Cancer Treatment Information and Resources

Prostate cancer is normally a slow growth cancer that can take years before it becomes deadly. Many men, especially those later in life have made the decision with their doctors to simply watch and wait. Men at higher risk for prostate cancer include African-American men older than 60, farmers, tire plant workers, painters, and men exposed to cadmium; the lowest number of cases occurs in Japanese men and those who do not eat meat who reach the age of 80.

The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, the milky substance that transports sperm. In most men, prostate cancer grows very slowly; most men will never even know they have the condition. Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75 years old.

Most prostate cancer symptoms, although usually associated with prostate cancer, are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions. Additional symptoms that may be associated are bone pain or tenderness, and abdominal pain. If you have one or more prostate cancer symptoms, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

Some men may experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer. There are various other symptoms that may not be mentioned here. The need to urinate frequently, especially at night is another common symptom but can mimic other health issues.

There are several potential downsides to PSA testing; for example a high PSA does not mean a patient has prostate cancer. One downside to PSA testing is that health care providers are detecting and treating some very early-stage prostate cancers that may never have developed into anything. There is a newer test called an AMACR that is more sensitive than the PSA test for determining the presence of prostate cancer.

The decision about whether or not to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor. A bone scan can indicate whether the cancer has spread. A chest x-ray may be done also to see if there's a spread of cancer or metastasis.

What you can do right now is begin to understand what exactly your treatment options are and where you're going to start. Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can all interfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis. Most men simply want the best treatment they can get but what is important is choosing the best treatment for you.

Urinary incontinence can be one of the complications of surgery. Medicines can be used to adjust the levels of testosterone; this is called hormonal manipulation. Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in men whose cancer has metastasized.

Side effects of the chemotherapy drugs depend on which ones you're taking and how often and how long they're taken. The invasive conventional treatment of prostate cancer is often controversial. If continued chemotherapy is decided upon after the first round of chemotherapy, most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician's office. Think hard and long before committing to any chemotherapy.

Whether radiation is as good as removing the prostate gland is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult for anyone. Prostate cancer that has spread may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, chemotherapy or even nothing at all. A new therapy is on the forefront that recruits the body's own immune system cells to destroy any tumors that could become a new way to treat men with advanced prostate cancer – if the FDA approves the highly individualized treatment.

For a more natural approach making a ginger tea, by adding a thin slice or two of fresh gingerroot to hot water, is helpful to many people I know. Concentrating on a diet of predominately fruits and vegetables (preferably raw- uncooked) and no junk food, should give you an observable improvement in your overall health within 30 days. Eat foods that contain the essential fatty acids.

A good dietary, natural treatment approach is to avoid all acidic inflammatory foods; those are foods that are not alive, not dead, non-nutrient food. Studies done on antioxidant vitamins question their value when not actually contained in food; it's clearly better to consume these antioxidants in living foods because they may also need to work with other nutrients present in the foods to work properly. Some foods and beverages to avoid that are inflammatory are: caffeine, salt, sugar, meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, white rice, alcoholic beverages, fast food, processed vegetable oils, and canned, refined, packaged and processed food.

Eat high-fiber snacks like raw nuts (soak them overnight first to release the enzyme inhibitors that make them difficult to digest), raw seeds, and dried fruit, such as dates, and figs. Drink plenty of pure, unchlorinated, filtered water, a minimum of a quart each day. For an easy fiber boost, mix in two tablespoons of ground-up flaxseeds in raw applesauce made from two-three apples in your food processor.

Evidence indicates that many patients detect cancer at an earlier stage because of annual screening, so make sure to get a good, thorough exam. As new research comes out adjust your treatment options accordingly but a good diet will be your best initial defense. In the end, only you with the help of your doctors, knowing your individual situation, can determine the best treatment plan for you.

The American Cancer Society predicts 34,170 new cancer cases in Texas this year. Of those, 2, 480 are expected to be breast in third place, following lung (9,920 cases expected), and colon/rectum (3,220). Nationally, 26% of new cancer diagnoses 178,480 will be breast, accounting for one-third of all cancers in women. Warnings about environmental toxins, the dangers of inadequate diet and nutrition, and risk factors associated with family history abound. Combined with dismal statistics on the declining number of those able to afford individual health insurance 25.1% in Texas are uninsured it can all seem more than a little overwhelming.

The lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is approximately one in eight, or 13.2%. Risk substantially increases with age, genetic tendencies, family history, personal medical history, and obesity. A woman in her thirties has only a 1 in 229 (0.4%) chance of being diagnosed, while a woman in her sixties has a 1 in 26 chance (3.8%). Survival rates for cancer increase with proper screening, early detection, and quality treatment (which, in turn, increases with health insurance coverage). These low percentages overall seem unconcerning, very low, in fact, but when we stop to consider what this means in actual numbers, or the fact we probably know someone affected by the disease, it hits closer to home.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, along with the American Cancer Society and other non-profit groups, are helping women in Texas and across the country take control of their health by reducing risk factors. Women of all ages are fighting back with knowledge, support groups, and a push for healthier lifestyles. One can substantially reduce risk by becoming aware of, and adjusting for, personal vulnerabilities to the disease and establishing healthy habits. The younger the better, and young women are becoming more and more aware.

Many still believe that what puts a woman primarily at risk is genetic tendency (i.e., family history), but this simply isn't true. Only 5-10% of cases are linked with the BRCA genes, and only 30% of women with breast cancer have a family history of it. While certain uncontrollable factors significantly contribute to its incidence including family history, early onset of menarche (having the first period before 12), late onset of menopause, the first full-term pregnancy after 30, hormone use, and being over 5'3" a woman can reduce her risk, family history or not, by following a healthy lifestyle and making certain key medical decisions.

Obesity and physical activity are among those controllable risks. Weight gain of more than 20-30 pounds after 18 is of particular note. An obese woman has a higher risk of getting breast cancer, as do physically inactive women. The belief is that higher fat content produces more estrogen in the body, which, in turn, increases risk.

In 2005, Texas reported 27% of its residents as obese, above the national average of 24.4%. Recent studies of children in Dallas, Houston, and other cities across the state indicate troublingly high percentages of obesity in those under 18, as well. A child with unhealthy lifestyle habits has a higher chance of retaining those unhealthy habits as an adult, which, in turn, puts that adult at higher risk for certain cancers and chronic conditions. Establishing regular exercise and smart diet choices as early as possible in young women not only reduces the risk of breast cancer, but also improves overall well-being. A consistent physical regimen, producing an elevated heart rate for thirty or more minutes, several times a week, will decrease chances of not only breast cancer, but also many other diseases.

Estrogen exposure is another reason behind the slight increase of breast cancer in women taking (and shortly after taking) the birth control pill, as well as the risk associated with women participating in HRT (hormone replacement therapy), particularly after menopause. While short-term use of these hormones has been associated with reduced danger, anyone considering these treatments would be wise to weigh all the pros and cons before beginning.

Alcohol consumption increases cancer risk. Even a few drinks a week could affect one's chances, but, in general, physicians say not to worry too much about enjoying a glass of wine or the occasional beer. Data suggests that the biggest concern over alcohol is its overuse; alcohol affects the way the liver processes estrogen.

Larger breasts, as well as asymmetrical breasts, may work against a woman, and choosing not to nurse may also increase the chances of getting breast cancer. Why nursing can dramatically influence risk reducing it by as much as 50%, but studies have shown that women who breastfeed several children, for extended periods, gain the greatest benefits.

Overall, it can be a little frightening. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and, with so many women being diagnosed with breast cancer alone every year, it's hard not to become overwhelmed. But we're fighting back, and young women are becoming more aware every day of what they can do to reduce their chances. Exercise, reduce stress, don't drink too much alcohol, nurse if possible, and, for goodness sake's, monitor yourself. If you're without individual health insurance and find it difficult to go for annual exams (which should include a breast exam), do everything you can to get it. In the end, it's up to you to take control and to fight back.

How you treat your body when you're young will certainly affect your health as you age, and eventually your wallet.

Dedication and perseverance are the tools used in the last thirty years to develop and approve antibodies for cancer prevention. Monoclonal antibodies, or "Mabs", have been the result of medical researchers' long and laborious hours behind microscopes, hoping to perfect the use of these cancer-fighting cells for doctors all over the world.

What their discoveries have done for cancer patients is tremendous, especially since the number of individuals within the United States diagnosed with some form of cancer continue to rise each year. By using Mabs, doctors and medical practitioners will have one more weapon to use against the silent, yet deadly killer known as cancer.

The American Cancer Society's (AMC) web site explains that monoclonal antibodies were first developed in laboratories using mice with myeloma cells, which is a kind of bone marrow cancer, and mice that produced specific antibodies for those cells. The combination of these two cells, called a hybridoma cell, forces a perpetual factory making antibodies. The antibodies end up being identical clones of the original hybridoma cell, which is why they are called monoclonal antibodies.

The problem scientists faced with this phenomenal finding was that human antibodies recognized the mouse-produced antibodies as foreign invaders and attacked them. With hard work and dedication, scientists are continuing to develop ways to integrate human antibodies in lieu of mouse antibodies so cancer patients will be able to use the immunotherapy as a form of treatment.

Today there are two types of Mabs, naked and conjugated. The difference between these two lies in the fact that naked antibodies lack radioactive materials attached to them. Conjugated antibodies, on the other hand, are fused with a chemotherapy drug or other toxin used to fight off cancer cells. In recent years the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several Mabs, both naked and conjugated, for cancer treatments.

A list of approved Mabs is available through the ACA's web site. In 2004 and in 2006, Bevacizumab, a naked antibody, was approved for treating certain types of breast cancers. In 2001 the FDA approved the use of Alemuzumab, a naked antibody, which acts as a form of leukemia prevention by attaching itself to both B and T cancer cells, causing the body's immune system to attack and kill them. In 2000, the FDA approved the use of a conjugated antibody, Gemtuzumab ozogamicin, which is used in the treatment of chronic leukemia.

Each year cancer claims thousands of victims. Findings from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturer of America show that more than 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, close to 150,000 men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and over 30,000 men will die from prostate cancer this year. Given these numbers, it is not hard to understand why the use and continual research of Mabs is critical to our society.

The recent approval of a vaccine used to protect women from the Human Papilloma Virus, a known link to the development of cervical cancer, demonstrates that research laboratories are on the brink of helping find more antibodies for cancer prevention, providing hope that the number of cancer patients will begin to decline.

Success often outweighs the failures that scientists and pharmaceutical researchers experience when trying to successfully find treatments for cancer and other deadly diseases. The triumphs experienced within the last several decades have come in the form of antibodies for cancer prevention. The Mabs that have received approval by the FDA are now being used in the healing of cancer patients all over the world. As time goes by, these treatments will be further developed and perfected, helping lead the way in cancer protection and treatment for generations to come.