Cancer harms the body when damaged cells divide uncontrollably to form lumps or masses of tissue called tumors (except in the case of leukemia where cancer prohibits normal blood function by abnormal cell division in the blood stream). Tumors can grow and interfere with the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems, and they can release hormones that alter body function. Tumors that stay in one spot and demonstrate limited growth are generally considered to be benign.

More dangerous, or malignant, tumors form when two things occur:

1. a cancerous cell manages to move throughout the body using the blood or lymph systems, destroying healthy tissue in a process called invasion
2. that cell manages to divide and grow, making new blood vessels to feed itself in a process called angiogenesis.

When a tumor successfully spreads to other parts of the body and grows, invading and destroying other healthy tissues, it is said to have metastasized. This process itself is called metastasis, and the result is a serious condition that is very difficult to treat.

In 2007, cancer claimed the lives of about 7.6 million people in the world. Physicians and researchers who specialize in the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer are called oncologists.

What causes cancer?

Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that uncontrollably grow and do not die. Normal cells in the body follow an orderly path of growth, division, and death. Programmed cell death is called apoptosis, and when this process breaks down, cancer begins to form. Unlike regular cells, cancer cells do not experience programmatic death and instead continue to grow and divide. This leads to a mass of abnormal cells that grows out of control.

Genes – the DNA type

Cells can experience uncontrolled growth if there are damages or mutations to DNA, and therefore, damage to the genes involved in cell division. Four key types of gene are responsible for the cell division process: oncogenes tell cells when to divide, tumor suppressor genes tell cells when not to divide, suicide genes control apoptosis and tell the cell to kill itself if something goes wrong, and DNA-repair genes instruct a cell to repair damaged DNA.

Cancer occurs when a cell’s gene mutations make the cell unable to correct DNA damage and unable to commit suicide. Similarly, cancer is a result of mutations that inhibit oncogene and tumor suppressor gene function, leading to uncontrollable cell growth.

Carcinogens

Carcinogens are a class of substances that are directly responsible for damaging DNA, promoting or aiding cancer. Tobacco, asbestos, arsenic, radiation such as gamma and x-rays, the sun, and compounds in car exhaust fumes are all examples of carcinogens. When our bodies are exposed to carcinogens, free radicals are formed that try to steal electrons from other molecules in the body. Theses free radicals damage cells and affect their ability to function normally.

Genes – the family type

Cancer can be the result of a genetic predisposition that is inherited from family members. It is possible to be born with certain genetic mutations or a fault in a gene that makes one statistically more likely to develop cancer later in life.

Other medical factors

As we age, there is an increase in the number of possible cancer-causing mutations in our DNA. This makes age an important risk factor for cancer. Several viruses have also been linked to cancer such as: human papillomavirus (a cause of cervical cancer), hepatitis B and C (causes of liver cancer), and Epstein-Barr virus (a cause of some childhood cancers). Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) – and anything else that suppresses or weakens the immune system – inhibits the body’s ability to fight infections and increases the chance of developing cancer.

What are the symptoms of cancer?

Cancer symptoms are quite varied and depend on where the cancer is located, where it has spread, and how big the tumor is. Some cancers can be felt or seen through the skin – a lump on the breast or testicle can be an indicator of cancer in those locations. Skin cancer (melanoma) is often noted by a change in a wart or mole on the skin. Some oral cancers present white patches inside the mouth or white spots on the tongue.

Other cancers have symptoms that are less physically apparent. Some brain tumors tend to present symptoms early in the disease as they affect important cognitive functions. Pancreas cancers are usually too small to cause symptoms until they cause pain by pushing against nearby nerves or interfere with liver function to cause a yellowing of the skin and eyes called jaundice. Symptoms also can be created as a tumor grows and pushes against organs and blood vessels. For example, colon cancers lead to symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, and changes in stool size. Bladder or prostate cancers cause changes in bladder function such as more frequent or infrequent urination.

As cancer cells use the body’s energy and interfere with normal hormone function, it is possible to present symptoms such as fever, fatigue, excessive sweating, anemia, and unexplained weight loss. However, these symptoms are common in several other maladies as well. For example, coughing and hoarseness can point to lung or throat cancer as well as several other conditions.

When cancer spreads, or metastasizes, additional symptoms can present themselves in the newly affected area. Swollen or enlarged lymph nodes are common and likely to be present early. If cancer spreads to the brain, patients may experience vertigo, headaches, or seizures. Spreading to the lungs may cause coughing and shortness of breath. In addition, the liver may become enlarged and cause jaundice and bones can become painful, brittle, and break easily. Symptoms of metastasis ultimately depend on the location to which the cancer has spread.

How is cancer classified?

There are five broad groups that are used to classify cancer.

1. Carcinomas are characterized by cells that cover internal and external parts of the body such as lung, breast, and colon cancer.
2. Sarcomas are characterized by cells that are located in bone, cartilage, fat, connective tissue, muscle, and other supportive tissues.
3. Lymphomas are cancers that begin in the lymph nodes and immune system tissues.
4. Leukemias are cancers that begin in the bone marrow and often accumulate in the bloodstream.
5. Adenomas are cancers that arise in the thyroid, the pituitary gland, the adrenal gland, and other glandular tissues.

Cancers are often referred to by terms that contain a prefix related to the cell type in which the cancer originated and a suffix such as -sarcoma, -carcinoma, or just -oma. Common prefixes include:

• Adeno- = gland
• Chondro- = cartilage
• Erythro- = red blood cell
• Hemangio- = blood vessels
• Hepato- = liver
• Lipo- = fat
• Lympho- = white blood cell
• Melano- = pigment cell
• Myelo- = bone marrow
• Myo- = muscle
• Osteo- = bone
• Uro- = bladder
• Retino- = eye
• Neuro- = brain

How is cancer diagnosed and staged?

Early detection of cancer can greatly improve the odds of successful treatment and survival. Physicians use information from symptoms and several other procedures to diagnose cancer. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, and ultrasound scans are used regularly in order to detect where a tumor is located and what organs may be affected by it. Doctors may also conduct an endoscopy, which is a procedure that uses a thin tube with a camera and light at one end, to look for abnormalities inside the body.

Extracting cancer cells and looking at them under a microscope is the only absolute way to diagnose cancer. This procedure is called a biopsy. Other types of molecular diagnostic tests are frequently employed as well. Physicians will analyze your body’s sugars, fats, proteins, and DNA at the molecular level. For example, cancerous prostate cells release a higher level of a chemical called PSA (prostate-specific antigen) into the bloodstream that can be detected by a blood test. Molecular diagnostics, biopsies, and imaging techniques are all used together to diagnose cancer.

After a diagnosis is made, doctors find out how far the cancer has spread and determine the stage of the cancer. The stage determines which choices will be available for treatment and informs prognoses. The most common cancer staging method is called the TNM system. T (1-4) indicates the size and direct extent of the primary tumor, N (0-3) indicates the degree to which the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, and M (0-1) indicates whether the cancer has metastasized to other organs in the body. A small tumor that has not spread to lymph nodes or distant organs may be staged as (T1, N0, M0), for example.

TNM descriptions then lead to a simpler categorization of stages, from 0 to 4, where lower numbers indicate that the cancer has spread less. While most Stage 1 tumors are curable, most Stage 4 tumors are inoperable or untreatable.

How is cancer treated?

Cancer treatment depends on the type of cancer, the stage of the cancer (how much it has spread), age, health status, and additional personal characteristics. There is no single treatment for cancer, and patients often receive a combination of therapies and palliative care. Treatments usually fall into one of the following categories: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, or gene therapy.

Surgery

Surgery is the oldest known treatment for cancer. If a cancer has not metastasized, it is possible to completely cure a patient by surgically removing the cancer from the body. This is often seen in the removal of the prostate or a breast or testicle. After the disease has spread, however, it is nearly impossible to remove all of the cancer cells. Surgery may also be instrumental in helping to control symptoms such as bowel obstruction or spinal cord compression.

Radiation

Radiation treatment, also known as radiotherapy, destroys cancer by focusing high-energy rays on the cancer cells. This causes damage to the molecules that make up the cancer cells and leads them to commit suicide. Radiotherapy utilizes high-energy gamma-rays that are emitted from metals such as radium or high-energy x-rays that are created in a special machine. Early radiation treatments caused severe side-effects because the energy beams would damage normal, healthy tissue, but technologies have improved so that beams can be more accurately targeted. Radiotherapy is used as a standalone treatment to shrink a tumor or destroy cancer cells (including those associated with leukemia and lymphoma), and it is also used in combination with other cancer treatments.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy utilizes chemicals that interfere with the cell division process – damaging proteins or DNA – so that cancer cells will commit suicide. These treatments target any rapidly dividing cells (not necessarily just cancer cells), but normal cells usually can recover from any chemical-induced damage while cancer cells cannot. Chemotherapy is generally used to treat cancer that has spread or metastasized because the medicines travel throughout the entire body. It is a necessary treatment for some forms of leukemia and lymphoma. Chemotherapy treatment occurs in cycles so the body has time to heal between doses. However, there are still common side effects such as hair loss, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. Combination therapies often include multiple types of chemotherapy or chemotherapy combined with other treatment options.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy aims to get the body’s immune system to fight the tumor. Local immunotherapy injects a treatment into an affected area, for example, to cause inflammation that causes a tumor to shrink. Systemic immunotherapy treats the whole body by administering an agent such as the protein interferon alpha that can shrink tumors. Immunotherapy can also be considered non-specific if it improves cancer-fighting abilities by stimulating the entire immune system, and it can be considered targeted if the treatment specifically tells the immune system to destroy cancer cells. These therapies are relatively young, but researchers have had success with treatments that introduce antibodies to the body that inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Bone marrow transplantation (hematopoetic stem cell transplantation) can also be considered immunotherapy because the donor’s immune cells will often attack the tumor or cancer cells that are present in the host.

Hormone therapy

Several cancers have been linked to some types of hormones, most notably breast and prostate cancer. Hormone therapy is designed to alter hormone production in the body so that cancer cells stop growing or are killed completely. Breast cancer hormone therapies often focus on reducing estrogen levels (a common drug for this is tamoxifen) and prostate cancer hormone therapies often focus on reducing testosterone levels. In addition, some leukemia and lymphoma cases can be treated with the hormone cortisone.

Gene therapy

The goal of gene therapy is to replace damaged genes with ones that work to address a root cause of cancer: damage to DNA. For example, researchers are trying to replace the damaged gene that signals cells to stop dividing (the p53 gene) with a copy of a working gene. Other gene-based therapies focus on further damaging cancer cell DNA to the point where the cell commits suicide. Gene therapy is a very young field and has not yet resulted in any successful treatments.

How can cancer be prevented?

Cancers that are closely linked to certain behaviors are the easiest to prevent. For example, choosing not to smoke tobacco or drink alcohol significantly lower the risk of several types of cancer – most notably lung, throat, mouth, and liver cancer. Even if you are a current tobacco user, quitting can still greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer.

Skin cancer can be prevented by staying in the shade, protecting yourself with a hat and shirt when in the sun, and using sunscreen. Diet is also an important part of cancer prevention since what we eat has been linked to the disease. Physicians recommend diets that are low in fat and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

Certain vaccinations have been associated with the prevention of some cancers. For example, many women receive a vaccination for the human papillomavirus because of the virus’s relationship with cervical cancer. Hepatitis B vaccines prevent the hepatitis B virus, which can cause liver cancer.

Some cancer prevention is based on systematic screening in order to detect small irregularities or tumors as early as possible even if there are no clear symptoms present. Breast self-examination, mammograms, testicular self-examination, and Pap smears are common screening methods for various cancers.

How to eat to prevent cancer – Video

A guide to some everyday foods that contain nutrients that may help reduce your risk of getting cancer.

Transurethral resection (TUR) of the bladder is a surgical procedure that is used both to diagnose bladder cancer and to remove cancerous tissue from the bladder. This procedure is also called a TURBT (transurethral resection for bladder tumor). General anesthesia or spinal anesthesia is usually used. During TUR surgery, a cystoscope is passed into the bladder through the urethra. A tool called a resectoscope is used to remove the cancer for biopsy and to burn away any remaining cancer cells. Bladder cancer can come back after this surgery, so repeat TURs are sometimes needed.

What To Expect After Surgery

Following surgery, a catheter may be placed in the urethra to help stop bleeding and to prevent blockage of the urethra. When the bleeding has stopped, the catheter is removed. You may need to stay in the hospital 1 to 4 days.

You may feel the need to urinate frequently for a while after the surgery, but this should improve over time. You may have blood in your urine for up to 2 to 3 weeks following surgery. You may be instructed to avoid strenuous activity for about 3 weeks following TUR.

Why It Is Done

TUR can be used to diagnose, stage, and treat bladder cancer.

• Diagnosis. TUR is used to examine the inside of the bladder to see whether there are cancer cells are in the bladder.
• Staging. TUR can determine whether cancers are growing into the bladder wall.
• Treatment. One or more small tumors can be removed from inside the bladder during TUR.

How Well It Works

TUR is the most common and effective treatment for early-stage superficial bladder cancer. It may also be effective for more advanced cancer if all the cancer is removed and biopsies show that no cancer cells remain.

Follow-up to TURBT

Transurethral resection is often a successful treatment for patients with low-risk cancers. These cancers are described as noninvasive, papillary cancers. The noninvasive characteristic keeps them from penetrating into deeper layers of tissue but does not prevent their recurrence. Up to seventy percent of patients with superficial bladder cancer have some recurrence within five years of treatment. Therefore, follow-up therapy is an important part of post transurethral resection therapy.

Follow-up therapy includes a cystoscopic evaluation three months after the initial TURBT treatment and then every six months for an additional year. If cancer reappears, follow-up cystoscopy and urinalysis is typically performed every three months for the first year and every six months for an additional three to five years.

Partnering Chemotherapy with TURBT

Patients with high-risk tumors – those that are likely to become invasive – may benefit from the TURBT procedure but may need other “adjuvant” treatment. Because of the relatively high chance of progressing (thirty percent), high risk bladder cancers are often treated with transurethral resection combined with intravesical therapy. Intravesical therapy is a type of chemotherapy or immunotherapy instilled directly into the bladder.

Risks

The risks of TUR include : -

• Bleeding.
• Bladder infection (cystitis).
• Perforation of the wall of the bladder.
• Blood in the urine (hematuria).
• Blockage of the urethra by blood clots in the bladder.

Emory Winship Cancer Institute is the only cancer research and treatment facility in Georgia to offer an innovative Phase II clinical trial for transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), a common form of bladder cancer. The clinical trial is testing the efficacy of the investigational drug Vinflunine. Vasily Assikis, MD, assistant professor of hematology and oncology and director of Winship’s Prostate Cancer Translational Research Program is principal investigator.

“There is currently no standard treatment for patients with advanced bladder cancer who have received chemotherapy and their cancer is getting worse,” said Dr. Assikis. “This study is promising and could make a major impact for that specific patient population.” TCC refers to cancers of the layer of cells lining the inside of the bladder, the kidneys, ureters, or the urethra. More than 90 percent of bladder cancers begin in these transitional cells.

The use of Vinflunine as an anti-cancer agent is still in the experimental stage, but studies have demonstrated that the new drug exhibits anti-tumor activity by inhibiting cell division.

The primary purpose of the clinical trial, which is sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb, is to assess whether Vinflunine will shrink tumors or slow their growth. Doing so could potentially improve the condition of those patients with locally advanced-staged TCC of the urothelium who have been previously been treated with chemotherapy and whose disease has progressed. Patients participating in the clinical trial will be administered the drug Vinflunine intravenously………

There are many known methods of cancer therapy like chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, etc. and most of the time more than one of the methods are followed as a treatment course. Let us take a look at each of these modes to understand details about them.

Chemotherapy

What is it? – This is a kind of cancer treatment mode where drugs are used to destroy the cancer cells. This method is also known as chemo in short and is widely practised as a main mode of treatment or a follow-up treatment after surgery. There are many different kinds of Chemotherapy treatments and the choice of treatment depends on the type of cancer and the stage to which the disease has progressed to.

Uses of Chemotherapy – It can be used effectively to destroy cells that are cancerous and stop them from spreading. It is also used as a follow-up method after surgery to slow down the growth of cancer cells.

Chemotherapy as a follow-up treatment – As we discussed, Chemotherapy can be used as a follow-up treatment to either destroy or slow down the cancer cells. It can be used either after radiation or surgery treatments to make sure that the cancer cells do not reappear again. Sometimes it can also be used to destroy cells before a transplant surgery. For example, Chemotherapy is normally suggested before a peripheral blood stem cell transplant.

Side effects of Chemotherapy – Though it is an effective mode of treatment, chemotherapy has its own list of side effects which also needs to be taken into consideration before the start of the treatment. The common side effects of chemotherapy include anaemia, appetite change, constipation, fatigue, hair loss and vomiting issues. Some patients might also experience bleeding problems, infections and other kind of memory or mouth, throat changes. Depending on the type of cancer, it is also possible that chemotherapy can induce fertility changes, swelling and pain along with changes in urination patterns.

How is Chemotherapy administered? – Chemotherapy is the administration of drugs for destroying the cancerous cells and such drugs are normally given either through intravenous or injection methods. An injection into the muscle or other part of the body is provided to get the drug in contact with the affected cells. Sometimes depending on the localization of the disease, chemotherapy is also administered by means of a pill or a cream that can be rubbed on the skin.

Radiation Therapy

How does this treatment help? – Radiation Therapy is the use of radiations of high-energy that can effectively shrink and kill the cancer cells. In general x-rays and gamma rays are used in radiation therapies.

Types of Radiation therapy – Radiation therapy is divided into two types based on the way in which the radiation is provided to the patient. It is known as external beam therapy in cases where a machine outside the body administers the radiation or is known as internal radiation therapy or Brach therapy in case the radiation is provided through a radioactive material that is placed inside the body nearer to the diseased part. In certain cases, radioactive substances like radioactive iodine is placed which travels through the blood to kill the cancer cells. Such kind of radiation therapy is known as systematic therapy.

How does radiation therapy kill the cancer cells? – The radiations that are administered in the therapy damage the DNA of the cells and kill them. The DNA carries genetic information and this is destroyed by radiation either directly or by creation of charged particles which in turn damages the DNA. When the DNA is damaged, the cancer cells stop dividing or die which is then eliminated by the natural process of the body.

Problems of Radiation Therapy – The radiations that are given to the patient kills not only the cancerous cells but also the other normal healthy cells that come in contact with the radiations. Thus this is taken into account when a radiation therapy is planned and only the admissible amount of radiation that the normal cells can withstand is given during the course of the treatment.

Cryosurgery

The treatment mode in which extreme cold is used to destroy cancerous or diseased cells is known cryosurgery or therapy. The cold temperature is produced by use of liquid nitrogen.

How is it carried on? – Liquid nitrogen can be applied directly on the tumor with a cotton swab or a spraying device. This treatment is normally used for treating tumors that are external like those on the skin. It can also be circulated internally through a hollow instrument called the cryoprobe which is used for treatment of internal tumors and tumors of the bone. The cyroprobe is guided inside through ultrasound or MRI which helps the extreme cold get in contact with the tumor.

Types of cancer that can be treated – Cryosurgery is widely used for many types of cancers with precancerous and non-cancerous conditions though it is extensively used for prostate and liver cancer. Researches are in progress to find the level to which cryosurgery can be used as an effective means of cancer therapy for breast and kidney cancer.

Side effects of cryosurgery – Though the side effects associated with cryosurgery are less compared to that of the other traditional methods, it does cause pain and cramping in the area of treatment. Bleeding, scarring and swelling can also be the after effects that are linked with this method of treatment.

For more information about Cancer Therapy please visit our site http://www.howcurecancer.com.

Author: Brijesh Ghelani
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

This type of cancer can be classified in 3 stages.

• Organ confined. In this stage, the cancer is confined to the prostate gland only.
• Locally advanced. In this stage, the cancer would have spread to surrounding local organs.
• Metastatic. In this advanced stage, the cancer might have spread to other organs in the body, as far away as the lungs or liver and is very difficult to treat.

Doctors will need to first access the stage of the particular cancer before determining on the right therapy to combat the advance of the cancer cells. Some of the therapies used to fight prostate cancer are:

Surgery

If the cancer is organ confined or locally advanced then doctors might usually opt for surgery to remove the affected organs or lymph nodes to stop the cancer from spreading to other organs. Doctors will probably use other therapies such as radiation, hormonal therapy or chemotherapy after surgery to be on the safe side and remove any hidden cancer cells.

Hormonal therapy

Hormones in a human body that could trigger the growth of cancerous cells are targeted in this therapy. This prostate cancer therapy involves medications that suppress the growth of hormones that aggravate the situation and is also used in conjunction with other therapies for better effect.

Radiation

Radiation can be administered in the form of Brachytherapy where radioactive pills or rods are surgically placed inside the body or on the affected organ. On the other hand, external beam radiation is also used on the affected organ to kill the cancer cells by destroying their DNA. Radiation is often used after surgery to mop up cancer cells that might have escaped the surgeon’s knife.

Chemotherapy

If the cancer has managed to reach an advanced stage then the particular type of therapy would need to include chemotherapy to ease the pain and kill cancerous cells. Chemotherapy usually uses a combination of drugs to destroy cancer cells and also ends up damaging healthy cells too. But if doctors feel that the results could help save the patient’s life then this therapy is used.

Cryotherapy

This form of therapy for cancer involves freezing the cancer cells to death. By using chemicals such as liquid nitrogen, the targeted cells are subjected to a low temperature attack that results in their death. This therapy is not widely practiced but is slowly gaining ground as a safe way of treating patients.

Alternative therapies too are fast gaining ground as the medical world opens up to new ideas but lack of long-term testing has slowed them from turning into mainstream treatments. The right prostate cancer therapy will help doctors to eliminate prostate cancer quickly and safely while allowing the patient to enjoy a long and healthy cancer-free life in future, although regular checkups will be required for life.

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Author: Michael Millbank
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

If you embark on the path of researching cancer treatments, you’ll become very familiar very quickly with the treatments being used for the particular cancer you’re researching.

This article is just a basic introduction of various cancer therapies. Before you ultimately decide on a particular form of therapy you’ll need to investigate it thoroughly.

You’ll need to know the cure rate, the side effects, how long you’ll be incapacitated, etc.

But here is a very basic introduction:

The most well-known cancer therapies are:

1. Surgery;

2. Chemotherapy;

3. Radiation Therapy.

Often the standard treatment for a cancer is a combination of various therapies. For example, the standard treatment might be surgery followed by chemotherapy or surgery followed by radiation therapy:

Surgery is the removal of tissue by physical means such as taking out a cancerous lung or removing a cancerous prostate;

Chemotherapy is a type of drug which kills cells. The principle is to give toxic substances which kill cells and hopefully will kill the fastest growing cells (the cancer cells) at a higher rate than the regular body cells;

Radiation Therapy is the killing of cancerous cells using ionizing radiation. This radiation can either be given internally or, more commonly, externally.

But there are many other types of cancer treatments. For example:

Hormonal therapy in which medication is given to block or enhance the effect of the body’s own hormones;

Anti-angiogenesis therapy in which drugs are given to inhibit the growth of blood vessels which are the lifeline of all cancers;

Biological therapy (also known as immunotherapy, biotherapy, or biological response modifier therapy). This type of therapy attempts to use the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. A number of different treatments fall into this category including interferons, interleukins, colony stimulating factors, monoclonal antibodies, vaccine therapy, and gene therapy;

Laser therapy in which high-intensity light is used to shrink or destroy tumors. Lasers are most commonly used to treat superficial cancers (cancers on the surface of the body or the lining of internal organs);

Hyperthermia is a type of cancer treatment in which body tissue is exposed to high temperatures (up to 113°F) to damage and kill cancer cells;

Photodynamic therapy is a treatment that uses a drug, called a photosensitizer or photosensitizing agent, and a particular type of light. When photosensitizers are exposed to a specific wavelength of light, they produce a form of oxygen that kills nearby cells;

Targeted cancer therapies use drugs that block the growth and spread of cancer. They interfere with specific molecules involved in carcinogenesis (the process by which normal cells become cancer cells) and tumor growth;

Cryosurgery (also called cryotherapy) is the use of extreme cold produced by liquid nitrogen (or argon gas) to destroy abnormal tissue.

Hopefully this list will be useful to you when you come across unexpected terms.

Dr. Glenn Sheiner is a medical doctor with diplomas in Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine, and Family Medicine. Dr. Sheiner is the author of the medical multimedia digital product called Cancer Research Online Made Easy.

You can now read Cancer Research Online Made Easy for FREE by clicking here: FREE Online Cancer Research Book

Dr. Sheiner created this product to help patients research cutting-edge medical information in hours not days. The product contains 5 videos illustrating exactly what to do. To learn more go to Cancer Research Online Made Easy. To learn more about prostate cancer statistics go to Prostate Cancer Statistics.

Author: Glenn Sheiner
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Lung cancer, or carcinoma of the lung, is one of the most common forms of cancer today. It is one of the most frequent causes of cancer-related mortality in the United States today. In the United States, another form of cancer that is becoming increasingly common is breast cancer, which is the development of malignant tissue in the breast. Breast cancer is seen mostly in women, though this does not mean that men are immune to it. A small percentage of men too contract breast cancer. The numbers are small, 1 man with breast cancer against a 100 women with it, but its there. However, there is one major difference between breast cancer and lung cancer. One can see the symptoms of breast cancer at an early stage, while in the case of lung cancer, the symptoms are not detected early, primarily because they match the symptoms of other lesser ailments. In this article, we will discuss lung cancer.

A person is said to suffer from lung cancer when a growth of malignant cancer cells is detected in the lungs. Depending on the stage at which lung cancer is detected, it can be classified as being in the:

o Early stages

o Mid-stages

o Advanced stages

Today, there is a vast amount of information on lung cancer available. Patients or relatives of patients can access information over the Internet, which has an almost limitless number of websites dedicated to different aspects of lung cancer – types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, etc. For example, if you are from the United Kingdom and want to research information on lung cancer treatment, facilities, etc in your country, you can simply log onto the website of Cancer Research UK, UK’s leading cancer charity, and collect whatever information you want from their site.

Earlier on, treatment of lung cancer was not an easy thing to do, owing to the huge amount of expenses in the form of medical bills, hospital stays fees, etc. However, nowadays with the availability of insurance, things have become easier. Lung cancer insurance is available easily, as is insurance covering other forms of cancer.

Types of Lung Cancer

Two main types of lung cancer exist today. Both of these are seen in the epithelial cells of the lungs. They are:

o Small cell lung cancer (SLCC)

o Non-small cell lung cancer

There is another type, called mixed small cell/large cell lung cancer. In this type you can find both kinds of cells in the cancerous tissue.

Besides these two types, there is another form of cancer of the lung area, called mesothelioma or mesothelioma cancer or cancer of the mesothelium. However, this is not considered a primary form of lung cancer, as its target area is not the lobes of the lung, but the pleural membrane covering the lung.

Small Cell Lung Cancer

This is the rarer of the two basic forms of lung cancer. One out of every five lung cancer patients suffer from small cell lung cancer.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer, or non-small lung cancer, is the more common of the two basic forms of lung cancer. Four out of five lung cancer patients suffer from this type of cancer.

Based on the cell type/area in which the carcinogenic cells proliferate in the lungs, non-small cell lung cancer is further categorized into three types. They are:

o Squamous cell carcinoma

o Adenocarcinoma

o Large Cell Carcinoma

o Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma (BAC)

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This is the most common type of lung cancer. It occurs in the cells lining the airways inside the lungs. This form of cancer occurs mostly due to nicotine ingestion through smoking.

Adenocarcinoma

This form of cancer is seen in the mucus cells within the airways in the lung.

Large Cell Carcinoma

This is also called undifferentiated lung cancer. In large cell carcinoma, the proliferating cells are round and much larger than the cells seen in adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.

Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma (BAC)

This form of cancer is seen in the bronchioalveolar region of the lung.

What Causes Lung Cancer?

The main cause of lung cancer is exposure to tobacco. This is primarily through smoking. About 80% of lung cancer patients are smokers. Smokers may be cigarette smokers, cigar smokers, or pipe smokers; it doesn’t matter. The risk of contracting lung cancer is equal in all the three cases.

A person may inhale smoke directly. A person can also inhale smoke passively or involuntarily. This smoke is also called secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is of two types:

o Mainstream – This is the smoke exhaled by the smoker, and amounts to more than 50% of all secondhand smoke.

o Sidestream – This is the smoke emanating from the burning end of a cigarette/cigar/pipe/hookah.

Passive smokers too stand a high chance of contracting lung cancer. The chances of passive/secondary smokers contracting lung cancer is 30% higher than people who do not inhale smoke either actively or passively.

However, there have been instances of even total non-smokers suffering from lung cancer. This indicates that smoking is not the only cause for lung cancer. It is the primary cause, yes, but not definitely the only cause. The following are some of the other causes of lung cancer:

o Air pollution

o Inhalation of asbestos fibers

o Exposure to radon, a radioactive substance formed by breaking down uranium

o Inhalation of marijuana fumes by smoking

o Exposure of the chest area to radiation therapy during cancer treatment

o Hereditary reasons

o Presence of arsenic in drinking water

o Diet with low fruit and vegetable content (this increases the risk of lung cancer in smokers)

A combination of exposure to tobacco along with any of these causes greatly increases the chances of a person contracting lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Symptoms

The following are some of the common symptoms of lung cancer. They do not usually manifest in the early stages. Even if they do, they are usually mistaken for some other ailment. These symptoms are:

o Persistent coughing

o Reddish or muddy brown spit

o Loss of breath

o Loss of appetite

o Persistent or repetitive infections of the bronchial tract

o Hoarseness of voice

o Renewed wheezing

In its later advanced stages, when the lung cancer is said to be in metastasis, the symptoms are:

o Numbness in the arms or legs

o A jaundiced appearance

o Tumorous growths near the skin surface

o Seizures

o Bone pain

o Dizziness

Lung Cancer Detection and Diagnosis

It is very rare to be able to detect lung cancer in its early stages. There are no specific symptoms of early stages of lung cancer. This is one of the reasons why lung cancer is usually detected in its later stages.

The use of a proper screening technique would greatly increase the chances of early lung cancer detection. However, there is no such proper and totally effective screening technique yet. Research is on to see if one can be formulated soon. As of now, a new technique called spiral CT seems to be the best option for early detection.

Once lung cancer is detected, the next step is to determine the stage it is in. This is done using the AJCC system. Roman numerals are used to mark the different stages of lung cancer, numerals from 0 to IV. Sometimes the stages are further divided into substages, using denotations A and B. The general rule of thumb is that the lower the denomination, the less serious the condition.

Lung Cancer Treatment

Lung cancer treatment options are usually the same as prostate cancer treatment options or colon cancer treatment options. What I mean is that all forms of cancer have the same treatment options. However, lung cancer tests may be different from colon cancer tests. The standard treatment options for lung cancer are:

o Surgery

o Radiation Therapy

o Chemotherapy

What matters is the combination of methods being used. The more serious the cancer, the more chances that different treatment options will be used in tandem, or one after the other.

References

o http://www.aacr.org

o http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/colon-and-rectal

o http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Lung/General/Typesoflungcancer

o http://www.cancer.org

o http://www.lungcanceronline.org

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Author: Ajishnu Sharma
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

There are over 100 different types of cancer. Each type of cancer can have different symptoms, diagnostic tests and treatment options. As a result, there are many terminologies and phrases that are used to describe the type, symptoms and diagnosis of cancer, and treatment methods. It is often very confusing as well as frustrating for the readers if too many medical jargons or terminologies are used in describing this condition. It is difficult for readers to understand the context of the topic or take any action, if required, after reading any article or book on cancers. As a result, the information is often misinterpreted or not fully understood or comprehended.

In this 3rd article of my cancer series, I would like to explain in very simple terms all phrases and terminologies used in describing a cancer. This will help readers in understanding the cancer terms, types of cancer, common diagnosis and treatment terminologies, and the health personnel involved in management of cancer. These are described in alphabetical order here.

Ablation: removal or destruction of body part or tissue. Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) therapy involves destroying cancer tissue with heat. RFA is commonly used in the treatment of lung, liver and kidney tumors.

Adenocarcinoma: cancer that begins from lining of internal organs or from skin

Adenoma: a non-cancer tumor that starts from glands

Adenopathy: swollen glands

Adjunct or adjunctive therapy: another treatment used together with primary treatment. For example, radiotherapy is sometimes given after surgery to treat cancer as adjunctive treatment.

Anal: of anus, anal cancer

Anorexia: an abnormal loss of appetite for food.

Asbestos: a group of minerals that are found in the form of tiny fibres. It is used as insulation against heat and fire in buildings. Asbestos dust when breathed into the lungs can lead to cancer of lungs and mesothelioma.

Asthenia: feeling or weakness or lack of energy. This is common in late stage cancer.

Astrocyte: this is a type of cell in the brain or spinal cord. Astrocytoma is a tumor that begins in astrocytes.

Asymptomatic: having no signs or symptoms of disease. Most cancers are asymptomatic in the early stages.

Axillary lymph node dissection: removal of lymph nodes in the axilla. This may be done in the treatment of breast cancer.

B-cell lymphoma: A type of cancer that forms in B cells.

Barrett esophagus: this is a condition where the cells lining the lower part of the esophagus have changed or been replaced by abnormal cells that could lead to cancer of the esophagus. The regurgitation of the contents of stomach into the esophagus over time can lead to Barrett esophagus.

Basal cells: they are small round cells found in the lower part of epidermis. The cancer that begins in the basal cells is called basal cell cancer or basal cell carcinoma.

Benign: not cancerous, also called non-malignant. Malignant tumor is a cancerous growth.For example, fibroadenoma is a benign tumor of breast whereas as adenocarcinoma is a malignant tumor of the breast.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia: this is a non-cancerous condition of prostate where there is overgrowth of prostate tissue.

Biological therapy: this is a type of treatment that uses substances made from living organisms or its products to boost or restore the ability of the immune system to fight cancer. Examples of biological agents include vaccines, interleukins and monoclonal antibodies.

Biopsy: the removal of cells or tissues from the cancer or suspected cancer area for examination by a pathologist. This is the most sure way of diagnosing cancer.

Bone marrow ablation: This is a procedure that is used to destroy bone marrow using radiation or high doses of anticancer drugs. It is done before a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant to kill cancer cells and bone marrow cells. This is a part of intensive treatment of some leukemias.

Bone marrow aspiration: this is a procedure in which a small sample of bone marrow is removed with a wide needle and syringe and sent to laboratory to check for cancer cells. If a small sample of bone with bone marrow inside it is removed, it is called bone marrow biopsy.

Bone marrow transplantation: A procedure that is used to replace bone marrow that has been destroyed by treatment with high doses of anticancer drugs or radiation.

Bone metastasis: cancer that has spread to bone from the original (primary) site.

Brachytherapy: it is also called internal radiotherapy. In this type of radiation therapy, radioactive materials sealed in needles, seeds, catheters or wires are placed directly into or near a tumor.

BRCA1 and BRCA2: these are genes on chromosomes 17 and 13 respectively. A person who is born with changes (mutations) in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes has higher risk of getting breast, ovaries and prostate cancer.

Breast reconstruction: a surgery that is done to rebuild the shape of the breast after removing breast.

Breast self-examination: a woman examines her breasts to check for lumps or other changes.

Bronchogenic carcinoma: cancer that begins in the tissue that lines or covers the airways of the lungs.

Cancer antigen 125 or CA-125: a substance that may be found in high amounts in the blood of patients with certain types of cancer, including ovarian cancer.

Cachexia: loss of muscle mass and body weight. Cachexia is seen in patients in late stage cancer.

Cancer: this is a condition where there is uncontrolled division of abnormal cells.

Carcinogen: any substance that causes cancer, for example, tobacco smoke contains more than 50 carcinogens. Benzene is a carcinogen for leukemias.

Carcinogenesis: it is a process whereby normal cells start changing into cancer cells.

Carcinoma: it is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line the internal organs of the body. For example squamous cell carcinoma of skin or adenocarcinoma of gallbladder.

Carcinoma in situ: these are abnormal cells (not cancer) but can become cancer cells and spread. They are also said to be in stage 0 of cancer for example, cervical carcinoma in situ.

Carcinoma of unknown primary (cup): in this type of cancer, cancer cells are found in some parts of the body, but the place where the cancer cells first started to grow cannot be determined.

Cervical: of cervix, cervical cancer

Colostomy: colostomy is an operation that connects the colon to the outside of the body through the abdominal wall.

Cryosurgery: this is a procedure in which tissue is frozen to destroy abnormal cells. Liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide is used to freeze the tissues. It is also called cryotherapy or cryosurgical ablation.

Cyst: a sac in the body; cysts in the ovary are very common.

Cytotoxic drugs: drugs that kill cells.

Dilatation and curettage (D&C): this is a procedure where some tissues are removed from the lining of uterus or cervix. The cervix is first made larger (dilated) with a instrument called dilator and another instrument called cutrette is inserted into the uterus to remove the tissue. The removed tissue sample may be sent to laboratory to check for abnormal or cancer cells.

Debulking: this is the surgical removal of as much of a tumor as possible. This type of operation is usually done to relieve symptoms of cancer in the late stages of the disease.

Dermal: of skin

Duodenal: of duodenum, duodenal cancer

Dysplastic nevi: it is also called atypical moles and have a tendency to develop into melanoma.

Endometrial: of endometrium, endometrial cancer

Esophageal: of esophagus, esophageal cancer

Euthanasia: the intentional killing of a person to end his/her sufferings. It is also called mercy killing.

Excision: removal by surgery, for example, excision of melanoma from skin.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP): this is an inherited condition in which many polyps form on the inside walls of the colon and rectum. FAP increases the risk of colorectal cancers.

Familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome (FAMMM): this is an inherited condition that increases the risk of melanoma and pancreatic cancer.

Familial cancer: cancers that occur in families more often than in general population, for example, breast or colorectal cancer.

Fecal occult blood test (FOBT): this is a test to check for blood in the stool. This is a screening test for bowel cancer.

Fibroadenoma: this is a benign tumor of breast.

Fibroid: a benign tumor that arises from smooth muscle, for example, uterine fibroid.

First-degree relatives: this includes the parents, brothers, sisters, or children of an individual.

Fistula: an abnormal opening or passage between two organs or between an organ and the surface of the body.

Follow-up: monitoring a person’s health condition over time after treatment.

Gardasil: this is a vaccine to prevent infections by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16, 18, 6 and 11. It is used to prevent cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancers caused by these viruses.

Gastrectomy: an operation to remove all or part of the stomach.

Gastric: of stomach, gastric cancer

Gastric feeding tube: a tube that is inserted through the nose, down the throat and esophagus, and into the stomach to give liquid foods, liquids and drugs. Feeding tubes are often inserted in patients who have mouth, throat, neck and esophageal cancers, particularly when the surgery is extensive or combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Gastrotomy or PEG tube: this type of tube is inserted directly into the stomach through an opening in the skin and abdominal wall. This type of tube can be used for long-term feeding.

Gene: genes are pieces of DNA and contain the information for making a specific protein that is passed from parent to offspring. Genetic means related to genes.

Genetic counselor: a health professional trained in counseling on the genetic risk of diseases. This may involve discussing the person’s personal and family medical history and may lead to genetic testing.

Genetic testing: this is analyzing DNA to look for genetic change (mutation) that may indicate increased risk for cancer.

Genital warts: these are raised growths in the genital areas caused by human papilloma virus HPV) infection.

Germ cells: these are reproductive cells of the body and include egg cells in women and sperm cells in men. Tumors that arise from germ cells are called germ cell tumors.

Gleason score: this is a system of grading prostate cancer tissue based on how it looks under a microscope. Gleason scores range from 2 to 10 and indicate how likely it is that a tumor will spread. A low Gleason score means the cancer tissue is less likely to spread whereas a high Gleason score means the cancer tissue is more likely to spread.

Hematuria: blood in the urine.

Hemoptysis: coughing out blood from the respiratory tract.

Hemorrhoid: swollen blood vessel, usually seen in the anus or the rectum

Hepatic: of liver, hepatic cancer

Hepatoblastoma: it is a type of liver cancer more common in infants and children.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: this is the most common type of liver cancer.

Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC): this is an inherited disorder in which the affected individuals have a higher-than-normal chance of developing colorectal cancer.

High intensity focused ultrasound: (HIFU): this is a procedure in which high-energy sound waves are aimed directly at the cancer or abnormal cells. These waves create heat and kill the abnormal or cancer cells. Some types of prostate cancers are treated with HIFU.

Histology: the study of cells and tissues under a microscope.

History: the signs and symptoms the patient may have for a particular disease

Hysterectomy: an operation where uterus and/or cervix are removed. When both uterus and the cervix are removed, it is called a total hysterectomy. When only the uterus is removed, it is called a partial hysterectomy.

Immunotherapy: a treatment that boosts body’s immune system to fight cancer, for example, immunotherapy of bladder cancer with BCG vaccine.

Implant: a substance or object that is put in the body as prosthesis, for example, breast implant after removal of breast for cancer.

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): this is a type of radiation therapy that uses computer-generated images to show the size and shape of the tumor and direct thin beams of radiation at the tumor from different angles. This type of radiation therapy reduces the damage to healthy tissue near the tumor.

In situ: means ‘in its original place’. Carcinoma in situ means the abnormal cells are found only in the place they were first formed and have not spread nearby.

Incidence of cancer: the number of new cases of a cancer diagnosed each year.

Incision: a cut made in the body by a surgeon to perform surgery.

Induction therapy: this is the initial treatment given to reduce a cancer, for example, induction therapy for acute myeloid leukemia.

Intrathecal chemotherapy: treatment in which anticancer drugs are injected into the fluid-filled space between the tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord.

Intravenous (IV) chemotherapy: treatment in which anticancer drugs are injected into a vein through a canula.

Labial: of lip

Laryngeal: of larynx, laryngeal cancer

Laser surgery: a surgical procedure that uses intense, narrow beams of light to cut and destroy cancer tissue.

Leukemia: a cancer that starts in blood forming tissues such as bone marrow.

Lymphedema: a condition where extra lymph fluid builds up in tissues and causes swelling. This can be seen in the arm after breast operations.

Malignant: means cancerous. Malignancy is the term used to describe malignant cells that invade and destroy tissues.

Mass: a lump. It can be benign mass or malignant mass.

Mastectomy: removal of breast.

Medical oncologist: a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer using chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy, and targeted therapy.

Mesothelioma: cancer arising from the mesothelial lining of the pleura (covering of lung)

Melanoma: the cancer that begins in melanocytes. Common site is the skin but can also occur in the eyes.

Metastasis: the spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. The cancer that is formed by cells that have spread from original site is called metastatic cancer or metastatic tumor.

Mucosal: of mucosa, mucosal lining of vagina

Mutate: means ‘to change’. Mutation means change in DNA of a cell.

Nasal: of nose, nasal polyp

Neoplasia: it is an abnormal and uncontrolled cell growth.

Neoplasm: it is an abnormal mass of tissue. Neoplasms can be benign or malignant (cancer).
Nodule: it is a growth or lump or mass that can be benign or malignant.

Oncogene: this is a changed or mutated gene and may cause growth of cancer cells.

Oncology: the study of cancer

Oncologist: a doctor who specializes in treating cancer.

Oral: of mouth, oral cancer

Ovarian: of ovary, ovarian cancer

Palliative therapy or treatment: this is the treatment given to relieve the symptoms and reduce the suffering of cancer patient. Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of patients.

Pancreatic: of pancreas, pancreatic cancer

Pharyngeal: of pharynx, pharyngeal cancer

PAP test: this is a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and examined under a microscope. This test is done to detect cancer or to detect changes in the cervix that may lead to cancer.

Partial: not whole, partly, for example, partial gastrectomy which means part of stomach is removed.

Penectomy: surgery to remove part or the entire penis

Penile: of penis, penile cancer

Plastic surgery: a surgical procedure that improves the appearance of body structures. The person who does plastic surgery is called plastic surgeon. Plastic surgeons are involved in many reconstruction surgeries of breast, vagina or face after cancer treatment.

Polyps: these are small growths that arise from mucous membrane of colon and rectum.

Precancerous (premalignant) is a condition that may become cancer later.

Proctoscopy: examination of the rectum using a proctoscope, inserted into the rectum.

Prognosis: the likely outcome of cancer. The prognosis of most cancers in advanced stage is poor.

Prophylactic surgery: this is a surgery to remove part of a body or organ with no signs of cancer but in an attempt to prevent development of cancer in that organ in future. For example, prophylactic mastectomy or prophylactic removal of ovaries are sometimes done.

Prostatic: of prostate, prostatic cancer

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA): this is a protein produced by prostate gland. The level of PSA in blood may be increased in men who have prostate cancer or enlarged prostate.

Pulmonary: of lung

Radiation oncologist: a doctor who specializes in using radiation to treat cancer.

Radiation physicist: a person who makes sure that the radiation machine delivers the right amount of radiation to the correct site in the body.

Radiation therapist: a health professional who gives radiation treatment.

Radiofrequency ablation: a procedure that uses radio waves to heat and destroy abnormal and cancer cells.

Recurrent cancer: cancer that has come back after treatment or after being undetectable for a period of time. The cancer is said to have recurred.

Refractory cancer or resistant cancer: cancer that does not respond to treatment.

Regimen: it is a treatment plan where the dosage, the schedule and the duration of treatment is specified.

Relative survival rate: it is an estimated number that compares the chances that a person with cancer will survive after the diagnosis or treatment of a cancer with those who do not have the cancer. It is usually calculated in terms of 2, 5 or 10 years. For example, the 5-year relative survival rate for colorectal cancer in America, if detected and treated early, is 90%.

Remission: this means disappearance of or decrease in signs and symptoms of cancer. A cancer is said to be in complete remission when there are no signs and symptoms of cancer; it is in partial remission if some signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared.

Renal: of kidney, renal cancer

Resection: removal of part or all of an organ.

Risk factor: a risk factor is something that increases the chance of developing a cancer. For example, smoking is a risk factor for many cancers.

Screening: checking for diseases when there are no symptoms of cancer. Examples of cancer screening tests include PAP tests, mammogram, and colonoscopy.

Sentinel lymph node: it is the first lymph node to which cancer is likely to spread from the primary tumor.

Staging of cancer: this is doing examinations and tests to find out the extent of cancer in the body and also whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Staging cancer helps to give best treatment to the patient.

Stem cell: a cell from which other types of cells develop. For example, red blood cells develop from blood-forming stem cells.

Stent: it is a device that is placed in a body structure to keep it open. For example, a stent may be inserted in the bile duct if it is blocked by cancer of gallbladder.

Stoma: this is an opening made surgically from an area inside the body to the outside. For example, colostomy has a stoma in the abdominal wall.

Surgical menopause: a woman stops to have menstrual period following removal of her ovaries. This is seen in operations on cancers of ovaries or uterus.

Surgical oncologist: a doctor who performs surgical procedures in cancer patients.

Systemic chemotherapy: treatment of cancer with chemotherapy drugs that travel through bloodstream and reach cells all over the body.

Targeted therapy: a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells.

Testicular: of testis, testicular cancer

Thermotherapy: treatment of disease using heat.

Topical treatment: medicines that are applied on the surface of the body, for example, Aldara cream is applied topically on the skin to treat basal cell cancer.

Ulcer: this is a break on the skin or in the lining of an organ. For example, an ulcer on the face may be a sign of basal cell carcinoma.

Urethral: of urethra, urethral discharge

Uterine: of uterus, uterine cancer

Urologic oncologist: a doctor who specializes in treating cancers of the urinary system.

Vaginal of vagina, vaginal cancer

Visceral: of the viscera, viscera mean internal organs. Visceral pain is pain coming

Vulval or vulvar: of vulva, vulval pr vulvar cancer

Wart: a raised growth on the surface of the skin or other organs.

Watchful waiting: This involves closely watching a patient’s condition but not giving any active treatment. This is used in certain cancers like prostate or myeloma where the cancer progresses very slowly.

Wedge resection: this is a surgical procedure where a triangular piece of tissue is removed in order to treat a cancer.

If you would like to know more about cancer including signs, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and other cancer-related issues like family tumors, sexuality, cancer in pregnancy, children and HIV patients, palliative care, psychological problems, and prevention and screening of tumors, please visit ‘Do I Have Cancer? ‘. This 270 pages eBook provides a complete package of information on cancer that is guaranteed to give enough information on any issue related to malignant tumors. The next article in this series is ‘Symptoms of Cancer’

Dr Naresh Parajuli
MBBS MIPH MM FRACGP

Author: Naresh Parajuli
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

I further claim that cancer will only occur after all other defense or healing mechanisms in the body have failed. In extreme circumstances, exposure to large amounts of cancer-producing agents (carcinogens) can bring about a collapse of the body’s defenses within several weeks or months and allow for rapid and aggressive growth of a cancerous tumor. Usually, though, it takes many years, or even decades, for these so-called “malignant” tumors to form.

Unfortunately, basic misconceptions or complete lack of knowledge about the reasons behind tumor growth have turned “malignant” tumors into vicious monsters that have no other purpose but to kill us in retaliation for our sins or abusing the body. However, as you are about to find out, cancer is on our side, not against us. Unless we change our perception of what cancer really is, it will continue to resist treatment, particularly the most “advanced” methods. If you have cancer, and cancer is indeed part of the body’s complex survival responses and not a disease, as I suggest it is, you must find answers to the following pressing questions:

* What reasons coerce your body into developing cancer cells?

* Once you have identified these reasons, will you be able to change them? What determines the type and severity of cancer with which you are afflicted?

* If cancer is a survival mechanism, what needs to be done to prevent the body from taking recourse to such drastic defense measures?

* Since the body’s original genetic design always favors the preservation of life and protection against adversities of any kind, why would the body permit self-destruction?

* Why do almost all cancers disappear by themselves, without medical intervention?

* Do radiation, chemotherapy and surgery actually cure cancer, or do cancer survivors heal due to other reasons, despite these radical, side-effect-loaded treatments?

* What roles do fear, frustration, low self-worth and repressed anger play in the origination and outcome of cancer?

* What is the spiritual growth lesson behind cancer?

To deal with the root causes of cancer, you must find satisfying and practical answers to the above questions. If you feel the inner urge to make sense of this life-changing event, (cancer that is), you most likely will recover from it. Cancer can be your greatest opportunity to help restore balance to all aspects of your life, but it can also be the harbinger of severe trauma and suffering. Either way you are always in control of your body.

To live in a human body, you must have access to a certain amount of life-sustaining energy. You may either use this inherent energy in a nourishing and self-sustaining or in a destructive and debilitating way. In case you consciously or unconsciously choose negligence or self-abuse over loving attention and self-respect, your body will likely end up having to fight for its life.

Cancer is but one of the many ways the body tries to change the way you see and treat yourself, including your body. This inevitably brings up the subject of spiritual health, which plays at least as important a role in cancer as physical and emotional reasons do.

Cancer appears to be a highly confusing and unpredictable disorder. It seems to strike the very happy and the very sad, the rich and the poor, the smokers and the non-smokers, the very healthy and the not so healthy. People from all backgrounds and occupations can have cancer. However, if you dare look behind the mask of its physical symptoms, such as the type, appearance and behavior of cancer cells, you will find that cancer is not as coincidental or unpredictable as it seems to be.

What makes 50% of the American population so prone to developing cancer, when the other half has no risk at all? Blaming the genes for that is but an excuse to cover up ignorance of the real causes. Besides, any good genetic researcher would tell you that such a belief is void of any logic and outright unscientific (as explained in the book).

Cancer has always been an extremely rare illness, except in industrialized nations during the past 40-50 years. Human genes have not significantly changed for thousands of years. Why would they change so drastically now, and suddenly decide to kill scores of people? The answer to this question is amazingly simple: Damaged or faulty genes do not kill anyone. Cancer does not kill a person afflicted with it! What kills a cancer patient is not the tumor, but the numerous reasons behind cell mutation and tumor growth. These root causes should be the focus of every cancer treatment, yet most oncologists typically ignore them. Constant conflicts, guilt and shame, for example, can easily paralyze the body’s most basic functions, and lead to the growth of a cancerous tumor.

After having seen thousands of cancer patients over a period of three decades, I began to recognize a certain pattern of thinking, believing and feeling that was common to most of them. To be more specific, I have yet to meet a cancer patient who does not feel burdened by some poor self-image, unresolved conflict and worries, or past emotional trauma that still lingers in his/her subconscious. Cancer, the physical disease, cannot occur unless there is a strong undercurrent of emotional uneasiness and deep-seated frustration.

Cancer patients typically suffer from lack of self-respect or worthiness, and often have what I call an “unfinished business” in their life. Cancer can actually be a way of revealing the source of such inner conflict. Furthermore, cancer can help them come to terms with such a conflict, and even heal it altogether. The way to take out weeds is to pull them out along with their roots. This is how we must treat cancer; otherwise, it may recur eventually.

The following statement is very important in the consideration of cancer: “Cancer does not cause a person to be sick; it is the sickness of the person that causes the cancer.” To treat cancer successfully requires the patient to become whole again on all levels of his body, mind and spirit. Once the cancer causes have been properly identified, it will become apparent what needs to be done to achieve complete recovery.

It is a medical fact that every person has cancer cells in the body all the time. These cancer cells remain undetectable through standard tests until they have multiplied to several billion. When doctors announce to their cancer patients that the treatments they prescribed had successfully eliminated all cancer cells, they merely refer to tests that are able to identify the detectable number of cancerous cells. Standard cancer treatments may lower the number of cancer cells to an undetectable level, but this certainly cannot eradicate all cancer cells. As long as the causes of tumor growth remain intact, cancer may redevelop at any time and at any rate.

Curing cancer has little to do with getting rid of a group of detectable cancer cells. Treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are certainly capable of poisoning or burning many cancer cells, but they also destroy healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, etc., which often leads to permanent irreparable damage of entire organs and systems in the body. A real cure of cancer does not occur at the expense of destroying other vital parts of the body.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people who were once “successfully” treated for cancer die from infections, heart attacks, liver failure, kidney failure and other illnesses because the cancer treatments generate a massive amount of inflammation and destruction in the organs and systems of the body. Of course, these causes of death are not being attributed to cancer. This statistical omission makes it appear we are making progress in the war against cancer. However, many more people are dying from the treatment of cancer than from cancer. A real cure or cancer is achievable only when the causes of excessive growth of cancer cells have been removed or stopped.

Power in the Word

Cancer is the second leading “cause” of death for Americans. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1.2 million cases will be diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. in 2008. More than 552,000 Americans will die of it. Among men, the top three cancer diagnoses are expected to be prostate cancer (180,400 cases), lung cancer (89,500 cases), and colorectal cancer (63,600). The leading types of cancer among women are breast cancer (182,800 cases), lung cancer (74,600), and colorectal cancer (66,600 cases).

Cancer is not just a word, but also a statement that refers to abnormal or unusual behavior of cells in the body. However, in quite a different context, cancer is referred to as a star sign. When someone tells you that you are a “cancer”, are you going to tremble with fear of dying? It is unlikely, because your interpretation of being of the cancer sign does not imply that you have cancer, the illness. But if your doctor called you into his office and told you that you had cancer, you would most likely feel paralyzed, numb, terrified, hopeless, or all of the above.

The word “cancer” has the potential to play a very disturbing and precarious role, one that is capable of delivering a death sentence. Being a cancer patient seems to start with the diagnosis of cancer, although its causes may have been there for many years prior to feeling ill. Within a brief moment, the word “cancer” can turn someone’s entire world upside down.

Who or what in this world has bestowed this simple word or statement with such great power that it can preside over life and death? Or does it really? Could it actually be that our collective, social belief that cancer is a killer disease, in addition to the aggressive treatments that follow diagnosis, are largely responsible for the current dramatic escalation of cancer in the Western hemisphere? Too far fetched, you might say! In this book, however, I will make the point that cancer can have no power or control over us, unless we unconsciously allow it to grow in response to the beliefs, perceptions, attitudes, thoughts, feelings we have, and the life choices we make.

Would we be just as afraid of cancer if we knew what caused it or at least understood what its underlying purpose is? Unlikely so! If truth were told, we would most probably do everything to remove the causes and, thereby, set the preconditions for the body to heal itself.

A little knowledge (which is what we call ignorance) is, in fact, a dangerous thing. Almost everyone, at least in the industrialized world, knows that drinking water from a filthy pond or polluted lake can cause life-threatening diarrhea, but still only few realize that holding on to resentment, anger and fear, or eating fast foods, chemical additives, and artificial sweeteners, is no less dangerous than drinking polluted water; it may just take a little longer to kill a person than tiny amoeba can.

Mistaken Judgment

We all know that if the foundation of a house is strong, the house can easily withstand external challenges, such as a violent storm. As we will see, cancer is merely an indication that there is something missing in our body and in life as a whole. Cancer shows that life as a whole (physical, mental and spiritual) stands on shaky grounds and is quite fragile, to say the least. It would be foolish for a gardener to water the withering leaves of a tree when he knows so well that the real problem is not where it appears to be, namely, on the symptomatic level (of withered leaves). By watering the roots of the plant, he naturally attends to the causative level, and consequently, the plant regenerates itself swiftly and automatically.

To the trained eye of a gardener, the symptom of withering leaves is not a dreadful disease. He recognizes that the dehydrated state of these leaves is but a direct consequence of withdrawn nourishment that they need in order to sustain themselves and the rest of the plant.

Although this example from nature may appear to be a simplistic analogy, it offers a profound understanding of very complex disease processes in the human body. It accurately describes one of the most powerful and fundamental principles controlling all life forms on the planet. However skilled we may have become in manipulating the functions of our body through the tools of allopathic medicine, this basic, highly evolved principle of evolution cannot be suppressed or violated without paying the hefty price of side-effect-riddled suffering and pain – physically, emotionally and spiritually.

I fervently challenge the statement that cancer is a killer disease. Furthermore, I will demonstrate that cancer is not a disease at all. Many people who received a “terminal” cancer sentence actually defied the prognosis and experienced total remission.

The Need for Answers

There is no cancer that has not been survived by someone, regardless how far advanced it was. If even one person has succeeded in healing his cancer, there must be a mechanism for it, just as there is a mechanism for creating cancer. Every person on the planet has the capacity for both. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you may not be able to change the diagnosis, but it is certainly in your power to alter the destructive consequences that it (the diagnosis) may have on you. The way you see the cancer and the steps you take following the diagnosis are some of the most powerful determinants of your future wellness, or the lack of it.

The indiscriminate reference to “cancer” as being a killer disease by professionals and lay people alike has turned cancer into a disorder with tragic consequences for the majority of today’s cancer patients and their families. Cancer has become synonymous to extraordinary suffering, pain and death. This is true despite the fact that 90-95 percent of all cancers appear and disappear out of their own accord. There is not a day that passes without the body making millions of cancer cells. Some people, under severe temporary stress make more cancer cells than usual and form clusters of cancerous cells that disappear again once they feel better. Secretions of the DNA’s anticancer drug, Interleukin II, drop under physical and mental duress and increase again when relaxed and joyful. Thus, most cancers vanish without any form of medical intervention and without causing any real harm.

Right at this moment, there are millions of people walking around with cancers in their body without having a clue that they have them. Likewise, there are millions of people who heal their cancers without even knowing it. Overall, there are many more spontaneous remissions of cancer than there are diagnosed and treated cancers.

The truth is, relatively few cancers actually become “terminal.” However, once diagnosed, the vast majority of all cancers are never even given a chance to disappear on their own. They are promptly targeted with an arsenal of deadly weapons of cell destruction such as chemotherapy drugs, radiation and the surgical knife. The problem with cancer patients is that, terrified by the diagnosis, they submit their bodies to all these cut/burn/poison procedures that, more likely than not, lead them to the day of final sentencing, “We have to tell you with our deepest regret there is nothing more that can be done to help you.”

The most pressing question is not how advanced or dangerous a cancer is, but what we need to do to not end up dying from it. Why do some people go through cancer as if it were the flu? Are they just lucky or is there a mechanism at work that triggers the healing? In other words, what is that element that prevents the body from healing cancer naturally, or what is that hidden element that makes cancer so dangerous, if it is dangerous at all?

The answers to all these queries lie with the response of the person who has the cancer, and not with the degree of “viciousness” or advanced stage it appears to have progressed to. Do you believe that cancer is a disease? You will most likely answer with a “yes,” given the ‘informed’ opinion that the medical industry and mass media have fed to the masses for many decades. Yet, the most pressing yet rarely asked question remains: “Why do you think cancer is a disease?” You may say: “Because I know cancer kills people every day.” I would question you further: “How do you know that it is the cancer that kills people?” You would probably argue that most people who have cancer die, so obviously it must be the cancer that kills them. Besides, you may reason, all the expert doctors tell us so.

Let me raise another question, a rather strange one: “How do you know for sure that you are the daughter/son of your father and not of another man?” Is it because your mother told you so? What makes you think that your mother told you the truth? Probably because you believe her; and you have no reason not to. After all, she is your mother, and mothers do not lie about these things. Or do they? Although you will never really know that the person you believe to be your father is, in fact, your father, you nevertheless have turned what you subjectively believe into something that you just “know,” into an irrefutable truth.

Although there is no scientific proof whatsoever that cancer is a disease (versus a survival mechanism), most people will insist that it is a disease because this is what they were told to believe. Yet their belief is only hearsay information based on other people’s opinions. These other people heard it from someone else. Eventually, the “truth” of cancer being a disease can be traced to some doctors who expressed their subjective feelings or beliefs about what they observed and wrote about in some review articles or medical reports. Other doctors agreed with their opinion, and before long, it became a “well-established” fact that cancer is a vicious illness that somehow gets hold of people in order to kill them. However, the truth of the matter may be quite different.

Wisdom of Cancer Cells

Cancer cells are not part of a malicious disease process. When cancer cells spread (metastasize) throughout the body, it is not their purpose or goal to disrupt the body’s vitals functions, infect healthy cells and obliterate their host (the body). Self-destruction is not the theme of any cell unless, of course, it is old and worn-out and ready to be turned-over and replaced. Cancer cells, like all other cells, know that if the body dies, they will die as well. Just because some people assume that cancer cells are there to destroy the body does not mean cancer cells have such a purpose or ability.

A cancerous tumor is neither the cause of progressive destruction nor does it actually lead to the death of the body. There is nothing in a cancer cell that has even remotely the ability to kill anything. What eventually leads to the demise of an organ or the entire body is the wasting away of cell tissue resulting from continued deprivation of nutrients and life force. The drastic reduction or shutdown of vital nutrient supplies to the cells of an organ is not primarily a consequence of a cancerous tumor, but actually its biggest cause.

By definition, a cancer cell is a normal, healthy cell that has undergone genetic mutation to the point that it can live in an anaerobic surrounding (an environment where oxygen is not available). In other words, if you deprive a group of cells of vital oxygen (their primary source of energy), some of them will die, but others will manage to alter their genetic software program and mutate in a most ingenious way: the cells will be able to live without oxygen and derive some of their energy needs from such things as cellular metabolic waste products.

It may be easier to understand the cancer cells phenomenon when comparing it with the behavior of common microorganisms. Bacteria, for example, are divided into two main groups, aerobic and anaerobic, meaning, those that need to use oxygen and those that can live without it. This is important to understand since we have more bacteria in our body than we have cells. Aerobic bacteria thrive in an oxygenated environment. They are responsible for helping us with the digestion of food and manufacturing of important nutrients, such as B-vitamins. Anaerobic bacteria, on the other hand, can appear and thrive in an environment where oxygen does not reach. They break down waste materials, toxic deposits and dead, worn-out cells.

The body sees the cancer as being such an important defense mechanism that it even causes the growth of new blood vessels to guarantee the much-needed supply of glucose and, therefore, survival and spreading of the cancer cells. It knows that cancer cells do not cause but, prevent death; at least for a while, until the wasting away of an organ leads to the demise of the entire organism. If the trigger mechanisms for cancer (causal factors) are properly taken care of, such an outcome can be avoided.

It is commonly believed that our immune system protects us against cancer. However, this is only partially true. On the one hand, the immune system readily destroys the millions of cancer cells that a healthy human body produces as part of the daily turnover of 30 billion cells. On the other hand, the immune system takes no action to eradicate cancer cells that develop in response to a build up of toxins, congestion and emotional stress.

Cancers and all other tissues in the body are larded with cancer-killing white cells, such as T-cells. In the case of kidney cancer and melanomas, for example, white cells make up 50 per cent of the mass of the cancers. Since these T-cells easily recognize foreign or mutated cell tissue such as cancer cells, you would expect these immune cells to attack cancer cells right away. However, the immune system allows cancer cells to recruit it to actually increase and spread the cancer to other parts of the body. Cancer cells produce specific proteins that tell the immune cells to leave them alone and help them to grow

Why would the immune system want to collaborate with cancer cells to make more or larger tumors? Because cancer is a survival mechanism, not a disease. The body uses the cancer to keep deadly carcinogenic substances and caustic metabolic waste matter away from the lymph and blood and, therefore, from the heart, brain and other vital organs. Killing off cancer cells would in fact jeopardize its survival. Cleansing the body of accumulated toxins and waste products through the various cleansing methods advocated in my book Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation (www.ener-chi.com) removes the need for cancer.

Cancer is not a disease; it is the final and most desperate survival mechanism the body has at its disposal. It only takes control of the body when all other measures of self-preservation have failed. To truly heal cancer and what it represents in a person’s life we must come to the understanding that the reason the body allows some of its cells to grow in abnormal ways is in its best interest and not an indication that it is about to destroy itself. Cancer is a healing attempt by the body, for the body. Blocking this healing attempt can destroy the body. Supporting the body in its healing efforts can save it.

Andreas Moritz’s book, Cancer is not a Disease – It’s a Survival Mechanism, explains the root causes of cancer and how to eliminate them for good. Available through http://www.amazon.com or http://www.ener-chi.com.

Author: Andreas Moritz
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

According to a new report, people who are physically inactive and are obese around the middle have poor odds of survival after a diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

“We have now shown that modifiable lifestyle factors that were known to reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer can also reduce the mortality in cases diagnosed with the disease,” Dr. Andrew M. M. Haydon told Reuters Health. “This strengthens the argument supporting the public health message of ‘healthy living.’”

Haydon, from Monash Medical School in Melbourne, Australia, studied records from more than 40,000 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1990 and 1994.

Patients who got regular exercise before their colorectal cancer was found were 31 percent less likely to die from the cancer than were non-exercisers, the investigators report in the medical journal Gut. In fact, 73 percent of exercisers survived at least five years, compared with 61 percent of non-exercisers.

Such an improvement in survival “is at least as large as” as is usually achieved by add-on chemotherapy.

A greater percentage of body fat, bigger waist circumference, and/or greater weight were also associated with worse survival, according to the report.

**Study shows short term sex life improvements in prostate cancer survivors

It is well known that many men who undergo prostate cancer treatment (surgery or radiation therapy) have sexual dysfunction. A recent study of 84 prostate cancer survivors attempted to determine the impact of post-treatment interventions such as counseling sessions.

The study found that a large percentage of those who completed four therapy sessions reported better sexual functioning 3 months later. Counseling sessions focused on better communication between partners, ED treatment options, and methods of enjoying sex in spite of ED.

Both partners reported improvements in their sex life for up to 3 months later. There was also an increase in the number of men using ED treatments such as Viagra.

However, after six months the improvements began to wane. The researchers speculated that couples tended to revert back to old habits, and there also might have been greater reliance put on the “magic pill” solution. Drugs such as Viagra tend to have a lower success rate in prostate cancer survivors, so when these drugs stop working couples may adopt a defeatist attitude.

**Vitamin D helps fight cancer, report claims

A research team from the San Diego Moores Cancer Center headed up by Dr. Cedric Garland recently concluded that Vitamin D deficiency is often associated with various types of cancer. Dr. Garland now advises people to increase their intake of Vitamin D through diet or a vitamin supplement.

The research team reviewed 63 studies conducted between 1966 and 2004 on the relationship between vitamin D and certain types of cancer. The report concluded that Vitamin D deficiency was a factor in several thousand deaths due to colon, breast, ovarian and other cancers every year.

The report recommended increasing Vitamin D intake, either in the form of supplements or by eating certain foods such as fortified orange juice, yogurt and cheeses. This is especially the case with people in northern latitudes where there is less exposure to the sun. African Americans are also more prone to a Vitamin D deficiency because the their skin pigment reduces the amount produced by the body.

Observers welcomed the University of California study but also warned that kidney and liver damage could result from too much vitamin D.

The “natural” form of the vitamin, called D3, is normally produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight, but is also obtained from certain foods such as oily fish, margarine and meat.

**Resveratrol found in grapes helps fix our aching joints

Researchers at the American College of Rheumatology in San Diego, California have found that resveratrol found in red wine appears to halt cartilage damage caused by osteoarthritis, and speed up recovery.

It is thought that oxygen-rich particles in the blood cause severe damage to body cells similar to the way rust rots a car. Resveratrol is a powerful anti-oxidant which seems to function as a way to prevent this kind of injury.

The research found that resveratrol resulted in a reduction of between 50 and 90% of the production of chemicals that cause inflammation in the joints. It also enhanced production of specific proteins that are part of the connective tissue in joints.

Red wine has other beneficial effects on the body. It contains polyphenrols that reduce the amount of bad LDL cholesterol in the arteries. It also increases the amount of good HDL cholesterol.

Tannin and resveratrol, the anti-oxydants found in red wine, help to guard against cancer and slow tumor growth.

About The Author

Rick Hendershot publishes Linknet News ==> [http://www.linknet-news.com] | For information on name brand prescription drugs, visit [http://www.mybestscripts.com] | To fight childhood obesity see [http://www.body-mechanics.tv/tool-kit.htm]

Author: Rick Hendershot
Article Source: EzineArticles.com