Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Lung Cancer Symptoms, What You Need To Know.

Friday, September 25th, 2009
Mark Mackay asked:


Lung cancer is now the most common form of cancer in the United States. Lung cancer causes more death than any other cancer cases among men and women in this country. Fourteen percent of all cancer records in the United States are lung cancer cases and twenty-eight percent of cancer deaths are from lung cancer patients.

Major causes of lung cancers are cigarette smoking and breathing impure air including asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure can lead to Mesothelioma, a cancer in the lining of the lungs or abdominal cavity.

Severity of lung cancer depends greatly to the amount of time a person spent smoking. As compared to non-smokers, smokers are at high risk of lung cancer. In fact, smokers are twenty-two percent more at risk of acquiring lung cancer than their non-smoking counterpart.

Additionally, because lung cancer symptoms do not manifest until it is already on its advanced stage, minor lung cancer symptoms are often ignored.

This is because minor lung cancer symptom such as frequent coughing is often associated with itchiness in the throat. Smokers believe that this is an ordinary occurrence among smokers, thus they are not alarmed until they feel more severe lung cancer symptoms.

When this happens, truly the lung cancer symptom shows because of the advanced stage of the cancer. The uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lungs is already manifesting through the lung cancer symptoms and by this time, secondary cancer cells are already developing in other organs of the body.

Severe lung cancer symptoms include persistent coughing, chronic chest pain, which is associated with shortness of breathing, wheezing and hoarseness of the voice.
Often, because of the similarity of lung cancer symptoms to bronchial asthma, people who self medicate usually try to treat the shortness of breathing with asthma medication.

The medication is thus useless because it is not working on the actual disease. It is thus imperative that minor discomforts such as shortness of breathing be brought to the attention of a competent doctor for evaluation. This will avoid treating a disease with a different medication such as in self-medicating patients.

Other lung cancer symptoms are blood in sputum, recurring cases of pneumonia or bronchitis, neck and facial swelling, sudden weight loss and constant feeling of fatigue. All these lung cancer symptoms occur on the terminal stage of the cancer, and this makes it almost impossible to manage lung cancer and it symptoms.

Additionally, because there is still no known cure for lung cancer, treatments especially on its advanced stage are done to lessen the severity of the lung cancer symptoms. Remission of the disease may no longer happen on the advanced stage.

Thus, it is imperative that minor lung cancer symptoms be monitored. It is still easier to manage lung cancer at this stage, other than in the advanced stage.

Finally, as mentioned earlier, smoking is the major cause of lung cancer, if you cease smoking, this effort will help you slow down the possibility of lung cancer. Even for those long time smokers, withdrawing from smoking will help lessen the possibility of acquiring the disease.

Keeping a healthy body and strong immune system will help avoid lung cancer for smokers or non-smokers alike.

Smokers may cease from smoking to help ensure they will not suffer lung cancer in the future. Then, they will not have to worry about lung cancer symptoms because halting smoking will also halt the possibility of acquiring this deadly disease.

Regular exercise will help ensure your immune system will be strong enough to fight lung cancer and thus no lung cancer symptoms will ever occur.

Living a healthy and active lifestyle, and avoiding smoking will ensure you will leave longer and better.



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What Is Lung Cancer And What Cause It

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Alisha Dhamani asked:


Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both women and men in the United States and throughout the world. Lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in women.

In the United States in 2007, 160,390 people were projected to die from lung cancer, which is more than the number of deaths from colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer combined.

Only about 2% of those diagnosed with lung cancer that has spread to other areas of the body are alive five years after the diagnosis, although the survival rates for lung cancers diagnosed at a very early stage are higher, with approximately 49% surviving for five years or longer.

Some lung tumors are metastatic from cancers elsewhere in the body. The lungs are a common site for metastasis. If this is the case, the cancer is not considered to be lung cancer. For example, if prostate cancer spreads via the bloodstream to the lungs, it is metastatic prostate cancer (a secondary cancer) in the lung and is not called lung cancer.

Cancer occurs when normal cells undergo a transformation that causes them to grow and multiply without the normal controls. The cells form a mass or tumor that differs from the surrounding tissues from which it arises. Tumors are dangerous because they take oxygen, nutrients, and space from healthy cells.

About 90% of lung cancers arise due to tobacco use. Cigarette smoking is the most important cause of lung cancer. Research as far back as the 1950s clearly established this relationship. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, many of which have been identified as causing cancer. A person who smokes more than one pack of cigarettes per day has a risk of developing lung cancer 20-25 times greater than someone who has never smoked.

However, Once a person quits smoking, his or her risk for lung cancer gradually decreases. About 15 years after quitting, the risk for lung cancer decreases to the level of someone who never smoked. Cigar and pipe smoking also increases the risk of lung cancer but not as much as smoking cigarettes.

Most lung tumors are malignant. This means that they invade and destroy the healthy tissues around them and can spread throughout the body.

The tumors can also spread to nearby lymph nodes or through the bloodstream to other organs. This process is called metastasis. When lung cancer metastasizes, the tumor in the lung is called the primary tumor, and the tumors in other parts of the body are called secondary tumors or metastatic tumors.

Adenocarcinoma (an NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, making up 30%-40% of all cases. A subtype of adenocarcinoma is called bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma, which creates a pneumonia-like appearance on chest x-rays. Squamous cell carcinoma (an NSCLC) is the second most common type of lung cancer, making up about 30% of all lung cancers. Large cell cancer (another NSCLC) makes up 10% of all cases. SCLC makes up 20% of all cases. And finally, Carcinoid tumors account for only 1% of all cases.

Lung cancers are usually divided into two main groups that account for about 95% of all cases. These division into groups is based on the type of cells that make up the cancer. About 5% of lung cancers are of rare cell types, including carcinoid tumor, lymphoma, and others.

The two main types of lung cancer are characterized by the cell size of the tumor when viewed under the microscope. They are called small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC includes several subtypes of tumors. SCLCs are less common, but they grow more quickly and are more likely to metastasize than NSCLCs. Often, SCLCs have already spread to other parts of the body when the cancer is diagnosed.

Up to one-fourth of all people with lung cancer may have no symptoms when the cancer is diagnosed. These cancers usually are identified incidentally when a chest x-ray is performed for another reason. The majority of people, however, develop symptoms. The symptoms are due to direct effects of the primary tumor, to effects of metastatic tumors in other parts of the body, or to disturbances of hormones, blood, or other systems caused by the cancer.

Symptoms of primary lung cancers include cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Symptoms of metastatic lung tumors depend on the location and size. About 30%-40% of people with lung cancer have some symptoms or signs of metastatic disease.

A cough that does not go away or gets worse over time should be evaluated by a health-care provider. Also, Coughing up blood (hemoptysis) occurs in a significant number of people who have lung cancer. Any amount of coughed-up blood is cause for concern. Chest pain is a symptom in about one-fourth of people with lung cancer. The pain is dull, aching, and persistent and may involve other structures surrounding the lung.

Additionally, shortness of breath usually results from a blockage to the flow of air in part of the lung, collection of fluid around the lung (pleural effusion), or the spread of tumor throughout the lungs. Wheezing or hoarseness may signal blockage or inflammation in the lungs that may go along with cancer. Finally, Repeated respiratory infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia, can be a sign of lung cancer.



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Lung Cancer – SURGERY As A Treatment Option

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
Carlie Edwards asked:

For some lung cancers in the early stages, an option that offers the best chance for a complete recovery is surgery. Medical literature has shown this to be true when a patient is diagnosed with non-small cell cancer and the detection is made in the early stages and the tumor is small and no evidence is present that it has spread to any other organ systems, if surgery is used to remove the tumor, the patient has up to an 80% chance of passing the five year survival mark.

Surgery is recommended for some but not others – why? Surgical treatment is normally recommended for non-small cell cancers, especially in the early stages. Surgery MAY be recommended for small cell IF it’s diagnosed in the earliest stages. The reason for this is because most small cell is seldom diagnosed before it’s already begun to spread to other parts of the body.

On the other hand, non-small cell does not spread as fast or as virulently. Non-small cell tends to localize into one spot, therefore, there is a greater chance that surgery can remove all the cancer in one surgery.

Depending on where the tumor is located is how the decision is formed as to whether or not surgery is appropriate. If it is located too close to the heart, the windpipe, major blood vessels or other major organs, the risks and dangers are much greater if surgery is attempted. In these cases your doctor may recommend radiation or chemotherapy to shrink and kill the cancerous cells.

The different kinds of surgery for treatment. Depending on the location and size of the tumor found, there are three main types of surgery that are used.

If it has been found in it’s early stage and is confined to a very small portion of the lung, an oncologist may perform a ‘lung resection’ or a ’segmentectomy’. During each of those surgeries the doctor removes a small section of one lung, the area where the cancerous cells have been detected. If it’s determined that it may have invaded the nearby cells though, the doctor will then use more radical surgeries.

The removal of one or more lobes of the lung, but not the entire organ, is called a ‘lobectomy’. If the thoracic surgeon believes that only part of it is affected and that it has not spread to the entire organ, the surgeon will opt for a lobectomy.

However, if it is believed the entire lung may be involved, he may then choose to do a pneumonectomy. A ‘pneumonectomy’ is the removal of the entire lung. Prior to this surgery, the doctor will perform tests to be sure that the remaining lung will be capable of supporting your needs for oxygen before doing a complete pneumonectomy.

Surgery is a very invasive treatment and is not the treatment of choice for most cancers. Doctors will only attempt surgery if there is a chance that it will remove it in its entirety. If it has advanced beyond a small portion, or it’s fast spreading, then surgery to remove it does not make any sense. In these instances, radiology, chemotherapy or some other type of treatment would be a more reasonable alternative.



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First Signs of Lung Cancer

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
Mike Herman asked:


Lung cancer is a major killer of men and women across the country. Air pollutants, secondhand smoke, cigarette smoking especially, and other causative factors contribute to the disease.

Most of us think that the lung cancer is mostly common among the cigarette smokers and it is true that the vast majority of cases are or were smokers. But there are non-smokers do get lung cancer and smokers who don’t get it.

Signs of lung cancer are often not apparent in the early stages. However it is better to identify lung cancer as possible.

The most common early symptom of lung cancer is haemoptysis (coughing up blood). Consider this early symptom a warning sign of a cancer, which may be curable.

If you find that you are coughing up blood, you should immediately contact your doctor , especially if you are 40 years of age, or older, with a long-term smoking habit.

Some of the primary signs include:

* Hacking, persistent cough * Coughing up blood * Shortness of breath * Wheezing * Chest pain * Lost appetite * Lost weight * Recurring bronchitis or pneumonia

The above symptoms also being the symptoms of many other lung problems, so it is always advisable to see a physician to ascertain the cause

Secondary signs of simple cell lung cancer include:

* Weakness * Difficulty swallowing * Changes in nails * Hoarse or raspy voice * High fever * Swelling of facial features

It’s true that most symptoms of lung cancer do not show themselves until the disease is in its advanced stages.

However, sometimes people exhibit signs early in the disease’s development. It is imperative that the first notice of symptoms or concern sends you straight to the doctor.

The sooner treatment is begun, the better. A cure is possible if caught early enough and, if not, then a better quality of life and more of it.

When lung cancer spreads to other parts of the body, organs and bones, referred to as ‘metastasizing’, signs and symptoms include:

* Aching and sharp bone pain * Changes in the brain that exhibit themselves through weakness, numbness, dizziness, and seizure * Jaundice (whites of eyes, nails, and skin yellow) * Masses near the skin’s surface * Headaches * Numbness and loss of sensation in your extremities

All of these signs and symptoms of lung cancer may be caused by other health problems. The only way to know for sure is to consult a doctor as soon as possible.



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Bone Cancer, What Are Some Of The Symptoms

Sunday, August 30th, 2009
Mercy Maranga asked:


Bone cancer is when tumor develop in the bone. A bone tumor refers to both benign and malignant growths in the bone. Often, a bone tumor is used to refer to primary tumors of the bone. Bone tumors are classified as either primary or secondary tumors. Primary tumors originate in the bone while secondary tumors originate from other organs for example the breast, the lungs and the prostate. Metastatic tumors mostly involve the axial skeleton.

Primary tumors of the bone can be divided into benign and malignant tumors. Osteoma, osteochondroma, aneurismal bone cyst and fibrous dysplasia are examples of benign tumors. Malignant primary bone tumors include osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma and other sarcoma types.

Many patients with bone cancer do not really experience any symptoms except for pain or painless mass in the bone. Certain tumors can weaken the structure of the bone causing pathologic fractures. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be effective in treating certain bone tumors and may also be ineffective in treating other types of tumors.

The major concern when treating bone tumors is bone density and bone loss. Some bone tumors can be treated by surgery for example by amputating the limb. In limb amputation or in limb sparing, surgery is often combined with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Limb sparing surgery is when the limb is spared from amputation but the bone is removed. Removing a bone as a way of treating bone cancer can be done in two ways. Bone graft is when a bone from elsewhere in the body is taken to replace the infected one. Sometimes, an artificial bone is used to replace the infected bone.



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Breast Cancer and Emotions

Sunday, August 30th, 2009
Leon Jay asked:


Breast Cancer Linked to Emotional Shock

Could all cancer have an emotional cause?

There has been much interest recently in the developments around new medication for breast cancer. Perhaps though there is a simpler, cheaper and more effective way to prevent reoccurrence.

Dr R. G. Hamer from Germany claims that through his 20 years of research with over 31,000 patients he has discovered patterns of emotional shock that can accurately predict the type, and location of, a cancer someone is likely to develop.

He discovered after years of study that a right handed woman can develop left breast cancer if she has an unresolved mother-child conflict or a daughter-mother conflict or is likely to develop right breast cancer if she has unresolved partner conflicts. (Partners can include her husband, a friend, a brother or sister, her father, or even her business partner. The opposite breast will be affected in a left handed woman.

How does metastasis fit into all of this? Well in Dr Hamer’s view there is no such thing. While it is true that women often go on to develop further cancers such as in the bone, lung or brain, it is his belief that these come from subsequent shocks, not directly from the original cancer. There is in fact little or no evidence that cancer cells break off and spread as commonly assumed.

If for example, the shock of having a breast amputated (a disfigurement conflict) was not dealt with it can lead to skin cancer on the surgical scars. A deep self-devaluation conflict (I am less than I was before) can cause bone cancer or affect the lymph nodes. The shock from discovering the cancer has spread can lead to a death fright conflict resulting in lung cancer.

Dr. Hamer firmly believes that if the conflict is resolved, the cancerous or necrotic process is reversed to repair the damage and return the individual to health. This would also support the belief, observations and experiences of those such as Louise Hay, (who claims to have healed herself from cancer and assisted many others in doing the same), Bernie S Siegel MD (author of ‘Love, Medicine & Miracles’), and Leon Jay (an Auckland based Emotional Release Therapist).

Leon, who sees this pattern in many of his clients, says that ‘while we are unable to say for sure that emotional release of past traumas will prevent cancer from returning, I believe it to be one of the most important components to any cancer treatment. Each client is very different, yet the similarities in nature between the emotional trauma and the cancer type cannot be ignored’.

Web: www.eft-therapy.com Email: information@eft-therapy.com



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Cancer Biopsy Cases Pervade Medical Clinics

Sunday, August 30th, 2009
Ajeet Khurana asked:


The term biopsy can be taken to mean a view of life and can be taken to mean from the Greek “bio” meaning life, and “-psy” meaning vision. A biopsy is literally a look at living tissue, and is a test used to detect cancer. Any tissue or organ in the body has the potential of being be biopsied, and there are several techniques used. Some of these engage surgery, whereas others will not even engage an anesthetic. In each method, a sample of tissue is extracted from the body and studied for cancer markers, cancer cells, or unusual cell division. Each cancer has its own methods of diagnosis, but the different types of biopsies can be classed. Naturally, you should go to a reputed medical clinic to get this done. You can look up an online health directory to find information.

1) Excisional biopsy. This is a surgical removal of the possible tumor growth. In this case, either an organ or lump is excised, or cut out of the body. Excisional biopsies are used for a variety of cancer diagnoses and for different reasons in each. In osteosarcoma they are used because of the growth rate of possible tumors. Surgery will always be the first preference of biopsy in bone cancers. In lymphoma, tumors can only be examined as whole pieces to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Breast cancer another cancer-type where ordinarily surgeons prefer surgery. This will make certain any cancer diagnosis with the most accuracy.

2) Incisional Biopsy. Here only a section of the lump is removed through surgery. This type is generally used for possible soft tissue cancers.

3) Endoscopic Biopsy. This is the most preferred form of biopsy and is performed through a fibreoptic endoscope that is placed inside the organ of disruption. The doctor looking through the endoscope can view directly any abnormal sections and cut or pinch pieces of tissue with forceps. A thoroscopy for endoscopic biopsy under general anesthesia will be used for mesothelioma, a cancer of internal organ lining. The reason for this is there is simply no other methods to obtain a tissue sample. Meshothelioma is also very tough to detect through other means, and so excisional biopsy is the best course for an accurate diagnosis.

4) Fine needle aspiration is the most preferred form of biopsy today. Here a needle will be placed inside the lump and a large number of cell tissue will be drawn through a syringe. These cells will then be stained and studied by a pathologist. In this case, a diagnosis is reached at once. This kind of biopsy can even be carried out on difficult to reach organs such as the pancreas or lungs with ultrasound guided techniques. This is the preferred choice as avoiding surgery is almost always first on the wish list of the cancer specialist.

There are other forms of biopsies, but these categories are the most preferred and cover most of the major cancerous diseases. If a cancer is possible, a patient may have to go through more than one of these tests through the course of their treatment, depending on how aggressive the cancer specialist feels it is.

Specialist medical clinics are most prepared to deal with this. If you want to learn more, read web pages on the issue. These are found easily in a health directory.



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Bone Cancer – Information on Bone Cancer

Sunday, August 30th, 2009
peterhutch asked:


Bone cancer that originates in the bone — primary bone cancer — is rare. Fewer than 2,500 Americans are diagnosed with this type of cancer each year. The condition affects more children than adults. Bone cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor of the bone that destroys normal bone tissue (1). Not all bone tumors are malignant. In fact, benign (noncancerous) bone tumors are more common than malignant ones. Both malignant and benign bone tumors may grow and compress healthy bone tissue, but benign tumors do not spread, do not destroy bone tissue, and are rarely a threat to life.

Most of the time when someone with cancer is told they have bone cancer, the doctor is talking about a cancer that spread there from somewhere else. This is called metastatic cancer and can be seen in people with advanced breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer as well as many others. When these cancers in the bone are examined under a microscope they resemble the tissue they came from. If someone has lung cancer spread to bone, the cells of the cancer look and act like lung cancer cells, not bone cancer cells, even after they have spread from the lungs to the bones. They are treated with the same kind of treatment (chemotherapy drugs, for example) that is used for lung cancer.

Malignant tumors that begin in bone tissue are called primary bone cancer. Cancer that metastasizes (spreads) to the bones from other parts of the body, such as the breast, lung, or prostate, is called metastatic cancer, and is named for the organ or tissue in which it began. Primary bone cancer is far less common than cancer that spreads to the bones.

Bone cancer: Primary bone cancer is cancer that forms in cells of the bone. Some types of primary bone cancer are osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and chondrosarcoma. Secondary bone cancer is cancer that spreads to the bone from another part of the body (such as the prostate, breast, or lung). The most common types of primary bone tumour are osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma, both of which are most frequently diagnosed in children and young adults.

The first symptom of bone cancer is usually pain or tenderness near the cancer. Bone pain is caused by stretching of the periosteum (thick membrane that covers bone) by the cancer, or by stimulation of nerves within the bone. Bone pain may be hard to differentiate from ordinary low back pain or arthritis. Usually the pain due to bone metastasis is fairly constant, even at night. It can be worse in different positions, such as standing up, which may compress the cancer in a weight bearing bone. If pain lasts for more than a week or two, doesn’t seem to be going away, and is unlike other pain that may have been experienced, it should be evaluated by a physician.

Bone cancer is caused by a problem with the cells that make bone. More than 2,000 people are diagnosed in the United States each year with a bone tumor. Bone tumors occur most commonly in children and adolescents and are less common in older adults. Cancer involving the bone in older adults is most commonly the result of metastatic spread from another tumor.

The most common symptom of bone cancer is pain. Other symptoms may vary depending on the location and size of the cancer. Surgery is often the main treatment for bone cancer. Other treatments may include amputation, chemotherapy and radiation.



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Lung Cancer in Non -Smokers

Saturday, August 29th, 2009
Mary Desaulniers asked:

More and more often, I come across cases of nonsmokers who develop lung cancer. My attention is always drawn to news of this nature because my husband passed away at the age of 51 from brain and lung cancer. He never smoked a day in his life.

The complacency non-smokers have shared over the years is no longer a viable option. Smokers and non-smokers alike are vulnerable to a disease which is largely incurable. Among patients with lung cancer, only about 14% live five years after their diagnosis.

In the face of a disease that seems to have neither rhyme nor reason, what can we do to protect ourselves? First, assess your risk for lung cancer; then take measures to prevent the disease.

What are the risk factors for lung cancer?

Gender: Unfortunately, women seem to be more vulnerable to lung cancer. Research has shown that female smokers are more susceptible to the cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarettes. In another study, a gene linked to abnormal lung cancer cell growth was found to be more active in women than in men. It did not matter whether the women smoked or not.

A family history of lung cancer: Evidence suggests that there is a lung cancer gene which predisposes offspring to develop lung cancer. However, the evidence is far from conclusive as the situation is made difficult by the fact that offspring of smokers have been exposed to a smoking environment since childhood and would therefore have a greater risk for developing the disease.

Scarring from previous lung disease : Scarring in lungs caused by tuberculosis or other lung disease can be a risk factor for lung cancer.

Second-hand smoke: Exposure to second-hand smoke has been shown to be a definite risk factor. Your risk increases by 30 percent from daily exposure to second-hand smoke. This is probably the most significant risk factor for lung cancer in non-smokers.

Exposure to radon: Radon is an odorless gas than can seep out of the soil into buildings. Worse yet, the gas can seep from the soil into water near residential communities. Radon has been implicated as a potential cause of lung cancer.

Air pollution: Long-term occupational exposure to diesel exhaust fumes may increase lung cancer risk by 47%. Air pollution in general is a risk factor in the general population. Swedish researchers estimate that as many as 1 in 10 cases of lung cancer may be caused by air pollution in the Swedish capital city, Stockholm.

Past Cancer Treatment: Researchers in Sweden who looked at the medical records of 140,000 breast cancer patients found that there was an increase of lung cancer 5 to 20 years after breast cancer treatment. Suspicion is that radiotherapy in the chest area may have made the lungs more susceptible to the disease.

Estrogen Replacement Therapy: According to researchers at the University of Pittsburg, estrogen may fuel the growth of non small-cell lung cancer.

What preventative measures can we take?

Diet: An apple a day may keep lung cancer away. A Finnish study suggests that apples not only keep doctors away, but provide protection for the lungs as well. This study found that people who ate the most apples were 58 % less likely to develop lung cancer. Other studies suggest that lung cancer risk is lower among smokers and non smokers who ate at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits daily.

Beta Carotene: A high intake of beta carotene compounds can lower your lung cancer risk; however, studies also show that the beta carotene is only effective when the compounds are ingested from whole foods such as peaches, melon, carrots, mangoes, dark leafy vegetables, squash etc. The opposite effect seems to take place with beta carotene supplements. A Finnish study reported 18% more lung cancer cases among heavy smokers who took beta carotene supplements. And a National Cancer Study on the effects of vitamin A and beta carotene was halted because smokers taking the supplements had 28% more lung cancer than those taking a placebo.

Selenium and Vitamin C: Taking selenium supplements on a long- term basis has been shown to decrease the incidence of lung cancer. In one study, people taking 55-200 mcg of the mineral daily had a 46% lower rate of lung cancer. As well, studies indicate that people who take less than 90 mg of vitamin C on a daily basis may have a 90% higher risk of lung cancer than those who take 140mg or more.

Avoid second-hand smoke and check your house for radon.

There are never guarantees in life, but it makes perfectly good sense to take some preventative measures as these can not only improve your overall quality of health and life but also prevent lung cancer.

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Cancer Biopsy Cases Inundate Medical Clinics

Saturday, August 29th, 2009
Ajeet Khurana asked:


The term biopsy actually means a view of life and actually means from the Greek “bio” meaning life, and “-psy” meaning vision. A biopsy is literally a look at living tissue, and is a test used to diagnose cancer. Any tissue or organ in the body can be biopsied, and there are a variety of techniques used. Some of these require surgery, whereas others will not even require an anesthetic. In each method, a sample of tissue is removed from the body and studied for cancer markers, cancer cells, or unusual cell division. Each cancer has its own techniques of diagnosis, but the different types of biopsies can be differentiated. Naturally, you should go to a reputed medical clinic to get this done. You can look up an online health directory to get leads.

1) Excisional biopsy. This is a surgical removal of the suspected tumor growth. In this case, either an organ or lump is excised, or cut out of the body. Excisional biopsies are used for a variety of cancer diagnoses and for different reasons in each. In osteosarcoma they are used because of the growth rate of suspected tumors. Surgery will always be the first pick of biopsy in bone cancers. In lymphoma, tumors can only be examined as whole pieces so as to get an accurate diagnosis. Breast cancer is another cancer where some surgeons prefer surgery. This will make certain any cancer diagnosis with the most accuracy.

2) Incisional Biopsy. Here only a section of the lump is removed through surgery. This type is generally used for suspected soft tissue cancers.

3) Endoscopic Biopsy. This is the most common form of biopsy and is performed through a fibreoptic endoscope that is entered into the organ of disruption. The doctor looking through the endoscope can view directly any abnormal sections and cut or pinch pieces of tissue with forceps. A thoroscopy for endoscopic biopsy under general anesthesia will be used for mesothelioma, a cancer of internal organ lining. The reason for this is there is simply no other techniques to obtain a tissue sample. Meshothelioma is also very tough to diagnose through other means, and so excisional biopsy is the best course for an accurate diagnosis.

4) Fine needle aspiration is the most common form of biopsy today. Here a needle will be entered into the lump and a large number of cell tissue will be drawn through a syringe. These cells will then be stained and studied by a pathologist. In this case, a diagnosis is arrived at in a very short time. This kind of biopsy can even be done on hard to get at organs such as the pancreas or lungs with ultrasound guided techniques. This is the preferred choice as avoiding surgery is almost always first on the wish list of the medical expert.

There are other forms of biopsies, but these categories are the most common and cover most of the major cancerous diseases. If a cancer is suspected, a patient may endure more than one of these tests through the course of their treatment, depending on how aggressive the medical expert feels it is.

Specialist medical clinics are best equipped to deal with this. If you want to learn more, look up some web articles on the topic. These are found without difficulty in a health directory.



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