Thursday 21 March 2013

How Are Smoking and Bladder Cancer Related


Smoking still remains a great health concern and with the number of smokers rising steadily, it is essential to address this issue once again. It is really amazing that inspite of being fully aware of the health hazards more and more people are tempted to smoke. It not only has a serious negative impact on your oral as well as bowel health, but also affects the lives of your near and dear ones. Bladder cancer is a dangerous type of cancer and one of the major factors responsible for causing it is smoking. It can be extremely painful for the patient as well as his family members to go through the entire process of treating bladder cancer. Hence, it is necessary that every individual should try to understand as to what is it that causes bladder cancer.



Relation Between Bladder Cancer and Smoking

The smoking becomes addictive because of nicotine. Most people seem to assume that the nicotine content in cigarettes has been reduced and hence there is little chance that it will affect their health. Surprisingly, the health hazards are still growing and one of the major cancers occuring due to this bad habit of smoking was bladder cancer. So, what is the exact reason? Here are the details.

Though nicotine content was reduced, the risk of bladder cancer almost increased by nearly five percent. Research work showed that as smokers thought that the amount of nicotine was reduced, while smoking they inhaled deeply and smoked more number of times. The nicotine used in todays times is, however, more carcinogenic than it was used in the earlier times, as it contains more naphthylamine. The toxins are taken inside the body while inhaling. These are then absorbed in the blood stream and excreted in the urine. Since the bladder is responsible for storing urine for a longer time and expelling it only when it is full, the lining of the bladder may get damaged because of the carcinogen.

Though men are more likely to get affected by this cancer, women are equally at risk and more so, because the blood in the urine is often misdiagnosed as the post menopausal symptom, urinary tract infection, cystitis, etc. It is solely due to this reason that the diagnosis of cancer is prolonged. It then leads to more advanced tumors making the condition really serious. Even if you are a passive smoker, it does not decrease the risk in any way. The gene structure may change and the DNA may get damaged due to the tobacco smoke, thus increasing the risk of bladder cancer almost twice.

To avoid the prevalence of this dreadful disease, you can visit http://www.cancer8.com/bladder-cancer/ to gain more knowledge about the signs, symptoms, causes, treatments, etc. Smoking cessation is the only preventive way in which an individual can help himself/herself to lower the risk of bladder cancer. So, whether you are a cancer patient or not, realizing the adverse effects it has on your health, it is never really too late to quit smoking. 

Wednesday 20 March 2013

How Can Heart Cancer Be Treated


How Can Heart Cancer Be Treated

Heart cancer or myocardial sarcoma is a rare cancer and has a significant mortality rate. The heart tissues are damaged and tumors are developed in the walls or valves of the heart. A cancerous tumor is present in or on the heart of the patient. It can affect the muscles of the heart, which do not replicate. There may be occurrence of sarcoma, .i.e. a cancer of soft tissues. Most of the times the occurrence is mostly due to the cancer spreading from another sarcomas or melanoma. 

 


The most common cancer is the metastatic cancer that is usually asymptomatic. On the other hand the primary cardiac tumors may show blood in urine, fever, heart failure, hemorrhagic and necrotic lesions in feet and hands, etc. Angiosarcoma, a malignant primary cardiac tumor can be successfully treated to some extent by using chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Through this treatment the primary tumor is shrinked and helps in elimination of any micrometastases. It is then followed by a a surgery to remove the primary tumor. Unlike the other cells, the cells of heart do not divide, they only expand in their cell size. This is essentially the reason why they are so resistant to tumors. Further research is still going on to come up with some best treatments to treat cardiac tumors. 

Leiomyosarcoma after numerous rounds of radiation can sometimes cause a break down in the wall of the aorta. In such cases, the aorta is protected by using a stent graft to treat heart cancer. If the tumors present in the pericardium causes accumulation of fluid in the region surrounding the heart, then this fluid is drained out completely. Depending on the type of tumor, whether it is primary or secondary, the treatments may include chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Surgery is yet another option. These treatments help in reducing the symptoms of heart cancer and providing relief to the patients suffering from it.

The treatment of heart cancer is extremely difficult because it can cause serious problems to the patients health. The reason why this cancer is dreadful is because its symptoms start appearing in advanced stages. The most common treatments that are used include chemotherapy, radiation, supportive care etc., depending upon the stage of the cancer. There is not much information available for the treatment of this rare type of cancer. In case you are interested in learning more about the ways heart cancer is treated, you can definitely visit cancer8 for further details. It gives in depth details about the treatment and you can also review other relevant topics.

Friday 8 March 2013

Cancer Symptoms


Cancer Symptoms

Though technology and science have gone way ahead in treating cancer, it is still considered to be a dreadful disease. It is affecting millions of people across the world. If not detected and treated at the right stage, it can prove to be fatal. The various changes that occur in a person's body due to cancer are known as cancer symptoms. These are usually seen on the part getting affected by this particular disease.




Symptoms of Cancer

There are almost two hundred types of cancer. The signs and symptoms may vary from one individual to the other. They will also depend to a large extent on the stage of cancer. If the cancer has spread to the other parts of the body, these symptoms will largely differ.

The initial cancer symptoms may often get unnoticed, as they appear generally in form of mild fever, pain, fatigue, weight loss, etc. These are general symptoms and hence are easily overlooked. This ignorance if lasts for a long time can cause delay in the treatment and at times may even cause death. Unexplained weight loss is common with cancers of stomach, lung, pancreas, esohagus,etc. Fever is the first sign of cancer. The changes in color of the skin, for example, skin becoming red, yellow or dark, or turning itchy are some othersymptoms.

If a person's mouth is having a long lasting sore, or has white patches, it may well indicate an oral cancer and should be diagnosed immediately. Blood seen in the sputum during coughing is an indication of lung cancer. Similarly, if there blood in stools it may be related with colorectal cancer, while abnomal vaginal bleeding may be the early sign of cancer of endometrium or cervix. Sometimes, cancer can often be felt in the form of lumps and needs immediate medical attention. Consistent cough, difficulty in swallowing, unexplained rash, shortness of breath, fatigue, night sweats, indigestion, etc., are some other symptoms.

Rule out the saying that ignorance is bliss. Instead follow prevention is better than cure. This is one of the most vital tools that will aid in fighting out cancer. So, try to get information from various cancer sites, or talk to your doctor immediately in case you notice any of these symptoms. The earlier the detection of cancer, the more successful will be its treatment. 

Thursday 7 March 2013

What is Cancer?, Types of Cancer


What is Cancer?

Cancer is a life threatening disease, inspite of its various medical and technological advancements in the way it is treated. Cancer basically arises due to the abnormal growth of cells that grow and divide in an uncontrollable fashion. Generally the body produces new cells, when they are damaged or become old. This is necessary to maintain the overall health of your body. This process is normally disrupted in the cancer patients. The normal cell growth, its division is hampered because of change in the material of DNA leading to mutations. These gene mutations in turn do not let the cells die, or keep on forming new cells even if it is not required by the body leading to tumors. Mutation of genes can even occur due to the environmental factors such as tobacco smoke. Hereditory factors may also increase the risk of cancer.




Every tumor is not cancerous. The benign tumors can be removed and do not spread to the other body parts. On the other hand, malignant tumors invade and attack the surrounding tissues and spread it to other parts of the body.  In case of leukemia, that is the cancer of blood and bone marrow, there is no formation of tumor.

There are several types of cancer and are named depending on the type of the cell or the organ that is getting affected by it. The stage and type of the cancer will be the crucial factors that will be taken into account before proceeding with the treatment. The treatment may include chemotherapy, sugery, radiation, etc. The earlier the detection of cancer, better and more effective is the treatment.

The cancer cases are growing day by day and the death rate is increasing as well. Although researchers are putting in their best efforts to discover new drugs, it is essential that every individual must be well-equipped with the basic knowledge about the signs, symptoms, various types of cancers and their treatment. Good knowledge of cancer will make you realize how to prevent it and get acquainted with the latest techniques used to cure cancer. Therefore, take this small little step to move ahead and make people around you aware of this dangerous disease. Go and take the initiative to save your life as well as of your near and dear ones. 

Wednesday 6 March 2013

The Startling Facts About Tonsil Cancer, Tonsil Cancer Types


The Startling Facts About Tonsil Cancer

Tonsil cancer is seen to affect not only the older generation, but also the younger lot nowadays. Have you ever realized, or tried to figure out the importance of tonsils? If you are keen to learn about it, here is the answer. Tonsils are one of the most vital organs present in our body and are an integral part of the lymphatic system. They are nothing but a collection of soft lymphoid tissue. They are generally referred as the palatine tonsils and are present at the back side of the throat. There are three more types of tonsils present in humans, viz., adenoids and tubal tonsils that are located at the roof of pharynx,  and lingual tonsils that are present behind the tongue. Tonsils fight out major infections and form an essential component of the body's immune system. They helps us to protect against major foreign ingested pathogens.



The tonsils can, however, get infected resulting in soreness, swelling, pain, etc. If they get infected, they are more prominently seen in children, because of its large size. On getting infected, there is a possibility of they getting infected several times in the future. This inflammation of tonsils is known as tonsilitis. As doctors are becoming more aware of the function of tonsils, they are now reluctant to carry out surgeries related to removal of this organ, as tonsillectomy may tend to decrease the resistance power of the patient.

The recurring infection may hamper the breathing process. Moreover, it affects  the swallowing and chewing process, thus making the life of the patient more difficult. If an individual is a chain smoker, or has been consuming alcohol beyond limits, it may lead to severe damage of tissues. In such cases, there are chances of getting affected by tonsil cancer. It may affect any of the four types of tonsils mentioned above, the most common being the palatine tonsils. Though this cancer is rare, it is dangerous and can prove to be fatal.

The most common symptoms of this cancer are sore throat and ear pain. It may also arise due to wrong lifestyle, lack of balanced diet and exercise, weak immune system, and especially due to some disease. Men are seen to be more susceptible than women. If these conditions are not diagnosed properly and treated in time, it may lead to cancer. It is essential that you seek the advice of the medical professionals and under their guidance carry out several tests to rule out the occurence of this life threatening cancer. Nevertheless, if it is detected in its early stages, it can be treated and may actually lengthen the life of the patient. The most common treatments are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy combined along with regular medications and counselling. Yoga can prove to be a great complementary therapy as well.

Therefore, if you want to stay away from this rare but dangerous disease, it is essential that you gain knowledge about the signs, symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment of this tonsil cancer and make every effort to stay away from it.