Pancreas lies horizontally behind the stomach. It serves to release enzymes that help digestion, and hormones that serve to regulate carbohydrates metabolism. It helps regulating the sugar level (glucose) of your body.
Pancreatic cancer spreads very fast and it is difficult to spot it, therefore, it is a major cause of death among cancer illnesses. It is a cancer that spreads very rapidly to other parts and organs of the body, making surgical intervention useless in protecting the patient from death.
How does cancer develop in your pancreas? Most tumors form in the cells that produce digestive enzymes. These tumors that are called adenocarcinomas account for nearly 95% of cancer pancreatic.
Endocrine tumors that form in the islet cells are less common. Upon existence, they produce too much hormone. Very serious are the ampullary cancers that form in the ampulla of Vater, it is where your bile and pancreatic ducts are emptied into your small intestine. These tumors when blocking the bile duct, lead to jaundice.
The developing of pancreatic cancer happens when the DNA is damaged, and the growth and division of healthy cells becomes uncontrolled. Thus, a tumor is formed which is a formation of malignant cells.
A small number of people develop this cancer due to genetic predisposition. In 90% of the cases environmental factors, lifestyle, smoking, diet, and chemical exposure lead to the formation of cancer.
According to surveys, black men and women are at higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer, being overweight and working with petroleum compounds also play a risk factor.
How do you suspect that you may have developed cancer in your pancreas? First of all, you lose your appetite, develop sharp abdominal pain, suddenly lose weight, and have jaundice, yellowing of the skin. It is important to mention Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that infect your mucus and your stomach. In many cases it is asymptomatic.
Courvoisier's law predicts that jaundice and a painless gallbladder that is distended are together indicative of pancreatic cancer. This cancer can be spotted while carrying out liver function tests, along with ultrasound and abdominal CT examinations. Endoscopic ultrasound is a painful, but effective way of spotting the tumor.
Patients having cancer in their pancreas have a poor prognosis due to the cancer not causing evident symptoms in the early stage. Mortality is around 99% in the United States, ranking cancer pancreatic as the number one fatal cancer in America.
This cancer may result in diabetes which turns out to be a life-long illness exposing the patient at discomfort and high risk of death if not treated properly. The American Cancer Society promotes high consumption of vegetables and fruits and lower consumption of red meat. Like with all other cancers, smoking proves a major factor in developing this cancer as well.
Prevention of cancer is vital. Long-term examinations have proved that taking vitamin D helps in decreasing the risk of cancer with 50%. Lately, younger generations have been affected, however, these patients have responded well to treatment in the UK, for example. There is hope for better treatment and diagnosis, these cases have proved the general statistics wrong. For further details, please consult the Pancreatic Cancer UK organization.
By Riley Hendersen
Pancreatic Cancer - One of the Deadliest Cancers
By Riley Hendersen
The American Cancer Society predicts that, in 2007, about 37,170 people in the United States will be found to have pancreatic cancer and about 33,370 will die of the disease. Pancreatic is one of the deadliest of all cancers with one of the lowest survival rates. According to the American Cancer Society, only about 5% of pancreatic cancer patients will be alive 5 years after the cancer is found. Even for those with local disease (it has not spread to other organs), the 5-year relative survival rate is only 16%.
Many people don't know what pancreatic cancer is because they are not familiar with the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland found behind the stomach. It is shaped a little bit like a fish. It is about 6 inches long and less than 2 inches wide. It extends across the abdomen. The pancreas serves two functions. It breaks down the fats and proteins in the food we eat so the body can use them. The pancreas also makes hormones to help balance the amount of sugar in the blood.
While pancreatic cancer can strike anyone, the American Cancer Society has identified several risk factors for pancreatic cancer:
* Almost percent of pancreatic cancer patients are older than 55.
* Men have this cancer more often than women.
* African Americans are more likely to have this cancer than are whites.
* The risk of this cancer is higher among smokers.
* There may be a link with eating a lot of red meat and pork, especially processed meat (such as sausage and bacon).
* Very overweight people are 20% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
* Pancreatic cancer is more common in people with diabetes.
* Some chemicals such as certain bug sprays, dyes, or gasoline products may raise the risk of this cancer.
* Cancer of the pancreas seems to run in some families. It seems to account for about 1 in 10 cases.
Some of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, according to the American Cancer Society are:
* Pain in the belly area (abdomen) or in the middle of the back is a very common sign of advanced pancreatic cancer. Again, such pain is often caused by something other than cancer.
* Losing weight (without trying) over a number of months is very common in patients with this cancer. They may also feel very tired and have a loss of appetite.
* If the cancer blocks the release of the pancreatic juice into the intestine, problems such as trouble breaking down fat can result. Stools might be pale, bulky, greasy, and float in the toilet. Other problems may include nausea, vomiting, and pain that tends to be worse after eating.
* The doctor may find that the gallbladder is enlarged.
Many patients are treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy to prolong their life. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms, you should contact a doctor for testing. Early diagnosis and treatment can help increase your chance of surviving pancreatic cancer.
The American Cancer Society predicts that, in 2007, about 37,170 people in the United States will be found to have pancreatic cancer and about 33,370 will die of the disease. Pancreatic is one of the deadliest of all cancers with one of the lowest survival rates. According to the American Cancer Society, only about 5% of pancreatic cancer patients will be alive 5 years after the cancer is found. Even for those with local disease (it has not spread to other organs), the 5-year relative survival rate is only 16%.
Many people don't know what pancreatic cancer is because they are not familiar with the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland found behind the stomach. It is shaped a little bit like a fish. It is about 6 inches long and less than 2 inches wide. It extends across the abdomen. The pancreas serves two functions. It breaks down the fats and proteins in the food we eat so the body can use them. The pancreas also makes hormones to help balance the amount of sugar in the blood.
While pancreatic cancer can strike anyone, the American Cancer Society has identified several risk factors for pancreatic cancer:
* Almost percent of pancreatic cancer patients are older than 55.
* Men have this cancer more often than women.
* African Americans are more likely to have this cancer than are whites.
* The risk of this cancer is higher among smokers.
* There may be a link with eating a lot of red meat and pork, especially processed meat (such as sausage and bacon).
* Very overweight people are 20% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
* Pancreatic cancer is more common in people with diabetes.
* Some chemicals such as certain bug sprays, dyes, or gasoline products may raise the risk of this cancer.
* Cancer of the pancreas seems to run in some families. It seems to account for about 1 in 10 cases.
Some of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, according to the American Cancer Society are:
* Pain in the belly area (abdomen) or in the middle of the back is a very common sign of advanced pancreatic cancer. Again, such pain is often caused by something other than cancer.
* Losing weight (without trying) over a number of months is very common in patients with this cancer. They may also feel very tired and have a loss of appetite.
* If the cancer blocks the release of the pancreatic juice into the intestine, problems such as trouble breaking down fat can result. Stools might be pale, bulky, greasy, and float in the toilet. Other problems may include nausea, vomiting, and pain that tends to be worse after eating.
* The doctor may find that the gallbladder is enlarged.
Many patients are treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy to prolong their life. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms, you should contact a doctor for testing. Early diagnosis and treatment can help increase your chance of surviving pancreatic cancer.
The Value Of Radiation Therapy And Chemotherapy After Surgery For Pancreatic Cancer
By Carol Kornmehl
Pancreatic cancer, which generally has a very poor prognosis, is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths. It killed greater than 32,000 Americans last year. Therefore, researchers are investigating methods to improve the outlook.
A large study recently demonstrated that patients who underwent surgical removal of the pancreas, who were given both radiation therapy and chemotherapy afterwards, derived improved survival.
When radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy are administered to a person who has undergone an operation to remove all the visible cancer, it is termed adjuvant therapy. An example of the routine use of adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy is that of a woman who has had a lumpectomy to remove a malignant breast tumor.
Investigators reviewed the records of 472 people who had complete surgical removal of the pancreas. All had negative margins, meaning a rim of normal tissue surrounded the cancer cells. Patients whose disease spread beyond the pancreas or whose disease could not be removed entirely were excluded from the study. Also excluded were patients who had a slow growing variant of pancreatic cancer.
At the end of the review, the records of 454 patients were eligible for analysis. A comparison was then made of those who received adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy concurrently after surgery versus those who did not.
Over half of the patients received adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy (274 out of 454 patients). 50 percent of these survived two years and 28 percent went on to live at least five years.
This data was in stark contrast to one-third (180 out of 454 patients) who received no additional therapy after surgery and whose survival was significantly less; 39 percent at two years and 17 percent at five years, respectively.
In addition, patients who received further chemotherapy after their course of adjuvant concomitant radiation therapy and chemotherapy seemed to have even better survival; 61 percent and 31 percent at two and five years, respectively. However, only 28 of 454 patients received this regimen, so it is premature to draw conclusions from this limited sized population.
Nonetheless, the findings of this study suggest a significant improvement in survival rates for those who undergo adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy after complete removal of pancreatic cancer. More good news is that the incidence of pancreatic cancer has decreased over the past few years.
Pancreatic cancer, which generally has a very poor prognosis, is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths. It killed greater than 32,000 Americans last year. Therefore, researchers are investigating methods to improve the outlook.
A large study recently demonstrated that patients who underwent surgical removal of the pancreas, who were given both radiation therapy and chemotherapy afterwards, derived improved survival.
When radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy are administered to a person who has undergone an operation to remove all the visible cancer, it is termed adjuvant therapy. An example of the routine use of adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy is that of a woman who has had a lumpectomy to remove a malignant breast tumor.
Investigators reviewed the records of 472 people who had complete surgical removal of the pancreas. All had negative margins, meaning a rim of normal tissue surrounded the cancer cells. Patients whose disease spread beyond the pancreas or whose disease could not be removed entirely were excluded from the study. Also excluded were patients who had a slow growing variant of pancreatic cancer.
At the end of the review, the records of 454 patients were eligible for analysis. A comparison was then made of those who received adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy concurrently after surgery versus those who did not.
Over half of the patients received adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy (274 out of 454 patients). 50 percent of these survived two years and 28 percent went on to live at least five years.
This data was in stark contrast to one-third (180 out of 454 patients) who received no additional therapy after surgery and whose survival was significantly less; 39 percent at two years and 17 percent at five years, respectively.
In addition, patients who received further chemotherapy after their course of adjuvant concomitant radiation therapy and chemotherapy seemed to have even better survival; 61 percent and 31 percent at two and five years, respectively. However, only 28 of 454 patients received this regimen, so it is premature to draw conclusions from this limited sized population.
Nonetheless, the findings of this study suggest a significant improvement in survival rates for those who undergo adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy after complete removal of pancreatic cancer. More good news is that the incidence of pancreatic cancer has decreased over the past few years.
Pancreatic Cancer - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
By Michael Russell
Pancreatic cancer is a relatively rare disorder, accounting for about 3 in 100 cases of all cancer in the US. However, the disease, which mainly affects people over 50, is becoming more common in the US as life expectancy increases. Pancreatic cancer occurs almost twice as frequently in men as in women and the disease is slightly more common in African-Americans and Polynesians. People with pancreatic cancer usually have few symptoms until the disorder reaches an advanced stage and often not until it has spread to other parts of the body, typically the lymph nodes in the abdomen and the liver. The disease is nearly always fatal and is the fourth most common cause of death from cancer in the US. Little is known about the causes of pancreatic cancer, but it has been linked with diet, in particular with fatty foods and high alcohol consumption. A higher incidence of the cancer in certain ethnic groups indicates that genetic factors may be involved. The risk of the disease is greater in people who smoke and in those with chronic pancreatitis.
The pancreas is an organ involved in endocrine functions, such as the secretion of insulin and exocrine functions, such as the secretion of insulin and exocrine functions, such as the secretion of enzymes involved in digestion. It is located underneath the stomach and liver and adjacent to the duodenum (the first section of the small intestine).
Causes: The cause of this cancer remains unknown. The most established risk factor for the development of this cancer is cigarette smoking. Other less common risk factors are:
• A high fat diet
• Diabetes
• Chronic pancreatitis, generally related to high alcohol intake
• Workers in contact with organic chemicals
Symptoms: when the cancer originates in the head of the pancreas, which is the closest area to the duodenum, patients suffer from jaundice and generalized itching. If, on the other hand, the tumor originates in the area of the tail of the pancreas, which is furthest from the duodenum, the tumor can grow to larger sizes before causing symptoms. This condition can result in the obstruction of bile excretion leading to the development of
• Jaundice
• Pale-colored stools
• Generalized itching
• Abdominal pain
• Weight loss
• A palpable mass.
Many patients with pancreatic cancer also have symptoms of cancer that has spread to other organs.
Diagnosis: Cancer of the pancreas can be easily seen with computed tomography or ultrasound of the abdomen. The diagnosis needs to be confirmed by obtaining a biopsy.
Complications: Complications arise from the spread (metastasis) of the cancer to other organs or from the physical size of the tumor causing obstruction of the bile duct or other internal structures.
Treatment:
Self Treatment: An overall healthy lifestyle with a well balanced diet is essential to maintain general health during the treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Medical Treatment: Although treatment with chemotherapy has not been very encouraging, promising new chemotherapy agents are always being investigated. Combinations of treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy may help control symptoms in some cases of advanced cancer. Surgical Treatment: Removal of the tumor offers the only chance for cure of this type of cancer. Unfortunately, only about 15 percent of patients can have their tumor fully removed. The rest of the patients have cancers that have grown too extensive to remove completely.
Pancreatic cancer is a relatively rare disorder, accounting for about 3 in 100 cases of all cancer in the US. However, the disease, which mainly affects people over 50, is becoming more common in the US as life expectancy increases. Pancreatic cancer occurs almost twice as frequently in men as in women and the disease is slightly more common in African-Americans and Polynesians. People with pancreatic cancer usually have few symptoms until the disorder reaches an advanced stage and often not until it has spread to other parts of the body, typically the lymph nodes in the abdomen and the liver. The disease is nearly always fatal and is the fourth most common cause of death from cancer in the US. Little is known about the causes of pancreatic cancer, but it has been linked with diet, in particular with fatty foods and high alcohol consumption. A higher incidence of the cancer in certain ethnic groups indicates that genetic factors may be involved. The risk of the disease is greater in people who smoke and in those with chronic pancreatitis.
The pancreas is an organ involved in endocrine functions, such as the secretion of insulin and exocrine functions, such as the secretion of insulin and exocrine functions, such as the secretion of enzymes involved in digestion. It is located underneath the stomach and liver and adjacent to the duodenum (the first section of the small intestine).
Causes: The cause of this cancer remains unknown. The most established risk factor for the development of this cancer is cigarette smoking. Other less common risk factors are:
• A high fat diet
• Diabetes
• Chronic pancreatitis, generally related to high alcohol intake
• Workers in contact with organic chemicals
Symptoms: when the cancer originates in the head of the pancreas, which is the closest area to the duodenum, patients suffer from jaundice and generalized itching. If, on the other hand, the tumor originates in the area of the tail of the pancreas, which is furthest from the duodenum, the tumor can grow to larger sizes before causing symptoms. This condition can result in the obstruction of bile excretion leading to the development of
• Jaundice
• Pale-colored stools
• Generalized itching
• Abdominal pain
• Weight loss
• A palpable mass.
Many patients with pancreatic cancer also have symptoms of cancer that has spread to other organs.
Diagnosis: Cancer of the pancreas can be easily seen with computed tomography or ultrasound of the abdomen. The diagnosis needs to be confirmed by obtaining a biopsy.
Complications: Complications arise from the spread (metastasis) of the cancer to other organs or from the physical size of the tumor causing obstruction of the bile duct or other internal structures.
Treatment:
Self Treatment: An overall healthy lifestyle with a well balanced diet is essential to maintain general health during the treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Medical Treatment: Although treatment with chemotherapy has not been very encouraging, promising new chemotherapy agents are always being investigated. Combinations of treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy may help control symptoms in some cases of advanced cancer. Surgical Treatment: Removal of the tumor offers the only chance for cure of this type of cancer. Unfortunately, only about 15 percent of patients can have their tumor fully removed. The rest of the patients have cancers that have grown too extensive to remove completely.
Gums Illness Increased Risk Of Pancreatic Cancer
By Jaime San
Big-hearted-heart jia you including the person who often suffered the disturbance to gums. a research succeeded in proving that they who were affected by the illness in this mouth part had the big risk of being affected by the deadly illness that is pancreatic cancer. Was like this was stated by a research that was released in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Results of the research said that there is their proof that was affected by the illness in the part peridontal or gums will have the big risk was attacked by pancreatic cancer. Then, what his relations between the gums illness and pancreatic cancer ? Results of this research could explain that the individual with the gums illness had the level of mouth bacteria that was higher compared to the person without this illness. The available bacteria on this mouth or was known by the name of nitrosamines was the carcinogen substance or the substance that could cause cancer.
This bacteria was often gotten to beer, the fish, but also food that was made the pickle. Afterwards, the researchers found 67 cases of the sufferer of the gums illness among 216 patients who suffered pancreas cancer. One explanation that made sense towards this, was that the inflammation could resulting from the gums illness cause cancer. Beforehand, the researchers gathered the data since 1986 till 2002 to support their research. They who were researched including inside was 51.529 men who worked in the health field in the United States.
The illness in gums was resulted in by the bacterial infection or the inflammation in this part that often had an impact in hollow supportive bones the strength of teeth. Pancreatic cancer personally was not inferior frightened him. This illness became the cause of the fourth death biggest in the United States. Moreover, the statistical data estimated will have 30 thousand American residents who will die resulting from this illness in 2007. The handling of this cancer really was difficult and just a little information that succeeded in being known about the cause of this illness. Some of the him was the habit smoked, the weight surplus or obesity, the diabetes sufferer, and they who had immunity against insulin.
Big-hearted-heart jia you including the person who often suffered the disturbance to gums. a research succeeded in proving that they who were affected by the illness in this mouth part had the big risk of being affected by the deadly illness that is pancreatic cancer. Was like this was stated by a research that was released in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Results of the research said that there is their proof that was affected by the illness in the part peridontal or gums will have the big risk was attacked by pancreatic cancer. Then, what his relations between the gums illness and pancreatic cancer ? Results of this research could explain that the individual with the gums illness had the level of mouth bacteria that was higher compared to the person without this illness. The available bacteria on this mouth or was known by the name of nitrosamines was the carcinogen substance or the substance that could cause cancer.
This bacteria was often gotten to beer, the fish, but also food that was made the pickle. Afterwards, the researchers found 67 cases of the sufferer of the gums illness among 216 patients who suffered pancreas cancer. One explanation that made sense towards this, was that the inflammation could resulting from the gums illness cause cancer. Beforehand, the researchers gathered the data since 1986 till 2002 to support their research. They who were researched including inside was 51.529 men who worked in the health field in the United States.
The illness in gums was resulted in by the bacterial infection or the inflammation in this part that often had an impact in hollow supportive bones the strength of teeth. Pancreatic cancer personally was not inferior frightened him. This illness became the cause of the fourth death biggest in the United States. Moreover, the statistical data estimated will have 30 thousand American residents who will die resulting from this illness in 2007. The handling of this cancer really was difficult and just a little information that succeeded in being known about the cause of this illness. Some of the him was the habit smoked, the weight surplus or obesity, the diabetes sufferer, and they who had immunity against insulin.
Alternative Medicine for Treating Cancer
By Markus Wahlgren
Cancer is the name given to any illness resulting from one of our body's own cells growing out of control. There are many processes that control a cell’s growth and division, each of which can go wrong. Several of these control mechanisms need to be damaged before a cell becomes cancerous. There are more than 200 different types of cancers, which are categorized in to carcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma and leukemia based on the cells from which they arise.
The principles involved in treating cancer are – either directly destroying the cancer tissues or indirectly destroying them by depriving them of blood supply and/or their nutrition. But the irony is that whatever conventional treatment is used to destroy cancer cells do affect to some extent the normal cells also. They may damage the skin, liver, intestine the bone marrow and other rapidly multiplying cells. Sometimes the effect of the treatment is more devastating than the disease itself.
Role of Alternative Medicine in treating cancer
A larger study of Alternative medicine use in patients with different types of cancer was published in the July 2000 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It was found that nearly 70% of the patients used at least one form alternative medicine along with the conventional treatment. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) are sponsoring a number of clinical trials at medical centers to evaluate alternative medical therapies for cancer.
Alternative medicine includes therapies like herbal remedies, vitamins, special diets, and acupuncture among others.
* Acupuncture:
-effective in the management of chemotherapy associated nausea and
vomiting and in controlling pain associated with surgery. Now used in a
trial to reduce the symptoms of colorectal cancer
* Homeopathy
* Ayurveda
* Shark cartilage: Being tried in non-small cell lung cancer. it prevents new blood vessels growth
* Hyperbaric oxygen: In patients who had larynx removed for larynx cancer
* Massage therapy: for cancer related fatigue
* Pancreatic enzyme therapy along with specialized diet for the treatment of pancreatic cancer
* Mistletoe extract: for the treatment of solid tumors
* Wheatgrass therapy
* Macrobiotics: The macrobiotic diet is strictly vegetarian and requires you to consume about half of your daily calories from whole grains, about a quarter of your calories from vegetables, and the rest of your calories from beans, seaweed and soups
* Bioelectric therapies
* Moerman's Anti-Cancer diet
* Hoxsey herbal therapy
* Essiac herbal therapy: Essiac is a herbal tea mixture that relieves pain and reduces the size of tumors. It contains four herbs- burdock, rhubarb, sheep sorrel and slippery elm
* Pau D'Arco herbal therapy
* Chaparral herbal therapy
* Laetrile (amygdalin): a chemical found in lima beans, raw nuts and the pits of many fruits. Amygdalin produces cyanide, which proponents claim kills cancer
* Alkaline diet: such as fruits and vegetables and restricting acidic foods
* Antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables
* Vitamins A, C and E: These are very good anti oxidants
* Detox therapies including Gonzales nutritional metabolic therapy, colon therapy, and Gerson therapy
The most successful practitioners integrate various components of the alternative cancer treatments for a better outcome.
Cancer is the name given to any illness resulting from one of our body's own cells growing out of control. There are many processes that control a cell’s growth and division, each of which can go wrong. Several of these control mechanisms need to be damaged before a cell becomes cancerous. There are more than 200 different types of cancers, which are categorized in to carcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma and leukemia based on the cells from which they arise.
The principles involved in treating cancer are – either directly destroying the cancer tissues or indirectly destroying them by depriving them of blood supply and/or their nutrition. But the irony is that whatever conventional treatment is used to destroy cancer cells do affect to some extent the normal cells also. They may damage the skin, liver, intestine the bone marrow and other rapidly multiplying cells. Sometimes the effect of the treatment is more devastating than the disease itself.
Role of Alternative Medicine in treating cancer
A larger study of Alternative medicine use in patients with different types of cancer was published in the July 2000 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It was found that nearly 70% of the patients used at least one form alternative medicine along with the conventional treatment. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) are sponsoring a number of clinical trials at medical centers to evaluate alternative medical therapies for cancer.
Alternative medicine includes therapies like herbal remedies, vitamins, special diets, and acupuncture among others.
* Acupuncture:
-effective in the management of chemotherapy associated nausea and
vomiting and in controlling pain associated with surgery. Now used in a
trial to reduce the symptoms of colorectal cancer
* Homeopathy
* Ayurveda
* Shark cartilage: Being tried in non-small cell lung cancer. it prevents new blood vessels growth
* Hyperbaric oxygen: In patients who had larynx removed for larynx cancer
* Massage therapy: for cancer related fatigue
* Pancreatic enzyme therapy along with specialized diet for the treatment of pancreatic cancer
* Mistletoe extract: for the treatment of solid tumors
* Wheatgrass therapy
* Macrobiotics: The macrobiotic diet is strictly vegetarian and requires you to consume about half of your daily calories from whole grains, about a quarter of your calories from vegetables, and the rest of your calories from beans, seaweed and soups
* Bioelectric therapies
* Moerman's Anti-Cancer diet
* Hoxsey herbal therapy
* Essiac herbal therapy: Essiac is a herbal tea mixture that relieves pain and reduces the size of tumors. It contains four herbs- burdock, rhubarb, sheep sorrel and slippery elm
* Pau D'Arco herbal therapy
* Chaparral herbal therapy
* Laetrile (amygdalin): a chemical found in lima beans, raw nuts and the pits of many fruits. Amygdalin produces cyanide, which proponents claim kills cancer
* Alkaline diet: such as fruits and vegetables and restricting acidic foods
* Antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables
* Vitamins A, C and E: These are very good anti oxidants
* Detox therapies including Gonzales nutritional metabolic therapy, colon therapy, and Gerson therapy
The most successful practitioners integrate various components of the alternative cancer treatments for a better outcome.
Discover Cancer Fighting Foods
By Mike Leuthen
Interest in cancer fighting foods continues to grow. Indeed, in recent years, numerous books have been written about anti cancer foods and the role of good nutrition.
Thousands of scientific studies have now been conducted on the subject. Researchers have investigated the average diets of populations that exhibit low incidence of different types of cancer. Most recently, the American Cancer Society has concluded that 14-20% of all cancer deaths in the United States are related to obesity or excess weight. About 30% of all Americans are obese and most are overweight.
Experts agree that anti cancer foods are foods that are rich in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is believed to lead to many types of cancer, as well as heart disease, and recent studies have shown that body fat produces chemicals that cause inflammation.
This research supports the importance of a healthy diet that includes cancer fighting foods, most of which are fruits and vegetables, and limits dietary fats. Additionally, there is no substitute for a regular exercise program for weight management.
Making drastic changes in your diet can be difficult and frustrating. You may find more success by making little changes over an extended period of time. If the cancer fighting foods mentioned here are not those that you are accustomed to eating, try adding one or two different ones to your diet each month.
Remember to keep in mind any known allergies. When trying a food or spice that you have never eaten before, watch for reactions, such as itching, hives or swelling of the lips and mouth. Severe allergic reactions to foods can cause anaphylactic shock, which can be life threatening, and those people who have other allergies or asthma are more at risk and should use care when trying new foods.
It can also be helpful to buy foods that are grown locally. These are less likely to cause allergic reactions. Limiting new foods to one a day will help you identify food sensitivities or allergies.
Berries are among the most powerful anti cancer foods. Blueberries have been shown in animals studies to inibit the production of an enzyme responsible for tumor growth. Bilberry has been shown to inhibit the growth of leukemia and cancer cells in the laboratory. Pomegranates (a member of the berry family) are considered cancer fighting foods because of their effect on breast, prostrate and skin cancer in lab studies. Additionally, pomegranate seeds are natural anti-inflammatories.
The goal for an anti-cancer diet is to eat mostly plant foods. It appears that diets that are two-thirds fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains are most effective. Recommended anti cancer foods are high in B-complex (shown to provide protection from cell mutation and reduce risk of pancreatic cancer) and D vitamins (curbs growth of cancer cells, reduces risk of breast and lung cancer).
A group of vegetables known as cruciferous are high in both B-complex and D vitamins. Examples of cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, turnip greens, kale and cabbage. In laboratory studies, these vegetables have been shown to shrink prostrate and colon cancer tumors and eating them is believed to reduce the development of colon polyps (a precursor to colon cancer), even in those people who are genetically predisposed to them.
The Cancer Cure Foundation, a non-profit providing information on alternative and complementary therapies since 1976, adds the following anti cancer foods: avocadoes, figs, flax seed, grapefruit, red grapes, green and yellow leafy vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, oranges, lemons, papayas, seaweed, soy, sweet potatoes, tapioca, tomatoes, watermelon and red peppers. You may have noticed that the majority of the cancer fighting foods are particularly colorful.
Those same phytochemicals that give these fruits and vegetables there bright colors are cancer fighting agents. Thus, the reason behind the recommendation to eat a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables, every day.
Just because you are increasing fruits and vegetables in your diet does not mean that it must be bland. Several spices have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties.
Curcurmin, the main ingredient in curry and used for flavoring in many Indian dishes, is a known anti-inflammatory, boosts immune system strength and is believed to have a negative affect on all forms of cancer. Ginger kills cancer cells in laboratory tests. Garlic, chili peppers, rosemary and jalapenos are all included in the Cancer Cure Foundation's recommendations for anti cancer foods.
And then there is the mangosteen. Not related to the more common mango and only available in the form of a health supplement puree in many parts of the world, this fruit from southeast Asia may be the most effective of the cancer fighting foods. The rind of the mangosteen was a staple in traditional Thai medicine and, since 2002 has been the subject of numerous laboratory studies, both in the United States and in Asia.
The anti-oxidants in the mangosteen are so powerful that they are referred to as xanthones. Initially identified as a natural anti-inflammatory in 2002, it was discovered in 2004 that components of the rind could inhibit COX-2 activity, without inhibiting COX-1 production. COX-2 enzymes cause inflammation. COX-1 enzymes protect the lining of the digestive tract. Anti-inflammatories like aspirin and ibruprofren upset the stomach and can cause ulcers because they inhibit both COX-1 and 2 production. In studies of nine different potential anti-cancer foods, the Department of Microbiology at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand showed that the mangosteen was the most potent in preventing proliferation of breast cancer cells.
Other lab tests have shown that it can induce the death of colon, leukemia, liver, gastric and lung cancer cells. All of these studies concluded that components of the mangosteen have potential for use in the treatment and prevention of cancer. If you have reason to be concerned about food allergies, the mangosteen has been shown to be an anti-allergen.
If you are really interested in optimal nutrition and warding off diseases, you might want to add a mangosteen supplement to your diet of cancer fighting foods, get regular exercise and reduce your waistline.
Interest in cancer fighting foods continues to grow. Indeed, in recent years, numerous books have been written about anti cancer foods and the role of good nutrition.
Thousands of scientific studies have now been conducted on the subject. Researchers have investigated the average diets of populations that exhibit low incidence of different types of cancer. Most recently, the American Cancer Society has concluded that 14-20% of all cancer deaths in the United States are related to obesity or excess weight. About 30% of all Americans are obese and most are overweight.
Experts agree that anti cancer foods are foods that are rich in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is believed to lead to many types of cancer, as well as heart disease, and recent studies have shown that body fat produces chemicals that cause inflammation.
This research supports the importance of a healthy diet that includes cancer fighting foods, most of which are fruits and vegetables, and limits dietary fats. Additionally, there is no substitute for a regular exercise program for weight management.
Making drastic changes in your diet can be difficult and frustrating. You may find more success by making little changes over an extended period of time. If the cancer fighting foods mentioned here are not those that you are accustomed to eating, try adding one or two different ones to your diet each month.
Remember to keep in mind any known allergies. When trying a food or spice that you have never eaten before, watch for reactions, such as itching, hives or swelling of the lips and mouth. Severe allergic reactions to foods can cause anaphylactic shock, which can be life threatening, and those people who have other allergies or asthma are more at risk and should use care when trying new foods.
It can also be helpful to buy foods that are grown locally. These are less likely to cause allergic reactions. Limiting new foods to one a day will help you identify food sensitivities or allergies.
Berries are among the most powerful anti cancer foods. Blueberries have been shown in animals studies to inibit the production of an enzyme responsible for tumor growth. Bilberry has been shown to inhibit the growth of leukemia and cancer cells in the laboratory. Pomegranates (a member of the berry family) are considered cancer fighting foods because of their effect on breast, prostrate and skin cancer in lab studies. Additionally, pomegranate seeds are natural anti-inflammatories.
The goal for an anti-cancer diet is to eat mostly plant foods. It appears that diets that are two-thirds fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains are most effective. Recommended anti cancer foods are high in B-complex (shown to provide protection from cell mutation and reduce risk of pancreatic cancer) and D vitamins (curbs growth of cancer cells, reduces risk of breast and lung cancer).
A group of vegetables known as cruciferous are high in both B-complex and D vitamins. Examples of cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, turnip greens, kale and cabbage. In laboratory studies, these vegetables have been shown to shrink prostrate and colon cancer tumors and eating them is believed to reduce the development of colon polyps (a precursor to colon cancer), even in those people who are genetically predisposed to them.
The Cancer Cure Foundation, a non-profit providing information on alternative and complementary therapies since 1976, adds the following anti cancer foods: avocadoes, figs, flax seed, grapefruit, red grapes, green and yellow leafy vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, oranges, lemons, papayas, seaweed, soy, sweet potatoes, tapioca, tomatoes, watermelon and red peppers. You may have noticed that the majority of the cancer fighting foods are particularly colorful.
Those same phytochemicals that give these fruits and vegetables there bright colors are cancer fighting agents. Thus, the reason behind the recommendation to eat a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables, every day.
Just because you are increasing fruits and vegetables in your diet does not mean that it must be bland. Several spices have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties.
Curcurmin, the main ingredient in curry and used for flavoring in many Indian dishes, is a known anti-inflammatory, boosts immune system strength and is believed to have a negative affect on all forms of cancer. Ginger kills cancer cells in laboratory tests. Garlic, chili peppers, rosemary and jalapenos are all included in the Cancer Cure Foundation's recommendations for anti cancer foods.
And then there is the mangosteen. Not related to the more common mango and only available in the form of a health supplement puree in many parts of the world, this fruit from southeast Asia may be the most effective of the cancer fighting foods. The rind of the mangosteen was a staple in traditional Thai medicine and, since 2002 has been the subject of numerous laboratory studies, both in the United States and in Asia.
The anti-oxidants in the mangosteen are so powerful that they are referred to as xanthones. Initially identified as a natural anti-inflammatory in 2002, it was discovered in 2004 that components of the rind could inhibit COX-2 activity, without inhibiting COX-1 production. COX-2 enzymes cause inflammation. COX-1 enzymes protect the lining of the digestive tract. Anti-inflammatories like aspirin and ibruprofren upset the stomach and can cause ulcers because they inhibit both COX-1 and 2 production. In studies of nine different potential anti-cancer foods, the Department of Microbiology at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand showed that the mangosteen was the most potent in preventing proliferation of breast cancer cells.
Other lab tests have shown that it can induce the death of colon, leukemia, liver, gastric and lung cancer cells. All of these studies concluded that components of the mangosteen have potential for use in the treatment and prevention of cancer. If you have reason to be concerned about food allergies, the mangosteen has been shown to be an anti-allergen.
If you are really interested in optimal nutrition and warding off diseases, you might want to add a mangosteen supplement to your diet of cancer fighting foods, get regular exercise and reduce your waistline.
Stop Wasting Money on Dryer Sheets
By William Shreddington
Never buy dryer sheets or fabric softener again. These laundry products are not only costly, but they are incredibly harmful to your health as well. You would be surprised at some of the chemicals that are in these products as well as the warnings to go with them. Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh, dryer sheets are one of the most toxic products in your home. They are filled with so many chemicals that they have to be scented with an incredible amount of fragrance. If the sweet smelling fragrance was removed, there would only be a noxious chemical smell remaining. Some of the chemicals that are contained in dryer sheets are Benzyl acetate(linked to pancreatic cancer), Benzyl Alcohol(respiratory irritant), Ethanol(linked to central nervous system disorders), Limonene(carcinogen), A-Terpineol(respiratory irritant and damaging to central nervous system), Ethyl Acetate(narcotic), Camphor(central nervous system damage), Chloroform(neurotoxin, anesthetic), Linalool(central nervous system damage), and Pentane(respiratory irritant). Some of the symptoms experienced from prolonged exposure to the chemicals in dryer sheets include: headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, central nervous system disorders, blood pressure reduction, tiredness that is not cured by resting, difficulty breathing, skin irritation, difficulty concentrating and remembering, and cancer.
People with allergies are especially susceptible to the dangers of dryer sheets and fabric softeners. These people can break out in rashes and experience itching if they are exposed to the chemicals in dryer sheets in any capacity. I’m no expert, but if it causes trauma to a sensitive person , on contact, then it can’t be all that good for the rest of us. Babies are also easily harmed by dryer sheets. It is recommended that baby clothes do not get washed with fabric softeners or dryer sheets as it can be harmful or even fatal for developing babies. There a number of cases of SIDS associated with the use of fabric softeners and dryer sheets. You are also contributing to pollution and ozone depletion whenever you pop a dryer sheet in your dryer. Various toxic chemicals are being emitted into the air through you dryer vent.
Dryer sheets leave an oil coating on your clothes, which don’t really leave them softer or fluffy. This oil builds up on the fibers and takes the absorbency out (oil repels water). They are designed to slowly release their chemicals, in the attempt to “keep them fresh” all day. In reality, they are causing you to experience prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals. In the dryer, fabric softener leaves a sticky residue on all the components like the moisture sensors and drum of the dryer. This residue is very flammable, which is why on the back of some fabric softeners it tells you not to use on towels, terrycloth or fleece. The number one cause of house fires is the dryer. Fabric softeners even take the fire retardant out of baby’s clothes.
So…Stop Buying Dryer Sheets and try Dryer Magic Dryer Balls. These dryer balls are completely non-toxic and chemical free. Dryer Balls soften fabrics naturally without the need for fabric softener or dryer sheets. These two little Dryer Balls will take the place other fabric softeners without the use of chemicals, making them perfect for anyone with sensitive skin or allergies. Dryer Balls are reusable and hypoallergenic and come with a Lifetime Guarantee. These innovative balls tumble in the dryer to lift and separate laundry, so your clothes dry faster as hot air flows more efficiently. Soft tips massage fabrics to naturally fluff and soften without the use of chemical-laden dryer sheets or liquid softeners.
Save money with dryer balls. For just a little more than one fabric softener or dryer sheet purchase, you will have a fabric softening product that will last for years. Imagine the savings of never buying fabric softener or dryer sheets again. Plus with 15%-25% shorter drying times, you will save on energy costs and shorten the amount of time it takes to do laundry.
Never buy dryer sheets or fabric softener again. These laundry products are not only costly, but they are incredibly harmful to your health as well. You would be surprised at some of the chemicals that are in these products as well as the warnings to go with them. Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh, dryer sheets are one of the most toxic products in your home. They are filled with so many chemicals that they have to be scented with an incredible amount of fragrance. If the sweet smelling fragrance was removed, there would only be a noxious chemical smell remaining. Some of the chemicals that are contained in dryer sheets are Benzyl acetate(linked to pancreatic cancer), Benzyl Alcohol(respiratory irritant), Ethanol(linked to central nervous system disorders), Limonene(carcinogen), A-Terpineol(respiratory irritant and damaging to central nervous system), Ethyl Acetate(narcotic), Camphor(central nervous system damage), Chloroform(neurotoxin, anesthetic), Linalool(central nervous system damage), and Pentane(respiratory irritant). Some of the symptoms experienced from prolonged exposure to the chemicals in dryer sheets include: headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, central nervous system disorders, blood pressure reduction, tiredness that is not cured by resting, difficulty breathing, skin irritation, difficulty concentrating and remembering, and cancer.
People with allergies are especially susceptible to the dangers of dryer sheets and fabric softeners. These people can break out in rashes and experience itching if they are exposed to the chemicals in dryer sheets in any capacity. I’m no expert, but if it causes trauma to a sensitive person , on contact, then it can’t be all that good for the rest of us. Babies are also easily harmed by dryer sheets. It is recommended that baby clothes do not get washed with fabric softeners or dryer sheets as it can be harmful or even fatal for developing babies. There a number of cases of SIDS associated with the use of fabric softeners and dryer sheets. You are also contributing to pollution and ozone depletion whenever you pop a dryer sheet in your dryer. Various toxic chemicals are being emitted into the air through you dryer vent.
Dryer sheets leave an oil coating on your clothes, which don’t really leave them softer or fluffy. This oil builds up on the fibers and takes the absorbency out (oil repels water). They are designed to slowly release their chemicals, in the attempt to “keep them fresh” all day. In reality, they are causing you to experience prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals. In the dryer, fabric softener leaves a sticky residue on all the components like the moisture sensors and drum of the dryer. This residue is very flammable, which is why on the back of some fabric softeners it tells you not to use on towels, terrycloth or fleece. The number one cause of house fires is the dryer. Fabric softeners even take the fire retardant out of baby’s clothes.
So…Stop Buying Dryer Sheets and try Dryer Magic Dryer Balls. These dryer balls are completely non-toxic and chemical free. Dryer Balls soften fabrics naturally without the need for fabric softener or dryer sheets. These two little Dryer Balls will take the place other fabric softeners without the use of chemicals, making them perfect for anyone with sensitive skin or allergies. Dryer Balls are reusable and hypoallergenic and come with a Lifetime Guarantee. These innovative balls tumble in the dryer to lift and separate laundry, so your clothes dry faster as hot air flows more efficiently. Soft tips massage fabrics to naturally fluff and soften without the use of chemical-laden dryer sheets or liquid softeners.
Save money with dryer balls. For just a little more than one fabric softener or dryer sheet purchase, you will have a fabric softening product that will last for years. Imagine the savings of never buying fabric softener or dryer sheets again. Plus with 15%-25% shorter drying times, you will save on energy costs and shorten the amount of time it takes to do laundry.
Cancer and Its Various Causes and Treatment
By Topon Boro
Cancer is the type of common disorder that is characterized by the unrestrained partition of the cells. Millions of people all over the world are affected by these dreaded diseases and majority of people are ignorant about the cure and its treatment and thus leads to most of the death in many countries. These cells have the aptitude to invade additional normal tissues. This disease occurs either by the insertion into the isolated sites by the metastasis or by the direct growth into the contiguous tissue throughout the invasion. The unregulated growths of all the cells are much caused by the damage of the “DNA”, which consequences in the mutations to the genes that instruct proteins scheming cell division. These mutations are much caused by the chemical and corporeal agents called as the carcinogens; it is also caused by the close contact to radioactive resources and by certain viruses which can put in their “DNA” into the human genome.
There are numerous types of cancer such as the adrenalin cancer, anal cancer, aids related lymphoma, bladder cancer, brain metastasis, brain tumors, breast cancer, cervical cancer colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, esophageal cancer, gall bladder cancer, gastric cancer, kidney cancer, laryngeal cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, maesothelomia, ovarian cancer, penile cancer, pituitary cancer, thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, small intestine cancer, small cell lung cancer, bone cancer and the pancreatic cancer.
All these types of cancer are serious in its kinds and are needs proper care and treatment, otherwise it would worsen up. If untreated, any type of cancers can ultimately cause poor health and ultimately death, Cancer is a serious disease which afflicts people at all ages but mostly during the later years of human where the body becomes to weak for fighting against the various bacterial influence.. Cancer is one of the most important causes of death in many urbanized countries. The majority of cancers have appropriate treatment and some are cured and treated by depending on the exact type, phase and location.
Some of the common forms of treatment that we have in the fast and developed medical techniques are biological therapy, bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, clinical trials, some of the complementary medicines, gene therapy, general treatment concerns, hormone therapy, proton therapy, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, targeted therapies, vaccines therapies and in most of the cases surgeries are done. In every thousand of people all over the world today, we can see two of them are effected by cancer but due to modern technology and proper treatment it can be cured to an extent cut are not able to get rid of the root of cancer.
Cancer is the type of common disorder that is characterized by the unrestrained partition of the cells. Millions of people all over the world are affected by these dreaded diseases and majority of people are ignorant about the cure and its treatment and thus leads to most of the death in many countries. These cells have the aptitude to invade additional normal tissues. This disease occurs either by the insertion into the isolated sites by the metastasis or by the direct growth into the contiguous tissue throughout the invasion. The unregulated growths of all the cells are much caused by the damage of the “DNA”, which consequences in the mutations to the genes that instruct proteins scheming cell division. These mutations are much caused by the chemical and corporeal agents called as the carcinogens; it is also caused by the close contact to radioactive resources and by certain viruses which can put in their “DNA” into the human genome.
There are numerous types of cancer such as the adrenalin cancer, anal cancer, aids related lymphoma, bladder cancer, brain metastasis, brain tumors, breast cancer, cervical cancer colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, esophageal cancer, gall bladder cancer, gastric cancer, kidney cancer, laryngeal cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, maesothelomia, ovarian cancer, penile cancer, pituitary cancer, thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, small intestine cancer, small cell lung cancer, bone cancer and the pancreatic cancer.
All these types of cancer are serious in its kinds and are needs proper care and treatment, otherwise it would worsen up. If untreated, any type of cancers can ultimately cause poor health and ultimately death, Cancer is a serious disease which afflicts people at all ages but mostly during the later years of human where the body becomes to weak for fighting against the various bacterial influence.. Cancer is one of the most important causes of death in many urbanized countries. The majority of cancers have appropriate treatment and some are cured and treated by depending on the exact type, phase and location.
Some of the common forms of treatment that we have in the fast and developed medical techniques are biological therapy, bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, clinical trials, some of the complementary medicines, gene therapy, general treatment concerns, hormone therapy, proton therapy, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, targeted therapies, vaccines therapies and in most of the cases surgeries are done. In every thousand of people all over the world today, we can see two of them are effected by cancer but due to modern technology and proper treatment it can be cured to an extent cut are not able to get rid of the root of cancer.
Green Tea’s Effectiveness in Fighting Pancreatic Cancer
By Jon Stout
Cancer is one of our country’s most frightening diseases. One million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and about 300 people will die from it each and every day. Scientists continue scrambling for understanding into what causes cancer, so that we can prevent it. In addition, work is ongoing to find effective ways of treating this disease.
In recent years, there have been quite a few studies on green tea and its cancer preventing characteristics. These studies are fueled by examination of Asian cultures, where green tea is part of everyday life, and where the incidences of heart disease, stroke and cancer are far lower than here in the US. Asian cultures have understood for many years that green tea is effective in slowing down the aging process and preventing and treating disease.
All tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant; white tea, green tea and black tea all come from this same source. The differences are a result of how the tea is processed. Green and white tea is not fermented during processing, but black tea is fermented. This fermentation process chemically changes the natural anti-oxidants that tea contains.
While even after fermentation, tea is quite healthy; it is the anti-oxidants in their most natural form that seem to have the best anti-aging and disease fighting qualities. In particular, the catechins EGCG is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants you can consume.
Anti-oxidants are important to us because they combat free radicals that are naturally created by our body during the digestion process. These free radicals must be eliminated or they will damage our cells and our DNA. A deficiency in anti-oxidants allows these free radicals to rule, causing us to age more quickly and develop diseases like cancer and heart disease.
So, a diet rich in anti-oxidants has been shown effective in preventing cancer and heart disease, lowering cholesterol and reducing your risk of having a stroke. Doctors recommend that we eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables for their anti-oxidant effects; however, we are now learning that one of the best ways to get your daily dose of anti-oxidants is through drinking green tea.
As great as this news is for the prospects of preventing cancer, there is even more exciting news. There is evidence to suggest that not only might green tea prevent cancer, but might also be an effective treatment for cancer. Recent studies have shown that tea – green and black – appear to slow the progression of cancer cells.
This particular study was done on prostate and pancreatic cancer cells. The cells were treated in vitro with extracts from green and black tea. The cells were exposed to tea extracts for a period of 24 hours. The growth of the cancer cells was inhibited by as much as 90% during the period of exposure to the tea.
In addition to these exciting results, this study also suggested that green and black tea may inhibit the expression of the gene known as MDR-1. MDR-1 stands for multi-drug resistant gene. This gene expresses a drug resistant substance into the tumor cells that diminishes the effect that treatment has on the cells.
This study found that during the 24 hour period when the cells were exposed to the tea extracts, the amount of MDR-1 expressed by the cancer cells was decreased. This leads us to the conclusion that using green tea in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments may increase the effectiveness of the cancer drugs. There have been other studies, as well, that have indicated that cancer drugs are more effective when they are administered along with green tea.
Of course, as with many other findings, more research is needed before we fully understand the benefits that might be gained from using tea to prevent and treat cancer. Most importantly, many of these studies that have only been conducted on mice or in test tubes need human trials. Only then will we truly understand how lab findings might translate into real treatment and prevention options.
One thing’s for sure, though; there is no downside to incorporating tea into your diet. Green tea, in particular, is refreshing, healthy and filled with anti-oxidants. It is a healthier alternative to that morning cup of coffee, because it has a high anti-oxidant level and because it is significantly lower in caffeine than coffee.
Green tea is a wonderful way to help prevent aging and disease. Adding green tea to your diet is a simple and effective way to improve your health and chances of living to a ripe old age. As the research evolves, there’s no doubt that we’ll gain greater insight into exactly how green tea works and how we can best use its power. But, in the meantime, you can be assured that drinking green tea every day is a healthy habit.
Cancer is one of our country’s most frightening diseases. One million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and about 300 people will die from it each and every day. Scientists continue scrambling for understanding into what causes cancer, so that we can prevent it. In addition, work is ongoing to find effective ways of treating this disease.
In recent years, there have been quite a few studies on green tea and its cancer preventing characteristics. These studies are fueled by examination of Asian cultures, where green tea is part of everyday life, and where the incidences of heart disease, stroke and cancer are far lower than here in the US. Asian cultures have understood for many years that green tea is effective in slowing down the aging process and preventing and treating disease.
All tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant; white tea, green tea and black tea all come from this same source. The differences are a result of how the tea is processed. Green and white tea is not fermented during processing, but black tea is fermented. This fermentation process chemically changes the natural anti-oxidants that tea contains.
While even after fermentation, tea is quite healthy; it is the anti-oxidants in their most natural form that seem to have the best anti-aging and disease fighting qualities. In particular, the catechins EGCG is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants you can consume.
Anti-oxidants are important to us because they combat free radicals that are naturally created by our body during the digestion process. These free radicals must be eliminated or they will damage our cells and our DNA. A deficiency in anti-oxidants allows these free radicals to rule, causing us to age more quickly and develop diseases like cancer and heart disease.
So, a diet rich in anti-oxidants has been shown effective in preventing cancer and heart disease, lowering cholesterol and reducing your risk of having a stroke. Doctors recommend that we eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables for their anti-oxidant effects; however, we are now learning that one of the best ways to get your daily dose of anti-oxidants is through drinking green tea.
As great as this news is for the prospects of preventing cancer, there is even more exciting news. There is evidence to suggest that not only might green tea prevent cancer, but might also be an effective treatment for cancer. Recent studies have shown that tea – green and black – appear to slow the progression of cancer cells.
This particular study was done on prostate and pancreatic cancer cells. The cells were treated in vitro with extracts from green and black tea. The cells were exposed to tea extracts for a period of 24 hours. The growth of the cancer cells was inhibited by as much as 90% during the period of exposure to the tea.
In addition to these exciting results, this study also suggested that green and black tea may inhibit the expression of the gene known as MDR-1. MDR-1 stands for multi-drug resistant gene. This gene expresses a drug resistant substance into the tumor cells that diminishes the effect that treatment has on the cells.
This study found that during the 24 hour period when the cells were exposed to the tea extracts, the amount of MDR-1 expressed by the cancer cells was decreased. This leads us to the conclusion that using green tea in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments may increase the effectiveness of the cancer drugs. There have been other studies, as well, that have indicated that cancer drugs are more effective when they are administered along with green tea.
Of course, as with many other findings, more research is needed before we fully understand the benefits that might be gained from using tea to prevent and treat cancer. Most importantly, many of these studies that have only been conducted on mice or in test tubes need human trials. Only then will we truly understand how lab findings might translate into real treatment and prevention options.
One thing’s for sure, though; there is no downside to incorporating tea into your diet. Green tea, in particular, is refreshing, healthy and filled with anti-oxidants. It is a healthier alternative to that morning cup of coffee, because it has a high anti-oxidant level and because it is significantly lower in caffeine than coffee.
Green tea is a wonderful way to help prevent aging and disease. Adding green tea to your diet is a simple and effective way to improve your health and chances of living to a ripe old age. As the research evolves, there’s no doubt that we’ll gain greater insight into exactly how green tea works and how we can best use its power. But, in the meantime, you can be assured that drinking green tea every day is a healthy habit.
Cancer – We Know the Cause and the Cure
By Michele Michaels
One has to wonder why after the billions of dollars put into research and development of cancer treatments it is reported that you have a higher chance of getting cancer today than you did in 1950. As a matter of fact if you are diagnosed with cancer today your chances of survival are what they were in 1950, in a lot of cases, most in fact.
Our health care system and our government have been lying and misleading the public about the effectiveness of the traditional medical treatment for cancer. Chemotherapy, drugs, surgery, and radiation are the most profitable health industry services and products on planet. There is more profit in the treatment of cancer than any other disease. Most of us have no idea what a big business this is. Some families make billions of dollars a year in profits from treating cancer. When we say treating cancer that’s exactly what is meant. There is much less profit in curing it. Think if we cured cancer now so that cancer were eradicated from the planet trillions of dollars would be lost! And the treatments are government mandated. So those at the top of this economic pyramid would rather you had cancer than not. You are forced to treat it in the manner that makes money for those who profit from disease. And that is obviously true since they actively keep alternative cures off the market or make it very difficult to provide and to choose an alternative method to cure cancer.
With any disease if you find the cause then the cure follows. So, then what is the cause of cancer? Researchers tell us that we don’t know the cause. That is just not true. According to “Natural Cures They Don’t Want You To Know About”, by Kevin Trudeaux, “The causes of cancer are known at the highest levels of the health industry, and this information is being suppressed and hidden from the American public. This is exactly the same situation that occurred with big tobacco and with Ford and General Motors. Big tobacco knew as early as 1950 that their product caused cancer and disease. They lied about this to the American public, and even in congressional hearings. They hid the truth. Ford and General Motors knew that some of their products, including the Pinto and Corvair, would cause people to be maimed, deformed, injured, and die. They hid this information and lied about it. Today, the pharmaceutical companies and the heads of various organizations know the various reasons people come down with cancer. They have this empirical data, but they are lying about it and hiding this from the public.”
There are those such as Kevin Trudeaux and Dr. Hulda Clark who are actively getting the word out and helping numerous people.
Dr. Hulda Clark has been doing extensive research and actively curing this disease for many years. Below is taken from The Cure for All Cancers, which you can purchase from the www.drclarkuniversity.org
“The Cause
The Cause For many years we have all believed that cancer is different from other diseases. We believed that cancer behaves like a fire, in that you can't stop it once it has started. Therefore, you have to cut it out or radiate it to death or chemically destroy every cancerous cell in the body since it can never become normal again. NOTHING COULD BE MORE WRONG!
And we have believed that cancers of different types such as leukemia or breast cancer have different causes. Wrong again!
In this book you will see that all cancers are alike. They are all caused by a parasite. A single parasite! It is the human intestinal fluke. And if you kill this parasite, the cancer stops immediately. The tissue becomes normal again. In order to get cancer, you must have this parasite.
How can the human intestinal fluke cause cancer? This parasite typically lives in the intestine where it might do little harm, causing only colitis, Crohn's disease, or irritable bowel syndrome, or perhaps nothing at all. But if it invades a different organ, like the uterus or the kidneys or liver, it does a great deal of harm. If it establishes itself in the liver, it causes cancer! It only establishes itself in the liver in some people. These people have isopropyl alcohol in their bodies.
All cancer patients have both isopropyl alcohol and the intestinal fluke in their livers. The solvent, isopropyl alcohol, is responsible for letting the fluke establish itself in the liver. In order to get cancer, you must have both the parasite and isopropyl alcohol in your body.”
From the book "The Cure for all Cancers." Page 1.
Cancer can now be CURED:
From the book The Cure for All Cancers: Cancer can now be CURED, not just treated. We are not accustomed to thinking about a cure for cancer. We think of remission as the only possibility. But this book is not about remission. It is about a cure. This is possible because in 1990 I discovered the true cause of cancer. The cause is a certain parasite, for which I have found evidence in every cancer case regardless of the type of cancer. So lung cancer is not caused by smoking, colon cancer is not caused by a low-roughage diet, breast cancer is not caused by a fatty diet, retinal blastoma is not caused by a rare gene, and pancreatic cancer is not caused by alcohol consumption. Although these are all contributing factors, they are not THE cause. Once the true cause was found the cure became obvious. But would it work? I set a goal of 100 cases to be cured of cancer before publishing my findings. That mark was passed in December, 1992. The discovery of the cause and cure of all cancers has stood the test of time and here it is!
It is the pollutants in food and other products that leave us vulnerable to parasites and disease. Dr. Clark has invented a device called the Syncrometer, which is used to identify various toxins in food and products and ourselves. She has also developed a device called the zapper which kills the parasites in the body.
From the book "The Cure for all Diseases." Before contents, by Dr. Hulda Clark, and also available at www.drclarkuniversity.org or www.drhuldaclark.org .
“You may not have time to read this entire book first if you have cancer and are scheduled for surgery, chemotherapy or radiation treatment. You may wish to skip the first pages which describe how cancer develops.
Go directly to the cancer curing recipe and order your supplies. Using the herbal recipe together with the zapper is best. It only takes days to be cured of cancer regardless of the type you have. It does not matter how far progressed the cancer is, you can still stop it in 5 days.
After you have stopped the cancer, you can turn your attention to getting well. Read the case histories to see how easy it is to stop even terminal cancer. Learn from them to avoid mistakes.
Does this mean you can cancel your date for surgery, radiation or chemotherapy? YES! After curing your cancer with this recipe it cannot come back. This is not a treatment for cancer: It is a cure! But if you do not wish to make your doctor angry, you could follow her or his wishes, too. Be careful not to lose any vital anatomical parts in surgery though, because you may need them later when you are healthy!
Remember that oncologists are kind, sensitive, compassionate people. They want the best for you. They have no way of knowing about the true cause and cure of cancer since it has not been published for them. I chose to publish it for you first so that it would come to your attention faster.”
From the book "The Cure for all Diseases." After cover.
Different solvents accumulate in different organs, in the liver, Isopropyl alcohol, which completes the life cycle of Fasciolopsis, intestinal fluke. This begins the malignant process.
From the book Cure For All Diseases, also available at www.drclarkuniversity.org:
…The killing of all parasites and their larval stages together with removal of isopropyl alcohol and carcinogens from the patients' lifestyle results in remarkable recovery, generally noticeable in less than one week. Cancer could be eradicated in a very short time…
Cancer
The success rate for advanced cancer is about 95%. So you can count on this method, not merely hope it will work for you. It is a total approach that not only shrinks tumors, but also normalizes your blood chemistry, lowers your cancer markers, and returns your health. The small failure rate (5%) is due to clinical emergencies that beset the advanced cancer sufferer. However, if you combine the advice in this book with access to hospital care, even "hopeless" patients can gain the time necessary to become well again.
The promise
Step into a new world a world without chronic diseases. Step out of your old world. It has kept you a prisoner. Try something new.
The prison has no walls. It has only lines; Lines that mark the ground around you. Inside the lines are your old ideas. Outside are new ideas that invite you to step over and escape your prison. Dare to try these new ideas and your illness promises to recede. In a few weeks it can be gone.
From the book "The Cure for all Diseases." Page 1.
I highly recommend any of Dr. Clark’s books. They are remarkable and once you read them I believe you to will be convinced that the cause and the cure are now readily available and very affordable. In the Cure for All Diseases you will find cures for cancer, diabetes, MS, and many, many others it is a book I would not want to be without. If you already have cancer you might want to also pick up The Cure for All Cancers, and or the Cure for All Advanced Cancers.
One has to wonder why after the billions of dollars put into research and development of cancer treatments it is reported that you have a higher chance of getting cancer today than you did in 1950. As a matter of fact if you are diagnosed with cancer today your chances of survival are what they were in 1950, in a lot of cases, most in fact.
Our health care system and our government have been lying and misleading the public about the effectiveness of the traditional medical treatment for cancer. Chemotherapy, drugs, surgery, and radiation are the most profitable health industry services and products on planet. There is more profit in the treatment of cancer than any other disease. Most of us have no idea what a big business this is. Some families make billions of dollars a year in profits from treating cancer. When we say treating cancer that’s exactly what is meant. There is much less profit in curing it. Think if we cured cancer now so that cancer were eradicated from the planet trillions of dollars would be lost! And the treatments are government mandated. So those at the top of this economic pyramid would rather you had cancer than not. You are forced to treat it in the manner that makes money for those who profit from disease. And that is obviously true since they actively keep alternative cures off the market or make it very difficult to provide and to choose an alternative method to cure cancer.
With any disease if you find the cause then the cure follows. So, then what is the cause of cancer? Researchers tell us that we don’t know the cause. That is just not true. According to “Natural Cures They Don’t Want You To Know About”, by Kevin Trudeaux, “The causes of cancer are known at the highest levels of the health industry, and this information is being suppressed and hidden from the American public. This is exactly the same situation that occurred with big tobacco and with Ford and General Motors. Big tobacco knew as early as 1950 that their product caused cancer and disease. They lied about this to the American public, and even in congressional hearings. They hid the truth. Ford and General Motors knew that some of their products, including the Pinto and Corvair, would cause people to be maimed, deformed, injured, and die. They hid this information and lied about it. Today, the pharmaceutical companies and the heads of various organizations know the various reasons people come down with cancer. They have this empirical data, but they are lying about it and hiding this from the public.”
There are those such as Kevin Trudeaux and Dr. Hulda Clark who are actively getting the word out and helping numerous people.
Dr. Hulda Clark has been doing extensive research and actively curing this disease for many years. Below is taken from The Cure for All Cancers, which you can purchase from the www.drclarkuniversity.org
“The Cause
The Cause For many years we have all believed that cancer is different from other diseases. We believed that cancer behaves like a fire, in that you can't stop it once it has started. Therefore, you have to cut it out or radiate it to death or chemically destroy every cancerous cell in the body since it can never become normal again. NOTHING COULD BE MORE WRONG!
And we have believed that cancers of different types such as leukemia or breast cancer have different causes. Wrong again!
In this book you will see that all cancers are alike. They are all caused by a parasite. A single parasite! It is the human intestinal fluke. And if you kill this parasite, the cancer stops immediately. The tissue becomes normal again. In order to get cancer, you must have this parasite.
How can the human intestinal fluke cause cancer? This parasite typically lives in the intestine where it might do little harm, causing only colitis, Crohn's disease, or irritable bowel syndrome, or perhaps nothing at all. But if it invades a different organ, like the uterus or the kidneys or liver, it does a great deal of harm. If it establishes itself in the liver, it causes cancer! It only establishes itself in the liver in some people. These people have isopropyl alcohol in their bodies.
All cancer patients have both isopropyl alcohol and the intestinal fluke in their livers. The solvent, isopropyl alcohol, is responsible for letting the fluke establish itself in the liver. In order to get cancer, you must have both the parasite and isopropyl alcohol in your body.”
From the book "The Cure for all Cancers." Page 1.
Cancer can now be CURED:
From the book The Cure for All Cancers: Cancer can now be CURED, not just treated. We are not accustomed to thinking about a cure for cancer. We think of remission as the only possibility. But this book is not about remission. It is about a cure. This is possible because in 1990 I discovered the true cause of cancer. The cause is a certain parasite, for which I have found evidence in every cancer case regardless of the type of cancer. So lung cancer is not caused by smoking, colon cancer is not caused by a low-roughage diet, breast cancer is not caused by a fatty diet, retinal blastoma is not caused by a rare gene, and pancreatic cancer is not caused by alcohol consumption. Although these are all contributing factors, they are not THE cause. Once the true cause was found the cure became obvious. But would it work? I set a goal of 100 cases to be cured of cancer before publishing my findings. That mark was passed in December, 1992. The discovery of the cause and cure of all cancers has stood the test of time and here it is!
It is the pollutants in food and other products that leave us vulnerable to parasites and disease. Dr. Clark has invented a device called the Syncrometer, which is used to identify various toxins in food and products and ourselves. She has also developed a device called the zapper which kills the parasites in the body.
From the book "The Cure for all Diseases." Before contents, by Dr. Hulda Clark, and also available at www.drclarkuniversity.org or www.drhuldaclark.org .
“You may not have time to read this entire book first if you have cancer and are scheduled for surgery, chemotherapy or radiation treatment. You may wish to skip the first pages which describe how cancer develops.
Go directly to the cancer curing recipe and order your supplies. Using the herbal recipe together with the zapper is best. It only takes days to be cured of cancer regardless of the type you have. It does not matter how far progressed the cancer is, you can still stop it in 5 days.
After you have stopped the cancer, you can turn your attention to getting well. Read the case histories to see how easy it is to stop even terminal cancer. Learn from them to avoid mistakes.
Does this mean you can cancel your date for surgery, radiation or chemotherapy? YES! After curing your cancer with this recipe it cannot come back. This is not a treatment for cancer: It is a cure! But if you do not wish to make your doctor angry, you could follow her or his wishes, too. Be careful not to lose any vital anatomical parts in surgery though, because you may need them later when you are healthy!
Remember that oncologists are kind, sensitive, compassionate people. They want the best for you. They have no way of knowing about the true cause and cure of cancer since it has not been published for them. I chose to publish it for you first so that it would come to your attention faster.”
From the book "The Cure for all Diseases." After cover.
Different solvents accumulate in different organs, in the liver, Isopropyl alcohol, which completes the life cycle of Fasciolopsis, intestinal fluke. This begins the malignant process.
From the book Cure For All Diseases, also available at www.drclarkuniversity.org:
…The killing of all parasites and their larval stages together with removal of isopropyl alcohol and carcinogens from the patients' lifestyle results in remarkable recovery, generally noticeable in less than one week. Cancer could be eradicated in a very short time…
Cancer
The success rate for advanced cancer is about 95%. So you can count on this method, not merely hope it will work for you. It is a total approach that not only shrinks tumors, but also normalizes your blood chemistry, lowers your cancer markers, and returns your health. The small failure rate (5%) is due to clinical emergencies that beset the advanced cancer sufferer. However, if you combine the advice in this book with access to hospital care, even "hopeless" patients can gain the time necessary to become well again.
The promise
Step into a new world a world without chronic diseases. Step out of your old world. It has kept you a prisoner. Try something new.
The prison has no walls. It has only lines; Lines that mark the ground around you. Inside the lines are your old ideas. Outside are new ideas that invite you to step over and escape your prison. Dare to try these new ideas and your illness promises to recede. In a few weeks it can be gone.
From the book "The Cure for all Diseases." Page 1.
I highly recommend any of Dr. Clark’s books. They are remarkable and once you read them I believe you to will be convinced that the cause and the cure are now readily available and very affordable. In the Cure for All Diseases you will find cures for cancer, diabetes, MS, and many, many others it is a book I would not want to be without. If you already have cancer you might want to also pick up The Cure for All Cancers, and or the Cure for All Advanced Cancers.
Type of Cancer
By Karen Lavender and Warren
Cancer is one of those words that everyone dreads. There are various types of cancer and any type of cancer is really bad news. All types of cancer are life threatening (this is what makes them so dreadful). Even with all that medical advancement we still don’t have a complete cure for all types of cancer. However, there is continuous research going-on for finding better treatments for cancer and to increase our knowledge on cancer in general. Though there are treatments currently available for some types of cancer, these treatments work only if the cancer is discovered in early stages.
Types of cancer
Generally, cancer is named after the part of the body in which it originates. Most common types of cancer are breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Though, this might vary across geographies etc, these four types of cancer seem to be the more notorious ones. The other types of cancer include: cervical cancer, pancreatic cancer, bone cancer, brain cancer, skin cancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer and testicular cancer. Besides this, cancer is also classified as primary and secondary based on whether it originated in that body part itself or spread from another body part.
Diagnosis of various types of cancer
It’s not just the treatment of various types of cancer that is difficult (or impossible) but also their detection (or diagnosis). In fact, correct and timely diagnosis is the first step towards treatment of any type of cancer. The earlier you are able to detect cancer, the more effective is its treatment.
Treatment of various types of cancer
Though the treatment of all types of cancers is not possible, some types of cancer can be treated if they are diagnosed early enough e.g. detection of malignancy when it has just started to develop. The treatment for cancer is carried out in many different ways. These range from surgery to radiotherapy, chemotherapy and biologic therapies. Hormone therapies are also gaining popularity for treatment of some types of cancer. Transplantation of bone marrow and many other new procedures for treatment of cancer are being constantly tried and analysed in order to get a fail-proof treatment for cancer.
Research on diagnosis on various types of cancer
The huge number of deaths that are caused every year by various types of cancer has lead to a lot of focus being put into the research on diagnosis and treatment of all types of cancer. Meanwhile, we can just hope that there will soon be a complete cure available for the most common types of cancer (if not all types of cancer).
Cancer is one of those words that everyone dreads. There are various types of cancer and any type of cancer is really bad news. All types of cancer are life threatening (this is what makes them so dreadful). Even with all that medical advancement we still don’t have a complete cure for all types of cancer. However, there is continuous research going-on for finding better treatments for cancer and to increase our knowledge on cancer in general. Though there are treatments currently available for some types of cancer, these treatments work only if the cancer is discovered in early stages.
Types of cancer
Generally, cancer is named after the part of the body in which it originates. Most common types of cancer are breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Though, this might vary across geographies etc, these four types of cancer seem to be the more notorious ones. The other types of cancer include: cervical cancer, pancreatic cancer, bone cancer, brain cancer, skin cancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer and testicular cancer. Besides this, cancer is also classified as primary and secondary based on whether it originated in that body part itself or spread from another body part.
Diagnosis of various types of cancer
It’s not just the treatment of various types of cancer that is difficult (or impossible) but also their detection (or diagnosis). In fact, correct and timely diagnosis is the first step towards treatment of any type of cancer. The earlier you are able to detect cancer, the more effective is its treatment.
Treatment of various types of cancer
Though the treatment of all types of cancers is not possible, some types of cancer can be treated if they are diagnosed early enough e.g. detection of malignancy when it has just started to develop. The treatment for cancer is carried out in many different ways. These range from surgery to radiotherapy, chemotherapy and biologic therapies. Hormone therapies are also gaining popularity for treatment of some types of cancer. Transplantation of bone marrow and many other new procedures for treatment of cancer are being constantly tried and analysed in order to get a fail-proof treatment for cancer.
Research on diagnosis on various types of cancer
The huge number of deaths that are caused every year by various types of cancer has lead to a lot of focus being put into the research on diagnosis and treatment of all types of cancer. Meanwhile, we can just hope that there will soon be a complete cure available for the most common types of cancer (if not all types of cancer).
Stimulating the Body's Defenses to Fight Cancer
By James Finch
Comediennes such as Gilda Radner and Madeline Kahn, Oscar-winning actresses like Loretta Young and Sandy Dennis, singers Laura Nyro and Dinah Shore, actor Pierce Brosnan’s wife Cassandra Harris, actress Jessica Tandy, former Connecticut governor Ella Grasso, and Martin Luther King’s wife Coretta Scott King all died of ovarian cancer. It’s not just celebrities, politicians or movie stars, who are stricken with ovarian cancer. One in every 55 U.S. women is at risk for ovarian cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates about 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed. More than 16,000 women will die because the symptoms are often subtle, and her doctor did not recognize the symptoms soon enough. It is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies, and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women.
Silent and undetected, this cancer often spreads beyond the ovary or ovaries into the abdominal cavity, or by the final stage, into other body organs such as the liver or lungs. Family doctors often fail to properly diagnose “The Silent Killer” until it is too late. Last August, University of California Davis researchers reported 40 percent of women told their doctors about their symptoms for as long as a year before they were correctly diagnosed. A British survey discovered 75 percent of family doctors believed symptoms are only present during the advanced stages of the cancer. By the time women are diagnosed for ovarian cancer, 40 to 50 percent of the patients are in the advanced stage, where there is little hope for survival.
Less than one-half the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will live five years. About 10 to 14 percent live beyond five years after their diagnosis. Their choices have been limited, mainly reserved to variations of chemotherapy drugs or a new way to delivery the drug. The general public is often unaware of the side effects ovarian cancer patients suffer during chemotherapy. In mid March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration criticized the safety profile of Eli Lilly’s Gemzar for ovarian cancer patients, saying the 2.8 months increased survival seen in studies of patients taking the drug wasn’t enough to offset the treatment’s increased toxicity which included anemia, neutropenia (a blood disorder) and thrombocytopenia (reduced platelets in the blood).
Presently used first-line treatments for ovarian cancer patients include Cisplatin, with associated side effects such as nerve, kidney and/or ear damage, Carboplatin (side effects: nerve damage in the arms and/or legs, joint pain, and/or thrombocytopenia), Paclitaxel (neurotoxicity), or Melphalan, with side effects which include irreversible bone marrow failure, bone marrow suppression).
A woman stricken with ovarian cancer faces first surgery, then chemotherapy. Recent widespread press heralding a new development in treating ovarian cancer, intra-abdominal or intraperitoneal chemotherapy, is just that: more chemotherapy. The “belly bath,” as it has been nicknamed by some television reporters, it has been highly praised because the treatment can extend life by about 16 months more than “regular” chemotherapy. The results were first published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine in December 2005. Most news reports failed to mention that only 40 percent of the women treated with the belly bath were able to complete all six cycles. Why? The therapy relies upon infusions of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin (see side effects in the previous paragraph). According to Dr. Robert Edwards, research director of the Magee-Women’s Gynecologic Cancer in Pittsburgh, “Many women don’t feel well enough to work for the duration of the intra-abdominal (therapy).” Some patients, such as Cindy Pakalnis of Marshall (Pennsylvania) have called the treatments “grueling.”
The unsolved problem of chemotherapy is the reduction in the “quality of life.” While some life extension has been proven, the patient’s life deteriorates. Many patients struggle with balancing the loss in quality of life with the rigors of the therapy. Researchers are actively pursuing new directions that may some day provide new hope for the ovarian cancer patient. A University of Minnesota research study has suggested the use of thalidomide, which would be used in conjunction with chemotherapy, as a prospective means of increasing the likelihood of remission. Minnesota cancer researcher Dr. Levi Downs explained, “It prevents the tumor from making new blood vessels. Without new blood vessels, the tumor can’t sufficiently feed new cells, so the cancer can’t grow.” His randomized trial was small with only 65 patients (only 28 took thalidomide), and more testing will certainly be required.
New Hope for Ovarian Cancer Patients?
One promising technology that has been developed over the past decade is OvaRex® MAb. It was developed by ViRexx Medical Corp., an Edmonton-based company, which trades on the American Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: REX) and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: VIR). Now licensed to Unither Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Therapeutics (NASDAQ: UTHR), OvaRex® MAb is currently undergoing two identical Phase III trials at about 64 research centers across the United States. One trial has completed enrollment, according to a mid December news release issued by ViRexx Medical Corp.
We spoke with ViRexx Medical Corp’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tyrrell who was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta and the Director of the Glaxo Heritage Research Institute. “OvaRex® MAb is our lead candidate for the treatment of ovarian cancer, and is an intravenous infusion of a monoclonal antibody,” he said. Monoclonal antibodies are a new breed of biotech drugs that are extremely specific; that is, each antibody binds to only one particular antigen. In the case of OvaRex® MAb, it is a monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the CA-125 antigen. Dr. Tyrrell added, “The treatment doesn’t take long, and is given every 4 weeks for the first 3 injections, and then once every 3 months until the patient relapses”.
Dr. Tyrrell talked about the current Phase III studies, “The trials are ongoing. All of the patients have successfully completed their surgery and front-line chemotherapy and are now in what we call the ‘watchful waiting’ period. It is in this phase that we treat the patients with OvaRex® MAb with the hopes of increasing the time to disease relapse.” He explained the recurrence rate is very high in the stage III / IV late forms of ovarian cancer, with a time to relapse of about 10.4 months. Patients who have turned to OvaRex hope to delay that relapse. Tyrrell noted, “In the original study, the average time to relapse was delayed by about 14 months. If we can achieve that difference or better in the current Phase III trials, it would be a major advance for the treatment of ovarian cancer.” He expects an analysis of the current OvaRex® MAb studies to be completed by the second or third quarter of 2007.
What makes OvaRex® MAb different from other immunotherapeutic treatments is, instead of attacking the body’s cancerous cells directly, the monoclonal antibody targets the cancerous antigen in circulation. Some believe it helps retrain the body’s immune system to fight the ovarian cancer cells. The mechanism that reportedly has made OvaRex® MAb effective is how it alerts the body to recognize and fight the CA-125.
ViRexx has addressed the “tolerance problem” a body suffers when it has become inflicted with a malignant tumor. The hypothesis behind the tolerance issue is that the body fails to recognize the CA-125 antigen as harmful. Introducing a foreign antibody, in this case the mouse antibody against CA125, the body’s defense systems are awakened to the ovarian cancer cells. This begins a chain reaction alerting the immune system to battle the invading antibody CA125 complex. The body’s defense systems are reprogrammed to attack the CA-125 antigen and seek to destroy it. Along with that destruction comes the attempt of the immune response to eliminate the cancerous cells from the body.
As with many pioneering scientific breakthroughs, serendipity is what lies behind the OvaRex® MAb story. As one technology was being developed, another – the murine monoclonal antibody treatment for ovarian cancer – came about by accident. We talked to its inventor, Dr. Antoine Noujaim, about the biotech drug’s roots. “It came out of the imaging technology,” the Professor Emeritus of the University of Alberta explained. In the early 1980s, biotech companies, such as Immunomedics and Cytomedics were researching tumors and using antibodies to image the tumors so they could be evaluated in a cancer patient’s body. “I worked with Dr. Mike Longenecker and we established a company called Biomira (Toronto: BRA) in 1984,” Dr. Noujaim recalled. “We had a number of targets and then needed to make specific antibodies.” Part of his effort was to target certain cancers, such as prostate, breast and ovarian cancer.
“We developed antibodies against a mucin, which is really a glycopeptide,” explained Dr. Noujaim. “It’s a peptide that has a lot of sugars on it present in the ascitis fluid from ovarian cancer patients.” That is how Dr. Noujaim and his team developed the very early antibody which is now used for OvaRex® MAb. “We sent some of these antibodies to Professor Richard Baum in Germany for imaging of ovarian cancer patients,” Noujaim remembered. “Dr. Baum phoned back, after some time, and told me, ‘The patients I was imaging here had advanced ovarian cancer and some of them seem to have done quite well after we gave them a couple of shots (of the B43.13 antibody, the clinical name for OvaRex® MAb) to image the tumor.’ I thought he was joking with me.”
This is serendipity at work as Dr. Noujaim explained to us. “Richard was imaging patients that were in the last stages of the disease,” he pointed out. Monoclonal antibodies can be used as diagnostic agents in oncology, when they are radiolabeled with a marker that can be imaged by external detectors. “These patients had maybe four or five months to live. All of a sudden, a year later and they’re still around.” Baum urged Noujaim to investigate this further. Dr. Noujaim recalls him saying, “Something is happening here. I’ve seen hundreds of patients, but nothing like this.” From this encouragement, Noujaim began formulating the potential mechanism of how this monoclonal antibody would work. His sharp mind chased the puzzling questions raised by Dr. Baum’s observations.
At this point of his recollections, Noujaim got excited, “Through sheer serendipity, we were using murine antibodies, not humanized antibodies. We were using foreign antibodies, a small amount of foreign antibodies.” How in the world did Noujaim know to use murine (mouse) antibodies? “Because that was the easiest way to do the imaging at the time,” he replied. “Before you make a chimeric (something derived from two different animal species) antibody, you start with a murine one. If that one works, you humanize the antibody.” From this research, Noujaim founded a company called AltaRex, which was taken public in 1995. “We raised about $30 million and expanded the program.”
The serious effort to develop the antibodies began in 1996. Having conducted trials in Canada and Europe, it was a “massive undertaking” Noujaim told us. “We had over 500 patients injected with the murine monoclonal antibody.” He extrapolated beyond OvaRex® MAb, saying, “We’ve proven completely the mechanism of action on this, how it works. It is so unique it may apply to all of the other antibodies we have.” Noujaim believes it can apply to breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer. Indeed, BrevaRex® MAb for breast cancer and multiple myeloma patients has completed Phase 1 trials, and ProstaRex® MAb for prostate cancer patients is at the pre-clinical stage.
“Our studies to date may show that vaccines may slow the growth of the tumor with a very good safety profile,” concluded Dr. Noujaim. Then he added something which bears investigating further, “There is the very original (ovarian cancer) patient who was injected in 1987. She’s in Germany, and according to Dr. Baum she was still alive a year ago.” That’s nearly nine years later! “It’s a matter of great pride for me that some people who received OvaRex® MAb are alive today,” he said.
While the company has licensed, under a royalty agreement, the OvaRex® MAb technology to United Therapeutics, through that company’s subsidiary, Unither Pharmaceuticals, ViRexx has retained rights to most member nations of the European Union and certain other countries. Key ones include France, the United Kingdom and the Benelux countries. ViRexx has also established strategic relationships with Dompé Farmaceutici, Medison Pharma, Ltd. and Genesis Pharma S.A. for certain European and Middle-East Countries.
Comediennes such as Gilda Radner and Madeline Kahn, Oscar-winning actresses like Loretta Young and Sandy Dennis, singers Laura Nyro and Dinah Shore, actor Pierce Brosnan’s wife Cassandra Harris, actress Jessica Tandy, former Connecticut governor Ella Grasso, and Martin Luther King’s wife Coretta Scott King all died of ovarian cancer. It’s not just celebrities, politicians or movie stars, who are stricken with ovarian cancer. One in every 55 U.S. women is at risk for ovarian cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates about 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed. More than 16,000 women will die because the symptoms are often subtle, and her doctor did not recognize the symptoms soon enough. It is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies, and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women.
Silent and undetected, this cancer often spreads beyond the ovary or ovaries into the abdominal cavity, or by the final stage, into other body organs such as the liver or lungs. Family doctors often fail to properly diagnose “The Silent Killer” until it is too late. Last August, University of California Davis researchers reported 40 percent of women told their doctors about their symptoms for as long as a year before they were correctly diagnosed. A British survey discovered 75 percent of family doctors believed symptoms are only present during the advanced stages of the cancer. By the time women are diagnosed for ovarian cancer, 40 to 50 percent of the patients are in the advanced stage, where there is little hope for survival.
Less than one-half the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will live five years. About 10 to 14 percent live beyond five years after their diagnosis. Their choices have been limited, mainly reserved to variations of chemotherapy drugs or a new way to delivery the drug. The general public is often unaware of the side effects ovarian cancer patients suffer during chemotherapy. In mid March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration criticized the safety profile of Eli Lilly’s Gemzar for ovarian cancer patients, saying the 2.8 months increased survival seen in studies of patients taking the drug wasn’t enough to offset the treatment’s increased toxicity which included anemia, neutropenia (a blood disorder) and thrombocytopenia (reduced platelets in the blood).
Presently used first-line treatments for ovarian cancer patients include Cisplatin, with associated side effects such as nerve, kidney and/or ear damage, Carboplatin (side effects: nerve damage in the arms and/or legs, joint pain, and/or thrombocytopenia), Paclitaxel (neurotoxicity), or Melphalan, with side effects which include irreversible bone marrow failure, bone marrow suppression).
A woman stricken with ovarian cancer faces first surgery, then chemotherapy. Recent widespread press heralding a new development in treating ovarian cancer, intra-abdominal or intraperitoneal chemotherapy, is just that: more chemotherapy. The “belly bath,” as it has been nicknamed by some television reporters, it has been highly praised because the treatment can extend life by about 16 months more than “regular” chemotherapy. The results were first published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine in December 2005. Most news reports failed to mention that only 40 percent of the women treated with the belly bath were able to complete all six cycles. Why? The therapy relies upon infusions of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin (see side effects in the previous paragraph). According to Dr. Robert Edwards, research director of the Magee-Women’s Gynecologic Cancer in Pittsburgh, “Many women don’t feel well enough to work for the duration of the intra-abdominal (therapy).” Some patients, such as Cindy Pakalnis of Marshall (Pennsylvania) have called the treatments “grueling.”
The unsolved problem of chemotherapy is the reduction in the “quality of life.” While some life extension has been proven, the patient’s life deteriorates. Many patients struggle with balancing the loss in quality of life with the rigors of the therapy. Researchers are actively pursuing new directions that may some day provide new hope for the ovarian cancer patient. A University of Minnesota research study has suggested the use of thalidomide, which would be used in conjunction with chemotherapy, as a prospective means of increasing the likelihood of remission. Minnesota cancer researcher Dr. Levi Downs explained, “It prevents the tumor from making new blood vessels. Without new blood vessels, the tumor can’t sufficiently feed new cells, so the cancer can’t grow.” His randomized trial was small with only 65 patients (only 28 took thalidomide), and more testing will certainly be required.
New Hope for Ovarian Cancer Patients?
One promising technology that has been developed over the past decade is OvaRex® MAb. It was developed by ViRexx Medical Corp., an Edmonton-based company, which trades on the American Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: REX) and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: VIR). Now licensed to Unither Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Therapeutics (NASDAQ: UTHR), OvaRex® MAb is currently undergoing two identical Phase III trials at about 64 research centers across the United States. One trial has completed enrollment, according to a mid December news release issued by ViRexx Medical Corp.
We spoke with ViRexx Medical Corp’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tyrrell who was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta and the Director of the Glaxo Heritage Research Institute. “OvaRex® MAb is our lead candidate for the treatment of ovarian cancer, and is an intravenous infusion of a monoclonal antibody,” he said. Monoclonal antibodies are a new breed of biotech drugs that are extremely specific; that is, each antibody binds to only one particular antigen. In the case of OvaRex® MAb, it is a monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the CA-125 antigen. Dr. Tyrrell added, “The treatment doesn’t take long, and is given every 4 weeks for the first 3 injections, and then once every 3 months until the patient relapses”.
Dr. Tyrrell talked about the current Phase III studies, “The trials are ongoing. All of the patients have successfully completed their surgery and front-line chemotherapy and are now in what we call the ‘watchful waiting’ period. It is in this phase that we treat the patients with OvaRex® MAb with the hopes of increasing the time to disease relapse.” He explained the recurrence rate is very high in the stage III / IV late forms of ovarian cancer, with a time to relapse of about 10.4 months. Patients who have turned to OvaRex hope to delay that relapse. Tyrrell noted, “In the original study, the average time to relapse was delayed by about 14 months. If we can achieve that difference or better in the current Phase III trials, it would be a major advance for the treatment of ovarian cancer.” He expects an analysis of the current OvaRex® MAb studies to be completed by the second or third quarter of 2007.
What makes OvaRex® MAb different from other immunotherapeutic treatments is, instead of attacking the body’s cancerous cells directly, the monoclonal antibody targets the cancerous antigen in circulation. Some believe it helps retrain the body’s immune system to fight the ovarian cancer cells. The mechanism that reportedly has made OvaRex® MAb effective is how it alerts the body to recognize and fight the CA-125.
ViRexx has addressed the “tolerance problem” a body suffers when it has become inflicted with a malignant tumor. The hypothesis behind the tolerance issue is that the body fails to recognize the CA-125 antigen as harmful. Introducing a foreign antibody, in this case the mouse antibody against CA125, the body’s defense systems are awakened to the ovarian cancer cells. This begins a chain reaction alerting the immune system to battle the invading antibody CA125 complex. The body’s defense systems are reprogrammed to attack the CA-125 antigen and seek to destroy it. Along with that destruction comes the attempt of the immune response to eliminate the cancerous cells from the body.
As with many pioneering scientific breakthroughs, serendipity is what lies behind the OvaRex® MAb story. As one technology was being developed, another – the murine monoclonal antibody treatment for ovarian cancer – came about by accident. We talked to its inventor, Dr. Antoine Noujaim, about the biotech drug’s roots. “It came out of the imaging technology,” the Professor Emeritus of the University of Alberta explained. In the early 1980s, biotech companies, such as Immunomedics and Cytomedics were researching tumors and using antibodies to image the tumors so they could be evaluated in a cancer patient’s body. “I worked with Dr. Mike Longenecker and we established a company called Biomira (Toronto: BRA) in 1984,” Dr. Noujaim recalled. “We had a number of targets and then needed to make specific antibodies.” Part of his effort was to target certain cancers, such as prostate, breast and ovarian cancer.
“We developed antibodies against a mucin, which is really a glycopeptide,” explained Dr. Noujaim. “It’s a peptide that has a lot of sugars on it present in the ascitis fluid from ovarian cancer patients.” That is how Dr. Noujaim and his team developed the very early antibody which is now used for OvaRex® MAb. “We sent some of these antibodies to Professor Richard Baum in Germany for imaging of ovarian cancer patients,” Noujaim remembered. “Dr. Baum phoned back, after some time, and told me, ‘The patients I was imaging here had advanced ovarian cancer and some of them seem to have done quite well after we gave them a couple of shots (of the B43.13 antibody, the clinical name for OvaRex® MAb) to image the tumor.’ I thought he was joking with me.”
This is serendipity at work as Dr. Noujaim explained to us. “Richard was imaging patients that were in the last stages of the disease,” he pointed out. Monoclonal antibodies can be used as diagnostic agents in oncology, when they are radiolabeled with a marker that can be imaged by external detectors. “These patients had maybe four or five months to live. All of a sudden, a year later and they’re still around.” Baum urged Noujaim to investigate this further. Dr. Noujaim recalls him saying, “Something is happening here. I’ve seen hundreds of patients, but nothing like this.” From this encouragement, Noujaim began formulating the potential mechanism of how this monoclonal antibody would work. His sharp mind chased the puzzling questions raised by Dr. Baum’s observations.
At this point of his recollections, Noujaim got excited, “Through sheer serendipity, we were using murine antibodies, not humanized antibodies. We were using foreign antibodies, a small amount of foreign antibodies.” How in the world did Noujaim know to use murine (mouse) antibodies? “Because that was the easiest way to do the imaging at the time,” he replied. “Before you make a chimeric (something derived from two different animal species) antibody, you start with a murine one. If that one works, you humanize the antibody.” From this research, Noujaim founded a company called AltaRex, which was taken public in 1995. “We raised about $30 million and expanded the program.”
The serious effort to develop the antibodies began in 1996. Having conducted trials in Canada and Europe, it was a “massive undertaking” Noujaim told us. “We had over 500 patients injected with the murine monoclonal antibody.” He extrapolated beyond OvaRex® MAb, saying, “We’ve proven completely the mechanism of action on this, how it works. It is so unique it may apply to all of the other antibodies we have.” Noujaim believes it can apply to breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer. Indeed, BrevaRex® MAb for breast cancer and multiple myeloma patients has completed Phase 1 trials, and ProstaRex® MAb for prostate cancer patients is at the pre-clinical stage.
“Our studies to date may show that vaccines may slow the growth of the tumor with a very good safety profile,” concluded Dr. Noujaim. Then he added something which bears investigating further, “There is the very original (ovarian cancer) patient who was injected in 1987. She’s in Germany, and according to Dr. Baum she was still alive a year ago.” That’s nearly nine years later! “It’s a matter of great pride for me that some people who received OvaRex® MAb are alive today,” he said.
While the company has licensed, under a royalty agreement, the OvaRex® MAb technology to United Therapeutics, through that company’s subsidiary, Unither Pharmaceuticals, ViRexx has retained rights to most member nations of the European Union and certain other countries. Key ones include France, the United Kingdom and the Benelux countries. ViRexx has also established strategic relationships with Dompé Farmaceutici, Medison Pharma, Ltd. and Genesis Pharma S.A. for certain European and Middle-East Countries.
Cancer and Carbs - Is There A Relationship?
By Gene D. Millen
The National Brain Tumor Foundation in Oakland, California is so convinced by the studies linking carbohydrate and insulin to cancer growth they recently revised their dietary guidelines in a dramatic way.
In the group's published dietary guideline entitled The Healing Power of Your Fork: A Brain Tumor Survivor's Eating Plan, they advise brain cancer patients to avoid low fat diets and to cut out sugar and refined carbohydrate instead. They warn patients that eating refined carbohydrate not only feeds cancer cells it suppresses the immune system as well.
Another study From Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2002: A Harvard research team used 18 years of data from 88,000 women who were participating in the famous Nurses Health Study to investigate whether a diet high in foods that easily raise blood glucose levels increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
They found that women who were overweight, sedentary, and had the highest glycemic load increased their risk of pancreatic cancer by 250%.
And there's more. As reported recently by the Associated Press, a Mexican study of nearly 200 women showed that those who consumed a high-carb diet (more than 60% of calories from carbohydrates) were MORE THAN TWICE AS LIKELY to
develop breast cancer as women who adopted a lower-carb approach to eating.
This study supports a similar body of research from last year that linked a greater risk of breast cancer among women to a diet high in sugar (especially soft drinks and desserts), the most damaging of all carbohydrates.
Scientists who believe in the carb/cancer link hypothesize that the extra insulin released to process the simple carbs and sugars we ingest far too much of causes cells to divide and also leads to higher levels of estrogen in the blood. Both of these factors (cellular division and blood estrogen) can contribute to cancer.
As for me and my tribe we are minimizing our sugar consumption and staying with the slow digesting carbohydrates such as whole grains, vegetables and especially beans.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The cardiologist looked up from the treadmill report and grimly stated, "You are a walking time bomb. You need to go to the hospital immediately" Two days later a heart surgeon sawed open Gene Millen's chest and stitched in bypasses to six clogged arteries
"A six way heart bypass isn't a record" said Gene, "but it's not bad for a skinny 59 year old with normal cholesterol and blood pressure. The villains and heroes in the heart attack melodrama may surprise you as they have me"
The National Brain Tumor Foundation in Oakland, California is so convinced by the studies linking carbohydrate and insulin to cancer growth they recently revised their dietary guidelines in a dramatic way.
In the group's published dietary guideline entitled The Healing Power of Your Fork: A Brain Tumor Survivor's Eating Plan, they advise brain cancer patients to avoid low fat diets and to cut out sugar and refined carbohydrate instead. They warn patients that eating refined carbohydrate not only feeds cancer cells it suppresses the immune system as well.
Another study From Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2002: A Harvard research team used 18 years of data from 88,000 women who were participating in the famous Nurses Health Study to investigate whether a diet high in foods that easily raise blood glucose levels increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
They found that women who were overweight, sedentary, and had the highest glycemic load increased their risk of pancreatic cancer by 250%.
And there's more. As reported recently by the Associated Press, a Mexican study of nearly 200 women showed that those who consumed a high-carb diet (more than 60% of calories from carbohydrates) were MORE THAN TWICE AS LIKELY to
develop breast cancer as women who adopted a lower-carb approach to eating.
This study supports a similar body of research from last year that linked a greater risk of breast cancer among women to a diet high in sugar (especially soft drinks and desserts), the most damaging of all carbohydrates.
Scientists who believe in the carb/cancer link hypothesize that the extra insulin released to process the simple carbs and sugars we ingest far too much of causes cells to divide and also leads to higher levels of estrogen in the blood. Both of these factors (cellular division and blood estrogen) can contribute to cancer.
As for me and my tribe we are minimizing our sugar consumption and staying with the slow digesting carbohydrates such as whole grains, vegetables and especially beans.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The cardiologist looked up from the treadmill report and grimly stated, "You are a walking time bomb. You need to go to the hospital immediately" Two days later a heart surgeon sawed open Gene Millen's chest and stitched in bypasses to six clogged arteries
"A six way heart bypass isn't a record" said Gene, "but it's not bad for a skinny 59 year old with normal cholesterol and blood pressure. The villains and heroes in the heart attack melodrama may surprise you as they have me"
All the Health Risks of Processed Foods -- In Just a Few Quick, Convenient Bites
By Brian Vaszily
Every day, 7 percent of the U.S. population visits a McDonald's, and 20-25 percent eat fast food of some kind, says Steven Gortmaker, professor of society, human development, and health at the Harvard School of Public Health. As for children, 30 percent between the ages of 4 and 19 eat fast food on any given day. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Americans get processed food not only from fast-food restaurants but also from their neighborhood grocery stores. As it stands, about 90 percent of the money that Americans spend on food is used to buy--that's right--processed foods. Think about it ... if it comes in a box, can, bag or carton, it's processed. The fact that these foods are so readily available, and, often, of such poor quality, has led some, like associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard David Ludwig, to say that they're actually discouraging healthy eating and leading to a "toxic environment." "There's the incessant advertising and marketing of the poorest quality foods imaginable. To address this epidemic, you'd want to make healthful foods widely available, inexpensive, and convenient, and unhealthful foods relatively less so. Instead, we've done the opposite," says Ludwig. Processed foods have, indeed, been implicated in a host of chronic diseases and health conditions that are currently plaguing the nation. What follows is just a taste of the risks processed foods may present to your health. Obesity The World Health Organization (WHO) says processed foods are to blame for the sharp rise in obesity (and chronic disease) seen around the world. In one study by Ludwig and colleagues, children who ate processed fast foods in a restaurant ate 126 more calories than on days they did not. Over the course of a year, this could translate into 13 pounds of weight gain just from fast food. "The food industry would love to explain obesity as a problem of personal responsibility, since it takes the onus off them for marketing fast food, soft drinks, and other high-calorie, low-quality products," Ludwig says. However, "When you have calories that are incredibly cheap, in a culture where 'bigger is better,' that's a dangerous combination," says Walter Willett, M.D., D.P.H., professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. Diabetes "In the last 50 years, the extent of processing has increased so much that prepared breakfast cereals--even without added sugar--act exactly like sugar itself ... As far as our hormones and metabolism are concerned, there's no difference between a bowl of unsweetened corn flakes and a bowl of table sugar. Starch is 100-percent glucose [table sugar is half glucose, half fructose] and our bodies can digest it into sugar instantly," says Ludwig. "We are not adapted to handle fast-acting carbohydrates. Glucose is the gold standard of energy metabolism. The brain is exquisitely dependent on having a continuous supply of glucose: too low a glucose level poses an immediate threat to survival. [But] too high a level causes damage to tissues, as with diabetes," he continued. Heart Disease Many processed foods contain trans fatty acids (TFA), a dangerous type of fat. According to the American Heart Association, "TFAs tend to raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol and lower HDL ("good") cholesterol ... These changes may increase the risk of heart disease." Further, most processed foods are extremely high in salt, another blow to the heart. One-half cup of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup, for instance, has 37 percent of the daily-recommended amount of sodium. "Probably the single fastest way to reduce strokes in this country is to halve the amount of salt that's added to processed food," says Tim Lang, professor of food policy at the City University, London. Cancer A seven-year study of close to 200,000 people by the University of Hawaii found that people who ate the most processed meats (hot dogs, sausage) had a 67 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer than those who ate little or no meat products. A Canadian study of over 400 men aged 50 to 80 found similar results. Men whose eating habits fell into the "processed" pattern (processed meats, red meat, organ meats, refined grains, vegetable oils and soft drinks) had a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer than men in the other groups. Men who ate the most processed foods had a 2.5-fold increased prostate cancer risk. Yet another study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Mile Markers, and Prevention found that refined carbohydrates like white flour, sugar and high fructose corn syrup is also linked to cancer. The study of more than 1,800 women in Mexico found that those who got 57 percent or more of their total energy intake from refined carbohydrates had a 220 percent higher risk of breast cancer than women who ate more balanced diets. Acrylamide, a carcinogenic substance that forms when foods are heated at high temperatures, such as during baking or frying, is also a concern. Processed foods like French fries and potato chips have shown elevated levels of the substance, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). "I estimate that acrylamide causes several thousand cancers per year in Americans," said Clark University research professor Dale Hattis. Food Additives: Unknown Effects The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains a list of over 3,000 chemicals that are added to the processed food supply. These compounds do various things to food: add color, stabilize, texturize, preserve, sweeten, thicken, add flavor, soften, emulsify and more. Some of these additives have never been tested for safety--and require no government approval--but instead belong to the FDA's "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) list. An item is "safe," as defined by Congress, if there is "reasonable certainty that no harm will result from use of an additive." Some compounds that are known to be toxic to humans or animals are also allowed, though at the level of 1/100th of the amount that is considered harmful. Potential side effects from the additives vary, and are controversial. For just one common food additive, monosodium glutamate (MSG), for example, the following symptoms have been reported:
* Numbness
* Burning sensation
* Tingling
* Facial pressure or tightness
* Chest pain
* Headache
* Nausea
* Rapid heartbeat
* Drowsiness
* Weakness
* Difficulty breathing for asthmatics
As is the case with most food additives, some people have no side effects, but others may become ill.
Every day, 7 percent of the U.S. population visits a McDonald's, and 20-25 percent eat fast food of some kind, says Steven Gortmaker, professor of society, human development, and health at the Harvard School of Public Health. As for children, 30 percent between the ages of 4 and 19 eat fast food on any given day. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Americans get processed food not only from fast-food restaurants but also from their neighborhood grocery stores. As it stands, about 90 percent of the money that Americans spend on food is used to buy--that's right--processed foods. Think about it ... if it comes in a box, can, bag or carton, it's processed. The fact that these foods are so readily available, and, often, of such poor quality, has led some, like associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard David Ludwig, to say that they're actually discouraging healthy eating and leading to a "toxic environment." "There's the incessant advertising and marketing of the poorest quality foods imaginable. To address this epidemic, you'd want to make healthful foods widely available, inexpensive, and convenient, and unhealthful foods relatively less so. Instead, we've done the opposite," says Ludwig. Processed foods have, indeed, been implicated in a host of chronic diseases and health conditions that are currently plaguing the nation. What follows is just a taste of the risks processed foods may present to your health. Obesity The World Health Organization (WHO) says processed foods are to blame for the sharp rise in obesity (and chronic disease) seen around the world. In one study by Ludwig and colleagues, children who ate processed fast foods in a restaurant ate 126 more calories than on days they did not. Over the course of a year, this could translate into 13 pounds of weight gain just from fast food. "The food industry would love to explain obesity as a problem of personal responsibility, since it takes the onus off them for marketing fast food, soft drinks, and other high-calorie, low-quality products," Ludwig says. However, "When you have calories that are incredibly cheap, in a culture where 'bigger is better,' that's a dangerous combination," says Walter Willett, M.D., D.P.H., professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. Diabetes "In the last 50 years, the extent of processing has increased so much that prepared breakfast cereals--even without added sugar--act exactly like sugar itself ... As far as our hormones and metabolism are concerned, there's no difference between a bowl of unsweetened corn flakes and a bowl of table sugar. Starch is 100-percent glucose [table sugar is half glucose, half fructose] and our bodies can digest it into sugar instantly," says Ludwig. "We are not adapted to handle fast-acting carbohydrates. Glucose is the gold standard of energy metabolism. The brain is exquisitely dependent on having a continuous supply of glucose: too low a glucose level poses an immediate threat to survival. [But] too high a level causes damage to tissues, as with diabetes," he continued. Heart Disease Many processed foods contain trans fatty acids (TFA), a dangerous type of fat. According to the American Heart Association, "TFAs tend to raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol and lower HDL ("good") cholesterol ... These changes may increase the risk of heart disease." Further, most processed foods are extremely high in salt, another blow to the heart. One-half cup of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup, for instance, has 37 percent of the daily-recommended amount of sodium. "Probably the single fastest way to reduce strokes in this country is to halve the amount of salt that's added to processed food," says Tim Lang, professor of food policy at the City University, London. Cancer A seven-year study of close to 200,000 people by the University of Hawaii found that people who ate the most processed meats (hot dogs, sausage) had a 67 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer than those who ate little or no meat products. A Canadian study of over 400 men aged 50 to 80 found similar results. Men whose eating habits fell into the "processed" pattern (processed meats, red meat, organ meats, refined grains, vegetable oils and soft drinks) had a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer than men in the other groups. Men who ate the most processed foods had a 2.5-fold increased prostate cancer risk. Yet another study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Mile Markers, and Prevention found that refined carbohydrates like white flour, sugar and high fructose corn syrup is also linked to cancer. The study of more than 1,800 women in Mexico found that those who got 57 percent or more of their total energy intake from refined carbohydrates had a 220 percent higher risk of breast cancer than women who ate more balanced diets. Acrylamide, a carcinogenic substance that forms when foods are heated at high temperatures, such as during baking or frying, is also a concern. Processed foods like French fries and potato chips have shown elevated levels of the substance, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). "I estimate that acrylamide causes several thousand cancers per year in Americans," said Clark University research professor Dale Hattis. Food Additives: Unknown Effects The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains a list of over 3,000 chemicals that are added to the processed food supply. These compounds do various things to food: add color, stabilize, texturize, preserve, sweeten, thicken, add flavor, soften, emulsify and more. Some of these additives have never been tested for safety--and require no government approval--but instead belong to the FDA's "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) list. An item is "safe," as defined by Congress, if there is "reasonable certainty that no harm will result from use of an additive." Some compounds that are known to be toxic to humans or animals are also allowed, though at the level of 1/100th of the amount that is considered harmful. Potential side effects from the additives vary, and are controversial. For just one common food additive, monosodium glutamate (MSG), for example, the following symptoms have been reported:
* Numbness
* Burning sensation
* Tingling
* Facial pressure or tightness
* Chest pain
* Headache
* Nausea
* Rapid heartbeat
* Drowsiness
* Weakness
* Difficulty breathing for asthmatics
As is the case with most food additives, some people have no side effects, but others may become ill.
Starbucks Green Tea Frappachinos, Can They Prevent Cancer?
By Lance Winslow
Starbucks now offers the Green Tea Frappachinos, yes I had one and they are very tasty indeed. We all know green tea helps prevent many types of cancer, not to mention a host of other things. Green Tea is very good for your body. Starbucks makes their green tea frappachinos with Green Tea powder derived from Green Tea Leaves. As you watch them blend your drink you will probably wonder if it will taste good, if it can really help. Well you are in luck on both accounts. Although it might be a little on the fattening side at least you know it is doing good things inside your body due to the green tea.
New research seems to indicate that green tea does in fact protect our bodies from getting cancer. Well few of these things are as good as green tea researchers say, of course the Chinese have been saying it for 10,000 years. A brand new research now shows that the phytochemicals in green tea are absolutely incredible. Something that the Asian cultures have known throughout their history, in fact it is quite well known that green tea is known to prevent many forms of cancer such as; Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Colon cancer, Lung cancer and Breast cancer.
Some say that if green tea was a medicine or drug it would be considered more of a wonder drug than most other cancer drugs. Green tea is considered by many to be a powerful herb, which is wise to incorporate into our diets. There are presently no known side effects for green tea, yet it appears to be one of the most incredible anti-cancer compounds around. And now you can get it as a Frappachino. Life is good isn’t it.
Starbucks now offers the Green Tea Frappachinos, yes I had one and they are very tasty indeed. We all know green tea helps prevent many types of cancer, not to mention a host of other things. Green Tea is very good for your body. Starbucks makes their green tea frappachinos with Green Tea powder derived from Green Tea Leaves. As you watch them blend your drink you will probably wonder if it will taste good, if it can really help. Well you are in luck on both accounts. Although it might be a little on the fattening side at least you know it is doing good things inside your body due to the green tea.
New research seems to indicate that green tea does in fact protect our bodies from getting cancer. Well few of these things are as good as green tea researchers say, of course the Chinese have been saying it for 10,000 years. A brand new research now shows that the phytochemicals in green tea are absolutely incredible. Something that the Asian cultures have known throughout their history, in fact it is quite well known that green tea is known to prevent many forms of cancer such as; Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Colon cancer, Lung cancer and Breast cancer.
Some say that if green tea was a medicine or drug it would be considered more of a wonder drug than most other cancer drugs. Green tea is considered by many to be a powerful herb, which is wise to incorporate into our diets. There are presently no known side effects for green tea, yet it appears to be one of the most incredible anti-cancer compounds around. And now you can get it as a Frappachino. Life is good isn’t it.
Preventing Cancer with Green Tea?
By Lance Winslow
We are constantly hearing ideas and claims of what we should eat to keep us from getting cancer. There is always new research somewhere showing how eating this or that will help us and potentially protect our bodies from getting cancer. Some of the studies are valid, some are not; some of the research shows that it cannot completely prevent it, simply reduce our chances by this percentage or that percentage providing we are male or female, black or white, old or young, etc.
Well few of these things are as good as green tea researchers say, of course the Chinese have been saying it for 10,000 years. A brand new research now shows that the phytochemicals in green tea are absolutely incredible. Something that the Asian cultures have known throughout their history, in fact it is quite well known that green tea is known to prevent many forms of cancer such as; Leukemia, Pancreatic cancer, Colon cancer, Lung cancer and Breast cancer. Some say that if green tea was a medicine or drug it would be considered more of a wonder drug than most other cancer drugs. Green tea is considered by many to be a powerful herb, which would be wise to incorporate into your diet.
There are presently no known side effects for green tea, yet it appears to be one of the most incredible anti-cancer compounds around. Think on this.
We are constantly hearing ideas and claims of what we should eat to keep us from getting cancer. There is always new research somewhere showing how eating this or that will help us and potentially protect our bodies from getting cancer. Some of the studies are valid, some are not; some of the research shows that it cannot completely prevent it, simply reduce our chances by this percentage or that percentage providing we are male or female, black or white, old or young, etc.
Well few of these things are as good as green tea researchers say, of course the Chinese have been saying it for 10,000 years. A brand new research now shows that the phytochemicals in green tea are absolutely incredible. Something that the Asian cultures have known throughout their history, in fact it is quite well known that green tea is known to prevent many forms of cancer such as; Leukemia, Pancreatic cancer, Colon cancer, Lung cancer and Breast cancer. Some say that if green tea was a medicine or drug it would be considered more of a wonder drug than most other cancer drugs. Green tea is considered by many to be a powerful herb, which would be wise to incorporate into your diet.
There are presently no known side effects for green tea, yet it appears to be one of the most incredible anti-cancer compounds around. Think on this.
The Toxic Danger of Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets
By B. Williams
Many people will remember a famous TV ad where a woman races to her washing machine, fabric softener in hand, only to arrive just as the wash ends. This woman who "forgot to ad the fabric softener" was actually doing herself and her family a favor.
Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh, fabric softener and dryer sheets are some of the most toxic products around. And chances are that the staggering 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers would think twice if they knew they contained chemicals that could cause cancer and brain damage.
Laundry
Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets:
* Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
* Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
* Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders
* Limonene: Known carcinogen
* A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
* Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA's Hazardous Waste list
* Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
* Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
* Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
* Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled
So how could products with pretty names like Soft Ocean Mist, Summer Orchard and April Fresh be so dangerous?
The chemicals in fabric softeners are pungent and strong smelling -- so strong that they require the use of these heavy fragrances (think 50 times as much fragrance) just to cover up the smells. Furthermore, synthetic fabrics, which are the reason fabric softeners were created in the first place, do not smell good either when heated in a dryer or heated by our bodies ... hence the need for even more hefty fragrances.
In other words, remove all the added fragrance that endears people to fabric softeners and -- like the cliché wolf in sheep's clothing -- the real smells of the chemical-laced fabric softener and the synthetic fabrics they were designed around may prompt people to shoot their laundry machines and be done with it.
Are "Soft" Clothes Worth It?
Fabric softeners are made to stay in your clothing for long periods of time. As such, chemicals are slowly released either into the air for you to inhale or onto your skin for you to absorb. Dryer sheets are particularly noxious because they are heated in the dryer and the chemicals are released through dryer vents and out into the environment. Health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include:
* Central nervous system disorders
* Headaches
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Dizziness
* Blood pressure reduction
* Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract
* Pancreatic cancer
Baby Fabric
Soften Your Clothes Safely With These Tips
Even if you don't feel the effects of these chemicals today, they can affect you gradually over time, and children, whose systems are still developing, are particularly at risk. There's really no reason to expose yourself to these risky chemicals when natural alternatives exist. Not only are they safer for you, your family and the environment, but they're much more economical too:
* Add a quarter cup of baking soda to wash cycle to soften fabric
* Add a quarter cup of white vinegar to rinse to soften fabric and eliminate cling
* Check out your local health food store for a natural fabric softener that uses a natural base like soy instead of chemicals
It's likely that fabric softeners and dryer sheets aren't the only toxic products in your home. Many household products that consumers regard as safe are also full of toxic chemicals. Our past articles on PEG Compounds in Cosmetics and Phenols in Common Household Cleansers are two of the all-time most popular articles on SixWise.com and will make you more aware of the pervasiveness of harmful chemicals that can be eliminated from your home.
Many people will remember a famous TV ad where a woman races to her washing machine, fabric softener in hand, only to arrive just as the wash ends. This woman who "forgot to ad the fabric softener" was actually doing herself and her family a favor.
Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh, fabric softener and dryer sheets are some of the most toxic products around. And chances are that the staggering 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers would think twice if they knew they contained chemicals that could cause cancer and brain damage.
Laundry
Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets:
* Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
* Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
* Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders
* Limonene: Known carcinogen
* A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
* Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA's Hazardous Waste list
* Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
* Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
* Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
* Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled
So how could products with pretty names like Soft Ocean Mist, Summer Orchard and April Fresh be so dangerous?
The chemicals in fabric softeners are pungent and strong smelling -- so strong that they require the use of these heavy fragrances (think 50 times as much fragrance) just to cover up the smells. Furthermore, synthetic fabrics, which are the reason fabric softeners were created in the first place, do not smell good either when heated in a dryer or heated by our bodies ... hence the need for even more hefty fragrances.
In other words, remove all the added fragrance that endears people to fabric softeners and -- like the cliché wolf in sheep's clothing -- the real smells of the chemical-laced fabric softener and the synthetic fabrics they were designed around may prompt people to shoot their laundry machines and be done with it.
Are "Soft" Clothes Worth It?
Fabric softeners are made to stay in your clothing for long periods of time. As such, chemicals are slowly released either into the air for you to inhale or onto your skin for you to absorb. Dryer sheets are particularly noxious because they are heated in the dryer and the chemicals are released through dryer vents and out into the environment. Health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include:
* Central nervous system disorders
* Headaches
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Dizziness
* Blood pressure reduction
* Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract
* Pancreatic cancer
Baby Fabric
Soften Your Clothes Safely With These Tips
Even if you don't feel the effects of these chemicals today, they can affect you gradually over time, and children, whose systems are still developing, are particularly at risk. There's really no reason to expose yourself to these risky chemicals when natural alternatives exist. Not only are they safer for you, your family and the environment, but they're much more economical too:
* Add a quarter cup of baking soda to wash cycle to soften fabric
* Add a quarter cup of white vinegar to rinse to soften fabric and eliminate cling
* Check out your local health food store for a natural fabric softener that uses a natural base like soy instead of chemicals
It's likely that fabric softeners and dryer sheets aren't the only toxic products in your home. Many household products that consumers regard as safe are also full of toxic chemicals. Our past articles on PEG Compounds in Cosmetics and Phenols in Common Household Cleansers are two of the all-time most popular articles on SixWise.com and will make you more aware of the pervasiveness of harmful chemicals that can be eliminated from your home.
An Aspirin A Day Can Give You Cancer
by Dr. N. Rowan Richards
I want to share a health alert with you. So many people today are taking an
aspirin a day - many upon the recommendation of their doctors and many
simply because they think it is the "healthy" thing to do. However, a recent
study involving 88,000 nurses revealed a 58% increase in the risk of pancreatic
cancer among those who took 2 or more aspirins per week for 20 years or
more. ("Daily aspirin use linked with pancreatic cancer," Reuters Health News,
10/27/03)
I expect the standard disclaimers from the medical profession - something
about balancing the risks with the rewards. However, pancreatic cancer is a
doctor's nightmare. It is very hard to diagnose and there is no cure. And, there
are natural, safe alternatives to reduce the risk of inflammation and clot
formation.
If you are taking an aspirin daily to prevent the formation of blood clots, I
recommend a daily dose of vitamin E, high potency bromelain and gamma
linolenic acid (found in evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil and borage
oil). Some authorities also recommend a daily dose of fish oil. If you want to
know more about how much you should take (since the dose is individualized
to body weight), call the office for a brief consultation and I can give you your
exact dosage.
I want to share a health alert with you. So many people today are taking an
aspirin a day - many upon the recommendation of their doctors and many
simply because they think it is the "healthy" thing to do. However, a recent
study involving 88,000 nurses revealed a 58% increase in the risk of pancreatic
cancer among those who took 2 or more aspirins per week for 20 years or
more. ("Daily aspirin use linked with pancreatic cancer," Reuters Health News,
10/27/03)
I expect the standard disclaimers from the medical profession - something
about balancing the risks with the rewards. However, pancreatic cancer is a
doctor's nightmare. It is very hard to diagnose and there is no cure. And, there
are natural, safe alternatives to reduce the risk of inflammation and clot
formation.
If you are taking an aspirin daily to prevent the formation of blood clots, I
recommend a daily dose of vitamin E, high potency bromelain and gamma
linolenic acid (found in evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil and borage
oil). Some authorities also recommend a daily dose of fish oil. If you want to
know more about how much you should take (since the dose is individualized
to body weight), call the office for a brief consultation and I can give you your
exact dosage.
Pancreatic Cancer
By Karen Lavender and Warren
Pancreas is responsible for producing insulin which regulates the sugar level in the body. All those who know what diabetes is would know the importance of insulin in body (and hence the importance of pancreas). Pancreas also produces pancreatic juice which helps in digestion of food. When abnormal growth of cells (malignant cells) occurs in the pancreas, it is called pancreatic cancer. Like other types of cancer, pancreatic cancer too is life threatening.
Cause of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is again one of those that happen to older people (generally those above the age of 60). Chronic pancreatitis, which is caused by consumption of large amounts of alcohol, can act as a predecessor of pancreatic cancer. Some people tend to associate pancreatic cancer to genes and family history but there doesn’t seem any concrete evidence to suggest one or the other. Generally speaking, pancreatic cancer doesn’t seem to have a relation to family history.
Symptoms and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
Again, none of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are such so as to give confirmatory indications of pancreatic cancer. Pain in the abdomen, tiredness and loss of appetite are said to be symptoms of pancreatic cancer but these can really be caused by so many other things that it might not even occur to you that this could be caused by pancreatic cancer. However, if you are skeptical and want to make sure that everything is ok, you can always consult a qualified doctor to vet out your fears. Jaundice is another symptom of pancreatic cancer but this too can be caused by other things. So, really, it comes to proper tests and diagnosis to detect pancreatic cancer. The doctors would generally go for a urine test (for bile) and a blood test as the first screening tests for pancreatic cancer. In case these tests suggest pancreatic cancer, there could be need for x-rays and other tests (as deemed fit by the doctor).
Treatment of pancreatic cancer
As is the case with any type of cancer, the chances of survival with pancreatic cancer is governed by how early you are able to catch the symptoms and diagnose pancreatic cancer. The treatment for pancreatic cancer is dependent on the size of the cancer, the stage of cancer and your general health. A major consideration is the size of the cancer and whether it has spread around or is localized. For pancreatic cancer too, the best treatment is removal of the cancer through surgical procedure (and it’s a major surgery). Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are other ways of treating pancreatic cancer.
Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their Pancreatic Cancer blog for more information
Pancreas is responsible for producing insulin which regulates the sugar level in the body. All those who know what diabetes is would know the importance of insulin in body (and hence the importance of pancreas). Pancreas also produces pancreatic juice which helps in digestion of food. When abnormal growth of cells (malignant cells) occurs in the pancreas, it is called pancreatic cancer. Like other types of cancer, pancreatic cancer too is life threatening.
Cause of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is again one of those that happen to older people (generally those above the age of 60). Chronic pancreatitis, which is caused by consumption of large amounts of alcohol, can act as a predecessor of pancreatic cancer. Some people tend to associate pancreatic cancer to genes and family history but there doesn’t seem any concrete evidence to suggest one or the other. Generally speaking, pancreatic cancer doesn’t seem to have a relation to family history.
Symptoms and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
Again, none of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are such so as to give confirmatory indications of pancreatic cancer. Pain in the abdomen, tiredness and loss of appetite are said to be symptoms of pancreatic cancer but these can really be caused by so many other things that it might not even occur to you that this could be caused by pancreatic cancer. However, if you are skeptical and want to make sure that everything is ok, you can always consult a qualified doctor to vet out your fears. Jaundice is another symptom of pancreatic cancer but this too can be caused by other things. So, really, it comes to proper tests and diagnosis to detect pancreatic cancer. The doctors would generally go for a urine test (for bile) and a blood test as the first screening tests for pancreatic cancer. In case these tests suggest pancreatic cancer, there could be need for x-rays and other tests (as deemed fit by the doctor).
Treatment of pancreatic cancer
As is the case with any type of cancer, the chances of survival with pancreatic cancer is governed by how early you are able to catch the symptoms and diagnose pancreatic cancer. The treatment for pancreatic cancer is dependent on the size of the cancer, the stage of cancer and your general health. A major consideration is the size of the cancer and whether it has spread around or is localized. For pancreatic cancer too, the best treatment is removal of the cancer through surgical procedure (and it’s a major surgery). Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are other ways of treating pancreatic cancer.
Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their Pancreatic Cancer blog for more information