Prognosis deals with predicting about the way a disease spreads and its possible outcomes. Prognosis includes chances of recovery from the disease too. These are two aspects for prognosis of any disease. When a patient approaches a doctor with symptoms of lung cancer, the patient is advised to go through some tests to confirm detection. After analyzing the test results, doctors are able to ascertain the stage to which cancer has reached. Every stage has a specified course of treatment.

There are many questions that come up during and after the prognosis. The patient would first like to know if the disease is curable. Cancer detected in early stages is usually curable. The third and fourth stage cancers are a major concern. If cancer has grown to other parts of the body it almost is incurable. There is however a chance to increase life expectancy, if detected in early stages. Doctors informs their patient abut the stage cancer has reached and whether it is life threatening. The treatment is a long process with radiation or chemotherapy as part of treatment. Prognosis continues to change at every stage of treatment.

Doctors generally inform their patient about possible complications during course of treatment. They also inform patients about treatment required for such complications. Doctors also communicate the survival chances to the patient if necessary. The severity of the disease and possible time frame for treatment has to be considered by the patient.

Many of lung cancer centers have an in house support groups to help patients cope up with the disease. They also help them by counseling on their individual cases and explaining exact outcome of the disease.

It is advisable to remember that prognosis is just a prediction and can change during the course of treatment. Doctors inform patients about the stage and treatment of the disease to help them deal with it and be prepared for all eventualities.

e-lungcancer.com Lung Cancer provides detailed information on Asbestos Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer Stages, Lung Cancer Survival Rate and more. Lung Cancer is affiliated with i-asbestos.com Asbestos Exposure.

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One of the most famous symbols of disease awareness is the red ribbon that is used to raise AIDS awareness. This symbol has been worn by various celebrities with the aim of encouraging understanding about the disease and raising funds for prevention and its eventual cure. Given the popularity of this symbol, the ribbon has also been used to increase awareness for other diseases, such as cancer. For breast cancer, the symbol that is used is the pink ribbon.

The pink ribbon

For breast cancer awareness advocates, the symbol of a pink ribbon represents hope and awareness for those affected by this terrible disease. These groups encourage people to wear this symbol and help in the efforts of raising awareness as well as much-needed funds for research.

The pink ribbon symbol has taken on many forms. It is now seen printed on various materials such as T-shirts, mugs, wristbands, and bumper stickers. In some cases, the symbol is even engraved on jewelry, the most famous of which are pink ribbon bracelets. It is also worth noting that most of the companies who sell these items contribute part of the proceeds to breast cancer research.

Other symbols

Due to the popularity of this symbol and the tremendous response it has generated, other forms of creating awareness have been initiated by various groups. Some of these include conducting Pink Ribbon Breakfasts during the month of October, which is the designated breast cancer awareness month. During these breakfasts, the issues surrounding breast cancer are discussed. The proceeds of these breakfasts go to breast cancer research.

Another form of giving support to the raising of breast cancer awareness is through illumination projects, where famous landmarks and monuments are lit pink. Most of the time, companies sponsor these.

The pink ribbon has been a recognized symbol for breast cancer awareness, and its popularity continues to grow as various groups initiate other forms of support for the cause.

i-BreastCancer.com Breast Cancer provides detailed information on Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Treatments, Breast Cancer Symptoms, Cause Of Breast Cancer and more. Breast Cancer is affiliated with e-Lymphoma.com Hodgkins Lymphoma.

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Melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer and skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the Western world. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes.

Melanocytes are found under the skin, which is made up of two layers: the epidermis on the outside and the dermis below that. To be accurate, melanocytes are found in the lowest levels of the epidermis, but not actually in the dermis. These cells produce melanin, which affects the epidermis’ pigmentation, both natural skin colour and because of exposure to the sun as in tanning.

Sometimes, a group of near-by melanocytes combine with a little local tissue to form a mole (also known as a nevus; plural nevi). The average person has between ten and forty moles, which usually appear before the fortieth birthday. They often fade or disappear with age. Moles are non-malignant (non-cancerous) and can be flat or raised in shape and almost any colour. Usually, they are slightly darker than one’s natural skin colour. Dark skinned people tend to have more moles.

Cancer begins in cells where the normal cycle of decay and replacement by regeneration has been disrupted. In these circumstances, cells do not always die when they should and new cells are produced needlessly. This, in turn, produces a growth (also known as a tumor), which can be either benign or malignant (ie cancerous or non-cancerous).

Benign tumors can be surgically removed and rarely return. They do not spread or affect surrounding tissue. Malignant tumors are cancerous and can affect surrounding tissue and organs. In these cases, cancerous cells can break away from the primary tumor and affect other organs or enter the blood stream (lymphatic system), whereby it will spread to their parts of the body (metastasis) very quickly. The rate of metastasis is a deciding factor in how a doctor treats cancer.

Melanoma occurs when melanocytes become malignant. It can occur at any age, but chances increase with age. Fair-skinned people are more likely to develop it than dark-skinned people. In fair-skinned races, men tend to get it on the torso and neck, whereas women get it on their calves (lower legs). Dark-skinned people rarely get melanoma, but if they do, it is usually under the finger and toe nails or on the soles of the feet or palms of the hands. When cancerous cells from melanoma enter the lymphatic system and affect other organs, it is still attributed to melanoma. For example, if the liver becomes affected by cancerous cells from melanoma, it is referred to as metastatic melanoma, not liver cancer.

Often, the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, colour, or feel of an existing mole, although it often first manifests itself with a new mole or moles. Self-diagnosis is not to be relied on - always seek professional advice if you have any concerns relating to your skin. However, it is wise to remember ‘The ABCD of Melanoma’, which goes thus:

Asymmetry: the shape of one half of the mole is not the same as the other half.

Border: the border or edges of the mole are not clearly defined; a bit ragged or the pigmentation ‘leaks’ into the surrounding skin.

Colouration: the mole is not uniformly of one colour, although it is not so important what that colour is.

Diameter: there is a change in size or a new mole grows larger than 5mm in size.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to skin-cancer-guides.com/ Skin Cancer

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Chan’s daughter told us that her mother’s loss of blood was due to the bleeding from her guts. The doctor in the private hospital told the family that nothing much could be done since the cancer had spread. Chan is a worrying-type of person and suffered from the following:

• She has pains if she walks for some distance.
• She is not able to sleep when she feels “heaty”.
• When she is asleep, she observes that her stomach moves and churns.
• Her stools are black in colour.

In December 2006 (about a year after taking Arimidex), Chan suffered a sudden onset of pains throughout her body besides having shortness of breast. Then, her guts bled leading to severe loss of blood. Are these problems related to the intake of Arimidex?

Among the many documented side effects of Arimidex are: hot flushes, mood disturbances, depression, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, muscle and bone pain, shortness of breath or coughing, fractures due to reduction of bone density, thromboembolic events, rash, swelling or water retention, loss of appetite, weight gain, constipation, diarrhea, vaginal bleeding and gastrointestinal disorder.

In spite of the above the medical researchers concluded that the use of Arimidex is “well tolerated”. To get an insight of what patients suffer, go to the message board of cancercompass (link below).

Patient 1 wrote: I have been on Arimidex for almost two years now. Firstly I had hardly any side effects and slowly but surely they seem to be building up, some days far worse than the next. The main side effects which I am experiencing now are aching bones and joints, mainly while trying to sleep at night. Also tiredness and seem to want to just go to bed to rest from as early as 8 p.m. — this is sad as I always went to bed late before my breast cancer.

Patient 2 wrote: I have been on Arimidex for three and a half years. I too, did not notice anything in the beginning but am now beginning to wonder. I always seemed to have trouble standing for longer periods of time — seemed to always want to sit down instead. Last summer (August) I had trouble walking for any amount of time over 20 minutes. In February of this year I had a major back trouble with sciatica. It was very, very bad. My Radiation Oncologist mentioned that maybe it was a side effect of the Arimidex. I also wake up four to five times every night.

Patient 3 wrote: I began taking Arimidex in late June and from the beginning had a constant headache, very slight so I didn’t worry too much. Then the bone pain started and got worse very quickly. My oncologist wanted me to switch to “something else” right away.

Patient 4 wrote: My pains are definitely getting worse as each month goes by. I wake up feeling 30 years older. I am with pains pretty much all over the bones and joints from the hips down! I get depression too, very bad at times. Not sure if this is because I lack sleep due to painful nights, feeling sorry for myself or the effects of Arimidex.

Patient 5 wrote: Like you, at first I didn’t notice any side effects. But for the last two to three 3 years I’ve experienced severe pain in my neck and back, specifically in the thorax region. It is truly debilitating at times. My doctor told me it was degenerative arthritis. But as I read your and other women’s remarks who are on this treatment, I have to wonder if it is the Arimidex.

Patient 6 wrote: I just started taking this drug in June. At fist I was fine but recently I’ve been having pains. I wake up several times at night with pains in my arms and fingers.

Patient 7 wrote: I have been on this medication for seven months. I too have much joint pain — pain during the night that wakes me up! I am wondering if it is worth all this pain — there is no guarantee that in five years the breast cancer will not return!

Patient 8 wrote: I have been taking Arimidex for two years also. I feel bone pain, my hands hurt, my headaches have gotten worse, I am depressed, and my appetite is just not there any more. I wake up three hours after I go to bed. I feel tired and drained the rest of the day. My doctor thinks I am a hypochondriac. But these symptoms are real. My cousin had been taking this for four years and her intestine got infected from all the medicine. It started to eat away at it. She died two months after the removal of her intestine. Have you heard any thing about that?

The comments of these patients and the case presented by Chan are real. These are not fantasies of the patients’ mind. The side effects suffered by Chan are similarly felt by other patients. Chan had bleeding from her guts. Reading the comment of Patient 8, who wrote that her cousin who took the drug for four years, ended with an “eaten away” gut, one cannot help thinking if Arimidex is causing similar problem to Chan’s gut.

It is most distressful to see the CT scan of Chan’s liver. The metastasis is so extensive and widespread covering her entire liver. Over the decades looking at liver images, I cannot help feeling that the scan images of Chan’s liver is rare indeed.

The question that begs an answer: “Why is the liver metastasis so extensive?” Only a year ago (April 2006) Chan’s liver was said to be free of metastasis. Why does this happen so suddenly and so soon? It is understandable if there are only one or a few metastatic spots in her liver but to have numerous nodules at once is beyond comprehension. One is tempted to ask if this metastasis could be related to the treatment rather than the cancer itself.

The case of Chan further reinforces my resolve to say this to cancer patients: Cure for cancer requires a change of diet, lifestyle and full commitment on the part of patients to take matters into their own hands. Subjecting themselves to invasive treatments of modern medicine and taking of the so-called “FDA-approved drugs” may not be the only option for them. Look far and wide – there are other options available in the horizon. My experience shows that for some patients, taking the “alternative, holistic” path could prove to be a more humane and effective path for their cancers.

Comments by patients:
For information on holistic healing for cancer: cacare.com cacare.com View patients’ videoclips go to: cacarevideo.blogspot.com cacarevideo.blogspot.com

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Asbestos testing is a very important process, since people know the dangers of this mineral (asbestos is a group of fibrous metamorphic minerals of the hydrous magnesium silicate variety). Most asbestos fibers are invisible to the human eye because their size.

Asbestos testing is necessary, because you can’t tell whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it, unless it is labeled. If in doubt, treat the material as if it contains asbestos or have it sampled and analyzed by a qualified professional. A professional should take samples for analysis, a professional knows what to look for, and because there may be an increased health risk if fibers are released.
Asbestos testing should always be done by an expert.

For asbestos testing the requirement of EPA is the polarized light microscopy (PLM asbestos test method) analysis with specialized microscopes. The results of asbestos testing establish the percentage and type of asbestos present in the sample material.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or sometimes USEPA) is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and with safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land. The EPA began operation on December 2, 1970. The current Administrator (as of 2006) is Stephen L. Johnson.

If you would like to know, where you can find EPA regional offices and the list of EPA administrators you need to check the following URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPA.

Asbestos Fiber Analysis (PLM Test Method)

The purpose of the Bulk Asbestos Program is to accredit testing laboratories to assure that they are competent to analyze bulk samples for asbestos testing, using polarized light microscopy (PLM).
National Institute of Standards and Technology (formerly the National Bureau of Standards) develop an accreditation program for laboratories conducting analyses of bulk samples of asbestos-containing material.

You can find the accredit asbestos testing laboratories list here: ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/214/scopes/plmtm.htm

Asbestos Lawyers are the lawyers that specialize in the cases dealing specifically with the hazardous effects induced by Asbestos exposure. If you are or someone in your family is an asbestos victim, you will need an asbestos lawyer. More info you can check the following site:
asbestos-lawyer-info.blogspot.com/

Nikoletta Bocz owns and operates asbestos-testing.blogspot.com/ asbestos-testing.blogspot.com/ and asbestos-lawyer-info.blogspot.com asbestos-lawyer-info.blogspot.com
sites. You can find more articles and resources about asbestos and asbestos testing.
Feel free to reprint this article in your ezine, blog, autoresponder or on your site, as long as don’t modify the content and include the resource box above.

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