As we know, cancer can be an emotionally devastating issue; this is not only to you as a sufferer but to your family and friends. There are some anticancer recommendations and daily food intake that can minimize cancer risk.

While chemotherapy and radiation can kill cancer cells, these therapies are general toxins against the toxic effects of chemo and radiation, thus making the cancer cells more vulnerable to the medicine. Proper nutrition can make chemo and radiation more of a selective toxin against the cancer and less damaging to the patient.

Most of us eats too much, and specifically eats too much meat, too much fat, too much cholesterol, too much sugar, and too much salt. The diet is found to be lacking in fruits, vegetables, and grains. Uncontrolled Diet and nutrition appear to be key factors in higher cancer risk. Tobacco is a factor in of human cancers. Other known risk factors associated with the development of cancer are alcohol, chemicals, drugs, and other environmental factors. You have total control over most of these risk factors, including the major two, diet and tobacco. (more…)

Skin cancer is a killer. This is a proven fact which is borne out by the millions of deaths that occur each year on account of it. The problem of global warming has indeed depleted the ozone layer which means that the harmful UV rays of the sun percolate in and affect people who are exposed to these rays for extended periods of time. It is true that the problem of world pollution has reached such alarming proportions that one can really not go to the beach and sun oneself for long periods of time, without having a fear that one would get skin cancer.

As the sun is the largest source of skin cancer, it follows naturally that preventing exposure to the sun would naturally be the most effective means of preventing skin cancer. For instance experts say that it is advisable to avoid going into the sun without adequate protection between 11 am to 4 pm when the sun’s rays are most direct. Similarly, one has to be generous with applying sun tan lotion which keeps the sun’s UV rays out decisively. There are so many kinds of lotions that are available in the market nowadays. One should be careful to ascertain that the sun tan lotion that one is using is as good as it is touted or advertised to be. (more…)

Prostate cancer is serious and the second most common form of cancer death in males in America. Is genetic testing for this cancer possible?

Certain cancers have well established genetic components, the best known being breast cancer and the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The first prostate cancer gene was discovered way back in 1996 by a team of Swedish and US scientists. Genetic research and techniques have enormously expanded since then, and although other genes involved have been identified, their exact roles have not been uncovered.

In studies of men, their genetic profiles, and prostate cancer, statistically significant relationships have been discovered. However, some prostate cancers are slow growing and even harmless while others are very aggressive and deadly. The tests have not been able to distinguish these. Also there are concerns of privacy. What if companies and health care providers used these test results to help determine whether to offer employment or insurance. Even if illegal, these types of crimes have occurred in the past. And other concern is worry: a man who, with current testing technology, was shown to be at a high risk could worry needlessly. (more…)

Ovarian cancer is known to be a silent killer. It takes the lives of close to 15,000 women across the United States each year and is usually difficult to detect. It is the leading cause of death among gynaecological cancers and the fifth among cancers of all kind. Much of the problem in providing adequate and fast treatment comes from the fact that it displays no tell-tale ovarian cancer symptoms to go by. Often enough, screening for cancer can fail at the first attempt and require multiple tests to provide a true positive result. Other than that, the early stages are very similar to other gynaecological problems that women display and are usually treated for the same. It can also be wrongly diagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and treated for that, further postponing correct therapy for cancer.

There are certain documented ovarian cancer symptoms, which when occurring together for long periods of time can be a cause for alarm. The loss of appetite, unexplained weight gain or loss, swelling in the abdomen and general pain in the stomach region are the first indicators of a disorder. After which, any kind of persistent bowel related problems, such as frequent urination, diarrhoea, excessive gas and constipation are further symptoms. Along with these, pain during sexual intercourse and irregular vaginal bleeding other than the time of menstruation is the extreme symptoms that definitely call for an immediate screening for ovarian cancer. Under such circumstances, going in for a simple pelvic examination is the first step one should take for confirming that the symptoms are indeed likely to be indicative of another disorder. After which, a CA 125 blood test and a Transvaginal Ultrasonography are required. (more…)

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is associated with exposure to asbestos. The disease is a brutal form of cancer because it is very hard to discover and often only is diagnosed in the very late stages. At that point, treatment is often very difficult for a host of reasons. To give you an idea of how difficult, we cover one maddening complication in this article.

Mesothelioma is the cancer of the mesothelium from which it derives its name. The mesothelium is a lining found in the chest and abdomen that acts more or less as a protective sheath for organs such as the heart and lungs. While cancer of the lungs can be easily identified, the same cannot be said for identifying it in the thin lining surrounding them. This is what makes Mesothelioma so deadly. It usually only discovered very late, often after it has grown for 20, 30, 40 years or more. (more…)