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Get Checked For Prostate Cancer Now

October 31st, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

If you have , are concerned about getting it, or if you’re looking out for the health of someone you love, this article can help. In most men, grows very slowly: most men will never know they have the condition. Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75 years old.

Prostate cancer is normally a slow growth cancer that can take years before it becomes deadly. The most common cancer in American men, excluding , is . Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the U.S.

Other symptoms might include unintentional weight loss and lethargy. Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease are bone pain or tenderness, and abdominal pain. One symptom is a need to urinate frequently, especially at night.

If cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. One symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine. Weak or interrupted flow of urine and painful or burning urination can be symptoms to watch out for.

One downside to PSA testing is that health care providers are detecting and treating some very early-stage prostate cancers that may never have caused the patient any harm. A chest x-ray may be done to see if there’s a spread of cancer. What is called a free PSA may help tell the difference between BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy), an enlargement of the prostate gland, and .

A prostate biopsy usually confirms the diagnosis. The decision about whether to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor. A bone scan can indicate whether the cancer has spread or not.

Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in men whose cancer has spread. Prostate cancer that has spread (metastasized) may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, or nothing at all. Anyone considering surgery should be aware of the benefits, risks and the extent of the procedure.

Urinary incontinence can be a possible complication of surgery. Some drugs with numerous side effects are being used to treat advanced , blocking the production of testosterone, called chemical castration; it has the same result as surgical removal of the testes. Thoroughly discuss your treatment options and concerns with your doctor and other health professionals; it never hurts to get a second or even third opinion or more if necessary.

Radiation therapy is used primarily to treat prostate cancers classified as stages A, B, or C. Impotence is a potential complication after the prostatectomy or after radiation therapy. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options.

Medications can have many side effects, including hot flashes and loss of sexual desire. Surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy and all have significant side effects; know fully what they are before you proceed. What you can do now is begin to understand what exactly your treatment options are and where you’re going to begin.

If is decided upon after the first round of , most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician’s office. Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can interfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis.

The one thing that you should not do however is rely on any information obtained from the Internet to make your final decision. With the advent of PSA testing, most prostate cancers are now found before they cause any symptoms. In the end, only you with the help of your doctors, knowing your individual situation, can determine the best treatment program for you.

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Is it Skin Disease? Could it be Cancer?

October 31st, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Here is a brief algorithm for diagnosis you can refer to, before speaking with your physician or dermatologist:

I home this will help to be a guide that will help determine what kinds of lesions may be of concern, and what signs your dermatologist will be looking for.

Some lesions you may find on your epidermis will turn out not to be , but regardless, they can still be of concern. Though perhaps not the worst thing that could happen to your skin, certain kinds of diagnosis’ can be very important to attend to right away.

If then character of your skin legion is brown or black, it is likely a kind of Pigmented BBC. These legions are mostly nodular and can be totally pigmented or appear in fractions of pigment. Again, as with any skin legion, you will want to consult your doctor as soon as possible. There are many other possibilities as to what this kind of legion could be other than .

One way to diagnose your skin disease is by the appearance of it. If the legion you find is scar-like, it likely falls under the category of Sclerotic BBC. The characteristics of these particular legions are that they appear flat or even depressed, if the border of the legion is not well defined, or if the legion appears shiny—like a scar. However, something like this could just be a traumatic scar and not at all.

If you legion is yellowish it may be what is called a Nodular BBC—the majority of these legions will be found on the face. Sometimes they are more pearly colored, they may have a rolled edge, stretching the skin will help you see the legion better, these legions are slow-growing and are almost always on the face. However, there are several other kinds of skin disease that could have similar appearance that is why it is recommended that you always consult your doctor when you find a legion on your skin.

A reddish colored legion on the skin could possibly be Superficial BBC. The legion may have a fine scale, will appear perhaps with a thin, beaded pearly boarder surrounding it, these legions tend to have atropic centers. Depending on if the legion is scaly or smooth, the legion could be one of many different types of skin disease.

As with any cancer, if the illness is identified soon enough, it is more effectively treatable—the same goes for other kinds of skin disease. So you do not want to put off diagnosis or the necessary treatment.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, health care and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on skin care please visit bestskincareproducts.org Skin Care.

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Smoking And Lung Cancer - The True Facts

October 31st, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

The bad news is that smoking increases your risk of developing . And I can tell you that 90% of deaths in men and 80% of deaths in women are linked with smoking. And is not the only cancer related to smoking. Strong links have been shown between smoking and cancer of the mouth, the larynx, the esophagus, the bladder, the stomach and the kidneys. But cancer was the first disease that was linked to smoking, and it is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States.

Here are some statistics to consider:

Men who are smokers are 23 times more likely to get cancer than men who do not smoke.

Women who are smokers are 13 times more likely to develop than women who do not smoke.

You do not decrease the risk of catching by smoking low tar, low nicotine or ‘light’ cigarettes.

Did you know that there are over 4000 chemicals in cigarette smoke? At least 60 of these are known carcinogens.

Carcinogens damage the DNA in cells that controls their growth. One of the characteristics of malignant cancer cells is unrestrained growth and replication of cells.

30% of cancer deaths annually is directly attributed to cigarette smoking.

87% of deaths is caused by cigarette smoking.

Secondhand smoke accounts for about 5% of all newly diagnosed cases of .

Secondhand smoke, or passive smoking causes about 3000 deaths in each and every year.

If you quit smoking before the age of 35 you can reduce your risk of developing by as much as 90%.

Even quitting smoking before you reach 50 will substantially reduce your risk of developing cancer.

It is known that 7 of 8 people who contracted will not be alive five years after their diagnosis.

The more you smoke, the more you increase your risk of actually developing .

Lung cancer is decreasing in the United States as the number of smokers have decreased.

People try to tell you, that it is not proven that cigarette smoking actually causes . This is true to some extent. For example, you may have a genetic predisposition to getting cancer. Not everything is known why some people develop cancer and others do not. Some people can smoke for years and do not get it, and some people get it who never smoked at all. But there is one thing you can be sure of, smoking will increase your risk of developing . And if you do stop smoking, you will decrease your risk of developing over time.

For More Information On Smoking And Lung Cancer:
healthinfodocs.com healthinfodocs.com

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Get The Facts About Prostate Cancer

October 31st, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Detected in its early stages, can be effectively treated and cured. In most men, grows very slowly; most men will never know they have the condition. Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor of the prostate gland.

The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, the milky substance that transports sperm. It’s estimated that approximately 234,460 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with this year, and approximately 27,350 will die of the disease. If you have , are concerned about getting it, or if you’re looking out for the health of someone you love, this article can help.

One symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine. One symptom is a need to urinate frequently, especially at night. Blood in the urine or semen and frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs are often symptoms of cancer.

Most symptoms, although associated with , are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions. Because symptoms can mimic other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms should undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms. Having one or more cancer symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have .

One downside to PSA testing is that health care providers are detecting and treating some very early-stage prostate cancers that may never have caused the patient any harm. A number of tests may be done to confirm a diagnosis. A PSA test with a high level can also be from a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

A urinalysis may indicate if there is blood in the urine. Another test usually used when symptoms are present is the digital rectal exam (DRE) performed by the doctor. A chest x-ray may be done to see if there’s a spread of cancer.

The conventional treatment of is often controversial. Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can interfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis. Medications can have many side effects, including hot flashes and loss of sexual desire.

Be aware that some men choose natural treatment options and forgo any surgery, radiation or . Anyone considering surgery should be aware of the benefits, risks and the extent of the procedure. In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative.

Surgery, called a radical prostatectomy, removes the entire prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissues. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options. Other medications used for hormonal therapy, with side effects, include androgen-blocking agents, which prevent testosterone from attaching to prostate cells.

Chemotherapy medications are often used to treat prostate cancers that are resistant to hormonal treatments. Whether radiation is as good as removing the prostate is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult. Treatment options can vary based on the stage of the tumor.

If is decided upon after the first round of , most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician’s office. Besides hormonal drugs, hormone manipulation may also be done by surgically removing the testes.

If you haven’t been diagnosed but are concerned about symptoms you should call for an appointment to see your doctor; and if you’re a man older than 50 who has never been screened for (by rectal exam and/or PSA level determination) or not had a regular annual exam, or have had a family history of , make an appointment soon. It’s important to get as informed as possible and read all the newest books, ebooks and research available. Consider sites, such as this one, just a starting point where you can begin to learn about .

For more information on BestProstateHealthTips.com treatments and symptoms go to BestProstateHealthTips.com BestProstateHealthTips.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in prostate and tips, advice and resources, including information on prostate tests and BestProstateHealthTips.com natural treatments

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