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The thyroid gland is located in your neck, at the base of your
Adam’s apple, and is a very important part of the endocrine system of
your body. Hormones that the gland secretes are responsible for things
such as your body temperature, hair growth and loss, weight loss and
gain, and other aspects of your metabolism. Thyroid cancer can have
serious consequences, but it is highly treatable if caught early.

Symptoms and Causes of Thyroid Cancer

The
main symptoms of this cancer appear in the throat area. Hoarseness,
coughing, trouble breathing, a lump or nodule at the front of your
throat, and swollen lymph nodes are all symptoms that may appear. A
pain in the neck or throat area, and pain when swallowing can also be
present, though there aren’t always symptoms in the early stages of
cancer.

Family history is a big factor in whether you’re
at risk for thyroid cancer. It can be inherited through your family’s
DNA, or you may simply be in a higher risk category due to your age,
sex, race, or exposure to certain contaminants. White American women
are most at risk, as those who have been exposed to radiation.

Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

The
presence of a nodule is often noticed upon routine examination, though
not all nodules end up being cancerous. To diagnose thyroid cancer, the
doctor may do an ultrasound scan, blood tests, or a needle biopsy. The
determination of cancer is made by the way the cells look and act when
under a microscope, especially when compared to nearby cells in the
gland and lymph nodes.

For malignant nodules, treatment will vary,
but can include complete removal of the gland, radioiodine treatment,
an external radioactive beam application, and chemotherapy. A thyroid
scan is often used to detect any cancerous cells left behind, which can
then be eliminated. A lifetime of supplemental hormone replacement
therapy will be required.

A lump is the most prevalent way cancer is found including
testicular cancer.  Usually the patient notices or feels a lump on
their testicles but they could also appear swollen or painful.  If any
of these three symptoms are present or a combination of them, it is
recommended to go and see a doctor.  It is likely at this point that
screening and tests would be ordered to determine the presence of
testicular cancer.  These tests can include an ultra sound, blood
tests, or various scans (CT, MRI, and PET).

There are
additional signs to be watchful for when on the lookout for testicular
cancer.  These symptoms are not as common as the three listed above but
still occur.  If a boy or man is experiencing breast growth or
tenderness in the breast area, if a small boy (pre-pubescent) is
growing hair on his face and/or body, or if a grown man starts to lose
interest in sex.  These signs will be present at the onset of
testicular cancer, you should see you doctor to determine if this or
another reason is the cause.

If the testicular cancer is
further along (advanced), a painful lower back is usually present. 
This type of cancer can also spread to the lungs, warning signs that
this has happened are shortness of breath, a pain in your chest, or
coughing/spitting up blood.  These symptoms do not mean that you have
testicular cancer but if you are exhibiting these symptoms you should
see your doctor.

It is important to remember that there can be
other causes for some of these symptoms that are not testicular
cancer.  If you have suffered an injury to your testicles it could
result in them being swollen and tender. An appointment should be made
with your doctor to discuss these signs and tests will be ordered for
further investigation.

Moles, Warts & Skin Tags Removal

There are ways to prevent skin cancer and most of them fall under the category of common sense.  The rays from the sun, in particular, ultra violet rays are harmful to your skin and can cause skin cancer.  Limit your time in the sun and use the below tips to protect yourself when you are outdoors.

Overexposure to the sun can cause skin cancer years down the road.  The easiest way to ensure you are not getting too much sun is to wear appropriate clothing and seek out shade whenever possible.  Wearing a hat is an invaluable way to protect your face, ears, and neck (if the brim is large enough) from skin cancer. 

You still need to be aware of the skin cancer risks even when you are wearing clothing that gives good coverage, a hat with a large brim, and staying in the shade whenever possible.  Sunscreen should be used as a back-up to these measures.  To use sunscreen properly (and get a better chance of preventing skin cancer), you need to put enough on and do it 20-30 minutes prior to going outside.  Once outside, sunscreen should be reapplied at least every two hours to ensure the protective coverage is maintained.

Two other methods that are under-utilized as skin cancer prevention are sunglasses and avoiding tanning beds.  Your eyes and the sensitive area around the eyes are prone to getting burnt and require extra protection from the sun and ultra violet rays.  A wrap around pair of sunglasses is the best protection.  The lenses of the sunglasses should be dark enough to block the light.  There is no definitive study, but exposing yourself to ultra violet rays through the use of tanning beds is not recommended.  It is a risk to use them as you may get skin cancer later on when you thought you were being cautious by not laying out in the sun.

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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.

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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.

Moles, Warts & Skin Tags Removal

Skin cancer is, fortunately, on the decline.  However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be concerned about it.  Below, we’ll discuss prevention methods for all types of skin cancer.

Sunscreen Application

One of the biggest risk factors for all types of skin cancer is overexposure to the sun.  It used to be considered ideal to “bake” in the sun for hours, but it’s now known that a tan isn’t healthy. 

To avoid types of skin cancer, you should always use a sunscreen of at least SPF 15, preferably SPF 30.  And make sure that you reapply it; often, during sports or water play, we forget that even the best sunscreen can get washed away.

Even darker skin types can benefit from sunscreen application, though some African American and Indian occupants find that they have a natural, built-in “sunscreen” thanks to their deeper complexions.

Toxin Avoidance

Are you working around a lot of toxins on a daily basis?  For instance, if you have a job in a plant that manufactures pesticides or herbicides, or if you use such items, you may actually be at a higher risk for types of skin cancer.

Because toxins can enter the bloodstream through the skin (it’s essentially porous, like a sponge), you’ll need to be ultra careful when working or playing around anything that could cause problems.  Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into boots, gloves, hats, and, of course, eye protection for maximum prevention.

If you feel that you are being unduly exposed to toxic elements, you may want to consider switching careers.  Even taking a lower pay rate is worth it to save your skin from types of skin cancer.

Eating a Healthy Diet

Finally, though this is somewhat of a debatable prevention method for avoiding types of skin cancer, it’s worth stating.  Many people believe that a wholesome, organic diet that avoids “free radicals” often found in processed foods can help prevent types of skin cancer (as well as other cancers.)

Again, even though the jury is essentially “out” on whether this is a valid point, it’s never a bad idea to start eating more healthfully.

Vaginal cancer is a type of cancer that tends to be very rare.  In a
one year period, there are only about 300 cases of vaginal cancer
diagnosed in the UK. Vaginal cancer can actually be classified into two
different types of cancer.  The first type of vaginal cancer is primary
vaginal cancer in which  the cancer started in the vagina itself, and
the second type of vaginal cancer is called secondary vaginal cancer,
in which the cancer started somewhere other than the vagina and has
spread there.

Primary vaginal cancer can further be
broken down into two different types of cancer, Squamous cell cancer
and Adenocarcinoma cancer.  The form of vaginal cancer called Squamous
cell cancer is the most common and is primarily found in the upper part
of the vagina and affects women between the ages of 50 and 70. 
Adenocarcinoma is a type of vaginal cancer that is much rarer, but
usually affects women under 20.

Secondary vaginal cancer is
more prevalent then primary vaginal cancer, and is usually found in the
neck of the womb near the cervix or near by organs like the bowel or
bladder.

The exact cause of vaginal cancer has not been found,
however there is research going on to try and isolate the causes.  Some
people are at a high risk of developing vaginal cancer than others. 
For example, women who have had genital warts cause by human papilloma
virus have a slightly larger chance of developing vaginal cancer. Also,
a hormone drug abbreviated as DES has been shown to cause the
adenocarcinoma form of vaginal cancer.  This hormone drug has also been
shown to increase the risk of adenocarcinoma vaginal cancer in the
children of women who have taken the drug.  Therefore, if is extremely
important to stop the use of DES if pregnant or thinking about becoming
pregnant.

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Moles, Warts & Skin Tags Removal

From blemishes which seem to scar, to sunspots and subtle changes in pigment, a change in your skin’s appearance is to be taken seriously and examined by a dermatologist or family physician immediately.  But often you will be asking yourself, what does skin cancer look like? In this case it may be a good idea to research various photo galleries of different skin cancer as it occurs on various parts of the body. Being proactive in your healthcare demands that you be an active participant and gaining some familiarity with the physical properties of skin cancer may aid in early detection if symptoms appear.  At least you’ll have a general concept to apply to the question of; what does skin cancer look like?  And although not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, being familiar with the appearance of different skin cancers could help you to communicate any changes you’ve noticed with your doctor more easily.

The very nature of the disease makes the question of what does skin cancer look like hard to answer. Depending on the cancer’s stage or severity, location on body and type of skin cancer, appearance can vary widely between individual patients.  Additionally, there are different types of skin cancer such as melanoma, which is cancer located in the cells responsible for pigment, or non-melanoma skin cancer located in the basal and squamous cells.  For example, basal cell carcinoma, a non-melanoma skin cancer may sometimes appear to a small pink spot which almost mimics the look of an acne scar while a Squamous Cell Carcinoma may have a bit of texture or appear yellow in color.  A melanoma skin cancer, which originates in the cells responsible for pigment, may experience a change in size or appearance of a mole or the darkening of a pigmented area.

However, all three of these skin cancers can look different from someone else who suffers from the same affliction depending on the stage and the individual’s overall health and lifestyle. That is why it is so important to immediately consult with a doctor if you notice a change in your skin and think to yourself, what does skin cancer look like?

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There are hundreds of types of cancer out there and many people have the same question concerning this disease and that is, what is cancer? Cancer is the word used to describe a group of diseases that all have to do with cells.  Cells that are affected with cancer do not grow at a normal rate and spread incredibly quickly. Cancer cells are also different compared to regular cells because they keep multiplying and do not die.  When people asked the question “What is cancer?” they usually have a vague idea that cancer has something to do with tumors.  This is somewhat correct because the abnormal cells that cause cancel sometimes group together to form hard masses which become tumors.  If a form of cancer is caught early enough, the cancer can usually be cured by surgically removing the tumor.  Cancer becomes more dangerous when cancer cells spread away from the tumor and travel to different parts of the body.

What is Cancer?  Cancer is a fairly common group of diseases that can affect anyone.  Cancer does not discriminate according to age, sex, or race, although certain types of cancers are more common in certain people than others.  Cancer has become extremely prevalent throughout the United States. It is estimated that one half of men and one third of women will develop cancer sometime in their lives.  With staggering numbers of cancer victims, it is extremely important for cancer research to continue.

The second most common question beside what is cancer is what causes cancer.  This is a tricky question because some cancers do not have any traces as to what causes them, while other cancers have strict origins.  For example, blood cancer does not seem to have a direct reason that it occurs, while Mesothelioma cancer is directly linked to the exposure to asbestos.  Cancer can be a devastating group of diseases to deal with and unfortunately takes the lives of many people throughout the world ever year.  It is important to continue supporting cancer research organizations so that cures and treatments can continue to become available.