Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Liver Cancer Treatments

How to Treat Liver Cancer



Liver cancer is one of the most serious types of cancer. It’s so serious because there are not many symptoms and you don't normally know you have it until the cancer has already started spreading (metastasizing) to other organs within the body. Surprisingly enough, many liver cancers can be prevented. There isn”t a liver cancer vaccine yet, but there IS a hepatitis B vaccine that was approved for use in the United States in the early 1980s. The hepatitis B vaccine protects both children and adults from the hepatitis B virus. Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus is one of the leading causes of liver cancer worldwide. There are many treatments for liver cancer. Each treatment is applied differently but all work toward the same goal.

                          

 Steps

  1. Surgery: is the most effective treatment for primary liver cancer, but this is not always possible due to the size or position of the tumour. It is also not possible to operate if the cancer has spread beyond the liver. If the liver is severely damaged by cirrhosis it may not be safe to have surgery.
  2. Alcohol injection: In this procedure, pure alcohol is injected directly into tumors, either through the skin or during an operation. Alcohol dries out the cells of the tumor and eventually the cells die. Each treatment consists of one injection, although you may need a series of injections for the best results. Alcohol injection has been shown to improve survival in people with small hepatocellular tumors. It may also be used to help reduce symptoms in cases of metastatic liver cancer. The most common side effect is leaking of alcohol onto the liver or into the abdominal cavity.
  3. Liver transplantation: Liver transplantation is surgery to remove a diseased liver and replace it with a healthy liver from an organ donor. A liver transplant is necessary when disease makes the liver stop working. The most common reason for liver transplantation in adults is cirrhosis, a disease in which healthy liver cells are killed and replaced with scar tissue.
  4. Radiofrequency ablation: In this procedure, electric current in the radiofrequency range is used to destroy malignant cells. Using an ultrasound or CT scan as a guide, your surgeon inserts several thin needles into small incisions in your abdomen. When the needles reach the tumor, they”re heated with an electric current, destroying the malignant cells. Radiofrequency ablation is an option for people with small, unresectable hepatocellular tumors and for some types of metastatic liver cancers. Although the procedure has a somewhat higher risk of serious complications than alcohol injection does, it appears to provide better outcomes.
  5. Chemoembolization: Chemoembolization is most beneficial to patients whose disease is limited to the liver. Some success has been demonstrated with patients whose cancer has spread to other areas. Patients with kidney disease, blood coagulation problems, or known allergies to contrast agents are not good candidates for this procedure.
  6. Radiation therapy: This treatment uses high-powered energy beams to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside your body or from radiation-containing materials inserted into your liver. Radiation may be used on its own to treat localized unresectable cancer. Or you may have radiation therapy following surgical removal of a tumor to help destroy any remaining malignant cells. Radiation side effects may include fatigue, nausea and vomiting.
  7. Chemotherapy: This treatment uses powerful drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be systemic meaning it travels throughout your body in your bloodstream or regional. Systemic chemotherapy is generally not effective in treating liver cancer, but may be a treatment option in certain cases.

Things You'll Need

  • A doctor
  • Health check

How to Treat Gout

How to Treat Gout


Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis. It is the most common inflammatory arthritis among men. The treatment of the symptoms that come with gout (including pain, swelling of the joints, and tophi) is a long standing battle that can ofttimes be won.


Steps

  1. Know the goals.
    • End the pain of acute flares.
    • Prevent future attacks.
    • Halt the formation of tophi (masses of urate crystals deposited in soft tissue).
    • Intercept the growth of kidney stones.
  2. Know what to do.
    • Talk to your doctor about anti-inflammatory medicines and medicines that can reduce uric acid levels quickly.
    • Get more exercise. Exercise not only helps you to lose weight, it can also help you deal with the pain that comes with arthritis. 30 minutes a day is all it takes to see improvement.
    • Watch what you drink Do not drink alcohol. Try also to avoid caffeine and sodas. Drink at least six to eight 8 ounce glasses of water daily. This not only helps reduce gout symptoms, it can help with weight loss as well.
    • Watch what you eat. Many foods are high in uric acid, which can lead to a bout with gout attacks. Red meats, most shellfish and oily fish should be avoided. Talk to a nutritionist about a diet that is low in uric acid.
    • Protect your joints. Avoid joint injuries and repetitive movements that can aggravate afflicted joints.
    • See your doctor and follow all recommendations he/she may provide.

Tips

  • Contact the Arthritis Foundation for helpful information: http://www.arthritis.org/
  • Avoid taking aspirin if you are having a gout attack. Take low doses of over-the-counter- medicines, such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium instead.
  • Eating foods high in potassium can reduce the symptoms of gout during an attack.

Warnings

  • Recurrent bouts of acute gout can lead to a degenerative form of arthritis called gouty arthritis.
  • Gout is associated with an increased risk of kidney stones.

AUTOMOTIVE

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Tuesday, October 2, 2012

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How to Celebrate Cancer Awareness Month

How to Celebrate Cancer Awareness Month



Setting aside one month a year for cancer awareness may alert many to the early detection of breast cancer, but to celebrate this, only once a year, is like checking the car for oil, only once a year. We have to use breast detection methods monthly or more often, and to be alert when we find anything in our breasts that does is not normally felt.

Steps

  1. Examine your breasts monthly, or more often if there is a history of breast cancer in your family. Monthly breast exams can reveal changes that could signal breasts cancer, such as a new thickness, a lump or a dimple in the skin.
  2. Talk to your daughter about breast self examinations. your women should perform this by age 20, so that they can become familiar with their bodies and catch problems early. While breast cancer is usually found in older women, many younger women, late 20's been diagnosed with it as well.
  3. Have annual breast exams. Mammograms can detect growths way before they are even large enough to feel. Baseline mammograms are recommended for women ages 35 to 40 and recommended earlier if there is a family history of breast cancer.
  4. Read about and be aware of new improved treatment options. Treatment has greatly improved in recent years. Lumpectomies, surgical removal of the lump and some surrounding tissue, have replaced mastectomies, the removal of the full breast, in treating most women with small breast cancers.

 

 Tips


  • Mammograms do not hurt. They might pinch the breast for a second, but its worth the discomfort of the pinch, since early detection helps you get more effective treatment.
  • Consider clinical trials which try to find better ways to prevent, screen for and diagnoses or treat the disease. Check your local hospital or ask your doctor where to find these trials or new was to detect and treat cancer, which may improve the comfort and quality of life for those who have cancer.

The Future of Health Now

Warnings

  • If you do find something, do not panic, nor minimize it, or ignore it. Ignoring it, or fooling yourself by saying it's nothing might make you feel better, but it might cause the lump to grow, if indeed it is cancerous. Most lumps are not cancerous but should be examined by your doctor immediately.

What is Breast Cancer

How to Recognize Signs of Breast Cancer


Breast cancer is where cancer cells form in the breast tissue. Other than skin cancer, women get breast cancer more than any other type of cancer. Not only can women develop breast cancer, men can too. With the help of this article, you can learn the signs of breast cancer, the risk factors, and how to prevent it.

Steps

  1. Perform a self-breast examination. By doing this daily, you can detect the signs of cancer early and hopefully be able to get help as soon as possible.
  2. Check for the common symptoms of breast cancer. As you're examining yourself, check for these signs of breast cancer:
    • Look for changes in how the breast or nipple feels. There may be some tenderness on your nipples or you might feel a lump or a thickening on your breast or around the underarm area.
    • Look for changes on how the breast or nipple looks. Sometimes the skin on your breast and nipple might be swollen, red, or have a rough feeling to it. There could be changes in the size and shape of your breast or a nipple might have turned inward.
    • Be aware of nipple discharge.
  3. Be cautious of other minor signs. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a really uncommon type of breast cancer and can be very hard to detect, even by a mammogram. Here are the signs of IBC:
    • A breast that's larger than the other.
    • Skin on the breast that's red or pink.
    • Swelling on the breast.
    • A rash either on the entire breast or in small patches on the breast.
    • The skin on the breast has an "orange" like texture. (Bumpy, rough.)
    • Skin that is hot to the touch.
    • Itchiness or pain on the breast.
    • Nipple discharge.
    • Thickened areas or ridges on the breast.
    • Nipples that are inverted or flat.
    • Swollen lymph nodes near the armpit or on the neck.
  4. If you notice any signs, see a doctor right away. Even if you have your doubts, it still doesn't hurt to check and make sure.


Tips

  • Have an early detection plan. A detection plan should help you detect breast cancer early:
    • Have monthly breast self-exams beginning at the age of 20.
    • Have a doctor give you a breast exam every 3 years between the ages of 20-39.
    • Get a breast exam by a doctor every year after you are 39.
    • Start having mammograms after you are 40 and get one every 2 years when you are between 40-49 and have them yearly after you are 49.
  • Eat healthily and exercise daily. Research shows that a good diet and exercise can help prevent cancer.
Treatments for breast cancer include
  • Radiotherapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Cancer drugs e.g. Tamoxifen
Surgery Lumpectomy - Removal of the lump Mastectomy - Removal of the breast. There are several types of mastectomy
  • Partial mastectomy - Removal of part of the breast.
  • Quadrentectomy - Removal of one quarter of the breast
  • Skin sparing mastectomy - This involves removing the areola, nipple and the inner breast tissue but not the outer breast.
  • Simple/Total mastectomy - Removal of the breast sometimes with some of the underarm lymph nodes.
  • Modified radical mastectomy - Removal of the breast, some of the underarm lymph nodes, occasionally the minor chest muscle.
  • Radical mastectomy (Halstead) - Removal of the breast, all underarm
lymph nodes, fat and both minor and major chest muscles.
  • Extended/Supraradical mastectomy - Removal of the breast, all underarm
lymph nodes, fat, both minor and major chest muscles, internal mammary nodes and may include excision of the underlying pleura(lung lining) and ribs, sometimes half of the sternum (breastbone) is removed. Reconstruction can be done as a separate procedure or done together with the mastectomy. Reconstruction is done by: Implants/Tissue expanders. TRAM flap - Skin taken from the abdomen to make a new breast. Using the side of your back (the latissimus dorsi muscle) Skin grafts if you have had the more radical mastectomies such as the Halstead radical or the extended/Super radical mastectomy.

Warnings

  • Remember to have a doctor check you if you even think that you notice anything out of the ordinary, it is very important!
  • Risk factors for breast cancer:
    • Diets high in saturated fats.
    • Obesity.
    • If you have a history of breast cancer in your family.
    • If you are over 65.
    • If you had a late menopause.
    • If you've never had children.
    • If you gave birth to your first child at an older age.
    • If you're taking hormones.
- smoking and drinking, because of the harmful chemicals.

HOW TO TREAT GOUT

How to Treat Gout




Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis. It is the most common inflammatory arthritis among men. The treatment of the symptoms that come with gout (including pain, swelling of the joints, and tophi) is a long standing battle that can ofttimes be won.

Steps

  1. Know the goals.
    • End the pain of acute flares.
    • Prevent future attacks.
    • Halt the formation of tophi (masses of urate crystals deposited in soft tissue).
    • Intercept the growth of kidney stones.
  2. Know what to do.
    • Talk to your doctor about anti-inflammatory medicines and medicines that can reduce uric acid levels quickly.
    • Get more exercise. Exercise not only helps you to lose weight, it can also help you deal with the pain that comes with arthritis. 30 minutes a day is all it takes to see improvement.
    • Watch what you drink Do not drink alcohol. Try also to avoid caffeine and sodas. Drink at least six to eight 8 ounce glasses of water daily. This not only helps reduce gout symptoms, it can help with weight loss as well.
    • Watch what you eat. Many foods are high in uric acid, which can lead to a bout with gout attacks. Red meats, most shellfish and oily fish should be avoided. Talk to a nutritionist about a diet that is low in uric acid.
    • Protect your joints. Avoid joint injuries and repetitive movements that can aggravate afflicted joints.
    • See your doctor and follow all recommendations he/she may provide.
Cure Gout Now

Cure Gout Ebook

Tips

  • Contact the Arthritis Foundation for helpful information: http://www.arthritis.org/
  • Avoid taking aspirin if you are having a gout attack. Take low doses of over-the-counter- medicines, such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium instead.
  • Eating foods high in potassium can reduce the symptoms of gout during an attack.

Warnings

  • Recurrent bouts of acute gout can lead to a degenerative form of arthritis called gouty arthritis.
  • Gout is associated with an increased risk of kidney stones.