Cancer Resources

Cancer that has grown in one part of the body could extend outside that place and attack other areas of the body. This process is named metastasis. The bone is a usual place of metastasis for some different cancers. They consist of lung, breast, prostate, kidney, and thyroid cancers, and multiple myeloma amongst others.

When cancer has extended to a new site, it is still named after the area of the body where it begins. For instance, if prostate cancer extends to the bones, it is still called prostate cancer, and if breast cancer extends to the lungs it is still cancer of breast. A person with it that has extended to the bones is said to have cancer of breast with bone metastases. (If you are talking about over one metastasis, they are named metastases). Bone comes about to be one of the most common parts to which breast cancer metastasizes, the others being liver, lung, and brain. Continue reading ‘Breast Cancer and Bone Metastasis’ »

A cancer diagnosis can be so shocking that it may be hard to know where to begin when talking to the doctor. It’s common to feel completely tongue-tied, wondering if it’s okay to even let the things you’re thinking about cross your lips. For example, the first question on your mind may be “Is it curable?” Well, that’s a perfectly reasonable thing to be wondering. The doctor may not be able to give you a definitive answer, but getting his opinion allows you to begin planning for the future and start a conversation about what’s to come.

When accompanying someone to a doctor appointment, it’s a good idea to bring a pen and paper to take notes, or ask the doctor’s staff to provide writing materials. Many people find that no matter how hard they listen during appointments, the information becomes a blur as soon as they leave the office. (If you have a tape recorder, you might even want to bring it or another recording device, but ask the doctor if it’s okay to use it before you turn it on.)Start by quickly making a mental list of everything that’s unclear. Don’t worry if some of your questions seem obvious — if you don’t know the answer, that makes a question absolutely worth asking. And if the answer to one question brings another to mind, ask that as well. You’ll find that at each appointment and stage of treatment, more questions will come up. But here are some to get you started. Continue reading ‘Questions to Ask the Oncologist About the Diagnosis’ »

Incoming search terms:

• "Waht to ask an oconologist"

How dangerous is CMM to the Irish population?

On average each year, about 375 new cases of malignant melanoma of the skin are diagnosed in Ireland each year, 235 in females, and 140 in males. Every year about 60 people in Ireland die of CMM, of these about 32 are female and 28 are male. This makes CMM the 6th most frequent category of malignant cancer in females, but only the 12th most frequent in males. European-age-standardised rates show it is also significantly higher among females than males, by about 52%. On average, an Irish female is estimated to have a 1-in-100 chance of developing this cancer by age 74, while males a 1-in-150 chance. CMM is now the most common cancer amongst Irish women aged 20-29 years. Irish females also have the third highest number of cases of this form of skin cancer in the EU, while Irish males have the sixth highest out of 15 other European nations. (EUCAN study Ferlay et al 1999). Rates of CMM amongst males in Northern Ireland are significantly higher than males in RoI (about 14%). Within the EU, a north-south gradient is evident with melanoma rates higher in the more northerly countries, especially Sweden. This is consistent with the hypothesis that intermittent sunlight exposure in sun-sensitive individuals may be a critical factor in melanoma development.

The condition becomes a significant cancer from about age 20 or 25 onwards and based on All-Ireland data, rates appear to rise gradually to about age 50, with a steeper increase in rates thereafter, reaching a peak in age-classes from 75 years onwards. Rates are substantially higher among females than males in all age-classes between 15 and 69 years, especially in the range 15-34 years. Although patterns are broadly consistent between NI and RoI, the age-profile of NI patients indicates, on average, earlier occurrence. It is interesting that mortality rates with European Age Standardised Incidence Rates (EASRs) do not differ significantly between males and females, despite higher incidence rates in females, thus reflecting lower average survival rates in males. On average, the risk of dying from melanoma of the skin in Ireland before age 75 is presently estimated to be 1 in 770 for women and 1 in 800 for men.

Risk Factors for Melanoma

Family history of melanoma
Dysplastic nevi
History of melanoma
Weakened immune system
Many ordinary moles (more than 50)
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
Severe, blistering sunburns
Freckles
Fair skin Continue reading ‘The Increasing Incidence of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma (CMM) In Ireland’ »

Cancer of the prostate is the most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of death in North America. It is a primarily a disease of older men, increasing in incidence with age, with the majority of cases diagnosed in men older than 65 years old. It is eliminated that each year, approximately 189,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 30,000 will die of it.

The exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown, although androgens are believed to have a role in its development. Almost all primary prostate cancers are developing in the peripheral zone of the prostate gland. This location increases the risk of local spread to the prostatic capsule. As the tumor enlarges, it may compress the urethra, obstructing urinary flow.

Men with early-stage prostate cancer often in pain with the initial manifestation noted. Urinary manifestations depend on the size and the location of the tumor and the stage is malignancy. Death usually occurs secondary to debility cause by multiple site of skeletal, especially to the vertebrae. It may eventually involve in bone marrow, resulting in severe anemia and impaired immune function. The definitive diagnosis can be made only by biopsy. However, other test may suggest the presence of prostate cancer. Continue reading ‘Prostate Cancer, Men's Silent Killer’ »

Cysts in the ovary can be filled with fluid or solid materials. This condition occurs to women at any age but it is most frequently observed in women between the ages of thirty to sixty years. Ovarian cysts come about when the follicular sacs that follow ovulation do not rupture as opposed to the usual process of breaking and releasing the egg that allows fertilization to happen. The sac then is left in a mass of fluid or solid material. This sometimes happen with only a single cyst or in multiple numbers. Continue reading ‘Treatment For Ovarian Cysts – Uncovering the Methods of Healing’ »

Knowing how to prepare for skin cancer surgery, from biopsies and surgery to chemotherapy and radiation treatments, may be instrumental in minimising the time it takes to heal.

Being prepared both physically and mentally for skin treatments can reduce hindrances and recurrences, and possibly amend your chances for survival.

How to Prepare Yourself for a Skin Treatment

The first thing you should do is inform your doctor before a biopsy of any condition that may modify the results, like pregnancy or presence of anti-inflammatory medications such as prednisone. Taking aspirin too can alter a test result, as it can thin the blood of your body. Continue reading ‘Skin Surgery – How to Prepare Yourself’ »