Five Signs of Skin Cancer - Identifying Skin Cancer

Five Signs of Skin Cancer - Identifying Skin Cancer

The five signs of skin cancer are a general guide used in identifying this disease. More often than not, people don't really know what to look for until something drastic and ugly appears on their skin. The biggest concern to look for is always `change`. Change in color, change in shape, change in size, elevation, etc.

Whether you go to a dermatologist or see your primary care doctor, they both will likely tell you the same thing if the condition is precancerous. If you were to have a precancerous basal cell, you may be told to keep an eye on it and be watching for changes. That has been my experience.

Some cancers develop very slowly, but that's not always the case. For example, basal cell usually does not spread, but could. It is usually not aggressive, but could be. It's important to try to recognize spots of concern on your skin while they are precancerous. That precancerous basal cell could develop into basil cell carcinoma without you realizing it.

The five signs of skin cancer guide can be very helpful in raising your awareness of changes taking place on your skin and identifying it in its early stages.

Your better off if you can spot it even before your doctor. Another point worth mentioning is that your primary care doctor is less likely to take it seriously as a dermatologist would. And always let your dermatologist know every detail, including a history of skin cancer in your family.

O K, by now you're probably wondering when I'm going to get to the five signs of skin cancer. So here they are; think of them as an A-B-C-D-E guide.

• A - is for Asymmetry The two halves do not match. Normally freckles and moles do have equal sides. See your doctor if the two sides are not the same.

• B - is for Border Any mole, spot or freckle that has jagged, blurry or undefined and rough edges, See your doctor.

• C - is for Color Usually, normal spots are all one color. If you're seeing more than one hue or the color is changing, becoming lighter or darker, then see your doctor.

• D - is for Diameter Anything larger than a pencil eraser, about ¼ inch or 6mm. Even if it doesn't have any of the other signs, it needs to be checked out by a doctor.

• E - is for Evolving Any mole, freckle or lesion that looks different from the rest or starts changing, itching or elevating, Again, see your doctor.

This guide can be generally used for all types of skin cancer, but I might add that it does not always appear exactly as described in the five signs of skin cancer. Mine did not and it was not recognized by a general physician.

3 types of skin cancers most common are Basil Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma. To learn more, including rare types, you may visit my informational site shown below.

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Finally A Cure For Skin Cancer

Finally A Cure For Skin Cancer

A vaccine which was originally developed to combat the herpes virus attacks cancerous tumors causing skin cancer, a therapy helping patients to fully cure from melanoma, according to some American researchers, even at an advanced stage,

What has really surprised and encouraged us was to see that this vaccine Onco VEX did not addressed only to cells that were injected, but worked on cells in other parts of the body that we could not reach, said Dr. Howard Kaufman from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. In other words, the vaccine triggered an immune response that spreads throughout the body thanks to the bloodstream.

Mr. Kaufman is now well prepared to launch a Phase III clinical trials, which will involved 430 patients across the United States. During Phase II, fifty patients with melanoma at the stage of metastasis have been vaccinated. Eight of them have fully recovered and four partially responded positively to the treatment.

Few treatment options

There are currently only very few treatment options for patients with advanced melanoma cancers, and none of them are satisfactory. Therefore, oncologists are enthusiastic about the results we had in phase II of our research, commented M. Kaufman. In 2008, some 4.600 Canadians have received a diagnosis of melanoma cancers, and more than 900 people have died of that disease, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

About 1.2 percent of all deaths from cancer in Canada are due to melanoma. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, melanoma is not attributable to a single cause, but some factors increase the risk of developing the disease: Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or other artificial sources of UV light; moles of irregular forms, or thicker or darker than normal moles, large quantity of moles (over 50); light color eyes or light color hair; skin that burns easily or freckled skin; personal history or family history of melanoma; severe sunburns during childhood.

In particular with the treatments offered today including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy around 90 percent of melanoma cases are cured if treated quickly.

Twenty doses have to be received

When the disease is only superficial, the lesions can easily be removed during a biopsy. But if the cancer is progressing, the worse prognosis of survival are averaging from six months to two years.

The vaccine can be injected directly into the lesion, with or without ultrasound. This procedure is usually done in the doctor's office and includes several injections every two weeks for a total of 24 doses.

Patients who participated in the study have been followed for two years after receiving the treatments and seems to be completely cured of the disease.

By: rodolphe cote

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Mesothelioma Symptom Relief And Palliative Care For Breathlessness

Mesothelioma Symptom Relief And Palliative Care For Breathlessness

Mesothelioma symptom relief is the central focus of care for the mesothelioma patient deemed incurable. Pain management will vary with each patient. The mesothelioma patient’s pre-existing conditions and exacerbating conditions are factors in determining the best mesothelioma symptom relief and palliative care plan available. However, there are similarities in mesothelioma treatment and symptomatic relief for pleural mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma.

Almost every cancer patient, mesothelioma cancer patients included, experiences painful difficulty breathing during the last stages of cancer. Medical studies have indicated that as many as 70% of terminal cancer patients experience painful difficulty breathing. With diseases such as pleural mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma and lung cancer, painful breathing and shortness of breath occurs during all of the cancer stages, not just the terminal stages.

Difficulty breathing is frightening for the mesothelioma patient, the caregiver and family members. The fear of imminent death and helplessness suddenly becomes unexpectedly more real. Mesothelioma symptom relief for breathing difficulties should include emotional care as well as physical symptom relief. Relaxation techniques should be taught, and it should be stressed that there needs to be adaptations to daily activities to reduce breathing difficulty. Lifestyle changes will be in order to control mesothelioma breathing difficulties, and the most stubborn mesothelioma patients need to be convinced that this is the best mesothelioma treatment for them. Defining a new lifestyle as a “well deserved vacation” can help instigate a transition.

Mesothelioma symptom relief for physical pain from breathing difficulties can be provided by learning, advising and providing for the patient the best position of their body for proper air flow. A fresh stream of air from a window or a fan can provide mesothelioma symptom relief during breathing difficulty. Teaching the patient hyperventilation techniques can be very useful for the patient’s self-monitoring of their mesothelioma treatment. A mesothelioma patient with trouble breathing needs to learn how to purse their lips at the first sign of breathing trouble, stay calm, relax their shoulders, back, neck and arms, then “flop” themselves into relaxation. Until this technique is mastered, learning how to breathe out slowly is an important step in breathing management.

Mesothelioma patients must realize that anxiety breeds anxiety. If a patient is afraid that they are going to die at the moment they are experiencing breathing difficulty, their body will respond by producing more anxiety, and more breathlessness. This is an emotional and physical response, not merely emotional.

Oxygen is sometimes prescribed for mesothelioma symptom relief; however physicians report that some patients become unnecessarily dependent on oxygen. For other patients, oxygen is their lifeline of mesothelioma treatment. Oxygen therapy also requires a review of whether intermittent or continuous therapy provides the best relief for their mesothelioma symptoms. Mesothelioma treatment with oxygen therapy will also consider whether to use oxygen tanks or an oxygen concentrator.

There are also medications for mesothelioma symptom relief of breathlessness. Anxiolytic drugs Lorazepam, Diazepam, Midazolam, and Methotrimeprazine can be prescribed for mesothelioma treatment of breathlessness. Benzodiazepines are anxiolytic drugs that have a sedative effect and use muscle relaxation as pain treatment of breathlessness.

Mesothelioma symptom relief for breathing requires educating the patient, the caregiver and the family in palliative care. Mesothelioma treatment for pain also requires monitoring and adapting mesothelioma pain treatment plans to meet the patient’s medical needs, as well as their emotional needs. Listening to the patient’s perception of pain is crucial to determining the appropriate pain management treatment for mesothelioma symptoms. The patient feels the pain. With mesothelioma symptom relief and palliative care from knowledgeable and loving caregivers, the patient can enjoy the last years of their life as pain free as medical science allows.

By: Avi Solutions

http://mesothelioma-cancer-best-information.blogspot.com/2009/02/mesothelioma-symptom-relief-and.html

Know About Skin Cancer Treatment

Know About Skin Cancer Treatment

Discussion of skin cancer is usually divided by far the most dangerous form. The non-melanoma skin cancers include basal cell cancers and squamous cell cancers.

The non-melanoma skin cancer treatment has a high success rate, the skin cancer is detected at an early stage. Australians should regularly check their skin for new growths, any changes in the color, shape or size of existing skin spots. Doctor can also check for skin cancers. History of skin cancer, you should have regular medical checks of the previously treated areas and other areas are susceptible to new cancers.

Diagnosis of skin cancer

Doctor will look at the suspect skin spot and have a skin cancer; doctor will suggest a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Biopsy is a quick and relatively simple procedure carried out with a local anesthetic. The surrounding tissue of spot will be removed so it can be tested at a laboratory. Often the whole cancer is removed at this stage, and you may not require further treatment.

You may also need additional tests, such as x-rays, scans and a lymph node biopsy, to show if there has been any spread of the cancer to other parts of the body.

Skin cancer treatment

When doctor planning the treatment, take a number of factors into account.

* the type and size of the cancer;

* where it is situated; and

* whether it has spread to other parts of the body.

When your doctor knows to what stage the cancer has progressed, they can make a decision on the type of treatment required. The treatment often includes some type of surgical procedure or radiation therapy.

Types of non-melanoma skin cancer treatment are surgery and mohs’ surgery.

Surgery

The whole skin cancer is removed only treatment necessary when obtaining a biopsy. However, if the skin cancer is large or spreading, a larger amount of skin may need to be removed and a skin graft may be needed to cover the area.

Mohs' surgery

In mohs' surgery, specialised form of skin cancer surgery and micrographic surgery can be used to remove large, deep or recurring cancers. It is also used for cancers in areas that are difficult to treat surgically. The mohs’ surgery process involves methodically removing the visible skin cancer and a thin layer of tissue, staining and cutting the removed tissue into sections and marking on a diagram (mohs' map), then preparing and examining the removed tissue under the microscope to check that the deep ‘roots’ of the cancer have been removed and process is going on till the entire skin cancer has been removed.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy technique uses extreme cold to treat pre-cancerous skin conditions. Liquid nitrogen is applied to the tumour to freeze and kill abnormal cells. A small white scar may remain over the treated area.

Curettage and cauterisation

Curettage and cauterisation (diathermy) surgery, the doctor will numb the area with local anaesthetic using a small, sharp, spoon-shaped instrument called a curette, scoop out the diseased area. The doctor will use a diathermy instrument to run an electric current into the area to control bleeding and destroy any remaining cancer cells and technique often leaves a flat, light-coloured scar.

Radiotherapy or radiation therapy

Radiotherapy technique is generally used for hard cancers to treat with surgery on the eyelids or nose. Over several weeks, the treatment uses high-energy x-rays to destroy complete cancer cells. Radiation therapy treatment can make the area red and sore, and can produce changes in skin colour and/or texture in the long term.

Chemotherapy

In this technique, a drug is applied directly to a pre-cancerous lesion or sunspot in the form of a cream, for example, efudix cream is applied twice every day for several weeks, with the area becoming red, followed by blistering, peeling or cracking.

Immunomodifiers

Imiquimod is a cream that can be used as a treatment for some skin cancers and pre-cancerous lesions. It stimulates the immune system to recognise and destroy cancer cells.

Photodynamic laser therapy

Photodynamic laser therapy is the combined use of laser light and drugs to make the cancer cells sensitive to light so destroyed by follow-up laser treatment. Treatment is suitable for pre-cancerous lesions and some superficial skin cancers.

By: Carolyn Edwards

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Water Filters - Chlorine and Cancer - The Shocking Facts

Water Filters - Chlorine and Cancer - The Shocking Facts 

By Ismay Ramus

Chlorine contaminated water is now linked to rising incidences of cancer. Researchers have shown that there is a correlation between chlorinated water and cancers involving the bladder and rectum. These types of cancer were once relatively rare but they have now been shown to be on the rise. If you and your family do not have a water filter installed in your kitchen and bath you may be subjecting yourselves to a nasty little bonus in the water that you are using.

Once it was possible to drink and bathe in water that was pure and clean when it rushed from the faucet, but times have changed and not in a positive way. Chlorine is commonly used during the reclamation and cleaning processes for waste water but this chemical is capable of unleashing some deadly attacks once it is inside the body.

Think about how your eyes and nose sting and burn when you splash in a pool that has been chlorinated. That same stinging, blistering feeling is what happens on the inside of your body when you drink water that contains chlorine chemicals and has not been cleaned by running it through a simple water filter.

It is rather mind-boggling when you think about it, isn't it? There are over 60,000 chemicals used in the United States today. It is honestly hard for anyone to say just how many of them end up in your drinking water but chlorine is almost always in the mix.

In addition to the link between chlorine and cancer this chemical can cause breathing problems when the vapors are inhaled. You might be wondering how and when you could be exposed to chlorine vapors at home. This is easy to answer, just think about those long, hot, steamy baths and showers.

Without a water filter being installed on your bathtub faucet or showerhead the hot water creates a steamy mist that you are inhaling each time you bathe or shower. In fact these vapors can be carried to the other rooms of your home and then your children and other family members are breathing fumes that contain this caustic chemical residue.

Chlorine is a powerful agent that can be used to fight bacteria in water but that does not mean that it is a safe substance to have in the water you are drinking. In addition to the link between chlorine and cancer there have been numerous cases where chlorine related skin rashes, allergies and respiratory problems have been reported. This just reaffirms how necessary it is that people consider using an inexpensive water filter in their home. Everyone should at least filter the water they are using for drinking and cooking, if nothing else.

There are procedures that are in place that are supposed to help protect consumers from these toxic contaminants. Unfortunately there are more than 50,000 unsafe substances that have been identified in different bodies of water in the US and the Safe Drinking Water Act only regulates 91 of them. This means that more than 49,000 toxic substances might exist in water that is being supplied to homes and offices every day. Are you ready for more bad news about your drinking water?

The government has not added any toxins, contaminants or chemicals to the regulated list for more than a decade. Of course there are groups that are trying to help get our drinking water cleaned up but a water filter a good idea right now?

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