Cancer Society

What is Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer Author: Karl Dorads

If a person is diagnosed with stage iv pancreatic cancer, this implies that the cancer has spread from the pancreas to distant locations within the body. The locations include the liver, lungs, or organs near the pancreas like the stomach, spleen, or intestines. Stage iv pancreatic cancer is sometimes diagnosed only when the patient has been taken up for surgical exploration of the abdomen. In these cases the diagnosis is given after a pathological examination of the specimen. Let us see what is stage iv pancreatic cancer.

The question what is stage iv pancreatic cancer can be answered in two ways. Patients who have this stage of pancreatic cancer again fall into two groups. There are those in stage iv A where the cancer is limited mainly to the pancreas and may also involve adjacent organs or blood vessels. This si called localized or locally advanced pancreatic cancer. In stage iv B the pancreatic cancer has usually spread to distant organs like the liver or lungs. In this case the cancer is said to be metastatic cancer.

We also need to look at the treatment aspect in what is stage iv pancreatic cancer. The aim of treating patients with stage iv A of cancer is usually to bring a disease free period. The length of the cancer free period may range from months to years. This is not the case in stage iv B. In this stage the aim of treatment is to relieve the patient of cancer pain and to control any other problems he or she may have due to the cancer. The unfortunate part is that stage iv of pancreatic cancer is not really removable by surgery and hence one cannot actually seek a cure in such cases. If surgery is recommended in such cases, it is aimed at reducing the symptoms due to cancer and to give such patients a better quality of life. The recommended line of therapy for this stage of pancreatic cancer is chemotherapy. The standard chemotherapy drug which is used to treat advanced pancreatic cancer is gemcitabine.

While looking at treatment modalities in what is stage iv pancreatic cancer, we should also look at the different approaches available to such patients. The treatment regimen may consist of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, biological therapy, or a combination of these treatment techniques. When two or more techniques are used in combination it is called multi-modality treatment. This mode of treatment has been used by doctors to imporove the patient’s chances of cure or to prolong survival time in case cure is not possible. The general health of the patient, the immunity of the body, and the extent of disease determine what can be the likely cure rate and survival time. The treatment for Stage iv A may include surgery to free the patient of symptoms like jaundice or obstruction of the bowel, chemotherapy, or chemoradiation, which is chemotherapy and radiation delivered together. In stage iv B of the cancer the aim is to kill cancer cells that have spread throughout the body. In such cases chemotherapy is the treatment modality favored.

Types of Sarcoma Author: Karl Dorads

Sarcomas are the malignant tumours of soft tissue and bone. It arises from connective tissue which includes muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves etc. The different types of sarcoma are classified according to the part of the body from which they arise.

People of all ages can develop a sarcoma. However certain types of sarcoma are more prevalent n certain age groups. Hence it would pay to know about the different types of sarcoma so that you can know what to expect if there is chance of the conditions developing inside you. This condition is quite serious and you should always go to a hospital that has prior experience in handling such cases like a sarcoma cancer centre and receive correct sarcoma info.

The different types of sarcoma are Liposarcoma, Fibrosarcoma, myosarcoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, ewing’s sarcoma, Kaposi sarcoma, lymphosarcoma, Soft tissue sarcoma, Uterine sarcoma.

Liposarcoma is arises out of fat and it especially occurs in the thigh. Fibrosarcoma, as the name suggests, arises out of the fibrous tissues. The causes of this type of sarcoma are the same as regular causes of cancer which is due to the mutations within the genes of cells. Myosarcoma arises from the muscle. Osteosarcoma is the cancer of the bone. Chondrosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma are types of bone sarcoma. Chondrosarcoma affect the bone cartilage while Ewing’s sarcoma affects the limb bones through tumours. Kaposi Sarcoma is caused due to a herpesvirus that mainly affects the skin but it can also affect the lymph nodes, internal organs and mucosal areas. Lymphosarcoma is the cancer involving the lymph nodes and the immune system. Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare type of sarcoma that affects the soft tissues of the body which are muscles, nerves, blood vessels and fat. They can occur anywhere is the body and the symptoms in the later stages depend upon the affected region. Uterine sarcoma is another one of the different types of sarcoma which is quite rare and which affects the uterus and other associated area.

As you can see, there are many different types of sarcoma. Each has its own set of symptoms and the affected areas are also different. The area which the sarcoma affects depends upon which organ or which tissue the sarcoma affects. Sarcoma is a complicated disease to cure. The course of any treatment of sarcoma may include surgery, chemotherapy etc. This kind of treatment requires the close collaboration of several health care providers.

Some of the other types of sarcoma are Desmoid tumours, Synovial Sarcoma, Gastrointestinal stromal tumours. As the name suggests, gastrointestinal stromal tumours affect the digestive system. This is different to the other types of sarcoma and hence is treated differently too. Synovial Sarcoma starts in the joints such as knees and elbows and then spreads to the rest of the body. They usually look like huge lumps and are more common in adults who are young. As said before, this type of cancer is serious and requires treatment by experienced doctors or physicians so that the accurate diagnosis can be provided.

Skin Cancer Charts and Graphs Author: Karl Dorads

Cancer is a deadly disease especially when it is not detected early. There is a lot of research going on currently in trying to find possible treatments for curing cancer. These researches are trying to find out the causes of cancer. Once they understand the causes of cancer and the exact process, they can proceed ahead to find a treatment that will possibly negate the causes. Cancer does not occur due to any single factor. There are several factors that contribute to cancer. One of the objectives of these researchers is to isolate these factors and understand them separately as this will allow them to focus on each of these cases separately. By isolating the factors, these researchers are able to find out how much each factor contributes to the cause of cancer. They do this by making various skin cancer charts and graphs that help them quantify this. We shall specifically look at the different causes of skin cancer.

Skin cancer is mainly caused due to UV radiation from the sun. One possible skin cancer charts and graph that emerges from this is to map the number of cancer patients to geographical areas. This exercise has shown many areas where a number of cancer patients were clustered together. This allows the scientists to focus on that particular geographical area and search for possible causes in these regions. In case of skin cancer, the scientists were able to find a direct relation between the amount of exposure to the sun and number of skin cancer patients. In the southern part of North America, the scientists were able to find more number of skin cancer cases than in the northern parts of the continent. This is because the southern part of the continent receives more sunlight than the northern part of the continent. Hence the people residing in the southern part of the continent were more susceptible to skin cancer due to the increased levels of melanoma.

These skin cancer charts and graphs can be further subdivided to correlate with a number of other factors like the number of cancer patients in any particular year, the number of cancer patients in any particular race or ethnicity. Thus researchers are able to generate more conclusions that can eventually lead them to understand the causes of skin cancer. They can identify the missing pieces of the puzzle by analyzing these graphs and fitting the pieces together. This way they will be able to devise treatments for the prevention and control of skin cancer. They say that the present global warming and holes in the ozone layer are some of the reasons why skin cancer is more prevalent now.

These skin cancer charts and graphs are still being studied and the conclusions are being analyzed. There are several factors upon which cancer depends. UV radiation is just one factor from among all the other factors. They say that the present global warming and holes in the ozone layer are some of the reasons why skin cancer is more prevalent now. The Human Genome Project says that cancer is also dependent on the genes and that there are specific gene alterations that go on which eventually causes cancer. By making specific graphs that exhibit this relationship, the researchers will be able to come up with solutions to treat skin cancer. Various graphs depicting these relationships is available in the cancer speciality centres, the internet etc. You can take a look at these graphs to form your own conclusions.

Pancreatic Cancer Survival Time Author: Karl Dorads

Pancreatic cancer is usually a diagnosis which means the survival of the patient is in months or a couple of years. The tumours which originate from the pancreas are locally advanced by the time it is even detected by the usual clinical methods. The tumour may also spread to distant organs in advanced cases. The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are very few and they are seen only when the cancer is locally advanced. This makes the pancreatic cancer survival time much less as compared to other cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, for all stages of pancreatic cancer combined, the one-year relative survival rate is 20%, and the five-year rate is 5%. Even for those with local disease the 5-year relative survival rate is only 16%.

Overall, fewer than 5% of all patients are still alive 5 years after initial diagnosis. The collective median survival time of all patients is 4-6 months. The best predictors of long-term survival after surgery are a tumour diameter of less than 3 cm, no nodal involvement, and negative resection margins. The staging of pancreatic cancer is the best indicator of survival of a patient. The pancreatic cancer survival time depends on the extent to which the cancer has invaded the body. Local or resectable cancer which comprises about ten percent of all cases has the best cancer survival time. In this case the disease is confined only to the pancreas and is clearly separated from the surrounding blood vessels. The treatment options are surgery, and chemotherapy and radiation post operative. The median survival time in this stage is 17 months.

When the patient is in the second stage the cancer is usually so locally advanced that it cannot be removed by surgery. This means the cancer encases or compresses blood vessels which make surgery impossible. The cancer may also invade and destroy the surrounding organs. This stage makes up about 30% of all pancreatic cancer cases. The treatment in this case is usually chemotherapy which is most commonly gemcitabine-based and may be combined with radiation. This type of multi – modality therapy is associated with better survival rates. In very rare instances, cancers that respond well to initial treatment may subsequently be surgically resected. The pancreatic cancer survival time in this case is eight or nine months.

The last stage has the worst pancreatic cancer survival time. This is called the metastatic stage where the cancer is not limited to the surrounding organs but also affects distant ones. The liver is most commonly involved in this stage and the chances of survival in this stage are very bleak. Unfortunately, most cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed in this stage only. Approximately 60% of all pancreatic cancer cases are in the metastatic stage where chemotherapy is the only modality available. Gemcitabine based chemotherapy is the standard treatment in this stage where the median survival time is 4 to 6 months. The therapy also aims at relieving patient symptoms like jaundice or bowel obstruction with surgery and medication to relieve pain.

Genetic Health Ovarian Cancer Author: Karl Dorads

According to recent estimates by the United States government, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer, with an estimated 21,650 new cases in 2008, but is the fifth most deadly, with an estimated 15,520 deaths in 2008. The fact that there is a genetic health – ovarian cancer link has now been established beyond doubt. This is supported by the fact that there is an increased incidence of the cancer among women with a family history of ovarian cancer. Studies conducted on families have proven the existence of predispositions to ovarian cancer. Studies have also led to the identification of several genes as the cause of inherited cancer risk in families.

Reproductive, demographic, and lifestyle factors affect risk of developing ovarian cancer but the biggest ovarian cancer risk factor is a positive family history of the disease. This makes the genetic health ovarian cancer link even stronger. Studies have shown that you have three times more risk of developing ovarian cancer if you have a first – degree relative who has had it. Ovarian cancer has been clinically seen as a component of cancer syndromes which are most strongly associated with ovarian cancer are BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations.

There are some family characteristics which have been seen to predispose members to a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. These characteristics prove the genetic health ovarian cancer link. If a person has a familial predisposition to ovarian cancer , she would develop it at a much earlier age than in cases where no positive family history exists.She would also be prone to developing two or more primary cancers. For example a person with a positive family history of ovarian cancer may also have breast cancer in her lifetime. Predisposed women also have chances of developing other cancers and benign features sometimes.

Let us now look at some other factors which can also affect the genetic health ovarian cancer link. Age is one of the most important factors one must consider. The incidence of malignancy of the ovaries increases from 30 to 50 years. After that the risk increses but not at the same rate. The chances of developing ovarian cancer before the age of thirty is very less even in families with a genetic predisposition. Another important factor to look at is the number of children a woman has borne. Having no children at all is associtated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. This is also true for those who have a genetic predisposition to this cancer.

For women who take fertility drugs and remain childless, the risk of ovarian cancer is high. There is also mounting evidence showing that hormone replacement therapy after menopause is associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Surgeries like hysterectomy are associated with reduced ovarian cancer risk. This is true even for those who have a positive family history. Using oral contraceptives for 4 or more years is associated with an approximately 50% reduction in ovarian cancer risk in the general population.

Mesothelioma – Dealing with Shortness of Breath Author: Thomas Ajava

Mesothelioma is a fairly rare cancer that is associated with exposure to asbestos. The cancer manifests with many different symptoms depending on the stage it is in and the location of the body. In many cases, shortness of breath is one problem, but there are a number of ways to deal with it.

Mesothelioma is somewhat of a catch phrase for a certain type of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It refers to a cancer of the Mesothelioma lining in the upper body. The problem is this lining is found everywhere from the sac surrounding the heart down to the organs in the lower abdomen. As a result, a diagnosis of Mesothelioma around the lower, far right lung is much different then the same diagnosis for the heart.

The vast number of Mesothelioma cases deal with cancer around the lung area. As a result, the lungs are often impacted in a couple of ways. The practical function many be disturbed, but the bigger problem is usually the embedding of small asbestos fibers in the alveoli where the air in the lungs is transferred into the blood. This can lead to shortness of breath for many patients.

Is there anything that can be done for shortness of breath in these situations? Yes. The first is to tell your doctor! He or she may prescribe medication or oxygen assisted breathing sessions to give you relief. You can take some practical steps as well. Meditation and yoga are excellent ideas as they help a person relax, which will reduce the taxation on your lungs. You should also consider sleeping on multiple pillows in an effort to get your head above the plain of your body. This will ease your breathing as well.

There is no cure per se to Mesothelioma, but early discovery can make the difference between living and dying. While the disease is deadly, that doesn’t mean you have to suffer from some of the symptoms. Shortness of breath is one that can be dealt with if you make an effort.

Marinating Red Meats in Alcohol May Cut Cancer Risk Factor Author: Kirsten Whittaker

Meat lovers have been told all to often that regularly eating large quantities of red or processed meats ups your cancer risk factor. This is why so many of us are trying to limit the amount of red meat we take in.

But if you love your steaks, is your only option banning them from your diet forever? Apparently not…

New research appearing in New Scientist magazine suggests that marinating steak in red wine or beer might cut down the number of cancer causing agents produced when these meats are grilled or fried.

The high temperatures associated with frying or grilling are known to change the natural sugars and amino acids in red meats into chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HAs for short).

Earlier work has shown that a marinade of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic cut HA levels in chicken by as much as 90%.

The Portuguese team from the University of Porto conducted this latest study (also published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry) to look at the effectiveness of an alcohol-based marinade. Both beer and red wine were used in the research.

The researchers found that after 6 hours marinating in either beer or wine, two types of HAs were decreased by up to 90%, compared to unmarinated steaks.

Beer worked better on a third type of HA, and cut levels of the substance in just four hours. Wine took 6 hours to achieve this same effect.

The team suspects that the key could be water-retaining sugars that are in the alcohol marinade. These sugars, more abundant in beer than wine, keep water soluble molecules in the steak from moving to the surface where the high heat converts them into HA’s.

In case you’re wondering, the testers preferred the beer marinated steak for smell, taste and overall appearance.

Scientists have actually identified 17 different HAs that come from the high temperature (350ºF or higher) cooking of meats.

Of the four things that influence HA formation, (type of food, cooking method, temperature and time), temperature is most important.

Other sources of protein (milk, eggs, tofu and organ meats) have very little or no HA naturally or when cooked.

Meats that were microwaved for 2 minutes before being cooked had a 90% decrease in HA content. Pouring off any liquid that comes during microwaving causes the final concentration of HA to be reduced.

The way you like your meat cooked is also related to cancer risk.

Another study showed a link between eating cooked meats and stomach cancer, but those who liked meat medium well or well done were three times more likely to have stomach cancer as those who preferred rare or medium rare beef.

Cancers of the bowel, pancreatic and breast cancer have also been associated with red meat.

Of course cancer experts warn against thinking marinades provide protection from the cancer risk in red meat.

Eating less of these meats overall is a good way to reduce your cancer risk factor, as well as being sure that your diet also contains plenty of fruits, veggies and fiber while limiting the amount of red meat and alcohol you take in.

How to detect breast cancer advice from a doctor Author: Mai Brooks

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. In 2009, approximately 194,280 patients are estimated to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and 62,280 with carcinoma in situ. An estimated 40,610 will die of this disease. For a woman of average risk, the lifetime incidence of breast cancer is one in eight.

Screening of asymptomatic women has been accredited for the decline in mortality of breast cancer. The current recommendations from the American Cancer Society for normal-risk women are as follows: 1) Yearly mammogram starting at age 40. The age at which screening should be stopped should be individualized by considering the potential risks and benefits of screening in the context of overall health status and longevity; and 2) Clinical breast exam every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s, and every year for women 40 and older. The evidence to justify mammography for population-based screening is derived from both randomized and several non-randomized clinical trials. Eight randomized trials totalling hundreds of thousands of patients include the Health Insurance Plan of New York, four studies from Sweden, one from the United Kingdom, and two from Canada. The US BCDDP (Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project), the largest study of mammography and clinical breast exam, also demonstrated that screening decreases breast cancer mortality.

During the past decade, advances in mammography include digital techniques and computer-aided detection. Film (non-digital) mammography has been estimated to have approximately 65-80% sensitivity at the desired specificity of 90%. The investigators from the DMIST (Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial) reported that the overall diagnostic accuracy of digital and film mammography is similar. However, digital mammograms are more accurate in women under the age of 50 years, pre-menopausal or peri-menopausal women, and those with radiographically dense breasts. Two years later, another large study compared film mammography with digital mammograms read with computer-aided detection software. The authors found that diagnostic specificity significantly decreases from 90.2% to 87.2% with computer-aided detection, whereas sensitivity does not change. The rate of biopsy increases by 19.7%. Thus, more expensive technology does not necessarily translate into better outcome.

In women at high risk for developing breast cancer, screening may also involve breast ultrasound and/or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). High risk factors include BRCA gene carriers, personal or strong family history of breast cancer, prior atypia such as ADH (atypical ductal hyperplasia) or LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ), and prior chest irradiation. Sonography may be useful in dense breasts. Screening ultrasound can lead to biopsy in 2%-4% of women, of which carcinoma was found in 10%-16% of these biopsies. The ACR Imaging Network trial 6666 is evaluating screening sonography in high-risk women. Breast MRI has also recently been used by clinicians in many high-risk patients. In previous reports, MRI resulted in biopsy in 7%-18% of women, of which breast cancer was detected in 24%-88% of these biopsies. We do not know yet whether ultrasound or MRI decreases breast cancer mortality in high-risk population, beyond that achieved by screening mammography. Currently, breast MRI is also indicated in women with newly diagnosed unilateral breast cancer. A recent publication showed that MRI can detect cancer in the contralateral breast that is missed by mammography and clinical examination in 3.1% of cases. The sensitivity of contralateral breast MRI is 91%, the specificity 88%, and the negative predictive value 99%.

Despite the proven success of breast cancer screening with mammography, many investigators in the US have noted a decline in its use. The NHIS (National Health Interview Survey) estimates from 2005 demonstrated a decline in mammogram screening to 66%, from 70% in 2000. This may unfortunately explain the reported decrease in the incidence of breast cancer, i.e. the discovery of new breast cancer.

Decoding Cancer – Has Science Discovered The Answer? Author: Ruth Webster

Cancer is caused by the alteration of a cells DNA, leading to cellular dysfunction. Altered cells replicate aggressively resulting in tumors which grow relentlessly invading their surroundings. Eventually healthy cells can be choked out, resulting in system failure and ultimately death.

Cancer can be caused by a variety of factors relating to genetics, environment, or diet. A normally functioning immune system will eliminate cancerous cells, but a weakened immune system can allow cancer to gain a foothold.

Therefore a proper functioning immune system is imperative in eliminating a cancerous growth, as well as preventing a tumor from forming. But for the immune system to function properly our cells must be able to communicate efficiently.

Every day we produce hundreds of thousands of cancerous cells, but a healthy immune system easily recognizes and disposes of the problem cells. Its only when the immune system fails to recognize or eliminate these cells that cancer becomes a problem.

Glycobiolgy is the study of a group of saccharides, called glyconutrients, that are essential for proper bodily function. Researchers have found that every cell in our body communicates by using a combination of 8 glyconutrients. If a person is missing any of these important glyconutrients, the cells cannot communicate properly. Therefore a growing body of research indicates that glycobiolgy may hold the key to empowering the immune system in its struggle against cancer.

The United States and Australia spend more on healthcare than many other nations on the earth and yet they rank 37th and 32nd respectively in overall health. Despite spending large amounts of money combating sickness the statistics show we are losing the battle with ageing and disease. For example, cancer accounts for nearly one quarter of deaths in the United States exceeded only by heart diseases. It is estimated that about 1.5 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed and over 500 000 deaths from cancer are projected in the United States in 2009. What has gone wrong?

Science has now revealed a causative link between diet and disease. Too much processed, sucrose-laden food combined with a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables, plays a primary role in this epidemic. In 2002 the American Medical Association, for the first time in history, began instructing doctors to suggest nutritional supplementation to all patients. Dietary deficiencies has contributed to a 30% decline in the function of the typical persons immune system over the past several decades and this deterioration continues at a rate of nearly 3% per year.

My husband, Richard, through conventional means overcame cancer in 1990 but his doctor warned him the factors which caused the cancer in the first place still remain, diet and stress being two major contributors. She impressed upon him the importance of addressing these issues if he wanted to avoid a recurrence. Now, at the age of 46 he is still going strong having had no recurrences.

Research has shown that glyconutritional supplementation can radically improve the immune systems ability to rid the body of malfunctioning cancerous cells.

You can join the thousands of people who are utilizing these 8 essential saccharides to give the immune system the raw materials that it needs to fight its battle fully armed.

Skin Cancer Prevention through Protective Clothing Author: David B Gardner

More and more people are becoming aware that over exposure to the sun can have serious consequences for their health. It is known that the ultraviolet rays from the sun can often cause painful sunburn and skin damage, which includes premature aging and skin cancer. The need to use sun protective clothing is an important defense in the prevention of skin cancer.

Many people believe that wearing their normal summer clothing protects the body from UV radiation damage. However, new research from the Morehouse School of Medicine shows that normal summer clothing may not have sufficient protective qualities to protect the body from the sun’s damaging rays. Ultraviolet protection provided by any fabric depends upon:

* Weave: Tighter weave is better

* Color: Dark colors absorb more UV radiation

* Weight of Fabric: Heavier is better

* Stretch: Less stretch is better

* Wetness: Fabrics that stay dry are better

Using a sunscreen SPF 15+ (Sun Protective Factor) can help in protecting the exposed parts of the body although, in practice, people do not usually apply sufficient amounts of sunscreen or reapply as often as recommended.

Wearing clothing with a UPF30 (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) that follows industry standards will protect the wearer against 97% of harmful UV rays. What is the difference between SPF and UPF? SPF is a rating used for sunscreens and UPF is a rating used for clothing. For more information on UV rays please visit: http://www.arpansa.gov.au

It is important to understand that many factors affect the intensity of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. The season, time of day, cloud cover, smog, shade, the skin’s melanin content (lighter skins have less protection) and geographical latitude. It is also important to have sensible exposure to the sun to synthesize vitamin D within our bodies, not only for bone health, but overall health and well being.

To protect yourself against the sun’s destructive radiation and skin cancer, practice good prevention measures for sun protection:

1. Minimize exposure to the sun when it is at its strongest

2. Use a sunscreen with an SPF 15 or over

3. Wear UV Protective Clothing with a certified UPF label

4. Wear a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses that have a certified UPF

5. Consider using a vitamin D supplement

Say no to skin cancer. Avoid putting yourself at risk of painful sunburn, skin damage, premature aging and skin cancer. Wear fashionable, stylish certified UPF sun protective clothing. For more information on sun protective clothing Visit http://www.uv-protective-clothing.com