Cancer Blog

Chemotherapy is a word that causes dread in most who hear it. It is a time of stress as well as risk. If you, or someone you know, are facing chemotherapy, these four simple steps may help get through the process with better spirits and better results as well.

1. Tell your doctor if you get side effects from treatment

You can’t expect the possibility of relief from side effects if you do not share them with your doctor. Be sure to communicate with your doctor. Some people keep a health journal during and after treatment to improve the information you have to present to your doctor if problems arise more gradually. Discuss what you might keep in a health journal that might improve the effectiveness of your treatment.

2. Ask your doctor before you take any other medicine

All drugs operate by manipulating some normal cell function. This includes the chemotherapy drugs as well. These manipulations may conflict with the intended effects of your chemotherapy treatment. Even herbals, or an over the counter pain reliever can lead to unintended consequences. Always inform your doctor before taking any other medications.

3. Take care of your health

There are many things you can do to support the natural ability of your body to restore, protect and defend itself from the effects of injury and disease. Seek to improve your diet, find ways to reduce other sources of stress in your life and be thankful for the hope and opportunity you have because of your treatment. These things can have a remarkable affect on your body and your feeling of good health.

4. Talk about your feelings

These are stressful times. Don’t keep your feelings bottled up. People you know and love are probably feeling stress too. Help each other by being open about what you are going through. By being open with others, you can feel more in control of the stress and trepidation you’re feeling, instead of those things being in control of you.

Self-help can never take the place of professional health care. Ask your doctor and nurse any questions you may have about chemotherapy. Also don’t hesitate to tell them about any side effects you may have. They want and need to know.

Examined under the microscope, the Mantle cell lymphoma appears as an expansion of the mantle zone area of the lymph nodes.It is represented by a homogenous population of malignant small lymphoid cells, which are cancerous cells that travel from the bone marrow to the lymph nodes and spleen. They are different from the normal lymphocytes, they are not mature properly. Mantle cell lymphoma is a rare type of Non- hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The lymphocytes are white blood cells produced by the immune system of the human body. Regarding their origin, there are two types of immune cells, the B cells which are made in the bone marrow and the T cells which are made in the thymus. After they are made they are eliminated in the lymph which is a clear liquid that bathes tissues and circulates in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system in the place where occur the cancers known as lymphomas. If the B cells are affected there can be a Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma which include follicular lymphomas, small non-cleaved cell lymphomas (Burkitt’s lymphomas), marginal zone lymphomas (MALT lymphomas), small lymphocyte lymphomas, large cell lymphomas. In this category of diseases is included the mantle cell lymphomas too.

At the beginning, the MCL cells develops in limited areas. Regarding this aspect there are three subsets of MCL cells: the mantle zone type, the nodular type and the blastic or immature type. In the most cases these various types develop together and the diagnoses are of mixed mantle and nodular type. During the development of the MCL the non-cancerous mantle centers also become invaded by cancerous cells. In about 20% of these cases, the cells become larger and they are imature ones.

As it is initially slow-growing, this type of cancer it was first believed to be a low-grade cancer, but the average survival rate it was substantially shortened. Because of the mixed nature of MCL cells, specialists tend to give this disease a new classification. The presence of the blastic type of cells is considered as a high-grade cancer because it spreads at about the rate of other lymphomas belonging to that category. It is very important to describe the precise nature of these cells, because this may help specialists involved in the study of MCL to get to an agreement.

Mantle cell lymphoma affects persons with ages between 50 - 70 years and it is diagnosed more frequently in women. This type of cancer has the shortest average survival of all lymphomas.

Nowadays the cause of MCL is unknown. It has many symptoms that appears in other lymphomas too. Patients generally complain of fatigue, low grade fevers, night sweats, weight loss, anemia, rashes, digestive disturbances, chronic sinus irritation, recurrent infections, sore throat, shortness of breath, muscle and bone aches and edema. A more specific symptom is the spleen enlargement. This clinical aspect is present especially in the nodular type of MCL. An early stage is the swollen lymph nodes. At the beginning this has no explanation because the general health of the patient is good. Anemia is another syptom that characterizes MCL, but it is a mild type of anemia. Some patients can also report lower back pain and burning pain in the legs and testicles. In an advanced stage of the MCL the lymph nodes increase in volume, the general health is compromised and the symptoms become more pronounced. In the end stage the MCL spreads to the central nervous system and appear the neurological symptoms.

As MCL is very similar to several other lymphoma types, imunologic tests are recommended for a correct diagnosis. One of this kind of tests is Immunophenotyping which determine what kind of surface molecules are present on cells, and which is the exact type of lymphoma, from a tissue sample.

When the diagnosis is sure it must be known that mantle cell lymphoma has already spread into many other tissues such as the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow or to the ring of adenoid, palatine and lingual tonsils at the back of the mouth or even to the gastrointestinal tract. If the MCL spread to the colon it is diagnosed as multiple lymphomatous polyposis.

The treatment for MCL is established depending on the type of MCL and it stage.

There is no standard treatment for MCL patients. The patients diagnosed with MCL have been treated with surgery, radiation, single drug or combination chemotherapy and stem cell transplants. The most common chemotherapy regimens for treating MCL includes the drugs: Cyclophosphamide (cytoxan, neosar), adriamycin (doxorubicin or Hydroxydoxorubicin), vincristine (Oncovin), and Prednisone and it is called CHOP.

Lung cancer forms in the tissues of your lungs generally in the cells which line your air passages.lung cancer is a very aggressive type of cancer and if not caught early enough can have a very poor outcome.

Generally, lung cancers originate in the lining of the bronchi. Plus it can also form in the glands below the lining of the bronchi, usually in the periphery of the lungs.

There are four recognizable stages of lung cancer. Stage one is the mildest and stage four is the most severe form. Remember though, that all stages of lung cancer are very serious.

Let us now examine the four stages:

Stage One: In this stage, the cancer is confined to the lung tissue will only. Your chance of recovering from this type of cancer is the best.

Stage Two: Here the cancer is confined to the lung tissue and lymph nodes only.

Stage Three: At this stage, the cancer is in the lung tissue and lymph nodes inside and outside the lungs.

Stage Four: When you reach this stage, the cancer has spread to the liver, bone, adrenal glands, brain, and other areas.

The state of development and the type of the cancer are very important when trying to heal the patient. There are two types: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, and Small Cell Lung Cancer. What follows are the likely treatments and approximate cure rates for each stage of lung cancer:

Stage One: The main treatment here involves surgery.

Cure rate is around 67%.

Stage Two: The main treatment for this type of cancer also involves surgery.

The cure rate for this type of cancer is generally in the 40 to 50% range.

Stage Three: The main treatment here includes chemotherapy and radiation.

The cure rates is generally less than 60%.

Stage Four: The main treatment involved here also includes chemotherapy and radiation. The cure rate at this stage is less than 80%.

Research is continually ongoing to study the causes of lung and other cancers, and to find new ways to prevent or even cure them.Unfortunately however, if you are diagnosed with lung cancer there is not a very good outlook attached to the outcome.

Asbestosis - The Cause

Asbestosis and asbestos-related diseases are caused by inhaling asbestos fibres. There is no cure at present, but early identification can stop the condition from getting worse.

When asbestos is physically disturbed in uncontrolled circumstances, tiny, needle-like fibres of asbestos become airborne. If these fibres are inhaled they travel like small arrows deep into the lungs penetrating the tissue. The harm they cause may not be immediate, but the long-term effects are serious.

When the fibres penetrate the lung tissue, they trigger an inflammatory reaction. In an attempt to defend itself, the body sends white blood cells to engulf and attack these foreign objects. The fibres usually resist and destroy these blood cells, and this leaves increasing amounts of unwanted debris around the affected area, thereby promoting further inflammation and irreversible scarring of the lungs.

Asbestosis - The Symptoms

The symptoms of asbestosis don’t tend to appear for many years. Whilst manifestation times differ with individuals, it may take as long as 25 to 40 years.

This means that even though working practices & precautions have been dramatically improved, we still see a large number of people just starting to show signs of ill health and diseases such as mesothelioma.

Typically, shortness of breath is a sign of asbestosis, as well as a sign of a range of other diseases. People may relate this symptom to a more friendly disease for their own peace-of-mind, but if you experience shortness of breath and know or suspect that you have been exposed to asbestos in your past, then it would be wise to consult your doctor.

Shortness of breath initially occurs on exertion, but later, even at rest. It is the main symptom and a result of reduced lung capacity, and pressure in and around the lungs. Other common symptoms include tiredness - from a lack of oxygen, and coughing..

Asbestosis can also cause thickening of the pleura. The pleura is the membrane that lines the outside of the lungs, and this symptom will likely only be noticed upon x-ray. It is usually an x-ray performed for a reason other than suspected asbestosis that reveals this symptom. If the thickening is severe it may restrict lung function, again causing shortness of breath.

Mesothelioma - The Cause

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, only caused by exposure to asbestos. This cancer may occur in the pleura and shortness of breath will result.

Other negative effects of mesothelioma are chest pain and intestinal obstruction. The latter results from this cancer in the abdominal wall.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of mesothelial cells. These cells cover the outer surface of most of our internal body organs, forming a lining that is sometimes called the mesothelium. So this is where this type of cancer gets its name.

Even though mesothelioma is a form of cancer, it is unusual for it to spread to other parts of the body. If it does, it does not usually cause problems.

Mesothelioma - The Symptoms

In its early stages, mesothelioma does not have many symptoms.

When symptoms do develop, they are often caused by the cancer growing and pressing on either a nerve or another body organ.

There are two main types of mesothelioma and the symptoms differ. There are two main types of this form of cancer:

Pleural mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma

The pleural type grows in the tissues covering the lungs. The peritoneal type grows in the tissue lining the inside of the abdomen. Pleural mesothelioma is much more common than peritoneal mesothelioma.

Between 7 and 8 out of 10 (70-80%) of cases of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma is much less common.

The typical symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are pain in the lower back, pain in the side of the chest, a persistent cough, shortness of breath, a hoarse or husky voice, noticeably losing weight when not dieting, sweating, fevers and difficulty swallowing.

The typical symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include pain in the abdomen, swelling in the abdomen, feeling or being sick, poor appetite, noticeably losing weight when not dieting and diarrhoea or constipation.

These symptoms are all more likely to be caused by some other illness, rather than by mesothelioma. However, if you have these symptoms, consult your doctor, especially if you have been exposed to asbestos in the past.

How does Asbestos Cause Mesothelioma?

Asbestos is made up of tiny fibres. You can breathe these fibres in when you come into contact with asbestos, particularly when these fibres are airborne. The fibres work their way into the pleura, the lining of the lung. They irritate the pleura and damage the cells that the pleura are made of. This promotes the growth of cancerous cells.

Some of the fibres that have been breathed in can be coughed up and swallowed. This is probably one of the causes of peritoneal mesothelioma. Most cases of mesothelioma occur in men who have worked in manufacturing using asbestos or used asbestos based products, particularly in construction or engineering.

The use of asbestos was very heavy in the years after the war (Post 1945). Mesothelioma may not develop until 15 - 40 years after you have been exposed to asbestos, which is why we are seeing an increase in cases now. The number of cases is expected to peak around 2018 and then start to decline.

There are three types of asbestos: blue, brown and white. Blue and brown asbestos are linked with mesothelioma. They have been banned since the late 1980’s and cannot be imported into the UK. White asbestos is now also thought to be harmful. The use of all asbestos was banned in 1999 in the UK.

Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer which is fairly rare although in the last few decades the number of people who have died from it have dramatically increased. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos without sufficient protection. When a person is exposed to asbestos, he or she inhales tiny asbestos fibres which are suspended in the air. These fibres pass into the respiratory system and end up becoming lodged in the lungs. An accumulation of asbestos fibres in the lining of the lungs like this can cause nearby cells to deform and eventually leads to what is known as pleural mesothelioma. Accumulation of asbestos fibres in the peritoneum (lining of the abdomen) can lead to peritoneal mesothelioma and build up of fibres around the tissue of the heart can cause pericardial mesothelioma. Asbestos fibres reach these places over time or because they have been transported there by the lymphatic system.

Mesothelioma has a very large latency period (time between getting the cancer and feeling the symptoms of it). This period is usually between 30 – 50 years and so a person who bears mesothelioma is unlikely to know that they have got it. This is why mesothelioma is so hard to diagnose in its early stages because it shows no symptoms and the few symptoms that it does show such as wheezing and shortness of breath are typical of far more common diseases such as pneumonia. The likelihood of being cured depends largely on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated. If it is treated when it has fully developed and matured then it is extremely difficult to cure.

In this way, those at risk are those who have worked amongst asbestos. Construction workers, asbestos manufacturers or those who have lived within a mile of an asbestos factory are the people who have the largest contact with asbestos. Those who are in contact with these people are also at risk because asbestos fibres can stick to clothes and hair. The majority of people who are discovering that they have mesothelioma are elderly men of about 60 – 70. This was the generation which worked with asbestos a lot without sufficient protection. Many of these men are now lodging multi million dollar lawsuits against the companies who exposed them to the dangers of asbestos.

Clinical trials are the mechanism for improving survival and quality of life for individuals faced with a cancer diagnosis. Without trials, we would not know that mastectomy for breast cancer is equivalent to lumpectomy and axillary node dissection. We would not have the evidence that most patients with Hodgkin’s disease, aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and advanced testicular cancer can be cured with chemotherapy. In order to achieve these milestones in cancer treatment success, cancer clinical trials are designed in a step-wise fashion.

Phase I Trials: The first step in testing a new approach in humans. Data from previous animal and laboratory studies are used to evaluate drug dose, administration schedule, drug metabolism, and side effects. Patients are divided into small groups called “cohorts.” Each cohort is treated with increasing doses of the agent or combination until the maximal tolerated dose is reached. The highest (or most effective) dose associated with acceptable side effects is chosen for future studies. Generally, phase I trials are conducted on patients with a variety of malignancies who have advanced disease.

Phase II Trials: Determining the safety and effectiveness of a new treatment are the primary endpoints of phase II trials. A new drug, combination, or technique is studied on a small and relatively homogeneous group of patients (e.g., 40 - 100 patients with a specific cancer). The type of cancer chosen for a phase II treatment is based on results of laboratory studies and Phase I trials. The primary purpose of most phase II cancer trials is to determine the percentage of patients that show a measurable response to treatment. Additional information on side effects and safety are also collected.

Phase III Trials: These large-scale trials compare a new treatment or combination that has shown promise in Phase II trials to the current standard therapy. Patients are randomly assigned to the standard approach or the new treatment. Phase III trials are critical for advancing the quality of cancer treatment and may establish a new standard of care. Hundreds to thousands of participants may be needed for a well designed Phase III trial.

Experimental or Investigational (NCI definition): An investigational study or clinical trial refers to a drug (including a new drug, dose, combination, or route of administration) or procedure that has undergone basic laboratory testing and received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be tested in human subjects. A drug or procedure may be approved by the FDA for use in one disease or condition, but be considered investigational in other diseases or conditions. Different insurers may have different definitions for these terms.

Medicare and Clinical Trials: Medicare reimburses for routine cancer care as well as care that is part of a clinical trial. Covered services include routine diagnostic tests, procedures, physician visits, administration costs of any investigational drugs, and treatment/hospitalization if needed for management of side effects. Items that are not reimbursed include any charge for an investigational drug, services or items provided free by a trial sponsor, or any coinsurance or deductible payments. Since most insurance companies follow Medicare guidelines, the same provisions for covering clinical trial costs should be adopted by private health insurers.

By providing coverage of treatment on a nationally sanctioned clinical trial, public and private insurers are allowing their subscribers access to the best quality, state of the art therapies. Clinical trials help to identify better and safer anti-cancer drugs. Advances in treatment occur as a direct result of clinical trials. These advances lead to new standards of care and improved quality of life for those battling cancer. New and more effective therapies will translate to a reduction in recurrence rates and to the suffering endured by victims of cancer and their families. Moreover, successful clinical trials will contribute to a decrease in health care dollars spent to fight the number two killer in the United States. Reducing the burden of cancer requires a dedicated health care system that supports research as the only path toward improving outcomes and saving lives.

Following my partner, Glenn’s, diagnosis with an aggressive form of cancer, my hours of research led me to discover a series of medical researchers who have come to the conclusion that cancer is a metabolic disease.

A metabolic disease is one that develops as a result of our metabolism becoming corrupted. Simply put – metabolism is “the chemical processes occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life.”

The medical researchers suggest that the metabolism becomes corrupted because the raw ingredients, that is the nutritional elements, required for the chemical processes are either missing or not available in sufficient quantity.

Their assertion is that what we call “illness” is simply a result of the body’s survival response “gone wrong” caused by our body not having the nutritional elements to continue life or to heal itself in a healthy manner.

History is full of examples of diseases cured by increasing certain nutritional elements:

. Scurvy which is prevented and reversed by increasing Vitamin C

. Pellagra prevented and treated with Vitamin B3 (that is niacin)

. Beriberi prevented and treated with Vitamin B1 or thiamine

. Pernicious anaemia which is treated with Vitamin B12

So what about Cancer?

The researchers say that when we suffer an injury, either internal or external, the body goes in to a healing process that becomes corrupted.

The mechanics of this are that oestrogen in the body triggers certain cells to become trophoblastic i.e. to multiply faster than normal, to heal the wound. We actually see this happen whenever we suffer a cut to our skin.

Normally this accelerated cell production is terminated when the wound is healed. However if certain elements are not present in the body, specifically pancreatic enzymes, then the cells continue to multiply, creating a mass or tumour, which we call cancer.

If the body finally catches up and stops the trophoblastic cells, the mass is found to be benign or no longer active. If the cells are still proliferating we call it malignant.

This research indicates therefore, that cancer is simply an unterminated healing process caused by the lack of the basic nutritional elements the body uses to create pancreatic enzymes.

This is also the explanation given as to why, so often, surgery to remove cancer actually results in it spreading faster. Obviously, the surgery creates more wound sites, which trigger (and release) yet more uncontrolled trophoblastic cells that result in more cancer.

Take it a step further by looking at the common medical treatments of radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy (a form of burning) simply creates even more wound sites and yet more opportunities for further corrupted healing processes.

Chemotherapy impacts drastically on the body’s immune system, reducing even further the body’s natural ability to heal.

All of which of course, simply increases the chances of more cancer, usually of the more virulent types known as secondaries.

If you are interested in learning more about the role of nutritional deficiencies as a cause of cancer, and the specific foods our bodies need to fight it, you are welcome to visit our website at cancer-einfo.com/sl_cancerebook.htm

Article provided courtesy of Marilyn Bennett at http://www.cancer-einfo.com who can be contacted on info@cancer-einfo.com

Mesotherapy Products include a variety of substances that are injected during treatment, and injection devices used to deliver these substances to target areas. Substances used for treatment may be allopathic drugs, homeopathic compounds, vitamins, herbal extracts, or other compounds.

For cellulite treatment and localized fat reduction, practitioners use compounds that efficiently remove fat from cells and move this fat into the general circulation, to be burned during metabolism or excreted. Phosphatidlycholine, or lecithin, is one such compound, and is widely used. Caffeine, L-carnitine and the asthma drug aminophylline are other compounds used for fat reduction. Natural compounds such as artichoke stimulate lymphatic flow to remove fat. Tiratricol, a drug that was originally developed to treat some types of thyroid cancer, is also an efficient fat burner.

For mesolifts or facelifts using mesotherapy, several drugs are available for injection under facial skin to improve skin tone and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Estrogen derivatives such as 17 B-estradiol stimulate new collagen formation. Glycosaminoglycans is a natural compound that forms linkages between collagen fibers. Naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid are also used for mesolifts.

The action of many compounds used in mesotherapy is thought to be enhanced by adding other compounds that increase or improve local circulation. Some such circulation-enhancing compounds are pentoxifylline, buflomedil, and the naturally occurring gingko biloba. To reduce pain during mesotherapy injections, local anesthetics may be added to the injection ‘mix’.

A number of specialized injection delivery devices have been developed for mesotherapy. These ensure that the needle only penetrates to a certain depth under the skin, typically two to six millimeters. Some devices are specially fitted for smaller syringes and needles, while others can be used with larger needles. Automated devices often come with dose selection options.