Cancer Remission: What Is It Exactly?

From the office of Dr. Laurence Magne,author of www.cancer-free-for-life.com

Many people seem to have a distorted and incorrect definition of the word “remission,” as it is used in relation to cancer patients. Most commonly people seem to believe that going into remission means that the patient is successfully treated and safe.

However, according to the American Cancer Society, cancer remission is a “period of time when the cancer is responding to treatment or is under control. In a complete cancer remission, all the signs and symptoms of the disease disappear…Complete cancer remissions may continue for several years and be considered cures.”

So, someone who goes into cancer remission is not showing signs or symptoms of the cancer. It doesn’t matter how many cancer cells are still going strong and growing in the body of the patient, for any time frame that it isn’t causing “signs and symptoms,” the patient is said to be in remission.

Oddly enough, there isn’t much discussion in the advertisements for traditional cancer treatments regarding the extension in the length of life for the patient. And there aren’t many discussions about the quality of life for the patient.

These two concepts are not factored in when talking about “cancer remission” in a patient.Typically speaking, cancer remission refers to shrinkage in the size of a tumor or to the change in some of the tumor markers. Tumor markers are substances, usually proteins, which are produced by the body in response to cancerous growth or tissues. However, a lot of the markers are also found in non-cancerous conditions so they aren’t really a good diagnostic tool for cancer.

Traditional cancer therapies are successful in shrinking tumors and reducing tumor markers. For this reason, cancer remission is used as the indication of “successful” cancer treatment.

Cancer remission doesn’t necessarily mean the patient doesn’t die. For example, a patient is said to have been successfully treated for cancer if the therapies put them into remission, even if they die from pneumonia. Despite the fact that the pneumonia was only fatal because of the cancer therapies, because cancer remission existed, it was successful treatment.

To most people, no treatment that still results in death should be considered successful. However, when it comes to cancer remission, that’s exactly what can happen when they pursue only traditional cancer treatment options.

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About the Author:
My name is Laurence Magne, Ph D(c). For the past 25 years, I have been involved in the field of health and health research, investigating the reasons why we get sick, and whether we can get well outside of the medical field, using alternative solutions. I have read over 3,000 books on the related topics, counseled many clients and conducted many lectures and trainings.
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Antioxidant: The Miracle Cure To Cancer?

Countless researches has been done on defining the role of antioxidants in preventing, or slowing down the growth of cancer. And the good news is, considerable laboratory evidence from chemical, cell culture, and animal studies indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer.

Antioxidants are necessary because they combat free radicals. Free radicals are byproducts that are formed when oxygen is used by the body. Free radicals start a chain reaction under the skin's surface, and outlined below is the process of destruction.

What are Free Radicals?
They have an unpaired electron in their outer orbital, making the molecule unstable.
Free radicals attempt to gain an electron from natural proteins in the skin to acquire stability.

This sets off a chain reaction because all molecules want to form an octet, which is an atom with eight valence electrons. In the aftermath of the reaction are free radical waste products of misshapen and broken molecules. Therefore, the structure of our skin is damaged and its cellular structure is weakened.

Dangers of Free Radicals!
Free radicals is capable of altering our DNA, which results in aging and illness! We definitely do not want that to happen to us!

How Antioxidants Prevent Cancer?
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals as the natural by-product of normal cell processes. Free radicals are molecules with incomplete electron shells which make them more chemically reactive than those with complete electron shells. Exposure to various environmental factors, including tobacco smoke and radiation, can also lead to free radical formation. In humans, the most common form of free radicals is oxygen. When an oxygen molecule (O2) becomes electrically charged or radicalized it tries to steal electrons from other molecules, causing damage to the DNA and other molecules. Over time, such damage may become irreversible and lead to disease including cancer.

Antioxidants are often described as mopping up free radicals, meaning they neutralize the electrical charge and prevent the free radical from taking electrons from other molecules.

How to Incorporate Antioxidants in my Diet?
Epidemiologic observations show lower cancer rates in people whose diets are rich in fruits and vegetables. This has lead to the theory that these diets contain substances, possibly antioxidants, which protect against the development of cancer. There is currently intense scientific investigation into this topic. Thus far, none of the large, well designed studies have shown that dietary supplementation with extra antioxidants reduces the risk of developing cancer.

Can Antioxidant Slow the Aging Process Too?
Antioxidants are also thought to have a role in slowing the aging process and preventing heart disease and strokes, but the data is still inconclusive. Therefore from a public health perspective it is premature to make recommendations regarding antioxidant supplements and disease prevention. New data from ongoing studies will be available in the next few years and will shed more light on this constantly evolving area. Perhaps the best advice, which comes from several authorities in cancer prevention, is to eat 5 servings of fruit or vegetables per day.

So what are you waiting for? Eat the right foods which are high in oxidants, and if needed, get a all natural antioxidant supplement! Your health condition Needs Antioxidants!

About the Author:
Jerry Hall Leo
Can Antioxidants Prevent Cancer and Aging? More Info at http://antioxidants.eask.info/ http://Antioxidants.eask.info
Posted: 02-08-2006
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Two Substances That May Reduce the Risk Of Cancer

Food helps us by supplying many vital micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Your genetic composition can make you susceptible to some types of cancer. Your way of eating plays a major role in increasing or reducing the risk of cancer.

Phytochemicals are non-nutritive substances found in plants. They protect us against diseases when they are in our body. Isoflavones and Lycopene are phytochemicals.
Isoflavones decrease the risk of breast cancer for premenopausal women, while Lycopene decreases the prostate cancer risk in middle aged men.

Soya is a great source of Isoflavones like genisteinm and daidzein. Although isoflavones are weak estrogens, the established hypothesis has been that isoflavones exert antiestrogenic effects when placed in a high-estrogen environment (pre-menopausal women) and estrogenic effects when in a low-estrogen environment, (post-menopausal women).

Daidzein was found to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in many studies.
Genistein:
- Reduces the protective mechanisms of cancer cells.
- Acts as an antioxidant.
- Inhibits several enzymes in cellular signaling pathways.
- Increases levels of transforming growth factor-beta' that inhibits the growth of tumor cells.
- Inhibits the growth of wide range of both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent cancer cells.

Decreased rates of breast, uterus and prostate cancers are associated with Soya consumption because of its antiestrogenic action.

Lycopenes:
Tomatoes, watermelon and other orange-to-red colored vegetables and fruits like paprika, rose-hips etc. contain abundant lycopenes. A better level of Lycopene is produced from tomatoes when they cooked with olive or canola oil.

Lycopenes are natural carotenoids that act as antioxidants. They also block the conversion of food mutagens found in fried, cooked meats and fish in the form of heterocyclic amines.

Lycopenes are good inhibitors of cell proliferation and lower the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol thus minimizing the heart disease risk.

Lycopenes reduce the risk for stomach, breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer. Both raw and cooked tomatoes have same amount of cancer fighting power. Lycopenes stimulate the enzymes that block the carcinogenic damage to the cell.

About the author:
Alex Fir
Cancer is one of the main causes of death among humans. Visit "Cancer Information", FREE web site to learn more about cancer. http://www.cancer-data.com
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Attack of the Cancer Fighting Tomatoes

That’s right, the colorful little fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) has been shown to pack a powerful punch against several forms of cancer. A variety of studies indicate that a diet rich in tomato based products (tomato paste, sauce, juice, soup and ketchup) can significantly reduce the risk of prostate, lung and colon cancer. Not bad for a fruit that was considered by many to be poisonous and inedible until the 19th century.

What is the Active Ingredient?

The active ingredient that makes tomatoes such a formidable opponent against cancer cells is the carotenoid called Lycopene. Lycopene is the natural red pigment found in tomatoes and tomato based products. The redder the tomato, the more lycopene is present.

How does Lycopene Fight Cancer?

In the body, lycopene is deposited in the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon and skin. Its concentration in body tissues tends to be higher than all other carotenoids. Some organs, such as the testes and adrenal glands, store higher levels of lycopene than do other organs or tissues. Lycopene acts as a super antioxidant by picking up free radicals in the body. Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals can start a chain reaction. Their primary danger comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if this occurs.

Is there any Research on the Cancer fighting power of Lycopene?

Although more large-scale studies are needed before any definitive conclusions can be made, current research does suggest that lycopene from various tomato products is indeed associated with the lowered risk of several types of cancers. Several published reports are listed below.

Gann et al. 1999 - Cancer Research
The study examined initial plasma caroteniods (including lycopene) of 1872 men in 1982, and then followed them for 13 years. These men were randomly assigned to a placebo group or a group to receive beta-carotene and aspirin supplementation. Of the men studied, 578 developed prostate cancer versus 1294 control subjects. Lycopene was the only antioxidant with a significantly lower average blood level in those men with cancer as compared to those without cancer. In those men not receiving the aspirin and beta carotene, plasma lycopene levels were very strongly related to a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. This study concluded that increased consumption of tomato products and other lycopene-containing foods may reduce the onset of prostate cancer.

Giovannucci 1999 - Journal of the National Cancer Institute
This journal is a review of research studies available regarding cancer risk (not just prostate cancer) and intake of tomato based foods as well as blood lycopene levels. After identifying 72 studies that fit these criteria, it was found that an inverse relationship between tomato intake or blood lycopene levels and cancer risk was reported in 57 of them. Of these 57, it was found that 35 of these inverse relationships were statistically significant. It was also found that cancer protection from lycopene was strongest for prostate, colon and stomach cancers, but also appeared to have some benefit in the treatment of other cancers.

Rao et al. 1999 - Nutrition and Cancer
This study examined plasma and prostate lycopene levels in cancer patients and a control group free of cancer. Though only 12 patients were in each group, significantly lower serum and prostate lycopene levels were found in those with cancer. Levels of other carotenoid substances did not vary between the groups.

Additional Benefits

In addition to fighting cancer, the lycopene found in tomatoes has been associated with better mental activity in old age and a reduced risk of heart disease. A University of Maryland study found that tomatoes might protect the eyes by hampering macular degeneration, a cause of vision loss in older adults.

How do I get Lycopene into my body?

The best source of lycopene intake is through eating tomato-based products. This is more effective than supplementation. You will get the most lycopene through concentrates and processed products such as tomato paste, sauce, soup and canned tomatoes. Heating helps to release lycopene and adding a little light olive oil will increase absorption. Start packing your diet with more tomato based recipes and begin enjoying the cancer fighting power of the mighty tomato.


About the author:
Mike Brooks has been a life long follower and proponent of the fitness lifestyle. Through his avid research, Mr. Brooks has come to the realization that being healthy is a choice and encompasses not only proper diet but also a fitness regimen that includes the mind, body and soul. Mike Brooks is the publisher and editor-in-chief for the health information site http://www.Ultimatehealthreport.com
Copyright 2005 Michael Brooks
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