Here once more to deliver information you might on treatment removal for kidney cancer.

This reaserch was done for you out of love and to give the best information out there.

If you have found this info interensting you might be interested in reading more about the cancer remover program

Staging

To plan the best treatment, the doctor needs to know the stage (extent) of the disease. The stage is based on the size of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to what parts of the body.

Staging may involve imaging tests such as an ultrasound or a CT scan. The doctor also may use an MRI. For this test, a powerful magnet linked to a computer makes detailed pictures of organs and blood vessels.

Doctors describe kidney cancer by the following stages:

• Stage I is an early stage of kidney cancer. The tumor measures up to 2 3/4 inches (7 centimeters). It is no bigger than a tennis ball. The cancer cells are found only in the kidney.

• Stage II is also an early stage of kidney cancer, but the tumor measures more than 2 3/4 inches. The cancer cells are found only in the kidney.

• Stage III is one of the following: The tumor does not extend beyond the kidney, but cancer cells have spread through the lymphatic system to one nearby lymph node; or The tumor has invaded the adrenal gland or the layers of fat and fibrous tissue that surround the kidney, but cancer cells have not spread beyond the fibrous tissue. Cancer cells may be found in one nearby lymph node; or The cancer cells have spread from the kidney to a nearby large blood vessel. Cancer cells may be found in one nearby lymph node.

• Stage IV is one of the following: The tumor extends beyond the fibrous tissue that surrounds the kidney; or Cancer cells are found in more than one nearby lymph node; or The cancer has spread to other places in the body such as the lungs.

• Recurrent cancer is cancer that has come back (recurred) after treatment. It may come back in the kidney or in another part of the body.

Treatment

Many people with kidney cancer want to take an active part in making decisions about their medical care. They want to learn all they can about their disease and their treatment choices. However, shock and stress after the diagnosis can make it hard to think of everything they want to ask the doctor. It often helps to make a list of questions before an appointment. To help remember what the doctor says, people may take notes or ask whether they may use a tape recorder. Some also want to have a family member or friend with them when they talk to the doctor-to take part in the discussion, to take notes, or just to listen.

The doctor may refer the patient to a specialist, or the patient may ask for a referral. Specialists who can give the best treatment removal for kidney cancer include doctors who specialize in diseases of the urinary system (urologists) and doctors who specialize in cancer (medical oncologists and radiation oncologists).

Thanks again for taking time and reading, and remember there is always hope.

All the best.

Bone cancers are rare forms of cancer that can affect any bone in the body. Two types of bone cancer are multiple myeloma and bone sarcomas. Bone cancers can also happen when tumors that start in other organs, such as breasts, lung, and prostate, metastasize (spread) to the bone. Multiple myeloma is the most common type of bone cancer. Basic information about Bone cancer symptoms and treatment.

Blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, MIRs and ultrasound can all be used in the diagnosis of bone cancer and cancer of the bone marrow. Ultimately however, only a bone biopsy can provide a definitive diagnosis. By examining a sample of tissue, a Pathologist can determine whether cancer is present and how fast it’s growing, crucial information in determining the best course of treatment.

Types of Bone Cancer: Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer. It rarely occurs in adults older than 25 years old. Osteosarcoma is usually found in the bones of the arms, legs and pelvis, and in bones that grow rapidly, such as the shoulders and knees.

Ewing’s sarcoma is commonly found in children ages 4 to 15, and is rare in adults older than 30. It is an aggressive cancer typically found in the center of the long bones of the arms and legs.

Chondrosarcoma is found in cartilage cells and accounts for about 25 percent of bone tumors, making it the second most common type. Unlike most other bone cancers, it is most common in people older than 40. It is typically found in the large bones of the hips and pelvis.

Bone Cancer Symptoms:

• Pain
• Swelling or tenderness of the joints
• Fractures
• Fatigue, fever, weight loss, anemia
• Bone dysplasia with medullary fibrosarcoma
• Eosinophilic granuloma
• Multiple Myeloma

The symptoms of bone cancer vary from one person to another according to the location and size of the bone cancer. Pain is one of the most common bone cancer symptoms. Generally, there is a gradual increase in the severity of the symptoms with time. At first, the pain may only be felt with activity or at night.

These are common types of Bone Cancer Treatment:

Surgery

How bone cancer is treated depends on the type of tumor, how aggressive it is, the location of the tumor and whether or not the cancer has spread to other areas of the body. Options include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, or a combination of the three.
Risks include infection, damage to surrounding muscles, nerves and blood vessels, and recurrence of the cancer. Patients are often prescribed a course of physical therapy after surgery to help them regain full use and strength in the limb where the tumor was removed.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is administered by an oncologist, and comprises a series of powerful intravenous drug treatments aimed at stopping and reversing the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy is often used before surgery to shrink the tumor, making surgery less invasive. After surgery, it is used as a safeguard to kill any remaining cancer cells. The drugs kill cancer cells, but also affect hair, digestive tract cells and blood-forming cells. Loss of hair, nausea, loss of appetite, anemia and low energy are common side effects of chemotherapy. These side effects usually go away quickly after chemotherapy stops. Chemotherapy patients are sometimes referred to nutritionists to help with the anemia and loss of appetite.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is administered by a radiation oncologist, and comprises a series of high-energy X-rays aimed at the site of the tumor. This treatment is given in small doses over several days, sometimes months. The most common side effects are loss of appetite, fatigue and damage to the skin and other soft tissue at the site of the treatment. Patients who undergo surgery near the site of radiation therapy sometimes are slow to heal because of damage to the blood vessels at the site. Most side effects go away quickly after radiation therapy is over, but problems with slow healing may persist.

Using known risk factors for breast cancer, mathematical models can be developed to help answer important questions.  These mathematical models are useful tools for researchers and for patients as follows:

• 1. Research on risk factors – The Claus risk assessment model was used to discover the subpopulation of people who had an autosomal dominant genetic allele that increased their risk from 10% to 92%. This led to the discovery of the BRCA genes associated with breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer.
• 2. Clinical trial eligibility – The Gail risk assessment model was developed to help researchers determine who to enroll in the NSAPB Breast Cancer Prevention Trials

where chemoprevention was shown to reduce breast cancer risk.

• 3. Guidelines for doing BRCA testing – BRCA testing is very expensive and practically worthless if done on everyone (because it is so rare to be homozygous for BRCA1 or BRCA2). Mathematical models such as the BRCAPRO, BOADICEA, and Tyrer-Cuzick models can help determine what patients should undergo BRCA testing. The decision for testing is usually made when one of these models predicts a 10% or greater chance that there is a mutation of the BRCA1, BRCA2, or both genes.
• 4. Guidelines for doing MRI screening for breast cancer - MRI screening for breast cancer is not a cost effective screening test for the general population, but in specific groups, there are clear cut reasons to do so. In general, screening MRI is recommended for women with 20-25% or greater lifetime risk of breast cancer. The BRCAPRO and Tyrer-Cuzick models have been used to help make clinical decisions about ordering MRIs for breast cancer screening.
• 5. Guidelines for breast cancer therapy - The Gail model is used clinically to help

determine who should be put on tamoxifen or raloxifene for chemoprevention.  Other models have been used to help make decisions about breast cancer risk reduction with prophylactic mastectomy.

For these reasons, it is important to understand these models.  These models are collectively refered to as “risk assessment tools”.  The following paragraphs summarize the most popular and most widely used risk assessment tools.  Keep in mind that none of these risk assessment tools apply to breast cancer survivors.  No mathematical model has been widely accepted to determine cancer risk in cancer survivors. 

General Risk Assessment Tools

Gail Model:  The Gail model is a validated risk-assessment model that focuses primarily on nonhereditary risk factors, with limited information on family history.  It was developed by scientists at the National Cancer Institute and the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) to assist health care providers in discussing breast cancer risk to determine their eligibility for the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial.  The tool allows one to project a woman’s individual estimate of breast cancer risk over a five-year period of time and over her lifetime.  It also compares the woman’s risk calculation with the average risk for a woman of the same age.  The Gail Model is an on-line quiz that has 13 questions and is interactive.  This calculator is based on published risk statistics and methods gathered from peer-reviewed journals, and has been extensively tested for its validity. 

The major limitation of the Gail model is the inclusion of only first-degree relatives, which results in underestimating risk in the 50% of families with cancer in the paternal lineage and also takes no account of the age of onset of breast cancer.  It may underestimate risk in certain groups, such as obese patients.

National Cancer Institute Model:  The NCI risk assessment tool is essentially a simplified Gail Model that also factors in race.  Race is a factor in determining breast cancer risk but is excluded when determining eligibility for clinical trials.  This tool is probably the most popular risk assessment tool available to the public as an on-line, interactive risk calculator.  The on-line quiz is a shorter, nine-point questionnaire that includes multiple factors, giving a woman her future five-year risk of breast cancer and her lifetime risk of breast cancer.

The NCI tool does not account for a lot of risk factors that can be modified.  For this reason, it is difficult to use this test as a motivation tool to show people how lifestyle can alter their risk of breast cancer.  It also cannot be used in breast cancer survivors, in patients with DCIS, LCIS, or people who carry one of the BRCA genes.

BRCAPRO model:  This is a statistical model available as a computer program that uses two different algorithms to evaluate family history and helps a doctor determine the likelihood of finding either a BRCA1 mutation or a BRCA2 mutation in a family.  The results of this can be used to determine if BRCA testing is indicated.  This is very useful in light of the high cost of BRCA testing ($3,000).  None of the nonhereditary risk factors can yet be incorporated into the model, however.  In a comparison of four different methods for estimating breast cancer risk in patients with a family history of breast cancer, the BRCAPRO model was the least accurate.  It predicted only 49% of the breast cancers that actually occurred in the screened group of patients with a family history of breast cancer.

Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention Risk Assessment Tool:  This is another breast cancer risk assessment tool that includes more lifestyle factors than the NCI or Gail Model tools.  It has not been studied as extensively as the Gail Model or the simplified NCI model, but it is promising in that it includes many lifestyle factors that people can do to modify their risk of developing cancer.  It is also an on-line questionnaire that can be used by both women and men to estimate their breast cancer risk.

Making all this practical

          Now after a thorough and confusing discussion of all these statistical models, it’s time to make all this information practical.  What is the best way to help a patient accurately assess her risk of breast cancer and if possible, show her what positive factors are reducing her risk and what negative factors can be changed to reduce her risk?  If possible, it would also be great to show the patient the value and indications for testing, imaging, chemoprevention, and in some cases surgery.  A discussion of the practical aspect of each of these is addressed in a Q & A format below:

Q: What (free) online programs can be used to help a patient assess their risk of breast cancer?

A: Several of the risk assessment tools mentioned above can be accessed for free by the public. Here are the tests and their websites:

• 1. Your Disease Risk – English version: http://www.diseaseriskindex.harvard.edu

This is a great interactive questionnaire that calculates five-year and lifetime risk of breast cancer developed by the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention and made public online in 2000.  In 2005, they launched the Spanish version of the site, “Cuidar de su Salud”.  The risk calculator includes lifestyle factors such as weight, dietary vegetables, alcohol intake, as well as Jewish ethnicity.  It does not include other ethnicities, however, and is not accurate for BRCA mutation carriers or breast cancer survivors.  Despite these issues, this is by far the best free online risk calculator since it is very interactive and gives you a personalized description of your risk in the form of a colored bar graph, which they can electronically manipulate to experience “virtual” risk reduction.  The bar graph is a seven-level scale that compares users to a typical man or woman your age.  Users learn where to focus their prevention efforts and how to make lifestyle changes by “clicking on” personalized strategies.  With each click, the bar graph shrinks, and the user watches his/her predicted risk drop.  This is a great concept to motivate people to participate and comply with lifestyle modification measures.

• 2. The NCI Risk Assessment Tool -regular web: http://www.cancer.gov/bcrisktool

     This is the easy to use, on-line questionnaire based on a modified Gail model that also includes ethnicity.  It does not factor in a personal history of breast cancer, DCIS, or LCIS.  It does not account for other factors such as BRCA status, hormonal replacement therapy, lifestyle factors, breast feeding, menopause, or mammographic density.  Despite these issues, it is a very useful tool that gives a woman her five-year and lifetime risk of breast cancer.  It is the only risk assessment tool that can be used via mobile handheld devices (any type).  A version of this can be downloaded for PDAs with Windows Pocket PC operating system as well.

Q:  What programs can be used to help a doctor make decisions about ordering a breast MRI?

A:  The American Cancer Society has developed some very good guidelines for breast cancer screening with MRI.  It should be emphasized that MRI is an adjunct to mammography, not a replacement.  

• 1. A Cancer Journal for Clinicians – http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/full/57/2/75

• 2. BRCPRO - ver.4.3 available @ http://www4.utsouthwestern.edu/breasthealth/cagene/default.asp

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the United States.  In 2008, approximately 184,450 patients were estimated to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and an estimated 40,930 were estimated to die of this disease.   Furthermore, over 50,000 female carcinoma in situ breast cases would have been diagnosed.  The etiology of breast cancer is poorly understood with multiple genetic and environmental factors involved in the initiation and progression of cancer. 

Scandinavian Twin Study:  For years, there has been a hot debate as to whether the cause of breast cancer is genetic or environmental.  Then in 2000, Lichtenstein and his colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden published their study of 44,788 pairs of twins from the Swedish, Danish, and Finnish twin registries.  In this study, they looked at cancer risk with 28 different types of cancers and did statistical modeling of genetic and hereditary contributions in eleven different cancer types.  For breast cancer, they clearly showed that only 27% of breast cancers were due to genetic factors.  This was an even lower hereditary component than other common cancers such as prostate and colorectal.  This study and others have confirmed the fact that over 70% of breast cancers are influenced by environmental factors.

BRCA genes:  Although much attention has been made about hereditary breast cancer, only two genes are commonly tested for breast cancer risk assessment.  These two genes are tumor suppressor genes named “BRCA1″ and “BRCA2″ that are involved with DNA repair.  These two genes only account for about 5% of all breast cancers.  Because of the Scandinavian twin study, most experts believed that there are other yet to be discovered genes involved with breast cancer.  Because the chance of having a BRCA mutation in the general population is so low, genetic testing is not indicated in most patients.  However, if a patient has a family history of breast cancer, then a mathematical model can be used to determine if BRCA testing is indicated.  The likelihood of being a BRCA carrier increases with the number of relatives who had cancer and if the cancers occurred earlier in life.  For example, in families with four or more cases of breast or ovarian cancer under the age of 60, over 80% are found to have a damaged version of BRCA1 or BRCA2.  If a patient is a carrier of one or both of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, her risk of breast cancer dramatically increases.  According to estimates of lifetime risk, about 13.2% (132 out of 1,000 individuals) of women in the general population will develop breast cancer, compared with estimates of 36-85% (360-850 out of 1,000) of women with an altered BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.  In other words, women with an altered BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 gene are up to eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than women without alterations in those genes.  The BRCA1 mutation confers a higher risk than a BRCA2 mutation.  Women who inherit a damaged BRCA1 gene have a 60-85% chance of developing breast cancer at some stage in their lives and a 20-40% chance of developing ovarian cancer.  For BRCA2, the risks are 40-60% and 10-20%, respectively.  

Family History and Breast Cancer:  Although the spotlight in hereditary breast cancer has been directed on the BRCA genes, the majority of patients with a family history of breast cancer are BRCA1 and BRCA2 negative.  Even in these BRCA negative patients, however, there is an increased risk of developing cancer with a family history of breast cancer.   Six factors (unrelated to BRCA genes) have been studied in patients with a family history of breast cancer.  They are as follows:

1.  Degree of relationship:  If the family member with a history of cancer is a first degree relative, the increased risk is much greater than for second degree relatives. 

2.  Number of relatives who have had breast cancer:  People with two or more family members who have had breast cancer are at higher risk than those with only one affected relative.

3.  Age of onset of cancer:  If the relative developed breast cancer at an early age (pre-menopausal), the risk is higher than if the relative developed post menopausal breast cancer.

4.  Bilateral breast cancer:  If the relative has a history of bilateral breast cancer, the risk is greater than having a relative with unilateral breast cancer.

5.  Gender of the relative:  If the family member with breast cancer is a man, the risk is higher.

6.  Other related early onset tumors:  If there is a family history of early onset ovarian cancer, this incurs an increased risk for a person.

How to decide whether you need the BRCA gene test

The following is an excerpt from the American Society of Breast Surgeons:

1.  Early onset breast cancer (diagnosed before age 50)

2.  Two primary breast cancers, either bilateral or ipsilateral
3.  A family history of early onset breast cancer
4.  Male breast cancer
5.  A personal or family history of ovarian cancer
6.  Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish heritage
7.  A previously identified BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation in the family

Any one of these features alone indicates a risk for harboring a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.  The presence of more than one of these features raises that risk to greater than 10%, the traditional cutoff for recommending a BRCA test. Such patients should have access to BRCA testing.  A simple risk-calculation model based on the prevalence of mutations seen among women tested for BRCA mutations is available at http://www.brcacalculator.com.

Skin cancer, although it seems small, can be quite deadly if it is not caught on time. As for how it develops, the cancer develops when DNA is damaged beyond repair. The cells that are damaged then grow and divide at a rate that is uncontrollable. When this damage occurs in the skin and the cells grow and divide uncontrollably, skin cancer is the result. The damaged cells will continue to multiply and that will cause a tumor.

The cancer usually develops in the epidermis, which is the outermost skin layer. That is why the skin cancer tumor is usually quite visible. This is why skin cancer is usually detectable in the early stages.

Sun exposure seems to be the main reason why skin cancer develops. The American Cancer Society has stated that most of the 1 million cases of skin cancer that are diagnosed each year could be prevented with proper sun ray protection. It is the UV rays from the sun that causes DNA to become damaged. The body is such an amazing machine that it can usually repair this DNA damage, but there is a time in which that repair may not take place. Cumulative sun exposure can cause this and later lead to skin cancer. This is why some individuals do not develop skin cancer until 30 or 40 years after they have had the extensive sun exposure.

What do the different types of skin cancer look like?

There are different types of skin cancer that a person can acquire. There are actually 3 main types. These 3 types account for all of the cases of skin cancer. What makes them different is the fact that these 3 cancers start in different skin cells. This is how each cancer gets their name; they are named based on the cell that they develop from. It is also important to note that there are two classes of skin cancers. The first class is nonmelanoma skin cancers and the second is melanoma skin cancers. Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer.

Here are the three different types:

• Basal Cell Carcinoma – This is the most common form of skin cancer. More than 1 million people in the United States develop this form of cancer, which also means around 80% of all skin cancers are of this type.

This type of skin cancer develops in the basal cells. These are cells that are present in the lowest layer of the epidermis. It can take on several forms. It can appear as a pearly nodule or it can appear as a nodule that is translucent. The sore may continuously heal and then re-open. The growth may also be elevated and slightly pink. Some individuals may even notice a waxy scar or a reddish patch of skin that simply looks irritated.

Basal cell carcinoma usually shows up on areas of the skin that has been exposed to the sun. This means it is common to find this sort of cancer on the face, the nose, the head, the ears, the arms, chest, and other areas of the upper body that have dealt with sun exposure. It can take years for these tumors to grow to a size of about ½ inch. The good news, however, is that these tumors don’t usually metastasize, which means it doesn’t spread to other parts of the body. The main issue is damage of the surrounding tissue.

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma – This type of skin cancer accounts for approximately 16% of all skin cancer cases. The cancer starts in the squamous cell, which are the skin cells that are found in the upper layer of the epidermis. About 200,000 people are diagnosed with this each year. Those individuals who are most susceptible are those that have fair skin and are middle-aged or elderly and have had extensive sun exposure in the past.

As for the appearance, the cancer appears as a crusty or scaly area of skin that is red and inflamed at the base. This area looks like a growing tumor, an ulcer that won’t heal, or a patch of skin that is crusted over. This is also a cancer that tends to be found on areas of the skin that have been exposed to the sun. However, it can be found virtually anywhere on the skin, including the genitalia and the inside of the mouth.

This is a form of skin cancer that needs early intervention because it can metastasize, causing the cancer to spread to other areas of the body.

• Melanoma – Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. About 4% of skin cancers are melanoma and it begins in the melanocytes, which are the cells within the skin that give it its color. This is the most lethal form of skin cancer because of its ability to rapidly spread to the internal organs and the lymph system. Every single hour, there is one person in the United States who has died from Melanoma. The highest mortality rate is amongst white Caucasian men. It is believed that this is because men are more likely to not pay attention to the early warning signs.

Fortunately, when caught on time, Melanoma has a 95% chance of being cured. However, the prognosis is not very good once it starts spreading. The reason why it can be hard to identify is the fact that melanoma will develop on an existing mole or it may look like a new mole that has developed. This is why it is important for individuals to be familiar with the appearance of their moles so they can notice whether or not the appearance changes. If the appearance changes, that is a sign that melanoma may be present.

There are other nonmelanoma skin cancers that are in existence, but they do account for less than 1% of skin cancers. These nonmelanoma skin cancers include Merkel cell carcinoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and dermatofibromasarcoma protuberans.

Facts and symptoms of skin cancer

As for who gets skin cancer, individuals of all different colors are susceptible to it. However, it is most common in individuals with fair skin. Individuals who have a tendency to burn, have a lot of freckles, or who have a family history of skin cancer are also quite susceptible to it. In individuals with dark colored skin, melanoma can develop in areas that have never been exposed to the sun. But this isn’t saying that individuals with light skin can’t have it develop in these areas as well.

Unfortunately, the number of skin cancer cases is on the rise. People do know that excess sun exposure can lead to skin cancer, but most do not do what they need to protect their skin from the sun’s rays. If these trends continue, 1 in 5 people in America will have skin cancer at some point in their life. Melanoma is actually becoming more prevalent in women between the ages of 20 and 29.

When skin cancer is suspected, two types of biopsies may take place. The first is the excisional biopsy, which means the entire tumor and tissue not related to the tumor is also removed. This is the best way to remove legions that are suspected melanoma. The second is the incisional biopsy, which just a portion of the area is removed in order to acquire a sample. The sample or the tumor is then examined under a microscope to determine if it is really cancer and, if so, what kind of cancer it is.

Hot to treat skin cancer

A biopsy is done to determine if skin cancer is really the issue. From here, a dermatologist will discuss the best treatment options. The treatment depends on the type of skin cancer, the location of it, how bad it is, how aggressive it is, and the overall health of the patient. In some cases, the skin cancer may just need to be removed through a very minor surgery. In more extreme cases, the skin cancer may need to be removed and radiation or chemotherapy treatments administered, especially if the cancer has metastasized.

The main goal of skin cancer treatments is to remove the cancer completely, reduce the chances of it coming back, and make sure healthy tissue is preserved. It is also very important to minimize the scarring after surgery has taken place.

How to prevent skin cancer

The prevention of skin cancer lies in protecting the skin from the sun’s harmful rays. The instance of skin cancer occurring is reduced significantly when protected from the sun. It is also idea to stay out of the sun between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. When the rays are the strongest, a broad spectrum sunscreen can offer quite a bit of protection. It is also recommended that individuals use a sunscreen of an SPF 15 or higher year round can be quite helpful.

It is also ideal to cover the skin when possible. Wear hats when in the sun and try to reduce the amount of exposed skin without overheating.

AN ARTICLE ON CANCER

What is cancer?

Cancer is the general term used for diseases in which normal cells separate without any control thus involving other tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to various parts of the body through the blood and lymph system.

Wild cell growth turns into cancer when it is exposed to carcinogens (Cancer- causing substance) genetic defects, or viruses. A tumour is formed when cancer cells multiply large masses of tissue. In some cases tumours limit themselves to one spot in the body; some can be removed by surgery. These kinds of tumours may cause little harm and is termed benign. Hostile tumours are called malignant. The study of cancer is called oncology.

Causes of Cancer

People get lung cancer most of the time from smoking tobacco which is said to have carcinogenic substance mainly known as tobacco smoke. Some carcinogens include certain chemicals, the Sun’s ultraviolet light, and radiation. Cancer can be formed by several viruses by altering the DNA of a host cell and converting the cell’s normal genes into cancer – causing genes, or oncogenes. Genetic  factors – such as chromosomal abnormalities or the inheritance of faulty genes from a parent of fore parent. This could most likely cause these persons who inherit these genes can end up having cancer. People that are Down syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality are susceptible to leukaemia.

How is cancer formed?

When a normal cell transforms into a cancer cell the genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA) of a cell is changed, or mutated. Tumours don’t form over night they formed over decades or a certain amount of years, because of this it is very susceptible to formed into a cancer cell as time goes along. Most cancer occurs after the age of fifty, yet some are detected earlier in life, it varies.

Different types of cancer

It has been accessed that there are over more than 200 different types of cancers. They are named after the tissue or the organ they begin to form. The term Leukemia refers to cancer of white blood cells (can be also called leukocytes). Melanomas are cancers that begin in melanocytes (skin pigmentation.

Names of Cancers

Lung Cancer

Bladder Cancer

Colon and Rectal Cancer

Breast Cancer

Endometrial Cancer

Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer

Non- Hodgkin Lymphoma Pancreatic Cancer

Skin Cancer

Non-melanoma thyroid Cancer

Prostrate Cancer

Leukemia

Bladder Cancer

Bone Cancer

Bile Duct Cancer

Brain Tumour

Appendix Cancer

Adrenocortical Carcinoma

Cervical cancer

Childhood cancer

Eye Cancer

Gall bladder Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Lip and oral Cancer

Liver Cancer

Mouth Cancer

Rectal Cancer

Salivary Cancer

Urethral Cancer

Vaginal Cancer

Vulvar Cancer

Treatments for cancer

Oncologists have been using Chemotherapy, or drug therapy to help cancer patience around the world. When cancer spreads to different parts of the body chemotherapy is used to help treat the cancer, before it gets worst. The immune system is weak when cancer spreads through the body. Therefore a treatment name immune enhancing drugs or antibodies are also used to help build back up the immune system and to destroy abnormal cells. There has been an anticancer drug that kills cancer cells while leaving the good ones alive. This drug was introduced in the spring of 2001. The drug, Gleevec has proven to work very strongly against chronic myelogenous leukaemia, leukaemia is one of the four main types of blood cancer.

How can u prevent cancer?

Cancer can be prevented by doing the following:

¬For all smokers the only way that you can avoid yourself from getting lung cancer is to stop smoking.

¬Try not to be in the sun for lengthy periods, too much exposure to the sun can cause cancer

¬Lessen your high- fat diets

¬Avoid alcohol as much as possible

¬Unsafe sex

¬Other Carcinogens could prevent more than 80% of all cancer cases.

¬Do yearly testing; this would detect it in the early stage if you are tested positive, early treatment can be taken.

The following are various tests than can be taken to see if you have cancer.

Skin Cancer: Skin examination this is done by the naked eye of the doctor. If any area may look suspicious then biopsy is done and under the microscope cancer cells are examined

 Prostate Cancer:

·       Digital Rectal Examination: Prostrate is examined by a doctor using his/her finger from the lower part from the rectum. When you reach fifty years it must be done at least once a year. If there was any sign before that you may have prostrate then do a test once every year even though you may be under forty

Breast Cancer:

·       Breast Self Examination: when you reach twenty years of age, this examination must be taken once every month.

·       Clinical Breast Examination: the breasts and regions under the arms should be examined also, between the ages of 20 and 40 years. Once every three years this examination should be carried out, and once every year after the age of forty.

·       Mammogram: Imaging of the breasts with X rays. It must be done once every year after 40 years of age.

An illustration of how a mammogram is done

Lung Cancer:

     Chest X-ray: It is imaging of organs and bones in chest with X-ray. Especially if you are a smoker you should do chest x –rays at least twice a year.

 Colorectal Cancer:

·       Fecal Occult Blood Test: Blood in stool which can be seen only under microscope is examined. It must be done once every year after 50 years of age.

Why cancer has and is becoming more prevalent

  Over the last generation there has been vast difference between the way we use to live and how we are now living. I can almost say that we live in a different world. Technology has been increased by a large percentage. Smelter plants, environmental chemical, polluted air, microwaves, computers, utensils and a lot of foods are said to be cancerous to us. Meats that are harmonized (e.g. chicken), plants, vegetables, fruits etc. these are all things that should make us healthy, but instead it can be deadly to us. Because of the amount of hormones that are being injected into them, plants and trees are being sprayed with insecticide, fertilizers as though these liquids are water. Then they are being sold to groceries, farmers etc, for us to buy and eat. 

Is there any cure for cancer?

   Since cancer has been detected, no cure solution has ever been introduced. Various anti–cancer tablets and chemotherapy was put in place in order to control cancer cells. Cancer, AIDS and Sugar diabetes are the three major sicknesses that have no cure. Although there are things out there to help cancer. It is proven that more and more people are getting cancer. Women have become prone to Breast cancer for the past 3o years. United States had even poured out $30 billion to help find a solution to cure cancer.

cancer Cancer become any age group person may cancer, but nearly all types are more common in middle aged and elderly people than in young people. Skin is the most common type of cancer for both men and women. The next most common type among men is prostate cancer; among women, it is breast cancer. Lung cancer, however, is the leading cause of death from cancer for both men and women . Brain cancer and leukemia are the most common cancers in children and young adults.

The more we can learn about what causes cancer, the more likely we are to find ways to prevent it. Scientists study patterns of cancer in the population to look for factors that affect the risk of developing this disease. In the laboratory, they explore possible causes of cancer and try to determine what actually happens when normal cells become cancerous.

Our current understanding of the causes of cancer is incomplete, but it is clear that cancer is not caused by an injury, such as a bump or bruise. And although being infected with certain viruses may increase the risk of some types of cancer, cancer is not contagious no one can “catch” cancer from another person.

Cancer develops gradually as a result of a complex mix of factors related to environment, lifestyle, and heredity. Scientists have identified many risk factors that increase the chance of getting cancer. They estimate that about 80 percent of all cancers are related to the use of tobacco products, to what we eat and drink, or, to a lesser extent, to exposure to radiation or cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) in the environment and the workplace. Some people are more sensitive than others to factors that can cause cancer.

Many risk factors can be avoided. Others, such as inherited risk factors, are, unavoidable. It is helpful to be aware of them, but it Is also important to keep in mind that not everyone with a particular risk factor for cancer actually gets the disease; in fact, most do not. People at risk can help protect themselves by avoiding risk factors where possible and by getting regular checkups so that, if cancer develops, it is likely to be found early.

These are some of the factors that are known to increase the risk of cancer.

Tobacco – Tobacco causes cancer. In fact, smoking tobacco, using “smokeless” tobacco, and being regularly exposed to environmental tobacco smoke without smoking are responsible for one-third of all cancer deaths. Smoking accounts for more than 85 percent of all lung cancer deaths. If you smoke, your risk of getting lung cancer is affected by the number and type of cigarettes you smoke and how long you have been smoking. Overall, for those who smoke one pack a day, the chance of setting lung cancer is about 10 times greater than for nonsmokers.

Smokers are also more likely than nonsmokers to develop several other types of cancer (such as oral cancer and cancers of the larynx, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, kidney, and cervix). The risk of cancer begins to decrease when a smoker quits, and the risk continues to decline gradually each year after quitting.

The use of smokeless tobacco (chewing, tobacco and snuff) causes cancer of the mouth and throat. Pre-cancerous conditions, or tissue changes that may lead to cancer, begin to go away after a person stops using smokeless tobacco.

Exposure to environmental tobacco smokes, also called involuntary smoking, increases the risk of lung cancer for nonsmokers. The risk goes up 30 percent or more for a nonsmoking spouse of a person who smokes. Involuntary smoking causes about 4,000 lung cancer deaths in this country each year.

If you use tobacco in any form and you need help quitting, talk with your doctor or dentist, or join a smoking cessation group sponsored by a local hospital or voluntary organization.

Diet : Your choice of foods may affect your chance of developing cancer. Evidence points to a link between a high-fat diet and certain cancers, such as cancer of the breast, colon, uterus, and prostate. Being seriously overweight appears to be linked to increased rates of cancer of the prostate, pancreas, uterus, Colon, and ovary, and to breast cancer in older women. On the other hand, studies suggest that foods containing fiber and certain nutrients help protect us against some types of cancer. You may be able to reduce your cancer risk by making some simple food choices. Try to have a varied, well-balanced diet that includes generous amounts of foods that are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. At the same time, try to cut down on fatty foods. You should eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, choose more whole-grain breads and cereals, and cut down on eggs, high-fat meat, high-fat dairy products (such as whole milk, butter, and most cheeses), salad dressings, margarine, and cooking oils.

Sunlight : Ultraviolet radiation from the sun and from other sources (such as sunlamps and tanning booths) damages the skin and can cause skin cancer. (Two types of ultraviolet radiation–UVA and UVB–are explained in the Medical Terms section.) Repeated exposure to ultraviolet radiation increases the risk of skin cancer, especially if you have fair skin or freckle easily. The sun is ultraviolet rays are strongest during the summer from about 11 a.m. to about 3 p.m. (daylight saving time). The risk is greatest at this time, when the sun is high overhead and shadows are short. As a rule, it is best to avoid the sun when your shadow is shorter than you are.

Protective clothing, such as a hat and, long sleeves, can help block the sun’s harmful rays. You can also use sunscreens to help protect yourself. Sunscreens are rated in strength according to their SPF (sun protection factor), which ranges from 2 to 30 and higher. Those rated 15 to 30 block most of the sun’s harmful rays.

Alcohol. Drinking, large amount of alcohol increases the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and larynx. (People who smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol have an especially high risk of getting these cancers.) Alcohol can damage the liver and increase the risk of liver cancer. Some studies suggest that drinking alcohol also increases the risk of breast cancer. So if you drink at all, do so in moderation-not more than one or two drinks a day.

Radiation : X-rays used for diagnosis expose you to very little radiation and the benefits nearly always outweigh the risks. However, repeated exposure can be harmful, so it is a good idea to talk with your doctor or dentist about the need for each x-ray and ask about the use of shields to protect other parts of your body. Before 1950, X-rays were used to treat non-cancerous conditions (such as an enlarged thymus, enlarged tonsils and adenoids, ringworm of the scalp, and acne) in children and young adults. People who have received radiation to the head and neck have a higher-than-average risk of developing thyroid cancer years later. People with a history of such treatments should report it to their doctor and should have a careful exam of the neck every 1 or 2 years.

Also, radiation used in the treatment of some types of cancer can increase the risk of developing a second cancer. Patients having radiation therapy may want to discuss this issue with their doctor.

Chemicals and other substances in the workplace being exposed to substances such as metals, dust chemicals, or pesticides at work can increase the risk of cancer. Asbestos, nickel, cadmium, uranium, radon, vinyl chloride, benzidene, and benzene are well-known examples of carcinogens in the workplace. These may act alone or along with another carcinogen, such as cigarette smoke. For example, inhaling asbestos fibers increases the risk of lung diseases, including cancer, and the cancer risk is especially high for asbestos workers who smoke. It is important to follow work and safety rules to avoid contact with dangerous materials.

Hormone replacement therapy: Many women use estrogen therapy to control the hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) that may occur during menopause. However, studies show that estrogen use increases the risk of cancer of the uterus. Other studies suggest an increased risk of breast cancer among women who have used high doses of estrogen or have used estrogen for a long time. At the same time, taking estrogen may reduce the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis.

The risk of uterine cancer appears to be less when progesterone is used with estrogen than when estrogen is used alone. But some scientists are concerned that the addition of progesterone may also increase the CANCER risk of breast cancer.

HOMEOPATHY APPCHOCH IN STOMACH

Out of ten person, one person suffering fron gestrities and out of them hundred one person suffering from stoch cancer.If the cancer can be identified at a time when it only involves the superficial lining layer of the stomach and only involves a few cells and such a stomach cancer is surgically removed 90 % of these individuals are likely to have a normal life span . However if the stomach cancer has involved all the layers of the stomach this chance decreases to 50% and if it has spread outside the stomach or to distant organs of the body the chances of surviving in the long term are extremely gloomy .

CAUSE FOR STOMACH CANCER

1. Benign stomach (gastric ) ulcer , in most instances these benign ulcers in the stomach do not become malignant although in a few cancerous change can supervene after many years . Helicobacter pylori infection of the stomach appears to be an important cause of gastric ulcers .

2. Chronic duodenal ulcer , this is a common condition of the duodenum , the organ situated next to the stomach . we can reassure those with this condition that even after many years of having a chronic duodenal ulcer , the chances of it becoming malignant are almost nil.

3. Gastritis with low or absent stomach acid production . This situation can occur in an uncommon illness. Pernicious anemia and it can also occur without any obvious reason . Here absent or low levels of stomach acid which is normally produced to aid digestion is associated with the disappearance of gastric glands and this is called atrophic gastritis . Atrophic gastritis is a pre malignant condition .

GENATIC DISPOSITION OF STOMACH CANCER

Inherited causes :family history of stomach cancer ,such a history in a near relative doubles a person’s chances of developing stomach cancer during their life time

Type A blood group ,the common blood groups are A,B,O ,and AB. A person with type A blood has a 20% increased chance of developing stomach cancer during their life time compared to those with other blood groups

Personal health risks: presence of Helicobacter pylori in the stomach .this is an organism which in recent has been associated not only with stomach cancer but also with gastric and duodenal ulcers and with inflammatory changes called gastritis . why Helicobacter infection is present in some individuals but not in others is at present in some individuals but not in others is at present is uncertain , although it may be linked to both undesirable Helicobacter infection probably cause no symptoms . Helicobacter Pylori infection can usually be eradicated by the use of suitable antibiotics . It has also been suggested recently by Australian scientists that the regular intake of acidophilus bacteria (found in some brands of yoghurt and in some bacteria supplements )can also eradicate Helicobacter infection. Previous surgical removal of part of the stomach (partial gastrectomy ) for a non malignant condition , such as a gastric or duodenal ulcer . This become a stomach cancer risk some 15-40 years after the stomach has been removed . Pernicious anemia ,Individuals with this uncommon condition not only have anemia but also have no normal stomach acid production . They develop the condition previously described , atrophic gastritis . Individuals with atrophic gastritis have a 10 %chance of developing stomach cancer during their life time . Low or absent stomach acid production with atrophic gastritis , even in the absence of pernicious anemia , this is a risk for the future development of stomach cancer

Life style health risks : Dietary factors, a special risk for stomach cancer is a diet which is low in vegetables , fruit and cereals and particularly those fruits , vegetables and cereals which contain a lot of beta-carotene , vitamin-c and vitamin-e

A diet high in pickled . smoked , salted or cured food or foods preserved with nitrate , such as salami ,sausages , hot dogs , smoked meat , smoked fish or pickled food of any kind are also risks for stomach cancer . These dietary factors are probably important because the risk foods described above all seem to produce carcinogens

called nitrosamines . Also vitamin-C acts as antioxidant and has other actions which neutralize the effects of nitrosamines . Dietary factors are probably the most important single cause of stomach cancer . Smoking , a recent Australian study which examined all the scientific evidence published over the years has found that smoking is likely to be an important contributory cause of stomach cancer .

PRIMARY PREVENTION CANCER :

1.Dietary changes it is particularly important to have a high consumption of fruit ,vegetables and cereals which contain beta-carotene ,vitamin-c and vitamin-e and at the same time avoid or eat very little pickled ,smoked ,salted ,cured and nitrate –preserved foods .In a recently reported study from China ,where stomach cancer is still relatively common ,the daily use of vitamin-e ,beta carotene and selenium supplements decreased stomach cancer risk by one-fifth .

2. Avoid smoking ,hints and guidance about quitting smoking are described

3. Eradicate Helicobacter Pylori , if helicobacter infection has been shown to be present ,suitable antibiotics can be used recent research suggests that the acidophilus bacteria found in some dietary supplements may also been effective way to eliminate helicobacter infection

4. Aspirin based mainly on experimental data ,the regular use of aspirin as a preventive for stomach cancer has been advanced . However the human evidence of a preventive role for aspirin in stomach cancer is insufficient at present to make such a recommendation .

ROLE FOR HOMEOPATHY TREATMENT

In alternative medicine in homoeopathy medicine can cure cancer in various age group of person. In early stage of cancer may help to patient life Many people with cancer want to learn all they can about their disease and their treatment choices so they can take an active part in decisions about their medical care. Often, it helps to make a list of questions to ask the doctor. Patients may take notes or, with the doctor’s consent, tape record the discussion. Some patients also find it helps to have a family member or friend with them when they talk with the doctor to take part in the discussion, to take notes, or just to listen.

• Here are some questions may want to ask the doctor: What are the chances that the treatment will be successful?
• Would a clinical trial be appropriate for me?
• What are the risks and possible side effects of each treatment?

Although the side effects of radiation therapy can be unpleasant, the doctor can usually treat or control them. It also helps to know that, in most cases, they are not permanent.
number of white blood cells, cells that help protect the body against infection
Chemotherapy —the side effects of chemotherapy depends mainly on the drugs and doses the patient receives. Generally, anticancer drugs affect cells that divide rapidly. These include blood cells, which fight infection, help the blood to clot, or carry oxygen to all parts of the body. When blood cells are affected by anticancer drugs, patients are more likely to get infections, may bruise or bleed easily, and may have less energy. Cells that line the digestive tract also divide rapidly. As a result of chemotherapy, patients may have side effects, such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, hair loss, or mouth sores. For some patients, the doctor may prescribe medicine to help with side effects, especially with nausea and vomiting. Usually, these side effects gradually go away during the recovery period or after treatment stops. Hair loss another side effect of chemotherapy, is a major concern for many patients. Some chemotherapy drugs only cause the hair to thin out, while others may result in the loss of all body hair. Patients may feel better if they decide how to handle hair loss before starting treatment.

In some men and women, chemotherapy drugs cause changes that may result in a loss of fertility (the ability to have children). Loss of fertility may be temporary or permanent depending on the drugs used and the patient’s age. For men, sperm banking before treatment may be a choice. Women’s menstrual periods may stop, and they may have hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Periods are more likely to return in young women. In some cases, bone marrow transplantation and peripheral stem cell support are used to replace tissue that forms blood cells when that tissue has been destroyed by the effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Hormone Therapy –Hormone therapy can cause a number of side effects. Patients may have nausea and vomiting, swelling or weight gain, and, in some cases, hot flashes. In women, hormone therapy also may cause interrupted menstrual periods, vaginal dryness, and, sometimes, loss of fertility. Hormone therapy in men may cause impotence, loss of sexual desire, or loss of fertility. These changes may be temporary, long lasting, or permanent.

HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT/MEDICINES

CHELIDINIUM : It has also cured cancer of the stomach when in a ,vomiting for cancer of throat , mouth or stomach .

Condurango : In cancer of oesophagus or stomach . There are many other medicines , only few have been mentioned