By: Donald Saunders
If, like a growing number of men, you have been having regular prostate screening which has picked up the possibility of prostate cancer, and this has subsequently been confirmed with a biopsy, then you are probably lucky enough to have caught the cancer early when it is still confined to the prostate gland and in what is called Stage I or Stage II. If this is the case then one possible course of treatment might be 'watchful waiting'.
Some people feel that it is slightly odd to call watchful waiting a form of treatment because, as the name suggests, you simply watch the cancer and wait to see what happens. Other names for this approach are 'observation' and 'surveillance'. So when would this approach be appropriate?
As long as your cancer is confined to the prostate gland you are generally fairly safe and it is not until it threatens to spread beyond the prostate that your doctor will become concerned. So, if like many prostate cancer cases your cancer is both confined to the prostate gland and growing very slowly there is no need for immediate action and it is often safe to simply take some time and see how it develops.
Now if you are getting on in years and in this situation watchful waiting may well be a very good option because if the cancer is growing slowly enough there is a very good chance that you will die from old age, or some other condition, before it gets to be a problem. In these circumstances you might well feel that it would be silly to put yourself through surgery or radiation therapy for little if any real gain. So, in this case you would simply visit your physician at regular intervals for him to keep an eye on things and do nothing at all unless a problem arises.
If however you are still a reasonably young and otherwise fit man then watchful waiting might again be a sensible approach for a while but it may not always be such a good idea in the longer term, not least because, even though your cancer may be growing very slowly, you are still reducing your control of the disease the larger your cancer becomes and this may cause a problem if and when you are forced to deal with it.
Dealing with prostate cancer, whether by surgery or radiation treatment, is best done when the cancer is small and when you are in the best position to cope with treatment and recovery. The older you get the more likely it is that complications will arise from your treatment or that you will have difficulty in recovering following treatment.
Another very important consideration is the way in which you cope with watchful waiting mentally. For some men simply sitting back and doing nothing knowing that they have a cancer growing in their prostate gland can be very stressful indeed. However, for other men the fact that they have cancer doesn't bother them at all as long as they know that it is slow growing, confined and being monitored regularly.
At the end of the day you must clearly be guided by your physician, but whether you choose to live with your prostate cancer or to seek treatment for it is, and always should be, very much a personal decision.
ProstateProblemCenter.com looks at a wide range of prostate problems including everything from the digital rectal exam to advanced prostate cancer treatment.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
By Jonathan Bell
Alternative cancer treatment is a group of therapeutic remedies used in place of conventional medicine for the purpose of treatment of cancer. Alternative cancer treatments can be very effective. Alternative cancer treatment is a group of therapeutic cancer treatments seek to strengthen the body's immune system, to enhance the quality of life during recovery, and to nourish and fortify the body through nutritional, homeopathic, or herbal therapies. There are many alternative cancer treatments that can have positive impact on your health.
If you begin to research cancer treatments you will find that there is such a great amount of alternative cancer treatments available that are as effective if not more effective than traditional treatment options without the overwhelming cost, and side effects. If you begin to research cancer treatments you will find that there is such a great amount of alternative cancer treatments available that are as effective if not more effective than traditional treatment options without the overwhelming cost, and side effects.
Cancer
Cancer is not a death sentence, it is an opportunity to heal within. Cancer patients using or considering complementary or alternative therapy should discuss this decision with their doctor or nurse, as they would any therapeutic approach. Cancer is the modern plague and people are increasingly looking for natural, safe solutions. Cancer is a complex disease, and it is reasonable to do everything in one's power to fight it. Cancer cells do not age, do not become weaker as they grow older, and therefore hold a huge advantage over our healthy cells.
Treatments
If you begin to research cancer treatments you will find that there is such a great amount of alternative cancer treatments available that are as effective if not more effective than traditional treatment options without the overwhelming cost, and side effects.
The Cancer Coalition (American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, FDA, Prominent Hospitals, and of course The Pharmaceutical 'Godfathers' want us to depend on them to come up with treatments, so we fund them with millions and millions of dollars, yet still no cure, not even a good treatment.
They want us to trust them, so they bolster the true success rates of conventional cancer treatments. They want us to feel protected, so they legislate what treatments doctors can use, and label doctors that stray from those treatments and poor results as "quacks" or worse yet take away their license to practice. The fact that when you think of cancer, chemo, radiation and surgery pop into mind is a testament that they have run an incredible PR campaigned to make you think these treatments actually work. want us to depend on them to come up with treatments, so we fund them with millions and millions of dollars, yet still no cure, not even a good treatment. They want us to trust them, so they bolster the true success rates of conventional cancer treatments. They want us to feel protected, so they legislate what treatments doctors can use, and label doctors that stray from those treatments and poor results as "quacks" or worse yet take away their license to practice.
The fact that when you think of cancer, chemo, radiation and surgery pop into mind is a testament that they have run an incredible PR campaigned to make you think these treatments actually work.
Diet
Vegetarian raw foods are a great method of Treating Cancer with a healthy diet. Alternate treatments for fighting cancer can range from faith healing to visualization, but one of your best bets is a whole food diet that includes raw vegetables and organic nutrients -- things that promote body detoxification.
A raw foods diet is a great alternative treatment: raw food is easy to prepare and if you use vegetables and other whole foods as your ingredients, your vegetarian meals can be so delicious.
If you are anticancer and pro-life, choose the earth's natural energy boosters and start enjoying the organic nutrients and health benefits of opting for a vegetarian raw food diet as one of your primary Treating Cancer with a healthy diets.
All natural alternative cancer treatment has been working for a long time. Learning how to re-alkalise your body's tissue and cell pH to healthy levels is extremely important and should not be overlooked in your alternative cancer treatment recovery plan.
When you are considering alternative cancer treatments, ask for documented facts and stats from the representative to find out the success rate of the group. Also check to see if your health insurance will cover any alternative cancer treatment programs and be leery of programs demanding a large sum of money up front, or that state they can cure your cancer.
The information presented here is no way meant to discourage you from undertaking conventional treatments for your cancer, but hopefully will support you and your medical doctor to undertake 'smarter', more effective alternative cancer treatment approaches to beat cancer.
Johnathan "Joni" Bell has dedicated a major portion of his time to research and provide information about alternative vitamin supplements that have proven to be successful in the prevention and treatment of cancer.
http://whyvitaminb17works.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Bell
By Brenda Williams
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death not only in the United States but also around the world. Cancer is defined as class of diseases that is caused by a group of cells to have uncontrolled growth, the potential to spread throughout the body and to invade surrounding tissues and organs. The difference between malignant tumors and benign tumors are that benign tumors do not spread and do not invade surrounding tissue and organs. Benign tumors are self-limited.
Cancer can affect anyone. That is anyone of any age, any race and any background. The majority of cancers are more likely to develop in people as the people increase in age. 13 percent of all deaths worldwide are caused by cancer and according to the American Cancer Society, 7.6 million people died from cancer in the year 2007. Cancer is one of the world's deadliest diseases and cannot be prevented. It can be treated to an extent. There has yet to be a cure developed for cancer.
Cancer is caused by tobacco smoke, chemicals, infectious agents and radiation. Cancer can be detected through CT Scans, blood tests, MRIs, x-rays and biopsies. A biopsy entails the testing of a piece of skin or organ by a pathologist. The pathologist tests the piece of skin or organ for cancerous cells and their histological grade.
Cancer can be detected by the detection of lumps or swelling, random bleeding, pain, ulcers, jaundice, weight loss, poor appetite, night sweats, fatigue and anemia. Symptoms of cancer after the disease has been diagnosed are metastasis (spreading), constant cough, bone pain, an enlarged liver, fractures and enlarged lymph nodes.
Cancer is treatable through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy. Surgery is used to remove a tumor, if it is on an organ that is operable, and will hopefully get the entire tumor before it spreads to other areas of the body. If the tumor is located in an inoperable area then the treatment will be chemotherapy; which will shrink and hopefully kill off the tumor completely before it begins to spread throughout the body.
There are a couple of ways to try and prevent developing cancer. Such methods are having a proper diet, cancer screenings and taking vitamins on a daily basis. One major player in the development of cancer is being obese. Eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy body weight will help in the prevention of cancer. Cancer screenings are used to detect cancer in its early stages; its infancy. If cancer is detected other procedures can be used to confirm the presence of cancer. Those other procedures are surgery and biopsies. Early detection can lead to a longer life.
There are hundreds of forms of cancer known to man today. Some of the most common are lung, colon, thyroid, lymphoma (various types), leukemia (various types), melanoma, oral, pancreatic, testicular, throat and vaginal cancer. Not all cancers are deadly because the majority of them, if detected early, can be controlled with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation.
A Better Smile
A Beautiful Smile
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brenda_Williams
by Katie Kelley
The TNF blocker known as Cimzia was recently linked to the development of cancerous cells among patients. Cimzia, which treats autoimmune disorders, has been associated with the condition specifically among young adults and children.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched an investigation into the TNF blockers after at least 30 cases of cancer among children consuming the drugs were reported during a ten-year period from 1998 to 2008, according to a September 2008 news article from Reuters.
TNF Blockers Under Investigation
TNF inhibitors were first approved by the FDA in 1998. Although TNF blockers such as Cimzia were described as "miracle" drugs by authors of a book, "Arthritis Without Pain," the FDA is finding that these drugs are in fact not miracles, but very dangerous cancer-causing medications. Of the TNF blockers under investigation are those that are used to treat autoimmune disorders and include:
* Remicade (infliximab)
* Humira (adalimumab)
* Enbrel (etanercept)
* Cimzia (certolizumab pegol)
According to the Mayo Clinic, TNF blockers are most often associated with the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, in which the "wear and tear on joints" causes inflammation within the bones and joints. Nearly 2 million individuals in America suffer from the arthritic condition and it is most commonly found in women rather than in men. Additional TNF blocker side effects include:
* headache
* fever
* nausea
* chills
* myalgia
What is Cimzia?
The drug is used specifically to treat Crohn's disease a condition in which the digestive tract becomes inflamed and adversely affects the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC).
Additional Cimzia Side Effects
In addition to the serious risk associated with developing cancer while consuming the drug also contains other various side effects that may cause severe damage to an individual's health, according to an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC). The drug's side effects include:
* headache
* diarrhea
* fever
* abdominal paint
* upper respiratory infection
* nausea
* reactions to the injection area
The drug was approved in April 2008 for use on the market by the FDA and while results from a clinical trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the drug is already being investigated for the potential risk of cancer as well as the risk of developing life-threatening infections.
Pharmaceutical Legal Assistance
Patients who have taken Cimzia or any of the additional TNF blockers and those who may be at risk for the potential Cimzia-induced cancer risk should seek medical attention immediately. The earlier a cancer is caught, the more likelihood of overcoming the condition.
While the FDA has found an alleged link between TNF inhibitors including Cimzia and an increase in developing cancerous cells, they have not recalled any of the drugs nor have they increased the warning label of the drug, although all of the TNF blockers allegedly carry a cancer warning label. All additional reports of cancer development among Cimzia and other TNF inhibitors will be required to be reported to the FDA as part of their investigation.
Manufacturers of Cimzia, UCB, are currently preparing for a 10-year study to better understand the the drug's side effects. The study will begin in 2009. However, patients who have taken the drug and currently are at risk for or suffering from the drug's dangers are advised to contact a pharmaceutical attorney regarding the development of a Cimzia class action lawsuit. Developing a pharmaceutical case may allow for monetary compensation for damages that were attributed to the consumption of the drug.
About the Author
To learn more about TNF blockers and Cimzia visit http://cimzia.legalview.com or http://www.LegalView.com/ . Here, individuals can also learn about other legal issues such as the latest on mesothelioma treatments or how to develop a Byetta class action lawsuit.
By: Felipe Bird
Cancer is mainly the quick enlargement of cells beyond their usual numbers. The large number of damaged cells may harm surrounding organs, and if not stop in time can result in damage on the human body which is irreversible. It is still unclear why such cells develop inside the human body. Doctors have thought that all people live with these abnormal cancer cells within the bodies. However the researchers are still not exactly surewhat causes these abnormal cells to react in one body versus another. Scientific research proves that certain chemicals can prompt abnormal cells to grow and develop. Due to the fact that the chance for cancer keeps on a high level for everyone and increases as we get older, cancer insurance ought to be considered. In a world where there is a solution to everything, you must not feel as if having cancer is truly the end of your life. This article will explain what cancer insurance is, how it can be of assistance, and how it is connected with ordinary medical insurance.
Cancer insurance has a number of benefits. To begin with, cancer policy will cover the therapies applied while struggling against cancer including radiation therapy, surgery, injections and pills and others still being tested for effectiveness. The next benefit to cancer insurance is that it pays for transportation and lodging and it can help with the expense of ambulance services. Cancer insurance allows to afford surgical procedures namely reconstruction and prosthesis. Keeping in mind the cost of treatments, medications, lodging, transportation, nurse care one might practically give up the ghost from drowning in bills, than from the fatal virus itself! Furthermore cancer screening tests are at your disposal through this investment. The cost of cancer insurance varies, and is based on four different levels. The customer, as the insured, makes his choice on which kind of cancer insurance is most appropriate for him according to his own desires. The insurance coverage costs 125 dollars maximum and 25 dollars minimum per year.
Without looking further into detail, the public would come to a conclusion that ordinary health insurance policy would pay for their expenses at the time of emergency. The answer given is: while health insurance may give the money for certain treatments, a lot of health insurance organizations do not pay for the expenses in full. While different treatments for cancer are obtainable the most effective may not be the one covered by the insurance you possess. More then that, trips to some other regions of the US to consult cancer specialists are pricey, and ordinary health insurance may refuse to pay the cost. Possessing cancer policy is a great addition to your health insurance coverage because it lets you pay for any spendings that might not be covered in full and it offers extra assistance to pay for treatments. Good health is essential, so if your family is at risk of cancer apply for cancer insurance to go along side your original health insurance!
Get the best updates and advice on applying for cancer health insurance rates by browsing http://buyingcancerinsurance.com , a consumer beneficiary site that provides a comprehensive list of articles about supplemental cancer insurance, tips and advice provided by financial pros.
Cancer Article Source: http://www.eArticlesOnline.com
By: David Servanschreiber Md Phd
Genes account for at most 15% of cancers. What matters most in prevention or getting the most of treatments is not our genetic makeup but the biology we create within our body to support our natural defenses against tumor growth.
The Genetic Fallacy Most of us live with the false belief that cancer is a genetic Russian roulette. As one in three of us will die of cancer, the odds are indeed as bad -- worse actually -- than those of that dreadful game. But it is NOT genetic. A large Scandinavian study of identical twins (who share exactly the same genes) found that in the majority of cases they did not share the risk for cancer. In fact, the authors concluded, in the New England Journal of Medicine, that "inherited genetic factors make a minor contribution to susceptibility to most types of [cancers]. This finding indicates that the environment has the principal role in causing common cancers."
A New Approach to Cancer: Changing the Terrain When it comes to treating cancer, there is no alternative to conventional treatments: surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy or, soon, molecular genetics.
However, these treatments target the tumor much like an army wages war: focusing all of its efforts on destroying the cancerous cells. Yet, it's as important to change the environment that supports the growth new cancer cells as it is to continue to pound them with targeted attacks.
We all need to learn to change the "terrain" -- our biology -- to make it as inhospitable as possible to cancer growth. As much for prevention as to increase the benefits of treatments.
The new model of cancer that has emerged from the last 10 years of research moves us away from genetics and squarely into the life-style factors that we can control.
Indeed, another New England Journal of Medicine study showed that people who were adopted at birth have the cancer risk of their adoptive parents rather than that of the parents who gave them their genes. At most, genetic factors contribute 15% to our cancer risk. What matters for 85% of cancers is what we do -- or do not do enough of -- with our life.
Since we all carry cancer cells in us, what determines whether we do develop cancer is to a large extent the balance between factors that promote cancer, and factors that help resist cancer.
Common promoters of cancer are:
* Cigarette smoke and more than two alcoholic beverages per day * Refined sugar and white flour * Omega-6 fatty acids and trans-fats (corn, soybean, sunflower and safflower oils, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils) * A variety of chemical agents present in some foods and household products (parabens, phthalates, PVCs, pesticdes and herbicides) * Complete lack of physical activity * Responses to stress that lead to feelings of helplessness and persistent despair rather than a sense that one can help oneself or count on the support of others
Factors that slow down the growth of cancer are:
* Several phytochemicals contained in some fruits and some vegetables, some herbs and spices. * Omega-3 fatty acids (fatty fish, canola and flaxseed oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, some green vegetables) * Physical activity (at least 30 minutes of walking six times a week) * The ability to manage stress so as to avoid helplessness (emotional management through meditation or yoga or good psychotherapy) or benefiting from the support of intimate relationships, or both.
Knowing that genetics are only a minor contribution to cancer helps us realize how much is in our power to help our body be a stronger partner in nourishing life and resisting cancer.
David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and cofounder of the Center for Integrative Medicine. He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Paris, France. He has been a cancer survivor for 16 years, and is the author of the International Best-Seller Anticancer: A New Way of Life, coming from Viking September 2008.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
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