Understanding Cancer - Symptoms
Knowledge they say is power.but more powerful is the application of knowledge. Knowing about the following symptom that precede cancer development may help you.

What Are the Symptoms of Cancer?
In its early stages, cancer usually has no symptoms, but eventually a malignant tumor will grow large enough to be detected. As it continues to grow, it may press on nerves and produce pain, penetrate blood vessels and cause bleeding, or interfere with the function of a body organ or system.

The Seven Warning Signs of Cancer
To remember the seven early warning signs of cancer (as designated by the American Cancer Society), think of the word CAUTION:
C hange in bowel or bladder habits.
A sore that does not heal.
U nusual bleeding or discharge.
T hickening or lump in the breast, testicles, or elsewhere.
I ndigestion or difficulty swallowing.
O bvious change in the size, color, shape, or thickness of a wart, mole, or mouth sore.
N agging cough or hoarseness.

The following symptoms may also signal the presence of some form of cancer:
Persistent headaches
Unexplained loss of weight or appetite
Chronic pain in bones
Persistent fatigue, nausea, or vomiting
Persistent low-grade fever, either constant or intermittent
Repeated instances of infection

Call Your Doctor About Cancer If:
You develop symptoms that may signal cancer, are not clearly linked to another cause, and persist for more than two weeks. You should schedule a medical examination. If the cause of your symptoms is cancer, early diagnosis and treatment will offer a better chance of cure
source: webMD

15 Cancer Symptoms Women Ignore
WebMD uncovers common cancer warning signs women often overlook.
By Kathleen DohenyWebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Women tend to be more vigilant than men about getting recommended health checkups and cancer screenings, according to studies and experts.
They're generally more willing, as well, to get potentially worrisome symptoms checked out, says Mary Daly, MD, oncologist and head of the department of clinical genetics at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
But not always. Younger women, for instance, tend to ignore symptoms that could point to cancer. "They have this notion that cancer is a problem of older people," Daly tells WebMD. And they're often right, but plenty of young people get cancer, too.
Of course, some women are as skilled as men are at switching to denial mode. "There are people who deliberately ignore their cancer symptoms," says Hannah Linden, MD, a medical oncologist. She is a joint associate member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and associate professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle. It's usually denial, but not always, she says. "For some, there is a cultural belief that cancer is incurable, so why go there."
Talking about worrisome symptoms shouldn't make people overreact, says Ranit Mishori, MD, an assistant professor of family medicine at the Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. "I don't want to give people the impression they should look for every little thing," she says.
With that healthy balance between denial and hypochondria in mind, WebMD asked experts to talk about the symptoms that may not immediately make a woman worry about cancer, but that should be checked out. Read on for 15 possible cancer symptoms women often ignore.

No. 1: Unexplained Weight Loss
Many women would be delighted to lose weight without trying. But unexplained weight loss -- say 10 pounds in a month without an increase in exercise or a decrease in food intake -- should be checked out, Mishori says.
"Unexplained weight loss is cancer unless proven not," she says. It could, of course, turn out to be another condition, such as an overactive thyroid.
Expect your doctor to run tests to check the thyroid and perhaps order a CT scan of different organs. The doctor needs to "rule out the possibilities, one by one," Mishori says.

No. 2: Bloating
Bloating is so common that many women just live with it. But it could point to ovarian cancer. Other symptoms of ovarian cancer include abdominal pain or pelvic pain, feeling full quickly -- even when you haven't eaten much -- and urinary problems, such as having an urgent need to go to the bathroom.
If the bloating occurs almost every day and persists for more than a few weeks, you should consult your physician. Expect your doctor to take a careful history and order a CT scan and blood tests, among others.

No. 3: Breast Changes
Most women know their breasts well, even if they don't do regular self-exams, and know to be on the lookout for lumps. But that's not the only breast symptom that could point to cancer. Redness and thickening of the skin on the breast, which could indicate a very rare but aggressive form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, also needs to be examined, Linden says. "If you have a rash that persists over weeks, you have to get it evaluated," she says.
Likewise, if the look of a nipple changes, or if you notice discharge (and aren’t breastfeeding), see your doctor. "If it's outgoing normally and turns in," she says, that's not a good sign. "If your nipples are inverted chronically, no big deal." It's the change in appearance that could be a worrisome symptom.
If you have breast changes, expect your doctor to take a careful history, examine the breast, and order tests such as mammogram, ultrasound,MRI, and perhaps a biopsy

No. 4: Between-Period Bleeding or Other Unusual Bleeding
''Premenopausal women tend to ignore between-period bleeding," Daly says. They also tend to ignore bleeding from the GI tract, mistakenly thinking it is from their period. But between-period bleeding, especially if you are typically regular, bears checking out, she says. So does bleeding after menopause, as it could be a symptom of endometrial cancer. GI bleeding could be a symptom of colorectal cancer.
Think about what's normal for you, says Debbie Saslow, PhD, director of breast and gynecologic cancer at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta. "If a woman never spots [between periods] and she spots, it's abnormal for her. For someone else, it might not be."
"Endometrial cancer is a common gynecologic cancer," Saslow says. "At least three-quarters who get it have some abnormal bleeding as an early sign."
Your doctor will take a careful history and, depending on the timing of the bleeding and other symptoms, probably order an ultrasound or biopsy.

No. 5: Skin Changes
Most of us know to look for any changes in moles -- a well-known sign of skin cancer. But we should also watch for changes in skin pigmentation, Daly says.
If you suddenly develop bleeding on your skin or excessive scaling, that should be checked, too, she says. It's difficult to say how long is too long to observe skin changes before you go to the doctor, but most experts say not longer than several weeks.

No. 6: Difficulty Swallowing
If you have difficulty swallowing, you may have already changed your diet so chewing isn't so difficult, perhaps turning to soups or liquid foods such as protein shakes.
But that difficulty could be a sign of a GI cancer, such as in the esophagus, says Leonard Lichtenfeld, MD, deputy chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society.
Expect your doctor to take a careful history and order tests such as a chest X-ray or exams of the GI tract. o. 7: Blood in the Wrong Place
If you notice blood in your urine or your stool, don’t assume it's from a hemorrhoid, says Mishori. "It could be colon cancer."
Expect your doctor to ask questions and perhaps order testing such as a colonoscopy, an exam of the colon to look for cancer.
Seeing blood in the toilet bowl may actually be from the vagina if a woman is menstruating, Mishori says. But if not, it should be checked to rule out bladder or kidney cancer, she says.
Coughing up blood should be evaluated, too. One occasion of blood in the wrong place may not point to anything, Mishori says, but if it happens more than once, go see your doctor.
No. 8: Gnawing Abdominal Pain and Depression
Any woman who's got a pain in the abdomen and is feeling depressed needs a checkup, says Lichtenfeld. Some researchers have found a link between depression and pancreatic cancer, but it's a poorly understood connection.

No. 9: Indigestion
Women who have been pregnant may remember the indigestion that occurred as they gained weight. But indigestion for no apparent reason may be a red flag.
It could be an early clue to cancer of the esophagus, stomach, or throat.
Expect your doctor to take a careful history and ask questions about the indigestion before deciding which tests to order, if any.

No. 10: Mouth Changes
Smokers should be especially alert for any white patches inside the mouth or white spots on the tongue, according to the American Cancer Society. Both can point to a precancerous condition called leukoplakia that can progress to oral cancer.
Ask your dentist or doctor to take a look and decide what should be done next.

No. 11: Pain
As people age they seem to complain more of various aches and pains, but pain, as vague as it may be, can also be an early symptom of some cancers, although most pain complaints are not from cancer.
Pain that persists and is unexplained needs to be checked out. Expect your physician to take a careful history, and based on that information decide what further testing, if any, is needed.

No. 12: Changes in the Lymph Nodes
If you notice a lump or swelling in the lymph nodes under your armpit or in your neck -- or anywhere else -- it could be worrisome, Linden says.
"If you have a lymph node that gets progressively larger, and it's [been] longer than a month, see a doctor," she says. Your doctor will examine you and figure out any associated issues (such as infection) that could explain the lymph node enlargement.
If there are none, your doctor will typically order a biopsy.
No. 13: Fever
If you have a feverver that isn't explained by influenza or other infection, it could point to cancer. Fevers more often occur after cancer has spread from its original site, but it can also point to early blood cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma, according to the American Cancer Society.
Other cancer symptoms can include jaundice, or a change in the color of your stool.
Expect your doctor to conduct a careful physical exam and take a medical history, and then order tests such as a chest X-ray, CT scan, MRI, or other tests, depending on the findings

No. 14: FatigueFatigue is another vague symptom that could point to cancer -- as well as a host of other problems. It can set in after the cancer has grown, but it may also occur early in certain cancers, such as leukemia or with some colon or stomach cancers, according to the American Cancer Society.
No. 15: Persistent Cough
Coughs are expected with colds, the flu, allergies, and sometimes are a side effect of medications. But a very prolonged cough -- defined as lasting more than three or four weeks -- should not be ignored, Mishori says.
You would expect your doctor to take a careful history, examine your throat, check out your lung functioning and perhaps order X-rays, especially if you are a smoker

Breast Cancer and the Breast Self-Exam

The most effective way to fight breast cancer is to detect it early. A breast self awareness and self-exam may help, although the most effective tools to detect breast cancer are mammography and clinical breast exam by your health professional. In fact, women who perform regular breast self-exams and learn what is normal find may find abnormalities earlier .
What Is a Breast Self-Exam and Why Should I Do It?
The breast self-exam is a way that you can check your breasts for changes (such as lumps or thickenings), it includes looking at and feeling your breast. Any unusual changes should be reported to your doctor. When breast cancer is detected in its early stages, your chances for surviving the disease are greatly improved. While 80% of all breast lumps are not cancerous, you can help catch potentially serious changes in the breast early by breast self-awareness and by regularly performing a self-exam.
When Should I Perform a Breast Self-Exam?
It is good to start performing breast self-exams in your 20's. If you chose to do breast self-exams, you should examine your breasts regularly , three to five days after your menstrual period ends. If you have stopped menstruating, perform the exam on the same day of each month, such as the first day of the month or a day easy for you to remember, such as your birth date. With each exam, you will become familiar with the contours and feel of your breasts, and will be more alert to changes.
How Do I Perform a Breast Self-Exam?
To perform a breast self-exam, follow the steps described below.
In the mirror:
Stand undressed from the waist up in front of a large mirror in a well-lit room. Look at your breasts. Don't be alarmed if they do not look equal in size or shape. Most women's breasts aren't. With your arms relaxed by your sides, look for any changes in size, shape, or position, or any changes to the skin of the breasts. Look for any skin puckering, dimpling, sores, or discoloration. Inspect your nipples and look for any sores, peeling, or change in the direction of the nipples.
Next, place your hands on your hips and press down firmly to tighten the chest muscles beneath your breasts. Turn from side to side so you can inspect the outer part of your breasts.
Then bend forward toward the mirror. Roll your shoulders and elbows forward to tighten your chest muscles. Your breasts will fall forward. Look for any changes in the shape or contour of your breasts.
Now, clasp your hands behind your head and press your hands forward. Again, turn from side to side to inspect your breasts' outer portions. Remember to inspect the border underneath your breasts. You may need to lift your breasts with your hand to see this area.
Check your nipples for discharge (fluid). Place your thumb and forefinger on the tissue surrounding the nipple and pull outward toward the end of the nipple. Look for any discharge. Repeat on your other breast.
In the shower:
Now, it's time to feel for changes in the breast. It is helpful to have your hands slippery with soap and water. Check for any lumps or thickening in your underarm area. Place your left hand on your hip and reach with your right hand to feel in the left armpit. Repeat on the other side.
Check both sides for lumps or thickenings above and below your collarbone.
With hands soapy, raise one arm behind your head to spread out the breast tissue. Use the flat part of your fingers from the other hand to press gently into the breast. Follow an up-and-down pattern along the breast, moving from bra line to collarbone. Continue the pattern until you have covered the entire breast. Repeat on the other side.
Lying down:
Next, lie down and place a small pillow or folded towel under your right shoulder. Put your right hand behind your head. Place your left hand on the upper portion of your right breast with fingers together and flat. Body lotion may help to make this part of the exam easier.
Think of your breast as a face on a clock. Start at 12 o'clock and move toward 1 o'clock in small circular motions. Continue around the entire circle until you reach 12 o'clock again. Keep your fingers flat and in constant contact with your breast. When the circle is complete, move in one inch toward the nipple and complete another circle around the clock. Continue in this pattern until you've felt the entire breast. Make sure to feel the upper outer areas that extend into your armpit.
Place your fingers flat and directly on top of your nipple. Feel beneath the nipple for any changes. Gently press your nipple inward. It should move easily.

source: webMD

10 Lifestyle Tips for cancer prevention

Are you new here? Welcome I take pride introducing myself to you. I am not a medical doctor. However, that does not give me a license to be ignorant about what the doctors are saying about prolonging my life and making more impact in peoples life. Am a motivational speaker majoring on optimum performance technology. I love life and people because without them my world is dead. Here are some powerful tips from the expert on how to keep your body far from the deadly monster called cancer. Enjoy it!

Diet, Activity Recommendations May Reduce the Risk of Cancer, Experts Say
By Miranda HittiWebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Oct. 28, 2008 -- Looking for ways to cut your risk of developing cancer? Here's a list of 10 diet and activity recommendations highlighted this week in Chicago at the annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
· Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
· Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day.
· Avoid sugary drinks, and limit consumption of high-calorie foods, especially those low in fiber and rich in fat or added sugar.
· Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes (such as beans).
· Limit consumption of red meats (including beef, pork, and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
· If you drink alcohol, limit your daily intake to two drinks for men and one drink for women.
· Limit consumption of salty foods and food processed with salt (sodium).
· Don't use supplements to try to protect against cancer.
· It's best for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for up to six months and then add other liquids and foods.
· After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention.
At the ADA meeting, experts provided practical tips for following those recommendations, which were issued last year by the nonprofit American Institute for Cancer Research and its sister organization, the World Cancer Research Fund International.
Why These Cancer Recommendations?
Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, an epidemiology professor who leads the nutrition department the Harvard School of Public Health, was on the international team of scientists that wrote the recommendations.
At the ADA meeting, Willett said the first recommendation -- to be as lean as possible within the healthy weight range -- is "the most important, by far."
But there is one recommendation that Willett says may be a "mistake" -- the one about not taking supplements. Vitamin D supplements may lower risk of colorectal cancer and perhaps other cancers, notes Willett. He predicts that that recommendation will be a top priority for review.
How to Follow the Recommendations
Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN, is the nutritional advisor for the American Institute for Cancer Research. She reviewed the recommendations before they were issued last year, and she joined Willett in talking to ADA members.
Collins provides these tips for each of the recommendations:
· Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight: Don't just look at the scale; check your waist measurement as a crude measurement of your abdominal fat, Collins says. She recommends that men's waists be no larger than 37 inches and women's waists be 31.5 inches or less.
· Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day: You can break that into 10- to 15-minute blocks, and even more activity may be better, notes Collins.
· Avoid sugary drinks and limit consumption of energy-dense foods: It's not that those foods directly cause cancer, but they could blow your calorie budget if you often overindulge, notes Collins, who suggests filling up on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
· Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes such as beans: Go for a variety of colors (like deep greens of spinach, deep blues of blueberries, whites of onions and garlic, and so on). Most Americans, says Collins, are stuck in a rut of eating the same three vegetables over and over.
· If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to two for men and one for women per day: Watch your portion size; drinks are often poured liberally, notes Collins. Willett adds that the pros and cons of moderate drinking is something that women may particularly need to consider, weighing the heart benefits and increased breast cancer risk from drinking.
· Limit red meats (beef, pork, lamb) and avoid processed meats: Limit red meats to 18 ounces per week, says Collins, who suggests using chicken, seafood, or legumes in place of red meat. Collins isn't saying to never eat red meat, just do so in moderation.
· Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with sodium: Don't go over 2,400 milligrams per day, and use herbs and spices instead, says Collins. She adds that processed foods account for most sodium intake nowadays -- not salt you add when cooking or eating.
· Don't use supplements to protect against cancer: It's not that supplements are bad -- they may be "valuable" apart from cancer prevention, but there isn't evidence that they protect against cancer, except for vitamin D, says Collins.
· It's best for mothers to breastfeed babies exclusively for up to six months and then add other foods and liquids: Hospitals could encourage this more, Collins says.
· After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention. Survivors include people undergoing cancer treatment, as well as people who have finished their cancer treatment.

First whooping cough vaccine for adolescents

FDA Consumer, July-August, 2005

In May 2005, the FDA approved the first vaccine for adolescents that provides a booster immunization against whooping cough (pertussis) in combination with tetanus and diphtheria.
Boostrix, a tetanus toxoid (T), reduced diphtheria toxoid (d), and acellular pertussis vaccine (ap) absorbed, will be marketed by GlaxoSmithKline of Philadelphia. Although booster vaccines for adolescents containing T and d are currently licensed and marketed for use in this age group, none contain a pertussis component. Boostrix is indicated for use as a single booster dose to adolescents ages 10 to 18.
Adolescents who received Boostrix experienced pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site. The frequency of redness and swelling after Boostrix was similar to what is expected after the administration of a Td vaccine. Pain reactions at the injection site, however, were more frequent with those who received Boostrix. Other side effects included headaches, fever, and fatigue for a short period of time after injection.
COPYRIGHT 2005 U.S. Government Printing Office
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