Kay Kay Healthcare Ltd.
CANCER
SYMPTOMS
In its early stages cancer usually has no symptoms, but eventually a malignant tumor will grow large enough to be detected. As it continues to grow, it may press on nerves and produce pain, penetrate blood vessels and cause bleeding, or interfere with the function of body organ or system. The following symptoms may signal the presence of some form of cancer:
• Change in the size, color, shape, or thickness of a wart, mole, or mouth sore.
• A sore that resist healing.
• Persistent cough, hoarseness, or sore throat.
• Thickening or lumps in the breasts, testicles, or elsewhere.
• A change in bowel or bladder habits.
• Any unusual bleeding or discharge.
• Chronic indigestion or difficulty swallowing.
• Persistent headaches.
• Unexplained loss of weight or appetite.
• Chronic pain in bones.
• Persistent fatigue, nausea, or vomiting.
• Persistent low grade fever, either constant or intermittent.
• Repeated instance of infection.
WHAT IS CANCER
Throughout our lives, healthy cells in our bodies divide and replace themselves in a controlled fashion. Cancer starts when cell is somehow altered so that it multiplies out of control. A tumour is a cluster of abnormal cells: most cancer form tumours, but not all tumours are cancerous. Benign, or noncancerous tumours such as freckles and moles stop growing, do not spread to other part of the body, and od not create new tumour. Malignant, or cancerous, tumours crowed out healthy cells, interfere with body functions, and draw nutrients from body tissues. Cancers continue to grow and spread in process called metastasis eventually forming new tumours in other parts of the body. The term “cancer” encompasses more than 100 diseases affecting nearly every part of the body, and potential life threatening. The four major types are carcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma, and leukaemia. Carcinomas the most commonly diagnosed cancers originate in the skin, lungs, breasts, pancreas, and other organs and glands. Lymphomas are cancers of the blood and do not form solid tumours. Sarcomas arise in bones, muscles, or cartilage, and are relatively rare. Cancer have recognized from thousands of years as a human ailment, yet only in the past century has medical science understood what cancer really is and how it progresses. Cancer specialist called oncologists, have make remarkable advances in cancer diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Today, more than half of all people diagnosed with cancer are cured. However, some form of the disease remain frustratingly difficult to treat. For those people who cannot be cured, modern treatment can significantly improve quality of life and may extend survival.
CAUSES
The fundamental cause of all cancer is a change, or mutation, in the nucleus of a cell. For a healthy cell to turn malignant, its genetic code must be reprogrammed for constant, uncontrolled cell division. Substance that either start or promote the process are called carcinogens, and there are many types. Scientists theorized that about 10 million of the 300 trillion cells in a human body die and are replace every seconds. With such a high rate of cell activity, the potential for occasional malignant cell mutation is high. In a healthy persons, special cells from the body’ s immune system can somehow recognized mutant cells and destroy them before they multiply. Nevertheless, some mutant cells may occasionally evade such detection and survive, causing cancer. Because the cause of cancer are complicated, experts speak in terms of “risk factors”. Any habit, trait, or use of a substance that increases the odds of getting cancer is a risk factor, and the risk for nearly all cancer increases with age. Inherited, or familial, predisposition is risk factor, although its infuse varies from case to case. Researchers continue to identify genes that, when flawed, strongly predisposed a person to getting a particular type of cancer. Such genetic predisposition is considered an influential risk factor but by no names guaranties that the person will develop the cancer. Environmental risk factor relate to where and how we live. Most common cancer are linked to one of three environmental risk factors: smoking, sunlight, and diet. Smoking is linked to cancer of lungs, head and neck area, bladder kidney, stomach, cervix, and pancreas, as well as to some leukaemia’s. excessive exposure to sunlight is linked skin cancer. Dietary factor are associated with some cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, and may be link to others, such as cancer as breast, prostate, and uterus. Eating habit suspected of promoting cancer include overconsumption of alcohol, fat, and foods that have been smoked, cured, pickled, or charred. Lack of dietary fibre or antioxidant vitamins and minerals is also believed to be a risk factor. Many substance in the environment have been identified as carcinogens, but in most cases a very high level of exposure is needed to cause cancer. Environmental carcinogens include various chemicals, gases and other substance found in air, water, foods, pesticides, tobacco, smoke, cleaning products, paints, and many industrial settings; excessive ionizing radiation, and radioactive waste; and certain viruses, such as the HIV, Hepatitis B, Papilloma, and Epstein-Barr viruses. Although stress and certain personality types have been suggested as cancer risk factors, there is no hard scientific evidence to confirm such ideas. All these factors may contribute to cancer causation, yet cancer is not cause by any single factor. Cancer results from a “multifactor hit” of age, inherited predisposition, general health, and carcinogenic exposure. For example, some people exposed to particular carcinogens will develop cancer, while other, exposed just as intensely to the same carcinogens, will not. And as far as we know, most people who get a particular form of cancer are not strongly predisposed genetically to the specific disease. Thus, everyone’s cancer risks profile is complex and unique.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURE
The earlier cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the chance of its being cured. Some types of cancer such as those of the skin, breast, mouth, testicles, prostate, and rectum may be detected by routine self- examination or other screening measure before the symptoms become serious. Most cases of cancer are detected and diagnosed after a tumour can be felt or when other symptoms develop. In few cases cancer diagnose incidentally as a result of diagnosis or treatment for other medical conditions. Diagnosis begins with a through physical examination and a complete medical history. Lab studies of blood, urine, and stool can detect abnormalities that may indicate cancer. When a tumour is suspected, imaging tests such as x-rays, Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and fibrotic scope examinations help doctors determine its location and size. To confirm the cancer diagnosis, a biopsy is performed: a tissue sample is surgically removed from the suspected malignancy and studied under microscope to check for cancer cells. If the diagnosis is positive, other test are performed to provide specific information about the cancer; this essential follow up phase of diagnosis is called Staging. The most important thing doctor need to know is whether cancer has spread one area of the body to another. If your initial diagnosis is made by primary care physician, or if symptoms persist even though you are told that you do not have cancer, seek a second opinion. In many event, before actual treatment begins, it is extremely important that you get a confirming opinion by a doctor who specializes in cancer treatment.
TREATMENT
A comprehensive cancer program combines both curative and supportive treatment. Curative treatment attempts to terminate or slow the disease with some combination of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and possibly hormone therapy or immunotherapy. When cancer is no longer detected, a patient is said to be in remission. Generally, patients who remain cancer free for five or more years are considered cured. Some cancer cannot be cured, but all can treated, and in most cases the patient will improve. Supportive treatment by nurses and other professional accompanies cancer treatment. The goal is to relieve pain and other symptoms; maintain general health; and provide emotional, psychological, and logistical support to patients and their families. Similar supportive treatment is available to rehabilitate patient after curative treatment. Supportive therapy such as hospice care for cancer patient nearing the end of their lives provides relief from pain and other irreversible symptoms. Most mainstream care is geared toward providing supportive treatment through the board resources of a cancer treatment centre. The best complementary cancer therapies, which are generally provided outside a hospital, also provide excellent supportive care.
CONVENTONAL MEDICINE
Goals of treatment vary according to how advance a cancer is at diagnosis and whether it is considerable curable. If cure seems likely, the patient is treated aggressively in the hope of long term remission and cure. Cancer not considered curable can still be treated in an effort to prolong life and help make the patient comfortable. The three standard cancer treatment are surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Each is design to remove or kill the malignant cells and can be used either to effect a cure or to relieve severe symptoms. Surgery and radiation destroy cancer cell locally, while chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells that spread through the body. Surgery can localized tumours successfully but only rarely cures metastatic cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy are use mainly to reduce tumour size before surgery, as well as to minimize the chance of recurrence after surgery and to treat metastatic cancer. Because chemotherapy and radiation can affect healthy as well as disease cells, they typically cause side effect. With chemotherapy, side effects may includes nausea, vomiting, fatigue, temporary hair loss, mouth sores or dryness, difficulty swallowing, diarrheal, and increased vulnerability to infection. Radiation may have some of the same effects, depending on the area of the body that is irradiated. Medication and other complementary therapy can help curb side effects disappear when the treatment is concluded. Hormone therapy is standard treatment for some types of cancer that grow faster in the presence of particular hormones for example, cancer of the breast, prostate, or uterus. By blocking either the production or the action of the hormones, this therapy slows tumour growth and may extend survival for several months or even years. Although still largely experimental, immunotherapy is emerging as another mode of cancer treatment, with the goal of destroying cancer cells without affecting healthy cells. It does not attack cancer cells directly but employ various techniques to manipulate the body’s immune system into fighting cancer more aggressively. gene therapy a promising subcategory of immunotherapy manipulates genetic materials inside either cancerous cells or the immune cells intended to attack them, in order to make cancer cells easier targets. Immunotherapy and other experimental treatment generally are reserved for patients with metastatic or recurrent disease who do not respond well to standard treatment. Patient who practice good nutrition tend to respond better to treatment, with fewer side effect. Because weight loss and malnutrition may become problems for cancer patients, clinical nutrition programs are fundamental parts of mainstream care. As cancer advances, pain may become a significant problem. Fortunately, moderate to severe cancer pain can be managed effectively with prescription medication, such as codeine and morphine. Addiction does not occur with drugs given for advance care, and research shows that people with reduce pain respond better to treatment and enjoy better quality of life.
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
Alternative and unconventional treatment for cancer are numerous and varied. While some legitimate therapies offer real support, many questionable therapies have no benefits, may be dangerous, and may harm patient by delaying appropriate care. Even the most promising unconventional therapies do not cure cancer and should never replace standard treatment. Instead, supportive therapies should complement conventional care. Appropriate complementary therapies improve quality of life and may relieve physical and emotional stress. The act of seeking complementary is beneficial in its own right: it gives patients a sense of control over their illness and the opportunity to play a role in their own care. Before trying any complementary cancer therapy, research it thoroughly to make sure it is potentially beneficial and absolutely safe. Then check with your doctor to be sure it will not compromise standard treatment.
ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture has proved to relieve pain associated with many major illness. Although scientific study has not fully documented its effectiveness in treating cancer pain and side effect such as nausea and vomiting, it is a safe therapy that many cancer patients find beneficial.
BODY WORK
By promoting relaxation, body work therapies such as massage, qigong, and reflexology ease muscle tension and may alleviate other symptoms such as nausea and chronic pain. Because many body work therapies provide comforting physical contact, they can lessen the anxiety, depression, and isolation that cancer patients often feel.
CHINESE HERBS
Some cancer suffers report relief from pain, nausea, and vomiting using traditional Chinese medicine. Most practitioners recommend herbal remedies not to cure cancer but to relieve side effects of conventional treatment. Researchers are studying plants used in traditional Chinese medicine to identify constituents that may combat cancer cells directly or stimulate the immune system to do so, among them Astragals, Dong Quay, and Asian Ginseng.
EXERCISE
Exercise can help control fatigue, muscle tension, and anxiety. Patient tend to feel better if they do exercise such as walking or swimming, which calm the mind as well as strengthen the body.
HERBAL THERAPIES
Thousands of herb are used by folk healers worldwide to treat cancer, but no herbal remedy cures cancer, despite claims to the contrary, some nontoxic herbs can be used symptoms to relieve symptoms and support general health, but because some herbs contain toxic ingredients check with your doctor before taking any herb to relieve cancer symptoms.
HOMEOPATHY
Homeopathic remedies do not treat cancer directly, but some can alleviate side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. Consult a professional homeopath for safe and appropriate remedies.
MIND/BODY MEDICINE
Some mind/body therapies work to improve quality of life through behaviour modification; others encourage expression of emotions. Behaviour therapies such as guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, hypnotherapy, and biofeedback are used to alleviate pain, nausea, vomiting, and the anxiety that may occur in anticipation of or after cancer treatment. Individual or group counselling and art or music therapy let patient confront problems and emotions cause by cancer and received support from fellow patients. Patient who these types of therapies tend to feel less lonely, less anxious about death, and more optimistic about recovery.
NUTRITION AND DIET
Scientific evidence suggests that nutrition can play a role in cancer prevention. But no diet has been shown to slow or reverse cancer and no diet cure cancer. Vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients may inhibit cancer by neutralizing carcinogens, ensuring proper immune function, or preventing tissue and cell damage. Researchers are particularly interested in antioxidants vitamins A, C, and E, and selenium but are also studying folic acid, vitamin B6, magnesium, zinc, and coenzyme Q 10, among others. Because too much of some vitamins can be harmful, many experts are cautious about dietary supplements. Instead, they advised a varied diet that includes lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; avoid processed, smoked, cured, fried, or barbecued foods; emphasizes lean cuts of meat and low Fat seafood; and minimizes sugar, fats, and alcohol. Many customize diets for cancer emphasize vegetarianism, and patients who follow a nationally sound vegetarian diet tend to feel better. Unfortunately, many anticancer diets also promote fasting, purging, and taking supplemental “immune boosting” vitamins, minerals, and other concoctions that do not treat cancer and may be both harmful and expensive. As a rule, patients should avoid any that claims to cure cancer, advocates abandoning standard treatment, causes severe weight loss or weakness, requires severe food restrictions, or costs a lot of money.
CONTROVERSIAL CANCER TREATMENTS
The search for new cancer treatment is a vigorous and highly controversial branch of medical research. All treatment must be thoroughly tested and proved effective before they are authorized and proved effective before they are authorized general use. Supporters of some experimental treatments claim remarkable recoveries; critics insist that objective trials, not anecdotal claims, are the only true measure of their worth. The following treatments have their share of advocates but have thus far been deemed infective or unproven in independent test and clinical trials: hydrazine sulphate, studied by Dr. Joseph Gold as a cancer therapy since the 1970s; Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski’s treatment with anti-neoplastons, originally synthesize from human urine; the “immune augmentative therapy” of the late dr. Lawrence Burton; dr. Emanuel Revises “biologically guided chemotherapy”; dr. Gaston Nansen’s “714x” therapy; and shark cartilage supplements.
AT HOME CARE
Relieving side effects of treatment:
• After radiation therapy, be gentle to your skin. Do not scrub it, expose it to sunlight, or wear tight clothing. Aloe Vera ointment is gentle and soothing, and you can ask your radiation oncologist about other non-irritating lotions.
• Eat light snacks throughout the day rather than three heavy meals. Also try eating food cold or at temperature to avoid nausea.
• If your treatment involves lowering your white blood cell count, steer clear of sick people; tell your doctor about any fever or unusual symptoms.
Relieving pain:
• In addition to taking prescribe medication; try relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, or massage given by a friend or spouse.
Other tips:
• Join a cancer support group.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Rather than feeling compelled to maintain a “positive attitude”, express your emotions honestly. Don’t worry if you sometimes depressed or afraid: these are normal or legitimate reactions that will not make your cancer worse.
• Fill your days with activities you enjoy. Reading a good book, listening to music. And talking with friends are simple pleasures, but surprisingly therapeutic.
• Contact the American Cancer society and the National cancer institute for free information about cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and tips for managing cancer symptoms.
PREVENTION
• Do not smoke or use chewing tobacco.
• Stay out of the sun. use sunscreen outdoors to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays.
• Follow the diet tips under Nutrition and Diet.
• Drink alcohol only in moderation.
• Exercise regularly to keep your body active.
• Get regular screening for cancer as part of your annual physical check up.
• If your work exposes you to know carcinogens, be sure to follow all safety guidelines.
• To limit exposure to carcinogenic chemicals at home, avoid aerosol cleaning products; clean up spills and wash hands after using cleaning products; wear gloves when using pesticides; and open doors and windows to allow fumes to escape when using chemicals, stains, or paints indoors.
THE SEVEN WARNING SIGNS
To remember the seven early warning signs of cancer, think of word CAUTION:
BEWARE OF CANCER QUACKERY
Sadly, the sale of bogus cancer treatment to vulnerable people is a multibillion dollar a year business. To protect yourself from cancer quackery, be an educated customer. Research unproven therapies critically, sceptically, and thoroughly. Do not accept anecdotes and testimonials in place of scientific proof. Interview critics as well as supporters. Ask the following questions when assessing a treatment get satisfactory answer:
• Has it been objectively shown in peer reviewed scientific literature to be safe and effective?
• Does its potential for benefit outweigh its potential for harm?
• Is it logical and understandable? If it relies on a secret formula or technique, avoid it.
• Does the practitioner claim that the treatment is experimental, yet still ask you to pay for it? If so, it’s probably a scam.
• Does the practitioner have legitimate degrees and licenses from accredited institutions?
• Does the practitioner claim to be a victim of a conspiracy by the main stream medical community? If so, look into such charges further rather than accept them as adequate explanations for lack of proof or endorsement.
• Do you have any doubts? If so, resolve them before you spend any money or begin treatment.
CANCER
Change in bowel or bladder habits
A sore that does not heal
Unusual bleeding or discharge
Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere
Indigestion or difficulty swallowing
Obvious change in a wart or mole
Nagging cough or hoarseness
!WARNING! A sore that does not heal
Unusual bleeding or discharge
Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere
Indigestion or difficulty swallowing
Obvious change in a wart or mole
Nagging cough or hoarseness
No comments:
Post a Comment