Development and Spread of Cancer

Cancer cells are formed from a healthy cell with a complex process called transformation.

The first step in the process is the initiation, in which a change in the cell's genetic material (DNA and sometimes on the structure of chromosomes) trigger the cell become cancerous. Changes in the cell's genetic material can occur spontaneously or be brought by means of which cause cancer (carcinogens). Carcinogens including some chemicals, tobacco, viruses, radiation, and sunlight. Nevertheless, not all the cell can make it more vulnerable. Even chronic wounds irritation can make the cells more susceptible to carcinogens.

The second and final stage in the development of cancer is called promotion. Compounds that cause campaign called the promoter. Promoters may be substances in the environment or even some medications (such as sleeping pills). Unlike carcinogens, promoters do not cause cancer by itself. Only, the promoter to let the cells that have undergone initiation into cancer. Promotion does not have any effect on cell non-initiation. By doing so, some factor, often a combination of susceptible cells and carcinogen, is required to cause cancer.

Some carcinogens are strong enough to cause cancer without the need to campaign. For example, ionizing radiation (which is used in X-rays and produced from nuclear energy and atomic bomb explosions) can cause various cancers, particularly sarcomas, leukemia, thyroid cancer, and breast cancer.

Cancer can develop directly into the surrounding tissue or spread to tissue or organs, which is near or far. Cancer can spread through the lymphatic system. This distribution type is characteristic of carcinoma. For example, breast cancer usually spreads first time around the lymph nodes, then spreads more widely through the body. Cancer can also spread through the bloodstream. This distribution type is characteristic of sarcoma.

Read more »

Cancer Surgery

Surgery is a form of traditional medicine in cancer. It is most effective to eliminate various types of cancer before it spreads to lymph nodes or other distant places (metastasized). Surgery may be used alone or combined with other treatments, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. If the cancer has not spread, surgery can cure people. Even so, this may not always be sure before surgery or whether the cancer has not spread. If so, the person is likely at high risk for recurrent cancer and may require chemotherapy or radiation after surgery to prevent recurrence.

Surgery is not the primary treatment when cancer has spread. However, surgery is sometimes used to reduce the size of tumor (a procedure called debulking), so radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be more effective, or to relieve symptoms such as severe pain or intestinal obstruction. Appointment spread by way of surgery rarely produces cure for discovering all these tumors is difficult. Tumors are usually left behind continue to grow. However, in certain that have spread in very small amounts, particularly in the liver, brain, or lungs, surgical removal of the deployment could be useful.

Surgery is not the recommended treatment for early stage cancer. Some cancers occur in areas that unreachable. In addition, the removal of the cancer may require removal of vital organs, or surgery can damage the function of organs. In some cases, radiation treatment with or without chemotherapy probably better.

Read more »

Food And Cancer

Many studies have attempted whether certain foods increase or decrease a person's risk for cancer. Unfortunately, different studies sometime have conflicting result, so it is difficult to determine the effect of food food supplements on cancer risk. Some foods and supplements have been studies more than others, and American cancer charity have been trying to conclude.

Antioxidants : Vitamin C, Vitamin E and beta carotene (Vitamin A), is part of a balanced diet. However, using supplements containing these antioxidants reduce cancer risk is unknown. There is some evidence that taking supplements of beta carotene in high doses may increase the risk of certain types of cancer.

Bioengineered foods : ingredients from different plants or from certain microorganisms added to the ingredients in some foods to increase power plant or pest-resistant or to improve it in some other way. There are no few facts showing that bioengineered foods have an influence or cancer risk.

Coffee : Although some past studies have suggested an association between coffee consumption with cancer risk, recent research shows no connection.

Calcium : High calcium intake, mainly through calcium supplements, may increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Saturated fats : Saturated fats can increase the risk of cancer. More important, however, foods containing high levels of saturated fats also contain lots calories and can lead to obesity, which is a risk factor for cancer.

Fiber : There is little evidence that eating a high fiber diet reduces the risk of cancer.

Fish and Omega-3 fatty acids : some studies in animals have shown that omega-3 fatty acid can slow cancer growth, but similar results are not found in people.

Fluoride : research has not shown increased cancer risk in people who drink water fluoride or people who use toothpaste or fluoride treatment of teeth.

Folate : Folic that are used every day may reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Foods additives : Foods additives must be approved by the regulatory body of food and medicine before inserting it into food, then the new additive through a broader test. Furthermore, there is no evidence that the level of additive found in food products increases the risk of cancer.

Garlic : Garlic does reduce the risk of cancer is unknown.

Radiated foods : radiation, which is sometimes used to kill microorganisms in food, did not show increased cancer risk.

Lycopene : some studies claim that lycopene, found primarily in tomatoes, may reduce the risk of some cancers.

Processed Meat : People who eat meat are processed in large numbers at risk the possibility of stomach cancer, some reviewers found the nitrate, found in luncheon meat, ham, and hot dogs. This relationship was not proven. Eating meat is processes with salt or smoke may increase exposure to substances that cause cancer.

Meat cooked at high temperature : Eating meat cooked at high temperature, such as burnt, can increase the risk of cancer.

Organic Food : What to eat foods that are grown with organic methods reduce the risk of cancer is unknown.

Pesticides : There is no evidence that the pesticide residue found in smallamounts in foods increase the risk of cancer.

Saccharin : Saccharin does not cause cancer in humans.

Salt : A diet containing large amounts of food served with preservative or salt can increase the risk of stomach and esophageal cancer. There is no research that found similar risk for small amounts or the amounts sufficient in salt to taste.

Selenium : some studies claim that selenium protects against some types of cancer.

Soy Beans : Research has shown that soy supplements reduce cancer risk.

Tea : Tea is proven to reduce cancer risk.

Vitamin D  : Vitamin D may have some benefit in reducing the risk of prostate cancer.

Read more »

Radiation Therapy and Side Effects

Radiation is powerful form of energy generated by radioactive materials, such as cobalt, or by special equipment, such as a atomic particle accelerator (linear).

Radiation primarily kill cells that divide rapidly and cells difficult to repair their DNA (nuclear material). Cancer cells divide more frequently than normal cells and often unable to repair the damage caused by radiation. Therefore, cancer cells are more likely to be killed by radiation than normal cells. Even so, cancer cells vary in how easy it is to be killed by radiation, some cells are very resistant and can not be effectively treated with radiation.

Types Radiation Therapy

In its common, external beam radiation therapy using gamma radiation generated by a linear accelerator. Rarely, radation of light electrons and protons are used. Proton radiation light, which can be focused on specific areas, very effectively treat certain cancers in degraded areas in normal tissue are important, such as eyes, brain, or spinal cord. All types of external beam radiation is focused on specific areas or organs that contain cancer. To avoid normal tissues got too much light, a few streaks of light used and the surrounding tissue is protected as much as possible. New technologies in the radiation of light outside, called modules intensity radiation therapy (IMRT).

External beam radiation therapy is given as a series of balanced dose distribution over the long term. This method increases the lethal effects of radiation on cancer cells while reducing the toxic effects because normal cells. Reduced the toxic effects because normal cells can repair themselves quickly between the doses in which cancer cells can not. In particular, one who received radiation doses every day a period of 6 to 8 weeks. To ensure that, in the same area is treated each time, the person is properly positioned using foam pads or other tools.

In another way the radiation therapy, radioactive material is injected into the vessels likely to flow to the cancer (radiactive iodine, used in the treatment of thyroid cancer). Another way to use small pellets (seeds) of radioactive material placed directly into the cancer (radioactive palladiom is used for prostate cancer). Planting radiation in severe radiation on cancer, but  little radiation to surrounding tissue. Planting cotain short-live radioactive materials that produce radiation stops after a certain period.

recently Radioactive material has been mixed with a protein called a monoclonal antibody, which is looking for cancer cells and join them. The radioactive meterial into the core antibody in cancer cells and destroy them.

Radiation therapy plays an important role in curing many cancers, including Hodgkin's lymphoma. Hodgkin's lymphoma non early stage, squamous cell cancer of the head and neck, seminoma (testiculer cancer), prostate cancer, early stage breast cancer, some forms of lung cancer cells non-small air pipe (larynx) and prostate, cure rates are important as is the case with radiation therapy with surgery. Sometimes, radiation therapy combined with other treatment forms. Certain types of chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin increases the effectiveness of radiation therapy, and these drugs may be given with radiation treatment.

Radiation therapy can reduce symptoms when not possibly recover, similar to bone metastases in multiple myeloma and tumors that are painful in people with advanced lung, esophagus, head and neck, and stomach cancer. Wiyh the sink temporarily tumor, radiation therapy can relieve symptoms by the spread of cancer to bone or brain.

Side Effects

Unfortunately, radiation can be damage normal tissue surrounding the tumor. Side effects depend on how large the area to be treated, what dose to be given, and how close the tumor is sensitive to the network. Sensitive tissue that is abnormal cells that divide rapidly, such as skin, bone marrow, hair follicles, the lining of the mouth, esophagus and colon. Radiation can also damage the ovaries and testes.

The symptoms depend on the area that received radiation and can include fatigue, sore mouth, skin problems (redness, itching, peeling), once the pain when swallowing, inflammation of the lungs (pneumonitis), hepatitis, stomach problem (nausea, loos of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea), urinary problem (increased frequency, burning sensation when urinating), and low blood counts. Radiation in head and neck tumors often cause damage to skin surface is similar to the lining af the mouth and esophagus. Doctors try to identify and treat some of the symptoms as quickly as possible so people will still feel comfortable and can continue the treatment.

Read more »

Types of Cancer

Tissue cancer (malignancies) can occur in the blood forming tissue (leukemia and Lymphoma) and the tumor 'solid', often categorized as cancer. Cancer can be either carcinomas or sarcomas.

Leukemia and lymphoma are cancers of blood and blood forming tissues. Rather than forming a lump, they can remain as a separate cancer cells. Therefore, they often harm the body with loss of normal blood cells from bone marrow and peripheral blood flow, so the normal function of cells are gradually replaced by cancer cells.

Carcinomas are cancers of epithelial cells, cells that protect the surface of the body, producing hormones, and make the gland. Example of carcinomas are skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, stomach cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and cancer of the thyroid gland.  His trademark, carcinomas are more common in older people than younger people.

Sarcomas are cancers mesodermal cells, cells that make up the muscles and connective tissue. Examples of sarcoma is leiomysarcoma (cancer of smooth muscle found in the wall of the digestive organs) and osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Typically, sarcoma occurs more frequently in people younger than in older people.

Read more »

Combination Treatment of Cancer Therapy

For some cancers, the best treatment is a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery or radiation to treat cancer , whose land is limited, while chemotherapy kills cancers cells that are beyond the reach of  surgery or radiation.

Sometimes radiation or chemotherapy before surgery, to reduce tumor size, or after surgery to destroy remaining cancer cells.

Chemotherapy combined with surgery, would improve the change of life expectancy in patients with colon cancer, breast or bladder that has spread to regional lymph nodes. Surgery and chemotherapy can sometimes cure ovarian cancer that has spread.

Rectal cancer have been successfully treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In the colon cancer that has spread, chemotherapy given after surgery can prolong disease-free survival.

Approximately 20-40% of head and neck cancer has been cured by chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy or surgery. For those who do not experience healing, this therapy can reduce symptoms (palliative therapy).

Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy play an important role in the treatment of Wilms tumor and rabdomiosarcoma. In rabdomiosarkoma (kidney cancer in childhood), the goal of surgery is to remove the primary cancer, even if tumor cells have spread to other body part away from the kidney. Chemotherapy started at the time of surgery and radiation therapy is given then to treat the local area of residual cancer.

Some tumor (tumos of the stomach, pancreas or kidney) only provide a response to radiation therapy, Chemotherapy or a combination of both. Therapy may reduce pain due to stress or symptoms that arise when tumors infiltrate into surrounding tissue.

Some tumors are resistant (for example lung cancer non-small cell esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer) can be treated to improve survival time.

Read more »

Cancer Therapy with Chemotherapy

Not yet discovered the idea cure for cancer, which destroys cancer cells without injuring normal cells. Nevertheless, many patients can be treated with anticancer drugs ( chemotherapy) and some experience of healing. All this time the side effects of chemotherapy can be minimized.

Anticancer drugs are grouped into several categories :

• Alkylating agents
• Antimetabolite
• Plant alkaloids
• Antitumor antibiotic
• Enzyme
• Hormone
• Biological response modifiers

2 or more drugs are often used as a combination. Reason for the combination therapy is to use drugs that work on different parts of the process of cell metabolism, thereby increasing the possibility of increasing the number of cancer cells are destroyed. In addition, the harmful side effects from chemotherapy can be reduce if the drug with a different toxic effect are combined, each in lower doses than the doses needed if the drug is used individually.

The drugs with different properties sometime combined. For example, drugs that kill tumor cells in combination with drugs that stimulate the immune system against cancer.

Mustard gas used as a weapon in Word War I, are example of alkylating agents. These drugs affect the DNA molecule, namely changing the structure or functions so it can not reproduce.

The side effects include :

• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Hair loss.
• Irritation of the bladder (cystitis) accompanied by the presence of blood in the urine.
• The number of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets decreased.
• Decreased sperm count (in men, infertility may occur that persist).
• Increased risk of leukemia.

Antiametabolite is a set of drugs that affect the synthesis (manufacture) of DNA or RNA and prevent the proliferation of cells.

These drugs cause the same effect with alkylating agents, coupled with the occurrence of skin rash, skin color become darker (increased pigmentation) or kidney failure. Plant alkaloids are drugs that can stop cell division and prevents the formation of new cells. Side effects similar to alkylating agent.

To limfoblastik acute leukemia patients can be given asparagine, an enzyme released from the blood amino acid asparagine, which is required by the leukemia to establish growth.

Side effect include :

•  Allergic reaction can be fatal.
• Loss of appetite.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Fever.
• High blood sugar levels.

Hormone therapy will increase or reduce levels hormones to limit the growth of cancers that depend on these hormones or inhibited by the hormone. For example, breast cancers require estrogen for growth. Tamoxifen is an anti-estrogen drug that block the effects of estrogen and can reduce the size of the cancer. Prostate cancer can be inhibited by estrogen or drug antitestosteron.

The side effect vary, depending on the hormone given. Giving estrogen to men will lead breast enlargement. Provision of anti-estrogen in women can cause facial flushing and irreguler menstrual cycles.

Another Immunotherapy  using immune cells that have been stimulated (lymphokine active killer cells), which specifically attack the tumor, such as melanoma and renal cell cancer. Treatment that used antibodies to tumor cells, which have labe;ed with radioactive material or a toxin, has proven effective in treaing some lymphomas.

Read more »

Cancer Treatment with Radiation Therapy

Radiation to destroy cells that divide rapidly. But radiation can also damage normal tissue, especially tissue where cells normally reproduce rapidly, skin, hair roots, the intestinal lining, ovaries, testicles and bone marrow. By accurately determining the target irradiation will protect normal cells as much as possible.

Cells that have an adequate supply of oxygen is more easily damaged by radiation. The cells are near the center of a large tumor often has a poor blood supply and oxygen levels are low. If the tumor shrank, the remaining cells will get improved blood supply, so it more sensitive to subsequent radiation dose.

The division into a series of doses of radiation therapy in a longer time, will increase the lethal effect against tumor cells and reduce the toxic effects on normal cells.The cells have the ability to repair itself after exposure to the radiation, a treatment plan aimed at maximum improvement from the cells and normal tissue.

Radiation therapy is usually done with a device called a liner accelerator. Beam is directed very closed to the tumor. How can light on normal tissue depending on the extent of area in the beam and the location of normal tissue. For example, radiation to the head and neck tumors often cause inflammation of mucous membranes in the nose and mouth, causing pain and sores (ulceration). Irradiation on the stomach or abdomen often causes inflammation of the stomach (gastritis) and lower intestine (enteritis), resulting in diarrhea.

Radiation therapy plays an important role in curing many cancers, including :

• Hodgkin's disease
• Lilmfoma early-stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Squamous cell cancer of the head and neck
• Seminoma (testicular cancer)
• Prostate cancer
• Early-stage breast cancer
• Lung cancer non-small cell early stage
• Meduloblastoma (cancer of the brain or spine)

If not possibly be cured, radiation therapy can reduce symptoms in multiple myeloma and lung cancer, throat, neck, head and stomach that has spread. Radiation therapy can also reduce symptoms caused by the spread of cancer to bone or brain.

Read more »

New Cancer Treatment

Newer approaches in treating cancer is dose intense chemotherapy, the use of drugs in very high doses.

This therapy is used to tumor relapse even give a good response to initial chemotherapy. These tumors have shown sensitivity to the drug, strategy does is increase the dose obviously to kill more cancer cells, thereby extending the life expectancy of  sufferers.

But the intense doses of chemotherapy can cause fatal injury to the bone marrow. Therefore, this therapy is usually combined with salvage therapy, in which the bone marrow removed prior to chemotherapy. After treatment, bone marrow is returned to the patient. Although still in the research, this treatment was performed on breast cancer, lymphoma, Hodgkin's diseases and myeloma.

Bone marrow transplant from a donor with a matching network can be done after intense dose chemotherapy in patient with acute leukemia. Complications can occurs in the form of the disease graft-versus-host, where the grafted tissue was destroyed by the recipient network.

New radiation techniques, such as proton o neutron irradiation, is effective for certain tumors. Staining that has been activated by radiation and photodynamic therapy gives promising result.

Immunotherapy used the following techniques to stimulate the immune system against cancer :

• Biological response modifiers
• Killer cell therapy
• Therapeutic antibodies 

Techniques have been used to treat anumber of different cancers (eg. melanoma, kidney cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma and leukemia)

Finally, one of the most important treatment approach is to find a drug that can prevent cancer. Retinoids (Vit. A derivatives) have been proven effective in reducing the recurrence rate in some cancers, especially cancers of the mouth, vocal cord and lungs.

Read more »

Side effects of Cancer Treatment

Almost every patient who received radiation therapy or chemotherapy have certain side effects, most often in the form of nausea or vomiting and decreased white blood cell count.

Patients who receive chemotherapy often experience hair loss. Reducing the side effects is an important aspect of treatment.

Nausea and vomiting 

Nausea and vomiting can usually be prevented or reduced with medication (anti-emetic).

Nausea can be reduced by reducing the frequency of snack and avoid high-fiber foods that produce gas or very hot or very cold.

Decrease in white blood cell count

Sitopenia is a state where there is a deficiency of one or several types of blood cells. This can occur during cancer treatment.

For example patients may experience :

• Anemia (red blood cell count is low)
• Neutropenia or leukopenia (white blood cell count is low)
• Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)

usually sitopenia not need to be treated. But if its severe anemia can be given a transfusion packed red cells. Similarly, when his weight thrombocytopenia, platelet transfusion may be given to reduce the risk of bleeding.

In patients who experienced neutropenia (neutropihil count of white blodd cell-type-low) are at high risk for infection. Therefore, fever in excess of 38degC handled as an emergency. Examined the possibility of infection and may require antibiotics or even hospitalization.

Rare white blood cell transfusions because only last a few hours and cause various side effects. Can be given certain materials (such as granulocyte stimulating factor) to stimulate white blood cell formation.

Read more »

Cancer Treatment

Response to Treatment

At time of treatment, patients assessed the situation to see the response to treatment of cancer.

The most successful treatment led to healing. Healing is defined as complete remission, in which all the evidence no longer fond cancer. The experts sometimes define recovery as the life expectancy of 5-10 years free of disease, where cancer does not disappear as a whole and no recurrence within a specified period, 5-10 years.

At the response incomplete, the size of 1 or more tumors reduce by more than half. These responses can reduce symptoms and prolong life expectancy, although eventually tha cancer will grow back.

Treatment failure does not cause a response.

Sometimes the cancer is disappearing as a whole, but then back again. the interval between these two states are called disease-free survival time. lapse of time of complete response until the patient dies is called the total life expectancy.

In patient who have incomplete response, duration of response was measured from the time of incomplete response occurs until the cancer grows or spreads again.

Some cancer respond well to chemotherapy. Other cancers showed improvement but did not achieve healing. Some cancer (melanoma, sec kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, brain cancer) gave a poor response and resistance to chemotherapy. Other cancers (breast cancer, small cell lung, leukemia) can show remarkable initial response to chemotherapy, but after repeated treatments can be immune ti the drugs given.

Genes resistance to a combination of drugs was found in normal cells and cancer cells, so exposureto one drug can lead to tumor resistance to cancer drugs that are not related. It seems that the gene is meant to protect cells against damage by harmful substances. As a result, to maintain the cell itself will remove the drug, so treatment is not effective. Researchers are trying to determine how to suppress the activity of the gene.

Limfoblastic acute leukemia and acute leukemia mielogenous is a type of cancer can be cured.

Hodgkin's disease and some non-Hodgki's lymphoma (large cell lymphoma that has spread, Burkitt's lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoblastic) in approximately 80% of people with chikdren and adults can be cured. 

Chemotherapy to cure more than 90% of men with testicular cancer that had spread and about 98% of women with choriocarnoma (cancer of the uterus).

Read more »

Emergency CANCER

Which belong to the emergency cancer are : 

1. Cardiac tamponade
2. Pleural effusion
3. Superior vena cava syndrome
4. Emphasis spine syndrome
5. Hipercalemic syndrome

Cardiac Tamponade

Is a collection of fluid in the pericardium (sack pericardium, pericardial pouch), which led to en emphasis on the hearth and hearth pumping ability.

The collection of fluid occurs when the cancer infiltrated the pericardium and cause irritation. Cancer is most likely to infiltrate into the pericardium is lung cancer, breast and lymphoma.

Sudden cardiac tamponade occurs when fluid collect so much so that the heart can not beat normally. Before the onset of tamponade, patients usually feel vague pain or pressure in the chest, which will get worse when lying down and will get better when sitting upright.

Patients experiencing severe respiratory problems and during inhalation, the veins in the neck to swell.

Diagnosis based on :

• Chest X-ray
• ECG
• Echocardiogram

To reduce the pressure, the needle is inserted into the bag pericardium and fluid removed with the help of a syringe. This procedure is called pericardiosintesis. Example of fluid examined under a microscope to see if the fluid contains cancer cells. Subsequently made an incision in the pericardium to prevent recurrence of tamponade.

Other treatment depends on the type of cancer that occurs.

Pleura Effusion

Is a collection of fluid in the sacsurrounding the lungs (pleural bag), which can cause shortness of breath.

The colecction of pleural fluid in the bag can be caused by many things, one of which is cancer.

The remove the fluid, the needle is inserted between the ribs into procedure the liquid quickly began to accumulate again, will put the hose through the chest wall into the pleural pouch. which will remain installed her until the situation improves patient.

Special chemical can be inserted into the pleural pouch to irritate the walls and cause the second layer of bag attached to each other. This will eliminate the cavity where the collected and reduce the likelihood of recurrence of pleural effusion.

Syndrome Superior Vena Cava

Superior vena cava syndrome occurs when the cancer blocking part or all of the veins (superior vena cava), which drain blood from your upper body into the heart.

Blockage  of the superior vana cava causes the veins in the upper  chest and neck to swell, causing swelling in the face, neck and upper chest.

Emphasis Spine Syndrome

Emphasis on the spine syndrome occurs when the cancer hit the spine or spinal nerves, causing pain and loss of function.

The longer the patients experiences neurological disorder, the less likely  the return of normal nerve function. Usually the treatment will give best results if done within 12-24 hour after onset of symptoms.

Given corticosteroids (eg. prednisone) intravenously to reduce swelling and radiation therapy.

If the cause is unknown the surgery will help correct diagnosis and treat this situation as it allows the surgeon to reduce the pressure on the spinal cord.

Hipercalemic Syndrome

Hipercalemic Syndrome occurs when the cancer produces a hormone which increases blood calcium levels or hormones that directly affect the bone.

Patients are confused, which can progress to coma and death.

Various kind of drugs can reduce the levels of calcium.

Read more »

Complications of Cancer

Paraneoplastic Syndrome

Paraneoplastic syndrome is a collection of symptoms that are not caused by the tumor itself, but by substances produced by cancer.

Some substances that can be produced by the tumor is hormone, sitokinese and various other proteins. These substances affect the organ or tissue through its chemical effect.

Exactly how cancer on the far side is not fully understood. Some cancers release substances into the bloodstream  that damage the remote network through an autoimmune reaction. Other cancers release substances that directly affect the functioning of different organs or tissue damage.

It could happen that low blood sugar, diarrhea and high blood pressure. Often on the nervous system.

Some symptoms can be treated directly, but to treat the syndrome paraneoplastik usually should be controlled to cause cancer.

Read more »

Stadium Determining Cancer

If the cancer is found, examination staging of cancer helps the doctor in planning appropriate treatment and determine prognosis.

• Scan (for example, liver or bone scan)
• Coloration
• CT (Computed Tomography) or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Image)
• Mediastinoskopi
• Bone marrow biopsy

Sometimes surgery is necessary to determine the stage of cancer. For example, a laparotomy (abdominal surgery) allows the surgeon to remove or treat colon cancer while determining the spread of cancer to nearby lymph nodes. Analysis of lymph nodes are remove from the axilla at the time of the mastectomy, help determine how far breast cancer has spread and whether the necessary post-surgical therapy. Splenectomy done to remove the spleen and determine the stage of Hodgkin's disease. 

 Scanning ultrasound is non-invasive procedure and does not cause pain, which uses sound waves to show the structure of internal organs. This examination is helpful in determine the size of certain cancer, especially kidney cancer, liver, pelvis and prostate.

CT scans are used to find cancer in the brain, lungs and abdominal organs, including adrenal gland, lynph nodes, liver and spleen.

Limfangiogram is a test in which dye is injected into the leg and then do X-ray photography. This examination helps find abnormalities in the abdominal lymph nodes and determine the stage of Hodgkin's disease and testicular cancer.

Read more »

Cancer Diagnosis

Since this type of cancer and its treatment varies, the diagnosis of cancer and determine its type is very important. This almost always requires a sampling of cancer tissue for examination under a microscope. A number of special test on sample of cancer tissue may be necessary to describe more about the cancer was found.

Where this type of cancer is know, will help doctors in determining the examination will be done, because every cancer tends to follow a certain pattern of growth and spread.

In 7% of patient , examinations carried out to find the matastasis (spread) before  the origin of cancer were observed. Sometime the original cancer could not be found.

Doctors can be usually determine the type of primary tumor by performing of a metastatic  cancer and examined under a microscope. But the identification of cancer is not always easy and certain.

Read more »

Cancer Filtering

Cancer screening tests intended to determine the likelihood of cancer. This test can reduce the number of deaths from cancer, because if cancer is found in its earliest stages, usually can be treated before it spreads any further.

Screening test is uncertain, the result confirmed or denied by the examination and further tests.

Although screening test can save someone's life but it is expensive and sometimes cause psychic or psychical reactions. Usually, screening test give a large number of false positive result, which allegedly occurred when in fact no cancer. Screening test could also give false negative result, where no evidence of a cancer when the cancer has occurred.

False positive results could cause undue psychological stress and can lead to doing other tests are expensive and dangerous. False negative result can make a person in a false sense of security. Therefore, medical practitioners should carefully consider whether screening tests are not necessary or not.

2 test screening of the most widely used in women is Papanicolau test (Pap smear) to find cervical cancer and mammography to find breast cancer. Both tests have been successful in reducing death rates from these cancers.

Screening tests are often performed in men is a measurement of PSA levels (prostate-specific agent) in the blood. In patient with prostate cancer, PSA levels are high, but levels are also increased in men with benign prostate enlargement. The drawback of this test is the high cost and frequent false positive result were found.

Other screening test are often used to check the hidden blood (occult blood) in the feces. Occult blood can not be seen with the naked eye, should be the examination of stool samples. 

The discovery of occult blood in the stool are clues that something was not right in the colon. Maybe a cancer, although other diseases can also lead to the discovery of a small amount of blood in the stool.

Some screening tests can be done at home. For example, do breast self examination every month is very valuable in helping women find breast cancer. Regularly check the scrotum can help men discover testicular cancer, one form of cancer is most curable if found at an early stage. Regularly check the presence of open sores in the mouth can help to find oral cancer in early stages.

Read more »

Cancers and Immune System

Tumor antigen

Antigen is a foreign material is know and is a target that will be destroyed by the immune system. Antigen found on the surface of all cells, but in normal circumstanes, a person's immune system does not react to the itself.

If a cell becomes malignant, the new antigen ( which is not recognized by the immune system ) appears in the cell surface. The immune system may recognize new antigens, called tumor antigens, as foreign and can transport or destroy cancer cells. Butwell-functioning immune system was not always able to destroy all cancer cells.

Tumor antigens have been found in several types of cancer, malignant melanoma, bone cancer ( osteosarcoma ) and some gastrointestinal cancers. Cancer patients have antibodies against tumor antigens. Antigens immune responses are usually not sufficient to control cancer. It seems that the antibodies are not able to destroy cancer and sometimes even stimulate growth.

Antigens is released into the blood vessel by some cancers can be found in blood tests. Antigens is sometimes called tumor markers.

More widely used tumor marker in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. For example, blood test can help explain whether or not an effective cancer treatment. If tumor markers are no longer found in blood samples, the possibility of treatment has been successful. If the tumor markers disappear and then reappear , the possibility of recurrence of cancer has returned.

Antigens Carcinoembryonik ( CEA ), is a tumor antigens that is found in the blood of patients with colon cancer, breast, pancreas, bladder, ovary or cervix. High levels of antigen can also be found in heavy cigarette smokers and patient eith liver cirrhosis or ulcerative colitis. High CEA levels do not always indicate cancer. Measurement of CEA levels in someone who has been undergoing treatment for cancer, would help to know the recurrence of cancer.

Alpha-fetoprotein ( AFP ) is normally produced by liver cells, are found in the blood of patients with liver cancer (hepatoma). AFP is often found in people with certain ovarian cancer or cancer of the testicles and in children and young adults who suffer from pituitary gland tumor.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone produced during pregnancy, which is the basis for prenatal care. This hormone ia also found in women who have cancer that originates from testiculer cancer. HCG is a highly sensitive tumor markers. Its use in monitoring the effects of treatment has helped improve the cure rates of cancer until more than 95%.

Levels of prostate specific antigens (PSA) higher in men with benign prostate enlargement and very high in men with prostate cancer. What causes high level of this antigens, remains, unclear, but men with elevated PSA levels should undergo further examination for prostate cancer. Monitoring of PSA levels after a cancer treatment can be explained whether the cancer has returned or not.

CA-125 levels in the blood increased in women with ovarian disease, including cancer. Because ovarian cancer is often difficult to diagnose, some cancer experts recommend to perform screening test on the CA-125 in women over 40 years. But screening test are less reliable because it is less sensitive and less specific.

In breast cancer, increased levels of CA 15-3:on pancreatic cancer increased levels of CA 19-5;in multiple myeloma, microglobulin levels increased and at the scrotal cancer, increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase. But none of that can be used for cancer screening. This check is used to monitor response to treatment in cancerpatients.

Immunotherapy

To improve the immune system's ability to find and destroy cancer, researchers have create a biological response modifier.

Materials used for the following functions :

1. Stimulate anti-tumor response of the body by increasing the number of killer cells to tumors or produce 1 or more chemical messenger.
2. Directly function as a tumor killer agent or chemical messenger.
3. Reducing the body's normal mechanism in suppressing the immune response
4. Change the tumor cells to increase their chances of triggering an immune response or to make tumor cells more likely destroyed by the immune system.
5. Fix the body tolerance to radiation therapy or the chemical used in chemotherapy.

Biologic response modifier of the best know and most widely used is interferon. Under normal circumstances, almost all human cells to produce interferon, but interferon can also be made with recombinant moleculer biology technicques.

Although the mechanism of action is not entirely clear, interferon play a role in the treatment of some cancers. Outstanding response (including healing) had occurred at about 30%  of patients with Kaposi's sarcoma, 20% of young people with chronic leukemia mielogenous and 15% of patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Interferon extend the expected disease-free period in patients who experience healing from multiple myoloma and some forms of lymphoma.

In cell therapy killer , lymphocytes from cancer patients are remove from blood samples. In the laboratory , carried out the exposure of lymphocytes with interleukin-2, to create cell-lymphokine activated killer cells, which will be injected into the patient through his veins. These cells are better trained than the natural cels of the body in finding and destroying cancer cells.

Approximately 25-30% patients with malignant melanoma or kidney cancer respond well to lymphokine activated killer cell therapy, but treatment is still under research.

Materials such as tuberculosis bacteria are attenuated, that are know to increase the immune response, were tested on several cancers. Tuberculosis bacteria inject directly into a melanoma is almost always cause the shrinking of cancer. Sometimes the effect is spread to tumors that have the body (metastasis).

Bacterium tuberculosis has also been successfully used to control bladder cancer has not spread to the bladder wall.

Other experimental approaches  linking the tumor specific antibodies with anticancer drugs. Antibodies are made in the laboratory and injected to the patient, will bring the drug into cancer cells.

Another option is an antibody made in a laboratory that can be attached to both cancer cells and killer lymphocytes as well as to unify the two cells so that killer lymphocytes to destroy cancer cells.

New research give hope for new treatment. Some of them use part of the oncogene, which is important in the regulation and cell growth.

Read more »

Cancer Risk Factors

A set genetic and environmental factors increase the risk of cancer.

One important is family history. Some families have a higher risk for certain cancers when compared with other families. For example, the risk for women suffering from breast cancer increased from 1.5 to 3 times if his mother or sister had breast cancer.

Some breast cancer associated with a specific genetic mutation, which was more frequent in some ethnic groups and families. Women with mutations in this gene have a chance of 80-90% for breast cancer and 40-50% for ovarian cancer. Researcher have found that 1% of Ashkenazi Jewish women have this gene mutation.

Other cancers that tend to be inherited in the family is skin cancer and colon cancer.

Chromosomal abnormalities increases the risk of cancer. For example, a person with Down Syndrome, which has a 3 pieces of chromosome 21, has a 12-30 times higher risk of developing acute leukemia.

A number of environmental factors increase the risk of cancer. One of the most important is cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking increase the risk of lung cancer, mouth, larynx (vocal cord ) and the bladder.

Excessive exposure of ultraviolet light, particularly from sunlight, causing skin cancer.

Ionizing radiation ( which is carcinogenic ) is used in X-rays, generated from nuclear power plants and atomic bomb and can reach a great distance. For example, people who survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II, has a high risk of occurrence of leukemia.

By uranium exposure in mine workers has been associated with the occurrence of lung cancer 10-20 years later, the higher the risk if the miners also smoked.

Long-term exposure to ionizing radiation affects a person to suffer blood cell cancers, including acute leukemia.

Food is another important risk factor for cancer, particularly cancers of the digestive tract. High-fiber diet reduces the likelihood of colon cancer. Diets that contain lots of smoked and pickled foods ( in the form of pickles ) increase the risk of gastric cancer. Reduce fat to less than 30% of total calories, would reduce the risk of colon cancer, breast, and prostate. Alcohol drinkers have a higher risk of esophageal cancer.

Many chemicals are know to cause cancer and many other chemical are suspected of causing cancer. Exposure to certain chemicals may increase the risk of cancer after a few years later. For example, exposure to asbestos can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma ( Pleural cancer ). These risks will be greater  if asbestos workers is also a cigarette smoker.

The risk of cancer also varies according to one's residence. The risk of colon and breast cancer in Japanese is low, but this risk is increased in Japan people living in America and in the end will have a risk as great as other America citizens. The Japanese have gastric cancer incidence rates are very high, but the Japanese people who were born in America this figure is lower. Geographic variation in cancer risk is presumably involves many factors, namely a combination of genetics, food and environment.

Some viruses cause cancer in humans and other viruses suspected of causing cancer. Papilloma virus that causes genital warts is one likely cause of cervical cancer in women. Cytomegalovirus causes Kaposi's sarcoma. Hepatitis B virus causes can cause liver cancer, although it is not know carcinogens or promoters. In Africa, Epstein-Barr virus causes Burkitt;s lymphoma, whereas in China these viruses cause cancer of the nose and throat. It was clear, that some additional factors ( environmental or genetic ), is required for the occurrence of cancer caused by Epstein-Barr virus. Some human retro virus, such as the HIV virus, causes lymphoma and other blood cancers.

Infection by the parasite Schistosoma ( Bilharzia ) could cause bladder cancer due to chronic irritation of the bladder. But other chronic irritants do not cause cancer. Infection by Clonorchis, which is mainly found in the Far East, can cause pancreatic cancer and biliary tract.

 

Read more »

Occurrence Cause Cancer

How Cancer Event

Cancer is cells that have lost normal control mechanisms, so that the irregular growth. Cancer can occur from various tissues in various organs. In line with the growth and breeding, cancer cells form a mass of malignant tissue that infiltrate into nearby tissues and can spread (metastasize) throughout the body.

Cancer cells are formed from normal cells in a complex process called transformation, which consists of initiation and promotion stage.

At the initiation stage occurs a change in the genetic material of cells that provoke the cells become malignant. Change in the cell's genetic material is is caused by an agency called carcinogens, which can include chemical, viruses, radiation (irradiation) or sunlight.

But not all cells have the same sensitivity to a carcinogen. Genetic abnormalities in cells or other material which is called the promoter, causing the cells more susceptible to a carcinogen. Even chronic physical disoders can make the cells become more sensitive to having a malignancy.

At the stage of promotion, a cell that has undergone initiation will become malignant. Cells that have not passed the stage of affected by the campaign. Because it takes several  factors for the occurrence of malignancies (combination of a sensitive cell and a carcinogen)

In a process in which a normal cell into a malignant cell, in the end the DNA of those cells will change. Changed in the cell's genetic material is often hard to find, but the occurrence of cancer can sometimes be know from the existence of a change in size or shape of particular chromosome.

For example, an abnormal chromosome. called the Philadelphia Chromosome found in sbout 80% of patients with chronic leukemia mielositik. The genetic change have also been found in brain tumors andd colon cancer, breast, lung and bone.

It may take a series of chromosomal changes to the occurrence of cancer. Research on familial polyposis of the colon (bowel disorder hereditary form of growth that turned into a malignant polyp), has brought as to a nation how this accurs. The normal lining of the colon begin to growth actively  (hiperproliferasi), because the cells no longer have the suppressor gene on chromosome  5 that under normal circumstances  to control the growth of these  layers.

Furthermore, mild changes in DNA facilitate the formation of adenomas (benign tumors). Other genes (oncogenes RAS) causes adenoma grows more active.

Loss of suppressor genes on chromosome 28 will further stimulate adenoma and ultimately the loss of genes on Chromosome 18 will further stimulate adenoma and ultimately the loss of genes on chromosome 17 would change the benign adenoma into cancer. Other additional changes can use cancer spread throughout the body (metastasis).

When a cell becomes malignant, the immune system can often spoil before these malignant cells multioly and become a cancer.

Cancers tends to occur if the immune system does not function normall, as happens in people. AIDS, people who use immune-suppressing drugs in certain autoimmune diseases. But now always effective  immune system, cancer can penetrate this protection even if the immune system to function normally.

Read more »