Cancer Society

How Do You Manage the Common Side Effects of Mesothelioma Radiotherapy? Author: Bello kamorudeen

The commonest forms of mesothelioma cancer are pleural{chest}mesothelioma and abdominal mesothelioma.They are usually treated by a combination of surgery ,chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These are some of commonly encountered side effects of radiotherapy treatment:

Side effects of chest radiotherapy

Radiation treatment to the chest in the treatment of pleural mesothelioma may cause swallowing problems, cough, or shortness of breath. You should inform your doctor if you notice any of these side effects.

Other side effects may include breast soreness and swelling from fluid build-up in the treated area. These side effects most likely will go away a month or 2 after you finish radiation therapy. If fluid build-up continues to be a problem (a condition called lymphedema), ask your doctor what steps you can take.

Skin in the treated area may turn red or get darker. This will most likely fade 1 or 2 months after you finish the radiotherapy treatment.
When radiation treatments include the chest area, the lungs can be affected. One early change is a decrease in the levels of surfactant, the substance that helps keep the air passages open. This keeps the lungs from fully expanding, and may cause shortness of breath or cough. These symptoms are sometimes treated with steroids.

A possible late effect of radiation to the lungs is fibrosis (stiffening or scarring). When this happens, the lungs can no longer fully inflate and take in air. If a large area of the lungs is treated with radiation, these changes can cause shortness of breath and less tolerance for physical activity.

Side effects of abdominal radiotherapy.

If you are having radiation treatment to the stomach or some part of the abdomen (belly) for the treatment of abdominal mesothelioma, you may experience symptoms of vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea. Your doctor can give you medicines to help relieve these symptoms. You might also consider the use of home remedies, but make sure you discuss with your health team about these home remedies before taking them.

Managing nausea

You could feel nauseated a few hours right after completion of radiation therapy. If you are experiencing this symptom it is better that you do not take any meal several hours before you commence treatment. You may be able to handle the treatment better on an empty stomach. After treatment, you may want to wait 1 to 2 hours before eating. If the problem persists, ask your doctor about medicines to prevent and treat nausea. Be sure to take the medicine as prescribed.

If you notice nausea before your treatment, eat a bland snack, such as toast or crackers, and try to relax as much as possible. Here are some tips to help an upset stomach:

Stick to any special diet your doctor or dietitian gives you.

Eat small meals.

Eat often and try to eat and drink slowly.

Avoid fatty and fried foods.

Drink cool liquids between meals.

Avoid meals that have a strong aroma, and eat meals that are served cool or at room temperature.

For a severe upset stomach, try a clear liquid diet (broth and juices) or bland foods that are easy to digest, such as dry toast and gelatin.

Learn deep breathing and relaxation techniques, and try them when you feel nauseated.

How to manage diarrhea

Diarrhea usually starts a few weeks after starting radiation therapy. Your doctor may prescribe medicine or give you special instructions to help with the problem. Your doctor may also recommend that you modify your diet in the following ways:

Try a clear liquid diet (water, weak tea, apple juice, peach nectar, clear broth, popsicles, and plain gelatin) as soon as diarrhea starts or when you feel it is going to start.

Avoid foods that are high in fiber or can cause gas or cramps, such as raw fruits and vegetables, coffee, beans, cabbage, whole grain breads and cereals, sweets, and spicy foods.

Avoid taking large meals, it is better you take light frequent meals instead.

If taking of milk and milk products irritate your bowels, the avoid taking them.

Once the diarrhea starts resolving, eat small amounts of low-fiber foods such as rice, bananas, applesauce, yogurt, mashed potatoes, low-fat cottage cheese, and dry toast.

Take food that are rich in potassium (bananas, potatoes, apricots, peaches), this mineral is lost from the body through diarrhea.

Diet planning is an important part of radiation treatment of the stomach and abdomen. Most of these symptoms will abate once treatment is over. In the meantime, try to pack the highest possible food value into even small meals so you get enough calories, vitamins, and minerals.

Cancer Prevention Through The Antioxidants Author: mildred

Antioxidants are basically substances or compounds like vitamin C, vitamin E, or beta carotene that protects the body cells from the negative effect of oxidation. Food like cherries, strawberry, red grape, sunflower seeds, spices, coffee minus milk, blackberry, blueberry, walnuts and ginger have these antioxidants in good quantities. However, a word of caution here is that after consuming any of these foods above, one should not drink milk. As the milk has the property of cutting the positive effects of the antioxidants.

Cancer is one deadly disease that is ruling beyond the control of medical science. Not that there is no break through, there is. However, that is not substantial enough to find a clear cure for cancer. Scientists all over the world are working day in and out to find that way with which they would be able to defeat this monster. However, the success rate is not very promising. Though there are researches going on all around the globe, the wisest thing is to stick with the saying prevention is better than cure.

One way of looking at the situation is that every one is exposed to be a victim of cancer. Hence, its for every one to look out for preventive measure that could save once from falling prey to this monster. Antioxidants are discovered as an effective measure to escape this disease.

In todays busy life there are substitutes for every thing. In case you are not ale to get hands on these to include them as a part of your daily meal on regular basis then you must start taking antioxidant supplements. These antioxidant supplements are noting but antioxidant being provided in an artificial form. They have the same effect as you would have taken these antioxidants through the natural foods mentioned above.

Consuming antioxidant supplements or taking antioxidant rich food is the least that we could be doing for our body, to save it from the potential danger of cancer.

Mesothelioma The Next Level of Treatment Author: Thomas Ajava

Mesothelioma is a rare, but very difficult form of cancer to treat. A diagnosis can often lead to a fatality within a year or two. Current forms of treatment meet with intermittent success, which is why many Mesothelioma patients consider more radical steps.

Mesothelioma is a cancer most associated with exposure to asbestos particles in the air. The particles are breathed into the lungs and become trapped in the area where the air is converted into oxygen in the blood. Over a long period of time, the lining of the lungs, the mesothelium, can be infested with cancerous tumors that can spread throughout the chest and abdomen.

The current treatment for Mesothelioma involves a three prong approach. The most common step taken is to pursue the surgical removal of infected areas. This is supported by radiotherapy wherein waves of radiation are shot into the infected area in an attempt to kill cancer cells and reduce tumor sizes. A third step involves chemotherapy in which anti-cancer drugs are often introduces intravenously to the blood stream in an attempt to also kill cancer cells.

The success rates of these three treatments are not great for Mesothelioma. They are effective, but the disease is usually discovered at such a late stage that no much can be done. Given this, many Mesothelioma patients turn to more aggressive approaches, particular clinical trials of other drugs.

The National Cancer Institute sponsors clinical trials on a host of treatments for all kinds of cancer. Mesothelioma certainly is one. As we speak, new drugs and treatments are being tested on the cancer. Some will work. Some will not. Faced with terminal cancer, many Mesothelioma patients are ready to roll the dice and rightly so.

If you, a friend or loved one has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, clinical trials may offer you the best possible treatment option. Your first step is to discuss trials with your doctor. You can then review possible trials at the website of the National Cancer Institute. Mesothelioma is sufficiently rare that you should be able to partake in just about any trial being undertaken. When things look very gloomy, such trials can be a source of hope.

Best self prostate massage is feasible for the patients? Author: ertweryt

“At home, self prostate massage may be the treatment of chronic prostatitis.”

Many patients said . Best self prostate massage can be done at home?

Best self-massage prostate for the treatment of chronic prostatitis does have a certain effect, but not everyone can afford it, if with the blind massage, maybe it will add to illness.

Prostate massage therapy is through regular prostate massage, to drainage of prostate fluid, Discharge inflammatory substances to achieve the lifting of the prostate secretion of fluid accumulation, Improve local blood circulation, promote inflammation absorbed and dissipated as a complementary therapy.

Because most patients with chronic prostatitis have old, small, middle-aged ,with a bunch of Shier, taking the time to go to the hospital with a week specialized massage for many patients, not realistic.

So some of the patients are with self-massage at home.

In fact, for prostate body plump, soft, discharge more patients, self-massage is regarded as a simple and effective method.

However, the following situations would be inappropriate massage:

Suspected of being prostate tuberculosis, cancer patients; acute exacerbation of chronic prostatitis; prostate atrophy or sclerosis.

In self-massage , it should be noted, found that if with prostate tenderness evident capsule sexy increase, we must promptly to the hospital.

The Prostate Self Massage therapy is just an adjunct treatment, can not completely replace other therapies.

After massage if patients with immediately urination, which can survive in inflammatory secretions of the urethra with urine.

Massage is more meticulous and for the accuracy of the strength and position, if these two are not in place, efficacy obviously will be much less. Patients who is with self-massage should be with doctors to communicate adequately.

what affects psa test? Author: ertweryt

What affects psa test on earth?

We know that PSA mainly by the prostate gland has differentiated columnar epithelium secreting cells, prostate inflammation can destroy the prostate ductal and the original integrity of physical barriers,

Within the duct and acinar PSA leaking into the blood circulation, so that some of prostatitis patients showed increased serum PSA phenomenon.

Therefore, many scholars of the studies have shown that elevated serum PSA or PSAD in damage primarily to the degree of prostate tissue,

With the degree of inflammation within the prostate, and which is not directly related to,although the degree of prostate inflammation may be associated with prostate tissue injury.

We found that ? A type of serum PSA levels in patients with prostatitis was significantly higher than the normal control group.

With the increase in the number of EPS in the WBC, serum PSA level gradually increased,

But there is no significant difference, which may be due to fewer cases of this observation, but haven’t been found the differences between the two.

The PSA level is related to the prostate volume, age, race, reagents, biopsy, and many other factors.

There is a wide range of different findings, some of which are mutually contradictory, and research is also related to differences in methods and patient selection.

However, now widely been recognized that not all patients with prostatitis had serum PSA levels appear higher.

Because prostatitis can increase serum PSA in the absence of any clinical symptoms, serum PSA levels were significantly higher in men, almost half have evidence of the existence of prostate tissue inflammation, which can cause clinical infection also increased serum PSA levels.

Therefore, elevated serum PSA levels of men, first of all a simple and convenient routine screening for the existence of prostatitis is needed, in particular, to see if whether there is no clinical symptoms of prostatitis.

After a clear diagnosis of prostatitis, you can provide an effective anti-infection treatment, allowing a gradual reduction of serum PSA levels, which can be extended to prostate biopsy,.

Repeated or not repeated prostate biopsy, or no need for biopsy. This will not only improve diagnosis of prostate cancer, prostate PSA and the degree of tissue injury has some relevance, The prostatic epithelial cells in the extent of damage and the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration, EPS microscopy in the number of WBC may reflect the extent of this infiltration, thus indirectly reflects the degree of glandular infringement.

Therefore, the number of WBC in EPS and serum PSA levels have a certain correlation, and confirmed by clinical practice.

And that’s what affects psa test.

But it is not clear for the serum PSA levels and the relationship between the number of WBC in EPS, because these two effects is with the same type of receptor generated.

Impact of Radon Causing Lung Cancer Author: Alex White

We all know that smoking kills, but what many dont realize is that it is exposure to Radon that causes the lung cancer that inflicts most smokers, and is the single greatest factor of lung cancer in non-smokers. The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of the Surgeon General have estimated that radon causes as many as 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Lung cancer induced by Radon costs over $2 billion dollars every year in direct and indirect healthcare costs.

What is Radon?

In laymans terms, Radon is a radioactive gas that causes cancer. Though Radon traces might be present in your home, you cannot see, smell or taste it.

If you smoke and your home has high levels of radon, your risk of developing Lung Cancer is very high. Children are more sensitive toRadon because of their high respiration rate and rapidly dividing cells. They are more vulnerable to damage caused by radiation.

The US EPA says that 1 in 3 homes that were checked in seven states had Radon screening levels of over 4 pCi/L, which is the recommended level for safe Radon exposure. Though there is no safe level for Radon exposure, it is agreed that the risk of death due to Radon at 4 pCi/l is approximately 1 in 100. The alpha radiation that Radon emits is the same as that emitted by radiation sources like Plutonium.

The statistics are terrifying. If a home has radon levels of 4 pCi/l or greater, it is equivalent to the family being exposed to 35 times as much radiation as allowed by the National Regulatory Commission, if they were standing next to a fenced radioactive waste site. A school student spending 8 hours per day in a classroom with 4 pCi/l of Radon receives almost 10 times as much radiation as allowed at the edge of a nuclear power plant.

How does it get to us?

Radon occurs naturally as a radioactive gas, it comes from the natural breakdown of Uranium. The radio active decay of Uranium causes Radon to be present in igneous rock and soil, and even in water in some cases.

Humans are exposed to Radon through ingestion and inhalation. Radon that is present in the ground, water or building materials can enter living and working spaces and disintegrate. High radon concentrations in groundwater can contribute to exposure through ingestion, but inhalation of radon as it is released from water is typically more important.

Testing for Radon

Testing for Radon is the only way in which you can know the Radon levels present in your home. You can hire someone to get your home tested for Radon; there are also simple test kits for about $20 that are available at hardware stores. These kits are normally to be placed in the lowest living area of the home; they should be left in place for a few days and then sent to the manufacturer who then reports back with a radon level reading.

Cruciferous Vegetables, Cancer Beater – a Real Cancer Prevention Diet Author: Kirsten Whittaker

If you smoke, or ever have, and you eat lots of broccoli (or other cruciferous veggies such as cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens or collard greens), you might be doing yourself a great favor in terms of lung cancer. This according to research just presented at the American Association of Cancer Research meeting held last week in Washington D.C. by a team from Roswell Park Cancer Institute of Buffalo, NY when they concluded cruciferous vegetables can helpful as part of a cancer prevention diet.

Li Tang, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and colleagues conducted a hospital-based, case-controlled study of lung cancer cases matched with smoking status controls.

The study wasn’t focused on broccoli alone, but allowed for eating all the commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables – in either their raw or cooked forms. The study found that among smokers – and especially former smokers – higher intake of cruciferous vegetables was associated with a lower risk of lung cancer. Smokers who ate raw veggies saw the most benefit.

Researchers divided their findings into four subtypes of lung cancer. The strongest risk reduction was seen among subjects with squamous or small-cell carcinoma, the two types most strongly associated with heavy smoking.

“Broccoli is not a therapeutic drug, but for smokers who believe they cannot quit nor do anything about their risk, this is something positive,” Tang said. “People who quit smoking will definitely benefit more from intake of cruciferous vegetables.”

The percentage of Americans who smoke has fallen below 20% for the first time since the mid 1960s. If you smoke and you’re concerned about lung cancer risk, first and foremost, you need to stop. Get help quitting from support groups, nicotine replacement therapy, hypnosis or the variety of medications now available. If you have the will (or even if you’re not sure you do) getting cigarettes out of your life for good can save you not only money, but help you take solid, real-world steps to improve your health, today and over the long haul as well.

When you do quit, your lung capacity goes up and your bronchial tubes relax which makes breathing easier. Not only this, the poisonous carbon monoxide in your blood goes down so that your blood can carry more oxygen. Of course your sense of smell, the discoloration of your teeth, fingers and clothing will also improve noticeably. Best of all, the second hand smoke you’re sending into the environment will be eliminated – a healthy gift to everyone around you.

If you’re trying to quit, or can’t quite get there yet… eat as many of the cruciferous veggies as you enjoy from the list above, especially in their raw state as heating damages an important enzyme thought to activate the cancer fighting properties.

Earlier work released in February 2008 backed up these findings with results showing that compounds called isothiocyanates from these veggies could have cancer fighting properties. The research was on bladder cancer and supported animal studies that suggest broccoli and the other cruciferous vegetables have some cancer protecting abilities. Another study, out in July 2008, suggested a link between men who ate broccoli four times a week and a protective effect against prostate cancer.

So the real story here is that we should all try to increase our consumption of cruciferous vegetables whether we smoke or not as part of a cancer prevention diet.

Curative Treatment Radical prostatectomy and seminal vesiclectomy Author: ertweryt

Radical prostatectomy is recommended as the first-line treatment for organ-confined prostate cancer in patients with an individual life expectancy of at least 10 years.Curative Treatment Radical prostatectomy and seminal vesiclectomy is still the ideal method of obtaining this object.

Although relatively few radical prostatectomies were originally done because of the unfamiliarity of most people with the perineal approach to the prostate, this operation has become more common now since Millen reintroduced the retropubic approach.

Radiotherapy can be considered as an alternative treatment modality, although current knowledge does not allow a definite assessment of the relative value of radiotherapy compared to radical prostatectomy.

Basically I feel that this is a more satisfactory method of doing the operation. One is able to remove a considerably larger amount of tissue, including any extension up into the seminal vesicles and perivesicular tissue. Also, in my hands, there is less postoperative incontinence by the retropubic technique than there was by the perineal

Injecting the prostate either perineally or suprapubically, or trans vesically, with colloidal solutions of radioactive gold or radioactive chromic phosphate, although at first giving very favorable promise, has gradually lost its glamour. In the large carcinomatous prostate too much gold or chromic phosphate has to be introduced-too much destruction of tissue is obtained and the carcinoma is not entirely destroyed.

Recently however much better results have been obtained by first doing a transurethral resection of most of the prostatic carcinoma, leaving only a shell of carcinomatous prostate which can then be more adequately infiltrated with one of these radioactive products.

Cancer of the Urinary Bladder Author: ertweryt

Cancer of the bladder is not one of neoplastic disease, but a group of various cancers of different histologic patterns with different natural histories and pathologic behaviors. As a consequence of the above, different forms of treatment become necessary, depending upon different individual circumstances. Apart from the biologic behavior tendencies of cancer of the bladder, another unique characteristic is that the bladder serves the essential function of storage of urine so that if it becomes necessary to sacrifice the bladder by surgery, provision for urinary storage must be made. To date all such provisions are makeshifts.

Furthermore, cancer of the bladder, apart from threatening the patient’s health and existence by local extension and distant metastases, is potentially lethal through secondary effect of damaging kidney function by ureteral obstruction with concomitant infection. And finally, not only recurrences of the original tumor, but the occurence of other tumors from oci, represent another undesirable characteristic.

For many years bladder tumors have been classified on the basis of their cystoscopic appearance. There are the multiple, small, benign papillary type of tumor which should be regarded as a Grade I carcinoma, for eventually these tumors may become invasive. Next there is the second type of tumor with a broad base and cauliflower-like appearance which is a malignant papilloma and usually infiltrating. Then there is the third type, an ulcerative lesion, which is quite frequently a squamous cell carcinoma.

Recently it has been suggested that all bladder tumors should be classified, not upon their appearance under the microscope, but rather upon the extent of their invasion through the wall of the bladder:
1.Those growing superficially on the bladder mucosa.
2.those that have become invasive and the invasion has been limited to the tunica propria.
3.those that have invaded into the muscular wall of the bladder.
4.those that have invaded all the way through the wall of the bladder and finally,
5.those with metastatic growth outside the bladder.

Breast Cancer in African Americans Author: Alex White

Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a traumatic experience for any woman. It was no different for Rosamond Stallings, a 45 year old African American woman, as the physician broke the bad news to her. An immediate mastectomy was advised as six malignant tumors were found. Rosamond feared she may not be able to see her children grow up or her grandchild celebrate his birthdays.

Recent studies reveal a chilling fact that more than 30 percent of breast cancer patients do not receive comprehensive treatment. African American women were also found to be 10 percent less likely than white women to receive the right treatment. A team of doctors at the Columbia University Medical Center are looking into why the discrepancy occurs.

Studies that have already been published show that African American women have more aggressive tumors and they are also less responsive to treatment. Socio-economic factors also play a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. An African American woman who is poor or is uninsured may not be able to get the diagnosis early enough for the treatment to be effective. For cancer, early detection offers the best chance for cure. Initiating treatment at an advanced stage may not be fruitful. Since socio-economic factors impede regular screening, diagnosis and prompt treatment of the cancer, African American women do poorly when cancer survival rates are computed.

The lack of referrals to medical oncologists, miscommunication and cultural differences between patients and physicians are also being looked at as part of the study. There are also variations in the metabolism of chemotherapy and the physical tolerance of therapy. Since African American women have the highest rate of Breast Cancer than any other group of women under the age of fifty, physicians are of the opinion that instead of waiting till forty years of age to initiate the routine mammograms, African American women should start earlier.

A mammogram will detect any abnormality and routine screening will identify any signs that should be of concern early enough to start immediate treatment and complete cure of the disease. The healthcare system also needs to focus on developing and perfecting other means of cancer detection that are more dependable than mammograms.

Awareness about breast cancer is also important in combating this disease. Women have to proactively understand their family history of cancer and can opt for genetic testing and counseling if they are at high risk.

Better awareness, regular screening and early detection of breast cancer can ensure that this disease does not become fatal.