Showing posts with label lung cancer risk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lung cancer risk. Show all posts

Monday, July 23, 2012

How to Reduce Pressure for Patients With Mesothelioma



By Rofiq Hidayat


Someone who is suffering from a disease not to mention the disease mesothelioma, should be able to regulate emotions. And should be more aware that the pressure of unbridled emotion and continue to accumulate can cause a variety of physical ailments.

What does it mean?

Before I answer the question above I'll tell you an analogy that I got from Dr. Anthony Fernando.
Reducing stress can use an analogy of a draft of a ship sectional, that is to overcome when the ship collision that resulted in the sinking ship. Here, the role that localizes the septum so that water does not spread.

Now you imagine that your life like a ship sectional and between your day is like a bulkhead of a ship.
Just like a ship compartment that serves to block water, every day you should be able to block out a problem.

That means you do not have to constantly analyze the past and are too worried about the future. Noteworthy is today / this problem.

How does this practice?

Within days of starting on the morning after waking, with calm yourself imagine that you close the compartment and the focus of the day yesterday looking for a solution to solving the problem on this day.
Is this not actually create new problems because we are only fixated on these days without being able to imagine the success (happiness).

My answer is NO, why? because we speak the design of a ship and used to what it ships later. So we do not just look at each partition of your life but, how and to what a ship is made.

So here we can conclude that in designing healing diseases including mesothelioma, we should not get stuck in regret the past nor fear the future, because after we design a healing solution to reduce the stress we should focus only on healing today. Is not the only focus one more problem we can get out of the problem and appropriate answers to the above when we pile up every day just is not the problem of complications in the can. Try to contemplate!

Rofiq Hidayat

On http://mesothelioma-institute.blogspot.com/

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LINKS
 
Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient's Guide


About the Author Paul Kraus was born in 1944 in Austria and migrated with his parents to Australia as a young child. He received his BA at Macquarie University and a Master of Arts and Education from the University of Sydney. For most of his working life he has been a high school history teacher. It was during a summer vacation job as a university student that he was exposed to asbestos. Over thirty years later he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, the asbestos related cancer. Today, he works as a freelance writer and journalist. He, his wife and their two miniature schnauzers live north of Sydney in the city of Newcastle. More information about Paul Kraus and his story can be found at his website: survivingmesothelioma.com

Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient's Guide



100 Questions & Answers About Mesothelioma, Second Edition

Whether you re a newly diagnosed Mesothelioma patient, a survivor, or a friend or relative of either, this book offers help. Completely revised and updated for this second edition, this is the only book to provide the doctor s and patient s views. 100 Questions & Answers About Mesothelioma, Second Edition gives you authoritative, practical answers to your questions about treatment options, post-treatment quality of life, sources of support, legal options, and much more. This outstanding team of authors led by a world-class lung disease expert and including an insider s comments from the wife and caregiver of a patient provides an invaluable resource for anyone coping with the physical and emotional turmoil of this frightening disease.

100 Questions & Answers About Mesothelioma, Second Edition

Thursday, December 2, 2010

How Does Chemotherapy Work?


By James Witherspoon

Chemotherapy treatment is practically synonymous with cancer treatment. Chemotherapy, commonly shortened to chemo, is one of three main, conventional methods of cancer treatment. While this powerful drug can help you eradicate cancer or at least keep it at bay, its potency can also affect other healthy areas of your body.

Chemotherapy consists of drugs that can be administered orally or through an injection. Regardless, the drugs reach your bloodstream, where they travel throughout your body fighting cancerous cells. Because chemo is actually a whole-body treatment, it is also called systemic medication.

It is difficult for your body's immune system to attack and fight cancerous cells because these cells come from within your own body. They carry special "self" tags that the immune system recognizes as harmless cells. Chemotherapy, on the other hand, simply attacks all cells that grow and divide rapidly, one of the signs of a cancerous tumor. At the same time, however, the chemo can also target your body's cells that grow and divide at this same rapid rate, like hair follicles, gastrointestinal cells, and others. This is why a person who goes through chemo treatment often experiences hair loss, nausea, and vomiting after a round of chemotherapy.

Because not all tumors grow at the same rate, doctors and oncologists can customize your chemo cocktail with drugs that target specific growth rates or growth patterns. However, as with traditional chemo, each of these drugs will also harm your body's own cells that fit the same patterns.

With chemo, it is important for you to eat healthy and remain strong because its side effects can actually leave you weaker than before treatment. Besides hair loss, nausea, and vomiting, other side effects of this powerful treatment include:

  • Fatigue

  • Low white blood cell count

  • Decreased red blood cell count

  • Low platelet count

One danger of decreased white blood cell count is an increased risk of infection. Because white blood cells help you fight pathogens, chemotherapy can interfere with your body's ability to protect itself from infections. Your doctor must carefully devise a chemo regimen that hits cancerous cells as hard as possible while still trying to protect your own healthy cells.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that often requires chemotherapy due to the abundance of tiny tumors that it can form. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is important to understand all of your treatment options before agreeing to a treatment regimen. For more information regarding this deadly disease, please contact the Mesothelioma Help Center today.

James Witherspoon


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http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Does-Chemotherapy-Work?&id=5244614

Books



Sunday, November 21, 2010

Lung Cancer: 3 Cures



By Henry Fredericks

If doctors diagnose you with lung cancer, you will have to go through certain therapies depending on the progress of the disease. Here are the 3 cures that can potentially rid you of the disease and heal you. These therapies are widespread practices in the world and are being used extensively by medical doctors.

Chemotherapy

This treatment works to decrease your tumor size. A tumor is the one that causes the cancer at the first place. When the tumor is kept small, it can't spread to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy also relieves the pain you get from having the tumor. But the problem is, chemotherapy drugs can also damage your own healthy body cells together with the cancerous cells. So, people usually suffer a lot during the treatment process because of these side effects. But your doctor will usually select a suitable treatment and the degree of medication you receive.

Radiation

This treatment uses x-rays to eliminate the cancerous cells. There are 2 ways your doctor can perform this treatment. The first method is shooting the radiation waves from the outside of your body. Secondly, they shoot the rays inside of your body by using catheters or needles that are aimed at the cancer area directly. Whether your doctor uses the first or second method depends on the progress of the cancer. Radiation therapy aims to reduce as many cancer cells with minimal healthy cells being affected.

Surgery

In this last resort, your doctor will discuss with you first because he or she will remove a part of your lung or the entire organ. Sometimes, it is not as severe as it sounds. Your doctor might only remove the lung's lymph nodes that are within the cancer area.

After you go through the therapies, you can relax at home on the zero gravity chair or anti gravity chair. Relieve stress on your back too.


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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Be Part Of The Bandwagon And Join In The Impending Lung Cancer Awareness Month



By Neela Vazzana

Cancer is one the most fatal sicknesses that may harm mankind. One of those is lung cancer. This cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells in the tissue of the lungs. The main causes of this are long term exposure to tobacco smoke, through genetic factors, radon gas, asbestos and air pollution that consists secondhand smoke. With the booming number of people who are diagnosed with this fatal, it is quite alarming. As an answer to this, November is declared as the Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

How do people observe such big event with a great purpose?

An event like this is done through information drives and campaigns that plan to keep the people informed about the illness and its prevention. Most of the time, promotional giveaways are given out to participants as a souvenir like t-shirts, key tags, brochures and leaflets. All of these are printed with information that pertains to the deadly, sickness.

How does a low-cost promotional item works?

It works both ways. As a cheap promo item, an organization that would conduct such great deed is severing its cost when it comes to its expenditures for marketing. Cheap giveaways like pens, t-shirts, mugs and key chains have proven its worth and efficiency in dispersing the awareness about the issue. Plus, cheap promotional items can be customized according to what the organization wants it to be. They can jazz it up to pattern to the occasion. Talk about a personalized approach on a crusade on Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

What are the promotional materials that work?

There is a long list of promotional products that are right for such marvelous event. But there is only an elite circle of products that are typically used in roughly every occasion like a trade event, product lunch and inter-community feasts. Some of them are cheap promotional t-shirts, key tags, caps, pens, note pad and folios, button pins, magnets to name a few.

How can some be part of such fantastic endeavor?

As a concerned civilian, there are a myriad ways on how you can participate. You can do an online campaign by posting some details about an impending talk or any symposium about the illness in your community. You can use your social networking sites and blogs to let the people know about it. You can help in organizing an event. You can also try fabricating slogans and drawing symbolic photos on promotional materials and sell it for the benefit of the organization that helps people who are devoured by the sickness.

Truly a golden heart will come a long way, if you have other ideas on how you can participate to the Lung Cancer Awareness Month, go ahead and do it.

Neela Vazzana is a promotional products writer for low-cost promotional items and cheap giveaways. Read more articles by Neela Vazzana here.


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http://EzineArticles.com/?Be-Part-Of-The-Bandwagon-And-Join-In-The-Impending-Lung-Cancer-Awareness-Month&id=5146841

Lung Cancer Can Be Caused By Asbestos Exposure



By E. K. Johnston

Many people have found that they are simply are not as aware of the complications related to asbestos exposure as they should be. Because of this, some have ended up with lung cancer only to find out later that they have been exposed to asbestos. Even if you do not currently have any medical problems, it might be a good idea to think back through the past ten or twenty years to determine whether there was a time when you may have been exposed to high levels of asbestos. If so, you will know to keep an extra close eye on your health. If you start to experience any of the signs and symptoms related to asbestos exposure visit your doctor immediately.

You might initially experience a dry cough that will not go away, and you could end up having breathing problems. Upon further testing, there is a chance that lung cancer might appear. While there is no absolute cure for cancer of any type, it is important to remember that there are treatments that can possibly send the cancer into remission. Many people have lived for years after being diagnosed with lung cancer. The determining factor is often when the cancer is caught, what treatments are performed and the mental strength of the person going through the treatments.

You will want to make sure that you are keeping yourself and your family away from asbestos when at all possible. Avoid old buildings that are in bad need of repair. Miners and workers who are responsible for removing old building materials have a high risk of being exposed to asbestos, so it is important to make sure that you are using the proper equipment, from breathing masks to whole body suits. This is the best way to make sure that you and your loved ones will not be exposed to asbestos. Remember that you can bring asbestos home on your clothes, putting your children at risk for developing lung cancer in the future.

For those who have been exposed to high levels of asbestos, it is important to make sure that you are doing what you need to do in order to stay as healthy as possible. This means that you will want to have a consultation with your doctor. Explain the history of your exposure to asbestos, including when it and what your concerns are. Explain that you want tests performed to check the condition of your lungs. Make sure that you have not developed lung cancer.

You have good reason to suspect something could be wrong and are entitled to the tests that can save your life. Ask for them. Do not hold back. Stand your ground, and insist on being scanned for lung cancer. If it turns out that you are fine, then you can rest peacefully. Make sure, however, that you go back for periodic checkups because you never know if the lung cancer will form later on.

If you have been exposed to asbestos you may want to consider an asbestos lawsuit to help recover compensation for damages.


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http://EzineArticles.com/?Lung-Cancer-Can-Be-Caused-By-Asbestos-Exposure&id=5098008

Friday, November 5, 2010

Lung Cancer Warning Signs



By Charlene Nuble




Lung cancer warning signs can easily be detected once they are manifested by the patient. These warnings signs will caution anyone that he or she might have the disease.

Some of the prominent signs of lung cancer are: hoarseness, shortness of breath, weight loss and anorexia, chronic cough, bloody sputum, infections that are recurring and chest pain. It is advisable that one must see a doctor immediately once two or more warning signs are experienced.

Hoarseness

A change in the voice which is considered as an abnormal change is referred to as hoarseness. One of the main causes of hoarseness is smoking. In someone who is hoarse, the voice tends to become raspy, evident changes in the pitch or volume, breathy, and strained. Usually, changes in the voice are related to the disorders affecting the larynx or voice box. When there are certain lumps, aberrations, or swelling, voice vibration is hindered which causes pitch, voice quality and volume alteration.

Shortness of breath

Dyspnea or otherwise known as shortness of breath is the difficult feeling of labored breathing which contributes to disproportion of a person's physical activities. It is a symptom that can be life threatening which is caused by several diseases. In lung cancer, shortness of breath is caused by airway obstruction due to infection, inhalation of an irritant or a foreign object and hemorrhage.

Weight loss due to anorexia

Anorexia is an eating disorder that can lead to severe weight loss. A person experiencing anorexia due to lung cancer is usually unintentional because of the pain and discomfort caused by the disease. In anorexia due to lung cancer, a person losses its appetite that causes him or her to eat less than the usual amount needed or normal body requirement. Because of not wanting to eat, the person results to extreme weight loss and an imbalanced nutrition.

Chronic cough

This is a kind of cough that lasts for more than two weeks. Worse, this is the kind of cough that doesn't easily go away and is not usually resolved with cough medications. Because chronic cough is annoying, it is considered as one of the reasons why people immediately consult their doctor. Still, the most common cause of chronic cough is smoking or inhalation of secondhand smoke.

Bloody sputum

Sputum, otherwise known as spit, can become bloody due to injuries inflicted on the lip, mouth, trachea, and even the tubes of the respiratory system. The determination of bleeding location is important in order to identify the appropriate intervention needed upon it. Some of the blood may also come from coughing, vomiting, bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract, bleeding of the gums, and other symptoms.

Chest pain

Out of the recurrent coughing symptoms which is most likely chronic, chest pain is expected to be present from the occurrence of the coughing episodes. Chest pain can be localized or can become migrating depending on how severe the lung cancer has become. Pain can be manifested as a squeezing, crushing and severe pain present on a person's chest which lasts for about a few minutes or when the person coughs severely.

Most of these warning signs are treacherous enough that it can kill. That is why, the moment one experiences more than one of these lung cancer warning signs, it is advisable that you consult your physician immediately.

Charlene J. Nuble is a healthcare professional who loves writing about health related stuffs. Click on the link to learn more about Lung Cancer Warning Signs.




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Saturday, October 30, 2010

How Do You Know You Have Lung Cancer?



By Charlene Nuble




There are two ways in order to know if you have lung cancer. One is through the identification of the different early signs and symptoms and through diagnostic examination. Lung cancer is a killer disease that is prevalent all over the world and chooses no status or gender.

Therefore it is of utmost importance that you determine the signs and symptoms of the disease so that further evaluation can be ordered.

Some of the most common signs and symptoms that are experienced by a lung cancer patient are:

• Chest pain which is constant and is evident during coughing or breathing

• Dyspnea or difficulty in breathing which may be due to nagging cough and constriction of the bronchioles

• Wheezing most likely heard upon exhalation

• Cough out of bloody sputum or hemoptysis

• Swelling of the face and neck which can be caused by a tumor which presses on the large blood vessels just near the lung

• Muscle weakness which may be caused by a pressing tumor on the different muscle sites

• Fever which has an unknown cause

Once these signs and symptoms are now present, the person may then experience weight loss, fatigue, headache, fracture to the bones, distant pains, anorexia, confusion which can further lead to coma.

Though definite, none of these symptoms are positive signs of having lung cancer unless a doctor has made diagnostic findings on it. That is why, it is of top priority that when a person experiences two or more of the above mentioned signs and symptoms, one must seek the advice of a doctor.

In diagnosis, the doctor explores the different areas of possibility that the patient may or may not have lung cancer. Some of the diagnostic procedures which can determine the possibility of the disease are:

1. Chest x-ray - this is usually the first test that is ordered by the physician. Chest x-ray has the capacity to detect tumors of the lung and to what extent it has reached, although this test may miss out on the smaller ones and can only detect the more visual ones.

2. CT scan - known as computed tomography, CT scans has the capacity to show the different characteristics and patterns of a lung cancer cells which can help doctors come up with a possible diagnosis. CT scans also have the capability to show the tiniest tumors which are not shown on x-rays. These small tumors may reveal if the cancer cell has already reached the nearby lymph nodes and if it has grown.

3. Bronchoscopy - using a scope to view the inside of the lungs. The microscopic examination of tissues inside the lungs is enough to confirm the possible existence of cancer cells inside the lungs. Here the doctor would do an invasive procedure which will help him view the inside of the lungs for further visualization of the tumor and at the same time take samples of the specimen.

4. Needle biopsy - this is done when the sample is too far away for the bronchoscope to reach. Specimen is obtained through insertion of a needle inside the chest skin and uses a CT to serve as a guide in maneuvering the needle to the affected part.

Together with the signs and symptoms and diagnostic procedures interpreted by the doctor, you will now know if you have lung cancer or not.

Charlene J. Nuble is a healthcare professional who loves writing about health related stuffs. Click on the link to learn more about How Do You Know You Have Lung Cancer...




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Thursday, July 23, 2009

Early and Late Signs of Lung Cancer


By David Silva

As with most cancers, the earlier you detect lung cancer the better your chances of survival. In fact, when it's caught in the first stages, there's an almost 50% survival rate after five years. This is a remarkable number considering the fact that overall, lung cancer has only a 15% survival rate.

So the earlier it's diagnosed the better.

And that's why being aware of the signs of lung cancer can mean the difference between surviving and becoming a statistic.

The Early Signs

Since the early signs of lung cancer can easily be mistaken for other conditions, it's often difficult to take them seriously. However, if you're experiencing a chronic cough that doesn't appear related to a virus or allergy, wheezing, chest pain, bouts of bronchitis, or a persistent fever ... it's time to pay attention.

Lung cancer symptoms are often related to the location of the lesions, which settle into the tissues of the lung first. That's why the early signs tend to reflect common cold, flu, and bronchial illnesses. Once the cancer moves beyond the bronchia, new symptoms arise.

The Later Signs

Once lung cancer has metastasize and moved beyond the bronchia, the signs can expand dramatically. For instance, if the cancer has spread to the brain, then common signs might include blurred vision, stroke, and migraines. As you can see, these are serious symptoms that could be related to any number of illnesses. The point is this: don't dismiss them.

In addition, signs such as depression, weight loss, fatigue, shoulder pain, difficulty swallowing, and hoarseness should be taken seriously.

When To See A Doctor

While you don't want to be running to your doctor every time you get the sniffles, if the above signs show themselves, especially if they're persistent, it's better to be safe than sorry. This is particularly true if you've been a smoker or are currently smoking, or if you've ever been exposed to asbestos over an extended period.

It only takes a few hours out of your life to make an appointment and visit your doctor. Here are the signs that should inspire action:

- Unexplained loss of weight - Persistent shortness of breath - Stubborn respiratory infections that keep coming back - A chronic cough that has no apparent cause - Pain in your chest - Wheezing - Fatigue (again, if it has no apparent cause)

The point to remember is that your immune system is busy fighting the cancer. This is why you may find yourself constantly run down and battling nagging infections. It's also one of the reason you may experience mood changes and irritability.

Conclusion

There is a caveat, unfortunately. Nearly a quarter of the people diagnosed with lung cancer never experience any symptoms at all. So while these lung cancer signs can serve as red flags, their absence doesn't necessarily mean everything is just fine. Another reason to see your doctor for an annual checkup.

Learn more about the early symptoms of lung cancer and additional information about lung cancer, its stages and its treatments at: Lung Cancer Insights

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Early-and-Late-Signs-of-Lung-Cancer&id=2464799


Voices of Lung Cancer: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength (Kindle Edition)


Provided by the patients, their friends, families, and caregivers of those diagnaosed with lung cancer, these very personal stories offer inspired insight into the ways families and professionals care for both themselves and the patient, gain a deeper understanding of the relationships, and learn to come to terms with the end of life. Included are essays by medical experts about the science of lung cancer, current treatments, choosing the right doctors, and what the future holds for the next generation of patients.

Voices of Lung Cancer: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength

Lung Cancer: Myths, Facts, Choices--and Hope (Paperback)




The sheer volume of information presented here is the strength of this comprehensive manual on lung cancer. Writing with freelancer Wernick, Henschke, chief of the division of chest imaging at New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center, provides a medical perspective on the disease, while McCarthy, founder of the Alliance for Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support and Education (ALCASE) offers support for those afflicted as well as their caregivers. From the outset, McCarthy makes clear that the tendency of family members as well as some health-care professionals to blame smokers (nonsmokers are also diagnosed with lung cancer) when they contract lung cancer not only leads to guilt, but may actually discourage some people from seeking adequate treatment. The authors describe the many forms of lung cancer and their treatments, which include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and alternative therapies. They explain how to apply for clinical trials as well as the benefits and risks of participating. Since earlier detection improves the chances of a cure, the authors recommends the still controversial CT scans for those at high risk for lung cancer (i.e., former or current smokers). This excellent resource details how patients can learn to cope with the physical problems resulting from some treatments, how to sustain themselves emotionally while fighting the disease and ways to navigate the health-care system. An excellent resource. B&w illus.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Lung Cancer: Myths, Facts, Choices--and Hope

Surviving Cancer (Paperback)



"When facing a major health crisis, connecting with people is an invaluable lifeline," writes Margie Levine in Surviving Cancer: One Woman's Story and Her Inspiring Program for Anyone Facing a Cancer Diagnosis. Call "friends in the medical field, and then friends of their friends"; call "hospitals, libraries and health clinics... cancer organizations and holistic health centers"; contact intimates and "fellow travelers" (others with cancer) for support. Such networking, says Levine, yields "information that may be more immediately useful... than what you find in books, because it is first-hand, people-driven, up-to-date, and customized to your specific situation by the questions you ask." That said, Levine, in a compassionate but matter-of-fact manner, offers an exceptionally helpful book. She suggests small, practical steps that can make a big difference organizationally, such as using a tape recorder and a medical notebook to record information. She outlines alternative therapies (massage, acupuncture, etc.), spiritual and psychological resources and practices (meditation, prayer, journaling), medications, diet and strategies for dealing with MRIs and stress in general. Recommended for anyone with cancer and their loved ones.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Surviving Cancer

Lung Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis, Treatments, Stages. What You Need to Know About Lung Cancer (Kindle Edition)


Lung Cancer Book: What You Need to Know About Lung Cancer... This Lung Cancer Book is for people seeking more information about Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer Treatments, Stages, Signs, and Causes. It is also for family members and others seeking to learn more information on Lung Cancer and gain a better understanding on how to help and support lung cancer patients. This Lung Cancer Book is concise, factual, and to the point. This National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklet is about lung cancer, cancer that begins in the lung. It tells about diagnosis, staging, treatment, and comfort care. Learning about the medical care for people with lung cancer can help you take an active part in making choices about your own care. This booklet has lists of questions that you may want to ask your doctor. Many people find it helpful to take a list of questions to a doctor visit. To help remember what your doctor says, you can take notes or ask whether you may use a tape recorder. You may also want to have a family member or friend with you when you talk with the doctor—to take part in the discussion, to take notes, or just to listen. This Lung Cancer Book will give you the facts you need to know about this disease and all the options you need to be aware...

Lung Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis, Treatments, Stages. What You Need to Know About Lung Cancer


Monday, June 8, 2009

How Cigarretes Cause Cancer


Author: Sharon Bell

How do cigarettes cause lung cancer? In addition to containing many toxic gases, the tar found in your favorite brand has a lot of cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) as well as cocarcinogens which increase the production of cancer cells.

This leads to the development of small cell (oat) carcinoma, the deadliest form of lung cancer, and squamous cell cancer – both of which are usually found in smokers.

"Your risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke each day, the number of years you smoke, the amount of smoke you inhale, and the amount of tar and nicotine in the cigarettes you smoke," said Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the “Mayo Clinic Family Health Book.”

While lung cancer is primarily a male problem, many women now have the disease, probably because the number of female smokers has increased. In the United States, lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer in terms of cancer deaths in women.

"The higher rates of tobacco-related cancers among men reflect the fact that in the past, more men than women smoked, and smoked heavily. In recent years, the proportion of smokers among males has been steadily decreasing in many developed countries. Unfortunately, the proportion of smokers among women has been steadily increasing all over the world,” according to Drs. Adriano V. Laudico, Divina B. Esteban, Corazon A. Ngelangel, and Lilia M. Reyes in “Cancer Facts and Estimates.”

"With many more women smoking than ever before, the number of women with lung cancer has increased at an alarming rate, so that smoking is now responsible for 75 percent of all lung cancers in women. The cancer rate for female smokers is 67 percent higher than for nonsmokers," said Marrion Morra, assistant director of the Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center at Yale University in Connecticut, and Eve Potts in “Choices: Realistic Alternatives in Cancer Treatment.”

Even nonsmokers aren’t spared from the onslaught of lung cancer. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that between 500 and 5,000 cases of lung cancer appear each year in nonsmokers as a result of inhaling someone else's smoke. The side stream smoke inhaled by a nonsmoker has a higher percentage of tar, nicotine, and other poisonous gases - all of which contribute to lung cancer.

"The tobacco industry likes to tell people that there are other causes of lung cancer. But there is no denying the fact that smoking is a major cause of the disease. I don't think we have to look for other causes," said Dr. Calixto Zaldivar, former director of the Lung Center of the Philippines.

Other risk factors for lung cancer include exposure to industrial carcinogens such as asbestos, chromium compounds, radioactive ores, nickel, arsenic, and other irritating substances.

"A worker in these kinds of industries who smokes faces an even greater risk. If you are over 40, smoke two packs a day, and/or are in an occupation that is thought to be cancer producing, you should have frequent medical checkups," Morra and Potts said. (Tomorrow: How to prevent lung cancer.)

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/how-cigarretes-cause-cancer-422730.html

About the Author:

Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine http://www.HealthLinesNews.com.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Lycopene Lung Cancer Treatment


By Randolph Meresmaa

Lycopene is what gives tomatoes, and several other fruits, their deep red color. But lycopene is also a powerful antioxidant that has shown remarkable effect on degenerative diseases. Tomatoes are the only major dietary source of lycopene. According to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), tomatoes may help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.

Lycopene is present naturally in human plasma in greater amounts than beta carotene and other essential dietary carotenoids. This may indicates its greater biological significance in the human defense system. The researchers in P&S and Harlem Hospital evaluated the association between lung cancer and lycopene.

Investigators collected blood samples from 93 individuals with non-small cell lung cancer and also from 102 matched controls, in a case-control study. They tested tested the samples for levels of certain micronutrients, including retinol, lycopene and beta-carotene.

The researchers found no significant differences between control subjects and subjects with lung cancer. in most of the micronutrients for which they did the tests. But they did find that lung cancer patients had significantly lower concentrations of lycopene.

After adjusting for age, race, sex, drinking, smoking, vitamin supplements, occupational exposure and season, the investigators found that the group with the lowest levels of lycopene, had almost a three-fold increased risk for cancer compared with the group with the highest lycopene levels.

When the investigators evaluated current smokers, they found that the group with the lowest lycopene blood levels had four times the risk of cancer than the group with the highest lycopene levels. According to Dr. Jean G. Ford, assistant professor of medicine and principal investigator:

"We concluded from our findings that low intake of lycopene may be a risk factor for lung cancer, especially for smokers. Even though our findings are preliminary, they add to the growing body of evidence that diets rich in tomatoes and tomato products are strongly linked to a reduced risk of certain types of cancer."

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Monday, May 4, 2009

General Facts on Lung Cancer: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment For Lung Cancer


by Michael Lee

Educating yourself about the general facts on lung cancer is essential to help prevent acquiring the disease. As the number one cause of death among men in America and one of the major causes of death cases throughout the world, health experts are furthering their efforts in trying to unearth general facts on lung cancer, and how this disease can be so deadly.

Among the various type of cancer deaths, lung cancer is responsible for 29 percent of that. In fact, there are more death cases for lung cancer as compared to the data of deaths for prostate, breast, and colon cancers combined. Hence, you can begin protecting yourself now by arming yourself with the general facts on lung cancer before it's too late.

Causes Of Lung Cancer

When people think of lung cancer, they often associate it with cigarette smoking. Indeed, this is one of the leading causes of the disease. But it is not the only factor.

One of the major focus of research for health experts regarding lung cancer is the genetic factor. Most cancerous cells develop when there is an error in the mutation of DNA cells. That error in itself can be affected by other environmental factors as well, which has led health experts to go back to examining external factors that can contribute to the formation of cancerous cells.

Too much exposure to asbestos has been cited as one crucial environmental factor causing lung cancer. Asbestos is a kind of mineral that is made up of bundled up fibers and naturally occurs in the environment. These fibers, when inhaled by a person exposed to them, can be trapped in one's lungs and accumulate until it causes an inflammation on the lungs.

Another crucial factor that could elicit the development of lung cancer is inhaling secondhand smoke. Although cigarette smoking can increase your chances of acquiring lung cancer, those who inhale it are at a higher risk. Secondhand smoke consists of two types of smoke: those that are produced by the burning of the tobacco product and those exhaled by the smoker.

Please pay very close attention to these general facts on lung cancer, so you can avoid the factors that could put you at risk in acquiring the disease.

Symptoms Of Lung Cancer

Since it affects your respiratory system, common symptoms associated with lung cancer are related to such conditions affecting the respiratory illness.

It is a rare case for lung cancer to be diagnosed early, which is why awareness of the general facts on lung cancer is of extreme importance for early diagnosis.

• Prolonged cases of cough.
• Uncharacteristic wheezing.
• Pain on the back, chest, or shoulder.
• Coughing blood or mucus.
• Constant shortness of breath.
• Swollen neck or face.
• Pneumonia or other respiratory infections, etc

Treatment For Lung Cancer

Before a treatment option is to be determined for lung cancer patients, it is important to diagnose its type and stage first. Here are some of the more common types of treatment:

1) Surgery This method of treatment is best only for patients who are diagnosed early due to the possibility of the cancer cells spreading to other parts of the body despite inability to detect it via scan.

2) Chemotherapy This treatment is best used for individuals with small cell lung cancer. Oftentimes, this treatment is accompanied by radiotherapy. This treatment is known as chemoradiation.

3) Radiotherapy This treatment is directed on the patient's head, in order to prevent the cancer cells from spreading to the brain. It is recommended only for individuals with small cell lung cancer and those who had their tumor removed via surgery.

Equipping yourself with general facts on lung cancer is your best weapon against the disease.

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

Urine Test Could Gauge Smokers Lung Cancer Risk



By Ty Magnum

Humans can often be stubborn, & ignorant. Smoking has short & long term health risks, yet we continue to light up the "ole cancer stick." Often, nothing can make us stop this nasty habit, believing it "won't happen to me."

Recently, evidence was produced at the American Association for Cancer Research that a warning test may be available in the next few years to be used as a "kick in the pants" for smokers.

Research has shown that when a risk of lung cancer is high, a person's urine shows an elevated percentage of 2 different chemicals.

Lung cancer is the most deadly of all tumors, with more than 215,020 new diagnosis being made in 2008. There are approximately 60 carcinogens found in tobacco smoke; identifying the byproducts or metabolites may help researchers determine which may lead to tumors.

Smokers with an advanced level of the metabolite NNAL have been recognized as having 2 times the likelihood of contracting lung cancer.

Cotinine has also been recognized as a huge indicator of risk. It is a nicotine byproduct, & the presence of this metabolite in smokers has shown them to have 3 times the risk, as compared to smokers with lower levels.

The unfortunate patient who has elevated levels of both cotinine & NNAL are 8.5 times more destined to have lung cancer, than those smokers with lower levels of the two.

It has been found that these 2 factors mean more danger for smokers than even daily consumption, or length of smoking time.

What makes one smoker more likely to have concentrated levels of these byproducts than another one? No one knows. Metabolic systems, heredity and genes all play a definitive part.

Researchers under no circumstances want this to be a license for some smokers to continue their nasty habit even though their levels of the 2 byproducts may be low. Smoking has no value, it only has detriments for the body and for those inhaling their secondary smoke. Hopefully, the urine test, in the future, will provide a needed wake up call and save lives.

For information on health and fitness check out our Health Forum at http://forums.efitnessnow.com

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Urine-Test-Could-Gauge-Smokers-Lung-Cancer-Risk&id=2250017

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