Jumat, 26 September 2008

Information and Often Submitted Inquiries About Lung Cancer

For answers to your questions and facts about lung cancer, read on for details about causes of the disease, how it's treated and how it can be prevented.

Is there more than one type of lung cancer?

There are two types of lung cancer - non-small cell and small cell lung cancer. The two types are distinguishable because of how the cancer cells expand, grow and spread throughout the body.

There are three types of non-small cell lung cancer (the most common form of lung cancer). They are adenocarcinoma, squamus cell carcinoma, and large-cell carcinoma. Though rarer, small cell lung cancer occurs in approximately a quarter of all people diagnosed with lung cancer.

Can I prevent lung cancer?

There are three ways to prevent lung cancer - quit smoking, avoid second-hand smoke and stay away from air-borne carcinogens at work. If you're concerned about your risk of developing lung cancer, avoiding tobacco smoke is typically your best defense.

What are the major causes of lung cancer?

The primary cause of lung cancer in most cases is smoking tobacco products. Of all the facts about lung cancer, this is the most critical and apparent. The carcinogens in tobacco smoke will damage cells. Other causes include exposure to carcinogens like asbestos or radon. Genetics may also play a role in the prevalence of the disease.

How do doctors detect lung cancer?

The early stages of lung cancer typically don't exhibit any symptoms. The only sure-fire way to detect the disease is with a chest X-ray.

For a confident diagnosis, a biopsy is required. When a doctor performs a biopsy, he or she removes a small amount of tissue from the lung to test it for cancerous cells.

Does lung cancer have any symptoms?

Most lung cancer symptoms don't appear until after the disease has reached the later stages. That said, the symptoms include constant coughing or wheezing, loss of appetite, chest pains, upper abdomen pains, bronchitis or pneumonia, blood being coughed up, general fatigue, a persistent hoarse voice and a dry, sore throat.

Can lung cancer be treated and how?

Lung cancer can be treated, but the treatments will depend on how far advanced the disease has progressed, the patient's strength and the type of lung cancer. Lung cancer is typically treated with one of - or a combination of - chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery.

Is mesothelioma a type of lung cancer?

Mesothelioma is a rare form of lung cancer that is typically caused by asbestos exposure. The disease attacks the delicate skin lining of the lungs, and tumors form.

Are men or women more at risk?

Female smokers are twice as likely to develop lung cancer than male smokers.

I'm older and a smoker, will quitting really help me?

Yes, quitting at any age can help prevent lung cancer. The risk of developing lung cancer is reduced dramatically each year a person smokes - whether that person is 20 or 70. Of all the facts about lung cancer, probably the most saddening is that the majority of cases are preventable.

Breast Cancer Signs: Distinct Indicators to Facilitate Diagnosing the Disease

Understanding and being able to detect breast cancer signs are crucial for early detection of the disease and higher success rates. As the most common cancer amongst women in the U.S., breast cancer is a brazen reality and on the rise. Fortunately, it's also a disease with a high cure rate, particularly if it's detected early.
To learn about known breast cancer signs and symptoms and how to detect them in your own body, keep reading
Lump
Most instances of breast cancer are diagnosed after a woman discovers a lump in her breast. This is the most common method of detecting breast cancer and the clearest sign or symptom of the disease.
Whether during a routine self breast examination or simply by accident, a woman will notice or feel a bump that feels significantly different than the surrounding breast tissue. To learn how to do a self breast examination, try the Breast Self Exam (BSE) tutorial on the Komen website, komen.org.
Changing Breast Shape, Skin Texture or Size
A drastic change in a breast's skin texture, shape or overall size can be a clear indicator of breast cancer. Many breast cancer victims also see a dimpling or wrinkling of the skin.
Soreness and Skin Irritation
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare form of breast cancer, but it does occur in about 1% of women diagnosed with the disease. The symptoms typically present themselves through itchiness, swelling, soreness, redness and a heat that resonates throughout the breast.
Paget's Disease of the Breast
Paget's disease is what is considered a secondary or complex symptom of breast cancer. Essentially, the skin of the breast and/or nipple feels and appears as though it's afflicted by eczema. The skin is flaking, itchy, irritated and red.
Loss of Appetite
Not all breast cancer patients experience a decreased appetite and subsequent weight loss, but many do. Cancer is a disease that can often affect the entire body, even if it's localized. Often, patients' diets are adversely affected.
Anxiety, Stress and Depression
Though not as thoroughly documented as other physical symptoms, many breast cancer patients report experiencing higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression even before they were diagnosed. While most doctors won't make a positive determination on this evidence alone, it can be a helpful indicator.
Family History
If any of your immediate family members or several members of your extended family have been diagnosed with breast cancer, then you need to let your doctor know. You should also commit to monthly self breast exams and annual mammograms.
From Symptoms to Diagnosis
If you're experiencing any or all the above symptoms, then you may want to consult with your doctor. Remember, the sooner breast cancer is detected, the better your long-term prognosis.
The American Cancer Society recommends conducting a monthly self breast exam and an annual mammogram to detect breast cancer signs like a lump or skin changes. A self exam is simple, quick, and an effective means of catching a potentially serious problem early.

Skin Cancer Treatment

A survey of the American Cancer Society says that three out of every four
American families have at least one family member diagnosed with cancer. A cancer diagnosis affects not only the cancer patient, but also their family, friends & co-workers. Any kind of relationship with a cancer patient should provide them with some amount of support, proving you to be an understanding person, who is able to appreciate their situation.

A cancer diagnosis can be a real crisis; everything seems to going in a haphazard way. There is also a need to provide a superficial feeling of ‘the helping hand’, as you struggle to comprehend your own feelings. Escorting a cancer patient to navigate the maze of details like finding an oncologist, understanding their treatment options, furnishing health updates etc are a few of the important functions that you ought to perform.

Below are some tips to help you cope when someone you love is diagnosed with cancer:

• One way to keep the mind free from being vulnerable and besieged is to offer support. Taking things in a pragmatic way such as driving them to treatments or doctors’ appointments, running errands, baby-sitting, doing household work etc helps a lot. Ask them what they are most concerned about not being able to do.

• Some questions posed at the doctor if and when you accompany your loved one to their appointments will definitely not go amiss.

• Don’t get startled if any change occurs in their behavior and mood.

Cancer medications, sickness, and stress can cause your loved one to become arrogant or morose. For example: - Generally this kind of behavior is seen in skin cancer patients. So you need to maintain some amount of tolerance while dealing with a cancer patient.

• Keep them as active and independent as possible, which will help your loved one to regain a sense of confidence and control over their life.

• Be practical and realistic in terms of daily requirements. Get enough sleep, eat properly, and take some time off for yourself, because you will not be able to work in times of help or need if you are exhausted and sick.

Take care of yourself and your needs; it will be easier to meet the needs of your loved one.

• Ask other family members and friends to help. They will appreciate the opportunity to do so.

• Maintain a positive attitude.

• Accept that there are things that are beyond your control.

• Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of fuming, being belligerent or passive.

• Fight stress, learn to relax. Exercise regularly.

• Avoid confrontation; feel at ease with their answers.

Join a support group for friends and families of cancer patients.

Remember that you are not alone if someone you love is diagnosed with cancer. You are likely to experience a conflicting range of emotions, including disbelief, anger, relief, worry and even guilt. Fears of mortality, puzzling family roles, having your own needs met, and uncertainty about the future can surface when your loved one is diagnosed with cancer. These are customary feelings which may prove to be a problem. It will hence be beneficial to talk to others who are undergoing the same problems. These were some common points led down by American cancer society.

Several Penis Enlargement Techniques Revealed

Penis enlargement procedures refer to the procedures that are used to improve the size of the penis. The penis enlargement techniques are used either to increase the length of the penis or to improve the girth of the penis. As a number of men are concerned about their penis's size, a number of techniques have been developed to improve the size of the penis.

Some of the common methods used for improving the size of the penis are listed below.

Penis Pumps: A penis pump is basically a cylinder with a motorized or a manual pump for creating the suction. The pump is fitted over the penis and the principle of the pump is to make the blood rush to the penis in order to swell it. The device creates a vacuum around the penis and as the vacuum increases, the difference between the pump pressure and the inner blood-pressure also increases. This makes the blood to rush to the penis.

Sometimes, a cock ring is also fitted at the base of the penis in order to maintain the blood flow in the penis. The penis pumps are even used in the treatment of impotence. However, an individual needs to be very careful while using the penis pumps.

Jelqing: Jelqing is also known as milking. It is a technique that has been developed with an aim of permanently increasing the size of the penis in the erect position. It works by increasing the blood pressure in the penis and it involves wrapping the index finger and the thumb around the penis while it is semi-erect. The finger and the thumb are then drawn away from the body so as to force the blood to flow into the glans which then encourages the vascularity in the tissues. Jelqing also needs to be performed carefully.

Pills: Researchers have developed the pills that are used to increase the length of the penis and the girth of the penis. The pills are easy-to-use and are perfect for people who are not interested in spending hours on exercises or other methods. All you need to do is to consume a pill and its ingredients will then get distributed in the body in order to improve the size of the penis.

A number of effective pills are available in the market and even herbal pills have been introduced for this purpose. However, you should consult a doctor before consuming the pills in order to achieve the best results and you should also keep in mind that it can take some time to see the results.

Weight Hanging: Weight hanging is probably the most ancient method for increasing the size of the penis and it is an effective one as well. In weight hanging, an individual uses a rope or a strap to grip the glans and then a weight is added to the rope. The weight is then suspended for some time and the idea is to stretch the tissues of the penis so as to increase the length of the penis. It can take some good amount of time to see the change and the exact time varies from person to person. Also, an individual using this technique should not suspend the weight for hours.

Stretching: Stretching is another effective method for increasing the size of the penis. In stretching, a penis stretcher is attached to the penis for set period of times. A constant traction is exerted by the device and this result in an increase in the size of the penis. The idea behind stretching is to split the cells in the penis and then allow them to reform and expand.

Eating Garlic Aids Impotent Men

Scientists have discovered that eating garlic can boost the sex drive for men experiencing impotence. Erectile Dysfunction (ED) can be an indication of hardening of the arteries, which is also a possible precursor to impending cardiovascular problems. As a result, ED may often serve as an early warning symptom for a heart attack. Because statistical data indicates that more than 100 million men worldwide face erection problems, and barely half of them want to admit it, this is a problem to be taken seriously.
The study performed at St. Thomas Hospital in the United Kingdom proved that eating 4 raw cloves of garlic a day helped to lower cholesterol and made room in the arteries for improved blood flow into the penis resulting in more erections. Garlic contains allicin which is credited for improved blood flow. Garlic may also help the heart by reducing calcium buildup as well as aid in the fight against prostate cancer.
Keep in mind that the occurrence of ED can occur due to a number of other diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, diseases of the thyroid gland, prostate gland, nervous system, urinary system, and a drop in hormone levels particularly during Andropause, as well as a host of mental issues. In addition, the use of numerous drugs prescribed by doctors for common problems such as high blood pressure, depression and stomach ulcers may also exacerbate ED.
What are my options?
Definite DON'Ts
Alcohol
Alcohol kills reproductive cells and decreases sperm viability. It also disrupts the link between the brain and the penis. Excessive use of alcohol inhibits the creation of the male sex hormone, androgen.
Smoking
Nicotine reduces arterial pressure and as a result, prevents blood circulation to the penis. In addition, toxic substances from smoking are detrimental for sperm maturation.
Marijuana
Sharply reduces the level of male sexual hormones, disrupts chromosomes and promotes undesired genetic changes.
Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroids bear a close resemblance to testosterone and as a result, the body stops its natural production causing impotence to occur.
High Cholesterol
Too much cholesterol blocks the vessels providing blood to the penis and thereby reduces the blood flow necessary to maintain an erection.
Overweight
Being overweight can disrupt your hormone balance and, as a result, the production of hormones necessary for achieving erection can become insufficient.
Chemical drugs
Studies show that out of two hundred most used medicines; as many as sixteen are likely to cause impotence. Among the most risky are drugs used for the treatment of high blood pressure, depression, insomnia, ulcers, tumors, plus a couple of medications used to combat allergy.
Definite DOs
Nutrition
Cut garlic into small pieces and eat 4 raw cloves a day for best results. Feel free to add it to your regular diet which needs plenty of fruits and vegetables. To combat bad garlic breath, chew on fresh parsley or mint after you eat the garlic.
Get enough fiber; for men 35 grams a day. Eat grains, bran, whole meal bread, legumes, lentils, berries, prunes, barley, millet, buckwheat and oatmeal. Keeping the transit time for waste to pass through the body as low as possible is a great way to promote overall health. Avoid overeating.
Avoid smoked stuff, fat & red meats; slash sweets and anything made with white flour. Substitute omega 3 rich foods such as salmon, tuna, sardines and flaxseed. Avoid sugar and salt as much as possible.
Use suitable oils are those made of olives, flax, sesame, sunflower or rape. Also include unsalted nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds in moderation.
Exercise
Aerobic exercise every day is a must especially as we age. No excuses; just get out there and do at least 30 minutes a day, 5-6 days a week with activities such as: walking, jogging, swimming, biking, rowing, etc. You'll also have the added benefit of reduced stress levels and enhanced moods. Don't forget to calculate your target heart rate and stay within that zone.
Additional Tip: Keep your attitude positive; it can't hurt!