By James Turner

Being diagnosed with cancer is certainly one of the most stressful experiences. Not only the diagnosis, but testing and the actual treatment process can disturb the emotional health of the sufferer. For this reason is it important for patients as well as for caregivers to be aware of the psychological problems that one may face when having cancer. Coping with cancer is a difficult element in the overall process of this disease.

Fear and anxiety are quite common in people diagnosed with cancer. It is perfectly natural to be afraid of the pain and the treatment that is often painful as well. It is common for newly diagnosed patients to develop a stronger fear of death. Anxiety can easily take over and become persistent.

Patients who have advanced stages of cancer tend to experience strong anxiety, but it tends to be triggered by fear of abandonment and dependency on others rather than by fear of death. Sufferers who have been cured may fear the reoccurrence of the condition.

Apart from these feelings of fear, a sufferer can experience physical symptoms, such as trembling, faster heart rate and sweating. Sensations such as a lump in the throat and a knot in the stomach are other common signs of anxiety. In some cases, anxiety can lead to panic attacks. It is also possible for the sufferer to develop a type of anxiety disorder.

Depression often goes hand in hand with cancer as well. In fact, one out of every four cancer patients gets this type of depression called clinical depression at one point. It is quite common for depression and anxiety to coexist. The psychological symptoms of depression in patients with cancer include persistent sadness, a feeling of emptiness, hopelessness, helplessness and worthlessness.

It is not uncommon for these people to feel guilt. They usually lose interest in all activities and find it difficult to concentrate. Extreme fatigue, weight loss and trouble sleeping are other common symptoms. People with clinical depression usually have not only fear of death, but also suicide thoughts and plans. They can also attempt suicide.

Both anxiety and depression in cancer patients are very serious conditions. It is important for them to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. The psychological treatment can help sufferers in coping with cancer more easily and continue to live a normal life, when they get cured. There is a lot of specialized help and support for cancer patients and their caregivers. It is equally important for the latter to get adequate psychological help and support as they can get depressed or experience anxiety.

By Maria Y Sara

Stem cells used in this therapy are the immature cells which can grow into blood cells. Injecting healthy cells into the body is carried out by millions and millions of fresh new cells. Basic purpose behind this transplant is to produce enough blood cells to fight against the disease of Cancer.

These are created from the woman's placenta after she has delivered a normal healthy baby.

It is the safest and richest source of stem cells which multiplies by millions upon millions new fresh stem cells ready to cure the cancer.

Let us see how this therapy works out for the patients of cancer. A patient would normally get chemotherapy which is painful, makes the patient very very sick, and does other damage to the surrounding areas. Now, thanks to this therapy, the patient does not have to have chemotherapy. When the same person undergoes stem transplant, it helps him or her in reestablishing the cells which have been destroyed during the radiation therapy or the chemotherapy if they had it done before the therapy. Hopefully, the patient will learn that she or he does not have to take chemotherapy. Moreover this technique helps the patient of cancer in dealing with the effects of these therapies. As dose of chemotherapy is too high, it damages the bone marrow seriously. It leaves a person in a situation where he fails to produce enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to different parts of the body. In addition, the body also fails to clot the blood and fight the infection etc. Placenta stem cell therapy can prevent all these nasty side effects and pain that the patient has to endure.

Leukemia can be well treated by using this therapy. It is helpful in treating different types of cancer such as multiple myeloma, neuroblastoma etc. These from the placenta is very effective in attacking and curing the cancer. Injecting cells from the placenta is an easy and pain free procedure.

In this therapy, cells are injected in the body. Once the placenta cells have been injected, it starts the formation of new cells. These new cells replace the damaged or ill cells and help the body in fighting against the disease. This transplant is done without any kind of surgery and hence is easily accepted by the people. They get up and way away from the procedure perfectly fine and pain free with no nausea and stomach upset.

In short, it can be stated that this therapy for the treatment of cancer is all about injecting immature cells into the body of cancer suffering patient. These cells will grow into new blood cells in the body of the diseased person and will help him in managing with the disease and replacing the damaged and ill cells. As a result, the person heals up and gets rid of the disease he is suffering from and can live a normal life once again.

By John C Tyler

Beating the death sentence from Multiple Myeloma Cancer

Before a couple of years ago, when someone was diagnosed with having multiple myeloma, a bone marrow cancer, they were basically given a death sentence that would happen within two years at the outside.

I'm here to tell you that it can be beat!

I have had first-hand experience watching my brother receiving that diagnosis in February of 2008....three years ago this month. I want to give some encouragement to anyone who has been diagnosed with this deadly cancer of the plasma cells. Some of the symptoms associated with this cancer include:

Bleeding problems - Bone or back pain (most often in the ribs or back) - Fevers without any other cause -increased susceptibility to infection - Symptoms of anemia (such as tiredness, shortness of breath, and fatigue) - Unexplained fractures - Weakness of the arms or legs

My brother fell off a ladder and landed on his back, so he noticed tremendous back pain. He thought he could shake it off, but after a few weeks, he was convinced to visit his primary care physician. He recommended that my brother see a specialist...Dr. Stephen Mayer - who practices oncology and internal medicine in Brockton, Massachusetts.

I wanted to give this doctor's name because he saved my brother's life...and surprised himself in the process.

A new medication - Revlimid, was recommended as the proper treatment in my brother's case. It was new, FDA approved in 2005.

Here is what Mayo Clinic is reporting as treatment (still) for multiple myeloma: "Chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant are the primary options." "Thalidomideis used along with dexamethasone to treat multiple myeloma in people who have been recently found to have this disease."

Dr. Mayer, however, recommended Revlimid...a seven-month treatment, and the cost of the pills for a month ran $6,800. Nobody can afford to pay $6,800 a month for medicine, but my brother was very fortunate because his insurance actually paid for most of it, and the maker of Revlimid helped out, too.

Now, I am not in the medical profession, but I can give this first-hand, eyewitness account of the ordeal.

My brother was severely ill from this disease and medication. One day, when I brought him to Dr. Mayer's office, he was so weak and sick that he knelt down in the bushes and threw up for what seemed forever. He could barely gather enough strength to get inside for the appointment, and this went on for a couple of months. At some point, I can't remember exactly when, my brother heard this from Dr. Mayer, "I don't generally say this, but you seem to be In remission."

That news seemed to be the mental boost that my brother needed to move him forward psychologically.

When they first met, the good doctor said, "You may get two months or two years, I have no way to know." That was three years ago...but, I have more good news. As time went on, my brother decided to work with the VA because he would not be able to afford a lot of the medications and treatments, and he is a Viet-Nam veteran.

The VA took him, and they wanted to prescribe the Thalidomide, but my brother told them how he was responding very well to the Revlimid.

The cost was a huge factor, but the VA finally said they would order the Revlimid, and let my brother finish the course with them.

As it turned out, my brother would decide to also get a bone marrow transplant in Nashville at the VA hospital there. It was tough, but he got through it just fine. When he first went for testing, his cancer cells were 50% of his bone marrow. Before the VA would do the transplant, they needed to see his counts at or below 20%, and when they finished the transplant, they hoped for a 5% cancer cell count - but my brother came away from the VA with zero cancer cells found in his bone marrow.

After his release from the hospital, my brother had to wear morphine patches called Fentanyl, and that treatment would manage the pain from the deterioration of the bones.

Over time, he went to the local VA for what they call Zometa...some sort of liquid treatment that somehow strengthens the damage done by the cancer to the bones. He began to slowly wean off the Fentanyl patches to where he doesn't use them anymore, and hasn't for about a year.

His appointments would be every couple of weeks, then months...and finally, he was told that he didn't have to return for major exams for a year.

My brother was issued a death sentence in 1990 when he contracted throat cancer - from smoking, of course. He was told that he might make it to April of 1990. This is twenty-one years later, and he's still here...smiling and living life, so I just wanted to encourage anyone with cancer that the first thing you need to do is fight.

My brother never quit. He would always tough it out, and had the attitude that he could beat this disease - this killer called cancer, and has done so twice now.

We cannot discount prayer. Lots of prayers went up to heaven from his family, and from his own lips, and God must have heard them all because He let him live through the 23.5 years of cancer.

NOW COMES THE CAUTION:

PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS....About three months ago, my brother, Verne, began to lose his appetite. He thought it was strange, but paid it no mind. He went to the VA for his checkup, and they ran a bone scan, but found nothing of concern.

Days and weeks went by, and Verne began to feel the old bone pain that he used to feel when the cancer was first diagnosed...but he wrote it off to doing too much lifting.

After two months had passed, Verne had no appetite and began to lose weight. On February 21, 2011, he went to the hospital and they ran a blood test on him. His CALCIUM levels were high. They should be 8...they were 14. This was the first and only sign that the myeloma was back.

On February 23rd, he was released from the VA, but - before he got home, they called him back because they thought he had contracted pneumonia - based on another test they had run. He did have pneumonia, so they admitted him

One week elapsed from the time Verne was admitted on February 23rd...a Wednesday...to the following Wednesday....at 3PM...he went to be with the Lord.

Now, here is the message that Verne would like to give to fellow myeloma patients: When you go in for your tests....ALWAYS HAVE THEM CHECK YOUR CALCIUM LEVELS.

He could have made it, had he gone in for the calcium check when he first had symptoms of fatigue, loss of appetite, bone pain (back and ribs), and they could have put him on VELCADE...the latest, more potent drug.

By the time Verne admitted to everyone that he was in a lot of pain...it was three months too late really to save him. His immune system was shot. His bone marrow contained over 80% cancerous plasma cells. They got his calcium count down to a comfortable 9.0, so his prognosis was good. His oncologist said he could begin the VELCADE treatments. The only problem was - his immune system was shot, so he picked up the pneumonia - which ended up causing his demise in one short week.

If it were me....I would have my blood checked monthly for calcium levels. One can go through another treatment of Revlimid or now Velcade...and make it, but don't be foolish. When pain strikes...and appetite loss hits, and weight declines...get in and have the calcium levels checked because myeloma WILL COME BACK....and with a vengeance if you ignore the symptoms and signs that only YOU, the patient, can know and feel.

There have been so many technical and medical breakthroughs is cancer research and medicines - especially the Revlimid and/or Velcade treatments that were not available even a few years ago, so keep the faith...talk to your physicians, and don't give up. Do not ever give up. Verne might have made it had he just paid attention to the signs and knew enough to ask for the calcium level checks.

By James Turner

Some human activities, such as smoking, are known to lead to cancer. Researchers have been trying to discover whether psychological factors can lead to the formation of malignant rumors, as well as other relationships between stress and cancer. It is worth asking whether stress can be linked directly to the development of cancer.

Stress affects the body in a specific way. When you are under stress due to something bad happening in your life or due to a busy lifestyle in general, your body produces more adrenaline and another type of hormone called cortisol. Both hormones work to increase the heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. This can be quite harmful. In addition, a person who is under stress can drink more alcohol, smoke more or start smoking and/or gain weight.

All these consequences are harmful for the general health. Various studies have shown that they may provide for the development of cancer. Despite this, evidence is inconclusive. Researchers have not discovered a direct link between stress and the development of any type of malignant tumor. Despite this, it is worth looking as some of the strongest results that support the thesis that stress can lead to cancer.

Numerous studies have shown that high levels of persistent stress can result in the weakening of the immune system. In turn, it has been suggested that the body may become more vulnerable to viruses that cause cancer. This means that it is possible for chronic stress to lead to virus-associated cancer, such as lymphoma.

The most recent studies in this field have involved the testing of animals having diseases similar to the ones in humans. The findings have led researchers to conclude that the release of stress hormones into the blood stream may lead to changes in processes in the cell that can prevent cancer. These changes occur in processes that repair the cell DNA after damage and ones that control the growth of cells. This means that it may be possible for stress to result in the reduction of the natural protection of the body against the formation of tumors.

Overall, it cannot be said with certainty whether stress can lead to cancer. The important thing to keep in mind is that this psychological condition affects negatively both the body and the behavior. For this reason, it is worth taking adequate measure for stress reduction. These may include mediation, yoga, aromatherapy, practicing of a kind of sport as well as more effective time management.

By Michael Zadeh, M.D.

The stomach is a sac-like organ located in the upper abdomen between the esophagus and small intestine. It is part of the digestive system, functioning in the storage and digestion of food through the secretion of gastric juices. After leaving the stomach, partly-digested food passes into the small intestine and then into the large intestine.

The development of stomach cancer, also referred to as gastric cancer, usually occurs as a result of chronic inflammation. This can be due to both external and internal risk factors. A risk factor is anything that increases your risk of getting a disease. Risk factors for the development of gastric cancer include the following:

• Having any of the following medical conditions:
- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection of the stomach.
- Chronic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach).
- Pernicious anemia.
- Intestinal metaplasia (a condition in which the normal stomach lining is replaced with the cells that line the intestines).
- Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or gastric polyps.
• Eating a diet high in salted, smoked foods and low in fruits and vegetables.
• Eating foods that have not been prepared or stored properly.
• Being over the age of 55 or male.
• Smoking cigarettes.
• Having a mother, father, sister, or brother who has had stomach cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), approximately 760,000 cases of stomach cancer are diagnosed worldwide and more than 24,000 cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. Incidence is highest in Japan, South America, Eastern Europe, and parts of the Middle East. Worldwide, stomach cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The overall prognosis of stomach cancer is poor because detection rarely occurs at the preclinical stage.

Diagnosis of stomach cancer involves taking a detailed medical history and performing a physical examination. Because of the size of the stomach, early symptoms are often non-specific and physical findings are not present until the advanced stages of disease. Symptoms in the early stages of gastric cancer include indigestion, stomach discomfort, a bloated feeling after eating, mild nausea, loss of appetite, or heartburn. In more advanced stages of gastric cancer patients may present with more intense stomach pain, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, weight loss for no known reason, blood in the stool, or a palpable mass on physical exam.

Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (EGD) is the gold standard procedure for the detection and diagnosis of gastric cancer. In this procedure an endoscope (a thin, lighted tube containing a camera) is passed through the mouth and down the throat examining the inside of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (first part of the small intestine) to check for abnormal areas. Any unusual masses, protrusions, or ulcerations can be biopsied and sent for pathological analysis to determine if cancer cells are present.

Once the diagnosis of gastric cancer has been made, the progression of the extent of disease needs to be determined prior to any interventional treatment. This is done through a process called Staging. Once doctors have adequately staged the cancer and know the extent to which it has spread to other parts of the body, they can decide on the best course of treatment. CT Scans and PET Scans have been used for staging to detect the spread of disease to distant parts of the body. Recently, Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) has been used in assessing depth of tumor invasion, involvement of regional lymph nodes, or invasion of adjacent organs. Endoscopic Ultrasound allows for a more precise preoperative assessment of the tumor stage and permits the identification of the subset of patients who are candidates for preoperative chemoradiation therapy.

Surgery for Gastric Cancer
The extent of surgery for the treatment of stomach cancer depends on the extent of the disease. Endoscopic mucosal resection may be used to treat early stomach cancer (tumors smaller than 3 cm that have not invaded the innermost layer of the stomach lining called the submucosa). This procedure involves removing only the tumor and surrounding tissue.

Gastrectomy is the most common treatment for stomach cancer. In this surgery, the entire stomach (total gastrectomy) or part of the stomach (partial or sub-total gastrectomy) is removed. Parts of nearby tissues or organs (e.g., the spleen) may also be removed if involved with tumor. Surrounding lymph nodes are also removed.

Following total gastrectomy, the esophagus is attached directly to the small intestine. When a partial or sub-total gastrectomy is done, the remaining stomach is attached to the small intestine. The connection between these organs is called an anastomosis.

Like any major surgery patients may experience postsurgical pain, weakness, fatigue, and loss of appetite following surgery for gastric cancer. Recovery from the procedure varies depending on the patient's age and overall health, the type of surgery, and the stage of the disease.

Removal of a large part or all of the stomach usually requires permanent alterations in diet. Patients often must eat more frequently, eat smaller meals, reduce their sugar intake, and increase their intake of fat and protein. If a small section is removed, patients may be able to gradually return to previous eating habits.

Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams of energy to kill cancer cells. The energy beams come from a machine that moves around you as you lie on a table. Radiation therapy can be used before surgery (neoadjuvant radiation) to shrink a stomach tumor so it's more easily removed. Radiation therapy can also be used after surgery (adjuvant radiation) to kill any cancer cells that might remain around your stomach to prevent local recurrence. Radiation is often combined with chemotherapy. In cases of advanced cancer, radiation therapy may be used to relieve side effects caused by a large tumor.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs travel throughout your body, killing cancer cells that may have spread beyond the stomach. Chemotherapy can be given before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) to help shrink a tumor so it can be more easily removed. Chemotherapy is also used after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) to kill any cancer cells that might remain in the body. Chemotherapy is often combined with radiation therapy. Chemotherapy may be used alone in people with advanced stomach cancer to help relieve signs and symptoms.

Recent studies have shown that the combination of preoperative radiation and chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced stomach cancer leads to an increase in the likelihood of surgical resection, and an improvement in disease free and overall survival. The addition of radiation and chemotherapy postoperatively has also been shown to decrease tumor recurrence and positively affect patient survival.

Overall prognosis depends on the stage of the disease. Stomach cancer metastasizes to distant parts of the body in as many as 80% of cases, resulting in a very poor prognosis. In Japan, where stomach cancer is often diagnosed early, the 5-year survival rate is about 50%. In the United States and most of the Western world, the 5-year survival rate ranges from 5-15%.

By James Turner

It is true that traditional cancer treatment is not always effective. In fact, it often does not lead to complete curing. For this reason, some patients diagnosed with the condition might possibly decide to opt for an alternative treatment. It is worth discussing the effectiveness of these alternative treatments in greater detail.

Acupuncture has gained popularity as a helpful alternative cancer treatment. Several clinical trials have been performed to test the effectiveness of this method. The evidence shows that this form of traditional Chinese medicine treatment can provide for the boosting of the immune system. In turn, the body is more capable of fighting the disease.

However, the extent to which acupuncture is effective has not been determined. Additionally, there are medical forms of treatment that are designed to use the immune system for fighting cancer. These show a good level of effectiveness, but they are usually combined with other traditional treatment forms, such as surgery, for instance. Given all this it can be said that acupuncture may aid cancer treatment, but this alternative treatment cannot be used on its own.

The traditional Indian Ayurveda medicine and its methods can also be used as alternative cancer treatment. This type of treatment is designed to achieve a perfect balance between mind, body and soul with the use of different techniques. Even though these techniques have shown positive effects in coping with anxiety and pain, there is no medical evidence that they work to kill abnormal tumor cells. This is applicable to yoga as well.

Aromatherapy and essential oils are also sometimes used as an alternative form of treatment for cancer. Research results show that this therapy is effective for anxiety and depression relief. The topically applied oils have mild anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects as well. However, these forms of therapy cannot treat cancer in any way.

This is true for hypnosis and other mind-body methods. It has been suggested that you can do everything using the power of your mind. This includes making a tumor disappear. The reality is that there is no clinical trial or any other kind of scientific evidence that the mind-body methods work. It is true however that hypnosis has shown positive results in helping patients cope with traditional medical treatment and with post-treatment side effects.

It has been suggested that a specific type of diet can treat and cure cancer. One of the most popular types of this form of alternative cancer treatment is Gerson therapy. It recommends the use of a detox diet plus nutritional supplements for releasing toxins from the body and curing it from the tumor. There is no scientific evidence of any kind to support the claim that Gerson therapy can treat cancer.

Similarly, the Gonzalez regimen, which includes the use of a specific diet as well as the intake of enzymes, dietary supplements and extracts from animal organs, has not been proven to work. Research on it is limited and results are conflicting. The intake of coenzyme Q10 is also sometimes used as an alternative cancer treatment, but there is no evidence of any kind that it can work effectively.

There are different pharmacologic and biological treatments that are used as alternatives to traditional medical forms of treating patients with cancer. These therapies involve the intake of different medications, complex natural substances and hormones. These are not designed to treat cancer, but it is thought that they might. Some of the most notable forms of pharmacological and biological alternative cancer treatment include the intake of antineoplastons, hydrazine sulfate, 714-X, laetrile and amygdalin.

Bovine and shark cartridge and the Newcastle disease virus are also used for treating cancer. The evidence for the effectiveness of all of these substances is inconclusive, if not missing at all. It is particularly important for patients undergoing traditional medical treatment not to adopt any of these methods without discussing it with their oncologist.

Overall, it can be safely said that the alternative cancer treatment has not been proven to be effective. Some of its forms may be effective as complementary to the traditional treatment. However, it is equally true that some of its forms can be possibly dangerous for patients.

It is particularly important to keep in mind that there are scammers offering alternative forms of curing cancer to ill people and their families in exchange for money. Given all the information presented above, no one can guarantee effective alternative treatment and cure.

By Jasmine Smith

There is a rapid growth in the field of biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Every minute now and then something new and better is discovered. This advancement in the industry has been used in various fields for the well being of the human life. The discovery of new drugs and medicines has boon to the fields of the science and medicine. Ongoing research has been going on to find the cure of the various incurable diseases happening to the Earthlings. Cancer is namely one of them. It is regarded as incurable I most of the cases. To research and discover the new medicines every person engaged in this job of the pharmaceutical industry needs the following products like the B-Raf inhibitor, AT-7519 etc. These are kind of protein inhibitors which help in the discovery of new drugs and helping in the process.

Cancer being an extremely deadly disease is very well known to the mankind. Every year some amount of people die due to this disease. Medical researchers are trying hard to find a cure of this deadly disease. They are trying hard to get some fruitful results out of this research to find an anti cancer drug. Researchers have told that the kinase inhibitors have helped to fasten up the results. Some products notably from the kinase family has been and is still of very good use and has definitely helped the researchers to yield some positive results. They have claimed that the researches can be fastened up to even a better level by a proper kinase profiling. The main cause of the growth of cancer is due to abnormal cell growth. The cell growth goes to such abnormal rates that it cannot be controlled at one point of time leading to the death of the patient. Some kinase inhibitors are used to grow the cells at various dimensions to see the results. The cells are defined as the cancerous cells and every cell of the body gets affected by some cancerous cell or the other. These cancerous cells are supremely harmful as they get divided into the various parts of the body and form numerous and uncountable lumps in the body transforming into various tumors without any sort of control or obstruction. The rule is quite exceptional in the case of leukemia. The tumors which are formed due to the lumps of the abnormal cells are extremely harmful for the digestive, nervous and circulatory systems while they are doing their jobs of releasing hormones. The cells project actually a very limited growth level. The kinase inhibitors are of great usage. They are extremely high in demand and extremely rare to be found in the market. One can get a hold of a proper supplier to get the supply of these rare products in order to go on with the research and developmental process and the supply should be continuous in order to continue with the research process.

An inhibitor called the CDK inhibitor is on trial which is under the guidance and supervision of a number of scientists and researchers. An extremely noted and important experimental process is going on with its components which is notably important for finding cure to leukemia, melanoma and for the other kinds of solid tumors. The kinase activity of the CDK inhibitor is put on trials as it has a chemical reducing element. They are not actually claimed to be the anti cancer drugs but their usage has definitely helped to yield positive results over the passage of time. The usage of AT-7519 has proved to be of an extremely positive result on the cancerous cells of a human.

By James Turner

Some types of cancer are more common than others. At least, this is what statistical data shows. It is worth learning more about the most common kinds of cancer, so that you can take more adequate measures for prevention.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and in many countries worldwide. It has been estimated that over 220,000 people will be diagnosed with this condition in 2010 alone. The disease will cost the life of over 157,000 sufferers. Apart from being common, this condition is highly lethal as well. What is important is that the major cause of lung cancer has been identified. Smoking is responsible for over 85% of all cases of this type of cancer. For this reason, nonsmoking is the most effective way for prevention.

Prostate cancer is another one of the most common types of cancer. Over 217,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with this condition in America in 2010. Over 32,000 deaths from this disease are expected to occur. The statistics show that it has high rates in Western countries and significantly lower rates in developing ones. Prostate cancer is slow to develop, so regular screening and rectal exams, in particular, are effective forms of prevention.

Breast cancer is quite common, especially in Western countries. It is estimated that over 208,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the United State in 2010 only, with nearly 2,000 of the patients expected to be male. The estimated deaths from this disease are over 40,000. Regular self-exams and screening are the best option for prevention. It has been suggested that nonsmoking, healthy diet and exercise may reduce the risk of breast cancer as well.

Colorectal cancer is also among the most common types of cancer. Over 140,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in the US in 2010. The estimated number of deaths for the year is over 50,000. The symptoms of this type of cancer can easily be mistaken with the presence of hemorrhoids. For this reason, seeing a doctor after observing such warning signs is essential.

Bladder cancer is also in the list of the most common types of cancer. Estimates show that over 70,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with it in 2010. The number of expected deaths is over 14,000. Bladder cancer is often diagnosed in the early stages of development and can be successfully cured. Still, it is known to reoccur in many patients.

By Aubrey Clark

A new test capable of detecting a single cancer cell among a billion healthy cells in a small sample of blood is under development. Veridex, a Johnson and Johnson company, and Ortho Biotech Oncology Research & Development (ORD), a unit of Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical R & D have partnered with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH, Boston, MA) to work on bringing the test to the market.

The initial prototype was developed by a team of doctors, engineers, and biologists led by Dr. Daniel Haber and Memhet Toner at Massachusetts General Hospital was first reported in 2007. The test detects circulating tumor cells (CTCs), cancer cells that break off from the tumor and get carried away in the blood stream. These CTCs are extremely rare, one may be detected for every billion normal healthy blood cells screened.

Haber and Toner have designed a CTC-chip that contains thousands of miniature pillars coated with antibodies that bind to CTCs. When a sample of blood is passed over the chip, the normal cells go through, but the CTCs stick. Specials stains then allow investigators to count the number of CTCs in a patient's blood sample.

This test may be used to help doctors quickly make decisions about how to proceed when treating a patient's cancer. If a doctor gives a particular drug and the number of cancer cells in the patient's blood drops, then the doctor will stick with this treatment. If the number of cancer cells circulating in the blood increase or remain the same, the doctor can switch to another drug and which might work better at killing the cancer.

For example, doctors can give a drug or radiation treatment and then do a CT scan months later to see if the patient's tumor has decreased in size. A patient may not live through more than a few rounds of treatment adjustment if they must wait to see if a change in tumor size can be detected. While the CT scan is a full body X-ray, the CTC-chip is simpler and only requires a few teaspoons of blood and can gauge whether the treatment was successful sooner.

The CTC-chip has been tested experimentally in approximately 200 cancer patients. A $15 million grant provided by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Stand Up to Cancer telethon will enable investigators at four major research institutions to study the test in more cancer patients. These institutes include: Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA), University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, MA), and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY).

Right now the chip is expensive (approximately $500) and requires expertise to use. The collaboration with Johnson and Johnson will help MGH investigators find ways to make the chip faster, cheaper, more sensitive, and easier to use by physicians. Hopes are high. This chip may change the way cancer is diagnosed and treated in the near future.

By Ally Woodrum

Mainstream or conventional medicine has a specific number of treatments that are used to treat cancer. These treatments are chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Depending on the type of cancer, some or all of these treatments are used. It is important to note that these are the only methods that the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) allows physicians to use. Recommending a natural or alternative cancer treatment to a patient can put a physician at risk of losing his license, and may result in criminal prosecution and a prison sentence.

This refusal to allow natural and alternative treatments is the reason the death rate for cancer has not gone down over the years, even though billions of dollars have been spent in "the war on cancer." Cancer treatment is expected to bring in approximately 125 billion dollars in 2010, and the use of natural (and inexpensive) cancer treatments is a threat to the cancer industry. So if you want to use any alternative cancer treatments, you will be researching these treatments on your own, and maybe travelling to a clinic in a foreign country to get treatment.

What do we mean when we talk about natural cancer treatments? There are a large number of different protocols and remedies that target cancer in different ways. Many are based on dietary changes and adding specific supplements and substances to the diet. These dietary changes are made to help enhance the immune system of the patient, so that the immune system will be able to fight and kill the cancerous cells.

Cancerous cells exist in everyone at all times. Our cells are always dividing and making new replacement cells. If the cell that is dividing has had any type of DNA damage occur, then the new cell that forms will have that same damaged or mutated DNA. Our immune system is designed to find and kill these mutant (cancerous) cells. But if the immune system has also been weakened or damaged, it may not be able to kill all the mutant cells. These mutant cells will continue to divide and reproduce, and a cancer tumor will form.

So it makes sense that the best way to begin fighting cancer is by boosting and strengthening the immune system. And there are many ways to do this, from improving the quality of the food eaten daily to adding specific herbs and other substances that have been proven over time to target specific types of cancers.

Other effective natural cancer treatments involve using very specific therapies to help kill cancer cells. In most cases these therapies are administered in a clinic setting, usually in a foreign country like Mexico or Germany. There also are a few clinics in the U.S. that have been successful using both mainstream and alternative treatments.

You will find that there are a lot of effective natural cancer treatments. It is important to research and find the one or two treatments that will mesh with your lifestyle and habits, so that you will be able to stick to your program. And remember, you definitely can use conventional cancer treatments and alternative cancer treatments at the same time. The natural treatments are gentle and designed to help build your immune system, and they will not interact with conventional treatments.

By Julia Vermaak

All is over now, the long weary road of emotional turmoil that I suppose every caregiver endures, fighting for the survival of a loved cancer victim.

"John has lost so much weight after his double bi-pass operation to his heart, was it not a success?" This question was asked of me continuously. My answer, filled with indignation, was that John was actually extremely well, his operation a total success, he just had, had another operation this time to his colon. He is as fit as can be and is so looking forward to retirement, we are planning to do a little touring in our beautiful country of South Africa.

Very positive words for our future which ironically became pie in the sky dreams. John had his first colon resection performed in 2008. The surgeons could not give the reason why his colon had turned in on itself, causing a total blockage. John in future you must cut down on your love of red meat and fatty meals, warned the surgeon. John might have liked his meat, but honestly who can realistically afford that kind of diet today. Fatty foods, not while I've been chief cook, take-away foods, fast foods never ever entered our home. John and I always maintained that we could prepare a better and more well balanced meal for our family.

Websites on colonopathy(disease of the colon) gave warnings that 99,5% of all patients within a year after their first operation, are once again under the surgeon's knife with yet another colon blockage. John validated their statistics with his second, almost a year later in 2009. The result was one of his worst nightmares, he awoke from surgery with a colostomy(surgical opening of abdomen, bringing out colon, thus bi-passing rectum). Medical science's ability to prolong life is remarkable and I am grateful to them for their astounding achievements. The colostomy, transferring it's contents into a bag, was to John and I the worst thing that had ever happened in his life. Undignified, smelly, noisy, totally mindless, the bag would decide to leak anywhere, in the middle of shopping malls, visiting friends. This "thing" began to rule our lives. The little demonic bag was in the forefront of our worries, the pathology report, on the other hand, which showed cancer cells within the inner walls of the section they removed, was not that serious to us.

The oncologist said it seemed that the surgeon most probably had removed all cancer cells. You are actually only a type 2 cancer patient, he said to my husband, but because no biopsy was performed during the operation on any lymph glands, we are classing you as type 3. Just to be thorough, he administered the chemotherapy dosage for the higher level.

I agree, that some medical information should be hidden from patients. My husband elected to have oral (tablet form) chemotherapy, and every three weeks, a few hours of intravenous drips. We lived more than 100 kilometers from the medical facility, so this treatment suited us just fine. The problem was that John never took his cancer seriously. He first would tell friends and family that they, the surgeons, think they found some "loose cannon" cells, to eventually actually saying he does not know why he has to endure this treatment because he does not have cancer.

His denial of the cancer, made him very indifferent in taking his tablets. I had always been dutiful with his chronic medication, so I therefore took responsibility in administering his chemotherapy. The frustration I had to endure with his obstinacy. The tablets had to be taken half an hour after a meal every 12 hours. John was decidedly difficult, he was either not hungry, not in the mood and his favourite excuse was "later on", and so his medication management never gained any rhythm. We wasted time and fruitless energy on arguments.

I so regret not exposing him to his oncologist, I cowardly with embarrassment remained silent when he smugly lied about how diligent and seriously he was taking his medication. I use to dread those consultations, I threatened to reveal his lack of compliance, this did not deter him as he knew I did not have the courage to follow through.

John my husband passed away in December 2010, a third blockage and riddled with cancer, no denial and too far advanced for further chemotherapy.

They say denial is not facing up to the truth. His denial was more cancerous than the malignant cells taking over his body. For me to make a conjecture, does not help my tears as I flushed wasted pill after pill down our bathroom toilet.