Cancer Resources

There is a mixed bag of news when it comes to HIV associated cancers. While the instances of AIDS-defining cancers, or the cancers typically associated with AIDS progression: Kaposi sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and invasive cervical cancer, have decreased, instances of other types of cancers in HIV infected patients has increased, resulting in a virtual offset. Nonetheless, progress has been made when it comes to longevity in HIV patients. Highly active antiretroviral therapy has improved quality of life for HIV-infected patients, including lengthening life expectancy and reducing the risk of AIDS progression. While this is good news, what isn’t good news is the noticeable increase in other types of cancers.

Between 1991 and 1995, about 34,000 cases of AIDS-defining cancers were present in HIV-infected patients; this number dropped to around 10,000 ten years later (between 2001 and 2005). This is a positive indication of the antiretroviral medication working and helping to delay the progression from HIV to AIDS. However, the instances of other cancers skyrocketed. About 3,000 cases of other cancers were found in HIV patients from 1991 to 1995; that number jumped to 10,000 cases ten years later. Since 2003, the number of non-AIDS-defining cancers has exceeded the number of AIDS-defining and HIV associated cancers. While some of this can be attributed to the general aging of the population, it doesn’t explain it entirely. Continue reading ‘HIV Associated Cancers’ »

Gerard Smith first joined TV on the Radio as an official member to play bass and keyboards on 2008’s Dear Science. The eclectic group’s new album, Nine Types of Light, was released earlier this month to enthusiastic reviews. Due on March, 2011, TV on the Radio announced on their website that bassist Gerard Smith Was diagnosed with Lung Cancer Symptoms after completing the group’s upcoming album Nine Types of Light and had been undergoing treatment while the band was on the road.

Gerard Smith, following a courageous fight against lung cancer. Gerard passed away the morning of April 20th, 2011. His death comes a little over a month after it was announced that he was battling the lung cancer killer disease. In up to 25% of people who get lung cancer, the cancer is first discovered on a routine chest X-ray or CT scan as a solitary small mass sometimes called a coin lesion, since on a two-dimensional X-ray or CT scan, the round tumor looks like a coin. Continue reading ‘TVOTR bassist Gerard Smith has died at 34 after battle with Lung Cancer Symptoms’ »

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The colon (together with the rectum) are part of the large intestine (bowel). The colon is a muscular tube that is about five feet long. It absorbs water and nutrients from food passing through. The rectum, the lower six inches of the digestive tract, serves as a holding place for stool, which then passes out of the body through the anus. The colon is divided into four sections: the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon. Most colorectal cancers arise in the sigmoid colon — the portion just above the rectum. They usually start in the innermost layer and can grow through some or all of the several tissue layers that make up the colon and rectum. Cancer can, however, develop in any portion of the colon. The extent to which a cancer penetrates the various tissue layers of the colon determines the stage of the disease.

What is Colon Cancer? Colon and rectal cancers are the second most prevalent type after lung cancer among men, and the third most prevalent after breast cancer and lung cancer in women. Most colorectal types grow slowly over a period of several years, often beginning as small benign growths called polyps. Removing these polyps early, before they become malignant, is an effective means of preventing colorectal cancer. If the epithelia cells (the cells in the mucous membrane of the colon) turn cancerous and begin to grow and replicate in an abnormal and uncontrolled way, the body cannot organize these cells for normal function and the cells form a mass that is called a tumor. Malignant tumors in the colon can eventually penetrate through the colon and spread to other parts of the body, crowding and destroying normal cells. Continue reading ‘Colon Cancer: Don’t Miss The Symptoms’ »

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Another interesting study is called, “Gefitinib in Patients with Malignant Mesothelioma: A Phase II Study by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B” – Clinical Cancer Research March 2005 11; 2300 by Ramaswamy Govindan, Robert A. Kratzke, James E. Herndon II, Gloria A. Niehans, Robin Vollmer, Dorothy Watson, Mark R. Green, Hedy L. Kindler and on behalf of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B. Here is an excerpt: “Abstract – Purpose: The Cancer and Leukemia Group B conducted a phase II study of gefitinib, an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase, in patients with previously untreated malignant mesothelioma. Experimental Design: Eligible patients had unresectable pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma, measurable disease, no prior therapy, and performance status 0-1 by Cancer and Leukemia Group B criteria. Gefitinib (500 mg p.o.) was administered once a day for 21 days. Patients underwent restaging after every two cycles. Therapy was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Results: The most common grade 3 toxicities were diarrhea (16%) and nausea (12%). Of 43 patients enrolled, 1 patient (2%) had a complete response, 1 patient (2%) had a partial response, 21 (49%) had stable disease lasting two to eight cycles, 15 (35%) had progressive disease, and 5 (12%) had early deaths. One-year survival was 32% [95% confidence interval (CI), 21-50%]. Median survival and failure-free survival were 6.8% (95% CI, 3.5-10.3) and 2.6 months (95% CI, 1.5-4.0), respectively. The 3-month failure-free survival was 40% (95% CI, 25-56%). EGFR expression score by immunohistochemistry done in 28 patients was categorized as low (EGFR 1+ or 2+) or high (EGFR 3+) expression: 97% had EGFR over[removed]2+ or 3+). The median and 3-month failure-free survival were 3.6 months and 40% for those patients with low EGFR expression compared with 8.1 and 40% for those with high EGFR expression.” Continue reading ‘Unresectable Pleural and Peritoneal Mesothelioma Research’ »

An interesting study is called, “Aggressive multimodality therapy for malignant pleural Mesothelioma” – The Annals of Thoracic Surgery – Volume 58, Issue 1, July 1994, Pages 24-29 by Thomas W. Rice MD, David J. Adelstein MD, Thomas J. Kirby MD, Matthew G. Saltarelli MD, Siva R. Murthy MD, Marjorie A. Van Kirk RN, Herbert P. Wiedemann MD and James K. Weick MD – Here is an excerpt: “Abstract – Nineteen patients with clinical stage I malignant pleural mesothelioma were treated with aggressive multimodality therapy. Nine patients underwent pleurectomy and decortication followed by immediate intrapleural chemotherapy with cisplatin and mitomycin C. Ten patients required pleuropneumonectomy followed within 1 week to 2 weeks by intrapleural administration of cisplatin (100 mg). Four to 8 weeks after operation, 15 patients underwent postoperative adjuvant cisplatin-based systemic chemotherapy. There were three postoperative complications (16%) requiring reoperation and one postoperative death (5%). Intrapleural chemotherapy was well tolerated with no complications. Systemic chemotherapy was poorly tolerated, and there was one chemotherapy-related death. Sixteen patients (84%) experienced good to excellent palliation. Three patients are currently alive with no evidence of recurrent disease at 10, 35, and 43 months. The median overall survival was 13 months and the median disease-free survival, 11 months. Overall and disease-free 3 year survivals were 17% and 22%, respectively. Patients with epithelial malignant pleural mesothelioma had significantly better overall survival (p = 0.037) and disease-free survival (p = 0.02) than patients with sarcomatous or biphasic malignant pleural mesothelioma. We conclude that despite major toxicity, in select patients with clinical stage I malignant pleural mesothelioma, aggressive multimodality therapy offers effective palliation and occasional long-term disease-free survival.” Continue reading ‘Pleurectomy and Decortication Followed by Immediate Intrapleural Chemotherapy’ »

Another interesting study is called, “Value of calretinin immunostaining in differentiating epithelial mesothelioma from lung adenocarcinoma.” By Ordóñez NG. The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030 – Mod Pathol. 1998 Oct;11(10):929-33.  Here is an excerpt: “Abstract – Only recently have immunohistochemical markers been recognized that are commonly expressed in epithelial mesotheliomas but not in adenocarcinomas. Among these, calretinin generated a great deal of interest, but the number of studies evaluating the practical use of calretinin immunostaining in the diagnosis of mesothelioma is limited, and the study results are controversial. To evaluate whether calretinin immunostaining can assist in distinguishing between epithelial pleural mesothelioma and lung adenocarcinoma and other carcinomas metastatic to the pleura, 38 pulmonary adenocarcinomas, 117 nonpulmonary adenocarcinomas, 28 squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, 8 large-cell undifferentiated carcinomas of the lung, and 9 transitional cell carcinomas metastatic to the lung were studied. Reactivity was observed in all of the 38 mesotheliomas, whereas only 3 of the 38 pulmonary adenocarcinomas and 11 of the 117 nonpulmonary adenocarcinomas (5/38 ovarian, 2/15 endometrial, 2/23 breast, 2/16 colonic, 0/8 kidney, 0/8 prostatic, 0/6 thyroid, and 0/3 pancreatic) exhibited weak or focal staining. Eleven of the 28 squamous carcinomas of the lung were also positive. No reactivity was observed in any of the large cell undifferentiated carcinomas of the lung or in the transitional cell carcinomas. It is concluded that calretinin immunostaining is not only helpful in discriminating epithelial pleural mesotheliomas from pulmonary adenocarcinomas but that it can also assist in distinguishing epithelial mesotheliomas from nonpulmonary adenocarcinomas metastatic to the pleura.” Continue reading ‘Mesothelioma and the Potential Accessibility of Tumors’ »

Another interesting study is called, “Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Extrapleural Pneumonectomy in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma” by Walter Weder, Peter Kestenholz, Christian Taverna, Stefan Bodis, Didier Lardinois, Monika Jerman, Rolf A. Stahel – Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 22, No 17 (September 1), 2004: pp. 3451-3457.  Here is an excerpt: “PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligible patients had MPM with clinical stage T1-3, N0-2, M0 disease considered to be completely resectable and a WHO performance status of 0 to 2. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisted of three cycles of cisplatin 80 mg/m2 on day 1 and gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15, given every 28 days. Surgery had to consist of a complete extrapleural pneumonectomy, including resection of pericardium and diaphragm. Postoperative radiotherapy was to be considered for all patients.

RESULTS: Nineteen patients with MPM were included in this pilot study. According to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer prognostic score, two patients were in the good prognosis group, and 17 patients were in the poor prognosis group. The response rate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 32%. The major toxicity was thrombocytopenia. Extrapleural pneumonectomy was performed in 16 patients with no perioperative mortality. Major surgical complications occurred in six patients, and all were treated successfully. Thirteen patients received postoperative radiotherapy. The median survival time was 23 months. Two patients remain alive and free of disease 41 and 38 months after initiation of therapy. Continue reading ‘Mesothelioma and Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy’ »

Second hand smoke can be acquired by a person through breathing in of the tobacco smoke, been released by a person who are smoking in an area. It is produced together with the smoke coming from a tobacco or a cigarette that is known as the side stream smoke, and the exhaled smoke released by the smoker, known as the mainstream smoke.

When a person was exposed to an area and inhales secondhand smoke that person positively encounters the same toxins and chemicals, like nicotine, that smokers gain from any tobacco products.

People who are exposed in secondhand smoke usually are at risk of various health problems: especially children, they are very vulnerable to the effect o f the cigarette and its toxins had been fused in the air.

There was a study released by researchers related to secondhand smoke environment. Researchers accounted almost 35% of US children who live in areas and home where there are members of the family who used to smoke regularly. However, their research shown that almost 50 to 70 percent of children across the US is very evident of cotinine, the breakdown product of tobacco’s nicotine in the blood of these children. Continue reading ‘Adverse Effect of Secondhand Smoke’ »

Knowing that breast cancer is the second most common kind of non-skin cancer following lung cancer and the fact that it is the fifth common cause of cancer related death it would be wise to read on breast cancer articles to help one’s self and to become fully aware of its nature.

Gathering information about breast cancer is not hard. One can use technology such as the internet to browse on breast cancer articles. If internet is not available there are still other means to be consciousness of the risks and dangers of breast cancer. Newspapers, magazines, tabloid, and all over forms of media constantly feature issues and concerns about it.

Why is it so important to read breast cancer articles and be aware of the disease? It is imperative because of the fact that every individual both male and female can suffer this kind of ailment. Regardless of age, race or ethnicity one is still susceptible to it. In a data released by the American cancer Society it shows that for the year 2009 alone an approximate number of 40,170 women are expected to die because of the dreadful disease. Meanwhile, 1910 cases of it are also expected to happen among men. In addition, an estimated number of 440 men will die in cancer. Continue reading ‘Develop Awareness Through Reading Breast Cancer Articles’ »

Exposure to hazardous asbestos has been a problem for over a century.  The common form of exposure typically came from the workplace.  However, that has changed as asbestos has been found in the water supplies of various municipalities.  One interesting study is called, “Cancer mortality in relation to asbestos in municipal water supplies.” By Wigle DT – Arch Environ Health. 1977 Jul-Aug;32(4):185-190.  Here is an excerpt: “Abstract – The mortality experience of twenty-two municipalities in Quebec grouped by evidence of exposure to asbestos fibers in water supplies (known high, possible high, and probable low exposures) was evaluated. Excess mortality due to cancer of the stomach (males), pancreas (females), and lung (males) was observed in the two municipalities with known high exposures. The excesses among males have been due to occupational exposure to asbestos. The absence of excess mortality due to pancreatic cancer among males suggested that the excess among females was not due to waterborne asbestos. The study therefore did not reveal evidence of excess cancer mortality that could be attributed to exposure to asbestos in drinking water.” Continue reading ‘Asbestos Exposure in the Water Supply and Excess Cancer Mortality’ »