Category: Cancer

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Also called oral cancer, mouth cancer is most often located on the lips or the tongue. The other parts of the mouth could become infected also, such as soft tissue on the gums, roof or bottom of the mouth, and the inside of a person’s cheek. The cancer can easily spread to other tissue and lymph nodes in the neck if not properly treated. About one-fourth of all cases end in death because of delays in diagnosis or treatment, so it is important to report any suspicious lumps in your mouth to your doctor or dentist.

Symptoms and Causes of Mouth Cancer

The most prominent symptom is a lesion or lump in the mouth. It usually starts out small and painless, can be pale in color or dark, and sometimes has a hard edge or crack in the tissue. Depending on the location of the cancer, there may be trouble swallowing, speaking, or chewing. An abnormal taste in the mouth may also be present.

Upwards of 80% of mouth cancers are caused by the use of tobacco, whether in chewing or smoking form. Continued irritation of the soft tissue in the mouth usually leads to the development of the cancerous cells. Rough teeth, dentures, and heavy alcohol abuse are also linked to oral cancer.

Mouth Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

A diagnosis is usually made upon examination by a doctor or dentist. As with most cancers, diagnosis is not made until cancerous cells are confirmed by a pathologist, who will review cells from a biopsy under a microscope. Routine dental examinations may catch its early presence, so good dental hygiene will reduce your risk factor.

Activities such as chewing tobacco, smoking, and drinking heavily should be stopped, and treatment will depend on the severity of the case. Radiation is usually preferred over surgery, unless the lesion is in its early and small stage. Mouth cancer that has spread into nearby neck lymph nodes will need more aggressive treatment options, and surgical removal of parts of the face may be recommended.

Male breast cancer is a form of cancer that sometimes goes unnoticed
and uncared for long periods of time because not many men are aware
that they can have male breast cancer.  While it is much more common
for women to get breast cancer, men do have breast tissue and therefore
can get male breast cancer.  Signs of male breast cancer include skin
dimpling or puckering around the breast area, redness and scaling of
the breast area or nipple, bloody discharge or clear discharge from the
nipple, and a retraction or indentation of the nipple. 

Many
people wonder what causes male breast cancer, but that is actually a
hard question to answer.  Male breast cancer, just like any other form
of cancer, is caused when a group of abnormal cells grow at a rapid
pace, damaging and destroying the normal tissue of the area. It is not
exactly known what triggers the growth of these abnormal cells that
cause male breast cancer, however it is known that about 5 to 10
percent of male breast cancer is inherited.  Also, men who carry the
breast cancer gene, BRCA 1 or BRCA 2, have a higher risk of getting
male breast cancer.  Because of the genetic correlations and male
breast, it is important to know your genetic health history.

There
are some external factors that do put men at a higher rate of getting
male breast cancer.  For example, if you are exposed to radiation at a
young age or as a young adult, you are more likely to get male breast
cancer.  Also, if you have had Klinefelter syndrome, a syndrome that
reduces more estrogen in men, their might be a higher risk of getting
male breast cancer.  Like women, it is important to check the breast
area for abnormalities, especially if there is a family history of male
breast cancer.

Lymph node cancer is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic
system.  The lymphatic system is very important to the body.  The
lymphatic system is a set of tiny vessels that take fluid awake from
tissues and back into the blood stream.  Within the lymphatic system
there are small organs, or lymph nodes that are located in areas of the
body such as the neck, armpits, and the groin.  It is easy to see that
lymph node cancer that affects the lymphatic system can be very serious
to the whole body.  There are two different forms of lymph node cancer,
Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 

One
initial sign of Hodgkin’s disease include swelling of the lymph glands
that are tender to the touch.  This is caused by the cancer affecting
the lymph nodes, eliminating the ability of the glands to properly
transport bodily fluids.  Other signs of Hodgkin’s disease include
tiredness, severe sweats, fevers, weight loss and itchy skin. 

If a person thinks they may have lymph node cancer, several things are
does by the doctor to check and see if the patient does indeed have
lymph node cancer.  The doctors can remove an affected lymph node gland
for testing; they can do X-rays, take a CT scan, and if needed, take a
bone marrow sample from the patient’s hip bone.

Lymph node
cancer can be treated, although the treatment is fairly extensive.
Treatment of lymph node cancer includes radiation, chemotherapy, and
sometimes surgery.  Chemotherapy is given through injections into the
patient’s veins that sometimes causes the patient’s to loose their hair
and feel nauseous.  The good thing about this illness is that if
detected early enough, it is usually able to be treatment affectively.

If a person feels that their lymph nodes are swollen for an unnatural
period of time, a time longer than the period where lymph nodes are
swollen during flu like illness, it is important to get checked out. 
Lymph node cancer is quite serious, but if caught in time, is usually
curable.

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The majority of lung cancers are considered non-small cell lung cancer.  This type of cancer can manifest itself in three different ways.  Of the three different types of non-small cell lung cancer you can be diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma is the most common.  This is mostly likely due to its correlation with smoking.  The other two types of this type of cancer are called Aden carcinoma (found on the outside of the lungs) and large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma (fast acting and fast spreading).

Breathing Better Living Well.com provides information about chronic lung disease as well as a forum for pulmonary patients to share experiences in a positive and accepting community.

The second type of lung cancer is categorized as small cell lung cancer.  Even though the non-small cell type of lung cancer called squamous cell carcinoma has a correlation with smoking, small cell lung cancer has been found to be directly linked in most diagnoses.  This type of lung cancer starts by infecting the bronchi in the lungs; it is fast-acting and can quickly spread to other areas of the body.  It is important to note that you can have a combination of both kinds of lung cancer known as mixed small cell/large cell lung cancer.

The third type of lung cancer that can be diagnosed is known as carcinoid tumors.  There are two types of carcinoid tumors a patient can have – typical carcinoids and atypical carcinoids.  It is important to doctors to note the different symptoms a patient has or the locations of the tumor to determine the types of symptoms a patient will have.  This is because it will differ based on the location of the tumor, whether it is considered to be a central carcinoid or a peripheral carcinoid.

It is important for a patient to know the exact name of the type of lung cancer they have been diagnosed with.  The information, diagnoses, and treatments are quite different from what type to the next.

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.

Liver cancer is cancer that begins in the liver and is often caused
by an abnormal growth of cells called tumors. The more common type of
liver cancer is when cancer spreads into the liver from other parts of
the body.  There is a strong link between liver cancer and chronic
hepatitis B.  Males are more likely to be affected by liver cancer than
females.

Symptoms of liver cancer include abdominal pain,
fever, weakness, anorexia, jaundice and as tumors grow back pain may
develop.  If your primary care physician suspects liver cancer
diagnostic tests such as ct scans, radioisotope scans, MRI and blood
tests will be ordered. 

Aggressive treatment of liver
cancer is important.  Surgery can be performed to remove the tumors if
the cancer is not spread to other parts of the body.  The remaining
healthy parts of the liver will take over for full function of the
liver.  Chemotherapy can also be used to kill the cancer cells and
shrink the tumors.  In some cases liver transplantation may be
necessary.  Choice of treatment depends on the number of tumors, the
size of the tumors and their location.

Surgery can cure
liver cancer once the tumors are removed and that is why it is so
important to detect liver cancer in the early stages.  The age and
general health of the patient is an important factor when deciding on a
treatment.  If surgery is not an option there are other methods of
treatment to control the liver cancer and help the patient to live
longer and feel better.

There are some things you can do to
reduce your chances of liver cancer.  Make sure that you buy food that
is safe and clean.  When you prepare food always make sure the area is
clean before the food comes in contact with it.  When eating out check
to make sure that the restaurant is well taken care of. 

Other
important steps to take are to avoid illegal drugs and excessive intake
of alcohol.  Try to eat small, frequent meals that are well balanced
and take vitamins as recommended by your physician.  Most of all
maintain a healthy lifestyle and discuss any problems with your
physician.

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Lip cancer is a form of cancer that is usually related to extended exposure to natural elements such as the sun and the wind.  Because of this, lip cancer is more prevalent among people who work outside, such as farmers, ranchers, and fisherman.  Lip cancer usually begins as a tumor that does not seem to heal on the lip, specifically between the middle third and the outer third level of the lower lip.  Sometimes lip cancer beings as a non cancerous non-healing area on the lip and then over time, develops into a cancerous tumor. 

Lip cancer can be cured by several different methods, depending on the severity.  For example, lip cancer can be burned, it can be frozen, it can be treated with acid or creams, and in more several cases, and it can be treated with radiation. However the most effective way to remove lip cancer, also known as Squamous Cell Cancer of the lip, is by surgically removing the cancerous area. Usually the lip will look normal but some sever cases may require the work or a plastic surgeon in order to create a normal looking lip after surgery.

While many people might not often hear of lip cancer, it is actually pretty common, affecting over 34,000 Americans each year.  Of this number, and significant portion, roughly 8000 people will die from this cancer. Lip cancer is actually so sever that out of the 34,000 people diagnosed in a year, old half of the victims will be alive within 5 years. In fact, the death rate of people who die from lip cancer and other oral or pharyngeal cancers is higher than the rate of people who die from cancers such as liver cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, and kidney cancer.  Because of these staggering numbers, it is important to get any unusual mark on the body checked out as soon as possible.

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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.

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?