tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42417159164898799082024-03-07T03:00:41.973+07:00Love Your HealthAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-6386183089885754982018-04-21T19:23:00.001+07:002018-04-21T19:23:51.967+07:00'Ultra-processed' foods may increase risk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSm-d1oIGbHAVHjmBPTDFpuo1u6QXx58Sy1xpQ-ML7TB0NBiT5PWK3uD3dOX_JZYbJwhcpTzKy4Y1jaMmG4_1RMgKXLjiv4DLbiHfN61cwWIyIkiEgBggOVdxdow_YHP3w2HyjHJwHDo0z/s1600/IMG_20180421_192147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1005" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSm-d1oIGbHAVHjmBPTDFpuo1u6QXx58Sy1xpQ-ML7TB0NBiT5PWK3uD3dOX_JZYbJwhcpTzKy4Y1jaMmG4_1RMgKXLjiv4DLbiHfN61cwWIyIkiEgBggOVdxdow_YHP3w2HyjHJwHDo0z/s320/IMG_20180421_192147.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
A large study suggests that increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods — such as soda and sugary drinks, instant noodles, packaged snacks, and some reconstituted meats — may be linked to a proportional rise in cancer risk.<br />
<br />
Be careful of what you eat; ultra-processed foods could increase your risk of cancer.<br />
However, in their report of the findings that was recently published in The BMJ, scientists from universities in Paris, France, and São Paulo in Brazil caution that the finding came from an observational study and that more research should now be done to confirm it.<br />
<br />
Observational studies are not designed to prove cause and effect — but they can offer insights into links between variables such as diet and disease.<br />
<br />
In this case, the researchers analyzed the diet and health of 105,000 middle-aged individuals in the NutriNet-Santé cohort study. The participants gave information about their typical intake of thousands of different foods.<br />
<br />
They found that for every 10 percent rise in the proportion of ultra-processed foods consumed, there was a 12 percent higher risk of cancer.<br />
<br />
Further analysis revealed an 11 percent rise in the risk of breast cancer but no significant link with increased risk of prostate cancer or colorectal cancer.<br />
<br />
"As the global consumption of highly processed foods increases," report Martin Lajous and Adriana Monge, of the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico, in a linked editorial, "understanding the health impact of these foods has become a relevant and timely topic."<br />
<br />
Of the new findings, they observe that although they offer "an initial insight into a possible link between ultra-processed foods and cancer [...] we are a long way from understanding the full implications of food processing for health and well-being."<br />
<br />
High cancer rates and ultra-processed foods<br />
The latest estimates of worldwide figures suggest that there were 14.1 million new cases of cancer in 2012, and that this number is expected to climb to 24 million by 2035.<br />
<br />
In the United States — where cancer is the second most common cause of death — the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimate that there will be around 1.7 million newly diagnosed cases of cancer, and more than 609,000 deaths to the disease, in 2018.<br />
<br />
According to the ACS, at least 42 percent of newly diagnosed cases of cancer are preventable. These include 19 percent in which smoking is the main cause and 18 percent that result from a combination of factors, including "poor nutrition."<br />
<br />
In their new study paper, the researchers cite evidence that suggests that many countries are shifting toward higher consumption of "ultra-processed foods," or food that has undergone several "physical, biological, and/or chemical processes."<br />
<br />
A number of surveys — including some done in the U.S., Europe, Brazil, Canada, and New Zealand — have revealed that 25–50 percent of daily energy intake is from ultra-processed foods such as fizzy drinks, packaged snacks and baked goods, ready meals, sugary cereals, and reconstituted meats.<br />
<br />
A need to investigate the link<br />
The researchers suggest that the health consequences of this trend should be studied, because ultra-processed foods have a number of characteristics that could be disease-causing.<br />
<br />
For instance, they are higher in added sugar and salt as well as total fat and saturated fat, and they are lower in fiber and vitamins.<br />
<br />
Another concern is that, because of contact with packaging materials, ultra-processed foods may become contaminated with potentially harmful substances.<br />
<br />
Also, these foods contain additives that, although approved for food use, remain controversial in that some animal and cell studies have suggested that they may cause cancer. These additives include the processed meat additive sodium nitrite and the white food pigment titanium dioxide.<br />
<br />
Investigation of the health effects of ultra-processed foods is a relatively new field. Some studies have raised the possibility that they may be linked to higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, but robust evidence is "still very scarce."<br />
<br />
The authors write that, to their knowledge, their observational study "is the first to investigate and highlight an increase in the risk of overall — and specifically breast — cancer associated with ultra-processed food intake."<br />
<br />
Detailed food classification<br />
For their study, the researchers analyzed data from people who completed questionnaires about the foods that they consumed over 24 hours on at least two occasions. The detail gathered allowed them to measure typical intake of 3,300 different foods.<br />
<br />
Cancer incidence was measured over an average of 5 years. Data were taken from information on participant reports and were cross-checked against medical records and national databases.<br />
<br />
The researchers categorized the foods into four groups, according to the "extent and purpose of industrial food processing."<br />
<br />
Ultra-processed foods are those that, according to the classification system used in the study, undergo the most industrial food processing.<br />
<br />
The study paper gives a long list of ultra-processed foods, including: fish nuggets; packaged sweet and savory snacks; packaged breads; meat products that have been reconstituted with the aid of nitrites or other non-salt preservatives; and foods "made mostly, or entirely from sugar, oils, and fats."<br />
<br />
Some examples of substances added during industrial processing include flavoring agents, colors, humectants, emulsifiers, and artificial sweeteners. These are often added to "imitate sensorial properties," or to "disguise undesirable qualities."<br />
<br />
No cancer link with less processed foods<br />
At the other end of the product spectrum are staple foods such as "fruits, vegetables, pulses, rice, pasta, eggs, meat" that have undergone minimal or no processing. They are typically "fresh or dried, ground, chilled, frozen, pasteurized, or fermented."<br />
<br />
In-between lie the less processed foods, which include "canned vegetables with added salt, sugar-coated dried fruits," and meat that has been "preserved only by salting," plus "cheeses and freshly made unpackaged breads."<br />
<br />
The study uncovered no significant link between cancer and the consumption of less processed foods, and a lower risk of overall cancer and breast cancer with intake of fresh and minimally processed foods.<br />
<br />
While commending the researchers for the detailed data that they analyzed and collected on diet and cancer, as well as for the multiple statistical analyses that they conducted, Lajous and Monge nevertheless note that the "interesting results require replication and further refinement."<br />
<br />
They also highlight that while the food classification system used in the research "may be useful for descriptive purposes and for replication," it does not necessarily provide the type of detail that is helpful to consumers and policymakers.<br />
<br />
Lajous and Monge conclude:<br />
<br />
"Care should be taken to transmit the strengths and limitations of this latest analysis to the general public and to increase the public's understanding of the complexity associated with nutritional research in free living populations."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-37121461251723895482018-04-14T21:59:00.001+07:002018-04-14T21:59:43.478+07:00Have scientists found an anti-cancer vaccine?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqQsl_y1TWS5Zwvl7cx7tiexMXD7Ktuw7Y1-mVxf03uIYRA4yFiZn7PXjfSh3X73T_DLWaITiuWOXi1LFU_8Wk-zHlaGyMBTXD-oIcjCH-T-Hg80BUrXV385sL0caoRJUIIxZ64in7nSm/s1600/IMG_20180414_215803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1014" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqQsl_y1TWS5Zwvl7cx7tiexMXD7Ktuw7Y1-mVxf03uIYRA4yFiZn7PXjfSh3X73T_DLWaITiuWOXi1LFU_8Wk-zHlaGyMBTXD-oIcjCH-T-Hg80BUrXV385sL0caoRJUIIxZ64in7nSm/s320/IMG_20180414_215803.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Researchers from Stanford University used stem cells to create a vaccine that has proven effective against breast, lung, and skin cancer in mice.<br />
<br />
Humans may soon benefit from an anti-cancer shot, researchers say.<br />
To produce the vaccine, the scientists turned to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), or stem cells that are generated from adult cells.<br />
<br />
Over a decade ago, Japanese-based scientists showed for the first time that adult cells can be genetically reprogrammed to behave in the same way as pluripotent stem cells.<br />
<br />
These cells can take any shape or function, "specializing" into whatever type of cell the body needs.<br />
<br />
Embryonic stem cells are probably the most well-known type of pluripotent stem cell. As Wu and colleagues write, about a century ago, scientists found that immunizing animals with embryonic tissue caused them to reject tumors.<br />
<br />
Over time, this led scientists to believe that embryonic stem cells could be used as a sort of vaccine against cancer tumors. The main challenge of anti-cancer vaccines, however, is the limited number of antigens — or foreign agents that elicit an immune response — that the immune system can be exposed to at once.<br />
<br />
But, as Wu and his colleagues write, using iPSCs generated from the patient's own genetic material has — in theory — a range of immunogenic advantages. They present immune T cells with a "more accurate and representative panel of [a] patient's tumor immunogens."<br />
<br />
So, the researchers — led by Joseph C. Wu, of the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University in California — set out to test this hypothesis in mice, and they published their results in the journal Cell Stem Cell.<br />
<br />
Immune system 'primed' to reject tumors<br />
Wu and colleagues used the mice's own cells to create the iPSCs, which they later vaccinated the rodents with. The vaccine targeted several tumor antigens at the same time.<br />
<br />
As the researchers explain, the main advantage of using whole iPSCs is that the vaccine no longer has to identify the perfect antigen to target in a specific kind of cancer.<br />
<br />
"We present the immune system with a larger number of tumor antigens found in iPSCs," explains Wu, "which makes our approach less susceptible to immune evasion by cancer cells."<br />
<br />
In fact, the researchers discovered that many of the antigens found on the iPSCs could also be found in cancer cells.<br />
<br />
So, when the rodents received the iPSCs shot, their immune system reacted to the iPSCs antigens. But, because the antigens in the iPSCs were so similar to the ones in the cancer cells, the rodents also became immune to cancer.<br />
<br />
The vaccine almost "primed" the rodents' immune systems "to eradicate tumor cells," Wu explains.<br />
<br />
Of the 75 treated mice, 70 percent completely rejected breast cancer cells, and 30 percent had smaller tumors within 4 weeks of getting the vaccine. And, the same thing happened in lung and skin cancer models.<br />
<br />
"What surprised us most was the effectiveness of the iPSC vaccine in reactivating the immune system to target cancer [...] This approach may have clinical potential to prevent tumor recurrence or target distant metastases."<br />
<br />
Joseph C. Wu<br />
In the future, a person who has been diagnosed with cancer might be able to use their own blood or skin cells to form iPSCs, which could prevent tumor recurrence. Likewise, healthy individuals may soon be able to use their own cells to prevent cancer altogether.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-77449110113731842522018-04-12T21:09:00.001+07:002018-04-12T21:09:32.426+07:00Boosting cancer-killing cells through oxygen starvation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHwDZBefyz2IYaFQEiSRDiDETB18L2-xA9UfTParMV96tImVYP_Yo8wQhPme4bkYWuymCW_e1OWUU19jwMKT2IrcH7HhZR4ig4WOi2P9b7Q0lgCwIyrctGPa2qDW43Fi8jBKwl57uwuoC/s1600/IMG_20180412_210741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1016" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHwDZBefyz2IYaFQEiSRDiDETB18L2-xA9UfTParMV96tImVYP_Yo8wQhPme4bkYWuymCW_e1OWUU19jwMKT2IrcH7HhZR4ig4WOi2P9b7Q0lgCwIyrctGPa2qDW43Fi8jBKwl57uwuoC/s320/IMG_20180412_210741.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
New research has suggested that an immunotherapy type that cultures patients' killer T cells in a laboratory before fine-tuning their cancer-destructive powers and returning them could be made more effective by growing the killer T cells in a low-oxygen culture.<br />
<br />
The results of a new study suggest that killer T cells - which work to destroy cancer - could be made more effective if grown in a low-oxygen environment.<br />
Writing in the journal Cell Reports, researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel suggest that their finding could increase the power of immunotherapy to fight solid tumors, which pose a particular challenge to killer T cells.<br />
<br />
Killer T cells, which are also known as cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), are a specialized type of white blood cell called CD8+ T cells that are considered to be the "foot soldiers of the immune system."<br />
<br />
CTLs directly kill damaged cells, cancer cells, and cells infected with viruses and other pathogens.<br />
<br />
Senior author Guy Shakhar, who is a professor at the Weizmann Institute, explains that while killer T cells are the main agents of cancer immunotherapy, "they don't always manage to eliminate the malignancy."<br />
<br />
However, he says that "by growing these T cells in an oxygen-poor environment, we can turn them into more effective killers."<br />
<br />
Tumor cells can withstand low oxygen<br />
At present, cancer immunotherapy that boosts patients' own killer T cells works best against certain leukemias and lymphomas. However, it is less effective at eliminating solid tumors, in which oxygen levels are very low.<br />
<br />
Oxygen levels inside solid tumors, expressed as a percentage of gas dissolved in the fluid surrounding cells, range from 0.5 to 5 percent. This is lower than in most healthy organs and considerably lower than the 20 percent normally set for growing cells in the laboratory incubator.<br />
<br />
Low oxygen does not appear to hamper tumor cells - for example, it does not stop them from taking in and metabolizing glucose, which is their main source of fuel.<br />
<br />
But the low-oxygen environment of the tumor is not favorable to killer T cells. The researchers refer to several studies that offer evidence of this.<br />
<br />
For example, it appears that tumor areas with low oxygen attract other cells, such as "M2-like tumor-associated macrophages" and "regulatory T cells," that can disrupt the function of killer T cells.<br />
<br />
In addition, low-oxygen pockets in tumors favor anerobic metabolism of glucose, resulting in an acid environment that dampens killer T cell activity.<br />
<br />
'Better tumor rejection and survival'<br />
Previous studies have shown that growing killer T cells under conditions of low oxygen enhances their ability to kill other cells in the laboratory. But until this new work in Prof. Shakhar's laboratory, their ability to kill cancer had not been studied.<br />
<br />
Thus, for their own investigation, the team experimented with growing killer T cells in culture in the laboratory at just 1 percent oxygen and compared them with cells grown at 20 percent, as before.<br />
<br />
They found that the oxygen-starved killer T cells were more effective at attacking cultured melanoma cancer cells than killer T cells grown under the usual oxygen conditions.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, the team implanted mice with tumor cells under their skin. Then, once tumors had formed 7 days layer, they injected some of the mice with oxygen-starved killer T cells, some with killer T cells grown under the usual conditions, and left the rest untreated.<br />
<br />
They found that the mice treated with oxygen-starved killer T cells, or "hypoxic CTLs," showed "better tumor rejection and survival" than any of the others.<br />
<br />
Low oxygen deals deadlier punches<br />
When the researchers looked more closely at the oxygen-starved killer T cells, they found that they were not necessarily penetrating the tumors more deeply, but they had better weaponry for killing the tumor cells.<br />
<br />
Killer T cells have a number of weapons for attacking cancer cells. One of these is a destructive enzyme called granzyme-B that they package into "granules." They release the granules into the cancer cells after they have punched holes in them using a protein named "perforin."<br />
<br />
The team found that while the oxygen-starved killer T cells contained the same number of granules as the non-starved cells and released them as efficiently, they "packaged more granzyme-B in each granule without producing more perforin."<br />
<br />
In other words, although the oxygen-starved killer T cells delivered the same number of punches as non-starved cells, each punch was deadlier.<br />
<br />
Prof. Shakhar likens the oxygen-starved killer T cells to mountaineers who become acclimatized to lower oxygen levels. "Just as altitude training increases endurance in humans, so putting killer T cells through a 'fitness regimen' apparently toughens them up," he explains.<br />
<br />
He and his colleagues point out that their method now needs to be confirmed in humans. If it is, then it offers an immediate way to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy for solid tumors.<br />
<br />
"In cellular immunotherapy, T cells need to be removed and grown outside the body in any event. Growing them under low oxygen pressure is relatively simple, but this small adjustment to existing clinical protocols may significantly improve the therapy's effectiveness."<br />
<br />
- Prof. Guy ShakharAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-28057272706822686402018-04-12T21:03:00.001+07:002018-04-12T21:03:41.723+07:00Could targeting this gene stop melanoma from spreading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qwCoH-4a8qvsU02D6KgIVTKuI5_gmGGYLgpFWk5ug5I_LWfhOcVdYB7gLDeJp_RpHMzkuAIhAAsIiVN6fZdR-io3fPPRBMP9FZNrvgm7YY4KaDZr3AcNAb7HNz_Gt7hWLTGd8UQDefk-/s1600/IMG_20180412_210120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="783" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qwCoH-4a8qvsU02D6KgIVTKuI5_gmGGYLgpFWk5ug5I_LWfhOcVdYB7gLDeJp_RpHMzkuAIhAAsIiVN6fZdR-io3fPPRBMP9FZNrvgm7YY4KaDZr3AcNAb7HNz_Gt7hWLTGd8UQDefk-/s320/IMG_20180412_210120.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
New research has uncovered a gene responsible for creating a protein that may help melanoma to grow and spread. Targeting this protein may change melanoma therapies to hopefully yield better results than the existing ones.<br />
<br />
The researchers deemed the findings 'very important' for patients with treatment-resistant forms of melanoma.<br />
The new research was led by Craig J. Ceol, Ph.D., an assistant professor of molecular medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) in Boston. The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.<br />
<br />
Although not as common as other forms of skin cancer, melanoma grows and spreads more quickly.<br />
<br />
In fact, melanoma only accounts for around 1 percent of all skin cancers. However, as Coel explains, it "is an aggressive cancer and the most deadly form of skin cancer."<br />
<br />
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimate that 87,110 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in 2017, and that 9,730 people have died from the disease.<br />
<br />
"Although new therapies have shown effectiveness against melanoma, a majority of patients either do not respond to these therapies or develop resistance," explains Ceol.<br />
<br />
But the new findings bring much-needed hope. Ceol and his team discovered a gene that plays a key role in the advancement of melanoma, and the results may lead to a new drug target that could one day change therapeutic practices for this aggressive form of skin cancer.<br />
<br />
The gene encodes a protein called GDF6, which is active during the development of the embryo. GDF6 is part of a class of proteins called "growth differentiation factors," which are so named as they help cells to grow by dividing as well as help stem cells to differentiate into specific types of cell during the development of an embryo.<br />
<br />
Why the GDF6 protein is key in metastasis<br />
To isolate the genes that are crucial in the development of melanoma from those that are not, first study author Arvind Venkatesan — a Ph.D. candidate at UMMS — and colleagues used a zebrafish model, which they compared with human melanomas.<br />
<br />
The researchers found 374 genes that were altered in both zebrafish melanomas and human ones. After sifting through the genes even further, using DNA, RNA, and protein expression analyses, GDF6 emerged as the potential genetic culprit for melanoma.<br />
<br />
Further analyses shed more light on GDF6's activity, revealing that the growth factor switched off two genes called MITF and SOX9. In a healthy body, these two genes enable cells to mature and die as per the normal cycle.<br />
<br />
But when these two genes are switched off, cancer cells divide and spread freely. Ceol explains, "MITF is a master regulator of cell differentiation in melanocytes, which are the cells that form melanin pigment in the skin."<br />
<br />
"By turning off MITF," he adds, "GDF6 keeps the cells from differentiating. Instead of differentiating, the cells keep dividing. Additionally, GDF6 also represses the expression of SOX9, which helps keep these melanoma cells alive."<br />
<br />
Hope for aggressive forms of melanoma<br />
Importantly, the research also revealed that 80 percent of tumors from melanoma patients had high levels of GDF6, and the higher the levels of this protein were, the more aggressive the cancer was.<br />
<br />
By contrast, in people with lower levels of GDF6, melanoma was less likely to metastasize, and the patients had better survival prospects.<br />
<br />
"This is important because it means melanoma cells are dependent on GDF6 for survival," says Venkatesan. "Without GDF6, melanoma cells do not survive."<br />
<br />
"What is so exciting about this discovery is that it opens up a completely new therapeutic target for investigation. None of the current therapies on the market target GDF6 or its pathway. For patients with very aggressive or treatment-resistant forms of this cancer, this is very important."<br />
<br />
Craig J. Ceol, Ph.D.<br />
As Ceol continues, "[T]here is great therapeutic potential when you combine a drug targeting GDF6 with current therapeutics." This is why he and his colleagues are currently working on a way to switch off the gene in a way that could be used therapeutically.<br />
<br />
He adds, "Because GDF6 is a type of protein that acts outside the cell, it makes it much easier to target therapeutically. We're already exploring how to use monoclonal antibodies to inhibit GDF6."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-31914140295331059952018-04-11T20:02:00.001+07:002018-04-11T20:02:58.862+07:00Deadly skin cancer could be halted with arthritis drug<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeG2JqT8nrt_DE0bETB-RRyBygACviVbZc7qi92gF7oX58mN9IHkhNXWbJgWUs-Vn_qkMDvYankVSfEeCIcwCIeCar7eQygvzDpPBxPP42eoh1LcJvFPhyphenhyphen1mZmKtNMWGlKwcGCMTmCilHv/s1600/IMG_20180411_200036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="912" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeG2JqT8nrt_DE0bETB-RRyBygACviVbZc7qi92gF7oX58mN9IHkhNXWbJgWUs-Vn_qkMDvYankVSfEeCIcwCIeCar7eQygvzDpPBxPP42eoh1LcJvFPhyphenhyphen1mZmKtNMWGlKwcGCMTmCilHv/s320/IMG_20180411_200036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Melanoma may be one of the least common skin cancers, but it is still the most deadly. New hope might be on the horizon for people with this disease, however, in the form of an existing drug used to treat arthritis.<br />
<br />
Researchers suggest that an arthritis drug could help to combat melanoma.<br />
Researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the United Kingdom reveal how adding leflunomide — an immunosuppressive drug used for treating rheumatoid arthritis — to a current melanoma treatment halted the growth of melanoma cancer cells in mice.<br />
<br />
The team's promising findings were recently published in the journal Oncotarget.<br />
<br />
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, which are skin cells that produce melanin — that is, the pigment that helps to protect our skin from the sun, and which gives the skin its "tan" color.<br />
<br />
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), melanoma accounts for just 1 percent of all skin cancers, but it is responsible for a large proportion of skin cancer deaths.<br />
<br />
This year alone, around 9,730 people in the United States are expected to die from melanoma, highlighting the need for more effective treatments.<br />
<br />
Lead researcher of the new study Dr. Grant Wheeler, of the School of Biological Sciences at UEA, and colleagues believe that leflunomide could help to meet this need by boosting existing melanoma treatments.<br />
<br />
Leflunomide triggers apoptosis<br />
The fact that leflunomide is an immunosuppressive drug is important. "With melanoma treatments," Dr. Wheeler explains, "the main problem has been the development of tumor resistance. One way this is being combatted is through immunotherapy treatments which harness the body's own defenses."<br />
<br />
"However," he adds, "new combination therapies are always needed and we need to identify new drugs that can be added to the arsenal of anti-melanoma therapies available for patients."<br />
<br />
To see whether leflunomide might be a suitable candidate, the researchers first tested the drug on melanoma cells in the laboratory.<br />
<br />
They discovered that the drug was able to halt the early phase of melanoma cell growth, before forcing the melanoma cells into programmed cell death, or apoptosis, a self-destruction process that cancer cells often manage to evade.<br />
<br />
The team then tested leflunomide on melanoma cells in combination with selumetinib, which is a drug already used for the treatment of melanoma. Selumetinib works by inhibiting the activity of MEK, a protein that aids the survival of melanoma cells.<br />
<br />
The researchers found that the leflunomide-selumetinib combination was more effective for halting melanoma cell growth than leflunomide or selumetinib alone.<br />
<br />
Drug combination halted tumor growth<br />
Next, the scientists tested the combination of leflunomide and selumetinib on mice with melanoma tumors and compared its effects with each of these drugs alone.<br />
<br />
The team found that the leflunomide-selumetinib combination successfully halted melanoma tumor growth and reduced tumor size in the rodents within 12 days. This treatment was significantly more effective than treatment with each drug individually.<br />
<br />
Further explaining the results, the researchers say:<br />
<br />
"[...] when leflunomide and selumetinib was administered in combination, the tumor volume not only decreased to levels significantly smaller than either drug treatment alone, but importantly tumor growth was suppressed, with tumor volumes remaining steady at the same size over the 12-day treatment period."<br />
<br />
Based on their findings, Dr. Wheeler and colleagues believe that leflunomide has the potential to improve current treatments for the most deadly form of skin cancer. However, further studies are needed to confirm whether this goal can be achieved.<br />
<br />
"Future work will determine the mechanism of drug synergy afforded by combined treatment of melanoma cells with leflunomide and selumetinib," say the researchers.<br />
<br />
"Furthermore, additional preclinical experiments are needed to determine if melanoma cells can acquire resistance to leflunomide and whether the drug could also be successfully used in combination with anti-melanoma immunotherapies."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-10200813379462807592018-04-11T19:55:00.000+07:002018-04-11T19:55:04.514+07:00Oxygen-starved cancer cells programmed to evade therapy after spreading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TesQG4noMQqGwU3p3qlYrOB0dkxPcG2efcDu7iWjBaz-ZXw7gATVm6_MM4agV9Ch4jS749oGUMcYx4F2d11NM1TLxMs-dMIMHpI7erNU_4jIF4akho16Oaq253In5wZw6jS94JqMuhEj/s1600/IMG_20180411_194325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="676" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TesQG4noMQqGwU3p3qlYrOB0dkxPcG2efcDu7iWjBaz-ZXw7gATVm6_MM4agV9Ch4jS749oGUMcYx4F2d11NM1TLxMs-dMIMHpI7erNU_4jIF4akho16Oaq253In5wZw6jS94JqMuhEj/s320/IMG_20180411_194325.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
By manipulating the environment surrounding cells in primary tumors, scientists have discovered for the first time the conditions that program migrating cancer cells to become dormant and hide from chemotherapy after spreading.<br />
<br />
Researchers found that oxygen-starved niches in primary tumors not only produce cancer cells that grow and spread rapidly, but also send a large proportion of them into a dormant state, which makes them better able to evade chemotherapy.<br />
A paper on this discovery, led by Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, is published in the journal Nature Cell Biology.<br />
<br />
The researchers suggest that the work could lead to new drugs and therapies that transform the treatment of metastatic cancers, most of which cannot be cured with current approaches.<br />
<br />
Most deaths to cancer are due to metastasis - a disease stage that begins when cancer cells escape primary tumors, migrate through the blood or lymph system, and establish secondary tumors in other parts of the body.<br />
<br />
The secondary, or metastatic, tumor is the same form of cancer as the primary tumor.<br />
<br />
When metastatic cells are examined, they have features matching those of the primary cancer and not of the tissue that the secondary tumor has formed in.<br />
<br />
Finding ways to stop cancer cells acquiring the ability to migrate, or establish and grow secondary tumors, coNuld save many lives.<br />
<br />
Dormant cells that 'hide' from chemotherapy<br />
Hypoxia, a condition in which cells are starved of oxygen, is a known hallmark of solid tumors that triggers stress responses and induces resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.<br />
<br />
Fast facts about cancer<br />
- Cancer is a leading cause of disease and deaths worldwide<br />
- In 2012, there were 8.2 million cancer-related deaths and around 14 million new cases<br />
- The amount of new cases is expected to rise by approximately 70 percent over the next 20 years.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until now, however, it has not been clear how hypoxia in primary tumors influences what happens to cancer cells that migrate to new sites, and how this affects the prognosis of the disease.<br />
<br />
The new study suggests that hypoxic microenvironments in primary tumors give rise to dormant disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) that "hide" from therapy and may be a cause of disease relapse and poor outcomes.<br />
<br />
Senior author Julio A. Aguirre-Ghiso, Ph.D., a professor of medicine, hematology, and medical oncology at Mount Sinai, says: "This research highlights the signals in the primary tumor that instruct disseminated cancer cells to become dormant."<br />
<br />
"Dormant cells must be targeted to address the whole spectrum of the disease and attacking the cancer," he adds.<br />
<br />
With the help of biosensors, nanotechnology, and advanced imaging, the team implanted drugs that create hypoxic and non-hypoxic niches in breast tumors in mice and observed the effect on cells.<br />
<br />
Biomarkers for treatment-resistant dormant cells<br />
The researchers were able to isolate the cancer cells one by one and find out how they behaved when they traveled from the primary tumor to the lungs.<br />
<br />
Genetically encoded biosensors allowed them to determine which cells were dormant, which ones were exposed to low oxygen, and their reactions to therapy.<br />
<br />
They discovered that hypoxic tumor microenvironments not only produce DTCs that rapidly grow and spread, but also send a large proportion of them into a dormant state that makes them better able to evade chemotherapy.<br />
<br />
The study suggests, therefore, that the poor prognoses associated with hypoxic tumors may arise not only because they produce more aggressive cancer cells, but also because they program many of them to enter a dormant state where they can hide from chemotherapy.<br />
<br />
Researchers also found genes in the primary tumor that correlated with the behavior of dormant, treatment-resistant cells in the secondary tumors.<br />
<br />
They suggest that these genes could form the basis of a biomarker to predict which patients are likely to have more of the dormant, resistant cells.<br />
<br />
Prof. Aguirre-Ghiso describes the study as "an important step to further explore the biology of these dormant cells and design therapies that specifically address this biology," and he concludes:<br />
<br />
"We hope this research may lead to the use of dormancy markers in primary tumors to assess the prevalence of disseminated cancer cells in secondary organs and thus tailor treatments to eliminate these dormant and therapy evading cancer cells."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-32107840253534193222018-04-09T21:01:00.001+07:002018-04-09T21:01:58.617+07:00Novel cell death technique may be better than chemo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdq9ZNVtIKrCueO-ijYlvNG4-QQzRwuPpyquMrwBcjb55OZgrzsrFzFnd227XPW0udkra2WHL9kTf0PUw65MEzWQOpx-Nu87rONpGfurqGOoYz2LvXvIfoK3W0deLKL4ie7mXTD45ppOy/s1600/IMG_20180409_205930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="911" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdq9ZNVtIKrCueO-ijYlvNG4-QQzRwuPpyquMrwBcjb55OZgrzsrFzFnd227XPW0udkra2WHL9kTf0PUw65MEzWQOpx-Nu87rONpGfurqGOoYz2LvXvIfoK3W0deLKL4ie7mXTD45ppOy/s320/IMG_20180409_205930.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy are typically used to treat cancer, but they do not work for all patients with the disease. In a new study, scientists have discovered a cancer-killing technique that might be more effective than conventional cancer therapies.<br />
<br />
Researchers have discovered a potentially more effective way to kill cancer cells.<br />
Researchers reveal how a process called caspase-independent cell death (CICD) frequently led to the complete eradication of colorectal cancer cells, which is not often the case with current cancer treatments.<br />
<br />
Study co-author Dr. Stephen Tait, of the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute at the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom, and colleagues recently reported their findings in the journal Nature Cell Biology.<br />
<br />
Cancer remains one of the biggest health burdens of our time. Last year, more than 1.6 million new cases were diagnosed in the United States alone, and almost 600,000 people died from the disease.<br />
<br />
Dr. Tait and team explain that the majority of current cancer therapies work by inducing apoptosis. Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death, or cell suicide, that helps to rid the body of abnormal or unnecessary cells by activating proteins called caspases. In cancer cells, however, apoptosis is often inactive.<br />
<br />
Reactivating apoptosis in cancer cells - through chemotherapy or immunotherapy, for example - is one way of killing them. But this is not always effective.<br />
<br />
Research has shown that cancer cells are sometimes able to evade treatment-induced apoptosis, and some studies have suggested that apoptosis may even promote cancer growth.<br />
<br />
CICD, however, takes cancer killing one step further, and Dr. Tait and team suggest that it may be a more effective way to treat cancer than current therapies.<br />
<br />
CICD prompts immune system attack<br />
In their study, the researchers explain that CICD kills cancer cells through a process called mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP), but it does so without releasing caspases, which are the proteins that are normally released through apoptosis.<br />
<br />
"[...] cells typically die following MOMP even in the absence of caspase activity [...]," the team explains. "This defines MOMP as a point of no return that commits a cell to die."<br />
<br />
Importantly, when cancer cells die as a result of CICD, they send signals to the immune system, prompting it to attack and destroy the cancer cells that managed to escape CICD.<br />
<br />
When Dr. Tait and team tested this technique on colorectal tumors grown in the laboratory, they found that it managed to kill almost all cancer cells.<br />
<br />
While further studies are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of CICD, the researchers believe that it could lead to better treatments for a number of cancers.<br />
<br />
"In essence, this mechanism has the potential to dramatically improve the effectiveness of anti-cancer therapy and reduce unwanted toxicity."<br />
<br />
Dr. Stephen Tait<br />
"Taking into consideration our findings, we propose that engaging CICD as a means of anti-cancer therapy warrants further investigation," he adds.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-12765206803712998432018-04-07T21:15:00.000+07:002018-04-07T21:15:08.887+07:00What do you think antibiotics may increase the risk of bowel cancer?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGvXYLAfCvLr40Nt6SRADjoYvXyaAirqNZX4u_qk_-w4Fe4Rq-w7mKTubkslpVuiPvE27C60dAn3pG3_18WdizkWq2ofAZo-gIyM-HFSwo4HhFhUZBjw9zt9V2-WqTVf99YcctcewNAbG/s1600/IMG_20180407_211257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="440" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGvXYLAfCvLr40Nt6SRADjoYvXyaAirqNZX4u_qk_-w4Fe4Rq-w7mKTubkslpVuiPvE27C60dAn3pG3_18WdizkWq2ofAZo-gIyM-HFSwo4HhFhUZBjw9zt9V2-WqTVf99YcctcewNAbG/s320/IMG_20180407_211257.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
According to a recent study published in the journal Gut, long-term use of antibiotics during adulthood increases the likelihood of developing precursors to bowel cancer. The research, once again, underlines the vital role of gut bacteria.<br />
<br />
New research points to links between antibiotics, the microbiome, and bowel cancer risk.<br />
In 2017, there will be an estimated 95,520 new cases of colon cancer and 39,910 new cases of rectal cancer in the United States.<br />
<br />
With the exception of skin cancers, bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S.<br />
<br />
Risk factors include a lack of physical activity, a low intake of fruits and vegetables, being overweight or obese, and alcohol consumption. A new study, published this week, may add long-term antibiotic usage to this list.<br />
<br />
Links between antibiotics and a range of conditions have come to light over recent years, including irritable bowel disease, celiac disease, and even obesity.<br />
<br />
This connection between antibiotics and disease is thought to be due to the effect of antibiotics on the makeup of gut bacteria (the microbiome); by altering the numbers and types of bacteria present in the gut, metabolic or pathological processes may be triggered.<br />
<br />
<br />
Antibiotics and bowel cancer<br />
Some studies have also hinted that antibiotic usage could be linked with bowel cancer, but previous studies have only consisted of relatively short monitoring periods.<br />
<br />
A group of researchers recently set out to look at this potential interaction in more detail. They used data from the Nurses Health Study, a project that has monitored 121,700 U.S. nurses since 1976. The women were aged between 30 and 55 when the study began.<br />
<br />
Every 2 years, the participants fill out detailed questionnaires documenting general demographic information, lifestyle factors (such as smoking and exercise), medical history, and disease development. Every 4 years, they also complete a questionnaire regarding their dietary habits.<br />
<br />
In the present study, the researchers used data from 16,642 of these women, who were aged 60 or older in 2004. This group of women were able to provide information about antibiotic use between the ages of 20 and 59 and had undergone at least one colonoscopy (a type of bowel examination) between 2004 and 2010.<br />
<br />
Across the investigation period, 1,195 adenomas were diagnosed in the group. Adenomas, also known as polyps, are benign tumors that precede most cases of bowel cancer.<br />
<br />
<br />
Antibiotics increase risk of adenoma<br />
Once the data were analyzed, the team saw that antibiotic use within the last 4 years was not associated with bowel cancer, "but long-term use in the past was." Individuals who had taken antibiotics for 2 months or longer in their 20s or 30s were 36 percent more likely to be diagnosed with adenoma when compared with those who had not taken an extended course of antibiotics.<br />
<br />
This link remained significant regardless of whether the adenoma was classed as high- or low-risk for bowel cancer. However, the association was stronger for growths located in the proximal rather than the distal colon.<br />
<br />
The proximal colon is the first section of the colon, connected to the small intestine, and it consists of the caecum, ascending colon, hepatic flexure, transverse colon, and splenic figure. The distal colon is the section that connects to the rectum and comprises the descending and sigmoid colon.<br />
<br />
The data also showed that women who had taken a course of antibiotics for at least 2 months during their 40s and 50s were 69 percent more likely to receive an adenoma diagnosis, compared with individuals who had not taken antibiotics for an extended period of time.<br />
<br />
Once again, this association was present irrespective of whether the adenoma was considered high- or low-risk and were more strongly linked with adenomas in the proximal colon.<br />
<br />
Similarly, when women who had not taken antibiotics in their 20s to 50s were compared with individuals who had taken them for more than 15 days between the ages of 20 and 59, there was a 73 percent increased risk of adenoma diagnosis.<br />
<br />
<br />
Of course, further studies will be necessary to confirm the findings; although the study was large-scale, there are some shortcomings. The study is observational, making firm conclusions about cause and effect difficult to draw. Furthermore, some adenomas may have been present before antibiotics were used. It is also important to note that bugs that require antibiotics often cause inflammation in the gut, which in itself is a known risk factor for bowel cancer.<br />
<br />
Although more work will need to be done, there is a plausible biological explanation for the potential link between antibiotics and bowel cancer. Antibiotics significantly alter the microbiome by depleting certain types of bacteria and changing the overall makeup of the gut flora.<br />
<br />
This is backed up by earlier research that found lower levels of certain bacteria and higher levels of others in bowel cancer patients.<br />
<br />
As the authors conclude: "The findings, if confirmed by other studies, suggest the potential need to limit the use of antibiotics and sources of inflammation that may drive tumor formation." Because usage of antibiotics in the U.S. is on the rise, this area of study is all the more vital. The negative consequences of these drugs should be thoroughly probed.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-38178025340513459212018-04-07T20:58:00.003+07:002018-04-07T20:58:56.540+07:00what the dialysis patients being over-screened for colon cancer?A new analysis reveals a relatively high rate of colon cancer screening among US patients on dialysis, even though they rarely stand to benefit from such screening. The findings appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).<br />
<br />
Because of the high rates of death among patients receiving dialysis, routine colon cancer screening with colonoscopy does not improve survival for most patients who are not candidates for a kidney transplant. Therefore, as a partner of the American Board of Internal Medicine's Choosing Wisely campaign, the American Society of Nephrology recommends against colon cancer screening among patients receiving maintenance dialysis with limited life expectancy and without signs or symptoms.<br />
<br />
A team led by Kirsten Johansen, MD and Christopher Carlos, MD (University of California, San Francisco) looked to see how many US dialysis patients aged 50 years were being screened and whether testing was appropriately targeted toward healthier patients on dialysis.<br />
<br />
The investigators evaluated 469,574 Medicare beneficiaries receiving dialysis between 2007 and 2012 and ranked them according to their expected survival. Over a median follow-up of 1.5 years, 11.6% of patients received a colon cancer screening. The healthiest quarter of patients were 1.53-times more likely to be screened than the sickest quarter of patients, and those most likely to receive a kidney transplant were 1.68-times more likely to be screened than those least likely to receive a kidney transplant.<br />
<br />
Although screening was performed more often among healthier patients, the overall screening rate was fairly high, at a rate of 27.9 colonoscopies per 1000 person-years. This rate is over 8-times higher than the rate of 3.4 per 1000 person-years found among Medicare beneficiaries not on dialysis with similarly limited life expectancies.<br />
<br />
"While our findings suggest that the patients with the longest life expectancy and greatest chances of receiving a kidney transplant are the most likely to be screened, there remains a substantial amount of over-screening overall among patients on dialysis," said Dr. Johansen. "Physicians should carefully evaluate patients' prognoses and consider the likelihood that they will truly benefit before ordering screening tests," added Dr. Carlos.<br />
<br />
The findings may serve as a starting point for future studies that assess the impact of the Choosing Wisely campaign, which seeks to reduce waste in the healthcare system.<br />
<br />
Article: Colon Cancer Screening among Patients Receiving Dialysis in the United States: Are We Choosing Wisely? Christopher A. Carlos, Charles E. McCulloch, Chi-yuan Hsu, Barbara Grimes, Meda E. Pavkov, Nilka R. Burrows, Vahakn B. Shahinian, Rajiv Saran, Neil R. Powe, Kirsten L. Johansen, for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chronic Kidney Disease Surveillance Team, JASN, doi: 10.1681/ASN.2016091019, published online 23 March 2017.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-31476141996786242022018-04-06T23:22:00.003+07:002018-04-06T23:22:58.460+07:00What is Coagulation? How does our blood clot?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76ChxqD06Rzokc6w8KLukoPUDk4UdWif3bvKu_ve5dXkMU994ebKjYz2dt8gqOxnxpvAf6xD8PR72Lr_cwRrIsj6TM7tXdmL4A4NACaYCwH3a_GNlQVufcV4gKQAoBNLOjGsUchD_fWAU/s1600/unnamed+%25286%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="400" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76ChxqD06Rzokc6w8KLukoPUDk4UdWif3bvKu_ve5dXkMU994ebKjYz2dt8gqOxnxpvAf6xD8PR72Lr_cwRrIsj6TM7tXdmL4A4NACaYCwH3a_GNlQVufcV4gKQAoBNLOjGsUchD_fWAU/s320/unnamed+%25286%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Coagulation is a complex process by which the blood forms clots to block and then heal a lesion/wound/cut and stop the bleeding. It is a crucial part of hemostasis - stopping blood loss from damaged blood vessels. In hemostasis a damaged blood vessel wall is plugged by a platelet and a fibrin-containing clot to stop the bleeding, so that the damage can be repaired.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Coagulation involves a cellular (platelet) and protein (coagulation factor) component.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When the lining of a blood vessel (endothelium) is damaged, platelets immediately form a plug at the site of the injury, while at the same time proteins in the blood plasma respond in a complex chemical reaction, rather like a waterfall, to form fibrin strands which reinforce the platelet plug.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Primary hemostasis - when the platelets gather at the site of an injury to plug (block) it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Secondary hemostasis - proteins (coagulation factors) act in a series of chemical reactions to strengthen the plug and allow healing to begin.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What is a platelet?</div>
<div>
A platelet is a disc-shaped element in the blood that is involved in blood clotting. They aggregate (clump together) during normal blood clotting. They are classed as blood cells, but are in fact fragments of large bone marrow cells called megakaryocytes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What is fibrin?</div>
<div>
Fibrin is an insoluble protein involved in blood clotting. Fibrin is deposited around the wound in a form of mesh to strengthen the platelet plug. The whole thing dries and hardens (coagulates) so that the bleeding stops and the wound then heals. Fibrin is developed in the blood from a soluble protein, fibrinogen.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When platelets come into contact with damaged tissue thrombin is formed as a result of a series of chemical processes (coagulation cascade) that culminate in the formation of fibrin from fibrinogen.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Coagulation factors (clotting factors)</div>
<div>
Coagulation factors are proteins, mostly manufactured by the liver. They were originally numbered in the order of their discovery, traditionally using Roman numerals from I-XIII. Some of the numbers such as III and VI are not used any more and in recent years, many proteins that affect blood clotting have been discovered but have been given a name rather than a number. When a blood vessel wall is damaged, or any kind of wound occurs, a complex set of chemical reactions involving these coagulation factors (and acting rather like a waterfall) takes place.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The final step of the cascade of chemical reactions is to convert fibrinogen - Factor I - into fibrin, forming a mesh which clumps platelets and blood cells into a solid clot, plugging the hole and stopping the bleeding. Patients with Hemophilia A have deficient levels of Factor VIII, while patients with Hemophilia B have deficient levels of Factor IX.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-85516886916257863502018-04-06T23:11:00.000+07:002018-04-06T23:11:52.873+07:00What is Hemophilia? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-wwViOSIdUbLIZyoa7OxgsPfjpkux7KO-5jQEqPJKiyqSWUGZPc2ih9q-7imefXqsGf2b44FuTvJ6BuIsM-3Vbl__B599F3saHA_04LYkEoVIxQDpWqKq2b8P0bZifIyJCut6pkHMoV4/s1600/IMG_20180406_231019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="434" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-wwViOSIdUbLIZyoa7OxgsPfjpkux7KO-5jQEqPJKiyqSWUGZPc2ih9q-7imefXqsGf2b44FuTvJ6BuIsM-3Vbl__B599F3saHA_04LYkEoVIxQDpWqKq2b8P0bZifIyJCut6pkHMoV4/s320/IMG_20180406_231019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Hemophilia is a group of inherited blood disorders in which the blood does not clot properly. Hemophilia is the standard international spelling, also known as haemophilia in the UK, other translations include: hémophilie, hemofilie, hemofili, hemofilia, hämophilie, emofilia. We will use the standard international spelling for the purpose of this section.<br />
<br />
Bleeding disorders are due to defects in the blood vessels, the coagulation mechanism, or the blood platelets. An affected individual may bleed spontaneously or for longer than a healthy person after injury or surgery.<br />
<br />
The blood coagulation mechanism is a process which transforms the blood from a liquid into a solid, and involves several different clotting factors. The mechanism generates fibrin when it is activated, which together with the platelet plug, stops the bleeding.<br />
<br />
When coagulation factors are missing or deficient the blood does not clot properly and bleeding continues.<br />
<br />
Patients with Hemophilia A or B have a genetic defect which results in a deficiency in one of the blood clotting factors.<br />
<br />
Queen Victoria was a carrier and passed the mutation to her son Leopold, and through several of her daughters to members of the royal families of Spain, Russia, and Germany.<br />
<br />
Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, son of Nicholas II (Russia) suffered from hemophilia and was a descendant of Queen Victoria - Rasputin was successful in treating his hemophilia, it was claimed.<br />
<br />
Types of hemophilia :<br />
<br />
There are two main types of hemophilia - Hemophilia A (due to factor VIII deficiency) and Hemophilia B (due to factor IX deficiency). They are clinically almost identical and are associated with spontaneous bleeding into joints and muscles and internal or external bleeding after injury or surgery.<br />
<br />
After repeated bleeding episodes permanent damage may be caused to the joints and muscles that have been affected, particularly the ankles, knees and elbows.<br />
<br />
Approximately 1 in 5,000 males is born with Hemophilia A, and 1 in 30,000 males is born with Hemophilia B. Hemophilia affects people of all races and ethnic origins globally. The conditions are both X-linked and virtually all sufferers of hemophilia are males. Female carriers may also bleed abnormally, because some have low levels of the relevant clotting factor.<br />
<br />
People with hemophilia have a genetic mutation in the affected gene on the X chromosome, which results in reduced production of Factor VIII or IX and creates a bleeding tendency, because coagulation takes much longer than normal, thus making the clot weak and unstable<br />
<br />
Approximately one third of patients with hemophilia have no family history of the disease, either because of new genetic mutations, or because previous affected generations either had daughters (who were carriers) or sons who died in early childhood from hemophilia or any other cause or who were not affected.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-69360334897304406182018-04-03T21:41:00.000+07:002018-04-03T21:41:41.563+07:00Everything you need to know about menopause<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVmL8vTh-iy_GBnvwl-o9-n858OzZElixRlHoOTB9rkZc6b04I5UV_q4anbQvMu1vYWoTJEmFuBLBr5U_RGHsmDriubapT8ucPK_rOl_aOOGuolckJ9cNU4EaVeBl8XN7HIChCO1-EoZj/s1600/IMG_20180404_213944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVmL8vTh-iy_GBnvwl-o9-n858OzZElixRlHoOTB9rkZc6b04I5UV_q4anbQvMu1vYWoTJEmFuBLBr5U_RGHsmDriubapT8ucPK_rOl_aOOGuolckJ9cNU4EaVeBl8XN7HIChCO1-EoZj/s1600/IMG_20180404_213944.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
Menopause is the process through which a woman ceases to be fertile or menstruate. It is a normal part of life and is not considered a disease or a condition.<br />
Symptoms may occur years before a woman's final period. Some women may experience symptoms for months or years afterward.<br />
<br />
In the United States (U.S.), the average age for menopause is 51 years.<br />
<br />
Despite being a natural process in the body of any woman, menopause can cause drastic changes that trigger severe symptoms.<br />
<br />
This article will explain the symptoms and causes of menopause, as well as how to diagnose and treat any symptoms that arise.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Fast facts on menopause</b><br />
- Menopause marks the end of a woman's fertility.<br />
- Symptoms of menopause include night sweats, hot flashes, mood fluctuations, and cognitive changes.<br />
- A reduction in estrogen levels can lead to the symptoms of menopause.<br />
- There are a number of medical treatments and home remedies that can help with symptoms, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and self-management techniques.<br />
- The average age of menopause in the United States (U.S.) is 51 years.<br />
<br />
<b>Signs and symptoms</b><br />
<br />
Menopause is a natural change in the body. It causes symptoms such as hot flashes.<br />
While menopause is not a disease or disorder, it does trigger some profound changes in a woman's body.<br />
<br />
A diagnosis of menopause is confirmed when a woman has not had a menstrual period for one year. However, the symptoms of menopause generally appear before the end of that one-year period.<br />
<br />
<b>Irregular periods</b><br />
<br />
Changes to the menstrual pattern are the first noticeable symptoms of menopause. Some women may experience a period every 2 to 3 weeks. Others will not menstruate for months at a time.<br />
<br />
<b>Lower fertility</b><br />
<br />
Perimenopause is the 3-to-5-year period before menopause.<br />
<br />
During the perimenopausal stage, a woman's estrogen levels will drop significantly. This reduces her chances of becoming pregnant.<br />
<br />
<b>Vaginal dryness</b><br />
<br />
Dryness, itching, and discomfort of the vagina tend to occur during perimenopause.<br />
<br />
As a result, some women may experience dyspareunia, or pain during sex . Women experience this pain due to lowering estrogen levels. These lower levels cause vaginal atrophy.<br />
<br />
Vaginal atrophy is an inflammation of the vagina that happens as a result of the thinning and shrinking of the tissues, as well as decreased lubrication.<br />
<br />
<b>Hot flashes</b><br />
<br />
A hot flash is a sudden sensation of heat in the upper body. It may start in the face, neck, or chest, and progress upward or downward.<br />
<br />
The skin may become red and patchy, and a woman will typically start to sweat. Her heart rate may suddenly increase, strengthen, or become irregular. Hot flashes generally occur during the first year after a woman's final period.<br />
<br />
<b>Night sweats</b><br />
<br />
Hot flashes that occur during the sleep cycle are called night sweats. Most women say their hot flashes do not last more than a few minutes.<br />
<br />
However, studies have confirmed that moderate-to-severe night sweats and hot flashes may pose a problem for around 10.2 years.<br />
<br />
<b>Disturbed sleep</b><br />
<br />
It can be difficult for women to fall asleep and stay asleep as they progress through menopause.<br />
<br />
In some cases, night sweats can lead to discomfort during the night and difficulty sleeping. Sleep disturbance may also be caused by insomnia or anxiety.<br />
<br />
<b>Urinary problems</b><br />
<br />
Menopause can disrupt a woman's urinary cycle.<br />
<br />
Women tend to be more susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTIs) during menopause, such as cystitis. They may also find that they also need to visit the toilet more often.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Emotional changes</a></b><br />
<br />
Women can experience depression and low mood during menopause.<br />
<br />
Hormonal changes can often trigger depressed feelings and mood swings. In many cases, these emotional symptoms also go hand-in-hand with sleep disturbance.<br />
<br />
Women may also experience low libido, or sex drive, as a result of these emotional changes.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Problems focusing and learning</a></b><br />
<br />
Menopause can affect cognitive functions, such as concentration.<br />
<br />
Some women may also experience short-term memory problems and difficulty focusing for long periods.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Other effects</a></b><br />
<br />
Other symptoms of menopause include:<br />
<br />
a buildup of fat in the abdomen, sometimes leading to overweight and obesity<br />
hair loss and thinning hair<br />
breast shrinkage<br />
Without treatment, symptoms usually taper off over a period of 2 to 5 years. However, symptoms can persist for longer. In some cases, vaginal dryness, itching, and discomfort can become chronic and eventually get worse without treatment.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Complications</a></b><br />
<br />
Menopause can lead to the development of complications, including:<br />
<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Cardiovascular disease</a>: A drop in estrogen levels has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Osteoporosis</a>: A woman may lose bone density rapidly during the first few years after menopause. Low bone density leads to a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Urinary incontinence</a>: Menopause causes the tissues of the vagina and urethra to lose their elasticity. This can result in frequent, sudden, and overwhelming urges to urinate. These urges can be followed by involuntary loss of urine. Women may involuntarily urinate after coughing, sneezing, laughing, or lifting during menopause.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Breast cancer</a>: Women face a higher risk of breast cancer following menopause. Regular exercise can significantly reduce the risk.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Treatment</a></b><br />
<br />
Treatment for menopausal symptoms can range from hormone replacement therapy to self-management.<br />
During menopause, women can pursue a number of treatments to maintain comfort.<br />
<br />
Most women do not seek medical advice during this time, and many women require no treatment. However, a woman should visit a doctor if symptoms are affecting her quality of life.<br />
<br />
Women should choose the type of therapy dependent on their menopausal symptoms, medical history, and personal preferences.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Next page >>></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-36332686748781857712018-04-03T21:12:00.001+07:002018-04-03T21:12:18.685+07:00Everything you need to know about estrogen<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyY2EPw0Vxo6RH3wIlgsGHU0GZ6xk_9iD9fXTdlTVlpd3WHe0oBNOPz8YU-v416mmL-AprdQGfI6DnqRldwpTLZ2frOQSj0CFhuTVBLjSpoKDsGkF1SMl2Y9vzBx24wswxBzcO60ICgBse/s1600/IMG_20180404_211017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="452" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyY2EPw0Vxo6RH3wIlgsGHU0GZ6xk_9iD9fXTdlTVlpd3WHe0oBNOPz8YU-v416mmL-AprdQGfI6DnqRldwpTLZ2frOQSj0CFhuTVBLjSpoKDsGkF1SMl2Y9vzBx24wswxBzcO60ICgBse/s320/IMG_20180404_211017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Estrogens are a group of sex hormones that promote the development and maintenance of female characteristics in the human body.<br />
They play an essential role in the growth and development of female secondary sexual characteristics, such as breasts, pubic and armpit hair, and the regulation of the menstrual cycle and reproductive system.<br />
<br />
During the menstrual cycle, estrogen produces an environment suitable for the fertilization, implantation, and nutrition of an early embryo.<br />
<br />
An imbalance of these hormones can lead to a range of health problems and unwanted physical changes. This MNT Knowledge Center article will explain what estrogen is, how it works in the body, its range of medical uses, and the effects of estrogen imbalance.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Fast facts on estrogen</a></b><br />
- The ovaries are the main location for estrogen production.<br />
- Estrogen influences the structural differences between the male and female bodies, such as females having a wider pelvis and more permanent hair on the head.<br />
- Synthetic estrogen has a range of uses in medicine, including birth control and managing the effects of menopause.<br />
- Estrogen is involved in the development of a range of health issues.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Function</a></b><br />
Estrogen is crucial to the reproductive function and cycle of a woman.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Benefits</a></b><br />
<br />
In females, estrogen affects the following areas of the body:<br />
<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Ovaries</a>: Estrogen helps stimulate the growth of an egg follicle.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Vagina</a>: It also stimulates the growth of the vagina to its adult size, the thickening of the vaginal wall, and an increase in vaginal acidity that reduces bacterial infections. It also helps lubricate the vagina.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Fallopian tubes</a>: Estrogen is responsible for the growth of a thick, muscular wall in the fallopian tubes, and for the contractions that transport the egg and sperm cells.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Uterus</a>: Estrogen enhances and maintains the mucous membrane that lines the uterus. It increases the size of the endometrium as well as enhancing blood flow, protein content, and enzyme activity. Estrogen also stimulates the muscles in the uterus to develop and contract. Contractions help during the delivery of an infant and placenta, and they also assist the wall of the uterus in getting rid of dead tissue during menstruation.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Cervix</a>: Estrogen is thought to regulate the flow and thickness of uterine mucous secretions. This enhances the movement of a sperm cell to an egg and enables fertilization.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Mammary glands</a>: Estrogen forms unique relationships with other hormones in the breast. They are responsible for the growth of the breasts during adolescence, the pigmentation of the nipples, and eventually stopping the flow of milk when an infant is no longer breast-feeding.<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Estrogen is responsible for the differences between male and female bodies. For example, in a female body:</a><br />
<br />
- Estrogen makes the bones smaller and shorter, the pelvis broader, and the shoulders narrower.<br />
- It increases fat storage around the hips and thighs, meaning that the body is more curved and contoured.<br />
- Estrogen helps to slow down the growth of females during puberty and increases sensitivity to insulin. Insulin influences the amount of body fat and lean muscle a person can develop.<br />
- It influences body hair to become finer and less pronounced while making the hair on a woman's head more permanent.<br />
- Estrogen makes the voice box smaller and the vocal cords shorter, giving females a higher-pitched voice than males.<br />
- Estrogens suppress the activity of the glands in the skin that produce oily substances. This reduces the likelihood of acne in females.<br />
Other areas on which estrogen has an impact include:<br />
<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">The brain</a>: It can help maintain body temperature, regulate the part of the brain linked to sexual development, and enhance the effects of the brain's "feel-good" chemicals.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">The skin</a>: Estrogens improve the thickness and quality of the skin as well as the collagen content which prevents aging.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">The bones</a>: Estrogen helps to preserve bone strength and prevent bone loss.<br />
- <a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">The liver and heart</a>: The hormone regulates cholesterol production in the liver, helping to protect the heart and arteries.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-74669551121257498882018-04-02T20:39:00.000+07:002018-04-02T20:39:01.459+07:00How is breast cancer related to the axillary lymph nodes?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtqnq1eUXStUHyCcU9MoOVmx7YRhfGsf96dXcuuZWYwiWptz9MSCvINSO01GLbuGbLFwxfHttLey_jZJx1vEiwvDKt9be4Li10U1vnkgggpxivc1TwIK6jbDdnJ-fwWQbJcWETmV-m6Wx/s1600/IMG_20180403_203730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="598" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtqnq1eUXStUHyCcU9MoOVmx7YRhfGsf96dXcuuZWYwiWptz9MSCvINSO01GLbuGbLFwxfHttLey_jZJx1vEiwvDKt9be4Li10U1vnkgggpxivc1TwIK6jbDdnJ-fwWQbJcWETmV-m6Wx/s320/IMG_20180403_203730.JPG" width="261" /></a></div>
<br />
The lymphatic system is one of the body's chief infection fighters. This system contains lymph, which is a type of fluid, and lymph nodes, which are positioned in key areas in the body.<br />
<br />
Lymph nodes are responsible for filtering lymph fluid and detecting chemical changes that signal if an infection is present.<br />
<br />
Cancer cells can also get into the lymphatic system and get lodged in lymph nodes. When they are in the armpit, these filter points are called axillary lymph nodes.<br />
<br />
Fast facts on axillary lymph nodes:<br />
When cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, the nodes may feel enlarged, or there may be a noticeable lump.<br />
A breast cancer prognosis is better when the cancer is only in the breast, and the lymph nodes are not affected.<br />
Most people who have enlarged axillary lymph nodes do not have cancer at all.<br />
The staging or grading of cancer takes into account whether and how much cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.<br />
<br />
Diagnosis<br />
Axillary lymph nodes often feel like small, round "sponges" under the skin. Sometimes they are painful to the touch. A doctor will investigate if the cancer may have spread to the lymph nodes by doing a physical examination.<br />
<br />
The doctor will feel around the collarbone and neck for signs of enlarged lymph nodes, as well as underneath the arm.<br />
<br />
According to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, one-third of women who do not have lymph nodes that can be felt in a physical exam are found to have cancerous lymph nodes after further testing. As a result, it is usually vital to conduct more testing after the initial physical exam.<br />
<br />
A doctor has several different diagnostic methods to determine if the cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes. These include:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Sentinel node biopsy</a><br />
<br />
A sentinel node biopsy involves injecting a radioactive substance or dye into the breast. A doctor will then use imaging to identify the lymph nodes the dye goes to first. These first lymph nodes are known as the sentinel lymph nodes.<br />
<br />
A doctor will remove one and send it to a pathologist who specializes in identifying types of cancerous cells. This approach can save a person from the side effects of removing multiple axillary lymph nodes.<br />
<br />
According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, sentinel node biopsy correctly predicts the status of further lymph nodes in 96 percent of women with breast cancer.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Axillary dissection</a><br />
<br />
Axillary dissection is a procedure that involves removing more lymph nodes under the armpit. This is done by removing an area of fat that contains many or all of the lymph nodes. A doctor will then test these for cancer to determine if it has spread beyond the sentinel lymph node and, if so, how far it has spread.<br />
<br />
After surgery, sometimes the lymph nodes are radiated along with breast radiation to target any possible remaining cancer cells.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Axillary lymph nodes and breast cancer</a><br />
Sometimes, breast cancer can spread to the axillary lymph nodes, which are in a person's armpits.<br />
<br />
The number of axillary lymph nodes can vary from person to person, ranging from 5 nodes to more than 30.<br />
<br />
When someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, knowing if cancer has spread to their axillary lymph nodes can determine the type of treatment they have, as well as their prognosis.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">What's the connection?</a><br />
<br />
Knowing whether cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes can impact both treatment and prognosis.<br />
The axillary lymph nodes are usually the first set of lymph nodes where breast cancer will spread.<br />
<br />
And because the breast and armpit are close to each other, the lymph nodes are a common place where this type of cancer spreads.<br />
<br />
As a general rule, the more a cancer has spread from its starting point, the worse the prognosis may be for a person.<br />
<br />
Also, if the cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, a doctor will usually recommend removing the lymph nodes during the surgery to remove the originating tumor.<br />
<br />
Lymph nodes are responsible for draining lymph fluid, so their removal can cause some side effects after surgery. One side effect can be lymphedema of the arm, which is a chronic swelling of the arm.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Staging</a><br />
<br />
A doctor will check for signs of enlarged lymph nodes around the collarbone and neck.<br />
The staging of a person's cancer is a part of the TNM system, which stands for Tumor, Nodes, and Metastasis.<br />
<br />
Some doctors use the TNM system to help them provide a prognosis or an outlook for how likely they are to be able to treat a person's breast cancer successfully.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">The N staging categories include:</a><br />
<br />
NX: Axillary lymph nodes cannot be assessed, for example, if they were previously removed.<br />
N0: Cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes. However, a doctor may choose to perform other types of tests to determine if microscopic amounts of cancer cells are present in the lymph nodes. These cells are known as micrometastases.<br />
N1: Micrometastases or cancerous cells are present in 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes, or the internal mammary nodes have tiny amounts of cancerous cells.<br />
N2: In this stage, 4 to 9 axillary lymph nodes have cancer present, or the internal mammary nodes have cancer<br />
N3: This stage has a broad spectrum, as follows:<br />
cancer has been found in 10 or more axillary lymph nodes<br />
cancerous lymph nodes are found under the clavicle<br />
internal mammary nodes have cancer plus one or more axillary lymph nodes are cancerous<br />
four or more axillary lymph nodes are cancerous and internal mammary nodes have micrometastases<br />
cancerous nodes are detected above the clavicle<br />
The more nodes and types of nodes involved, the higher the staging category for axillary lymph node status.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Prognosis</a><br />
The prognosis is poorer when a person's cancer has spread to their lymph nodes, especially when it has spread to more of these.<br />
<br />
However, lymph node staging is only one piece of the puzzle for cancer prognosis.<br />
<br />
A doctor will also consider the overall size of a person's tumor, the type of cells present, and if the cancer has spread to other organs.<br />
<br />
These factors and other considerations, such as a person's overall health and medical history, can further affect the prognosis they will receive.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Next page >>></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-22568347435574263922018-04-01T22:32:00.001+07:002018-04-01T22:32:44.158+07:00New compound boosts treatment for aggressive breast cancer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01GrWHpDugLDLQTxfFfKq3xEuV8w8J9-ewi_s9LkRB6ysSuRCIAfuUxWg6Jpa8pf2iz3ga7R8cFX_vmLIdTZqOc-oav3AH_4v4n_oa6ytOQd4EAT-WH9PRQO87Qf2uics8Pqbf-53uvVA/s1600/IMG_20180402_223103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1016" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01GrWHpDugLDLQTxfFfKq3xEuV8w8J9-ewi_s9LkRB6ysSuRCIAfuUxWg6Jpa8pf2iz3ga7R8cFX_vmLIdTZqOc-oav3AH_4v4n_oa6ytOQd4EAT-WH9PRQO87Qf2uics8Pqbf-53uvVA/s320/IMG_20180402_223103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Although breast cancer survival rates are overall very high, some forms of cancer are more difficult to treat than others. However, a new compound proves highly effective against these types by targeting a protein that makes cancer cells resistant to treatment.<br />
<br />
A new anticancer compound shows promise for treating triple-negative breast cancer, which is typically very aggressive.<br />
Triple-negative breast cancer is often resistant to treatment. Its name refers to the hormone receptor status that divides breast cancer into different types, and the cells in this type of cancer are called triple-negative because they do not have estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, or the protein HER2.<br />
<br />
Triple-negative breast cancer tumors can be particularly aggressive, and they tend to occur in women with a defective BRCA1 gene.<br />
<br />
It is estimated that approximately 12 percent of breast cancers are triple-negative.<br />
<br />
New research, which has recently been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, tests the effect of a novel anticancer agent on treating different types of breast cancer and finds that a new compound - when administered in combination with conventional anticancer drugs - is "highly effective" for treating both triple negative and HER2 positive breast cancers.<br />
<br />
As the authors of the new study note, treatment for triple-negative breast cancer has seen little improvement in the past 30 years, so the recent findings are particularly welcome in this context.<br />
<br />
The researchers were led by Dr. Delphine Merino, Dr. James Whittle, Dr. François Vaillant, Prof. Jane Visvader, and Prof. Geoff Lindeman, all of whom are from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia.<br />
<br />
Targeting cancer's 'Achilles' heel'<br />
Dr. Merino and colleagues combined existing anticancer drugs with a new compound called S63845. The uniqueness of the new compound lies in the fact that it targets MCL-1, which is a protein that has previously been shown to be key for the survival of cancer cells.<br />
<br />
"MCL-1 gives cancer cells a survival advantage, allowing them to resist chemotherapy or other anti-cancer therapies that would otherwise trigger cancer cell death," explains Dr. Whittle. This advantage has been referred to by the researchers as "Achilles' heel."<br />
<br />
As the authors explain in the study, MCL-1 is often overexpressed in breast cancer patients, and high expression usually means poor life expectancy for the patient.<br />
<br />
In the new research, Dr. Merino and team tested the effect of the MCL-1 inhibitor in cancer cell cultures, as well as in tissue samples taken from breast cancer patients who had high levels of MCL-1.<br />
<br />
Dr. Vaillant explains the methodology used, saying, "With the support of the Victorian Cancer Biobank, and samples donated by breast cancer patients, we have generated a large number of laboratory models that mimic how tumors behave and respond to therapy in the patient, allowing us to test a range of anti-cancer drugs."<br />
<br />
"In addition, we [...] performed molecular analysis to anticipate the mechanisms of resistance that may occur," Drs. Whittle and Merino told Medical News Today.<br />
<br />
'Fantastic hope' for triple negative cancer<br />
S63845 worked together with existing drug docetaxel to combat triple-negative breast cancer, and with the drugs trastuzumab or lapatinib to inhibit HER2-positive breast cancer.<br />
<br />
"Combining S63845 with standard therapies, such as chemotherapy or targeted drugs such as Herceptin [trastuzumab], proved highly effective in killing these very aggressive tumor types," says Dr. Merino.<br />
<br />
Dr. Whittle also stresses the advantages of combining the new compound with existing treatment.<br />
<br />
"Importantly, the combination of the MCL-1 inhibitor S63845 with standard therapies was far more effective than either treatment alone. These can be incredibly aggressive tumors, so to see a response to the combined therapy in this tumor type is very exciting."<br />
<br />
"Dr. James Whittle"<br />
<br />
Referring to the compound's "potent synergistic effect" with chemotherapy, Dr. Whittle and Dr. Merino told Medical News Today that this is "a fantastic hope for patients with triple-negative breast cancer."<br />
<br />
Prof. Lindeman also emphasizes the fact that triple-negative breast cancers urgently need alternative forms of treatment. He says, "Our hope is that it will be possible to combine MCL-1 inhibitors with conventional therapies to more effectively treat certain types of breast cancer and deliver better outcomes for our patients."<br />
<br />
However, the authors also note the limitations of their study. "[T]hese results are an early indication of effectiveness," said Dr. Whittle and Dr. Merino, "and further work will be required to identify which patients are more likely to respond and what will be the best strategy to adopt in the case of tumor recurrence."<br />
<br />
The researchers hope that their study "will provide the momentum for the development of clinical trials in breast cancer patients."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-35829973574904258812018-03-31T16:12:00.001+07:002018-03-31T16:12:21.859+07:00Breast cancer: Study identifies a molecular mechanism of drug resistance in ER+ tumors<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17Mvznxb0XIB2bBBbWMVA5zVmFiWtmE024v5pZrVkNoTj7zhfN-ln7NDtYYyaTKCLUPzeU0IpVdKAkYavzi-wPZlllnSpbJowQ87XtcvqwO1WXmz91hi75B5LWD8Q014i_GpcdTTVlkMW/s1600/IMG_20180401_161034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="649" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17Mvznxb0XIB2bBBbWMVA5zVmFiWtmE024v5pZrVkNoTj7zhfN-ln7NDtYYyaTKCLUPzeU0IpVdKAkYavzi-wPZlllnSpbJowQ87XtcvqwO1WXmz91hi75B5LWD8Q014i_GpcdTTVlkMW/s320/IMG_20180401_161034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The majority of breast cancers are estrogen-receptor positive and often treated with anti-estrogen drugs such as tamoxifen. However, resistance to the hormone therapy eventually develops in a large number of patients, leaving them with few options. Now, new research reveals a molecular explanation for this type of drug resistance and could lead to new therapies and better treatment decisions for estrogen-driven breast tumors.<br />
<br />
Researchers hope that their discovery will lead to new treatments that overcome drug resistance in ER+ breast cancers.<br />
A report on the findings - by a team that includes researchers from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in Jupiter, FL - is published in the journal Molecular Cell.<br />
<br />
Around 80 percent of breast cancers are estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) - that is, tumor growth is driven by the hormone estrogen.<br />
<br />
A hormone is a signaling molecule that alters the activity of cells and organs.<br />
<br />
The tumor grows because the breast cancer cells contain proteins called estrogen receptors that become active when estrogen molecules attach to them.<br />
<br />
Once activated, the estrogen receptors on the tumor cells alter the expression of genes that spur cell growth.<br />
<br />
Estrogen-positive breast cancers are frequently treated with drugs that suppress estrogen receptor activity.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, large numbers of patients eventually develop resistance to these treatments, leaving them with few alternatives.<br />
<br />
Cytokines change structure of estrogen receptor<br />
In recent years, many researchers have been working to understand the underlying mechanisms of resistance to hormone therapy in breast cancer. One of their main discoveries is that the molecular biology is highly complex and diverse.<br />
<br />
The new study concerns two cytokines, or small signaling proteins, called interleukin 1 beta (IL1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα).<br />
<br />
These pro-inflammatory immune system molecules are thought to be involved in the spread of drug-resistant tumors, but the underlying mechanisms have been somewhat of a mystery.<br />
<br />
The team found that IL1β and TNFα switch on pathways that change the structure of the estrogen receptor on the breast cancer cells.<br />
<br />
This change appears to be the reason that the tumor develops resistance to the anti-estrogen drug tamoxifen, as Kendall Nettles, one of the study leaders and associate professor at TSRI, explains:<br />
<br />
"Cytokines change the shape of the estrogen receptor, and that change overrides the inhibitory effects of tamoxifen and leads to drug resistance."<br />
<br />
New role for inflammation molecules in breast cancer cells<br />
For their investigation, Prof. Nettles and colleagues used a combination of cellular, genomic, biochemical, and structural tools to probe the interaction between the cytokines and the estrogen receptor.<br />
<br />
They found that the way the molecules interfere with the estrogen receptor is sufficient to stimulate the breast cancer cells to grow - even without estrogen, which is what happens when tumors are initially treated with anti-estrogen drugs such as tamoxifen.<br />
<br />
The team also discovered that not only did the cytokines undermine the growth-suppression effects of tamoxifen, but their activation of the estrogen receptor also encouraged a well-studied type of human breast cancer cell known as MCF-7 to become more invasive.<br />
<br />
Finally, with the help of X-ray crystallography, the researchers produced atomic-level snapshots of how the estrogen receptor structure changed under the influence of the cytokine signals, offering valuable clues as to how they might be blocked.<br />
<br />
Prof. Nettles says that he and his colleagues believe it is possible to develop new hormone therapies that reprogram the immune system so that it does not alter the structure of the estrogen receptor in the first place.<br />
<br />
They also suggest - from what they can see on their atomic snapshots - that the same mechanism may be responsible for driving resistance to cancer drugs that target receptors such as Her2Neu and other growth promoters.<br />
<br />
"These findings dramatically alter our understanding of the biological actions of pro-inflammatory cytokines in breast cancer cells."<br />
<br />
"Prof. Kendall Nettles"Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-16270548698934460532018-03-31T16:04:00.000+07:002018-03-31T16:04:40.249+07:00Estrogen Levels May Determine Breast Cancer Recurrence<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqPvjtq-Yov_YPRV1-v7KKmV8TYXVqNezzJFjFMYaIeShWjYenhUFbfYyZO0RNw3mgafXZGhIPtChurIpFpZT5geNeXUBRC9aXX3yqvYq5c4T5FQsnPeHIR0vo66k4trOMxSqZaUv09ooz/s1600/IMG_20180401_160303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="410" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqPvjtq-Yov_YPRV1-v7KKmV8TYXVqNezzJFjFMYaIeShWjYenhUFbfYyZO0RNw3mgafXZGhIPtChurIpFpZT5geNeXUBRC9aXX3yqvYq5c4T5FQsnPeHIR0vo66k4trOMxSqZaUv09ooz/s320/IMG_20180401_160303.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It appears that the higher a breast cancer survivor's level of estrogen is the greater is her risk of developing breast cancer again, according to study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. Researchers found that blood tests revealed higher estrogen levels among women whose breast cancer had returned, compared to other breast cancer survivors - this is despite receiving estrogen-blocking medication.<br />
<br />
Studies had established a compelling link between estrogen levels and the development of many first time breast cancers, the researchers explained. As there were not many studies showing an association between estrogen levels and breast cancer reoccurrence, especially among patients receiving such estrogen-blocking drugs as Tamoxifen, the researchers decided to investigate this potential link.<br />
<br />
The authors say that patients who have survived breast cancer should be extra careful to keep their estrogen levels down, by exercising regularly and maintaining ideal bodyweight.<br />
<br />
Lead author, Professor Cheryl Rock, University of San Diego, said "This is the largest study to date and the only one to have included women taking agents such as tamoxifen to reduce estrogen's effect on cancer growth."<br />
<br />
Tamoxifen therapy has managed to reduce the chances of a breast cancer survivor developing the cancer again by 50%. However, this anti-estrogen medication does not always bring down estrogen levels enough. Rock explained in a telephone interview with Reuters that a patient cannot just assume that because she is taking one drug that has a good effect she should forget about all of the other useful things that she might be able to do to keep estrogen levels down.<br />
<br />
In this study, the researchers monitored 3,088 breast cancer survivors who were completely cancer free at the start of the study. 153 women developed breast cancer during the study - they were compared to another 153 women who were cancer free for at least seven years. Their body size, age, ethnicity, body types and chemotherapy use were compared. Approximately two-thirds of them had been on tamoxifen therapy, while 78% had estrogen-receptor positive cancers. An estrogen-receptor positive cancer thrives on estrogen (and does not grow without it).<br />
<br />
Estrogen blood levels of women who had breast cancer recurrence were twice as high as those whose breast cancer had not returned, the researchers reported.<br />
<br />
Rock and team said that the next step is to find lifestyle modification factors that may benefit beast cancer survivors. Exercise has been shown to lower estrogen levels. Keeping an ideal bodyweight also helps prevent estrogen levels from rising.<br />
<br />
The team is currently investigating whether there may be a link between bodyweight and breast cancer recurrence risk.<br />
<br />
"Reproductive Steroid Hormones and Recurrence-Free Survival in Women with a History of Breast Cancer"<br />
Cheryl L. Rock, Shirley W. Flatt, Gail A. Laughlin, Ellen B. Gold, Cynthia A. Thomson, Loki Natarajan, Lovell A. Jones, Bette J. Caan, Marcia L. Stefanick, Richard A. Hajek, Wael K. Al-Delaimy, Frank Z. Stanczyk, John P. Pierce, for the Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study Group<br />
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0761<br />
Click here to see Abstract online<br />
<br />
What is Breast Cancer?<br />
<br />
Breast cancer is a tumor that has become malignant - it has developed from the breast cells. A 'malignant' tumor can spread to other parts of the body - it may also invade surrounding tissue. When it spreads around the body, we call it 'metastasis'.<br />
<br />
A woman's breast consists of lobules. Lobules are milk-producing glands. The breast is also full of ducts - milk passages that connect the lobules to the nipple. There is also fatty and connective tissue surrounding the ducts and lobules - this is called stroma.<br />
<br />
The most common breast cancers start in the cells around the ducts. Others can start in the cells that line the lobules. A smaller number of breast cancers can start in other parts of the breast.<br />
<br />
The human body has two ways of moving fluid about. One is through the blood stream, which carries plasma, red and white blood cells and platelets. Lymphatic vessels carry tissue fluid, waste products and infection fighting cells (immune system cells). Immune system cells are located in the lymph nodes - the nodes are shaped like a bean.<br />
<br />
It is common for cancer cells to grow in the lymph nodes. They get there via the lymphatic vessels.<br />
<br />
The lymphatic system of the breasts connect to the lymph nodes in three areas: Under the arm (axillary lymph node), in the chest (internal mammary node) and by the collarbone (supra or infraclavicular node).<br />
<br />
Doctors guess that if cancer cells are in the lymphatic system, they are most likely to be in the bloodstream and will spread to other organs in the body. It is very hard to test for breast cancer cells in the bloodstream.<br />
<br />
If breast cancer cells have got to the nodes under the arm (axillary), it will most likely swell. Whether or not it has swollen there, will decide what type of treatment a patient should have. If cancer cells are found in more lymph nodes, then the likelihood of it turning up in different parts of the body is greater. However, there is no hard and fast rule here. Women have had swellings in many nodes and did not develop metastases, while some women with no swellings in their nodes did.<br />
<br />
Most breast lumps are benign (harmless)<br />
<br />
Although most breast lumps do not develop into anything dangerous (benign) some will need to be biopsied (doctor takes a piece out and tests it). Most lumps are harmless cysts - sacs filled with fluid.<br />
<br />
A benign tumor cannot spread to other parts of the body - it stays inside the breast. They pose no threat to the patient's life. They are not cancer. Some of them, however, can increase the woman's chance of developing breast cancer later on. Tumors such as papillomas and atypical hyperplasia are examples of this.<br />
<br />
How common is breast cancer?<br />
<br />
Breast cancer is the most common cancer for women. About one in every nine women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. 99% of all breast cancers are diagnosed in women, 1% affect men.<br />
<br />
In the USA there were 100,000 new cases in 1985. In 1994 the number rose to 180,000. The main reason for the increase is better awareness leading to more diagnostic tests.<br />
<br />
Why do some women get breast cancer?<br />
<br />
We don't know the answer to that yet. We know that heredity plays a part. The more close relatives a woman has who had breast cancer, the higher is her risk of developing it.<br />
<br />
"Written by Christian Nordqvist"Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-65934453878377197682018-03-30T17:37:00.002+07:002018-03-30T17:37:53.343+07:00Male breast cancer: Symptoms, treatments, and causes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EA28Te4pHjKDIllAJaUZ5g5mceT__O9hk0pTUzo7oD3QXb3GKHUnfbL9EoBraTJDch4HyZOdPZ8llP9swSgdWBKRH-21ojGH0ScCC7RSEf3ARmQt1PAYDwvxBV-QiLvODJmzcAdcgbku/s1600/IMG_20180330_073610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1086" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EA28Te4pHjKDIllAJaUZ5g5mceT__O9hk0pTUzo7oD3QXb3GKHUnfbL9EoBraTJDch4HyZOdPZ8llP9swSgdWBKRH-21ojGH0ScCC7RSEf3ARmQt1PAYDwvxBV-QiLvODJmzcAdcgbku/s320/IMG_20180330_073610.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Male breast cancer is a relatively rare cancer in men that originates from the breast. Most cases of male breast cancer develop in men who are 65 or over, although cases have been recorded in men aged anywhere from 5 to 93.<br />
The estimated 5-year survival rate for early-stage male breast cancer is almost 100 percent.<br />
<br />
For mid-stage male breast cancer, it is 72-91 percent, and for advanced-stage male breast cancer, there is 20 percent chance of survival after 5 years from detection.<br />
<br />
A man's lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000 thousand.<br />
<br />
Contents of this article:<br />
<br />
- Symptoms<br />
- Statistics and survival rates<br />
- Treatment<br />
- Causes<br />
- Diagnosis<br />
- Prevention<br />
- Fast facts on male breast cancer:<br />
- It is a rare form of cancer.<br />
<br />
Mutated genes have been linked to an increase risk of male breast cancer.<br />
A lump in the breast is the most common symptom.<br />
1 in 5 men who develop breast cancer, have a first-degree male relative, such as a father, or brother, who also has a history of breast cancer.<br />
<br />
What are the symptoms of male breast cancer?<br />
<br />
The most common symptom of male breast cancer is the appearance of a lump in the breast. In most cases, the lump will be painless.<br />
<br />
Less common symptoms of male breast cancer usually affect the nipple. Such symptoms include nipple retraction, ulceration, and discharge, where fluid begins to leak from the nipple.<br />
<br />
If the cancer spreads, additional symptoms may include breast pain, bone pain, and swelling of the lymph nodes (glands) near the breast, usually in or around, the armpit.<br />
<br />
Statistics and survival rates for male breast cancer<br />
Adjusted for age and stage, the prognosis for breast cancer in men is similar to that in women. Men will experience smaller tumor size and little or no local lymph node involvement. Hormonal treatment may be associated with hot flashes and impotence.<br />
<br />
Breast cancer is 100 times more common in women than in men. The American Cancer Society estimates that each year, about 1,990 new cases of breast cancer in men will be diagnosed and that breast cancer will cause approximately 480 deaths in men.<br />
<br />
The rate of double mastectomy among men with breast cancer increased significantly between 2004 and 2011, reveals a new study published in JAMA Surgery.<br />
<br />
What are the treatment options for male breast cancer?<br />
<br />
Surgery is a treatment option for male breast cancer and may be carried out with other treatments.<br />
The following treatment options for male breast cancer will be considered:<br />
<br />
Surgery - this is usually the first treatment option for male breast cancer, and usually involves an operation called a modified radical mastectomy.<br />
<br />
The surgeon removes the entire breast and the lymph nodes in the armpit.<br />
<br />
Estrogen hormone therapy - in some cancers, estrogen receptors are present on the walls of the cancerous cells.<br />
<br />
In these cases, estrogen helps the cells to divide and grow. Hormone therapy blocks the effects of estrogen and slows the growth.<br />
<br />
- Tamoxifen - a widely used medication in hormone therapy. It prevents estrogen from entering the cancerous cells.<br />
- Aromatase inhibitors - these block the effects of the aromatase protein that, in turn, lowers the amount of estrogen in the body.<br />
- Chemotherapy - if there are no estrogen receptors on the cancerous cells, hormone therapy does not work. In these cases, chemotherapy is used.<br />
<br />
Chemotherapy is usually given after surgery in order to prevent the cancer returning, or it is used to treat the symptoms of incurable cancer.<br />
<br />
Causes of male breast cancer?<br />
It is not known for certain what causes the cells in the breast to become cancerous. However, a number of risk factors for male breast cancer have been identified:<br />
<br />
Estrogen receptors - about 9 out of 10 breast cancers in men have estrogen receptors on their cell membranes. Estrogen receptors on the cell membranes allow estrogen molecules to bind to the cancer cells. Estrogen binding to the cancer cells stimulates cell growth and multiplication.<br />
<br />
Klinefelter's syndrome - this is where baby boys are born with much higher levels of estrogen than normal. It is a major risk factor for male breast cancer because men with the condition are 20 times more likely to develop male breast cancer than the male population at large.<br />
<br />
Mutations in genes - are thought to play a significant role. For example, a mutation known as the BRAC2 mutation has been found in an estimated 5 percent of men with male breast cancer.<br />
<br />
There is also evidence that male breast cancer can run in families.<br />
<br />
Diagnosing male breast cancer<br />
Typically, self-examination leads to the detection of a lump in the breast, which requires further investigation.<br />
<br />
Biopsy, ultrasound, and mammography may sometimes be used for further definition.<br />
<br />
Prevention and risk factors for male breast cancer<br />
Early detection can help prevent the spread of cancer. If there is a history of male breast cancer in the family, a person should check regularly for lumps and report any changes to a doctor as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
In general, leading a healthy lifestyle is a good way to help prevent male breast cancer, as well as many other serious health conditions.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-34856809702961568512018-03-30T17:28:00.002+07:002018-03-30T17:28:26.955+07:00What you need to know about breast cancer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTNDK1AOH_GYmRA4VzacWgrEWwjI-7g9CymvhK3YohnLqNpIiN0eZiA3KDyUEBmrefAiE6qMRMu9Zh4poVPNesEpx_vB7xvsXLSXOys5c9p1B1MR2rgion0ly-SFqGWrbk-cJIYGnV4hE/s1600/IMG_20180330_072603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="480" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTNDK1AOH_GYmRA4VzacWgrEWwjI-7g9CymvhK3YohnLqNpIiN0eZiA3KDyUEBmrefAiE6qMRMu9Zh4poVPNesEpx_vB7xvsXLSXOys5c9p1B1MR2rgion0ly-SFqGWrbk-cJIYGnV4hE/s320/IMG_20180330_072603.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in women, and the second main cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.<br />
Advances in screening and treatment have improved survival rates dramatically since 1989. There are around 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the United States (U.S.). The chance of any woman dying from breast cancer is around 1 in 37, or 2.7 percent.<br />
<br />
In 2017, around 252, 710 new diagnoses of breast cancer are expected in women, and around 40,610 women are likely to die from the disease.<br />
<br />
Awareness of the symptoms and the need for screening are important ways of reducing the risk.<br />
<br />
Breast cancer can affect men too, but this article will focus on breast cancer in women.<br />
<br />
Fast facts on breast cancer:<br />
Here are some key points about breast cancer. More detail is in the main article.<br />
<br />
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women.<br />
Symptoms include a lump or thickening of the breast, and changes to the skin or the nipple.<br />
Risk factors can be genetic, but some lifestyle factors, such as alcohol intake, make it more likely to happen.<br />
A range of treatments is available, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.<br />
Many breast lumps are not cancerous, but any woman who is concerned about a lump or change should see a doctor.<br />
Symptoms<br />
The first symptoms of breast cancer are usually an area of thickened tissue in the breast, or a lump in the breast or in an armpit.<br />
<br />
<br />
An early diagnosis of breast cancer increases the chance of recovery.<br />
Other symptoms include:<br />
<br />
- a pain in the armpits or breast that does not change with the monthly cycle<br />
- pitting or redness of the skin of the breast, like the skin of an orange<br />
- a rash around or on one of the nipples<br />
- a discharge from a nipple, possibly containing blood<br />
- a sunken or inverted nipple<br />
- a change in the size or shape of the breast<br />
- peeling, flaking, or scaling of the skin on the breast or nipple<br />
<br />
Most lumps are not cancerous, but women should have them checked by a health care professional.<br />
<br />
Stages<br />
Cancer is staged according to the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.<br />
<br />
There are different ways of staging breast cancer. One way is from stage 0 to 4, but these may be broken down into smaller stages.<br />
<br />
Stage 0: Known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the cells are limited to within a duct and have not invaded surrounding tissues.<br />
<br />
Stage 1: At the beginning of this stage, the tumor is up to 2 centimeters (cm) across and it has not affected any lymph nodes.<br />
<br />
Stage 2: The tumor is 2 cm across and it has started to spread to nearby nodes.<br />
<br />
Stage 3: The tumor is up to 5 cm across and it may have spread to some lymph nodes.<br />
<br />
Stage 4: The cancer has spread to distant organs, especially the bones, liver, brain, or lungs.<br />
<br />
<b>Causes</b><br />
<br />
After puberty, a woman's breast consists of fat, connective tissue, and thousands of lobules, tiny glands that produce milk for breast-feeding. Tiny tubes, or ducts, carry the milk toward the nipple.<br />
<br />
In cancer, the body's cells multiply uncontrollably. It is the excessive cell growth that causes cancer.<br />
<br />
Breast cancer usually starts in the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply them with milk. From there, it can spread to other parts of the body.<br />
<br />
Risk factors<br />
<br />
The exact cause remains unclear, but some risk factors make it more likely. Some of these are preventable.<br />
<br />
1. Age<br />
<br />
The risk increases with age. At 20 years, the chance of developing breast cancer in the next decade is 0.6 percent. By the age of 70 years, this figure goes up to 3.84 percent.<br />
<br />
2. Genetics<br />
<br />
If a close relative has or has had, breast cancer, the risk is higher.<br />
<br />
Women who carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer or both. These genes can be inherited. TP53 is another gene that is linked to a greater breast cancer risk.<br />
<br />
3. A history of breast cancer or breast lumps<br />
<br />
Women who have had breast cancer before are more likely to have it again, compared with those who have no history of the disease.<br />
<br />
Having some types of benign, or non-cancerous breast lumps increases the chance of developing cancer later on. Examples include atypical ductal hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ.<br />
<br />
4. Dense breast tissue<br />
<br />
Breast cancer is more likely to develop in higher density breast tissue.<br />
<br />
5. Estrogen exposure and breast-feeding<br />
<br />
Being exposed to estrogen for a longer period appears to increase the risk of breast cancer.<br />
<br />
This could be due to starting periods earlier or entering menopause later than average. Between these times, estrogen levels are higher.<br />
<br />
Breast-feeding, especially for over 1 year, appears to reduce the chance of developing breast cancer, possibly because pregnancy followed by breastfeeding reduces exposure to estrogen.<br />
<br />
6. Body weight<br />
<br />
Women who are overweight or have obesity after menopause may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, possibly due to higher levels of estrogen. High sugar intake may also be a factor.<br />
<br />
7. Alcohol consumption<br />
<br />
A higher rate of regular alcohol consumption appears to play a role. Studies have shown that women who consume more than 3 drinks a day have a 1.5 times higher risk.<br />
<br />
8. Radiation exposure<br />
<br />
Undergoing radiation treatment for a cancer that is not breast cancer increases the risk of breast cancer later in life.<br />
<br />
9. Hormone treatments<br />
<br />
The use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and oral birth control pills have been linked to breast cancer, due to increased levels of estrogen.<br />
<br />
10. Occupational hazards<br />
<br />
In 2012, researchers concluded that exposure to certain carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, for example in the workplace, could be linked to breast cancer.<br />
<br />
In 2007, scientists suggested that working night shifts could increase the risk of breast cancer, but more recent research concludes this is unlikely.<br />
<br />
Cosmetic implants and breast cancer survival<br />
<br />
Women with cosmetic breast implants who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of dying from the disease and a 25 percent higher chance of being diagnosed at a later stage, compared with women without implants.<br />
<br />
This could be due to due to the implants masking cancer during screening, or because the implants bring about changes in breast tissue. More research is needed.<br />
<br />
<b>Types</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Breast cancer can be:<br />
<br />
Ductal carcinoma: This begins in the milk duct and is the most common type.<br />
Lobular carcinoma: This starts in the lobules.<br />
Invasive breast cancer is when the cancer cells break out from inside the lobules or ducts and invade nearby tissue, increasing the chance of spreading to other parts of the body.<br />
<br />
Non-invasive breast cancer is when the cancer is still inside its place of origin and has not broken out. However, these cells can eventually develop into invasive breast cancer.<br />
<br />
Breast cancer can also affect men, but it is less common in men than in women.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-56332058284467356062018-03-27T14:23:00.001+07:002018-03-27T14:23:36.826+07:00'Cross-dressing' cells may improve cancer treatment<br />
Swiss researchers have designed a groundbreaking technique that uses artificial receptors to enhance the body's immune response to tumors.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXeokSwRmbOEHyHKHLZZ0Vo05FSfOA062XZXwz33WsPUnAcgkSUL4BI6RMJeR3HlkdllMaZYPzAatbaCYROuQGltN4iIojgutfRZja2i6lC7UQ_heTPqRl5s5VVMsNI05OaYL0WqLfdDV/s1600/suntikan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXeokSwRmbOEHyHKHLZZ0Vo05FSfOA062XZXwz33WsPUnAcgkSUL4BI6RMJeR3HlkdllMaZYPzAatbaCYROuQGltN4iIojgutfRZja2i6lC7UQ_heTPqRl5s5VVMsNI05OaYL0WqLfdDV/s1600/suntikan.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
A new study finds a way to enhance the immune system's anticancer response.<br />
Cancer treatments are constantly evolving; one of the more recent shifts in treatment revolves around enhancing the natural immune response.<br />
<br />
Our immune system is excellent at destroying and removing damaged, faulty, or old cells, but in the case of cancer, it tends to need a little help.<br />
<br />
Immunotherapies are designed to stimulate a patient's immune system to fight the cancer within. Although the latest immunotherapies can be effective, they only work for the minority of patients who have solid tumors.<br />
<br />
The race is on to enhance these methods and make them work for a wider range of patients. Involved in this push is a group from Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland.<br />
<br />
Dendritic cell vaccines<br />
Specifically, the Swiss group is interested in improving so-called dendritic cell vaccines. Dendritic cells — also referred to as antigen-presenting cells — are an important part of the immune system. They capture antigens from foreign bodies and hand them over to killer T cells, which then neutralize the threat.<br />
<br />
To create dendritic cell vaccines, dendritic cells are removed from the patient and "force-fed" tumor antigens before being released back into the patient. In this way, killer T cells are primed to destroy tumor cells, which are normally experts at evading the immune system.<br />
<br />
Dendritic cell vaccines have already shown promise, but they do have limitations. One major drawback is that the tumor antigens used to "feed" the dendritic cells are from lab-grown tumors, not the patient's own. Because each tumor is different, the vaccine is not exactly matched and, therefore, may only be partially activated by the resident tumor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">A new advance</a><br />
The researchers from EPFL, led by Prof. Michele De Palma, have gone some way toward fixing this problem.<br />
<br />
Dendritic cells are extracted from a patient and EVIRs are inserted into them.<br />
<br />
When the dendritic cells are returned to the patient's body, they are primed to recognize types of small vesicle called exosomes.<br />
<br />
Exosomes are tiny packages that transport various molecules between cells; important in a number of processes, such as coagulation, cell signaling, and waste management, they are produced by tumors in large amounts. In cancer cells, they are thought to play a role in metastasis, helping cancer travel to, and thrive in, distant parts of the body.<br />
<br />
EVIRs trap exosomes traveling through the body, giving dendritic cells the exact blueprint of the resident tumor. The dendritic cells can then inform the killer T cells and boost the patient's immune response to the cancer.<br />
<br />
Using imaging techniques, the team demonstrated that EVIRs enhanced transfer of tumor antigens from the exosome to the outer membrane of the dendritic cell.<br />
<br />
Their results are published this week in the journal Nature Methods.<br />
<br />
"We call this phenomenon cross-dressing, which alludes to the fact that the dendritic cells acquire immunogenic antigens from the tumor and directly display them on their own surface. This is a fascinating and unconventional route for antigen presentation to T cells, which does not require complex and rate-limiting molecular interactions inside the dendritic cell."<br />
<br />
Prof. Michele De Palma<br />
The team hopes that this new technology will eventually improve immunotherapy's specificity and killing power. Mario Leonardo Squadrito, first author of the study, explains:<br />
<br />
"The EVIR technology can intercept a natural phenomenon — the release of exosomes from tumors — to the patient's benefit. It exploits pro-tumoral exosomes as selective nanocarriers of tumor antigens, making them available to the immune system for cancer recognition and rejection."<br />
<br />
Before this groundbreaking technology can be used in patients, it will need more study. The authors are planning to continue this line of inquiry alongside scientists from CHUV University Hospital of Lausanne.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Next page >>></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-31346885447934350262018-03-27T14:13:00.000+07:002018-03-27T14:13:03.294+07:00One injection could kill cancer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDO3kNZa7dT4zoPKbI9SLysLX6uhhuTRKV3hn3PjufTKcPX7BdLEazNVTo9p1lKi0l2rk8cqHMyXiNWWWx4Q6LAJioGhyphenhyphenH849_Z-wtBFA6_IaMmZaL3BJFksM3K-Z_zDj9Ay11f-UEyQJ/s1600/suntikan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1037" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDO3kNZa7dT4zoPKbI9SLysLX6uhhuTRKV3hn3PjufTKcPX7BdLEazNVTo9p1lKi0l2rk8cqHMyXiNWWWx4Q6LAJioGhyphenhyphenH849_Z-wtBFA6_IaMmZaL3BJFksM3K-Z_zDj9Ay11f-UEyQJ/s320/suntikan.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Scientists experimenting with an innovative treatment for cancer have now devised a targeted injection that has already successfully eliminated tumors in mice.<br />
<br />
Could one shot administered directly to a solid tumor mark the end of cancer?<br />
Research devising more effective treatments for all types of cancer has been abundant over the past few years, offering new hope all the time.<br />
<br />
Some of the most recent experiments include using state-of-the-art nanotechnology to hunt down microtumors, engineering microbes to thwart cancer cells, and starving malignant tumors to death.<br />
<br />
The latest study, from Stanford University School of Medicine in California, has investigated the potential of yet another approach: injecting "minute" amounts of two agents that stimulate the body's immune response directly into a malignant solid tumor.<br />
<br />
So far, their studies using mice have proven successful. "When we use these two agents together," explains senior study author Dr. Ronald Levy, "we see the elimination of tumors all over the body."<br />
<br />
"This approach bypasses the need to identify tumor-specific immune targets and doesn't require wholesale activation of the immune system or customization of a patient's immune cells."<br />
<br />
Dr. Ronald Levy<br />
Moreover, the researchers have reason to believe in a speedier trajectory toward clinical trials for this method, since one of the agents involved has already been approved for use in human therapy, while the other is already under clinical trial for lymphoma treatment.<br />
<br />
The study's findings were published yesterday in the journal Science Translational Medicine.<br />
<br />
'One-time application' of formula<br />
Dr. Levy specializes in the use of immunotherapy — which is a type of treatment wherein the body's immune response is enhanced so that it can target cancer cells — to fight lymphoma, or cancer of the lymphatic system.<br />
<br />
There are several types of immunotherapy, including some that boost the entire immune system of the body and others that are a lot more targeted. But, the researchers note, they all come with caveats attached.<br />
<br />
They may have problematic side effects, be time-consuming, or be simply too costly. The team's method, however, arguably has more benefits — even beyond its potential effectiveness as a treatment.<br />
<br />
"Our approach uses a one-time application of very small amounts of two agents to stimulate the immune cells only within the tumor itself," Dr. Levy explains. This method can "teach" immune cells how to fight against that specific type of cancer, which then allows them to migrate and destroy all other existing tumors.<br />
<br />
Although the immune system's role is to detect and eliminate harmful foreign bodies, many types of cancer cell are able to evade detection in complex ways, which enables them to grow and spread.<br />
<br />
A type of white blood cell called T cells play a vital role in regulating the body's immune response. Normally, T cells would target and fight cancer tumors, but all too often, cancer cells learn to "trick" them and escape the immune response.<br />
<br />
Effective against many types of cancer<br />
In the new study, Dr. Levy and his team delivered micrograms of two specific agents into one hard tumor site in each of the affected mice. The agents in question were:<br />
<br />
CpG oligonucleotide, a short stretch of synthetic DNA that boosts the immune cells' ability to express a receptor called OX40, which is found on the surface of T cells<br />
an antibody that binds to the receptor, activating the T cells<br />
Once the T cells are activated, some of them migrate to other parts of the body, "hunting down" and destroying other tumors.<br />
<br />
Importantly, Dr. Levy and his colleagues note that this method could be used to target a number of different kinds of cancer; in each case, the T cells will "learn" to deal with the specific type of cancer cell that they have been exposed to.<br />
<br />
In the laboratory, the scientists first applied this method to the mouse model of lymphoma, and 87 out of 90 mice became cancer-free. In the other three cases, the tumors did recur, but they disappeared when the researchers administered the treatment a second time.<br />
<br />
Similarly successful results were observed in the mouse model of breast, colon, and skin cancer. Also, even the mice that were genetically engineered to develop breast cancer spontaneously responded well to this method of treatment.<br />
<br />
'A targeted approach'<br />
However, when scientists transplanted two different types of cancer tumor — lymphoma and colon cancer — in the same animal but only injected the experimental formula into a lymphoma site, the results were mixed.<br />
<br />
All the lymphoma tumors did recede, but the same did not hold true for the colon cancer tumor, confirming that the T cells only learn to deal with the cancer cells that were in their immediate vicinity before the injection.<br />
<br />
As Dr. Levy continues, "This is a very targeted approach. Only the tumor that shares the protein targets displayed by the treated site is affected. We're attacking specific targets without having to identify exactly what proteins the T cells are recognizing."<br />
<br />
Currently, the team is preparing a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of this treatment in people with low-grade lymphoma. Dr. Levy hopes that, if the clinical trial is successful, they will be able to extend this therapy to virtually any kind of cancer tumor in humans.<br />
<br />
"I don't think there's a limit to the type of tumor we could potentially treat, as long as it has been infiltrated by the immune system," Dr. Levy concludes.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Next page >>></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-62457138425689866652018-03-26T22:12:00.000+07:002018-03-26T22:39:34.599+07:00Lung cancer and shoulder pain: What's the connection?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8smSFSvJ57WAKwKYtH0DXVCkhLL1PxzjpkkKnnLcVI3ixzJu4htBIFroL8o-hd3YhcSoOHU9xEAieUNLCJzvyW08gv_6zpkvqYI7Bp_Y1n-02P8ikGY1L11ZaYN2ejlLHGqzKPcsbD3lW/s1600/lung.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="383" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8smSFSvJ57WAKwKYtH0DXVCkhLL1PxzjpkkKnnLcVI3ixzJu4htBIFroL8o-hd3YhcSoOHU9xEAieUNLCJzvyW08gv_6zpkvqYI7Bp_Y1n-02P8ikGY1L11ZaYN2ejlLHGqzKPcsbD3lW/s320/lung.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Most people experience shoulder pain, usually due to inflammation or muscle injuries. Much less frequently, shoulder pain can be a sign of lung cancer.<br />
<br />
Although shoulder pain is not a hallmark of lung cancer, any persistent unexplained pain warrants a visit to a doctor.<br />
<br />
Lung cancer may cause shoulder pain but shoulder pain does not immediately indicate lung cancer.<br />
Lung cancer can cause referred pain in the shoulder. Referred pain is a type of pain that begins in one area of the body but is felt in another. Some types of lung cancer are more likely to cause referred pain than others.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Mesothelioma</a></b><br />
<br />
Mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer usually caused by long-term exposure to asbestos.<br />
<br />
Symptoms are similar to other forms of lung cancer, but a 2015 study found that 14 percent of people with mesothelioma also had shoulder pain. In these patients, shoulder pain was often the first symptom of mesothelioma.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Pancoast lung cancer tumors</a><br />
<br />
Pancoast tumors are a relatively uncommon form of lung cancer. These tumors are located in a groove at the top of the lungs called the superior sulcus. Because this area is close to the shoulder, it can cause intense shoulder pain on the same side where the cancer develops.<br />
<br />
A person who has a Pancoast tumor, the type of lung cancer most likely to cause shoulder pain, may also experience a group of symptoms called Horner syndrome. In addition to shoulder pain, people with Horner syndrome may experience:<br />
<br />
changes in the eyes, including droopy eyelids or shrinking in one pupil<br />
asymmetrical changes in sweating, such as reduced sweating on one side of the face.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Metastatic lung cancer</a><br />
<br />
Metastatic lung cancer is cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. When lung cancer spreads to nearby regions, such as the bones, lymph nodes, and other nearby structures, shoulder pain may occur.<br />
<br />
Metastatic lung cancer can cause a range of symptoms specific to the body system affected. For example, lung cancer that spreads to the liver may cause symptoms of jaundice, such as yellow eyes. Some common symptoms of metastatic lung cancer include:<br />
<br />
unexplained muscle and bone pain<br />
changes in the nervous system, such as weakness or tingling, headaches, dizziness, and seizures<br />
swelling in the lymph nodes<br />
How lung cancer-related shoulder pain feels<br />
<br />
Shoulder pain can be a frustrating symptom to diagnose. There is no characteristic cluster of shoulder pain symptoms associated with lung cancer. One study of shoulder pain in people with mesothelioma, for example, found that most people thought the pain was minor, ranking it a 4 on a scale of 1-10. A few people, however, experienced more significant symptoms, including decreased mobility.<br />
<br />
Some people with cancer-related shoulder pain experience pain in the arms that radiates down to the hands. This pain may also include numbness and tingling.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">other lung cancer sympthom </a><br />
Around 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and 90 percent in women are due to smoking. Although anyone can develop lung cancer, current and former smokers with symptoms should be particularly concerned.<br />
<br />
<br />
A persistent cough, wheezing, and coughing up blood may be symptoms of lung cancer.<br />
Shoulder pain is not the most frequent symptom of lung cancer. With the exception of a small number of cases, it's rarely the first lung cancer symptom.<br />
<br />
Common symptoms of non-small cell lung cancer - the most common variety of lung cancer - include:<br />
<br />
- a persistent cough<br />
- coughing up blood or rust-colored mucus<br />
- hoarseness or wheezing<br />
- unexplained weight loss<br />
- difficulty breathing<br />
- fatigue and weakness<br />
- long-term infections of the chest or respiratory system, such as pneumonia or bronchitis.<br />
<br />
<b>Common causes of shoulder pain</b><br />
<br />
Most shoulder pain is due to everyday causes, such as slumping in front of a computer or straining a muscle. Many people experience shoulder pain caused by the following:<br />
<br />
- Short-term injuries due to overextending or overusing the muscles of the shoulder. Symptoms typically occur in the injured shoulder only.<br />
- Referred pain from other areas of the body. Neck and back pain may trigger shoulder aches. Weakness in one muscle may cause the shoulder muscles to overcompensate, triggering pain.<br />
- Injuries in the spine, such as herniated disks.<br />
- Osteoarthritis, which occurs over time as cartilage wears down.<br />
Rheumatoid arthritis, a long-term inflammatory condition.<br />
- Tears in the rotator cuff.<br />
- Frozen shoulder, an injury that limits mobility. Lack of use, rheumatoid arthritis, and unusual tissue growth in the shoulder may cause frozen shoulder.<br />
- Poor posture. Slumping over a computer, holding the body in an awkward position for extended periods, and craning the neck may cause tension and pain in the shoulders. The pain may spread to the neck and back.<br />
<br />
Less frequently, various diseases can irritate the nerves of the shoulder, triggering pain. Heart disease, gallbladder disease, and liver disease are common causes of this type of pain. Nerve pain can cause tingling and numbness or a sensation of pins and needles in the shoulder. Its location often changes or expands over time.<br />
<br />
<b>Treatment for shoulder pain</b><br />
<br />
New shoulder pain may be treated with rest and the application of an ice pack.<br />
Much shoulder pain is temporary, due to overuse, strain, and minor injuries. To treat new shoulder pain, people should try RICE:<br />
<br />
- Resting the injured shoulder, avoiding excessive movement or weight-bearing.<br />
- Ice can be applied to the area with an ice pack for 20 minutes at a time<br />
- Compressing the area with a bandage or wrap to reduce swelling<br />
- Elevating the painful area<br />
Some people also find that switching between heat and ice packs helps to increase blood flow, speeding healing and reducing pain. Gentle stretching, low-impact exercise, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen can also offer relief.<br />
<br />
Shoulder pain that lasts more than a few days, that goes away and then comes back, or that is unbearable warrants seeing a doctor. Depending upon the cause, the doctor may recommend:<br />
<br />
- physical therapy<br />
- exercise therapy<br />
- surgery to address structural issues<br />
alternative treatments, such as acupuncture or chiropractic care<br />
pain medications to reduce the severity of shoulder pain and improve mobility.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" target="_blank">Next page >>></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-57182251878436772262018-03-26T21:42:00.000+07:002018-03-26T21:42:11.797+07:00What you need to know about lymphoma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4E7en_Xa8kh6u9XgaUPARocBri7L6Fnx7CkllPcOegJxs6MmlHagKowluZQr57lEYjNdtImKpgSAvXJQLZZnagz0JI1pKNDhM3gbO1vMOs5XaUpA50LukZYDyvodhC4bZDuVWeX5gm1Tl/s1600/lympthoma.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="352" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4E7en_Xa8kh6u9XgaUPARocBri7L6Fnx7CkllPcOegJxs6MmlHagKowluZQr57lEYjNdtImKpgSAvXJQLZZnagz0JI1pKNDhM3gbO1vMOs5XaUpA50LukZYDyvodhC4bZDuVWeX5gm1Tl/s320/lympthoma.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lymphoma</a> is a cancer of the lymphatic system. It affects a type of white blood cells known as lymphocytes. These help fight disease in the body. They play an important role in the immune system.<br />
This type of cancer starts in the white blood cells, or lymphocytes. As it is present in the bloodstream, it can spread, or metastasize, to different parts of the body.<br />
<br />
Lymphoma can occur at any age, but it is one of the most common causes of cancer in children and young adults aged 15 to 24 years. It is often treatable.<br />
<br />
In the United States, the lifetime risk of getting Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is 2.1 percent. The risk of getting Hodgkin lymphoma is around 0.2 percent.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fast facts on lymphoma</a><br />
Here are some key points about lymphoma. More detail is in the body of this article.<br />
<br />
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph nodes and lymphatic system.<br />
The two main types are Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin. Non-Hodgkin is the most common.<br />
The main symptom is usually an enlargement of lymph nodes that does not go away as it normally would after infection.<br />
There is no way to prevent lymphoma, but survival rates after treatment are good.<br />
Treatment<br />
<br />
Swollen glands that do not go away can be a sign of lymphoma.<br />
Treatment depends on the type of lymphoma and the stage it has reached.<br />
<br />
Indolent, or slow-growing lymphoma may need only watchful waiting and no treatment.<br />
<br />
If treatment is necessary, it can involve:<br />
<br />
<b>Biologic therapy</b>: This is a drug treatment that stimulates the immune system to attack the cancer cells by inserting living microorganisms into the body.<br />
<b>Antibody therapy</b>: Synthetic antibodies are inserted into the bloodstream to combat the cancer's antigens.<br />
<b>Chemotherapy</b>: Aggressive drug treatment is used to kills cancer cells.<br />
<b>Radioimmunotherapy</b>: This delivers high-powered radioactive doses directly into the cancerous B-cells and T-cells to destroy them.<br />
<b>Radiation therapy</b>: This is used to focus on small areas of cancer.<br />
<b>Stem-cell transplantation</b>: This can restore damaged bone marrow following high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy.<br />
<b>Steroids</b>: These may be injected to treat lymphoma.<br />
<b>Surgery</b>: This can be used to remove the spleen or other organs after the lymphoma has spread.<br />
Surgery is used more often for obtaining a biopsy.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Symptoms</a><br />
The signs and symptoms of lymphoma are similar to those of illnesses such as viral diseases and the common cold, but they continue for longer than would normally be expected.<br />
<br />
Some people will have no symptoms, but some may notice a swelling of the lymph nodes. These are located all around the body, often in the neck, groin, abdomen, or armpits.<br />
<br />
The swellings are normally painless, but pain may occur if the enlarged glands press on organs, bones, and other structures. This can be confused with back pain.<br />
<br />
Lymph nodes can swell during common infections, such as a cold, but in lymphoma the swelling does not go away. Pain is also more likely to accompany the swelling if it is due to an infection.<br />
<br />
The overlap of symptoms can lead to misdiagnosis.<br />
<br />
Anyone who has ongoing swelling of the glands should see their doctor.<br />
<br />
<b>Other symptoms of both types of lymphoma may include:</b><br />
<br />
-ongoing fever without infection<br />
night sweats, fever, and chills<br />
-weight loss and loss of appetite<br />
unusual itching.<br />
-persistent fatigue, unusual tiredness, or lack of energy.<br />
-pain in lymph nodes after drinking alcohol.<br />
<br />
<b>Additional symptoms that can indicate Non-Hodgkin lymphoma include:</b><br />
<br />
-persistent coughing<br />
-shortness of breath<br />
-pain or swelling of the abdomen<br />
-Pain, weakness, paralysis, or otherwise altered sensation can occur<br />
if an enlarged lymph node presses against spinal nerves or the spinal cord.<br />
<br />
Lymphoma can spread rapidly from the lymph nodes to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system. As cancerous lymphocytes spread into other tissues, the body's ability to fight infection weakens.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Causes</a><br />
Cancer happens when there is uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that thrive and spread instead of dying as they would in the life cycle of a normal cell.<br />
<br />
Lymphatic tissue is connected throughout the body. If cancer cells develop in the lymphatic system, they can spread easily from their original location to other tissues and organs, including those outside the system.<br />
<br />
Lymphoma most often spreads to the liver, bone marrow, or lungs.<br />
<br />
In Hodgkin lymphoma, the cancer usually affects one lymph node after another in order.<br />
<br />
In non-Hodgkin lymphoma, tumors may arise in disparate lymph nodes, skipping some nodes.<br />
<br />
Exactly what causes lymphoma is unclear, but there are some risk factors.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Risk factors</a><br />
The two different types of lymphoma have different risk factors.<br />
<br />
Risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma include:<br />
<br />
<b>Age</b>: Most lymphomas occur in people aged 60 years and older, but some types are more likely to affect children and young adults.<br />
<b>Sex</b>: Some types are more likely in women, others are more likely in men.<br />
<b>Ethnicity and location</b>: In the U.S., African-Americans and Asian-Americans are at lower risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma than white Americans, and it is more common in developed nations.<br />
Nuclear radiation and some chemicals used in agriculture have been linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.<br />
<b>Immunodeficiency</b>: A person with a weak immune system is more at risk. This can be due, for example, to HIV ro AIDS, medications taken after an organ transplant.<br />
<b>Autoimmune disease</b>: This is when the immune system attacks the body's own cells. Examples include rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease.<br />
<b>Infection</b>: Certain viral and bacterial infections that transform lymphocytes increase the risk, such as the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which causes glandular fever.<br />
<b>Breast implants</b>: These can cause anaplastic large cell lymphoma in the breast tissue.<br />
Obesity has been implicated in the development of lymphoma, although more research is needed to confirm the link.<br />
Hodgkin lymphoma<br />
<br />
Risk factors for Hodgkin lymphoma include:<br />
<br />
Infectious mononucleosis: Infection with EBV can cause mononucleosis, which increases the risk of lymphoma.<br />
<b>Age</b>: People between the ages of 20 and 30 years and people over the age of 55 years have a higher risk<br />
<b>Sex</b>: It is slightly more common in men.<br />
<b>Location</b>: Hodgkin lymphoma is most common in the U.S., Canada, and northern Europe. It is least common in Asia.<br />
<b>Family</b>: If a sibling has the condition, the risk is slightly higher, and very high if the sibling is an identical twin.<br />
<b>Affluence</b>: People of higher socioeconomic status are at greater risk<br />
<b>HIV infection</b>: This can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of lymphoma.<br />
Diagnosis<br />
There are no routine screenings for lymphoma. If a person has persistent viral symptoms, they should see a doctor.<br />
<br />
The doctor will ask about the patient's personal and family medical history, and try to rule out other conditions.<br />
<br />
They will also carry out a physical examination, including an inspection of the abdomen and chin, neck, groin, and armpits, where swellings may occur. The doctor will look out for signs of infection near lymph nodes, since this can account for most cases of swelling.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tests for lymphoma</a><br />
<br />
Tests will confirm whether lymphoma is present.<br />
<br />
Blood tests and biopsies can detect the presence of lymphoma and distinguish between them.<br />
<br />
A biopsy involves taking a sample of lymph tissue for examination in a laboratory. The surgeon may remove a whole lymph or a part of one. In some cases, a needle can be used to take a tissue sample. A bone marrow biopsy may be necessary. This may need a local anesthetic, a sedative, or a general anesthetic.<br />
<br />
Biopsies and other tests can confirm the stage of the cancer, to see whether it has spread to other parts of the body.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Next page >>></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-6296714573157073322018-03-26T21:17:00.002+07:002018-03-26T21:17:43.598+07:00How to prevent scars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi28pvCpSUQ9mYW8IlR8_Ql3d6-cVB-j4ymNjRsMlnWA5bZ0JxifnkN2gxwGnPlmUdb9S1l3ppqEc1EFteWEPxd2VFWEIe4gLMuwPoww1HS9MYwNxJKXg22Fv6JtKbMvjdbnhQut694-1/s1600/IMG_20180326_111452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi28pvCpSUQ9mYW8IlR8_Ql3d6-cVB-j4ymNjRsMlnWA5bZ0JxifnkN2gxwGnPlmUdb9S1l3ppqEc1EFteWEPxd2VFWEIe4gLMuwPoww1HS9MYwNxJKXg22Fv6JtKbMvjdbnhQut694-1/s320/IMG_20180326_111452.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
After a recent burn, a person can use several methods to prevent or reduce the severity of scars:<br />
<br />
Directly after the burn occurs, a person can:<br />
<br />
rinse the burn with cool or lukewarm water, then let the skin air dry<br />
apply antibiotic anointment, using a sterilized applicator to help prevent infection<br />
cover the burn with a nonstick bandage, held in place with gauze<br />
seek medical care if the wound is getting redder instead of healing.<br />
Shortly after the burn has healed, a person can:<br />
<br />
carefully stretch the skin around the affected area for a few minutes every day to prevent the skin from sticking together<br />
wait for any blisters to burst and drain by themselves, then have a doctor cut away the dead skin<br />
cover the damaged area with clothing or sunscreen for a few months<br />
To ensure a severe burn is healing well make regular appointments with a doctor. They can advise on how to prevent or lessen scarring and check the burn is healing as it should.<br />
<br />
How to treat burns<br />
<br />
Applying gauze bandages to the burn will help to prevent infection.<br />
Quick and proper treatment of a burn will reduce the risk and severity of any scarring.<br />
<br />
A person can usually treat a first-degree burn at home by soaking the burn in cool water for a minimum of 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
People who have a second-degree burn should usually see a medical professional. However, people can treat small burns at home in the following ways:<br />
<br />
Antibiotic ointment. Applying a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to the affected area promotes healing and reduces the risk of infection.<br />
Gauze bandages. Covering the burn with sterile, nonstick gauze protects the skin and reduces the chances of an infection.<br />
Third-degree burns are very serious and require immediate medical attention.<br />
<br />
Treatment for third-degree burns include:<br />
<br />
Compression garments are tight items of clothing that support the affected area. This pressure will allow the skin to recover. A person may have to wear a compression garment all day for a few months to give the burn time to heal.<br />
Skin grafts. A skin graft involves a surgeon taking healthy skin from another area of the body, or from a donor, and using this to cover the area of burned skin.<br />
Surgery. If a burn causes parts of the skin to stick together (called contractures), a person may require surgery to release these and enable movement.<br />
Physical therapy to encourage motion in areas of the body affected by contractures may also help.<br />
If a burn does not heal within a week, regardless of its size or severity, make an appointment with a doctor. If the burn scar is severe or it does not fade in time, a person should also consult their doctor.<br />
<br />
Applying aloe vera gel, eating a diet rich in antioxidant foods, drinking plenty of water, and taking certain supplements may improve a person's healing process. However, it is essential to consult a doctor before putting anything on severe burns and taking new supplements as these may interfere with other treatments.<br />
<br />
Complications<br />
The majority of minor burns will heal without causing any further problems and do not require medical care. More severe burns need medical management, may leave scars, and carry a higher risk of complications, such as:<br />
<br />
Infection<br />
<br />
Burns cause open wounds where bacteria and other germs can enter the body. The resulting infections can be minor and easily treatable or can develop into more severe infections, such as sepsis. Sepsis occurs when the infection enters a person's bloodstream and can be life-threatening.<br />
<br />
Dehydration<br />
<br />
Burns cause the body to lose fluid. Losing excessive amounts of fluid can cause dehydration, which can affect the volume of blood flowing through the body.<br />
<br />
Low body temperature<br />
<br />
A person's skin helps to regulate their body temperature. When a burn damages the skin extensively, the resulting heat loss can result in hypothermia, when a person's body temperature suddenly drops to dangerously low levels.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Next page >>></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241715916489879908.post-24008969051070529622018-03-26T10:22:00.000+07:002018-03-26T10:22:21.785+07:00How to get rid of burn scars?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcNzRUt7O5aEsOJmdI_JSrN35ZO8y2J2fJ7ffbQX_YCu8GAiOsNoabSbw5KBb9dbQSLkeAtxMAdtS9kF8Gf2LjTo9zXBHh87ne6NDbD4MLK6gezIhu7FHCoFNwF2wfbslRIEph33xql-w/s1600/luka+bakar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcNzRUt7O5aEsOJmdI_JSrN35ZO8y2J2fJ7ffbQX_YCu8GAiOsNoabSbw5KBb9dbQSLkeAtxMAdtS9kF8Gf2LjTo9zXBHh87ne6NDbD4MLK6gezIhu7FHCoFNwF2wfbslRIEph33xql-w/s1600/luka+bakar.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Table of contents<br />
Burns can occur when a person's skin touches something too hot, gets scalded with boiling water, is overexposed to the sun, certain chemicals, or even electricity.<br />
During the healing process, scars often form. Scars, which are areas of thick, discolored skin, often develop after damaged skin causes cells to die. The body produces a protein called collagen to repair the damaged skin, which leads to a scar.<br />
<br />
Burn scars can be large or small depending on how much of the skin is damaged. The severity of the burn will determine whether these scars will fade or remain permanently visible.<br />
<br />
In this article, we look at which types of burn are more likely to scar, how to reduce burn scars, and how to prevent long-term scarring from a recent burn.<br />
<br />
Types of burn scars<br />
<br />
Blisters may form in second-degree burns.<br />
The likelihood and severity of getting a burn depend on how long a person is exposed to the heat as well as its intensity.<br />
<br />
Burns are classified depending on how much of the skin they affect:<br />
<br />
First-degree burns damage the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) and cause redness and pain. They usually heal within 6 days without scarring the skin.<br />
Second-degree burns affect both the epidermis and the layer under the skin (the dermis). As well as pain and redness, people with second-degree burns may experience blisters. These burns may take 2 to 3 weeks to heal and are more likely to scar.<br />
Third-degree burns are the most severe. They damage the top two layers of skin but may also damage the bones and tendons and can affect nerve endings. People with third-degree burns may also notice their skin turn white or black. These types of burns can take a long time to heal and are likely to produce a scar.<br />
Scars caused by second and third-degree burns are categorized according to their appearance and how they affect the skin:<br />
<br />
Hypertrophic scars may appear red or purple and are raised above the skin level. They may feel warm and become itchy.<br />
Contracture scars make the skin, muscles, and tendons tighter and restrict normal skin movement.<br />
Keloid scars form a shiny, hairless bump.<br />
Removing burn scars<br />
<br />
Silicone gel can be applied to a burn scar to promote healing.<br />
Quick treatment and proper wound care is often the best way to prevent or minimize the appearance of scars.<br />
<br />
Many scars fade over time. However, keloid scars often do not fade by themselves and may require treatment.<br />
<br />
Once a scar has already formed, a person can reduce the appearance of the scar by:<br />
<br />
Applying a silicone gel. Research shows that this can help to reduce the appearance of existing scars, including reducing the size, stiffness, and redness.<br />
Protecting the area from the sun. Ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause the scars to turn a darker color and become more noticeable. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommend that people wear protective clothing and sunscreen of SPF 30 or above.<br />
Be wary of over-the-counter scar removal products. The effectiveness of such products is often untested.<br />
If burn scars cause significant distress, a person can talk to their doctor about options for reducing scar tissue. These treatments involve working with the damaged collagen.<br />
<br />
The AAD recommend the following medical options for reducing scars:<br />
<br />
steroid injections, which may ease pain and reduce the size of keloid and other scars<br />
laser treatments, which can reduce redness, pain, and hardness of keloid and other scars.<br />
surgery to remove scar tissue, reducing the size of keloid scars and improving skin movement<br />
While these treatments can help to reduce scars, they may not remove them completely, and healing can take time.<br />
<br />
Avoid using creams that contain vitamin A or vitamin E on scars, as this can make them more noticeable. However, it is important to keep the skin moisturized.<br />
<br />
How to prevent scars<br />
After a recent burn, a person can use several methods to prevent or reduce the severity of scars:<br />
<br />
Directly after the burn occurs, a person can:<br />
<br />
rinse the burn with cool or lukewarm water, then let the skin air dry<br />
apply antibiotic anointment, using a sterilized applicator to help prevent infection<br />
cover the burn with a nonstick bandage, held in place with gauze<br />
seek medical care if the wound is getting redder instead of healing.<br />
Shortly after the burn has healed, a person can:<br />
<br />
carefully stretch the skin around the affected area for a few minutes every day to prevent the skin from sticking together<br />
wait for any blisters to burst and drain by themselves, then have a doctor cut away the dead skin<br />
cover the damaged area with clothing or sunscreen for a few months<br />
To ensure a severe burn is healing well make regular appointments with a doctor. They can advise on how to prevent or lessen scarring and check the burn is healing as it should.<br />
<br />
How to treat burns<br />
<br />
Applying gauze bandages to the burn will help to prevent infection.<br />
Quick and proper treatment of a burn will reduce the risk and severity of any scarring.<br />
<br />
A person can usually treat a first-degree burn at home by soaking the burn in cool water for a minimum of 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
People who have a second-degree burn should usually see a medical professional. However, people can treat small burns at home in the following ways:<br />
<br />
Antibiotic ointment. Applying a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to the affected area promotes healing and reduces the risk of infection.<br />
Gauze bandages. Covering the burn with sterile, nonstick gauze protects the skin and reduces the chances of an infection.<br />
Third-degree burns are very serious and require immediate medical attention.<br />
<br />
Treatment for third-degree burns include:<br />
<br />
Compression garments are tight items of clothing that support the affected area. This pressure will allow the skin to recover. A person may have to wear a compression garment all day for a few months to give the burn time to heal.<br />
Skin grafts. A skin graft involves a surgeon taking healthy skin from another area of the body, or from a donor, and using this to cover the area of burned skin.<br />
Surgery. If a burn causes parts of the skin to stick together (called contractures), a person may require surgery to release these and enable movement.<br />
Physical therapy to encourage motion in areas of the body affected by contractures may also help.<br />
If a burn does not heal within a week, regardless of its size or severity, make an appointment with a doctor. If the burn scar is severe or it does not fade in time, a person should also consult their doctor.<br />
<br />
Applying aloe vera gel, eating a diet rich in antioxidant foods, drinking plenty of water, and taking certain supplements may improve a person's healing process. However, it is essential to consult a doctor before putting anything on severe burns and taking new supplements as these may interfere with other treatments.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://how%20to%20get%20rid%20of%20burn%20scars/" target="_blank">Complications</a><br />
The majority of minor burns will heal without causing any further problems and do not require medical care. More severe burns need medical management, may leave scars, and carry a higher risk of complications, such as:<br />
<br />
Infection<br />
<br />
Burns cause open wounds where bacteria and other germs can enter the body. The resulting infections can be minor and easily treatable or can develop into more severe infections, such as sepsis. Sepsis occurs when the infection enters a person's bloodstream and can be life-threatening.<br />
<br />
Dehydration<br />
<br />
Burns cause the body to lose fluid. Losing excessive amounts of fluid can cause dehydration, which can affect the volume of blood flowing through the body.<br />
<br />
Low body temperature<br />
<br />
A person's skin helps to regulate their body temperature. When a burn damages the skin extensively, the resulting heat loss can result in hypothermia, when a person's body temperature suddenly drops to dangerously low levels.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://insurance1890.blogspot.co.id/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Next page >>></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024510101384904891noreply@blogger.com0