Tuberculosis Cancer Treatment

Tuberculosis Cancer Treatment - Bladder cancer is a serious disease that can be life threatening. There are a number of treatments for bladder cancer. The progression of the tumor will determine the type of treatment that is used to cure it. Tuberculosis cells can be used as a bladder cancer treatment.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a virus that usually effects the lungs. The tuberculosis bacilli, which is the young form of tuberculosis, is carried in the air, transferred from person to person by coughing, sneezing, breathing and talking. The bacteria sits in the lungs, where it may develop into the full-blown virus. The World Health Organization states that only 5 to 10 percent of people infected with the tuberculosis bacilli later develop the disease.

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the development of a tumor in the bladder. Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) accounts for about 90 percent of bladder cancers, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Most examples of TCC are noninvasive, which means that the tumor is confined to the bladder wall. However, some cases of TCC become severe and invade the muscle wall of the bladder. Bladder cancer makes urination difficult, and can cause blood to appear in the urine. You may notice that the frequency of urination rises significantly.

Tuberculosis Treatment

If the bladder cancer is noninvasive, the tumor is easily removed using a minimally invasive instrument called a cystoscope. If there is a high chance of the noninvasive tumor recurring, the bladder will be treated with inactivated tuberculosis bacilli (bacilli that have been killed with heat or chemicals so that they do not cause tuberculosis but still elicit an immune system response). This causes inflammation of the wall of the bladder, which controls the growth of a tumor. This treatment is performed once a week for six weeks; then the bladder will be checked for tumor recurrence once a month using a cystoscope. This treatment is called Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy.

Complications

In rare cases, BCG therapy can cause tuberculosis-like symptoms to flare up. Any lung-related problems during therapy, such as coughing and bringing up blood, should be discussed with your doctor. If this happens, you will be treated with antibiotics. Tuberculosis can take a long time to cure, so patience is important. While BCG therapy is effective, there is still a chance that a tumor will recur.

Considerations

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any symptoms of bladder cancer. BCG therapy is not a cure for bladder cancer, but is used to treat a bladder that has been affected by cancer.


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What Food or Drink Can Raise Your PSA Levels?

What Food or Drink Can Raise Your PSA Levels – Prostate specific antigen or PSA is a protein produced by the prostate that is found in semen. Measuring PSA levels is an important component to detecting possible signs of prostate cancer. High PSA levels in your blood could be a warning sign of an issue with your prostate.

Normal PSA

PSA tests reveal the amount of PSA detected in the blood. According to the National Cancer Institute, a PSA level below 4.0 ng/ml is considered normal.

Breads

A September, 2006 "Urology" journal study of 29 Australian men with prostate cancer found that those who ate at wheat bread saw a rise in PSA levels of 40 percent. Conversely, the men who ate soy-enriched bread had a drop in their PSA levels of 12.9 percent.

Dairy Products

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted by researchers at Harvard University that began in 1982 called the Physician's Health Study reviewed more than 20,000 male physicians over 11 years and concluded that there was a moderate increase in prostate cancer risk associated with increased consumption of dairy products.

Red Meat

Eating red meat five or more times per week can raise your PSA levels and possibly double your risk for prostate cancer, according to researchers at the Project to End Cancer.

Foods to Lower PSA Levels

According to the Mayo Clinic, eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables including tomatoes and broccoli, which contain antioxidants may help lower PSA levels and decrease your risk of developing prostate cancer.

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The Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

The Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer – More than 230,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year, making prostate cancer the second most common cancer among American men. Located just under the bladder and in front of the rectum, the prostate gland produces a fluid that protects and enriches sperm. 

When cells in the prostate reproduce more rapidly than normal, cancerous growths and tumors can form. In the earliest stages of the disease, symptoms of prostate cancer may not be apparent except through a medical exam noticeable signs may be related to noncancerous prostate conditions.

If you think you are at risk for prostate cancer and are 50 or older, put your mind at ease by contacting your medical provider and getting checked.

Urinary Problems

The prostate gland looks like a small doughnut wrapped around the urethra. Because of its location, changes in the shape and size of prostate can affect urinary function. One of the most common signs that abnormal growths may be developing in the prostate is difficulty with urination, especially starting urination.

Abnormal growths in the prostate can press against the bladder, leading to the need to urinate more frequently, especially at night. But be aware that nocturia, or waking at night to urinate, may be caused by other prostate issues, including benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate. It can also be a sign of diabetes.

If you regularly consume fluids but your urine flow is weak or disrupted, it can be a sign of growth in your prostate.

If abnormal or extra growths in the prostate press on the urethra, it may produce a burning sensation during urination. But those also are common signs of urinary tract infections and other urinary health issues.

Some men may notice blood in their urine or semen. While it can be a sign of prostate cancer, blood in the urine can also be a sign of prostatitis, an inflammation or infection of the prostate that is often treated with antibiotics.

Erectile Dysfunction

Because secretions from the prostate gland are included in semen, prostate cancer can also cause noticeable problems with sexual function and performance, including difficulty achieving erection or painful erections.

Pain or Stiffness in the Lower Back, Hips or Upper Thighs

In previously undetected or advanced cases of prostate cancer, cancer cells can spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, possibly causing additional symptoms, including bone pain, often in the vertebrae, pelvis and femur. Chronic pain or stiffness in these areas should be reported to a health care provider.

Risk Factors

Researchers have identified several factors that can put men at increased risk for prostate cancer. The single highest risk factor for prostate cancer? Age. Recent statistics show that as many as 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in men 65 and older.

African-American men and Caribbean men of African ancestry more likely than men of other races or ethic groups to develop prostate cancer. Geography seems to matter, too. Prostate cancer rates are highest in North America, Europe, Australia and the Caribbean islands. Have a family history? Men with a father or brother diagnosed with prostate cancer may be at doubled risk of developing the disease.

Detection and Treatment

Prostate cancer is typically detected through one of the two testing methods. When men first have their prostate checked, most will have a digital rectal examination. A doctor will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to manually check for abnormal growths and enlargement of the prostate. If there's an issue, your doctor may order a biopsy. The other common method of detection is a blood test that measures prostate specific antigen, or PSA, a substance made by the prostate. Higher levels of PSA in the bloodstream can indicate prostate cancer or other conditions that affect the prostate.

Once the disease is diagnosed, a number of treatment options are available, depending on the stage of cancer detected and your personal medical factors. Treatment options include expectant management, or “watchful waiting," surgery, radiation, cryotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, vaccine treatment and bone-directed treatment.

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Life Expectancy for Breast Cancer Without Treatment

Life Expectancy for Breast Cancer Without Treatment – Some women suffering from breast cancer refuse treatment. Some choose faith in a higher power over medicine, some feel the treatment will be worse than the disease, others may distrust the medical establishment.

Predictions are not exact

Doctors cannot be expected to give an exact prognosis. When a woman is diagnosed as being at an advanced stage of breast cancer, her doctor may tell her that she has mere months to live, but a variety of factors could result in an individual living longer than expected.

Staging

According to a Mayo Clinic website discussing the staging of breast cancer, the staging of breast cancer is a way of measuring how large a breast cancer tumor is and how far the cancer has spread. A beginning stage I diagnoses is indicative of a small tumor that has not begun to spread throughout the body while a potentially terminal stage IV is an advanced cancer that may have spread to vital organs or large swaths of tissue. A stage I diagnoses has a high survival rate when treated. If left untreated, a less advanced staging is a less certain indicator of life expectancy. Similarly, stage IV cancer has a drastically lower survivability rate, and it does not improve without treatment.

Suvivability

According to the U.S. government's National Cancer institute, the survival rate over 5 years for those with localized cancer, that is cancer that has not spread from where it originated, is at 98 percent. If the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes (glands near the neck, armpits and groin that filter and transport certain fluids), the survival rate for the five years is at 83.6 percent. Once the cancer has spread throughout the body to larger sections of tissue or vital origins, the survivability rate declines to 23.4 percent. It can be assumed that most of the people who make up these statistics were receiving treatment, so life expectancy will be lower for those who are not.

Race factor

Race seems to play a role in the survivability of breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, the five year survivability was 90.2 percent for white women and 77.5 percent for black women. Of course, the vast majority of women in both groups were receiving treatment.

A Small Study

A study by Drs. Peter A.S. Johnstone and Marilyn S. Norton, and Robert H. Riffenburgh, PhD., of 250 untreated breast cancer patients found that the median survival time was 2.7 years. They also studied the data on 1,022 untreated patients in other studies, and found a median survival time of 2.3 years.

Regressions are rare

In a few rare cases, women suffering from advanced breast cancer have experienced regressions. According to a CNN report, there are only 32 documented cases of this phenomenon.When speaking of cancer, regression means the size of a tumor has gotten smaller or that the amount of cancer in the body is reduced. This does not change the fact that people with a cancer diagnosis are still advised to seek treatment.

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The Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

The Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer – More than 250,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with some form of breast cancer this year -- that’s approximately 1 in 8 women. Breast cancer typically appears in cells lining the breast’s milk ducts, or in the glands that produce milk. Cancer cells formed in the breast can spread through to other places in the body via the lymph nodes.

While the vast majority of cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women, more than 2,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in American men each year. For either sex, symptoms of breast cancer may be detectable through breast self-exam, or doctor’s exam and mammography. The most common sign of breast cancer is a lump found in the breast or armpit area. Because symptoms of breast cancer may be related to noncancerous breast conditions, further testing is almost always required to confirm a diagnosis.

The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms for women starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health.

Finding a Lump or Hard Knot

Breast tissue is naturally lumpy, but some women may detect a lump or knot that feels harder or thicker than surrounding tissue. Not every lump is cancerous. Some lumps are related a woman’s menstrual cycle and disappear after menstruation, or a lump may indicate a benign cyst. However, whenever you notice any type of unusual growth, see your health care provider.

Dimpled Skin

Dimpled or puckered skin can be a sign of breast cancer, as can large, visible pores or the skin taking on an orange-peel-like appearance. If your breast or breasts show any of those indicators, don't wait. Call your physician.

Skin Signs

If you notice patches of skin on your breast, nipple or areola-- the darkened skin surrounding the nipple -- pay close attention. If those areas become scaly, itchy and red or darkened or your breast feels warm where irritations have broken out, it's best to notify your health care provider.

Changes in Breast Size

If you are not breastfeeding, a sudden swelling in one or both breasts may indicate a blockage that causes lymph fluid to back up. A problem with your lymph nodes may also appear as swelling in your collarbone or armpits. If one or both breasts shrink unexpectedly, it may be a sign that significant hormonal changes, which can be a trigger for cancer.

It’s normal to have one breast that is slightly larger than the other, but if you notice a recent change in your breasts , bring this up with your doctor.

Nipple Changes

Some types of breast cancer cause the nipple to retract or completely invert. But that doesn't mean you have cancer. Conditions such as pregnancy, breastfeeding and aging can cause changes. Some people are born with inverted nipples, too.

Nipple Discharge

A discharge from your nipple, whether clear or bloody, may indicate a tumor. But an infection or an injury to your breast can be the cause of the discharge too. It helps to be aware of any discharge and to keep track of it. If it persists, check with your doctor.

Breast Pain

Breast pain makes the list of common symptoms, but be aware that while some breast cancers cause pain in the breast, most do not. Studies have shown that only about 5 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer had pain as their main symptom.

Risk Factors

Approximately 15 percent of women who develop breast cancer also have a first-degree relative -- mother, sister, daughter -- who had a breast cancer diagnosis. The strong family connection may be connected to an inherited mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.. Researchers estimate that having either a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation raises women’s risk of developing breast cancer by 45 to 65 percent.

Age is also a factor. Breast cancer rates generally start to rise after age 40, but about two out of every three cases of invasive breast cancer, a more serious form of breast cancer, are found in women 55 or older. White women are more likely to develop breast cancer after age 45, compared with African-American women. Before age 45, however, African-American women are not only more likely than white women to develop breast cancer, but are also more likely to die from it. Asian, Latin American and Native American women are all at lowered risk for the disease.

If you smoke or are obese, you raise your risk of breast cancer no matter what your age.

Getting a Jump on the Disease

Women as young as 20 should make a clinical breast exam a part of her routine when seeing the doctor. After age 40, the American Cancer Society recommends women have a breast exam by a health professional every year, including a screening mammogram. Women of all ages are encouraged to conduct frequent breast self-exams to help detect changes between exams.

The first step after a problem is detected is a biopsy, which can pinpoint the problem better. Any treatment depends on whether there's an actual tumor, calcifications and if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Treatment options can vary from surgery to remove a single tumor to hormone therapy, radiation and chemotherapy either as a standalone treatment or in combination.

Getting Help

In its earliest stages, breast cancer symptoms may not be apparent except through an exam by your doctor. If you think you are risk for breast cancer, put your mind at ease by contacting your medical provider and getting checked. Your doctor can also show you how to perform breast self-exams at home.

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What to Expect With Untreated Glioblastoma?

What to Expect With Untreated Glioblastoma? – Glioblastoma, or glioblastoma multiforme, is an aggressive, advanced form of cancer that originates in the brain. If left untreated, it can cause rapid decline and death in affected individuals.

Facts

Glioblastoma is a grade 4 tumor and the most advanced form of a type of brain cancer called astrocytoma, according to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. It most typically occurs in individuals over age 50.

Survival Rate

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center reports that even with treatment, roughly 75 percent of individuals with glioblastoma die within two years of initial diagnosis. Factors influencing this outcome include success in removing the tumor and patient age.

Glioblastoma Effects

Symptoms of an untreated glioblastoma are the same as those with other types of brain tumors, reports Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. These include increased cranial pressure, muscle weakness, loss of balance and coordination, and difficulties with walking, speech, vision and comprehension, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Complications

The U.S. National Library of Medicine reports that one complication of brain tumors such as glioblastoma is fatal brain herniation, in which brain tissue, fluid and blood vessels are moved from their normal position.

Considerations

The International RadioSurgery Association notes that glioblastomas commonly contain a collection of different cell types. Even for those who receive treatment, this characteristic makes glioblastomas difficult to fight, since methods that kill one form of cell typically leave other forms intact.

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Phantom Odors & Brain Cancer

Phantom Odors & Brain Cancer - Olfactory hallucinations are often referred to as phantom odors or phantosmia. You are experiencing a phantom odor when you detect a smell that is not really present. There are many things that can cause a phantom odor. In some cases, a phantom odor can be caused by a brain tumor.

Features

What you smell and its intensity can vary by person. You may experience the smell in only one nostril or in both nostrils at the same time. Phantom smells are not masked by the smell or taste of food. All phantom odors can be a sign of a serious illness and should be discussed with your doctor.

Function

The sense of smell is a chemical sense. Your nose picks up molecules in the air and translates those molecules into the sensation of smell. Your sense of smell can be damaged by exposure to chemicals, injury to your nose, seizures, infections and brain tumors located in the temporal lobe.

Location

For a brain tumor to effect your sense of smell it must be located in the part of your brain that controls that sense. Your cerebrum is the largest part of your brain. All of your senses and movements are controlled by areas of your cerebrum. Your temporal lobe, a section of the cerebrum, controls your sense of hearing and smell. A brain tumor in the temporal lobe can affect your sense of smell and create a phantom odor.

Signs

Seizures are the most common sign of brain cancer located in the temporal lobe. Seizures can cause permanent damage to the brain. Seizures and tumor can damage the part of your brain that receives the message from your nose. Once damaged, your brain can misread the messages and smell odors that aren't present.

Warning

If you experience a phantom odor that will not go away or gets worse, see your doctor. Even if you do not have brain cancer, your phantom odor is being caused by something.

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The Best Natural Cures for Bone Cancer

The Best Natural Cures for Bone Cancer – Bone cancer can begin in any bone in the body, but it most commonly affects the long bones in the arms and legs. Thethree types of bone cancer, distinguished by the cell in which the cancer begins are Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma. According to the Mayo Clinic, treatment usually involves some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. However, some believe natural remedies may help.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera has been used as a healing agent for hundreds of years. More recently, scientists have found that aloe vera may have the ability to stop cancer cells when chemotherapy does not work, according to researchers at Natural Cancer Solutions. Moreover, when aloe vera is combined with cancer killing drugs, the combination is believed to work better than either treatment alone. Aloe vera comes in many forms. According to Natural Cancer Solutions, the blend of aloe vera found in Aloeride is the most effective to fight bone cancer. This is because it can stop the growth of cancerous cells without impairing the reproduction of healthy cells.

Calcium, Strontium, Magnesium

Bone cancer causes the bones in your body to become very brittle. This increases the risk that your bones will break, causing all sorts of medical problems and making it more difficult to fight bone cancer. Consequently, when you have bone cancer, it is imperative to keep your bones healthy and strong. Calcium is the best way to keep your bones strong. One of the easiest ways to get lots of calcium is to consume lots of milk. In addition, strontium (natural trace mineral) and magnesium will help to strengthen your bones. These supplements are relatively common and can be found at most health food stores.

Exercise

Exercise plays a role in preventing some cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. Moreover, exercising while you are being treated for bone cancer can have many benefits. These include improving your heart and circulation, reducing fatigue, lowering anxiety and depression and increasing self-esteem. While exercise does not cure cancer, it puts you in a better position to fight it. The American Cancer Society recommends that you persuade friends and family to join in with your new exercise routine. This will provide much needed support and make the entire process more enjoyable. As always, you should talk to a doctor before starting any new exercise routine.

Warning

Roughly 1,300 people die every year from bone cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. While many people believe that natural remedies can help people suffering from bone cancer, there is no scientific proof that these remedies cure bone cancer. Consequently, it is imperative that you seek medical advice if you are diagnosed with bone cancer so that you can weigh your options and make an educated decision.

High Sedimentation Rates & Bone Cancer

High Sedimentation Rates & Bone Cancer – A sedimentation rate is a blood test that detects inflammation in the body. An elevated sedimentation rate can be indicative of arthritis, other inflammatory conditions or some types of cancer.

Sedimentation Rates

A erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test looks at red blood cells and measures how long it takes these cells to settle at the bottom of a test tube. Inflammation causes red blood cells to quickly sink.

Bone Cancer

Bone cancer is an uncommon type of cancer that begins in the bones. Other cancers can affect the bones, such as leukemia, which occurs in the bone marrow, or metastatic cancers, which begin in one place and spread.

High Sedimentation Rates

High sedimentation rates indicate inflammation somewhere in the body. Extremely high sedimentation rates are associated with serious diseases, such as infection or cancer, including bone cancer.

High Sedimentation and Bone Cancer

Although extremely high sedimentation rates can indicate cancer, they more often reveal other infections. Typically, physicians only use sedimentation rate to detect cancer when the patient has other symptoms, such as a history of cancer or weight loss.

Considerations

A high sedimentation rate can indicate many diseases. Although high sedimentation rates can indicate bone cancer, this is unlikely in patients without other cancer symptoms or history.

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What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Bladder & Kidney Cancer?

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Bladder & Kidney Cancer? – Bladder cancer usually starts within the lining of the bladder. It then may spread through the lining and grow into the bladder’s wall muscles. Invasive bladder cancer typically spreads to other organs of the body, including the liver, lungs, lymph nodes and pelvis. Kidney cancer, on the other hand, involves the abnormal, uncontrollable growth of kidney cells. Bladder and kidney cancers can occur independently of one another, but may appear at the same time if one type of cancer spreads to the other site. Here are the signs and symptoms of bladder and kidney cancer.

Bladder Cancer Symptoms

Common symptoms and warning signs of bladder cancer include frequent, almost constant, urinary tract infections; pain during urination (called Dysuria), and urinating frequently but in small amounts only. Another warning sign is the presence of blood or blood clots in the urine. This occurs in almost 90 percent of patients who are suffering from the disease.

Advanced Bladder Cancer Symptoms

In its later stages, bladder cancer symptoms are much more severe. For example, a growth or mass may appear in the patient’s pelvis, which is close to the bladder. Swelling often occurs in the lower leg area; and many patients experience kidney pain that is felt in the lower back. When bladder cancer continues to spread to other parts of the body, the patient is likely to lose weight and suffer from significant pain in the pelvic area, bones and rectum.

Symptoms of Kidney Cancer

The most common symptoms of kidney cancer are similar to those of bladder cancer, including blood in the urine. The urine typically appears to be deep red or rusty in color). The patient may also suffer from constant pain in the side, or experience fevers, weight loss; fatigue, and a general feeling of being weak and unhealthy. The presence of a cancerous mass or lump in the side of the abdomen may be felt.

False Warnings

There are cases in which some symptoms of kidney and bladder cancer may not indicate the presence of the disease. Sometimes a cyst or infection can trigger pain, blood in the urine and similar warning signs. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should immediately consult with a physician for proper diagnosis and early treatment.

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