According to studies and surveys by the American Cancer Society, in the year 2004 about 500,000 people in America alone would have died of cancer giving 1,500/fatalities a day. In the same year 1.4 million new cases would be detected without the inclusion of “in situ cancer” plus approximately a million cases of non-melanoma skin cancers, also for the same year.
As the statistics show, there is an ever-rising occurrence of the disease in it’s many forms and the drive for the decreasing of the number of afflicted members of society from behavioral and environmental factors. These factors can be summed up as, what you eat, drink, the lifestyle you live and even where you live can all be contributory factors in the risk you face in getting the disease.
March 10, 2010
Cancer : The Statistics you need to know
February 9, 2010
Research : Leading the Fight Against Cancer
The Cancer Prevention Foundation is one of the leading authorities in the prevention of the said disease and it does this through cutting edge research in the following fields; the expansion of our knowledge between the relationship of cancer and our diet.
The discovery and synthesis of new drugs that can help us fight/prevent cancer, the in-depth study of the human gene to discover the weaknesses that makes one susceptible to cancer, research into a better understanding of the processes that turns and utterly normal cell into a cancerous one, research into a better understanding of the human immune system and how to boost it in hopes of preventing the disease and lastly the development of methodology and equipment that would allow the early detection and treatment of pre-cancerous conditions. All of the above fields of research are conducted along with private and government branches to give us a better understanding of the factors that leads to the disease thus giving us a better understanding for its prevention.
December 10, 2009
Breast Cancer Reduction Treatments have different results
The current practice of administering prevention surgery for women with breast cancers in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation bracket may have different results that previously expected. The risks are the same yet they may have different effects which may outweigh the risks of having the surgery in the first place. The study factored in the effect of genetics into the equation which was not considered in the past and it shows that a family history of the disease in women may provide varied results for sufferers. The cancer reducing operation coupled with the intake of cancer fighting drugs has produced results but this new study shows that the two types have different risks involved and that two different approaches should be devised for successful prevention and treatment.
November 5, 2009
Colonoscopy -Colorectal cancer screening
The process is quite unpleasant and requires a lot of time for the digestive tract has to be void of all contents before it can be done (imagine the mess it would create if it were full). Testing usually requires fasting for up to 12 hours before the exam during which the colon, through the rectum is flushed again and again to remove all contaminants which can impair the view of the colonoscopy scope. Once a cleared view of the colon is assured, the test continues with a lighted tube to which a camera is attached allowing viewing of the colon to find growths called polyps. Polyps are not cancerous but are considered to be the beginnings of such so dietary adjustments are required if they are to be tamed to prevent colorectal cancers. If polyps are found, regular exams are required to see if the polyps remain as polyps and do not progress into cancerous growth. For those who go thought the procedure, ask the doctor to increase the time they scan for these growths for studies in the US have shown that the standard exam to a maximum of almost 20 minutes increases the success of locating them by as much 10 times increasing accuracy.
October 17, 2009
Breast Cancer Myths
As with any disease, there are lots of myths surrounding the ability of a family member to develop the same form of disease. Some experts say there is no direct link to the said relation and your ability to get the same disease except perhaps for the same environmental factors which may be causing the disease to manifest in both of you. There is no solid scientific basis for cancer being inherited but it should be used as an indicator that you are susceptible to it. The size of breasts is also a point of contention for many claim that having large natural breasts are a sure sign of you being prone to getting breast cancer. Experts say there is also no medical foundation for the myth and that whatever size of breasts you may have; the best tool in the fight against cancer would be to get screened regularly. There are more myths regarding the disease and most are said to be just plain myth without scientific basis. The best tool for prevention and successful treatment is early detection which is the key.
May 12, 2009
Raspberries…… Again!
Raspberries have indeed been causing a stir in the world of anti-oxidants, this time the humble fruit has been found to have gene altering capabilities. The said trait has never yet been seen in any single agent or protein therapy. The said concentrated extract has proven to be quite successful compared to single proteins designed to target a single receptor or agent. In laboratory animals, an amazing modification of around 460 of a total 2,200 affected genes, a truly miraculous development. These events have fueled the renewed interest in the humble fruit that has caused many a sour faces due to their inherent flavor. (more…)
August 9, 2008
Cancer Prevention Diet and Nutrition:
image source: www.altcancer.com
Current research indicates that the foods we ingest to our body can influence our risks to certain types of cancer. High energy and high fat diets can lead to obesity and are generally thought to increase the risk of some cancers. Plant-based diets high in fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholegrain foods may help to prevent cancer.
Diet is just one of the lifestyle factors that influence the risk of developing cancer.
Smoking, obesity, alcohol, sun exposure and physical activity levels are also important.
Foods to limit in your diet or eat less of include: Fatty processed red meats ,Highly processed foods that are low in fibre Heavily salted and pickled foods.
Foods to eat more The strongest protective anti-cancer effect has been shown with: Vegetables, especially raw vegetables or salads ,Leafy green vegetables, carrots,Tomatoes,Citrus fruits ,Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy and other Asian greens.
July 1, 2008
Immunization and it’s role in Cancer Prevention
Certain cancers can be avoided if proper immunization has been administered like Hepatitis and HPV both of which are viral diseases. These diseases are known to cause liver and cervical cancer in certain individuals the later being a sexually transmitted disease. Decision on whether one would benefit from the said vaccines is left to professionals so seek advice from your doctor to see how much benefit one can be gained from their administration. The vaccine for HPV has been approved by the US FDA in 2006 and is now available on the market.
June 1, 2008
Preventing Cancer : Easy as pie!
Cancer is one of the most debilitating diseases on the planet to date. In its many forms that afflicts almost any part of the human body, it can be prevented with the help of intervention through medical means and simple changes to one’s lifestyle can work to your advantage if you know you are prone to get the disease. These prevention methods usually evolve around three major concepts which are; lifestyle/eating habit changes, cancer causing agent avoidance and last the intake of medicine to treat a precancerous condition in hopes of preventing the disease from starting. As we can see, the above conditions are quite easy with strict adherence and regular health evaluations they can be useful in the prevention of the disease.
April 29, 2008
Prevention not a Cure
Trends have shown that the coverage media is giving to the disease focuses more on treatments and not on prevention. As with any disease, prevention is the key and avoiding the disease or preventing one from contracting it outweighs the need for treatment. Media should bring more light into the need for measures such as the administration of the HPV vaccines which greatly decreases the risk of getting the disease in later life. A survey of several newspapers showed that over a two-year period, more than 200 stories have been published regarding the disease with only 18% of those total articles focusing on prevention. The amounts of preventive measures abound yet not many know enough. The disease is preventable as with most forms of disease with enough knowledge and effort it can be avoided; if people would just take time to learn the ways of how to prevent the disease then we wouldn’t have to present the numbers of fatalities and disfigured women from the whole country as much. Scientists have come up with many forms of treatments for the disease but scientists warn that their ability to provide cures can never outweigh the importance of prevention. The stories are quite sad and people feel that the life changing disease is out to get them, what they don’t know is that there are several methods of reducing risk and getting regular screenings is one of them so any changes can be diagnosed and prescribed proper treatment. Media sees the sad story as more sellable than the ones regarding high-risk people who are doing great because they are eating and living healthy. A healthy person is not much of a story but somebody who is suffering from the disease has a higher market affecting readership.