Modern Health Observation

Archive for the ‘Cancer’ Category

A team of scientists from Queen Medical Center, Foundation NHS University Hospital of Nottingham, UK, have discovered that a family of drugs used to combat high blood pressure, beta-blockers, can help stop cancer metastasis breast tumor that causes the spread to other parts of the body.

The results of this research, which were presented at the European Conference on Breast Cancer held in Barcelona, in patients treated with these drugs – which work by blocking hormones that allow the spread of cancer cells – is reduced in a “significant” metastasis and thus, improved survival compared with those who did not.

The study, carried out in collaboration with experts from the University of Witten (Germany), had a total of 466 breast cancer patients were divided into three groups: those that were already under treatment for hypertension with beta -blockers, those treated with other hypertension drugs, and those not suffering from hypertension and therefore did not take treatment for it.

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Given the association of colon cancer with lifestyle habits such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity, regular intake of red meat, or smoking, the main recommendations for cancer prevention in the general population are:

* Folate-rich diet (vegetables) and calcium (milk and derivatives), and low in fat and red meat.
* Leaving snuff consumption and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption.
* Perform regular exercise.

In medium-risk patients, ie older than 50 years without symptoms or family history, according to the criterion of your doctor may be appropriate to make, as appropriate:

* Fecal Occult Blood: 1 time per year, and if the result is positive, colonoscopy should be performed.
* Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years.
* FOBT with flexible sigmoidoscopy: FOBT annually and sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, which if performed first match fecal occult blood.
* Colonoscopy every 10 years.
* Barium enema double contrast every 5 years.

The recommendation for regular screening tests in patients with colorectal cancer risk depends on the level of risk:

*Increased risk of colorectal cancer, ie patients with first-degree relative with colon cancer or adenomatous polyps diagnosed before age 60 or suffering from colon cancer in several relatives: it is recommended to conduct the study with colonoscopy every 5 years starting at age 40.

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How is it diagnosed?

The clinical history, with the description of symptoms or family history is always essential in suspected colon cancer. Among the tests to be performed, colonoscopy is the diagnostic method of choice, is the most sensitive and specific, and allows for biopsy and resection of polyps.

Other tests are useful in specific cases, such as barium enema to study intestinal areas inaccessible by colonoscopy, or CT, which allows evaluating the presence of metastases or involvement of adjacent organs and glands. May also be necessary radiography, MRI or ultrasound to facilitate the identification of metastases in certain areas.

The study of fecal occult blood test is a rapid, first line, before the suspected diagnosis of possible colon cancer, and the study of tumor markers in the blood, which have a prognostic value or to suspect the persistence of tumor after surgery.

How is it treated?

Surgical treatment with removal of the tumor, is the only curative treatment. The extent of the area to remove depends on the degree of progress or extent of the tumor, since the removal of a polyp if the cancer does not invade the intestinal mucosa yet to surgical resection of the colon. In very advanced tumors and may be necessary to complement surgical treatment with chemotherapy.

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What is colon cancer?

The colon is part of the digestive tract between the small intestine and rectum which occurs in fluid absorption from the intestinal contents and feces are formed. Colon cancer is currently an important public health problem in developed countries. It is the fourth most common cancer in the world. In Spain, there are approximately 19,000 new cases each year.

What are its causes?

It is a cancer whose incidence and mortality is higher in industrialized countries. Approximately 80% of cases are sporadic, but 20% have a genetic influence, with increased familial risk in the need for greater monitoring and control.

Age is a key risk factor, with a sharp increase in incidence after age 50. The presence of a first degree relative who has had double the risk, and quadrupled if the diagnosis of cancer occurred before 60 years of age. The increased incidence is closely related to lifestyle in industrialized countries.

There are different risk factors in relation to colon cancer: the consumption of fats and red meats, especially canned meats or deli meats, obesity, smoking and high alcohol consumption and diabetes associated with obesity . Patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is most at risk with respect to the general population, especially in Crohn’s disease (risk 20 times higher).
What are the symptoms?

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The recommended number of fruit and food to prevent cancer:

1. Fruits
Ration are recommended five servings per day varied.
Why eat? They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, in addition to fiber that helps eliminate toxins. They also have protective properties against cancer and cardiovascular disease.
The apples are quercetin, chemicals that fight free radicals responsible for promoting aging and some diseases. The handle, being rich in carotene, helps fight cancer. Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and cherries contain vitamin E, a high concentration of phytochemicals, substances that strengthen blood vessels, protect your eyes and reduce the risk of heart problems.
Papaya is rich in vitamin C and beta carotene, helps digestion and enzymes protect the tissues, so it helps heal wounds. Read the rest of this entry »

Tomato is a vegetable crop and can also say as a medicinal plant because it has two functions in the utilization.

Tomato plants for the farmers is a plant that helps increase their income, farmers are happy to plant tomatoes because of the way of planting and maintenance is not too difficult.

Tomato fruit shape varied and all have the same function because it implies is not much different. Tomato fruit also has a taste different, there are acid and have a slightly salty.

Tomatoes the most benefit is lycopene. one type of experience is a vital antioxidant lycopene. Lycopene is often called the carotenoids and the natural components that cause the color to fruits and vegetables. such as beta-carotene is an orange pigment in carrots.

Cancer cells and free radicals that enter the body can be destroyed Lycopene, one more thing that needs to remember that lycopene is not produced naturally in the body. Read the rest of this entry »

Rare cancer of the ovary is one of the most serious gynecological cancer. Nearly 3 in 4 women treated have their cancer recur … Faced with this terrible cancer, a new hope appeared: a vaccine to prevent recurrence and thus to better combat this evil woman.

Although rare, ovarian cancer tends to recur and to be in this case very difficult to handle.Faced with this evil woman, therapeutic vaccination is a groundbreaking approach brings high hopes.

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