Pancreatic cancer is considered to be among the most serious cancers known in modern medicine. It is the third most progressive cancer that is resistant to treatment and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

The pancreas is a large organ, around 6 inches long, in the shape of a thin pear lying on its side. It is a well-hidden gland lying in front of the spine just behind the stomach, liver, the small intestines, spleen, the gall bladder, and bile ducts. The pancreas is basically responsible for the production of digestive juices used by the body to break down food, as well as the production of hormones like insulin and glucagons used by the body to control the blood sugar level.

Pancreatic cancer occurs when malignant tumors form in the tissues of the pancreas.

Risk Factors

As researchers have discovered, risk factors for pancreatic cancer includes smoking, dietary factors, diabetes mellitus, and chronic pancreatitis among others, which may be hereditary in nature.

Smokers are found to have 2-fold increased risk at the minimum of contracting pancreatic cancer.

Dietary factors also take its toll in triggering pancreatic carcinoma. Excessive alcohol intake associated with the condition of chronic pancreatitis may aggravate to pancreatic cancer. However, coffee consumption, contrary to early reports, is not a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. It has also been reported that people with diets that are rich in fresh vegetables and fruits are less prone to this kind of cancer, while there is more incidence of pancreatic cancer in people with greater energy consumption.

Patients of diabetes mellitus are also found to have a 2-fold increased risk in contracting pancreatic carcinoma.

Mortality

The disturbing fact about pancreatic cancer is that it is very hard to diagnose. Early detection is also very difficult as the symptoms of the disease often manifest themselves only when the cancer is already in its advanced stages. And by this time, the patients may already have other incurable diseases.

In the United States, there was an estimated 30,300 deaths in the year 2002 attributed to pancreatic carcinoma. The survival time associated with this kind of cancer is generally short which most often is only less than a year. And the overall 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is a meager 5%.

Signs and Symptoms

Known early-warning signs of pancreatic cancer include severe abdominal pain, weight loss, jaundice, to name a few.

Pain is the most common complaint among patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Severe pain is usually experienced in the upper abdominal area that may radiate to the back.

Another characteristic feature of this kind of cancer is significant weight loss.

The various signs of jaundice are yellowish color of the white of the eyes, yellowing and itching of the skin, and dark urine color. Jaundice is also often present in liver or bile duct conditions.

Onset of nonspecific symptoms like malaise, fatigue, anorexia, nausea and back or midepigastric pain may also be present.

The Remedy

Pancreatic cancer, unless detected early, can no longer be controlled when it has already spread. Often, removal of the pancreas through surgery is the only option. But if the cancer has already spread, palliative treatment may be served to at least alleviate the pain and improve the patient’s quality of life through controlling the disease’s symptoms and other complications.

Cancer of the pancreas, depending on what stage it already is and the age of a patient, can still be treated. A doctor will probably suggest three things, namely, surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Surgery is done to take out the tumor. Depending on what part is infected, a doctor might do a Whipple procedure (head of the pancreas), distal pancreatectomy (tail of the pancreas) and total pancreatectomy (whole pancreas).

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays, which can come from a machine, to kill cancer cells and prevent it from spreading to other organs in your body.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It can be taken orally or injected direct to a patient’s bloodstream. Chemotherapy can also kill cancer cells aside from cancer cells from the pancreas. Chemotherapy is frequently done in conjunction with radiation therapy.

Cancer of the pancreas is one of the deadliest cancers mainly because it can spread into different organs without a patient even knowing it. The best way to prevent this is to eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle and to not ignore possible symptoms that might go worse if not taken care of immediately.

Learn the truth about cancer and how to eliminate it.

The pancreas is an organ that lies behind the stomach and enveloped in a loop formed by the small intestine. It has two functions for the body. One is that it secretes enzymes that are needed to break down food and the other is that it produces hormones that help in the regulation of carbohydrates from the food stores.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest and most serious of cancers. Even though it accounts for just 2% of cancer cases in the US, it is already fourth in cancer deaths. The reason is that it is hard to diagnose it because the pancreas is hidden behind other organs in your stomach.

Another reason is that cancer of the pancreas does not give symptoms until it is already in the advanced stage. Symptoms, if they appear, are pain in your upper abdominals, jaundice (yellowing of one’s skins and eyes), nausea, loss of appetite, significant weight loss due to digestive problems and depression.

When these symptoms appear, a patient must go straight to the hospital to be examined by a doctor. The doctor might do some tests (such as x-ray, CT scan, MRI and ultrasound) and he might even need to do some surgery to be sure.

Once a doctor has done surgery and found out that the patient has cancer of the pancreas, he will try to diagnose how much has the disease spread and classify it into different stages.

Stage I Cancer is when the cancer cells is found just on the pancreas itself or is just starting to spread to other organs in a patient’s stomach.

Stage II Cancer is when the cancer cells have already infected other organs near the pancreas (such as spleen and colon) but has not yet reached the nearest lymph nodes.

Stage II Cancer is when the cancer cells have reached the lymph nodes, the ones responsible for producing and storing infection-fighting cells.

Stage IV Cancer is when the cancer cells have spread out to a patient’s liver or even his lungs.

Recurrent Stage is when the cancer cells have come back after it was already treated.

Pancreatic cancer is ranked as the United States’ fourth most death causing cancer disease. Is is estimated that this year alone, around 32,000 will be victim and succumb from this killer disease. It is a common type of cancer and unfortunately, one of the hardest to treat. Because of the hard problems that pancreatic cancer pose to the medical world, it has been dubbed as the twenty first century’s great challenge. Before moving on, it is important to know what the pancreas is and the functions that it performs. Following below is the definition of the pancreas and its functions as well as problems faced when pancreatic cancer is diagnosed.

The pancreas

The pancreas is an organ that is found in the middle of the stomach and the backbone or spine. It is surrounded by other organs like the intestine, liver, and lungs among others. Its length measures to about six inches and its shape is comparable to that of a pear. Its head is the widest part followed by the body and then the tail which is the thinnest. Its main purpose is to produce insulin as well as hormones. The hormones travel inside the body via the bloodstream. These hormones aid in both the use and storage of energy that is obtained from food. Pancreatic juices are made by this organ contain enzymes used in the digestion of food.

Who may be at risk?

Medical experts do not know the exact reason behind pancreatic cancer. But just like other types of cancer, pancreatic cancer is also not contagious meaning it cannot be transferred from one person to another. The following risk factors are linked to the development of pancreatic cancer. The first risk factor is age. People that are over 60 years old have a higher chance of having this type of cancer. Smoking two to three sticks of cigarette will greatly increase the chance of getting this disease. Diabetes is also a risk factor since people with this condition are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those that do not.

Symptoms of the disease

Individuals that have pancreatic cancer do not readily know that they have it since it is hard to diagnose. It is referred to as the silent killer because symptoms do not show until it has already developed into the advanced stage. As it develops, the patient may experience the following symptoms: weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, jaundice, yellow skin, upper back pain. and vomiting. Again, it is important to take note that these symptoms can be also attributed to other health disorders. Thus, it is best to consult an oncologist (cancer specialist) to ascertain if you might have pancreatic cancer.

Ways of treating pancreatic cancer

There are several ways to treat pancreatic cancer. With respect to its stage as well as type, treatment may be in the form of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. A combination of these treatments may be applied on some patients. The removal of the cancerous part of the pancreas is the only way to have a chance in curing this disease. With the advent of technology today, a lot has been improved in the field of surgery. Removal through surgery will depend on the tumor’s size and location as well as the patient’s health and the stage the disease is currently in. When the tumor cannot be removed in its entirety, the patient will rely on chemotherapy to treat the disease.

These are some of the things to know about pancreatic cancer. If you want to be certain whether you might have or not, it is better to ask a specialist for proper checkup and advice.

Experience proves that detection of the disease by ordinary individuals is still very poor. There are symptoms that have to be cautious of, should they linger, as they may entail ovarian cancer.

1. Bloating / Swelling 2. Changes in the bowel discharge or even in the frequency of urinating 3. Unusual abdominal discomfort 4. Constantly feeling tired 5. Lingering stomach pain or indigestion 6. Vaginal bleeding 7. Loss of appetite 8. Loss of weight 9. Back pain or leg pain

Summing Up

In general, scientists were able to see how the disease develops and what circumstances are found to increase or decrease the chances of overcoming it. However, the causes remain to be indefinite.

The thing to remember for women in here is that ovarian cancer is not something acquired from another, unlike a contagious disease.

That is why the caution definitely should start from the very lifestyle of the individual. Keep in mind that through this, a woman should take care and control of her body, her future, her life.

Women all over the world confront different realities and challenges. Every woman is given the chance to prove herself strong, independent and capable.

However, some problems come that are beyond any control and dominion of people. This is the limitation that is faced by every individual, of having a body susceptible to disease.

The Threat of Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is one disease that is unique to women. Only women have ovaries. Only women can be threatened by such.

Ovaries are reproductive glands of the female body system. It is where the eggs or ova and the female hormones are made. The ovaries are connected to the fallopian tubes to carry the eggs to the uterine cavity.

They contain cells. These cells are important in maintaining the health of the tissues.

Factors to the Disease

It is found by various studies that women of industrialized countries are more likely to be affected by the disease. This is due to the discrepancy in the dietary habits and lifestyles of busy middle-class and upper-class women.

Among the Americans alone, the disease is found to be the main cause of death to women. More and more women are getting affected. The incidence is increasing by 2% every year!

It is also peculiar among the older class. At least 60% of the cases involve women aged 60 years old and up.

How Does the Disease Develop?

The disease comes about when the cells in one of the ovaries or both suddenly grow and divide rapidly. When this happens, a tumor or a small size of mass develops.

The tumor can be restricted in some cell layers. This is still considered benign. Should this tumor spread throughout the surrounding, like the organs, then it is deemed as malignant.

Types of Ovarian Cancer

The circumstances then are classified according to the type of cells formed.

1. Epithelial Cancers

This is the most common form, involving the cells covering the ovaries.

2. Germ Cell Cancers

Germ cells start the trouble within the ovaries. These are the ones supposed to form the egg cells.

3. Sex Cell Cancers

They are found in the cells that keep the ovaries together, the one that produce the hormones.

The Expectation of Survival

Survival varies among the patients, depending on the risk factors in a particular case.

1. Age

Younger patients have better chances compared to the older ones.

2. Childbearing

Those who had never been pregnant have more chances of developing this problem. There is actually a direct relation between the number of times of giving birth and the decreased chance of developing the cancer.

3. Family History

Women who have relatives, close relatives, who contracted the disease, are more likely to do so too.

4. Contraceptive Factor

Women who frequently use pills are not likely to be sick. The hormone levels created by the pill contribute to this.

Other factors relevant are cancer the stage of the disease and types of tissue.

The cervix is very essential in having a normal pregnancy. It is commonly known as the “neck of the womb” because the cervix is located at the bottom part of the uterus. For women who are not carrying a womb, the cervix has no important function but they serve an important function for some women who enjoy having sex.

Because of the presence of the cervix in a woman’s body, there is the possibility of having a cervical cancer. Statistics shows according to the American Cancer Society that this kind of cancer is the sixth when it comes to the most common cancers in the United States and in the United Kingdom.

It is important for most women to have a Pap Smear test to see if the cervix performs on a normal basis in order to find out if there are cell changes before a cervical cancer. Cell changes in the body may take years to detect a particular cervical smear before becoming a cancerous cell. There are circumstances that may occur to the cells that the changes are gone in an instant allowing the cervix free from any danger of acquiring cervical cancer.

Smear test may not give the assurance of having a cancer to most women. The development of the cancer cells can be prevented by having pre-diagnostic tests and treatments to the pre-cancerous cell changes that is happening in the cervix.

A cervical cancer can be life threatening and the chances of survival is very low if it is in its critical stages. The Pap smear tests detect the early cell changes before developing to an acute cancer. Early detection can help a person to have at least a chance in surviving this kind of cancer. There are treatments for its cure and it can also be cured through radiotherapy and by surgery.

The viral infection can be a reason for an individual to have a cancer in the cervix. In most cases, smoking is a main factor for most women to be at risks in having cancer in the cervix. Sexual intercourse in a young age to different persons could also be a factor in the development of a cervical cancer. Although it is generally common for most women who are in their adulthood, but the risks are for all women no matter what their ages are.

It is important to have a regular Pap smear test to lessen the risks of having this kind of cancer. She must not be intimidated attending these tests because it is for her prevention and treatment if there would be found symptoms that may affect the function of the cervix. There are alternatives that can be discussed with the healthcare professional regarding the condition of the cancer that have spread in the tissues of the cervix.

A biopsy on the cervix can be diagnosed to examine the internal parts of the cervix. Most women who are diagnosed in the cervix are examined usually through a colposcopy. On the other hand, the treatments will have a type of hysterectomy, which is an operation performed by highly trained gynecologists who are experts in the cervix.

A radiotherapy can also be a treatment that can cure any early stages of cervical cancer. This kind of therapy can be also considered as a form of treating the cancer because it targets to destroy tumor-causing cells that a gynecologist may not detect. The most important factor for its treatment is that, if the cancer cells have not yet spread in the cervix where the chances for surviving the cancer are high.

Cancer is a word used to name hundreds of diseases that have a similar characteristic, that is, the cells of an individual grows uncontrollably and this results to the destruction of healthy tissues. These “renegade” cells deprive the normal cells with the nutrition it needs which causes the healthy cells to be destroyed. Focusing on bone cancer, here are things that you should know about it.

Different varieties of bone cancer

Bone cancer is quite a rare form of cancer. There are many types of bone cancer and each one of them is not commonly found. These are:

Chondrosarchoma - a type of bone cancer that begins in the cartilage cells and then grows inside the bone or on the bone’s surface. People in the middle age group are the most common victims of this type of cancer. This type is rather slow growing and usually appears in the ribs, shoulder blade, upper arms, pelvis, and the legs.

Spindle cell sarcoma - there are three variations of this type and they are: fibrosarcoma,leiomyosarcoma, and malignant fibrous histiocytoma. These ones are extremely rare and usually target the shins, and long bones of the body.

Ewing’s sarcoma - this type has been named in honor of the surgeon who pioneered in describing and studying it. It is usually found more often in young individuals than adults.

Osteosarcoma - this is the most common kind of bone cancer. It may occur in any age bracket but usually, it appears in young adults as well as teenagers.

Chordoma - this is the rarest form of bone cancer and it usually manifests at the upper or lower part of the spine.

Symptoms of bone cancer

Symptoms of bone cancer vary depending on what kind of bone is affected and how large the tumor is. Usually the first symptoms include pain on the area where the tumor is located. The pain is continually felt and and intensifies during the night since the muscles become relaxed. The part which is affected also becomes swelled and movement is hampered. Some of the general symptoms include the feeling of tiredness, heavy sweating, and weight loss.

A lot of these symptoms can also be found in other diseases besides cancer. Because of this, cancer may not be discovered immediately by the diagnosing physician.

Looking at the future

As of now, little is known about the causes of bone cancer. One thing is certain, cancer of any type is not contagious. Scientists and doctors are working hand in hand to find ways to treat and diagnose bone cancer. New drugs and its combinations have been tested to treat bone cancer. Surgery on bone cancer is continually improved to ensure effectiveness. Experiments on using new techniques for radiation therapy as well as chemotherapy are also being conducted.

There is still a long way to go for treating and diagnosing cancer. A lot of questions remain to be answered and a lot more must be learned about this disease. If you think that you may have symptoms of bone cancer, do not waste time to see your doctor. It is also wise to visit a bone specialist and an oncologist. There is a wealth of information that you can tap for your benefit. It can be from books that your local library can lend you as well some that are sold in bookstores. Support groups can also provide critical and much needed support for the patient as well as the patient’s family. The internet also provides comprehensive information regarding bone cancer, this is a very good place to start.

At present, there are 20,000 cases of thyroid cancer that take place every year in America alone. However, people do not seem to be entirely aware! Then it is proper to explore and learn more about Thyroid cancer.

What is Thyroid Cancer?

This definitely involves the thyroid gland. The gland can be identified under the Adam’s apple. Most of the time, it cannot be easily seen or felt. It has two lobes, the right and the left, joined by the isthmus.

It is responsible for the thyroid hormone which is needed for many bodily processes and functions. The production depends on the supply of iodine in the blood.

It also takes charge of the metabolism. Too much of it can result to hyperactivity. Too little of it can result to weakness.

It has 2 types of cells, the thyroid follicle cells and the C cells. From these two, different cancers may develop.

Types of Thyroid Cancer

1. Papillary / Mixed Papillary / Mixed Follicular

This among the four is the most common. It accounts to 78% of the thyroid cancer cases now. They grow from the thyroid follicle, relatively slowly.

2. Follicular / Hurthle cell

This accounts for 17% of the cases and the next most common. This is found among people who do not take in enough iodine in their system.

3. Medullary

Medullary type comprises 4% of the cases. This is the only one that develops from C cells.

4. Anaplastic

This is rarely to occur, accounting for 1% only. This is said to grow from an existing thyroid cancer that rapidly spreads in the body and may even turn out as fatal.

Symptoms and signs

Thyroid cancer can be manifested in many ways. However, this may vary depending on the case, circumstances or stage of the disease.

1. hoarseness of the voice 2. unusual change in the voice 3. lingering difficulty in swallowing 4. cough, especially coughs with bleeding 5. neck swelling or the enlargement of a protuberance of the gland.

Risk Factors of Thyroid Cancer

Statistics show that it is more likely to occur among women as against men, in a ration of 3 is to 1.

This could be found in any age group, however, it is more common and more aggressive for the age group of 30 years old and above.

Is Thyroid Cancer Curable?

Most of the cases have proven to be curable. Actually, papillary thyroid cancer is the most curable among all kinds of cancers, with a success rate of 97%. In younger patients especially, there is a very high rate of success if treated properly.

The follicular and papillary cancer types are usually treated by removing the lobe of the thyroid.

However, medullary type proved to be more difficult to be diagnosed. It spreads the cancer cells to more lymph nodes, thus making it imperative to conduct a more intense operation.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer has the poorest prognosis. It is usually detected only upon having spread already. It is very rare to outlast anaplastic type. A single operation may often fail to remove all the tumors.

The Issue of Chemotherapy

Most claim that chemotherapy is a good strategy to take in addressing thyroid cancers, considering the nature of the organ. Its cells are the only ones that can absorb iodine that is needed to produce hormones.

Radioactive iodine is said to be the best remedy to give after administering the removal of the thyroid cancer. The iodine is poisonous to any of the remaining cancer cells.

This is imperative to prevent the redevelopment of the cancer in the future. However, this should be properly discerned in the light of the circumstances. It has to apply in a case-to-case basis.

Information must be sought for early diagnosis and immediate treatment of the cancer. After all, it is the only body any person will take care of in a lifetime. It deserves all the attention it needs.

Like most other cases, brain cancer causes remain to be unknown. It remains to be sought why one person develops the tumor while another does not.

Common Misconception

Most have the impression that injuring the head or causing traumas to it contribute to the development of brain cancer. These instances are not to be encouraged, however they do not have any direct relation to the disease.

Ordinary traumas or injuries to the head do not necessarily result to brain cancer. These incidents may merely involve the glial cells of the brain to reproduce to form a scar tissue.

The Risk Factors

Even if it remains to be seen what definitely causes brain cancer, there are factors found likely to increase the chances of developing one.

1. Family History

Those who have family history of rare disease are found to have the chances. Diseases such as “elephant man” syndrome or Turcot’s belong to a family of diseases. The body in such a case is likely to have cysts or bumps and high risk for brain cancer.

2. Exposure to Radiation

This is also linked to brain cancer as well as other deficiencies. The risk can even be higher for those who have been exposed at a younger age.

3. Exposure to Chemicals

The exposure to the likes of PVC or benzene is connected to the disease.

Diagnosing the Cancer

It is only through neurological examination that a doctor may be able to detect formally should there be any problems with the nerves and sensation.

Through the radiological test of CAT scan, one can look for the tumor. The brain is visualized and the abnormal areas are pinpointed. This can best detect large tumors.

The MRI or Magnetic Resonance Image scan is used for detecting smaller brain tumors, painless and more expensive than the CAT scan.

Minding the Brain

Addressing brain cancer entails many more aspects. This is why it is necessary to be conscious of any need to detect and treat it. It has to be done properly and taken seriously.