Is Colon Cancer Caused By Constipation Or Emotional Trauma
We know that colon cancer is the second leading cause of deaths in the United States. In 1999, of all the cancer deaths, 16% of them were colon cancer. But where did the other cancers originate – lung, prostate, breast, lymph, pancreatic, stomach? Did they also start in the colon where the colon toxin simply migrated to these regions?
Many colon cancers develop slowly over time and can be attributed to constipation. And, constipation can be related, in most cases, to past emotional trauma or experiences. Constipation that occurs over a long period of time creates toxins that continually migrate into your blood and into your body cells and tissues.
It is difficult to trace where cancers originate. Medical professionals, when treating a patient, are not really concerned with where the cancer or illness came from. They are more interested in how to treat the disease or the symptoms with drugs or surgery.
Many doctors do not go looking for the cause of your problem. They don’t have the time for this research. In fact, they normally will not tell you what you need to do to prevent your illness. Sometimes the reason they will not tell you is they just do not know.
Its becoming more a nutritionist’s or naturopathic doctor’s job to tell you what foods and supplements you need to eat to prevent and to overcome specific illnesses and what to eat to eliminate or stop constipation.
People are dying at all ages with a variety of diseases. Why is it that so many people are dying of heart diseases, blood diseases, cancers, autoimmune diseases and the list goes on. It has been know for a longtime why diseases occur and what you can do to prevent it.
These death producing illnesses are a result of how and what we eat, the type of water we drink, and the air pollution we breathe. But perhaps one of the most important causes of diseases that are seldom discussed comes from the thoughts we think.
What is it that causes our behavior? A behavior that is harmful to others or ourselves in ways that affects our health and life. Why do people smoke when they know it causes Cancer? Why do people drink coffee when they know caffeine affects their adrenal gland, which eventually leads to exhaustion? Why is it that people eat sugar or white floor products when they know it has untold health effects beyond diabetes?
The answer is simple, but many people are not willing to accept this idea. All illness originates from repressed traumatic memories resulting from early life trauma.
Dr Arthur Janov explains this clearly in his book, 1996, Why You Get Sick How You Get Well.
“Over the last thirty years I have learned a great deal about humans and what drives them. As trite as it may seem, what I have found is a single yet complex emotion called love. Not the romantic love of novels, but a fundamental love – the love of a parent for a child. When a child lacks love and nurturing, no matter how that lack is manifest, it creates pain, and if this pain is not “felt” or integrated into the system, it will in turn cause physical and emotional illness in later life.”
Changing ones thoughts, behavior, and life style is difficult to do and requires psychological help. Not too many people are willing to do this unless they are force to by life situations. Unfortunately, this is what is necessary to reduce or eliminate illness. This is what is necessary to bring on a feeling of well-being way into your old age – at 80, at 90, at 100, and well beyond that.
How many people are willing to devote the time and money to start eating the right foods and change their behavior and lifestyle? This is the first step in reducing or eliminating constipation or any other illness and for dealing with past emotional trauma.
Investment in Cancer Control and Research
In the early 1970s, a diagnosis of cancer was often construed by patients and their families as a death sentence. Yet despite this, funding for cancer research was declining. In 1969, the appropriation for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) was up only 1% from the preceding year and in 1970 was down 2% from 1969, a situation eerily similar to the present NCI funding situation.1 Responding to a call for action from the public and private sectors, President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act in 1971 setting the stage for a major expansion of federal financing of cancer research. And the investment made a difference. Since 1990, the US cancer mortality rates have been declining about 1% per year. Declines have been especially favorable for cancers of the breast and colorectum for women and for cancers of the prostate, colorectum, and lung for men. The 5-year survival rate for patients with cancer diagnosed from 1974 to 1976 was only 49.6%. Individuals diagnosed from 1996 to 2001 fared substantially better, with a 5-year survival rate of 65%.2 Today, people are increasingly living with cancer rather than dying from it―a testament to our nation’s investment in biomedical research, prevention, early detection, improved therapies, new technologies, and a better understanding of the molecular basis of cancer. We now understand that cancer is a continuum that can be interrupted at many stages from susceptibility to initiation to clinically detectable disease. Cancer research has clearly been a sound investment. Despite the progress in 5-year survival rates and a decrease in the mortality rates, cancer remains the most feared disease in America. One in two men and one in three women will hear the words “you have cancer,” and one of every four deaths is from cancer. As list in http://www.kungfucancer.com,Cancer takes approximately 8.6 million years of life from Americans each year,2 and in 2005 will cost the nation an estimated $210 billion in medical expenditures and lost productivity.3 The American population is graying, with a growing percentage of people in their 60s and older. The number of Americans over the age of 65 will double in the next 30 years. By the year 2030, one in five Americans will be 65 years or older. Approximately six of every 10 new cases of cancer are diagnosed at age 65 years and older.4 With the projected number of new patients diagnosed with cancer, it is imperative that we increase funding for research now to improve therapies and develop prevention strategies to avoid these cancers altogether. Thanks to knowledge amassed in the past decade in particular, we are at a point in which a bold investment in cancer would reap tremendous rewards. We are now able to target cancers at the molecular level and have witnessed an explosion of technological advances. We can now actually envision a time when the outcomes of cancer―suffering and death―can be eliminated. To continue this war on cancer, we need to sufficiently fund research. Adequate funding to develop new therapies, technologies, and to change the current treatment paradigm from detection and treatment of disease to prediction of risk and prevention of disease must be a nationwide priority. In October 2003, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences reported that 60% of cancer can be prevented through reducing one’s risk and through early detection.5 On September 10, 2001, the National Cancer Legislation Advisory Committee issued a report entitled, “Conquering Cancer: A National Battle Plan to Eradicate Cancer in our Lifetime.”6 This report called for an increased NCI research investment to achieve and sustain at least a 40% success rate for approved investigator-initiated research grants and program projects grants. Unfortunately, attention to this report and its recommendations seem to have been diminished in the aftermath of the following day’s tragic events. The NCI has not been awarded this funding and the success rate for approved grants is almost half of what was recommended by this group. In recognition of the importance of research, the ACS included research as one of its four leadership roles along with quality of life, information and prevention, and early detection. In 2006, the ACS is funding $115 million of cancer research―more than any other private nonprofit organization in the United States―focused on beginning investigators, investigator-initiated grants, and high-impact research. As part of this leadership role, the ACS strongly advocates for more research funding from the private and public sector. It is imperative to continue to fight for more funding for research―for ACS-supported research, NCI-supported research, and from the private sector. In a national survey, Research! America reported that two-thirds of Americans are willing to pay $1/week more in taxes to support medical research.7 The public understands the return on investment for monies allocated for research. America can provide the best cancer care in the world, with the greatest concentration of health care resources and services. Yet there are disparities in cancer care in the United States; minority, elderly, and medically underserved Americans are disproportionately burdened by cancer. The American Cancer Society (ACS) believes that all individuals with a cancer diagnosis should have timely access to quality cancer care, and that there is a societal obligation to facilitate access to care for the uninsured and underinsured. The health care system needs significant revision to meet the demand of the future. The ACS will help to meet these challenges by working for policies that will address universal access for patients with cancer, alleviate the financial devastation of people uninsured or underinsured for cancer care, and have the greatest impact on reducing disparities in cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment. We need to look to a future in which there is universal access to high-quality cancer care. Unless Americans unite to demand changes in our health care system, the current already strained system will collapse with the challenges of tomorrow. In addition to access, it is critical to support research to continue our fight against cancer and to win this war―once and for all. The ultimate conquest of cancer in America is as much a public policy issue as it is a scientific and medical challenge. We can dramatically change the outcome of cancer right now, today, by investing in research and applying what we already know about cancer prevention, early detection, and care. We need to implement strategies now so that we can meet these goals.
Introduction To Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a condition that strikes women plus is also the second principal cause of death. According to the American Medical Association and American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common disease for women. Typically breast cancer doesnt affect women until they reach their 20s.
Every year millions of women are identified with breast cancer. It is because of the amount and frequency of breast cancer screening, this is the most often sought after Physicians appointment among women. As women mature, cancer screening visits increase.
The biggest procedure women undergo when they visit their physicians is a mammogram. A mammogram is used to check the breast to verify if any cancer is present.
With all this discussion about breast cancer, the number one question asked is what exactly is breast cancer? Breast cancer is referred to as abnormal cells that in some way have mutated to the point they are no longer normal. The next question asked is why do women get it?
There are many causes of breast cancer. In some women, breast cancer seems to form if their menstrual cycle starts too early. The typical age for a menstrual cycle to start is about the age of 12. But for those that start earlier, these are the women who run the threat of getting breast cancer sometime in their lifetime, predominantly before they hit 30.
An additional cause is a late menopause. If a woman has the menopause after 50, it can cause the system to have an adverse response. The hormones change too late.
Having a diet filled with excessive amounts of saturated fat can cause breast cancer. A diet that includes monounsaturated fats like canola oil and olive oil does not seem to cause or enhance the prospect of breast cancer.
Many types of breast cancers are inherited. If the family has a history of breast cancer, it is very likely to be passed on to later generations. So if you had a great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, sister, or cousin, who has breast cancer, you might get it to.
Women who take estrogen replacement treatment also can cause breast cancer. This is true if the therapy has been extended up to 10 years. It is apparent that breast cancer is a critical illness that cant be taken lightly. Women should never forsake receiving checkups, principally as they reach their 20s.
Keith Clark
Introduction To Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a disease that strikes women and is also the second leading cause of death. According to the American Medical Association and American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common disease for women. Usually breast cancer doesn’t affect women until they reach their 20s.
Every year millions of women are diagnosed with breast cancer. It is because of the amount and frequency of breast cancer screening, this is the most often sought for office visit among women. As women age, cancer screening visits increase.
The biggest procedure women go through when they visit their doctors is a mammogram. A mammogram is used to check the breast to determine if any cancer is present.
With all this talk about breast cancer, the number one question asked is what breast cancer is. Breast cancer is referred to as abnormal cells that somehow have mutated to the point they are no longer normal. The next question asked is why do women get it?
There are many causes of breast cancer. In some women, breast cancer seems to form if their menstrual cycle starts too soon. The average age for a menstrual cycle to start is about age 12. But for those that begin earlier, these are the women who run the risk of getting breast cancer sometime in their lifetime, particularly before they hit 30.
Another cause is late menopause. If a woman has menopause after 50, it causes the system to have an adverse reaction. The hormones change too late.
Having a diet filled with too much saturated fat can cause breast cancer. A diet that includes monounsaturated fats like canola oil and olive oil does not appear to cause or increase the chance of breast cancer.
Many types of breast cancers are inherited. If the family has a history of breast cancer, it is very likely to be passed on to later generations. So if you had a great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, sister, or cousin, who had breast cancer, you may get it to.
Women who take estrogen replacement therapy also can cause breast cancer. This is true if the therapy has been extended up to 10 years. It is obvious that breast cancer is a serious illness that can’t be taken likely. Women should never forsake getting checkups, especially when they reach their 20s.
If you have breast cancer, it would be good to know what it is, so you will know how to fight it. Without knowing what it is, how can you deal with it? You will be shooting blind.
Breast cancer is a bunch of cells in the breast that become abnormal for some reason. Scientists suspect that some forms of bacteria get into the cells and cause mutation. The mutated cells can attack other normal cells and cause them to become mutated. Some cells end up getting destroyed.
When enough cells are changed in this manner, cancer develops. Sometimes a small amount of mutated cells end up becoming cancerous. This is why cancer often starts small, in a certain section of the breast and spreads from there.
If the cancer is not stopped or controlled, it could end up spreading beyond the breast and end up in other areas of the body. This is when it becomes an absolute necessity to find a cure and quickly.
INTERRUPTING THE PROCESS OF CANCER – PART I OF II
INTERRUPTING THE PROCESS OF CANCER – PART I OF II
Copyright 2006 Paula RothsteinIn spite of the advancements made by medicine over the years, the treatment of cancer remains adrift, buffeted by political tides and conflicting approaches. It is a disease that has been hijacked by a very large and powerful pharmaceutical drug industry, an industry capable of altering the historical course of medicine.Once receiving a diagnosis of cancer, the patient wears a price tag of approximately $300,000. Cancer is BIG business.To put this ill-conceived power in perspective, consider the words of the novelist Upton Sinclair who once said of such danger, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.”In 1913 the American Cancer Society came into existence under the guise of an “emergency organization, a temporary organization, seeking in its independent Crusade to obtain enough dollars to wage an unrelenting fight against cancer.”Apparently “enough dollars” was not the suitable criteria for success after all. The American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute have spent many billions of taxpayer and charity dollars promoting, for the most part, ineffective drugs while virtually ignoring strategies for prevention. For the utter lack of progress, one would question whether the cancer industry is aptly motivated to find a cure. Despite decades of false assurances, we are losing the winnable war on cancer. The fact of the matter is that we are no closer to controlling this disease. This year approximately 1,400,000 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and 600,000 will die. If we had taken the advice of doctors several decades ago who researched and introduced natural methods for prevention and treatment of this disease, and if we had focused our attention on eliminating carcinogens from the food we eat, air we breathe, and water we drink, we would not be facing this great tragedy today. Vested interests have repeatedly blocked these strategies.THE NATURE OF CANCER”You cannot poison your body into health with drugs, chemo or radiation. The holistic approach treats the whole animal, ignites the body’s internal healing force and stimulates the body’s natural abilities to heal itself. Health can only be achieved with healthful living.” T.C. FryFirst, it is important to understand the nature of cancer if we are to take control of the disease. According to Dr. George C. Pack, a cancer specialist at Cornell Medical School, almost everyone has cancer cells present at times in their bodies.If our immune system is working properly, these cells are killed or reabsorbed by our defense system before they begin to grow and threaten our health. Our immune system is a very sophisticated system and over time has developed a “seek and destroy” method for dealing with these cancerous cells. Today, it is necessary to consider why the immune system is failing us at an alarming rate. A reasonable person would question whether our approach is completely wrong for our lack of progress. (I would hazard to guess that we have been on the right track numerous times only to be derailed by the pharmaceutical drug industry and governmental agencies in their employ.)Cancer occurs when our bodies are exposed to a factor or combination of factors that damage normal cells and make them start dividing uncontrollably. Frequent exposure to tens of thousands of synthetic chemicals, accumulating from the very moment we are born, has a very large part to do with the cancer epidemic we are now experiencing in the U.S. and around the world. You take this increase in our overall toxic load and top it off with an immune system weakened by a modern diet and you have a state conducive to growth for these cancerous cells.APPROACHING CANCER NATURALLY”If I contracted cancer, I would never go to a standard cancer treatment centre. Cancer victims who live far from such centres have a chance.” Professor Georges Math, French cancer specialistThe reality is that if you wait for the disease to manifest itself in symptoms you more than likely have had the disease for two to three years. Ultimately, there is no absolute cure for cancer, only prevention and remission. We need to interrupt the process of cancer and take steps to move away from an environment conducive to the formation of cancerous cells. Therefore, it is extremely important to find effective methods of circumventing disease onset. Perhaps the inability of the cancer industry to properly turn their attention to prevention is because a synthetic drug will never be of any use in this regard.Interestingly enough, there are just a few fundamental concepts that can influence the internal environment, turning it away from disease and towards health. These concepts involve the alkaline/acid levels and oxygen levels in the cells. Just as we could not live without oxygen, research shows that cancer cannot exist in cells where there is enough oxygen or where the pH level is properly balanced. Unfortunately, all too often our cells are low in oxygen and therefore acidic.Highly suspect as a trigger of this disease are carcinogens and toxins, however, these may be, in a sense, secondary causes of cancer. An underlying cause of all cancers may have been discovered over 50 years ago by the renowned scientist Otto Warburg, winner of two Nobel Prizes for discovering the clues to why cancer develops. Dr. Warburg’s research supports his theory that cancer development appears to be connected to cellular oxygen levels.Now here is where toxins come into play. One of the causes of poor oxygenation include a buildup of carcinogens and other toxins within and around cells which blocks and then damages the cellular oxygen respiration mechanism. This clumping of red blood cells ultimately slows down the bloodstream and restricts flow into capillaries which also causes poor oxygenation. The mere lack of proper building blocks for cell walls and essential fatty acids, restricts oxygen exchange.The other aspect of dealing with cancer is supporting the immune system. After all, for most of one’s life the immune system has successfully dealt with cancer cells. Usually it becomes worn out and ineffective and unable to deal with the cancer cells before cancer takes hold and thrives.It is important to strengthen the immune system so that it can better fight cancer, especially if one is taking medical treatments that negatively affect the immune system as is the case with chemotherapy. Current cancer treatments seem to make no sense once you understand the basics of the disease. In fact, studies show that most methods of detecting and treating cancer INCREASE your overall cancer risk, including mammograms.
Indicators Of Breast Cancer Recurrence
Breast cancer recurrence can occur any time during the first three to five years after a patient has undergone an initial treatment for removing cancerous cells. In some cases, all the cancerous cells do not get removed from the treated breast. Some cells remain and spread to other parts, while in a few cases it comes back as a local recurrence even after a complete treatment is carried out. Cancerous cells appear near the mastectomy scar or can also occur somewhere else in the body. Lymph nodes, the bones, liver, or lungs are some of the common parts in the body where the breast cancer recurs.
The best way to detect the occurrence of breast cancer again is the continuation of self breast examination. Women who have undergone a surgery or any other treatment method for removal of cancerous breast cells should go for check ups of both the treated breast as well as the other breast every month.
Any changes in the appearance of the treated breast or other areas should be reported directly to a physician. Changes such as a lump or thickening near the treated breast or under the arms persisting through the menstrual cycle or an appearance of a marble-like area under the skin are some indicators of a breast cancer recurrence. If the cancerous cells do not get removed from the treated breast area then you might experience changes in the size, shape, and contours of the breast.
In some cases of the recurrence of cancerous cells in the breast, one can notice changes in the appearance of the nipple. The skin of the breast might become red, inflamed or swollen and scales may start appearing near the breast. Nipples might discharge bloody, clear fluid. Such changes are often the indicators of occurrence of cancerous cells in the breast.
A doctor might also predict a cancer occurrence in the treated woman patient after detecting her characteristics and her tumor. These are known as prognostic indicators. Women who have suffered from breast cancer that has spread to lymph nodes have greater chances of developing this deadly form of cancer again. Tumor size is another very common prognostic indicator. There is a higher probability of a women patient developing cancer again if she had a larger tumor size.
A physician also detects the nuclear grade for predicting a patient’s chance of getting cancer again. The nuclear grade is the rate at which cancerous cells divide to form more cells. If the patient had cells with a higher nuclear grade then the odds of cancer cell growth is more in that person. Similarly, cancer cells that contain oncogenes also increase a person’s chance of breast cancer recurrence.
IMRT, IGRT, VMAT New Tools For Fighting Lung Cancer
Magnitude Of The Problem
There are 25 Lakh cancer patients in the country. Ten lakh new cases are detected annually and 4 lakh people lose there lives to cancer. Cancer is now the third biggest killer in our country. Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers inIndia. It is the most common cause of cancer related deaths in men and the second most common cause of death in women (after breast cancer). Lung cancer alone is responsible for 13 Lakh deaths worldwide annually.
Causes And Risk Factors Of Lung Cancer
Smoking is the single most important cause —-
Smoking, particularly of cigarettes, is by far the main contributor to lung cancer. Across the developed world, almost 90% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Passive smoking can also lead to lung cancer.
Air pollution – Gases emitted by industries & vehicles are carcinogenic.
Radioactive Chemical exposure – Arsenic, nickel, chromium.
Warning symptoms of lung cancer
Smoker’s cough that persists or becomes intense.
Increase in volume of sputum.
Wheezing.
Nonsmoker’s cough that persists for more than 2 weeks.
Change in color of sputum.
Blood in sputum.
Prevention
More than 90% of the lung cancer cases are due to active and passive smoking and hence preventable. The earlier one stops smoking, better it is.
Prevention is the most cost-effective means of fighting lung cancer. While in most countries, industrial and domestic carcinogens have been identified and banned, tobacco smoking is still widespread. Eliminating tobacco smoking is a primary goal in the prevention of lung cancer, and smoking cessation is an important preventative tool in this process, especially in the youth.
How lung cancer is DIAGNOSED?
Chest x-ray is the most easily available and cheapest modality for diagnosis of lung cancer which will show the tumor in the lung or in the air passage.
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CT scan is the most important modality because it not only shows the tumor but also gives information about the progression of the disease; whether the tumor is operable or not.
MRI and PET-CT may also help to know the progression of the tumor.
Treatment
Treatment for lung cancer depends on the cancer’s specific cell type, how far it has spread, and the patient’s performance status. Common treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
Surgery
Surgery is the main modality of treatment for early lung cancer. If investigations confirm lung cancer, CT scan and often positron emission tomography (PET) are used to determine whether the disease is localized and amenable to surgery or whether it has spread to the point where it cannot be cured surgically.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is used with curative intent in patients with lung cancer who are not eligible for surgery. This form of high intensity radiotherapy is called Radical Radiotherapy. Chemotherapy may be added concurrently with Radiotherapy to increase the efficacy of cell kill.
Radiotherapy for lung cancer has undergone dramatic changes in the last decade. IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) is being used to target Lung cancer for the last ten years. But as we all know, lungs move during respiration and so the tumor target may be missed during Radiotherapy. This problem has now been overcome with the new technique of delivering IMRT, which is called IGRT (Image Guided Radiation Therapy). In IGRT, a low dose KV CT Scan is done before treatment and the position of the patient is corrected in all three dimensions if there is any shift from the original position.
Active Breathing control devices are also available with the help of which we target the tumor only during a specific phase of respiration so that the Radiation Beam hits the tumor more precisely and normal tissues are spared of unnecessary Radiation. This is also known as gated or 4D Radiotherapy.
Another major breakthrough in the treatment delivery of IMRT and IGRT is VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy). VMAT is a highly advanced and sophisticated treatment planning system which is available at very few select centers worldwide. Treatment planning with VMAT is far more precise and normal tissues receive only a fraction of Radiation as compared to older techniques. Another major advantage is that with VMAT, the treatment time is reduced from 25 to 30 minutes to just 2 to 5 minutes. Treatment with VMAT is thus not only faster but also more accurate with minimal side effects.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is an important aspect of treatment of lung cancer. Most lung cancer patients require chemotherapy. The latest development is the treatment of lung cancer includes targeted therapies. These “targeted” therapies hit specific targets which are present on cancer cells. Hence, these therapies are considered superior than conventional chemotherapies as they kill specifically the target bad cells and spare the good (normal) cells.
How to improve chances of cure in lung cancer?
Cancer Screening of high risk population.
Annual Health Check ups.
Complete diagnostic check up and staging work up to know the disease stage.
Tumor Board Evaluation by a panel of cancer experts.
Integrated treatment at dedicated cancer centers with NABH Accreditation.
Surgery by dedicated thoracic surgeons skilled in Lung cancer surgery.
Use of highly effective targeted chemotherapy under expert medical supervision.
Use of advanced Radiation techniques such as IMRT, IGRT, VMAT and ABC.
And most importantly, the will to succeed, because with the latest technology available, we will now win the battle against Cancer.
I Can Survive Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer continues to be a major threat to men’s health, the second most common cancer in men, in many countries. Therefore it is increasingly important that those faced with difficult clinical questions make the right decisions. Prostate cancer is a relatively common type of cancer, affecting the small walnut-shaped prostate gland located near base of the bladder found only in men. The gland surrounds the upper segment of the urethra, the tube that leads from the bladder to the penis.
This type of cancer is a malignant growth of cells of the prostate gland, called adenocarcinoma. Prostate cancer commonly occurs in men over age 50. Symptoms include frequent or painful urination, blood in the urine, sexual dysfunction, swollen lymph nodes in the groin, and pain in the pelvis, hips, back, or ribs.
Prostate cancer generally takes a long time to progress and it can take 10 years before it is detected. However, some men have a particularly aggressive form of the disease, and the disease can grow and spread more quickly.
This form of cancer poses major challenges in developed countries. In England it is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, and the second most common cause of death from cancer in men (after lung cancer).
This Type of cancer is a disease with strong geographic variation, both internationally and also within individual countries or regions. Like most cancers, the development of prostate cancer typically occurs over a long period of time.
African American men should begin prostate cancer testing at age 40. African American men and all men with a family history of prostate cancer should, also get an annual PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test. Other men can wait till age 50 for the annual PSA test.
Prostate cancer is difficult to treat without life-changing side effects. The gland, which helps produce semen, is lodged deep in the abdomen, just below the bladder. While the disease will claim nearly 31,000 deaths this year, there is growing evidence that educational efforts leading to early detection and diagnosis are resulting in lower mortality.
Medical experts who encourage regular screening believe current scientific evidence shows that finding and treating prostate cancer early, when treatment might be more effective, may save lives.
Researchers have recently identified a series of gene markers that, when present with family history of the disease, increase a patient’s risk of prostate cancer more than nine times.
Those markers, say researchers, can be detected in a simple saliva or blood sample – good news for a condition whose prognosis is improved by early detection. Researchers say they will soon be reporting results of a phase II study and are planning phase III studies. They hope the drug can be on the market in 2011. So if you’re reading this blog, and you have not been tested, don’t wait for the last minute. The life you save may be your own.
Stay Informed,
Tony James
http://www.icansurvivecancer.com
HPV Vaccination And Cervical Cancer Prevention
Cervical Cancer is responsible for more than any gynecologic-related deaths world wide than any other malady, making it the most important preventable disease in women’s health today. Worldwide each year 4, 93,243 women are diagnosed of cervical cancer of whom 2,40,000 women die of this disease (WHO). India contributes more than of the global burden. Each year about 1,32,082 cases of this cancer are diagnosed and more than 74,118 women die of this disease, this cancer being most common cancer of women in our country.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is now a well established cause of cervical cancer. Human papilloma virus is a double stranded DNA virus of papovaviride family. More than 100 types described; 30 infect ano genital tract. High risk types of 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59 and 68 are associated with neoplasia. HPV 16 and 18 in 70% of this cancer cases world wide and 45 and 31 with a further 10% of this cancer case. Low risk types 6, 11, 42, 43, 44 associated with genital warts (cardyloma) and do not cause cancer. Almost 100% cancer cases of cervix are associated with HPV, 90% cases of anal cancer, 40% cases each of vulva, vagina, penis and about 12% cases of oral cavity and pharynx are HPV related cancers.
Cervical Cancer ranks the first most frequent cancer among the women between 15-44 years. According to WHO/ICO information centre on HPV and cervical cancer, India has the population of 365.71 million women ages 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cancer. About 6.6% of women in general population are estimated to harbor cervical infection at a given time and 76.7% of invasive cervical cancer in India are attributed to HPVs 16 & 18. Human papilloma virus spread primarily through sexual intercourse. Infection can occur in as little as one month after the fist sexual contact.
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Though HPV is a necessary cause of cervical cancer but is not a sufficient cause. Other Cofactors are necessary for progression from cervical HPV infection to cancer. High parity, tobacco smoking, longterm use of oral contraceptives and coinfection with HIV have been identified as established co-factors; co-infection with chlamydia trachomatis and herpes simplex virus type -2, immunosuppression and certain dietary deficiencies are other probable co-factor.
With the knowledge of HPV (Oncogenic types) as the causative agent of this cancer, two types of vaccination strategies have been aimed at prophylactic vaccine is virus like particle (VLP) <1 vaccine which prevents HPV infection before it occurs and therapeutic vaccine which eliminates existing HPV infection. Therapeutic vaccines are still under trial and are not available globally. The cervarixTM (GlaxoSmithkline) against HPV 16 and 18. The GardasilR (MSD) against HPV types 16 and 18, 6 and 11 both these prophylactic vaccines are approved for use in India. Vaccines are effective against human papilloma virus 16 and 18 responsible for causing 70% of all cervical cancer cases but in phase II as well as in phase III trials these have also shown the additional protection against human papilloma virus types that cause more than 20% of all cervical cancer cases and these have demonstrated efficacy of more than 90%. The most effective time to vaccinate girls and young women is before they become sexually active. The vaccine is ideally administered before potential exposure to HPV through sexual contact. Centers for disease control and prevention’s advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP) recommended vaccination of young girls and adolescents between the age of 9 to 26 years. Emerging data suggest that the vaccine may be safe and effective in boys, young men and adult women upto the age of 27 45 years. Screening for HPV DNA or antibodies are not needed before vaccination. Women with abnormal pap tests or genital warts can be vaccinated. The need for the booster dose has not been established yet.
HPV vaccine is given in three doses at 0, 1, 2, and 6 months by intramuscular injection (0.5ml prefilled syringe) single dose. This requires the refrigeration at 2 8 0 c. These are safe as there is no viral DNA in the vaccine and tolerable. The common side effects are injection site reactions, redness, swelling and soreness of mild to moderate severity. These are not recommended for pregnant women due to limited safety data.
Following HPV vaccination these women are required to undergo regular screening programme with pap test as vaccine does not offer 100% protection, hence a need for counseling every woman undergoing primary prevention with HPV Vaccination.
Prophylactic HPV Vaccine offer effective primary prevention for these cancer and seems promising towards the reduction of this cancer burden globally especially in developing countries.
How Wrong Colon Cancer Treatment Suggestions From Doctor May Lead
How Wrong Colon Cancer Treatment Suggestions From Doctor May Lead To Lawsuit
There are over one hundred forty two thousand new instances of colorectal cancer found each year. It takes the lives of fifty three thousand additional men and women each year. In the last 10 years there have been advancements in the treatment options available for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Since the cancer starts as a small growth, when it is found very early it may by and large be taken out during a colonoscopy. If the cancer grows too big to be removed during a colonoscopy the treatment gets more complicated.
What treatment methods are suggested will be based on the kind of colorectal cancer, the stage of the cancer, and issues like the age, other medical conditions, and overall wellbeing of the patient. The primary treatment for stages I through III is frequently surgery. Laparoscopic surgery has become more common for stage 1 and stage 2 colorectal cancers. There are circumstances, however, in which surgery may not be advised. This sometimes happens in certain advanced stage III and in some stage IV cases. In certain instances patients need a colostomy or ileostomy. These can change the individuals quality of life.
When drugs are given to combat the cancer this is known as chemotherapy. Chemotherapy improves the prognosis for individuals who have had a surgical procedure to remove the cancer from the colon but are vulnerable to having the cancer come back. It can also be used without surgery. Chemotherapy is, for example, often suggested for patients with stage III colorectal cancer. Stage III is described by spread to one or more lymph node. Chemotherapy is also used to treat patients with stage IV cancer. Stage IV is characterized by spread to other organs, such as the liver or lungs. Despite the fact that at stage II the cancer has not spread beyond the colon if the person has certain risk factors or is young chemotherapy may nonetheless be advised. A variety of drugs are now frequently part of the chemotherapy regimen were not commonly available only ten years ago.
Chemotherapy may, however, have major side effects. The side effects depend on a number of factors, like which drugs are administered, the amount of chemotherapy drugs use, how long the treatment lasts, as well as the age, other medical conditions and general health of the individual. Some of the most common side effects are nausea and vomiting. Other possible side effects include mouth sores and problems with the extremities. The treating oncologist can prescribe other drugs to help combat the side effects of the chemotherapy.
Sometimes physicians may recommend chemotherapy (and perhaps radiation therapy) as the inital treatment which is then followed by surgery if the chemotherapy (and radiation therapy) sufficiently reduces the size and amount of the tumors to make surgery viable.
In the event that the treatment is effective doctors then put the individual on a monitoring program to look for any recurrence. Despite the fact that blood tests are not utilized to diagnose colorectal cancer because at the present time there do not exist any blood tests that are specific enough to be useful for diagnostic purposes, one blood test is in some cases helpful in testing for recurrence. The test, known as the CEA test, looks at the level of carcinoembryonic antigen in the lood. A percentage of patients with colorectal cancer have high CEA levels. When an individual whose CEA level was high prior to commencement of treatment and had normal CEA levels following effective treatment elevated CEA levels might signal a recurrence. Other methods for checking include imaging studies like CT scans and X-rays as well as other blood tests to check for abnormalities (such as problems developing in the liver – a common area of metastasis).
Colorectal cancer may be deadly. Detecting it early greatly raises the odds that treatment will be able to kill the cancer. The more time that passes before the cancer is treated the lower the probability that the patient will be to beat it. Likewise, advising the right treatment can also make a considerable difference. In the event that a physician does not offer chemotherapy to an individual with stage III colorectal cancer, for example, that patient will face a higher chance of the cancer coming back.
The preceding is not to be considered medical advice. Check with your physician about screening for colorectal cancer and about any symptoms or issues you may have. If a doctor failed to suggest screening or dismissed complaints of symptoms and you were subsequently diagnosed with colorectal cancer, or the physician failed to suggest suitable treatment, you ought to consult with a medical malpractice attorney to determine whether you might have a claim.