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Showing posts with label ezinearticles. Show all posts

Skin Cancer the Uncovered Truth

Posted by Asbestos Poot Tuesday, February 19, 2013 1 comment
Skin cancer strikes an estimated three million people a year worldwide making it the most common of all types of cancer. We know the main cause of most skin cancer cases and we know how to prevent the vast majority of them. Yet still millions of people across the globe are ignoring the warnings and deliberately putting themselves at risk of developing a disease which can both maim and kill its victims.

The difficulty in tackling many types of cancer lies in the fact that no-one knows the real cause - and that's a major obstacle to prevention. Skin cancer is different. Over exposure to the sun causes most types of skin cancer (both melanoma and non-melanoma) so reducing that exposure and taking sensible precautions are obvious prevention measures.

Thanks to high profile public health campaigns in recent years, most people in the developed world are aware of the danger of damaging ultraviolet rays and know, at least to some degree, what they should be doing to protect themselves. So why do holidaymakers still flock in their droves to fry themselves on sun drenched beaches each year? And why do tens of millions of tanners across the globe expose themselves to the UV rays of artificial sun beds.

One simple answer could be that a tan is still perceived as sexy. A bronzed body has been the ultimate fashion accessory since Coco Chanel arrived back from the south of France with one in the 1920s. But in those days we didn't know the dangers of stripping off intermittently in pursuit of a sun-kissed skin. Now we do.

Many stars of the pop world and silver screen still flaunt a tan as something highly desirable (whereas many dermatologists will tell you a tan is a sign of damaged skin). Sunscreen manufacturers assure us we'll be protected from skin damage if we slap on their expensive high protection lotions (whereas studies have shown that many of these high factor lotions don't live up to the claims of their makers). And many unscrupulous tanning salon owners promote their sun beds as an aid to good health (whereas some skin specialists want them outlawed claiming they cause skin cancer.)

source : ezinearticles

Who is at Risk From Mesothelioma Cancer?

Posted by Asbestos Poot Sunday, June 24, 2012 0 comments
Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer which is fairly rare although in the last few decades the number of people who have died from it have dramatically increased. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos without sufficient protection. When a person is exposed to asbestos, he or she inhales tiny asbestos fibres which are suspended in the air. These fibres pass into the respiratory system and end up becoming lodged in the lungs. An accumulation of asbestos fibres in the lining of the lungs like this can cause nearby cells to deform and eventually leads to what is known as pleural mesothelioma. Accumulation of asbestos fibres in the peritoneum (lining of the abdomen) can lead to peritoneal mesothelioma and build up of fibres around the tissue of the heart can cause pericardial mesothelioma. Asbestos fibres reach these places over time or because they have been transported there by the lymphatic system.

Mesothelioma has a very large latency period (time between getting the cancer and feeling the symptoms of it). This period is usually between 30 - 50 years and so a person who bears mesothelioma is unlikely to know that they have got it. This is why mesothelioma is so hard to diagnose in its early stages because it shows no symptoms and the few symptoms that it does show such as wheezing and shortness of breath are typical of far more common diseases such as pneumonia. The likelihood of being cured depends largely on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated. If it is treated when it has fully developed and matured then it is extremely difficult to cure.

In this way, those at risk are those who have worked amongst asbestos. Construction workers, asbestos manufacturers or those who have lived within a mile of an asbestos factory are the people who have the largest contact with asbestos. Those who are in contact with these people are also at risk because asbestos fibres can stick to clothes and hair. The majority of people who are discovering that they have mesothelioma are elderly men of about 60 - 70. This was the generation which worked with asbestos a lot without sufficient protection. Many of these men are now lodging multi million dollar lawsuits against the companies who exposed them to the dangers of asbestos.


Article Source: ezinearticles

Chronotherapy Helps Lung Cancer Patient on the Road to Recovery

Posted by Asbestos Poot Saturday, June 9, 2012 1 comment
Margaret Olszowka was diagnosed with lung cancer on New Year's Eve, 2002. The prognosis was very grim: her disease had advanced to Stage 4 and was inoperable. Doctors at a very well known university hospital told her there was nothing they could do for her. They didn't even offer chemotherapy as an option; she was told she had months to live. However, instead of giving up, she decided she was going to fight the disease, and ultimately found her way to cancer specialist, Keith Block, MD, where she received chronotherapy as part of her treatment plan. Today, she is doing very well and enjoying her two children and six grandchildren. She wants the world to know about the role chronotherapy played in her survival in the hopes of helping other cancer patients.

What is chronotherapy?

Chronotherapy takes into account how our body's natural rhythms' impact our ability to process medications. Patterns like sleeping, menstrual cycles, even our physical response to the changing seasons, are different for everyone. In the old days we called these biorhythms. Today, doctors are finding that understanding a patient's biorhythms, and coordinating the timing of their medical treatments to these biorhythms, can profoundly affect the outcome of their treatments. This is called "chronotherapy."

"Every drug has an optimal time when it is least toxic and most effective." says Keith Block, MD, editor-in-chief of the peer-reviewed journal Integrative Cancer Therapies, and Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Education, at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago (UIC), and at the Department of Pharmacology. For cancer treatment, this is determined by several factors, including the biological uniqueness of the particular drug being given, the time when the specific type of cancer cells divide the most, when the normal healthy cells of the patient generally divide the least, the patient's circadian clock and individual rest-activity cycles, and even the time zone the person resides in."

According to Dr. Michael Smolensky, co-author of the book The Body Clock Guide to Better Health, "When cancer medications are given in a chronobiological manner, patients may be able to tolerate higher, more potent doses than would be possible otherwise."

"This method of administering chemotherapy is revolutionary and has demonstrated in large randomized trials its potential to improve survival," states Dr. Block. "We have found that often patients receiving chronotherapy reduce what would have been recurring side effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. This is important because the debilitation caused by chemo can cause patients to reduce or even stop treatments that could otherwise help them win their battle with cancer."

Chronotherapy is being widely researched around the world:

There are over 62,000 references in PubMed (the National Institute of Health's archive of biomedical and life sciences journal articles) about chronobiology (how biology is affected by timing) and over 500 scientific articles specifically about chronotherapy. The National Cancer Institute's Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) devoted an entire web cast for doctors on chronotherapy.

So why isn't chronotherapy used more widely?

One of the main problems has been logistics - figuring out how to deliver chemotherapy in exactly timed doses. "Portable infusion pumps may hold the answer," explains Gerald Sokol, MD, an oncologist with the division of oncology in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Dr. Block has brought technology to the U.S. that administers chemotherapy via a pump designed to precisely time up to four channels of infusion simultaneously to the individual needs of a patient. Highly portable and small enough to fit in a fanny pack, patients are able to maintain full mobility, play sports, and enjoy a full night's sleep - while receiving their specifically timed cancer therapy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/92183

Mesothelioma - Catch It Early to Avoid Big Trouble

Posted by Asbestos Poot Thursday, June 7, 2012 0 comments
Mesothelioma is a relatively rare form of cancer where cancerous cells develop in the mesothelium -- a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Like most cancers, early detection of mesothelioma greatly increases the chances of beating the disease.
But early detection is more difficult with mesothelioma because it has a long dormancy period of 30 or 40 years in which the cancer remains fairly inactive and causes very few symptoms. When the disease passes into its active phase it rapidly spreads to the internal organs such as the lungs, heart and abdominal organs. In its active phase it is very difficult to treat successfully because it develops and spreads so quickly.
Causes of mesothelioma
Mesothelioma was barely in the public eye until a few years ago. It has a very specific cause -- exposure to asbestos. And the dangers of asbestos exposure were not widely acknowledged until the 1970s and 80s when its serious health implications could no longer be ignored.
As often happens in cases involving commercial products with harmful side effects, there was tremendous resistance to acknowledging its dangers. In the case of asbestos, it was a product that had some very important properties that made it ideal for insulation applications.
During the first half of the previous century, right up until the mid 1970s asbestos was the default material used to retard heat transfer in buildings, machines, heavy equipment, and a broad range of commercial applications. Because it was plentiful and inexpensive to mine, asbestos was widely used in building products such as home insulation, floor, ceiling and roof tiles. It was also used in commonly found commercial products such as brake linings and pipe insulation.
This meant that millions of people were coming in contact with asbestos on a daily basis. And since the effects of exposure to asbestos fibre often do not become apparent for 30 or 40 years after prolonged exposure, there often appeared to be no immediate health risk.
This was especially important in the case of workers who mined and processed asbestos. Although workers were regularly getting sick and often had premature, painful deaths, the long period of dormancy of mesothelioma made it difficult to make the connection to asbestos.
Even short term asbestos exposure will cause mesothelioma
Generally, the probability of developing this form of cancer is directly related to the length of time you are exposed to asbestos. The health risk also increases with the intensity of the exposure to asbestos.
However, an exposure of as little as one or two months can result in mesothelioma 30 or 40 years later. At the age of 48, Canadian Member of Parliament Chuck Strahl, was recently diagnosed with mesothelioma and traces the cause back to changing brake pads on logging equipment after he graduated from high school. Strahl's case is a good example of the fact that Mesothelioma has a latency period of anywhere from 20 to 50 years. Like thousands of others he developed the disease long after his exposure to asbestos.
Symptoms of mesothelioma
Because of its long dormancy period, mesothelioma is often not detected until it enters its active, aggressive stage. Pleural mesothelioma - cancer of the lung lining - causes shortness of breath or chronic coughing. Unfortunately these symptoms can easily be mistaken for allergies or a common cold.
In fact pleural mesothelioma is often discovered by accident when patients think they have one of these more common illnesses. Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma may include chest pain, chronic coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, wheezing, hoarseness, weight loss, or blood in the phlegm from the lungs when coughing.
Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach and intestines and is usually just as dangerous. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include pain or swelling in the abdomen, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia, and fever.
Treatment of mesothelioma
Unfortunately, by the time most infected people become aware they have mesothelioma it has ceased being dormant and becomes extremely aggressive. Once it is no longer dormant, this type of cancer can travel quickly, and it becomes almost impossible to stop.
While there are treatments that are available in order to keep the patient comfortable, there is currently no cure for mesothelioma, and as many as 75% of those who develop the disease will lose their life within one year. The remainder may last for up to an additional six months.
Among the treatments that are used in order to reduce the effects of the disease are oxygen, postural drainage and pain killers. A wide range of treatment approaches are being tested, ranging from attempts to fortify the body's natural immune system to gene therapy which tries to attack the problem at the DNA level. Homeopathy, herbs and acupuncture are also used. But none have yet been shown to be very effective once the disease reaches the aggressive stage.
Given the generally poor prognosis for people who do not catch the disease in time, early detection is the best defence against mesothelioma. 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. Like all forms of cancer, detecting mesothelioma at the earliest stage possible greatly increases your chances for survival.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/78062

A Detailed Overview of Brain Cancer

Posted by Asbestos Poot Tuesday, June 5, 2012 0 comments
Brain cancer tumors may originate in the brain (primary site) or they may metastasize to the brain from another site. Prostate cancer, for example, may metastasize to the liver, the lung, the hip, and then to the brain. Metastasized brain tumors have a poor prognosis because of the already advanced state of the cancer.
The human brain anatomy is complex system responsible for many body functions. Injury that causes damage, traumatic experiences, or brain tumors can greatly alter one's life.
Cancerous tumors that form in the brain (primary) tend to stay within the brain and not branch out to other organs. Their growth can take up the space needed by the healthy brain and cause many conditions, including hearing loss and stroke. The ratio is about 50/50 regarding the occurrence of metastasized and primary brain tumors. The leading cause cancer related death in people in people younger than 35.
The most dangerous chemical in terms of causing this type of cancer is Vinyl Chloride. This is used 'all over' in plumbing, furniture, and house wares. This is presumed to be safe to use unless it is heated as in a microwave oven, which evaporates and drives the substance into the food being heated.
For this reason, always use glass or other microwave safe containers in the microwave oven. Don't burn plastic such as plastic wrapping and containers in a bon fire or fireplace. The smoke can be 'hazardous to your health'.
Typical Symptoms: Any impairment in hearing, sight, judgment, speech, cognitive skills such as reasoning or remembering, or stroke symptoms such as paralysis of one side of the body, inability to walk properly, can be symptomatic of a tumor in the brain.
The treatments are generally the same for other kinds of cancer and tumors. One innovative treatment is the use of the GLIADEL WAFER. These are packed into the space formerly occupied by the tumor and slowly release chemotherapy agents in order to destroy any cancer cells that may have not been removed. This has increased life expectancy for some kinds of brain tumors by fifty percent.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2352138

Is Sex Possible After Prostate Cancer Diagnosis?

Posted by Asbestos Poot Monday, June 4, 2012 1 comment
SEX AFTER PROSTATE DIAGNOSIS.
If you are diagnosed with any form of prostate disease, you will experience some type of erectile dysfunction, even if it is a surgical procedure using the nerve sparing technique.
There is no need to repeat the treatments we've already covered, but let's take a moment to review some of the possibilities that are available to men AFTER being diagnosed with prostate disease who experience erectile dysfunction:
o There are now numerous erectile dysfunction drugs (EDDs) available. These drugs promote erections by increasing blood flow to the penis.
o There is a substance called Prostaglandin E1 that can produce erections. It is produced naturally and can be injected almost painlessly into the base of the penis before sex.
o A penile implant or prostheses can restore an ability to achieve an erection.
o There are vacuum devices that are designed especially to create an erection by placing around the entire penis before sex.
While erectile dysfunction will most likely begin immediately following surgery for prostate removal, if the technique of nerve sparing is used there is a possibility of recovery within a year of the procedure. If non-nerve sparing is used the recovery of erectile function is highly unlikely.
There are studies that report sparing nerves on both sides of a prostate have regained erectile function in 60 - 70% of men. Also, erectile dysfunction drugs appear to work for up to 43% of men whose prostate was removed surgically. This shows a promising trend.
There is some difference when radiation therapy is used. The man will also experience erectile dysfunction but it usually doesn't happen until six months after beginning treatment. However, there is also good news here showing that as many as 50-60% of men regain erections with the use of EDDs.
When hormonal treatment is the route taken, erectile dysfunction will usually occur between two and four weeks after beginning treatment and is linked with decreasing sexual desire. Unfortunately the studies do not show the same results as the previous two treatments having little or no impact on erectile dysfunction. The good news, however, is that normal erectile function returns when the hormonal therapy is ended.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/239659

Beryllium The New Asbestos?

Posted by Asbestos Poot Saturday, June 2, 2012 0 comments
It was American workers on the world's first atomic bomb who became the first industrial victims of beryllium, a rare but especially light, stable and strong metal whose toxic dust can kill those who breathe it.
Now Seafarers doing ship maintenance and have used Jasons De-rusting and de-scaling guns (also known as J-gun or Jasons pistol) raise concerns about exposure to beryllium.
Unlike other metals, beryllium does not spark and was therefore used on tanker ships containing fuel.
Beryllium can cause a long-term lung disease (berylliosis) in some people by triggering an immune (allergic) response in the body. In general, significant exposure to beryllium in a respirable form is required for any disease to occur, and symptoms may take up to 20 years to develop even after exposure has stopped.
Beryllium dust can cause fatal and untreatable lung disease, similar to asbestosis.
The symptoms of berylliosis include shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, weight loss and fatigue. These symptoms are common, so that most people who have these symptoms do not have berylliosis. Occasionally, other areas of the body like the skin, eyes, mouth & nose may develop a rash following contact with dust containing beryllium.
There is no preventive or curative treatment available for berylliosis or chronic beryllium disease

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/19984

Mesothelioma Book - Review

Posted by Asbestos Poot Friday, June 1, 2012 0 comments
"Lean on Me" Cancer through a carer's eyes 
Lorraine Kember (2003) 
130pp.ISBN 0 646 49969 6

As Janet Craven, palliative care nurse, and Andrew Dean, palliative care physician note in their respective forwards to this book, Lean on Me is a unique and intensely personal description of a writer's responses to her husband Brian's diagnosis, treatments and final death from mesothelioma. The book also provides useful discription of the nature of pain, the usefulness of certain drugs, and the ways in which keeping a journal can assist the medical practitioner in assessing pain management. The overarching narrative, however, is the progression of Brian's cancer, and his erratic but inevitable deterioration. Interspersed with poems and excerpts from Lorraine's diary, this is perhaps the most confronting aspect of the book, simply because it is so personal. While Brian's death is factually noted, Lorraine's description of the moment is emotionally conveyed in a short poem and diary entry. The book concludes with reflections written days, weeks and a year later, on Brian's presence, and her search for meaning and love in her changed life trajectory. this is indeed a compelling read, and a useful resource for both carers and practitioners.
David Ritchie 
Media,communications and Creative Arts Research 
School of communicaton and Creative Arts, 
Deakin University, Melbourne
Lorraine Kember is the Author of “Lean on Me” Cancer through a Carer’s Eyes. Lorraine’s book is written from her experience of caring for her dying husband in the hope of helping others. It includes insight and discussion on: Anticipatory Grief, Understanding and identifying pain, Pain Management and Symptom Control, Chemotherapy, Palliative Care, Quality of Life and Dying at home. It also features excerpts and poems from her personal diary. Highly recommended by the Cancer Council.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/17836

Reduce Colon Cancer Risk By Eating These Vegetables

Posted by Asbestos Poot Monday, May 21, 2012 0 comments
Australian researchers have come upon some interesting findings while assessing colon cancer risk. After examining the eating patterns of just under 1000 patients suffering with colorectal cancer, along with another 1,021 control subjects without the disease, they found that eating certain fruits and veggies was associated with a lower risk of cancer for both the upper and lower colon.
While fruits and veggies have been researched extensively in terms of colon cancer risk, no work has been done in terms of food intake and the site of the cancer within the colon. If these findings are repeated in larger studies, this might spur recommendations for a higher consumption of veggies as a way to reduce the cancer risk in the lower part of the colon.
Eating the brassica veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and turnips appears to bring down the risk for cancer forming in the upper area of the colon.
Both fruit and veggie intake (even total veggie intake on its own) cut the risk of cancers of the lower colon.
Eating more apples, as well as dark, yellow veggies was also associated with a significantly smaller chance of colon cancer developing in the lower regions.
Unexpectedly, higher consumption of fruit juice was tied to a higher risk of rectal cancer.
So where does this leave you if you're at risk, or know someone who is?
Work to avoid as many of the risk factors for this form (and all forms) of cancer as you can. Make the changes to your diet (low fat, high fiber) that bring your body more of the good, natural, healthy foods and limit (or eliminate) the calorie and saturated fat laden treats.
Get up and get active - 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise each day is a good goal to work for. And make other changes in your lifestyle - such as quitting smoking or limiting your alcohol Intake - those will also help cut your chances of getting colon cancer.
Experts know there is no one cause of colon cancer. Nearly all of these cancers start out as benign (non cancerous) polyps. From the time those first unusual cells grow into polyps, experts believe it takes an average of 10 - 15 years for cancer to form. Regular screening finds, and gets rid of, these polyps while they are non-cancerous.
This is why it is vital to get the screenings (usually starting at age 50) that are recommended for you. Colonoscopy is the standard test used to view the whole colon, and therefore the best screening process for cancer in this body system.
By being screened as your doctor recommends, before you have any symptoms, you'll have the best chance of any cancer being found while it is still small, and most treatable.
The American Cancer Society estimates that this type of cancer a leading cause of cancer related deaths in the U.S. In 2011, it will claim an estimated 49,380 lives. The good news is that the death rate has dropped in the last 15 years, surely the result of increased colon cancer risk awareness and more of us being screened for this disease.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6671365

Silent Death - Are You at Risk?

Posted by Asbestos Poot Saturday, May 19, 2012 0 comments
Did you know that every year over 2000 people are sentenced to death without trial? But the verdict does not come from a jury of their peers or even from a judge. It is read by doctors wearing little white lab coats in private offices all across the country. What's even more disturbing is the fact that this sentence could have been avoided had the proper precautions been taken.
We can trace the origins of this silent killer back to the turn of the 20th century. In the early 1900s a new material was being introduced to the industrial giants of the time. This material was called asbestos, and it became a widely used component due to its flexibility of use, and insulative properties. Little did we know at the time that this same material that was providing us with an increased efficiency and productivity would also claim the lives of the very workers who were using and working around it.
During the World Wars asbestos would become a primary material used for much of our equipment and supplies. Then came the golden age of this wonder material, throughout the 1950s up through the 1970s asbestos would be a common staple of industry and factory life. Hundreds of thousands would be exposed directly and millions indirectly as asbestos was used in schools to insulate piping, and even in homes.
You may know the silent killer I'm referring to already, I'm referring to Mesothelioma.
Mesotheli-what-a?
Mesothelioma, a form of cancer directly related to or rather primarily caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos. The thing that separates this malignant cancer from all the other forms, and the reason I refer to it as silent death, is because mesothelioma cancer does not become malignant immediately. Instead it lays dormant within the carriers system for 30 to 40 years before the symptoms become apparent.
This is precisely why today there is a higher diagnosis rate of this form of cancer than ever before. The carriers have lived with this disease for 30 plus years and it's only now rearing its ugly head. Over the last decade thousands of cases have been brought before courts across the country for negligence on the part of the employers. What's interesting to note is that the majority of these cases are winning, and often paying out in the millions. So much so, that an entire breed of lawyer has been born that specializes in, you guessed it, mesothelioma cases.
Now, no amount of money can cure these people. I'm sure that they are not turning the money down, but it I'm also sure that they would give it up in a heartbeat to find a cure. The most important thing one can do is get checked early for signs of mesothelioma cancer. Early detection makes the treatment much more effective and allows for an increased survivability rate.
Even if you cannot remember being exposed to asbestos you may have been exposed indirectly. In fact, I remember the high school I attended growing up, brining in a team for a week and tearing the building apart in order to remove the asbestos that was used to insulate the piping. It just goes to show that you can never be sure. If caught early you can improve your chances of suppressing the disease. Get checked, it might just be the smartest move you ever make.

source : ezinearticles

The Facts About Pericardial Mesothelioma

Posted by Asbestos Poot Wednesday, May 9, 2012 0 comments
Pericardial mesothelioma is a very rare form of mesothelioma and accounts for approximately 5% of all mesothelioma cases. This form of mesothelioma affects the lining that surrounds the heart and is a deadly cancer if not treated aggressively in its early stages.
The cause of pericardial mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust and fibres. As little as a couple of months of exposure to asbestos fibres can lead to pericardial mesothelioma between 30-50 years later. Due to this long latency period of the disease, it is very difficult to diagnose before the cancer has developed and matured fully. Those suffering from mesothelioma are elderly men aged 60-70 because this was the generation that worked with asbestos with little protection from its dust and fibres. The symptoms of the cancer have just started to show for these men due to the long time that the effects of mesothelioma take to come out. Many of these men are now lodging multi-million dollar lawsuits against the companies who exposed them to asbestos without sufficient protection. Asbestos fibres reach the lining of the heart by being inhaled and then getting lodged in the lungs. From the lungs they can either move into the lymphatic system and get transported to the lining of the heart or they can just pass slowly to the lining of the heart over time. Over a long period of time being exposed to asbestos, these fibres build up and once enough have accumilated in the lining heart, pericardial mesothelioma is a possibility.
There are a number of symptoms assosiated with pericardial mesothelioma. However, these are only felt when the cancer has matured and is in its late stages of development. These symptoms include, persistent coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations. Other symptoms typical of all types of mesothelioma include loss of appetite, nausea and weight loss. Anyone who recognises that they have these symptoms or know someone who does then is encouraged by all leading medical advisors to seek medical help immediately.

source : ezinearticles

The Asbestos Debate

Posted by Asbestos Poot Thursday, May 3, 2012 0 comments
Asbestos. Most often asbestos is equated or associated with dire images. As a society there seems to be an overall distaste for any regard where asbestos is concerned. If you or a loved one has suffered from the cancerous side effects of asbestos and asbestos related materials you know that it is indeed a very horrible experience.
As with anything there are two sides to the total story. If you go back far enough to the time when this unique material first surfaced you would realize the tremendous benefits it offered. These benefits were far reaching. And in this other-sided-view of asbestos perhaps you would have a better appreciation for the sacrifices made and challenges met where asbestos was concerned.
Obviously if you have known an individual stricken with mesothelioma you understand the sacrifices individuals made in the workplace. Inadequate ventilation and mishandling of asbestos is the number one reason lung disease attributed to asbestos is so prominent. Indeed it is the workplace that is as much to blame than the asbestos itself. Stricter codes and safety regulations would have prevented many unnecessary deaths and illness over the course of years.
Assuming responsible interaction with any material used for such purposes as asbestos is used would be a reasonable focal point for manufacturers to begin manufacturing. Education and awareness as well as understanding the use of materials that have a potential public danger should always be priority. Banning such materials in the long run resolves nothing.
Asbestos and similar materials have so many varied and important uses. No one can argue that fireproofing, electrical insulation and brake linings are things we as a society need. Some will argue there are other methods to achieve these amenities.
There will always be an argument for either side of asbestos. Those who know the damage it can cause will argue that the benefits aren't worth the risks. Others will argue that the legacy of fear was based on ignorance. And still yet there are some who believe that the current fears and hatred toward asbestos is fueled by marketing opportunities and political issues.
Researching every angle of the asbestos debate will produce questions. Fortunately answers will slowly appear also. Often unanimous negative feelings toward something can be attributed to a "propaganda-type" approach to advertising and media. Understandably establishing an opinion can be difficult in this type of situation, but not entirely impossible.
source : ezinearticles

Mesothelioma - Origin, Cause, and Prevention

Posted by Asbestos Poot Tuesday, May 1, 2012 0 comments
Since the late 1800's, Asbestos has been widely used for commercial purposes and the usage dramatically increased during World War II. Thousands of Americans who work I in the ship yard; commercial plants etc were exposed to Asbestos dust. This was the beginning of Mesothelioma. The people who had a widespread exposure to Asbestos were at an increased risk of developing Mesothelioma. This was the beginning of the cursed disease.
Mesothelioma is the medical name for cancer of the pleura (the lining of the lung and chest cavity) or cancer of the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen). Mesothelioma can be caused even due to an exposure to Asbestos for 1-2 months but it is most commonly found in those who had prolonged or persistent exposure.
Mesothelioma, generally does not affect a victim immediately after your exposure to Asbestos. Its affects usually appear 20-50 years after the exposure. This long latency period is one main reason why the number of people suffering from Mesothelioma is increasing everyday, in spite of preventive measures taken by the government as well as individuals.
Very similar to other forms of cancer, Mesothelioma spreads rapidly, spreading not only throughout the pleura but also metastasizing to other internal organs. The common symptoms would include shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing and loss of weight.
Mesothelioma can be effectively countered by Oxygen treatment and reducing sugar consumption. Otto Warburg discovered that the main reason of cancer is replacement of normal oxygen respiration of the body's cells by an anaerobic [i.e., oxygen-deficient] cell respiration. Warburg's theory helped us to understand that Cancer cells hate oxygen and that is the foundation of the modern oxygen treatment of cancer.
Another important information that we gathered from Warburg's research is that Cancer cells metabolize through fermentation and fermentation requires sugar. Also, metabolism rate of a cancer cell is almost 8 times more than a normal cell. (Check how Mesothelioma works at Human anatomy animation ) This fact has been wisely used and concluded that reducing or stopping the intake of sugar can definitely work as an extremely useful deterrent to cancer growth.
The initial testing for Mesothelioma is done by X-rays and often followed by an open lung biopsy to confirm the test results. If diagnosed at an early stage the cancer can be removed surgically and full recovery can be achieved through regular chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
At an advanced stage, Mesothelioma is incurable; however, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and other pain relief treatments can relieve the patient comparatively and increase the life span. The period of survival depends on the stage at which the patient has been diagnosed for Mesothelioma and his general health conditions.

source : ezinearticles

Living With Prostate Cancer

Posted by Asbestos Poot Thursday, April 26, 2012 0 comments
Prostate cancer is generally a slowly developing disease. While 1 man in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, only 1 in 34 will die of this condition. This situation happens when a cancerous cell or two migrate to a bone some place while it is still undetectable even with screening. Then it can sit there and decide to go active (metastasize) some time later (even years later). Once it starts up in the bone, patient dies within 1 to 3 years.
What may kill patients directly are "complications of cancer". The most common complication is pneumonia. People in the medical profession often call it the "sick man's friend". What lead to the pneumonia is spending 24 hours a day, seven days a week in loneliness, fear and pessimism. The resulting loss of appetite, will to live and more unbearable pain. In less than five-six months patients encountering such kind of pain, go from walking, to walking with a limp, to walking with a cane, to a wheelchair and finally being bedridden. In the end, even morphine is hard pressed to fight the pain.
The conclusion is a prostate cancer patient isn't a hopeless person. He must understand that in high majority of cases, the illness moves very slow, so he must enjoy life and world as much as any other man does. Technically, prostate cancer sufferers could live more than 10 years with any type of cancer they have and the survive rate is increasing. Doctors say that more people die with prostate cancer than because of it

source : ezinearticles

Understanding the Prostate Cancer Stages

Posted by Asbestos Poot Wednesday, April 25, 2012 0 comments
There are 5 relevant prostate cancer stages that one must be aware of to understand the full scope of the disease. Prostate cancer is one of the deadliest cancers affecting men today. More men die from Prostate Cancer then any other form of cancer. Yet, Prostate cancer is one the few cancers that, if it is caught early enough, can be corrected or controlled.
The first of the 5 prostate cancer stages is usually only found through a blood test or biopsy in the affect region of the body. It is usually found through a prostate-specific antigen level in the blood test. This stage is called T-1, professionally. It consists of a microscopic tumor that is only in the prostate itself. It is undetectable by rectal exams and ultrasounds and usually presents no symptoms. T-1 cancers are usually local cancers.
The second stage of prostate cancer is called T2, professionally. This stage is one where the tumor can be felt through a digital rectal exam. It can also be viewed through ultrasound. The tumor is still confined to the prostate area. T2 cancers are usually local cancers.
The third stage of prostate cancer is a spreading tumor. This stage is professionally known as stage T3. The cancer at this stage will now start to move to the seminal vesicles and close-by tissues. It has not spread yet to the lymph nodes in the body. T3 cancers usually are regional cancers that affect areas just beyond the prostate.
The fourth stage of prostate cancer is afflicting the organs and tissues that reside nearest the prostate. This stage is professionally known as T4. T4 cancers are usually cancers that are regionally located. They reach just beyond the prostate area of the body.
The fifth stage of prostate cancer is afflicting the whole of the body. It can affect any organ, bone or lymph node. This stage is professionally known as N+ or M+. The N+ portion means that it is affecting the pelvic lymph nodes. The M+ portion of this stage means that the cancer is affecting the other lymph nodes, organs and bones that are distant from the prostate area of the body. All the parts that are mentioned for Stage M+ do not have to be afflicted with cancer in order to be classified as M+. At this stage, the cancer is considered to be a metastatic cancer, meaning that the cancer is reaching lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Prostate cancer stages are hard to diagnose without the help of your doctor. Early detection can save your life or the life of someone you know. The National Cancer Center for Health Statistics stated that of prostate cancer sufferers on record, 99.9% had survived 5 years. Though there were people who had lived considerably longer than that, the study didn't indicate any further life expectancies beyond this one.
source : ezinearticles

Types of Breast Cancers

Posted by Asbestos Poot Sunday, April 22, 2012 0 comments
Unlike other illnesses, breast cancer is not actually caused by any specific factor. In fact, it is actually caused by the a host of different factors that often interact with each other. Breast cancer occurs when some cells in the breasts start to abnormally grow and spread to other tissues of the body. These cells are the ones that we call tumor cells. Contrary to popular opinion, not all tumors cause cancer. There are tumors that are actually benign and therefore cannot spread to the other parts of the body. These are not fatal. Malignant tumors however are the ones that grow and invade other tissue cells in the body. Ducts and glands are their primary targets.
Unknown to many, there are actually different kinds of breast cancer. Understanding each one can help you make sense of this condition that has claimed more than 40,000 lives in the United States alone and is the second leading cause of cancer death in the country after lung cancer. Here are some of the types and their descriptions:
Carcinoma in situ
This is the term that is often used for early stage cancer, especially when it is confined to a specific place where it first began. For instance, as mentioned before, breast cancer often starts at ducts and lobules. Carcinoma is used if the abnormal cells have not yet spread to other parts of the breast and has only remained at the root location. This is actually considered the stage 0 in breast cancer staging. Although this increases the risk of developing breast cancer in the future, this is actually not considered as already a breast cancer.
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
The most common form of non-invasive breast cancer, DCIS is a term that is used to define cancer cells that have remained in the ducts and have not yet spread through its wall. This means that the fatty tissues that surround the breast have not been affected. Among the types of breast cancer, this is the most curable. In fact, most women with this condition get cured, perhaps because the cells are concentrated in just one area of the body.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
Although not really breast cancer in the strictest sense, the lobular carcinoma in situ or LCIS for short should still be a cause of alarm as this problem can increase the risk of women getting cancer later in life. The condition is actually caused by the fact that the milk-making glands of the body do not get through the lobule walls.
Infiltrating (invasive) ductal carcinoma (IDC)
This is the most common form of breast cancer, accounting for about 80 percent of all invasive breast cancer cases. Often, cancerous cells starts in the milk passages and go through the ducts, breaks in the walls of walls of the ducts and spreads to the other parts of the breasts. If not detected and treated early, this kind of breast cancer can easily spread to the other parts of the body.
Infiltrating (invasive) lobular carcinoma (ILC)
Unlike the IDC, the infiltrating lobular carcinoma starts at the lobules instead of the ducts. The movement of the cancer cells are also the same. It goes through the passages and when left undetected and treated, can actually invade other cells in other parts of the body. This however is not as common, accounting for only 10 percent of the invasive breast cancer cases

source : ezinearticles

Breast Cancer Basics

Posted by Asbestos Poot Wednesday, April 18, 2012 0 comments
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women today. Among the types of cancer that are being experienced by women, breast cancer comes second after lung cancer, claiming the lives of more than 40,000 women in the country.
By the end of this year, more than 200,000 women are predicted to develop invasive breast cancer in the United States alone. Right now, statistics put a 1 is to 8 possibility ratio of developing breast cancer on women. There is about a 1 out of 28 chance that the breast cancer diagnosis will lead to death. Fortunately, because of the efforts of women's groups to increase the awareness about the problem and the efforts of the government to address the issue, death rates are actually going down.
Risk factors for breast cancer
It is actually not known exactly why women develop breast cancer. Unlike other health problems that are rooted from a bacterial or viral infection, breast cancer is not caused by any organism. The problem only occurs when cells in the breasts begin to grow out of control and start to spread even to the other tissues in the body.
But while there are no exact known cause of breast cancer, there are some risk factors that increases the chance of some women to develop the condition. This is according to numerous studies that have correlated the presence of these factors to the occurrence of the condition. Although there are some factors that are already inherent in you, there are some who you still can do something about. Those factors have been the focus of women's groups informational campaign, designed to teach women how best to prevent the problem from developing.
Factors that you cannot change
One of these risk factors is gender. Surprised? Unknown to many, breast cancer also occur in men. There however have been considerable emphases on women breast cancer in recent years because of the alarming growth of cases every year. One's age is another factor. As one grows old, the higher is the chance that one will develop breast cancer. The same goes with people, who already have a family history of the problem. In fact, studies have shown that people with relatives with breast cancer actually doubles their risk for developing it.
Women who have gotten their periods early, before they were 12 years old and those who menopaused after they were 50 are also at risk for developing the condition.
Compared to Asian women, Caucasians seem to develop the problem more often. The same was also found with women who never had children or those who had children after they 30 years old. Women who had radiation therapy in the chest area are also at risk.
Factors that you can change
It is not of course all bad news. While there are factors that are beyond our control, there are things that we can do to lessen the chance of developing the condition. Breast cancer can actually be prevented by cliché as it is eating right and living healthy.
According to studies, women who drink about two to five alcoholic drinks every day seem to have an increased rate of developing breast cancer. The same was also found with women who are overweight and those who do not exercise regularly. People who take birth control pills and those that underwent some sort of hormone-replacement therapy will also develop the problem.

source : ezinearticles

Breast Cancer and Diet

Posted by Asbestos Poot Monday, April 9, 2012 0 comments
If there is one major area that needs to be improved in medical school training, it is in the field of nutrition. Traditionally, diseases were viewed as attacking the body from the outside, like an infectious agent. Nutrition and diet were usually not emphasized as a critical factor of the battle in the study of Western medicine. Now, it is known that nutrition and the general state of health are both crucial in fighting, preventing and recovering from disease, including breast cancer.
The medical information regarding the usefulness and efficacy of dietary supplements and herbs has been studied and developed differently from the information regarding chemotherapy regimens. Medical researchers study groups of people closely to study the efficacy of a particular dose or sequence of chemotherapy regimens compared to the best treatment plan already being used. This information is published for a specialized audience of cancer specialists, who use the data in the treatment of their patients. On the other hand, herbal and dietary supplements are rarely studied in this manner. Instead, people trained in other modes of treatment use remedies that have been passed on from their teachers and seem to be useful in treating their patients. Physicians have slowly come to realize the need for more traditional scientific testing of these herbal and supplementary therapeutic modalities.
Most women with breast cancer diagnoses are partially convinced that they have caused their breast cancer by poor dietary practice, lack of exercise or excessive stress. There is no evidence, however, that any particular agent or factor is responsible for breast cancer. Quite popular now are publications and books suggesting that breast cancer can be prevented and even be cured, by dietary modification and lifestyle change. As famous as this approach is nowadays, there is no evidence to support this claim. This approach has a certain appeal to many individuals basically because it is simple and empowering.
Nor is there evidence to support supposition that breast cancer results from depressed immune system function. Sadly, it appears that the immune system cannot determine a breast cancer cell from a normal breast glandular cell even with their significant differences due to DNA damage. An example of this, the development of the drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) is based on the overproduction of a gene fragment that leads to increased amounts of a cell surface protein not found on normal cells. The host cannot differentiate this abnormal cell and its increase in protein, but an antibody can be developed by using another species' immune system and then, by using genetic engineering, that information can be transferred into a human antibody-producing cell. These genetically altered human cells then produce an antibody to attack the cell surface protein. This antibody can destroy the cell and make it more susceptible to other anticancer agents. The important issue is that breast cancer is not recognized by a normal immune system. As more knowledge is obtained, it may be possible to manipulate the immune system through vaccines and genetically modified proteins, but the immune system in a breast cancer patient is almost certainly functioning well. If a cancer patient requires chemotherapy, this may impair the immune system temporarily, but this is completely reversible and will not allow the cancer any advantage.
source : ezinearticles

Breast Cancer Invasion

Posted by Asbestos Poot Wednesday, April 4, 2012 0 comments
For cancer to develop, all cells need more than the ability to divide and grow uncontrollably. Non-cancerous, benign tumors also undergo that process. What is ultimately crucial is their ability to invade outside their localized area. The cells in any given area are tightly attached to each other, forming a natural guard against invasion. So for a cell to break outside of its own area and into another area requires special qualities.
One of the things being studied now in terms of cancer is that tight cell connection. There is a kind of special "glue" called the extracellular matrix which holds cells together. If a cell has a substance that can dissolve or consume the "glue", it will have a much better chance of getting out of its area and into another.
The ability of a cancer cell to invade may be caused by several factors. One of these is the ability to release a protein, known as metalloproteinase that functions to dictate the cell connections not to adhere to each other so tightly. Then the other cells behave in a way that allows the cancer cell to escape its territory and invade. Another possibility is that the cancer cell may be able to push its way out of the tight cell connection on its own. There are a lot of ways this might happen. In the long run, that is good because there are a lot of potential ways to interfere with this process. The down side of it is, it's difficult in the short run because this makes these complicated to figure out.
With the discovery of various cancer genes came a new way of thinking about breast cancer. The astonishing part of it is that all these years, cancer cells have been studied by looking at them in isolation. Medical researchers take cancer cells and grow them in petri dishes and then study their behavior. This is like placing criminals in isolation chambers and then studying their personalities. They're not interacting with anyone, so there actually is no way to examine how they behave. We have finally realized that if we were to study cancer cells seriously in their own environment we can learn much more, because they interact with their surrounding cells and the surrounding cells have an effect on them.
A medical researcher in Berkeley, California, has begun studying cancer cells in a breast tissue environment. She took breast cancer cells that have genetic mutations and grew them in a cell culture or normal breast extracellular matrix. In that environment the cancer cells behaved like normal cells - they proliferated and grew breast ducts and did other things that healthy breast cells do. The influence of healthy normal cells surrounding the cancer cells caused them to function in a normal way, even though they were already genetically altered.
This means that, if the right tools were found, cancer may be reversible, or at least be controlled to some extent and we won't have to try to kill every last cancer cell.
source : ezinearticles

Breast Cancer - True Secrets of Understanding and Healing

Posted by Asbestos Poot Sunday, April 1, 2012 0 comments
A great deal of research has been devoted to the treatment of cancer in the last 60 years. High tech treatments are now being developed which can increase survival rates and reduce the terrible side effects of the highly toxic drugs and radiation which are the foundations of most medical cancer treatments. New surgical techniques including arthroscopic have greatly aided doctors in removing tumors. Indeed, medical science has every reason to be both proud and optimistic about the prospects of cancer treatment in the 21st Century.
But very little research has been done on the psychological causes of cancer. Why, for example, are certain cancers like breast, colon, and prostate cancer such epidemics in our society? This kind of research could not only help us to change the structures of our culture to greatly reduce the incidence of such diseases, it could give us a wealth of information on how to cure these afflictions. As a hypnotherapist who has specialized in accessing these underlying causes for 25 years of work with cancer patients I have discovered some important answers to this question.
Take breast cancer. According to recent research one out of every eight women will suffer breast cancer in her lifetime. 20 years ago that figure was one in ten. To describe this as a growing epidemic is a serious understatement. But it seems to me that not enough doctors and scientists are asking "why breast cancer?"
Let me illustrate this with a medical mystery from the past. In 19th century England, during the peak of the first industrial revolution, it is estimated that over 75% of deaths were attributed to a single disease: consumption. We now know that this epidemic was directly created by the acid-filled coal smoke that poured out of the chimneys of England's factories and homes, combined with a virulent strain of tuberculosis which thrived in the cold damp climate, overcrowded tenements, and polluted air of England.
The prevalence of wool and coal dust in the filthy factories which employed children as young as six also contributed to this pandemic. Also contributing was an air of fatalism which dominated the collective consciousness of the time. Because everyone in this society saw the same thing all day long, the culture entered a kind of group hypnotic trance in which this kind of pandemic was seen as fate. It was simply assumed that most people died before forty of lung disease.
While doctors worked hard, and mostly in vain, to stem the tide of the epidemic with a number of treatments, very few had the foresight or the courage to challenge the social institutions which perpetuated this veritable holocaust. Nowadays it's easy to point the finger at these ignorant doctors. We know that lungs are used for breathing, so we look at the stuff people were breathing in. A similarly pragmatic approach helped researchers determine the connection between lung cancer and smoking in the 1960's. So what can we learn from these discoveries about the breast cancer epidemic of the late 20th and 21st Century?
To discover the meaning of this epidemic we need no advanced degree in biochemistry or oncology. We need simply to explore what breasts are used for, and study the way women's breasts are being used in our culture. Obviously, the primary purpose of breasts is to feed babies. However a number of social changes over the last half century have led to a precipitous drop in breast feeding. These changes include women entering the work force in large numbers, replacement of breast feeding with infant formula, and the postponement or cancellation of child bearing by women who are career oriented. Like the industrial revolution of the 19th century, these changes have greatly improved many aspects of life, including giving women freedom to pursue many exciting goals outside of the home. I am no Taliban terrorist who would choose to roll back all the gains women have made in the last 60 years. But we have made these advances at the cost of an epidemic of breast cancer. And until now no one has been willing to see what we have created.
The research bears out this theory. Among the risk factors that predict higher rates of breast cancer we find some interesting statistics. If a woman waits till her thirties to have children, if she does not breast feed them, if she doesn't have any children, all of these factors increase a woman's statistical probability of getting breast cancer. Ask yourself this question: If you were a breast, and no one ever paid any attention to you, no one ever let you fulfill your purpose, what would you do?
Of course I don't reveal these secrets unless I have an answer for them within the world of hypnotherapy. And there's a simple answer here. While it is generally impossible to get my breast cancer clients into active breast feeding, I have found that it's only necessary for the client to actively imagine themselves breastfeeding in order to stimulate breast tissue to repair itself. Some clients imagine the joy of breastfeeding their now grown children as infants through regression therapy. Some clients simply imagine breast feeding an inner child. Some clients are taught to hold a doll or stuffed animal and nurse it like a baby, sometimes using gentle massage on their breasts comparable to the squeezing associated with nursing. This produces pleasant tingling sensations within the breast which rapidly lead to a flow of healing hormones and blissful feelings throughout the body.
I am highly skeptical of overly simplistic theories about any disease process. So it's important to keep in mind that only your breast knows what issues have led to its disease. Sometimes it is necessary to process feelings of loss, grief, or guilt that are associated with the client's breasts. One client found her cancerous right breast was tired of "nursing" her emotionally immature husband, who always slept on her right side in bed. Another felt guilty about not nursing her children and needed to beg their forgiveness. One simple way to access the breast's emotional baggage is to journey into the breast in a hypnotic state, or talk to the breast in hypnosis as if it were a person to find out what issues are haunting it. Notice that in both of these examples, the nurturing function of the breast was being twisted or neglected in some way.
The results? Stimulation of healthy circulation and activation of immune system activity within the breast as a result of all these processes have led to tumor reduction or elimination in a number of cases I have examined. Of course double blind studies in a hospital setting are still years away for this simple but effective treatment option, because there are no millions of dollars in profit to be made. So I recommend you do not wait for the medical industry to catch up with the obvious.
Remember all the doctors trying in vain to treat the consumptive patients of the 19th Century? Start creating the medicine of the future now...and let your doctor know what you are doing! Wherever possible, I encourage my clients to work closely with their oncologist. It seems to me that combining the methods described in this article with the latest in new medical treatments is the best formula for easy and complete recovery

source : ezinearticles

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