Cancer Information

Six years ago, my husband Devin was diagnosed with Acute Lymphacytic Leukemia. In the midst of Devin riding the roller coaster of relapse and remission, I began to write. I had no other outlet for what I was feeling at the time, nor did I have the energy to seek one. Three years later, Devin succumbed to the disease though we were the ones who were supposed to “make it.”

To begin with, we had the love and support so often associated with success in cancer diagnoses. When Devin was first diagnosed, we were living in Oregon, 2000 miles away from our home state of Ohio. Devin’s parents had recently retired and lived in Oregon only three hours away. My parents too were retired and spent weeks at a time with us, just to be near. Socially, Devin was well-liked, strong, healthy and generous with his time and energy.

Second, Devin and I had been astute enough, and financially successful enough, to invest our salaries and bonus monies in life insurance policies and other long-term strategies. Eventually, due to his rank within the company and his past earnings, the disability checks we received during Devin’s treatments allowed us to balance our checkbook.

Alongside those first two aspects, we had a reason to get up in the morning and his name was Davis. Despite his premature birth, Davis had turned out healthy and became our inspiration for everyday living.

Next, Devin was being treated under the watchful eye of Dr. Keith Lanier in Portland. Later, after moving back to Cincinnati due to a job consolidation, Devin had been referred to the practice of Dr. Philip Leming. When the insurance company considered dropping this physician’s group from their coverage, Dr. Leming wrote a persuasive note to convince the company otherwise.

In conjunction with the above, Devin had access to stellar insurance coverage. When we did embark on a bone marrow/stem cell transplant, we were presented with the option for Devin to undergo this process in the Pacific Northwest at a “blue chip” facility - Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. As Dr Leming put it at time, “That’s what they do, and they do it well.”

Finally, we had attitude. Devin maintained a positive outlook on life, this disease, and how this could help make him a stronger person – I quote from his diary - “God has a plan for me in all of this – and each day (it’s only been 5!) I learn more about what the plan might entail.”

Outside of the disease itself, the above are crucial factors in the successful treatment of a cancer patient. But there are instances when insurance, caregivers, money, love, and medical care simply do not matter. Ours was that instance. The only thing that would have mattered at the time was a cure.

It took six years of writing a book, illbeinthecar.com I’ll Be in the Car, to accept the fact that we had all the means for success and in the end, it did not matter. I’ll Be in the Car is the story about Devin and me. But more so, about how our lives were impacted. I wanted others to witness that we fought over money, in-laws, child-rearing and lawn-mowing, in the midst of fighting leukemia. I wanted others to know even during Devin’s down days, we held bridal showers, went on vacation, and watched movies and read Tuesdays with Morrie, before the notion of Devin dying had even crossed our minds.

Two weeks after Devin died Davis and I began our journey of fundraising for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by attending our first Light the Night Walk, surrounded by more than fifty family members, friends and neighbors who were still in shock and needing to grieve. Over the years, we continued our participation, walking with friends, sisters and brothers and finally just Davis and me.

Two months ago, I married a wonderful man whose first wife also died of cancer. He brought three motherless daughters into our marriage. The other night as a family, we had been out spooking the neighborhood, leaving tricks and treats and laughing all the way home. Later, while putting my son to bed, I saw that he had been crying. “Davis what’s the matter?” I asked. And he just burst out, “I didn’t get to say goodbye to Dad.”

This is six years later. And that one moment sends me backwards in time, wishing there had been a cure. If we cannot have a cure, if we cannot raise millions of dollars, then we must raise eyebrows while finding other means of comforting those affected. We must tell the story of little boys who still miss their dads, of young women who still grieve for a mom I can never replace. We must talk about mothers and fathers who still yearn to see their son walk through the door at Christmastime. And we must be the voice for friends and lovers, husbands and wives whose light we carry inside.

Annette Januzzi Wick is author of I’ll Be in the Car: One Woman’s Story of Love, Loss and Reclaiming Life, available from ThreeArchPress.com ThreeArchPress.com or nationwide. She speaks passionately about comforting the bereaved and finding a cure through cancer organizations such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, book clubs, church groups and Women Writing for (a) Change. She lives with her newly blended family in Cincinnati, OH.

Breast cancer is one of the most frightening diseases faced by today’s women. In fact, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, after nonmelanoma skin cancer. About 13% of American women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. And, it is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, after lung cancer.

Scientists are continuing to look for new information to determine what causes breast cancer as well how to prevent and treat this disease. Today, we still don’t know what causes breast cancer, but we do understand some of the risk factors.

In addition, we have come a long way in treating breast cancer – though many women still die each year. Some of the research is very promising, including research on green tea.

One group of breast cancer sufferers who cause doctors a great area of concern are those who have a higher than average expression of the epidermal growth factor Her-2/neu. Her-2/neu is a growth factor that sometimes presents itself in a tumor. An over expression of this growth factor is a concern for breast cancer patients.

During routine testing of patients who have been recently diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, doctors will determine the level of Her-2/neu. If the level is high, this information is used to guide treatment. The level of this growth factor is important because studies have shown that patients with an over expression of Her-2/neu have a higher likelihood of their cancer metastasizing, and have an overall lower survival rate. The Her-2/neu is high in about 30% of breast cancer patients.

As part of the ongoing research to find effective treatments for breast cancer, scientists have been looking seriously at the benefits of green tea, both on preventing cancer and treating it. Asian cultures have used green tea for its healing properties for centuries, and their overall rate of cancer is much lower than that of the Western world.

Tea is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant. You’ll hear tea referred to as green, white or black. These differences do not result from actual different types of tea leaf, but rather from differences in how the tea leaves are processed. Green and white teas are not fermented during processing, but black tea goes through such a processing.

Tea leaves contain catechins, part of the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids, which are anti-oxidants. EGCG is one of the catechins contained in tea, and is a potent anti-oxidant. Fermenting the tea leaves converts the catechins to other compounds that are not as healthy as those in unfermented tea. So, the focus of research has been on green tea, because of its healthier form of anti-oxidants.

What’s So Great About Anti-Oxidants?

During our body’s process of converting food to energy, we create free radicals in our body. These free radicals are damaging to our cells and DNA if we don’t combat them. Left unchecked, free radicals contribute to speeding up the aging process and to causing diseases such as cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Anti-oxidants, however, can help us combat these free radicals, and a diet in anti-oxidants is linked with preventing cancer, heart disease and stroke. So, doctors recommend a diet high in anti-oxidants – which means eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and drinking green tea each day.

However, scientists also seem to be finding out that green tea may be able to increase the effectiveness in some cancer treatments. Several studies conducted on mice already diagnosed with cancer have shown that taking green tea along with the cancer treatments can increase the effectiveness of the traditional therapy and may slow down the progression of cancer to other cells. There is promising research; some of it directly related to breast cancer treatment.

One particular study of interest was conducted by the Boston University School of Medicine. In this study, female mice with breast cancer whose Her-2/neu levels were very high were treated with green tea along with their regular cancer treatment. Mice that ingested the green tea showed a slower growth of their tumors and a slower progression of their cancer than those who were treated with the same medicine without green tea as an adjunct therapy.

Researchers who found these results also believe that if green tea can inhibit the growth of tumors in patients already diagnosed with cancer, it may also be effective in preventing cancerous cells from forming and growing in the first place. This coincides with other research that indicates that green tea may be significant in preventing cancer. In addition, it helps explain why Asian cultures have such a low cancer incidence compared to the Western world.

This is very promising news for a group of breast cancer sufferers who have traditionally had a lower survival rate than others with breast cancer. If we can slow the rate of cancer progression in those with over expression of Her-2/neu to approximately the same rate as other breast cancer patients, we may be far more effective at treating these patients.

Far more research is needed in the area of breast cancer prevention and treatment. In addition, scientists will be spending more time examining the benefits of green tea in cancer prevention and treatment. But, it seems clear that green tea has a place in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, including cancer.

Even though there is more research to be done, there is no downside to adding green tea to your diet to help prevent disease or to improve your health if it is already failing. Scientists have found no risks involved with drinking green tea. It has no side effects, and is a healthy alternative to coffee because of its high level of anti-oxidants and because it is much lower in caffeine than coffee. So, get a jump start on your anti-oxidants by drinking green tea!

Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current

Two people came to mind when I am writing this article on colorectal cancer. Let me relate their stories.

Story 1:

Mat (not real name) is a 45-year old professional who was diagnosed with Duke’s C rectum cancer. Eight of 16 lymph nodes were involved. He had an operation and subsequently underwent chemotherapy with 5-FU leucovorin. The first chemo-treatment made his life miserable due to severe side effects. He decided to opt out of chemotherapy and came to us for help. He was started on herbs and felt real good after that.

Mat has a good friend who is a medical doctor. When his doctor-friend came to know that he had abandoned chemotherapy, he became agitated and came to see Mat and pleaded with him to continue with his chemo-treatment. According to this doctor-friend, what Mat did was wrong and he would not want to see his dearest friend die for nothing. He must go through the “proven path” of treatment. After all, to a medical doctor, herbal therapy is not definitive or scientifically proven.

Taken by his friend’s sincere concern for him, Mat relented and resumed his chemotherapy. The second treatment caused just as severe side effects as before. He felt like dying. Then, he came to a realization and asked himself: “What am I doing to myself? I suffered so much undergoing a treatment which I was not sure would even help me. Why, oh why am I “killing” myself? Am I doing this to please my doctor-friend or am I doing this for myself?” Mat was awakened to this fact and decided that he would please himself over all others. He decided to stop further chemotherapy.

The decision Mat made weighed heavily on me. When he came to me, I made it explicitly clear that the decision to undergo chemotherapy or not must be entirely his own decision. I cannot make that decision for him. So, he probably had made his decision based on his own guts feeling and we have to respect that. It has been some years now and Mat is still doing alright. One might want to ask: “Would Mat survive the six or eight cycles of chemotherapy, given the fact that even the first two cycles already caused severe reactions?”

It is a standard practice or golden rule so to say, that after surgery, patients are asked to undergo chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. Sometime, when the doctor does not think chemotherapy is indicated, the patients themselves do not feel safe.

Story 2:

It was on 29 July 2001, 9.30 p.m. I was on the phone talking to a lady from England. Her Malaysian-born sister had colon cancer sometime in March 1999. She underwent an operation. The doctor in UK said that since the cancer was at its early stage (Duke’s 2), there was no need for her to do any chemotherapy. Not satisfied, she came to Singapore to see another oncologist. Since she was still young (46 years old) the oncologist recommended chemotherapy. This would be “safer” for her – preventive or insurance against possible problems later. So she underwent six cycles of chemotherapy in Singapore.

March 2000 — a scan showed a 3 cm mass in her liver. She again came to Singapore. Further investigations by doctors in Singapore showed that there was also a 1 cm mass in the lung. The doctors recommended surgery for the liver and /or the lung. However, when the doctors opened up the abdomen, they saw numerous nodules in the peritoneum. The removal of the liver-lung was abandoned. The abdomen was closed back. She underwent another eight cycles of chemotherapy.
After the fourth chemotherapy the tumours decreased in size but subsequent chemotherapy did not show any further improvements. In short, chemotherapy did not achieve its intended purpose. She felt hopeless and decided to quit and returned to England.

She started on Gerson Therapy in Liverpool for five months. During that period the tumours had grown to twice their sizes. She then opted to participate in a clinical trial at one of London’s top hospitals. She was again subjected to another eight cycles of chemotherapy.

29 July 2001 — The purpose of the sister calling was to seek my help since there seems to be no other avenues left for her. Sometimes she was in pain, and she required sleeping pill.

This is the perception the world of today has with regards to cancer treatment. Chemotherapy is the answer and it must be done, otherwise you die from not doing it. With due respect, Mat’s doctor-friend believed that chemotherapy is the only key to Mat’s survival. Other ways are suspect and unreliable for lack of proof. So, Mat must go for chemotherapy or he will die. The truth is, Mat is still alive! But the lady from London, she was “emotionally a wreck ” and died not long after her sister talked to me.

For more views on complementary cancer therapy, visit cacare.com cacare.com, cancer-answers.blogspot.com cancer-answers.blogspot.com, NaturalHealingForYou.com NaturalHealingForYou.com

Over the years there has been considerable debate about prostate cancer and the subject of prostate cancer prevention in particular remains somewhat controversial. Although, as with many cancers, men do not themselves cause the onset of prostate cancer, there are certainly a number of risk factors for developing the disease and there is a great deal that can be done, if not to prevent it, then certainly to reduce the risk of developing it.

The first step in preventing prostate cancer is to understand that you are at risk of developing the condition and to know just why you are at risk. Here the starting point in understanding the risk is heredity.

There is no doubt that men with a family history of prostate cancer are at greater risk and, in general, the risk for a man with one close relative having prostate cancer is about twice that of a man without any family history. With two close relatives this risk rises to about five times that of someone with no family history and with three close relatives reaches a staggering ninety-seven percent.

The problem here is that many men are unaware of their family history, not least because many grandfathers, fathers or brothers have died from other illnesses and were perhaps never even aware of the fact they have prostate cancer. This happens because prostate cancer will often develop late in life and can be a very slow growing cancer. As a consequence there is a good chance that individuals will develop other conditions alongside their prostate cancer on which attention is focused and which ultimately results in their death.

So, if you are not sure of your family history, then a good starting point is to check things out if you can. If this is not possible, then it’s probably a good idea to err on the side of caution and assume that the risk might be there rather than assume that you’re in the clear.

Another important factor is that of race. African American men for example, and men of African descent, are at a greater risk than Hispanic men who, in turn, are at more risk than Caucasian men. The risk for an African American man is about sixty percent higher than that of a Caucasian man.

The next risk factor is diet and men living in Western countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom are at increased risk because of the high levels of fat in many Western diets. Here for the first time is a risk factor that you can actually do something about and lowering the fat in your diet and eating such things as more fresh fruit and vegetables can lessen your risk quite considerably.

At this point we start to run into difficulty as, beyond the basic principle of reducing fat your diet, opinions begin to differ when it comes to other aspects of the diet which may be helpful in prostate cancer prevention.

There is little doubt that levels of such things as vitamins and minerals in your diet can have a dramatic effect on your health generally and will certainly have a part to play when it comes to prostate health. However, determining just which vitamins and minerals play a part is not an easy matter and is certainly a subject all of its own.

For more information about prostatecancerexplained.com/articles/the-prostate-aging-problem-and-prostate-cancer-prevention.html” target=”_blank prostate cancer prevention and the search for a prostatecancerexplained.com” target=”_blank prostate cancer cure please visit ProstateCancerExplained.com

Many people today are interested in the use of herbs such as ginseng in the treatment of prostate cancer. People are certainly interested in whether or not the benefit of ginseng has been studied scientifically.

Before we describe the scientific and medical literature on the use of Ginseng for the treatment of prostate cancer, here is a brief description of the different types of ginseng.

Ginseng is a herbal remedy that has been used in Asia as a medicinal remedy for a long time. It’s commonly used as a herbal preparation in traditional Chinese medicine.
There are many types of ginseng freely available on the market today. However, there are really only 2 types of real ginseng:

1. Asian Ginseng (Panax Ginseng): and
2. North American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius).

Both types of ginseng differ in their chemical composition. This different chemical composition appears to give each type of ginseng different biological properties.

How To Research The Medical Literature And Find Abstracts And Free Full Text Articles On Ginseng As A Treatment For Prostate Cancer

To research the scientific literature and find medical articles written about the use of ginseng for the treatment of prostate cancer, you first need to go the online medical database of the National Library Of Medicine.

This site is called Pub Med and can be found at pubmed.com www.pubmed.com

The home page has a search box. In the search box type in — Ginseng AND prostate cancer. Then click search. Notice that the search won’t work if you type in ginseng as a treatment for prostate cancer.

As of August, 2006 a total of 6 medical articles have been written which turned up in our search. You can read the abstracts for free online. In addition, one of the articles is available as a free full text article on the subject of ginseng as a treatment for prostate cancer.

To tell if a free full text article is available, look to see if there are green lines in the file box to the left of the article title.

If there are only black lines then that means that only the abstract is available. This still can provide some valuable information on our subject of ginseng in the treatment of prostate cancer. You can read the abstract and, if you decide that you want to read the full text of the article for free, make a note of the journal title and the volume.

You can then go the closest medical library, find the actual medical journal, and read the full text of the article for free.

Dr. Glenn Sheiner is a medical doctor and the author of the ebook and video tutorials researchyourcancer.com Cancer Research Online Made Easy. This downloadable package is available immediately and will help you find information you won’t find on most cancer web sites. You’ll quickly learn many sophisticated research techniques including how to find the latest medical articles on any type of cancer from around the world. And, how to find all the available clinical trials, including those from the world’s most reknowned medical centers. Also, more information on prostate cancer can be found at prostatecancerinformation.researchyourcancer.com/Site_Map.html Prostate Cancer Information.

Cancerous cells are multiplying in your body and invading your vital organs. They sap your body of energy and weaken you. The final episode is certain — you may die.

You have to fight these cancerous cells. It is important at the onset to realise that this is your body and it is your war. You have to fight this war yourself. Others can advise you, but you are not going to win if you do not have the determination to help yourself. A man who gives up hope and resigns his destiny to fate cannot win any war!

Encouragement from family members and friends is also very helpful. But, also remember too many cooks, spoil the broth. Friends and relatives can be well-meaning when they talk, but some can be extremely insensitive and destructive. Take for example, the following episode.

Ben had liver cancer and his doctor said he had only two months to live. One voluntary organisation, concerned with helping the terminally ill, called to help. While trying to be helpful, the representative said: “Oh, this is such a serious case. Ben has only one month to live.” Judge for yourself what such an insensitive comment did to the patient, or his loved ones. So, relatives and friends, when you visit cancer patients, be very careful about what you say. Your words can be damaging. If you feel ill-at-ease or uncomfortable at offering sympathetic words or advice, it is better not to visit them. If you really have to visit them, learn to keep your mouth shut!

At CA Care we have been helping cancer patients “fight” their cancer war. We wish to impress upon patients that there is still hope, even when the doctors gave up on you. You are not doomed yet. There is no hurry to pick up your spade and dig your grave. Fight on!

This is our suggestion for your battle plan: fight cancer the Cancer Care Therapy way.

1. Give your total commitment to fight the disease

2. Seek proper medical advice

3. Take herbs

4. Eat rightly

5. Lead a stress-free life

When we think of war, what comes uppermost to our mind is Vietnam. Mighty America went to the battlefield with the most sophisticated gadgets and weapons of war. Might, terror, money and brain went into the fight to win. The Vietnamese had primitive weaponry and burrowed themselves into the ground to avoid the mighty Americans. The world knows, the Vietnamese won the war!

Perhaps fighting cancer is like the above war? Surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy etc. are advanced, mighty fire power. Cancer cells are just tiny enemies floating and circulating around in the blood stream that later attach themselves to certain tissues of the body. Can these awesome treatments destroy all cancerous cells yet at the same time not destroy the host i.e., you and your living systems?

In our strategy to fight cancer, while we advise you to seek the assistance of modern medicine, we also feel you should benefit from the traditional methods of healing. We think you should help your body to build or rebuild a strong immune system. Let your own body’s defence system destroy or fight the cancerous cells. Fight the war from within! The mighty, sophisticated weaponry of modern medicine may not be totally effective!

For more information on complementary cancer therapy visit: cacare.com cacare.com, BookOnCancer.com BookOnCancer.com, NaturalHealingForYou.com NaturalHealingForYou.com

A person asked in the forum about his friend who has stomach cancer. He was interested to know how to treat the disease.

Well, you see, to treat this disease you need to know the stage, the spreading, presence of metastases, type of cancer. Otherwise there are many types of treatments.

Some types of treatment considered standard. Others are more experimental and still undergoing research. There are clinical trials tot test new types of the treatment. Information about the trials can be found form National Cancer Institute. Look at nci.gov NCI rdoctor.com mayoclinic.com/health Mayo nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus NIH medicinenet.com MedicineNet symptomat.com meb.uni-bonn.de/cancer.gov/CDR0000271446.htm healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/stomach_cancer cancergroup.com cancerlinksusa.com

Surgery applies to any stage of the stomach cancer.

When surgeon removes a part of the stomach, some lymph nodes, it is named subtotal gastrectomy (gaster=stomach, ectomy=resection or removal). Surgeon may also remove spleen as an organ that also has some immunological function as the lymph nodes. Spleen as well as lymph nodes may contain metastases. Connection of the rest of the digestive tract may be done by Billroth I, Billroth II, Roux -en- Y and some other surgical methods. When disease spreads wider, by removing the stomach as a whole, surgeon performs total gastrectomy. Lymph nodes, lower esophagus, part of small intestine (usually duodenum) and spleen may also go.

If the tumor can not be removed entirely, but the patient still needs to get some food, some palliative procedures are used. Palliative means that they relieve the patient’s condition, but do not cure the cancer itself. The procedures include sent placement and electrocautery. Stent usually looks like metal mesh tube that keeps the gut open. It prevents compression form the tumor and allows the food to go below the obstruction. Electrocautery is the procedure with heated instrument. It allows cutting the tumor or stopping bleeding. Laser can also be used for the same purpose. Radiation therapy uses gamma-rays or x-rays to kill cancer cells or sensitize them to other type of treatments. External radiation requires a machine to target the radiation toward the tumor. Internal radiation means the use of radioactive substance that is placed directly into the tumor or nearby. The doctor, who performs this type of procedures, is named radiation oncologist.

Chemotherapy drugs kill the cancer cells or prevent dividing. Doctors perform chemotherapy by mouth by intravenous infusion, or by direct introduction into the spine, organs, abdominal cavity, etc. The procedures are usually done by oncologist.

Chemoradiation combines chemotherapy and radiation. It is also named adjuvant therapy when is done together with surgery.

Immunological therapy uses antibodies or immune cells instructed to kill the tumor.

Treatment of stage 0 gastric cancer is usually surgical Treatment of stage I, II and III of gastric cancer is surgery, chemotherapy and radiation Stage IV Gastric Cancer is surgery, chemotherapy and radiation or palliative therapy and palliative surgery, depending on several factors, that are evaluated by doctors.

Aleksandr Kavokin, MD, PhD. Medical Articles kavokin.com kavokin.com, Free On-line diagnostics at symptomat.com symptomat.com, rdoctor.com rdoctor.com

Cancer is the second most deadly disease in the USA. Cancer brings with it many risk factors. In view of that, it is reasonable that we take a good look at the foods we are consuming, and begin eating nutrient-rich foods that are proven to help reduce the cancer risk. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits and fiber, including juices made from 100% fruit juice, can make a huge difference in your cancer risk.

Foods high in phytochemicals, which are present in beans and cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts and kale, are excellent choices. Cancer-fighting substances fiber, lutein, and carotenoids are found in dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, romaine lettuce, and collard greens.

Concentrate on selecting foods that have plentiful amounts of vitamins A, C and E. They are all antioxidants that help fight cancer by preventing the growth of free radicals in your body.

Tomatoes are an amazing cancer-fighting food. They contain lycopene, the antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease. Tomatoes are also a great source of vitamins A, C, and E. Add them to your salad or use as a topping on your homemade pizza.

Watermelon is also rich in antioxidants, and includes approximately 80% of your daily vitamin C requirement. It is also an excellent source of vitamin A, or beta carotene. Like tomatoes, lycopene is found in watermelon.

Cabbage helps reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancer. In addition, cabbage is rich in fiber and has nearly 50% of daily requirement of vitamin C, making it a great food with cancer-fighting power. Carrots are a fantastic source of fiber and beta carotene, and they have about 3 times the daily requirement of vitamin A.

One-quarter cup of kidney beans has the same amount of fiber and protein as two ounces of red meat. Whole wheat pasta is also a great source of fiber, and broccoli will tip the daily scales for your daily vitamin C and A needs.

Strawberries and blueberries are rich in vitamin C and fiber. They are quick and simple finger food, and easily be added to your favorite low-fat yogurt or whole grain cereal oatmeal.

Alex Fir shares a wealth of information on his website Prostate Cancer Information. To read more about cancer-data.com/blog/141/robotic-surgery-for-prostate-cancer-2/ prostate cancer surgery as well as cancer-data.com/blog/152/advanced-prostate-cancer-treatment/ advanced prostate cancer treatment visit his site right now.

Research indicates that inflammation, which is the response of the body’s immune system to infection or irritation, exists in a very wide spectrum. At one end it causes visible redness and swelling, such as in sunburn or an injured finger. On the other hand of the spectrum, the inflammation is invisible; in other words, we can’t see it or feel it. This inflammation does exist and it causes a host of health-related problems. An example of ‘’acute inflammation’’ is the bright red and painful sunburn that exists at the extreme end and is usually present only for a short time. Moreover, ‘’chronic inflammation’’ is invisible and usually exists at the low end of the spectrum and is usually present for longer periods of time.

Researchers have found that even though the low- grade inflammation can’t be seen or felt it does in fact exist. The low-grade inflammation has been detected under high-powered microscopes. However, low-grade inflammation can also be invisible even with a high-powered microscope because it exists on a molecular level, but it can be detected through chemical tests using special instruments.

Research indicates that the effect of chronic, low-grade, invisible inflammation is at the basis of aging and age-related diseases such as certain forms of cancer. At the low-grade inflammation level, cells are attacked by the self-generated inflammation and as a result will not function properly. The breakdown of the cell plasma membrane leads to a production of a substance called ‘’arachidonic acid’’. Arachidonic acid leaks into the interior of the cell, which disrupts energy production of the cell. This disruption of energy production in the cell causes a malfunction in the cellular repairing mechanism. If the cell can’t repair itself correctly this can increase its chances of it growing abnormally or not growing at all. Cells that do not grow correctly, but abnormally can become cancerous. There’s more about cancer below in the resource box by clicking on the link.

DISCLAIMER

The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practioner/ patient relationship with its readers. The publisher does not advise or recommend to its readers treatment or action with regard to matters relating to their health or well being other than to suggest that readers consult appropriate health-care professionals in such matters. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication. The information and opinions provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound at the time of this publication based on the best judgment available to the authors. However, readers who rely on information in this publication to replace the advice of health-care professionals, or who fail to consult with health-care professionals assume all risks of such conduct. The publisher isn’t responsible for errors or omissions. The Food and Drug Administration have not evaluated these statements. These products aren’t intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Copyright 2007 EUGENE WILLIAMS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Worldwide, there are 350,000 to 400,000 new cases of oral cancer diagnosed each year. Even with today’s medical and dental advances, this number hasn’t improved significantly in years. Oral cancer is particularly dangerous for two reasons: 1) it is routinely discovered late in its development and 2) oral cancer patients have a 20 times higher risk of developing a second cancer even five to ten years after the first diagnosis.

Doctors can’t explain why one person gets oral cancer and another doesn’t, even when they have the same risk factors. The known risk factors include:

Smoking and Tobacco Use - At least 75% of those diagnosed with oral cancer are tobacco users, including the so-called ’smokeless’ tobacco. Alcohol - Heavy use of alcoholic beverages increases the risk of oral cancer. Smoking and Alcohol Use Combined - Those who smoke and drink heavily are 15 times more likely to develop oral cancer. Sunlight - Prolonged exposure to sunlight is a causative factor in lip and skin cancers. Diet - Studies have shown that a diet low in fruits and vegetables may put you more at risk for oral cancer, and other studies indicate that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may protect against many types of cancer.

The symptoms of oral cancer can be painless or mimic the appearance of other, non-dangerous oral symptoms. For instance, a cancer lesion can look much like a common canker sore. Because the dangerous tissue changes of oral cancer can look and feel like the benign tissue changes that occur normally, it’s important to have regular dental check-ups. Your dentist can see or feel many changes in your mouth that may not even be noticeable to you. Some symptoms that should trigger an alarm and a dental visit include:

A color change in the mouth, including white, red, smooth, or discolored patches Ulcer or sore on lips or gums that doesn’t heal Rough, crusty or eroded spot that doesn’t heal A lump, mass, thickening inside the mouth or neck Bleeding in the mouth (Healthy gums don’t bleed! This can also be a sign of gum disease.) Loose teeth Pain or difficulty in swallowing, speaking or chewing Pain or difficulty moving the jaws Wart like masses Hoarseness that doesn’t go away Numbness in the oral/facial region Change in the way teeth fit together Difficulty wearing dentures Earache Any oral change or soreness that doesn’t go away or heal within two weeks

While an infection, gum disease, and many other problems and conditions can cause these same reactions, it’s still very important that you see your dentist right away if you experience any of them. If your dentist or doctor decides that an area is suspicious, s/he can perform a biopsy of the area. A biopsy isn’t painful or time-consuming and is inexpensive. In the case of oral cancer, a quick, early diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death.

© 2007 by Avis Ward of aviswardconsulting.com/” target=”_blank AWard Consulting, LLC

Avis E. Ward is an Inspirational Speaker, Certified Seminar Leader and Action Coach. Avis is also a Dental Marketing Consultant specializing in Orthodontics. Avis invites you to view her blog. aviswardconsulting.com/ aviswardconsulting.com/ or geovishome.org/ Avis Ward