Cancer Blog

When Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer just weeks after the death of her husband, she “would have lain down and died” — if it hadn’t been for her toddler. Past the treatment phase now, she is happy, remarried and far along the path to healing.

When Agi learned she was Stage 4 and her doctor gave her no hope, she knew that there was a purpose to her life. Eighteen months later, she is a self-described “bundle of joy” and the host of “The Inspired Survivor Show” on Internet radio.

Both of these survivors had “compelling reasons” for healing from cancer.

I first learned about “compelling reasons” from a self-defense book for moms. The book explained how to fend off criminals who prey on mothers with babies and young children.

The real-life scenarios in the book scared my socks off. At the same time, I learned that parents facing a life-threatening situation have a huge advantage: The desire to protect their children provides a “compelling reason” to survive.

In the face of cancer, all of us can look to our “compelling reasons” for healing as sources of power and purpose.

Our “compelling reasons” might involve relationships with others, unfinished tasks or a belief that God has something more in store for us in this life.

Whatever are compelling reasons are, they can powerfully fuel our quest for healing.

TIP: Take a few moments and identify your “compelling reasons” for healing. If you wish, create a reminder of your “compelling reasons” to carry in a pocket or purse.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of malignant cancer that mostly affects individuals who have worked in jobs associated with asbestos. Breathing in asbestos dust is the main cause of mesothelioma, a person who has worked in an environment for as little as one to two months where they were exposed to asbestos dust could result in them contracting the disease 30 to 40 years later. Mesothelioma is a malignant tumour of the membrane lining of the chest cavity called the pleura or the abdomen called the peritoneum. The symptoms of Mesothelioma are typically chest pain, shortness of breath and a persistent cough but these symptoms are similar to other condition so a visit to the doctor is vital.

As with most cancers, along side traditional treatment changing your diet can help. Increase soy beans products in your diet, the alpha carotene and lycopene in soy help to revert and reduce tumour growth and metastasis. Other anti-cancer foods that should be plentiful in your diet are cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, pears, citrus fruits, turmeric, tomatoes, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, green tea, walnuts, spinach, wheat bran, rice bran, rosemary, garlic, thyme, oregano and onions. These foods should be organic. Cut down on meat (especially grilled or barbecued) and dairy food consumption, pickled food, smoked food, alcohol, saturated fats, salt, sun exposure and smoking.

The following supplements may help if you are suffering from Mesothelioma.

Multivitamins and multiminerals

B group vitamins

Vitamin E

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin K

Co-enzyme Q10

Echinacea

Shark cartilage

Fish Oil

Selenium

Zinc

Manganese

Copper

Calcium

Pro-biotics

Evening primrose oil

Cervical cancer early symptoms will be experienced by an estimated 13,000 women in the USA each year. Early symptoms of cervical cancer and cervical cancer are the second most common type of cancer in women worldwide.

Cervical cancer causes are commonly related to a sexually transmitted virus called the human papilloma virus or ‘HPV’. Most HPV infections will not lead to cervical cancer early symptoms and cancer. However, infection with these viral types can lead to abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix. Certain changes called ‘high-grade lesions’ may progress to early symptoms of cervical cancer and cervical cancer if not treated.

Common cervical cancer early symptoms include these symptoms:

• Vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse • Pelvic pain • Pain during sexual intercourse • Unusual vaginal discharge • Abnormal bleeding between menstrual periods • Heavy bleeding during your menstrual period • Increased urinary frequency

When cervical cancer early symptoms are suspected, Pap smears are the best screening technique currently available to evaluate the cells on the face of the cervix. The Pap smear is a test for the early symptoms of cervical cancer such as cancerous or pre-cancerous cells of the cervix. Most Pap smear test results are rated from Class I through Class V.

• Class I is normal, • Class II means an irritation or inflammation, • Class III means it is a true cervical dysplasia that can range from mild to serious, • Class IV may be one of a variety of pre-cancers or cancers, • Class V is one of the serious invasive cervical cancer signs.

Pap smear tests are necessary, but they are not always accurate. And their results sometimes appear normal even when a woman has the abnormal cells of cancer. If cervical cancer early symptoms are suspected and the Pap smear test comes back either as normal or as positive, consider getting another Pap smear from a different laboratory and a second opinion from another doctor. If your Pap smear shows dysplasia, a biopsy can rule out cervical cancer.

Another testing method being developed uses a small fiber optic probe that may replace pap smears. This method is still being tested. Hopefully, it should give women more accurate screenings, eliminate unnecessary biopsies and help diagnose cervical cancer early symptoms and early cancer stages. Ask your doctor if this or a more accurate test for cervical cancer is now available.

Early symptoms of cervical cancer often go on without the woman suspecting that a problem exists! Cervical cancer is usually a slow-growing cancer. As a result, cervical cancer is often diagnosed and treated in an advanced stage when the success rate is much lower. Most women with invasive cervical cancer will be treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation or some combination of these. And a hysterectomy may be recommended as a consequence of cervical cancer that has spread within the cervix.

With the ovaries being an important source of hormone production, a hysterectomy with removal of the ovaries is a major event with health consequences for a woman. Even if the ovaries are not removed, their function will become impaired within 1-2 years after a partial hysterectomy, again with related health consequences.

Understand what the cervical cancer early symptoms are so that proper medical help can be obtained when needed. And learn more about the early menopause symptoms and side effects of hysterectomy, two important related womens health concerns.

Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing

Many people have never heard of Mesothelioma and are unaware of its symptoms. Although considered a rare form of cancer, each year the number of cases grows. With the prevalence of this disease on the rise, it is critical to understand why and how Mesothelioma develops and what courses of action can be taken in the event of diagnosis. The following is a list of frequently asked questions and answers that will provide you with some information on Mesothelioma, and the legal issues surrounding it.

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is the term used to describe a cancerous tumor found in the mesothelial cells of an organ. The organs where this form of cancer is most commonly found are the lungs, heart and abdominal organs. Pleural Mesothelioma is cancer of the lung lining and is the most common form of Mesothelioma.

What causes Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is often found in building materials used before the mid 1970’s. In addition, materials such as pipes, boiler insulation, floor, ceiling and roof tiles may contain asbestos.

How much asbestos exposure will cause Mesothelioma?

Generally, the probability of developing this form of cancer is in accordance with the length of time you are exposed to asbestos. Also, your health is at risk if your exposure to asbestos is intense. It should be noted that Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years. This means that you may develop the disease long after your exposure to asbestos. On average, people tend to develop Mesothelioma somewhere between 35 and 40 years after exposure.

How quickly does Mesothelioma progress?

The onset of Mesothelioma is quite slow. Patients will begin to experience symptoms such as lower back pain and chest pain. These symptoms may also be accompanied by weight loss, fever and difficulty breathing. Unfortunately, once Mesothelioma develops, it quickly becomes aggressive and treatment must be sought immediately.

Can Mesothelioma be treated?

Doctors are able to use several traditional methods of cancer treatment for Mesothelioma, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Like all forms of cancer, detecting the disease at the earliest stage possible greatly increases the patient’s chances for survival. If you have worked in an industry such as construction or suspect that you may have been exposed to asbestos, be alert for symptoms and contact your doctor immediately.

What legal courses of action can be taken?

Anyone suffering from Mesothelioma is entitled to compensation from asbestos manufacturers. Additionally, if you are the spouse or child of someone who has died from Mesothelioma, you are entitled to file a claim and seek compensation.

Mesothelioma: A Full Spectrum Examination

Receiving much press in recent years ~ both because of the number of people affected, as well as the sometimes sensational, multi-million-dollar lawsuits that have been filed, fought, won & lost ~ is a rare form of cancer known as malignant mesothelioma, whose principle cause is exposure to aspestos fibers.

Asbestos, a known toxin since the 1930’s, is an inexpensive fibrous material that is extremely durable and heat resistant. Because of these properties it was, for many years, heavily used in industry throughout the United States. Even after its carcinogenic (cancer-causing) properties were discovered, many industries continued to use asbestos, putting at risk those who were exposed to it. Asbestos-containing products remain, to this day, in buildings, ships, industrial facilities and other environments. The EPA has stated that asbestos “presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health.” Even low levels of asbestos exposure can trigger not only mesothelioma, but also asbestosis, pleural disease and lung cancer: diseases that are caused almost exclusively by asbestos. The statistics for recent years show an average of 3000 people per year dying of aspestos-related causes.

Because aspestos products have been used so heavily by industry, many people have come into contact with asbestos fibers via their jobs (e.g. via occupational exposure). There is also a risk to the family members of those working in at-risk occupations; this exposure is called paraoccupational exposure. People who live near sites that have asbestos around the facility are also at risk. Refineries, power plants, factories, shipyards, steel mills and building demolition are types of work sites that can release asbestos fibers into the environment and contaminate nearby residential neighborhoods. Mesothelioma can result from very small fibers or dust particles at low exposure levels. (Most such exposure would likely have occurred prior to 1973, but the latency period can be up to 40 years for most types of lung cancer to develop.) Trades in which aspestos exposure is likely include:

~ Asbestos product manufacturing (insulation, roofing, building, materials)

~ Automotive repair (brakes & clutches)

~ Construction/contractors

~ Maritime

~ Miners

~ Offshore rust removals

~ Oil refineries

~ Power plants

~ Railroads

~ Sand or abrasive manufacturers

~ Shipyards / ships / ship builders

~ Steel mills

~ Tile cutters

Malignant mesothelioma is the formal medical name for this form of lung cancer. (A lay term for the equivalent condition is Aspestos Cancer). Mesothelioma is the term used to describe a cancerous tumor which involves the mesothelial cells of an organ, usually the lungs, heart or abdominal organs. Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma or cancer of the lung lining is the most common form of mesothelioma cancer. Peritoneal Mesothelioma is cancer of the stomach lining and is the next most common form.

The onset of mesothelioma asbestos lung cancer is usually very slow: the time between aspestos exposure and the onset of symptoms can be many years. The most common mesothelioma symptoms are chest pain and pain in the lower back. Sometimes the pain is accompanied by difficulty breathing, coughing, weight loss and fever.

Symptoms for Pleural Mesothelioma (involving the lung / chest area) are:

~ chest pain and pain in the lower back

~ difficulty breathing

~ coughing

~ weight loss

~ fever

~ muscle weakness and sensory loss

~ swelling of the face and arms

~ hoarseness

~ coughing up blood

Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma (involving the abdominal / stomach cavity, liver, spleen or the bowel) are:

~ abdominal bloating due to fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity

~ nausea & vomiting

~ swelling of the feet

~ fever

~ impaired bowel function

Diagnosing mesothelioma (within the framework of western medicine) can be challenging, because the symptoms are quite similar to those of other illnesses and conditions. A western medical diagnosis of mesothelioma might include any or all of the following: a review of the patient’s medical history and asbestos exposure; a complete physical examination, with x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function test; a CAT scan or MRI of the chest or abdomen; a biopsy.

In the case of pleural mesothelioma, a thoracoscopy may be performed where the doctor looks inside the chest cavity with an instrument called a thoracoscope that is put into the chest between two ribs. The thoracoscope allows the doctor to gather tissue samples and look inside the chest. For cancer in the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), a western MD may perform a peritoneoscopy where a small opening is made in the abdomen and an instrument called a peritoneoscope is inserted in the abdomen cavity to collect tissue.

If mesothelioma is indeed diagnosed, the next step will be to determine the stage of the disease. The “staging” process helps to determine which part of the body the cancer has spread to, which in turn dictates a treatment plan. If the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated it is called “localized.” If the has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body it is called “advanced.”

Western Medical Treatment Options (chosen in accordance with the age and/or health of the patient) include surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy. Surgery ~ during which part of the lining of the chest or abdomen may be removed ~ is a common treatment option for mesothelioma. For pleural mesothelioma, either a full lung or the muscle below the lungs that help with breathing (the diaphragm) may be removed. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. This type of therapy only affects the cancer cells in the treated area. Chemotherapy uses anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. The drugs used to treat mesothelioma are sometimes given by injection in a vein. Along with surgery and radiation, using a needle or thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen is one way to relieve some of the symptoms and control the pain associated with this condition. In addition, medications may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent fluid from accumulating and, once again, reducing some of the more painful symptoms.

The physical and psychological strain of malignant mesothelioma can be severe, and western medical treatments meant to heal often cause unexpected and irritating side effects. For these reasons, it is important for the mesothelioma patient to gather as much information as possible about how malignant mesothelioma progresses as a disease, as well as to explore alternative or complementary treatment options (see below). And if a western treatment is chosen as part of the healing protocol, it’s important to know what side effects to expect and how to minimize them.

Along with managing the disease itself, Mesothelioma patients oftentimes find themselves embroiled in legal battles (reminiscent of the Karen Silkwood case) ~ in class-action or individual lawsuits against the companies or corporations by whom they were employed at the time of their exposure to aspestos. Aspestos Law has emerged as a specialty, with mesothelioma attorneys and lawyers positioned to support their clients in establishing a link between a specific aspestos exposure and their subsequent contracting of mesothelioma … and ~ to the extent that they are successful ~ taking, in the process, a handsome cut of the settlements.

Because of the physical, emotional, psychological & spiritual (as well as legal!) challenges involved with a disease such as mesothelioma, creating a strong support system is a vital part of the healing process. As has been documented from the experiences of many with so-called “terminal” illnesses, the introspection that arises in the face of such a challenge oftentimes has the “hidden benefit” of allowing what is “really important” to emerge. For this to happen, however, requires the creation of an (internal & external) environment conducive to such explorations. And what are the “building blocks” to creating such supportive (non-toxic!) environments?

Everyone can improve their energy level and promote healthy cell growth by getting adequate rest and relaxation, good nutrition, some exercise and having some fun! Here are some practices commonly recommended for cancer patients:

~ Learn relaxation techniques (yoga or qigong are an excellent choice)

~ Share your feelings honestly with family, friends, a spiritual advisor or a counselor

~ Keep a journal to help organize your thoughts

~ Find a source of spiritual strength

~ Pray or meditate

~ Find time to be alone

~ Go for walks

~ Remain involved with work and leisure activities to the extent possible

~ find a support group or “chat room” to share your experiences with others in a similar situation

~ as much as possible, maintain a positive attitude, and optimistic outlook

Of the many alternatives or compliments to western medical treatment, qigong is one that stands out as particularly hopeful. In China, there are entire hospitals devoted to the use of qigong techniques exclusively, for the treatment of cancer as well as countless other conditions. Binhui He is one Medical Qigong Master (http://www.wishus.org/research.asp?cat=research&index=2) who has had large success working with cancer patients. His qigong anti-cancer therapy protocol includes, in his own words, the following five steps:

~ Attitude change: Turn traditional searching help outside into searching help inside. It is the immune function and self-healing power that cure cancer eventually! While fear-of-cancer effect is the real incurable disease, since it keeps patient stressed and lowers their immune functions. Instead, consider cancer part of the body, communicate with it by consciousness power, and eliminate the source leading to cancer in the first place.

~ Intensive Qigong practice: empty mind without desire, forget about disease, trouble, environment and self; rapidly stimulate immune functions and body potential by intensive Qi cultivation.

~ Energetic Fasting (Bigu): Cut the supply for tumors so as to inhibit the rapid growth of cancer; and help to strengthen immune function effectively (Need under the close supervision of an experienced Qigong healer).

~ Shatter Tumor by Strong Qi: Focus of mind power and strong Qi can shatter after a period of Bigu.

~ Collective Qi Adjustment: Group practice of Five-Element Qigong to form a strong Qi field and to strengthen the inhibitory effect of the Qi cultivation.

In the United State, Dr. Kam Yuen (http://www.yuenmethod.com) is a 35th-generation Shaolin Master who has created a healing system which combines the power of qigong practice with the diagnostic techniques of applied kinesiology. He, also, has had great success working with a whole variety of conditions, including cancer.

Similar in many ways to Taoist qigong practices are the Tibetan practices described in Tulku Thondup’s two books: Boundless Healing: Meditation Exercises To Enlighten The Mind & Heal The Body; and The Healing Power Of Mind. The specifics of the practices vary widely, though what many have in common is the use of an internally-cultivated energy of “blissful heat” to resolve whatever imbalances are at the root of the condition. He presents, in these two books, a number of practices designed specifically for those working with cancer. Tulku Thondup also travels quite widely, offering workshops & retreats in which he presents these Tibetan healing techniques.

Chinese Medicine offers yet another paradigm through which to examine mesothelioma. The diagnostic system of Chinese Medicine is quite dramatically different from that of western medicine. If in fact we were to present to the Chinese physician, say, ten people who had all received the western medical diagnosis “mesothelioma,” it is entirely possible that this Chinese physician would ~ after his or her examinations ~ present us with a different diagnosis for each of those ten people! (The reasons for this are complex, and beyond the scope of this essay, but the basic reason is because Chinese medical perception looks at patterns present within the entire person, and in relation to every aspect of their lives; while western medicine tends to focus primarily on individual symptomotology.)

In Chinese Medicine it is understood that emotional imbalance is often a root cause of physical imbalance. The emotional state that damages the lungs (and its corresponding physical structures, which include the skin & mesothelial cells), and which also tends to appear when the lungs are out of balance, is grief. The emotional state which signals a balanced, healthy lung organ system is courage. There is also a belief, in Taoist philosophy (the root of Chinese Medicine), that the lungs are the equivalent in the human body to the atmosphere/ionosphere of the Earth. So an aspect of Chinese Medical treatment for a lung imbalance of any sort might well be to do practices to release (individual & planetary) grief ~ e.g. a “healing sounds” qigong practice ~ and to augment our feelings of courage and righteousness: our willingness and capacity to stand up strongly for Truth, for Beauty, for Love, for Kindness … or whatever other values we hold most deeply, for ourselves, our communities and our planet.

Lung cancer is among the most common cancers in the Western world. Lung cancer occurs due to the growth of malignant or abnormal cells in the lung. It is the third most common cancer in males and the fifth in females. Yet lung cancer is increasingly becoming a woman’s problem. The risk for dying of lung cancer is 20 times higher among women who smoke two or more packs of cigarettes per day than among women who do not smoke at all. Lung cancer is a cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. It can be very difficult to detect at an early stage because the symptoms often do not appear until the disease is far advanced.

Health experts say more needs to be done to educate women about the risk of lung cancer. Bearing in mind that breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, studies show that since 1987, more women have died each year of lung cancer than from breast cancer. Researchers have found that women who had one or more children had nearly a 40 percent lower risk of contracting lung cancer compared to women without children. Recently, research has suggested that women who don’t smoke are two to three times more likely than non-smoking men to develop lung cancer. In women, the three types of cancer most commonly seen are breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women (behind lung cancer), and the most common cancer in women.

Lung cancer kills more people than breast or prostate cancer, primarily because by the time it is detected, lung cancer is usually in an advanced stage. Also when cancer spreads to the lung from the breast, the resulting cells are breast cancer cells, not lung cancer cells. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American women behind lung cancer, yet surveys have shown that women are more worried about getting breast cancer than lung cancer. Breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide, accounting for more than 400000 deaths per year.

Today there are many treatment options available to lung cancer patients. The type of treatment for lung cancer depends on the cancer’s specific type, how far it has actually spread, and the patient’s status. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment. Treatment for a secondary lung cancer depends on the primary cancer. However, new anti-cancer drugs, improved staging and imaging techniques, combined with new surgical procedures have all contributed to dealing with the disease. Finding early-stage lung cancers is crucial in the treatment results for lung cancer. While having treatment for any stage of lung cancer, you will be able to manage some side effects that may accompany lung cancer or any cancer treatment.

Summary:

Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lung. We already know that the best way to prevent lung cancer is to quit or never start to smoke in the first place. Small cell lung cancer is a bit more common in men than women. But lung cancer is increasingly becoming a woman’s problem. The links between your smoking history and lung cancer is clear. Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. It is the most deadly of cancers worldwide, resulting in up to 3 million deaths annually.

A few years ago my husband and I wanted to know if alternative cancer treatments really worked. We wanted to hear from people who had used alternative treatments for their cancer, what did they think about it, what did they go through, what kind of results did they get from using alternative cancer treatments?

If you or someone you love has cancer and you’re wondering if alternative cancer treatment might work for you, the story of our experience with alternative treatments may help.

My husband’s doctor had informed him that he had cancer and not long to live. Nobody wants to hear that they have cancer, we were both devastated.

The doctor wanted him to start chemotherapy as soon as possible but my husband had seen firsthand what that was like and he didn’t want to go through it. A couple of his friends had gone through chemotherapy treatments in their battle with cancer but neither of them had survived and they had both been in a lot of pain from the treatments.

We had heard that there were natural, alternative cancer treatments that work well for many people so we started searching for as much information on alternative cancer treatments as we could find in hopes of finding a cure for my husband’s cancer that wasn’t so harsh.

We found an alternative cancer treatment program that called for a change in diet, fresh juices and a lot of herbs. Intensive cleansing was a large part of the cancer treatment too. Other people told about their results with the alternative treatments and it looked promising.

Everything we read about alternative cancer treatments appealed to my husband a lot more than the horrible side effects of chemotherapy.

So we got everything we needed to start his alternative cancer treatment program and dug in. There were guidelines for what to do and what not to do and we followed it all. There were several things he had to give up and things he had to do that he’d never done before but he was ok with that if it would help him get well.

I made herb teas by the quart every day. We got our first juicer and as much super nutritious, fresh fruits and vegetables as out refrigerator would hold and my husband drank gallons of fresh juice. He did the cleansing every day as instructed and took herb bath soaks and hot and cold showers.

We went into the alternative cancer treatment program whole hearted and have been doing everything as instructed every day. It’s quite a life changing experience when you add natural stuff to your diet and routine that you never considered before. At first it seemed strange but we were faced with life or death so we were willing to try anything.

My husband had been really weak from the cancer but the alternative cancer treatments have gradually made him a lot stronger and now he can do almost anything he could do before. His doctor says that whatever this alternative cancer treatment thing is that he’s doing to keep doing it, it’s working. The cancer was huge but the alternative cancer treatments have shrunk it to almost nothing.

Even after the cancer is gone we’ll still do all the healthy stuff; he’s made the alternative cancer treatments a part of his life. We’ve heard that cancer can seem to be gone and then come back but he doesn’t want the cancer to take over again so he isn’t taking any chances. Doing the alternative cancer treatments every day is a bit more trouble but it’s well worth it.

I encourage you to try alternative cancer treatments for yourself; life is precious.

Obviously, we are exposed to many sources of radiation in everyday life and no matter what we do, we cannot avoid them. The radiation that we receive from the earth is very minimal and has been around since the beginning of time (and it will always be around). However, some of our own activities has in fact increased the amount of radiation we are exposed to during our everyday lives.

The detonation of nuclear weapons releases massive amounts of radiation. The debris from a nuclear blast is radioactive and eventually settles to the earth. Nuclear reactors also generate radioactive materials, but the radiation created from reactors is in most cases contained.

X-rays used in medical and dental procedures are definitely contributors to man-made radiation. We all need x-rays from time to time, but it is best not to overdue it. This is why medical professionals leave the room when they x-ray a patient. Nuclear medicine, which may even be used to treat cancer, is another factor adding to the radiation doses people recieve. The use of radioactive materials in research settings can also be a hazard. It is advised that anyone exposed to radiation in their daily work environment take the proper precautions.

Many products for sale to consumers are radioactive. Some of these include T.V.’s, luminous-dial watches, smoke detectors, tobacco products and building materials. In addition, cellphones are a possible cause of radiation. At this time, it is currently unknown how much radiation these sources add to our exposure.

Much has been written about asbestos related diseases such as Mesothelioma over the last couple of years. The focus has been on three main areas:

a) The unfortunate victims of mesothelioma such as former employees of asbestos mining companies who caught these diseases whilst in the course of their employment. We have seen the heart rendering images on TV of these people, all of them in their retirement years, gasping for air and suffering enormously.

b) Whether the asbestos mining companies knew that asbestos mining was a danger to human life.

c) The Multibillion dollar class actions filed by the victims against their former employers seeking compensation.

Two issues that have not been addressed are the financial costs to society of asbestos related diseases such as Mesothelioma cancer and who pays for these costs. Secondly, should asbestos mining companies be paying compensation not only to the sufferers of mesothelioma and other diseases but also to Society also?

There are two costs to society that can be identified. The first is the cost to the public health system. The second cost is the loss of tax revenue by governments due to Asbestos mining companies claiming a tax deduction for the compensation payments that are made to the victims.

In illustration of the costs to the public health system, the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia has stated that by 2020 there will be 13000 cases of mesothelioma and 40000 asbestos related lung cancer diseases, totaling 53000 people and this is only in Australia! This means that 53000 people will need to have constant medical attention for the next 15 years or so. The question therefore, who pays for the cost? The answer of course is the current taxpayer and the next generation of taxpayers.

In relation to tax revenue, governments are essentially missing out on tax revenue as the asbestos companies are claiming the compensation payment as a tax deduction. For illustrative purposes, assume that an asbestos mining company pays out $100m per year over five years to the victims. Also assume that the corporate tax rate is 30 per cent. Therefore over five years, a respective government is losing $150m in revenue. Essentially it means that the asbestos mining companies are sharing the costs with the taxpayer. They pay 70 per cent of the compensation payment and the taxpayer pays the remaining balance. Most people would view this as totally inequitable.

It can be seen that the Asbestos companies are only paying a part of the costs and not the full cost. To rectify this, there are two possible solutions.

a) Respective Governments should also join class actions with Mesothelioma sufferers against the asbestos mining companies seeking compensation for medical and future medical costs. This would not be unprecedented as various State Governments of the United States sought compensation against the Tobacco Companies to pay for the medical costs of its citizens who needed medical attention because of the ill effects of smoking.

b) Governments deny a tax deduction for Mesothelioma compensation payments made by the asbestos mining companies.

Until either part a or part b happens, it is the taxpayer who will be unfairly burdened with the additional financial costs of Asbestos related diseases such as Mesothelioma.

When you are in the kitchen and heat the oil to the temperature required to cook chips or stir-fries many harmful particles are released into the air. They are chemicals named polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and a recent study conducted in Singapore found that these particles are cancer-causing. By consequence, repeated exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons could increase your risk of developing cancer.

PAH’s are compounds made up of hydrogen and carbon only (hydrocarbons) and they are the result of incomplete combustion. For instance, we can find them in coal tar (released by heating coal not having enough oxygen to burn it all) or in the exhaust of Diesel engines badly maintained. Many of them are hazardous, such as benz[a]pyrene which is a very potent carcinogen.

The study claims that PAHs produced by high heated oil when cooking deep-frying cheeps are similar to the dangerous chemicals found in tobacco smoke and exhaust fumes. All kind of cooking oils, especially vegetable oils, produce these hazardous particles. The total of harmful chemical released depends by the amount of oil used and the level of temperature maintained during the cooking process.

A comparison of the different cooking methods revealed that deep-frying done in Malaysian kitchens released more PAHs than the traditional Chinese stir-frying. The Indian cooking style cut down on the hydrocarbons because much of the food is simmered or boiled.

The study authors estimate that people regularly exposed to high levels of PAHs would have an increased chance of developing cancer.