esophagus cancer
The wall of the esophagus has several layers. Cancer of the esophagus -- also referred to as esophageal cancer ... People with Barrett esophagus are at a highly increased risk for developing cancer of the esophagus (estimated at 30-100 ...
Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. ... There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are ...
The esophagus (UK spelling: oesophagus) is a long hollow muscular tube which connects the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. The most common symptom is difficulty in swallowing. It can also be associated with weight loss and sometimes pain or discomfort behind the breast bone or in the back - these symptoms should be checked by a doctor but not are sure signs of cancer. There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are classed as "squamous cell carcinomas" and half as "adenocarcinomas". People with frequent gastric reflux leading to barrest’s have an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.
The esophagus is a hollow tube that transfers food from the throat to the stomach, that is the "food tube". The tube starts just below the "epiglottis", the flap that keeps food from going into our trachea (air pipe) when we swallow. It ends at where it joins with the upper portion of the stomach, called the "cardia". The actual area of coinage is called the "gastroesophageal junction". The esophagus is muscular, to help propel food downward with swallowing. It has a complex array of nerves ("plexus") that work to coordinate the swallowing motion. The upper 2/3 of the esophagus has a inner lining ("mucosa") of a special type of cell, called "squamous" cells, which are also found inesophagus cancer
The wall of the esophagus has several layers. Cancer of the esophagus -- also referred to as esophageal cancer ... People with Barrett esophagus are at a highly increased risk for developing cancer of the esophagus (estimated at 30-100 ...
Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. ... There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are ...
The esophagus (UK spelling: oesophagus) is a long hollow muscular tube which connects the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. The most common symptom is difficulty in swallowing. It can also be associated with weight loss and sometimes pain or discomfort behind the breast bone or in the back - these symptoms should be checked by a doctor but not are sure signs of cancer. There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are classed as "squamous cell carcinomas" and half as "adenocarcinomas". People with frequent gastric reflux leading to barrest’s have an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.
The esophagus is a hollow tube that transfers food from the throat to the stomach, that is the "food tube". The tube starts just below the "epiglottis", the flap that keeps food from going into our trachea (air pipe) when we swallow. It ends at where it joins with the upper portion of the stomach, called the "cardia". The actual area of coinage is called the "gastroesophageal junction". The esophagus is muscular, to help propel food downward with swallowing. It has a complex array of nerves ("plexus") that work to coordinate the swallowing motion. The upper 2/3 of the esophagus has a inner lining ("mucosa") of a special type of cell, called "squamous" cells, which are also found in the mouth and anal region. These cells resist abrasion and heat and are able to heal quickly if damaged, say by the sharp edges on food. The lower 1/3 of the esophagus has an inner lining of a different type of mucosa called "columnar" cells.
4.08.2009
3.27.2009
esophagus cancer
esophagus cancer
The wall of the esophagus has several layers. Cancer of the esophagus -- also referred to as esophageal cancer ... People with Barrett esophagus are at a highly increased risk for developing cancer of the esophagus (estimated at 30-100 ...
Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. ... There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are ...
The esophagus (UK spelling: oesophagus) is a long hollow muscular tube which connects the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. The most common symptom is difficulty in swallowing. It can also be associated with weight loss and sometimes pain or discomfort behind the breast bone or in the back - these symptoms should be checked by a doctor but not are sure signs of cancer. There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are classed as "squamous cell carcinomas" and half as "adenocarcinomas". People with frequent gastric reflux leading to barrest’s have an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.
The esophagus is a hollow tube that transfers food from the throat to the stomach, that is the "food tube". The tube starts just below the "epiglottis", the flap that keeps food from going into our trachea (air pipe) when we swallow. It ends at where it joins with the upper portion of the stomach, called the "cardia". The actual area of coinage is called the "gastroesophageal junction". The esophagus is muscular, to help propel food downward with swallowing. It has a complex array of nerves ("plexus") that work to coordinate the swallowing motion. The upper 2/3 of the esophagus has a inner lining ("mucosa") of a special type of cell, called "squamous" cells, which are also found inesophagus cancer
The wall of the esophagus has several layers. Cancer of the esophagus -- also referred to as esophageal cancer ... People with Barrett esophagus are at a highly increased risk for developing cancer of the esophagus (estimated at 30-100 ...
Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. ... There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are ...
The esophagus (UK spelling: oesophagus) is a long hollow muscular tube which connects the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. The most common symptom is difficulty in swallowing. It can also be associated with weight loss and sometimes pain or discomfort behind the breast bone or in the back - these symptoms should be checked by a doctor but not are sure signs of cancer. There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are classed as "squamous cell carcinomas" and half as "adenocarcinomas". People with frequent gastric reflux leading to barrest’s have an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.
The esophagus is a hollow tube that transfers food from the throat to the stomach, that is the "food tube". The tube starts just below the "epiglottis", the flap that keeps food from going into our trachea (air pipe) when we swallow. It ends at where it joins with the upper portion of the stomach, called the "cardia". The actual area of coinage is called the "gastroesophageal junction". The esophagus is muscular, to help propel food downward with swallowing. It has a complex array of nerves ("plexus") that work to coordinate the swallowing motion. The upper 2/3 of the esophagus has a inner lining ("mucosa") of a special type of cell, called "squamous" cells, which are also found in the mouth and anal region. These cells resist abrasion and heat and are able to heal quickly if damaged, say by the sharp edges on food. The lower 1/3 of the esophagus has an inner lining of a different type of mucosa called "columnar" cells.
This becomes important for considering the cancers that arise in the esophagus. If the lower portion of the esophagus becomes infiltrated with intestinal-like glands, as it is prone to do with prolonged irritation, then this is called "Barrett's" esophagus and is a risk factor to get cancer, as will be seen.
the mouth and anal region. These cells resist abrasion and heat and are able to heal quickly if damaged, say by the sharp edges on food. The lower 1/3 of the esophagus has an inner lining of a different type of mucosa called "columnar" cells.
This becomes important for considering the cancers that arise in the esophagus. If the lower portion of the esophagus becomes infiltrated with intestinal-like glands, as it is prone to do with prolonged irritation, then this is called "Barrett's" esophagus and is a risk factor to get cancer, as will be seen.
The wall of the esophagus has several layers. Cancer of the esophagus -- also referred to as esophageal cancer ... People with Barrett esophagus are at a highly increased risk for developing cancer of the esophagus (estimated at 30-100 ...
Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. ... There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are ...
The esophagus (UK spelling: oesophagus) is a long hollow muscular tube which connects the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. The most common symptom is difficulty in swallowing. It can also be associated with weight loss and sometimes pain or discomfort behind the breast bone or in the back - these symptoms should be checked by a doctor but not are sure signs of cancer. There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are classed as "squamous cell carcinomas" and half as "adenocarcinomas". People with frequent gastric reflux leading to barrest’s have an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.
The esophagus is a hollow tube that transfers food from the throat to the stomach, that is the "food tube". The tube starts just below the "epiglottis", the flap that keeps food from going into our trachea (air pipe) when we swallow. It ends at where it joins with the upper portion of the stomach, called the "cardia". The actual area of coinage is called the "gastroesophageal junction". The esophagus is muscular, to help propel food downward with swallowing. It has a complex array of nerves ("plexus") that work to coordinate the swallowing motion. The upper 2/3 of the esophagus has a inner lining ("mucosa") of a special type of cell, called "squamous" cells, which are also found inesophagus cancer
The wall of the esophagus has several layers. Cancer of the esophagus -- also referred to as esophageal cancer ... People with Barrett esophagus are at a highly increased risk for developing cancer of the esophagus (estimated at 30-100 ...
Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. ... There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are ...
The esophagus (UK spelling: oesophagus) is a long hollow muscular tube which connects the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells arise in the tissues of the esophagus. The most common symptom is difficulty in swallowing. It can also be associated with weight loss and sometimes pain or discomfort behind the breast bone or in the back - these symptoms should be checked by a doctor but not are sure signs of cancer. There are two main types of esophageal cancer (depending on how the cells appear under the microscope); approximately half are classed as "squamous cell carcinomas" and half as "adenocarcinomas". People with frequent gastric reflux leading to barrest’s have an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.
The esophagus is a hollow tube that transfers food from the throat to the stomach, that is the "food tube". The tube starts just below the "epiglottis", the flap that keeps food from going into our trachea (air pipe) when we swallow. It ends at where it joins with the upper portion of the stomach, called the "cardia". The actual area of coinage is called the "gastroesophageal junction". The esophagus is muscular, to help propel food downward with swallowing. It has a complex array of nerves ("plexus") that work to coordinate the swallowing motion. The upper 2/3 of the esophagus has a inner lining ("mucosa") of a special type of cell, called "squamous" cells, which are also found in the mouth and anal region. These cells resist abrasion and heat and are able to heal quickly if damaged, say by the sharp edges on food. The lower 1/3 of the esophagus has an inner lining of a different type of mucosa called "columnar" cells.
This becomes important for considering the cancers that arise in the esophagus. If the lower portion of the esophagus becomes infiltrated with intestinal-like glands, as it is prone to do with prolonged irritation, then this is called "Barrett's" esophagus and is a risk factor to get cancer, as will be seen.
the mouth and anal region. These cells resist abrasion and heat and are able to heal quickly if damaged, say by the sharp edges on food. The lower 1/3 of the esophagus has an inner lining of a different type of mucosa called "columnar" cells.
This becomes important for considering the cancers that arise in the esophagus. If the lower portion of the esophagus becomes infiltrated with intestinal-like glands, as it is prone to do with prolonged irritation, then this is called "Barrett's" esophagus and is a risk factor to get cancer, as will be seen.
colorectal cancer
colorectal cancer
Colon cancer is cancer that starts in the large intestine (colon) or the rectum (end of the colon). Such cancer is sometimes referred to as "colorectal cancer."
Other types of colon cancer such as lymphoma,carcinoid tumors, melonema, and sarcomas are rare. In this article, use of the term "colon cancer" refers to colon carcinoma and not these rare types of colon cancer.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related decolorectal cancer
Colon cancer is cancer that starts in the large intestine (colon) or the rectum (end of the colon). Such cancer is sometimes referred to as "colorectal cancer."
Other types of colon cancer such as lymphoma,carcinoid tumors, melonema, and sarcomas are rare. In this article, use of the term "colon cancer" refers to colon carcinoma and not these rare types of colon cancer.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. (However, in almost all cases, early diagnosis can lead to a complete cure.)
There is no single cause for colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as benign polyps, which slowly develop into cancer
Certain genetic syndromes also increase the risk of developing colon cancer.
What you eat may play a role in your risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer may be associated with a hight-fat, low-fiber diet and red meat. However, some studies found that the risk does not drop if you switch to a high-fiber diet, so the cause of the link is not yet clear aths in the United States. (However, in almost all cases, early diagnosis can lead to a complete cure.)
There is no single cause for colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as benign polyps, which slowly develop into cancer
Certain genetic syndromes also increase the risk of developing colon cancer.
What you eat may play a role in your risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer may be associated with a hight-fat, low-fiber diet and red meat. However, some studies found that the risk does not drop if you switch to a high-fiber diet, so the cause of the link is not yet clear
Colon cancer is cancer that starts in the large intestine (colon) or the rectum (end of the colon). Such cancer is sometimes referred to as "colorectal cancer."
Other types of colon cancer such as lymphoma,carcinoid tumors, melonema, and sarcomas are rare. In this article, use of the term "colon cancer" refers to colon carcinoma and not these rare types of colon cancer.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related decolorectal cancer
Colon cancer is cancer that starts in the large intestine (colon) or the rectum (end of the colon). Such cancer is sometimes referred to as "colorectal cancer."
Other types of colon cancer such as lymphoma,carcinoid tumors, melonema, and sarcomas are rare. In this article, use of the term "colon cancer" refers to colon carcinoma and not these rare types of colon cancer.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. (However, in almost all cases, early diagnosis can lead to a complete cure.)
There is no single cause for colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as benign polyps, which slowly develop into cancer
Certain genetic syndromes also increase the risk of developing colon cancer.
What you eat may play a role in your risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer may be associated with a hight-fat, low-fiber diet and red meat. However, some studies found that the risk does not drop if you switch to a high-fiber diet, so the cause of the link is not yet clear aths in the United States. (However, in almost all cases, early diagnosis can lead to a complete cure.)
There is no single cause for colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as benign polyps, which slowly develop into cancer
Certain genetic syndromes also increase the risk of developing colon cancer.
What you eat may play a role in your risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer may be associated with a hight-fat, low-fiber diet and red meat. However, some studies found that the risk does not drop if you switch to a high-fiber diet, so the cause of the link is not yet clear
lung cancer treatment
lung cancer treatment
Treatment
As is true of many cancers, the treatment of lung cancer depends upon a variety of factors. The most important factors are the histopathologic (diseased tissue) type of tumor that is present and its stage. Once a lung cancer has been staged, the physician and patient can discuss treatment options. An individual then has a better idea of the value of different forms of therapy. Other factors that are taken into account include the person's general health, medical problems that may affect treatment (such as chemotherapy), and tumor characteristics.
The characteristics of the lung tumor help to separate individuals into two groups: (1) those who are at low risk of cancer recurrence and (2) those who are at high risk of cancer recurrence. Specific prognostic - disease-forecasting - factors place patients in either of these groups. In particular, the histopathologic groupings of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) versus non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) may be used to better predict a patient's prognosis and response to therapy.
Surgical resection, or cutting away, of the tumor generally is indicated for disease that has not spread beyond the lung. Such resection may be conducted using a variety of techniques. Thoracotomy - the opening of the chest wall for surgical procedures - and median sternotomy - surgery performed by cutting through the breastbone - are standard methods used for lung cancer surgery. Alternative approaches include anterior limited thoractomy (ALT), thoractomy performed on the frontal chest using a small incision; anterioraxillary thoracotomy (AAT), thoracotomy performed on the frontal chest near the underarm), and posterolateral thoracotomy (PLT) thoracotomy performed on the back/side region of the trunk. ALT, in particular, is less invasive than standard thoractomy - that is, it involves less disturbance of the body by incisions or other intrusive measures. ALT may result in less surgical blood loss, less postoperative drainage, and less postoperative pain than standard thoracotomy.
Recently, surgeons have developed other less invasive procedures for the removal of tumorous tissue. For example, video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT), otherwise known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), uses a video camera to help visualize and operate upon the lung within the chest cavity. The surgical incisions made during VAT are much smaller than those needed for thoracotomy or sternotomy. However, some physicians caution that VAT does not allow complete lung examination to identify and remove metastases that are not detected by preoperative chest X-ray. VAT is perhaps most appropriate for Stage 1 and Stage 2 cancers that require lobectomy (surgical removal of a lung lobule) with lymphadenectomy (removal of one or more lymph nodes) and for peripheral (outer edge) lung tumors that can be removed by wedge resection. In such cases, follow-up is required to establish a long-term prognosis.
Computed tomography (CT) scans also have been added to VAT technology to improve lung cancer surgery. Experts have found that percutaneous (through the skin) CT-guided localization wires help to identify tumorous lung nodules. In this way, wires can be used to assist VAT in cases that need sublobectomy resection (partial removal of a lung lobe).
Unfortunately, surgical procedures may cause lymphocytopenia - low number of lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the blood - which is linked with shorter survival times among patients with advanced lung cancer. Lymphocytopenia may be related to a deficiency in interleukin-2 (IL-2), a hormone that controls the activity of T lymphocytes (thymus-dependent lymphocytes). Preoperative treatment with recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) may help to prevent the lymphocyte decrease that occurs after surgery for operable lung cancer.
If the tumor is more aggressive and/or widespread, chemotherapy and radiotherapy (radiation therapy) also may be necessary. In addition to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, other treatments are now available for the management of lung cancer.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) may be especially useful for the care of persons with inoperable lung cancer. Photodynamic therapy begins with the injection of a light-activated drug (e.g., photofrin/polyhaematoporphyrin, lumin). Then, during bronchoscopy (examination of the airways using a flexible scope), the lung tumor is illuminated by a laser fiber that transmits light of a specific wavelength. At that time, the laser light is used to destroy the sensitized tumor tissue. Skin photosensitivity (light sensitivity) is a side effect of PDT. The curative potential of PDT is the most exciting aspect of this therapy in lung cancer patients whose tumors are occult (hidden, unseen) on chest X-ray. The tissue-sparing effects of PDT may be particularly important for individuals with limited lung function.
Electrosurgery
· A lump is detected, which is usually single, firm, and most often painless.
· A portion of the skin on the breast or underarm swells and has an unusual appearance.
· Veins on the skin surface become more prominent on one breast.
· The breast nipple becomes inverted, develops a rash, changes in skin texture, or has a discharge other than breast milk.
· A depression is found in an area of the breast surface.
Women's breasts can develop some degree of lumpiness, but only a small percentage of lumps are malignant.
While a history of breast cancer in the family may lead to increased risk, most breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no family history. If you have a family history of breast cancer, this should be discussed with your doctor.
Treatment
As is true of many cancers, the treatment of lung cancer depends upon a variety of factors. The most important factors are the histopathologic (diseased tissue) type of tumor that is present and its stage. Once a lung cancer has been staged, the physician and patient can discuss treatment options. An individual then has a better idea of the value of different forms of therapy. Other factors that are taken into account include the person's general health, medical problems that may affect treatment (such as chemotherapy), and tumor characteristics.
The characteristics of the lung tumor help to separate individuals into two groups: (1) those who are at low risk of cancer recurrence and (2) those who are at high risk of cancer recurrence. Specific prognostic - disease-forecasting - factors place patients in either of these groups. In particular, the histopathologic groupings of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) versus non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) may be used to better predict a patient's prognosis and response to therapy.
Surgical resection, or cutting away, of the tumor generally is indicated for disease that has not spread beyond the lung. Such resection may be conducted using a variety of techniques. Thoracotomy - the opening of the chest wall for surgical procedures - and median sternotomy - surgery performed by cutting through the breastbone - are standard methods used for lung cancer surgery. Alternative approaches include anterior limited thoractomy (ALT), thoractomy performed on the frontal chest using a small incision; anterioraxillary thoracotomy (AAT), thoracotomy performed on the frontal chest near the underarm), and posterolateral thoracotomy (PLT) thoracotomy performed on the back/side region of the trunk. ALT, in particular, is less invasive than standard thoractomy - that is, it involves less disturbance of the body by incisions or other intrusive measures. ALT may result in less surgical blood loss, less postoperative drainage, and less postoperative pain than standard thoracotomy.
Recently, surgeons have developed other less invasive procedures for the removal of tumorous tissue. For example, video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT), otherwise known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), uses a video camera to help visualize and operate upon the lung within the chest cavity. The surgical incisions made during VAT are much smaller than those needed for thoracotomy or sternotomy. However, some physicians caution that VAT does not allow complete lung examination to identify and remove metastases that are not detected by preoperative chest X-ray. VAT is perhaps most appropriate for Stage 1 and Stage 2 cancers that require lobectomy (surgical removal of a lung lobule) with lymphadenectomy (removal of one or more lymph nodes) and for peripheral (outer edge) lung tumors that can be removed by wedge resection. In such cases, follow-up is required to establish a long-term prognosis.
Computed tomography (CT) scans also have been added to VAT technology to improve lung cancer surgery. Experts have found that percutaneous (through the skin) CT-guided localization wires help to identify tumorous lung nodules. In this way, wires can be used to assist VAT in cases that need sublobectomy resection (partial removal of a lung lobe).
Unfortunately, surgical procedures may cause lymphocytopenia - low number of lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the blood - which is linked with shorter survival times among patients with advanced lung cancer. Lymphocytopenia may be related to a deficiency in interleukin-2 (IL-2), a hormone that controls the activity of T lymphocytes (thymus-dependent lymphocytes). Preoperative treatment with recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) may help to prevent the lymphocyte decrease that occurs after surgery for operable lung cancer.
If the tumor is more aggressive and/or widespread, chemotherapy and radiotherapy (radiation therapy) also may be necessary. In addition to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, other treatments are now available for the management of lung cancer.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) may be especially useful for the care of persons with inoperable lung cancer. Photodynamic therapy begins with the injection of a light-activated drug (e.g., photofrin/polyhaematoporphyrin, lumin). Then, during bronchoscopy (examination of the airways using a flexible scope), the lung tumor is illuminated by a laser fiber that transmits light of a specific wavelength. At that time, the laser light is used to destroy the sensitized tumor tissue. Skin photosensitivity (light sensitivity) is a side effect of PDT. The curative potential of PDT is the most exciting aspect of this therapy in lung cancer patients whose tumors are occult (hidden, unseen) on chest X-ray. The tissue-sparing effects of PDT may be particularly important for individuals with limited lung function.
Electrosurgery
· A lump is detected, which is usually single, firm, and most often painless.
· A portion of the skin on the breast or underarm swells and has an unusual appearance.
· Veins on the skin surface become more prominent on one breast.
· The breast nipple becomes inverted, develops a rash, changes in skin texture, or has a discharge other than breast milk.
· A depression is found in an area of the breast surface.
Women's breasts can develop some degree of lumpiness, but only a small percentage of lumps are malignant.
While a history of breast cancer in the family may lead to increased risk, most breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no family history. If you have a family history of breast cancer, this should be discussed with your doctor.
lung cancer treatment
lung cancer treatment
Treatment
As is true of many cancers, the treatment of lung cancer depends upon a variety of factors. The most important factors are the histopathologic (diseased tissue) type of tumor that is present and its stage. Once a lung cancer has been staged, the physician and patient can discuss treatment options. An individual then has a better idea of the value of different forms of therapy. Other factors that are taken into account include the person's general health, medical problems that may affect treatment (such as chemotherapy), and tumor characteristics.
The characteristics of the lung tumor help to separate individuals into two groups: (1) those who are at low risk of cancer recurrence and (2) those who are at high risk of cancer recurrence. Specific prognostic - disease-forecasting - factors place patients in either of these groups. In particular, the histopathologic groupings of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) versus non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) may be used to better predict a patient's prognosis and response to therapy.
Surgical resection, or cutting away, of the tumor generally is indicated for disease that has not spread beyond the lung. Such resection may be conducted using a variety of techniques. Thoracotomy - the opening of the chest wall for surgical procedures - and median sternotomy - surgery performed by cutting through the breastbone - are standard methods used for lung cancer surgery. Alternative approaches include anterior limited thoractomy (ALT), thoractomy performed on the frontal chest using a small incision; anterioraxillary thoracotomy (AAT), thoracotomy performed on the frontal chest near the underarm), and posterolateral thoracotomy (PLT) thoracotomy performed on the back/side region of the trunk. ALT, in particular, is less invasive than standard thoractomy - that is, it involves less disturbance of the body by incisions or other intrusive measures. ALT may result in less surgical blood loss, less postoperative drainage, and less postoperative pain than standard thoracotomy.
Recently, surgeons have developed other less invasive procedures for the removal of tumorous tissue. For example, video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT), otherwise known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), uses a video camera to help visualize and operate upon the lung within the chest cavity. The surgical incisions made during VAT are much smaller than those needed for thoracotomy or sternotomy. However, some physicians caution that VAT does not allow complete lung examination to identify and remove metastases that are not detected by preoperative chest X-ray. VAT is perhaps most appropriate for Stage 1 and Stage 2 cancers that require lobectomy (surgical removal of a lung lobule) with lymphadenectomy (removal of one or more lymph nodes) and for peripheral (outer edge) lung tumors that can be removed by wedge resection. In such cases, follow-up is required to establish a long-term prognosis.
Computed tomography (CT) scans also have been added to VAT technology to improve lung cancer surgery. Experts have found that percutaneous (through the skin) CT-guided localization wires help to identify tumorous lung nodules. In this way, wires can be used to assist VAT in cases that need sublobectomy resection (partial removal of a lung lobe).
Unfortunately, surgical procedures may cause lymphocytopenia - low number of lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the blood - which is linked with shorter survival times among patients with advanced lung cancer. Lymphocytopenia may be related to a deficiency in interleukin-2 (IL-2), a hormone that controls the activity of T lymphocytes (thymus-dependent lymphocytes). Preoperative treatment with recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) may help to prevent the lymphocyte decrease that occurs after surgery for operable lung cancer.
If the tumor is more aggressive and/or widespread, chemotherapy and radiotherapy (radiation therapy) also may be necessary. In addition to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, other treatments are now available for the management of lung cancer.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) may be especially useful for the care of persons with inoperable lung cancer. Photodynamic therapy begins with the injection of a light-activated drug (e.g., photofrin/polyhaematoporphyrin, lumin). Then, during bronchoscopy (examination of the airways using a flexible scope), the lung tumor is illuminated by a laser fiber that transmits light of a specific wavelength. At that time, the laser light is used to destroy the sensitized tumor tissue. Skin photosensitivity (light sensitivity) is a side effect of PDT. The curative potential of PDT is the most exciting aspect of this therapy in lung cancer patients whose tumors are occult (hidden, unseen) on chest X-ray. The tissue-sparing effects of PDT may be particularly important for individuals with limited lung function.
Electrosurgery
· A lump is detected, which is usually single, firm, and most often painless.
· A portion of the skin on the breast or underarm swells and has an unusual appearance.
· Veins on the skin surface become more prominent on one breast.
· The breast nipple becomes inverted, develops a rash, changes in skin texture, or has a discharge other than breast milk.
· A depression is found in an area of the breast surface.
Women's breasts can develop some degree of lumpiness, but only a small percentage of lumps are malignant.
While a history of breast cancer in the family may lead to increased risk, most breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no family history. If you have a family history of breast cancer, this should be discussed with your doctor.
Treatment
As is true of many cancers, the treatment of lung cancer depends upon a variety of factors. The most important factors are the histopathologic (diseased tissue) type of tumor that is present and its stage. Once a lung cancer has been staged, the physician and patient can discuss treatment options. An individual then has a better idea of the value of different forms of therapy. Other factors that are taken into account include the person's general health, medical problems that may affect treatment (such as chemotherapy), and tumor characteristics.
The characteristics of the lung tumor help to separate individuals into two groups: (1) those who are at low risk of cancer recurrence and (2) those who are at high risk of cancer recurrence. Specific prognostic - disease-forecasting - factors place patients in either of these groups. In particular, the histopathologic groupings of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) versus non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) may be used to better predict a patient's prognosis and response to therapy.
Surgical resection, or cutting away, of the tumor generally is indicated for disease that has not spread beyond the lung. Such resection may be conducted using a variety of techniques. Thoracotomy - the opening of the chest wall for surgical procedures - and median sternotomy - surgery performed by cutting through the breastbone - are standard methods used for lung cancer surgery. Alternative approaches include anterior limited thoractomy (ALT), thoractomy performed on the frontal chest using a small incision; anterioraxillary thoracotomy (AAT), thoracotomy performed on the frontal chest near the underarm), and posterolateral thoracotomy (PLT) thoracotomy performed on the back/side region of the trunk. ALT, in particular, is less invasive than standard thoractomy - that is, it involves less disturbance of the body by incisions or other intrusive measures. ALT may result in less surgical blood loss, less postoperative drainage, and less postoperative pain than standard thoracotomy.
Recently, surgeons have developed other less invasive procedures for the removal of tumorous tissue. For example, video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT), otherwise known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), uses a video camera to help visualize and operate upon the lung within the chest cavity. The surgical incisions made during VAT are much smaller than those needed for thoracotomy or sternotomy. However, some physicians caution that VAT does not allow complete lung examination to identify and remove metastases that are not detected by preoperative chest X-ray. VAT is perhaps most appropriate for Stage 1 and Stage 2 cancers that require lobectomy (surgical removal of a lung lobule) with lymphadenectomy (removal of one or more lymph nodes) and for peripheral (outer edge) lung tumors that can be removed by wedge resection. In such cases, follow-up is required to establish a long-term prognosis.
Computed tomography (CT) scans also have been added to VAT technology to improve lung cancer surgery. Experts have found that percutaneous (through the skin) CT-guided localization wires help to identify tumorous lung nodules. In this way, wires can be used to assist VAT in cases that need sublobectomy resection (partial removal of a lung lobe).
Unfortunately, surgical procedures may cause lymphocytopenia - low number of lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the blood - which is linked with shorter survival times among patients with advanced lung cancer. Lymphocytopenia may be related to a deficiency in interleukin-2 (IL-2), a hormone that controls the activity of T lymphocytes (thymus-dependent lymphocytes). Preoperative treatment with recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) may help to prevent the lymphocyte decrease that occurs after surgery for operable lung cancer.
If the tumor is more aggressive and/or widespread, chemotherapy and radiotherapy (radiation therapy) also may be necessary. In addition to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, other treatments are now available for the management of lung cancer.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) may be especially useful for the care of persons with inoperable lung cancer. Photodynamic therapy begins with the injection of a light-activated drug (e.g., photofrin/polyhaematoporphyrin, lumin). Then, during bronchoscopy (examination of the airways using a flexible scope), the lung tumor is illuminated by a laser fiber that transmits light of a specific wavelength. At that time, the laser light is used to destroy the sensitized tumor tissue. Skin photosensitivity (light sensitivity) is a side effect of PDT. The curative potential of PDT is the most exciting aspect of this therapy in lung cancer patients whose tumors are occult (hidden, unseen) on chest X-ray. The tissue-sparing effects of PDT may be particularly important for individuals with limited lung function.
Electrosurgery
· A lump is detected, which is usually single, firm, and most often painless.
· A portion of the skin on the breast or underarm swells and has an unusual appearance.
· Veins on the skin surface become more prominent on one breast.
· The breast nipple becomes inverted, develops a rash, changes in skin texture, or has a discharge other than breast milk.
· A depression is found in an area of the breast surface.
Women's breasts can develop some degree of lumpiness, but only a small percentage of lumps are malignant.
While a history of breast cancer in the family may lead to increased risk, most breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no family history. If you have a family history of breast cancer, this should be discussed with your doctor.
throat cancer symptom
throat cancer symptom
Cancer Treatment Centers of America has provided this brief summary on throat cancer symptoms. It is important to see your doctor or some qualified medical professional if you are experiencing throat cancer symptoms.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America is your source for integrative throat cancer treatment. Cancer patients at CTCA will have a variety of cancer therapies that are designed to use each patient's strengths in the fight of their lives against cancer.
Throat Cancer Symptoms are related to other head and neck cancer symptoms.
Common throat cancer symptoms are a lump or sore that does not heal, a sore throat that does not go away, difficulty swallowing, a change in the sound of the voice, and a new hoarseness in the voice.
Throat Cancer Symptoms: Other Symptoms
Please keep in mind that while your symptoms may seem like throat cancer symptoms, they may be caused by other unrelated and less serious health conditions. Tell your doctor about any throat cancer symptoms you are feeling.
Throat cancer symptoms, and head and neck cancer symptoms, may also include trouble breathing, trouble with speaking, pain in the ears and frequent headaches. Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include sinuses that are blocked and will not clear. Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include bleeding through the nose, pain in the upper teeth, headaches, and swelling in the eyes. Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include chronic sinus infections that do not go away when treated with antibiotics.
There is more to learn about throat cancer symptoms. If you have any of these throat cancer symptoms, it is important that you see your doctor.
Possible Throat Cancer Symptoms
Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include numbness or paralysis of the muscles in the face.
Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include pain that does not go away in the face.
Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also trouble pain that does not go away in the neck.
There is more to learn about throat cancer symptoms. If you have any of these throat cancer symptoms, it is important that you see your doctor.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America has provided this brief summary on throat cancer symptoms. It is important to see your doctor or some qualified medical professional if you are experiencing throat cancer symptoms.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America is your source for integrative throat cancer treatment. Cancer patients at CTCA will have a variety of cancer therapies that are designed to use each patient's strengths in the fight of their lives against cancer.
Throat Cancer Symptoms are related to other head and neck cancer symptoms.
Common throat cancer symptoms are a lump or sore that does not heal, a sore throat that does not go away, difficulty swallowing, a change in the sound of the voice, and a new hoarseness in the voice.
Throat Cancer Symptoms: Other Symptoms
Please keep in mind that while your symptoms may seem like throat cancer symptoms, they may be caused by other unrelated and less serious health conditions. Tell your doctor about any throat cancer symptoms you are feeling.
Throat cancer symptoms, and head and neck cancer symptoms, may also include trouble breathing, trouble with speaking, pain in the ears and frequent headaches. Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include sinuses that are blocked and will not clear. Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include bleeding through the nose, pain in the upper teeth, headaches, and swelling in the eyes. Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include chronic sinus infections that do not go away when treated with antibiotics.
There is more to learn about throat cancer symptoms. If you have any of these throat cancer symptoms, it is important that you see your doctor.
Possible Throat Cancer Symptoms
Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include numbness or paralysis of the muscles in the face.
Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also include pain that does not go away in the face.
Throat cancer symptoms and head and neck cancer symptoms may also trouble pain that does not go away in the neck.
There is more to learn about throat cancer symptoms. If you have any of these throat cancer symptoms, it is important that you see your doctor.
awareness better book breast cancer cook edition garden home limited new pink plaid
awareness better book breast cancer cook edition garden home limited new pink plaid
New Cook Book, Limited Edition Pink Plaid
For Breast Cancer Awareness
(Hardcover)
by Better Homes and Gardens; Tricia Laning
In Stock: Ships within 2-3 days.
Promoting breast cancer awareness, the complete 12th edition "New Cook Book" features all the goodness and reliability that's made the Red Plaid a trusted kitchen resource for millions of families. An all-new 64-page "pink" section includes healthful dietary and lifestyle suggestions and 60+ delicious recipes containing wholesome "super foods" associated with a reduced risk of cancer.
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis:
The complete 12th edition New Cook Book with all the goodness and reliability thats made the Red Plaid a trusted kitchen resource for millions of families.
Inspiration at its finest, with more than 1,200 delicious recipes and 700 full-color photos.
Hundreds of hints and tips.
Easy-to-read cooking charts.
Complete nutrition and exchange information for every recipe.
Plus all the best-loved recipes found in the Red Plaid version.
All new remarkable 64-page pink section that includes:
Healthful dietary and lifestyle suggestions.
More than 60 delicious recipes containing wholesome super foods associated with a reduced risk of cancer.
Triple gift impact: a sought-after limited edition cookbook, meaningful cancer-fighting information, and a significant contribution to a highly-visible, respected foundation.
New Cook Book, Limited Edition Pink Plaid
For Breast Cancer Awareness
(Hardcover)
by Better Homes and Gardens; Tricia Laning
In Stock: Ships within 2-3 days.
Promoting breast cancer awareness, the complete 12th edition "New Cook Book" features all the goodness and reliability that's made the Red Plaid a trusted kitchen resource for millions of families. An all-new 64-page "pink" section includes healthful dietary and lifestyle suggestions and 60+ delicious recipes containing wholesome "super foods" associated with a reduced risk of cancer.
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis:
The complete 12th edition New Cook Book with all the goodness and reliability thats made the Red Plaid a trusted kitchen resource for millions of families.
Inspiration at its finest, with more than 1,200 delicious recipes and 700 full-color photos.
Hundreds of hints and tips.
Easy-to-read cooking charts.
Complete nutrition and exchange information for every recipe.
Plus all the best-loved recipes found in the Red Plaid version.
All new remarkable 64-page pink section that includes:
Healthful dietary and lifestyle suggestions.
More than 60 delicious recipes containing wholesome super foods associated with a reduced risk of cancer.
Triple gift impact: a sought-after limited edition cookbook, meaningful cancer-fighting information, and a significant contribution to a highly-visible, respected foundation.
Oral cancer
Oral cancer
Oral cancer is part of a group of cancers called head and neck cancers. Oral cancer can develop in any part of the oral cavity or oropharynx. Most oral cancers begin in the tongue and in the floor of the mouth. Almost all oral cancers begin in the flat cells (squamous cells) that cover the surfaces of the mouth, tongue, and lips. These cancers are called squamous cell carcinomas.
When oral cancer spreads (metastasizes), it usually travels through the lymphatic system. Cancer cells that enter the lymphatic system are carried along by lymph, a clear, watery fluid. The cancer cells often appear first in nearby lymph nodes in the neck.
Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the neck, the lungs, and other parts of the body. When this happens, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells as the primary tumor. For example, if oral cancer spreads to the lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are actually oral cancer cells. The disease is metastatic oral cancer, not lung cancer. It is treated as oral cancer, not lung cancer. Doctors sometimes call the new tumor "distant" or metastatic disease.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection from oral sex may have increased rate of tonsillar cancer, a study from Sweden hints.
Reports from both the US and Finland have documented a rise in the incidence of tonsillar cancer. This occurred in the absence of any increase in smoking or alcohol consumption, two well-known causative factors for the malignancy. This led Dr. Eva Munck-Wikland, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and colleagues to look for other epidemiologic trends that might explain the growing incidence of tonsillar cancer.
HPV is known to be associated with tonsillar cancers. Whether an increase in HPV-positive cases drove the recent increase in incidence, however, was unclear.
In their study, reported in the International Journal of Cancer, the investigators found that the incidence of tonsillar cancer rose by 2.8-fold in Sweden during the study period, 1970 to 2002. Cases of the disease in women rose by 3.5-fold, while cases in men increased by 2.6-fold.
At the same time, the proportion of HPV-positive cases of tonsillar cancer increased 2.9-fold, the report indicates. In the 1970s, 23.3 percent of cases were HPV-positive compared with 68 percent in 2000 to 2002.
This may be related to patterns of sexual behavior, with high-risk HPV-16 infections, not uncommon in the genital area, also becoming more common in the mouth due to an increase in oral sex, Munck-Wikland and colleagues note
They hypothesize that an "epidemic" of HPV infection in the oral cavity, due to changed sexual habits, "may contribute to the significant increase in incidence of tonsillar cancer."
If HPV does, in fact, cause tonsillar cancer, it might stimulate interest in developing a vaccine for preventing the malignancy, they suggest.
SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, December 1, 2006.
Oral cancer is part of a group of cancers called head and neck cancers. Oral cancer can develop in any part of the oral cavity or oropharynx. Most oral cancers begin in the tongue and in the floor of the mouth. Almost all oral cancers begin in the flat cells (squamous cells) that cover the surfaces of the mouth, tongue, and lips. These cancers are called squamous cell carcinomas.
When oral cancer spreads (metastasizes), it usually travels through the lymphatic system. Cancer cells that enter the lymphatic system are carried along by lymph, a clear, watery fluid. The cancer cells often appear first in nearby lymph nodes in the neck.
Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the neck, the lungs, and other parts of the body. When this happens, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells as the primary tumor. For example, if oral cancer spreads to the lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are actually oral cancer cells. The disease is metastatic oral cancer, not lung cancer. It is treated as oral cancer, not lung cancer. Doctors sometimes call the new tumor "distant" or metastatic disease.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection from oral sex may have increased rate of tonsillar cancer, a study from Sweden hints.
Reports from both the US and Finland have documented a rise in the incidence of tonsillar cancer. This occurred in the absence of any increase in smoking or alcohol consumption, two well-known causative factors for the malignancy. This led Dr. Eva Munck-Wikland, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and colleagues to look for other epidemiologic trends that might explain the growing incidence of tonsillar cancer.
HPV is known to be associated with tonsillar cancers. Whether an increase in HPV-positive cases drove the recent increase in incidence, however, was unclear.
In their study, reported in the International Journal of Cancer, the investigators found that the incidence of tonsillar cancer rose by 2.8-fold in Sweden during the study period, 1970 to 2002. Cases of the disease in women rose by 3.5-fold, while cases in men increased by 2.6-fold.
At the same time, the proportion of HPV-positive cases of tonsillar cancer increased 2.9-fold, the report indicates. In the 1970s, 23.3 percent of cases were HPV-positive compared with 68 percent in 2000 to 2002.
This may be related to patterns of sexual behavior, with high-risk HPV-16 infections, not uncommon in the genital area, also becoming more common in the mouth due to an increase in oral sex, Munck-Wikland and colleagues note
They hypothesize that an "epidemic" of HPV infection in the oral cavity, due to changed sexual habits, "may contribute to the significant increase in incidence of tonsillar cancer."
If HPV does, in fact, cause tonsillar cancer, it might stimulate interest in developing a vaccine for preventing the malignancy, they suggest.
SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, December 1, 2006.
canadian cancer society
canadian cancer society
Canadian Cancer Statistics
This publication reports cancer incidence and mortality in Canada, analyzed by gender, age and province/territory. It includes current year estimates of incidence and mortality, probabilities of developing or dying from cancer, causes of premature death in Canada, patterns of cancer in children and youth and annual special topics.
The goal of Canadian Cancer Statistics is to provide health professionals, researchers and policy-makers with detailed information that is intended to stimulate new research and will help decision-makers and policy-makers at all levels make decisions and set priorities.
Welcome to the National Cancer Institute of Canada
Funded by the Canadian Cancer Society and The Terry Fox Foundation, the National Cancer Institute of Canada is the country's premier research organization dedicated to supporting outstanding cancer research and advancing cancer control. Last year, we provided $67 million to support excellent cancer research and related programs across the country.
Panel I: Clinical Trials and Clinical Studies
Grants submitted to Panel I range across the spectrum of patient-focused studies related to cancer prevention, detection, pharmacokinetic evaluation of new therapies and outcome analysis. In addition, side effects of therapy and psychosocial effects of therapy are considered by this panel. Clinical studies range from small feasibility studies to multi-center phase III studies. Primary disease sites include all types of cancer
Canadian Cancer Statistics
This publication reports cancer incidence and mortality in Canada, analyzed by gender, age and province/territory. It includes current year estimates of incidence and mortality, probabilities of developing or dying from cancer, causes of premature death in Canada, patterns of cancer in children and youth and annual special topics.
The goal of Canadian Cancer Statistics is to provide health professionals, researchers and policy-makers with detailed information that is intended to stimulate new research and will help decision-makers and policy-makers at all levels make decisions and set priorities.
Welcome to the National Cancer Institute of Canada
Funded by the Canadian Cancer Society and The Terry Fox Foundation, the National Cancer Institute of Canada is the country's premier research organization dedicated to supporting outstanding cancer research and advancing cancer control. Last year, we provided $67 million to support excellent cancer research and related programs across the country.
Panel I: Clinical Trials and Clinical Studies
Grants submitted to Panel I range across the spectrum of patient-focused studies related to cancer prevention, detection, pharmacokinetic evaluation of new therapies and outcome analysis. In addition, side effects of therapy and psychosocial effects of therapy are considered by this panel. Clinical studies range from small feasibility studies to multi-center phase III studies. Primary disease sites include all types of cancer
stomach cancer symptom
stomach cancer symptom
About Stomach Cancer Symptoms: Many times, stomach cancer does not present any symptoms in the early stages. It is so important to talk about any symptoms or discomforts you are experiencing early on. These symptoms of stomach cancer are also symptoms of many other illnesses.
Blood in the stool: Seeing blood in the stools is a symptom of stomach cancer. Sometimes, you cannot always see blood in the stools, as it is within them. Blood can also be detected with a stool sample.
Losing weight without trying: If you have experienced a weight loss and haven't been try to lose weight, you really should get checked out by a doctor. Unintended weight loss can mean many things, and are not always indicative of cancer.
Nausea and/or vomitting: Feeling nauseous and vomiting that lasts more than a day or two is a symptom of stomach cancer, also. Persistent stomach upset is not only uncomfortable, but harsh on the stomach and esophagus.
Loss of appetite: Not feeling like eating for a day or two can be okay, but anything longer should be reported to your doctor.
Do you bloat, especially after eating?: This is one of the more common symptoms of stomach cancer. If you are bloated a lot, try to take notice if it occurs after eating. Keep in mind, that bloating in general is also a symptom.
Abdominal pains and discomfort: This can range from mild discomfort to severe pain. This is the symptom of stomach cancer that usually prompts people to get care.
Changes in bowel habits: Diarrhea and/ or constipation can be symptoms of stomach cancer. If ignored, both can lead to other medical problems.
About Stomach Cancer Symptoms: Many times, stomach cancer does not present any symptoms in the early stages. It is so important to talk about any symptoms or discomforts you are experiencing early on. These symptoms of stomach cancer are also symptoms of many other illnesses.
Blood in the stool: Seeing blood in the stools is a symptom of stomach cancer. Sometimes, you cannot always see blood in the stools, as it is within them. Blood can also be detected with a stool sample.
Losing weight without trying: If you have experienced a weight loss and haven't been try to lose weight, you really should get checked out by a doctor. Unintended weight loss can mean many things, and are not always indicative of cancer.
Nausea and/or vomitting: Feeling nauseous and vomiting that lasts more than a day or two is a symptom of stomach cancer, also. Persistent stomach upset is not only uncomfortable, but harsh on the stomach and esophagus.
Loss of appetite: Not feeling like eating for a day or two can be okay, but anything longer should be reported to your doctor.
Do you bloat, especially after eating?: This is one of the more common symptoms of stomach cancer. If you are bloated a lot, try to take notice if it occurs after eating. Keep in mind, that bloating in general is also a symptom.
Abdominal pains and discomfort: This can range from mild discomfort to severe pain. This is the symptom of stomach cancer that usually prompts people to get care.
Changes in bowel habits: Diarrhea and/ or constipation can be symptoms of stomach cancer. If ignored, both can lead to other medical problems.
ung cancer picture
ung cancer picture
Lung Cancer Pictures and Photos
One of the dangers of lung cancer is that it may metastasize and spread to other parts of the body. Below is graphical lung cancer picture of the spreading of lung cancer to the brain.
Lung Cancer and Metastasis
Below is a healthy lung photo and
a diseased lung cancer picture.
Healthy Lung Photo
Lung Cancer Photo
ung Cancer X Ray
Lung Cancer X Ray
Lung Cancer shows itself as a shadow caused by the tumor as marked by a "Ca". However, the development of shadowing on the lung cancer on the X ray lags behind formation of the cancer and a lesion has to be over a centimetre in diameter before it can be recognised. Thus a negative chest X-ray does not exclude cancer. Often an MRI will have to be done to obtain a definitive diagnosis.
Lung Cancer Pictures and Photos
One of the dangers of lung cancer is that it may metastasize and spread to other parts of the body. Below is graphical lung cancer picture of the spreading of lung cancer to the brain.
Lung Cancer and Metastasis
Below is a healthy lung photo and
a diseased lung cancer picture.
Healthy Lung Photo
Lung Cancer Photo
ung Cancer X Ray
Lung Cancer X Ray
Lung Cancer shows itself as a shadow caused by the tumor as marked by a "Ca". However, the development of shadowing on the lung cancer on the X ray lags behind formation of the cancer and a lesion has to be over a centimetre in diameter before it can be recognised. Thus a negative chest X-ray does not exclude cancer. Often an MRI will have to be done to obtain a definitive diagnosis.
cancer research
cancer research
The Cancer Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1953 to foster the science of cancer immunology, which is based on the premise that the body's immune system can be mobilized against cancer. This field, which CRI helped pioneer and develop, has been recognized throughout the world as offering great hope for the ultimate prevention and treatment of human cancer.
For five decades, the Institute has been a sustaining force in cancer and immunology research. The Institute has supported more than 2,780 scientists and clinicians at leading universities and research centers worldwide. All such funding decisions are made by its Scientific Advisory Council consisting of 68 of the world's leading immunologists, including 5 Nobel laureates, 28 members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 23 members of the Academy of Cancer Immunology.
As the initiator and steward of unprecedented global scientific and clinical collaborations like the Cancer Vaccine Collaborative, a joint program with the international Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, and the Coordinated Cancer Initiatives, the Cancer Research Institute is ushering in a new era of scientific progress, hastening the discovery of effective cancer vaccines and other immune-based therapies that are providing new hope to cancer patients.
The Cancer Research Institute has one of the lowest overhead expense ratios among non-profit organizations, with the majority of its resources going directly to the support of its science, medical, and research programs. This has consistently earned CRI an A grade or higher for fiscal disclosure and efficiency from the American Institute of Philanthropy and top marks from other charity watchdog organizations
The Cancer Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1953 to foster the science of cancer immunology, which is based on the premise that the body's immune system can be mobilized against cancer. This field, which CRI helped pioneer and develop, has been recognized throughout the world as offering great hope for the ultimate prevention and treatment of human cancer.
For five decades, the Institute has been a sustaining force in cancer and immunology research. The Institute has supported more than 2,780 scientists and clinicians at leading universities and research centers worldwide. All such funding decisions are made by its Scientific Advisory Council consisting of 68 of the world's leading immunologists, including 5 Nobel laureates, 28 members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 23 members of the Academy of Cancer Immunology.
As the initiator and steward of unprecedented global scientific and clinical collaborations like the Cancer Vaccine Collaborative, a joint program with the international Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, and the Coordinated Cancer Initiatives, the Cancer Research Institute is ushering in a new era of scientific progress, hastening the discovery of effective cancer vaccines and other immune-based therapies that are providing new hope to cancer patients.
The Cancer Research Institute has one of the lowest overhead expense ratios among non-profit organizations, with the majority of its resources going directly to the support of its science, medical, and research programs. This has consistently earned CRI an A grade or higher for fiscal disclosure and efficiency from the American Institute of Philanthropy and top marks from other charity watchdog organizations
skin cancer picture
skin cancer picture
Skin cancer develops primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. But it also can form on areas that rarely see the light of day - the palms, spaces between the toes and the genital area.
A cancerous skin lesion can appear suddenly or develop slowly. Its appearance depends on the type of cancer.
SKIN CANCER
The skin is the body's outermost covering and offers protection from heat and light, injury, and infection. It also helps regulate body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin is made up of two main layers: the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.
There are 3 main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (which are referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer) and melanoma. Melanoma is the rarest and most serious form of the disease. The epidermis is made up of squamous cells, basal cells, and melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells from which melanoma begins to develop.
Risk of skin cancer
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.
Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Some of these risk factors for skin cancer are as follows:
Race - Skin cancer is most common among fair-skinned individuals who sunburn or freckle easily.
Sex - Rates of skin cancer deaths in white males have increased in recent years, possibly as a result of the increase in outdoor recreation activities.
Age - Rates of melanoma rise rapidly in Caucasians older than 20 years.
Individual History - Persons with certain types of moles or those with a family history of dysplastic nevus syndrome are at a higher risk for developing melanoma. Patients who have had nonmelanoma skin cancer are at a higher risk for developing the disease again. Individuals who are exposed to the sun, x-rays, or ultraviolet light for long periods of time have a greater risk.
Screening for skin cancer
Routine examination of the skin increases the chance of finding skin cancer early. Most melanomas that appear in the skin can be seen by the naked eye. Usually, there is a lengthy period when the tumor expands beneath the top layer of skin but does not invade the deeper skin layers. This period allows for early detection and full recovery if the tumor is discovered before spreading deeper.
Skin cancer develops primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. But it also can form on areas that rarely see the light of day - the palms, spaces between the toes and the genital area.
A cancerous skin lesion can appear suddenly or develop slowly. Its appearance depends on the type of cancer.
SKIN CANCER
The skin is the body's outermost covering and offers protection from heat and light, injury, and infection. It also helps regulate body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin is made up of two main layers: the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.
There are 3 main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (which are referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer) and melanoma. Melanoma is the rarest and most serious form of the disease. The epidermis is made up of squamous cells, basal cells, and melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells from which melanoma begins to develop.
Risk of skin cancer
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.
Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Some of these risk factors for skin cancer are as follows:
Race - Skin cancer is most common among fair-skinned individuals who sunburn or freckle easily.
Sex - Rates of skin cancer deaths in white males have increased in recent years, possibly as a result of the increase in outdoor recreation activities.
Age - Rates of melanoma rise rapidly in Caucasians older than 20 years.
Individual History - Persons with certain types of moles or those with a family history of dysplastic nevus syndrome are at a higher risk for developing melanoma. Patients who have had nonmelanoma skin cancer are at a higher risk for developing the disease again. Individuals who are exposed to the sun, x-rays, or ultraviolet light for long periods of time have a greater risk.
Screening for skin cancer
Routine examination of the skin increases the chance of finding skin cancer early. Most melanomas that appear in the skin can be seen by the naked eye. Usually, there is a lengthy period when the tumor expands beneath the top layer of skin but does not invade the deeper skin layers. This period allows for early detection and full recovery if the tumor is discovered before spreading deeper.
cancer horoscope
cancer horoscope
General behavior:
Cancer (the crab) is one of the most difficult zodiac signs to understand. Cancerians can have many different personalities. Most Cancerians like to be at their home, and enjoy large families. You seem unsociable to some people, but you enjoy chatting and gossiping as much as anyone else. You tend to day-dream very often and can be found in a state of fantasy. You enjoy art, writing, and drama, but acting may not be a good career for you because of your tendency to Overact. Cancer is the sign most likely to believe in the zodiac, as well as other psychic happenings. You make a loyal friend and also very patriotic.
Romantic behavior:
You tend to form relationships quickly and get sentimental about your love partners. Although you tend to go in for love affairs aplenty, you always feel dissatisfied; so does your partner if he/she can't understand you well.
Important Information on Cancerians
Good career choices for you are:
Journalist
Nurse
Politician
Housekeeper
Chef
Real-Estate-Broker
Gardener
Cancerians (ironically) are prone to cancer as well as poor eyesight.
Your ruling planet: Moon.
The crab is associated with Cancer.
Your lucky color: silver.
Your lucky gemstone: pearl.
Your lucky numbers : 4 and 6.
General behavior:
Cancer (the crab) is one of the most difficult zodiac signs to understand. Cancerians can have many different personalities. Most Cancerians like to be at their home, and enjoy large families. You seem unsociable to some people, but you enjoy chatting and gossiping as much as anyone else. You tend to day-dream very often and can be found in a state of fantasy. You enjoy art, writing, and drama, but acting may not be a good career for you because of your tendency to Overact. Cancer is the sign most likely to believe in the zodiac, as well as other psychic happenings. You make a loyal friend and also very patriotic.
Romantic behavior:
You tend to form relationships quickly and get sentimental about your love partners. Although you tend to go in for love affairs aplenty, you always feel dissatisfied; so does your partner if he/she can't understand you well.
Important Information on Cancerians
Good career choices for you are:
Journalist
Nurse
Politician
Housekeeper
Chef
Real-Estate-Broker
Gardener
Cancerians (ironically) are prone to cancer as well as poor eyesight.
Your ruling planet: Moon.
The crab is associated with Cancer.
Your lucky color: silver.
Your lucky gemstone: pearl.
Your lucky numbers : 4 and 6.
esophageal cancer
esophageal cancer
Introduction
The hard-drinking, chain-smoking lifestyle of mid-20th-century Hollywood took a huge toll - hundreds of noted actors eventually lost their lives to lung, throat or esophageal cancer. One of them was Humphrey Bogart, who died of esophageal cancer at age 57.
Less well known than lung cancer, but no less serious, esophageal cancer starts in the inner layer of the esophagus, the 10-inch long tube that connects your throat and stomach. The most common symptom, which usually occurs late in the disease, is difficulty swallowing and a sensation of food sticking in your throat or chest.
In Bogie's day, the outlook for people with esophageal cancer was poor. But survival rates have improved, in part because close monitoring of Barrett's esophagus - a serious, premalignant complication of acid reflux disease - can help detect cancer early, when it's more likely to respond to treatment. Even more important is that diet and lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the chances of ever developing this type of cancer.
Overview
The esophagus is the hollow, muscular tube that carries food and liquids from the throat to the stomach. It is part of the digestive system and is located between the windpipe (trachea) and the spine. In adults, the esophagus is about 10 inches long. Esophageal cancer usually originates in the lining of the esophagus (called the mucosa) and can develop in the upper, middle, or lower section of the organ.
The most common types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma develops in flat cells that line the esophagus. Approximately 60% of squamous cell carcinomas develop in the middle third of the organ, 30% occur in the lower third, and 10% occur in the upper third.
Adenocarcinoma develops in the lining of the esophagus and is associated with a condition called Barrett's esophagus. This type usually occurs in the lower third of the esophagus.
Incidence and Prevalence
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), esophageal cancer is the third most common cancer of the digestive tract and the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Overall incidence of the disease is highest in men over the age of 50.
Incidence of esophageal cancer varies considerably according to geographic location. It is more common in northern China, northern Iran, and southern republics of the former Soviet Union, and is less common in Japan, Great Britain, Europe and Canada. In the United States, incidence is highest in urban areas and overall incidence is about 5 in 100,000.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus accounts for most cases worldwide and about 40% of cases in the United States. This type is more common in African American men and is associated with cigarette smoking and high intake of alcohol.
According to the NCI, incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, which is associated with Barrett's esophagus, is rising in the United States. This type is more common in Caucasian men over the age of 60.
Introduction
The hard-drinking, chain-smoking lifestyle of mid-20th-century Hollywood took a huge toll - hundreds of noted actors eventually lost their lives to lung, throat or esophageal cancer. One of them was Humphrey Bogart, who died of esophageal cancer at age 57.
Less well known than lung cancer, but no less serious, esophageal cancer starts in the inner layer of the esophagus, the 10-inch long tube that connects your throat and stomach. The most common symptom, which usually occurs late in the disease, is difficulty swallowing and a sensation of food sticking in your throat or chest.
In Bogie's day, the outlook for people with esophageal cancer was poor. But survival rates have improved, in part because close monitoring of Barrett's esophagus - a serious, premalignant complication of acid reflux disease - can help detect cancer early, when it's more likely to respond to treatment. Even more important is that diet and lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the chances of ever developing this type of cancer.
Overview
The esophagus is the hollow, muscular tube that carries food and liquids from the throat to the stomach. It is part of the digestive system and is located between the windpipe (trachea) and the spine. In adults, the esophagus is about 10 inches long. Esophageal cancer usually originates in the lining of the esophagus (called the mucosa) and can develop in the upper, middle, or lower section of the organ.
The most common types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma develops in flat cells that line the esophagus. Approximately 60% of squamous cell carcinomas develop in the middle third of the organ, 30% occur in the lower third, and 10% occur in the upper third.
Adenocarcinoma develops in the lining of the esophagus and is associated with a condition called Barrett's esophagus. This type usually occurs in the lower third of the esophagus.
Incidence and Prevalence
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), esophageal cancer is the third most common cancer of the digestive tract and the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Overall incidence of the disease is highest in men over the age of 50.
Incidence of esophageal cancer varies considerably according to geographic location. It is more common in northern China, northern Iran, and southern republics of the former Soviet Union, and is less common in Japan, Great Britain, Europe and Canada. In the United States, incidence is highest in urban areas and overall incidence is about 5 in 100,000.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus accounts for most cases worldwide and about 40% of cases in the United States. This type is more common in African American men and is associated with cigarette smoking and high intake of alcohol.
According to the NCI, incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, which is associated with Barrett's esophagus, is rising in the United States. This type is more common in Caucasian men over the age of 60.
pancreas cancer
pancreas cancer
Descript_ion of Pancreatic Cancer
Cancer of the pancreas is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is about 6 inches long and is shaped something like a thin pear, wider at one end and narrowing at the other. The pancreas lies behind the stomach, inside a loop formed by part of the small intestine. The broader right end of the pancreas is called the head, the middle section is called the body, and the narrow left end is the tail.
The pancreas has two basic jobs in your body. It produces juices that help you break down (digest) your food, and hormones (such as insulin) that regulate how your body stores and uses food. The area of the pancreas that produces digestive juices is called the exocrine pancreas. About 95% of pancreatic cancers begin in the exocrine pancreas. The hormone-producing area of the pancreas is called the endocrine pancreas. Only about 5% of pancreatic cancers start here. This statement has information on cancer of the exocrine pancreas. For more information on cancer of the endocrine pancreas (also called islet cell cancer) see the PDQ Patient Information Statement on Islet Cell Carcinoma.
Cancer of the pancreas is hard to find (diagnose) because the organ is hidden behind other organs. Organs around the pancreas include the stomach, small intestine, bile ducts (tubes through which bile, a digestive juice made by the liver, flows from the liver to the small intestine), gallbladder (the small sac below the liver that stores bile), the liver, and the spleen (the organ that stores red blood cells and filters blood to remove excess blood cells). The signs of pancreatic cancer are like many other illnesses, and there may be no signs in the first stages. You should see your doctor if you have any of the following: nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss without trying to lose weight, pain in the upper or middle of your abdomen, or yellowing of your skin (jaundice).
Descript_ion of Pancreatic Cancer
Cancer of the pancreas is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is about 6 inches long and is shaped something like a thin pear, wider at one end and narrowing at the other. The pancreas lies behind the stomach, inside a loop formed by part of the small intestine. The broader right end of the pancreas is called the head, the middle section is called the body, and the narrow left end is the tail.
The pancreas has two basic jobs in your body. It produces juices that help you break down (digest) your food, and hormones (such as insulin) that regulate how your body stores and uses food. The area of the pancreas that produces digestive juices is called the exocrine pancreas. About 95% of pancreatic cancers begin in the exocrine pancreas. The hormone-producing area of the pancreas is called the endocrine pancreas. Only about 5% of pancreatic cancers start here. This statement has information on cancer of the exocrine pancreas. For more information on cancer of the endocrine pancreas (also called islet cell cancer) see the PDQ Patient Information Statement on Islet Cell Carcinoma.
Cancer of the pancreas is hard to find (diagnose) because the organ is hidden behind other organs. Organs around the pancreas include the stomach, small intestine, bile ducts (tubes through which bile, a digestive juice made by the liver, flows from the liver to the small intestine), gallbladder (the small sac below the liver that stores bile), the liver, and the spleen (the organ that stores red blood cells and filters blood to remove excess blood cells). The signs of pancreatic cancer are like many other illnesses, and there may be no signs in the first stages. You should see your doctor if you have any of the following: nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss without trying to lose weight, pain in the upper or middle of your abdomen, or yellowing of your skin (jaundice).
alternative cancer treatment
alternative cancer treatment
Alternative Cancer Treatments and Protocols
There are many definitions to alternative cancer treatments, but let's just define them, for the sake of logical orientation, as non-traditional treatments for cancer. Richard Walters has organized them this way in his book Options: The Alternative Cancer Therapy Book. It's a good place to start. We spend a good deal of our time evaluating the most promising components of many of the following historical programs, as well as talking with consultants possessing years of experience. Alternative cancer treatments include, but are not limited to the following (Please note: No endorsement by Alternative Cancer Treatments is implied by being listed here):
Biological and Pharmcologic Therapies
Antineoplastons
Gaston Naessens Therapy (714X)
Revici Therapy
Hydrazine Sulfate
Immune Therapies
Immuno-Augmentative Therapy (IAT)
Issels whole-body immune therapy
Herbal Therapies
Harry Hoxsey formulas
Essiac tea
Mistletoe (Iscador)...as used by Suzanne Somers
Pau D'Arco
Chaparral
Nutritional Therapies
Wheatgrass Therapy
Macrobiotics
Moerman's Anti-Cancer diet
Metabolic Therapies
Gerson
Kelley's Nutritional-Metabolic Therapy (as modified by Nicholas Gonzalez, MD)
Hans Nieper, M.D.
Adjunctive Therapies
Oxygen Therapies (including Ozone)
Hyperthermia
DMSO therapy
Chelation
Live Cell therapy
Energy Medicine
Bioelectric Therapies
Homeopathy
Airhead
Chinese Medicine
Mind-Body Approaches
The most successful practitioners seem to be those who integrate various components of the alternative cancer treatments listed above, without painting themselves into a corner by being committed to a particular model.
Alternative Cancer Treatments and Protocols
There are many definitions to alternative cancer treatments, but let's just define them, for the sake of logical orientation, as non-traditional treatments for cancer. Richard Walters has organized them this way in his book Options: The Alternative Cancer Therapy Book. It's a good place to start. We spend a good deal of our time evaluating the most promising components of many of the following historical programs, as well as talking with consultants possessing years of experience. Alternative cancer treatments include, but are not limited to the following (Please note: No endorsement by Alternative Cancer Treatments is implied by being listed here):
Biological and Pharmcologic Therapies
Antineoplastons
Gaston Naessens Therapy (714X)
Revici Therapy
Hydrazine Sulfate
Immune Therapies
Immuno-Augmentative Therapy (IAT)
Issels whole-body immune therapy
Herbal Therapies
Harry Hoxsey formulas
Essiac tea
Mistletoe (Iscador)...as used by Suzanne Somers
Pau D'Arco
Chaparral
Nutritional Therapies
Wheatgrass Therapy
Macrobiotics
Moerman's Anti-Cancer diet
Metabolic Therapies
Gerson
Kelley's Nutritional-Metabolic Therapy (as modified by Nicholas Gonzalez, MD)
Hans Nieper, M.D.
Adjunctive Therapies
Oxygen Therapies (including Ozone)
Hyperthermia
DMSO therapy
Chelation
Live Cell therapy
Energy Medicine
Bioelectric Therapies
Homeopathy
Airhead
Chinese Medicine
Mind-Body Approaches
The most successful practitioners seem to be those who integrate various components of the alternative cancer treatments listed above, without painting themselves into a corner by being committed to a particular model.
mouth cancer
mouth cancer
Cancer of the Mouth and Throat Overview
The oral cavity (mouth) and the upper part of the throat (pharynx) have roles in many important functions, including breathing, talking, chewing, and swallowing. The mouth and upper throat are sometimes referred to as the oropharynx. The important structures of the mouth and upper throat include the following:
Lips
Inside lining of the cheeks (buccal mucosa)
Teeth
Gums
Tongue
Floor of the mouth
Back of the throat, including the tonsils (oropharynx)
Roof of the mouth (the bony front part [hard palate] and the softer rear part [soft palate])
Area behind the wisdom teeth
Salivary glands
Many different cell types make up these different structures. Cancer occurs when normal cells undergo a transformation whereby they grow and multiply without normal controls.
As the cells multiply, they form small abnormalities called lesions. Eventually, they form a mass called a tumor.
Tumors are cancerous only if they are malignant. This means that, because of their uncontrolled growth, they encroach on and invade neighboring tissues.
Malignant tumors may spread to neighboring tissues by direct invasion or by traveling along lymphatic vessels and nerves or through the blood stream.
They may also travel to remote organs via the bloodstream.
This process of invading and spreading to other organs is called metastasis.
Tumors overwhelm surrounding tissues by invading their space and taking the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive and function.
Tumors in the mouth and throat include both benign and malignant types.
Benign tumors, although they may grow and penetrate below the surface layer of tissue, do not spread by metastasis to other parts of the body.
Benign tumors of the oropharynx are not discussed here.
Cancer of the Mouth and Throat Overview
The oral cavity (mouth) and the upper part of the throat (pharynx) have roles in many important functions, including breathing, talking, chewing, and swallowing. The mouth and upper throat are sometimes referred to as the oropharynx. The important structures of the mouth and upper throat include the following:
Lips
Inside lining of the cheeks (buccal mucosa)
Teeth
Gums
Tongue
Floor of the mouth
Back of the throat, including the tonsils (oropharynx)
Roof of the mouth (the bony front part [hard palate] and the softer rear part [soft palate])
Area behind the wisdom teeth
Salivary glands
Many different cell types make up these different structures. Cancer occurs when normal cells undergo a transformation whereby they grow and multiply without normal controls.
As the cells multiply, they form small abnormalities called lesions. Eventually, they form a mass called a tumor.
Tumors are cancerous only if they are malignant. This means that, because of their uncontrolled growth, they encroach on and invade neighboring tissues.
Malignant tumors may spread to neighboring tissues by direct invasion or by traveling along lymphatic vessels and nerves or through the blood stream.
They may also travel to remote organs via the bloodstream.
This process of invading and spreading to other organs is called metastasis.
Tumors overwhelm surrounding tissues by invading their space and taking the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive and function.
Tumors in the mouth and throat include both benign and malignant types.
Benign tumors, although they may grow and penetrate below the surface layer of tissue, do not spread by metastasis to other parts of the body.
Benign tumors of the oropharynx are not discussed here.
uterine cancer
uterine cancer
What is cancer of the uterus?
Cancer is a disease in which certain body cells don't function right, divide very fast, and produce too much tissue that forms a tumor. Cancer of the uterus is cancer in the womb, the hollow, pear-shaped organ where a baby grows during a woman's pregnancy. There are different types of uterine cancers. Two types are endometrial cancer and uterine sarcomas. In the United States, endometrial cancer is a common cancer of the female reproductive system. This type of cancer happens when cancer begins in the tissue lining the uterus (endometrium). Uterine sarcomas occur when cancer grows in the muscles or other supporting tissues in the uterus. Uterine sarcomas account for only a small portion of cancers of the uterus.
Why should I be concerned about cancer of the uterus?
Some women who get uterine cancer have certain risk factors, or things in their life that cause them to have a higher chance of getting this disease. But there are women who get uterine cancer who do not have any of these high risk factors. Uterine cancer usually occurs after menopause. But it may also occur around the time that menopause begins. Abnormal vaginal bleeding is the most common symptom of uterine cancer. Bleeding may start as a watery, blood-streaked flow that gradually contains more blood. Women should not assume that abnormal vaginal bleeding is part of menopause. If you have abnormal vaginal bleeding after menopause, talk with your health care provider.
Malignant Tumors
Malignant tumors are cancer. They invade and destroy nearby healthy tissues and organs. Cancer cells also can metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body and form new tumors. When cancer of the uterus spreads, it may travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Cancer cells can be carried along by blood or lymph, an almost colorless fluid discharged by tissues into the lymphatic system. Lymph nodes scattered along this system filter bacteria and abnormal substances such as cancer cells. For this reason, surgeons often remove pelvic lymph nodes to learn whether they contain cancer cells.
Because uterine cancer can spread, it is important for the doctor to find out as early as possible if a tumor is present and whether it is benign or malignant. As soon as a diagnosis is made, treatment can begin. Each year, more than 32,000 women in the United States find out they have cancer of the uterus.
What is cancer of the uterus?
Cancer is a disease in which certain body cells don't function right, divide very fast, and produce too much tissue that forms a tumor. Cancer of the uterus is cancer in the womb, the hollow, pear-shaped organ where a baby grows during a woman's pregnancy. There are different types of uterine cancers. Two types are endometrial cancer and uterine sarcomas. In the United States, endometrial cancer is a common cancer of the female reproductive system. This type of cancer happens when cancer begins in the tissue lining the uterus (endometrium). Uterine sarcomas occur when cancer grows in the muscles or other supporting tissues in the uterus. Uterine sarcomas account for only a small portion of cancers of the uterus.
Why should I be concerned about cancer of the uterus?
Some women who get uterine cancer have certain risk factors, or things in their life that cause them to have a higher chance of getting this disease. But there are women who get uterine cancer who do not have any of these high risk factors. Uterine cancer usually occurs after menopause. But it may also occur around the time that menopause begins. Abnormal vaginal bleeding is the most common symptom of uterine cancer. Bleeding may start as a watery, blood-streaked flow that gradually contains more blood. Women should not assume that abnormal vaginal bleeding is part of menopause. If you have abnormal vaginal bleeding after menopause, talk with your health care provider.
Malignant Tumors
Malignant tumors are cancer. They invade and destroy nearby healthy tissues and organs. Cancer cells also can metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body and form new tumors. When cancer of the uterus spreads, it may travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Cancer cells can be carried along by blood or lymph, an almost colorless fluid discharged by tissues into the lymphatic system. Lymph nodes scattered along this system filter bacteria and abnormal substances such as cancer cells. For this reason, surgeons often remove pelvic lymph nodes to learn whether they contain cancer cells.
Because uterine cancer can spread, it is important for the doctor to find out as early as possible if a tumor is present and whether it is benign or malignant. As soon as a diagnosis is made, treatment can begin. Each year, more than 32,000 women in the United States find out they have cancer of the uterus.
celebrex cancer
celebrex cancer
Nov. 30, 2004 -- The popular pain drug Celebrex activates a "death receptor" that makes cancer cells self-destruct, a new study shows.
Normal doses of Celebrex may be too low to trigger significant anticancer effects. But the new finding points the way to new Celebrex-based anticancer therapies. It also suggests that combining Celebrex with new kinds of designer molecules might have powerful anticancer effects.
The findings come from Xiangguo Liu, PhD, Shi-Yong Sun, PhD, and colleagues at Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. The study appears in the Dec. 1 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
"The approach of [Celebrex]-based combination regimens for cancer chemoprevention and therapy and identification of [Celebrex]-derived novel anticancer drugs with more potent efficacy should be explored further," Liu and colleagues write. "We suggest that death-receptor induction be evaluated as a target for screening novel [Celebrex]-based anticancer drugs."
Indeed, the researchers note that new Celebrex-based compounds with more powerful anticancer activity have already been discovered.
The researchers' studies confirm earlier work showing that Celebrex fights cancer in a completely different way than it fights pain. They found that the drug plugs into a molecular keyhole on the outside of cancer cells - the so-called death receptor. This turns on a self-destruct program.
A helper molecule called TRAIL greatly increases this anticancer effect. Liu and colleagues suggest that a drug based on this molecule might be given together with Celebrex.
The FDA has already approved Celebrex for the treatment of adenomatous polyposis, an inherited disease that predisposes a person to colon cancer. Clinical trials are exploring whether Celebrex - alone or in combination with other agents -- can prevent or fight several different kinds of cancer, including lung cancer.
Nov. 30, 2004 -- The popular pain drug Celebrex activates a "death receptor" that makes cancer cells self-destruct, a new study shows.
Normal doses of Celebrex may be too low to trigger significant anticancer effects. But the new finding points the way to new Celebrex-based anticancer therapies. It also suggests that combining Celebrex with new kinds of designer molecules might have powerful anticancer effects.
The findings come from Xiangguo Liu, PhD, Shi-Yong Sun, PhD, and colleagues at Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. The study appears in the Dec. 1 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
"The approach of [Celebrex]-based combination regimens for cancer chemoprevention and therapy and identification of [Celebrex]-derived novel anticancer drugs with more potent efficacy should be explored further," Liu and colleagues write. "We suggest that death-receptor induction be evaluated as a target for screening novel [Celebrex]-based anticancer drugs."
Indeed, the researchers note that new Celebrex-based compounds with more powerful anticancer activity have already been discovered.
The researchers' studies confirm earlier work showing that Celebrex fights cancer in a completely different way than it fights pain. They found that the drug plugs into a molecular keyhole on the outside of cancer cells - the so-called death receptor. This turns on a self-destruct program.
A helper molecule called TRAIL greatly increases this anticancer effect. Liu and colleagues suggest that a drug based on this molecule might be given together with Celebrex.
The FDA has already approved Celebrex for the treatment of adenomatous polyposis, an inherited disease that predisposes a person to colon cancer. Clinical trials are exploring whether Celebrex - alone or in combination with other agents -- can prevent or fight several different kinds of cancer, including lung cancer.
breast cancer awareness
breast cancer awareness
About National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) is dedicated to increasing awareness of breast cancer issues, especially the importance of early detection. It works through a nationwide education campaign aimed at the general public, state and federal governments, health care professionals, employers, and women of all ages and ethnic groups.
Breast Cancer Care's press pack for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2006, is available to download from the foot of this page.
Evelyn Lauder
In 1993 Evelyn Lauder introduced Breast Cancer Awareness Month across the world. Since then October has been awash with pink ribbons, now a global symbol for breast cancer awareness.
Breast Cancer Care was the first breast cancer charity in the UK to get involved in Breast Cancer Awareness Month and through it has helped bring the subject of breast cancer to the forefront of people's minds and to the top of the health agenda in this country.
Supporting
Breast Cancer Care uses Breast Cancer Awareness Month as an opportunity to make people aware of the ways in which it helps those affected by breast cancer.
The charity also focuses a lot of its key fundraising activities around the month including events, corporate partnerships and the sale of pink-themed merchandise, including the pink ribbon pin badge.
Campaigning
Breast Cancer Awareness Month also provides a platform for Breast Cancer Care to push for better treatment and support for people affected by breast cancer through its high-profile Government-lobbying campaigns such as 80over50 (2003) and Same Difference (2005).
Fundraising
Breast Cancer Awareness Month sees a hive of activity from Breast Cancer Care's corporate supporters with many pink products on sale to raise money for the charity.
Long-standing partners include ASDA, with its highly successful Tickled Pink campaign and Boots which not only raises money but awareness through its Be Up Front campaign.
The charity is also lucky enough to have support from high profile brands including QVC, Dorothy Perkins, Swarovski and Interflora among others.
The Lavender Trust
The Lavender Trust at Breast Cancer Care has also been supported this year by brands including Elemis, Le Creuset, Prestige and KitchenAid
About National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) is dedicated to increasing awareness of breast cancer issues, especially the importance of early detection. It works through a nationwide education campaign aimed at the general public, state and federal governments, health care professionals, employers, and women of all ages and ethnic groups.
Breast Cancer Care's press pack for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2006, is available to download from the foot of this page.
Evelyn Lauder
In 1993 Evelyn Lauder introduced Breast Cancer Awareness Month across the world. Since then October has been awash with pink ribbons, now a global symbol for breast cancer awareness.
Breast Cancer Care was the first breast cancer charity in the UK to get involved in Breast Cancer Awareness Month and through it has helped bring the subject of breast cancer to the forefront of people's minds and to the top of the health agenda in this country.
Supporting
Breast Cancer Care uses Breast Cancer Awareness Month as an opportunity to make people aware of the ways in which it helps those affected by breast cancer.
The charity also focuses a lot of its key fundraising activities around the month including events, corporate partnerships and the sale of pink-themed merchandise, including the pink ribbon pin badge.
Campaigning
Breast Cancer Awareness Month also provides a platform for Breast Cancer Care to push for better treatment and support for people affected by breast cancer through its high-profile Government-lobbying campaigns such as 80over50 (2003) and Same Difference (2005).
Fundraising
Breast Cancer Awareness Month sees a hive of activity from Breast Cancer Care's corporate supporters with many pink products on sale to raise money for the charity.
Long-standing partners include ASDA, with its highly successful Tickled Pink campaign and Boots which not only raises money but awareness through its Be Up Front campaign.
The charity is also lucky enough to have support from high profile brands including QVC, Dorothy Perkins, Swarovski and Interflora among others.
The Lavender Trust
The Lavender Trust at Breast Cancer Care has also been supported this year by brands including Elemis, Le Creuset, Prestige and KitchenAid
kidney cancer
kidney cancer
Introduction
Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They're located behind your abdomen, one on each side of your spine. Like other major organs in the body, the kidneys can sometimes develop cancer. In adults, the most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma (renal adenocarcinoma), which begins in the cells that line the small tubes within your kidneys. Children are more likely to develop a kind of kidney cancer called Wilms' tumor.
Kidney cancer seldom causes problems in its early stages. But as a tumor grows, you may notice blood in your urine or experience unintentional weight loss or back pain that doesn't go away. Kidney cancer cells may also spread (metastasize) outside your kidneys to nearby organs as well as to more distant sites in the body. Yet if kidney cancer is detected and treated early, the chances for a full recovery are good.
Kidney cancer: Who's at risk?
Kidney cancer develops most often in people over 40, but no one knows the exact causes of this disease. Doctors can seldom explain why one person develops kidney cancer and another does not. However, it is clear that kidney cancer is not contagious. No one can "catch" the disease from another person.
Research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop kidney cancer. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease.
Studies have found the following risk factors for kidney cancer:
Smoking: Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor. Cigarette smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to develop kidney cancer. Cigar smoking also may increase the risk of this disease.
Obesity: People who are obese have an increased risk of kidney cancer.
High blood pressure: High blood pressure increases the risk of kidney cancer.
Long-term dialysis: Dialysis is a treatment for people whose kidneys do not work well. It removes wastes from the blood. Being on dialysis for many years is a risk factor for kidney cancer.
Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome: VHL is a rare disease that runs in some families. It is caused by changes in the VHL gene. An abnormal VHL gene increases the risk of kidney cancer. It also can cause cysts or tumors in the eyes, brain, and other parts of the body. Family members of those with this syndrome can have a test to check for the abnormal VHL gene. For people with the abnormal VHL gene, doctors may suggest ways to improve the detection of kidney cancer and other diseases before symptoms develop.
Occupation: Some people have a higher risk of getting kidney cancer because they come in contact with certain chemicals or substances in their workplace. Coke oven workers in the iron and steel industry are at risk. Workers exposed to asbestos or cadmium also may be at risk.
Gender: Males are more likely than females to be diagnosed with kidney cancer. Each year in the United States, about 20,000 men and 12,000 women learn they have kidney cancer.
Most people who have these risk factors do not get kidney cancer. On the other hand, most people who do get the disease have no known risk factors. People who think they may be at risk should discuss this concern with their doctor. The doctor may be able to suggest ways to reduce the risk and can plan an appropriate schedule for checkups.
Introduction
Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They're located behind your abdomen, one on each side of your spine. Like other major organs in the body, the kidneys can sometimes develop cancer. In adults, the most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma (renal adenocarcinoma), which begins in the cells that line the small tubes within your kidneys. Children are more likely to develop a kind of kidney cancer called Wilms' tumor.
Kidney cancer seldom causes problems in its early stages. But as a tumor grows, you may notice blood in your urine or experience unintentional weight loss or back pain that doesn't go away. Kidney cancer cells may also spread (metastasize) outside your kidneys to nearby organs as well as to more distant sites in the body. Yet if kidney cancer is detected and treated early, the chances for a full recovery are good.
Kidney cancer: Who's at risk?
Kidney cancer develops most often in people over 40, but no one knows the exact causes of this disease. Doctors can seldom explain why one person develops kidney cancer and another does not. However, it is clear that kidney cancer is not contagious. No one can "catch" the disease from another person.
Research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop kidney cancer. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease.
Studies have found the following risk factors for kidney cancer:
Smoking: Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor. Cigarette smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to develop kidney cancer. Cigar smoking also may increase the risk of this disease.
Obesity: People who are obese have an increased risk of kidney cancer.
High blood pressure: High blood pressure increases the risk of kidney cancer.
Long-term dialysis: Dialysis is a treatment for people whose kidneys do not work well. It removes wastes from the blood. Being on dialysis for many years is a risk factor for kidney cancer.
Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome: VHL is a rare disease that runs in some families. It is caused by changes in the VHL gene. An abnormal VHL gene increases the risk of kidney cancer. It also can cause cysts or tumors in the eyes, brain, and other parts of the body. Family members of those with this syndrome can have a test to check for the abnormal VHL gene. For people with the abnormal VHL gene, doctors may suggest ways to improve the detection of kidney cancer and other diseases before symptoms develop.
Occupation: Some people have a higher risk of getting kidney cancer because they come in contact with certain chemicals or substances in their workplace. Coke oven workers in the iron and steel industry are at risk. Workers exposed to asbestos or cadmium also may be at risk.
Gender: Males are more likely than females to be diagnosed with kidney cancer. Each year in the United States, about 20,000 men and 12,000 women learn they have kidney cancer.
Most people who have these risk factors do not get kidney cancer. On the other hand, most people who do get the disease have no known risk factors. People who think they may be at risk should discuss this concern with their doctor. The doctor may be able to suggest ways to reduce the risk and can plan an appropriate schedule for checkups.
type of cancer
type of cancer
The list of common cancer types includes cancers that are diagnosed with the greatest frequency in the United States. Cancer incidence statistics from the American Cancer Society and other resources were used to create the list. To qualify as a common cancer, the estimated annual incidence for 2007 had to be 30,000 cases or more.
The most common type of cancer on the list is non-melanoma skin cancer, with more than 1,000,000 new cases expected in the United States in 2007. Non-melanoma skin cancers represent about half of all cancers diagnosed in this country.
The cancer on the list with the lowest incidence is thyroid cancer. The estimated number of new cases of thyroid cancer for 2007 is 33,550.
Because colon and rectal cancers are often referred to as "colorectal cancers," these two cancer types were combined for the list. For 2007, the estimated number of new cases of colon cancer is 112,340, and the estimated number of new cases of rectal cancer is 41,420.
Kidney cancers can be divided into two major groups, renal parenchyma cancers and renal pelvis cancers. Approximately 85 percent of kidney cancers develop in the renal parenchyma, and nearly all of these cancers are renal cell cancers. The estimated number of new cases of renal cell cancer for 2007 is 43,512.
Leukemia as a cancer type includes acute lymphoblastic (or lymphoid) leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous (or myeloid) leukemia, and other forms of leukemia. It is estimated that more than 44,000 new cases of leukemia will be diagnosed in the United States in 2007, with chronic lymphocytic leukemia being the most common type (approximately 15,000 new cases).
The following table gives the estimated numbers of new cases and deaths for each common cancer type:
Cancer Type Estimated New Cases Estimated Deaths
Bladder 67,160 13,750
Breast (Female -- Male) 178,480 -- 2,030 40,460 -- 450
Colon and Rectal (Combined) 153,760 52,180
Endometrial 39,080 7,400
Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer 43,512 10,957
Leukemia (All) 44,240 21,790
Lung (Including Bronchus) 213,380 160,390
Melanoma 59,940 8,110
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma 63,190 18,660
Pancreatic 37,170 33,370
Prostate 218,890 27,050
Skin (Non-melanoma) >1,000,000 <2,000
Thyroid 33,550 1,530
References
1. American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts and Figures 2007. Atlanta, Ga: American Cancer Society, 2007. Also available online. Last accessed January 18, 2007.
Lipworth L, Tarone RE, McLaughlin JK: The epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. Journal of Urology 176(6 pt 1):2353-2358, 2006. [PUBMED Abstract]
The list of common cancer types includes cancers that are diagnosed with the greatest frequency in the United States. Cancer incidence statistics from the American Cancer Society and other resources were used to create the list. To qualify as a common cancer, the estimated annual incidence for 2007 had to be 30,000 cases or more.
The most common type of cancer on the list is non-melanoma skin cancer, with more than 1,000,000 new cases expected in the United States in 2007. Non-melanoma skin cancers represent about half of all cancers diagnosed in this country.
The cancer on the list with the lowest incidence is thyroid cancer. The estimated number of new cases of thyroid cancer for 2007 is 33,550.
Because colon and rectal cancers are often referred to as "colorectal cancers," these two cancer types were combined for the list. For 2007, the estimated number of new cases of colon cancer is 112,340, and the estimated number of new cases of rectal cancer is 41,420.
Kidney cancers can be divided into two major groups, renal parenchyma cancers and renal pelvis cancers. Approximately 85 percent of kidney cancers develop in the renal parenchyma, and nearly all of these cancers are renal cell cancers. The estimated number of new cases of renal cell cancer for 2007 is 43,512.
Leukemia as a cancer type includes acute lymphoblastic (or lymphoid) leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous (or myeloid) leukemia, and other forms of leukemia. It is estimated that more than 44,000 new cases of leukemia will be diagnosed in the United States in 2007, with chronic lymphocytic leukemia being the most common type (approximately 15,000 new cases).
The following table gives the estimated numbers of new cases and deaths for each common cancer type:
Cancer Type Estimated New Cases Estimated Deaths
Bladder 67,160 13,750
Breast (Female -- Male) 178,480 -- 2,030 40,460 -- 450
Colon and Rectal (Combined) 153,760 52,180
Endometrial 39,080 7,400
Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer 43,512 10,957
Leukemia (All) 44,240 21,790
Lung (Including Bronchus) 213,380 160,390
Melanoma 59,940 8,110
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma 63,190 18,660
Pancreatic 37,170 33,370
Prostate 218,890 27,050
Skin (Non-melanoma) >1,000,000 <2,000
Thyroid 33,550 1,530
References
1. American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts and Figures 2007. Atlanta, Ga: American Cancer Society, 2007. Also available online. Last accessed January 18, 2007.
Lipworth L, Tarone RE, McLaughlin JK: The epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. Journal of Urology 176(6 pt 1):2353-2358, 2006. [PUBMED Abstract]
breast cancer information
breast cancer information
What are the "stages" of breast cancer?
STAGE 0 (carcinoma in situ) is sometimes called noninvasive carcinoma or carcinoma in situ.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) refers to abnormal cells in the lining of a lobule. These abnormal cells seldom become invasive cancer. However, their presence is a sign that a woman has an increased risk of developing breast cancer. This risk of cancer is increased for both breasts. Some women with LCIS may take a drug called tamoxifen, which can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Others may take part in studies of other promising new preventive treatments. Some women may choose not to have treatment, but to return to the doctor regularly for checkups. And, occasionally, women with LCIS may decide to have surgery to remove both breasts to try to prevent cancer from developing. (In most cases, removal of underarm lymph nodes is not necessary.)
carcinoma in situ (DCIS) refers to abnormal cells in the lining of a duct. DCIS is also called intraductal carcinoma. The abnormal cells have not spread beyond the duct to invade the surrounding breast tissue. However, women with DCIS are at an increased risk of getting invasive breast cancer. Some women with DCIS have breast-sparing surgery followed by radiation therapy. Or they may choose to have a mastectomy, with or without breast reconstruction (plastic surgery) to rebuild the breast. Underarm lymph nodes are not usually removed. Also, women with DCIS may want to talk with their doctor about tamoxifen to reduce the risk of developing invasive breast cancer.
Women who have stage IV breast cancer receive chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy to destroy cancer cells and control the disease. They may have surgery or radiation therapy to control the cancer in the breast. Radiation may also be useful to control tumors in other parts of the body.
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What are the "stages" of breast cancer?
STAGE 0 (carcinoma in situ) is sometimes called noninvasive carcinoma or carcinoma in situ.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) refers to abnormal cells in the lining of a lobule. These abnormal cells seldom become invasive cancer. However, their presence is a sign that a woman has an increased risk of developing breast cancer. This risk of cancer is increased for both breasts. Some women with LCIS may take a drug called tamoxifen, which can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Others may take part in studies of other promising new preventive treatments. Some women may choose not to have treatment, but to return to the doctor regularly for checkups. And, occasionally, women with LCIS may decide to have surgery to remove both breasts to try to prevent cancer from developing. (In most cases, removal of underarm lymph nodes is not necessary.)
carcinoma in situ (DCIS) refers to abnormal cells in the lining of a duct. DCIS is also called intraductal carcinoma. The abnormal cells have not spread beyond the duct to invade the surrounding breast tissue. However, women with DCIS are at an increased risk of getting invasive breast cancer. Some women with DCIS have breast-sparing surgery followed by radiation therapy. Or they may choose to have a mastectomy, with or without breast reconstruction (plastic surgery) to rebuild the breast. Underarm lymph nodes are not usually removed. Also, women with DCIS may want to talk with their doctor about tamoxifen to reduce the risk of developing invasive breast cancer.
Women who have stage IV breast cancer receive chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy to destroy cancer cells and control the disease. They may have surgery or radiation therapy to control the cancer in the breast. Radiation may also be useful to control tumors in other parts of the body.
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cancer symptom
cancer symptom
Signs and Symptoms of Cancer
What Are Symptoms and Signs?
A symptom is an indication of disease, illness, injury, or that something is not right in the body. Symptoms are felt or noticed by a person, but may not easily be noticed by anyone else. For example, chills, weakness, achiness, shortness of breath, and a cough are possible symptoms of pneumonia.
A sign is also an indication that something is not right in the body. But signs are defined as observations made by a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional. Fever, rapid breathing rate, and abnormal breathing sounds heard through a stethoscope are possible signs of pneumonia.
The presence of one symptom or sign may not give enough information to suggest a cause. For example, a rash in a child could be a symptom of a number of things including poison ivy, an infectious disease like measles, an infection limited to the skin, or a food allergy. But if the rash is seen along with other signs and symptoms like a high fever, chills, achiness, and a sore throat, then a doctor can get a better picture of the illness. In many cases, a patient's signs and symptoms do not provide enough clues by themselves to determine the cause of an illness, and medical tests such as x-rays, blood tests, or a biopsy may be needed.
How Are Signs and Symptoms Helpful?
Treatment is most successful when cancer is found as early as possible. Finding cancer early usually means it can be treated while it is still small and is less likely to have spread to other parts of the body. This often means a better chance for a cure, especially if initial treatment is to be surgery.
A good example of the importance of detecting cancer early is melanoma skin cancer. It is easily removed if it has not yet grown deeply into the skin, and the 5-year survival rate (percentage of people living at least 5 years after diagnosis) at this stage is nearly 100%. But once melanoma has spread to other parts of the body the survival rate drops dramatically.
Sometimes people ignore symptoms either because they do not recognize the symptoms as being significant or because they are frightened by what they might mean and don抰 want to seek medical help. General symptoms, such as fatigue, are more likely to have a cause other than cancer and can seem unimportant, especially if they have an obvious cause or are only temporary. In a similar way, a person may reason that a more specific symptom like a breast mass is probably a cyst that will go away by itself. But neither of these symptoms should be discounted or overlooked, especially if they have been present for a long period of time or are getting worse.
Signs and Symptoms of Cancer
What Are Symptoms and Signs?
A symptom is an indication of disease, illness, injury, or that something is not right in the body. Symptoms are felt or noticed by a person, but may not easily be noticed by anyone else. For example, chills, weakness, achiness, shortness of breath, and a cough are possible symptoms of pneumonia.
A sign is also an indication that something is not right in the body. But signs are defined as observations made by a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional. Fever, rapid breathing rate, and abnormal breathing sounds heard through a stethoscope are possible signs of pneumonia.
The presence of one symptom or sign may not give enough information to suggest a cause. For example, a rash in a child could be a symptom of a number of things including poison ivy, an infectious disease like measles, an infection limited to the skin, or a food allergy. But if the rash is seen along with other signs and symptoms like a high fever, chills, achiness, and a sore throat, then a doctor can get a better picture of the illness. In many cases, a patient's signs and symptoms do not provide enough clues by themselves to determine the cause of an illness, and medical tests such as x-rays, blood tests, or a biopsy may be needed.
How Are Signs and Symptoms Helpful?
Treatment is most successful when cancer is found as early as possible. Finding cancer early usually means it can be treated while it is still small and is less likely to have spread to other parts of the body. This often means a better chance for a cure, especially if initial treatment is to be surgery.
A good example of the importance of detecting cancer early is melanoma skin cancer. It is easily removed if it has not yet grown deeply into the skin, and the 5-year survival rate (percentage of people living at least 5 years after diagnosis) at this stage is nearly 100%. But once melanoma has spread to other parts of the body the survival rate drops dramatically.
Sometimes people ignore symptoms either because they do not recognize the symptoms as being significant or because they are frightened by what they might mean and don抰 want to seek medical help. General symptoms, such as fatigue, are more likely to have a cause other than cancer and can seem unimportant, especially if they have an obvious cause or are only temporary. In a similar way, a person may reason that a more specific symptom like a breast mass is probably a cyst that will go away by itself. But neither of these symptoms should be discounted or overlooked, especially if they have been present for a long period of time or are getting worse.
cancer center
cancer center
NCC---National Cancer Cencer
NCC-CIR started as one activity of G7 sub project, MEDIREC (Medical Image Reference Center). It provides medical images and information that are helpful to physicians in diagnosing cancer cases.
Relevant information on NCC-CIR is available under this menu.
University of Virginia Cancer Center
Welcome to the website of the University of Virginia Cancer Center. Here you'll find complete information on the clinical services, research and physicians available at U.Va.'s National Cancer Institute Clinical Cancer Center. You'll also find a comprehensive library of information about cancer, treatment, diagnosis, nutrition, genetics and more.
Spreading the word about HPV and cervical cancer
Eleven of the nation's second-in-commands, including Minnesota Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, have joined forces to educate the public about the highly preventable nature of cervical cancer and its direct link to a certain virus--the human papillomavirus (HPV), a focus of University research.
Molnau officially kicked off the National Lieutenant Governor Association's "Ending Cervical Cancer in Our Lifetime: Make the Connection" campaign on Jan. 18 in Sanford Hall on the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis. It was a particularly appropriate setting since women of undergraduate age are the target audience. Molnau was joined by Levi Downs, a researcher with the University of Minnesota Medical School and Cancer Center; Amy Clute, a leading member of the student organization SHADE (Sexual Health Awareness and Disease Education); and Margaret Carlson, executive director of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.
"I learned about [HPV] from friends and students coming to me with questions [such as] how do I get this and what do I tell my sexual partner," says Clute, a senior majoring in family social science and psychology. "[As a peer educator with SHADE], I feel like a surrogate parent, and like parents, I want to give them the information that they need. The age that HPV typically strikes is late teens and early 20s--that's the undergraduate population here at the U. I hope this campaign can create a national dialogue [about HPV and the risks and treatment options available for cervical cancer]."
About 11,150 women in the United States are expected to develop cervical cancer this year, reports the National Cancer Institute, and 3,700 of them will die from the disease. In Minnesota, about 200 women are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer each year.
A new vaccine called Gardasil, recently approved by the FDA, holds the promise of changing this scenario. The vaccine, licensed for use in females aged 9 through 26, can prevent the HPV infections that cause 70 percent of cervical cancers, says Downs, who is also an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the U.
NCC---National Cancer Cencer
NCC-CIR started as one activity of G7 sub project, MEDIREC (Medical Image Reference Center). It provides medical images and information that are helpful to physicians in diagnosing cancer cases.
Relevant information on NCC-CIR is available under this menu.
University of Virginia Cancer Center
Welcome to the website of the University of Virginia Cancer Center. Here you'll find complete information on the clinical services, research and physicians available at U.Va.'s National Cancer Institute Clinical Cancer Center. You'll also find a comprehensive library of information about cancer, treatment, diagnosis, nutrition, genetics and more.
Spreading the word about HPV and cervical cancer
Eleven of the nation's second-in-commands, including Minnesota Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, have joined forces to educate the public about the highly preventable nature of cervical cancer and its direct link to a certain virus--the human papillomavirus (HPV), a focus of University research.
Molnau officially kicked off the National Lieutenant Governor Association's "Ending Cervical Cancer in Our Lifetime: Make the Connection" campaign on Jan. 18 in Sanford Hall on the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis. It was a particularly appropriate setting since women of undergraduate age are the target audience. Molnau was joined by Levi Downs, a researcher with the University of Minnesota Medical School and Cancer Center; Amy Clute, a leading member of the student organization SHADE (Sexual Health Awareness and Disease Education); and Margaret Carlson, executive director of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.
"I learned about [HPV] from friends and students coming to me with questions [such as] how do I get this and what do I tell my sexual partner," says Clute, a senior majoring in family social science and psychology. "[As a peer educator with SHADE], I feel like a surrogate parent, and like parents, I want to give them the information that they need. The age that HPV typically strikes is late teens and early 20s--that's the undergraduate population here at the U. I hope this campaign can create a national dialogue [about HPV and the risks and treatment options available for cervical cancer]."
About 11,150 women in the United States are expected to develop cervical cancer this year, reports the National Cancer Institute, and 3,700 of them will die from the disease. In Minnesota, about 200 women are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer each year.
A new vaccine called Gardasil, recently approved by the FDA, holds the promise of changing this scenario. The vaccine, licensed for use in females aged 9 through 26, can prevent the HPV infections that cause 70 percent of cervical cancers, says Downs, who is also an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the U.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms
Prostate Cancer Symptoms
If the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Some men, however, will experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer, including:
A need to urinate frequently, especially at night;
Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine;
Weak or interrupted flow of urine;
Painful or burning urination;
Difficulty in having an erection;
Painful ejaculation;
Blood in urine or semen; or
Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.
Because these symptoms can also indicate the presence of other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms will undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms.
Prostate cancer is diagnosed in an estimated 80% of men who reach age 80. Find in-depth articles here on prostate cancer prevention, symptoms, and treatments. Plus, get daily support in our online support group.
If the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Some men, however, will experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer, including:
A need to urinate frequently, especially at night;
Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine;
Weak or interrupted flow of urine;
Painful or burning urination;
Difficulty in having an erection;
Painful ejaculation;
Blood in urine or semen; or
Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.
Because these symptoms can also indicate the presence of other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms will undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms.
Prostate cancer is diagnosed in an estimated 80% of men who reach age 80. Find in-depth articles here on prostate cancer prevention, symptoms, and treatments. Plus, get daily support in our online support group.
cervical cancer symptom
cervical cancer symptom
ll of the organs of the body are made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them. This orderly process helps keep us healthy. If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms. This mass of extra tissue, called a growth or tumor, can be benign or malignant.
Benign tumors are not cancerous. They can usually be removed and, in most cases, they do not come back. The most important thing is that cells from benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body. Benign tumors are not a threat to life. Polyps, cysts, and genital warts are types of benign growths of the cervix.
Malignant tumors are cancer. Cancer cells can invade and damage tissues and organs near the tumor. Cancer cells also can break away from a malignant tumor and enter the lymph system or the bloodstream. This is how cancer of the cervix can spread to other parts of the body, such as nearby lymph nodes, the rectum, the bladder, the bones of the spine, and the lungs. The spread of cancer is called metastasis.
Like all other organs of the body, the cervix is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them. This orderly process helps keep us healthy. Cancer of the uterine cervix, the portion of the uterus that is attached to the top of the vagina. Ninety percent of cervical cancers arise from the flattened or "squamous" cells covering the cervix. Most of the remaining 10% arise from the glandular, mucus-secreting cells of the cervical canal leading into the uterus.
According to The National Cancer Institute, the vast majority of cervical cancers can be prevented. Since the most common form of cervical cancer starts with preventable and easily detectable precancerous changes, there are two ways to prevent this disease.
Here is a diagram showing where your cervix is located. The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus. The cervix forms a canal that opens into the vagina, which leads to the outside of the body.
What Are the Symptoms?
In its early stages, cervical cancer causes no pain or other symptoms. The first identifiable symptoms of the disease are likely to include:
Watery or bloody vaginal discharge, sometimes heavy and foul-smelling.
Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between menstrual periods, or after menopause; menstrual periods may be heavier and last longer than normal.
If the cancer has spread to nearby tissues, symptoms may include:
Difficult urination and possible kidney failure.
Painful urination, sometimes with blood in urine.
Dull backache or swelling in the legs.
Diarrhea, or pain or bleeding from the rectum upon defecation.
Fatigue, loss of weight and appetite, and general feeling of illness.
prostate cancer symptom
The main symptoms are: difficulty passing urine, inability to urinate, passing urine often (particularly at night), weak or interrupted urine flow, pain when urinating, blood in the urine and pain in the lower back, hips and upper thighs. However, all of these symptoms can also be caused by other conditions such as benign prostate enlargement. Men with any of these symptoms should consult their doctor.
ll of the organs of the body are made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them. This orderly process helps keep us healthy. If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms. This mass of extra tissue, called a growth or tumor, can be benign or malignant.
Benign tumors are not cancerous. They can usually be removed and, in most cases, they do not come back. The most important thing is that cells from benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body. Benign tumors are not a threat to life. Polyps, cysts, and genital warts
Malignant tumors are cancer. Cancer cells can invade and damage tissues and organs near the tumor. Cancer cells also can break away from a malignant tumor and enter the lymph system or the bloodstream. This is how cancer of the cervix can spread to other parts of the body, such as nearby lymph nodes, the rectum, the bladder, the bones of the spine, and the lungs. The spread of cancer is called metastasis.
Like all other organs of the body, the cervix is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them. This orderly process helps keep us healthy. Cancer of the uterine cervix, the portion of the uterus that is attached to the top of the vagina. Ninety percent of cervical cancers arise from the flattened or "squamous" cells covering the cervix. Most of the remaining 10% arise from the glandular, mucus-secreting cells of the cervical canal leading into the uterus.
According to The National Cancer Institute, the vast majority of cervical cancers can be prevented. Since the most common form of cervical cancer starts with preventable and easily detectable precancerous changes, there are two ways to prevent this disease.
Here is a diagram showing where your cervix is located. The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus. The cervix forms a canal that opens into the vagina, which leads to the outside of the body.
What Are the Symptoms?
In its early stages, cervical cancer causes no pain or other symptoms. The first identifiable symptoms of the disease are likely to include:
Watery or bloody vaginal discharge, sometimes heavy and foul-smelling.
Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between menstrual periods, or after menopause; menstrual periods may be heavier and last longer than normal.
If the cancer has spread to nearby tissues, symptoms may include:
Difficult urination and possible kidney failure.
Painful urination, sometimes with blood in urine.
Dull backache or swelling in the legs.
Diarrhea, or pain or bleeding from the rectum upon defecation.
Fatigue, loss of weight and appetite, and general feeling of illness.
prostate cancer symptom
The main symptoms are: difficulty passing urine, inability to urinate, passing urine often (particularly at night), weak or interrupted urine flow, pain when urinating, blood in the urine and pain in the lower back, hips and upper thighs. However, all of these symptoms can also be caused by other conditions such as benign prostate enlargement. Men with any of these symptoms should consult their doctor.
throat cancer
throat cancer
Introduction
Recently, you've noticed a pale lump inside your mouth that doesn't seem to be healing. It's not like anything you've seen before. What you may have encountered is an early sign of oral or throat (oropharyngeal) cancer.
The American Cancer Society estimates more than 30,000 new cases of oral and throat cancer occur annually in the United States. Oral cancer includes cancer of your lips, mouth, tongue, gums and salivary glands. Throat cancer involves cancer of the part of your throat just behind your mouth. It's estimated that more than 7,000 Americans die of oral and throat cancers annually.
Periodic self-examination of your mouth is the best way to detect the early signs of oral and throat cancer. And, when detected early, oral cancer is almost always successfully treated. Unfortunately, many oral and throat cancers are far advanced by the time a doctor is made aware of the situation. This is because oral and throat cancers are usually painless in their early stages or have minor symptoms similar to other health problems, such as a toothache.
Alternative names
Vocal cord cancer; Throat cancer; Laryngeal cancer; Cancer of the glottis
Definition
Cancer of the throat is cancer of the vocal cords, voice box (larynx), or other areas of the throat.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
People who smoke or otherwise use tobacco are at risk of developing throat cancer. Excessive alcohol use also increases risk. Smoking and drinking alcohol combined lead to an extreme risk for the development of throat cancers.
Most cancers of the throat develop in adults older than 50. Men are 10 times more likely than women to develop throat cancers.
Symptoms
Hoarseness that does not resolve in 1 to 2 weeks
Sore throat that does not resolve in 1 to 2 weeks, even with antibiotics
Neck pain
Difficulty swallowing
Swelling in the neck
Unintentional weight loss
Cough
Coughing up blood
Abnormal (high-pitched) breathing sounds
Signs and tests
An examination of the neck and throat may show cancer of the throat. The sputum may appear bloody. A lump may appear on the outside of the neck. A laryngoscopy, which is examination by use of a tube with a small lighted camera (laryngoscope), allows the physician to look into the mouth and down the throat to see the tumor.
A neck or cranial CT scan or cranial MRI may show throat cancer. These tests will also help determine if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the neck.
Biopsy and analysis of tissues that appear abnormal may confirm the presence of a cancerous tumor.
Introduction
Recently, you've noticed a pale lump inside your mouth that doesn't seem to be healing. It's not like anything you've seen before. What you may have encountered is an early sign of oral or throat (oropharyngeal) cancer.
The American Cancer Society estimates more than 30,000 new cases of oral and throat cancer occur annually in the United States. Oral cancer includes cancer of your lips, mouth, tongue, gums and salivary glands. Throat cancer involves cancer of the part of your throat just behind your mouth. It's estimated that more than 7,000 Americans die of oral and throat cancers annually.
Periodic self-examination of your mouth is the best way to detect the early signs of oral and throat cancer. And, when detected early, oral cancer is almost always successfully treated. Unfortunately, many oral and throat cancers are far advanced by the time a doctor is made aware of the situation. This is because oral and throat cancers are usually painless in their early stages or have minor symptoms similar to other health problems, such as a toothache.
Alternative names
Vocal cord cancer; Throat cancer; Laryngeal cancer; Cancer of the glottis
Definition
Cancer of the throat is cancer of the vocal cords, voice box (larynx), or other areas of the throat.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
People who smoke or otherwise use tobacco are at risk of developing throat cancer. Excessive alcohol use also increases risk. Smoking and drinking alcohol combined lead to an extreme risk for the development of throat cancers.
Most cancers of the throat develop in adults older than 50. Men are 10 times more likely than women to develop throat cancers.
Symptoms
Hoarseness that does not resolve in 1 to 2 weeks
Sore throat that does not resolve in 1 to 2 weeks, even with antibiotics
Neck pain
Difficulty swallowing
Swelling in the neck
Unintentional weight loss
Cough
Coughing up blood
Abnormal (high-pitched) breathing sounds
Signs and tests
An examination of the neck and throat may show cancer of the throat. The sputum may appear bloody. A lump may appear on the outside of the neck. A laryngoscopy, which is examination by use of a tube with a small lighted camera (laryngoscope), allows the physician to look into the mouth and down the throat to see the tumor.
A neck or cranial CT scan or cranial MRI may show throat cancer. These tests will also help determine if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the neck.
Biopsy and analysis of tissues that appear abnormal may confirm the presence of a cancerous tumor.
brain cancer
brain cancer
Overview
There are two types of brain tumors: primary brain tumors that originate in the brain and metastatic (secondary) brain tumors that originate from cancer cells that have migrated from other parts of the body.
Primary brain cancer rarely spreads beyond the central nervous system, and death results from uncontrolled tumor growth within the limited space of the skull. Metastatic brain cancer indicates advanced disease and has a poor prognosis.
Primary brain tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous. Both types take up space in the brain and may cause serious symptoms (e.g., vision or hearing loss) and complications (e.g., stroke).
All cancerous brain tumors are life threatening (malignant) because they have an aggressive and invasive nature. A noncancerous primary brain tumor is life threatening when it compromises vital structures (e.g., an artery).
Small Blood Vessels Linked to Brain Tumors
TUESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Small blood vessels associated with brain tumors create a nurturing environment for self-renewing cancer stem cells, U.S. researchers report.
They also found that antiangiogenic drugs that disrupt this environment reduce the number of cancer stem cells and halt tumor growth.
Cancer stem cells comprise only a small fraction of most brain tumors but play a critical role in tumor growth and survival, according to background information in the study, published in the January issue of the journal Cancer Cell.
Researchers at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis found that cancer stem cells in human brain tumors are associated with blood vessels and that, in culture, vascular cells interact with and help brain cancer stem cells survive. This kind of interaction was not seen in most kinds of non-cancer stem cell tumor cells.
The researchers also transplanted human brain tumors, with or without vascular cells, into mice. The mice that received the vascular cells showed an increase in cancer stem cells and increased tumor activity.
When the mice were given antiangiogenic drugs to diminish tumor blood vessels, the team saw a reduction in cancer stem cells. Tumor growth was also halted, the study authors said.
"Our data identify a possible role for niche microenvironments in the maintenance of CSCs (cancer stem cells) and identify a mechanism by which antiangiogenic drugs inhibit brain tumor growth," researcher Dr. Richard J. Gilbertson said in a statement. "If the notion that niches protect CSCs proves correct, then targeting these microenvironments could prove highly effective treatments of cancer."
Overview
There are two types of brain tumors: primary brain tumors that originate in the brain and metastatic (secondary) brain tumors that originate from cancer cells that have migrated from other parts of the body.
Primary brain cancer rarely spreads beyond the central nervous system, and death results from uncontrolled tumor growth within the limited space of the skull. Metastatic brain cancer indicates advanced disease and has a poor prognosis.
Primary brain tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous. Both types take up space in the brain and may cause serious symptoms (e.g., vision or hearing loss) and complications (e.g., stroke).
All cancerous brain tumors are life threatening (malignant) because they have an aggressive and invasive nature. A noncancerous primary brain tumor is life threatening when it compromises vital structures (e.g., an artery).
Small Blood Vessels Linked to Brain Tumors
TUESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Small blood vessels associated with brain tumors create a nurturing environment for self-renewing cancer stem cells, U.S. researchers report.
They also found that antiangiogenic drugs that disrupt this environment reduce the number of cancer stem cells and halt tumor growth.
Cancer stem cells comprise only a small fraction of most brain tumors but play a critical role in tumor growth and survival, according to background information in the study, published in the January issue of the journal Cancer Cell.
Researchers at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis found that cancer stem cells in human brain tumors are associated with blood vessels and that, in culture, vascular cells interact with and help brain cancer stem cells survive. This kind of interaction was not seen in most kinds of non-cancer stem cell tumor cells.
The researchers also transplanted human brain tumors, with or without vascular cells, into mice. The mice that received the vascular cells showed an increase in cancer stem cells and increased tumor activity.
When the mice were given antiangiogenic drugs to diminish tumor blood vessels, the team saw a reduction in cancer stem cells. Tumor growth was also halted, the study authors said.
"Our data identify a possible role for niche microenvironments in the maintenance of CSCs (cancer stem cells) and identify a mechanism by which antiangiogenic drugs inhibit brain tumor growth," researcher Dr. Richard J. Gilbertson said in a statement. "If the notion that niches protect CSCs proves correct, then targeting these microenvironments could prove highly effective treatments of cancer."
bladder cancer
Overview
Bladder cancer accounts for approximately 90% of cancers of the urinary tract (renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, urethra). The bladder is an organ located in the pelvic cavity that stores and discharges urine. Urine is produced by the kidneys, carried to the bladder by the ureters, and discharged from the bladder through the urethra.
Types
Bladder cancer usually originates in the bladder lining, which consists of a mucous layer of surface cells that expand and deflate (transitional epithelial cells), smooth muscle, and a fibrous layer. Tumors are categorized as low-stage (superficial) or high-stage (muscle invasive).
In industrialized countries (e.g., United States, Canada, France), more than 90% of cases originate in the transitional epithelial cells (called transitional cell carcinoma; TCC). In developing countries, 75% of cases are squamous cell carcinomas caused by Schistosoma haematobium (parasitic organism) infection. Rare types of bladder cancer include small cell carcinoma, carcinosarcoma, primary lymphoma, and sarcoma.
Incidence and Prevalence
According to the National Cancer Institute, the highest incidence of bladder cancer occurs in industrialized countries such as the United States, Canada, and France. Incidence is lowest in Asia and South America, where it is about 70% lower than in the United States.
Incidence of bladder cancer increases with age. People over the age of 70 develop the disease 2 to 3 times more often than those aged 55-69 and 15 to 20 times more often than those aged 30-54.
Bladder cancer is 2 to 3 times more common in men. In the United States, approximately 38,000 men and 15,000 women are diagnosed with the disease each year. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in men and the eighth most common type in women. The disease is more prevalent in Caucasians than in African Americans and Hispanics.
Bladder cancer accounts for approximately 90% of cancers of the urinary tract (renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, urethra). The bladder is an organ located in the pelvic cavity that stores and discharges urine. Urine is produced by the kidneys, carried to the bladder by the ureters, and discharged from the bladder through the urethra.
Types
Bladder cancer usually originates in the bladder lining, which consists of a mucous layer of surface cells that expand and deflate (transitional epithelial cells), smooth muscle, and a fibrous layer. Tumors are categorized as low-stage (superficial) or high-stage (muscle invasive).
In industrialized countries (e.g., United States, Canada, France), more than 90% of cases originate in the transitional epithelial cells (called transitional cell carcinoma; TCC). In developing countries, 75% of cases are squamous cell carcinomas caused by Schistosoma haematobium (parasitic organism) infection. Rare types of bladder cancer include small cell carcinoma, carcinosarcoma, primary lymphoma, and sarcoma.
Incidence and Prevalence
According to the National Cancer Institute, the highest incidence of bladder cancer occurs in industrialized countries such as the United States, Canada, and France. Incidence is lowest in Asia and South America, where it is about 70% lower than in the United States.
Incidence of bladder cancer increases with age. People over the age of 70 develop the disease 2 to 3 times more often than those aged 55-69 and 15 to 20 times more often than those aged 30-54.
Bladder cancer is 2 to 3 times more common in men. In the United States, approximately 38,000 men and 15,000 women are diagnosed with the disease each year. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in men and the eighth most common type in women. The disease is more prevalent in Caucasians than in African Americans and Hispanics.
inflammatory breast cancer
1. What is inflammatory breast cancer (IBC)?
Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare but very aggressive type of breast cancer in which the cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. This type of breast cancer is called “inflammatory” because the breast often looks swollen and red, or “inflamed.” IBC accounts for 1 to 5 percent of all breast cancer cases in the United States. It tends to be diagnosed in younger women compared to non-IBC breast cancer. It occurs more frequently and at a younger age in African Americans than in Whites. Like other types of breast cancer, IBC can occur in men, but usually at an older age than in women. Some studies have shown an association between family history of breast cancer and IBC, but more studies are needed to draw firm conclusions
2.What are the symptoms of IBC?
Symptoms of IBC may include redness, swelling, and warmth in the breast, often without a distinct lump in the breast. The redness and warmth are caused by cancer cells blocking the lymph vessels in the skin. The skin of the breast may also appear pink, reddish purple, or bruised. The skin may also have ridges or appear pitted, like the skin of an orange (called peau d'orange), which is caused by a buildup of fluid and edema (swelling) in the breast. Other symptoms include heaviness, burning, aching, increase in breast size, tenderness, or a nipple that is inverted (facing inward). These symptoms usually develop quickly-over a period of weeks or months. Swollen lymph nodes may also be present under the arm, above the collarbone, or in both places. However, it is important to note that these symptoms may also be signs of other conditions such as infection, injury, or other types of cancer.
2. How is IBC diagnosed?
Diagnosis of IBC is based primarily on the results of a doctor’s clinical examination. Biopsy, mammogram, and breast ultrasound are used to confirm the diagnosis. IBC is classified as either stage IIIB or stage IV breast cancer (2). Stage IIIB breast cancers are locally advanced; stage IV breast cancer is cancer that has spread to other organs. IBC tends to grow rapidly, and the physical appearance of the breast of patients with IBC is different from that of patients with other stage III breast cancers. IBC is an especially aggressive, locally advanced breast cancer.
Cancer staging describes the extent or severity of an individual’s cancer. (More information on staging is available in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) fact sheet Staging: Questions and Answers at on the Internet.) Knowing a cancer’s stage helps the doctor develop a treatment plan and estimate prognosis (the likely outcome or course of the disease; the chance of recovery or recurrence).
Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare but very aggressive type of breast cancer in which the cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. This type of breast cancer is called “inflammatory” because the breast often looks swollen and red, or “inflamed.” IBC accounts for 1 to 5 percent of all breast cancer cases in the United States. It tends to be diagnosed in younger women compared to non-IBC breast cancer. It occurs more frequently and at a younger age in African Americans than in Whites. Like other types of breast cancer, IBC can occur in men, but usually at an older age than in women. Some studies have shown an association between family history of breast cancer and IBC, but more studies are needed to draw firm conclusions
2.What are the symptoms of IBC?
Symptoms of IBC may include redness, swelling, and warmth in the breast, often without a distinct lump in the breast. The redness and warmth are caused by cancer cells blocking the lymph vessels in the skin. The skin of the breast may also appear pink, reddish purple, or bruised. The skin may also have ridges or appear pitted, like the skin of an orange (called peau d'orange), which is caused by a buildup of fluid and edema (swelling) in the breast. Other symptoms include heaviness, burning, aching, increase in breast size, tenderness, or a nipple that is inverted (facing inward). These symptoms usually develop quickly-over a period of weeks or months. Swollen lymph nodes may also be present under the arm, above the collarbone, or in both places. However, it is important to note that these symptoms may also be signs of other conditions such as infection, injury, or other types of cancer.
2. How is IBC diagnosed?
Diagnosis of IBC is based primarily on the results of a doctor’s clinical examination. Biopsy, mammogram, and breast ultrasound are used to confirm the diagnosis. IBC is classified as either stage IIIB or stage IV breast cancer (2). Stage IIIB breast cancers are locally advanced; stage IV breast cancer is cancer that has spread to other organs. IBC tends to grow rapidly, and the physical appearance of the breast of patients with IBC is different from that of patients with other stage III breast cancers. IBC is an especially aggressive, locally advanced breast cancer.
Cancer staging describes the extent or severity of an individual’s cancer. (More information on staging is available in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) fact sheet Staging: Questions and Answers at on the Internet.) Knowing a cancer’s stage helps the doctor develop a treatment plan and estimate prognosis (the likely outcome or course of the disease; the chance of recovery or recurrence).
breast cancer treatment
With this report, women with breast cancer have access to information on the way breast cancer is treated at the nation’s leading cancer centers. Originally developed for cancer specialists by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), these treatment guidelines have now been translated for the public by the American Cancer Society.
Since 1995, doctors have looked to the NCCN for guidance on the highest quality, most effective advice on treating cancer. For more than 90 years, the public has relied on the American Cancer Society for information about cancer. The Society’s books and brochures provide comprehensive, current, and understandable information to hundreds of thousands of patients, their families and friends. This collaboration between the NCCN and ACS provides an authoritative and understandable source of cancer treatment information for the public. These patient guidelines will help you better understand your cancer treatment and your doctor’s counsel. We urge you to discuss them with your doctor. To make the best possible use of this information, you might begin by asking your doctor the following questions:
How large is my cancer? Do I have more than one tumor in the breast?
What is my cancer’s grade how abnormal the cells appear) and histology (type and arrangement of tumor cells) as seen under a microscope?
Do I have any lymph nodes with cancer (positive lymph nodes, i.e. nodal status)? If yes, how many?
What is the stage of my cancer?
Does my cancer contain hormone receptors? What does this mean for me?
Is my cancer positive for HER-2? What does this mean for me?
Is breast-conserving treatment an option for me?
In addition to surgery, what other treatment do you recommend? Radiation? Chemotherapy? Hormone therapy?
What are the side effects?
Are there any clinical trials that I should consider?
Inside Breast Tissue
The main parts of the female breast are lobules (milk-producing glands), ducts (milk passages that connect the lobules and the nipple), and stroma (fatty tissue and ligaments surrounding the ducts and lobules, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels). Lymphatic vessels are similar to veins but carry lymph instead of blood. Most breast cancer begins in the ducts (ductal), some in the lobules (lobular), and the rest in other breast tissues.
Lymph is a clear fluid that has tissue waste products and immune system cells. Most lymphatic vessels of the breast lead to underarm (axillary) lymph nodes. Some lead to lymph nodes above the collarbone (called supraclavicular) and others to internal mammary nodes which are next to the breastbone (or sternum). Cancer cells may enter lymph vessels and spread along these vessels to reach lymph nodes. Cancer cells may also enter blood vessels and spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body.
Lymph nodes are small, bean shaped collections of immune system cells important in fighting infections. When breast cancer cells reach the axillary lymph nodes, they can continue to grow, often causing swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpit or elsewhere.
If breast cancer cells have spread to the axillary lymph nodes, it makes it more likely that they have spread to other organs of the body as well.
Since 1995, doctors have looked to the NCCN for guidance on the highest quality, most effective advice on treating cancer. For more than 90 years, the public has relied on the American Cancer Society for information about cancer. The Society’s books and brochures provide comprehensive, current, and understandable information to hundreds of thousands of patients, their families and friends. This collaboration between the NCCN and ACS provides an authoritative and understandable source of cancer treatment information for the public. These patient guidelines will help you better understand your cancer treatment and your doctor’s counsel. We urge you to discuss them with your doctor. To make the best possible use of this information, you might begin by asking your doctor the following questions:
How large is my cancer? Do I have more than one tumor in the breast?
What is my cancer’s grade how abnormal the cells appear) and histology (type and arrangement of tumor cells) as seen under a microscope?
Do I have any lymph nodes with cancer (positive lymph nodes, i.e. nodal status)? If yes, how many?
What is the stage of my cancer?
Does my cancer contain hormone receptors? What does this mean for me?
Is my cancer positive for HER-2? What does this mean for me?
Is breast-conserving treatment an option for me?
In addition to surgery, what other treatment do you recommend? Radiation? Chemotherapy? Hormone therapy?
What are the side effects?
Are there any clinical trials that I should consider?
Inside Breast Tissue
The main parts of the female breast are lobules (milk-producing glands), ducts (milk passages that connect the lobules and the nipple), and stroma (fatty tissue and ligaments surrounding the ducts and lobules, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels). Lymphatic vessels are similar to veins but carry lymph instead of blood. Most breast cancer begins in the ducts (ductal), some in the lobules (lobular), and the rest in other breast tissues.
Lymph is a clear fluid that has tissue waste products and immune system cells. Most lymphatic vessels of the breast lead to underarm (axillary) lymph nodes. Some lead to lymph nodes above the collarbone (called supraclavicular) and others to internal mammary nodes which are next to the breastbone (or sternum). Cancer cells may enter lymph vessels and spread along these vessels to reach lymph nodes. Cancer cells may also enter blood vessels and spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body.
Lymph nodes are small, bean shaped collections of immune system cells important in fighting infections. When breast cancer cells reach the axillary lymph nodes, they can continue to grow, often causing swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpit or elsewhere.
If breast cancer cells have spread to the axillary lymph nodes, it makes it more likely that they have spread to other organs of the body as well.
thyroid cancer
There are about 20,000 new cases of thyroid cancer each year in the United States. Females are more likely to have thyroid cancer at a ratio of three to one. Thyroid cancer can occur in any age group, although it is most common after age 30 and its aggressiveness increases significantly in older patients. The majority of patients present with a nodule on their thyroid which typically does not cause symptoms. Remember, over 99% of thyroid nodules are not cancer! But, when a thyroid cancer does begin to grow within a thyroid gland, it almost always does so within a discrete nodule within the thyroid.
What Is Thyroid Cancer?
The thyroid gland is located under the Adam's apple in the front part of the neck. In most people, it cannot be seen or felt. It is butterfly shaped, with 2 lobes - the right lobe and the left lobe - joined by a narrow isthmus (see diagram).
The thyroid gland makes a hormone (called thyroid hormone), which is important for many body functions. The production of this hormone depends on iodine, and the thyroid gland absorbs iodine from the blood.
Thyroid hormone regulates a person抯 metabolism. Too much hormone causes a person to be hyperactive, feel nervous, warm, hungry, and often lose weight. Too little hormone causes a person to slow down, feel tired and gain weight. All this is regulated by the pituitary gland, at the base of the brain, which produces a substance called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
The thyroid gland contains mainly 2 types of cells:
§ Thyroid follicle cells actually make and store thyroid hormone. They also make a special thyroid protein called thyroglobulin.
§ C cells make another hormone, calcitonin, which helps regulate the body抯 calcium metabolism.
Different cancers develop from each kind of cell. The differences are important because they determine the seriousness of the cancer and the type of treatment needed.
What Is Thyroid Cancer?
The thyroid gland is located under the Adam's apple in the front part of the neck. In most people, it cannot be seen or felt. It is butterfly shaped, with 2 lobes - the right lobe and the left lobe - joined by a narrow isthmus (see diagram).
The thyroid gland makes a hormone (called thyroid hormone), which is important for many body functions. The production of this hormone depends on iodine, and the thyroid gland absorbs iodine from the blood.
Thyroid hormone regulates a person抯 metabolism. Too much hormone causes a person to be hyperactive, feel nervous, warm, hungry, and often lose weight. Too little hormone causes a person to slow down, feel tired and gain weight. All this is regulated by the pituitary gland, at the base of the brain, which produces a substance called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
The thyroid gland contains mainly 2 types of cells:
§ Thyroid follicle cells actually make and store thyroid hormone. They also make a special thyroid protein called thyroglobulin.
§ C cells make another hormone, calcitonin, which helps regulate the body抯 calcium metabolism.
Different cancers develop from each kind of cell. The differences are important because they determine the seriousness of the cancer and the type of treatment needed.
national cancer institute
NCI Researchers Identify Molecular Switch for Protein Chaperone
A protein that plays a major role in controlling normal cell growth and promoting tumor development by acting as a chaperone to other proteins was found to require a specific chemical modification for normal function, according to a new study of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). This research was conducted at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in collaboration with other institutions* and appears in the January 12, 2007, issue of Molecular Cell**.
"This new appreciation for the way cells regulate Hsp90 activity may help us better understand more of the basic cell signal pathway alterations involved in cancer development and, hopefully, identify new targets for anticancer therapies," said NCI Director John E. Niederhuber, M.D.
After they are synthesized, most proteins must be folded into their final form in order to function normally. Hsp90 chaperones other proteins through this process by assisting in their folding and escorting them to their proper locations inside the cell. Over 100 proteins have been identified as 'clients' of Hsp90. Under stress conditions, Hsp90 production increases sharply to assist in either refolding or elimination of damaged proteins, thereby helping cells return to a normal state and increasing their ability to survive.
Hsp90 levels are elevated in many types of cancer cells. Hsp90 binding helps sustain cancer-causing mutations in certain client proteins, allowing the cells to escape growth regulation and develop into tumors. Previous studies have shown that chemical inhibitors of Hsp90 can help block cell division, encourage cell suicide, and reduce the spread of a tumor. Several different Hsp90 inhibitors are currently undergoing clinical trials to test their efficacy in the treatment of cancer.
Leonard M. Neckers, Ph.D., who led this study in the Urologic Oncology Branch in NCI's Center for Cancer Research, and his colleagues previously showed that treating cells with an inhibitor of the enzyme histone deacetylase (HDAC) had the same effect as directly inhibiting Hsp90 with drugs. HDAC removes certain chemicals, called acetyl groups, from a wide range of proteins. Adding acetyl groups to proteins at specific locations -- a process called acetylation -- is one mechanism cells use to control protein activity. HDAC inhibitors block the removal of these acetyl groups. The purpose of this current study was to understand the role of acetylation in regulating Hsp90 function.
A protein that plays a major role in controlling normal cell growth and promoting tumor development by acting as a chaperone to other proteins was found to require a specific chemical modification for normal function, according to a new study of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). This research was conducted at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in collaboration with other institutions* and appears in the January 12, 2007, issue of Molecular Cell**.
"This new appreciation for the way cells regulate Hsp90 activity may help us better understand more of the basic cell signal pathway alterations involved in cancer development and, hopefully, identify new targets for anticancer therapies," said NCI Director John E. Niederhuber, M.D.
After they are synthesized, most proteins must be folded into their final form in order to function normally. Hsp90 chaperones other proteins through this process by assisting in their folding and escorting them to their proper locations inside the cell. Over 100 proteins have been identified as 'clients' of Hsp90. Under stress conditions, Hsp90 production increases sharply to assist in either refolding or elimination of damaged proteins, thereby helping cells return to a normal state and increasing their ability to survive.
Hsp90 levels are elevated in many types of cancer cells. Hsp90 binding helps sustain cancer-causing mutations in certain client proteins, allowing the cells to escape growth regulation and develop into tumors. Previous studies have shown that chemical inhibitors of Hsp90 can help block cell division, encourage cell suicide, and reduce the spread of a tumor. Several different Hsp90 inhibitors are currently undergoing clinical trials to test their efficacy in the treatment of cancer.
Leonard M. Neckers, Ph.D., who led this study in the Urologic Oncology Branch in NCI's Center for Cancer Research, and his colleagues previously showed that treating cells with an inhibitor of the enzyme histone deacetylase (HDAC) had the same effect as directly inhibiting Hsp90 with drugs. HDAC removes certain chemicals, called acetyl groups, from a wide range of proteins. Adding acetyl groups to proteins at specific locations -- a process called acetylation -- is one mechanism cells use to control protein activity. HDAC inhibitors block the removal of these acetyl groups. The purpose of this current study was to understand the role of acetylation in regulating Hsp90 function.
prostate cancer treatment
Prostate Cancer can be diagnosed in about 13-15% of men of European descent. Men of African or African-American descent are twice as likely to have prostate cancer cells as men of European descent. Millions of men are diagnosed with prostate cancer... there is a lot you can learn from us.
If you are reading this, you are not dead. Even diagnosed with prostate cancer, chances are good that your cancer won't kill you anytime soon.
There are many choices in the treatment of prostate cancer. The main options include surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and watchful waiting. In deciding which treatment option is most appropriate for you, you and your doctor will consider several factors, including the cancer stage and expected benefits and risks of treatment.
In this section, you will find information on benefits of each treatment option, and the most common side effects. Although prostate cancer is best treated when detected at an early stage, therapies are available that can help even after the cancer has spread outside of the prostate. Your doctor will determine which of these treatments is most appropriate for you.
Prostate cancer is found mainly in older men. As men age, the prostate may get bigger and block the urethra or bladder. This may cause difficulty in urination or can interfere with sexual function. The condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and although it is not cancer, surgery may be needed to correct it. The symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia or of other problems in the prostate may be similar to symptoms of prostate cancer. Normal prostate and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A normal prostate does not block the flow of urine from the bladder. An enlarged prostate presses on the bladder and urethra and blocks the flow of urine.
Possible signs of prostate cancer include a weak flow of urine or frequent urination.
These and other symptoms may be caused by prostate cancer. Other conditions may cause the same symptoms. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:
Weak or interrupted flow of urine.
Frequent urination (especially at night).
Trouble urinating.
Pain or burning during urination.
Blood in the urine or semen.
A pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn't go away.
Painful ejaculation.
If you are reading this, you are not dead. Even diagnosed with prostate cancer, chances are good that your cancer won't kill you anytime soon.
There are many choices in the treatment of prostate cancer. The main options include surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and watchful waiting. In deciding which treatment option is most appropriate for you, you and your doctor will consider several factors, including the cancer stage and expected benefits and risks of treatment.
In this section, you will find information on benefits of each treatment option, and the most common side effects. Although prostate cancer is best treated when detected at an early stage, therapies are available that can help even after the cancer has spread outside of the prostate. Your doctor will determine which of these treatments is most appropriate for you.
Prostate cancer is found mainly in older men. As men age, the prostate may get bigger and block the urethra or bladder. This may cause difficulty in urination or can interfere with sexual function. The condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and although it is not cancer, surgery may be needed to correct it. The symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia or of other problems in the prostate may be similar to symptoms of prostate cancer. Normal prostate and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A normal prostate does not block the flow of urine from the bladder. An enlarged prostate presses on the bladder and urethra and blocks the flow of urine.
Possible signs of prostate cancer include a weak flow of urine or frequent urination.
These and other symptoms may be caused by prostate cancer. Other conditions may cause the same symptoms. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:
Weak or interrupted flow of urine.
Frequent urination (especially at night).
Trouble urinating.
Pain or burning during urination.
Blood in the urine or semen.
A pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn't go away.
Painful ejaculation.
testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is a disease in which cells become malignant (cancerous) in one or both testicles.
The testicles (also called testes or gonads) are a pair of male sex glands. They produce and store sperm and are the main source of testosterone (male hormones) in men. These hormones control the development of the reproductive organs and other male physical characteristics. The testicles are located under the penis in a sac-like pouch called the scrotum.
Based on the characteristics of the cells in the tumor, testicular cancers are classified as seminomas or nonseminomas. Other types of cancer that arise in the testicles are rare and are not described here. Seminomas may be one of three types: classic, choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, and yolk sac tumors. Testicular tumors may contain both seminoma and nonseminoma cells.
Testicular cancer accounts for only 1 percent of all cancers in men in the United States. About 8,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer, and about 390 men die of this disease each year (1). Testicular cancer occurs most often in men between the ages of 20 and 39, and is the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 34. It is most common in white men, especially those of Scandinavian descent. The testicular cancer rate has more than doubled among white men in the past 40 years, but has only recently begun to increase among black men. The reason for the racial differences in incidence is not known.
Overview
Testicular cancer develops in the testicles (testes), the male reproductive glands. The testicles are located in the membranous pouch below the penis (scrotum) and are suspended from the body by the spermatic cord. They produce male reproductive cells (sperm) and testosterone. Testicular cancer is treated successfully in more than 95% of cases.
Anatomy
The testicles are primarily made up of a mass of seminiferous tubules in which sperm develop. The tubules are lined with Sertoli cells, which protect and supply nutrients to developing sperm. Sertoli cells also secrete the hormone inhibin, which is involved in the regulation of sperm production.
Leydig cells, located in tissue between the seminiferous tubules, secrete testosterone and androsterone. These hormones stimulate the development of male sex organs, beard growth, muscle mass, and deepening of the voice.
Incidence and Prevalence
Incidence of testicular cancer is rising. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 7600 cases are diagnosed and about 400 men die of the disease each year in the United States. The disease is most prevalent in men between the ages of 18 and 32 and is approximately 5 times more common in Caucasians than African Americans. Germany, Scandinavia, and New Zealand have the highest incidence of testicular cancer and Asia and Africa have the lowest.
The testicles (also called testes or gonads) are a pair of male sex glands. They produce and store sperm and are the main source of testosterone (male hormones) in men. These hormones control the development of the reproductive organs and other male physical characteristics. The testicles are located under the penis in a sac-like pouch called the scrotum.
Based on the characteristics of the cells in the tumor, testicular cancers are classified as seminomas or nonseminomas. Other types of cancer that arise in the testicles are rare and are not described here. Seminomas may be one of three types: classic, choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, and yolk sac tumors. Testicular tumors may contain both seminoma and nonseminoma cells.
Testicular cancer accounts for only 1 percent of all cancers in men in the United States. About 8,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer, and about 390 men die of this disease each year (1). Testicular cancer occurs most often in men between the ages of 20 and 39, and is the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 34. It is most common in white men, especially those of Scandinavian descent. The testicular cancer rate has more than doubled among white men in the past 40 years, but has only recently begun to increase among black men. The reason for the racial differences in incidence is not known.
Overview
Testicular cancer develops in the testicles (testes), the male reproductive glands. The testicles are located in the membranous pouch below the penis (scrotum) and are suspended from the body by the spermatic cord. They produce male reproductive cells (sperm) and testosterone. Testicular cancer is treated successfully in more than 95% of cases.
Anatomy
The testicles are primarily made up of a mass of seminiferous tubules in which sperm develop. The tubules are lined with Sertoli cells, which protect and supply nutrients to developing sperm. Sertoli cells also secrete the hormone inhibin, which is involved in the regulation of sperm production.
Leydig cells, located in tissue between the seminiferous tubules, secrete testosterone and androsterone. These hormones stimulate the development of male sex organs, beard growth, muscle mass, and deepening of the voice.
Incidence and Prevalence
Incidence of testicular cancer is rising. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 7600 cases are diagnosed and about 400 men die of the disease each year in the United States. The disease is most prevalent in men between the ages of 18 and 32 and is approximately 5 times more common in Caucasians than African Americans. Germany, Scandinavia, and New Zealand have the highest incidence of testicular cancer and Asia and Africa have the lowest.
cancer treatment
Cancer (medicine), any of more than 100 diseases characterized by excessive, uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells, which invade and destroy other tissues . Cancer develops in almost any organ or tissue of the body, but certain types of cancer are more lethal than others. Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada and second only to heart disease in the United States. Each year, more than 1.2 million Americans and 132,000 Canadians are diagnosed with cancer, and more than 1,700 people die from cancer each day in the United States and Canada. For reasons not well understood, cancer rates vary by gender, race, and geographic region. For instance, more males have cancer than females, and African Americans are more likely to develop cancer than persons of any other racial and ethnic group in North America. Cancer rates also vary globally-residents of the United States, for example, are nearly three times as likely to develop cancer than are residents of Egypt.
Introduction to Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatment varies depending upon your type of cancer, stage of cancer, and overall condition. Additionally, your treatment may vary depending on whether or not the goal of your treatment is to cure your cancer, keep your cancer from spreading, or to relieve the symptoms caused by cancer. Depending on these factors, you may receive one or more of the following:
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy
Hormonal therapy
Targeted therapy
Angiogenesis means the formation of new blood vessels. Angiogenesis is a process controlled by certain chemicals produced in the body. These chemicals stimulate blood vessels or form new ones. Other chemicals, called angiogenesis inhibitors, signal the process to stop.
Angiogenesis plays an important role in the growth and spread of cancer. New blood vessels “feed” the cancer cells with oxygen and nutrients, allowing these cells to grow, invade nearby tissue, spread to other parts of the body, and form new colonies of cancer cells.
Because cancer cannot grow or spread without the formation of new blood vessels, scientists are trying to find ways to stop angiogenesis. They are studying natural and synthetic angiogenesis inhibitors, also called anti-angiogenesis agents, in the hope that these chemicals will prevent the growth of cancer by blocking the formation of new blood vessels. In animal studies, angiogenesis inhibitors have successfully stopped the formation of new blood vessels, causing the cancer to shrink and die.
cancer
Introduction to Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatment varies depending upon your type of cancer, stage of cancer, and overall condition. Additionally, your treatment may vary depending on whether or not the goal of your treatment is to cure your cancer, keep your cancer from spreading, or to relieve the symptoms caused by cancer. Depending on these factors, you may receive one or more of the following:
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy
Hormonal therapy
Targeted therapy
Angiogenesis means the formation of new blood vessels. Angiogenesis is a process controlled by certain chemicals produced in the body. These chemicals stimulate blood vessels or form new ones. Other chemicals, called angiogenesis inhibitors, signal the process to stop.
Angiogenesis plays an important role in the growth and spread of cancer. New blood vessels “feed” the cancer cells with oxygen and nutrients, allowing these cells to grow, invade nearby tissue, spread to other parts of the body, and form new colonies of cancer cells.
Because cancer cannot grow or spread without the formation of new blood vessels, scientists are trying to find ways to stop angiogenesis. They are studying natural and synthetic angiogenesis inhibitors, also called anti-angiogenesis agents, in the hope that these chemicals will prevent the growth of cancer by blocking the formation of new blood vessels. In animal studies, angiogenesis inhibitors have successfully stopped the formation of new blood vessels, causing the cancer to shrink and die.
cancer
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