Posts Tagged ‘medicine’

What Is Chemotherapy And The Way It May Be Used To Beat Cancer

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

The administration of cancer chemotherapy drugs becomes imminent and almost inevitable once a patient is diagnosed with cancer. Health care providers should not overlook the importance of treatment transparency and the necessity for good communication with the person under medication. The doctor-patient relationship is almost as important nowadays as the suggested cancer chemotherapy is because offering a good treatment without carefully explaining the steps to follow and the potential side effects that may appear along the way may completely discourage the patient. When there is professional support and human compassion in the approach to the illness, cancer patients have higher chances of recovery thanks to the positive attitude.

The basis for cancer chemotherapy was put in 1940 when doctors used folic acid an nitrogen mustards in the role of antagonist drugs. Since more and more patients turned up to suffer from the same condition, that is cancer, cancer chemotherapy has gradually turned into an industry registering huge success on the market through the wide variety of drugs that it produces. Even though progress has marked the seven decades since the pioneer cancer treatments, the basic principles that shaped cancer chemotherapy have remained the same.

Sometimes cancer chemotherapy proves insufficient in the fight against the tumor growth. Consequently, where combined chemotherapy fails, surgery has to take the lead. This procedure is not always one hundred percent certain in removing entirely the tumor and there are still chances that the cancerous cells may reoccur. So doctors and researchers have come up with an adjuvant cancer chemotherapy treatment that relies on drugs meant to prevent the recurrence of cancer and clear away any signs of cancer left after removing the tumor. This cancer chemotherapy adjuvant appears to have improved and extended the life expectations of many patients suffering from colon cancer.

Whether you call it chemotherapy or drugs administration, the process is all the same and so are the risks of adverse reactions and the health threats. There are plenty of categories of cancer chemotherapy drugs, and anyone interested can research on the Internet or in books. Whichever the medium of information, remember that associating the action of the drug, with the risks it brings along and with what other medicine it can be combined is utterly important before starting a certain cancer chemotherapy treatment.

This article is for educational purposes merely. Please confer with your health care provider for all health concerns.

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Research Dr Speaks About Mistletoe & Mesothelioma

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Saturday, 2nd October 2010 sees the taking place of the 5th Mesothelioma UK Patient & Carer Day. In the past it has been in Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle and this year is being held in London at the Novotel Hotel, St Pancras.

The goal of this unique event is to provide those suffering with mesothelioma , their carers and families a chance to share their experiences of dealing with the condition. There will be opportunities to raise issues, pose questions and listen to expert speakers giving latest information and developments.

One particularly interesting speaker at this year’s event is Dr Maurice Orange’s talk about mistletoe therapy as a treatment for cancers including mesothelioma. Dr Orange’s research has found that for the last 80 years, mistletoe extracts have been a successful complementary therapy used in the treatment of several types of cancer.

Extract of Mistletoe has a different affect on different people, like with many treatments, although it has been found to encourage the immune system, meaning the natural defences in the body are made stronger, so the patient is less likely to contract infections or illnesses and if they do they can fight them more effectively.

Mistletoe can also induce apoptosis in cancer cells, which is when cells self destruct which can help stop tumour growth, or in some situations even reverse it. The DNA in healthy cells can also be protected by mistletoe, which means when a patient is undergoing chemo therapy, the damage to healthy cells can be reduced, making the whole process less traumatic on the body.

Mistletoe will often cause an inflammatory reaction and fever, which counteracts the coldness many cancer patients experience and means the immune system can remain active and the metabolism to function will function as well as it can.

Aside from these affects, it has also been shown that mistletoe has a positive effect on a cancer patient’s quality of life. Patients have reported feeling stronger, more able to resist infections, have gained weight and find their appetite returning after long periods of not being hungry.

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The Benefits Of Smoking Electronic Cigarettes

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

For those who are not accustomed to electronic cigarettes here is a very brief description about what they are. An electronic cigarette includes a battery, an atomizer and a cartridge chamber used to hold a measured quantity of nicotine (or nicotine free), water and flavorings.

When a smoker draws on one, their cravings are satisfied because of the taste of tobacco they receive, the ’smoke’ like vapor that’s given off, the fulfilment they get from holding the cigarette, and the use of nicotine (nicotine free are available). Because of all these things they can be considered an alternative to a traditional tobacco cigarette.

Electric cigarettes have a lot of benefits over the traditional tobacco cigarettes. Briefly they are substantially less expensive, they have been proven to be tolerated by non-smokers, they are permitted to be smoked in public areas, and they don’t cause any terrible odors and air pollution.

The smoke cloud that is emitted from these modern cigarettes does not linger for more than a couple of moments. It is smellfree so it does not leave any trace on your clothing or any upholstery on furniture. And the people nearby do not need to suffer the unsightly acrid smoke that is associated with normal tobacco cigarettes.

The reason why these electronic cigarettes are healthier than the normal tobacco cigarette is that there is nothing burnt during the process of drawing on one. Therefore any vapor emitted has no toxic substances that can damage to the body of the smoker or anybody else.

An significant health advantage of these electric cigarettes is that they do not use any cancer causing ingredients. The way they work is to use a battery powered atomizer to warm the liquid causing a vapor to be produced. Propylene glycol, which is certified as safe by the USDA, is added to the H2O vapor that is given off to make the smoke more easily seen, as water vapor is invisible. Elusion100 article.

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About Cancer Treatment

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

If you got cancer, most certainly you are combating a battle to the death. While you can find cases in which possessing cancer is just a part of living (for example the way most of the older men have at least a number of cancer tissues in their prostates), cancer is mostly a life sucker, greedy bloodsucker which will break off at nothing to get bigger until it can grow any further that typically only occurs when you have killed it, or it has killed the person who hosts it. In case you want to live a long as well as healthy life in the face of cancer, these cure procedures are worthwhile to try.

Surgery is a way to get rid of cancer. Precisely remove the ugly thing although physicians dont commonly permit you to have that in the house inside a jar, regardless of how entertaining it might be to own a “pet cancer.” You will find 5 different methods to get a cancer out completely “manually:”

1. Making use of a blade, a aperture in you, also a trash can. It is a pretty basic process, and usually will get the cancer if by chance the surgeon can locate it entirely.

2. Laser surgery uses a ray of targeted light and from time to time high temperature to effectively heat up the cancer to death. If you are the kind of individual who likes making all of your enemies “pay the piper,” this is surely quite entertaining to visualize your cancer tissues screaming in misery as it is essentially burned like a forgotten steak.

3. In laparoscopic surgical procedure, tiny cuts are crafted on one’s body, after that a tiny camera and surgical instrument are jammed inside you similar to auguring out a blocked tube. That permits you to heal more quickly, as it places a entirety new shine over the term “surgical strike.”

4. Mohs’ surgical procedure is a system where layers of cancer tissues are detached from your body separately, rather similar to slashing up an onion. Each and every layer is checked, when the surgeon has found all the contaminated deposits, s/he can bring to an end removing elements of you. There are no volume discounts in medicine, after all.

5. With cryosurgery, your cancer is frozen and then effectively snapped out like a frozen fish stick. It form of supplies your cancer tissues the chilly shoulder.

Radiotherapy is usually a sort of cancer tissue subtraction tool that utilizes exclusive forms of x-rays, gamma rays or electrons to essentially bomb the cancer tissues. If you destroy its tissues so it may not multiply any longer, the cancer loses all its strength over your life. Time and again, radiotherapy united with surgery is a great solution to turn a fatal enemy into a non entity like it deserves.

Obviously, theres nothing absolute in the planet. Its likely that the radiation from the radiotherapy can damage other, healthful tissues. Sadly, this kind of collateral wound is usually a prospect in any form of battle. By the way, in this case, the negative aspects are significantly outweighed via the fact that in a few situations, cancer tissues can go in to diminution (the position where it doesn’t grow any longer) just from using radiotherapy.

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Executive Health Programs

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Executive Health

It’s the well-being of and over-all health that takes a beating when it comes to the high stress and fast paced lives lived by many professionals. It can be quite difficult to take care of our bodies properly when there are so many duties and responsibilities to attend to.

Usually we only go to the doctor when something is seriously wrong or for our mandatory yearly check ups. While this may be the standard in our lives and amongst our peers it is by no means the healthiest way to live. Too often serious problems are only caught in their latest stages.

Executive Health Programs

Today, insurance companies try to keep costs down by the way they keep doctors from being able to utilize testing procedures such as CT scans on a regular basis with patients. While these types of tests could find out about a major issue earlier, they are usually not performed until after the symptoms have already shown up.

Executive Medicine of Texas, which is run by Dr. Mark Anderson and Dr. Walter Gaman, preemptive and in depth medical services are being offered. In fact, these two doctors have done their part to raise awareness about the importance of balancing your life, work and health and being proactive in staying healthy.

Executive Health

This book is one that lays out ten easy to follow tips on how to get and stay healthy as you grow older and increase your workload and responsibilities. It encompasses the doctor’s outlook on proactively looking after your health, identifying problems before they become serious and taking care of any threats that pop up.

The nice thing about these tips in the book is that you discover that it doesn’t take a lot of money to implement them in order to experience better energy levels and overall health. There’s no fad being shown here as it’s all about following scientific medical advice that will result in a longer and healthier life.

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Breast Reconstruction After Breast Cancer – Latest Options After Mastectomy

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Breast reconstruction is not a cosmetic procedure. It’s a right every woman has when faced with mastectomy after breast cancer. Fortunately, there are several reconstructive options.

When the breast reconstruction is performed at the same setting as the mastectomy it is referred to as “immediate” reconstruction. The biggest advantage of immediate reconstruction is that the patient wakes up from the surgery still “whole” and completely avoids having to live without a breast. Other advantages include shorter scars and, generally speaking, a better cosmetic result.

Some patients do not have access to a reconstructive surgeon at the time of the mastectomy. Other patients are advised to avoid immediate reconstruction because radiation therapy is likely after the mastectomy. In these cases, the reconstruction can be performed some time after the mastectomy. This is known as “delayed reconstruction”.

The most common breast reconstruction procedure performed by American plastic surgeons utilizes implants to restore the breast shape and form. These can be either saline or silicone. Implant reconstruction is typically performed as two separate surgeries. The first involves placing a tissue expander (temporary implant) under the skin and pectoral muscle. This is used to expand the skin to the required size. The expander is later replaced by the permanent implant at a second surgery. A few surgeons prefer using a one-stage approach and place the permanent implant at the same time as the mastectomy. While not all patients are candidates, this is a very attractive option for many women because they avoid the entire tissue expander phase of the reconstruction.

Breast reconstruction with implants can provide excellent cosmetic results. However, the long term risk of complications is much higher than in women who have cosmetic breast enhancement with implants. The most common risks include contracture (hardening of the new breast), and implant ripples that can be felt and seen through the breast skin. These risks are increased if the patient has to undergo radiation as part of the cancer treatment.

The Latissimus procedure uses muscle (latissimus dorsi), fat and skin from the back (below the shoulder blade) that is brought around to the chest to create a new breast. Many patients also need an expander or implant to obtain a satisfactory result in terms of size. Patients typically have a scar on their back that can be seen with some low-cut clothing. Women who are very active in sports may notice some strength loss with activities like golf, climbing, or tennis.

TRAM flap surgery is a common procedure that uses skin, fat and varying amounts of the sit-up muscle (rectus abdominis) from the lower abdomen. The tissue (or flap) is then relocated to the chest to create the new breast. This procedure also results in a tightening of the lower abdomen, or a “tummy tuck”. Unfortunately, sacrifice of all or part of the abdominal muscle can result in bulging (or “pooching”) of the abdomen and even a hernia.

The DIEP flap is the latest evolution of the TRAM flap. It provides all the advantages of the TRAM while decreasing the risks. Like the TRAM, it provides a very natural breast reconstruction which is warm and soft and ages with the patient. However, the DIEP preserves all the abdominal musculature so is associated with a lower rate of abdominal bulging and hernia. Since the muscle are preserved, recovery is also easier and abdominal strength is maintained long term.

There are a handful of other tissue options available for women who are not candidates or prefer to avoid using their abdominal tissue. These include the inner, upper thigh (TUG flap), lower buttock crease (IGAP), and upper buttock (SGAP). The best tissue option will depend on a number of factors, primarily the patient’s body habitus.

Microsurgical breast reconstruction procedures like the DIEP, TUG and GAP flaps are not offered routinely by many American plastic surgeons. There are many reasons for this, primarily the complexity of the surgery and the need for additional training. Unfortunately most patients seeking one of these advanced breast reconstruction options after mastectomy will be forced to travel to highly specialized centers for their surgery.

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An Article Involving Lifestyle Modification To Avoid Oral Cancer

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

Oral cancer is serious problem for Americans. About 36,000 will get diagnosed with the disease a year but only half will survive within five years of their diagnosis.

Cancer is never a disease to be taken lightly. To increase your chances of survival it needs to be caught and treated while still in its early stages. Oral cancer is especially serious because it quickly spreads throughout the body, especially to the lungs and lymph nodes.

Cancer is so dangerous because once it has spread it is much more difficult to treat and can even be fatal. It is a serious disease that can be hard to treat.

What makes it worse is that oral cancer can be hard to detect. So, regular check ups – 6 months or annually, are helpful. Sometimes people don’t find out they have cancer until it’s too late to treat. This is because it isn’t always symptomatic.

It’s important to know the warning signs and pay attention to them. Check with your doctor if you experience the following: a lump on or near the mouth, bleeding mouth sores, difficulty swallowing or chewing or mouth and lip tenderness. Hoarseness or a change in your voice is also a warning sign you should note.

Often patients that have oral cancer are smokers, heavy drinkers or chew tobacco. This isn’t the case with everyone, however. It has been known to occur in people who don’t follow the established behavior patterns that make you prone to getting the disease.

Prevention is your best bet, but it’s still important to visit your dentist regularly and have an oral exam. This is critical, particularly if you are over 45 years old.

If you smoke or chew quit. Tobacco products only will harm your body and may increase your chances of getting oral cancer. Eat a healthy diet, limit your intake of alcohol and stay out of the sun. Take these steps and it may decrease your risk of getting oral cancer.

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Skin Cancer Primer

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States with over one million diagnosed annually. Fortunately, most skin cancers are not life threatening and can be easily treated. The most dangerous type, melanoma, can be lethal and kill thousands of people every year. The key to treatment of skin cancers is prevention and early detection.

Skin cancer treatment will depend on several factors. The type of tumor, size, location, previous treatments, and patient factors all play into the type of treatment which must be undertaken. For melanoma tumors, aggressive treatment is necessary and well defined through national standards. For basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers, treatment is more reliant on the location of the tumor, size, and patient preference. Cryotherapy (freezing the cancer), topical medications which burn the tumor, and surgical excision are all options which should be discussed with the patient.

If surgical excision is the treatment of choice, for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas in sensitive areas such as the face, eyes, ears, nose, and lips, Mohs micrographic surgery may be necessary. Mohs surgery is named after Dr. Frederic Mohs, an early 20th century surgeon who developed a special technique of examining pathologic skin specimens. The procedures allows for preservation of as much normal tissue as possible.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure with skin cancer. Use of appropriate sunscreens, excess sun avoidance, and tanning avoidance are good ways to help prevent skin cancers from forming. These tumors don’t generally appear overnight and are the result of a lifetime’s worth of sun exposure and sometimes sun abuse.

For patients at high risk of skin cancer, yearly head to toe skin checks with a primary care physician or dermatologist are necessary to help catch tumors at an early stage. The earlier the tumors are caught, the easier they are to treat.

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Ginseng Tea – The Benefits

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Panax is a perennial plant with a fleshy root, the root is used to create a tea known as Ginseng, the herbal tea is said to have many healing and energy-giving properties. These benefits are down to the natural chemicals inside the plant called ‘ginsenosides’.

The origin of the tea is fairly blurry but it has been in use for over 5000 years. The ancient Chinese called it ‘Ren Shen’ and placed great faith in its healing abilities and a cure for all ailments. Ginseng became so valuable that it was bartered for silk and even prized above gold. Stocks of wild Ginseng became exhausted and it became commercially cultivated, however the wild variety still maintained an extremely higher value than the cultivated variety.

To make the tea, the root can be used fresh or in a dried form. It can be bought whole, sliced, in powder form or even in tea bags. The average ginseng plant is matured for about 6 years before it is harvested. It is available in a variety of forms across the world and commonly consumed for medicinal value.

Many scientific studies have determined that ginseng tea has the natural ability to reinforce the immune system, thus preventing colds, flu and some forms of cancer. Ginseng also has the ability to help lower cholesterol and blood sugar which makes it beneficial to those suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Consuming ginseng relaxes the muscles of the lungs and airway which can reduce the symptoms of asthma, constriction of the airways and the risk of lung diseases. Some studies have proven a link between the consumption of ginseng and an increase cognitive capacity; however this is not recognised as scientific research.

Although the drink acts as a cancer preventative, it also assists in subduing the side effects of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy. It has also been strongly proven to multiply the effects of any other cancer preventatives.

One of the most popular effects of ginseng is that on a man’s libido, it can combat problems such as erectile dysfunction. The components of ginseng act on the central nervous system and the gonadal tissues to effect and improve libido.

You won’t find Ginseng tea getting served with paper cup lids or biodegradable cups as there is a traditional brewing and serving process.

Facts About Niacin Cholesterol

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Niacin is one of the B vitamins. The body uses niacin to convert carbohydrates into energy. Niacin also helps keep other areas healthy such as the eyes, skin and hair. It is also beneficial for both the nervous and digestive systems.

It is included in most multi-vitamins and is common in a wide variety of foods. Niacin is found in fish, nuts and eggs. It is also in many other dairy products and lean meats. It is available as a supplement as well. Niacin may be taken by purchasing over the counter medications or through obtaining a prescription through a health care professional. It should never be taken without the close supervision of a doctor.

HDL cholesterol levels can be raised as much as 15 to 35 percent by taking supplemental niacin, making it the most effective over the counter product which can raise HDL or “good” cholesterol levels. At the same time niacin also reduces “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides levels. The effect of niacin on cholesterol levels helps greatly reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

While taking niacin cholesterol levels can be kept in an appropriate range for optimal health. Some people do experience some side effects. Upset stomach, dizziness and headache are likely to occur. It can also cause liver damage and it can cause elevated sugar levels in some people. Taking niacin with food can help prevent some of the side effects. Also finding the right sized dose can help reduce some of the possible side effects. Niacin can be purchased in a time-released form. This may also help to alleviate side effects for some people.

During the time you are taking niacin, cholesterol levels should be checked by your doctor regularly. There are other things that also need a close watch. Monitoring liver function and blood sugar levels are essential to gaining the most benefit from niacin while avoiding possible serious side effects.

When taking niacin, always stay in close contact with your doctor. They will help you determine the proper dosage and can make any adjustments that might be needed. Do not increase a dosage of niacin without first discussing it with your doctor or health care professional. It is especially important to be monitored by a qualified physician if niacin is going to be taken over a long period of time.

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