Patients often wonder if they can use the internet for other purposes other than researching cancer treatment and information.

In fact, one of the additional benefits of the internet is that it allows people with common interests or problems from all over the world to share their experiences in online support groups. This applies to cancer, of course, and there are many online cancer support groups for almost every type of cancer.

These internet-based cancer communities are a potential goldmine of information. Think about the opportunity.

Imagine that you were in a room of 500 other patients who had been diagnosed with the same disease that you’re researching. Some may have been diagnosed recently. Others may have been diagnosed a few years previously.

Everybody in that room would have gone through the process of researching various cancer therapies, talking to other patients, and talking to medical specialists. Many of these cancer patients would have researched the latest research from the conventional medical establishment.

Some in the room would have also researched the alternative and so-called natural cancer treatments available.

Many people in the room would have already undergone treatment and would be in a position to comment on how effective the treatment was and what side effects they experienced.

People may comment on how they were treated at a top medical center and you would be able to compare it to the treatment you may be about to receive at your medical center.

A good online cancer support group is the internet equivalent of being in that room with 500 other patients.

But, like most things in life that have a lot of potential benefit, there is a potential downside.

The downside is that although patients’ personal stories may be extremely informative, you must remember that learning about one other person’s experience does not mean that everybody will have the same experience.

You should use these forums as an opportunity to get a sense of what the controversial issues are and what avenues other highly motivated patients are pursuing in their research.

Then, you should combine the information you’ve gained from the online forums with the more scientific and credible information that you’ll have searched for at the major government cancer sites.

The best forums are moderated though so that no one can blatantly pitch commercial products or cures that they intend to profit from. These moderators read every post and suspend the privileges of any one who disregards the policies of the list.

These online cancer support groups are so valuable that you may want to join a number of them. But, I would be wary of any non-moderated list which seemed to have a lot of commercial messages.

In the final analysis, it’s probably best if you combine all the information you have received from all the different types of searching you have done, and sit down with your doctors for an informed discussion.

Dr. Glenn Sheiner is a medical doctor with diplomas in Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine, and Family Medicine. Dr. Sheiner is the author of the medical multimedia digital product called Cancer Research Online Made Easy.

You can read the book for FREE online researchyourcancer.com FREE online viewing of CANCER RESEARCH MADE EASY

Dr. Sheiner created this product to help patients research cutting-edge medical information in hours not days. The product contains 5 videos illustrating exactly what to do. To learn more go to researchyourcancer.com researchyourcancer.com

If you or a loved have been recently diagnosed with cancer, or if you just want to check and see the latest, most recently published information, this product should be of great benefit to you.

Tags: cancer patient, cancer treatment, natural cancer

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Smokers are at the Highest Risk of Developing Throat Cancer

If you are a smoker, consume alcohol on a frequent basis, or if you use chewing tobacco, you are at an increased risk of developing throat cancer. If you fall into any of these categories, (and even if you don’t), you may have developed throat cancer if you have any of the following symptoms: a sore throat, head or neck, feeling like there is a lump in your throat or neck, having a hard time swallowing, constantly clearing your throat and sounding like your voice is hoarse, and/or noticing a change in the sound of your voice.

Being a smoker puts you at the greatest risk for developing throat cancer. Most (up to 95 percent) of throat cancer patients are or were smokers, and the more years you smoke the greater your risk.

Most cases of throat cancer can be prevented. Prevention is much more pleasant than undergoing the treatments, and advice and suggestions on how to prevent throat cancer are available from the American Cancer Society.

Other Throat Cancer Symptoms

There are other symptoms that may indicate you have throat cancer. Less obvious symptoms of throat, head and neck cancer can include feeling like your headache never goes away, having a hard time taking a deep breath, noticing that your nose bleeds all the time, tooth pain, and unexplained swelling in general throat area.

Throat Cancer Treatments

Throat cancer can be treated in a number of ways. Depending on the severity of the throat cancer, any combination of the following may be used to treat it:

Surgery – The surgery complexity will depend on the severity and extent of damage caused by the throat cancer.

Radiation – The radiation dose will vary depending on the size of the throat cancer tumor.

Chemotherapy – Chemotherapy will attack the throat cancer cells and (hopefully) eliminate them. Side effects from chemotherapy are generally extremely unpleasant.

Throat Cancer Can be Prevented

There are many factors that contribute to the risk of developing throat cancer. If you do everything you possibly can to avoid smoking or breathing in second-hand smoke, and if you limit your alcoholic beverage intake, you will greatly reduce your risk of developing throat cancer.

Get Help from the American Cancer Society

If you suspect that you may have throat cancer, the American Cancer Society can be a good resource for you. The Society can provide you with more information regarding throat cancer – symptoms, treatment, after-care, and general support. Remember, if you are a throat cancer patient, there is help available.

Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their throat-cancer.blogspot.com Throat Cancer blog for more information.

Tags: cancer patient, cancer treatment, chemotherapy, throat cancer

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Mesothelioma is a type of cancer of which you may have never heard. In fact, it is one of the rarest types of cancer with only about 2,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Since this condition is rare, you may be interested in some basic information about it. For instance, what exactly is mesothelioma? What body parts does it affect? What causes it?

Mesothelioma is a condition where the mesothelium, which a lining that protects the internal organs of the body, becomes cancerous. Doctors use two terms to describe mesothelioma, localized and advanced. Localized mesothelioma indicates the cancer has not spread beyond the protective lining. Doctors used the term advanced to describe mesothelioma that has spread to the internal organs, lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Exposure to asbestos is the main cause of mesothelioma. Asbestos is a substance that was once widely used in construction because of its insulating and fire retarding properties. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s there was a movement to ban some uses of asbestos because of its cancer causing nature.

The amount of asbestos used in construction is now limited, however, some older homes may still have a great deal of asbestos in the form of insulation. Problems usually occur with asbestos when the asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs.

This can happen if you decide to remodel your home and tear out asbestos products without proper protective gear. However, most people diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos over long periods of time in a job such as construction.

This type of cancer can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms can mimic those of other diseases. The main symptoms of mesothelioma include pain in the chest wall, shortness of breath, fatigue, anemia, wheezing or cough. The patient may also suffer abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, and may spit up blood.

A biopsy of affected tissue is required to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. While your doctor is trying to narrow down what is causing your problems, however, he may perform a variety of tests. The tests used to narrow down your condition might include an X-ray of the chest cavity to check for thickening of the mesothelium, which indicates this lining has been damaged by asbestos exposure. He may also order a CAT scan or MRI. A check of the fluid around the lungs, called cytology, for cancerous cells may also be required.

Unfortunately, the prognosis for mesothelioma is not favorable. Because the disease often does not present itself with clear symptoms in the early stages patients are generally not diagnosed until the disease has become advanced.

At this point survival rates are generally less than about five years depending on what type treatment your cancer responds to. Treatments for mesothelioma include surgery to remove cancerous cells and tumors, radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

Mesothelioma is a disease that is fairly rare and generally limited to workers who have been exposed to asbestos dust or fibers while on their jobs. For this reason there have been limits on the amount of asbestos materials that can be put into any home or building. Those handling the material should take extreme care and wear proper gear at all times to avoid becoming sick from it.

For more information on cancer try visiting cancercondition.com cancercondition.com - a website that specializes in providing cancer related information and resources including information on cancercondition.com/mesotheliomacancer.html mesothelioma cancer.

Tags: chemotherapy, mesothelioma

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Cancer is a complex, devastating illness which is responsible for the deaths of millions of people each year. For decades, scientists have been attempting to uncover some of the secrets of cancer in order to find a cure. While, so far, a cure has been out of reach, there appear to be some natural remedies which can prevent or slow cancer growth. One of those remedies is a beverage which is commonplace in many Asian households—tea.

The History of an Anti-Cancer Tool

Tea has been a dietary staple for 500,000 years. People in India and China appear to be among the first to have enjoyed this beloved beverage. But it’s one variety in particular—Camellia sinensis—which appears to have a number of health benefits associated with it. That variety is also known as green tea.

What Makes Green Tea Special

Green tea is unique in that it is produced from unfermented leaves and it contains a high concentration of polyphenols, which are chemicals that can serve as antioxidants. Antioxidants are essentially on a search-and-destroy mission against free radicals, compounds which compromise DNA and destroy cells. Free radicals are often to blame for the development of cancer as well as heart disease. The antioxidants immobilize free radicals and inhibit the damage often associated with them.

Medicinal Uses of Green Tea

For years, Asians have used green tea to promote a healthy lifestyle. It helps to promote good digestion, improve concentration, and promote the excretion of urine. In addition, a number of studies in human beings, animals, and in laboratories suggest that green tea can be effective in combating a number of ailments.

Green Tea’s Effect on Cancer of the Pancreas and Colon

In an article entitled, “Green Tea Consumption and the Risk of Pancreatic and Colorectal Cancers,” researchers B.T. Ji, W.H. Chow, A.W. Hsing, J.K. McLaughlin, Q. Dai, Y.T. Gao, W.J. Blot, and J.F. Fraumeni, Jr. examined the question of green tea’s effectiveness as an antidote to certain types of cancers.

The Columbia University researchers conceded that the effect of green tea on cancer risk is uncertain, although a number of animal studies seem to indicate a positive effect.

In order to test the hypothesis that drinking green tea can, in fact, lessen cancer risk, the researchers conducted an extensive study in Shanghai, China in order to see whether green tea consumption had any impact on cancers of the colon, rectum, and pancreas.

The research team found that the greater the consumption of green tea, the lesser the risk of cancer. As a result, it appears that green tea may, in fact, lower the incidence of both colorectal and pancreatic cancers. Yet, it should be noted that other similar studies have produced conflicting results. As a result, scientists recommend additional research before a definitive statement can be made about green tea as a colorectal cancer prevention tool.

As far as pancreatic cancer is concerned, another study showed that those individuals who consumed the most green tea were far less likely to develop the disease. It appears that the reduced risk is most pronounced in women, who cut their pancreatic cancer rate in half by drinking large amounts of green tea.

In contrast, male green tea drinkers were 37 percent less likely to develop the disease. However, it should be noted that it is impossible to tell from this particular study whether green tea was solely responsible for cutting pancreatic cancer risk.

Green Tea and Other Cancers

But what about other cancers? How effective has green tea been in preventing other forms of the disease? To begin with, cancer rates are often lower in Japan and other nations where green tea consumption is high. Animal studies also indicate that the polyphenols in green tea are effective antioxidants which kill cancerous cells, stopping them in their tracks.

A study of bladder cancer patients found that those who consumed green tea had a much better five-year survival rate than cancer patients who did not drink the beverage. In addition, animal studies appear to confirm that the chemicals in green tea stop the growth of breast cancer cells.

One study of nearly 500 women with breast cancer found that those who drank green tea did not see their cancer spread as much as those who did not consume green tea. Yet, those who were in the later stages of breast cancer who drank green tea saw little or no improvement in their condition.

Animal studies also indicate that green tea can prevent the growth of cancer cells in the esophagus. But studies in human beings have yielded mixed results. For instance, one study showed that green tea could help prevent esophageal cancer—especially in women, while another indicated that the tea could actually increase the incidence of such cancer.

Consequently, additional research is needed before scientists can determine conclusively whether green tea can act as a cancer preventative.

The effects of green tea on lung and prostate cancer remain unclear. However, the beverage does seem to prevent the onset of skin cancer. There is also some evidence to suggest that it can inhibit the growth of stomach cancer cells.

It appears that green tea may be effective in the fight against inflammatory bowel disease. This is significant because people who suffer from this disease are at a greater risk for colon cancer. Specifically, green tea appears to reduce the inflammation characteristic of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, two forms of inflammatory bowel disease.

Green Tea and Chemotherapy

There have been lab tests to indicate that green tea can improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs such as doxorubicin and tamoxifen. But the positive effect has not yet been demonstrated in studies of human beings. In fact, green tea and green tea extracts are not recommended for prostate cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy.

The Final Word

Although scientific studies at this point are not altogether conclusive, there is strong evidence to suggest that green tea can be effective in preventing cancer. That may be particularly true for colorectal and pancreatic cancers. At this point, a number of doctors agree that, for most people, the health benefits of drinking green tea far outweigh the risks.

Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current

Tags: breast cancer, cancer patient, cancer prevention, cancer risk, chemotherapy, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer

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Tags: breast cancer, cancer patient, cancer prevention, cancer risk, chemotherapy, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer