new lung cancer

What is Lung Cancer - Incidence, Signs, Symptoms, Causation, Prognosis and Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 18:00:00 +0000

INTRODUCTION

Lung cancer may also be the most tragic cancer because in most cases, it might have been prevented, 87% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Lung cancer has long been the most common cause of cancer death in men and since 1987 it has also become the most common cause of cancer death in women. Lung cancer is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most western countries and although the lung cancer incidence is less common in developing countries, the rapid increase in the popularity of smoking will see the number of lung cancer sufferers in those countries quickly catch up with the western world.

Lung cancers can arise in any part of the lung, and 90%-95% of cancers of the lung are thought to arise from the epithelial, or lining cells of the larger and smaller airways (bronchi and bronchioles); for this reason, lung cancers are sometimes called bronchogenic carcinomas or bronchogenic cancers.

The most common type of lung cancers are epidermoid carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.

Most experts agree that lung cancer is attributable to inhalation of carcinogenic pollutants by a susceptible host. Who is most susceptible? Any smoker over the age of 40, especially if they began smoking before the age of 15, have smoked 20 or more for 20 years, or worked with or near asbestos. Two other factors also increase susceptibility: exposure to carcinogenic industrial and air pollutants (asbestos, uranium, arsenic, nickel, iron oxides, chromium, radio active dust, and coal dust.) and familial susceptibility.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Because early lung cancer usually produces no symptoms, the disease is often in an advanced stage when first diagnosed. Late stage signs are: with epidermoid and small cell carcinoma; smokers cough, hoarseness, wheezing, dyspnea, hemoptysis and chest pain. With adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma; fever, weakness, weight loss, anorexia and shoulder pain. In addition, hormone production which regulates various body functions may also be affected.

DIAGNOSIS

Firm diagnosis requires chest x rays, sputum cytology, CT scanning, bronchoscopy the examination of pleural fluid and biopsies. Other tests to detect metastasis include bone scans, bone marrow biopsy and CT scans of the brain and abdomen.

METASTASES

Lung cancer most often spreads to the liver, the adrenal glands, the bones, and the brain. Lung cancer that has metastasized to the bone causes bone pain, usually in the backbone (vertebrae), the thighbones, and the ribs. Lung cancer that spreads to the brain can cause difficulties with vision and weakness on one side of the body.

Lung cancer may grow into certain nerves in the neck, causing a droopy eyelid, small pupil, sunken eye, and reduced perspiration on one side of the face; together these symptoms are called Horner's syndrome (see Autonomic Nervous System Disorders: Horner's Syndrome). Lung cancer may grow directly into the esophagus, or it may grow near it and put pressure on it, leading to difficulty in swallowing. Lung cancer may also spread through the bloodstream to the liver, brain, adrenal glands, spinal cord, and bone.

TREATMENT

Treatment for lung cancer depends on the cancer's specific cell type, how far it has spread, and the patient's performance status. If investigations confirm lung cancer, CT scan and often positron emission tomography (PET) are used to determine whether the disease is localised and amenable to surgery or whether it has spread to the point where it cannot be cured surgically. Treatment is usually a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Surgery is usually the first option. Chemotherapy can be used as a first line treatment for lung cancer or as additional treatment after surgery. Radiation therapy can be directed at your lung cancer from outside your body (external beam radiation) or it can be put inside needles, seeds or catheters and placed inside your body near the cancer (brachytherapy). Radiation therapy can be used alone or along with other lung cancer treatments. Radiation therapy can also be used to lessen side effects of lung cancer.

Treatment may not be as effective for patients with bone or liver metastases from lung cancer, excessive weight loss, ongoing cigarette use, or pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease or emphysema. At some point, if you and your oncologist or primary care physician agree that treatment no longer is advisable, hospice care can provide comfort.

Lung cancer survival rate - Stage 2 lung cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:14:00 +0000

When a person looks for a medical professional about the stage 2 lung cancer, one of the first
questions that come to mind is: what is my lung cancer survival rate? This is largely influenced by the medical records showing that lung cancer is one of the lowest chances of survival of cancers in the world. One must realize that these statistics are only numbers and a variety of factors that can affect your chances of being cured.

The lung cancer survival rate is affected by several variables. One such variable is age.
Younger people tend to have a greater chance of survival for people over 50. This is due to the
strong natural defenses younger than the older. Medical records also indicate that women with lung cancer in stage 2 have a greater ability to be cured of their male counterparts the parties.

The spread of malignant tumor is a very important factor in determining the survival of lung cancer
exchange rate. The tumors may spread from the lung tissues to lymph nodes. When the lymph nodes
affected by cancer cells, a low survival rate of a little more. Continue to smoke even after being diagnosed with Stage 2 lung cancer greatly reduce one's ratio of being cured for Smoking increases curing toxins infused into the lungs.

Complications such as blood clots in the lungs would be a major obstacle in one's quest to be cured Lung cancer. In general, the overall health of the person is a major determinant of whether one is have a higher lung cancer survival rate or not.

Advances in technology today not only in detecting and determining the degree of cancer, but also to facilitate healing and appropriate methods of treatment are a major reasons for the Phase 2 rates lung cancer survival are beginning to climb. From now on, the year 5 survival rate of a person with Stage 2 lung cancer is 40 percent chance of cure at 50 and this could increase further if the patient has a very good physical condition - natural and defenses.

One should not fear at diagnosis of a terminal illness like cancer. He or she must remember that the key to surviving one of the greatest challenges of life have to face immediately to the early detection the better the chances of survival and cure.

Alternative Pain Therapy for Breast, Prostate and Lung Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:32:00 +0000

Alternative Pain Therapy for Breast, Prostate and Lung Cancer

MIAMI--(Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network)-- Bio-Nucleonics? lead product Strontium Chloride Sr-89 Injection USP (Strontium-89), which is the generic version of Metastron?, is an option to consider for metastatic cancer bone pain therapy, typically caused by advanced stage breast, prostate or lung cancer.

Strontium Chloride Sr-89 Injection USP (Strontium-89) is a radioactive pharmaceutical injection to relieve bone pain in patients with painful skeletal metastases. In the body, Strontium acts similar to calcium and is preferentially taken up in osteoblastic tissue while the unabsorbed isotope is excreted in the urine the first 2 to 3 days following injection, clearing rapidly from the blood and selectively localizing in bone mineral. Uptake of strontium by bone occurs preferentially in sites of active osteogenesis; thus primary bone tumors and areas of metastatic involvement (blastic lesions) can accumulate significantly greater concentrations of strontium than surrounding normal bone.

Strontium Chloride Sr-89 Injection USP can be replaced or used in combination with opiate based drugs like Oxycotin?, Morphine, Percocet? as well as cancer therapeutic drugs. Clinical studies have demonstrated that the combination of alternating weekly chemohormonal therapies with Sr-89 demonstrated a prolonged progression-free and overall survival with acceptable toxicity.

?For more than a decade, Bio-Nucleonics has been providing us with Strontium Chloride Sr-89 for the palliation of painful bone metastases. Strontium has been a God-send and has proved invaluable in providing patients with dramatic pain relief from the debilitating chronic pain of metastatic bone cancer without the side effects caused by opioids.? stated Dr. Ernie Meth, of Temecula Valley Nuclear Medicine.

ABOUT BIO-NUCLEONICS:

Bio-Nucleonics, Inc., is a privately-held, life sciences company, specializing in the development, manufacture and marketing of radiopharmaceuticals, medical devices and imaging agents for the detection and treatment of oncological, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. The Company has a product development pipeline including several new drug applications with products in various stages of development. The Company's business strategy is to capitalize on its proven expertise targeted to improving patient care and quality-of-life.

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Low-dose CT screening reduced lung cancer mortality 20%

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 13:31:00 +0000

Results from the National Lung Screening Trial of more than 50,000 people at high risk for lung cancer showed that patients who undergo screening with helical low-dose CT scanning are less likely to die from lung cancer.

NLST compared low-dose CT screening against screening with chest radiography. From August 2002 through September 2007, researchers assigned 26,722 people to CT screening and another 26,732 to radiography. Participants underwent three screenings at 1-year intervals (T0, T1 and T2).

Eligible participants were between 55 and 74 years of age at the time of randomization, had a history of cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack-years and, if they were former smokers, had quit within the previous 15 years. Anyone who had been previously diagnosed with lung cancer, undergone chest CT within 18 months before enrollment, had hemoptysis, or had an unexplained weight loss of more than 15 lb in the preceding year were excluded.

The disease-specific death rate was 247 per 100,000 person-years in the CT group vs. 309 deaths per 100,000 person-years in the radiography group. Researchers observed a 20% relative reduction in the rate of disease-specific death associated with CT screening (95% CI, 6.8-26.7). The number needed to screen with low-dose CT to prevent one death from lung cancer was 320.

There were 1,877 deaths in the low-dose CT group and 2,000 deaths in the radiography group. CT screening was associated with a 6.7% (95% CI, 1.2 to 13.6) reduced rate of all-cause mortality.

Lung cancer accounted for 24.1% of overall deaths and 60.3% of the excess deaths in the radiography group. When deaths from lung cancer were excluded, the reduction in overall mortality associated with CT screening dropped to 3.2% and was not significant (P=0.28).

The American Lung Association released a statement saying that the group is “optimistic” that findings from NLST will eventually translate to a significant drop in lung cancer mortality. Even while praising the findings, Albert Rizzo, MD, chair-elect of the ALA board of directors and chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, Del., reiterated the group’s position that quitting smoking remains the best way to reduce lung cancer risk and deaths.

“Although the National Lung Screening Trial results are an important step forward in the fight against lung cancer, the single most important thing any smoker can do to reduce their chances of developing or dying from lung cancer is to quit smoking,” he said. “The Surgeon General’s 30th Report released in December confirmed that there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke, and the sooner someone quits smoking, the less likely he or she is to develop tobacco-related diseases.”

There was a substantially higher rate of positive screening tests in the low-dose CT group than in the radiography group every year. Sixteen percent of patients in the radiography group had at least one positive screening result compared with 39.1% in the CT group. Low-dose CT identified more than three times the rate of clinically significant abnormalities other than an abnormality suspicious for lung cancer (7.5% vs. 2.1%).

Across the three rounds of screening, 96.4% of the positive results in the low-dose CT group and 94.5% of those in the radiography group were false positive results. Of the total number of low-dose CT screening tests in the three rounds, 24.2% were classified as positive and 23.3% had false positive results. Of the total number of radiographic screening tests in the three rounds, 6.9% were classified as positive and 6.5% had false positive results.

Writing in an accompanying editorial, Harold C. Sox, MD, professor of medicine at The Dartmouth Institute at Dartmouth Medical School, said that more data on cost-effectiveness and the amount of over-diagnosis in NLST is required before instituting a general screening program with low-dose CT.

"According to the authors, '7 million U.S. adults meet the entry criteria for the NLST and an estimated 94 million U.S. adults are current or former smokers.' With either target population, a national screening program of annual low-dose CT would be very expensive, which is why I agree with the authors that policy makers should wait for more information before endorsing lung-cancer screening programs,” he wrote. “The findings of the NLST regarding lung-cancer mortality signal the beginning of the end of one era of research on lung-cancer screening and the start of another. The focus will shift to informing the difficult patient-centered and policy decisions that are yet to come.”

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CT scans catch lung cancer earlier

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 09:55:00 +0000

CHICAGO, July 2 (UPI) -- A U.S. study provides evidence that computed tomography significantly reduces the death rate due to lung cancer, compared with a chest X-ray, researchers say.

The National Lung Screening Trial shows 20 percent fewer lung cancer deaths among trial participants who had the CT scan compared with those who had the chest X-ray.

Dr. Eric M. Hart, a radiologist and the NLST Site principal investigator at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, says until now, no screening test for lung cancer has proven effective in detecting tumors at an early, more treatable stage.

During the study period, more than 400 individuals were enrolled in the trial in Chicago.

"We are extremely grateful to the participants in both the chest X-ray and the CT scan arms who volunteered for this lengthy and challenging trial," Hart says in a statement. "Their continued involvement is the basis for this ray of hope for other heavy smokers."

The trial was conducted at 33 sites throughout the country and included more than 53,000 current or former heavy smokers ages of 55-74.

Each participant was either a former heavy smoker within the last 15 years or a current smoker with at least a 30 pack year history of smoking-calculated by the number of packs per day times the number of years smoking.

From 2002 to 2004, the participants were randomly assigned to receive either a chest X-ray or a CT scan annually for three years, then they were monitored for the following five years.

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Who should get a CT scan to screen for lung cancer?

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 06:20:00 +0000

By Jenifer Goodwin
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Annual low-dose CT scans cut the death rate from lung cancer by 20% in heavy smokers and formerly heavy smokers, compared to those who get annual chest X-rays, according to the results of a major National Cancer Institute study released on Wednesday.

Experts are calling the findings a major advance in efforts to combat lung cancer deaths. By catching the cancer early, the tumors can be removed surgically -- hopefully before they've spread and become very difficult to cure.

"This is a momentous time in the history of public health research," said Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. "The NLST [National Lung Screening Trial] is the best-designed and best-performed lung cancer screening study in history."

Yet the findings raise as many questions as they answer, said Dr. Harold Sox, a professor emeritus of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School who wrote an accompanying editorial to the study published in the June 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"Screening for lung cancer can reduce the death rate from lung cancer, and that's a very important, game-changing result," Sox said. "It's an enormous advance. But the next questions are: What should we do about it? And how should we maximize the results for the societal investment it's going to take?'"

The National Lung Screening Trial included more than 53,000 current and former heavy smokers aged 55 to 74 who were randomly selected to undergo either a "low-dose helical CT" scan or a chest X-ray once a year for three years. Helical CT, also called a "spiral" CT, provides a more complete picture of the chest than an X-ray, experts said. While an X-ray is a single image in which anatomical structures overlap one another, a spiral CT takes images of multiple layers of the lungs to create a three-dimensional image.

The death rate was 20% lower in those who got the CT scans than in those who had X-ray screening.

Study participants consisted of people who'd smoked at least 30 "pack years" -- meaning, current or former smokers who'd smoked an average of one pack a day for at least 30 years, or two packs a day for at least 15 years.

According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, screening with a spiral CT costs from $300 to $1,000, which means insurers and policy-makers have to consider who is going to pay for it, and who should receive one, Sox said.

Could CT scans benefit people who are at a somewhat higher risk of lung cancer, but who don't meet the 30 "pack years" threshold? Would screening every other year cost half as much and work just as well? Is three years long enough to screen someone, or does the screening need to be done every year for as long as the person is alive?

Also, in this era of rising health-care costs, what is the responsibility of insurance companies or Medicare to pay for the test? And is it more cost-effective to put resources into preventing smoking and smoking-cessation programs instead of paying for CT scans?

While there are about 7 million people in the United States who meet the "heavy smoker" criteria used in the trial, there are 94 million current and former smokers, according to the study authors.

"Those are big questions in terms of costs, when you are talking about 7 million to 94 million people," Sox said.

Dr. Therese Bevers, a professor of clinical cancer prevention at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, urged people with a shorter smoking history not to rush out and demand a CT scan. The study results showed benefit specifically for people who'd been heavy smokers for a long time.

"It's not appropriate for every smoker, such as the more casual or short-term user. Thirty pack years is a very significant smoking history," Bevers said. "If you smoked when you were in college 20 years ago, this is probably not appropriate for you."

And yet, 30 "pack years" is by no means an absolute yardstick, she added. Other studies have suggested CT screening might be worthwhile in people who smoked a pack of day for 20 years -- less than what was looked at in the new trial, but still a long history of smoking.

Another consideration is the risk of radiation from the scans. While the CTs used in the study emit less radiation than conventional CT scans, it's not non-existent, said Dr. Christine D. Berg, study co-investigator and acting deputy director of the Division of Cancer Prevention at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Radiation is a special concern for younger people who have been shown to be both more susceptible to its effects and who have many more years of life in which to develop cancer caused by radiation, she said.

"I am very reluctant to see this move into a much younger population until we have more information," Berg said.

The next step for researchers is to do mathematical modeling that will address whether the potential upside of screening outweighs the risks of screening, Berg added.

Anxiety created by "false-positive" readings is another concern, experts said. Over the course of three years, about 24% of the low-dose helical CT screens were positive and 7% of the X-rays were positive.

About 81% of those patients needed follow-up imaging to determine if the suspicious lesion was cancer; 2.2% underwent biopsy of the lung tissue and 3.3% needed a bronchoscopy, in which a tube is placed into the airway, researchers said.

The vast majority of scans that were initially positive turned out to be "false positives" -- 96.4% of the CT scans and 94.5% of the X-rays. False positive means the screening test spots an abnormality, but it turns out not to be cancerous. (Put another way: 3.6% of the CT scans that flagged an abnormality were later found to be cancerous and 5.5% of the X-rays that spotted something suspicious turned out to be cancer.)

Often, the abnormalities turned out to be lymph nodes or scarring from past infections.

"As this study demonstrates, the rate of findings suspicious for lung cancer was high in each screening round (over 27% in the first two rounds), but low-dose CT exams also can identify other non-lung related abnormalities, and this positivity rate also was high," Brawley said. "So managing abnormal findings and avoiding doing harm in individuals with false-positive findings are among the major challenges we will confront."

And sticking a needle deep into the tissue of the lung for a biopsy is an invasive procedure that has its own set of risks, such as a collapsed lung, Bevers said.

The trial also found that about 1% of people who underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor died. Nationwide, that number is closer to 4%, which may erase some of the life-saving gains from the early detection, Sox said.

The American Cancer Society has not yet issued recommendations on who should be screened for lung cancer using a CT scan, although this study, as well as other ongoing and soon-to-be published studies out of Europe, will be taken into consideration, Brawley said.

"Guidelines groups have yet to carefully evaluate these and other data to determine who should and should not consider undergoing screening for early lung cancer detection and how often," he said.

Above all, if you smoke, quit, Brawley said. That, more than anything else, will help you avoid getting sick.

"We estimate that quitting smoking will in 10 years' time reduce a smoker's risk of death from lung cancer as much as CT screening did in this study," he said.

Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Otis Brawley, M.D., chief medical officer, American Cancer Society; Harold C. Sox, M.D., professor emeritus, medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, West Lebanon, N.H.; Therese Bevers, M.D., medical director, Cancer Prevention Center, and professor, clinical cancer prevention at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston; Christine D. Berg, M.D., acting deputy director, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md.; June 30, 2011, New England Journal of Medicine

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CT Screening for Lung Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 02:10:00 +0000

For the first time, people at high risk for lung cancer will have access to screening that uses computed tomography (CT) scans.

Preliminary results from the National Lung Screening Trial, released in November 2010, showed that among people at high risk for lung cancer, those who were screened with low-dose spiral CT scans showed a 20 percent reduction in lung-cancer-related mortality compared to those who were screened with standard chest x-rays.

The trial, which Duke did not participate in, included 53,000 participants ages 55 to 74 who were current and former heavy smokers.

“Once those results are published, it will be the first U.S. trial to show in a randomized fashion a benefit from screening people at high risk for lung cancer with low-dose CT scans,” says thoracic surgeon Thomas D’Amico, MD. “Before, CT screening was not thought to be effective. This is an important advance.”

Published results will likely result in third-party payers such as insurance companies and Medicare covering CT scan-based screening for patients at high risk. Right now, such screening is not covered.

Duke is currently developing a lung cancer screening program using CT scans for patients at high risk, to be launched later in 2011.

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Analysis: Life saving lung cancer test to set off cost debate

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 22:06:00 +0000

By Bill Berkrot

NEW YORK | Wed Jun 29, 2011 6:07pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A landmark study showing that routine lung screening of heavy smokers and former smokers using low dose CT scans could save thousands of lives is sure to set off a fierce debate about the cost of such testing on an overburdened healthcare system.

The U.S. National Cancer Institute studied more than 53,000 people between the ages of 55 and 74 deemed at high risk of developing lung cancer. It found that screening with the three-dimensional X-rays cut deaths by 20 percent.

Details of the study and a discussion of its implications were published on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, lending additional weight to initial findings that were released in November.

The discussion noted that radiologists using more advanced CT equipment than was available for the study could lead to an even larger reduction in lung cancer deaths. At the same time, the potential for many more false positive results could rise.

Some cancer experts say the results demand CT screening for high risk individuals become the standard of care.

"With this large a study that was so carefully done, it becomes the gold standard and it should become practice," said Dr. Stan Gerson, director of the Seidman Cancer Center at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland.

Lung cancer is by far the leading cancer killer in the United States, with more than 157,000 deaths annually. Caught early, it can be cured surgically, but it is typically not diagnosed until it has spread. Only about 15 percent of lung cancer patients live 5 years or more.

Gerson's hospital began such screenings this month at a reduced rate of $99 while it is not yet covered by insurance.

He and other doctors face an uphill battle to convince government programs and health insurers to pay for routine testing of millions of people, just as they try to rein in ballooning costs.

"Before public policy recommendations are crafted, the cost effectiveness of low dose CT screening must be rigorously analyzed," the New England Journal article said. The cost includes not just screening, but also the expense of diagnostic follow-up and treatments.

It said some 7 million people in the United States would qualify for screening based on the trial criteria, out of 94 million current and former smokers and many more exposed to secondhand smoke.

NEW SCREENING GUIDELINES

Dr Bruce Johnson of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO) board of directors said the organization is examining the most appropriate way to implement the findings.

ASCO is working with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the American Cancer Society and the American College of Chest Physicians to come up with clinical practice guidelines "in a matter of months," Johnson said.

"We think this is going to change the paradigm," he said. "Personally, based on what was released, if a family member or loved one fit the study criteria I would have recommended to them that they get a screening CT scan."

"If you were to implement this in a broad population it's very expensive," Johnson admitted. "In a setting of infinite resources it absolutely should be offered."

But the debate over who will shoulder the financial burden of millions of tests that currently cost about $300 to $500 each may rage long after the new guidelines are issued.

"Lung cancer kills more people than breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon combined and they all have routine screening," said Dr Michael Brant-Zawadzki, from Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, California, and an adjunct clinical professor of radiology at Stanford University who was not involved in the study.

The cost and value of routine screening for all three of those cancers have been hotly debated and all were deemed to be worthy of coverage by Medicare and health insurers.

Brant-Zawadzki said the National Lung Screening Trial had an extremely high threshold to prove the life-saving value of CT screening.

Subjects in the study received either three annual CT scans or standard chest X-rays and were followed for eight years to yield the results.

"The trial unabashedly, definitively proved it saves lives way more than mammography has proved it saves lives," he said. "So the real debate is how much are we willing to spend to save lives in a population that we know we can save lives in. It may take an act of Congress that makes this decision."

There is little consensus among healthcare providers over whether the life-saving CT screening could ultimately save healthcare costs down the road.

Gerson believes that early detection, followed by surgery, would save the costs now paid for patients diagnosed when the disease is more advanced, including dozens of medical visits within a year and expensive drugs.

Brant-Zawadzki, while fiercely advocating for CT screening, said it can only raise healthcare costs. He said because lung cancer is usually diagnosed late and most patients die within five years, it is currently one of the least expensive major cancers in terms of overall cost.

Johnson said it was extremely difficult to know what the ultimate burden on the system might be.

"When you do something that makes people live longer you potentially add more healthcare costs because the people live a long time," he said.

But there is one lung cancer strategy on which all interested parties are in complete agreement.

"By far the most effective cost benefit is doing everything we can to get people to not start smoking and getting people who are smoking to quit," Johnson said.

(Reporting by Bill Berkrot; editing by Carol Bishopric)

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MD Anderson rolls out lung CT screening

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 17:41:00 +0000

Following Wednesday’s release of comprehensive data from the National Lung Screening Trial, which demonstrated a 20 percent reduction in lung cancer mortality resulting from CT screening, MD Anderson Cancer Center publicized its aims to begin implementing lung screening for heavy smokers—without reimbursement from payors.

Part of the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston becomes one of the first major providers to adopt CT screening for lung cancer, after having contributed 780 patients to the National Cancer Institute’s National Lung Screening Trial (NLST).

This week, investigators from half-a-dozen NLST participating sites published an updated and more extensive analysis of the NLST’s November findings in the New England Journal of Medicine. The trial revealed that low-dose lung CT dramatically lowered lung cancer mortality compared with standard x-rays, with the results dramatic enough to spur the National Cancer Institute to cut short its multi-institution study.

The authors of the analysis indicated that forthcoming cost-effectiveness studies would be critical to implementing the NLST findings on a broad scale. Notwithstanding, MD Anderson followed up by announcing its intention to screen patients over 50 who had a history of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day for at least 20 years.

As more in-depth cost-benefit studies continue, the cancer center said it would charge $400 per screening, a price it said was “worth it,” both for deriving clinical benefit and in view of the high costs associated with treating the disease in advanced stages, which often does not stave off death.

A major concern of the study was CT’s 96 percent false-positive rate, which would result in substantial costs and additional testing if implemented according to the NLST’s trial criteria. Still, Reginald Munden, MD, a professor of diagnostic radiology and lead investigator at MD Anderson, argued, “There are more costs associated with treating lung cancer.

“This is a major finding for lung cancer patients and health care policy in the U.S.,” Munden continued. The hospital emphasized that by providing complementary services for patients, including risk assessment and tobacco cessation counseling, it would further improve early detection of the disease.

To read a more in-depth story on the results of the National Lung Screening Trial, click here.

Last updated on July 1, 2011 at 9:24 am EST

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Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts - Is This Pain I'm Having A Cyst?

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 23:33:00 +0000

Cysts on the ovaries are closed baglike bulks which forms within the ovaries. An ovarian cyst evolves during menstrual cycles. The majority of growths are part of the monthly period process -- which is known as functional growths. They happen during ovulation and they also vanish after a period of time.

Simple cysts consist of fluid or solid materials when the egg cell isn't launched during ovulation. Growths may cause blood loss and discomfort but could end up being handled via surgical treatment. During ovulation, endocrine is released within the ovary, follicles and little bags where eggs are created.

Whenever eggs are finally shaped the follicles are damaged to release the eggs. The little bags that don't have eggs are known as corpus luteum but when these follicles or bags aren't damaged, they form as ovarian growths. You will find different types of ovarian growths below.

Follicular cysts -- this is shaped when follicles or bulk that contain egg cells develop and don't break to release the egg cell.

Corpus Luteum cysts -- this is shaped during the menstrual period. When the egg cell isn't fertilized, this particular cyst vanishes after a while.

Dermoid cysts -- this is related to tissue such as the skin, hair and tooth. This also happens in the ovary's germ tissue, and they are obvious during adulthood.

Signs and symptoms for ovarian cysts may go undetectable till they're discovered during health-related evaluation. During giving birth, injury or intercourse, they might split and could show symptoms for example:

Intense discomfort in the belly

Excessive blood loss internally

Agonizing intercourse

Weight gain

Inability to conceive a child

Heavy monthly flow

Agonizing bowel movement

Alterations in the monthly period cycle

Proper diagnosis of ovarian cysts consists of bodily evaluation, lab exams and knowledge about the health background of the affected person. Lab exams consist of CBC and pregnancy check. Diagnostic test may also be given such as ultrasound examination, laparoscopy, and x-ray.

With respect to the kind, dimension and placement of growths, treatment for ovarian cysts also consider the age of the individual. For a "functional cyst", a doctor might suggest waiting and seeing if the growths might vanish during a period of time since they usually will.

For polycystic kind, prescriptions can vary appropriately. For cyst adenomas, endometrial, and dermoid cysts, treatment methods are generally completed with surgical treatment. Laparoscopy is going to be carried out on the cysts

If you are experiencing some of the symptoms listed above, it's important that you take the time to see if you have an ovarian cyst. It's very important not to put this off.

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The Cure for Cancer?

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:58:00 +0000

I receive many emails asking for me to pray for the cure for cancer and always see people doing sponsored events to raise funds for research to find the cure. But, do we not already know what 'the cure' is?

Apparently everyone has cancer cells or pre-cancerous cells in their body and the body's immune system disposes of these naturally. It's only when the immune system is down that the body is unable to fight and dispose of these cells that they begin to multiply to a detectable level.

The malignant cells will not show up in tests until they have multiplied to several billion and when a doctor tells a patient that they no longer have cancer, it just means that they have gone back down to below the level of detection. It is for this same reason that, when carrying out surgery, doctors often find more cancer than they expected from what was seen on Xrays and MRIs - because there were cancer cells in other areas of the body that were still below the detectable rate.

The best option of course is to try to prevent the cancer cells from multiplying in the first place by keeping our immune system strong and I will be looking at the various ways in which to do this. Even if you have been diagnosed with cancer already, you can use this as an additional weapon (as a means of supplementing medical treatment you are receiving already and not as a substitute).

Our immune system goes down when we have nutritional deficiencies, which can be genetic, due to environmental factors, lack of good nutrition in our diet and other lifestyle factors.

Firstly we should be taking a close look at our diet - make sure we are eating the right foods, getting enough nutrients and using supplements for anything that our diet may be lacking. You can speak to your doctor, a nutritionist or do some research online to make sure you are eating enough from each food group. Also, eating 4-5 small meals a day is thought to be healthier than 2-3 larger meals as it keeps our metabolism running throughout the day and our bodies will be supplied with a steady flow of nutrients.

Get to know the superfoods (so called because of their high nutritional value) and try to include as many of these as possible in your diet. These include: broccoli, spinach, blueberries, oily fish, sweet potatoes, garlic, cocoa, walnuts and any foods containing lycopene e.g. tomatoes, watermelon, carrots, etc. Do some reading up on this subject and find the ones you like and will enjoy eating regularly.

Cancer apparently thrives in an acid environment and so it's best to avoid too much meat. Some animals are fed growth hormones and antibiotics, and may also have parasites, which are harmful and especially to people already suffering from cancer. Meat protein is also harder to digest and the undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied, leading to more toxic build-up. Fish and a little chicken are thought to be the best recommendation.

As well as meat products, research suggests that the following are also foods to be avoided: starchy, fried foods such as chips and fries (these contain the chemical, acryl amide - a probable carcinogen); smoked and pickled foods; grapefruit and trans fats; sodas; refined sugar and artificial sweeteners; and milk.

I always assumed that fruit was also acidic, however, all fruits turn to alkaline when they reach the stomach and of course they are an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients, particularly blueberries, which are thought by some to be the #1 superfood. It is very important to get your four servings of fruit each day (and of course, don't forget your five servings of vegetables!). Fruit should always be eaten on an empty stomach and drinking a smoothie or glass of concentrated fruit juice is an excellent start to the day. (Check out 'the Miracle Drink' article)

When heating any foods, avoid using plastic containers or heating foods with plastic covering. Also, do not drink from plastic water bottles that have been in the freezer. Any plastics exposed to excessive heat or excessive cold temperatures are thought to produce cancer causing carcinogens.

You should also try to avoid too much tea and coffee due to the high caffeine content, and you should try substituting them sometimes with green tea, which is an excellent anti-oxidant.

There are other lifestyle factors, of course, which can increase your risk of cancer. It goes without saying that smoking and excessive drinking should be avoided because they rob your body of essential nutrients. You should also make sure you exercise and do some deep breathing daily - cancer cells cannot survive in oxygenated environment. Avoid using tanning beds or having over-exposure to the sun as this will increase your chances of developing skin cancer. Also, make sure you are not being exposed to any dangerous substances, gases or chemicals - in your home or work environment.

Last, but not least, remember that cancer is a disease of the mind, body and soul. They say that a positive, proactive person is much less likely to have cancer than an angry, bitter and unforgiving person. Learn to let go of past hurts and don't allow yourself to become too stressed. Doctors have been noticing for many years that many patients are being diagnosed with cancer after going through periods of prolonged stress. So learn to take life if your stride and live each day like it's your very last.

On saying that, I have to say that I know some wonderful and positive characters who have developed cancer. There are no set rules. It's like the 30 year old, who has never smoked a day in their life dying of lung cancer or someone who smokes and drinks every day of their life, yet dies peacefully in their sleep at the age of 96! Maybe because they kept their immune systems strong in other ways?

In conclusion, I would say that we already have 'the cure': make sure you keep your immune system strong. These cells are going to occur in your body any way and you have to keep the body strong and healthy in order to deal with them naturally. Have a think about every aspect of your diet, your lifestyle and your emotional health. I believe that the increase in the number of a cancer cases in recent years is due to the foods we are now eating and modern day stress. I'm not saying that you shouldn't have a burger and fries every now and again or the odd can of cola or ever sit out in the sun. We all have stress at some point in our lives too.. it's only natural. Everything in moderation is the key. Find ways in which you can strengthen your immune system and keep it strong in order that those cancer cells are always kept at a minimum so they can be disposed of naturally by your body, and that you are not setting up an environment for them which allows them to thrive and mutate.

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Throat Cancer Survival Rate - Know Your Chances

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:27:00 +0000

If you haven't known yet, the throat cancer survival rate is usually based on each stage of the cancer. This really isn't surprising knowing that most cancer survival percentages are estimated by their stages. A throat cancer survival rate may be measured by 5 years or 10 years period. But recently, most researchers are now using the 5 years time period when conducting survival rate studies of most cancers.

Cancer of the throat is the cancer of our voice box (larynx) and its surrounding tissues. The most prominent parts of our throat are the larynx and the pharynx but most cancers arise from the former, accounting to nearly half of all throat cancer cases in America.

Statistical studies will tell you that in the us alone, more than 25,000 people are being diagnosed of this type of cancer per year. Smoking is one of the major predisposing factors of this cancer, therefore, the prevalence rate of acquiring this disease is higher in male than in female. As the person ages, the chances of having this cancer is pretty high as well, especially if his/her history comprises of long years of smoking.

Throat cancer survival rate for most patients is quite high because of the advancement in medical technology, detecting the cancer as early as stage 1. However, this isn't always the case of most patients because there are those whose over-all health status isn't exactly healthy enough to fight off the cancer as it ensues.

At stages 0 and 1, the throat cancer survival rate is pretty high at 90 to 99 percent in a 5-year time period. The tumor at these stages isn't exactly that big and it may be easily removed through surgery and some adjuvant chemotherapy if needed.

The rate of survival will then decrease at the next stages (2 and 3) with the highest rate at 75% and the lowest at 60% for the same time period. At the later phase of stage 3, the throat cancer survival rate will drastically decrease at 50%.

Once the patient reaches the 4th stage of cancer, expect a much more decreased survival percentage. During this stage, the cancer has already metastasized towards the nearest vital organs (brain, heart, lungs, etc). In some cases, the cause of death may not be the cancer of the throat but instead the cancer that has spread to the other body parts, especially if it has reached the spinal cord and the brain. The survival percentage of stage 4 is substantially lower at 20-30%.

If you want to learn more about your throat cancer survival rate, please check out Cancer Survival Rates for more information.

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The Truth About Cancer That Very Few People Know

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:38:00 +0000

There is no mystery to cancer, it is simply a result of the way we now live which weakens our immune system and allows normal body cells to mutate or divide without control. The way we now live has changed, especially with the food we now eat and that's why there is so much cancer. At present it is only a problem in the western developed world but is increasing rapidly in undeveloped countries as they become more affluent.

We don't have a cure for cancer today but only treatments and these treatments have many faults. Also we are kept totally ignorant about the causes and most doctors don't know the causes. Everyone is hopeful that a cure will be discovered soon but unfortunately there isn't a drug that will cure cancer. The reasons why they haven't been able to find a successful cure are because it doesn't exist. But there is a way to become free of cancer and that doesn't involve drugs.

Cancer is similar to the disease of scurvy that existed 200 years ago when thousands of seamen died. Did they solve the problem of scurvy with a drug? Of course not; the only way was to deal with the deficiency that caused the problem. Scurvy is a lack of vitamin C in the body and can only be cured by replacing the missing vitamin. Same with cancer, a true cure has to address the cause and has to come from within the body.

Just removing cancer growths which is what our doctors are focused on now days is often of little help and of course nothing is ever mentioned about stopping cancer at its source so that it never returns. Like scurvy, a cancer growth will develop because the body is deficient in certain vitamins and minerals and surgery, radiation and chemotherapy is certainly not going to rectify that.

A true cure means addressing the causes, which is the reason why these growths first appeared. All cancers happen for a reason and when you deal with and correct these reasons the body will strengthen and remove the growths safely and without it ever returning again. It works for all cancers and works for everyone. I know people don't like making changes but unfortunately there is no other way. Even if you are having the orthodox treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy you still need to make lifestyle changes, it's essential.

You may wonder why we only have those three treatments and sadly it's because they are all profitable. Money plays a big part in anything to do with cancer, whether it's screening programs for breast cancer or P.S.A. tests for prostate problems. Then the treatments themselves are extremely expensive and the entire industry is totally controlled by the cancer societies, pharmaceutical companies and anyone else who's profiting from it.

No one can make money out of informing a patient to change their diet and eat healthy food and make other simple lifestyle changes. That's why nobody is told about these ways to treat cancer and even doctors have minimal training in nutrition so they don't know. Remember, doctors get cancer and also die of the disease. It is difficult to believe this is happening, and the people in charge of the industry are not going to change the status quo in the foreseeable future.

When fighting a disease such as cancer it is essential to look after your immune system. Our three treatments you will be offered today suppress your immune system and kill you bodies naturally ability to fight the disease, don't ever forget that.

Alan Wighton is an experienced natural therapist specializing in nutrition. This article is part of the information contained in his book on genuine ways to overcome cancer using the natural healing ability of the human body. If you are seeking information on how to become cancer free using these ways, please visit; http://www.cancerhealed.com/
http://www.cancerhealed.com/

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Tips For Boosting Your Immune System During Chemo

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 06:43:00 +0000

One of the many side effects of chemotherapy is that it weakens your immune system which is our repair system that keeps us health. So your main focus when undergoing chemotherapy should be to support the immune system by making some changes, especially with your food choices. There isn't a drug or a pill that will strengthen this system but only naturally way to achieve that.

One of the many advantages of looking after the immune system during chemotherapy is there will be fewer consequences from the many side effects this treatment has. Also since all cancers are first caused by an immune system that wasn't functioning properly and allowed cancer cells to develop, doesn't it make sense to learn about it and what you can do to assist it?

Firstly avoid doing anything that further weakens the immune system so cut down on alcohol, give up smoking which includes avoiding passive smoke, eat less dietary fats that are in fatty meats and butter, cheese and cream. Don't use chemicals such as fly sprays, hair dyes and personal care products, especially under arm antiperspirants. All these are damaging to the immune system.

Sugar needs a special mention as today it's found in many of our items we buy at the supermarket. Eating and drinking regular amounts of refined sugar in the form of fizzy drinks, cakes, biscuits and ice cream does nothing to improve our health and has been shown to have a significantly suppressive effect on the immune system. Also many of our food items in packets and cans have added refined sugar so it's important to read labels.

For the immune system to function efficiently it needs muscular activity and the reasons are to circulate the lymph, which is the lymphatic fluid within this system. It doesn't have a pump like the heart but relies on everyday activity or some kind of exercise for it to work. Simple exercise like walking greatly stimulates the flow of the lymphatic fluid which plays a key role in helping the fight against cancer.

One of the easiest ways to boost the immune system is through nutrition and it's all about making the correct choices with your everyday food. Always choose food that is as close to their natural state as possible, such as whole grain products, brown rice and many of the freshly grown and in season fruit and vegetables. Always choose a variety of colours from the dark greens as in broccoli to the reds which are tomatoes and red peppers, orange which are carrots and citrus fruit. All the freshly grown fruits and vegetables are a rich source of antioxidants which play an important role in boosting the immune system.

There are several vitamins that are important in both supporting the immune system and to fight cancer and they are vitamin A which is found in oily fish, sweet potatoes, broccoli and eggs. Another vitamin which we need everyday is vitamin C and is easily found in berry fruit and citrus fruit, kiwi fruit and tomatoes. Vitamin E is also very beneficial and it's in whole grains, sunflower seeds, nuts and leafy green vegetables.

The immune system is a complex and poorly understood defence mechanism, but this system can support the body through treatments such as chemotherapy so that the side effects of these treatments are minimised.

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The Benefits of Clinical Trials

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:34:00 +0000

Clinical trials represent leading-edge medical science. However, less than 5% of adults diagnosed with cancer each year are enrolled in them. While there are a number of various treatment approaches being offered, 8/10 patients are not aware that this is a viable option for them. If they are offering treatment options above and beyond the standard treatment, why are patients not utilizing this valuable resource?

Results from surveys and focus groups concluded that the vast majority of patients are unaware of clinical trials and doctors are not enrolling patients due to a lack of time, staffing, funding, and resources. Indeed, enrolling a patient in a trial requires a significant amount of time and resources for physicians. Furthermore, there are some serious misconceptions held by some physicians and patients.

Molecular targeted clinical trials need to be viewed separately from other trials.

Since targeted trials are based on well-established molecular mechanisms, they do not require large-scale studies to produce relevant statistical data. This is an important distinction as the techniques used to identify the more general chemotherapy drugs currently being used, were based on applying the same drug to many patients with a particular form of cancer, and did not consider the genetic variation amongst the patients, their cancers, or diet. In the case of these generalized and less stratified trials, large numbers of patients were needed to produce relevant statistical data.

A common myth is that a patient may receive a placebo (control group) instead of the treatment being tested (single or double blind studies). However, clinical trials for cancer do not typically use this approach. There are two considerations regarding this point. Firstly, if a placebo or control group is used in a trial, it is almost always the standard treatment for that cancer that the patient would have otherwise used.

Secondly, most targeted clinical trials are open label and the patient has the choice of what role they perform. Furthermore, if the tested drug starts to show significant benefits, the control group is given the option to switch to the drug as it would be highly unethical to deny a patient with a specific genetic marker, effective treatment.

The use of molecular signatures in identifying optimal therapies has problems and benefits.

(1) Molecular targeted clinical trials require expensive and complex genetic profiling.

(2) Molecular targeted clinical trials provide a tool to address the heterogeneous nature of cancer and have far less side effects than general chemotherapy/RT.

While the numerous variations of therapeutic approaches combined with the complexity of navigating the copious clinical trials databases has proved a daunting task, this effort can be greatly mitigated by having a statistically determined molecular outline that allows the user to focus on finding trials based on pre-defined molecular variables (markers). Not only does this approach reduce the time and effort required, it allows for personalized treatments (better results with less side effects), reduces the patient burden for the doctor and medical system, and provides scientific data. Furthermore, even if the patient is not accepted in the trial, they are provided with important molecular data that can greatly improve further treatment efforts.

And finally, using multiple targeted clinical trials allows the patient to greatly reduce the overall genetic variation of their cancer, one trial at a time.

Alex Rolland is a cancer researcher, educator, and CEO of Cancer treatment Options and Management (CTOAM). CTOAM is a personalized cancer research company that specializes in using the most current peer reviewed scientific research on cancer diagnostics, treatments, nutraceuticals, and clinical trials to educate patients on the treatments and diets that provide the best statistical chances for success.

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Treating Esophagus Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:24:00 +0000

The esophagus is part of the gastrointestinal tract. Its function is to move food from the mouth to the stomach for digestion. It is classified as a muscle and is composed of several layers: inner lining, submucosa, muscle layer, and outer layer. Esophagus cancer generally begins growing in the inner layer of the esophagus and can spread to the surround tissues. Cancer cells can also break off and find their way to other parts of the body inducing other cancerous tumors to grow. This is called metastasis. It is unknown what causes esophageal cancer but risk factors that increase your chances of developing the disease include being over the age of 65, being male, smoking, drinking heavily, unhealthy died, obesity, and acid reflux.

Esophagus cancer is asymptomatic meaning it typically does not present any symptoms. However difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, chest pain, and fatigue have been associated with the disease. It is a good idea to make an appointment with your health care provider for screening if these symptoms persist and become worrisome. Your doctor may diagnose the disease by having you drink a barium solution and taking x-rays of your throat. He may also use an endoscopy to look directly at the tissue in your esophagus. If cancerous tissue is found, a biopsy is usually performed to confirm the diagnosis and to determine if the cancer is malignant or benign.

There are several treatment options available for esophagus cancer. This includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. The type of treatment prescribed generally depends on the severity of the disease, its location, and whether it has spread to other parts of your body. Surgery may be performed at the outset to remove very small tumors found at the beginning stages of the disease. If the disease is advanced enough, however, more aggressive surgical intervention may include removing part of the esophagus (esophagectomy) or part of the throat as well as the upper part of the stomach (esophagogastrectomy). Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also be prescribed in conjunction with surgery.

There is no cure for esophagus cancer. Treatment of the disease is difficult even with current medical technology. Patients suffering from this disease may be encouraged to participate in clinical trials so the more effective treatment options may be found. It is best to speak with your health care provider about all of your treatment options as well as their associated benefits and risks.

A leading team of cardiothoracic surgeons in Washington State, providing cutting-edge heart surgery, lung surgery, and surgery of the Aorta and the Esophagus in the Seattle and Tacoma areas.

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The Cancer Diet and Juicing - 3 Foods You Should Drink Every Day

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:02:00 +0000

Can you really kill cancer with juice?

Absolutely, but understand we aren't talking about apple juice in a tin. Fresh homemade juices extracted from whole organic produce have some of the most potent cancer fighting compounds you will find anywhere. With a little knowledge, and the right kitchen tools, your kitchen can become your very own healthy clinic.

The first thing you need to understand is that our bodies do two things naturally that are important in this anti-cancer battle. The first thing your body does is utilize the immune system to kill off new cancer cells as they begin to grow, and long before anything can be detected. Cancer cells form in every body, and our body knows what to do to heal that before it becomes a concern. The second thing your body does that is important in the context of this article is that it grows new cells every day, and it does so with the tools it has on hand.

Everything you eat will be used, in part, to build a new body cell. So from now on, before you put anything in your mouth, I want you to imagine what kind of cell will grow from this food. That should really give you pause to consider your dietary habits. I mean, who wants to make a new liver cell, or piece of lung tissue out of a potato chip or a 'hot dog'.

OK, so what about juicing? Why not just eat your vegetables and fruits?

Well you can, and should, eat lots of fresh vegetables and some fruit every day. Juicing is EXTRA and should also be done at least daily. You can get so much more of the nutrients that kill cancer, concentrated into a serving size once you remove the pulp.

So first you need a juicer. You can spend up to $500, or even more, but you don't need to unless you know that you will be juicing once or twice daily for the rest of your life. You can just head on down to Walmart and pick up a Hamilton Beach brand or Jack LaLanne juicer for under $80. That's all I use, and it works very well.

Next you need some fresh vegetables to turn into juice. Here are some of the top cancer fighting vegetables for daily juicing.

#1. Carrots - One study found that carrots cut the risk of cancer by 1/3. Scientist have done studies that show that some of the vital nutrients that protect the carrot from fungus and disease in the ground also kill tumors. Juice 2 pounds washed, (organic if possible) carrots for about 6-8 ounces of delicious cancer fighting juice daily.

#2. Broccoli - Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts have compounds in them that have been proven by science to shrink, and kill, cancerous tumors. Juice 1 head of broccoli daily to kill cancerous cells.

#3. Spinach - Leafy greens like spinach, kale, romaine lettuce etc contain folate and other compounds that have been proven to kill cancerous growths. I wrap a handful of spinach in a romaine lettuce leaf before I feed it into my juicer. 3 of these gives me about 3 ounces of super concentrated green juice. Drink daily.

These 3 should make the base of your daily cancer fighting drink. Now you can spike it with other nutrition powerhouses that will make it taste better as well as boosting effectiveness. Throw and apple or two into your juicer. or throw all of your fresh made vegetables into a blended and whiz up with some fresh or frozen berries for a tastier cancer fighting treat. Mix it up, making sure to get a variety of fruits and vegetables

Shelley Penney is a retired registered nurse with a continued, insatiable thirst for health and wellness information. Although Shelley hails from traditional medical training, she is always searching for ways in which the natural world of healing herbs, foods and supplements can intersect with traditional medicine and benefit us all.

Visit ShelleyPenney.com for books, articles, tips and advice.

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Symptoms of Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:37:00 +0000

Cancer is one of the deadliest sicknesses everyone fears. Not only will the person experience a painful death but also a tragic ending to all your savings. That is why it is very important to have knowledge about the different signs and symptoms of certain cancers so that at an early stage you can still be able to overcome it and no longer have to go through painful medications and treatments. I have listed below some of the common signs and symptoms to help curious people like you.

1. Fever - This is on of the common signs but mostly occurs after the cancer has spread from its origin. The majority of cancer patients will experience fever at some point of time and makes it more difficult for the immune system to fight the infection. Fever is one of the early signs of certain cancers like blood cancer.

2. Strange weight loss - Those who have cancer will experience a sudden loss in weight for no reason. This is called "unexplained weight loss". This is usually the first sign of cancer and mostly happens with cancers of the lung, stomach or pancreas.

3. Permanent Sores - This is visible to certain cancers like skin cancer wherein your sores keep on bleeding. This should be treated immediately, especially with smokers and drinkers.

4. Abnormal Discharge - Unusual bleeding on certain parts of the body may also be signs of early cancer. This may affect the different parts of the body like blood in the phlegm that constitutes to lung cancer or blood in the stool that may be a symptom of colon cancer.

5. Thickening of Certain Body Parts - Majority of cancers can be seen through the skin. The thickening of the skin commonly happens in the breasts, lymph nodes, testicles and body tissues.

6. Swallowing Difficulties - This is where the person undergoes troubles in swallowing and digesting the food that they eat. This may possibly lead to cancer of esophagus.

It is very hard to battle against cancer because it does not only affect your body but also your mind and emotions. That's why presence of mind is indeed needed to be able to surpass this sickness. There are also a lot of precautionary methods you can do to avoid having cancer like having a regular check up with your doctor so that you can monitor your health. Another best thing to do is to have insurance. There are many of health insurance companies in the neighbourhood today who are willing to offer and help us get the best benefits that we will need in order to have a more economical way of treating our medications and health benefits.

Daryl G. Dela Cruz is a well-known author who writes blogs and articles. Visit his latest article about health insurance companies today!

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The Psychology of Cancer Management

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:21:00 +0000

It is best that we can come to an understanding regarding the nature of those cells that our clinicians determine to be "cancerous" and how the behaviour of those cells impacts on our lives. I use the word "lives" quite deliberately here and not the singular because the very diagnosis of this illness, immediately impacts on our family, our friends and acquaintances and even upon those people who we are yet to meet.

It is an unfortunate fact that the very word cancer, carries with it an implicit warning of our mortality. Indeed, many among us have a pre-conceived notion that a diagnosis of cancer is a pre-determined announcement of impending death. This notion, I have observed, is quite common until such diagnosis becomes personal, where-upon an almost instantaneous determination to live comes about.

When working with people with a diagnosis of cancer, I have frequently observed that, no matter what their conscious observations are, they see cancer as some kind of entity. Ask them to draw their cancer in an art therapy session, and invariably we see drawings and sketches of some kind of beastly thing. We see shark like creatures with razor sharp teeth ready to attack the patient's normal, healthy being, we see prison bars implying that the patient is helpless to do anything about their condition - almost never, do we see drawings of beauty. A diagnosis of cancer weighs heavily upon us.

We need to educate ourselves about the behaviour of the cells that our doctors have determined to be cancerous. We need to understand that cancer cells are simply normal cells that have quite simply, lost the programming to, well, behave normally. And that is that they have "forgotten" to die and are caught in the replicating loop of their life cycle. This programmed death of cells is referred to medically as apoptosis and may be implicated in the beginning and the spread of cancer. cancer cells were once normal cells that may have had damage to their DNA and the body's immune system, would normally dispose of them in just the same way as it would for any other abnormality. It is not only a matter of getting rid of these cancer cells, but allowing our immune system to be able to identify them as abnormal and so dispose of them in the normal way.

Given that what I have said here may be true, we have identified then, at least two areas on which to concentrate and those are the areas of diet and the psychological aspect of life with cancer.

I have spoken previously of diet and so, today, I would like to begin to address the way in which we think about the aspects of this illness and who it affects our life.

We need to become empowered. Many people, when experiencing an illness - any illness, tend toward victimhood. Just look at almost any man when he gets a cold. Men are always certain that no one else could have ever felt as bad as they feel now, with this cold or flu. They become victims and why not? Doesn't everyone else feel sorry for them (at least for a short while) and look after them? Fetch their meals, get their medications, fluff up their pillow. Feels good, this victim-hood. Feels like something that could go on for a while - and sometimes it does. Sometimes being a victim has it's rewards. People do things for us, empathise where little empathy had previously been shown. It is comforting to know that people feel for us, we feel, somehow, valued. It's easy to stay here, being the victim, being the centre of attention. The trouble is that being a victim, takes away our power. This state of mind is exactly the opposite of the state of mind we need in order to heal.

When we do not understand something, we gain understanding within the context of our unique experiences. For example, if we see cancer as an illness that is not curable then that becomes our understanding with little likelihood of reversal of those expectations. Your definition of cancer will be that it is a death sentence, unless your knowledge base regarding the disease and it's implications is not broadened to include the possibility that people do survive, that long term relief is possible and that people who experience the illness can lead vastly improved lives through it's intervention.

Knowledge is the key here.

Like most things in life, goals need to be set. It's fine to conceptualise the prospect of long-term survival, but unless there are goals set to do certain things in order to achieve such survival, then it will remain only a dream. We need to approach our survival as a process of pre-determined steps to prevent our illness becoming our life. I have seen many people become defined by their illness, just as others may be defined by their sexuality or social status. These people are victims and powerless to be or do anything else, other than who they are or where they are, because of where they are in their head.

If you want something different, set your goals, specifically, in written form, including all of the emotions that you can muster. Be those goals, see yourself at the place where they lead you. Experience, in your mind, all of the emotions and senses that will be involved when you achieve them. Feel what it is like to once again be healthy and fit. How do you feel in that moment? What will you do? Where do you want to go, now that you are well? How does that make you feel? As Jim Rohn said, this is like the set of your sails. The set of your sails will take you on your journey. Have a destination in mind and focus on that destination. Don't feel compelled to stay on the first course that you set. Many trips are altered as we go along. It's the destination that is important, as well as the experiences along the way.

Be in charge of your healing, because the power that this places you in is the antithesis of hopelessness and helplessness. Having a sense of you own personal power gives you control of your life.

Your life really is in your hands now.

Good luck, and until next time, may your God watch over you.

John Allan is a counsellor with more than fifteen years experience in assisting people with cancer and their carers. He is experienced in NLP and EFT and teaches meditation.

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The Emotional Side of the Cancer Healing Equation

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:42:00 +0000

Emotions play a very important and tangible role in your healing process. In this article I am going to outline strategies and concrete ideas to help you make a shift toward bringing more healing, loving and energizing emotions into your healing journey.

Letting Go

Emotional stress can also disrupt hormonal balance in the body which can result in the increased production of abnormal cells. Feeling trapped and helpless are detrimental negative emotions so let's look at a few situations where you may be feeling stuck and how you can let go and free yourself.

Your Treatment Plan:

The most important thing to feel positive about is your recommended treatment plan. If you feel stuck with a doctor you don't feel is taking your needs into consideration or who is proposing a plan that you are not comfortable with and he or she is not willing to discuss other options then it is time to get a second opinion. Remember, at the end of the day it is you that has to have the last word and feel confident about your healing process. Recent studies have confirmed the enormous impact the placebo effect has on the outcome of treatments. Believing that your treatments are going to help you is therefore essential part of the healing process.

If you feel stuck with your plan, write out a list of different options. Options like finding another doctor, supplementing your plan with complementary healing tools, delaying your treatment to give you time to look into and research your plan, as well as other treatment options. Once you have a list of options (even if some of them don't feel feasible - write them down). Then you can review the list, turn inward and make a heartfelt choice. Only then can you move forward, feeling more confident, involved and empowered on your own healing journey.

Close Relationships:

During your healing journey you want to make sure that you are surrounded by positive energy, love and support. Anything and anyone in your daily life that does not meet these criteria should be asked to support you in a loving way or to step back and give you the room you need to create a positive healing environment. This is your time to stand up and speak your truth, from the heart, and really ask for what you need. This is often difficult, especially for women who are used to being helpful and accommodating, but it is essential to optimizing your immune function. Everyone wants to help but sometimes they don't know how or they reach out in a way that is not nourishing for you. Loving yourself and creating internal harmony comes first right now and as hard as it may be to express your needs, people will understand and respect your wishes.

Feeling Passionate, Inspired and Loved

Pursuing a Passion:

Doing anything that you are passionate about gives you energy and shifts your emotions in a positive direction. It could be as simple as taking time to read a book that you love, take a walk in nature or it could be helping someone in a way that feels meaningful for you - like participating in a forum and sharing your experiences.

Many cancer thrivers' (people in remission who feel better off for having lived their cancer journey) stories have a common theme - passion. On their healing journey thrivers often discover something that they were passionate about and that they wanted to share with the rest of the world. Maybe it is a healing tool or product or process - something that helped and touched them deeply on their path to health. So be on the lookout for the people, tools or products that are or could have a dramatic impact on you and your healing. Be open to ways of potentially sharing this passion with the world.

A cancer thriver and good friend of mine has made it her life's mission to promote the benefits of yoga and meditation to cancer patients and to the medical community. She is now doing her doctoral thesis to prove the effects of yoga and meditation for breast cancer patients during treatment. Her life has become energized with the passion of sharing the tools that helped her through some difficult times on her journey.

Heartfelt Inspiration:

Feeling inspired is another great way to energize your immune system. Read a book or some stories online about someone that inspires you. Watch a movie about someone you admire, buy some CDs by spiritual leaders or healers like Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer or Deepak Chopra. This type of support can help you feel motivated, empowered and it may also give you guidance in terms of healing and wellness. Another great way to feel inspired is to read quotes or poems or blogs by people you respect and admire.

Feeling Loved:

Remember the energizing effect of falling in love for the first time? What if you could fall in love with yourself? What better time to be your own best friend, to support, embrace and love yourself completely and unconditionally. You are the only one that can be there at all times to give yourself unconditional love throughout your recovery.

Loving yourself means that you do all you can to take care of yourself. This may mean getting a massage, listening to your favorite music, taking a relaxing bath - whatever feels nourishing for you. It also includes eating foods that nourish you and making sure you are well hydrated. It means developing a habit of listening to and responding to the messages your body is constantly sending you. Like giving yourself permission to get extra rest when you are tired, or taking the day off of household duties when you feel stressed or overwhelmed.

Asking for what you need from others and learning to accept help is also part of loving yourself. Often people really want to help but they don't know what to do. Sometimes they will do things that actually interfere with you getting rest or caring for yourself. So try to think of what would be truly helpful and then ask for it. Like asking someone to look after your children for the day or to make you a meal or to take your dog for a walk. You may be surprised to see how good people feel about being able to help you in a meaningful way. You may also find that asking for help serves others' needs as well.

Loving yourself is not only about taking care of yourself but it is also acknowledging and appreciating who you are at a fundamental level - a loving and caring human being. You don't have to love or embrace all your bad habits - those aren't who you are. They are simply learned behavior patterns. Try not to focus on the habits that you don't like, instead shift your attention to nurturing yourself and being grateful for your good qualities.

One thing you can do is to ask yourself 'how can I nurture myself everyday?'. Pick one thing per day that you do just for you. Think of your favorite activities, having quiet cup of tea, reading a book you love, going to a yoga class, complimenting yourself, giving yourself encouragement. Start a list and write down at least one thing you do to love yourself everyday. Remember, loving yourself is one of the best ways that you can positively influence your healing journey.

Laughter and Joy:

Often when we are sick and feeling tired or discouraged it is easy to feel down or depressed so it is important to consciously bring more laughter and joy into your life everyday. These emotions have a positive, healing impact on the body and help you to feel better about yourself and your future. Rent a funny movie, subscribe to a service where they send you a funny video everyday, be with people who make your laugh, or ask your friends and family members to bring jokes when they come and visit. Have fun going through the exercise of determining what makes you laugh and bringing more of it into your life.

In conclusion, your attitude and emotions do affect your healing journey. Being aware and consciously working towards bringing more joy, laughter and love into your life during this period, and always, is not only good in terms of empowering and healing but it is also uplifting!

This is the 4th article in a 4 part series. Please look for the other articles:

Part 1: Why Chemo and Radiation aren't enough to heal completely from cancer
Part 2: 10 Ways to Stop Feeding Cancer Cells and Start Cleansing your Body
Part 3: Fueling the immune system for faster, deeper healing from cancer
Part 4: The emotional side of the cancer healing equation

Jackie is a Cancer SHIFT coach and creator of the Cancer SHIFT program. She specializes in, and is passionate about, helping empower people with cancer to shift from 'fighting' and struggling with cancer to facilitating deep healing. She helps women who feel stuck in some part of their life, get unblocked, speak their truth and stimulate their own healing process. She is a Meditation Teacher, certified Yoga Teacher and True Purpose Life Coach. She has also pursued studies in Ayurvedic Medicine, Creative Meditation and Visualization, Reiki, Spiritual Psychotherapy and Psycho-oncology.

Please visit Jackie's web site http://www.cancershift.com/ and listen to a free Immune Booster and guided relaxation session or visit http://www.peacefullife.ca/ for other guided meditations.

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Tobacco for Treating Cancer Disease

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 04:16:00 +0000

According to The World Health Organization (WHO), there were more than 7.4 million people who died due to various types of cancer in 2004. This figure represents 13% of the total causes of death for that year alone. In addition to that, 70% of the total number of deaths caused by cancer was found in developing countries.

There are many factors that can cause cancer. Bad lifestyle habits like excessive consumption of alcohol, excessive smoking and excessive consumption of unhealthy food are considered to be the some of the primary causes of cancer. Other possible causes are lack of exercise, genetics, unsafe sex and excessive sun exposure. It is a terrible disease. However, when dealing with cancer, we should not panic or worry too much. It is preventable, and some cases are even treatable.

A new research finding has surprised the medical world. As one of the main causes of cancers, tobacco shows a surprising development. Tobacco has been known to cause cancer, but now it seems that we were wrong all along. This tropical plant to have the potential to fight cancer, a study claims. The National Academy of Science states and acknowledges that this plant can be used to effectively treat lymphoma, one of the four types of cancer.

Scientists have tried to extract the substances in tobacco believed to possess anti-cancer properties. These chemicals are expected to work together with our body's immune system in combating lymphoma. Cancer patients will be injected with a positive vaccine containing tobacco extract. This vaccine will react with cancer cells and stop them from spreading any further.

So far, scientists claim to have found no adverse effects of this novel medicine. This vaccine has only been tested on animals and some cancer patients. However, we can already see a bright future for this new form of cancer treatment.

Cancer medication usually requires a huge amount of money. This expensive medical expenditure becomes a major problem when dealing with this disease. In the future, people may no longer see tobacco as a 'bad plant'. It is true that tobacco-based cancer medication is still unavailable and still under research and development. Right now, we can only imagine what will happen to our world when this invention finally develops into a fully working cancer medicine. If this research is successful, a new kind of medication will be available, one that will be much more affordable for everyone.

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Weight Loss And Cancer: Aggressive Treatment Saves Lives And Improves Quality Of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:27:00 +0000

Weight loss from cancer is a major issue in our day to day practice. Half of all cancer patients face significant weight loss. The type of cancer related weight loss that I am alluding to is known as cancer cachexia where the weight loss is involuntary, debilitating and associated with severe muscle wasting. This has a major impact on quality of life and nearly 20% of cancer deaths is attributed to weight loss and not directly to Cancer..

The Meaning of words:

Anorexia: Reduced appetite or the reduced desire to eat. Anorexia is present in 15 percent to 25 percent of all cancer patients at the time of diagnosis.

Cachexia: The net result which is seen as severe weight loss, muscle loss, and general weakness.

Most patients with cancer have both Anorexia and Cachexia. There are some who have a great appetite but continue to lose weight. Some of my patients tell me.."But doc..I don't understand, I am eating well but continue to lose weight...". The reason for this is simple, such patients are just burning up more calories than they are able to replace by eating.

Why is it important to recognize and take action when you see weight loss in cancer patients?

Patients who stop losing weight feel better, have a better quality of life, improve their immunity, reduce their chance of infections, keep their energy level and strength up so that they can better tolerate treatment and have an increased ability to recover and heal quickly.

Reasons for weight loss in Cancer:

1. The diversion of nutrients to the cancers cells and away from normal tissues and organs. It is very similar to a parasite within the body that feeds off any food that is taken in.

2. Cancers secrete chemicals that significantly reduces protein production and increases their breakdown. Muscle wasting and weight loss is the inevitable outcome.

3. Side effects of Treatment: mouth sores, dry mouth, trouble swallowing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, pain, depression and anxiety. Cancer medications may cause patients to taste and smell foods different.

4. Direct result of cancer: Cancers of the mouth, esophagus and stomach may produce physical pain and obstruction that causes the patients not able to eat and swallow foods resulting in malnutrition.

How do you recognize cancer related weight loss?

Many times, this is very obvious and is verbalized by the patient. However, early signs of such a situation can be recognized when patients lose more than 5 % of their body weight in the prior 6 months involuntarily.

Treatment of Cancer Related Weight Loss:

A. Treat Side effects of treatment aggressively. Such conditions as mouth sores, dry mouth etc with medications.

B. Treat the direct effects of cancer with anti cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well as surgery. Placement of a feeding tube into the stomach is utilized for those patients who have issues with swallowing and physical problems in eating.

C. Treating Anorexia and Cachexia with:

1. Megestrol in the form of Megace solution is known to increase muscle mass in patients with cancer.

2. Dronabinol and Marinol are FDA-approved forms of marijuana that can help stimulate the appetite.

3. Steroids such as Dexamethasone.

4. Fish oil. Numerous studies have reported the benefits of fish oil supplementation. Recent studies have demonstrated their beneficial effects in correcting weight loss and anorexia from cancer and its treatment.

In summary, weight loss in cancer patients is a situation that is not adequately recognized and treated by patients and their care givers. My contention is that, aggressively addressing this issue can have a major impact on the life of our patients. We can not only improve their overall quality of life but also possibly achieve better cure rates since these patients may be able to better tolerate more aggressive therapy.

Dr. Kumar is a board certified Radiation Oncologist who is co-founder of a private practice group called Coastal Cyberknife and Radiation Oncology in Saint Lucie County, Florida. He has over 17 years experience dealing with cancer patients including several members in his own family who have been afflicted by this disease.

His philosophy of managing patients is through a unique holistic approach that takes into account the wishes and needs of patients and their families. Education in simple language allows the patients to make the right decision when it comes to their cancer care. He believes that any battle is won at the level of the mind first before the body goes into action to win the war. His website http://curingcancerofthemind.com/ reflects this philosophy. He is always available to help any patient with questions regarding cancer and radiation therapy and can be reached at 772 293 0377.

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World Cancer Report

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:53:00 +0000

Released by IARC (International agency for research on cancer), a part of World health organization (WHO), World cancer report is a concise informative manual that have a clear description about global cancer statistics, causes, main types, early diagnosis and effective treatment. The director-general of WHO, Dr. Gro Brundtland states 'The report provides a basis for public health action and assists us in our goal to reduce the morbidity and mortality from cancer, and to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and their families, everywhere in the world.'

Major findings

The report has published these results:

Tobacco- the most preventable cancer cause

In the last century, more than 100 million died all over the world from the diseases that are associated with tobacco consumption. These are:
Cancer
Chronic lung disease
Stroke
Cardiovascular disease

The regrettable fact is, the patients could have been prevented from such medical problem had they not used any tobacco. Lung cancer risk is 20 to 30 times more in smokers than non-smoking persons. About 90 % of all lung cancers are tobacco associated, in both men as well as women. In bladder and renal pelvis cancer, 50 per cent or more are due to smoking. For the cancer of mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus the RR is greater than six. For pancreatic carcinomas it is three to four. Stomach, liver, kidney, naval cavity, sinuses, esophagus (adenocarcinoma) cancer and myeloid leukemia two-three RR has been identified by the researchers. Even passive smoking can lead to lung cancer, and increases the risk by almost 20 percent. However, tobacco is not yet known to have any role in the incidence of prostate, breast and endometrial cancer of the uterine, since there is no evidence of this at present.

Infection is a great risk factor

Approximately 23 per cent of malignant diseases in developing countries occur due to the infections. These can cause:
Liver Cancer (Hepatitis B and C virus)
Cervical cancer (HPV, human papillomaviruses, HPV)
Stomach cancer(Helicobacter pylori)

Whereas, in developing world, only 8 percent of all such malignancies are attributed to infectious agents.

Vaccines for prevention: These could be highly effective in treating cancers caused by infections. HBV vaccination is successfully being used to prevent liver cancer in countries where incidences are high and most probably HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination will also work within three to five years.

Diet is curing

Stomach cancer can be prevented from occurring if the intake of salt-free preserved meat and fish is avoided. In many countries of Europe, such as Switzerland and nearby places, mortality rate has decreased by 60 percent within one generation. It is hoped, in the coming 30 years, stomach cancer can become a rare type in many parts of the world. In many other countries like Japan, Korea, Brazil, and Portugal, where salted food is excessively eaten, the incidence of gastric cancer are high but fallen considerably.

According to studies, taking plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on a regular basis can prevent or help in cancer recovery.

Strategies for cancer control

The aim of these procedures and techniques is to reduce the occurrence as well as the cancer death rate that is the ultimate consequence of the fatal disease. Post disease life improvement for the patient is also included. Treating the disorder is not enough, the care and health condition afterwards throughout one's life is considered also that is equally important. Early diagnosis is really essential to avoid further complications and off course the death of affected person.

The report has revealed information about all aspects of cancer including the statistics of incidence by each type all over the globe. Nutrition is a key factor, discussed in detail; various other facts are discovered in it.

I am a professional content writer. I am running a SEO company and offering services specially promoting websites through article marketing and social media marketing. I have run many companies related to health, treatment, skin and entertainment related websites.

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What Actually Happens When You Eat Meat - The Link Between Meat-Eating And Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:17:00 +0000

What actually happens when you eat meat?

The most blood-thickening agent is food protein, particularly if it is derived from an animal source. Let us assume you eat a medium-sized piece of steak, chicken or fish (cadaver protein). When compared to a carnivorous animal like a lion or a wolf, your stomach can produce only the relative amount of 1/20 of the hydrochloric acid needed to digest such a concentrated protein meal. In addition, the relative concentration of the hydrochloric acid in cats or wolves is at least five times higher than in humans. A cat or wolf can easily eat and digest the bones of a chicken, whereas humans cannot. Most of the cadaver's protein, therefore, will pass undigested into the small intestine where it will either putrefy (80%) or enter the bloodstream (20%).

The liver is able to break down some of the absorbed protein, which forms the waste products urea and uric acid. This waste matter is passed on to the kidneys for excretion with the urine. However, with regular consumption of animal proteins, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, and milk, more and more intrahepatic stones are formed in the bile ducts of the liver. This greatly reduces the liver's ability to break down these proteins. (Stones in the bile ducts and gallbladder can be removed safely and painlessly through a series of liver flushes)

Protein foods are among the most acid-forming and blood-thickening foods of all. Therefore, when a major portion of the protein ends up circulating in the blood, it will, of course, thicken the blood. To avoid the danger of a heart attack or stroke, the body will attempt to dump the protein into the fluid surrounding the cells (tissue fluid or connective tissue). This thins the blood and averts the imminent danger of serious cardiovascular complications, at least for the time being. However, the dumped protein begins to turn the intercellular fluid into a gel-like substance. In this condition, nutrients that are trying to make their way to the cells may be caught in the thick soup, which increases the risk of cell death due to starvation.

How the body copes

The body tries to avoid cell death by initiating another, even more sophisticated, survival response, which is next to ingenious. To remove the proteins from the intercellular fluid, the body rebuilds the protein and converts it into collagen fiber, which is 100% protein. In this form, the body is able to build the protein into the basal membrane of the blood vessel walls. While accommodating the excessive protein, the basal membrane may become up to eight times as thick as is normal. Once, the capillary walls are saturated with the protein or collagen fiber, the basal membranes of the arteries start doing the same. This eventually, leads to a hardening of the arteries, which is the cause of heart disease, strokes and high cholesterol.

Now the body must face an even greater challenge. The thick walls of the capillaries (and possibly, the arteries) have become an obstruction, blocking the nutrient supply to the cells. The blood vessel walls increasingly prevent oxygen, glucose, and even water from penetrating the protein barricades, thus depriving cells of their bare nutrient essentials. Less glucose makes its way to the cells. As a result, cell metabolism drops to a lower level of efficiency, and waste production increases, similar to a car engine that has not been tuned properly or given quality gas or oil.

In addition to congesting the blood vessel walls, another complicating factor comes into play. Part of the excessive protein is absorbed by the lymphatic ducts that accompany every blood capillary. These lymph ducts and their attached lymph nodes are designed to remove and detoxify the normal amounts of cell-generated metabolic waste products. They also take away the cellular debris resulting from the daily destruction of over 30 billion worn-out cells. Since cells are composed of proteins, much of the collected waste is already filled with old cell protein. Being forced to take up extra protein from ingested foods like meat, fish, or milk simply overtaxes the entire lymphatic system and leads to the stagnation of lymph flow and fluid retention. Consequently, the congested lymph ducts are increasingly disabled as they attempt to take up the cells' metabolic waste products. This, in turn, leads to a higher concentration of metabolic waste material in the fluid surrounding the cells.

Suffocation in Progress

The consequence of waste buildup in the cell environment is that cells not only become deprived of oxygen and other vital nutrients, but they also begin to suffocate in their own waste. The dramatic change of the cell environment leaves them with no other choice but to mutate into 'abnormal' cells,given the circumstances.

Cell mutation does not occur because the genes of the cell had a bad day and decided to play malignant. Genes do not switch themselves on and off without a reason. Genetic blueprints have no control or power to do anything. They are merely there to help the cell reproduce itself. However, the genetic blueprint becomes naturally altered when the environment of the cell undergoes major changes. By drastically reducing the concentration of oxygen in the cell environment, out of necessity the genes generate a new blueprint that enables them to survive without oxygen and instead use some of the metabolic waste products for energy. Mutated cells can take up, for example, lactic acid, and by metabolizing it, they are able to cover some of their energy needs. Although this abnormal type of cell metabolism has harmful side effects, by doing this, the body can avert, at least for a little while, the fatal poisoning of the affected organ or the blood. By keeping at least some of the oxygen-deprived cells alive through cell mutation, the organ is safeguarded against irreversible and sudden collapse and failure. All of these adaptations make cancer a survival mechanism to keep the person alive for as long as circumstances permit.

[This is an excerpt from the book 'Cancer is not a Disease, It's a Survival Mechanism' by Andreas Moritz]

Andreas Moritz is a writer and practitioner in the field of Integrative Medicine. He is the author of 13 books ( http://www.ener-chi.com/book.htm ) on various subjects pertaining to holistic health, including 'The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush', 'Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation' and 'Ending The AIDS Myth'.

His most recent book is titled 'Vaccine-Nation: Poisoning the Population, One Shot at a Time'. Moritz is also the creator of Ener-Chi Art and Sacred Santémony.

Much of his life's work has been dedicated to understanding and treating the root causes of illness, and helping the body, mind, spirit and heart to heal naturally.

Connect with Andreas at: http://www.facebook.com/enerchi.wellness

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Why Sun Protective Hats and Clothing Are Important to Wear

noreply@blogger.com (Azizkhan Pathan) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:05:00 +0000

You may ask yourself why sun protective hats and clothing are so important to wear with good reason! Skin cancer rates are reaching epidemic levels and the American Cancer Foundation is estimating 20% or 1 in 5 American will contract skin cancer in our lifetime. Those numbers are frightening when you consider how much sun tanning and sun worshiping still goes on each day.

The most important thing about exposing yourself to the sun is to wear the best sun protective hats and UPF protected clothing on the market which will safeguard your skin from skin cancer and the visible signs of aging such as - brown sports, wrinkles, crows feet, hyper-pigmentation and saggy skin. The sun has two important types of radiation to be aware of; the first is UVA which stand for the "aging rays." These rays are present 365 days a year rain or shine and cause damage to the dermis of your skin. The second type of UV radiation is UVB rays which are known as the "burning rays. " these are strongest in the summer and between 10am - 2pm and effect the epidermis of your skin. Most sunscreens do not protect you from the UVA radiation, which is extremely dangerous and causes cancer. Even broad-spectrum sunscreen cannot protect you from all the UV radiation you are exposed to daily! The only way to protect yourself and your family is to wear sun protection products each day including your wide brim sun hat and sun protection clothing.

Every time you expose yourself to the suns harmful rays remember that it's not only your head and body which you need to protect but also your face. UVA & UVB rays can reflect off surfaces including the concrete, snow, sand, water and glass leaving your face dangerously exposed even while wearing most traditional hats. Look for a sun hat which has protection flaps or attachments which allow you to protect your delicate cheeks, neck, mouth, chin and nose from the sun. For those suffering with sensitive or severe skin conditions which are aggravated by sun exposure such as Rosacea, Acne, Melasma, Melanoma, or post surgery it's recommended to wear the strongest amount of UPF protection on your face and head of UPF 50+ to protect your delicate skin each day. The best thing you can do to prevent skin cancer is to apply broad-spectrum sunscreen, wear a wide brim hat with neck and face protection, sun protection clothing of at least UPF 15+, sunglasses and to seek shade whenever possible.

ETSIS Hats originated in Honolulu, Hawaii and were created with a very specific purpose: To protect your face while Escaping the Sun In Style?. It is no secret that harmful rays rapidly increase the aging processes of your precious skin, resulting in visible sun-damage and in many cases one form or another of skin cancer. ETSIS sun protection hats for women where designed with our patent-pending, signature snap-in, snap-out SunEscape protection panels which offer the maximum protection against the sun's harmful UV rays - especially to the face, cheeks, nose, and neck. To browse our products or join the discussion on sun safety visit us at http://etsishats.com/

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