Cancer Treatment Information and Resources

Hepatocellular carcinoma commonly known as liver cancer is a deadly cancer. It will kill almost all patients who have it within a year. The World Health Organization estimated approximately four hundred thirty thousand new cases of liver cancer worldwide and a similar number of patients died as a result of the disease. Most common areas of the world with high rate of people being affected by the disease are the sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.

The liver is the largest organ in the body, which is found behind the ribs on the right side of the abdomen and it has two parts: the right lobe and the smaller left lobe. It has many important functions that keep a person healthy; it removes harmful materials from the blood, it makes enzymes and bile that help us digest food, and it also converts food into substances needed for life and growth. The liver gets its supply of blood from two vessels, the hepatic portal vein where most blood comes from, and the rest comes from the hepatic artery.

Hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver, which can be benign or malignant (cancerous). Tumors of the liver occur when there is an inaccuracy in the normal regulation of growth of any cells in the liver, including the liver cells themselves (hepatocyte), the bile duct, or the blood vessels within the liver.

Initial symptoms of the disease are unpredictable. In countries where this disease is very common, generally the cancer is discovered at a very advanced stage of the disease because of several reasons; one of them being the areas where there is high frequency of the disease are usually developing countries and access to healthcare is limited, another is screening examinations for patients at risk for developing the cancer are not available in these areas. To add up to these, patients from these regions actually have more aggressive liver cancer diseases therefore reaching the advanced stage more rapidly. Symptoms of this disease include pain in the upper abdomen on the right side (the pain may extend to the back and shoulder), swollen abdomen (bloating), weight loss, loss of appetite and feelings of fullness, weakness or feeling very tired, nausea and vomiting, yellow skin and eyes, dark urine from jaundice, and fever.

The best way to prevent liver cancer is avoiding the risk factors that are linked with it. Keeping away from the excessive use of alcohol and quitting smoking can reduce the risk of liver cancer. Preventing and treating HBV and HCV infections is also important. In other parts of the world, changing the way that foods are stored and processed can decrease the risk of aflatoxin exposure. Proper treatment of water can reduce the risk of arsenic in drinking water. Right treatment of inherited diseases associated with cirrhosis and liver cancer can reduce the risk of developing either of the disease. Although the risk of liver cancer can never be diminished to zero, it can be significantly reduced by avoiding known risk factors.

Breast cancer is something that most people typically relate with females, but did you know that it can also affect males? While the number of male breast cancer sufferers is much lower than that of females, it is important for men to be aware that they too can be affected.

While men aged about 67 years are the most susceptible, it is not unheard of for men much younger than that to report this disease. The male breast has much less fatty tissue than does a female breast. This is why this form of cancer doesn't affect men as often. The highest concentration of fatty tissue in men is typically located just beneath the nipple. More often than not, this is where male breast cancer will start.

A common sign of male breast cancer is having the nipple becoming crusty, scaly and raw-looking. Another sign is bleeding, burning, itching or oozing in the nipple area. Remember that there doesn't need to be a palpable lump present to indicate cancer. If there is a lump present, though, the cancer condition is worse than if it were not there.

Risk factors for male breast cancer include age, family history, obesity, alcohol consumption, exposure to radiation, physical inactivity, liver disease and Klinefelter syndrome. Also, if medications are being taken that can significantly disrupt a man's hormonal level; the chances of developing this cancer are increased. Strong medications like this include those that are used for ulcers and lowering blood pressure.

The only two scientifically proven ways to combat this cancer are through early diagnosis and proper medical treatment. There are, however, some still-developing alternative medicines that are said to aid in fighting cancer. These are best used alongside traditional treatment, rather than just on their own.

Many of the alternative methods often focus on what it is you're eating and teach you how to fuel your body in such a way that it will be able to fight off the cancer on it's own. Because of all the preservatives and artificial flavorings that are commonly found in food, changing your diet can make a remarkable change in your overall health and may just be enough to jumpstart your immune system enough so that it will help you win the fight against this deadly disease.

While this type of cancer will continue to affect more women than man, it is increasingly important that men get the message that they too can develop it. Contrary to some prejudiced thinking, male breast cancer has nothing whatsoever to do with a man's masculinity or lack thereof.

Remember that the most important thing is early diagnosis, so it is wise to drop any reservations or stubbornness about seeing a doctor. Simply go for a check-up every now and then and be sure to tell your doctor if you are experiencing any of the breast cancer signs listed above.

Summary:

Breast cancer is something that most people typically relate with females, but did you know that breast cancer can also affect males? It is important for men to be aware that they too can be affected.

Asian-Americans may be seven times as likely to be diagnosed with certain cancers, according to the American Cancer Society and Melissa McCracken, first author of a study focusing on cancer rates in the U.S.’s Asian population, released earlier this week in CA, a Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

While Asian-Americans have a lower overall incidence rate of cancer than other ethnic populations in the U.S., the disease is still a main cause of death for the group and accounts for more fatalities than heart disease. Stomach and liver cancers, for instance, are much more likely to occur in the United States’ Asian population.

It’s a serious public health issue for the country, with so many immigrants arriving every year, many of whom lack health insurance and the communication skills to effectively seek treatment, and some of whom carry bacteria and viruses — which can cause cancers — uncommon in the U.S. While still a small minority in Texas, at just under 4%, or approximately 850,000, the Asian-American population in the state is growing, particularly in cities like Dallas and Houston.

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