Author: admin

Get Back Your Health
QUIT SMOKING TODAY!

Even if you aren’t at risk for cancer from a hereditary standpoint, it’s always a good idea to know the types of cancer.  In fact, in this day and age, it’s likely that you’ll be affected by cancer one way or another.  Perhaps it will occur in a coworker.  Maybe it will be found in your sister or mother.  Or may you’ll someday have to fight it on your own.  In any case, it’s wise to know the types of cancer, just for your own safety. 

Here, we’ll look at the top types of cancer in the United States:

Lung and Bronchus Cancers

What they are:  Cancer that attacks the respiratory system and eventually compromises the lungs, bronchial passages, and airways. 

Signs and symptoms:  Usually, persons with lung cancer experience pain when breathing or difficulty in trying to gasp for air.

Aggravators:  The most common culprits causing these types of cancer are smoking and tobacco use. 

Breast Cancers

What they are:  Cancer that begins (or enters) the breast and surrounding tissues, including the lymph nodes. 

Signs and symptoms:  Depending upon the types of cancer involved, there may be lumps in the breast tissue, swollen lymph nodes, breast tenderness, breast hardening, and unexplainable nipple discharge.

Aggravators:  Breast cancer is often genetic; many researchers believe they have isolated genes that can help women (and some men) discover their risk factors for this disease.

Prostate Cancer

What this is:  The cancer of the prostate is of the types of cancer that affects men over a certain age (usually around 50). 

Signs and symptoms:  Most males experience difficulty urinating and an enlarged prostate as signs of their prostate cancer.

Aggravators:  Prostate cancer is usually hereditary, but can also be brought on by problems such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease and poor health and nutrition habits.

Get Back Your Health
QUIT SMOKING TODAY!

Oral cancers, including tongue cancer, are on the decline.  Nonetheless, an estimated 34,000 patients this year will receive the devastating news that they have this condition.

Though some tongue cancers are hereditary or aberrations, many are preventable.  If you are engaging in any high risk activities, you are encouraged to stop now, lest you risk losing any part of your oral cavity… or even your life.

Smoking

Tobacco use is a known risk factor for tongue cancer; therefore, if you smoke, it’s recommended that you stop as soon as possible.  Many organizations offer free smoking cessation programs, and some workplaces are even jumping on the bandwagon, offering monetary rewards to those employees who can kick the smoking habit.

Additionally, most health insurance companies offer much lower premiums to persons who stop smoking.  They realize that smoking can lead to terrible health consequences, including (but not limited to) cancers of the mouth such as tongue cancer.

“Chewing”

No, we’re not talking about eating your food.  We’re talking about chewing tobacco.  Whether you call it “chaw”, “chew”, or some other moniker, it’s a terrible habit and can lead directly to tongue cancer.

Like smoking, it may be difficult at first to give up smokeless tobacco.  Try nicotine patches, medications, or even hypnosis… anything that will help you end your relationship with this life-threatening habit.

Excessive Alcohol

If you have a drink every now and then, you probably aren’t likely to aggravate tongue cancer.  However, if you are someone who drinks to excess, often becoming inebriated or “blacking out” frequently, you need to curb your desire to imbibe beverages such as beer, wine, and liquors.

Similarly, if you have been diagnosed with alcoholism, it’s critical to get help.  Not only are you upping your risk of tongue cancer, you’re also ruining other parts of your anatomy.  And you deserve to be healthy.

It’s the “silent killer”… uterine cancer.  But is it really so stealthy?

Research
shows that, though it’s commonly thought to have no symptoms, patients
with uterine cancer do all seem to experience signs.  Of course, they
are often misdiagnosed by physicians or simply ignored by victims of
this disease.

Because early detection is the key to treating
uterine cancer, it’s imperative that you not ignore the following
symptoms.  Even if your doctor says it’s nothing, trust your instincts
and obtain a second opinion.  It could save your life.

Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding

Though
a certain amount of “spotting” is common in some women, abnormal
vaginal bleeding may be an early sign of uterine cancer.  Look for a
heavier than normal flow (akin to a normal menstrual period), one that
requires the use of a tampon or sanitary pad.  Sometimes, pain may also
occur, though many women never have any discomfort.

Bleeding after Menopause

If
you’ve already entered menopause and you suddenly begin to bleed
vaginally, you would be wise to get a check-up.  Uterine cancer can
sometimes cause post-menopausal women to begin bleeding; unfortunately,
many of them assume that their periods are simply starting up again and
ignore the flow.  However, if you’re past menopause, you need to ensure
that any unexpected bleeding isn’t an indicator of uterine cancer.

Bleeding after Sexual Intercourse

Some
women do bleed after sexual intercourse, but if it happens to you on a
regular basis, you may want to contact a physician.  Bleeding after
having sexual activity could be a sign of uterine cancer.  Like
abnormal vaginal bleeding, pain may accompany the bleeding (which often
lasts much longer than expected.)

By being attune to your body and
keeping an eye for the signs of uterine cancer, you can protect
yourself and ensure that your loved ones have you around for many
years.

The pink breast cancer ribbon is in much the same vein as the red
Aids awareness ribbon in that it seeks to lend solidarity to those who
are suffering from breast cancer as well as raise awareness of the
prevalence and prevention of this often fatal disease.  However, the
last five to six years has seen a virtual explosion in breast cancer
ribbon merchandise and this obvious increase I believe also indicates a
much larger awareness and number of women committed to eradicating
breast cancer for good.

 According to the National Cancer
Institute, the increase in annual breast cancer rates from the 1940’s
to the 1980’s was approx a 1 percent increase per year. However, the
onset of the 1980’s saw an exponential increase in new cases per year,
leveling off in the 1990’s.  The breast cancer ribbon was a symbol of
the increasing number of breast cancer cases as well as a sign of
support to those women battling breast cancer and those who had lost
their lives. However, I believe that a marked shift in the meaning of
the breast cancer ribbon has occurred over the last several years.

With
ongoing research and new information being constantly uncovered, it is
quite obvious that early detection of breast cancer is the most likely
path to remission and survival.  Therefore, regular screenings and
being mindful of added risk factors such as family history is crucial
to stopping the spread of breast cancer and lessening the resulting
fatalities. Due to this new mindset, the breast cancer ribbon seems to
now apply to the woman’s community as a whole. No longer aimed solely
at women already suffering from breast cancer, it is also a reminder to
all women to perform self examinations, undergo regular mammograms and
be proactive in their overall health care.  And some progress is
evident; since 2003 the medical community has seen a steep decline on
the number of new breast cancer cases.  This decrease can be explained
partly through preventative care and early detection of abnormal cells
made possible through awareness.

The human breast contains milk-producing ducts, and glands that
transport lymph throughout the body. The majority of the breast is
composed of fat tissue, though it is in these milk ducts that breast
cancer usually develops. Breast cancer awareness is a big social issue
in the U.S., and the medical community has come along way in responding
to the public’s need for more advanced diagnosis and treatment options.

Importance of Breast Cancer Awareness

Breast
cancer awareness can save the life of you, a friend, or a family
member. Through awareness and research, cancer rates are continually
declining in the U.S. In fact, a woman is more likely to die from
cardiovascular disease that all the other types of cancer combined.
However, it is still important to be aware of the signs and symptoms so
that early treatment can be sought. Many treatments are available, and
there is a high rate of survival if the cancer is detected at a
relatively early stage.

Symptoms, Causes, and Breast Cancer Awareness

Monthly
self-examinations to detect changes or lumps in the breast are highly
recommended, as well as yearly clinical checks by your doctor. Starting
at age 40, your doctor will probably recommend regular mammograms,
which detect the presence of lumps or masses within the breast tissues.

There is no single great risk factor for getting breast
cancer than being a woman. While men can and do get cancer in the
breast glands, women are 100 times more likely to. Breast cancer
awareness campaigns have done an excellent job of educating the
nation’s female population about risk factors, which also include using
birth control pills, smoking, aging, using hormone replacement therapy,
and having a blood relative with a history of breast or ovarian cancer.

Treatments range from lump removal to complete breast removal,
radiation to shrink the cancer or mass, and chemotherapy to kill the
cancerous cells. Breast cancer awareness not only saves lives, but also
helps educate those living with the disease on how to live a fulfilling
and healthy life after detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

Brain Cancer has always been dreaded. Previously people saw no
chances of recovery once afflicted by the fatal disease. Even today,
brain cancer is regarded as of the most complicated ailments; however,
modern science has evolved many modern technologies and treatments to
fight the disease.

Types

Two
different forms of brain cancer are usually detected in human beings –
primary and secondary. The primary type initiates in the brain. The
cancer does not move to any other part of the body, and therefore, the
situation is not grave. Nevertheless, if there are uncontrollable tumor
growths within the small skull then it proves fatal.

The
secondary form is also known as Metastatic brain cancer. Here the
cancer originates in some other part of the body but then migrates to
the brain. Since it is an advanced stage of cancer, it can be life
threatening.

Causes And Symptoms

Malignant
brain tumors lead to brain cancers. Some of the common symptoms of the
presence of brain tumors are memory loss, impaired judgment, swelling
of the optic nerve, vision loss, severe behavior changes, impaired
smell sense, frequent vomiting, nausea and severe headaches, etc. Brain
Cancer is dreaded because the symptoms of the disease go unnoticed,
remain dormant until the last stage and this takes the patient towards
oblivious death.

The following reasons have been isolated as being the chief risk factors:

• As
  with all forms of cancer, carcinogens play a prime role in causing
  brain cancer. Be aware that house wares, pipes, car parts and furniture
  have higher concentrations of carcinogens.
• Continuous contact with vinyl chloride has been seen as another prime reason.
• One
  suffering from lung cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer
  for a long time is in all likelihood going to get affected by the
  secondary brain cancer.

Treatment depends on the
stage of the disease, type and location of the tumor(s). Other factors
such as a patient’s age too play a role in determining the apt
treatment.

What One Should Do?

If
one thinks that he/she is inflicted by the disease then there are a
number of people whose suggestions are indispensable. Radiologist,
neurosurgeons, dietitians, oncologist and physiotherapist are the right
people to consult with.

If the tumor is in the nascent
stage, then one can get rid of it by means of surgery. The modern
technology is more advanced and less scary. It is a knife less
technology and only high-energy radiations are focused from different
angles to kill the tumor. This is also known as the “gama knife
surgery”.

Treatment for brain cancer incorporates three methods, which are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

There
is external and internal radiation therapy. External therapy is
projecting radiation beams on to the tumor and the internal therapy is
implanting small radioactive capsules inside the tumor. Chemotherapy
entails the process of administering drugs to kill the tumor. It is
done in two to four cycles of treatment.

Follow up tests and
checkups are necessary once the brain cancer is treated fully by
eliminating/destroying the brain tumor(s).

Our bones are covered with a fibrous tissue called periosteum, and
we have one layer. Bones contain 2 different cells.  One is the
osteoblast, this one develops the bone, and the other is the
osteoclast, which is the one that dissolves the bone. Our bones are
constantly forming, as the old bone is dissolving.

One type of Bone Cancer is Osteosarcome, which affects the Osteoid, locations can be of the knees, upper legs, upper arms.

Another type is Chondrosarcoma, which affects the Cartilage; location can be in the pelvis, upper legs, or shoulders.

Third
type of Bone Cancer is Ewing’s Sarcoma, which affects the immature
nerve tissue, usually in the bone marrow; locations can be in the
pelvis, upper legs, ribs, and arms.

What is Bone Cancer?

Bone
cancer consists of several types of bone tumors.  Some tumors are
benign, some are malignant bone tumors, there is yet another one called
malignant fibrous histiocytoma.  Osteosarcoma:  cancer of the bone
itself. It’s the most common.  Chondrosarcoma:  This one is in the
cartilage cells and is second most common.  Then we have Ewing tumor: 
named after Dr. James Ewing.  Less than 10% are in other tissues and
organs.  This type of cancer develops in the cavity of the bone.

Diagnoses of Bone Cancer

In
order to get the size, shape of the one tumor ad x-ray can be performed
than, then perhaps an MRI, then maybe a bone scan, or an angiogram. A
biopsy should be done to find out if it is cancer.

Treatment

Any treatments depend on locations, type, size, and the stage of the
Bone Cancer.  Surgery may be the primary treatment, pre/post operative
chemotherapy.  A surgeon may try to avoid amputation and look for bone
cancer section only. Chemotherapy or radiation may be used or both.

One form of cancer is blood cancer, also known as leukaemia.  This
blood cancer caused when the white blood cells of the body over
produce.  The white blood cells are part of the immune system and play
a large in dealing with foreign “invaders” to the body, such as
bacteria and other viruses.  When someone has blood cancer, the
person’s bone marrow makes way too much white blood cells of abnormal
nature, affecting the person’s bone marrow and ability to fight off
infections.

Blood cancer can be broken down into two
types.  The first type of blood cancer is chronic leukaemia, which is a
slowly progressive type of blood cancer that usually affects more
mature blood cells.  Some symptoms of chronic leukaemia include
tiredness, which is brought on my anemia, bruising, which happens
frequently and is not usually caused by a fall, many infections,
swollen lymph nodes, and weight loss.   This form of blood cancer
usually develops over time and can occur for a while before a person
even feels any symptoms.  This type of blood cancer can usually be
treated through chemotherapy with can be given in caplet form.

The
second, most common, form of blood cancer is called chronic lymphocytic
leukaemia, or CLL.  This form of blood cancer is diagnosed in about
4000 people in the UK every year.  This form of blood cancer affects a
certain group of white blood cells, called lymphocytes, which creates a
weakened immune system within the patient.  This disease is usually
found in people between the ages of 40 and 65, and primarily is found
in men.  Symptoms of the blood cancer CLL include painless enlargement
of the lymph glands, enlarged spleen that is sometimes painful, and
consistent feelings of being sick.   If a person believes they might
have a form of blood cancer, they should get a bone marrow test done to
make sure and to see what type of blood cancer they have.

Rectal cancer is form of cancer that can affect the layers of the
rectum, which is the lower part of the colon that connects the anus to
the large intestine.  There are three layers of the rectum that rectal
cancer can penetrate.  The first layer of the rectum that can be
contaminated by rectal cancer is the mucosa.  The mucosa is the layer
of the rectum wall that lines the inner surface and is made up of
glands that release mucus that helps stool pass through the body.  The
second layer of the rectum is the Musclaris propria which is made of
muscles and helps the rectums contract.  The third layer of the rectum
that can be affected by rectal cancer is the Mesorectum which is the
fatty tissue that surrounds the rectum.

Rectal cancer is
fairly common and constitutes about 40,000 of the 150,000 cases of
colorectal cancer that are diagnoses every year.  The most common form
of rectal cancer is called adenocarcinoma, which is a form of rectal
cancer that affects the mucosa layer of the rectum.  This type of
cancer is dangerous because it can spread to the rest of the body
through Lymph nodes located in the rectum.  The severity of rectal
cancer can depend on many  things, including how deep the cancer
penetrates through the rectum, which layers of the rectum are affected
with the disease, and if the cancer has spread through out the body via
the surrounding lymph nodes.

Some symptoms of rectal cancer
include narrowing of the stool, pelvic pain, and red blood in the
stool. On rare occasions, feces can be passed through the female vagina
and passage of air with urine in men. If a person is experiencing these
symptoms it is important to go to the doctors immediately.

Prostrate cancer is characterized by the presence of malignant cells
within the male prostate gland, located under the bladder, or the
surrounding tissue.  Prostrate cancer is the second leading cause of
death for men in the U.S. behind lung cancer. The American Cancer
Society (ACS) estimates 180,000 new cases of prostrate cancer are
diagnosed annually with approx 32,000 individuals dying as a result. 
Likewise, the ACS found that if the cancer is still localized in the
prostate at diagnosis, as 79 percent of cases are, the five year
survival rate is nearly 100 percent. As with all cancers, early
detection is crucial for successful treatment and survival.  After
puberty, most men undergo physical examinations which include a manual
prostate exam and could potentially lead to additional tests if the
doctor deems necessary.  Additionally, if a family history of prostate
cancer exists or potential exposure to environmental risk factors such
as the element cadmium is likely, the frequency of prostate exams may
be increased to ensure immediate treatment if necessary.

Several
other risk factors for prostrate cancer are thought to be age, African
American descent and a newer school of thought which suggests that a
diet rich in animal fat may contribute to prostate cancer.  In fact,
African American males in the U.S. have the highest occurrence rate in
the world for prostrate cancer, a marked 37 percent most than white
males living in the United States.  It has also been noted that
prostate cancer rarely occurs before the age of 40 and is mostly
concentrated in those over age 65.  And although animal fat may be
linked to prostate cancer, a diet rich in tomato based products which
contain the antioxidant lycopene may decrease the overall risk. In
fact, eating just two servings of tomato sauce per week can
significantly decrease a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer.