Prostate Cancer

Epidemiology:

The second most deadly male cancer with a very variable worldwide distribution: in the US , the Afro-American affliction rate reaches 25%, while in Asia the rate lies between 3-5%. The incidence varies from 1 to 100: there are 100 times more prostate cancers among Californians than among Shangai Chinese (but the Los Angeles Chinese demonstrate a much higher rate). Thus there are genetic factors and environment factors that remain to be discovered. This cancer is nevertheless decreasing, 180 000 cases per year, they were double 10 years ago, with a mortality of 40 000.Prostate cancer has also a very long latency: after autopsy, cancer damage is discovered in 45% of men.The "true" cancer, with clinical signs, is found at about age 70: this is a disease of the elderly. The evolution is slow, the tumor volume doubles every 4 years.

The cancer growth

this is a cancer from a gland. Born in one or several points of this gland, it develops in the fat surrounding the prostate: capsular invasion, then the bladder, seminal passages, and bordering nodes. The metastases are bone in 90% cases.

The symptoms

• hesitancy in urinating, urgency, especially during night, incomplete voiding, stream weakness; sometimes blood in urine or sperm.
• bone pains; signalling extension to skeleton; pains in legs, hips, backbone.

The diagnosis

• clinical examination: digital palpation of rectum by trained professional;
• the tumor markers: the PSA assay: the cut-off is 4.0 ng/ml. When level is between 4 and 10 ng/ml, there is doubt: there can be a benign prostatic hyperplasia (adenoma). The difference between cancer or benign condition can be greatly helped by measuring the FPSA (free PSA ) and ratio FPSA/ PSA : normally, it is higher than 0,25: the lower the ratio, the higher the risk for cancer.]
• transrectal ultrasound.
• instrument biopsies, for evaluation of the location and size of the tumor. Since they are not without risk, these biopsies often can be avoided with the FPSA assay.

The treatment
it depends on the tumor stage when discovered: whether localised (limited to capsular invasion), or enlarged. Some medical teams advise just a simple surveillance for limited forms; this does not mean exemption from treatment, and in particular, hormone therapy.

• surgery: radical prostatectomy, or partial prostatectomy;
• radiation: huge advances in machines and protocols;
• hormone therapy: aimed at lowering the testosterone level: this is hormonal ablation. Meaning impotence and hot flashes;
• chemotherapy: rarely used.

The post-treatment follow-up

• clinical exams;
• ultrasound;
• PSA and FPSA assays. After prostatectomy, the PSA level comes to 0. Any PSA increase signals recurrence.

Prevention
much controversial, this is a choice for each individual and his Doctor: this is your concern.
It means regular rectal exams, and PSA /FPSA dosages.

WARNING : should you have any ANTI-AGING treatment, using in particular the DHEA, you should MAKE SURE there is no underlying prostate cancer. "No one should take DHEA except under the supervision of a physician, who should routinely check steroid and cholesterol levels, glucose tolerance, and prostate health in men," says John Nestle, MD, professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Virginia Commonwealth University , who studies DHEA's effects on diabetes and blood clotting.

Mesothelioma

Introduction to What is Mesothelioma?

Beware with Mesothelioma . Mesothelioma is the term used to describe a cancerous tumor found in the mesothelial cells of an organ. The organs where this form of cancer is most commonly found are the lungs, heart and abdominal organs. Pleural Mesothelioma is cancer of the lung lining and is the most common form of Mesothelioma.

Did you know causes of Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is often found in building materials used before the mid 1970's. In addition, materials such as pipes, boiler insulation, floor, ceiling and roof tiles may contain asbestos.

How much asbestos exposure will cause Mesothelioma?

Generally, the probability of developing this form of cancer is in accordance with the length of time you are exposed to asbestos. Also, your health is at risk if your exposure to asbestos is intense. It should be noted that Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years. This means that you may develop the disease long after your exposure to asbestos. On average, people tend to develop Mesothelioma somewhere between 35 and 40 years after exposure.

Mesothelioma progress slow or fast?

The onset of Mesothelioma is quite slow. Patients will begin to experience symptoms such as lower back pain and chest pain. These symptoms may also be accompanied by weight loss, fever and difficulty breathing. Unfortunately, once Mesothelioma develops, it quickly becomes aggressive and treatment must be sought immediately.

Can Mesothelioma be treated and will be normally?

Doctors are able to use several traditional methods of cancer treatment for Mesothelioma, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Like all forms of cancer, detecting the disease at the earliest stage possible greatly increases the patient's chances for survival. If you have worked in an industry such as construction or suspect that you may have been exposed to asbestos, be alert for symptoms and contact your doctor immediately.

What legal courses of action can be taken?

Anyone suffering from Mesothelioma is entitled to compensation from asbestos manufacturers. Additionally, if you are the spouse or child of someone who has died from Mesothelioma, you are entitled to file a claim and seek compensation.

Asbestos can cause serious illness

For this topic I will share with you about Asbestos. Asbestos has been shown to cause a number of serious diseases, its very-very serious .These include cancers, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, and other non-malignant lung diseases such as asbestosis, pleural plaques and pleural thickening.

Did you know what in asbestos. Asbestos was a common building material. Asbestos is the name given to a number of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals. It is strong and heat resistant, which is why it has been widely used in a range of products.

Asbestos has been used in roofing, asbestos cement sheets and pipes, clutch and brake linings, insulation, building materials, boilers, electrical fittings, gaskets, floor tiles, plastics, textiles and other products.

Asbestos fibers can cause health problems if they are breathed in. The body will remove most fibers that are breathed in, but some may get trapped in the lungs and cause disease many years later. Breathing in asbestos fibers can sometimes lead to:

1. Asbestosis
2. Lung cancer
3. Pleural disorders
4. Malignant mesothelioma.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is not a cancer. It is a chronic and progressive lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers over a long period of time. It may take five to 20 years before symptoms develop. The accumulated, inhaled asbestos fibers produce scarring (fibrosis) of the lung. The lung develops a ‘honeycomb’ appearance. The scar tissue, or ‘fibrosis’, is hard and inflexible; this makes the lungs stiffen and stops them working properly.

Asbestosis causes breathlessness, tightness in the chest, persistent coughing and the skin may have a bluish tinge from lack of oxygen. Getting enough oxygen from each breath needs a much greater effort. Asbestosis usually worsens over time. It can lead to respiratory failure and death. There is no cure for this disease.

Lung cancer

for the last chapter I had show you the Lung Cancer. People exposed to large amounts of asbestos fibers over a long period of time have a significant risk of developing lung cancer. The risk is many times greater in people who also smoke. The tumors, if not treated early, spreads through the lung and eventually to other parts of the body. It is usually diagnosed when someone develops a persistent cough, weight loss and coughs up blood. It usually takes 10 to 20 years for lung cancer to develop after asbestos exposure.

Pleural disorders

The pleura is the tissue that lines the chest cavity and covers the surface of the lungs. Asbestos may produce thickened patches on the pleura (pleural plaques) or a widespread fibrosis of the pleura and pleural effusions (fluid in the chest cavity). These conditions will show up on chest x-rays but they are not cancerous. They may not cause symptoms but will reduce lung capacity as shown in lung function tests.

Malignant mesothelioma

This rare cancer affects the pleura, the outer covering of the lungs. It is strongly associated with past exposure to asbestos. The tumors begins in the pleura and spreads to the lung and chest wall. There is no cure currently available. It can take 30 to 40 years after exposure to asbestos to develop and diagnose.

Australia has the highest national rate of reported mesothelioma in the world, presumably related to the large amount of asbestos used in the past. It is expected that there may be as many as 11,000 cases still to develop and be diagnosed

Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

The main causes of breast cancer still not known and trusted that more than one factor that effected by breast cancer. Researcher believe that the contraction causes of factors, including genetic factors and the environment.

Merit has been designated for individuals who have a higher risk. What are the implications to identify risk factors of breast cancer? The risk factors are already known will allow individuals who receive high risk of benefits control of the inspection which was neatly groomed clinical and mammography examination. However, women who have no risk factors can be effect by cancer. Thus, the risk factors can not give a precise prediction.

Orders for primary

1. Knowing the risk factors will decide whether you need to check filter or not.
2. If you do not have risk factors does not mean you are safe. Many women who effect by cancer not have family history or have risk factors
3. Breast cancer can not be prevented, and the main strategy is finding and early treatment before it would cancer

Factors known to be
Here are the factors that have been identified

Gender
Breast cancer disease is especially for women (95% of cases of breast cancer is among women)

Age
The higher age of increased risk. Women aged less than 25 years rarely effect by breast cancer.

The distinction geography
More breast cancer found in the western country if compared with countries in Asia or Africa.

family history and genetic factors

If a woman has a mother or sister who had breast cancer at a slightly younger age, he will risk breast cancer will be increased 2 times and double the risk will be increased 4 times the double. For men, the risk increased if, father, sister What the man or his son effect by breast cancer . There is a report that says 60% of men with breast cancer have relatives women which cancer breast. Only 5-10% of women breast cancer which have genetic factors.

The existence history of breast disease

Women in cells rather morbid hyperplasia which have atypical rate of 4 times the risk of double effect by breast cancer. Similarly fibrocystic disease or proliferate disease.

The existence of menstrual history

If a woman before the age of 12 years or menopause after 55 years, he risks by cancer increased 2 or 3 times. This phase associated with fertility and the effects of exposure to the estrogen hormone.

Number of children

A woman who does not have children or never pregnant after age 30 years have a higher risk of breast cancer. This may be related to menstrual revolution that is not disrupted.

Radiation exposure

Radiation exposure, such as X-rays during or before the age of 30 years of age can increase the risk of breast cancer but exposure such as this rarely applies Exposure to the atomic bomb explosion can increase the risk as much as 3 times.

Socioeconomic status

Socioeconomic high status will increase the risk of breast cancer. This is related to the age, you age during menopause, the age when children first pregnancy and also the food

Nutrition
Nutrition has been said to affect the rate cancer between countries. Taking alcoholic beverages have proved that increased the risk 1.4 times 2.0.

Body size

Obese women after menopause have increased the risk. This is because fat and contain estrogen in women as the levels of estrogen is higher

The pill and hormone therapy alternate (THG)

Taking the pill in the period of time is associated with increased risk 1.2 times in the environment. Estrogen dos, which is given low and the risk cancer will be increased 1.8 times after only use for 5 years. After 5 years increased the risk 2.6 times.

Male Breast cancer

More than 1% of breast cancer each year in the United States consists of men folk. This trend increase in the United States. Some 1,690 new cases in the meet among the men folk of each year (budget 2005), and more than 460 will die due to this disease. Breast Cancer has increased by almost 50% within 3-4 years of this.

Men folk should not die due to this disease just because they are not aware of this disease can take place among the men folk. Men should also check with their fixed and meet with their doctor as soon as they are observing something changes. Treat them the same treatment for women. Earlier they recognize cancer them better serve their likelihood of successful treatment.

In western countries, majority cases of male breast cancer is among the patients in the environmental age 50an or 60an. Just like women, breast cancer genes (BRCA2) also gives an impression to the people and increase the risk of men to confirm their cancer breast.

In Malaysia, the National List Cancer reported 56 new cases of breast cancer men in 2002 and 24 new cases in 2003. In 2002, cancer breast were among 26 men Malay, 22 Chinese men and 5 men of India. 71% (40 of them) than those diagnosed are aged 50 years or more. From the 24 new cases reported in 2003, 11 people are Chinese, 7 people are Malay. 71% of them aged more than 50 years.

Causes of breast cancer

From this now, how breast cancer may arise again is not known. Researchers, investigators have made a conclusion that the root of the main causes of disease is a combination of the factors (genetic factors) and the (natural factors around). What we know is only a risk factor. The risk factor is a matter that will determine the risk of the disease to someone. For example, smoking is a risk factor lung cancer disease or heart weak.

The risk of an individual against the disease is not easily determined because of the influence of risk factors vary. A woman should know and understand what factors will affect the risk of breast kanser. We can not yet understand why there are those who have risk factors such as family history (kinship with the disease cancer) and opening risk to the materials and resources on tobacco, free of the disease this attack.

Whereas, someone from low-risk group also is not separate from the disease to confirm this. Relationship is complex and may be influenced by other factors that do not appear. To wipe this mystery will continue to be a long and question marks.

Definite cause/s still unknown but certain risk factor has been linked to it.Risk factor is anything that increased the chance someone get the illness.Some risk factor are fix like age, sex and some are can be controlled.

Fix Risk Factor

• Age-The older you get the more chance you have.Women age more 50 years old have 8-10 times fold more chance of get it compare to younger age.
• Women-women has 100 times more risk than men.
• Family history-if you have family history of breast cancer,you are at a high risk get the cancer.
• Past history of Breast cancer-if you was diagnosed to have breast cancer before than you are prone to get it on the same breast or the other one.
• Menstrual period-the early you have your menarche(1st period),you are slightly high risk get it when you are older.
• Genetic factor-5%-10% link to mutation of gene and breast cancer.BRCA1 and BRCA2 are 80% the involve genes.

Changeable risk factor

• Breast feeding-women who breast fed their child 1-2 years will lower the risk of get breast cancer.
• Alcohol-women who have 2-5 drink daily have 1.5 chance than women who not consume alcohol.
• Exercise-women who do exercise will reduce the risk of getting breast cancer.The more you exercise the lower the risk. The question is how much we need to exercise. Study shown exercise 30 minutes per day for 5 days is enough.

What is breast cancer

Cancer is a group of diseases that occur from the action of cells that act outside the original mold. Did you know that, every organ in our body is formed of various types of cells? these cells will create a division of the national needs and produced by the body of the individual.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting women in Malaysia. About one in 19 women in this country are at risk, compared to one in eight in Europe and the United States. Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that starts from cells of the breast.The disease occurs mostly in women, but men can get breast cancer too. The information here refers only to breast cancer in women.

Woman's breast is made up of glands that make breast milk (lobules), ducts (small tubes that carry milk from the lobules to the nipple), fatty and connective tissue, blood vessels, and lymph (pronounced limf) vessels. Most breast cancers begin in the cells that line the ducts (ductal cancer), some begin in the lobules (lobular cancer), and the rest in other tissues.

If the rate of the cell exceeds for the needs, it will generate surplus tissue. The excesses of tissues is also known as smallpox. This growth can be divided into two types, namely smallpox benign (not tumors cancer) and malignan (type of tumor cancer). The first type of growth which is a benign growth does not endanger the lives for patient. Almost 80 percent of the breast smallpox is a person who experienced this type of smallpox.

Breast cancer is the growth that occurred malignan of the action of cells that originated from the breast. It was developed through a process of division that exceed the needs of the organ and then attack the organs and tissues. Cells cancer are also able to free himself from the origin of smallpox while entering the channel and the blood system overload (lymphatic system). This is also how the disease and methods of breast cancer attacked parts of other patient organs. The process of contagion is also known as Metastasis.