How Do Famous People With Cancer Get Special Medical Treatment?

Even in these difficult times, wealth will still get you far better service than the average person. Would you do anything different if you were faced with life and death and were really rich? Money is there to be used, after all.

This is how someone with a terminal illness spent $250,000 to add years to his life.

Mr. Joseph, a senior executive at a large company learned that he had terminal Stage 4 kidney cancer. Mr. Joseph was not famous but he was wealthy. He took bold action and contacted consultants for drug companies and offered himself as their next project.

He spent $50,000 to get a personal medical symposium - with four of the best kidney cancer experts in the world - immediately organized. The doctors soon recognized the best treatments for him, recommended the most appropriate drugs and treatment programs and got him admitted into a treatment program.

Mr. Joseph's health improved dramatically from the treatments, just like the not- so- wealthy people in that same program. But he stayed relatively healthy, while other patients with similar disease stages were going downhill; these other people did not have the knowledge or money to find the best therapy or the money to travel to the specific treatment site was at. But Mr. Joseph's health began to decline after six months in the program. By that time, other patients, not in the program, were already beginning to die.

But now he needed another treatment regimen or he was a goner. The medical researchers recommended experimental treatments for him, and the consulting company tried to get him admitted into these clinical trials.

Mr. Joseph was not allowed into these clinical trials because he had other unusual medical conditions. No amount of money would get him into controlled clinical trials. So he needed another way to get those medications.

Sometimes drug companies will make exceptions, but not this time. No amount of money was enough to open a slot for him in controlled clinical trials. So he needed another way to get the medications. He didn't have enough money to buy a drug company, so he did the next best thing.

Mr. Joseph spent $100,000 to have the experimental medicines formulated - just for him - by medicinal chemists. By that time, his symptoms had become very serious, and he was too tired to get out of bed. He knew he had only a few months of life left.

But the chemists delivered on time and Mr. Joseph got his very own supply of an experimental cancer drug. With that drug, he began to recover within two weeks. Three weeks later, he got out of bed and four weeks after that, he was able to walk around his neighborhood. Then, he went back to work part-time. That wonderful situation lasted almost a year when the cancer spread again and he began to go downhill once more.

Another $100,000 got Mr. Joseph a second experimental cancer drug and kept him alive and at work for almost another year before the cancer began to spread again. But this time, it kept spreading and none of the experimental medicines could help. He died a year later, surrounded by his friends and family. His money bought him an extra two years with his wife and kids.

Would you do anything different?

Stephen Goldner is the President of Cancer Information Center and the organizer of the Colon Cancer Resource and other cancer related web sites. He is a toxicologist and lawyer with almost 40 years experience in the medical field as inventor, developer and innovator of drugs and medical devices for people.

The Colon Cancer Resource website is dedicated to providing a complete understanding of colon cancer and colorectal cancer in clear understandable language for patients and their families.

Learn About the Several Colon Cancer Types

Cancer is a condition that has become all too popular and moving thousands of people. There are loads of various types of cancer. Some of the more common types include; breast cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer.

Out of these, colon cancer - also referred to as colorectal cancer - is the most popular. According to health stats 1 out of 17 people that reside in the United States only will be diagnosed with colon cancer. It has been rated the third most common cancer that men will be diagnosed with.

The things that makes this so deathly is how hard it is to diagnose it in the early stage. There are numerous contrasting types of it that will bear upon a person differently. Some are more extreme than others and if they are not spotted early there is no hopeful treatment for the patient.

Adenocarcinomas

This type is the most popular type of colon cancer that will start in a patient's glands. This type has two distinct subtypes that include; signet ring cell and mutinous. 90 - 95% of people who are diagnosed with colon cancer will suffer from the adenocarcinomas type.

Leiomyosarcomas

This type will start out inside of the smooth muscle that is within the colon. Less than 2% of people who are suffer from colon cancer will be diagnosed with this type. They also have an increased chance of recovering.

Lymphomas

Lymphomas is a rare type that ordinarily begins inside the rectum before moving to the colon. It is viable for them to start out in other parts of the body. When this takes place the cancer has an increased risk of spreading to the colon before traveling to the rectum at a faster pace.

Melanomas

This is also a rare type that will commonly form in a different area of a patient's body before it spreads to the colon and the rectum. Not even 2% of people diagnosed with colon cancer will be diagnosed with this condition.

Neuroendocrine Tumors

These tumors have been separated into two classifications; indolent and aggressive. The aggressive type are neuroendocrine tumors that can be large or small cell. Carcinoid tumors are indolent.

There are several Colon Cancer Types that doctors can use different Treatments For Colon Cancer.

Your Treatment Options For Colon Issues

I never set out to be as knowledgeable as I have recently become about colon surgery. But if you want to know the real lowdown on a procedure, ask someone who has gone through it.

First a few basics: The colonoscopy is the gold standard for detecting colon issues. If you wait until you have symptoms in the case of colon cancer, it is usually too late. Fecal occult blood test would not have found my polyp (it wasn't bleeding). Sigmoidoscopy -- i.e. looking up the descending (left) colon as far as the first bend, is a numbers game. It will discover a lot of abnormalities, but it wouldn't have found mine: mine was in the transverse colon on the right (far) side. Women especially should insist on a full colonoscopy: statistically women tend to experience more issues higher up in the colon whereas men tend to have polyps and cancers closer to the rectum. Virtual colonoscopy is less annoying to prepare for, but the results aren't as good. Don't settle for anything less than a full colonoscopy. If you are going to test, get the best test.

Second: So-called colon cleansing products have no effect on colon cancer, and it's highly dubious if they prevent it. They make a lot of money for those who sell them, but the colon is designed to clean itself, and will do so happily if provided with high quality nutrition. High colonics and enemas are not good for you when done regularly. Mixtures such as psyllium/bentonite will certainly pull a lot of water from your body and give you a temporary light feeling, but psyllium is an irritant to some. Likewise, chronic laxative use is bad and can set up a dependency. The best prevention is to maintain proper weight, eat little or no red meat, sugar, transfats and refined carbs and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and exercise regularly and drink lots of water.

You are probably reading this because you or someone you love has been diagnosed with some sort of colon abnormality and you are looking at surgery. Your abnormality may already been diagnosed as cancer, or you may have been told, as I was, that a polyp that size (between pingpong ball and baseball sized) is almost sure to contain cancer. So naturally you want it out of there post haste.

Unfortunately, surgery is pretty much your only option, but be educated about the finer details and you will have dramatically better results.

Too big to do through the endoscope? The endoscope is the flexible tube with cameras and instruments that is inserted in your anus during a colonoscopy. A normal endoscopist is trained to snip small polyps, especially the common kind that grow on a stalk, with a tool called an endoscopic snare. It's basically just an adjustable loop of fine wire that they poke out the tool head of the flexible tube containing the scope. They make it big enough to go around the polyp, then they tighten it up until it cuts off the polyp. They retrieve the polyp and biopsy it but the assumption is that the majority of small polyps are benign. It's only the ones that get left in a long time and grow big that are more likely to contain cancer. If the endoscopist determines that the polyp is small enough, he/she just snips it automatically. If you are looking at surgery like I was, it is because your polyp is large, and/or sessile (that means it has a very broad base and is well anchored on the inside of the colon.) Mine was both.

Bowel Resection: The current standard procedure for a large polyp if the rest of the colon is otherwise healthy is what I had: a bowel resection: meaning they basically remove the segment of bowel containing the polyp and then reattach the ends of what is left. There are numerous ways to do this, depending on the skill of the surgeon, the location of the polyp and the condition of the patient.

Open abdominal surgery: Prior to the mid 90's bowel resections were usually done as open abdominal surgery. This means they cut a large incision in your abdomen to access the colon and they work through it. Your body cavity is open for the duration of the surgery and when it's done you have a large incision that is slow to heal because it was open for so long.

Modified laproscopic procedure: In the mid 90's they started doing this procedure laproscopically, i.e. they insert three small tubes under your skin and muscle layer and operate through the tubes. When they have dislodged the bad bit and bagged it and sutured the ends of the colon they then create an incision to remove the bad bit. Because the incision is smaller and open only for a few minutes, it heals much faster and better, necessitating a much shorter hospital stay. This procedure is contraindicated for an obese patient or in someone who has already had multiple previous surgeries. Apparently the laproscopes don't work very well with a lot of stuff on top of them. This is what I had done.

Experimental combo lapro/endo: This is what I wish I could have had done. I wondered why they couldn't just roto-root, scrape out the polyp like a D&C and remove it in chunks through the anus. There are three reasons why they don't: one, risk of perforating the colon, two, if it is cancer they need to be careful not to let any cancer cells escape to start a new colony, and three if it is cancer you would want to take the surrounding tissue anyway. It turned out my polyp, although huge, was benign, but there was no way to know that until it was all out. There is a technique now where they do this but I'm guessing they will do it only if the risk of cancer is low. My risk of cancer was considered to be very high. I of a case where the patient had a polyp too large for a standard endoscopic snare and they went in through the rectum with an endoscope with some souped up tools and basically roto-rooted the polyp, while another doctor made laproscopic incisions and watched the outside of the colon with a laproscope to make sure it didn't get perforated. If they perforated the colon they had a plan B, which was to go ahead and do a laproscopic bowel resection. And if anything they scraped out of that patient had cancer in it, they were prepared to go back in and give him a bowel resection anyway. Lucky for that patient, they didn't perforate him, and his polyp turned out to be benign and he walked out that day with only a couple band-aids on his abdomen. This procedure is regarded as experimental and is not widely used, but I predict it will be within the next five years. I heard that it was invented at UCLA Med center so if you live near there you might wish to investigate further.

Colon suture options: All the illustrations I found on the net show the ends of bowel reattached end-to-end so eventually it just looks like a somewhat shortened but continuous tube. A lot of times, however, they bring up the two bowel ends even, suture across the top, and then make a new hole for the fecal matter to travel through. This seems kludgey, bumpy and ugly to me but that is what they did. According to two surgeons I consulted both ways work equally well. One of them said the ugly way is less likely to rupture and the other said they were about the same. When I get to be a constipated old lady I will update and let you know if my modified colon is giving me any problems, but so far it's working just fine.

Your exit scar: Unless you are fortunate enough to have the latest minimally invasive surgery you will either end up with a big scar, or a smaller scar and three laproscopic incisions. The small incisions heal quickly. You will want to do everything you can, including acupuncture and self massage, to soften up that scar as soon as it heals. You will also not be able to use your core abdominal muscles for a little while or lift anything. Do not push this because you do NOT want your incision to get a hernia!

Finally, find other people your surgeon has operated on and Google your surgeon! Laproscopic bowel resection is regarded as a difficult procedure and it takes a long time for a surgeon to get good at it. You will have to live with the results of his/her work for the rest of your life.

What Are the Symptoms of Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer or colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States. And it occurs most often in people older than 50. With 655,000 deaths worldwide per year, it is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world. When it is found early, it is easily treated and often cured. But because it usually is not found early, it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Knowing what are the symptoms of colon cancer is very important because it is easily treated if it is found early. The key is to find it as early as possible.

The first symptoms of colon cancer are usually vague, like bleeding, weight loss, and fatigue (tiredness). Local (bowel) symptoms are rare until the tumor has grown to a large size. Generally, the nearer the tumor is to the anus, the more bowel symptoms there will be.

The cecum and ascending colon are on the right side of your abdomen. Cancer in this area may bleed, causing blood in the stool and symptoms of anemia, including fatigue and weakness. The amount of blood may be small and so well mixed with stool that your stool may look normal. The transverse colon goes across your body from right to left. Cancer here may cause abdominal cramps. The descending colon and the S-shaped sigmoid colon are on the left side of your abdomen and join the rectum. Cancer here may cause narrower stools and bright red blood in the stool.

The lifetime risk of developing colon cancer in the United States is about 7%. Colorectal cancer can take many years to develop and early detection of colorectal cancer greatly improves the chances of a cure. If you or your doctor thinks you have colon cancer then you will need a test, called a colonoscopy, that lets the doctor see the inside of your entire colon and rectum. During this test, your doctor will remove polyps or take tissue samples from any areas that don't look normal.

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Colon Cancer Symptoms - How to Know If You Have Colorectal Cancer

Colon cancer is a serious disease characterized by abnormal cell growth in the colon, which creates a cancerous tumor. This kind of illness ranks third in the list of the most common forms of cancer and are most often prevalent in people over 50 years old, but can occur in patients of any age.

Cancers of the colon, or of the rectum, are highly treatable if they are diagnosed in the early stages of the disease. However, many people often are not diagnosed in time as early symptoms are not always recognized and, when they are, people are somewhat hesitant to discuss the details of their symptoms with a doctor.

The symptoms include:

1. Abdominal pain, bloating, or discomfort
2. Bloody stool
3. Long, thin stool (often described as pencil-like)
4. Unintended weight loss
5. Loss of appetite
6. Changes in normal bowel habits (rectal bleeding, diarrhea, constipation, or feeling an inability to completely empty the bowel).

Each year nearly 150,000 new cases of this disease are reported. There is no identifiable cause for it, but the following are some of the factors that may increase the risk of its development:

• Gender (Both men and women are equally prone to developing the malady. However, men tend to develop the rectal version at slightly higher rates, while women are more prone to the colon variety)
• Age (The sickness can be developed at any age, but the chances are increased in people over the age of 50 years old.)
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Cigarette smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Poor diet
• Family history
• Personal history.

People with a family history of colorectal cancer are slightly more prone to developing it. If more than one family member has been diagnosed with the problem, the risk is even higher. Also, diets high in calories and fat, and low in fiber add to an increased risk of developing the disorder. Anyone over the age of 50 should undergo regular screening for the disorder, but anyone in any of the above risk groups should begin earlier.

Screening normally consists of an annual rectal exam, including stool samples. Some exams may require a scope to be inserted into the rectum in order to view the entire bowel. If there is cause for concern or further examination of the colon's tissue, a biopsy may be ordered for a closer analysis. If cancer is discovered, other tests, such as an ultrasound, CT scan or X-ray would be done in order to determine whether it has spread to other areas. Of particular concern is the liver as it is one of the more likely places that this dangerous disease spreads to.

Because the risk can be reduced by a high fiber diet, proper weight management (including exercise) and by not smoking, it is highly recommended that people opt for healthier lifestyles and decrease their chances of developing this type of life threatening ailment, and others, as much as possible.

Anyone who has experienced some of the previously mentioned symtoms, or who are in one of the risks groups for the disease, is advised to seek screening tests as early as possible since colorectal cancer responds very well to treatment in the earliest stages.

Colorectal Cancer and Available Treatments

Colorectal cancer is also known as colon or rectal cancer because it is a cancer that is found in either the colon or the rectum. In most cases colorectal cancer will begin as a polyp that develops on the lining of the colon and in most cases in benign. Even though these polyps may be benign at one point, they can turn cancerous at any time and when they do they will continue to grow and spread until detected.

It is important to know what puts you at risk for colorectal cancer and how you can prevent it. Even more so, regular screenings and checkups are crucial to catching colorectal cancer especially because polyps can easily be removed before they pose any danger to you. Though there are always different things that cause colorectal cancer and no one ever knows what that could be for them specifically, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one of the most important ways to guard yourself from developing colorectal cancer.

Understanding what the symptoms are for colorectal cancer along with knowing if you are at risk at all because of your lifestyle choices or family medical history are your two best ways to measure whether you might have colon cancer, or to put yourself on guard to recognize the symptoms. Unlike other cancers which sometimes make patients very ill with the identifiable symptoms, colon cancer has very insignificant symptoms for most individuals. There are a few things to watch for though if you suspect you might have colorectal cancer including, bleeding in the stool, a change in bowel habits all of a sudden, abdominal pain, anemia and sudden weight loss.

If an individual does present with colorectal cancer there are three basic types of treatment available which sometimes may be used together to cut out the cancer entirely. The first and most often used is one of several different types of surgery, that basically seek to remove or kill the cancer where ever it may be in the colon. If the cancer is discovered early on and has not had a lot of time to grow it is easier to remove the cancer without affecting the colon entirely. In cases where the cancer is larger it may be necessary to cut out and then reattach ends of the colon or to attach a colorectal bag to a stoma in the stomach. Other types of surgery attempt to kill cancer where it is in the colon while avoiding removal of the cancer and any of the colon.

The two other types of colorectal cancer treatment which are often used in addition to surgery are radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Both of these types of treatment are very aggressive, but they also have a really good rate of success making them a standard practice by doctors. Even after treatment though, it is necessary to continue care for colorectal cancer as there is always the chance that cancer cells can develop again on any new polyps that might appear on the lining of your colon. Always be diligent in obtaining screenings and maintaining your health.

The High Cost of Chemotherapy Does Not Have to Keep Patients From Getting Cancer Treatment

The high cost of chemotherapy does not have to keep patients from getting cancer treatment. Coloncancerresource.com reports there are over 550 active clinical trials in colon cancer. These are always free and usually pay some travel costs and all laboratory fees.

March is Colon Cancer Awareness month. Even in these difficult economic times, there is help for people who cannot afford medication and treatment.

A recent article advised that one in eight people turn down life saving medication because the cost of chemotherapy and other cancer costs are too expensive for them. Even worse, 25% of patients in advanced stages of the disease refuse treatment because they earn less that $40,000 and cannot afford the drugs. USA Today, October 13, 2008.

Coloncancerresource.com is a new web site especially useful for people having trouble figuring out how to understand the medical jargon. They also report that there are many ways for people to get the drugs and treatment they need even though:

•12% of late-stage colon cancer patients spend more than $25,000 for cancer treatment costs.

•20% of all cancer survivors delay or miss needed care because of the cost of chemotherapy and medical charges.

The Medicare program is available for people over 65 and for disabled persons. Some states have programs that force hospitals, nursing homes and other health facilities to treat needy patients. There is the Veterans' Administration if you have served in the Armed Services. And most pharmaceutical companies provide some patients with free or almost free drugs.

Don't miss out on vital medical service or drugs because of tight money problems.

www.ColonCancerResource.com is a new web site that shows how people without enough money can still get necessary colon cancer treatment and drugs. It is written in easy to understand language especially for people who are struggling to understand how to cope with their colon cancer problems.

Colon Cancer Treatments

A Look at the Treatments Available for Colon Cancer

If you are diagnosed with colon cancer a lot of the treatments, risk factors and survival rates will be determined by the stage of the cancer when it is detected and diagnosed. Even a difference of a couple months can make a lot of difference in how much the cancer has grown, spread and is treatable. There are different treatments available for colon cancer though and three of them are pretty standard. In addition there are always new types of treatments being offered in the form of clinical studies that have not become standard forms of treatment, but if they prove promising they very well may become standard.

The most commonly used treatment for colon cancer is surgery, and this goes for all stages of colon cancer. Surgery is performed to remove the cancerous tissue and possibly some of the healthy tissue around it to eliminate it from the area entirely. This second, and more drastic of the two, types of surgeries with tissue removal is called anastomosis. Once the colon tissue with the cancer is removed, the opposite ends of the colon are then joined together shortening the colon. A third surgery is even more life altering and is known as a colostomy, where an opening is made to the outside of the body where a colostomy bag is attached to collect the waste as it passes through the stoma.

Two other types of surgery are frequently used as well, but do not require cutting or reattaching of the colon at any point. The first type of the two surgeries is known as Cryosurgery and occurs when the cancer tissue is frozen where it is so that it cannot grow or spread. Radiofrequency ablation requires the use of tiny electrodes that are passed into the body through small incisions and used to kill the cancerous tissue.

In addition to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are used as standard forms of treatment for colon cancer. In some cases doctors find it necessary to follow up surgery with chemotherapy or radiation treatments to make absolutely sure that all the cancer cells have been destroyed. Radiation therapy though, consists of using a source of radiation to kill the cancer either externally or internally. When this is done externally, a machine that delivers radiation is used on the body and focuses on the area where the radiation is occurring. If radiation is delivered internally, catheters or wires are used to deliver radiation directly into the cancer or into the area surrounding it.

Like radiation therapy, chemotherapy treatments are very intense for the patient, but it is used because of the high success rates the drugs have in killing cancer. In chemotherapy, drugs are used to reach cancer tissue through the bloodstream, or they are used by placing directly into the area where the cancer is occurring for a better chance at killing the cells. The location and size of the cancer will determine which type of chemotherapy treatment is used by the doctors.

Clinical therapy is another treatment option, but this choice is extremely varied and it is up to a doctor to determine if a patient is able to undergo the treatments used for the therapy. There are also several different requirements that all patients must meet so getting into a clinical therapy is not always a guaranteed thing.

2 Simple Ways to Prevent Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is on the rise and is becoming the number two leading cancer causes for death. Should this be a surprise with the diets and chemicals being distributed among our foods today. Read on to find out a few simple things you can do to prevent colon cancer from afflicting you.

Don't let the word Cancer scare you, if you want to be scared be scared by the amount of junk that's in our water and food.

Two ways to reduce the risk of colon cancer

They say life and death begin in your colon. These are two ways that will increase your chances for a better life.

1. Meal Times - eating earlier will reduce the burden you put on your colon to process foods and will reduce your chances of undigested foods fermenting in your colonic area. The later you eat the better chance you food will not digest properly, this means the opportunity for more toxins to settle in your colon exists. Over time you can see how this habit can damage your insides.
2. Meal Frequencies - eat less at each meal, but eat more meals. This way you take the load off of you digestive system which lightens the load on your colon. Especially during times that you are rushed to eat and stress can disrupt your digestive process.

Of course exercise, diet, sleep are other factors to consider, but the above are simple changes that can have a huge impact over time.

Your colon is where absorption takes place and the delivery of nutrients starts. When this system has problems it can lead to many other problems that you might not relate to your colon. By taking care of your colon you will find other health issues could very well be solved.

There is more to health.

Causes of Colon Cancer and What to Watch For

Colon cancer has had the benefit of several research breakthroughs in the last few years, especially when it comes to determining some of the things that can be the cause or a contributing factor to causing cancer. The bad news is that there are several causes of colon cancer that a huge percentage of the population can check off the list as putting them at risk. Knowing them though can be a huge factor in changing the way you eat and live to better protect yourself from continuing with an unhealthy lifestyle choice. In addition, knowing what to watch for when it comes to colon cancer can also be crucial in a patient's chance of getting an early diagnosis or even going to see a doctor in the first place.

Some of the biggest causes of cancer are items that you have no control over and just have to watch, such as age. Age is one of the highest causes of colon cancer, and as you age your risk of getting colon cancer increases. This is partly because your chance of developing polyps is greater, but also because some of the nutritional and lifestyle choices you make on a daily basis have more of an effect on you and your overall health as time progresses. Other factors that can determine whether or not you are at a greater risk of getting colon cancer, but are not lifestyle choices include gender, genetics and family history. If your family has a history of colon cancer, you might want to be a little more vigilant in avoiding some of the known causes and getting regular checkups.

As far as lifestyle choices that cause cancer go, there are several. Two of the biggest habits that can be cut out with some work and dedication are smoking and alcohol. Both smoking and cancer have been the topic of much research that has gone into the study of colorectal cancer and it was found that when drinking it depends on how much an individual consumes, how often they consume and they type of alcohol they are consuming. In the case of smoking, smoking in general is not good for those who are at risk of developing colon cancer and a large part of it has to do with research that has shown that smoking deposits carcinogens in the colon and increase polyp size.

These examples are some of the biggest causes of cancer, and even though some are not able to be helped, the latter two causes can be dealt with if a patient wants to cut out that risk. In general it is a good idea to get an annual colonoscopy to determine if you are at risk for developing cancer, but some major symptoms to watch for include fatigue, anemia and weight loss. Bleeding in the stool is also a big indicator and a fecal occult blood test can be given to determine if this is caused because of colon cancer or something else entirely.

Background of Leukemia

Cancer hits many families and many people at all ages of life. It is a devastating diagnosis for the patient and friends and family. Leukemia is a form of cancer where immune cells proliferate without normal regression after disease has been terminated. It is named for the "milky" coloration of blood from the high count of white blood cells. Leukemia often hits children and symptoms can be disregarded and not properly diagnosed if not treated immediately.

Leukemia is actually a broad medical term. Leukemia cancer is separated into two, more defined forms named chronic leukemia and acute leukemia. Acute leukemia cancer tends to afflict children and young adults. Its proliferation of bone marrow cells inhibits bone marrow to make properly healthy cells. It is an extremely dangerous form of cancer since malignant cells are readily available to the blood stream to transport to other organs.

Chronic leukemia cancer is better known for the abnormal proliferation of mature white blood cells. When your body is faced with disease, white blood cells divide rapidly to quickly eliminate intruding microbes. A normal immune system will later destroy the excess white blood cells, however with leukemia they continue to proliferate. Chronic leukemia mostly afflicts older adults, and therapy is monitored through typical, regular doctor appointments.

The abnormal response from immune cells in cancer patients of leukemia will eventually suppress the immune system giving rise to symptoms of the disease. One life threatening side effect of abnormally high white blood cells is the lowered amount of red blood cells which carry oxygen to the body. The low red blood cell count causes anemia in leukemia patients. Other typical reactions include flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, and sweats. Fatigue and lethargy are often acquired. For acute symptoms, bone pain, joint pain, and severe paleness are shown in patients.

Some leukemia patients do not even show signs of high white blood cells in diagnosis tests. A rare form called aleukemia exists where test results can return as normal, however the patient still possesses abnormal growths of bone marrow tissue.

Theories as to the causes of leukemia cancer are thought to arise from mutated DNA in somatic cells. The DNA mutations inhibit natural cell death, division, and proliferation. These mutations are thought to be the result of exposure to radiation or other carcinogens.

Viruses can also account for certain samples of leukemia in patients. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or human T-lymphotropic virus are thought to carry with them a form of leukemia.

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with leukemia, there are some common treatments to expect. Chemotherapy is probably the most common form of anti-cancerous treatment. Chemotherapy is used in most forms of cancer as an efficient way to kill cancer cells. Interferon treatment is a new, less traumatic form of therapy. It stimulates the immune system to fight off the disease. Other forms of treatments are marrow transplants and radiation treatment. Transplants will replenish bone marrow with healthy cells while radiation will target harmful cancer cells for elimination.

What is Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is a cancer that may be caused by long term or intense exposure to benzene. This group of cancers is fairly rare and is derived from lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell. The many subtypes of this cancer are mostly categorized by their aggressiveness and speed of progress. The not so aggressive (slow-growing) form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma will change a person's life for a long period of time whereas the more aggressive (fast-growing) type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma can be fatal.

A British physician, Thomas Hodgkin, found and defined the first form of lymphoma in 1832. Later, a pathologist, Henry Rappaport, proposed The Rappaport classification which became the accepted classification of lymphomas other than Hodgkin's.

Lymphoma Linked with Benzene Exposure

Scientists have linked exposure to benzene with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is known that benzene is derived from vehicle exhaust emissions. Benzene is also frequently used in pesticides, drugs, and rubbers. Many people who have been around the chemical benzene have developed some type of leukemia. Having these cancers have altered their lives tremendously and have even been fatal.

Some Known Symptoms linked to Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

There are a variety of symptoms that have been linked to Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma:

* Unintentional weight loss

* Severe itchiness

* Nighttime sweats

* Swollen lymph nodes

* Swelling in the abdominal region

* Pain in the chest area

If you or someone you know has been exposed to benzene you will want to contact an attorney who has experience with benzene cases. This will insure that you receive the legal advice and guidance you need and deserve.

Moderate Exercise Helps With Colon Cancer - Prevention After Colon Cancer Treatment

Moderate and regular exercise substantially reduces the risk that colon cancer will return and patients currently undergoing treatment can improve their overall chance of survival.

This excellent news was reported by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists in a pair of studies published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in August 2006 but merit repeating because they show definite life prolonging impact by simple exercise in a life critical disease.

The researchers reported colon cancer patients who engaged in moderate exercise for 6 to 12 months after completing therapy had a 50 percent higher survival rate than those who didn't exercise. The improvement took place in patients with very early and more advanced (but non-spreading) colon cancer. All patients had undergone surgery.

Jeffrey Meyerhardt, MD, MPH, [Dana-Farber] was the lead author and reported: "From previous studies we know that regular physical activity reduces the risk of developing colon cancer, but until now few studies have looked at the survival effect of exercise on people who have been treated for disease... While our work found a significant benefit for patients who exercise, it's important that exercise be seen as a supplement to, not a replacement for, standard therapies."

Results appear particularly robust because the two studies used different sets of data to arrive at their shared conclusion. Patients who simply exercised such as walking 6 hours a week were 47 percent more likely to be alive and free of disease than those who were less physically active.

Additionally, patients who increased their physical activity after colon cancer diagnosis had about a 50 % less chance of dying from colon cancer or from other causes than physically inactive patients.

Meyerhardt is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School: "As with any exercise program, people should check with their doctor before increasing their degree of physical activity... to reduce the chances that colon cancer will return after treatment, as well as for overall health reasons, regular exercise is a good option for survivors to consider."

Leukemia - What Are the Causes, Symptoms and Treatments?

Leukemia is cancer of your body's blood-forming tissues, including your bone marrow and lymphatic system. The 3 main forms of the disease are;

1. Acute Leukemia which is a malignant proliferation of white blood cell blasts in bone marrow or lymph tissue.
2. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia also known as granulocytic leukemia.
3. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia which is common in the elderly and accounts for about 25% of all new leukemia cases.

Acute leukemia accounts for about 20% of leukemias, it's most common forms are:
1. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
2. Acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML)
3. Acute monoblastic leukemia ( Schilling's type )

Incidence of Acute Leukemia
Leukemia can occur at any age, acute forms of leukemia can occur in children and young adults and in fact in this age group it is the most common form of cancer. It is more common in females than in males, in whites ( especially those of Jewish extraction ) and in urban and industrialized populations.

Risk Factors
Several congenital conditions may increase the risk of leukemia; the most common is probably Down syndrome, which is associated with a 10 to 18 fold increase in the risk of AML.

In general, nonidentical twins and other siblings of children with leukemia have two to four times the average risk of developing the disease. Also, children who have received prior radiation or chemotherapy for other types of cancer have a higher risk of contracting leukemia.

Signs and Symptoms
Signs of acute leukemia may include; high fever, abnormal bleeding, easy bruising and prolonged menses. Sometimes the onset of symptoms is more gradual with low grade fever, weakness, chills, recurrent infections or lassitude, lasting for days or months before visual symptoms occur.

In addition, all AML, ALL and Schilling's type leukemias may cause anemia, fatigue, dyspnea, palpitations and abdominal or bone pain. Specific AML symptoms include, local infections such as laryngitis, joint pain and abdominal fullness. Specific ALL symptoms include, night sweats, anorexia, weight loss and shortness of breath.

Leukemia that has spread to the brain may produce central nervous system effects, such as headaches, seizures, weakness, blurred vision, balance difficulties, or vomiting. Leukemia cells may spread to the gums, causing swelling, pain, and bleeding.

Causes of Leukemia
Current research points to a combination of viruses, genetic factors, and exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation.

Treatment
Medically leukemia is treated mainly with chemotherapy, although radiotherapy and biological therapy can be used in certain subtypes of leukemia.

Nutritional supplements offer help support the healthy function of the immune system, and in particular, the white blood cells in leukemia patients. In addition, some nutritional supplements are able to kill leukemia cells.

Prognosis for Acute Leukemia
Untreated, acute leukemia is usually fatal, often because of complications that result from leukemic cells infiltrating into the bone marrow or vital body organs.

With treatment prognosis varies, survival rates in leukemia have risen dramatically in the last 40 years with improvements in diagnosis and treatment. Children between 2 and 8 have the best survival rate (around 50%) but overall, treatment does induce remission in about 90% of cases.

Healing Beets and Leukemia

One of my co-workers was diagnosed seven years ago with leukemia. His prognosis was not very good; he was told he had about 6-12 months to live. His physicians informed him of the importance of chemotherapy treatment, which he refused to their surprise.

The patient decided to seek alternative methods of treatment. He researched the effects of diet comprised of raw fruits and vegetables. In his research, he came across a scientific study done at a nearby village of Chernobyl. The majority of the population located near the nuclear plant explosion had been diagnosed with some form of cancer. However, this one village had very few incidences of cancer. It was later concluded that the people's diet at this nearby village consisted primary of raw/cooked beets. The research scientists hypothesized that eating those cooked beets contributed to the majority of cancer-free population at this nearby village of Chernobyl.

Despite the advice of his physicians, my colleague thus began a strict diet consisting primarily of raw fruits, vegetables, especially beets, and fresh-squeezed juices. His prognosis was getting better. He made it through the first 6 months. Although his physicians warned he may have a relapse, he continued with the diet. Seven years have passed and my co-worker is still with us today.

The medicinal value of beets was used by such well-known doctors of the distant past as Avicenna, Hypocrite, Galen and Paracelsus. Doctors of Ancient Greece used beet juice to cure fevers, anemia, and diseases of the digestive and lymphatic systems.

Copyright © Rachel Madorsky

http://www.rachelmadorsky.com

Rachel Madorsky authored several books including, "Symphony of Your Karma" and "Create Your Own Destiny." Rachel's books offer profound insights into the power of natural and spiritual healing and are filled with inspiring stories of people who have benefited from her compassion and gifts. In these books, the reader gains an insight into the power of natural and spiritual healing from a science-oriented practitioner. The fundamental basis of her conclusions is personal experiences and informal experiments.

Truth About Neck Pain And Lymphoma - Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Since last 25 years, it has been discovered that non-Hodgkin lymphoma has tremendously increased as lymphatic system cancer. Non-Hodgkin lymphomaa is not single disease, it is a group of similar cancers that hinders the immune system and affects lymphatic system of the body. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is mainly divided in two groups, namely, T-cell lymphomas and B-cell lymphoma.

Some people have a myth that non-Hodgkin lymphoma and neck pain are related to each other which is not true. There are various patients with the physical symptoms and signs of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In most of the cases the lymph nodes of the patients is found to be swollen and is the most common sign seen in people suffering from non-Hodgkins lymphoma. In some cases there is no pain whereas in others patients suffer from lymphoma symptoms and neck pain . Lymph nodes may get swollen or enlarged in various parts of the body such as arms or neck. If the lymph nodes of an abdomen are enlarged then you might experience a bloated feeling, swelling, back pain or discomfort. In the case of groin you might suffer from swelling in legs and ankles.

Symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma are unexplained weight loss, chills,lack of energy,fever, itching, neck pain and night sweats. If you feel any of these then you should consult your physician immediately as all these indicates the presence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Many people complaints that their physician is not considering non-Hodgkin lymphoma even when they have symptoms such as neck pain or other lymphoma symptoms. The reason behind this decision is that if there is a serious illness then it never disappears repetitively. Therefore, non-Hodgkin lymphoma should be checked only if you face persistent symptoms of the disease and not in the case of patients non-specific complaints.

Your doctor would initiate a thorough physical examination to figure out lymphoma symptoms and neck pain to ensure that you suffer from non-Hodgkin lymphoma or not. Some of the common symptoms that doctors usually look for are swollen lymph nodes in the groin and armpits, tonsil and neck area, on the elbows, under the chin and above the shoulders. If you have enlarged internal organs or swollen lymph nodes in your abdomen then there would be signs such as, fluid or swelling in your abdomen. If you are suffering from an enlarged lymph node pressing on the spinal cord or nerves then there may be signs of paralysis or weakness. In cases where neck pain and lymphoma symptoms shows signs of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, doctors prefer to do a list of tests such as blood tests, x-rays, biopsy, and many other tests.

Cord Blood Stem Cells Save Life of Leukemia Patient

The Repair Stem Cell Institute is a public-service company formed to educate, teach, and help patients with chronic diseases and conditions to find qualified doctors who provide Adult Stem Cell therapy to improve the patient's quality of life. The Repair Stem Cell Institute website http://www.repairstemcells.org has a list of diseases and injuries that are now being treated with adult stem cells. The site also tells the reader where and how to seek out that particular stem cell treatment. Adult Stem Cells (AKA Repair Stem Cells) can now help more than 100 diseases and conditions. The Repair Stem Cell Institute provides the latest up to date information on these adult stem cell treatments. Don Margolis, the founder of the Repair Stem Cell Institute also keeps a blog which he updates almost daily. His blog http://www.donmargolis.com contains the latest successful Adult Stem Cell stories and discoveries. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Margolis

Computer-based Model Helps Radiologists Diagnose Breast Cancer

The model was developed by a multidisciplinary group, including radiologists and industrial engineers, led by Elizabeth S. Burnside, MD, Oguzhan Alagoz, PhD, and Jagpreet Chhatwal, PhD.

“The computer-based model was designed to help the radiologist calculate breast cancer risk based on abnormality descriptors like mass shape; mass margins; mass density; mass size; calcification shape and distribution,” said Elizabeth S. Burnside, MD, and Jagpreet Chhatwal, MD, lead authors to the study.

“When the radiologist combined his/her assessment with the computer model the radiologist was able to detect 41 more cancers than when they didn’t use the model. The model was created based upon findings of 48,744 mammograms in a breast imaging reporting database and found that the use of hormones and a family history of breast cancer did not contribute significant predictive ability in this context,” they said.

“One of the important roles of a radiologist is to interpret observations made on mammograms and predict the likelihood of breast cancer. However, assessing the influence of each observation in the context of an increasing number of complex risk factors is difficult for the human brain. In this study, we developed a computer model that is designed to aid a radiologist in breast cancer risk prediction to improve accuracy and reduce variability,” said Drs. Burnside and Chhatwal.

“Our model has the potential to avoid delay in breast cancer diagnosis and reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies, which would benefit many patients. It may also encourage patients to get more actively involved in the decision-making process surrounding their breast health,” they said.

“Though much work remains to be done to validate our system for clinical care, it represents a promising direction that has the potential to substantially improve breast cancer diagnosis,” said Drs. Burnside and Chhatwal.

This study appears in the April issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Black women at risk of deadly breast cancer type

Black women, regardless of age or body weight, have a threefold greater risk of developing a particularly aggressive type of breast cancer, compared with non-black women, Boston-based researchers report.

This type of breast cancer is more deadly, in part, because it does not possess receptors for the hormones estrogen or progesterone, nor a protein called HER2. This means that women with these "triple-negative tumors" cannot be helped by drugs that target estrogen and progesterone -- including tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors -- or by the anti-HER2 therapy Herceptin.

"The higher prevalence of triple-negative breast tumors in black women in all age and weight categories likely contributes to black women's unfavorable breast cancer prognosis," Dr. Carol Rosenberg from Boston University School of Medicine noted in comments to Reuters Health.

"The reasons explaining this finding are not certain, but it is possible that black women may be at intrinsically greater risk of these more aggressive tumors," she added.

Rosenberg and colleagues studied 415 women with breast cancer. Thirty-six percent of the women were white, 43 percent were black, 10 percent Hispanic and 11 percent of "other" races. Forty-seven percent of the women were obese.

Most of the breast tumors (72 percent) were estrogen receptor-positive and/or progesterone receptor-positive; 20 percent were triple-negative and 13 percent were HER2-positive.

The investigators focused on triple-negative tumors, which are associated with poor prognosis, and found that the odds ratio for having this tumor type was threefold greater for black women compared with white women.

Triple-negative tumors made up equal fractions -- roughly 30 percent -- of breast cancers in younger and older black women and in obese and non-obese black women, according to the team's report published online March 25 in the journal Breast Cancer Research.

"It was known previously," Rosenberg commented, "that premenopausal black women had more triple-negative tumors. However, there were no previous data about weight. What we found that was new was that these tumors were just as common in black women diagnosed before or after age 50, and in those who were or were not obese."

The investigators conclude, "Other factors must determine tumor subtype."

SOURCE: Breast Cancer Research, 2009.

Leukemia No. 1 cancer in children

The Department of Health (DoH) said Saturday leukemia remains the leading pediatric cancer in the country.

Dr. Frank Diza, program manager of the National Cancer Control Program (NCCP)of the DoH said, “Of the estimated 3,500 Filipino children who get afflicted with cancer every year, almost 50 percent of the cases are specific to leukemia.”

Lymphoma, brain and spinal cancer, retinoblastoma or eye cancer, cancer of kidneys, and estrogenic sarcoma, a type of bone cancer, are the other leading types of pediatric cancer.

“The lives of Filipino children stricken with cancer can be saved with early detection and proper treatment,” Diza said.

He advised parents to teach their children the importance of eating a healthy diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber; avoid or limit their intake of junk foods, processed meat and canned goods, and to exercise regularly.

He also advised parents to have their children undergo a medical check up if they experience experiencing the following: prolonged and unexplained fever, paleness, pain, increased tendency to bruise, unusual mass or swelling, frequent headaches, sudden visual changes, and weight loss.

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Acute myelogenous leukemia is the most common leukemia and is a fast growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Blood cells in the body are made up of platelets known as white and red blood cells. Those who have AML don't have enough white or red blood cells and instead posses abnormal cells that grow quickly as the illness progresses.

AML is not genetic nor is it infectious however it is mostly caused by being exposed to benzene.

What is Benzene?

Benzene is an organic chemical compound. Benzene is used in production of oil, rubber, dyes and plastic. Benzene is commonly used as an additive in other chemicals. There are small amounts of benzene used in manufacturing processes for instance, detergents, pesticides and drugs.

Benzene is linked to various forms of cancer, as well as other physical issues such as dizziness and mental confusion; anemia; and depressed functioning of the immune system.. People are often not aware that they have been exposed to benzene.

Symptoms of AML

Benzene exposure may occur when people breath or ingest it through any number of common products used in daily life and at work. Being exposed can lead to a fatal illness such as acute myelogenous leukemia. There are signs you can look for.

Some symptoms of AML include:

* Abdominal swelling

* Infections that continue or repeat

* Difficulty breathing and lack of energy

* Pain in the joints or bones

Treatments

Age and disease subtype are factors that doctors will take into consideration in planning the right treatment for the person living with AML. Some treatments that are considered are:

* Chemotherapy

* Transplants from bone marrow or cord blood

* If the subtype is promyelocytic leukemia, then all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) may be used.

If you think you may have been exposed to benzene and have any of the symptoms listed above, please, contact an experienced attorney to get legal support and the direction you need.

INNOVATION LESSONS FROM GENES

You’ve been diagnosed with “incurable” leukemia. Is it a death sentence? Maybe not, our research at the Broad Institute suggests, because a heart attack treatment or some other unexpected drug might someday save your life. We reached this conclusion by looking at how drugs interact with the genes in diseased cells—a pattern-identification method that offers hints about innovation practices in general.

Physicians have always classified diseases by their symptoms. But by deciphering the genetic code within diseased cells, researchers are finding that genes for dissimilar diseases—say, leukemia and heart disease—may share the same basic roots. We have developed a “connectivity map,” which characterizes drugs according to the genes they activate rather than the diseases they treat. To identify the common genetic roots in diseased cells, we look at which genes are turned on or off by which drugs in each cell type and then match the gene-activation signature against a database of thousands of others. Finally, we run a program that seeks matches between the signatures of diseased cell types and those of various drugs. If a match is found, we hypothesize that the drug might qualify as a possible treatment for that disease—even if there was no prior reason to suspect a connection. One such drug is now in clinical trials for the treatment of relapsed leukemia.

Just as we are seeking new cures by searching for unexpected commonalities among cells, firms may discover better approaches to business problems by uncovering new relationships among wildly different products or solutions. Our map’s potential should remind even skeptics of the value of seeking fresh, unbiased ways of looking at old data, projects and even strategies.

Acute Lymphocyctic Leukemia

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer, causes damage and possible death by crowding the normal blood cells in the bone marrow and will eventually spread to other organs. ALL is commonly found in children but also found in adults and if left untreated can be fatal. The risk of getting ALL goes up in people age 45 and will go up again as you grow older. There are over 5000 people expected to be diagnosed with ALL in year 2008.

Effects of ALL

There is short term and long term effects living with ALL and it will be emotionally, physically and financially straining them. While living with ALL, your abnormal blood cells crowd around other cells in the bone marrow. This prevents your body from producing red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets causing many problems in their future such as anemia, and more infection.

Other acute lymphocytic leukemia symptoms are:

* Swollen lymph nodes

* Dyspnea

* Bleed more easily

* Enlarged liver or spleen

Diagnosing ALL

There are many tests that doctors use to diagnose ALL and the tests they use will depend on other factors such as your age, the severity of the symptoms. The tests given are blood work, a bone marrow biopsy, cytogenetics, imaging tests and more.

Treatment

Chemotherapy is the primary treatment for this disease varying in length and number of drugs involved. Clinical trials are another often used option that allow doctors to continue to learn about and improve treatments for ALL.

If you are experiencing some or all of acute lymphocyctic leukemia symptoms then you need the right legal guidance. Please contact a medical attorney today. There are experienced and trustworthy people who can give you the legal support you deserve.

Marijuana Chemical May Fight Brain Cancer

The active chemical in marijuana promotes the death of brain cancer cells by essentially helping them feed upon themselves, researchers in Spain report.

Guillermo Velasco and colleagues at Complutense University in Spain have found that the active ingredient in marijuana, THC, causes brain cancer cells to undergo a process called autophagy. Autophagy is the breakdown of a cell that occurs when the cell essentially self-digests.

The team discovered that cannabinoids such as THC had anticancer effects in mice with human brain cancer cells and people with brain tumors. When mice with the human brain cancer cells received the THC, the tumor growth shrank.

Two patients enrolled in a clinical trial received THC directly to the brain as an experimental treatment for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme, a highly aggressive brain tumor. Biopsies taken before and after treatment helped track their progress. After receiving the THC, there was evidence of increased autophagy activity.

The findings appear in the April 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The patients did not have any toxic effects from the treatment. Previous studies of THC for the treatment of cancer have also found the therapy to be well tolerated, according to background information in journal article.

Study authors say their findings could lead to new strategies for preventing tumor growth.

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A cancer mutation's Colonial roots

When Mr. and Mrs. George Fry landed on the shores of Massachusetts not long after the Pilgrims, they carried with them a secret that remained hidden for nearly four centuries.

Their genes harbored a quirk that would travel through 16 generations of Americans, leaving a legacy of colon cancer. Now a Utah scientist, herself a descendant of Mayflower voyagers and Benjamin Franklin, has discovered the Fry family history.

In an example of crack scientific sleuthing, the University of Utah researcher and colleagues mined a trove of cancer records and a sprawling genealogical archive to uncover the source of a genetic mutation responsible for a rare form of colon cancer. Modern-day genetic fingerprinting identified far-flung relatives with this defect, and the team then traced the family tree back in time, past the Revolutionary War, to find their common ancestors.

They finally arrived at Weymouth, when colonists were only beginning to stake their claim to a new land. There, they found the Frys, who had decamped from their home in Somerset, England, sometime between 1624 and 1640, harboring hopes and the seeds of disease.

The search was driven by more than historical curiosity, specialists say. The work shows the power of genetics and genealogy to identify family members who share mutations so that they can be spared from a potentially deadly disease.

Already, the discovery, detailed last week at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society, appears to be saving 21st-century lives. Physicians have tracked down distant relatives of the Frys and offered those who have the mutation testing for early signs of colon cancer and preventive treatment. The result: cases of the kind of colon cancer spawned by the mutation have nearly vanished in Utah.

"The point is, there are hereditary components to diseases and you need to be aware of what your family history is," said Dr. Daniel Chung, clinical director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Genetics Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. "And it's just kind of a cool story that they can trace this mutation back."

The detective story began more than a decade ago, when University of Utah scientists discovered that members of a Utah family battling colon cancer carried a specific mutation in a gene know by the acronym APC.

"Over about the next 10 years," said Deb Neklason, a molecular geneticist at the university's Huntsman Cancer Institute and a Mayflower descendant, "they brought in tons and tons of family members to try to figure out who had the genetic change." Those who did had colonoscopies performed to look for cancer.

At the same time, a doctor in upstate New York was treating patients from a family harboring the same genetic profile.

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Cancer risks lurk in popular yerba mate tea

Teas from across the globe are becoming more popular in the U.S. One relative newcomer, yerba mate, is attracting fans for its allegedly jitter-free caffeine boost and high antioxidant content.

Lab research suggests some potential health benefits of drinking yerba mate, but studies of lifelong yerba mate drinkers in the tea's native South America suggest the brew increases the risk of some cancers, a fact most marketing campaigns omit.

Yerba mate, from leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis tree, is traditionally brewed and served in a dried-out gourd and sipped through a metal straw with a filter on one end to prevent drinkers from getting a mouthful of leaves.

In the U.S., the tea is rarely served in gourds. A small but growing number of companies, however, sell the loose or bagged leaves, and some are offering cold bottled blends of the tea.
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Pre-Leukemia - New Discoveries in the Treatment of Pre-Leukemia

Recent studies show that a mild form of chemotherapy with the use of decitabine, administered over a longer period of time, can have significantly advantageous results for patients diagnosed with pre-leukemia. More widely known as Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), pre-leukemia was recognized as a certified form of cancer just recently.

The American Cancer Society's journal published this study in their latest issue, taking a more detailed look at pre-leukemia and its effects on the human body.

New Research Revelations

Researchers estimate than 45% of the patients with pre-leukemia symptoms and those who go through a relapse respond to a second treatment course. However, they did not get the duration and quality in their second round of treatment, compared to the first few rounds of chemotherapy. With the new findings, researchers are leaning towards the belief that initial treatments given over a longer duration may have more benefits compared to numerous chemotherapy rounds.

It was discovered in the study that an average of three rounds of decitabine treatment had 10 out of the 22 patients exhibiting any type of response. Seven of the patients were observed to have haematological improvements and experienced a 50% decrease in their need for tranfusions, while three of the patients partly or completely had an effect in every one of their three cell lines. Overall, the average survival rate was declared to be 28 months, with those patients treated again with decitabine having a 13-month rate of survival before suffering from any sort of relapse.

In the group where 12 of the patients did not have any response to decitabine, the treatment had one of these two results: no effect whatsoever or the abnormal cells' suppression, without the normal cells repopulating the bone marrow. Out of the 12 patients mentioned, four developed acute leukemia from the pre-leukemia.

The authors conclude that the most advantageous treatment type for pre-leukemia patients is the initial chemotherapy session given in longer durations, followed by maintenance of shorter treatment rounds.

Pre-leukemia

Pre-leukemia is an affliction that targets the bone marrow, resulting in an increased number of ineffective red and white blood cells. Usually, the cells blast and produce from the stem cells while multiplying in the blood stream, eventually killing the normal blood cells. This results in an irregular production of blood cells, causing fewer blood cells to form (which are needed to circulate and carry oxygen to different body parts).

Although therapy is readily available, pre-leukemia affects adults in their 50s, and researchers still have to find the ultimate cure. Patients suffering from pre-leukemia generally develop leukemia, or cancer of the blood cells. This study shows that this new DNA hypomethylating agent, decitabine, will have the most benefits for patients.