was barely there. She had a double mastectomy and has been cancer-free since.

During October, many local teams participate in national breast cancer awareness initiatives such as the Side-Out Foundation's Dig Pink for volleyball and Longstreth's Play 4 The Cure for field hockey. Some also run the Komen Maryland Race for the Cure.

Others, including the Facchinas' Mount de Sales team, raise money by selling pink wristbands or pink shoelaces. The Sailors began selling pink shoelaces several years ago, donating the money to Mercy Hospital to help fund transportation for radiation patients.

Even though Cara, 17, and Mary Kate, 16, don't remember much about their mother's illness, they hope that hearing their family's story will make other girls aware of how the disease could affect them someday and how it could affect their mothers now.

"Seeing all the pink stuff around is just a constant reminder to them," Cara said. "Even when a parent asks, 'So, what did you do today with your team?' and they say, 'We talked about breast cancer,' that could trigger something in their mother's mind about getting her mammogram. Even just a little reminder. It doesn't have to be something big, just something like, 'We all wore pink today as a reminder about breast cancer.' "

Century's volleyball team hosted such a reminder with a Dig Pink event Thursday that featured a raffle of three pink volleyballs, each signed by a member of the USA Olympic women's volleyball team. McDonogh sold pink Gatorade and pink baked goods at its event last week.

Arundel and Park are among the field hockey teams competing in Play 4 The Cure. Arundel held its event Wednesday night when the Wildcats hosted South River, in part as a continuing effort to support Seahawks senior Brooke Griffin, whose mother, Jodi Griffin, died of breast cancer a year ago.

This year's Race for the Cure is Sunday in Hunt Valley, and the Friends, Mercy and Perry Hall field hockey teams as well as the John Carroll boys and girls soccer teams will be among those running.

Raising money is important to Eileen Facchina but not the most important thing.

"The main purpose of our campaign was not about money but about raising awareness," she said, "mainly to get the word out that you have to get it early and then you can move on."

Spreading the word about early detection through mammograms and breast self-examination is important to others who have been touched by breast cancer, including John Carroll badminton coach Tess Gauthier, a survivor, and Douglass athletic director Tina Queen, who watched the two women closest to her struggle with it, including her mother, who died at 57.

Gauthier was diagnosed in February 2008 and completed her final radiation treatment a year ago this week. Last fall, she coached field hockey every afternoon after undergoing radiation treatments each morning. She never hid her illness.

"I was so impressed by the majority of the kids that they would be able to engage you and ask, 'How are you doing?' I think that was an important thing. Not to just say, 'Hi Mrs. Gauthier,' but 'How are you feeling?'

"When I was young, all that scared me to death. Now, I think we have so many kids who are dealing with their parents with cancer, and I think if they can see you go through it, survive, handle a job, coach, that it takes a little bit of the fear away from it. It becomes a little bit more personal to them."

When Queen was in her first year at Coppin State, she was one of those scared kids. Her mother, Lena Lockett, died that year.

"I remember I was about to drop out and I met Miss Connie [Constance Blake-Parker]," Queen said. "She just befriended me and told me all the reasons why I needed to stay in school. She really saved me at that point. I call her my guardian angel. Maybe a year later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer."

Blake-Parker recovered. Her diagnosis came early while Queen's mother's cancer had spread too far by the time it was caught.

Although it happens rarely, breast cancer can strike teenagers. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths for women 15 to 39, according to National Cancer Institute statistics. In that age group, 26 percent of all cancers in women are breast cancer.

Queen said that while teenagers need to be informed for their own health, they also can be conduits to reach their mothers and grandmothers.

"My mother, she just did not know," Queen said, "and if I had been educated, I could have told her, 'Go to the doctor, get a mammogram, do breast self-examination.' What comes out of a child's mouth is powerful. To hear a 14-year-old child say, 'Make sure you have a mammogram,' is powerful."

For three years, Queen has walked the Race for the Cure with P.E. In Motion. Jessica Ivey, Baltimore City athletics and physical education specialist, came up with the name for the team of teachers, coaches and other physical educators. The group includes Queen; Ivey; Linda Holmes-Mitchell, the W.E.B. Du Bois athletic director; Dana Johnson, the Southside athletic director; and Gloria Greene, City's swimming coach.

"breast cancer affects all of us, and that doesn't necessarily mean we have it, but we know someone who has or had it," Ivey said. "I started running years ago when Mabel Wilson, who was the AD at Lake Clifton, died of breast cancer. She was my best friend. I would always run in her honor, and I've done it for years."

Staying True to Yourself

2009-10-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

In coping with cancer, what matters is what’s right for you. Some people take charge, learning all they can and playing an active role in their treatment decisions. Others draw back, avoiding the details, trusting in their cancer care team and focusing their energy inward.

“If you’ve never been outgoing,” Schnur says, “it may not make sense to join a support group. It’s important to have someplace where you can talk if you want to, but if you don’t want to talk about your cancer, that’s OK too.

"I’ve seen patients [become] upset when Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes around. They feel bombarded with messages [saying] that they should tell everyone about their cancer, but they’re more private and just don’t want to.”

Still, Greer suggests not ruling anything out: “Crisis is the best time to try new things. That’s when you’re most open to something new.”

Coping with a Cancer Diagnosis

2009-10-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

“There’s no 'right way' to cope with cancer,” says Julie Schnur, a licensed clinical psychologist and researcher at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. There are, though, important issues to consider.

Often when patients hear cancer, little else the doctor says really sticks. According to a 2003 study, information from physicians had "no effect" on stress levels of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

Cancer Varies Greatly

Some types of cancer -- for example, pancreatic cancer and the skin cancer melanoma -- are difficult to treat. Others (such as the more common skin cancers squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma) are highly treatable. Some cancers are aggressive; others (for example, most cases of prostate cancer) develop slowly and can be slowed even more with treatment.

Early detection of cancer is very important, because finding cancer at an early stage results in a better prognosis. The 10-year survival rate for women with breast cancer is approaching 100% — if the cancer is detected early.

Generally speaking, a newly diagnosed patient should not have to rush to make a treatment decision, unless the cancer is aggressive, or relatively large, and has spread beyond the original tumor site. It's important to take time to learn more about your diagnosis, process your emotions, and gather your support team.

Getting Information

Diagnosis typically unleashes a blizzard of information: treatments, medications, side effects, follow-up tests and appointments. The problem is keeping track of it all.

If you have questions, ask someone on your cancer care team (the doctors, nurses and other professionals involved in your care). You may also want to seek a second opinion.

To get the most from appointments:

Write down questions as they come to mind, and don’t forget to take them to your appointment.
Have someone join you to offer support and take notes.
If you don’t understand something, ask your doctor to explain it.

Managing Stress

A cancer diagnosis has emotional consequences. A 2004 study found that, after diagnosis, people with lung cancer showed deterioration in social and emotional functioning.

Some patients experience anxiety or depression. More than just feeling “worried” or “blue,” these conditions interfere with the tasks of daily life . They, however, can be treated with medications, therapy or both. There’s no reason to take on both cancer and depression or anxiety.

Physical activity, such as exercise or yoga, can also help maintain your equilibrium. And research suggests that moderate exercise after a breast cancer diagnosis (the equivalent of three to five hours walking per week) improves survival rates.

Many hospitals offer alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, to address some symptoms and side effects. Schnur says, though, “It’s important for patients to take the initiative. Usually, such therapies won’t be offered unless you express a particular interest.”

What You Need to Know About Stomach Cancer Symptoms:

2009-10-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

Stomach cancer often does not have symptoms in the early stages, or they can be vague and non-specific -- such as nausea or weight loss. Also, there is no single symptom that exactly pinpoints stomach cancer, therefore further evaluation and testing is required for a diagnosis.

Blood in the Stool:

Blood in the stool is a symptom of stomach cancer, you can't always actually see blood that may be in the stool. Tests like the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) detect blood in the stool.
Blood in the stool can also be related to other types of cancer, like colon cancer. It is also associated with less severe health problems, such as hemorrhoids and anal fissures.

Abdominal Pain and Discomfort:

Abdominal pain is one of the most common stomach cancer symptoms and is usually what prompts people to seek medical attention. Abdominal pain can range from persistent mild discomfort to severe pain. Pain and discomfort generally occurs in the upper abdomen area. Persistent abdominal pain, regardless of where it occurs, needs to be evaluated by your doctor.

Peristent Nausea and/or Vomiting:

Nausea and vomiting are very non-specific symptoms that can be common among people with stomach cancer. Persistent nausea and/or vomiting needs to be checked by your doctor. It can indicate a serious health problem, and can cause damage to the lining of the esophagus. If you are vomiting blood, it is important to see your doctor right away.

Loss of Appetite:

Not feeling like eating for a day or two can be normal, but anything longer should be really be reported to your doctor. Again, loss of appetite is a very vague symptom and is related to many health conditions.

Abdominal Bloating:

Abdominal bloating is also a common symptom of stomach cancer, especially after meals. Indigestion and heartburn are also symptoms related to stomach cancer.

Changes in Bowel Habits:

Changes in bowels habits related to stomach cancer include constipation and/or diarrhea.

Feeling Excessively Tired:

Fatigue that last more than a few days can indicate a medical problem. In relation to stomach cancer, fatigue is often related to anemia, because of blood loss in the stool or from vomiting.

Losing Weight Without Trying:

Most of us would welcome weight loss without dieting, but it really is a health concern that needs to be brought to your doctor's attention. If you have lost about 5 percent of your normal body weight in the course of six months or less, and haven't been dieting or exercising, call your doctor. Unintentional weight loss can be the result of many conditions, cancer included.

How often should women get a mammogram ?

2009-10-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

A screening mammogram is an x-ray of the breast used to detect breast changes in women who have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer. Two X-rays are taken of each breast. It is possible for a mammogram to detect tumors that cannot be felt, calcifications that can indicate breast cancer.

Answer: Mammograms should be part of every woman's preventaitve healthcare. No if's, and's, or but's about it. However many women don't know at what to get a mammogram or how often to get one.

According ot the National Cancer Institute, women in their 40s and older should have mammograms every 1 to 2 years.

Women with an elevated risk of breast cancer need to talk to thier doctor about how often and when to get a mammogram. Increased risk can be because of personal and family history of breast cancer, genetic mutations, and other factors.

Top 4 Tips for a Less Painful Mammogram

2009-10-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

Let's face it - mammograms are uncomfortable. For many women, though, they can be quite painful. This is especially true of women with large breasts. In fact, some women experience mammograms that hurt so much, it deters them from getting another one. Mammograms don't have to be painful. Follow these simple tips for a less painful

Schedule your mammogram 10 days after you start your period.About 10 days after your period begins is the ideal time to have a mammogram done. The breasts are usually less tender, reducing the amount of pain you may experience during the screening.
Take an over the counter pain reliever prior to the mammogram.About an hour before your mammogram, take an over the counter pain reliever. It really can help with the pain. Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any medications.
Avoid caffeine before your mammogram.Switch over to the decaf coffee and soft drinks about a week before your next mammogram. Caffeine can make the breasts more tender.
If you feel pain, talk to the technician performing the mammogram.Pain can be minimized by something as simple as repositioning the breast. Don't feel shy about talking about your pain.

What is Breast Cancer?

2009-10-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

Definition, Types of Breast Cancer, Common Symptoms

Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) growth that begins in the tissues of the breast. Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but it can also appear in men. In the U.S., it affects one in eight women.

The most common types of breast cancer are:

ductal carcinoma (85 - 90% of all cases)
lobular carcinoma (8% of all cases)

Invasive (Infiltrating) Breast Cancer
Invasive, or infiltrating, breast cancer has the potential to spread out of the original tumor site and invade other parts of your breast and body. There are several types and subtypes of invasive breast cancer.

Less common are:

inflammatory breast cancer (occurs in the skin)
Paget's disease of the nipple

Symptoms of Breast Cancer:

a lump or a thickening in the breast or in the armpit
a change of size or shape of the mature breast
fluid (not milk) leaking from the nipple
a change of size or shape of the nipple
a change of color or texture of the nipple or the areola, or of the skin of the breast itself (dimples, puckers, rash)
Read more details about symptoms of breast cancer

If You Have Breast Pain

Early stages of breast cancer may not cause any pain or discomfort. Having a regular mammogram and a clinical breast exam by your health professional can help you understand changes in your breasts. Doing your breast self-exam can help you keep track of regular monthly changes.

Remember, many lumps and rashes are benign (not cancerous) and can respond well to proper treatment. If you experience any symptoms that cause you concern, see your doctor.

Treatments for breast cancer, as well as survival rates, are improving. Early detection and medical help is critical to improving the chances of living beyond a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2009-10-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) is a great time to educate and empower yourself for the best breast health. Every October, pink ribbons appear all around – from cans of soup in the grocery store to stylish bracelets and lapel pins. But how does all that pink relate to breast health and breast cancer? The pink ribbons remind of our risks, responsibilities, and raising breast cancer awareness.

Anyone with breast tissue – men and women – is at risk for developing breast cancer. But only one percent of men and one in eight women will develop breast cancer. Knowing your risks – and what you can do to reduce your risks – is a great way to raise your personal breast cancer awareness.

Symptoms of Anal Cancer

2009-09-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Symptoms of Anal Cancer

The symptoms of anal cancer are not unique and are also symptoms of other conditions, such as hemorrhoids. Although anal cancer is relatively simple to diagnose, this can cause a delay in diagnosis for those with anal cancer.

Symptoms of anal cancer include:

lumps or bumps located near the anus
anal bleeding or bleeding during bowel movements
anal discharge
pain in or around the anus
itchy sensation around or inside the anus
change in bowel habits, such as constipation, diarrhea and the thinning of the stools

What to Do If You Have Anal Cancer Symptoms

If you are experiencing the symptoms of anal cancer, please see your doctor. It is common for some to delay going to the doctor, because they feel embarrassed by anal symptoms or are fearful of being examined in such a private place. Please don't let these emotions prevent you from being examined by a doctor. Fortunately, anal cancer can be detected early on if the patient seeks medical care at the onset of symptoms.

What to Do If You Have the Symptoms of Eye Cancer

2009-09-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

Report any changes to your physician who may refer you to a specialized eye doctor called an ophthalmologist. Adult eye cancers are fairly simple to diagnose under a trained physician.

If you suspect your child may have the symptoms of retinoblastoma, please see your pediatrician as soon as possible. Early detection is key with retinoblastoma as it can be an aggressive type or childhood cancer.

Symptoms of Eye Cancer

2009-09-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

Symptoms of eye cancer vary based on the type of cancer. Symptoms of adult eye cancer cancer be very different from the cancer that affects the eyes of children. In adults, symptom can include:

blurred vision in one eye
floaters (small "floating" spots in vision field)
change in iris color or dark spot on iris
red and/or painful eye
bulging eye
loss of peripheral vision

In the early stages of most eye cancers that affect adults, there usually are no symptoms a person would notice on his own. Early symptoms are often discovered by a optometrist during a routine eye exam.

Symptoms of Eye Cancer in Children

The most common eye cancer in children is retinoblastoma, a disease that affects 300 children in the U.S. each year. It is usually diagnosed in children 2 and under, but can strike in other ages -- just less commonly.

Symptoms of restinoblastoma include:

a white pupil (leukocoria)
misaligned eyes, or "cross eyes" (strabismus)
eye pain due to development of glaucoma, less commonly
different colored pupil in each eye

Many parents find a white spot or a bright white pupil in photographs of their children. One eye may react normally to the flash, creating a "red eye," while the other might show a bright white pupil. Other variations including a "cats eye" appearance may also be seen. Do not purposely shine a flashlight or other source of light directly into your child's eye to further investigate any eye cancer symptoms. The lights that doctors use are specifically engineered to safely examine the eye -- flashlights are not.

Definition of colon cancer

2009-09-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

Definition of colon cancer :- that forms in the tissues of the colon (the longest part of the large intestine). Most colon cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids).

Definition of rectal cancer: Cancer that forms in the tissues of the rectum (the last several inches of the large intestine closest to the anus).

Estimated new cases and deaths from colon and rectal cancer in the United States in 2009:

New cases: 106,100 (colon); 40,870 (rectal)

Deaths: 49,920 (colon and rectal combined)

Avastin shows promise in brain cancer (UPI - 14/12/2007)

2009-09-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

A clinical study in Michigan found that brain cancer patients treated with the drug Avastin are living longer without further progression of the disease. The randomized Phase II study at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit focused on patients with glioblastoma multiforme whose cancer had recurred after first- or second-line therapy. More than one-third who were treated with Avastin alone -- as well as more than half of those treated with Avastin in combination with the chemotherapy drug irinotecan -- lived for six months without further progression of the disease."This is very encouraging news," Dr. Tom Mikkelsen, co-director of the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center, said Friday in a release. "Historical estimates suggest that only 15 percent of patients with this aggressive type of brain cancer live without their cancer progressing within six months." Avastin acts as an anti-angiogenesis agent that chokes off the blood supply to tumors, which in turn inhibits their growth and metastasis, the report said.

Survivors Of Hodgkin's Lymphoma At Higher Risk Of Second Cancer ( in Yahoo News-25/03/2007)

2009-09-24T06:42:00.000-07:00

Survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), a cancer that affects the young, are at substantially increased risk of developing second cancers later in life, shows a major international study of 18,862 HL survivors. The study evaluated cumulative risks up to 30 years after the initial diagnosis of HL and found that the incidence of all cancer types evaluated was significantly higher than normal, except for bladder and prostate cancers. Female survivors aged 40 or older who had been diagnosed with HL at age 30 had a 6-fold increase in breast cancer risk. Other forms of cancer were increased up to 20-fold. At about age 70, risks decline, but do not return to normal levels. Lead author Dr. David Hodgson, a PMH radiation oncologist, noted that this problem was particularly dramatic for women diagnosed with HL at a young age, "We estimated that almost 25% of women diagnosed with HL at age 20 would develop a second cancer by age 50." In the general population, this rate is expected to be less than 5%, he said.

The study examined the risks of colorectal and breast cancers in detail because of the possibility that screening may help detect these cancers at an early stage. In Canada, colorectal and breast cancer screening is recommended for most adults in the general population starting at age 50. "For many HL survivors, the risk of colorectal cancer in their mid-30's is comparable to that of an average 50-year-old. The risk of breast cancer in young women was also significantly elevated five to 10 years after their lymphoma diagnosis, often years before the age when routine screening would be recommended. Says Dr. Hodgson: "The results suggest that some HL survivors should be considered for breast and colorectal cancer screening sooner than the age of routine screening."

Cancer Drug Gleevec Linked to Muscle Damage

2009-09-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

French doctors have reported a possible new side effect associated with the cancer drug Gleevec (imatinib), widely used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. In a letter published in the June 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the doctors describe the case of a 25-year-old woman who developed severe rhabdomyolysis while taking imatinib. Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle fibers resulting in the release of muscle fiber contents (myoglobin) into the bloodstream. The condition can cause kidney damage. The woman was taking imatinib (daily dose of 400 mg) in a clinical trial for the treatment of aggressive fibromatosis (desmoid tumors) that couldn't be treated with surgery. Shortly after the start of drug treatment, the woman experienced symptoms of rhabdomyolysis. After she stopped taking imatinib, her symptoms ceased. She then agreed to take the drug again while under medical surveillance. Twenty-four hours after she received the first daily dose of 100 mg, she suffered severe symptoms. The drug treatment was halted, and her symptoms disappeared in three days. The woman's desmoid tumors were treated with radiotherapy, and she has not experienced any recurrence of rhabdomyolysis symptoms.

"We considered our patient's rhabdomyolysis to be induced by imatinib because of the temporal relationship (the rhabdomyolysis occurred within a few days after the initiation of imatinib therapy), the recurrence of rhabdomyolysis with the reintroduction of the drug, and normalization of the creatine kinase level after discontinuation of the drug. Although there is extensive clinical experience with the safe use of imatinib, this observation suggests that the drug may cause severe rhabdomyolysis in a small proportion of patients," the doctors wrote. Earlier this year, a case report by Greek doctors suggested that imatinib may disrupt ovarian function and impair fertility. It was published as a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The Sexual Side Effects of Chemotherapy

2009-09-20T02:08:00.000-07:00

When people hear of chemotherapy side effects, they automatically think of things like hair loss and nausea -- not sex. Unfortunately, chemotherapy can affect your sex life during treatment, both directly and indirectly.

You may think that sex will be the last thing on your mind while going through treatment, but it shouldn't be. Intimacy can often bring higher levels of self esteem and make you feel closer to your partner during the rough times of treatment. Treatment often brings feelings of being unattractive because of hair loss and changes in weight (either gain or loss). Many psychologists agree that maintaining a normal sex life has many advantages while going through cancer treatment.

Is Sex Allowed While Going Through Chemotherapy?

Discussing with your doctor whether sex is safe is essential before resuming or maintaining a sexual relationship with your partner. For most people undergoing chemotherapy treatment, sex is medically permissible, even encouraged by their doctors. However, in some cases, sex can do more harm than good.

People undergoing chemotherapy are at risk of developing neutropenia, a side effect of treatment that results in a low white blood cell count. These white blood cells are vital for fighting off infections in the body. When the count is low, your body has less resistance to infection, which can lead to prolonged illness and possible hospital stays. Sex, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex, are all pathways for infection to enter the body.

Hormone Cycling Found to Affect Gene Activity

2009-09-16T04:11:00.000-07:00

Intermittent signaling by steroid hormones can affect the way genes are expressed in rodents, according to research by scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, Bristol, England. The findings were published online Aug. 16, 2009, and will appear in the September 2009 issue of Nature Cell Biology. These results provide the basis for a new view of gene regulation by hormone receptors.

The release of hormones by the body's glands can occur in an episodic, or ultradian, pattern, which consists of repeated periods of release that take place throughout a 24-hour, or circadian, period. Glucocorticoid hormones, which were investigated in this study, are steroid hormones secreted by the adrenal glands that are involved in a large variety of animal and human physiological responses. Glucocorticoids act through the glucocorticoid receptor, which is expressed in almost every cell in the body and regulates genes controlling development, metabolism, and immune response.

Studies of the glucocorticoid receptor typically assess gene responses after long-term stimulation with synthetic hormones. However, such treatments may not fully replicate the actual situation in living animals because, in addition to being released from the adrenal glands in a 24-hour circadian pattern, these hormones are also released in a pulsing mode, cycling approximately every hour, in what is referred to as ultradian cycling.

In this new study, the researchers demonstrate that ultradian hormone stimulation induces the pulsed expression of genes (known as gene pulsing) over the same period, both in cultured cells and in animal models. Initially, the researchers administered corticosterone, a naturally occurring glucocorticoid hormone in rodents, in a pulsed manner to cultured mouse cells and then observed that the levels of newly synthesized RNA from glucocorticoid receptor-regulated genes tracked precisely with the hormone pulses.

To determine whether gene pulsing occurs in live animals, the researchers removed adrenal glands from rats to eliminate their body's source of glucocorticoids and then treated the animals with an ultradian corticosterone regimen. They observed a response similar to that found in the cultured cells. For example, a corticosterone-responsive gene was expressed in a pulsed pattern. They also observed that, when corticosterone was administered in a constant (non-cycling) manner, RNA levels were substantially higher than when treatments were given in an ultradian manner.

It is likely that the release of glucocorticoids in transient pulses from the adrenal glands has important biological consequences, because it has been conserved during the evolution of many species. This phenomenon has also been described for several other mammalian hormones and, in some cases, is known to be required for the proper physiological functioning of organisms.

The reported research results argue that gene pulsing regulated by glucocorticoid receptors is directly linked to varying levels of gene activity. According to the senior author, Gordon Hager, Ph.D., head of the Lab of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression in the Center for Cancer Research, NCI, "Ultradian secretion, described widely in mammalian species, induces a pattern of glucocorticoid receptor action that leads to transient pulses of gene transcription, rather than continuous expression. This insight opens novel approaches for the development of synthetic glucocorticoids."

The researchers conclude that, considering the wide therapeutic use of glucocorticoids for arthritis and even some cancer indications, further studies to replicate their results and follow-up studies in humans are clearly needed. Such studies will help to define the potential role of ultradian application of glucocorticoid receptor therapy.

What is mesothelioma ?

2009-09-15T05:24:00.002-07:00

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.

Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.

How common is mesothelioma ?

2009-09-15T05:24:00.001-07:00

Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.

What are the risk factors for mesothelioma ?

2009-09-15T05:23:00.002-07:00

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.

Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.

Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma ?

2009-09-15T05:23:00.001-07:00

Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.

The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.

There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.

What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?

2009-09-15T05:22:00.002-07:00

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.

How is mesothelioma diagnosed ?

2009-09-15T05:22:00.001-07:00

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.

A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.

If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.

Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.

How is mesothelioma treated ?

2009-09-15T05:21:00.001-07:00

Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.

Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.

Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).

To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.

Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?

2009-09-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

Yes. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.

People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER. Information specialists at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI's cancer information database, to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own. The clinical trials page on the NCI's Cancer.gov Web site, located at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials on the Internet, provides general information about clinical trials and links to PDQ.

People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies. This booklet describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCI Publications Locator Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/publications on the Internet.

What is the mesothelium?

2009-09-15T05:19:00.000-07:00

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

Tests that examine the breasts are used to detect (find) and diagnose breast cancer.

2009-08-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

A doctor should be seen if changes in the breast are noticed. The following tests and procedures may be used:

Mammogram: An x-ray of the breast.

Mammography of the right breast.
Biopsy: The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. If a lump in the breast is found, the doctor may need to remove a small piece of the lump. Four types of biopsies are as follows:
- Excisional biopsy: The removal of an entire lump of tissue.
- Incisional biopsy: The removal of part of a lump or a sample of tissue.
- Core biopsy: The removal of tissue using a wide needle.
- Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy: The removal of tissue or fluid, using a thin needle.
Estrogen and progesterone receptor test: A test to measure the amount of estrogen and progesterone (hormones) receptors in cancer tissue. If cancer is found in the breast, tissue from the tumor is checked in the laboratory to find out whether estrogen and progesterone could affect the way cancer grows. The test results show whether hormone therapy may stop the cancer from growing.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).

Breast cancer is sometimes caused by inherited gene mutations (changes).

2009-08-26T10:30:00.002-07:00

The genes in cells carry the hereditary information that is received from a person’s parents. Hereditary breast cancer makes up approximately 5% to 10% of all breast cancer. Some altered genes related to breast cancer are more common in certain ethnic groups.

Women who have an altered gene related to breast cancer and who have had breast cancer in one breast have an increased risk of developing breast cancer in the other breast. These women also have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, and may have an increased risk of developing other cancers. Men who have an altered gene related to breast cancer also have an increased risk of developing this disease. For more information, see the PDQ summary on Male Breast Cancer Treatment.

Age and health history can affect the risk of developing breast cancer.

2009-08-26T10:30:00.001-07:00

Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. People who think they may be at risk should discuss this with their doctor. Risk factors for breast cancer include the following:

Older age.
Menstruating at an early age.
Older age at first birth or never having given birth.
A personal history of breast cancer or benign (noncancer) breast disease.
A mother or sister with breast cancer.
Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest.
Breast tissue that is dense on a mammogram.
Taking hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.
Drinking alcoholic beverages.
Being white.

NCI's Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool uses a woman's risk factors to estimate her risk for breast cancer during the next five years and up to age 90. This online tool is meant to be used by a health care provider. For more information on breast cancer risk, see Estimating Breast Cancer Risk: Questions and Answers or call 1-800-4-CANCER.

Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant

2009-08-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes, which have many smaller sections called lobules. Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules, and bulbs are linked by thin tubes called ducts. Anatomy of the breast, showing lymph nodes and lymph vessels.

Each breast also has blood vessels and lymph vessels. The lymph vessels carry an almost colorless fluid called lymph. Lymph vessels lead to organs called lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small bean-shaped structures that are found throughout the body. They filter substances in a fluid called lymph and help fight infection and disease. Clusters of lymph nodes are found near the breast in the axilla (under the arm), above the collarbone, and in the chest.

The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the cells of the ducts. Cancer that begins in the lobes or lobules is called lobular carcinoma and is more often found in both breasts than are other types of breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is an uncommon type of breast cancer in which the breast is warm, red, and swollen.

Bladder cancer Information

2009-08-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

Bladder cancer refers to any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder.^[1] The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis. The most common type of bladder cancer begins in cells lining the inside of the bladder and is called transitional cell carcinoma (sometimes urothelial cell carcinoma).

Signs and symptoms

Bladder cancer characteristically causes blood in the urine; this may be visible to the naked eye (frank hematuria) or detectable only by microscope (microscopic hematuria). Other possible symptoms include pain during urination, frequent urination (Polyuria) or feeling the need to urinate without results. These signs and symptoms are not specific to bladder cancer, and are also caused by non-cancerous conditions, including prostate infections and cystitis. Kidney cancer also can cause hematuria.

Causes

Tobacco smoking is the main known cause of urinary bladder cancer: in most populations, smoking causes over half of bladder cancer cases in men and a sizeable proportion in women. There is a linear relationship between smoking and risk, and quitting smoking reduces the risk.^[2] In a 10-year study involving almost 48,000 men, researchers found that men who drank 1.5L of water a day had a significantly reduced incidence of bladder cancer when compared with men who drank less than 240mL (around 1 cup) per day. The authors proposed that bladder cancer might partly be caused by the bladder directly contacting carcinogens that are excreted in urine. It is postulated, therefore, that by drinking higher quantities of water, urine is more dilute, thereby reducing the chance of disease.^{[citation needed]} Thirty percent of bladder tumors probably result from occupational exposure in the workplace to carcinogens such as benzidine. 2-Naphthylamine, which is found in cigarette smoke, has also been shown to increase bladder cancer risk. Occupations at risk are metal industry workers, rubber industry workers, workers in the textile industry, and people who work in printing. Some studies also suggest that auto mechanics have an elevated risk of bladder cancer due to their frequent exposure to hydrocarbons and petroleum-based chemicals.^[3] Hairdressers are thought to be at risk as well because of their frequent exposure to permanent hair dyes. It has been proposed that hair dyes are a risk factor, and some have shown an odds ratio of 2.1 to 3.3 for risk of developing bladder cancer among women who use permanent hair dyes, while others have shown no correlation between the use of hair dyes and bladder cancer.^{[citation needed]} Certain drugs such as cyclophosphamide and phenacetin are known to predispose to bladder TCC.^{[citation needed]} Chronic bladder irritation (infection, bladder stones, catheters, bilharzia) predisposes to squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder.^{[citation needed]} Approximately 20% of bladder cancers occur in patients without predisposing risk factors.^{[citation needed]}

Diagnosis

The gold standard for diagnosing bladder cancer is biopsy obtained during cystoscopy. Sometimes it is an incidental finding during cystoscopy.^[4] Urine cytology can be obtained in voided urine or at the time of the cystoscopy ("bladder washing"). Cytology is very specific (a positive result is highly indicative of bladder cancer) but suffers from low sensitivity (a negative result does not exclude the diagnosis of cancer). There are newer urine bound markers for the diagnosis of bladder cancer. These markers are more sensitive but not as specific as urine cytology. They are much more expensive as well. Many patients with a history, signs, and symptoms suspicious for bladder cancer are referred to a urologist or other physician trained in cystoscopy, a procedure in which a flexible tube bearing a camera and various instruments is introduced into the bladder through the urethra. Suspicious lesions may be biopsied and sent for pathologic analysis.

Pathological Classification

90% of bladder cancers are Transitional cell carcinoma. The other 10% are squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, small cell carcinoma and secondary deposits from cancers elsewhere in the body.

CIS invariably consists of cytologically high grade tumour cells.

Staging

The following stages are used to classify the location, size, and spread of the cancer, according to the TNM (tumor, lymph node, and metastasis) staging system:

Stage 0: Cancer cells are found only on the inner lining of the bladder.

Stage I: Cancer cells have proliferated to the layer beyond the inner lining of the urinary bladder but not to the muscles of the urinary bladder.

Stage II: Cancer cells have proliferated to the muscles in the bladder wall but not to the fatty tissue that surrounds the urinary bladder.

Stage III: Cancer cells have proliferated to the fatty tissue surrounding the urinary bladder and to the prostate gland, vagina, or uterus, but not to the lymph nodes or other organs.

Stage IV: Cancer cells have proliferated to the lymph nodes, pelvic or abdominal wall, and/or other organs.

Recurrent: Cancer has recurred in the urinary bladder or in another nearby organ after having been treated.^[5]

Bladder TCC is staged according to the 1997 TNM system:

Ta Non-invasive papillary tumour
T1 Invasive but not as far as the muscular bladder layer
T2 Invasive into the muscular layer
T3 Invasive beyond the muscle into the fat outside the bladder
T4 Invasive into surrounding structures like the prostate, uterus or pelvic wall

Treatment

The treatment of bladder cancer depends on how deep the tumor invades into the bladder wall. Superficial tumors (those not entering the muscle layer) can be "shaved off" using an electrocautery device attached to a cystoscope. Immunotherapy in the form of BCG instillation is also used to treat and prevent the recurrence of superficial tumors.^[6] BCG immunotherapy is effective in up to 2/3 of the cases at this stage. Instillations of chemotherapy, such as valrubicin (Valstar) into the bladder can also be used to treat BCG-refractory CIS disease when cystectomy is not an option^[7].

In a study published in March of 2009 by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center it was reported that "Frankincense oil appears to distinguish cancerous from normal bladder cells and suppress cancer cell viability.""Frankincense oil derived from Boswellia carteri induces tumor cell specific cytotoxicity.". www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19296830?dopt=Citation.

Untreated, superficial tumors may gradually begin to infiltrate the muscular wall of the bladder. Tumors that infiltrate the bladder require more radical surgery where part or all of the bladder is removed (a cystectomy) and the urinary stream is diverted. In some cases, skilled surgeons can create a substitute bladder (a neobladder) from a segment of intestinal tissue, but this largely depends upon patient preference, age of patient, renal function, and the site of the disease.

A combination of radiation and chemotherapy can also be used to treat invasive disease. It has not yet been determined how the effectiveness of this form of treatment compares to that of radical ablative surgery.

There is weak observational evidence from one very small study (84) to suggest that the concurrent use of statins is associated with failure of BCG immunotherapy.^[8]

The hemocyanin found in Concholepas concholepas blood has immunotherapeutic effects against bladder and prostate cancer. In a research made in 2006 mice were primed with C. concholepas before implantation of bladder tumor (MBT-2) cells. Mice treated with C. concholepas showed a significant antitumor effect as well. The effects included prolonged survival, decreased tumor growth and incidence and lack of toxic effects.^[9]

Epidemiology

In the United States, bladder cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in men and the ninth most common cancer in women. More than 50,000 men and 16,000 women are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year. One reason for its higher incidence in men is that the androgen receptor, which is much more active in men than in women, plays a major part in the development of the cancer.

Definition of bladder cancer

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Cancer that forms in tissues of the bladder (the organ that stores urine). Most bladder cancers are transitional cell carcinomas (cancer that begins in cells that normally make up the inner lining of the bladder). Other types include squamous cell carcinoma (cancer that begins in thin, flat cells) and adenocarcinoma (cancer that begins in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids). The cells that form squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma develop in the inner lining of the bladder as a result of chronic irritation and inflammation.

Estimated new cases and deaths from bladder cancer in the United States in 2009:

New cases: 70,980

Deaths: 14,330