News and Articles on Health. Medical research topics.

Chemotherapy is the procedure to treat cancer cells by using chemicals. Cancer cells have the ability to divide rapidly. But in this procedure, both the good and bad cells are being killed although it is really aimed at killing the cancerous ones. There are a number of ways chemotherapy drugs are taken. It may be by mouth, by injection on the muscle or vein, by catheter inserted into our bladder, abdomen, chest cavity, spinal cord, liver and brain.

When oral chemotherapy is done, a patient is given a certain dosage to take.

It may be daily, weekly or monthly.

Most medications are advised to be taken on an empty stomach. There are times drinking juice is also recommended after taking in a medicine. The downside of an oral therapy is the possibility of a patient not to follow the prescribed dosage and time of medication. If done so, it may result to a less effective treatment or more severe consequences.

• Intravenous chemotherapy is done through inserting a catheter. It may be inserted on any one of his body parts such as bladder, abdomen or chest. Every time a patient visits the clinic/hospital for treatment, the device where the medicine is placed is just inserted into the opening of the catheter. This enables the medicine to efficiently flow to the bloodstream of the body.
• Injection chemotherapy is done usually after doing the intravenous chemotherapy. The patient undergoes a series of injection of medicines. Depending on the dosing cycle instructions, it is done a number of times in a day. The patient can do this procedure either at home or in a clinic.
• Topical chemotherapy is done when a patient has skin cancer. The patient is advised to apply cream chemotherapy drugs on a cancerous area. Again, the frequency and dosage is determined by the oncologist. The patient is also advised not to be in direct contact with anybody/anything within the first hour of application. Some cream dries up faster but others take around an hour.

Doctors usually recommend full cycle chemotherapy. A full cycle is taken six times.

But this is still dependent on the advice of the oncologist. Some of them may only recommend that some patients may only have three.

Though this only happens when the patient’s cancer cell isn’t that fast-growing. The most common side effect of chemotherapy known to us is hair loss. There are other side effects of chemo. This includes nausea or vomiting, appetite loss, anemia, weakened immune system, easy bruising or bleeding, kidney and heart muscle damage, infertility and stop of menstrual cycle. The number of these after-effects is the reason why cancer patients sometimes want a partial chemo instead. Some of them think that the reaction of their body to the treatment is just unbearable.

One chemo treatment can actually cost close to $50,000. This doesn’t include several tests yet such as MRIs and PET Scan. And of course, a daily dose of medicine is still required. There are citizens who depend on their health insurance. However, to undergo chemotherapy treatment is just too expensive for many American cancer patients.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer amongst men in the USA. The most common being lung cancer. Over twenty seven thousand men are estimated to die from cancer of the prostate annually.

The good news is that research has shown that a diet which has a high Omega 3 fatty acid content can reduce the potential for getting prostate cancer and reduce the effects of cancer of the prostate. The research focused on the amount of oily or fatty fish in the diet of the men studied. The conclusion of the studies was that men who ate more fatty fish were less likely to be affected by prostate cancer. It was also concluded that where cancer of the prostate was diagnosed the growth rate of the prostate tumor could be reduced by increasing the amount of Omega 3 fats in the diet.

Diet is all important when it comes to preventing or treating prostate cancer. Increasing the amount of Omega 3 fats in the diet can reduce the risk of death by cancer of the prostate and allow a man diagnosed with prostate cancer to live with the tumor to a normal life span.

Omega 3 fatty acids are known as essential fatty acids because they are required for healthy body functioning. However they must be provided in the diet because the human body cannot manufacture them itself. Cold water oily fish are the most common source of Omega 3 fats. These include fish such as sardines, tuna and salmon which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

It is important to balance the ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids against Omega 6 fatty acids. This ratio should be as near to one to one as possible. The diet of most western men is in excess of twenty to one as a result of the large amount of meat and low amount of fish eaten. This is one of the important factors affecting the statistics for prostate cancer and cancer of the prostate deaths in western and eastern men. Western men being more likely to be affected by prostate cancer and die of this disease.

Genetics also plays an important role in the tendency to develop cancer of the prostate. Men with a variant of the COX-2 gene are known to have a higher likelihood of developing cancer of the prostate than other men. This variant of the COX-2 gene is passed from generation to generation among men. This susceptibility to cancer of the prostate caused by genetics can be positively affected by diet. An improved diet can have a positive outcome for these men.

By increasing the amount of Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet the genetic cancer risk can be reduced. Men with the COX-2 variant can change their prostate outlook by changing their diet. They have a choice of eating more fatty fish or adding an Omega 3 fish oil supplement to their diet.

Men prone to prostate cancer would be those who benefit most by changing or improving their diet by increasing their consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids. However all men should consider the importance of Omega 3 fats in their diet.

Men over the age of sixty are also more likely to develop cancer of the prostate and should consider dietary changes.

Changing their diet to increase the amount of Omega 3 fatty acids can prevent the development of prostate tumors and has been shown to slow the development of existing prostate tumors. Men diagnosed with prostate tumors have been able to control the further growth of the tumor and live out a normal life span.

Fatty fish or Omega 3 fish oil supplements can be used to increase the Omega 3 fats in the diet and thus have a positive benefit for the prostate.

Omega 3 fish oil supplements are rich in the required Omega 3 fatty acids and are an excellent alternative to fish. Produced from raw fish oil using a process called molecular distillation Omega 3 fish oil capsules are not only rich in the essential Omega 3 fatty acids but also free of the contaminants such as mercury and heavy metals that are often present in fish.

Omega 3 fish oil capsules are concentrated, pure and an easy to take alternative for fish.

Take action today to prevent or reduce your risk from prostate cancer by increasing your daily intake of Omega 3 fats. Use an Omega 3 fish oil supplement to boost your bodies ability to fight this deadly cancer and live a longer happier life.

Possibly no word strikes greater fear in people’s hearts than cancer. So it is important to employ every possible strategy that may prevent you from ever hearing it in connection with your health.

If you are still smoking, you need to stop.

Although it is true that some non-smokers have gotten lung cancer, the majority of people with lung cancer are smokers.

Cure your home if it is sick. Radon is a natural gas that can also cause lung cancer. It enters your home from soil and rock in the surrounding area. The danger is you cannot see or smell it. But you can order test kits to check the levels in your home. If you discover they are high, it is not expensive to clear them out.

Go for the green – tea that is. While all tea has cancer-preventing properties, green tea is the highest in polyphenols that kill several types of cancer cells including breast, liver, colon, lung, pancreas, and skin cancer. And a couple of cups of coffee each day will ward off cancer of the liver.

According to Swedish scientists, coffee is high in the antioxidants that prevent the formation of carcinogens.

Once you’ve had your cup of Java for the day, get moving. Scientific research has proven that exercise protects your immune system. And your immune system is your body’s defense against cancer. In fact, a healthy immune system can destroy a cancer cell without your awareness. Then when you’re thirsty after the exercise, try a glass of grape juice instead of a soda. Purple grape juice has also been proven to improve your immune system’s function.

And when it’s time for dinner, try substituting fish for beef. Frequent consumption of red meat increases your risk of colon cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer due to the high saturated fat content. Fish, on the other hand, is high in omega-3 fats that are beneficial to your health and since they are difficult to find, it is common for people to be deficient in omega-3 fats. Be sure to make your meal colorful. Your diet should include a variety of fruits and vegetables of all colors. Each fruit or vegetable has different anti-oxidants and together they all offer you protection from cancer.

Take the right supplements. Calcium and Vitamin D offer protections from the risk of developing breast cancer and also are important in preventing other diseases. Most people do not get the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D, especially those who live in winter climates, so a supplement is important. Of course, individuals should always check with their health care provider before adding any supplement to their diet.

Choose the right spices. Add a little garlic to your diet. Garlic contains sulfur compounds that have been found to prevent rapid cell division, a process that cancer cells need in order to spread. Add the garlic to tomato sauce and become a tomato lover. Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that has been proved to reduce the risk of colon, lung and breast cancer. Lycopene destroys free radicals before they can effect the cellular changes that lead to cancer. And processed products are as effective as the fresh vegetable.

You can get the same benefit from ketchup, tomato sauce, tomato paste and cooked tomatoes.

There is no cure per se for cancer, but there are ways to successfully fight and provide cures in individual cases. A number of treatments are typically used. In this article, we take a look at the commonly used radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy is perhaps the most common form of cancer treatment. It is often referred to as the bigger hammer treatment. The idea is to use energy to cadestroy or damage cancer cells, particularly those found in tumors. The energy is usually in the form of gamma rays, x rays or protons. In theory, this will either slow, stop or destroy the cancer. The key is understanding how cancer cells work.

Cancer cells are mutations of normal, health cells. One of the characteristics of the mutation is they grow and divide much faster than one finds with normal cells. The goal with radiation therapy is to attack this growth process. To do this, the cells are exposed to high doses of radiation. The radiation varies by the type of cancer, but is used with the intention of reeking havoc on the DNA of the cancer cells. If the DNA is broken, the cell cannot reproduce and the cancer is stopped in its tracks. In some cancers, the radiation is enough to not only stop expansion, but destroy all the cancerous cells.

Is radiation therapy the same thing as chemotherapy? The answer is no. Radiation therapy is generally an external application focused on a specific part of the body, ie, the cancerous growths. Chemotherapy is the ingestion of cancer fighting drugs that are absorbed throughout the body. The confusion between the two often comes from the fact that there are limited radiation therapies that are undertaken by the ingestion of radioactive materials, but this is very rare.

Does radiation therapy work? Yes and no. The success rate depends on many factors including the particular type of cancer being addressed. In most cases, this treatment produces the most success when combined with other cancer treatments.

What is ucla proton prostate cancer treatment?
we’ll talk about this prostate cancer treatment as belows,which is a very pupular,we need to know more about it.

Traditional radiation therapy, three-dimensional conformal and intensity-modulated radiation therapy-based treatment are X-ray radiation to send ionizing radiation.

In addition to the x-line, the electrons, protons and neutrons and other particles such as atoms can also be used for radiotherapy. Proton-line external beam radiation therapy Radiation therapy is a form of it, rather than using a proton x ray transfer ionizing radiation.

Proton line can be set to achieve a particular depth of the organization, as well to achieve this pre-set depth, the ionization level increased rapidly, Line by adjusting the proton energy, the ionization energy can be enveloping the entire tumor volume, resulting in tumor cell DNA damage, while maximizing protection of the surrounding normal tissues.

This is also the advantages of proton line, which could be better carried out three-dimensional tumor proper type with adjusting the proton linear energy.

In addition, the proton line differs from traditional radiation, so that normal cells have the ability damaged white line repair, and tumor cells succumbed to irreversible damage beyond repair.

Currently used proton line treatment for , with few clinical reports in the United States, only a few centers is carrying out this project.

Preliminary results indicate that without recurrence rate of PEA is average 80.2%. Foci within the prostate smaller, the greater the probability of exposure, the greater the likelihood of a cure. Proton-line treatment for long-term effect remains to be seen.

Mesothelioma is a diagnosis nobody every wants to hear. It is a form of cancer that is very often deadly. It is most often caused by exposure to asbestos on a repeated basis, which has made it a much discussed topic.

What is it?

Mesothelioma gets its name from the area of the body where cancer appears. The mesothelium is a lining that covers all the internal organs in the body. The lining is lubricated, which allows the organs to move about without damage. For instance, the lining allows the heart to pump without causing damage to the lungs and such. Mesothelioma as a cancer appears in this lining.

How Common Is It?

Fortunately, Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. There are roughly 2,000 new cases reported a year, but the number is rising. The cancer appears more often in men than women and there is a far greater likelihood of being diagnosed with it as you age. This is primarily because it can take 50 years or more to show up. A person exposed to asbestos in 1985 for instance, might not show symptoms until 2025.

Risk Factors

The risk factors for Mesothelioma are almost entirely related to asbestos exposure. Asbestos was seen as a wonder material because of its insulating and fire resistant properties. It was heavily used in everything from shipyards to construction materials until it became apparent that it caused Mesothelioma and other health problems. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos at any point in time or lived with someone who has, then your risk of getting the disease is vastly increased. Smoking is also a contributor.

Diagnosis

Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose for a number of reasons. Chief among them is it tends to produce symptoms associated with other diseases. Until biopsies are done on impacted areas, it is almost impossible to be sure of a diagnosis. There are no blood indicators or any absolutes with this disease. This is why many suspect the number of Mesothelioma cases are actually far higher each year than reported. They are simply misdiagnosed.

The key to dealing with Mesothelioma is to educate yourself. I diagnosis is not a good thing, but your fear can often be worse than what is actually happening.

Treating the root cause or causes of breast cancer is far more important than treating the obvious immediate symptoms. Treating only symptoms, which is the cancer growth will simply cover up the real underlying problem and will cause the problem to return or to spread to another area. A genuine cure will look for the reasons why the cancer first appeared and address those reasons and that will allow the body to permanently heal.

The words breast cancer scares people and someone newly diagnosed with the disease will blindly follow authority without stopping and applying a bit of common sense. What they need is information on the subject so they can make informed decisions on their best treatment options based on knowledge. There are many facts that are known about breast cancer but you are seldom told.

Breast cancer doesn’t just happen; it is the result of something you did, so it makes sense that it can be corrected also. To successfully overcome a diagnosis of breast cancer it is much more important to look for the reasons why it occurred in the first place and address those reasons. When you remove the factors that caused the problem the body through the immune system has a natural tendency to heal itself and will remove the cancer without it spreading or returning.

Our bodies are continuing trying to heal themselves and that is with the aid of our built in repair system which is the immune system. Right through life our immune system keeps us healthy as it repairs cuts and bruises, broken bones, infections, diseases and also cancer. But it needs a little help and only you can do that and that is by eating the food that’s been designed for human consumption and removing the everyday food items that have contributed to the problem.

Breast cancer is simply a disease of a weak immune system, that’s been weakened by the way we now live, especially with our wrong food choices. These are foods that use refined flour and sugar, also the consumption of too much animal fat, salt, caffeine, and alcohol. Lifestyle factors may include constant worry, anger, fear, frustration. Also the chemicals that affect us and they are chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, smoking, and all drugs. All these factors contribute to breast cancer.

There are only natural ways to strengthen the immune system and that is to eat freshly grown fruit and vegetables everyday, most of which have cancer fighting properties, make sure you get adequate rest and sleep, fresh air, sunshine, exercise and lastly a positive attitude towards life which is very important.

Breast cancer is an entirely curable disease but a person must take central responsibility for his or her own health and have an active involvement in the healing process. A change in the way you live is essential, especially with the food you eat because all those factors are the causes of breast cancer today.

Alan Wighton is an independent health researcher, having spent many years specialising in cancer. For further information on more effective ways to overcome breast cancer using the powerful natural healing ability of the human body; please visit Alternative Cancer Treatment

Generally,we shouldn’t focus on the prostate cancer treatment success rate,but the prevention of prostate cancer.

And there is a great meaning for the PSA test and correct diet in the prevention process.Just keep in mind that the porstate cancer prevention,but not the prostate cancer treatment success rate.

It’s reported that a group of Swedish scientists have experienced long-term observation of the 5595 fathers and found that, such as prostate cancer and breast cancer, are with genetic characteristics, If the father of 70-year-old previously been diagnosed with prostate cancer, then for his son the chance of prostate cancer is 2.5 times higher than the average person, If the father after the age of 70 have prostate cancer, for his son ,the chance of prostate cancer risk 1.5 times higher than the average person. Moreover, if the family has two or more close relatives in the same time, suffering from prostate cancer, then the relative risk of prostate cancer in the crowd will increase 14 times.

Experts suggest that men over the age of 50 should conduct annual health check, which should include the prostate examination,which is simple and can can also be used for diagnostic antigen PSA blood test, if there is family history of prostate cancer,it should be especially careful. Prostate cancer can be prevented, and have some, such as oranges, tomatoes, chicken, watermelon and other vitamins, carotenoids, trace elements with higher levels of food, can greatly reduce the risk of disease.

PSA screening may be carried out by detecting the early detection of prostate cancer, prostate cancer is also one of the reasons to reduce the relapse rate.

Once the tumor can spread to the glands was found outside the pre-prostate cancer treatment the chances of success will be greatly increased.