Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Wine That Might Offer Protection Against Lung Cancer Symptoms

You've probably heard that the antioxidants found in certain foods and red wine can offer some protection from breast cancer
, heart disease and stroke. According to new research set to appear in October's Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, we could soon be adding lung cancer symptoms to that list.

"An antioxidant component in red wine may help to prevent lung cancer," according to lead researcher Chun Chao a research scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research and Evaluation. "The findings provide an impetus for further research to find out if there is something in red wine that may help to either prevent or treat lung cancer."

Scientists believe that antioxidants, like those found in red wine and other foods, are somehow able to protect cells from oxidative damage that comes from free radicals and can strike any part of a cell, proteins, the membrane, even the DNA itself. Cellular damage caused by free radicals has been implicated in the development of cancer.

Researchers used the California Men's Health Study to identify 210 lung cancer patients from the 45 to 69 year old men who were members of a large, prepaid health plan in California. The researchers looked at cancer rates and consumption of red and white wine, beer and other liquor. They found that, on average, there was a 2% lower risk of lung cancer associated with each glass of red wine a subject drank per month. So... a man who drinks 30 glasses each month would lower his risk of lung cancer by 60%.

Of course, any smoker's risk of lung cancer is higher than a non smoker's risk. We all know that, right?

The team found the biggest effect on risk seemed to come to male smokers who drank one to two glasses of red wine per day. Makes you wonder if the red wine somehow... rises to the challenge of the toxic chemicals in the smoke?
You notice the emphasis on red wine? There are two reasons for this...

1. The study found no reduction in risk in men who drank the same amounts of white wine, beer or liquor. Only red wine had the effect.

2. Red wine uses the whole grape, seeds, skins and all, which keeps vital antioxidants known as polyphenols in the wine, in a form ready to be absorbed and used by the body.

Of course, many are quick to point out that one study doesn't prove that red wine has any protective effects. Sometimes early work like this, on further research, doesn't stand up. And the researchers themselves are quick to insist that this study doesn't mean smoking is something you should continue to do, or that red wine will protect a smoker from developing lung cancer.

"Clearly, we aren't recommending that smokers go out and start consuming large amounts of red wine as a potential protection from getting lung cancer," says Dr. Leonard Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, "There are other research reports that show any alcohol, including red wine, can increase the risk of other cancers such as breast cancer."

And of course you don't have to rely on red wine to increase your levels of anti-oxidants each day. Eating 5 - 9 portions of fruit and vegetables will mean you're giving your body the right kind of fuel to fight free radicals helping to minimize the risk of lung cancer symptoms.

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Lung Cancer – Symptoms and Causes of Lung Cancer

The leading risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. More than 80% of lung cancers are due to cigarette smoking. The longer a person has been smoking and also the more cigarettes a person smokes a day, the greater the risk is for developing lung cancer. Not only are smokers vulnerable to lung cancer, but the people around them are at a greater risk as well due to breathing second-hand smoke. Non-smokers who are married to smokers are at a 30% greater risk than non-smokers who are married to non-smokers. Marijuana cigarettes may also increase the risk of lung cancer since they contain many of the same cancer-causing agents that tobacco cigarettes have and are inhaled more deeply.

Lung cancer most commonly begins in the cells that line your lungs. Smoking causes the majority of lung cancers — both in smokers and in people exposed to secondhand smoke. But lung cancer also occurs in people who never smoked. In these cases, there may be no clear cause of lung cancer. Doctors have identified factors that may increase the risk.

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is a leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States. Cigarette smoking causes most lung cancers. The more cigarettes you smoke per day and the earlier you started smoking, the greater your risk of lung cancer. High levels of pollution, radiation and asbestos exposure may also increase risk.

Causes of Lung Cancer

Smoking: smoking remains the greatest risk factor for lung cancer. Your risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke each day and the number of years you have smoked. Quitting at any age can significantly lower your risk of developing lung cancer.

Diet: Scientists are studying many different foods to see how they may change the risk of getting lung cancer. However, any effect diet may have on lung cancer risk is small compared with the risk from smoking. Eating a lot of fat and cholesterol might increase risk of lung cancer. Drinking a lot of alcohol may raise risk as well.

Family History: Studies have found a chromosome that may be resposible for lung cancer. The chromosome can be inherited. If you have had lung cancer before, there is a chance you may develop another type of lung cancer.

Air pollution from vehicles, industry, and power plants can raise the likelihood of developing lung cancer in exposed individuals. Up to 1% of lung cancer deaths are attributable to breathing polluted air, and experts believe that prolonged exposure to highly polluted air can carry a risk similar to that of passive smoking for the development of lung cancer.

Symptoms of Lung Cancer

People often decide to visit the doctor only after they have been bothered by certain complaints over a period of time. Individuals who have lung cancer frequently experience symptoms such as the following:

Metastasis to the bones is most common with small cell type cancers but also occurs with other lung cancer types. Lung cancer that has metastasized to the bone causes bone pain, usually in the backbone (vertebrae), the thighbones, and the ribs.

Shortness of breath usually results from a blockage to the flow of air in part of the lung, collection of fluid around the lung (pleural effusion), or the spread of tumor throughout the lungs.

A cough that does not go away or gets worse over time should be evaluated by a health-care provider.

Chest pain is a symptom in about one-fourth of people with lung cancer. The pain is dull, aching, and persistent and may involve other structures surrounding the lung.

Wheezing or hoarseness may signal blockage or inflammation in the lungs that may go along with cancer.


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Thursday, December 25, 2008

Searching for the Right Lung Cancer Treatment

Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, the next thing you should do is to discuss with your doctors the most suitable lung cancer treatment for you. There are various options available for the treatment of lung cancer, but you will need to discuss these options carefully with your doctors and family before making a decision on the treatment method. Please bear in mind that the earlier the cancer is treated, the better will be your prognosis from this deadly disease.

Surgery is obviously one of the more effective treatment for removing the cancer from the body, however it all depends on how far along the cancer is. CT and PET scans are used to determine is the cancer can be removed through surgery, or if it is too far along and has spread to other areas making it harder to perform surgery. Blood tests and spirometry or lung function testing are also used to see if the patient can be operated on. Surgical procedures include wedge resction or partial removal of the lobe, a lobectomy or removal of one lobe, a bilobectomy or removal of two lobes, and pneumonectomy or the removal of an entire lung. A lobectomy is the most common form of surgery because it reduces the chance of the cancer returning.

Chemotherapy is also used to reduce the risk of the cancer recurring. The kind of chemotherapy used depends on the type of cancer and where it is located in the lungs. Radiotherapy is often used along with chemotherapy.

Another form of lung cancer treatment besides these two is targeted therapy. Gefitinib is one such drug that targets the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor. This has shown to increase the chances of survival in many of the people whom have taken this drug. Erlotinib is another drug that has been shown to increase the survival rate in cancer patients. Both of these drugs have been shown to be very effective in females, Asians and non-smokers.

Becoming diagnosed with lung cancer is a very serious thing to be told. There are several ways the cancer can be treated now but it is important to know all the lung cancer treatment options that are available to you. It is best to get surgery if at all possible, but if the cancer has spread into other areas, surgery is out of the question. Then chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy can be considered. You should also explore the possibility of using other alternative cancer treatments. However, it is important for you to speak with your doctor the instance you have gotten lung cancer.



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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Lung Cancer and Your Job

Author: Jon Simms

Industrialization crept in tight and irate in the 1700s and after that for about 100 existence the stone asbestos was considered to be a miracle which could be worn everywhere effectively and relatively cheaply. It became a must-have in all buildings as insulation and came to be used in all yield that could be manufactured. Nevertheless the belatedly 1800s saw asbestos causing lung canker in many who were exposed to it. Nevertheless like the outcome of most unpalatable hearsay this one too was ignored plow such time as the provision started receiving out of control and lastly around 1931 the British government took notice of the actuality the people exposed to asbestos were at a great peril for lung scourge and the United States followed this in the early 1970s. Unfortunately this action was too dead for those who had already been exposed and now faced the consequences of the disease.

Exposure to asbestos has resulted in the development of pleural plaques, asbestosis, lung scarring, lung blight and a particularly foul strain called mesothelioma. This strained is elite to asbestos and deals with the lining around the lungs called the pleura. It could reach a character even after a passing exposure 10 or 20 existence ago. If the self is a smoker, then the hazard goes up 10 fold or more as compared to a non smoker who has maybe a venture 5 times better than someone who is not exposed to asbestos.

Diagnosis of lung cancers due to exposure to asbestos is carried out through a combination of processes like the checkup history, x-heat, MRIs, CAT bandanna samples, scans and biopsies. Those with steady exposure must get themselves checkered evenly to stick the snag in time as the incubation point is while 50 years. Early diagnosis plays its part here too as with all other cancers. Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma have a bad marker bang untaken as the survival speed is far from satisfactory. Some are even given as little as 8 to 10 weeks, but those who use a multi handling tactic have shown a 40% survival appraise for 5 years at slightest which is as good as that of other cancers. The most responsive medicine for mesothelioma has come to light as being a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy but if the detection happens at a belatedly period, surgery may not be a decision that is open anymore.

Nevertheless the world of checkup examine does not snooze and there are advancements being made in the theme of chemotherapy even as we chat. February of 2004 saw the first medicine accepted by the FDA called Alimta fashioned by Eli Lilly. It was seen in the clinical trials that Alimta in combination with another drug called Cisplatin did a lot to better the life expectancy of the afflicted people. For those who know that overthrow is eminent a faith that their life can be extended by even a few months factory wonders and allows them the looseness to chance for a therapy.



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The Prevention Of Lung Cancer

by JON SIMMS


Lung evil is a disease of uncontrolled cabal lump in tissues of the lung. This growth may conduct to metastasis, invasion of adjacent bandanna and infiltration outside the lungs. Lung plagued can distress everybody, that is why we should try on rest this terrible 'disease'. I will give you some behavior how YOU!! Can inhibit lung pest.
Lung Cancer - Prevention

The easiest way to thwart lung scourge is too hinder smoking. It may be hard to leave but it is not impossible. Millions of people have done it and those who suspend decrease their odds of developing lung blight by two-thirds.

Ninety percent of people who stop smoking do it on their own so found now before it's too deferred. If you find that hard to do, you can touch smoking stop classes or join in a clinic that offers the same advantage. Choose the code that makes the most meaning to you and recruit the help of friends or loved ones to make stuff easier for you.

Taking in high amounts of beta-carotenes can also inferior the endanger of lung bane in smokers. Carotenoid compounds are found in certain crop like peaches, mangoes, melon, squash, dulcet potatoes, pumpkins and green fertile vegetables. Beta-carotene supplement however should be avoided. An analyze conducted by a Finnish group showed that an 18 percent growth in lung plague gear was seen in difficult smokers who were winning beta-carotene supplements. Moreover, the National Cancer Institute researchers also congested their review on the things of vitamin An and beta carotene after smokers who were charming the supplements showed 28 percent more lung blight than those taking placebos.

Stopping smoking reduces the imperil of somebody developing lung blight, but the genetic spoil it causes takes time to disappear - and half of all newly-diagnosed lung cancers appear in past smokers.

A cancerous lump in the lung is regularly aloof surgically. It is sometimes required to subtract an entire lobe of the lung. Because lung cancers are typically not detected awaiting they are well later, surgery isolated may not be able to eliminate them, and radiation and chemotherapy may be worn in combination with, or in place of surgery," explained the editors of Consumer Guide's "Family Health & Medical Guide.

Because the substance didn't hurt the well cells, researchers say the agent may wear great likely for both prevention and treatment of lung canker. They say deguelin is decidedly definite and seems to work by zeroing in on a particular molecular corridor associated with lung canker.

Stop smoking. The number one trigger of lung blight is smoking. Studies show the even existence smokers who stop can drastically demote their chances of getting lung growth.

Add bounty of fruits and vegetables, like cranberries and beans, to your diet. These foods are high in antioxidants and flavonoids, which renovate cellular harm and protect your DNA. Doctors deem adding fruits and vegetables to your diet can prevent lung canker.

Diet

Recent studies on the connection between diet and lung scourge have shown mixed outcome. One lessons shows that drinking a diet strong in nutrients called phytoestrogens may help decrease your attempt of lung pest.17 Phytoestrogens are found in a broad strain of whole grains, legumes such as chickpeas, vegetables, and soy crop. Other research shows that taking supplements of beta-carotene and other vitamins may actually be unsafe and expansion the chance of lung disease in people who persist to smoke.



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Lung Cancer and Its Effects On Human

Author: Bishal Boro

Lung cancer is the common form of cancer that occurs in the part of lungs and is mostly characterized by the existence of the malignant tumors. Commonly it is the bronchogenic carcinoma all about 90%. The Lung cancer is one of the main lethal of all the cancers worldwide; it leads up to 3 million deaths per annum. Merely one in ten of the lung cancer patients are diagnosed with this virus that would survive the next five years. Even though the lung cancer was before an illness that exaggerated predominately in most of the men, the lung cancer pace for women has increased in the previous few decades that has been accredited to the mounting ratio of the female to most male smokers. Additional women die of the lung cancer than some other cancer that includes the uterine cancers, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Present researches designate that the aspect with the maximum impact on danger of lung cancer is lasting exposure to the inhaled carcinogens. The main common way of such exposure is through the tobacco smoke. The Cigarette smoking is the major significant reason of the lung cancer. Study as far back as 1950s obviously established this connection. Cigarette smoking contains additional than 4000 chemicals. Numerous of which are been identified as the causing cancer. An individual who smokes further than 1 pack of cigarettes for each day has a maximum risk of rising lung cancer "20-25" times greater than one who has by no means smoked.
Various Air pollution from the motor vehicles, factory, and extra sources may add to the risk for the lung cancer, other than the Asbestos experience increases the jeopardy of lung cancer with 9 times. The combination of the asbestos exposure and various cigarette smoking compounds the danger by as lot as 50 times. The degree of raise has not been recognized accurately. Convinced occupations where the exposure to arsenic, aromatic hydrocarbons, chromium, nickel and ethers occur might increase the danger of the lung cancer. An individual who has have lung cancer is further likely to build up second lung cancer than average person is to build up the first lung cancer. One of the best treatments of the lung cancer much depends on whether NSCLC or SCLC is present. The treatment also depends on the tumor stage, mainly in "NSCLC". A person's universal physical form is also taken into the account. The majority widely used therapy for the lung cancer is surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.



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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Could Your Job Have Given You Lung Cancer?

Author: Ben Franklin

Industrialization crept in fast and furious in the 1700s and after that for about 100 years the mineral asbestos was considered to be a miracle which could be used everywhere effectively and relatively cheaply. It became a must-have in all buildings as insulation and came to be used in all products that could be manufactured. But the late 1800s saw asbestos causing lung cancer in many who were exposed to it. But like the fate of most unpalatable reports this one too was ignored till such time as the condition started getting out of control and finally around 1931 the British government took note of the fact that people exposed to asbestos were at a great risk for lung cancer and this was followed by the United States in the early 1970s. Unfortunately this action was too late for those who had already been exposed and now faced the consequences of the disease.

Exposure to asbestos has resulted in the development of pleural plaques, asbestosis, lung scarring, lung cancer and a particularly nasty strain called mesothelioma. This strain is exclusive to asbestos and deals with the lining around the lungs called the pleura. It can strike a person even after a short exposure 10 or 20 years ago. If the person is a smoker, then the risk goes up 10 fold or more as compared to a non smoker who has maybe a risk 5 times greater than someone who is not exposed to asbestos.

Diagnosis of lung cancers due to exposure to asbestos is carried out through a combination of processes like the medical history, x-rays, MRIs, CAT tissue samples, scans and biopsies. Those with regular exposure must get themselves checked regularly to catch the problem in time as the incubation period is as long as 50 years. Early diagnosis plays its part here too as with all other cancers. Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma have a bad statistic report going as the survival rate is far from satisfactory. Some are even given as little as 8 to 10 weeks, but those who use a multi treatment approach have shown a 40% survival rate for 5 years at least which is as good as that of other cancers. The most responsive treatment for mesothelioma has come to light as being a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy but if the detection happens at a late stage, surgery may not be an option that is open anymore.

But the world of medical research does not sleep and there are advancements being made in the field of chemotherapy even as we speak. February of 2004 saw the first medicine approved by the FDA called Alimta produced by Eli Lilly. It was seen in the clinical trials that Alimta in combination with another drug called Cisplatin did a lot to better the life expectancy of the afflicted people. For those who know that death is imminent a hope that their life can be extended by even a few months works wonders and allows them the freedom to hope for a cure.

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Lung Cancer Caused By Asbestos

Author: Derek Both

Asbestos exposure can lead to a number of lung diseases including asbestosis, pleural fibrosis and lung cancer. Asbestosis results in widespread scarring of the lungs and can leave victims short of breath and more likely to develop lung cancer. Pleural fibrosis causes inflammation, hardening and thickening of the lining of the lung tissue but has a number of symptoms so can be fairly straightforward to diagnose.

The other type of lung disease that can develop after asbestos exposure is asbestos lung cancer. This can affect either the internal portions of the lungs or the outer lining. Although it is impossible to determine the exact figure for the number of people who develop the disease because of asbestos, it is thought that there are around as many asbestos lung cancer deaths in Great Britain annually as there are mesothelioma deaths.

The reason why it can't be said how many lung cancer related deaths are down to this is because there are many other factors which can lead to the illness developing. Tobacco smoke is just one of these so it wouldn't be possible to say whether a person got cancer because of asbestos exposure or because they smoked.

Asbestos lung cancer can be hard to detect because in the early stages there may be no symptoms at all. There are a few such as having a cough, chest pain and weight loss but this can also indicate other illnesses which is what makes it so hard to diagnose.

If it is thought that someone may be suffering from asbestos lung cancer then a number of steps will be taken in order to confirm this. A full physical examination will be conducted and more than likely a sample of phlegm (spit) will be tested for any cancer cells. If any cancerous cells are found then either a tissue sample will be taken or a biopsy will be performed to get an accurate result.

The people who are most likely to suffer from asbestos lung cancer are those who were exposed to it during their working life. The majority of patients who have been diagnosed with the disease once worked in mines, mills or factories. However, others who have suffered high levels of asbestos exposure include construction, boilermaking and automotive repair.

More and more people who are suffering from illnesses such as asbestos lung cancer are claiming compensation from companies who failed to implement safety precautions to prevent heavy exposure. If you are looking for an asbestos lawyer then there are companies out there who can help claim payments for various things such as the cost of care you have accrued.

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Asbestos Lung Cancer Types and Treatment

Lung cancer of asbestos workers has increased greatly over the years. This is obviously due to the fact that the workers are exposed to the asbestos and breathe it in on a daily basis. This lung cancer (mesothelioma) is even more significant among the asbestos workers who smoke cigarettes.

Most lung cancer caused by excessive exposure to asbestos starts in the lining of the bronchi. The bronchi are the tubes in which the trachea or windpipe divide. It can also begin in other areas such as the alveoli, trachea, or bronchioles. The cancer usually develops slowly but once it occurs the cancer cells break away and then it spreads throughout various other body parts.

The most common places for people to breathe in asbestos is in mines, mills, factories, homes with asbestos, construction sites, during automotive repair, and pipefitting.

There are two major lung cancer types and they are:

- small cell lung cancer - The cancer cells are small and round.
- non-small cell lung cancer - The cancer cells are larger.

There have even been times when the cancer has a feature of both types. With small sell lung cancer the cells can multiply quickly and form large tumors. The tumors can then spread to the lymph nodes and to other various parts of the body.

There is treatment for asbestos lung cancer but it usually depends on the patient's health and the type of lung cancer that they have. It also depends on the size, location, and the extent of the tumor.

The different types of treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and photodynamic therapy.

The surgery is done to remove a part of the lung but it all depends on where the tumor is. It is a very serious procedure!

By using Chemotherapy, the cancerous cells are killed with drugs. Radiation works by destroying the cancer cells in the treated area. And lastly, the photodynamic therapy uses light to kill the cancerous cells. It is done by injecting a chemical into the bloodstream and is absorbed by the cells. The light then activates the chemical, destroying and killing off the cancerous cells.


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