A latest research has revealed that those men having desk jobs were more prone to developing prostate cancer. The study showed that those spending major part of their professional lives being seated were nearly thirty percent more prone to being detected with the ailment as compared to those having energetic and active jobs. Examination of forty-five thousand men in the age group of 45-79 years that had vastly physical jobs were twenty-eight percent less prone to developing the ailment as compared to those men spending majority of their professional lives doing desk jobs. However, the British Journal of Cancer reported that those men who remained seated for half of the entire time at work had a twenty percent lowered risk as compared to men that remained sedentary for the entire span of their  [...]

Getting screened for early symptoms of cancer would appear the most apt decision to take, considering the aspect of early detection. However research has revealed that screening do not always prolong life span and could actually lead to belligerent and needless follow-up testing or treatments that could potentially lead to incontinence and impotency among those men. Some of the doctors think that the test would be more harmful that useful for certain kinds of men. Factually, novel instructions lately released by the USPSTF (United States Preventive Services Task Force) suggest that men that are 75 years or above omit the test in case they have no reason to doubt that they are in the high risk bracket. In case of men less than 75 years, the USPSTF conclude that there is dearth of plausible proof  [...]

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) lately approved the use of Cervarix, the second vaccine intended for averting infections occurring due to HPV or human papilloma virus, a grave risk factor that could lead to cervical cancer. The Cervarix vaccine (Manufacturer – GlaxoSmithKline) is aimed at combating high risk HPV strains 16 and 18 that are the offenders for nearly seventy percent of all occurring cervical cancers, and has got the green-light from the FDA to be used in girls and women in the age group of 10-25 years. HPV is a set of more than hundred related virus forms that could be transmitted via skin contact – inclusive of intercourse –vaginal or anal and could even be transmitted at the time of oral sexual contact. HPV leads to the appearance of genital warts, although several  [...]

The reaction to R-CHOP chemotherapy treatment varies from person to person with some experiencing very few while others undergoing more of them. The side effects elucidated would not be evident in all that are undergoing this treatment. The most prevalent side effects are stated below: Flu-similar symptoms – In some cases, rituximab could lead to fever and chills, feeling weak, tired, giddy and headaches that could be experienced during the time the drug is administered, that are transitory in nature. Low blood pressure – While rituximab is being infused, the blood pressure could plummet. Hence, during the course of the treatment the blood pressure would be regularly monitored. Those consuming blood pressure lowering medications would be recommended to take them at least twelve hours  [...]

A harrowing 1.5 million individuals belonging to the high-risk bracket of developing bowel cancer have overlooked a hassle-free, gratis test that could be beneficial in spotting preliminary signs of the disease – that is deemed among the most fatal forms of cancers, but is treatable in 9 out of 10 cases. Conceivably, this wide populace of people are apprehensive about the follow-up tests, however, the most modern procedure – virtual colonoscopy involves no pain or the need for anaesthesia. The NHS initiated its countrywide bowel cancer screening plan 3 years back endeavouring to curb fatalities that have mounted to sixteen thousand annually. Only prostate and lung cancer are known to take lives of more men and just breast cancer alone is observed to claim the lives of more women. From June  [...]

A state-of-the-art scalpel that could identify the presence of cancerous cells in the course of operative procedure could augment the success rate of cancer surgeries. The path breaking contraption functions by instantaneously spotting the presence of malignant cells in so-dubbed surgical smoke, the gas produced during cutting or cauterising tissue during surgery. The prompt response would mean that the doctors could be certain they have eradicated all malignant growth that could be skulking in the body. Surgery is the crucial part of majority of the cancer treatments. However, it could be quite tricky for surgeons to be sure that they have taken out the entire tumour. Currently, scans are done of the tumour to determine ahead of time, what they would require removal. In majority of the situations,  [...]

A potent, ultrasensitive test that cautions of the early reappearance of prostate cancer has now been developed by scientists from US and Australia. This would translate to recurrences being potentially spotted early on – that would help in saving ten thousand lives annually that perish due to the disease. The novel bio-barcode assay used by the team employs gold nanoparticles and DNA as intensification agents for detecting PSA or prostate specific antigens – a protein whose production increases with the growth and proliferation of cancer. This is known to be three hundred times more responsive as compared to other commercial assays. PSA levels among those who have undergone surgical removal of their prostate gland characteristically plummet to an extent that is unnoticed by the usual assays.  [...]

Visualize one going in for a routine mammogram and are gladly informed by the doctor that one does not have breast cancer. However, the ‘catch-22’ situation occurs when the doctor then informs that one is having a major risk factor for the invasive form of cancer known as DCIS or ductal carcinoma in situ, at times also known as ‘stage zero’ cancer. DCIS is a condition wherein the anomalous cells have laid siege in one or more ducts in the breasts – the conduits that connect the milk-secreting lobes to the nipples. This means that the anomalous cells have not yet spread to the other breast tissues. The likelihood of them spreading or not, is still quite unclear. Hence, when one is faced with such tricky situation, it is no wonder why DCIS detection could lead to major confusion and  [...]

Cancer Staging The staging of the cancer is the extent of cancer proliferation. When colon cancer gets diagnosed, the doctor would ascertain the stage in which it lies in order to decide the best course of treatment. The stages of colon cancer include: Stage 0 (Duke A stage) – The foremost stage wherein the cancer is restricted to the mucosa or inner lining of the colon or rectum – additionally known as carcinoma in situ. Stage I (Duke B stage) – When cancer has spread from the inner lining of the colon or rectum, but has still not reached past the rectum or colon wall. Stage II (Duke C stage) – The cancer has metastasized through or within the colon or rectum wall though not yet spread to the close by lymph nodes. Stage III (Duke D stage) – The cancer has spread to the close  [...]

Diagnosis & Tests Screening could help in diagnosing polyp growths prior to them turning malignant and for detecting colon cancer in its preliminary stages when the recovery rates are much higher. The widely used screening and analytic procedures for colorectal cancer are: Fecal Occult Test or Blood Stool Test – This procedure is used for checking any traces of blood in the stool or feces. This test could be conducted at the office of the general practitioner, the primary care doctor or in most cases a self-explanatory kit is provided for taking the sample at one’s home. The sample taken is then to be returned to the doctor’s office in order to be forwarded for laboratory analysis. A blood stool test does not have total accuracy as not all cancers can be identified since bleeding  [...]