5 Things You Can Do to Prevent Lung Cancer

by James S. Pendergraft

Lung cancer is a form that is quite difficult to treat. Simply put lung cancer is the cancer affecting the lung tissues making it difficult for exchange of gases in the respiratory system. It is very elusive and hence difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are not out of the ordinary and hence can mislead the physician.
The patients suffer a lot and treatment is limited and localized. Prevention is the best form of cure as far as cancer is concerned since all forms of cancer are torturous to the mind and body of the individual. Prevention is easier where lung cancer is concerned. Avoiding risk causing substances, the chances of developing it can be reduced or its occurrence can be prolonged.
Things That Can Be Done To Prevent Lung Cancer Are:
Quit Smoking:
The first and the foremost factor is, of course, smoking. This is the main cause of lung cancer. An estimated 87% deaths occur due to lung cancer caused by smoking. Make your body tobacco free. This is the best defense possible against lung cancer. Kicking the habit might be difficult but certainly would be better than suffering from cancer of the lung. Another aspect of smoking is the effect it has on people exposed to the smoke.
Secondhand smoke or the smoke emanating from cigarettes, cigars and pipes is carcinogenic. This smoke is known to contain more than sixty carcinogens or agents that can trigger the process of cancer development. These carcinogens cause changes in cell division and development. The abnormal divisions give rise to excess number of cells which do not have regulatory processes governing them and hence causes malfunctions leading to malignancies.
Eat fruits and vegetables:
Nature itself has provided us with the chemicals required to fight cancer. Antioxidants and flavanoids are substances that aid in repairing damaged cells and helps in protecting the nuclear material or the DNA. These substances are available in abundance in fruits and vegetables. Consuming five portions of fruits and vegetables in a day will go far in keeping cancer at bay. People who are physically active and fit have lesser chances of being succumbed by cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight would be beneficial.
Avoid Exposure to radon:
Radon is a substance that is highly carcinogenic. Exposure to radon and such other radioactive gases can cause lung cancer. Radon is a byproduct of uranium degradation. This is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas which cannot be detected easily. Homes built over natural deposits of uranium can have radon in them and exposure to this is dangerous. Homes should be checked and test for the presence of this deadly carcinogen.
Avoid Exposure to pollutants in workplace:
Pollutants like gasoline, arsenic, beryllium, vinyl chloride, nickel chromates, mustard gas, coal products, chloro methyl ethers, diesel exhaust are carcinogens or agents causing cancer. Workplace can expose you to these agents and it should be reduced or limited in concordance with the employer.
Chemoprevention:
Many cancer specific natural drugs can some times reverse the process of cancer. These drugs can be taken to prevent cancer from occurring in patients with history of the condition. The area dealing with chemoprevention is under active clinical research.
To Your Health!

Bone Cancer: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

by James S. Pendergraft

Cancer having its origin in the bones is referred to as bone cancer in medical terms. Bone cancers are relatively uncommon when compared to metastatic (cancer occurring initiated in another organ and spreading to bone tissues) or secondary cancer.
Bone Cancer Causes
Underlying causes behind bone Cancer is still unclear. However, there are certain risk factors that have been identified. Most of them suggest that Estrogen, female hormone, plays an imperative role in development and progress of this cancer. It's known that women, having menstrual period for the first time before 11 or at a very later stage in their life, are more prone for developing this disease. The reason being that they remain exposed to higher levels of estrogen for a longer period of time. Again, count of menstrual cycle prior to first pregnancy is also considered significant. Experts believe that women having their first child below the age of 20 might be affected in the near future. Breastfeeding offers additional protective effect.
Bone Cancer Symptoms
Bone Cancer Symptoms are many linked to the location of the bone, which has been affected by cancer in the body. Common symptom associated with bone cancer is tenderness, swelling or pain in the affected area. Lump formation might also accompany bone cancer in a patient. Although the detection of lump associated to the cancer is difficult in the early stages, it can be felt when the disease occurs in or around the joints. Still, you cannot consider any of these symptoms as prominent signs of bone cancer.
Bone Cancer Treatment
Treatment for cancer of bone, mainly metastatic cancer, has 2 goals:
-Managing neoplasm
-Managing symptoms produced by local lesion
Prognosis is mainly affected by patient's age, primary tumor size, lymphatic & blood vessel invasion degree, symptoms duration and tumor location on arm, trunk or leg.
There are 2 methods for treating bone metastasis. Systemic Therapy is aimed for treating cancer cells spread throughout your body. It includes hormone therapy, immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Local therapy is aimed towards killing cancerous cells of a specific portion on the body. It includes surgery and radiation therapy.
Surgery:
It is often extensive and involves the removal of a wide margin of tissue surrounding the tumor. Sarcomas, which involve muscles, also require removing the entire affected group of muscles.
Radiation Therapy:
It is mainly used for preventing local recurrence of radiosensitive tumor and given either before or following the surgery.
Chemotherapy:
Several drugs have proven effective for treating bone & soft tissue sarcoma. However, required dosages for providing a great chance to cure might lead to significant side-effects. Effective agents include cyclophosphamide, etoposide, vincristine, ifosfamide, doxorubicin (Adriamycin), dactinomycin (Actinomycin D), dacarbazine and investigational agent. In some cases, even combinations of all these drugs are used.
Hormone Therapy:
It's either removal of organs producing hormones promoting growth of specific cancer types (testosterone and estrogen) or drug therapy for keeping hormones from promoting growth of cancer.
Even after completely removing bone or soft tissue sarcoma, significant risk is there that small tumors, left undetected, may spread to other regions in the body. Adjuvant Chemotherapy attempts for eliminating such tumor deposits.
Even, there are safer and effective methods for treating pain. Medications will allow people for being free of pain and continue the activities essential to them.
To Your Health!

Cancer Prevention: 5 Natural Foods That Prevent Cancer

by James S. Pendergraft

Cancer is one of the major causes of death worldwide. According to an estimate, it is believed that one third of deaths across the world are caused by it. There is a general belief that cancer is a hereditary disease. Though external factors such as chemicals, pollution etc are also believed to cause cancer. Our lifestyle and food habits are major contributory factors of cancer.
The national cancer institute as well as world cancer research fund believes in healthy eating to prevent cancer. The five important foods to be incorporated in our daily diet for preventing cancer are as follows:
Vegetables:
Broccoli, cauliflower, onion, garlic, carrot, sweet potato, spinach, beans, avocado, lettuce, asparagus are some of the vegetables to be included in our daily meal to protect ourselves from cancer. Broccoli, cauliflower, kale contains antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin which help reduce the risk of prostate or any other form of cancer. Beans, spinach, lettuce, avocado contain folate which is a preventive food for pancreatic cancer. Tomatoes and sweet potatoes are rich source of beta carotene, a preventive vitamin. Vegetables should be preferably taken in raw form as they are richer in nutrients.
Fruits:
Another important food group to be included in our day to day life for avoiding cancer. Fresh, organically cultivated fruits eaten in raw form or extracted as juice prove healthy for an individual. Fruits like banana, grapefruit, orange, papaya, red grapes, strawberries, raspberries; blueberries are few important fruits which help reduce cancer. Papaya is believed to prevent the absorption of nitrosamines from processed food and cultivation soil, which are major cause of cancer. While banana is rich in potassium and red grapes are rich in bioflavonoid; the berries too are believed to possess anti cancerous nutrients.
Fish:
This white meat is rich in Omega 3s and essential fatty acids which act as a preventive measure against breast cancer. They are healthy for our heart and brain. The fish oil is believed to protect from prostate and colon cancer.
Liquids:
drinking lots of water, juice, green tea and chai is essential for keeping our body healthy. Drinking 5 liters of water everyday washes down all the toxins from our body. While vegetable and fruit juices provide essential nutrients and vitamins. Green tea is a rich source of antioxidant. It has been proven by the American institute of cancer research that green tea contains phytochemicals which are believed to stop the transformation of normal cells to cancerous cells.
Soy:
it is a rich source of protein. At the same time soy is also believed to be rich is phytochemicals responsible for prevention of breast cancer. Soy can be taken daily as soy milk, tofu, granules, pulse. Any form of soy proves beneficial except the processed form. We should avoid soy chips rich in salt as well as other processed soy snacks. In fact any form of processed food be it salami, chips, sausages or cool drinks is unhealthy and major cause of different kinds of cancer.
To Your Health!

Understanding Pancreatic Cancer: a Silent Killer

by James S. Pendergraft

Pancreatic cancer is tumor in the pancreatic gland of the body. This cancer is believed to be fatal and survival rate of a person suffering from this disease is very low. Generally excessive intake of eggs, coffee, red meat, alcohol, smoking and more intake of junk food is believed to be responsible for this tumor. But hereditary factors can't be ruled out. In fact, study of family history suggests that this is the foremost reason for pancreatic cancer.
A person suffering from acute pancreatitis develops pancreatic cancer at later stages if care is not taken. However no everybody suffering from pancreatic end up having tumor if there is proper medical course followed. People suffering from diabetes also end up with pancreatic cancer in future.
The sad part about pancreatic cancer is that it is not detected early. There are general symptoms like stomach ache and jaundice but which only show after a considerable period of time. There are some minor symptoms like anorexia, loss of appetite, aversion to smoking, meat, coffee, wine which are suggestive but these symptoms generally occur six months before acute stomach ache and jaundice. Almost every individual suffering from this tumor develop metastases and they die.
The usual procedure for treatment of any other type of cancer is not very effective for pancreatic cancer. Even though doctors and researchers are trying new methods for treating this disease but no permanent solution has been found till date. The effectiveness of chemoradiation is very low. Most of the time there are chances of relapse.
Fluorouracil chemoradiation is the treatment prescribed for patients whose illness is not in very advanced stage and people suffering from metastatic disease go for gemcitabine chemoradiation. These treatments do provide temporary relief but various studies state that only 15-20% of people suffering from this disease survive for 5 years. The tumor is resistant to all kinds of treatment. Gemcitabine is believed to bring symptomatic relief but it is no cure for the tumor.
There are researches being held in alternative medical fields too to come up with a permanent solution for this disease but nothing concrete has come up as yet. There are only preventive measures which can be integrated in our everyday life to save oneself from this illness. Firstly people suffering from pancreatitis should go for a proper treatment and should be careful about their diet. Similarly diabetic people too should never neglect their medication.
Excessive intake of meat, butter, alcohol, eggs etc should be avoided. Since in old age a person is more susceptible to this tumor because of low defense mechanism of the body, one must go for regular medical check ups. Knowing very well that this disease is fatal one must not ignore even small symptoms and consult their physician or an oncologist as soon as possible.
People having a history of pancreatic cancer in their family should be the most cautious lot and should have a healthy living. Raw fruits and vegetables along with fibrous food is the ideal diet for healthy living along with a little exercise.
To Your Health!

Cancer Survival: How to Live With the Diagnosis

by James S. Pendergraft

Having learnt that you have cancer the emotional upheavals are unprecedented. Anxiety and tension grips you. The treatment and the prognosis are very strenuous and can take a toll on a person's emotional and mental health.
Once you have been diagnosed, deal strength and perseverance. Below are some suggestions that would help in coping with the diagnosis-
1-Try to get to know the facts regarding the diagnosis like the cancer type, whether it has spread, the treatments available, the side effects, and prevention after the treatment, treatment schedules, and the genetic viability of the cancer.
2-Do not hesitate to communicate with your doctor and your loved ones. Tell them that you are ready to face and conquer it and that they should be very frank about the progress the treatment and the cancer is making. Try to take help when you are feeling down or lonely and share your emotions honestly.
3-The treatment of cancer deals with radiation and chemotherapy which can bring about tremendous changes in physical appearance. Hair loss is very common and wigs or hairpieces can be used for managing it.
4-Maintain a lifestyle that is healthy and that fills you with energy. Follow a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants. Take rest so that your body is stress free to combat the cancer treatment. Try to lead a normal life as much as possible by taking walks, participating in fun activities etc.
5-Your family members and friends would like to help you. It could be their way of offering support during a difficult time. They can help you with chores around the house and preparing meals and you should remember that you would require the help.
6-Prioritize the activities in your life and do away with harmful ones. Try to get closer to your loved ones and enjoy.
7-Live each day as it comes and take every little thing in your stride.
8-Cancer is not contagious and no one near you has any danger of contracting it from you. It is difficult for people to believe this fact and you would come across disturbing behavior from them. Fight the so called stigmas and don't let them dishearten you.
9-Cancer treatments have long schedules and can burn a hole in your pocket. This financial burden would add to the already existing tension about the cancer. Hence it would be wise to look into health insurance options. Sometimes the state provides insurance assistance for certain groups of people.
10-All said and done remember that you have to develop a unique strategy to cope with the cancer yourself. Even with all the help and support your mind should be strong enough to go through it. There are support groups that help people through cancer treatments and they are very beneficial.
Meditation and relaxation techniques can calm your mind and give you the strength to go on with the treatment, in spite of the discomforts involved with a positive mind.
To Your Health!

Cancer Survival: How to Live With the Diagnosis

by James S. Pendergraft

Having learnt that you have cancer the emotional upheavals are unprecedented. Anxiety and tension grips you. The treatment and the prognosis are very strenuous and can take a toll on a person's emotional and mental health.
Once you have been diagnosed, deal strength and perseverance. Below are some suggestions that would help in coping with the diagnosis-
1-Try to get to know the facts regarding the diagnosis like the cancer type, whether it has spread, the treatments available, the side effects, and prevention after the treatment, treatment schedules, and the genetic viability of the cancer.
2-Do not hesitate to communicate with your doctor and your loved ones. Tell them that you are ready to face and conquer it and that they should be very frank about the progress the treatment and the cancer is making. Try to take help when you are feeling down or lonely and share your emotions honestly.
3-The treatment of cancer deals with radiation and chemotherapy which can bring about tremendous changes in physical appearance. Hair loss is very common and wigs or hairpieces can be used for managing it.
4-Maintain a lifestyle that is healthy and that fills you with energy. Follow a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants. Take rest so that your body is stress free to combat the cancer treatment. Try to lead a normal life as much as possible by taking walks, participating in fun activities etc.
5-Your family members and friends would like to help you. It could be their way of offering support during a difficult time. They can help you with chores around the house and preparing meals and you should remember that you would require the help.
6-Prioritize the activities in your life and do away with harmful ones. Try to get closer to your loved ones and enjoy.
7-Live each day as it comes and take every little thing in your stride.
8-Cancer is not contagious and no one near you has any danger of contracting it from you. It is difficult for people to believe this fact and you would come across disturbing behavior from them. Fight the so called stigmas and don't let them dishearten you.
9-Cancer treatments have long schedules and can burn a hole in your pocket. This financial burden would add to the already existing tension about the cancer. Hence it would be wise to look into health insurance options. Sometimes the state provides insurance assistance for certain groups of people.
10-All said and done remember that you have to develop a unique strategy to cope with the cancer yourself. Even with all the help and support your mind should be strong enough to go through it. There are support groups that help people through cancer treatments and they are very beneficial.
Meditation and relaxation techniques can calm your mind and give you the strength to go on with the treatment, in spite of the discomforts involved with a positive mind.
To Your Health!

Cancer Prevention: How to Stay Away From Cancer With a Healthy Diet

by James S. Pendergraft

Staying fit and healthy should be a mantra of life to prevent all kinds of diseases like blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer etc. cancer is a very serious disease which at times turns fatal if not detected at early stages. The occurrence of this disease can be prevented by taking few measures.
The foremost step to be taken is of changing ones eating habit. Nutritious food should be included in daily meal for staying healthy. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, Kale, Brussels sprouts which are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibers should be included. Tomatoes rich in vitamin c should be taken along with the morning breakfast of eggs, carrot rich in beta carotene has anti oxidant properties which acts on free radicals of the cancerous cells and prevents their multiplication.
Green leafy vegetables, soy, tofu etc should be a part of our meal. However one has to consider that excessive intake of nutrition also leads to cancer hence we must have balanced meal. Vegetables should be taken in raw, boiled or lightly saute form as cookie is believed to destroy the nutritional property of the food.
Fruits are another rich source of vitamins and minerals which have anti-cancerous properties. Grapefruits, oranges rich in vitamin C help get rid of carcinogens from the body. Papaya is another fruit which prevents the absorption of nitrosamines from soil or processed food which are cancerous. Fresh fruit juices are also very beneficial. However care must be taken to choose fresh, organically grown fruits. The packaged fruit juices should be avoided as they have unnecessary high sugar are rich in calories and have non existent nutritional value.
Fibrous food such as bran, whole wheat, pulses, apple, and peaches should be eaten daily. This helps avoid bowel, colon, rectum, stomach cancer. Processed foods like bread, luncheon meat, salami, potato wafers should be taken in minimal quantity. These food items are rich in salt and fatty acids. Their nutritional value is zero. They cause obesity which further leads to cancer in stomach, colon, kidney, gall bladder, pancreas etc.
Salt and sugar should be taken in moderation. Excessive sodium intake is not healthy and so is excessive sugar which adds empty calories. Read meat like beef, lamb, and pork should be taken once a week in less quantity. Non vegetarians should include more of fish in their daily diet as it has anti cancerous benefits. Fish oil is also meant to reduce risk of cancer. Water intake should be increased to flush out toxins from the body.
Alcohol consumption should be in moderation as excessive intake leads to oral cancer and cancer of throat, larynx, and lymph etc. smokers should be extra careful and should cut down on smoking.
Being healthy is the most essential thing for a happy living. Few preventions and added care can assure a long life for an individual. Hence one should take care to eat healthy diet in moderation and exercising daily. Binge on junk food but once in a while.
To Your Health!

Oral Cancer: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments.

by James S. Pendergraft

Oral cancer is generally described as cancer of head and neck. It can affect any part of the mouth like tongue, cheeks, lips, hard palate, soft palate, floor of the tongue, internal lining of the cheeks, gums, lymph nodes etc. the most common form of oral cancer is squamous cell carcinoma which affects the flat skin like lining of the mouth. 90% mouth cancer patients have been detected with this form of mouth cancer.
There are other types of oral cancers affecting different areas of the mouth like the salivary gland cancer affecting the saliva producing gland, lymphoma which is caused in lymph around the tonsils and base of tongue and melanoma affecting the skin pigmentation cells around the mouth and lips.
Causes:
The causes of skin cancer are many and can't be restricted to anything in particular. Few major causes of oral tumor are smoking (cigarettes, pipe, hand rololed cigarettes like bidis or the one containing canabis) , alcohol, chewing of tobacco, beetlenut, gutka or pan, UV rays from sun which affects lips or pale skin and at times previous cancer which might reoccur. Other probable causes are poor dietary habits lacking essentially zinc, vitamin A, C, E, selenium .infection from HPV (human papilloma virus) which generally infects vulva, vagina and cervix.
Symptom:
The symptoms for oral cancer are very general which might sometimes turn out to be some other disease but nevertheless it is better to go to a dentist or a general physician or ENT specialist to rule out any possibility. The few visible symptoms are: white or red patch on the lips, inside of the mouth or around mouth which has been there for long , loose teeth, bleeding from mouth, soreness of lips and tongue, swelling in mouth, swelling in throat, ulcer of mouth and lips, a lump or thickening of lips mouth or tongue.
Treatment:
After mouth cancer has been established using X- Rays, MRI scan, endoscopy, CT scan and biopsy confirms the multiplicity of cells then the medical practioner suggests treatment based on the physical stat and age of the patient, extent of infection and location of infection. Radiotherapy is commonly used method where radiation is used to destroy the cancerous cell in the affected area. At times surgery is performed to insert radioactive pellets in or around the tumor which gradually destroys the infected cells.
Surgery is another method used to remove the tumor from the infected area. It may be performed before or after radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is another treatment used for destroying cancerous cells. Anti cancerous drugs are used to shrink the tumor and later on surgery is performed to remove the infection. Time period of treatment and the strength of the medicine are dependent on the extent of infection.
Oral cancer is very common and can be avoided by taking care of ones lifestyle. Excessive intake of alcohol and cigarettes etc should be avoided. Chewing of tobacco should be strictly avoided and nutritious food should be incorporated in daily diet. After all health is wealth.
To Your Health!

Hope In The New World

by Deborah Hill

One night during a difficult period of my cancer treatment I awoke from a seeming sleep and felt an extreme depth of aloneness and feel - the one that the elderly who are alone feel. Perhaps they have no medical care - or it's not working; no suppport, or family or distant family. It felt like living in a black hole of pain and fear. I knew this was not my fear. I was seeing and feeling the pain and fear of others, and I was horrified and felt deep compassion for them. There are so many of these people living now. And there are going to be so many more.
The upcoming years are so important. Who will take care of them/us? Perhaps, our new administration will help us to solve the issues involved. But we all need to be actively looking at this important issue and finding ways to help our elders and to change our medical system so that it works for everyone.
My father has built senior citizen high rise buildings that offer medical care, transportation and activities for people living there. Each unit has its own kitchen and is very comfortable. Or, they can go down and dine with others. Some don't want to move out of their homes. There is a great need for in-home care, visitation and transportation. Organizations are being formed that help these people. Or, perhaps we can build some. I'm open to suggestions.

Ovarian Cancer Survival: The Importance Of Early Detection.

by James S. Pendergraft

Buried in the basin, the ovaries are difficult to examine. Thus, cancers affecting them are often discovered late. If improvements are to provide treatment, the prognosis remains closely linked to early care.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth largest female cancers in US, with 4 000 new cases per year. But his prognosis remains very bleak as it is often discovered at a late stage. Panorama from an unknown disease.
Ovarian cancer is relatively uncommon. All too often discovered at a late stage, this cancer is difficult to treat. As it is detected late, ovarian cancer has a fairly bleak prognosis. Each year, 3 800 american die from that cancer. The survival rate of ovarian cancer is just over 30% in 5 years, while for breast cancer, it is about 75%.
Few women are genetically predisposed to ovarian cancer. Genetic factors were responsible for 5 to 10% of cancers of the ovary. Between 160 and 320 women are suffering from a hereditary cancer of the ovary annually. Family mutations of certain genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 rarely, are known to predispose strongly to this cancer, with an earlier age (before age 50). Alteration of these genes is also responsible for predisposition to breast cancer.
Without beneficiating from screening test, ovarian cancer has long been nicknamed the silent killer because symptoms are supposed to appear at an advanced stage of the disease. But the results of a recent study could detect that kind of cancer more quickly.
Early detection is an incredible challenge: 70 to 90% of women with ovarian cancer detected at a primary stage are still alive five years after diagnosis against only 20 to 30% of those whose cancer was diagnosed at an advanced stage. And unfortunately, the second scenario is more often met ... Some figures show awareness of this scourge, female: 4 488 new cases and 3 508 deaths directly linked to the disease in the year 2006
Characteristic symptoms: Beware of the trio!
Researchers have followed 1 408 women who were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire about symptoms experienced with the previous year. Among the proposed events can include pelvic pain, abdominal, low back pain, the urge to urinate, constipation, weight loss, unexplained, and so on. The severity, duration and frequency of these signs were also informed. The same procedure was conducted on 128 women awaiting surgery for pelvic tumors, including ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is no longer the silent undetectable killer . Even women with cancer at preliminary stages have signs. Paying attention to certain symptoms (or rather their frequency or severity), it may be possible to react in time!
The diagnosis of ovarian cancer is based on clinical examination, gynecological and a determination of tumor marker, supplemented by medical imaging examinations, including pelvic ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. But only the surgical exploration allows a complete diagnosis of the local extension of ovarian cancer.