Prostate Cancer Treatments

The principle function of the prostrate gland is to secrete seminal fluid, a nutrient for sperm, and eject it into the urethra during ejaculation. As it ages it can become cancerous without any specific cause. For prostrate cancer, this process is commonly a slow one. It goes undetected in its initial stages, and once symptoms start to manifest, it has already advanced into a more critical stage.

Once confirmed as prostrate cancer, it is important to collect all the information that is possible to decide on a course of treatment. The relevant inputs are the age and health condition of the patient, how far the cancer has progressed and how fast it is advancing. There is a computerized nomogram to assess the probability of a cure. The patient, along with the physician and the family, has to opt for the course of treatment that is best for him.

The simplest treatment is ‘watchful waiting.’ The treatment concentrates on relieving the symptoms and performing periodical tests like DRE and PSA and others, as required. If the cancer is localized, surgical removal of the prostrate may be the best option. The success rate of this procedure, if caught in the early stages, is very high. But the side effects of this surgery are impotency, the inability to control urination, and other disadvantages associated with a major surgery. Laparoscopic surgery for removal of the prostrate is a new procedure.

Radiation therapy offers a non-invasive treatment, when the cancer is localized or just beyond the prostrate. But there are side effects of radiation therapy. These include injury to the rectum and bladder, bleeding rectum and bladder, urinary problems and burned skin. There are mainly two types of radiation therapy. The external beam radiation therapy uses radiation from outside to attack the cancer cells. Brachy therapy implants a small radioactive seed directly into the tumor to treat it. Cryotherapy is freezing the entire Prostrate with liquid nitrogen and killing it all, including the cancer cells. The urethra is kept heated to save the duct. Hormone deprivation therapy aims to cut off the male hormone testosterone, which is considered a fuel for cancerous cells.

There are many other chemotherapies that are very promising, especially when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, like the bones and lymph nodes. There are over 200 new therapies under development, many of them supported by the Prostrate Cancer Foundation.

About the Author:
Seth Miller
Prostate Cancer provides detailed information on Prostate Cancer, Prostate Cancer Symptoms, Prostate Cancer Treatments, Prostate Cancer Causes and more. Prostate Cancer is affliated with Prostate Health.
Added: Thu Apr 20 2006
To find other free health content see e-healtharticles.com

Ovarian Cancer Treatment

Ovarian cancer, a condition characterized by an overgrowth of malignant cells in one or both of the ovaries, is one of the deadliest and under-recognized cancers affecting women. Every year, there are more than 25,000 women that suffer from this deadly disease. Half of them are most likely to die within a period of five years.

Early Detection: Improves Ovarian Cancer Treatment

The sad thing about ovarian cancer is that during the early stage, there are usually no signs and symptoms that tell you about this disorder. Symptoms start to show up when the cancer is already widespread, making ovarian cancer treatment too difficult.

However, there are women who are lucky enough to detect the symptoms early on; hence, diagnosis is hastened up and ovarian cancer treatment is given immediately. Tests such as pelvic and rectal screening, ultrasound, x-ray and laparoscopy may help a doctor detect tumors in the ovaries.

At present, almost 75 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are not treated immediately due to late detection of the cancer. Experts say that when detection of the cancer is made early and when ovarian cancer treatment is given immediately, women diagnosed with the disease have 90% survival rate since the cancer can be easily treated in its early stage.

Diagnosis and Ovarian Cancer Treatment

When symptoms finally show up and the doctor suspects that a patient may have ovarian cancer, laparoscopy is conducted to confirm diagnosis. It is a direct visual examination of the abdominal cavity, the ovaries, the exterior of the fallopian tubes and the uterus using an instrument that is inserted just underneath the navel.

Upon confirmation of ovarian cancer, the doctor explores the extent of the cancer and submits the patient for surgery. The surgeon removes the growth or much of the malignant tissue. In most cases, the whole ovary or both of the ovaries and the fallopian tubes are removed as they the malignant cancer cells have already affected these areas. This kind of surgery is called salpingooophorectomy. If the malignant cells affect the uterus, hysterectomy is conducted (surgical removal of the uterus).

Surgery is usually ensued by radiotherapy, which is the use of high energy radiation to destroy malignant cancer cells in the body and shrink remaining tumors, which may later on become malignant. This procedure may be done using an external machine or a radioactive material put inside the body near the malignant cells.

The patient also undergoes chemotherapy, whereby the patient is given anti-cancer drugs to help hasten up ovarian cancer treatment. Drugs may be administered orally (through the mouth), intravenously (through the veins) or through the muscles (by means of injection of a needle.

Most anticancer drugs given to the patient have chemical compounds that are toxic to the malignant cells; thus, growth of the cancer cells is reduced or stopped. These anticancer drugs are called cytotoxic drugs. Other anticancer drugs used are synthetic forms of sex hormones such as androgen drugs and progesterone drugs.

In most instances, different kinds of anticancer drugs are prescribed in combination in order to speed up ovarian cancer treatment. However, not all ovarian cancer patients are given with the same anticancer drugs. The drugs given to a patient depends on the extent or stage of development of the ovarian cancer and her general health condition.

About the Author:
Jeanette Pollock is a freelance author and website owner of http://www.ovariancancerdomain.com. Visit Jeanette's site to learn more about ovarian cancer treatment.
This article was posted on October 12, 2006
Article Source: articlecity

Stimulating the Body’s Defenses to Fight Ovarian Cancer

Comediennes such as Gilda Radner and Madeline Kahn, Oscar-winning actresses like Loretta Young and Sandy Dennis, singers Laura Nyro and Dinah Shore, actor Pierce Brosnan’s wife Cassandra Harris, actress Jessica Tandy, former Connecticut governor Ella Grasso, and Martin Luther King’s wife Coretta Scott King all died of ovarian cancer. It’s not just celebrities, politicians or movie stars, who are stricken with ovarian cancer. One in every 55 U.S. women is at risk for ovarian cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates about 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed. More than 16,000 women will die because the symptoms are often subtle, and her doctor did not recognize the symptoms soon enough. It is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies, and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women.

Silent and undetected, this cancer often spreads beyond the ovary or ovaries into the abdominal cavity, or by the final stage, into other body organs such as the liver or lungs. Family doctors often fail to properly diagnose “The Silent Killer” until it is too late. Last August, University of California Davis researchers reported 40 percent of women told their doctors about their symptoms for as long as a year before they were correctly diagnosed. A British survey discovered 75 percent of family doctors believed symptoms are only present during the advanced stages of the cancer. By the time women are diagnosed for ovarian cancer, 40 to 50 percent of the patients are in the advanced stage, where there is little hope for survival.

Less than one-half the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will live five years. About 10 to 14 percent live beyond five years after their diagnosis. Their choices have been limited, mainly reserved to variations of chemotherapy drugs or a new way to delivery the drug. The general public is often unaware of the side effects ovarian cancer patients suffer during chemotherapy. In mid March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration criticized the safety profile of Eli Lilly’s Gemzar for ovarian cancer patients, saying the 2.8 months increased survival seen in studies of patients taking the drug wasn’t enough to offset the treatment’s increased toxicity which included anemia, neutropenia (a blood disorder) and thrombocytopenia (reduced platelets in the blood). Presently used first-line treatments for ovarian cancer patients include Cisplatin, with associated side effects such as nerve, kidney and/or ear damage, Carboplatin (side effects: nerve damage in the arms and/or legs, joint pain, and/or thrombocytopenia), Paclitaxel (neurotoxicity), or Melphalan, with side effects which include irreversible bone marrow failure, bone marrow suppression).

A woman stricken with ovarian cancer faces first surgery, then chemotherapy. Recent widespread press heralding a new development in treating ovarian cancer, intra-abdominal or intraperitoneal chemotherapy, is just that: more chemotherapy. The “belly bath,” as it has been nicknamed by some television reporters, it has been highly praised because the treatment can extend life by about 16 months more than “regular” chemotherapy. The results were first published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine in December 2005. Most news reports failed to mention that only 40 percent of the women treated with the belly bath were able to complete all six cycles. Why? The therapy relies upon infusions of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin (see side effects in the previous paragraph). According to Dr. Robert Edwards, research director of the Magee-Women’s Gynecologic Cancer in Pittsburgh, “Many women don’t feel well enough to work for the duration of the intra-abdominal (therapy).” Some patients, such as Cindy Pakalnis of Marshall (Pennsylvania) have called the treatments “grueling.”

The unsolved problem of chemotherapy is the reduction in the “quality of life.” While some life extension has been proven, the patient’s life deteriorates. Many patients struggle with balancing the loss in quality of life with the rigors of the therapy. Researchers are actively pursuing new directions that may some day provide new hope for the ovarian cancer patient. A University of Minnesota research study has suggested the use of thalidomide, which would be used in conjunction with chemotherapy, as a prospective means of increasing the likelihood of remission. Minnesota cancer researcher Dr. Levi Downs explained, “It prevents the tumor from making new blood vessels. Without new blood vessels, the tumor can’t sufficiently feed new cells, so the cancer can’t grow.” His randomized trial was small with only 65 patients (only 28 took thalidomide), and more testing will certainly be required.

New Hope for Ovarian Cancer Patients?

One promising technology that has been developed over the past decade is OvaRex® MAb. It was developed by ViRexx Medical Corp., an Edmonton-based company, which trades on the American Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: REX) and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: VIR). Now licensed to Unither Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Therapeutics (NASDAQ: UTHR), OvaRex® MAb is currently undergoing two identical Phase III trials at about 64 research centers across the United States. One trial has completed enrollment, according to a mid December news release issued by ViRexx Medical Corp.

We spoke with ViRexx Medical Corp’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tyrrell who was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta and the Director of the Glaxo Heritage Research Institute. “OvaRex® MAb is our lead candidate for the treatment of ovarian cancer, and is an intravenous infusion of a monoclonal antibody,” he said. Monoclonal antibodies are a new breed of biotech drugs that are extremely specific; that is, each antibody binds to only one particular antigen. In the case of OvaRex® MAb, it is a monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the CA-125 antigen. Dr. Tyrrell added, “The treatment doesn’t take long, and is given every 4 weeks for the first 3 injections, and then once every 3 months until the patient relapses”.

Dr. Tyrrell talked about the current Phase III studies, “The trials are ongoing. All of the patients have successfully completed their surgery and front-line chemotherapy and are now in what we call the ‘watchful waiting’ period. It is in this phase that we treat the patients with OvaRex® MAb with the hopes of increasing the time to disease relapse.” He explained the recurrence rate is very high in the stage III / IV late forms of ovarian cancer, with a time to relapse of about 10.4 months. Patients who have turned to OvaRex hope to delay that relapse. Tyrrell noted, “In the original study, the average time to relapse was delayed by about 14 months. If we can achieve that difference or better in the current Phase III trials, it would be a major advance for the treatment of ovarian cancer.” He expects an analysis of the current OvaRex® MAb studies to be completed by the second or third quarter of 2007.

What makes OvaRex® MAb different from other immunotherapeutic treatments is, instead of attacking the body’s cancerous cells directly, the monoclonal antibody targets the cancerous antigen in circulation. Some believe it helps retrain the body’s immune system to fight the ovarian cancer cells. The mechanism that reportedly has made OvaRex® MAb effective is how it alerts the body to recognize and fight the CA-125.

ViRexx has addressed the “tolerance problem” a body suffers when it has become inflicted with a malignant tumor. The hypothesis behind the tolerance issue is that the body fails to recognize the CA-125 antigen as harmful. Introducing a foreign antibody, in this case the mouse antibody against CA125, the body’s defense systems are awakened to the ovarian cancer cells. This begins a chain reaction alerting the immune system to battle the invading antibody CA125 complex. The body’s defense systems are reprogrammed to attack the CA-125 antigen and seek to destroy it. Along with that destruction comes the attempt of the immune response to eliminate the cancerous cells from the body.

As with many pioneering scientific breakthroughs, serendipity is what lies behind the OvaRex® MAb story. As one technology was being developed, another – the murine monoclonal antibody treatment for ovarian cancer – came about by accident. We talked to its inventor, Dr. Antoine Noujaim, about the biotech drug’s roots. “It came out of the imaging technology,” the Professor Emeritus of the University of Alberta explained. In the early 1980s, biotech companies, such as Immunomedics and Cytomedics were researching tumors and using antibodies to image the tumors so they could be evaluated in a cancer patient’s body. “I worked with Dr. Mike Longenecker and we established a company called Biomira (Toronto: BRA) in 1984,” Dr. Noujaim recalled. “We had a number of targets and then needed to make specific antibodies.” Part of his effort was to target certain cancers, such as prostate, breast and ovarian cancer.

“We developed antibodies against a mucin, which is really a glycopeptide,” explained Dr. Noujaim. “It’s a peptide that has a lot of sugars on it present in the ascitis fluid from ovarian cancer patients.” That is how Dr. Noujaim and his team developed the very early antibody which is now used for OvaRex® MAb. “We sent some of these antibodies to Professor Richard Baum in Germany for imaging of ovarian cancer patients,” Noujaim remembered. “Dr. Baum phoned back, after some time, and told me, ‘The patients I was imaging here had advanced ovarian cancer and some of them seem to have done quite well after we gave them a couple of shots (of the B43.13 antibody, the clinical name for OvaRex® MAb) to image the tumor.’ I thought he was joking with me.”

This is serendipity at work as Dr. Noujaim explained to us. “Richard was imaging patients that were in the last stages of the disease,” he pointed out. Monoclonal antibodies can be used as diagnostic agents in oncology, when they are radiolabeled with a marker that can be imaged by external detectors. “These patients had maybe four or five months to live. All of a sudden, a year later and they’re still around.” Baum urged Noujaim to investigate this further. Dr. Noujaim recalls him saying, “Something is happening here. I’ve seen hundreds of patients, but nothing like this.” From this encouragement, Noujaim began formulating the potential mechanism of how this monoclonal antibody would work. His sharp mind chased the puzzling questions raised by Dr. Baum’s observations.

At this point of his recollections, Noujaim got excited, “Through sheer serendipity, we were using murine antibodies, not humanized antibodies. We were using foreign antibodies, a small amount of foreign antibodies.” How in the world did Noujaim know to use murine (mouse) antibodies? “Because that was the easiest way to do the imaging at the time,” he replied. “Before you make a chimeric (something derived from two different animal species) antibody, you start with a murine one. If that one works, you humanize the antibody.” From this research, Noujaim founded a company called AltaRex, which was taken public in 1995. “We raised about $30 million and expanded the program.”

The serious effort to develop the antibodies began in 1996. Having conducted trials in Canada and Europe, it was a “massive undertaking” Noujaim told us. “We had over 500 patients injected with the murine monoclonal antibody.” He extrapolated beyond OvaRex® MAb, saying, “We’ve proven completely the mechanism of action on this, how it works. It is so unique it may apply to all of the other antibodies we have.” Noujaim believes it can apply to breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer. Indeed, BrevaRex® MAb for breast cancer and multiple myeloma patients has completed Phase 1 trials, and ProstaRex® MAb for prostate cancer patients is at the pre-clinical stage.

“Our studies to date may show that vaccines may slow the growth of the tumor with a very good safety profile,” concluded Dr. Noujaim. Then he added something which bears investigating further, “There is the very original (ovarian cancer) patient who was injected in 1987. She’s in Germany, and according to Dr. Baum she was still alive a year ago.” That’s nearly nine years later! “It’s a matter of great pride for me that some people who received OvaRex® MAb are alive today,” he said.

While the company has licensed, under a royalty agreement, the OvaRex® MAb technology to United Therapeutics, through that company’s subsidiary, Unither Pharmaceuticals, ViRexx has retained rights to most member nations of the European Union and certain other countries. Key ones include France, the United Kingdom and the Benelux countries. ViRexx has also established strategic relationships with Dompé Farmaceutici, Medison Pharma, Ltd. and Genesis Pharma S.A. for certain European and Middle-East Countries.

About the Author:
James Finch contributes to StockInterview.com and other publications. His archived articles may be found at www.stockinterview.com. Emails to James Finch are welcome and encouraged. Please send a message jfinch@stockinterview.com. The entire unedited article, "Stimulating the Body’s Defenses to Fight Cancer," can be viewed at www.stockinterview.com/virexx Additional research about ViRexx Medical Corp, which is featured in this article can be found at www.virexx.com
Article Source: http://www.articles411.com

How Is Mesothelioma Treated?

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles. However, they may have been been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways. This could include working with asbestos or by home renovation using asbestos cement products or even by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos. The resulting disease is rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs.

Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer.

There are various procedures used for the treatment of mesothelioma. The type of treatment depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health.

A common treatment of the disease is by means of surgery by the removal of part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura, a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.

Another method is Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy. This involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found .

Anticancer drugs can be used to kill cancer cells throughout the body. This is known as chemotherapy and involves the administration of the drugs by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Currently, doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen.

Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments

About the author:
Linda Woodhouse
Looking for information about Mesothelioma?
Go to: http://www.mesotheliomalegalreview.com
'Mesothelioma Legal Review' is published by Linda Woodhouse - The complete resource directory for Mesothelioma related information, legal services, and products.
Check out more Mesothelioma articles at: http://www.mesotheliomalegalreview.com/archive
Circulated by Article Emporium

Breast Cancer Treatment: Coping With A Mastectomy

As women, especially American women, much of our femininity is centered on our breasts. No matter where you look, there are pictures, billboards, commercials, television shows, and movies with women with these beautiful breasts and ample cleavage. The thought of losing one or both breasts, to breast cancer, can be devastating for many of us. Sure, there's reconstruction, but will it ever really look the same again? Even if you have reconstruction, you'll never have sensation there again and, for many of us, that definitely affects our sexuality.

I went through two separate mastectomies, for my breast cancer, despite the fact that I wanted them both done at the same time. Two different surgeons told me that wasn't necessary. They found out, later, that it was, as I had the same breast cancer in both breasts. Through these surgeries, I learned a few things about what to expect, and how to get up and running again, after a mastectomy for breast cancer.

The first thing to realize is that, apart from the emotional aspect of such an operation, this is a simple surgery. The breast is composed, mostly, of fatty tissue and, of course, milk ducts and lobes. The removal of this breast tissue is way easier than operating on an organ, but carries much more emotional impact for most of us. Most surgeons will get as much of the breast tissue out as they can to help alleviate the chance of a recurrence of your breast cancer. You will typically wind up with a horizontal scar about four inches long. The scar may be red for quite a while but, ultimately, should fade to where you can hardly see it anymore.

You want to be sure to take loose-fitting, button-down shirts (raiding your hubby's closet is helpful) with you, to the hospital, as you won't be able to raise your arms over your head for a while. You will also need a sports bra and I would highly recommend one that fastens in the front. They will put that on you after your surgery. Typically, you should be able to stay in the hospital for one night. If you're going to have lymph nodes removed, a small pillow, to slip under that arm, will help make you more comfortable. Check with your local American Cancer Society as they may have small pillows for you. An extra pillow to hold to your chest, if you need to cough, sneeze, or laugh, can help keep your incision from hurting.

When you wake up, you will have a couple of drain tubes for each side you have done. These tubes are important as they allow the excess fluid, which your body will produce, to drain out. If you didn't have them, the fluid would have to be aspirated with a needle. The drains, even though they're no fun, are better than that. These drains will have to be emptied a couple of times a day and you will have to write down how much fluid you drain so the doctor will know when you've slowed down enough to remove them. You may not know where to put these drains under your clothing. I pinned mine up to the sports bra and that way, they didn't pull when I moved.

When you get home, plan on having someone there to help you for the first few days. You won't be allowed to reach into your cabinets and definitely won't be able to clean house or pick up your children, if you have little ones. You'll be sent home with pain meds and definitely take them if you need them. Studies show that you will heal faster if you keep yourself out of pain, so don't be afraid to take them as prescribed.

If you have a recliner, you might consider moving it into the bedroom as you won't be able to lie flat for a while. You'll need to sleep in a partial sitting position. If you don't have one, or don't have space for it in your bedroom, lots of pillows will work, too. That's what I used. Just be sure you have enough pillows to keep yourself comfortable propped up.

If you would like someone who's been there before you to visit with, be sure to call your local American Cancer Society and ask for a Reach 2 Recovery volunteer. This is an American Cancer Society program where they try to match you with one of their volunteers who have as similar experience as you're facing. This woman will come visit you and will bring you all sorts of brochures and information on conventional treatment. She will also bring you a list of exercises you can start to do to regain your mobility and range of motion.

This is VERY important. It hurts to stretch your arm up, after surgery, but if you haven't had reconstruction, and you don't start soon, you will lose that range of motion. I would recommend starting to gently, slowly reach your arm up … let your body be your guide … the day after your surgery. This is ONLY if you have not had reconstruction. If you have, let your plastic surgeon tell you when to start stretching. Push to where it hurts just a little, but do not push too far past that. Little by little, you'll find yourself able to stretch a little farther every couple of days.

Most of all, allow yourself to heal emotionally, as well as physically. Some of us just can't look at that incision right away. That's OK. Take as much time as you need. I know I felt like some kind of freak with no breasts and, even six years later, I still do sometimes. But remind yourself that these scars are your battle scars. They do not make you less of a woman. They make you a warrior.

About the Author:
Melissa Buhmeyer is a breast cancer survivor and has been so for seven years. She is also the founder of www.breastcancer-treatment.us , a site focusing on breast cancer treatment options, news, articles, and survivor experiences.
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

The Risk of recurrence in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer disease

Prostate cancer - the most common form of cancer in men is Prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death. The Main risk factors include age (incidence increases in men over the age of 65 years). It is more prevalent in the western world and about 10% of cases can be linked to family history. The recurrance Rate of the prostate cancer is high.

Mostly, the Prostate cancer is a continuum; progressing through localized, locally advanced, advanced and hormone-refractory stages In general it is a slow growing cancer. He is primarily under hormonal control i.e. testosterone. The choice of treatments which include watchful waiting, surgery (prostatectomy), radiotherapy, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy are dependent on the stage of disease.

1. Most important, that If detected early, using PSA determination, DRE examination and biopsies, and treated appropriately, survival rates are excellent.

2. The most critical focus for the treatment of prostate cancer is to treat those cancers where it is necessary.

3. The Decisions about the best management of prostate cancer can be very complex and depend upon the:

- Pathology of the cancer (unlike other cancers, prostate cancer often progresses very slowly)
- The impact that treatment can have on quality of life, including sexual activity
- Stage of the disease (non-metastatic (localized or locally advanced), metastatic or hormone refractory)
- Age and general health of the patients at diagnosis
- Patient’s preference for treatment
- PSA at diagnosis

4. The treatment options for prostate cancer are:

- Deferred treatment often called ‘watchful waiting’ or 'active surveillance'
- Surgery – Radical Prostatectomy
- Radiotherapy – External Beam and/or Brachytherapy
-Hormonal (endocrine) therapy – Androgen Ablation e.g. anti-androgens, medical castration (LHRHa) or surgical castration
- Chemotherapy
- Palliative Therapy e.g. chemotherapy
- Investigational Therapies

Prostate Cancer Recurrence Rates ***

Prostate cancer is now detected at earlier stages due to heightened awareness and improved screening techniques. Despite definitive therapy, cancer cells may remain and can go undetected for years until they develop into metastatic disease. The risk of recurrence is high, suggesting there is a need to improve treatment approaches. Therefore, it is important to predict pathological stage and risk of disease recurrence early, so that appropriate treatment and/or monitoring can be initiated. The result's of all new treatments will bring us in the future the chance of a lower prostate recurrance.

**You can inform you about the recurrence Rates on:
http://www.prostateline.com/prostatelinehcp/9898_15850_8_0_0.aspx

This gives you an overview with a study case – and the results.

Health-Service-Online
Admin Fritz
http://www.cancer-info.info

About the author:
Fritz Frei
Health-Service-Online bring's the problems of cancer on the point! Everybody can check out the new's of the risk of prostate cancer - the recurrance rate is high and there is most important - to check out this desease early!
Circulated by Article Emporium

Breast Cancer Causes and Treatment

About Breast Cancer:
Breast cancer is a type of uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that can develop in one of several areas of the breast, including the ducts that carry milk to the nipple, the small sacs that produce milk (lobules) and the nonglandular tissue.Breast Cancer is estimated that 192,200 women and 1,500 men in the United States will be diagnosed with Breast cancer in 2001. Though rare in men, Breast cancer accounts for 31% of all cancer diagnosed in women. Breast cancer is a disease in which cancer cells are found in Breast tissue. There are numerous types of Breast cancer. For example, ductile cancer, found in the cells of the ducts, is the most common type of Breast cancer. Cancer that begins in the lobes or lobules is called lobular cancer. Treatment will depend on the type of Breast cancer and stage of the disease. There are also many non-cancerous (benign) Breast diseases as well.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer:
1.A lump or thickening in the breast or under the arm.
2.A clear or bloody discharge from the nipple.
3.Crusting or scaling of the nipple.
4.Nipples that don't stick out (inverted).
5.Redness or swelling of the breast.
6.Dimpling on the breast skin resembling the texture of an orange.
7.A change in the contours of the breast, such as one being higher than the other.
8.A sore or ulcer on the skin of the breast that does not heal.

Causes of Breast Cancer:
The exact cause of cancer remains a mystery. Over twenty percent of those who have cancer never know why. The primary parts that are involved are the natural parts of food, tobacco, occupational hazards, genetic composition and food additives. Other agents that have been linked with cancer are ionizing radiation, chemicals in the air and diet, vitamin deficiency, high-fat diet, stress and environmental conditions.

Diagnosis:

Biopsy: Used to diagnose tumors, a biopsy tests cells removed surgically or through aspiration for microscopic examination.

Cytology test: A test that shows the shedding of abnormal cells. A good example of a cytology test is pap smear.

Imaging techniques: low dose x-rays such as those used in a mammogram can detect early Breast cancer. Ultrasound scanners can also produce images of organs.

Chemical testing: Detect the presence of blood in the feces or elevated levels of enzyme acid phosphates in the blood.

Ultrasound: A new ultrasound technique used after a mammogram can help reduce uncertainty about whether a Breast mass is cancerous or not.

Home Care Suggestions:
-Avoid tobacco in all forms, synthetic hormones, particularly estrogen, excessive alcohol, caffeine.
-To minimize hair loss apply cold packs to the scalp while taking radiation or therapy.
-Engage in mild exercise such as walking and make it part of your daily ritual.
-If you ever receive a serious diagnosis of any kind, one of the most important things you can do is to free your mind of daily concerns.

More Detail About Breast Cancer

About the Author:
By Michal John
Added: Fri May 12 2006
To find other free health content see e-healtharticles.com

Metastatic Breast Cancer, learn all about it!

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in one of the breasts. It is one of the most frequent cancers in women. Cancer cells can sometimes spread to other organs and tissues in your body through bloodstream or lymph system. When this happens, the cancer is called metastatic breast cancer.

In metastatic breast cancer, new tumors may form in other organs and tissues of the body as well, most frequently in the lymph nodes. These tumors are called metastases and they may also form in the liver, brain or lungs.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Symptoms

Metastatic breast cancer symptoms vary upon the area where the metastases are found. Bone metastases usually cause pain. Metastases in the liver are often associated with an increased liver size. Lung metastases are generally accompanied by shortness in breath or cough and can be seen on an X-ray.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment

The treatment for metastatic breast cancer depend on the size of tumors and how much they have spread. Common treatments include radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapies. These treatments are used either alone or combined. None of them will cure metastatic breast cancer, but they can slow down the process and reduce or eliminate symptoms.

Radiation is applied to a certain part of the body, generally the brain or a bone, in order to reduce the tumors as well as the pane. When it is given to the bone, it also decreases the risk of bone fracture. Chemotherapy is a medication treatment with anticancer drugs given either through veins or orally to kill cancer cells. Hormone therapy includes hormone pills instead of or in addition to chemotherapy. This type of treatment is mainly used for older women or the ones with other medical conditions as well. Another treatment option for metastatic breast cancer is immunotherapy, which uses the body’s immune system.

Most patients take medicines to reduce the pain. For more severe pain, the medication treatment generally includes narcotics. However, these pills do not cause addiction and when the pain in relieved, the need for taking them will also fade out.

How Long Can the Effects Last?

How long can you keep the disease under control depends on how much has the cancer spread. Proper treatment can sometimes control metastatic breast cancer for several years.

What Can You Do?

• There are also a few things you can do on your own to maximize the effects of the treatment:

• Follow the treatment plan carefully an rest often.

• Have breast or chest self-exams regularly and report any unusual changes. Do a breast exam every month, preferably at the end of your menstruation or the first day of the months if you don’t have a menstrual cycle.

• Ask the doctor to prescribe you an exercise to follow once you have finished the treatment.

• Consult a dietitian for improving your diet in order to heal tissue after the treatment and fight cancer.

• Join a support group for breast cancer.

• Talk to your family members and health care provider about the way you should be cared for if you are temporarily disabled.

• Do things that you enjoy and spend time with people that you love.

About the Author:
Nguang Nguek-Fluek
Visit us for more information about
Metastatic Breast Cancer
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer in the general population. However, in individuals that were exposed to asbestos, it is not as rare. There are experts that have speculated on other causes. There are incidences of Mesothelioma with no known asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is not a lung cancer. Smoking does not cause it. It is a cancer of the mesothelial cells.

Causes of Mesothelioma
The only known, established cause of Mesothelioma is asbestos. The asbestos fibers are breathed in, travel through the lung and become lodged in the pleura, the thin, saran wrap-type membrane that lines that encases the lung. The pleura, produces a special lubricating fluid that facilitates the ability of the lungs to move inside the chest during breathing. The process of irritation from the infiltration of the asbestos fibers creates changes in the cells, which causes the Mesothelioma. This is known as pleural Mesothelioma. Less common is peritoneal Mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the membrane that encompasses the lining of the abdomen.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma
An individual with Mesothelioma experiences chest pain usually caused by a build-up of fluid in the pleural space called an effusion and shortness of breath. Since many doctors may not have expertise in the area of asbestos-related diseases, these symptoms are often believed, at first, to be attributable to other medical problems. A biopsy of the pleural tissue or fluid may reveal the cancer of the mesothelial cells and a proper diagnosis can thus be established. A history of the individual’s occupational exposure shall be taken. Since there is no “safe” level of exposure to asbestos, even brief, low level exposures may be enough to cause Mesothelioma.

Occurrence of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer and its incidence is actually increasing day by day. There is presently no known cure for Mesothelioma. As the disease progresses, the cancerous cells harden the pleura and spread. As time passes, breathing, sleeping and eating become more difficult and eventually it becomes increasingly more challenging for the victim to engage in normal activities and enjoy life.

Treatments of Mesothelioma
A number of treatments have been established to help contain the spread of the disease and reduce the pain associated with it. Chemotherapy, radiation and radical surgery to remove the lung and pleura are among the options that have been explored by the treating physician.

Prevention is better than Cure
Mesothelioma is a preventable disease. Many of the corporations that manufacture and make profit from the sale of asbestos-containing products are aware of the hazards of asbestos. Alternative fibers are available that could be used instead of asbestos. But asbestos is cheap, and available, and is a good filler and binder.

To Sum up
The varied and non-specific symptoms associated with Mesothelioma, can delay detection and diagnosis The cancer has a very long latency period, which means that it could be thirty years or more before the person even realizes that they have contracted the cancer .The onset of symptoms can take up to fifty years or more in some cases, but once the symptoms have manifested the lifespan of the person can be as short as several months. So, if you or a loved one is experiencing any of the above symptoms, consult your doctor right away. Make sure that your physician is aware of any previous asbestos exposure, and occupational risk factors.

About the author:
Rob Mellor owns the free to use www.mesotheliomasupportonline.com website helping people find out more about mesothelioma. Please visit the site for more information on mesothelioma cancer
Circulated by Article Emporium

Herbal And Alternative Treatments For Breast Cancer

Medical Doctors are finding that alternative treatments, such as herbs, help women with breast cancer during their chemotherapy and radiation. Research papers have shown that women with breast cancer find herbal remedies and alternative medicine helps in relief of fatigue, nausea and sleep disorders.

Herbal remedies have been around for for thousands of years. Now, women with breast cancer facing chemotherapy and radiation are supplementing this traditional medicine with herbal remedies and alternative treatments. They are not abandoning the usual breast cancer treatment; they are using herbal remedies and alternative treatments to curb the side effects.

Ginseng has been used by the Chinese for centuries. They believe that it stimulates the immune system and energies the patient. There are more than 30 active compounds in the ginseng root. Many of the compounds are believed to have anti-tumor properties. In a Chinese study it was found that women who took ginseng before their diagnosis had a higher survival rate than the women who took ginseng after their diagnosis. Women have reported that they have a higher quality of life and suffer less depression while using ginseng.

There is a mushroom, the Maitake that helps in boosting the immune system. Here again, in the East this has been used widely. Lab studies have been done using liquid Maitake extract. Many researchers believe that the mushrooms contain beta-glucans which helps to enhance the immune system. They still don't know why, but they are working on it.

Mistletoe extract has been used in Europe to treat cancer patients for over 80 years. It has been shown to kill cancer cells and boost the immune system. There have been very few studies done here on mistletoe, but some research is under way and will be out at the end of this year. Researchers are studying the safety, the effects on the immune system and its toxicity.

Acupuncture is especially helpful for nausea and post surgical pain. Many studies done by research oncologists have shown that acupuncture was better for women with breast cancer than the medication taken to fight nausea. It also helps in loss of appetite, fatigue and sleep disorders. The AAMA recommends women with breast cancer should get acupuncture during their chemotherapy treatments but only after you have spoken to your primary doctor.

All doctors and researchers stress that diet and exercise play a key role in treating cancer. Stick to a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and grains. The National Cancer Institute recommends at least 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day. Phytochemicals are found in fruits and vegetables and they prevent cancers in a number of ways. Research shows that they help in detoxification of carcinogens, DNA repair, boosting of the immune system and maintenance of cellular control mechanisms. Obesity plays a role in getting cancer. Change your diet, eat healthy and go for a walk or ride a bike. This is a suggestion we should all take to heart.

These alternative methods may well help you through your breast cancer treatment and perhaps even get you a speedier recovery. New studies are being done everyday for women with breast cancer. Discuss these alternative therapies with your Doctor and always let your physician and your oncologist know about any therapies you want to take, before you take them. This will make sure that the alternative therapy won't interfere with your chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor nor am I in the medical field. This is just information that I researched out of curiosity and the desire to know all of the options available.

About the Author:
Visit Mary Hannas websites at: Gardening Herb Cruise Travel and Container Gardening Secrets
Submitted on 2006-10-14
Article Source: http://www.articlesarea.com/

More Cancer Treatment Failure

At the recent meeting of the American Association of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO), some 25,000 doctors met to discuss advances in cancer therapy. Over 10,000 scientific abstracts were presented.

Surely now, after countless billions have been spent on research since President Nixon's war on cancer was declared in 1971, there must be some dramatic cures. Something must have emerged from this meeting to reverse the growing cancer epidemic and justify the skyrocketing medical costs for cancer treatment.

Surely.

But not so.

The meeting highlighted how that cancer therapy is shifting from conventional cut-burn-poison to a more technologically sophisticated, molecularly targeted pharmaceutical approach. It's a cash cow heyday for drug companies and a wonderful fix for the addicted Rx generation.

A new fleet of drugs include tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as Gleevec and Iressa. Tarvesa is an ingenious pharmaceutical that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in neoplasms. Another category is antiangiogenic drugs, such as Avastin, that inhibit the growth of blood vessels in tumors.

There have been some qualified 'successes' but not without downside serious side effect risks. For example, Avastin causes serious and even fatal bleeding into the lungs (hemoptisis). In one instance 31% of patients experienced this side effect.

But, you might say, so what if there is a good chance of cure? Surprisingly, during this meeting, little discussion could be heard about meaningful results. Everyone was giddy about the science (like kids with new toys), but the take away for the cancer victim was sobering and depressing.

There was a lot of talk about mechanisms of action and theory. There was also many numbers and charts about the effectiveness of the new drugs used alone or in various combinations with others, including conventional chemotherapy. The package presented to attendees was impressively wrapped in science, but what about the results.

In one instance it was found that the new therapies increased survival from 10.8 months to 12.9 months. Progression-free-survival (PFS) was changed in another comparison from 7.2 months to 7.6 months. In another comparison overall survival was changed from 10.2 to 12.5 months and PFS changed from 4.5 to 6.4 months. In yet another comparison the overall survival changed from 5.91 to 6.37 months-- about two weeks. One week was added to remission-free survival.

These pathetic results did not dampen the enthusiasm of pharmaceutical purveyors out in force at the meeting with product booth displays rivaling those at the super bowl half time. One company called their drug a "breakthrough… providing new hope for patients with advanced… cancer." Doctors, looking at only the statistical numbers, concluded that the results were "important" and "exciting" because they were "not due to chance". Of course the mainstream media jumps right on with wild claims about how the cure is now just around the corner.

Please. One week!

What's the cost benefit of this "exciting" new progress? In just two years, spending on cancer drugs will increase from 22 billion dollars to 32 billion. Just adding one of the new drugs, Avastin, to a treatment regimen will increase costs to the patient of $8,000 per month. While these miracle life extensions of a couple months or a week are going on, costs are escalating 500 fold. If you submit to this leading edge cancer treatment miracle, expect to pay about $250,000.

Recently I was talking to a pharmaceutical salesman who was excitedly detailing the benefits of the drugs he represented. He had impressive numbers of how his drug produced results better than competitor's drugs. I asked him how his results compared to no treatment at all. Stunned by the question, he had to admit he had no idea.

That's the first and most obvious question that should be asked before submitting to any potentially toxic or invasive therapy. Those were not the sorts of answers that came out of the ASCO meeting however.

You see, the medical and patient imperative is to 'do something,' meaning medical intervention. Never mind that the disease may be self-limiting or reversible by simple life style, dietary or natural treatment options. Why, it would be unethical to do a study where a comparison group was not treated!

Do you see the failed logic here? Can you see that the bias that cancer is a disease that 'strikes' us ignores real causes—lifestyle and dietary changes that put us out of sync with our genetically adapted to environmental roots?

If you are struck with any disease, before submitting, ask the question and demand the evidence: "What is the proof, my good doctor, that the treatment you are recommending is superior to no treatment at all or to safe and natural lifestyle and dietary changes"?

Modern allopathic medicine is just too risky, dangerous and expensive to just roll over and expose your soft underbelly to them.

One also has to make the decision that if fatality is inevitable, whether extending life in a hospital bed, being a pin cushion, living your last moments in misery from drugs and expending your family's entire savings is worth a couple of months or weeks of life… if even that is true.

The cure for cancer is to prevent it. Learn how to live life healthily and get at it. If it strikes, don't panic and fall victim to the 'something must be done' mania. 'Fighting' cancer is also not surrender to the medical establishment.

True health care means patients must be active partners, not mere passive recipients. The paradigm must be changed such that primacy is given to self-responsibility for prevention, and respecting and encouraging the innate capacity for self-regulation and healing. By engaging, patients gain a feeling of control and emotional strength. The psychological stress of the disease combined with essentially no coping strategies is a primary reason for recurrence.

Modern tumor-based cancer care, on the other hand, is about a love affair with biomedicine and its fragmentation and overspecialization. More attention is paid to lymphocyte counts than to the patient. The result is dehumanization, dependency and disempowerment for patients, and more machines, pharmaceutical reps and money for medicine.

This is not to say there have not been therapeutic successes. Surgically debulking tumors (although surgery can also incite benign to malignant), chemotherapy for some forms of leukemia and skin cancer, are such examples. But that is an embarrassing result in terms of the overall scale of the disease. For the 10 major killing cancers, survival has not improved over the past 50 years.

Your best hope, as always, begins with thinking. Learn think about what there is about your life that caused the disease. Change your life and investigate alternative approaches (See Wysong Resource Directory).

There is hope, but as with anything else in life it resides in what you do to yourself, not what others do to or for you.

Refs.
Cancer – The Missing Point http://www.wysong.net/health/hl_956.shtml
Is Common Sense or Research Needed to Cure Cancer
http://www.wysong.net/health/hl_937.shtml
Research on Pancreatice Cancer... http://www.wysong.net/health/hl_898.shtml
Wysong e-Health Letter Archives http://www.wysong.net/archivesehl.shtml
Wysong Resource Directory "Cancer"
http://www.wysong.net/page/WOTTPWS/PROD/EDUAIDS/MM028
http://lungdiseases.about.com/mbiopagel.htm
R. Moss, PhD., Townsend Letter for Doctors, Aug, 05, p. 44
"New Cancer Drugs Are Driving Up Cost of Care," LA Times, May 14, 2005
Ramirez, A., et al, "Stress and relapse of breast cancer," British Medical Journal, 1989: 298: 291-293
Spiegal D., et al, "Effect of psychosocial treatment on survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer," Lancet 989: 888-889

About the Author:
Dr. R. L. Wysong
For further reading, or for more information about, Dr Wysong and the Wysong Corporation please visit http://www.wysong.net or write to wysong@wysong.net. For resources on healthier foods for people including snacks, and breakfast cereals please visit http://www.cerealwysong.com.
Added: 16 Nov 2006
Article Source: http://articles.simplysearch4it.com/article/42976.html

Lung Cancer - RADIATION As A Treatment Option

Because of the advanced stages of some lung cancer, surgery is not an option. This depends on the location of the tumor/tumors or the overall health of the person. In these types of cases, an oncologist will most likely advocate radiotherapy for the treatment. Even though surgery may be an option, you may find the doctor suggesting this type of treatment either before surgery to help shrink the tumor or after the surgery to help eradicate any of the remaining cancerous cells.

Radiation therapy - what is it?
Radiotherapy - is high powered x-rays that are 'beamed' at the location of the cancer cells which in turn destroys the rapidly dividing cells. Unfortunately, during this process the radiotherapy kills off both the healthy cells as well as the cancerous cells in that location. However, there are methods of delivering the radiotherapy that will minimize the side effects on the healthy cells.

EBT - external beam therapy or radiotherapy, is a highly focused beam of radiation that is aimed directly at the edges of the tumor site. Due to the concentration, EBT minimizes the chance of damaging the healthy cells. EBT is delivered in 'fractions', i.e. short durations of radiation that are spread out over several weeks time. According to current studies, the best effects are achieved when there are more frequent, shorter fractions than in larger fractions spread out over a longer period of time. Talk with your doctor about which will be the best timing for you.

Often times this therapy will be used to alleviate symptoms even though it won't actually cure by itself. Doctors may prescribe radiotherapy before or after a surgery and is designed to shrink the tumor or make it less active. Doctors may suggest brachytherapy instead of using an external beam. Brachytherapy is a procedure which implants small radioactive seeds directly at the site of the cancer. Brachytherapy can open up blocked airways by reducing the size of the tumors blocking the bronchi or windpipe. Brachytherapy can also help stop bleeding in tumors.

Conformal radiation therapy is another type of therapy. With this therapy a CAT scan helps create a 3-D image of the tumor and shape the x-ray beams precisely to the size and shape of the tumor. When using conformal radiation therapy, the damage to the surrounding tissues is nearly eliminated completely. Intensity modulated radiation therapy can be fine tuned so that it only affects certain areas of the tumor. This form of precision therapy works with a CAT scan to target only the cancerous cells.

Any suspicion that the tumor may have spread, as is often the case with small cell, your oncologist will very likely suggest a course of chemotherapy either before, after or concurrently with radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is localized therefore the beam is focused directly at the cancerous cells. Using radiotherapy in conjunction with chemotherapy, will normally offer a better chance of clearing up the tumor completely and preventing a recurrence. Radiotherapy is rarely recommended as the sole treatment.

About the Author:
Carlie Edwards publishes online articles & useful information for Women. For more info visit Resource Tips For a variety of related topics visit Health-And-Beauty-Worx.Com
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

The Best Prostate Cancer Treatment Alternatives

Prostate cancer is a very common problem with men over the age of 80 and it starts becoming frequent with men over 50. By the time they are 80, almost half will have some form of prostate cancer which is not noticeable. Even though it is dangerous, just like any other cancer type, prostate cancer is very seldom the cause of death for the men who have it. Although this is such a common illness, doctors are still uncertain of the precise causes for prostate cancer. Ethnicity is one of the factors that offers some differentiation, with black men the highest risk and Asian men the lowest.

Curing prostate cancer is possible, but the condition has to be detected in the early stages. Many men do not even seek medical advice when the symptoms are present, partly because they are very similar to those of another disease: BPH or benign prostatic hypertrophy. Most men will experience difficulties while urinating, noticing a weak or intermittent flow of urine. Other symptoms include urgent needs to urinate or the need to wake up several times a night to do this. Some patients also observe a dribbling of urine after and even before urinating.

There is no universal treatment that will work the same in individual cases. Doctors have to determine several decisive factors, such as general health condition, age, location of the tumor in the prostate, size of the tumor. The number one option for treatment is surgery. However, the main operation, known as radial prostatectomy, is extremely tiring to the body, so the patient has to be in good condition. Most surgery patients are men between 50 and 70 years of age who do not seem to have extensive cancer damage. There are some side effects involved with this procedure, mostly related to erectile dysfunctions and minor urination problems. However, modern techniques greatly reduce the side effects and the success of surgery is high.

Choosing a hormone therapy is another option. This treatment does not kill the cancer cells but it reduces the size of the prostate tumor of the majority of patients. Most doctors recommend this treatment together with surgery for best effects. Cancer growth is stimulated by testosterone, the male sexual hormone, and hormone therapies reduce its level. By reducing testosterone levels, the prostate becomes less subjected to cancer cell growth. Based on patient medical history and overall health level, doctors may or may not choose to prescribe hormone therapy.

Sometimes, the doctor might suggest an alternative treatment to surgery. Radiotherapy can work by destroying cancer cells through radiation. The method is painless and involves only out-body procedures. However, some side effects like diarrhea and impotence have been noticed. Brachytherapy is the other. It involves the implantation of radioactive elements in the prostate, which are inserted with the patient under anesthesia. In time, the radioactive elements loose their properties, but they also help diminish cancer cell growth.

About the author:
George Anderson is very interested in prostate cancer and the variety of treatments available. See his website at http://www.onlyprostatecancer.com
Circulated by Article Emporium

Skin Cancer Symptoms + Treatments

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer and is increasing in frequency every year. Because it is curable if diagnosed early, you should be aware of the symptoms and treatments.

THE ROLE OF THE SKIN:

Our skin protects our body from injury and infection and regulates our body temperature. It is the body's largest organ and is made up of two main layers, the outer layer called the epidermis and the inner layer called the dermis.

The outer layer contains three kinds of cells, squamous cells which are flat and scaly cells on the surface, basal cells which are round cells located under the squamous cells and melanocytes (the cells that create the brown pigment that gives skin its color) that are located throughout the basal layer.

TYPES OF SKIN CANCER:

There are two types of skin cancer, non-melanoma and melanoma. Non-melanomas are the most common types and most easily cured. Malignant melanoma is the most dangerous form and the most difficult to treat.

Melanomas develop from skin cells called melanocytes. A melanoma can occur anywhere on the skin but is more likely to develop on certain parts of the body such as the legs for women and the trunk of the body for men.

Melanoma is much less common than the non-melanoma types but it is usually far more serious. Melanoma is almost always curable in its early stages. But, unlike the non-melanoma types of skin cancer, it spreads to other parts of the body making it very difficult to treat.

Non-melanomas include two types of cancer, basal cell cancers and squamous cell cancers. They are called non-melanomas because they develop from skin cells other than melanocytes. The high incidence of these cancers is related to over-exposure to the sun.

Basal cell cancer is the most common type of skin cancer and it occurs in the deepest layer of the skin. It is easier to cure than melanoma and it does not usually spread to other parts of the body.

Squamous cell skin cancer develops in the upper layer of the skin. It can spread to deeper layers of the skin and occasionally can spread to lymph nodes and other organs.

SKIN CANCER SYMPTOMS:

The following are warning signs of basal and squamous cell carcinoma. A mole, skin growth, or sore that:

+changes in color and appears translucent, tan, brown, black or multicolored.

+is bigger than other moles.

+becomes red or inflamed around the edges.

+increases in size or thickness.

+changes in texture

+changes in shape

+is bigger than the size of a pencil eraser

+becomes painful, itchy, crusty, or forms a scab

+starts oozing or bleeding

SKIN CANCER DIAGNOSIS:

If you have any of the symptoms listed above and they are present for more than a month, you must see a doctor for further evaluation. If the doctor agrees with your suspicions, a skin biopsy (the surgical removal of part of the tissue from the suspicious growth) will be performed. The type of skin cancer, where it is located, and the size of the affected area will determine the skin biopsy method used.

Once the tissue is examined, a diagnosis is made. You and your physician can then discuss treatment options. There are many treatments available, including curettage, surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The treatment chosen is dependent upon the type of skin cancer that is diagnosed.

Remember, skin cancer is the most curable form of cancer if diagnosed and treated in its early stages. Know the symptoms, perform a self-exam every month, and see your physician if you have any suspicious skin growths.

About the Author:
Chris Chenoweth is the author of the DO-IT-YOURSELF HOME, HEALTH & MONEY GUIDE, 500 pages of household tips, home remedies, diet and nutrition information, health issues and thousands of recipes! http://www.money-home-biz.com.
Added: 13 Nov 2006
Article Source: http://articles.simplysearch4it.com/article/42657.html

Prostate Cancer - A Quick Overview

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a group of malignant cancerous cells, or in other words a tumor that begins most often in the outer areas of the prostate. Excluding skin cancer, prostrate cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in American men.

Prostate cancer is highly treatable when it is diagnosed and caught early. So, it's important that you consult your physician or urologist after any signs that might make you suspect you have prostate cancer.

Usually there are no early signs or symptoms of prostate cancer. However, when the tumor grows, it may spread from the prostate to surrounding areas. At this point the person will start to notice symptoms. Somesuch symptoms include the following:

• Frequent urination (especially at night)
• Weak urinary stream
• Inability to urinate
• Interruption of urinary stream (stopping and starting)
• Pain or burning on urination
• Blood in the urine
• Pain in lower back, pelvis or upper thighs

Preventing the testicles from producing testosterone may relieve many of the above symptoms. The extent of the following treatments and the chance of success depend upon the seriousness (stage) of the cancer, what type you have, your age, and the your general health before the cancer.

The major treatment options for prostate cancer include:

• Hormonal therapy
• Surgery
• Radiation Treatments
• Chemotherapy
• Watchful waiting (Observation)

The specific options selected for treatment will depend on several factors including the man’s age, the stage of the disease, and the advice of the urologist and physician. Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor or your urologist if you have any questions concerning your treatment!

CoolNurse.com

About the Author:
Amy Otis, RN
Added: Thu Jun 30 2005
To find other free health content see e-healtharticles.com

Understanding Mesothelioma Treatment

Mesothelioma treatment relates relieving or curing the deadly disease called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is serious disease that affects the lining of lungs, abdominal organs or heart. Mesothelioma can be of two types, either benign or malignant. Mesothelioma treatment, for an individual suffering from benign mesothelioma, is surgery. However, in case of malignant mesothelioma scientists could not find any established mesothelioma treatment to cure the patient fully.

Types of Mesothelioma Treatment
Mesothelioma treatment options available today are radiation, chemotherapy, radical surgery and/or combination of all these treatments. During surgery, either a part of tumor or the whole tumor is removed. In some cases, a portion of the normal tissue surrounding the area is also removed along with the tumor.

Mesothelioma treatment, in which the doctors try to cure the patient with drugs, is known as chemotherapy. As the mesothelioma cancer is a rare disease, very little information is available regarding the effects of different drugs on different patients. Adriamycm, (doxorubicin), Cytoxan, (cyclophosphamide), 5-fluorouracil and 5-azacytidine are some of the drugs that have shown good results and a response rate of 0 to 35 % when tried on mesothelioma patients. Some other effective drugs for mesothelioma treatment are cisplatin, high dose methotrexate, interferon, anthracycline analogues and vinblastine. The National Cancer Institute is sponsoring further studies the effectiveness of these and other drugs by funding many clinical centers.

Radiation is another option of mesothelioma treatment that is more helpful in reducing the pain rather than curing the disease itself. Because of the severity of the disease, standard dose of 6,000 rads of radiation has very little effect on mesothelioma patients. In limited cases, some benefit is observed when patient is treated with aggressive high dose radiation. Use of radioactive compounds on diseased tissue has also shown some positive results with the individuals diagnosed early on. Patients of pleural mesothelioma survived for over 24 months when radioactive colloidal gold (Au 198) was placed between the two pleural membranes. Scientists are hopeful that radioactive chromic phosphate, p32 can be used as an effective mesothelioma treatment. This might increase the survival period of patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma.

Like the treatment of other cancers, mesothelioma treatment also has its side effects. Nausea and vomiting are some minor problems associated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy that could be controlled with medicines. However, suppression of bone marrow is a serious short-term side effect that may cause WBC, RBC and platelets counts to go down. Such patients may become susceptible to bleeding and infection and may require antibiotic therapy or any other supportive care.

Mesothelioma treatment can be a very expensive and lengthy procedure. However, the patients suffering from mesothelioma cancers can seek compensation for mesothelioma treatments. They can file lawsuits against the individuals or organizations responsible for causing asbestos exposure.

About the author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a asbestos and mesothelioma specialist from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.asbestosblog.org/ for information on asbestos reform, mesothelioma lawsuit news, and more.
Circulated by Article Emporium

Essiac Herbal Tea: Alternative Cancer Treatment

Essiac herbal tea for cancer was named after a Canadian nurse by the name of Rene Caisse, Essiac being her last name written backwards. She was credited for refining the original formula which contained eight herbs into a tea containing the four essential ingredients. The following is a brief account of them.

Essiac Tea Formula: Herbs

*Burdock root (Arctium lappa)

In the past, this plant was used in folk medicine. It contains trace minerals such as potassium, phosphorous, chromium, iron, magnesium, zinc, silicon, sodium and cobalt. It also has vitamin E and B complex. According to various clinical trails, the plant has been found to have anti-tumor properties. Burdock root can be an alternative blood purifier. It is a diuretic and diaphoretic.

*Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)

Sheep sorrel is a known ingredient in folk remedies in Asia and Europe for cancer. The plant is a diuretic and contains anti-tumor properties like the Burdock root. It is high in vitamins E, K, D, C B complex and A. Trace minerals such as iron, silicon, sulphur, manganese, copper, magnesium, calcium, can be found in this herb.

*Slippery Elm (Ulmus Fulva)

According to many herbalists the bark of the slipper elm can make a drink full of nutrients that heal and soothe various ailments. The bark has been reported to have an ability to remove toxins from the body, and many claim it has antibiotic and antimicrobial properties as well.

* Turkey Rhubarb (Rheum Palmatum)

Cassie chose this variety of rhubarb over the common variety because it is less bitter and more effective. The root contains a number of vitamins such as B complex, C, A and P. It has a lot of the trace minerals needed by the body such as sodium, copper, iodine, iron, chlorine, calcium, manganese, potassium, magnesium, sulphur, phosphorus and zinc.

The more waste matter removed from the body, the more toxins that may cause tumor cells are eliminated. The rhubarb is a laxative that gently stimulates the organs to purge the body of this matter.

About the Author:
Sarah Thomas provides articles on http://www.herbalwire.com. You can find more of her work at the site http://www.herbal-today.com.
This article was posted on October 25, 2006
Article Source: articlecity

The Best Colon Cancer Treatment Options

Among the most spread cancers, colon cancer usually occurs in men and women over the age of 50. The main causes of colon cancer are related to the patient’s diet: very low in fiber and high in fat and calories. By keeping a healthy life style and good eating habits, you can prevent developing cancer of the colon even before this becomes a problem. You might also want to try and check your family history for cases of colon cancer and adopt a healthier diet in order to make sure you will avoid this problem in the future.

Colon cancer treatments are varied and you can choose from a series of traditional and alternative methods of dealing with this condition. Surgery is often the number one choice – the surgeon removes the tumors on the colon, even if the cancer cells are spread beyond the colon itself. This ensures less problems in the future of the patient’s life, reducing chances of bowel problems or internal bleeding. Colon cancer surgery is usually categorized in four main areas: rectum resection, radio frequency ablation, colostomy and colon resection. The surgeon will determine which method is best suited for each individual patient.
Detecting cancer at a very early stage is important, as the problem can be corrected in a decisive and final manner. By using a polypectomy, the surgeon will remove suspicious polyps in order to minimize chances of the disease. Local excision may also be used in early stages, in order to remove the cancer cells. After surgery, your hospital should provide you with ongoing support in order to ensure a fast and efficient recovery.

Intra arterial chemotherapy is another treatment worth consideration. This treatment targets tumors by delivering a powerful dose of chemotherapy. Primary systemic chemotherapy is often used before a surgical procedure in order to destroy a large majority of cancer cells. Systemic therapy is usually used with metastatic cancer, while the third method, adjuvant chemotherapy, targets any cancer cells that might have been left over after surgery. All three chemotherapy procedures are delivered through the hepatic artery and are an option if the cancer has spread to the liver.

Another choice comes from chemoembolization treatment. In addition to being delivered intra arterially, this type of treatment blocks the blood flow to the areas affected by cancer. It traps the chemotherapy drugs in the area of the tumor, thus ensuring that they work efficiently and on target.

About the author:
George Anderson is very interested in colon cancer and the variety of treatments available. See his website at http://www.onlycoloncancer.com
Circulated by Article Emporium

Prostate Cancer: What it is and the Treatment options Available

About 80% of men who are 80 years old are found to have prostate cancer. It is thought that EVERY man, if they live long enough, will eventually get it. About 1 in 6 of all men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

The prostate gland is about walnut-sized and located just below the bladder in men. It surrounds the upper portion of the male urethra (the tube that transports both sperm and urine). The primary function of the prostate is to produce semen which is the thick fluid that transports and nourishes sperm.

Prostate cancer is an abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells originating in the prostate gland and is the most common cancer inn men and the third leading cause of cancer deaths among American men.

It is still controversial as to when men should be screened for prostate cancer. Generally speaking, it is typically felt among physicians that men who have reached the age of 50 should have a yearly DRE (digital rectal exam) and PSA (prostate specific antigen) done on a yearly basis.

The DRE is where a doctor will palpate the prostate by passing a gloved finger into the patient's rectum to feel for any lumps, areas of hardness, or enlargement of the gland.

The PSA is a blood test is NOT a perfect test and some men can have a falsely elevated PSA and not have cancer, and have prostate cancer and have a normal PSA. It has been my experience, however, that a lot of prostate cancers have been detected with an elevated PSA, even with a normal DRE (digital rectal examination).

After a man has been screened and felt to possibly have cancer or be at high risk for prostate cancer, he should be referred to a urologist (a specialist in prostate problems) for further testing which usually consists of an ultrasound exam of the prostate and perhaps a biopsy of the gland itself.

If one is diagnosed with prostate cancer, a discussion with both your primary care physician and a urologist with experience with treating prostate cancer should be carried out. Prostate cancer is a very individual specific disease process. It can be managed various ways and there are no iron clad one way treatments for it.

The decision regarding the best treatment for the patient depends on many factors. These include the age of the man, life expectancy, other disease processes going on, health status, and how aggressive the tumor is.

There are three categories of treatment available. Depending on all factors, "watchful waiting" may be the best alternative. Most prostate cancers are slow growing and do not spread very rapidly. If the patient is elderly and may perhaps experience significant problems from aggressive treatment, then this is the best approach. In this case, regular checkups and testing is all that is needed.

Surgery is the most effective way to cure prostate cancer performing what is called a radical prostatectomy (removal of the entire prostate gland). Radiation therapy uses high energy xrays to kill or significantly shrink the cancer cells. There are two types of radiation therapy. One is called brachytherapy where one uses internal radiation from radioactive materials placed directed into the prostate to kill the cells. The other is external beam radiation where the radiation comes from beams generated outside the body.

Prostate cancer is a very common disease among men and everyone should be aware of what it is, how common it is, and how it should be diagnosed and treated.

Copyright (c) 2006 Ted Crawford

About the Author:
Dr. Ted Crawford is a family practice physican in Tucson, Arizona and has a website devoted to helping patients find reliable health information and products. His article "Prostate Cancer: "What it is and the Treatment Options Availabe" can also be found at www.babyboomersdoc.com
Article Source: http://www.articles411.com

Causes and Treatments of Mesothelioma Cancer

Although the cure rate for mesothelioma is low, there are resources for support groups, new treatments, and lawyers specializing in mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that generally attacks the thin membranes, the mesothelium, that line the lungs, the abdomen, the chest, and sometimes the heart. Mesothelioma, even though it's a fairly rare form of cancer, still affects over 200 people each year in the U.S. alone. Most of the cases of mesothelioma can be directly linked to repeated exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma affects mostly men of ages around 50 to 70 years. This is due to the lengthly time it takes this form of cancer to form, as well as the common gender of people working in manufacturing twenty or more years ago. Symptoms are wide ranging, and can include:

Continual Cough
Shortness of Breath
Respiratory problems
Pneumonia

Other symptoms can include:

Abdominal problems including swelling and pain
Marked weight loss

In some mesothelioma patients, the mesothelioma symptoms are quite muted, making it hard for mesothelioma doctors to diagnose.

Mesothelioma (or the cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells become abnormal and replicate without control. During Mesothelioma, these cells will invade and damage tissues and organs. Mesothelioma cancer cells can spread throughout the body causing death.

Fortunately, there are many mesothelioma treatment options available. These include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy and the mesothelioma treatment depends on the patient's age, general health and stage of the cancer. There has been much mesothelioma research conducted throughout the past few years to find new treatment methods.

Through mesothelioma research, The National Cancer Institute has sponsored mesothelioma tests and clinical trials that are designed to find new treatment methods. Because of the increase in number of mesothelioma cases in the United States, both governments have increased funding for mesothelioma research. Mesothelioma research and clinical trials have been successful in developing new techniques to fight this cancer and the outlook for more advanced mesothelioma treatments is promising.

Various Treatments for Malignant Mesothelioma

The most common treatment for malignant mesothelioma is surgery. The tissues and linings affected by mesothelioma are removed by the doctor, This may even include a lung or even diaphragm.

The second most common mesothelioma treatment is radiation therapy. This uses high energy x-rays that kill the cancer cells. Radiation therapy can be outside or inside the body.

Third most common form of treatment for mesothelioma is chemotherapy. Through pills or drugs through needles, chemotherapy drugs are used to kill cancer cells.

One new method of treatment is showing promise. This treatment method is called intraoperative photodynamic therapy. In this treatment, light and drugs are used to kill cancer cells during surgery for early stages of mesothelioma in the chest. Time will tell if this treatment is successful in the majority of patients. To emphasize, though, this treatment is has only been successful so far on early stages of mesothelioma.

The bad news is that although there are numerous treatments and drugs for mesothelioma, doctors are losing the battle against this horrific disease. Most mesothelioma treatments involve old techniques combined with different drug cocktails. These treatments have many side effects including organ damage, nausea, increase in heart failure etc. The rush to find a more effective mesothelioma treatment or even cure is ongoing at numerous clinical labs across the nation. Let's hope that the mesothelioma treatments will one day erradicate mesothelioma cancer and asbestosis.

With an abundance of information on the Internet, Mesothelioma Cancer and Asbestos has consolidated the most important issues surrounding Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma doctors and symptoms, Mesothelioma treatment, Mesothelioma research and tests.

Many websites contain useful resources on Mesothelioma lawyers and attorneys, as well as causes by asbestos exposure, asbestos removal, asbestos attorneys and lawsuits, and asbestos cancer. Patients stricken by Mesothelioma and their families require support and current information. Mesothelioma Online Resources hopes to educate and give hope to survivors and victims.

More and more research is being conducted to battle mesothelioma every year. And researchers continue to make strides and increase cure rates. Regardless, mesothelioma is such a difficult disease and the cure rate is fairly low. There are not as many treatments and drug regimes that work well with mesothelioma, and because it takes so many years to appear, it's difficult to detect early. Because of this, the death rate of mesothelioma is very high. Because funding has increased for research in battling mesothelioma, the outlook for a mesothelioma cure is quite possible. Until a cure or at least better treaments are found, mesothelioma support groups can provide the ongoing support for those suffering from mesothelioma and their families.

About the Author:
Scott Taylor is a noted author and prolific writer of many resources such as Parties & Costumes, Herbal Remedies, and Family Investing. His various websites provide information on a variety of subjects and topics. Mesothelioma Resources
Submitted on 2006-10-28
Article Source: http://www.articlesarea.com/