Health Article On Cancer

The cure for cancer is still some way off but it is something that science expects to happen possibly within the next few decades; medical research continues to advance in it's war with this disease that plagues humanity. Although there are other more awful diseases, this one holds the crown at the moment because of how often it is diagnosed. The three most common cancers in men in America are prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer while the women are affected by breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer.

It causes more deaths per population than any other illness and the older you get the more prone you are to contracting the disease; Statistics show that the number of people cancer kills globally each year is about 13 in every one hundred.

A cure would bring a sigh of relief everywhere.

The reasons cancer is triggered in the body are only theories as it can be caused by many things.
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body.These normal cells grow out of control and even intrude in other surrounding tissues.

Benign tumors do not normally grow larger, metastasize or threaten the body and organs like malignant (cancerous) tumors do although it is possible for a malignant tumor to have started out as benign. Cancerous cells may have been transformed by radiation or poison for example and this creates genetic abnormality in those cells which then continue to grow and divide.

Just to confuse the issue more, it is possible to inherit genes that may be pre-disposed to it as well as faulty genetic DNA replication. It would seem that certain people's genetic makeup makes them less prone to contacting the illness even if they are allowing harmful carcinogens into their bodies.

Owing to the worldwide problem of cancer, it is regularly studied throughout the world and extending our knowledge on the subject. We are always learning more about diseases and how they affect our bodies and minds. We are continually trying to find out why this disease attacks some and not others. We all want to know more about the causes of cancer what we can do to help prevent this illness from striking.

It is now believed by many that the food we eat could be responsible for many cases. Even if this is not the case, what we eat does have an effect on our overall and long term health. Some of the foodstuffs that could be causing these problems are salt, saturated fats and dairy products. A high calcium intake could possibly be responsible for cases of prostrate cancer in men.

Cancer can affect any part of the body from the bones, blood, skin or organs. The problem is that it can also be insidious and a person may have it for some time before it is diagnosed. Cures for many types have advanced in recent years and are more likely to be successful if the cancer is found in its early stages. Cancer is not the certain death sentence it once was and although many of its various forms are incurable at this time, medical science continues to improve.

By Maria Mbura

Nodular Melanoma

The awareness of the dangers of skin cancer, particularly melanoma, has doubtless increased. Still, the most fatal form of melanoma is frequently left undiagnosed in the fledging stages.
Nodular melanoma is the most serious and life threatening form of skin cancer, constituting around 35% of all thick melanoma cases. In comparison, the most general form of melanoma, the superficial spreading melanoma, is regularly diagnosed in its infancy and characteristically is a thin melanoma.
The dissimilarity between thick and thin melanomas is quite straightforward. Thin melanomas have a tendency to spread out over the top of the skin surface. Thick melanomas, on the other hand, are more penetrating and grow deeper into the skin.
Commonly, nodular melanoma is already invasive upon first diagnosis. This form of cancer is normally seen on arms, legs and upper torso of an elderly person. The scalp may be affected at any age.
This malignancy is characterized by a bump-like feature, generally black, but at times blue, white, gray, brown, red, tan or skin tone.
Nodular melanoma is far less common than any of the other sub-types. It accounts for only 15% of all melanoma cases. Reports suggest that this disease commonly affects people after the age of fifty. Medically, nodular melanoma appears as a consistent blue-red, blue-black or amelanotic nodule.
Nearly 5% of nodular melanomas do not have pigment. They are called amelanotic melanoma. The most affected areas for nodular melanoma are the head, neck and upper torso. It is important to remember that a nodular melanoma usually starts in normal skin, and not in an already existing lesion. Nodular melanomas are also characterized by rapid growth.

By Max Bellamy

Lemongrass and Cancer - Can Lemongrass Treat Or Prevent Cancer?

Lemongrass, sometimes written as lemon grass, is an herb commonly used both as a seasoning and as an ingredient in herbal teas. In recent years, Lemongrass has received a great deal of press surrounding its potential to treat or prevent cancer. This article explores the degree to which these claims have been verified by science, and the mechanisms through which it is thought lemongrass may be able to treat or prevent cancer.
Citral:
Citral is the primary component of the essential oil of lemongrass, constituting well over half the total oil content. Citral is one of the many chemicals giving lemongrass its strong lemony aroma, and it is also found in lemons and a number of other lemon-scented herbs.
Citral has been studied for its potential to treat cancer, due to its ability to induce cell death (apoptosis) in cancer cells. Cancer cells are able proliferate in part by deactivating the cell death program, which normally causes damaged or mutated cells to self-destruct. The work on citral inducing cell death in cancer cells comes from in vitro experiments (controlled laboratory experiments, as in test tubes or petri dishes), and these results have not been verified in human or animal studies. It is not known the degree to which these properties would actually carry through into humans drinking lemongrass tea or taking extracts of lemongrass as herbal supplements.
Citral also has been studied for other mechanisms of anti-cancer action. A study in rats found Citral to inhibit the formation of retinoic acid from retinol, a chemical reaction involved in the formation of skin tumors.
Other anti-cancer activity of Lemongrass:
Lemongrass also has a number of other active constituents with medicinal properties, including geraniol and citronellol. Some studies have looked at lemongrass as a whole, rather than its individual component chemicals. One study in rats found lemongrass to protect against the formation of cancer cells in the liver. There is also some evidence that lemongrass inhibits the formation of cancer in the digestive tract.
Lemongrass also has been found to have powerful antioxidant effects--stronger than the food preservatives BHA and BHT. Antioxidants are often touted as having the potential to prevent cancer, although these claims are controversial and not universally true. However, there are other benefits to antioxidants, including the prevention of spoilage of food. This benefit has been firmly established for lemongrass--the herb acts as a powerful natural preservative.
In summary:
The research on lemongrass and its role in cancer prevention or treatment is young and inconclusive. However, there is some evidence that lemongrass may be useful for preventing or treating cancer. A number of different chemical components of the essential oil of lemongrass have been studied for anti-cancer properties, and a number of different anti-cancer mechanisms have been discussed.
Lemongrass has been studied in lab animals for its potential to prevent the formation of several different types of tumors and cancers, including colon cancer and cancer of the digestive tract, lung cancer, liver cancer, skin cancer and other a number of other types of tumors. In vitro experiments and some animals studies show promising results for prevention, and to some degree for treatment, but it has yet to be shown whether or not these benefits carry through into humans. In addition, dosages necessary to achieve any benefits in humans (if they exist) are also unknown.
Lemongrass is, however, safe for general consumption both as a seasoning and as an herbal tea, and no adverse effects have been documented from moderate use of lemongrass tea. In addition, it has a pleasing lemon scent. For people interested in cancer prevention, lemongrass certainly cannot hurt and might be worth a try.

By Alex Zorach

Bladder Cancer Risks Of Smokeless Tobacco

Ever think about the dangers of smokeless tobacco? If you use smokeless tobacco your first thoughts are probably the chance of contracting lip, tongue, throat and stomach cancer. These are certainly cancers that have been proven to develop from smokeless tobacco use.

Many people are not aware that smokeless tobacco has a more far ranging effect on the human body than those diseases mentioned above. It has been shown that smokeless tobacco can increase greatly the chances of developing bladder cancer. What is frightening is that so many people now using and those who will soon begin to use smokeless tobacco have no idea of the serious effects this substance can bring down upon unsuspecting users.

Carcinogins found in tobacco have been shown to increase the risk of bladder cancer by up to 400% in users vs. those who do not use. Even more frightening this risk factor remains for years even after the user quits tobacco completely. Scary thought, huh?

What educators in the tobacco cessation arena need to be aware of is finding a way to get across the truth that just because smokeless tobacco is smokeless it isn't harmless. Smokeless tobacco doesn't just stay in the oral cavity. It gets swallowed into the stomach and it gets into your esophagus and bladder.

I would like to add an interesting paragraph from a study called: Clinico-pathological features of bladder carcinoma in women in Pakistan and smokeless tobacco as a possible risk factor

Muhammad Rafique1

1Department of Urology, Nishtar Medical College, Multan, Pakistan

Corresponding author.

Muhammad Rafique: rafiqanju/at/hotmail.com

Received April 12, 2005; Accepted August 5, 2005.

."Transitional cell carcinoma is the most common bladder malignancy in women in Pakistan. Most women with bladder carcinoma have long history of use of smokeless tobacco. At the time of diagnosis 75% women have muscle invasive bladder carcinoma. In women using smokeless tobacco, there is significant correlation between stage of bladder carcinoma and duration of smokeless tobacco use. Further studies are required to clarify the role of smokeless tobacco in the development of bladder carcinoma."

Does chewing and dipping cause bladder cancer? We have seen a lot of evidence that points to a correlation of bladder cancer and tobacco use. There remains a lot of research left to do before the final verdict is in. In my humble opinion, the information that I have studied in preparation to write this short, general article has convinced me that the possibility that it does cause bladder cancer far outweighs any scientific information stating that it doesn't.

When it comes right down to it, knowing all of the things that the use of smokeless tobacco certainly does makes the use of it illogical. When we add the fact that there is much sound evidence that smokeless tobacco can affect the body to the degree of producing bladder cancer, it just makes good sense:

1) If you don't chew, dip or smoke - don't.

2) If you do use tobacco in any form - seriously consider finding a good cessation program and quit.

By Zachary Malott