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Bladder cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in your bladder, a balloon-shaped organ in your pelvic area that stores urine. It is the fourth most common type of cancer in men and the eighth most common type in women. Tumors can develop on the surface of the bladder wall or in more severe cases, within the wall and into the underlying muscles. Cancer in the bladder typically affects older adults, though it can occur at any age. Bladder tumors are 2 to 3 times more common in men.

Causes of Bladder Cancer
Smoking, gender, and diet can affect the risk of developing bladder cancer. Bladder carcinomas are also associated with industrial exposure to aromatic amines in dyes, paints, benzedine, nitrates, solvents, leather dust, inks, combustion products, rubber, and textiles. The period between exposure to the carcinogen and development of symptoms is about 18 years.

There is currently limited evidence that diet plays a part in the development of bladder cancer, but a diet high in fruit and vegetables and low in fat may help reduce the risk. Urinary infections, kidney and bladder stones, and other causes of chronic bladder irritation have been linked with bladder cancer (especially squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder), but they do not necessarily cause bladder cancer.

Signs of Bladder Cancer
In early cases around 25% of patients have no symptoms. Commonly the first sign of bladder tumours is blood in the urine, pain after urination, urinary frequency and dribbling. However, these signs and symptoms are not specific to bladder cancer, and may also be caused by non-cancerous conditions, including prostate infections and cystitis.

Types of Bladder Cancer
Cancers are divided into superficial and invasive disease. Superficial bladder cancer is limited to the innermost linings of the bladder. Invasive bladder cancer has at least penetrated the muscular layer of the bladder wall. Less than 5% of bladder cancers in the United States are squamous cell carcinomas, however, worldwide this is the most common form, accounting for 75% of bladder carcinoma in underdeveloped nations. Urothelial carcinoma (transitional cell carcinoma) is by far the most common type of bladder cancer in the United States.

Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer
Cancer in the bladder is usually curable if it is diagnosed while the cancer is still contained in the bladder, and up to 80% of tumors are diagnosed at this early stage. A biopsy for bladder cancer is usually done during cystoscopy. CT and Ultrasound scans, urinalysis and arteriography may also be done.

Treatment for Bladder Cancer
Treatments include bladder cancer surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and biologic therapy. The stage and grade of the cancer provides important information and can help guide treatment. Superficial bladder tumors are surgically removed with chemotherapy being added to the treatment regime to help prevent recurrence. Radical cystectomy and urinary diversion (an external bag) is usually undertaken for invasive bladder cancer.

Several new compounds have shown activity against transitional cell bladder cancer and are now being tested in combination chemotherapy trials. BCG immunotherapy is the most effective intravesical therapy and involves a live attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis. Immunotherapy in the form of BCG instillation is also used to treat and prevent the recurrence of superficial tumors. Alternative bladder cancer treatments such as herbal treatment may also be of some benefit.

Risk Reduction
Stopping smoking can reduce the risk of getting bladder cancer and if you have been diagnosed with superficial bladder cancer, stopping smoking will reduce the risk of developing more tumours in the future. Bladder cancer has a recurrence rate of 50%-80% and therefore, doctors recommend cystoscopy screening every three months for the first two years after treatment. People who drink a lot of fluids each day have a lower rate of bladder cancer.

Survival Rates
The prognosis depends on the stage of the cancer, whether it is superficial or invasive bladder cancer, and whether it has spread to other places in the body. Superficial bladder cancer has a good prognosis, with 5-year survival rates of 82-100%. If a tumor has grown into the wall of the bladder but has not spread to other organs, treatment usually involves surgical removal of the tumor, or combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy, with a five-year survival rate of 60% to 75%. Patients with more deeply invasive tumors,which are also usually less well differentiated, and those with lymphovascular invasion experience 5-year survival rates of 30% to 50% following radical cystectomy.

Dick Aronson has a background of over 35 years in various facets of the Healthcare industry. He set up and ran clinical trials in more than 20 countries and he has also founded a number of small private health related businesses. Dick now runs a number of informative health websites Go to Health Innovations Online and Go to Cancer Information Online

Kidney cancer or renal carcinoma usually occurs in older people and accounts for about 2 to 3% of cancers in adults, affecting about twice as many men as women. In adults, the most common type of kidney tumor is renal cell carcinoma, which begins in the cells that line the small tubes within your kidneys. Kidney cancer rarely strikes children and young adults; the exceptions are a pediatric kidney cancer called Wilms tumor and some forms of hereditary kidney cancer syndromes, such as von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Causes of Kidney Cancer
The causes are not known, however external factors, such as smoking and obesity, have been related to a higher incidence of kidney cancer and changing environmental factors as well as population aging has seen an increase in the presentation of this form of cancer.

Signs and Symptoms
Kidney cancer symptoms are often overlooked because tumours are usually slow growing and not suspected until the patient begins to experience symptoms such as blood in the urine, pain, tiredness and a palpable mass. Since back pain is common among people over 40 years of age, such pain is often ignored and the presence of kidney cancer can go undetected. Kidney cancer may also cause high blood pressure.

Risk Factors
The risk of developing kidney cancer is four times higher if a close relative has had kidney cancer. Being on dialysis for many years is a risk factor for kidney cancer.

People who have had bladder cancer are more likely to develop kidney cancer, and vice versa. About three per cent of kidney cancer patients have inherited a damaged gene that will make it likely the cancer will also be found in their second kidney.

Prevention
Not smoking is the most effective way to prevent kidney cancer and it is estimated that the elimination of smoking would reduce the rate of renal pelvis cancer by one-half and the rate of renal cell carcinoma by one-third.

Other factors that may decrease the risk of developing kidney cancer include: maintaining a normal body weight, a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables, especially in bananas and root vegetables such as carrots, maintaining normal blood pressure and limited exposure to environmental toxins.

Diagnosing Kidney Cancer
Cancer of the kidney is most commonly detected with either computed tomography (CT) scan, ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cystoscopy can rule out associated bladder cancer. Kidney cancer cells may also break away from the original tumor and spread (or metastasize) to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, bones or lungs, with about one third of cases showing metastasis at the time of diagnosis.

Types of Kidney Cancer
Almost 85% of this tumor are renal cell carcinomas. A less common type of kidney is Papillary carcinoma. Other rare kidney cancers include: Renal sarcoma, Collecting Duct carcinoma, Medullary and Chromophobe carcinomas.

Treatment
Radical nephrectomy with or without the removal of lymph nodes offers the only cure but treatment of kidney cancer may include: surgery, arterial embolization, radiation therapy, biological therapy or chemotherapy depends upon the stage of the disease and the patient’s overall health.

Nephrectomy or removal of the entire organ including the adrenal gland, adjacent lymph nodes and surrounding normal tissue has been the norm, but recent research shows that removal of just the tumor, produces similar survival rates and offers less chance of subsequent renal failure in selected cases.

Scientists have also isolated the gene responsible for VHL disease, and this discovery offers exciting future possibilities for improved diagnosis and treatment of some kidney cancers. Various combinations of interleukin-2, interferon, and other biologic agents and even vaccines developed from cells removed from the kidney cancer are also being investigated.

Survival Rates
With prompt and appropriate treatment, the kidney cancer mortality rate is fairly low, unfortunately kidney cancer has a tendency to spread early, especially to the lungs, sometimes before symptoms develop. The five year survival rate is around 90-95% for tumors less than 4 cm. For larger tumors confined to the kidney without venous invasion, survival is still relatively good at 80-85%. If it has metastasized to the lymph nodes, the 5-year survival is around 5 % to 15 %. If it has spread metastatically to other organs, the 5-year survival rate is less than 5 %.

An important factor for those with this form of cancer and for that matter with all cancers is that assertive patients who actively work to overcome cancer often increase the odds of survival, live longer, and enjoy life more.

Dick Aronson has a background of over 35 years in various facets of the Healthcare industry. He set up and ran clinical trials in more than 20 countries and he has also founded a number of small private health related businesses. Dick now runs a number of informative health websites Go to Health Innovations Online and Go to Cancer Information Online

Cancer slowly seems to be eating away at our population. It is if everyone either knows someone who has passed from cancer or know someone who currently has cancer.

The worst part about it is that cancer is very debilitating and those that do die from it pass slowly and often painfully. However, some others are able to beat cancer naturally without having to undergo painful radiation therapy.

Most of the patients who are able to beat cancer are able to do so by eating the right organic, healthy diet, which brings their body back to a natural alkaline state. They also use the juice from these fruits and vegetables to cleanse their bodies. Cancer and disease can only thrive in an acidic body, or a body full of harmful toxins.

What is Acidic and alkaline? Think of it this way, a swamp (which is home to bugs, reptiles, dirty, muggy water) is an acidic environment, while a field of flowers (hosting bees and butterflies) is an alkaline environment.

Your body can become acidic for many reasons, and actually most people’s bodies are acidic because they don’t live a healthy lifestyle. Chemicals, processed food, food choices, poor air quality, and your environment all play a role in making your body acidic.

You can test yourself with acid/alkaline ph strips you can find at your local health food store. They are inexpensive and easy to use. If you would like more information on this or have any question regarding the topic of this article consult a doctor who practices natural, or eastern medicine.

How To Eat To Get Your Body Alkaline

It is important to note, however, that some cancer patients, who are very sick, or are far along with their illness should consult their doctor about what they should eat for nutrition. Sometimes being extremely sick with cancer or other illnesses can cause your body to react poorly to certain foods, even if they are healthy for you normally.

How Do Fruits and Vegetables Fend Off Cancer?

Organic fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants, which help fight off the cancer cells and make your body alkaline. Making fresh juice from organic fruit and vegetables can be even better because they are concentrated and your body can absorb them faster. Try watermelon juice, it is very cleansing and tastes great.

Fruits that are purple or dark colored are especially recommended for a cancer patient’s nutrition. Dark colored fruits contain more antioxidants. To get the maximum nutrition, you may juice up different types of fruits and vegetables to create a single concoction. Some of these fruit and vegetable juices may taste good, others not so much, but you are drinking these juices to save your life, not make your taste buds happy.

Moreover, a fiber rich diet may also help the body fight off the free radicals in its system, therefore you may want to consider taking a fiber supplement if you are a cancer patient. Also you need to stay away from sugar. This is one of the most acidic things you can put into your body and will increase any amount of pain you are having as a result of the cancer. Obviously, don’t drink alcohol or smoke if you are a cancer patient.

Aside from giving a cancer patient the right nutrition, you also need to give a cancer patient plenty of liquids. A well hydrated body is better able to cope with the stress of being sick so make sure a patient drinks plenty of water. I would suggest a gallon of water a day (but not all at once) because it will help flush out your body and keep you as hydrated as you need to be.

If you have cancer and are sick and tired of being sick and tired from chemotherapy hopefully you can try some of the above recommendations to make your body alkaline and hopefully rid your body of the cancer. Just make sure that you do this with the supervision and guidance of some type of natural health doctor or expert.

And finally, think positively about beating cancer. The mind is a very powerful tool, but it can make you or break you. There are patients who claim to have gotten rid of cancer only from truly believing that they were going to get better and staying in a joyous, positive frame of mind.

Brue M. Baker, is an expert on natural health and fitness who has helped people from all across the country sky-rocket their health and well-being. Rather than hitting your head against a wall trying every natural nutrition product out there, let Brue introduce you to the best natural vitamins on the planet. Visit DynamicHealthTips.com

Cancer is a household word in our society. It would be rare to meet somebody that does not know of a person that has died of cancer, or even that has cancer currently. Celebrities’ battles with cancer are well publicized, and many of us have picked up on the common treatments for cancer and causes of cancer, without having any first hand experience with it. It has become somewhat of a holy grail of medicine, being the first to find a cure for cancer. In fact, scientists in Cuba have recently made a breakthrough in this area, patenting a new drug which not only helps fight lung cancer, but can also vaccinate against it.

The most common cause of lung cancer is long-term exposure to tobacco smoke. However, up to 20% of cases are caused by other environmental and genetic factors, including simple heredity, or exposure to asbestos, radon gas, air pollution, or second-hand cigarette smoke. Currently, with treatment, around 14% of people who develop lung cancer are still alive after five years, making lung cancer one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Around 1.3 million people die of lung cancer every year, and it is the most common form of cancer in men, and the second most common in women, after breast cancer. On of the best weapons in the fight against lung cancer is getting a regular cancer checkup.

Cuba has responded to these alarming statistics, with a scientific research institute patenting a drug which has helped lung cancer patients live up to a year longer in some cases. The drug is called CimaVax EGF, and it is actually classified as therapeutic vaccine, because it is composed of modified proteins that help the body build its own defenses against cancer cells. Vaccines that you have as a child, or when you travel overseas, work in the same way. You are injected with a dose of a killed bacteria or virus, or a modified protein from one of these, to help your body recognize the illness and develop antibodies to it, which will fight the infection if you encounter it in a live form (from somebody or thing that is infected with it).

Dr Gisela Gonzalez headed the team that researched and developed CimaVax EGF, which is said to be the first lung cancer vaccine in the world. She did recognize that other countries are working on similar vaccines, but they are in the development stage, while Cuba’s is ready to be used on lung cancer patients. It is tagged as a breakthrough in treating terminally ill patients, although not a miracle drug.

The conventional treatments for lung cancer, like heart cancer and many other forms of cancer, include radiotherapy and chemotherapy. These are often hard on a patient’s body, causing skin problems, loss of appetite, damage to surrounding tissues, and even secondary cancers. Anything that can be used to lower the number of chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatments necessary can provide a better quality of life for lung cancer patients.

Testing has currently been approved by the US government, however, clinical studies may not begin for another two years. The tests in Cuba have revealed that patients live an average of 6 months longer when treated with the vaccine in combination with other therapies. This is a significant result in a disease where the average lifespan from diagnosis is only 20 months. It is the hope of researchers, as well as families the world over, that these new treatments can increase the number of lung cancer survivors, and improve the quality of life for terminal patients.

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The cause of pericardial mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust and fibres. Now, in the 21st century (some 50 years later - the latency period of pericardial mesothelioma), these young men who are now over 60 years of age are beginning to exhibit the symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma. As with all cancers, early detection is the best defence against mesothelioma.

For instance, in several cases it was found that people now being diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos thirty to forty years ago, or even before that. It is believed that many people, who are afflicted by mesothelioma, are not even aware of it. Another risk of developing mesothelioma is using products that contain asbestos.

Today, mesothelioma victims and their relatives struggle to cope with the disease. Mesothelioma can also occur from non-occupational exposure, as evidenced by manifestation of the disease in women whose exposure came from washing the clothing of men who worked with asbestos. Malignant mesothelioma is graded upon the extent they have spread.

Peritoneal mesothelioma does not always respond to traditional mesothelioma treatment ways. Before 1980 there were no laws protecting the workers from Asbestos exposure in the workplace, however, once it was seen that people working in an environment of Asbestos exposure were being diagnosed with Pleural Mesothelioma 30-50 years after their exposure, laws began to change. The people who had a widespread exposure to Asbestos were at an increased risk of developing Mesothelioma.

This long latency period is one main reason why the number of people suffering from Mesothelioma is increasing everyday, in spite of preventive measures taken by the government as well as individuals. There are a number of treatment options available to mesothelioma patients. Don’t Lose Hope Most people who have worked with asbestos in the past do not begin to show symptoms of Mesothelioma until thirty to forty years later.

In addition to the national forums, there are many online support and chat forums that educate people about mesothelioma and share the experiences of others who are afflicted with the disease. Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs, is the most common, accounting for about 75 percent of all malignant mesothelioma. Other more serious health ailments caused by asbestos exposure include pleural effusion, pleural plaques, pleural calcification, and Mesothelioma (a highly malignant disease).

In most cases, it takes many years for people to show signs of Mesothelioma Cancer in the body. Abdominal symptoms and the systemic effects of cancer can cause severe weight loss in people with peritoneal mesothelioma. Mesothelioma victims and other asbestos-related diseases are entitled to recover damages from the asbestos manufacturing companies.

Treatment of pleural mesothelioma is limited and as yet there is no proper cure. Pleural mesothelioma targets the lining of the lung, peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdominal cavity, and pericardial mesothelioma targets the lining around the heart. The symptoms of the pericardial mesothelioma are persistent coughing, palpitations, and shortness of breath and chest pain.

Over the past few years treatments have improved for treating mesothelioma, but further clinical trials are needed to continue mesothelioma treatment methods. A stage I, or localized, malignant mesothelioma is one that has not spread beyond the area it originated in. Many of the symptoms of mesothelioma can easily be mistaken for allergies or a common cold.

If you have been exposed to asbestos in the work place in the last 50 years, you may be at risk for developing mesothelioma. The most common type is epithelial mesothelioma.

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor and co founder of Free Affiliate Programs

For more information and resource links on mesothelioma visit: Mesothelioma Lawyer

The two places in which mesothelioma can develop are the lungs and the abdomen, but it is most commonly found in the lungs. None of these treatments seem to be highly effective in curing patients, but like other types of cancer, research is being done to try and find a treatment that will successfully heal Mesothelioma patients. If you have been affected by this disease your quality of life may have, or will in the future suffer by having being infected with Mesothelioma.

Should I consider Mesothelioma Litigation? If you have mesothelioma, the employer or organization that put you into contact with asbestos is at fault and you deserve compensation. You can also browse the Internet for mesothelioma-related information, mesothelioma pictures, more information on asbestos, etc.

The classic histopathology of the mesothelioma is a biphasic tumor with both an epithelioid and sarcomatoid or spindle cell component. What is really unique about this new mesothelioma treatment study is the fact that this is the first trial to investigate the use of chemotherapy before surgery and radiation. Usually, patients with pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial malignant mesothelioma are treated with radiation or chemotherapy, depending on the stage of the disease, the patient’s age, and his/her overall health.

Pharmaceutical companies are conducting trials to come up with the right combination of drugs that can produce better results for treating pericardial mesothelioma. Radiation therapy, as applied to malignant mesothelioma uses the same basic technology as other forms of medical radiation insofar as the technique employs high energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. Even acute symptoms of mesothelioma may be mistakenly associated with other diseases.

Find a mesothelioma lawyer today. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos without sufficient protection. Malignant mesothelioma is graded upon the extent they have spread.

In 1968, there were 153 deaths caused by mesothelioma but in 2003, statistics shows 1874 deaths. The necessity for the evolution of alternative ways to treat patients suffering from mesothelioma arises because of the complex nature of different types of cancers, and because patients respond differently to various types of medical care. Even today, there are around 3,000 cases of mesothelioma being diagnosed in the United States every year.

One rare cancer that affects the lungs is Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer, which is inflicted by exposure to asbestos most frequently used in industrial and residential places till the late seventies. What Jobs Are Associated With Mesothelioma: Asbestos was used in a lot of occupations.

While no blood tests confirm a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma, there are certain blood abnormalities that suggest the presence of a cancer. Just a couple of months of exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma 30 years later. It is also known that the major cause for pleural mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.

You see the only way to contract Pleural Mesothelioma is by being exposed to Asbestos. Although there is no current cure, pleural mesothelioma can be treated in a number of ways including: chemotherapy (and other drug-type therapy), radiation, intra-operative photodynamic therapy, and surgery. As the time passes and the disease grows older, the symptoms of all the three types of Mesothelioma pleural, peritoneal and pericardial start appearing in more vigorous form.

Should we expect mesothelioma lung cancer increases not only from asbestos exposure after another 20 - 30 years? A well specialized lawyer who deals with mesothelioma cases can help you maximize your compensation. However, in general mesothelioma has a latency period of 35-40 years from the time of exposure to asbestos to the actual development of symptoms.

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor and co founder of Free Affiliate Programs

For more information and resource links on mesothelioma visit: Mesothelioma Lawyer