SPF in Sunscreen - The Basics

By Daniel John Phillips

SPF stands for 'sun protection factor'. Basically, the SPF in sunscreen protects your skin from cancer causing UV rays by multiplying your natural defense against the rays. Sounds confusing, but it's not. Here's how it works - If you burn easily and can generally only last 10 minutes in the sun, a sunscreen with SPF 15 will in theory protect you for 15 times more than your natural protection time, so in this case you will protected against UV rays for 150 minutes. That is however a theoretical time - it doesn't take into account sweating, swimming, or wearing clothes - or any other factor that might rub the sunscreen off or impede it's benefits.
Another thing to note is that once you've used your protection time (the theoretical 150 minutes), another dose of sunscreen will not add more protection during that day. In this case if you've been outside in the sun for your 'protected' time minutes you are best to avoid sun for at least the remainder of the day to avoid getting burnt.
On the subject of burning, there are 2 types of UV (ultraviolet) rays that can cause cancer: UVA & UVB.
UVA are sun rays that cause our skin to tan and wrinkle and over time will produce age posts and skin sagging. Although not as powerful as the UVB rays, it can penetrate more deeply into the skin. UVB are shorter, more powerful ultraviolet radiations from sunlight. UVB is responsible for sunburn - It affects the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and is a major contributor to development of skin cancer. The best sunscreens protect from both UVA & UVB rays.
Different parts of the world have variable burn times depending on how strong the ozone layer is in that party of the world. New Zealand for example has a 'hole' over it and burn times can be very fast.

When it comes to SPF in sunscreen it is recommended you use the highest protecting sunscreen product whenever you are outside - even in winter or when it is a cloudy day.
http://www.spfinsunscreen.com brings you everything you could ever want to know about SPF in suncreen, sunblock or suncream.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_John_Phillips

Acidic pH Promotes Cancer Tumor?

by Henry Relfield 

The intracellular pH of some cancer cells is lower (more acidic) than the pH or a normal cell, which has led some to believe that you can kill cancer cells by raising cellular ph, and that improper internal pH balance can contribute to cancer. There is no scientific evidence, however, that suggests a direct link between alterations in pH balance and cancer prevention, or, specifically that a high pH (alkaline) environment will kill cancer cells.
In fact, the converse may be true. Cancer tumors tend to create an immediate milieu that is acidic. This is in part due to the fact that cancer cells require vast quantities of sugar because they are very inefficient at producing energy from glucose. In many cancer cells, glucose is metabolized anaerobically, which creates lactic acid as a by-product. Lactic acid is acidic. However, this very acidic and the elevated levels of lactic acid may actually be toxic to the cancer cell, ultimately contributing to its demise. Thus, trying to alkalinize the body (and the cancerous tumor) may be counterproductive at worst and irrelevant at best. The pH of cancer cells is the result of metabolic events within the cancer cell and is not reflected in the pH of other body fluids, such as urine, saliva, or blood.
Online information on high pH therapy cites a 1984 report claiming that high pH therapy for cancer has been studied with positive results on both animals and humans. The conclusions drawn from this report are highly suspect, as is the methodology of the study. The actual nature of the conclusions and the specifics of the intervention are left unexplained. It is also suspicious that any positive findings have not been duplicated in any subsequent study in more than 25 years. In fact, the only subsequent studies on humans are case reports of toxicity directly due to ingestion of cesium chloride as an alternative cancer treatment to raise the pH of cancer cells. One report described high levels of accumulated cesium in the liver, leading to liver toxicity.
On a more positive note, some early data from a mouse study indicates that oral administration of cesium chloride does, in fact, raise the pH of tumor tissue and sensitize the tumor tissue to the anticancer effects of vitamin D administered at the same time. This preliminary data may lead to future indications for cesium chloride along with vitamin D. However, at present, data in support of the pH theory is lacking.

Henry Relfield is a medical expert in cancer diseases for more than 15 years and he has been writing many well-known cancer-related articles including, diagnosis and causes of tumors, cancer-fighting recipes, common signs and symptoms of tumors, treatment options, etc. To find out more about his articles, you can visit at: http://www.cancer-dictionary.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_Relfield

 

Information About Skin Cancer

By Brijesh Ghelani

Cancer that is formed in the tissues of the skin is known as Skin Cancer. It is one of the most common kinds of cancer that affects men and women. This cancer affects about a million people every year and there are many factors that cause this including excessive sun exposure, tanning, weak immune systems, etc. Read on to get a complete awareness of this most common form of cancer and on steps to prevent it.
How is skin cancer caused?
When the skin cells modify and multiply in an abnormal fashion, the uncontrollable growth causes the development of a mass known as a tumor. This tumor that occurs in the skin is also known as a lesion and these cancerous growths are malignant in nature which causes the destruction of adjacent cells leading to random growth. These tumors flow through the blood stream and affect other remote organs also during the advanced stages of skin cancer.
Types of skin cancer
Skin cancer is divided into two kinds depending on their ability to spread around. The two types of skin cancer are non-melanoma and melanoma. Non-melanoma includes the type basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma in it.
1. Melanoma - The cancer that affects the melanocytes or the skin cells that create the pigments.
2. Basal cell carcinoma - The cancer that affects the lower part of the epidermis or the outer layer of the skin.
3. Squamous cell carcinoma - The cancer that affects the squamous cells or the flat cells that form the skin surface.
Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma normally do not spread to other parts of the body whereas melanoma is a dangerous form of skin cancer which spreads to other parts of the body. The major ratio and the most common type of skin cancer are the carcinoma types with the aggressive melanoma forming the least portion.
Symptoms of Skin Cancer
The symptoms of skin cancer are skin changes which take time to heal along with ulcers. Sometimes skin discoloration and changes to moles on the skin can also been seen. The most common symptom is a small lump that is shiny and pale in color or a firm red lump. Some types of cancer also are associated with rough and scaly patches or flat scaly patches of red or brown color. Also beware of any new suspicious growth and consult a physician in such cases. Though these growths are most of the times painless, they can also be painful at times.
A smooth round bump is normally developed on the head, shoulder or neck with signs of crusting and bleeding with development of the tumor in cases of basal cell carcinoma. In squamous cell carcinoma, a thick red color patch along with ulcer and bleeding can be developed. Brown or blackish lesions are formed in cases of melanomas. The lesion exhibits change in size, color or shape as a symptom of the melanoma becoming malignant.
Diagnosis of Skin Cancer
This cancer is diagnosed by the physician in two main methods. The first and the most common method is the skin examination. In this method the doctor looks out for any abnormal growth or irregularity in the skin. This can be followed by a biopsy in case of finding any abnormal growth. In case of biopsy, the affected area or abnormal growth is well studied under a microscope to check for the presence of cancerous cells.
Treatment of Skin Cancer
Surgery is one effective method for the treatment of non-melanoma cancer types. The complete procedure of surgical treatment begins with surgery and includes follow-up methods of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. In the surgical methods, the lesion and a calculated amount of tissues around it is removed so as to make the body tumor free. The Moh's micrographic surgery is one effective technique that is used for this process.
Prevention of Skin cancer
Early diagnosis and detection can help treat skin cancer before it turns dangerous and hence self evaluation of your skin on a regular basis is a must on a frequent basis. Look for any kind of abnormal changes, discoloration or growth in your skin. You can also undertake a doctor visit once a year to detect any signs or symptoms of cancer. In certain cases of high-risk situations, you can consult a skin specialist on a regular basis to screen for this cancer.
Skin cancer can be prevented by adopting a few basic tips which can be very useful in your daily life.
1. Use Sunscreens - 90% of the skin cancers are known to be caused by harmful UV radiations and sunscreens are the best protector when you are someone who spends a lot of time outdoors. UV rays damage our cell DNA structure and modify them making them cancerous. Minimize outings during the time when the sun is at its brightest. Also try to maintain your presence within the shade where ever possible. But even if you are in a shade, remember to wear your sunscreen,
2. Avoid excessive tanning - Artificial lights as in tanning beds, lamps and booths, all contain UV rays and increase the chances of melanoma.
3. Wear protective dressings - Though sunscreens do protect, you can consider wearing protective dressings like a hat or sunglasses, which can protect your eyes and facial skin from the sun.
4. Avoid childhood sunburns - Most of the times, a burn during your childhood can increase your risk of being affected with skin cancer along the years as you grow. Thus it is required that you monitor kids when they are in the sun reducing their exposure.
5. Eat healthy - A weak immune system is a ready agent for skin cancer. Make sure that you include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables so as to improve your body's immunity power.
People who run a higher risk of Skin cancer
Though many people are equally exposed to the chances of this cancer, there are a few who run a higher risk. Individuals with a family medical history of skin cancer or those who possess fair skin tone and freckles run a higher risk. Also people who are addictive to tanning and spend a lot of hours outdoors in the sun along with a weak immune system also possess equal risks of getting this cancer.

For more information about Skin Cancer please visit our site http://www.howcurecancer.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brijesh_Ghelani

BEC5 Skin Cancer

By Brijesh Ghelani

You can cure skin cancer with the help of treating it with eggplants. Treatments with eggplants revealed amazing results. So try out this alternative medicine instead of regular surgical procedures.
Do you believe it that there is a product which will help you survive skin cancer not only for a year or two but for a lifetime. You can see the success within three months. There are lot of cases which will prove this statement. This product does not harm healthy cells.
This research has been conducted by Royal Hospital London and not by some private company. But medical fraternity is not taking it very seriously. Only one doctor is convinced about its effects. He was convinced that taking help of Mother Nature is the best way to cure skin cancer. He was bent on changing things incorporated in modern medicine.
It is hard to believe that an extract of eggplant is very effective in curing skin cancer. Some researchers know this for around 20 years. It was Jonathan Wright who published this truth and accepted it. A research was conducted by Royal Hospital London which used a form of extract of an eggplant and this was termed as BEC5. In this experiment the doctors took into consideration both invasive and non invasive non-melanoma skin cancer. They were surprised by the end results. These results showed better performance than surgical procedures. By this process it was ensured that cancer does not make a comeback. Chemotherapy or other treatment procedures do not guarantee of the reoccurrence of cancer. This is considered as a major breakthrough in treatments for cancer.
Thus, it has become necessary to go through this non invasive procedure. In this regard we have to undertake a study of how an eggplant works as a miracle in curing skin cancer. Eggplant is an alkaline food. BEC5 works effectively because it contains a plant sugar called rhamnose. BEC5 recognizes rhamnose and binds it to the cancer cell.
The endogenous lectins enter the cancer cell and destroy them. This process produces a minimum side effect. You will find that your skin has become red. You can also experience shedding of unwanted skin cells. Your skin which is affected is required to be washed off with mild antiseptic. Be very careful and avoid contact with your eyes.
The treatment with this eggplant ranges from a period of 7 - 60 days. The success is dependent on the continuous application of this medicine. This treatment should not be used by those patients who are allergic to eggplants. It is also to be noted that application of BEC5 is forbidden on moles.

For more information about BEC5 Skin Cancer please visit our site http://www.howcurecancer.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brijesh_Ghelani

Breast Cancer Recovery: Should Look into Cancer Group Therapy?

by Deborah G. Alicen, Ph.D.

Question: I am recovering from breast cancer and have recently heard about a support group for cancer patients, also known as cancer group therapy. My doctor doesn't know anything about it and doesn't seem interested one way or another. I am kind of interested, but I don't want to do anything stressful or potentially harmful to myself. I don't want to get upset by other people's problems. I have enough of my own. How should I think about this decision?

Joining a group for cancer survivors can be a very good idea, if the group is properly led. Given your statement about not wanting to be stressful, what if you called the group therapist first, and chatted with him/her about the group? What if you specifically mentioned your concerns about getting too stressed out at this vulnerable time?
If you call and manage to get them to talk to you on the phone, try to get a sense of how well that therapist hears your concern, that is, how sensitive they are to you 1-1 on the phone. If the phone call goes well, and you feel good about the person, chances the group they are leading probably is not going to be good for you.
Most group therapists will ask you to meet with them prior to joining their group. That's another chance for you to get a sense of how that person is going to be with you, and also find out more about the group, the topics discussed, what usually happens when someone brings up a disturbing problem, etc.
The best groups are run by professional, licensed therapists with experience in group counseling. Don't be afraid to ask the group therapist if they have had any specialized training after graduate school in running groups. Ask if they have any additional credentials in group counseling.
Many of the best group therapists will have additional training and credentials to prove it. They have are the ones to trust more than someone who decides to do a group for breast cancer, simply because they've survived their own breast cancer. (It takes a whole lot more than one's own experience with a problem to counsel others successfully over time.)
Find someone who has specialized training and your chances of a healthy, supportive and nurturing group experience are greatly enhanced!
The American Psychological Association has published a number of articles about group therapy for various types of health concerns. I know of several articles in particular, published in their "Monitor". It was published several years ago, but still is accessible. The articles suggested that therapy can "improve life and possibly bolster immunity" (APA Monitor, Volume 26, Number 12, page 24).
Your own feelings are the best judge of what you should do, and if you go to the group you can decide if it is the right place for you. It is helpful for people to talk about their feelings concerning their cancer in a supportive environment where they can help each other. My opinion is, talk to the therapist and see how you feel after that experience. Then if you like, take the next step.
http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/article/cancer_group

Prostate Cancer Recovery

After a male is treated for prostate cancer, medical professionals continue to provide care for the individuals road to recovery.
Patients should be concerned about diet and nutrition. Because of treatment, patients may experience problems with nausea and weight loss. Meeting with a cancer specialized dietitian can provide a dietary plan to follow while the person is going through treatment.
Getting into a modified exercise regimen can help the patient regain some strength during the recovery press.
When men receive treatment for prostate cancer, there is always a strong possibility of becoming impotent(erectile dysfunction). Erectile dysfunction (ED) can be either temporary or sometimes permanent depending on the course of treatment. ED is a common condition among men especially those who are not dealing with prostate cancer. ED experienced by males who have not been diagnosed with prostate issues are defined by three areas: blood flow decreased by an arterial blockage, increased blood output to the penis and conditions affecting the nerve endings to the penis.
In regards to prostate cancer, treatments such as hormone therapy, radiation therapy, cryosurgery and radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate) are the leading causes of erectile dysfunction.
During a radical prostatectomy, nerves that are adjacent to the prostate may be cut due to cancer present in the area or if the nerves impaired the surgeon’s ability to remove the prostate.
After a prostatectomy, 60% to 80% of males may experience temporary erectile dysfunction where it is difficult to maintain an erection to sustain during intercourse. This has been reported to only last a few months. Erectile issues may begin to disappear up to 3 years after surgery. For men with this type of dysfunction, medical treatments have been successful to help the function return in a shorter amount of time. Daily dose of Viagra or Alprostadil has shown remarkable results for erectile dysfunction. Alprostadil is a hormone treatment placed in the penis or the urethra.
If the patient underwent radiation therapy, it has been reported that 30% to 60% percent will experience erectile dysfunction. The type of radiation therapy used will dictate the severity of the ED. Brachytherapy which involves using seeds or wires inserted near the tumor has caused lowest rate of erectile dysfunction.
A common way to treat prostate issues is the transurethral resection of the prostate(TURP). The TURP surgery can cause temporary ED and incontinence.
Hormone therapy to combat prostate cancer by interfering with testosterone can cause erectile dysfunction. Cryosurgery can cause erectile dysfunction because when the nerves in and surrounding the prostate are exposed to the cold temperatures, it can cause a loss in erectile function.
There are many options for men to explore about helping restore erectile function. Treatments include: medications, mechanical, surgical and psychological.
Medications like Viagra or Cialis have been successful in helping men achieve an erection but males who have an existing cardiac condition are not recommended to use these medications. These drugs help increase blood flow to the vessels of the penis. Other medications used to treat erectile dysfunction are testosterone and prostaglandins.
Mechanical aids to help restore erectile function include: penile implants and injection of pellets into the penis.
For men who have decided that maybe surgery would help with erectile dysfunction,they may turn to doctors who will perform nerve grafts. During a radical prostatectomy, sural nerve grafting is done to prevent impotence. The surgeon takes part of the sural nerve from the leg and grafts the end of the nerve past where the prostate was before. One side effect to this treatment is patients have reported numbness in the foot from the leg where the nerve was. Several hospitals like the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York, the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and other medical facilities are performing this treatment.
Men who experience erectile dysfunction may be treated for psychological reasons. Anxiety over the ability to engage in sexual activity, poor self-image and guilt over not being able to meet their partner’s sexual needs are contributors to erectile dysfunction in men getting treatment for prostate cancer. Men with this condition can benefit form engaging with a therapist trained in working with erectile dysfunction.
If the patient is experiencing incontinence in the recovery phase of prostate cancer treatments, there are several ways medical professionals help alleviate the symptoms. There are 3 types of incontinence: stress, overflow, and urge. Stress incontinence involves a dysfunction of the bladder sphincter. This condition is caused by possible nerve damage during prostate surgery. Overflow incontinence is the excessive amount of urine held in the bladder. This condition is caused by pressure from the prostate. Urge incontinence is not being able to control urine output. This condition is caused by the effects of prostate cancer.
The methods used to treat incontinence are: dietary changes which alleviate symptoms from offending foods, medicines that prevent spasms in the bladder and ureters, bladder feedback programs and incontinence products (collagen injections, bladder pads and special condoms used to control leakage).
Infertility may be a problem during the recovery stage of prostate cancer. When the TURP procedure was used, semen does not go the traditional route through to the penis but up to the bladder. By backing up into the bladder, semen can’t be transported to fertilize an egg.

Breast Cancer and Adjuvant Therapy

By Pam Stephan
During my first visit with an oncologist, he kept using the term "adjuvant chemotherapy" in reference to future treatments for me. Since he never called it just "chemotherapy," I assumed that this was worse, or somehow different from the standard drug treatments that I'd often heard about. Then he went on to plan out "adjuvant hormone therapy." What I really needed was an "adjuvant medical interpreter" to translate what he was telling me. So I'm going to do some translating for you, and hope that you will be better informed than I was before making your treatment decisions.
In order to help you understand more about adjuvant systemic therapy and treatment decisions, I looked up what the experts say in UpToDate -- a trusted electronic reference that is used by many of the oncologists who treat breast cancer patients.
You may or may not choose to have adjuvant systemic therapy. Regardless, you will need to know which treatments will be best for you. Start by reading this excerpt to see why adjuvant therapy may be important for you.
Introductory Discussion: Adjuvant systemic therapy for hormone-responsive early stage breast cancer in postmenopausal women From UpToDate

Following surgery, systemic (bodywide) anticancer treatment may be given to eliminate any microscopic tumor cells that might remain in the body. This type of therapy is called adjuvant therapy, and it is an important component of breast cancer treatment. Adjuvant systemic therapy significantly decreases the chance that the cancer will return (or recur), and it also improves a woman's chance of surviving her cancer.

Basics About Adjuvant Systemic Therapy For Breast Cancer What is Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Treatment?
The most basic meaning of adjuvant is "giving additional support." Adjuvant treatment is any type of cancer therapy given after breast cancer surgery. Its purpose is to make sure that any stray cancer cells that you may still have are killed, which helps lower your risk of recurrence. Neoadjuvant treatments are those that may be given before surgery, to shrink tumors before those are removed.
What is Systemic and Localized Treatment?
Systemic treatment for cancer gets to nearly every tissue in your entire body and has the potential to impact every cell in your body. Localized treatments (such as radiation) are limited to a specific area of your body, and affect only the tissue that is targeted by the treatment. Breast cancer is an uncivilized disease that will use your lymph and blood systems to wander throughout your body. Systemic treatments are designed to make your body an inhospitable place for cancer, by traveling everywhere the cancer may have gone, and interfering with its growth and cell division. Healthy cells are also affected along the way, which may temporarily cause side effects.
What Are Options for Adjuvant Systemic Therapy?
Your oncologist may discuss several types of adjuvant treatments with you, depending on your surgery type and breast cancer diagnosis. You will need to know the status of your lymph nodes, hormone receptors and HER2/neu expression. Once you have the results of those tests, you may consider three options for treatment.

• Chemotherapy: Opinions differ on which patients will benefit most from chemotherapy, but having a tumor expression test like the Oncotype DX assay may tip the balance on this decision. Within the United States, national guidelines state that these patients should have chemo:
  • Positive lymph nodes, HER2-negative breast cancer, and any hormone receptor status
  • Negative lymph nodes, HER2-negative breast cancer, hormone receptor positive, high grade tumors that are >1 cm or 0.6 to 1.0 cm
  • Metastatic breast cancer, regardless of HER2 and hormone receptor status
• Targeted biological therapy: These treatments are aimed at specific processes of cancer cell growth, division and lifecycle (or, in some cases, the blood vessels nourishing a tumor), and can be given for HER2 positive, HER2 negative, and metastatic disease.
• Endocrine therapy: Given for tumors that are estrogen positive (ER), progesterone positive (PR), or both. Treatments may include Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) and Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs).

http://www.breastcancer.about.com  

Soy and Breast Cancer - Research, Controversy and Your Diet

By Pam Stephan

Soy is one of those "wonder foods" that used to be sold only in health food stores or Asian markets in western countries. In the last several years, soy has been showing up regularly on the shelves of mainstream grocery stores, packaged in an amazing variety of products and flavors. At the same time, a controversy has been brewing – is soy healthy or risky for breast cancer patients and survivors? Do soy foods protect you from cancer, or do they hasten its development? Before you throw out the tofu with the miso soup, or rush out to buy some soy supplements, let's take a look at soy foods and their health impact.
Soy Foods – More Than Just Tofu and Soy Sauce
Soy foods are made from soybeans – a crop that, until the 1980s, has been used in America primarily as livestock feed, but has been a part of the Asian diet for many generations. Soy is available as: edamame (green soy beans), tofu, soy milk, soy powder and flour, miso paste, tempeh, oil, and textured vegetable protein (TVP). Soy shows up in many meat analogue products – meatless meatballs, "burger" style crumbles, and even bacon-like strips and chicken-shaped nuggets.
Benefits of Soy Foods
Products based on soy can make great entrees for those on a vegetarian diet, and some products are even suitable for vegans. Tofu and tempeh can be cooked as part of an Asian meal and combined with just about any flavoring. Soy is high in protein, helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and may help with menopause symptoms and osteoporosis. The right amount of soy in your diet helps guard your heart health by lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. The FDA has officially ruled that 25 grams of soy protein consumed daily is considered beneficial. They also note that consumers must read the labels carefully to see whether the right amounts of soy have been added to products.
Soy Chemistry Controversy - Isoflavones
Soybeans contain all the amino acids essential to human nutrition. Soy foods contain isoflavones (phytoestrogens). These isoflavones have powerful antioxidant properties, and may be able to prevent cell damage (oxidation) caused by free radicals. Soy isoflavones can act like weak estrogens, and may block estrogen receptors, similar to the way that tamoxifen works to prevent a recurrence of estrogen-sensitive breast cancer. Sounds great, doesn't it? But there may be a problem of "too much of a good thing." Just as an excess of natural estrogen may fuel the growth of a breast tumor, too much of the soy isoflavone genistein, in concentrated form in many over-the-counter nutritional supplements, may set the stage for tumor development. But what about Asians who grow up on tofu? Let's look at their rates of breast cancer.
The Well-Polished Chopstick – A Lifetime of Soy and Green Tea
Japanese women typically consume soy beginning in childhood, which may be a key to prevention of breast cancer. In April of 2008, a Japanese study was published on soy consumption and rates of breast cancer. In this study, Dr. Iwasaki and his team recruited 24,226 Japanese women aged 40 to 69. Their study covered 10.6 years, and the women in the study did not keep a food journal, which is sometimes an unreliable component of such a study. The researchers used blood and urine samples to measure isoflavone levels. Women who had the most consistently high levels of genistein (isoflavone from soy) had the lowest rates of breast cancer.
Dietary Soy Versus Soy Supplements
The isoflavones found in soybeans, sesame seeds, and legumes are about one hundredth as powerful as natural female estrogens. If you're getting your isoflavones from dietary sources, you'd have a hard time overdosing yourself, unless you went on an all-soy diet. So wouldn't those capsules containing soy isoflavones that are sold as hormonal support and bone health protection be safe? The answer is: it depends. Pills with isolated soy isoflavones may cause trouble – not enough studies have been done yet on people to determine whether or not high concentrations of those isoflavones may encourage the growth of breast cancer. If you're taking soy supplements to help with menopausal symptoms, speak with your doctor about what level of isoflavones may be safe for you.

Be Smart About Sugar in Your Diet

Sugar provides energy, but doesn't give you any nutrients that are needed to reduce your cancer risk. Natural sugars are in fruits and vegetables as well as honey and molasses – they should be part of a healthy diet. Processed sugars such as white or brown sugar and corn syrup should be avoided or limited. Consuming too many sugar calories can lead to obesity and high insulin levels, which would contribute to your increased cancer risk. Cut back on sugar-loaded foods such as candy, baked goods, sugary cereals and sodas to reduce your cancer risk. Balance your diet with plant foods, fish, and whole grains. Use white sugar sparingly and try natural sweeteners instead.
Sweet Ending
It's OK to eat some natural sugars on a daily basis. Sugar in your diet does not cause cancer to develop. Starving all of your cells of sugar won't kill or prevent cancer, but it will deprive your healthy cells of a necessary source of energy. Keeping a balance of nutritious foods and a regular exercise routine can give you a healthy body weight and normal insulin levels. That's the sweet way to reduce your cancer risk.

Developing New Sugar-Coated Cancer Drugs

At Johns Hopkins University, a group of researchers looked at ways to fool cancer cells into growing more slowly and then eventually killing themselves. They studied abnormal glycosylation - how cancer cells put sugar and proteins together to sustain themselves. When these cells were given n-butyrate (a salt) with carbohydrates (contains sugar), cell proliferation slowed down. In order to feed the cancer a death-dealing drug, they produced a hybrid molecule made of a simple sugar and n-butyrate. Because the cancer cells absorbed the sugar readily, they soaked up this new molecule, which interfered with their ability to keep growing, and they died.
Other teams of scientists are working on drugs that will take advantage of cancer's weakness for sugar. Some of these new drugs may be given along with chemotherapy, to make tumor cells more sensitive to chemo drugs. In Switzerland, scientists are using a sugar coating on "quantum dots" or nanocrystals of drugs that would travel to the liver only, avoiding other organs. It's the sugar on those little doses that help the drugs target one particular part of the body, thereby reducing side effects and increasing the effects of the drugs.

Sugar and Proteins Keep Cancer Cells Alive

It's been said that cancer cells are immortal – they don't die off in an orderly way like healthy cells do. Scientists have studied this effect and may have discovered what tumor cells do to avoid cell death. In laboratory research at Duke University, cancer cells appear to use a combination of sugar and specific proteins to keep growing when they should die. These cancer cells appear to use sugar at a high rate, in order to ignore cellular instructions to die off. So might sugar – which appears to make cancer cells stronger – someday turn out to be cancer's Achilles' Heel?

Cancer Loves Sugar – Truth or Rumor?

This familiar saying, "cancer loves sugar" has been around since the 1924 publication of Dr. Otto Warburg's paper, "On metabolism of tumors." Warburg was a Nobel Prize winning cell biologist who wrote, "Summarized in a few words, the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar." Many people who referred to his work in later years misquoted Warburg's statement by saying, "cancer loves sugar."
Warburg's hypothesis stated that cancer growth was caused when cancer cells converted glucose into energy without using oxygen. Healthy cells make energy by converting pyruvate and oxygen. The pyruvate is oxidized within a healthy cell's mitochondria, and Warburg theorized that since cancer cells don't oxidize pyruvate, cancer must be considered a mitochondrial dysfunction.
Now that we know more about the genetics of cancer, we know that cancer is not a mitochondrial dysfunction, but is caused by genetic mutations, such as appear on the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. It is true that healthy cells and cancer cells convert their food to energy in different ways, but that difference is an effect, and not a cause, of cancer.

Predicting drug metabolism

Another type of test that may prove important is the assessment of inherited genetic variation that influences drug metabolism (the processing of drugs by the body). In the case of tamoxifen, for example, differences in effectiveness may be explained at least in part by inherited differences in a gene known as CYP2D6.[3] Most people have two functional versions of this gene and are able to effectively process tamoxifen. Some people, however, have versions of this gene that are less effective at processing tamoxifen. Testing patients for these gene variants could help doctors identify patients who are less likely to respond to tamoxifen. A currently available test is AmpliChip®, which assesses CYP2D6 as well as CYP2C19 (another gene involved in drug metabolism). Additional data are required, however, before formal recommendations can be developed about this type of testing.[4]
For more information about AmpliChip, visit http://www.amplichip.us/.

Learn More 

Patients who have already undergone surgery and lymph node evaluation and know their stage of cancer may select from the options below. In order to learn more about surgery and sentinel lymph node dissection, go to Surgery for Breast Cancer.
Carcinoma In Situ: Approximately 15-20% of breast cancers are very early in their development. These are sometimes referred to as carcinoma in situ and consist of two types: ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which originates in the ducts and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), which originates in the lobules. DCIS is the precursor to invasive cancer and LCIS is a risk factor for developing cancer.
Stage I: Cancer is confined to a single site in the breast, is less than 2 centimeters (3/4 inch) in size and has not spread outside the breast.
Stage IIA: Cancer has spread to involve underarm lymph nodes and is less than 2 centimeters (3/4 inch) in size or the primary cancer itself is 2-5 centimeters (3/4-2 inches) and has not spread to the lymph nodes.
Stage IIB: Cancer has spread to involve underarm lymph nodes and/or the primary cancer is greater than 5 centimeters (2 inches) in size and does not involve any lymph nodes.
Stage IIIA: Cancer is smaller than 5 centimeters (2 inches) and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm or the lymph nodes are attached to each other or to other structures or the primary cancer is larger than 5 centimeters (2 inches) and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.
Stage IIIB: Cancer directly involves the chest wall or has spread to internal lymph nodes on the same side of the chest.
Inflammatory: Inflammatory breast cancer is a special class of breast cancer that is rare. The breast looks as if it is inflamed because of its red appearance and warmth. The skin may show signs of ridges and wheals or it may have a pitted appearance. Inflammatory breast cancer tends to spread quickly.
Stage IV: Cancer has spread to distant locations in the body, which may include the liver, lungs, bones or other sites.
Recurrent/Relapsed: The breast cancer has progressed or returned (recurred/relapsed) following an initial treatment.

References:

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[1] American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2009. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/stt/stt_0.asp (Accessed July 14, 2009).

[2] Albain K, Barlow W, Shak S et al. Prognostic and predictive value of the 21-gene recurrence score assay in postmenopausal, node-positive, ER-positive breast cancer (S8814,INT0100). Presented at the 30^th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. San Antonio, TX, December 13-16, 2007. Abstract #10.

[3] Schroth W, Antoniadou L, Fritz P et al. Breast cancer treatment outcome with adjuvant tamoxifen relative to patient CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 genotypes. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2007;25:5187-5193.

[4] Desta Z, Flockhart DA. Germline pharmacogenetics of tamoxifen response: have we learned enough? Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2007;5147-5149.

Predicting the need for chemotherapy

Among women with early-stage breast cancer, the expression, or activity, of certain genes has been linked with the likelihood of cancer recurrence and chemotherapy benefit; testing tumor tissue for the expression of these genes can provide important information about prognosis and likely response to treatment. A genomic test that is included in guidelines from both the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is Oncotype DX®. Based on the expression of 21 genes, this test provides information about recurrence risk and likely chemotherapy benefit among women with newly diagnosed breast cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes (node-negative) and is hormone receptor-positive. Oncotype DX has also shown promising results in women with node-positive breast cancer.[2]
For more information about OncotypeDX, visit http://www.mytreatmentdecision.com/

Hormone receptor status

Some breast cancer cells express an abundance of receptors for the female hormones estrogen and/or progesterone.  These cancers-- called hormone receptor-positive --are typically associated with a better prognosis and are treated differently from breast cancers that are hormone receptor-negative.  Patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer often receive treatment with hormonal therapy, such as tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor. For more information, go to Hormonal Therapy.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a common cancer, with approximately 194,000 new cases diagnosed in the United States each year.[1] The disease occurs most frequently in women, but can also occur in men.
The normal breast has 6 to 9 overlapping sections called lobes and within each lobe are several smaller lobules that contain the cells that produce milk. The lobes and lobules are linked by thin tubes called ducts, which lead to the nipple in the center of the breast. The spaces around the lobules and ducts are filled with fat. Lymph vessels carry colorless fluid called lymph, which contains important immune cells. The lymph vessels lead to small bean-shaped structures called lymph nodes. Clusters of lymph nodes are found in the axilla (under the arm), above the collarbone, and in the chest.
The suspicion of breast cancer often first arises when a lump is detected in the breast during breast examination or a suspicious area is identified during screening mammography. In order to diagnose the cause of the suspicious area or lump in the breast, a physician will perform a biopsy. A biopsy can be performed on an outpatient basis. During a biopsy, a physician removes cells for examination in the laboratory to determine whether cancer is present. Other information obtained from the biopsy sample will play an important role in treatment decisions. If the biopsy indicates that cancer is present, additional surgery may be performed after the patient and doctor select a course of treatment.
There are many types of breast tumors. Some breast tumors are benign (not cancerous). Benign breast tumors such as fibroadenomas or papillomas do not spread outside of the breast and are not life threatening. Other breast tumors are malignant (cancerous). The most common type of breast cancer is called ductal carcinoma and begins in the lining of the ducts. Another type of cancer is called lobular carcinoma, which arises in the lobules.

Personalized Cancer Care Center

When cancer is identified in the biopsy specimen, several other tests may be performed on the specimen in order to further classify the cancer and determine the optimal treatment strategy. Based on the stage of the cancer and the results of these tests, treatment of breast cancer is personalized for each individual. Treatment may involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and/or hormonal therapy.
Stage: Stage is a measure of the extent of the cancer, and is based on the size of the tumor and the presence or absence of lymph node metastases and distant metastases. Determining the stage of the cancer may require a number of procedures, such as blood tests, chest x-rays, mammography, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For patients with early-stage cancer, the spread of the cancer to the axillary (under the arm) lymph nodes may be assessed through either sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection. Axillary lymph node dissection involves the removal of many axillary lymph nodes; the procedure can be associated with chronic side effects such as pain, limited shoulder motion, numbness, and swelling. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is a more recent procedure that involves the removal of only a small number of nodes, or even a single node. If the sentinel lymph nodes are negative (show no evidence of cancer), then no further lymph node surgery is required. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is becoming more widely adopted in the clinical setting for determining whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in women with localized breast cancer.
HER2 status: Twenty to thirty percent of breast cancers overexpress (make too much of) a protein known as HER2. Overexpression of this protein leads to increased growth of cancer cells. Fortunately, the development of treatments that specifically target HER2-positive cells – such as Herceptin® (trastuzumab) and Tykerb® (lapatinib) -- has improved outcomes among women with HER2-positive breast cancer. For this reason, HER2 status should be accurately measured on all breast cancers.

Cyberknife Treatment for Brain Tumors

By Michael Chewful

The brain can be considered as the body's director since it tells the body what it has to do and mainly controls the senses, emotions, personality, and memory. A tumor is the abnormal growth of cells, so we can define a brain tumor as an abnormal growth within the brain or the central spinal canal. Because of advanced technology, malignant brain tumors can now be cured. One modern treatment that is starting to gain popularity is the Cyberknife Treatment.
This article will give you an insight on this new technology, the Cyberknife Treatment. But before that, let us know more about this disease.
Any kind of tumor can be fatal and life-threatening due to its invasive character within the limited space of the brain cavity. Tumors on the brain can either be malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous). However, even malignant tumors may not cause death to an afflicted person. The brain tumor's threat level will depend on several factors which include the tumor type, location, size, and the state of its development.
Doctors categorize tumors on the brain by grade, according to how it appears when seen under a microscope: from low grade or grade I to high grade or grade IV. High grade tumor cells look more abnormal and the growth is faster compared to the low grade tumor cells.
Primary tumors are those that begin in the brain tissue. They are also called true tumors. Secondary ones, also known as metastatic tumors, are cancer cells that originate from other parts of the body that invaded the brain tissue.
Over the years, doctors cannot exactly pinpoint the cause of the disease. Studies show that there are certain risk factors that increase one person's chance that could develop the disease. They are known to be more common to males rather females. Experts have also found out that brain tumors occur mostly on Caucasians or whites. They rank second to leukemia as the most common childhood cancer. Children aged 8 years and younger are likely to develop brain tumor while in adult, the disease is usually detected in people aged 70 years and above.
The following are just few of the symptoms of tumors; however, there are other diseases that have similar symptoms so it is better to consult a doctor if you have any of these symptoms:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Speech impairment
• Difficulty in hearing
• Difficulty in motor movements
• Sudden mood changes
• Memory lapses
• Seizures

The most common treatment is surgically removing the tumor from the brain which can be very risky. As mentioned earlier, there is a modern kind of treatment called Cyberknife treatment. The Cyberknife VSI Treatment is known to be a comfortable and effective treatment for brain tumors because of its modern technology. Cyberknife treatment for brain tumors has notably lesser known complications as opposed to open surgical procedures. The treatment is exceptionally accurate which generally offers a patient of a better chance of recovering after the treatment. It is relatively painless and sedation is not necessary during treatment.
The Colorado Cyberknife facility in Lafayette is a 30-minute drive from Denver International Airport. Their well-trained physicians and staff are known to provide the best patient care possible. Patients are given the utmost care possible to make their stay at the center more comfortable. The Cyberknife Treatment for brain tumors gives a newfound hope for patients to have another shot at life.

Visit http://www.ColoradoCyberknife.com to Learn the 5 things your Dr. should know about the world's first Cyberknife VSI Treatment Facility & 1st Robotic CyberKnife IMRT System

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Chewful

Cyberknife Treatment for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GVM)

By Michael Chewful

Among the types of brain tumors, Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and the most aggressive. It develops from glial cells, the supportive cells of the brain. Examples of these cells are astrocytes, ependymal and oligodendroglial cells. Glioblastoma multiforme accounts for the one-fifth of the primary spinal cord tumors and nearly one-half of the primary brain tumors. The World Health Organization identified a contemporary classification based on the origin of the cell and histologic features. Grade I and II are slow growing and low grade glioblastoma multiforme. On the other hand, malignant or high grade glioblastoma multiforme grow much more quickly. They are classified either as grade III or anaplastic and grade IV. 40% of all primary brain tumors cases is comprised of combined grade III and IV glioblastoma multiforme patients aging 40-49 year, while 60% are patients aging 60 years and older. Grade IV glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM is characterized as having multiple abnormalities on genetic and chromosomal aspect, which leads to the rapid generation of these tumors. As tumors increase in number, they also rapidly destroy the surrounding brain tissues. When the tumor outgrows its blood supply, necrosis happens. But the tumor's peripheral areas readily undergo angiogenesis or formation of new blood vessels, forming continued rapid metastasis of GBM. Manifestation of symptoms for glioblastoma multiforme depends on its brain location and its growth rate. These commonly include seizure, sensational impairment, nausea and vomiting, difficulty of vision, behavioral changes, balance difficulty and thinking impairment.The initial diagnosis of the condition is usually incidental. CT scan, MRI and PET may be done for further evaluation.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more preferred over CT scan for it provides more exact brain tumor location. However, positron emission tomography (PET) scanning provides information regarding the metabolic potential of a brain tumor and in case of a glioblastoma multiforme, it depicts a more aggressive and rapidly increasing tumors. Regarding its treatments, surgery, chemotheraphy and radiation therapy are the options. The primary treatment for glioblastoma multiforme is an open surgery through craniotomy. It aims to remove the tumor with producing any neurological function damage. If not removed, area may be resistant to other procedures like chemotherapy and radiation. It also provides sample tissue that may be used for its histological and genetic analysis. Adjuvant treatments for GBM are radiation and chemotherapy. These are usually done to patients who have unstable medical condition; patients having various types of cancer simultaneously; patients who opposed surgery; patients having tumors on both hemispheres of the brain and in inoperable location like the brainstem. But conventional radiation therapy leads to side effects like fatigue, hair loss, memory loss and scarring of tissues. Nevertheless, advances in technology like stereostatic surgery which may be the Gamma Knife or the Cyberknife treatment for Glioblastoma multiforme (GVM)
A large, single dose of radiation in a radiosurgery is done to delay the reoccurrence of tumor. According to clinical studies, it prolongs the patient's survival by creating a zone of tumor destruction as compared to the traditional radiation therapy that only suppresses the tumor growth. Some technologies specifically Gamma Knife makes use of radioactive cobalt as its ionizing radiation source but all of which uses stereotactic frames to accurately locate the tumor and immobilize the patient. It is done by anchoring the patient's skull with invasive titanium or aluminum screw. As compared, the Cyberknife treatment for Glioblastoma multiforme (GVM) is non-invasive. No screws or scalpel is used. It is a painless procedure with no potential risk for bleeding or risk for infection. It uses a robotic non-isocentric targeting system that enables the radiation to reach tumors in all angles. This procedure is usually done in an out-patient basis. Thus patient may resume to their usual lifestyle after the procedure.
Known for its effective and credible Cyberknife treatment for Glioblastoma multiforme (GVM) is the Colorado Cyberknife. It is the first Robotic Cyberknife Robotic Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) System and the world's 1st CyberKnife VSI treatment facility. It has credible health professionals that ensure proper, accurate and safe treatment for patients. It also provides an individualized treatment plan for every patient, enabling them to be recognized all over the world in the field of treating cancer cases.

Visit http://www.ColoradoCyberknife.com to Learn the 5 things your Dr. should know about the world's first Cyberknife VSI Treatment Facility & 1st Robotic CyberKnife IMRT System

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Chewful

Brain Cancer Symptoms

By Douglas Ketner
Brain Cancer is a malignancy that can be detected and treated only with a detailed medical examination. It is not a routine ailment since in most cases it is fatal. It normally strikes when one type of the brain cell transforms and loses its normal characteristics and starts multiplying to form an abnormal mass of cells called a tumor. However, not all brain tumors are malignant. Benign brain tumors pose no threat and can be successfully removed.
The malignant brain tumors grow very aggressively and they destroy the healthy brain cells. Continuous growth of abnormal cells also increases the intracranial pressure resulting in malfunctioning of other brain organs and tissues.
There are two types of Brain Cancer. The Primary Brain Cancer originates in the brain itself and generally confines itself to the brain only. The second type is the Secondary Brain Cancer which is an extension of a cancer in some other part of the body gradually spreading to the brain.
The symptoms of brain tumor depend on the part of the brain affected i.e. the location of the tumor. There are numerous symptoms which if not cured by basic medication need to be examined in detail for indications of brain tumor. These are:
* Headaches - most common due to increased intracranial pressure as a result of the growing tumor.
* Nausea, Vomiting & Seizures.
* Difficulty in maintaining body balance.
* Short lapses in memory.
* Swelling in the brain.
* Weakness in the arms or legs or both.
* Poor motor functions.
* Slurring.
* Lowered eye vision.
* Spells of dizziness.
* Lack of coordination in speech and action.
* Numbness of limbs.
* Difficulty in recollecting events.
* Hallucinating.
* Persistent general weakness.
* Falling or stumbling.
* Changes in pupil sizes of both eyes.
* Change in gait.
* Cognitive decline.
* Mood changes.
It is advisable to see a doctor whenever you feel you have a tumor. If you do not share your concerns with your doctor, they may not get addressed timely.

Douglas Ketner administers TheSymptomsOfCancer.com. For more information on brain cancer symptoms, visit http://www.thesymptomsofcancer.com/brain-cancer-symptoms.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Douglas_Ketner

Brain Cancer Cases on the Rise World Wide

By Lance Winslow

Most people don't know a lot about brain cancer, although I am sure everyone will admit they don't want anything to do with it. Unfortunately, brain cancers are on the rise world-wide and there are many reasons for this. It is a very serious problem and challenge for the future of humanity - not only for the inflicted but also due to the severe challenges it causes with health-care costs and family issues.
Did you know in places like Japan and other Asian nations that brain cancers are severely on the rise? It's true. But this is not the only place where there are problems, problems which are getting worse. Indeed, I'd like to take this opportunity to get you to think about brain cancers, and some of the causes and what we can all do to help. Let's talk about this topic, one which no one really wants to discuss.
In Asian countries the populations have always eaten lots of fish, but due to pollution in the oceans, the fish have plastics inside of them, and toxins like mercury for instance. This is causing a terrible problem and this is why brain cancers are way up in these nations. Although there is a lot of data in Japan on this, other nations have been slow to notice the rise or attribute it to the pollution problem - worse, the very nations which do the most polluting, don't even realize it's killing their population and causing cancer.
And, it's not just in Asia, the Pacific Islanders and Polynesians never had a problem with cancers of the brain, but now they do. Indeed, much of the fish bought, sold, and shipped world-wide comes from polluted oceans, meaning they are not alone by any means, it's something very serious for US populations too.
We need the Omega 3 in our diets, but the toxic fish seem to be part of that trade off, one we really can't afford at all. Still, even without the problem with the fish there is yet, an even more serious issue which needs to be addressed. Can you guess what that is?
If you guessed "frequency pollution" you guessed right. Our cell phones although low-wattage are a contributor to brain cancers show Swiss Studies and Research. Unfortunately, the public is ill-informed on this. Luckily the wattage of current cell-phone technology is a lot less than it was, which is a start and that helps tremendously.
However, what about all the WiFi systems, and mobile electronics these days? Yes, all potential contributors, and just these two reasons alone are why we will continue to see more brain cancers in the future. I hope you will please consider all this and do your own research to verify what I've said here today.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank http://www.worldthinktank.net - Lance Winslow believes it's hard work to write 22,222 articles; http://www.bloggingcontent.net/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

Brain Cancer Symptoms

By Emily McLaughlin

Brain cancer is usually caused by growth of cancer cells in the brain itself or the spread of cancer cells to the brain from other parts of the body. In the former case it is categorized as primary and in the latter as secondary. The tumor may be benign or malignant. If benign, it may not be life threatening. The malignant one is cancerous and is the leading killer among all types of cancer.
Most of the initial symptoms of Brain Cancer are usually passed off as routine medical problems and get associated with common ailments. However, they do show some indications which can serve as a warning.
Commonly Associated Symptoms
* A gradual feeling of lethargy with every passing day.
* Signs of general weakness.
* Vomiting.
* Dizziness or maybe a short blackout spell.
* Fever coupled with hallucinations.
* Persistent migraine or full blown headache.
* Decline in vision or hearing.
* Lack of coordination while performing routine tasks like eating or walking etc.
* Stumbling due to unexplained reasons.
Additional Symptoms
* Feeling of numbness in both arms and legs or either arm(s) or leg(s).
* Experiencing weakness on only one side of the body.
* Both or either arm(s) or leg(s) getting numb for a period of time.
* Swelling in the brain detected during a scan.
* Hydrocephalus.
Brain Cancer affects that organ of the body which controls all other body functions. As a result, as this cancer progresses, newer and newer symptoms will keep emerging in the patient which will restrict his functioning if remedial action is not taken to control the growth. Since cancer cells will start dominating the brain cells, a direct impact will be in the form of:
* Loss of memory - initially small spells but will gradually increase.
* Failing of motor organs.
* Loss of balance and equilibrium.
* Slurring of speech.
* The patient's gait changes distinctly.
* Visible changes in personality, lack of focus and attention.
Brain Cancer is a killer. However, with more and more research being conducted to stem its spread and increase chances of a patient surviving, doctors have combined doses of radiation and chemo therapy. Where possible, surgery is being resorted to remove the tumor followed by radiation to make the patient cancer free.

Emily McLauglin administers TheSymptomsOfCancer.com. For more information on brain cancer symptoms, visit http://www.thesymptomsofcancer.com/brain-cancer-symptoms.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_McLaughlin

Thyroid Cancer Symptoms

By Emily McLaughlin

Endocrine cancer comes in many forms and Thyroid cancer is probably the most popular of them. When the cancer cells grow at an uncontrollable rate, they cause thyroid cancer. These may begin at the thyroid gland themselves or from other tumor parts that eventually turned into a malignant tumor.
As is the case with most types of cancer, the symptoms observed in one person may not be the same in another. Generally, it has been observed that in the early cases, there is a bleak chance of any symptoms showing themselves. If the symptoms are prominent, then it is pretty likely that the cancer is in the advanced stages.
If we categorize, there are around four types:
* Papillary - Extremely common. People who report having a radiation in their heads and necks are most prone to this kind of thyroid cancer.
* Follicular - Older patients are more prone to this kind. It starts its way from the follicular cells and slowly develops.
* Medullary - There is prominent growth of tumors on the 2 lobes of the thyroid gland. Gradually, it makes its way to lymph nodes.
* Anaplastic - Most aggressive and extremely rare. The cause of this has been diagnosed to be genetic mutation.
If we care to look at the symptoms, we may find:
* There is noticeable pain all around the region of the neck.
* There is noticeable pain around the region of the throat.
* Some patients have difficulty in breathing.
* Others have also reported difficulty in swallowing.
* There is swollenness around the lymph nodes.
* There is a change in the voice of a person.
* Has difficulty speaking.
* Some get a painless neck lump. This is present very close to the Adam's apple.
There are a lot of treatments that can be performed for treating this particular type of cancer.
Surgery is the first option. Doctors will try and remove all of the cancer cells that they can find around your neck and throat region. They also work on the lymph nodes, checking for cancerous cells. In most cases, the surgery is successful. There are every few complications, if any.
Apart from the option of surgery, there are many other alternative options that can be used. These are radiation, chemotherapy, radioactive iodine etc.
It is always better to be safe than sorry, so an early diagnosis is the best cure.

Emily McLauglin administers TheSymptomsOfCancer.com. For more information on thyroid cancer symptoms, visit http://www.thesymptomsofcancer.com/thyroid-cancer-symptoms.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_McLaughlin

5 Tips on Controlling Cancer Pain

By Jonathon Masters

Cancer patients go through both mental and physical discomfort along with severe pain. Severity of the pain depends on the stage of the cancer and the tolerance power of the individual. This pain also causes depression and anxiety to the patients. While cancer pain is caused due to the disease itself or by its side effects, it can be relieved with medication. Here are few tips that will help them get relief form the pain they are suffering.
1. You should consult your doctor and ask him to suggest some medicines or injections that can give some relief to the patient. The medicine can stronger to moderate depending upon the severity of the pain and the stage of the disease. In case you find some irritation, pain or swelling in the area after repeated injections you can apply a little bit of Aloe Vera gel to give a soothing effect and relief from the pain.
2. You can also seek your physicians help and go for massage therapy. This massage therapy will lessen the physical stress of the patient and relieve him from the depression and anxiety he is going through due to the pain.
3. Ayurveda, a form of alternative medicine, can also help you in controlling cancer pain.
4. Yoga and exercise relaxes the mind and body of the patient. It relaxes the senses of the patients and performs a vital role in the pain management. Regular walk and not only helps in maintaining the metabolism of body but it also helps in controlling the side effects that is caused by the disease like cancer.
5. Try and keep a record of the pain, when it occurred, time date and the intensity level. Also mention the things that had aggravated the pain and how long it lasted. This record will help the health physician to have a clear idea of the disease and decide on the treatment that can relieve the patient from the pain.
While taking medicines to control the pain, it is also important that the medicines are to be used in rare cases only. Addiction to pain medicines is also a problem. A good pain management program can help the patient to remain active, sleep better and enjoy activities that he does in his day to day life.

For more info on pain relief visit: www.northpittsburghpainphysicians.com/blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathon_Masters

The Recipe For Cancer Prevention

By Alice White Green

Nowadays, more and more people are troubled by various kinds of cancer, such as lung cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer. The medical experts have been studying the newest techniques of treating cancer. In fact, the cancer can be effectively prevented if people maintain the balanced diet in everyday life. In order to help people prevent and treat cancer, the reasonable recipe has been published in America.
Generally speaking, people should increase the intake of vegetables and grains and decrease the intake of animal meat. Even the intake of the animal protein should be reduced moderately. 5 kinds of vegetables and fruits should be taken every day. The overweight can increase the risks of getting colon cancer, esophageal cancer and kidney cancer. The adequate intake of vegetables and fruits can not only maintain the human body slim, but also reduce the risks of getting cancer. Therefore, the medical experts advise people to at least take 5 kinds of fruits and vegetables every day. When people have breakfast, they should frequently eat the foods containing folic acid. The supplementation of folic acid can prevent the colon cancer, rectal cancer and breast cancer for the human body. The grains and whole-wheat foods for the breakfast contain abundant folic acid. In addition, the foods like orange juice, egg and spinach also contain rich folic acid. At the same time, the smoked meat and sausage should be avoided as far as possible, because such foods contain a large number of carcinogenic substances. The intake of tomatoes can be increased moderately, which can decrease the risks of getting various cancers like prostate cancer.
The lycopene contained in tomatoes plays an important role in preventing the formation of cancer for the human body. When people are free, they can drink green tea. The frequent intake of green tea can effectively decrease the morbidity of cancers, such as bladder cancer, gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer. Except green tea, the boiled water is also suitable for people to drink. The adequate intake of boiled water can improve the urination and dilute the hidden carcinogenic substances in the bladder. What's more, the drinking amount should be strictly controlled. The excessive drinking can seriously increase the intake of getting cancer.
In a word, people should maintain the balanced diet in everyday life so as to prevent the occurrence of cancer and reduce the risks of getting cancer for themselves to the full extent.

Alice white green is the freelance writer for e-commerce website in the chemistry. LookChem.com is just a place for you to Look for Chemicals! Our LookChem provide the most convenient conditions for the international buyers and let these leads benefit all the business person.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_White_Green

Its Not the Cancer That Kills You

By Yamuna Loyal

I realise that my take on cancer can be construed as controversial to say the least, but as someone who has been there twice, I feel qualified to some degree to try to reach out to others who are facing this particular life challenge and to attempt to ease the strain.
I truly believe that it is not the cancer that kills people, it is the fear. There is so much negative propaganda and fear of death around cancer that it is high time someone put forward a positive slant. I came across a great book early on in my search for help called, 'Cancer is not a disease'. In this book the author states that cancer is a toxic state of affairs and the body's way of isolating toxicity so as to protect the body. Now if that is not a radical viewpoint, I don't know what is. The arguments put forward are really convincing however, and led me down the path I personally took with my second bout of cancer.
I can honestly say that today I do not have any fear of cancer, or recurrence. It is a cry for help from the body for cleansing, detox, adjustment to lifestyle and a very careful look at the stresses and strains we are living under. Stress is the single most effective of reducing immunity in the body and so many people I know who have had cancer choose to have surgery, chemo/radiotherapy and just carry on the way they were before.
Cancer is calling out to us to change our lives, our diet, our thinking, our relationships, our stress levels - and in that sense it is a survival mechanism, something which cares about our wellbeing.
I know that what I have just said is preposterous to so many ways of thinking about cancer. But I truly believe that fear of cancer can cause more stress and debilitation to our system than the cancer itself. Fear of death, disability, being socially outcaste, losing our job, - these are more devastating than the illness!
Once you have faced your mortality twice and looked death in the face full on, the fear of death can no longer have any hold on you. This is the nature of fear. It is like a monster that runs after us as we run hell for leather in the opposite direction. When you can stop, turn around and look it in the face and say, 'who are you and what do you want?' it shrivels into nothing.
If you don't believe me, try it! And living without fear, is a great way to live.

Yamuna Loyal is a twice cancer survivor and has done a huge amount of research of how to cope with cancer as naturally as possible. This includes dealing with the effects of chemo/radiotherapy. Her ebook, A Survivor's Guide to Cancer: 7 Point Plan to Reclaim Your Health, outlines everything she has discovered about coping with cancer and is available as a download from http://www.survivingcancer.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yamuna_Loyal

Understanding Cancer and the Need for Holistic Care

 By Elliot Yudenfriend and Pamela Yudenfriend 

If you are ill, does it necessarily matter what your exact diagnosis is?
I will answer that question from a HOLISTIC point of view, one that favors treating disease effectively, yet as gently as possible, but one that does not rule out or reject mainstream treatment if it is deemed necessary. That holistic viewpoint has allowed me to live in very good health, with excellent quality of life, for 21 years since I was diagnosed with cancer.