First of all, calling my ordeal a "fight" with cancer would be giving me too much credit. I know a whole bunch of people who have full-blown, knock-down, drag-out slugfests with cancer. They're the toughest people you'll ever meet. Comparing my situation with theirs would be an insult to them. But, if you like that sort of fighting metaphor, I guess you could summarize my skirmish with cancer like this:

Cancer and I got in the ring and put up our dukes. Then, when cancer wasn't quite ready, I kicked it really hard in the crotch and ran away.

Still the whole thing was scary, and I truly did get lucky. I could easily have died if this cancer had spread. In a heroic display of manly stupidity, I let a malignant lump sit unidentified on top of my tailbone for almost 9 years.

What makes it even worse is that I scared the hell out of my wife who was pregnant with our son (born May 27, 2005 & named Andrew Harris) while I was busy having surgeries, MRI's, Bone Scans, biopsies, and more.

Well, here's a little trip back in time to explain the whole thing. Before you start, I want you to really grasp something: I'm fine. As I sit here writing this, I appear to be 100% cancer free. Of course, having cancer is like being an alcoholic: you are never officially in the clear. Lifelong follow-up is the standard. But so far, so good...

In Minnesota, sometime in 1996...

I notice a small lump on my tailbone; right in the middle. Since I was still in chiropractic school, still young and dumb, I had one of the faculty chiropractors take a look at it. He said, "Oh, that's no big deal. It's an Epi-sacral Lipoma. It's a lump of fat on your butt."

Sounded good to me. I forgot about it, other than the fact that it looked silly.

Fast forward to Colorado, early September, 2004...

A second red line appears within the indicator window of the EPT home pregnancy test that my wife, Meredith just took. The second line means she's pregnant. A few days later, a follow-up blood test confirms that we are 9 months away from becoming parents.

Mid-September, 2004...

Meredith starts nagging me to get a physical. I haven't had one in about 15 years. Of course, as a jaded know-it-all chiropractor, I suspect that any medical doctor who gets a hold of me will immediately find some reason to make me take drugs. I resist. She persists.

She plays the, "what-if-we-have-this-baby-and-then-you-die" card. Finally, I agree to get a physical just so I don't have to hear about it any more.

Mid-October 2004...

Our 6-week ultrasound. I'm surprised to see that little embryo Hyman, despite the fact that he looks like a shrimp, has a heartbeat. For the first time, it really hits me that I'm going to be a father. Meredith is right, I don't want to become a father and then croak while the kid is young.

Late-October 2004...

I have my first physical with Ian Levenson, DO. He expresses surprise at the size of the lump on my tailbone. He suggests that we remove it. Frankly, the lump had gotten fairly large over the last 9 years. I figured that since it was made of fat, it grabbed a little bit of every pizza, every burger, and every scoop of ice cream that I'd thrown down my throat over the last 9 years.

Seriously, the lump was huge and looked ridiculous. It was time to remove it.

November 24, 2004...

The day before Thanksgiving, I had a simple outpatient procedure at Dr. Levenson's surgical center. As soon as he opened it up, he said, "I don't know what this is, but it is NOT a Lipoma." I told him, "If you feel comfortable proceeding, then just remove the damn thing."

Over the next few days, my wife and I joked that the lump was my un-developed twin, Herschel. (That really is a thing. You may recall the scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding when Toula's aunt describes hers to Ian's parents.)

December 1, 2004...

Back in Dr. Levenson's office to get my stitches out, we got the shocking news. He walked right in, looked me right in the eye and told me. "Swedish Hospital's pathology lab couldn't identify that thing, so they sent a sample to an expert at Emory University in Atlanta. It looks like is was a sarcoma - a cancer. You have to go see an oncologist."

You know, some people spend a lot of money in therapy so they can stop living in denial about various things. In this instance, denial was a good thing. I immediately jumped head first into denial. My official reaction can be summarized like this:

"If this were an aggressive cancer, I would have died 6 years ago. I'm fine."

While that seems easy enough to believe, when you're awake worrying in the middle of the night, denial sounds an awful lot like bullsh*t.

December 2, 2004...

At Meredith's 16-week ultrasound, we find out that the baby is a boy.

As you might imagine, this was a strange couple of days. I find out that the lump on my butt was cancer, and find out we're having a boy.

December 3, 2004...

I show up at Sky Ridge Hospital's Cancer Center. The waiting room is full of people fighting various kinds of cancer, and the reality of what's going on finally hits me. This cancer may have spread, and it could kill me. I've done my research on the internet (something I don't suggest), so I know that sarcomas kill people. I'm scared.

My oncologist was Iona Hinshaw, head of the department. She spends about 20 minutes with me, tells me that I have to get an MRI, a CT scan, a bone scan, and then a have another surgery to remove a wider radius of tissue. She tells me if it spread to my lung, they'll have to remove parts of my lung. She asks if I cough a lot.

I say "No, I do not cough a lot." This must be good.

For some reason, Meredith objects and insists that I do cough a lot. We argue in front of the head of oncology at Sky Ridge. I have to say things like, "I'm a mouth breather at night and therefore have phlegm in the mornings" to convince the doctor that I in fact do not cough a lot. (I guess frequent coughing is a sign that cancer is in the lungs.)

December 15, 2004...

I have my MRI. They want to scan everything from my neck to my thighs to look for any indication that the cancer has spread. This is crunch time. 90 minutes in the tube. Nothing to do but think and breathe. And yes, spending 90 minutes wide awake in an MRI tube was a form of torture, to say the least.

I get to take a copy of the scans with me. I run home and read them. There are thousands of pictures, but I can pretty much tell that no unusual masses are there. The lungs look great. I start to feel like I'm going to make it.

December 16, 2004...

I get a CT scan. To this day, I still don't know why they did both an MRI and a CT, but they did. Again I took the films with me, and again I saw nothing unusual. 2 days later, the radiologist's report agreed with me.

December 21, 2004...

I go to see Dr. Cynthia Kelley at Colorado Limb Consultants. She is an expert orthopedic surgeon who specializes in rare cancers and limb preservation. If I were cancer, I'd be afraid of her. She tells me that my first surgery was not a true cancer surgery, and I will therefore need a second surgery. (After I get my bone scan, of course.)

December 27, 2004...

I have my bone scan. It's normal, and kind of cool, actually. Surgery will go ahead on the 29th.

December 29, 2004...

I have surgery at PSL Hospital. Dr. Kelly performs a wide excision around my tailbone, removing some of the Gluteus Maximus muscle, a lot of sacral fascia, and the fat pad that protects the bone. All of these things will be biopsied.

I have over 100 stitches inside and out. Despite the doctor's instructions, I refuse to stay over night in the hospital. There was just no way that I was going to let my pregnant wife go home alone and worry about me. In fact, I also refused to be wheeled out of the hospital in a wheelchair. Four hours after surgery, I walked to the back seat of my own car and tried not to throw up from the anesthesia.

New Year's Eve was subdued to say the least. A few days later I got word from the oncologist that the biopsies were clean. That also meant no chemotherapy and no radiation. So after two surgeries, various MRI's, CT's, bone scans, biopsies, and 6 weeks of worry, I was fine. Except for the giant crater in my lower back.

I went on to have the external stitches remove and start rehabbing myself, with the assistance of some of my Russian Kettlebell friends. I'm still not completely 100% recovered, but all things considered, I've got no complaints.

And now, the rest of the story.

May 26, 2005...

Meredith checks in to Rose Hospital to have the baby. Because her blood pressure has been high throughout the pregnancy, the doctor has scheduled her for induction.

May 27, 2005...

After 17 hours of labor, the doctor decides that Meredith needs a C-section. At 4:43 AM, Andrew Harris Hyman greets the world with a scream and immediately pees all over the scale. He weighs 7 pounds, 9 ounces.

We spend a few days in the hospital, and take him home. As of this writing, he and Meredith are doing very nicely.

So what can you learn from this?

First of all, get a physical every year with a doctor that you trust. Quite frankly, if Dr. Levenson hadn't removed that cancer from me, it would still be there. If it's been over a year since your last physical, call you doctor and get one. Many problems can be picked up at the early stage. Dr. Levenson can be reached at 303.221.5400.

Second, get any lumps thoroughly evaluated by qualified providers. A chiropractor at my school's clinic dismissed my cancer as a "harmless Lipoma." He clearly was not qualified to make that diagnosis, and it could very easily have killed me.

Third, a lot of people get cancer. While the experts still don't agree why that is, there is much they do agree on. The prevailing theory these days is that all of us are constantly fighting malignant changes to cells in our bodies. Usually, your immune system can keep up and kill off cells that are turning bad.

You should minimize exposure to carcinogens, eat quality foods, work to reduce stress, and get sleep. I'll have much more to say about this in the future. Once you get a cancer, you have to be checked for the rest of your life to see if it's coming back. I plan to make sure it does not.

Finally, when I was in that MRI tube worrying if my cancer had spread, I spent most of my time thinking about family, health, stuff I enjoy, my unborn child, etc. Your family and your health are the two most important things you have. Make sure you take care of both of them FIRST. They're more important than your work, they're more important than your money, they're more important than the crap on TV, etc. Do what you can to make sure that they know it.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only. Do not use this information for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. Have any symptoms evaluated by a licensed doctor in your state. Dr. Hyman DOES NOT offer treatment for cancer. He just wanted to share his story.

Dr. Glenn Hyman, D.C. http://strongerleanerbetter.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glenn_Hyman

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There is nothing like water especially when you are in the middle of the Sahara Desert with the sun piercing right through you. Now that is an extreme situation but nonetheless, water is important not only for quenching thirst but also helps in flushing toxins out of your body. Thus it helps to keep your body healthy and doctors recommend that you should have at least 7-8 glasses of water everyday.

The strange fact is that 97% of earth's water is salty and only 1% is drinkable. The drinking water comes from the existing water sources like streams and rivers, which have existed for millions of years and are under threat due to global warming. The water is then passed through different types of treatment plants and then sent to your home through the Public Water System. There are around 161,000 PWS in the United States. The water supply is tested based on EPA's pollution specific minimum testing schedules. If any kind of problem is detected then water is sent for retesting.

But in spite of all the testing and the processes that go behind making the tap water safe for drinking, contaminants have somehow found their way through. The fatal toxins that have been found in tap water include Chlorine. Chlorine is most commonly found because civic agencies add chlorine to the tap water to treat it. Chlorine can destroy harmful bacteria but at the same time, it can cause several other health problems. Some tests conducted by various civic bodies have found that there have been times when the tap water had too much of chlorine. According to EPA guidelines, only 4ppm (parts per million) of Chlorine is permissible in tap water.

Too much of Chlorine exposure can cause various symptoms like chest problems, blurred vision, burning pain in the eyes, breathing problems and many more. Chlorine can also cause cancer of the bladder, pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer. It can also cause various birth defects in new born babies.

Another fatal contaminant is lead, which can cause severe kidney problems in adults apart from high blood pressure. Infants are prone to mental problems and memory loss caused by lead. The other common toxins in tap water are nitrate and arsenic. Nitrate is responsible for causing the blue baby syndrome. It has a devastating effect because it does not let hemoglobin to carry oxygen, which can lead to death. Arsenic on the other hand is considered to be a slow poison, which taken on a daily basis can cause death and skin cancer among many other illnesses.

Organic chemicals like Acrylamide, Alachlor, Atrazine, Benzopyrene and other chemicals increase the risk of cancer. The best way and the only way to fight it are by installing water filter systems in your home. It is the only way to take care of a possible health risk. In a world where the rate of contamination is increasing with industrial pollution, the underground water, and even natural springs are becoming more polluted than ever. Tap water takes lives but water from the water filter systems will give life!

Paul Gordon is a health consultant. He firmly believes that drinking purified water is essential for optimal health. He put up a website that compare water filters from top brand names, which help people choose better and cheaper water filter for their body and health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Gordonm

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Stay away from the news. I know that in the 21st century, it sounds like an incredible idea to suggest that you stay away from the news. But the news that you read in the newspapers or that you hear on the evening news will make you sick. Guaranteed!

You see, scientists and biochemists are finding that when we’re happy, our brain secretes endorphins that support and strengthen our immune system. And when we’re unhappy, our brain secretes endorphins that send negative messages all through the immune system and make it weaker. And rather than fighting infection, bacteria, or even cancer, when your brain sends a negative message to your immune system via the endorphins, then the immune system loses the defence battle against the invaders. Now, I don’t know about you, but the evening news or the newspaper news are rarely exciting, stimulating or joy provoking.

The way your body works is that your thoughts and emotions trigger a chemical reaction in the brain, which then sends a message to all parts of your body via the bloodstream. That message is carried through transmitters that are neuropeptides, chains of amino acids. The blood reaches every single nook and cranny of your body and if there is a part that is already weakened by past injuries, constant stress of chronic fragility, the chemicals are more likely to deliver their negative message to that area, and reinforce that past trauma.

And the evening news tend to depress your immune system. Studies conducted at Stanford University on students taking final exams showed that their T-cells, the cells that normally fight colds, disease and cancer, were severely reduced during the time of exam stress. The students were more likely to get sick during exam season.

The same occurs in your body when you are exposed to depressing news or events. Think about it for a moment. What would really happen if you missed the latest evening news report?

Through the years, I have stayed away voluntarily from the news of any kind and I have noticed that if the news is important enough, it will reach me anyway. Either people around me will discuss it and inform me, or there will be headlines on the news stand. I find that I have missed really little of importance through the decades I have ‘missed’ the news. You might try maybe a day at a time, then two. Then an entire week without news. You could even occupy the extra time you gain for some stress reducing techniques.

Think of the brain as a machine for not merely filtering and storing this sensory input, but for associating it with other events or stimuli occurring simultaneously at any synapse or receptor along the way—this is learning. Let’s look at how this occurs in the process of vision, which is very advanced and complex in humans. After a visual signal hits the retina, the light-sensitive part of the eye, it must make its way across five more synapses as it moves from the back of the brain to the frontal cortex.

About the Author:

Dr Laurence Magne Publisher, Author Cancer Free For Life Email : lmagne@yahoo.com Website : http://cancer-free-for-life.com

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What link do these two diseases have in common? If you grew up during the time the polio vaccine was administered between 1953-1963, you'll soon learn where it links to cancer.

The first and foremost thing you need to understand is that once a vaccine has been approved, there are no longer any boundaries to which it can be used. Reporting of adverse affects from vaccinations is entirely voluntary on the part of the physician!

They must report the number of vaccinations they administer, but there is no need to report the number of cases of life threatening side affects. Is that absurd, or what? There are no accurate numbers of the damages vaccines have done to children and adults alike.

The polio vaccine from 1953-1963, was shown to be contaminated with SV40 (simian virus). The SV40 is a virus that is known to cause cancer...period! Beginning to see the picture? During that time, more than 98 million adults and children were administered this vaccine and a huge amount was also shipped overseas to other countries.

Which cancers are associated with SV40? Primary brain and bone cancers, malignant mesothelioma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are the main cancers. Have we not seen a rise in mesothelioma in the last decade? Is there a connection?

Dr. James Howenstine, M.D. stated:

"Vaccines are a sacred cow and nothing against them appears in the mass media because they are so profitable to pharmaceutical firms.

There is valid reason to think that not only are vaccines worthless in preventing disease they are counterproductive because they injure the immune system permitting cancer, auto-immune diseases and SIDS to cause much disability and death."

A Dr. Hilleman isolated SV 40 virus from both the Salk and Sabin polio vaccines and reported:

"There were 40 different viruses in these polio vaccines they were trying to eradicate. They were never able to get rid of these viruses contaminating the polio vaccines. The SV 40 virus causes malignancies. It has now been identified in 43 % of cases of non-Hodgekin lymphoma, 36 % of brain tumors, 18 % of healthy blood samples, and 22 % of healthy semen samples, mesothiolomas and other malignancies. By the time of this discovery SV 40 had already been injected into 10,000,000 people in Salk vaccine."

The whole report with references can be read at News with Views. This report doesn't just cover the polio vaccine but the whole enchilada of vaccines and findings of the damages they are causing our children and ourselves.

When vaccines were first implemented as mandatory for school attendance, a person received approximately 10 vaccinations. That number has now increased to 36! In that period of time, diseases in adults and children alike have risen dramatically.

Moreover, there are no statistics to prove that vaccinations are even necessary as demonstrated by Vaccinations - The Hidden Truth. This documentary, with statements from MDs and PhDs, clearly sets a case against anyone being vaccinated and should be a requirement for all parents to watch.

All vaccines are comprised of substances that have not been proven as safe for direct injection into the human body, part of which is the DNA and cells of animals. Eating meat that may have some contaminants in it goes through a process in our digestive system that eliminates the bad. Having contaminants directly injected bypasses that process.

Not to mention the known agents that they use in vaccines that are toxic:

Mercury

Formaldehyde

Aluminum

These toxic substances are used purportedly to prevent the vaccines from becoming infected or to improve their performance.

Would you knowingly take these toxic substances if you were informed they were in minute amounts in a glass of juice? If not, then why are you letting them inject them into your children?

If you do your research, the evidence is piling up...vaccines are more a hindrance to your health than a lifesaver. More and more physicians are beginning to question the standard of vaccinating everyone.

My only hope is that more people become aware of the dangers involved in this long-time adherence to a medical practice that should be outlawed and opt your children out of it by filing a waiver form with your school system for personal or religious exemption.

Jackie Martin writes from a perspective of her own self-education after three siblings (in the last five years), her mother and several other extended family members were diagnosed with cancer. Her blog: WhenCancerHitsHome deals with the personal side of each siblings diagnosis as well as her self-education resources and findings.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jackie_Martin

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You made a decision some time ago to take the easy way out when it came to control of what happens to your body and what diseases you could prevent by not taking the easy way. Maybe you didn't consciously take it, like..."I think I'll only eat junk food from now on."...but that's exactly what has happened.

How many times have you assaulted your system with unhealthy foods, additives, and chemicals? If someone were to offer you a shot of formaldehyde, would you take it?

Because you haven't done your research, that's exactly what you are doing every time you drink a diet soda, or anything for that matter that contains aspartame.

Aspartame exposed to warm temperatures (86 degrees) breaks down into formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a nerve toxin that affects the brain, damages vision and the entire nervous system. Think about it---they embalm people with this after death! Do you really what to take in even a small amount of this substance?

Coke and Pepsi were both banned in India last year due to the high levels of aspartame, chemicals, and other pesticides. New Mexico, at the beginning of this year, also had proposed legislation on the table to ban these products or at least put a warning label on them.

A report in February 2006 by the Ramazzini Foundation in Italy showed that (reprinted):

a) a significant dose-related increase of malignant tumor-bearing animals in males, in particular in the group treated at 2000 ppm;

b) a significant increase of the incidence in lymphomas/leukemias in males treated at 2000 ppm and a significant dose-related increase of the incidence of lymphomas/leukemias in females, in particular in the group treated at 2000 ppm;

c) a significant dose-related increase of the incidence of mammary cancer in females, in particular in the group treated at 2000 ppm.

Conclusions. The results of this carcinogenicity bioassay not only confirm, but also reinforce the first experimental demonstration of [aspartame's] multipotential carcinogenicity at a dose level close to the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for humans. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that when lifespan exposure to [aspartame] begins during fetal life, its carcinogenic effects are increased.

A lengthy New York Times article reports the controversy that was created by the results of this study. Apparently, an increase in cancer in mice is okay to remove some products but not ones that were backed by high-visibility people and companies such as Donald Rumsfeld and Searle (the manufacturer of aspartame). Mr. Rumsfeld was the head of Searle at the time.

It should also be noted that when aspartame is broken down in the digesting process, a by-poduct called DKP forms. When your stomach processes the DKP, it produces a compound similar to N-nitrosourea, a chemical known to cause brain tumors.

So here you have an artificial sweetener that is made up of chemicals that play a major part in our digestive systems to produce brain tumors, breast cancer, lymphomas, leukemias, and a host of other ailments.

Dr. Samuel Epstein, MD stated that:

"More than a dozen animal tests over the last thirty years have demonstrated the carcinogenic effects of saccharin in the bladder and other sites, particularly female reproductive organs, and in some instances at doses as low as the equivalent of one to two bottles of diet pop daily."

The FDA's own audit, called The Bressler Report, concluded that aspartame triggered brain tumors, ovarian tumors, breast tumors, uterine tumors, pancreatic tumors, etc. So what did the FDA do? They audited the audit!

Since the FDA approved aspartame as safe, we now have more than 5000 products that contain this artificial sweetener/chemical. One of the name brands that you often see in numerous products is NutraSweet.

Start reading labels when you go grocery shopping and stop buying products that can cumulatively do this much damage.

If this report doesn't give you pause to stop and think about what you are consuming and how it's going to affect you, then continue to take the easy way out and blame someone else for your ailments.

When the unexpected diagnosis is given, you will still have to look at yourself in the mirror and know ultimately, that you were the one who didn't take the time to educate yourself. Instead you listened to all the hype and media coverage--which is just that--hype and media coverage.

Jackie Martin writes from a perspective of her own self-education after three siblings (in the last five years), her mother and several other extended family members were diagnosed with cancer. Her blog: WhenCancerHitsHome deals with the personal side of each siblings diagnosis as well as her self-education resources and findings.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jackie_Martin

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by: Donald Saunders

Although there are several tests which may be performed when the presence of prostate cancer is suspected, the only sure way to detect the condition is the prostate biopsy. But precisely how effective is the biopsy at confirming this particular condition?

In the United States alone each year there are in the region of one million prostate biopsies carried out of which about 25 percent show the presence of cancer. Of the remaining 75 percent of biopsies however roughly 33 percent also result in false negative results. This means that about 25 percent of all those men being given a prostate biopsy are cleared by this test, despite the fact that they have prostate cancer.

At first sight therefore it might appear that the biopsy is not a very good test but these results do not demonstrate that there is anything wrong with the prostate biopsy procedure as a means of identifying the presence of cancer. What it does clearly mean however is that there is a need to spot those individuals who, in spite of returning a negative result, are nonetheless at high risk from cancer and should therefore have a second follow-up biopsy.

The difficulty is that until very recently there has been no easy method of identifying those patients at risk. Fortunately, a recent study of over 500 individuals being investigated for prostate cancer could now provide a solution.

All of the men taking part in the study had previously had a negative biopsy result but the researchers found that when they looked at the patient's prostate specific antigen test results and these were adjusted to take account of the size of the prostate they were able to identify those individuals who were more likely to receive a positive result on a follow-up biopsy.

The researchers also found that patients with a Gleeson score of 7 or higher were at greater risk from life-threatening cancer and were again more likely to receive a positive result on a second biopsy. The Gleeson score runs on a scale from 2 to 10 and the score is calculated from a microscopic investigation of the biopsy tissue. Low scores point to a cancer with a relatively low risk of spread and high scores point to a cancer which is much more likely to spread.

There are several biopsy procedures used nowadays but perhaps the most frequently performed procedure is known as the core needle biopsy. In this case a number of tiny samples of tissue are removed from different areas of the prostrate using a biopsy gun which shoots a needle into the chosen section to remove the sample in just a fraction of a second. The samples collected are then sent off for microscopic examination to find out whether cancer is present and, if it is, to determine precisely how much of the prostate is affected.

A prostate biopsy is not a cheap procedure and is a test which can also be relatively worrying for the patient. It is sometimes also a quite painful test which may involve bleeding and a risk of infection. Consequently it is important to identify those individuals for whom a follow-up biopsy would be desirable and to reduce the number of avoidable follow-up biopsies being performed every year.

ProstateProblemCenter.com provides information on everything from the prostate biopsy to the therapeutic use of milking the prostate gland

searchwarp.com

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By: Varina Andrews

The Breakthrough for prostate cancer: HIFU

HIFU Treatment for Prostate Cancer

There are numerous treatments for prostate cancer and each has its own benefits and drawbacks. Patients and their prostate specialist must weigh many factors when determining the best treatment option. Age, Gleason score (measure of aggressiveness), PSA, lifestyle and quality of life issues all play a very important part in the equation of finding the optimal treatment. HIFU treatment, which is short for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, is a state-of-the-art technology acoustic ablation technique that utilizes the power of ultrasound to destroy deep-seated tissue with pinpoint accuracy for treatment of prostate cancer. HIFU focuses sound waves in a targeted area which rapidly increases the temperature in the focal zone causing tissue destruction.

The control and precision of HIFU treatment reduces the risk of common side effects such as impotence and incontinence.

HIFU is a 1-3 hour, one-time procedure preformed on an out-patient basis under spinal or epidural anesthesia. Unlike radiation, HIFU is non-ionizing so it can be repeated if necessary without damaging healthy tissue. This means that HIFU can also be used as a salvage technique if other prostate cancer treatments fail.

HIFU Treatment Information

An overview of what patients may expect during each phase of HIFU treatment - should you have any specific questions regarding treatment, please visit www.drlotenfoe.com.

Before HIFU Treatment The night before your HIFU procedure, you will be given two enemas that are administered 2 hours prior to the procedure. It is very important that you do not move during the HIFU procedure, therefore, after arriving at the treatment facility, you will be given an epidural (spinal) anesthesia that will numb you from the waist down. You will also be given light intravenous sedation.

During HIFU Treatment The patient experiences no pain during treatment. A small probe that emits ultrasound waves directly to the prostatic tissue, is inserted into the rectum. First, the prostate specialist captures real-time images of the prostate and the surrounding area. Treatment time varies depending on the size of the prostate, but generally lasts one to three hours. You may experience swelling in the abdomen as a result of the destruction of tissue, therefore a catheter is inserted and is typically worn for 2-3 weeks to make sure that the bladder can empty properly as your body heals. Most patients are able to resume a normal diet and lifestyle almost immediately. No hospital stay is required and the procedure involves no incision and no scalpel.

After HIFU Treatment Immediately after HIFU there is a one to two hour recovery period at the treatment facility and then you are discharged to recover comfortably at your hotel. Your prostate specialist will prescribe some antibiotics and other medications for after HIFU, but most people don’t experience any pain after the procedure. You may experience some discomfort or body aches which is normal and is temporary. Additionally, in the first one to two weeks after HIFU, you may experience very mild urinary symptoms such as frequency and/or urgency to void (the compelling urge to urinate, along with discomfort in your bladder), which are also normal and temporary.

How does HIFU work?

In order to understand the basic concept of how HIFU treatment works, an analogy can be drawn between HIFU ablating the prostate and sunrays entering a magnifying glass to burn a leaf. When a magnifying glass is held above a leaf in the correct position on a sunny day the sunrays intersect below the lens and cause the leaf to burn at the point of intersection.

If you insert your hand into the path of either one of the sun rays individually, away from the point of intersection, there is no significant heat felt or harm caused. Alternatively, if you place your hand at the point of intersection you will be burned.

The scientific principles at work in this example are the same as those with HIFU. Instead of light as the energy source, HIFU utilizes sound. Instead of a magnifying glass HIFU uses a transducer. Just as the individual sunray is harmless to the hand, the individual sound waves are harmless to the healthy tissue it travels through.

During HIFU treatment, the prostate specialist uses continuously updated real-time images of the prostate to map out and execute the entire treatment plan. These images show treatment progression and permit the prostate specialist to customize treatment for maximum safety and effectiveness.

For more information on HIFU visit www.drlotenfoe.com or call at 1-866.876.3627

Locations Celebration Office 410 Celebration Place Suite 203 Celebration, FL 34747 Phone: 407.566.1105

Winter Haven Office 320 1st Street North Winter Haven, FL 33881 Phone: 863.297.9070

For more information visit www.drlotenfoe.com

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By TJ Nelson

There are many types of cancer that people may suffer from but one thing that stays similar is the types of medication that they may be using. There are many forms of medication that you may be prescribed with various types of side effect to go with each. Your doctor will go over your particular case with you and determine which type of treatment is the best.

Your treatment may consist of such treatments as Chemotherapy, Hormone therapy, Biological therapy, Alternative and complimentary therapy and of course drug treatment. Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs which are done intravenously, by mouth, Injectable and topical applications. They stop the growth of cancer cells as they destroy the cells. This type of treatment is usually done in cycles. They will usually alternate treatments with rest periods to allow the person to recuperate.

Some of the anti-cancer medications that your doctor may use may include such medications as: Hexalen, Elspar, Blenoxane, Xeloda, Idamycin and Doxil just to name a few. Most cancer medications come with a hefty list of side effects. Unfortunately the necessity of the medication makes it almost impossible to avoid side effects. If you suffer from severe side effects your doctor will most likely prescribe another medication to counter act the side effects.

Some of the side effects that you may or may not experience with cancer medications might be: Feeling very tired and weak, more susceptible to infections and they can bleed and bruise easily. Keep in mind that you can use other drugs to counteract the side effects and that makes it much easier for you to undergo the necessary cancer treatment.

Radiation therapy is the form of treatment where they use ionizing radiation. This type of treatment kills off the cell in the area that is being treated. This makes it impossible for the cells to grow back. Often times the area of cancer will be surgically removed and then the radiation and chemotherapy will start. If you choose to do the hormone therapy, this is where you will be given hormones to change the way your cells grow in your body.

Biological therapy is also known as Immunotherapy as it helps you make use of your immune system to help with your side effects from other medications as well as fighting off the cancer cells.

No matter which form of cancer you suffer from, be sure to keep a good line of communication open with your doctor. Educate yourself on all of your medications and be sure to know what side effects that you may or may not experience. Before starting any type of new treatment, be sure to discuss all of your options with your oncologist. He or she will be more than happy to go over your treatment plan in detail so you can be well informed on what to expect. If you find a medication that you are interested in then bring this up with your doctor as well so that he or she can consider it as a possibility or let you know why it is not a good choice.

From personal research Nelson provides an online research tool for cancer patients; with an emphasis on Mesothelioma cancer. By visiting http://mesotheliomaplus.com/ you will find resources to specialized cancer centers, doctors and a Mesothelioma attorneys directory for legal consideration.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=TJ_Nelson

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By Bruno Lopes

Breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death occuring mostly in women whereas prostrate cancer is the cancer affecting most of the male population. Cancer is a group of diseases in which cells grow and divide without respect to normal limits, invade and destroy adjacent tissues and/or metastatize(spread to other locations in the body). These three malignant properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors [unharmful], Although benign tumor types are capable of becoming malignant.

Nearly all cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. These abnormalities may be due to the effects of carcinogens, such as tobacco smoke, radiation, chemicals, or infectious agents. Aflatoxin B1, which is produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus growing on stored grains, nuts and peanut butter, is an example of a potent, naturally-occurring microbial carcinogen. Certain viruses such as Hepatitis B and human papilloma viruses (HPV), Epstein Barr virus have been found to cause cancer in humans. The first one shown to cause cancer in animals was Rous sarcoma virus, discovered in 1910 by Peyton Rous.

Benzene, kepone, ethylene dibromide, asbestos, and the waste rock of oil shale mining have all been classified as carcinogenic. Vinyl chloride, from which PVC is manufactured, is a carcinogen and thus a hazard in PVC production.

Other cancer-promoting genetic abnormalities may be randomly acquired through errors in DNA replication, or are inherited, and thus present in all cells from birth. Genetic abnormalities found in cancer typically affect two general classes of genes. Cancer-promoting oncogenes are often activated in cancer cells, giving those cells new properties, such as hyperactive growth and division, protection against programmed cell death, loss of respect for normal tissue boundaries, and the ability to become established in diverse tissue environments. Tumor suppressor genes are often inactivated in cancer cells, resulting in the loss of normal functions in those cells, such as accurate DNA replication, control over the cell cycle, orientation and adhesion within tissues, and interaction with protective cells of the immune system.

The age of peak incidence of cancer in children occurs during the first year of life. Leukemia is the most common infant malignancy, followed by the central nervous system cancers and neuroblastoma. The remainder consists of Wilms' tumor, lymphomas, rhabdomyosarcoma (arising from muscle), retinoblastoma, osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma. Teratoma is the most common tumor in this age group, but most teratomas are surgically removed while still benign.

Some of the symptoms seen in cancer are as follows:

Anorexia: lack or loss of appetite

Cognitive dysfunction: difficulty with thinking ability, including memory loss, distractibility, difficulty in performing multiple tasks (multitasking), and trouble with arithmetic and language skills.

Dyspnea: defined, as a sensation of uncomfortable awareness of breathing, is one of the most frightening and distressing symptoms as well as one of the most common symptoms experienced by patients with cancer.

Fatigue: Fatigue is often reported as the most common symptom that individuals with cancer experience.

Hormonal disturbances: Changes in hormone levels are a common effect of cancer treatment for many men and women. These hormones include estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. The result of these changes can be one or more symptoms, from hot flashes, bone weakening, mood, sleep and skin changes (for men and women), to changes in the vagina and urination (for women).

Neutropenia: Neutropenia is an abnormal decrease in neutrophil cells (type of white blood cells that help fight infection) that occurs as a result of certain cancer treatments.

Peripheral neuropathy: described as a burning, tingling, and numbing type of pain in the hands and feet.

Sexual dysfunction: inability to fully enjoy sexual intercourse.

Other symptoms that can be seen include:

A change in bowel habits, Blood in your stool, Nausea and Vomiting.

Unexplained anemia, Bone Complications, Lymphedema

Breast lump or breast discharge, Unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge, Lumps in the testicles

A change in urination, Blood in the urine

Hoarseness and fever due to the disease affecting their immune system, the cancer itself, or a response to treatment. Fever normally occurs as the cancer progresses.

Persistent lumps or swollen glands

Obvious change in a wart or a mole

Indigestion or difficulty swallowing

Unexpected weight loss, night sweats, or fever

Continued itching in your anus or genitals, Non-healing sores

Headache, Back pain, pelvic pain, bloating, or indigestion

BRUNO LOPES is an MSc-2 student of T.N.Medical College and B.Y.L.Nair Charitable Hospital [MUMBAI UNIVERSITY] and likes to do research on Herbs and fruits and study their medicinal properties. He has graduated in Microbiology and Biochemistry[co-curricular honors in microbiology] from ST.XAVIERS COLLEGE, Mumbai [MUMBAI UNIVERSITY]. Currently he is researching on his dissertation topic, 'Role of Sodium potassium ATPase,Glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin in Diabetes mellitus' as a part of MSc-2.

His aim in life is to do something for betterment of mankind which he describes by a simple adage, which is,''Knowledge is education for oneself but wisdom for the sake of others'' His interests are Microbiology, Biochemistry, Oncology, Nutrition, Botany, Immunology, Virology and many more. He has a vast knowledge on scientific names of different plants and microbes of course as he had graduated in Microbiology and Biochemistry.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bruno_Lopes

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Experts are expecting 178,000 women to be diagnosed with large-scale breast cancer and 62,000 of locally confined cancer. This is the prediction, however do not stand by and wait and see what will happen. No, all precaution must be taken seriously. Know the risk factors; some may appear uncontrollable but others are.

The very first factor of developing breast cancer is being female followed by advancing age. This type of cancer develops in seventy-five percent of women over the age of fifty.

Get to know how your breasts look and feel at a very early age giving the opportunity to notice any changes such as dimpling, skin redness, lumps, or thickening tissue. Any of these changes should be reported to your health care provider immediately. The health care provider will look for these changes clinically about every three years in your twenties and thirties and then annual mammograms after forty.

Although mammography screenings detect the disease in its early stage and reduce the mortality rate, it's not sensitive enough to detect abnormalities in dense breast tissue. For that reason, women over forty years of age with high risk of cancer and those with dense breast tissue should have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as the mammograms.

*This was recommended by the American Cancer Society in March 2007 of women with twenty to twenty-five percent or greater risk of breast cancer or ovarian and other form of cancer.

Now back to the risk factors, two have been named, sex and age. Next is family history. The risk is high if someone in your family was diagnosed with cancer before menopause or age fifty. If that someone is a mother, sister or daughter the risk doubles. But only five to ten percent of breast cancers are linked to inherited changes. These suspected inherited changes are mutations in certain genes which have been linked to breast, ovarian and colon cancers.

Find out about your family history, talk to relatives and if there is a strong family history, genetic testing may be in order. Talk to your health care provider about your family genetic make-up there could be clinical trials or other preventive methods available for high risk women. Studies have shown a fifty percent reduction in chemoprevention. Of course this involves an estrogen inhibiting drug (tamoxifen).

If breast cancer has occurred, the risk is great for reoccurring cancer in other breast tissue. Although some conditions were benign there is still a risk of breast cancer at a later time, such as atypical hyperplasia (an over growth of cells in the breast ducts), and dense breast is a factor as well.

Take charge of your health; be observant of your environment and lifestyle. Stay away from pesticides and hazardous chemicals even household products. Watch your lifestyle, diet, weight, excessive alcohol and other unhealthy habits that maybe a breast cancer risk.

Start in your early twenties and observe your body, notice any changes, read articles concerning breast cancer, know your family history, and talk to your health care provider and asking questions. Be vigilant about breast screening; if you are at high risk ask for a MRI along with your mammograms.

About the author:
Carolyn Bell Smith, committed to helping others improve their health, fight sickness, and build a strong immune system. Author and creator, Healthy LifeStyle and More,
http://www.yourhealthrenewed.com

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By: Jack Stowe

Pain in the affected bone is the most common complaint of patients with bone cancer. At first, the pain is not constant and may be worse at night or when the bone is used (example is leg pain when walking). As the cancer grows, the pain will be there all the time. The pain increases with activity and may result in a limp if a leg is involved.

Swelling in the area of the pain may not occur until weeks later. Depending on the location of the tumor, it may be possible to feel a lump or mass.

Fractures: Although bone cancer may weaken the bone it develops in, the bones do not usually fracture. People with a fracture next to or through a bone cancer usually describe a limb that was sore for a few months and suddenly became severely painful.

Generalized symptoms: If the cancer has spread, you may have generalized symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue.

However, symptoms may vary depending on the location and size of the cancer. Tumors that occur in or near joints may cause swelling or tenderness in the affected area.

The treatment options for bone cancer

Various forms of cancer treatments using surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy for bone cancer are being tested in clinical trials.

Clinical trials are a critical step in the development of new methods of treatment. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease.

Treatment options depend on the type, size, location, and stage of the cancer, as well as the person’s age and general health.

Although amputation of a limb is sometimes necessary, pre- or post-operative chemotherapy has made limb-sparing surgery possible in many cases.

When appropriate, surgeons avoid amputation by removing only the cancerous section of the bone and replacing it with an artificial device called a prosthesis.

However, a biopsy—the removal of a sample of tissue from the bone tumor—is needed to determine whether cancer is present

The possible risk factors for bone cancer

Although scientists are not certain what causes bone cancer, a number of factors may put a person at increased risk.

These cancers occur more frequently in children and young adults, particularly those who have had radiation or chemotherapy treatments for other conditions.

Adults with a noncancerous condition such as characterized by abnormal development of new bone cells, may be at increased risk for osteosarcoma.

A small number of bone cancers are due to heredity. For example, children with hereditary retinoblastoma (an uncommon cancer of the eye) are at a higher risk of developing osteosarcoma.

Copyright 2007 JackStowe. For more cancer related articles visit, http://ward911.blogspot.comhttp://extrafit.blogspot.com Get Fit Everyday Naturally visit,

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

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By: Lara Sawyer

When it comes to breast cancer, there are many different kinds of grants each one designed for a specific purpose. Nevertheless, whether the money is needed for diagnosing, treating, doing research, educating, purchasing equipment, paying for staff, etc. there is always a source of funds in the form of a grant to pay for it or finance all the costs associated to these practices.

The funds do not come only from government agencies. On the contrary, the most significant amounts come from private foundations and other non-profit institutions that want to contribute to fighting breast cancer. Eligibility for either government grants or private funding differs from grant to grant but almost any health care agency that is performing tasks related to breast cancer screening, diagnosing or treating will find a source of funds in the form of a grant if needed.

The Purpose Of These Grants

Why do private institutions and the federal government provide funding for these projects? Simple: The idea is to assign the money needed to research on this topic and support different developments that concentrate on breast cancer. The projects can focus on treatments or education or any other area provided that it is breast cancer related.

The mission is to offer to women who are medically underserved all that is needed in terms of information to avoid breast cancer whenever possible and to treat it or eliminate it if feasible. This includes education, screening, detection, treatment, medicines, hiring staff, etc. There are many costs that are related to the subject that need to be covered and these grants are meant for that.

The Amounts at Stake

All these costs are quite high and therefore much money is needed to cover for them. But contrary to common belief, these grants provide increasingly higher funds that are already significant. For instance, the higher grant amount provided by a private institution not so long ago reached almost the figure of 5,000,000 dollars and was awarded to a single institution fighting breast cancer.

What Have The Funds Been Awarded For

So far breast cancer grants from private institutions have been awarded for educational programs to reach the community and let the same community refer other community members so the information can be spread as thoroughly as possible. They have also been awarded for providing support to cancer patients, not only physically but also psychologically.

When it comes to financial assistance, these grants have been awarded not only to provide medical assistance but also for counseling, child care for those mothers that cannot take care of their children due to the illness, transportation to and from the clinic where all the procedures are performed and many other types of financial assistance that a victim of breast cancer may need.

Also, many grants where awarded not only by private institutions but also by the government for seminars on breast cancer, research and many other scientific topics that also need to be funded in order to develop new ways to address this problem that affects hundreds of thousands women across the country and world.

Lara Sawyer is a professional loan advisor who helps people to get Government Grants and to secure Bad Credit Loans. At http://www.fastguaranteedloans.com/ you'll find all of her tips on how to get approved without hassles.

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Lionel Estridge Estridge

Pain evasion is an essential asset to anyone diagnosed with an illness that brings about pain such as cancer and arthritis, which are guaranteed to bring severe pain to a patient and makes it really difficult for an individual to maintain a sense of normality. Because everybody reacts to treatments in a different way, it is very important to consult with a physician to find the proper treatment for you.

Weakening diseases such as arthritis and cancer share a common connection when it comes to pain. Patient who experience arthritis often require physical or therapeutic exercise. This type of arthritis pain control helps to increase joint flexibility and muscle mobility. Cancer treatments often have the same affect, leaving the person feeling weak and powerless. Individuals respond to treatments based on how far the cancer has advanced, and pain evasion should be individualized.

It is important to set up a plan with your physician to develop a pain evasion plan if you are diagnosed with cancer, this will help you handle the changes that your body will experience as you take the treatments needed to eradicate the cancer from your body. As a result, when you first experience a pain in your body, you should inform your doctor where the pain is situated, how severe it is, how long the pain lasted, and if you experienced a return of it in the same position. This will allow them to set up solutions to help you deal with the pain.

The most important step is making note of where pain occurs in your body. For patients suffering from arthritis, pain more often than not occurs in the joints. For cancer patients, pain can take place wherever the tumour is situated. Occasionally this pain can spread. By making a pain diary you can help your doctor decide where the pain is taking place, how frequently it occurs and the severity of the pain, so that your doctor can begin the remedies to help alleviate it.

For people who suffer from arthritis, fortunately a large number medication is available to help ease the pain. Patient could have a number of different methods that can help build up their arthritis pain evasion plan. This could be including anti-inflammatory drugs along with therapeutic exercises. With cancer evasion, unfortunately doctors have to try different medications on a patient before they find the right remedy.

Pain evasion methods might need to include physical and emotional therapies like hot and cold massages, and also breathing methods are all used to help weak muscles. Emotional support is also very important when coping with the feeling of helplessness when patients feel when they can't carry out simple task like dressing themselves.

The simple task of pain evasion can be a life-saving, but it is important to keep in mind that everyone will react to pain treatments in different ways, and that you may have to try quite a few remedies before finding the right one that works for you.

Pain evasion is essential for cancer treatment, because it can help to overcome the fear and worry experienced after such a serious diagnosis. Always remember to tell your doctor about the pain, and maintain constant communication with your doctor so that your doctor will help find a pain evasion method that will fit your condition, and this makes it possible to go back to a normal life as soon as possible.

About the author:
Lionel Estridge, publisher of Zero to Hero newsletter; subscription is FREE. To subscribe go to http://www.lionel1.com/ or visit http://www.lionel1.com/pain_relief

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Robert

Visiting your New York Dentist is not the best idea if you suspect that there is a possible mouth or tongue cancer. Unfortunately, most people don't realize that there is cause for concern in the subtle changes to mouth tissue. That is probably why most of these are initially recognized during routine dental check-ups.

Ideally, anyone involved in habits that contribute to the development of oral cancers namely chewing tobacco, smoking or using snuff; would learn the symptoms of these diseases and watch for them. In a perfect world these folks would be hyper-sensitive to any lesions, discoloration or changes in oral tissue. If we all did then these cancers would be detected very early and the prognosis would be far, far better.

Perfect world scenarios rarely pan out however. People who engage in risky health practices are also likely to dismiss dental hygiene with a quick brushing now and then. Even more startling is the statistic for oral cancers among people who are involved in no risky habits. About 27 % of those contracting oral cancers have no known risk factors. That's why dentists are trained to examine and identify mouth cancers particularly on the tongue during every routine dental examination. Long before other health professionals are called into the patient's consultation the dentist has often made a preliminary diagnosis.

Some New York dentists are using new technology to help identify and mark precancerous tissues especially in "at risk" groups. These use a combination of harmless blue marking dyes and light to make the mouth screening more accurate. The new protocol, called ViziLite Plus is produced by Zila Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Phoenix, Arizona. While this is not a revolutionary change in oral cancer screening it does use a simple concept to make the process better.

That's reason enough to keep six month dental check-ups. Of course the other main reasons are still of primary concern. But having a dentist perform a visual examination for cancer in the head and neck area every time a routine check up and cleaning is scheduled is sort of a value added bonus for the consumer in all of us!

It is estimated that the most advanced cases of oral cancer may require medical care that may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat. The treatment isn't anything that most people would want to go through either. Surgeries up to and including removing many parts of the mouth and tongue may be necessary. Most people can think of far better ways to spend that money. This of course makes the value of early oral cancer diagnosis more important from even a micro budgeting standpoint.

Even without health insurance these semi-annual visits are a bargain. Prevention of periodontal disease is also a huge money savings that can result from professional tooth cleaning. And catching caries before a deep cavity is formed saves suffering as well as tooth structures. Removing stains during the six month check up and cleaning is intended to keep caries from forming but is more valuable than a tube of new lip stick from a cosmetic stand point.

About the Author:

You can find more information at alexlist.org.

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Treating cancer pain depends on a variety of factors such as the type of cancer you have, the extent of the disease, and your individual tolerance for pain. But while the source of the pain can vary, one thing is for certain. Most of the time, it can be controlled. Cancer pain can stem from physical factors such as a tumor pressing on nerves or bone or from side effects from treatments such as chemotherapy. It may also be aggravated by anxiety or depression. The pain can be chronic or acute. To conquer the pain, here are some tips that you can consider to adopt to manage the pain effectively.

1. Heal Your Veins

To help ease tenderness and swelling caused by repeated injections. Apply aloe vera straight from the plant, if possible to the injection sites. Or make a paste of goldenseal powder and water and pack it onto the affected areas before you go to sleep, leaving it on all night. Both treatments can help soothe the pain.

2. Try Hypnosis

Hypnosis has long been known to control pain. Hypnosis can help you dissociate from the pain. It is like turning down the dial from 10 to 2. You can find a qualified hypnotherapist through the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis.

3. Honor Your Emotions

Anxiety, depression, worry, fear, all of these emotions can influence how much pain affects you. Recognize that these emotions play a role in the perception of pain and, if necessary, ask your doctor to refer you to a psychotherapist or counselor. You may also opt to join a cancer support camp.

4. Learn to Relax

Stress-management techniques such as visualization and meditation may help reduce the sensation of pain. The most basic relaxation technique is to sit quietly and focus on your breathing for 5 to 10 minutes at a time. Or ask your doctor or nurse to recommend a relaxation audiotape.

5. Take A Stroll

Walk regularly, if possible. Even taking a brief walk around your room can improve your circulation and help your body metabolize pain medication, thereby controlling any side effects.

6. Get A Massage

Massage can help reduce emotional stress and thereby lessen your perception of pain. Massage can also relieve tight, tense muscles and help maintain your flexibility and range of motion.

7. Exercise, If You Can

Even gentle exercises can help release endorphins, your body’s natural painkillers. Get whatever exercise you can, within reason.

Author

Raymond Lee is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry and is the Founder of Bodyfixes Group specializing in body health, muscle development and dieting. He is currently the author of the latest edition of "Neck Exercises and Workouts." Visit http://www.bodyfixes.com for more information.

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Have you ever wondered why so many people are getting cancer today? Maybe the answer lies in the things that we consume. Here is some food for thought that may be of interest to you.

A survey was conducted approximately ten years ago that said that one out of every three people in North America would develop cancer at some point in their life.

That same survey was again undertaken just recently and it now tells us that ONE out of ONE people will develop cancer at some point in their life.

What has happened to cause such a tremendous increase in the rate of cancer in our society? What has happened to cause so many of our younger generation to develop this disease?

I believe the answer lies in the quality of the nutrition that we consume. We have raised a generation of "junk food" addicts, and this is a large part of our problem.

A 1999 statistic published by the American Cancer Society states this; "Scientific evidence suggests that up to one-third of the 563,100 cancer deaths expected to have occurred in 1999 were caused by nutrition, and could have been prevented".

The American Cancer Society is telling us that up to one-third of cancer deaths are caused by nutrition, but I believe the number is much higher.

Just what is the cause of cancer? The cause of cancer is not bacteria, the cause of cancer is not a virus, and the cause of cancer is not a fungus. Cancer is a metabolic disease. This means that it is caused by the inability of your body to properly utilize the nutrition that it receives.

All the cells in your body require two things in order for them to remain healthy. One of these is electrical stimulation, and the other is a high quality of nutrition.

Think of it this way. High quality food "burns" a lot cleaner than low quality food, and because of this, high quality food will leave very little residue behind. Also, high quality food is able to provide a higher level of nutrition to the cells of your body.

If the cells of your body do not receive the level of nutrition that they require, they cannot remain healthy, and here is why.

Your body will always attempt to absorb the highest quality nutrition it can from the food that you give it, but if high quality nutrition is not available, your body will attempt to absorb the highest quality nutrition it can find.

If what you consume is not compatible with your body's matrix, and cannot be used to nourish you, it will in effect be toxic to you.

Disease cannot develop or grow on healthy tissue, it can only develop on unhealthy tissue. If you weaken your body by not supplying it with proper nutrition, it will not be able to fight off disease, and cancer, among other things, will likely develop.

In order for the tissues of your body to remain strong and healthy you must supply them with a level of nutrition that they can use.

What is a high level of nutrition? It is nutrition that is "electrically compatible" with the matrix of your body. What does that mean?

There are certain items in our world that are designed as food for us, and certain items that are not. The things that are designed as food for us will have the proper molecular configuration to make them compatible with our physical matrix.

If we consume those things that are "electrically compatible" with our physical matrix they will nourish us, but if we consume those things that are not electrically compatible with our physical matrix they will not nourish us, they will in fact be toxic to us.

Do you eat healthy? You may think you eat healthy, but if you consume those things that your body does not recognize as nutrition and cannot use, then all you are consuming is "filler", and filler is something that your body cannot properly utilize.

What is the underlying cause of cancer? The underlying cause of cancer is the inability of your body to properly utilize the nutrition that it receives.

Cancer cannot develop or grow on healthy tissue, so the only way that you can prevent cancer from developing within you is to keep your body free of toxins, consume only those things that your body can use, and be as healthy as you can be.

Make sure that you keep your tissues supplied with quality nutrition and you will not have to worry about this dreadful disease.

This article by Ron Harder, Nutritional Health Consultant, Iridologist, and Author of "How To Defeat Cancer - Naturally - without Chemo, Radiation, or Surgery". For more information on cancer visit his web site at http://www.defeatcancer.ca

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By: Troy Winters

Cancer is one of the biggest killers around the world. In America alone, 25% of all deaths are related to cancer.

Many people think of cancer as a single problem but in fact, it is a number of problems spread throughout the body. Generally speaking, if cancer is caught in the early stages of development, it can be treated and cured.

Although there are several different types of cancer, the most common ones are Lung, Prostate, Breast, Testicular, Skin and Colon cancers.

Genes control the multiplication and growth of cells. If these genes are defective in the first place, then the cells will not be able to grow or divide properly. As a result of this abnormality, cancerous cells are born.

There are a number of factors which cause cancer. Factors which are controllable by humans are smoking, toxic elements and radiation. These can be controlled to some degree and therefore it would be wise to avoid them by changing lifestyle habits. However, there are certain elements which are outside our control. These include mutation and inherited DNA.

As a result of studies conducted by the American Cancer Society, more than 180,000 people have died as a direct result of smoking. Another 200,000 people have died due to lack of changing lifestyle habits. Obesity, laziness and malnutrition can have an effect on the growth of cancer. Needless to say, cancer has risen by more than 50% since 1995.

Let's take a look at some of these cancer causes in more detail.

Smoking: The most prevalent and easily avoidable type of cancer is the one caused by the use of tobacco. This includes the use of cigarettes, cigars and pipes. Even though smokers are addicted to nicotine, the fact that 200,000 people die every year due to smoking caused cancer should be enough motivation to quit. Some experts say that cessation of smoking can increase lifespan by up to 20 years.

Although nothing has been proven, studies indicate that stress may also be a contributing factor to cancer. Many cancer patients are also employed in stressful jobs. Some theologians believe that stress lowers the bodies immunity to cancer.

Exercise and Healthy Eating: Healthy eating and exercise is universally known to be beneficial in many aspects. But, many people don't know that food full of nutrition can reduce the risk of cancer. Specific foods such as fruit and veg can help prevent cancer whilst fatty foods such as meat can increase the likelihood of cancer.

Skin cancer can easily be avoided by simply listening to good advice. Wear sunglasses, hats, sun cream and other sensible items of clothing to avoid the onset of this type of cancer. Although this may seem like common sense, more than one million people have been diagnosed with skin cancer in a single year.

In summary, some cancers can be avoided. New research and studies are being conducted all the time. So, rather than concentrating on how to treat cancer patients, maybe we should all be looking for more ways to prevent the cancer in the first place.

Read more about all types of cancer at http://www.cancer-society.com

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Asbestos and lung cancer, yes it is true that asbestos is a major reason for the cause of this deadly disease. Before we analyze the interrelationship between asbestos and lung cancer it is necessary to understand what is asbestos and what are its health implications.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral in the form of bundled fibers. Asbestos fibers are heat and chemical resistant and are poor conductor of electricity. These qualities make it fit for commercial use. Industries use four types of Asbestos: Chrysolite or white asbestos, Crocidolite or blue asbestos, Anthophyllite or gray colored fibers and Amosite or brown colored fibers. These asbestos fibers break into tiny dust particles and thus easily inhaled or swallowed which can cause serious health disorders. Lung cancer caused from asbestos is one such example.

Health Hazards of Asbestos

Regular exposure to asbestos can result in several serious diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma cancers and asbestosis. Asbestosis is as lung disease that produces shortness of breath, coughing and permanent damage to lungs and Mesothelioma-a rare cancer of membrane covering the chest and abdomen, and cancers of larynx, oropharynx, gastrointestinal tract and kidney.

Regular exposure of asbestos results in occupational diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. Since 1940, millions of American workers, working in shipbuilding companies, mining and milling of asbestos, manufacturing of asbestos textiles and other asbestos products, insulation in construction and building trades, and brake repair were exposed to asbestos. Demolition workers, drywall removers and firefighters are also at risk of being exposed to asbestos that may cause lung cancer in them.

Due to stringent norms and improved work practices, today’s workers face negligible risks of lung cancer from asbestos. Although heavier and longer exposure time is held responsible for the risk but investigators found that brief exposures could also lead to infection. Not only the workers but also their families are at risk of asbestos diseases and lung cancer. Para occupational exposure occurs because asbestos fibers are brought into the house by means of shoes, clothing, skin and hair of workers. To avoid this exposure workers are required to take shower and change their clothing before leaving their workplace.

The difficult portion of asbestos related diseases and asbestos related lung cancer is that they can lie dormant in the body for 10-40 years before manifesting. This makes it difficult to diagnose the disease in its early stages. When the diseases are manifested and diagnosed, it is too late and chances of survival of victims are very bleak.

Kirsten Hawkins is a asbestos and mesothelioma specialist from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.asbestosblog.org/ for information on asbestos reform, mesothelioma lawsuit news, and more.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

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by aseya

Men are particularly proud of their packages and the number of times they use it to pleasure women. What escapes them is the fact that careless overuse of it and a lack of hygiene may get their members into big trouble and ultimately put men's sexual health in jeopardy.

Penile cancer Cancer of the penis is a rare condition that affects the male genital organ. The American Cancer Society approximates about 1,530 reported cases of penile cancer yearly. It occurs in a ratio of about one or two men out of a hundred thousand in the United States alone, and is said to kill about 280 men each year.

To define it more technically, penile cancer is a malignant growth of cells in the tissues and/or external area of the penis. It usually originates from the glans and/or the foreskin. Though it may rarely occur, it is generally an aggressive form of cancer that has a tendency to spread. Uncircumcised men are at higher risk of acquiring this form of cancer.

Doctors have to know what stage the cancer is in to determine how treatment will be implemented. Stages are differentiated as follows:

Stage 1 : Cancer cells are found only on the surface of the head of the penis and the foreskin.

Stage 2 : Cancer cells are found in the deeper tissues of the glans and have already spread to the penile shaft.

Stage 3 : Cancer cells are found in the penis and have already reached the lymph nodes in the groin.

Stage 4 : Cancer cells are found throughout the penis and the lymph nodes in the groin and have already spread to other parts of the body.

Causes The exact cause of penile cancer is difficult to pinpoint. However, uncircumcised men appear to have higher risks of developing this form of cancer. The presence of smegma, a cheese-like, foul-smelling substance found under the foreskin of the penis, appears to have a connection to increased chances of penile cancer in uncircumcised men. Poor genital hygiene also increases cancer risks because smegma may still deposit itself under the foreskin even if it has been circumcised.

Unhealthy sexual practices may also cause cancer of the penis. The human papilloma virus (HPV) causes genital warts formation. Genital warts are passed on through sexual contact and are among the most common sexually transmitted diseases.

Smoking reduces full functionality of the Langerhans cells in the male penis. Langerhans cells are found in the lining of the penis to control genetic changes in a man's penis. Also, smoking increases cancer risks as sixty out of four thousand chemicals found in cigarettes are generally carcinogenic.

Signs and Symptoms Many cases of cancer of the penis can be easily detected during the early stages. These symptoms often signal patients to seek immediate medical attention. However, there are some cases where the patients do not manifest any signs until it has reached its advanced stage, and some may show symptoms that may appear to be due to some other disease aside from cancer.

Below is a list of the most common symptom of having penile cancer: · Abnormal growths on the penis. Warts, blisters, sores, ulcerations, white patches that may be painful or not. · Abnormal penile discharge. Any unusual fluid coming from the penis. · Bleeding.

Treatment Treatment will depend on the gravity and stage of the cancer. It may include one or a combination of the following:

· Surgery. This includes removal of the tumor and some healthy tissues surrounding the tumor. It may also require circumcision, where cancerous foreskin is removed. At worst, partial or total removal of the penis and associated lymph nodes.
· Radiation therapy. This is administered along with surgery to prevent recurrence of the cancer.
· Chemotherapy. Topical medications may be used during the early stages of penile cancer.

Being proud of your healthy sexual appetite should not distract you from keeping yourself safe and protected. You, after all, only have one sexual organ and you should be taking care of it. Taking it for granted may put an end to any man's sexual activity and make you regret it for the rest of your life.

About the Author

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Research in alternative medicine and conventional therapies to treat Mesothelioma cancer continues to be on the forefront to try and find a cure for this disease. Until an alternative is discovered and shows promise, conventional drugs and therapies such as Alimta and other chemotherapy drugs, surgery to remove tumors, and radiation therapy will be used to slow the cancer growth.

In addition to conventional treatments, a number of therapies from alternative medicine may be able to reduce symptoms of mesothelioma. Called complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, this diverse group of medical and health care options and practices aren't considered to be a part of mainstream medical practice. However, that doesn't mean that they're ineffective. Some health care providers practice both CAM and conventional medicine, and combine the two with good results. This is referred to as integrative medicine. As much as thirty-six percent of America's adult population are using some form of CAM. This rises to more than sixty percent if prayer and megavitamin therapy are included in the definition of alternative and complementary practices. Rates of alternative therapy use are highest among patients with serious illnesses such as mesothelioma cancer.

Some treatments offered by alternative medicine include acupuncture to relieve pain following surgery for tumor removal, ginger to treat the nausea and vomiting that chemotherapy causes, massage to treat pain from all kinds of cancers, and combining mistletoe extract with chemotherapy to treat tumors. Immunotherapy, also called biological therapy, is also becoming more common. In this therapy, substances called biological response modifiers are used to improve the immune system's ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells, as well as to fight off other diseases.

Photodynamic therapy uses a drug that sensitizes tissues to light, then destroys cancerous cells by exposing them to a laser set to a specific frequency. Gene therapy is a new, but advancing field which treats potentially fatal diseases by modifying an individual's genes therapeutically. Herbal medicines, traditional practices from countries such as China and Japan, and spiritual treatments are also used in CAM. Not all of these therapies have the ability to affect mesothelioma directly, and their effects will tend to vary by patient. However, they can be a big help in managing symptoms and side effects while using conventional treatments.

Those who are interested in using complementary or alternative medicine in their cancer treatment should ask their health care providers. It's important to get the answers to a few questions when considering any therapy, whether alternative or conventional. Information such as the expected benefits of the therapy versus the risks, the potential side effects, and, in the case of alternative or complementary treatments, whether the therapy will interfere with treatments you're already undergoing are helpful. If the therapy is part of a clinical trial, find out who the sponsor is. Many alternative therapies aren't covered fully by health insurance. Some aren't covered at all. It's important to find out before beginning a CAM therapy whether or not your insurance will pay for it. A good place to start finding out about your options is the NCCAM website at http://nccam.nih.gov. From there, you'll be able to get the information to decide what therapies, both conventional and alternative, are right for you.

About the Author:

From personal research Maria Nelson provides an online research tool for cancer patients; with an emphasis on Mesothelioma cancer. Find resources to specialized cancer centers, doctors and a Mesothelioma attorneys directory for legal consideration.

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