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By Jason Davidson

Cancer. The big “C” word that everyone dreads hearing. When you do hear it, thoughts automatically turn to lung cancer. The fact is that cancer of the colon is responsible for over 10% of all cancer deaths in the USA. To help understand a little about this disease, it is necessary to know a bit about the colon.

Most of the time, the colon is mistakenly mentioned as part of the entire large intestine, but is actually only the largest part of that organ.
It is about six feet long and moves solid waste along to the rectum. Along the way, it absorbs water and harmful materials from the waste. The longer it takes to move the waste out, the better chance of removing those materials.

Colon cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer and holds the second highest mortality rate of all cancers worldwide with 655,000 deaths expected this year.
In the US alone, it is estimated that approximately 106,000 people will be newly diagnosed with colon cancer this year and some 56,000 will die from the disease. Very somber statistics, if I may say so.

Colon cancer is thought to originate from mushroom-like polyps that form in the colon, rectum and appendix. These polyps are usually benign (harmless), but can develop into cancer over time. The key is prevention, which is mainly achieved through colonoscopy.

A colonoscopy is a simple procedure where a thin cable-like camera is inserted into the anus all the way to the top of the cecum. It is then removed slowly and affords the doctor a full view of the colon. He also has the ability to remove polyps should any be found.

Sometimes, surgery is necessary in extreme cases. During surgery, several things could be done.

· The tumor and surrounding area is cut away and resectioned to make the colon fully functional.

· Occasional cancerous intrusion into the liver requires removal of metastases, or places on the liver where the cancer has traveled.

· If a tumor has invaded other vital parts, it may be better to bypass it rather than remove it.

· In the worst case, a surgeon may be able to do nothing at all due to the spread of the cancer. This is called “open and close” surgery. This however is rare.

There are some complications that arise from time to time including infection, bleeding and bowel obstruction. Occasionally, heart trouble results and embolisms or pneumonias may form spontaneously.

After having colon surgery, the use of radiation therapy or chemotherapy may be prescribed. This could prevent a recurrence of the disease in the surgical areas. Normal full recovery from colon surgery takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks. This is to allow for the healing, both internal and external, and for normal bowel function to return.

The quality of life during recovery is somewhat lessened yet not completely inhibitive. Using the bathroom can be a chore, but is possible. A physician will sometimes use a temporary colostomy bag during recovery to avoid injuring the surgical areas. When healing is judged to be nearly complete, the patient is weaned back to normal bowel functionality and the colostomy is removed.

Symptoms are sometimes not prevalent. However, stool frequency and consistency, bloody stool and bowel obstruction are indicators of an early cancer. Advanced cancers will have advanced symptoms like anemia, body weakness and even shortness of breath.
With any of these, pleas see your doctor immediately

Jason R Davidson owns and operates http://www.coloncancersurgery.net
Colon Cancer Surgery

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By Lena Butler

Upon hearing the diagnosis of colon cancer, a set of mixed emotions can flow that can make you feel overwhelmed and stress. You are pressed into a situation where everything suddenly seems uncertain. Forced to look over future financial concerns, the shock of knowing your condition can put you to a breaking point.

The good news is, despite such worrying circumstances, this is a normal reaction of a cancer patient. The better news is the prospect of dealing with cancer should not discourage you to defeat the disease. There are a slew of success stories that will encourage you to face your situation with courage and joy.

Managing colon cancer despite the emotional weight can be dealt with by sticking to a set plan. There are many ways to cope with colon cancer and its stressful effects. With enough education and support, you will have the tools to deal with the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer.

Know the Disease

Colon cancer is a disease stemming from the growth of cancer cells in the colon and rectal area. Colon cancer basically starts from the abdomen with the ability for the cancer cells to spread as the condition becomes more complicated. If colon cancer is detected early, there is a high rate for survival.

Knowing the nature and the nuances of colon cancer will prepare you to face the disease. Once you receive the diagnosis of your cancer, start to engage on different discussions and consultations with the right people. As you educate yourself and know the disease more, you will have a better perspective of the disease and your situation. You should be prepared to undergo a set of colon cancer testing and treatment with the right information.

Getting Comfortable with Cancer Testing and Treatment

The location of the colon and rectum presents an uncomfortable procedure for cancer patients. Some people suspected of colon cancer delay their tests because they find colon cancer testing embarrassing. This attitude although understandable is not helpful in facing colon cancer.

The usual colon cancer testing requires a stool sample. Doctors can recommend a home based fecal occult blood test kit, which is a test that checks for blood in your fecal waste. If you are uncomfortable with the procedures of colon cancer testing, be sure to talk to your doctor so that he can stress the importance of colon cancer tests. Advanced colon cancer tests will definitely involve scanning and monitoring of the rectal area so it is necessary for you to be prepared for future tests.

Dealing with colon cancer treatments is a matter of choice. The doctor will recommend different treatment options depending on the stage of your cancer. Talk to your doctor about the side effects of colon cancer treatment and consult with you friends and family on the financial concerns of these treatments. Different colon cancer treatments involve different factors such as size and location of the tumor, overall health, stage of the colon cancer, your age, and your personal need and concerns. Every treatment choice should result from a comfortable decision made by you with the help of your support group.

Dealing with Colostomy

To deal with colon cancer, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the tumor and the bulk of the cancer cells from your body. Colostomy involves removing most or all of the colon and rectum. While this is an effective treatment, it leaves colon cancer patients with devastating side effects for the unprepared. After colostomy, you will need artificial procedures to remove your fecal waste.

To get over this feeling, you should trust your doctor when he says everything will be fine. While you are given the choice, you should also weight what is best for you. If you fear that your peers will reject you, you can talk to them so that they can understand your situation. As long as you communicate your fears and concerns with them and they reciprocate it with understanding, there is no reason not to go ahead with the surgery. While the trial of having colostomy is a tall task, just remember that this treatment will help you in the end.

Developing Coping Skills

In coping with colon cancer or any other cancer for that matter, you can develop different coping skills to face the disease effectively. You should feel empowered every step of the way. Do not let others decide for you. In dealing with colon cancer, it is important that you stand up and decide on your own. This will prevent you from feeling helpless.

It is true that colon cancer is an unpleasant condition, but with rigorous planning, constant colon cancer testing and treatment, developed understanding of the disease, and strong support group to surround you, you have everything you need to fight back a disease that can be beaten.

This Article is written by Lena Butler, the author of Colon Cancer Home Test Kits, a longer version of this article is located at Coping With Colon Cancer, and resources from other home health and wellness testing articles are used such as TestCountry Colon Cancer FAQ.

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By Eugene Williams

I think it is important to have knowledge about colon cancer symptoms before we turn 40, which is the age when this form of cancer incidence starts to rise. There have been several individuals in my own family who have succumbed to this deadly form of cancer. I know there is a great chance of you knowing someone or even you having this type of cancer. As a result, colon cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer in women and men in the United States. Moreover, only around 39% of colon cancer cases are detected early. Currently, it is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States.

What Is Colon Cancer?

The rectum and colon are both part of the large intestine. Colon cancer actually originates in the large intestines. Sometimes it is called colorectal cancer, and it refers to cancer the affects the rectum and or colon.

What Causes Colon Cancer?

Before I get into what are colon cancer symptoms, lets discuss the risk factors for this deadly disease. Research hasn’t identified without mistake what causes colon cancer, but have pinpointed several risk factors. Here are several of the risk factors: age, diet, genetics, alcohol and other factors. I have more information on colon cancer and other disease located at the website located in the resource box below.

What Are Colon Cancer Symptoms?

The truth is that sometimes colon cancer doesn’t present any symptoms. Unfortunately for some people the first symptom of colon cancer doesn’t reveal itself until the disease has progressed into an advanced stage. Here are some colon cancer symptoms:

Bleeding blood in the stool. This is the most commonly experienced form of cancer symptom.

Weight Loss. The pain from the tumor can cause a loss of appetite.

Abdominal Pain. Swelling and pain of the abdomen occurs when the intestine is blocked by a tumor.

Changes in Bowel Habits. If you suffer from constant diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating and/ or producing thinner stools then this might be an indication of colon cancer.

I have more detailed information on colon cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, and bone cancer among others located at the website in the resource box below.

DISCLAIMER

The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practioner/ patient relationship with its readers. The publisher does not advise or recommend to its readers treatment or action with regard to matters relating to their health or well being other than to suggest that readers consult appropriate health-care professionals in such matters. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication.

The information and opinions provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound at the time of this publication based on the best judgment available to the authors. However, readers who rely on information in this publication to replace the advice of health-care professionals, or who fail to consult with health-care professionals assume all risks of such conduct. The publisher isn’t responsible for errors or omissions. The Food and Drug Administration have not evaluated these statements. These products aren’t intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

http://www.born-again-health-and-fitness.com

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http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Are-Colon-Cancer-Symptoms?&id=786072

By Groshan Fabiola

1. What is colon cancer?

Cancer is a disease which can affect cells from all organs. The colon cancer affects the cells of the colon, determining them to proliferate in an uncontrollable way. This mass of abnormal cells will form a tumor inside the colon. The cancer of the intestine is quite frequent and two thirds of this type of cancer is situated in the colon.

2. Who can develop colon cancer?

You are at risk of developing colon cancer if you drink a lot of alcohol and you are obese. Also if other members of your family had colon cancer or breast cancer you could inherit some genes that make you more sensible to cancer. If you have polyps on your intestine and you leave them untreated for a long time, they can transform into malign polyps, meaning that cancer had occurred.

3. Is my diet involved in cancer development?

Following a diet which is rich in fats and proteins could expose you to cancer. If you eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and high fiber foods you can prevent colon cancer from occurring.

4. Does colon cancer come with any symptoms?

There are some symptoms which could announce that cancer is installing, but they also appear in other diseases. Some of the symptoms are: seeing blood in your bowels, alternation of diarrhea with constipation, and low abdominal pains.

5. How does the doctor know that I have cancer?

The doctor will perform a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy to examine the insides of the colon. Also x-rays of the colon will be performed. These methods will see if tumors are present inside the colon. In order to stage colon cancer CT and ultrasound will be used.

6. Can colon cancer be treated?

Generally the most indicated procedure in trying to treat colon cancer is surgery. By surgery the doctors will remove the tumor from the colon. If the cancer spread, giving metastasis, the doctors will recommend you chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These are hard bearable due to their side effects like nausea, vomiting, loss of hair, fever, and tiredness.

7. Is the treatment effective or not?

If the colon cancer was diagnosed in its early stages and it has not spread to other organs the treatment will be 90% effective and patients will survive even five years after. If the cancer has given metastasis the treatment will not be so effective any more and half of the diagnosed patients will live less that five years.

For greater resources on colon cancer or especially about colon cancer symptoms please visit this link http://www.colon-cancer-center.com/colon-cancer-symptoms.htm

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Some-Answers-To-Colon-Cancer-Questions&id=465390

By Jaci Rae

Medical insurance costs are skyrocketing and many places of employment no longer supply medical insurance without a major dip into your pocketbook. The impact of under-insured or uninsured Americans and senior citizens are taking a toll on households across U.S.

I have been without insurance. At one time I had to purchase medicine with a price tag of over $1,900 a month. Because of that time, I was inspired to find out what I could do to help defray the cost of the medicine.

What I discovered is one of the best kept secrets in the medical industry. The secret is that pharmaceutical companies and major pharmaceutical company sponsors provide free prescription medicines to individuals and families that qualify.

For those individuals and families who can’t afford the cost of or the co-payment their prescription medications require, help has been around for years. The first step is to find out who manufactures the prescriptions you are taking.

Once you know the manufacturer, go to their website and download their application or apply online for their program. Some of the pharmaceutical websites and pharmaceutical company sponsors have websites that have the program information easily available.

Other websites you will have to search to find the program. Once you either fill out their application online or downloaded the application, you will in most cases need to get a signed consent form from your doctor to fax or send to the company. Every program has different rules and procedures.

Please take advantage of this opportunity to help you, your family and friend defray a bit of the medical costs from your budget.

A

Abbott Diabetes Patient Assistance Program

Abbott Laboratories Patient Assistance Program

Abbott Norvir, Kaletra Patient Assistance Program

Access for Humatrope

Aciphex Patient Assistance Program

Acorda Reimbursement Assistance Program

ACT Program for Emend

ACT Program for Zolinza

Acthar Gel Patient Assistance Program

Actimune Patient Assistance Program

Adderall XR Patient Assistance Program

Advanced BioHealing

Alcon Cares Patient Assistance Program

Allergan Patient Assistance Program

Amylin Reimbursement Hotline

Anadrol Assistance Program

Angiomax Patient Financial Assistance Program

Apligraf Patient Assistance Program

Ara-Assist Program

ARC of Support

Arch Foundation Patient Assistance Program for Mirena

Aricept Assistance Program

Ascend Therapeutics Patient Assistance Program

Astellas Indigent Patient Program

Astellas Patient Assistance Program for Prograf

Astellas Patient Assistance Program for Protopic

Astellas Patient Assistance Program for Vaprisol

AstraZeneca Cancer Support Network

AstraZeneca Patient Assistance Organization

Atripla Patient Assistance Program

Auxilium Patient Assistance Program

Avonex Access Program

Axcan Assist Program

Axcan Rx Complete Patient Support Program

AZ Medicine and Me

B

Bausch and Lomb Indigent Patient Program

Baxter Factor Plus Program

Bayer Patient Assistance Program

Bayer Patient Assistance Program for Nimotop & Precose

Benefix Patient Assistance Program

Betaseron Patient Assistance Program

Biovail Patient Assistance Program

Boehringer Ingelheim Care Foundation Patient Assistance Program

Boniva Patient Assistance Program

Botox Patient Assistance Program

Bradley Pharmaceuticals Indigent Patient Program

Bridge Program for Genotropin & Somavert

Bristol-Myers Squibb Access Program for Oncology/Virology

Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Foundation

Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Program for Abilify

Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Program for Erbitux

Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Program for Orenica

Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Program for Sprycel

Buphenyl Patient Assistance Program

C

Cancer Support Network for Iressa

Care First for CF Program

Carnitor Drug Assistance Program

Cenestin Patient Assistance Program

Cetylite Industries, Inc

Charitable Access Program

Columbia Laboratories, Inc.

Commitment to Care for Hepatitis C Medications

Commitment to Care for Oncology Medications

Comprehensive Care Program For CF

Connections for Growth Patient Assistance Program

Copaxone Patient Assistance Program

Critical Therapeutics Care Assist Program

Cubicin Reimbursement Hotline

Cystadane Patient Assistance Program

Cytogen Corp. Community Access Patient Program

D

Dacogen Reimbursement and Support Services

Dermik Laboratories Patient Assistance Program

Digestive Care, Inc Assistance Program

Doak Dermatologics Rebate Program

Doxil Reimbursement Solutions

E

ECR Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

Edwards Lifesciences

Eisai Oncology Reimbursement Assistance Program

Eldepryl Patient Rewards Program

Encourage Foundation

Endo Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

Enjuvia Patient Assistance Program

Enzon Patient Assistance Program

Epass Prescription and Reimbursement Program

Ethyol Protect Program

F

Fentora Reinbursement Program

Ferndale Laboratories Patient Assistance Program

Ferrlecit & Infed Reimbursement Assistance Program

Financial Assistance Program for Abelcet

First Resource Program for IV medications

First Resource Program for Oral Medications

Forest Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

Forest Pharmaceuticals:Namenda

Forteo Patient Assistance Program

Fosrenol at Hand Patient Assistance Program

Fragmin Reimbursement Assistance

Fuzeon Reimbursment Assistance Program

G

Gabitril Patient Assistance Program

Galderma Laboratories Patient Assistance Program

Gammassist Program

Gilead Advancing Access

GlaxoSmithKline Bridges to Access

GlaxoSmithKline Commitment to Access

Glenwood Compassionate Drug Program

Gliadel Wafer Patient Assistance

Gordon Labs

Graceway Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

GSK Access

GTX Patient Assistance Program

H

Helping Hands Program for Mead Johnson Nutritionals

Hill Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

Humira Patient Assistance Program

Hyalgan Hotline and Patient Assistance Program

I

Imogam and Imovax Patient Assistance Program

Infergen Patient Assistance Program

Innohep Patient Assistance Program

ITB Therapy Patient Assistance Program

IVAX Patient Assistance Program

IVAX Patient Assistance Program for Clozapine

J

JDS Pharmaceuticals Patient Care Program

Johnson & Johnson Hospital Access Patient Assistance Program

Johnson & Johnson Patient Assistance Program

K

Kadian Patient Assistance Program

Keppra Patient Assistance Program

KingKare Patient Assistance Program

Kos Cares Patient Assistance Program

L

Lilly Cares Foundation Patient Assistance Program

Lilly Oncology: Gemzar & Alimta

LillyMedicareAnswers Program

Lovenox Reimbursement Services and Patient Assistance Program

Lupron Depot Patient Assistance Program

M

Macugen Access Program

Mallinckrodt Patient Assistance Program

Matulane Patient Assistance Program

Mayne Patient Assistance Program

Medimmune Patinet Assistance Program

Medpointe Pharamaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

Megace ES Patient Assistance Program

Menomune Patient Assistance Program

Merck Anti-Infective Hotline

Merck Patient Assistance Program

Merck Prescription Discount Program

Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program

Merck/Schering Plough Patient Assistance Program

MGI Pharma Patient Assistance Program

Millenium Patient Assistance for Velcade

Mission Pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Program

MS Lifelines

Mylan Clozapine Patient Assistance Program

O

Ocusoft Assistance Program

Orfadin Patient Assistance Program

Ovation Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

Oxandrin Reimbursement and Patient Assistance Program

P

PACT+ Program

ParaGard Patient Assistance Program

Patient Assistance for Amevive

Patient Support Services

Pfizer Connection to Care

Pfizer Pfriends

PhosLo Patient Assistance Program

Prevacid Program

Prezista Patient Assistance Program

Primus Pharmaceuticals

PROCRITline

Procter & Gamble Patient Assistance Program

Proleukin Reimbursement Program

Provigil Assistance Program

Purdue Frederick Patient Assistance Program

R

Rabavert Patient Assistance Program

RapAssist Patient Assistance Program for Rapamune

REACH

Reliant Pharmaceuticals Rx Support Program

Remicade Patient Assistance

Renassist Patient Assistance Program

Retassist Retavase Patient Assistance Program

Revatio Patient Assistance Program

RibaCare Patient Assistance Program

Rilutek Patient Assistance Program

Roche Oncoline Patient Assistance Program

Roche Reimbursement and Patient Assistance Program for HCV, HIV, and Transplants

Romark Laboratories Patient Assistance Program for Alinia

Ross Medical Nutritionals Patient Assistance Program

Ross Metabolic Formula and Elecare Patient Assistance Program

RSVP for Zyvox

RSVP Program & Patient Assistance Program for VFEND

Rx Outreach Medications

S

Safety Net Foundation

Salix Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

Sankyo Pharma Open Care Program

Sanofi-Aventis Patient Assistance Program

Schering Hospital Assistance Program

Schwarz Pharma Patient Assistance Program

Sciele Patient Assistance Program

Sculptra Patient Access Program

Serono Compassionate Care Program for Infertility

Shire GI Patient Assistance Program

Solvay Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

SP-Cares

Stiefel Laboratories Patient Assistance Program

StoneBridge Pharma Patient Assistance Program

Suboxone Patient Assistance Program

Sucraid Patient Assistance Program

SUPPORT Program for Crixivan

Synvisc Reimbursement Hotline

T

Takeda Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

Tev-Tropin Patient Assistance Program

TEVA Assistance Program

TheraCys Patient Assistance Program

TOBI Patient Assistance Program

Tracleer Access Program

Triax Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program

Trisenox Drug Replacement Program

Upsher-Smith Patient Assistance Program

V

Valeant Assistance Program for DHE 45, Diastat, Migranal & Mysoline.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Patient Assistance Program

Vantas Patient Assistance Program

Venofer Reimbursement Hotline and Patient Assistance Program

Ventavis Patient Assistance Program

Vidaza Patient Assistance Program

ViroPharma Patient Assistance Program

Vistakon Patient Assistance Program

Visudyne Patient Assistance Program

VivusProgram Name List

W

Wellspring Patient Assistance Program

WinRho Patient Assistance Program

Wyeth Oncology Reimbursement Program

Wyeth Pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Foundation

Wyeth Removal Certificate

Xigris Treatment Support Program

Xubex Pharmaceutical Services

Xyrem Patient Assistance Program

Z

Zemplar Support Program

Zevalin Results

ZLB Behring Patient Assistance Program

Zonegran Patient Assistance Program

Zydus Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Jaci Rae’s humble beginnings and formal training have taught her the value of relationships and how to make the honeymoon sustain. Now a successful Internet entrepreneur, Rae is an award-winning singer and best-selling author. When she isn’t dishing relationship advice on some of the top ranked relationship / dating sites, Rae conducts seminars and teaches at places like The Learning Annex and Holland Cruise Lines.
Jaci Rae’s No. 1 best-seller is, Winning Points With The Woman in Your Life One Touchdown at a Time (Simon and Schuster). For more information Win in Love, Romance and Dating Check out Jaci Rae Tour to find out more about how you can listen to Jaci live.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Secret-You-Dont-Know-About-Free-Medicine-from-Pharmaceutical-Companies&id=553147

By Simon Mitchell

Many volunteers world-wide commit themselves to raising funds for cancer research and cancer charities. Many hundreds of thousands more work in the industry as carers, or researching, prescribing, diagnosing and manufacturing drugs. Huge companies spend fortunes on cancer research. After so long and so many billions spent what exactly has cancer research revealed?

There have been regular breakthroughs in our understanding of cancer, but little progress in its treatment. Modern research into cancer began in the 1940’s and 50’s when scientists isolated substances that killed cancer cells growing in a petri dish, or leukaemia cells in laboratory mice. Early successes in chemotherapy set the pace and received much media exposure, even though they only applied to 5% of cancer treatments at most.

Serving humanity by solving its major diseases has a celebrity status, there is a lot of kudos and an air of Hollywood involved in such things. Cancer research is high profile activity and every now and then a scientific treatment is discovered that gains wide recognition, such as the HPV-16 trial, but it only applies itself to the treatment of a small percentage of cancers. Mass-media hype is part of the problem of how we see cancer. Early discoveries set up an expectation that there was a cure-all treatment, a ‘magic bullet’ that would make its discoverer famous by curing cancer across the world. The idea stems in part from aspirin, the original bullet that magically finds its way to the pain and diminishes it.

In the 1950’s and 60’s huge and expensive research projects were set up to test every known substance to see if it effected cancer cells. You might remember the discovery of the Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharansus Roseus), which revealed alkaloids (vinblastine and vincristine) that are still used in chemotherapy today. Taxol, a treatment for ovarian and breast cancer originally came from the Pacific Yew tree. A treatment for testicular cancer and small-cell lung cancer called ‘Etoposide’ was derived from the May apple. In ‘Plants Used Against Cancer’ by Jonathan Hartwell over 3,000 plants are identified from medical and folklore sources for treating cancer, about half of which have been shown to have some effect on cancer cells in a test tube.

When these plants are made into synthetic drugs, single chemicals are isolated and the rest of the plant is usually thrown away. The medicinally active molecules are extracted from the plant and modified until they are chemically unique. Then the compound is patented, given a brand name and tested.

In the first phase it will generally be tested on animals, the second phase will decide dosage levels and in phase 3 it is tested on people. By the time it is approved by the Federal Drugs Authority (in U.S.A.) or the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulation Agency (M.H.R.A.) in Britain, the development costs for a new drug can reach five hundred million dollars, which eventually has to be recouped from the consumer.

In addition to ‘treatment directed’ research such as finding chemicals that effect cancer cells, basic research continues apace, into differences between normal and cancerous cells. In the last 30 years this research has revealed much about our nature, but still no cure. Below are some current strands of scientific research into cancer.

Antibody-guided therapy: this is the original ‘magic bullet’. Cancer researchers use monoclonal antibodies to carry poisons directly to the cancer cells without harming others.

Chronobiology: much of what happens in our bodies is governed by cycles, from the female monthly cycle to the cycles of brainwaves. Human health depends on interacting cycles geared to acts of perception, breathing, reproduction and renewal. Chronobiology analyses these cycles in relation to different times, such as day and night. Hormones, including stress and growth hormones, have their own cycles. For example they may be at their highest activity in the morning and quieter at night. Cancer cells seem to no longer obey the same cycle rates as normal cells.

Anti-telomerase: one part of a cell, called the telomerase, governs the life cycle of a cell and how many times it may multiply. Some cancer cells escape this control and can increase the number of times they divide, becoming ‘immortal’. Researchers hope to gain control over cancer cells by stopping the action of telomerase.

Anti-angiogenesis: secondary tumours (metastasis) can persuade the cells around them to grow new blood vessels to feed the tumours, supplying oxygen and nutrients for the growing cancer. This process is called angiogenesis and research here is finding ways to stop the signals to normal cells that start the process.

Anti-adhesion molecules: Cancer cells form into clumps, unlike those in a petri dish which form into a flatter arrangement. When there are clumps of cells they seem to possess a quality that resists treatment. This strand of research looks at ways that can stop the cells clumping together, by dissolving the clumps for more effective treatment.

Anti-oncogene products: specific portions of D.N.A., called oncogenes, that have an important role in promoting cancer growth. Drugs that interfere with the production of oncogenes may be useful for the future treatment of cancer.

Gene therapy: research into the use of tumour suppressant genes is highlighted in the British National Cancer Plan as an important element. Essentially, bits of DNA are inserted to replace missing or damaged genes, possibly preventing the development of cancer in someone who might be ‘high risk’.

Vaccines: very quietly the search for a general cure for cancer is being put aside in preference to finding a vaccine. The whole idea of a cure or treatment that is ‘the same for everybody’ breaks down in the case of the specific, chaotic conditions that cause cancer in an individual person. After billions spent on research for the holy grail of a cancer cure, the search is now on to find a vaccine.

At a recent cancer immunology conference in the US top immunologists from 21 nations attended lectures on the latest immunology topics such as:cancer immunosurveillance, immunoediting, cancer antigen discovery, monitoring and analysing the immunological response to human cancer, cancer vaccine development.

The Cancer Vaccine Collaborative (CVC) was launched to much excitement. It is a unique research program that should improve how cancer vaccines are developed, based on a collaboration of six New York medical centres and one in Minnesota. The aim of their research is to find out how to effectively immunise against cancer using a vaccine, using ‘action research’.

Vaccines made from donor blood are proving to work for some cancers. Experiments with bone marrow transplants show there are about 40,000 different tissue types making it hard to find a match. Usually a perfect match can only be found within the patient’s direct family. Incorrect matches can create a host of secondary dis-eases. Scientist are finding ways to train Killer T cells taken either from the host or a donor, to more effectively attack cancer cells. They have noticed that donor Killer T cells that are already ‘primed’ for a particular cancer (e.g. the donor body cells ‘remember’ the disease) can be highly effective. It may take many years to prove validity, reliability, safety and efficacy for this treatment. Harvesting the natural immunity of our own, or donor cells with the aid of genetic engineering may well become a big player against modern immune attacking dis-eases.

Increased screening: this type of research looks at genetically identifying individuals who might be at high risk of certain types of cancer and is partly a preparation for possible vaccines. Genetic counselling is set to become a 21st century contributor to health care based on prevention of disease as much as cure.

Combinations: research from West Germany (Grossart-Maticek) argues that there is no single cause for cancer, similar to the pattern in most chronic illness. It shows there are environmental, psychological and spiritual dimensions to disease. The implication is that treatment should be on the same levels, and that no single treatment is likely to be effective because there is no single cause. This observation links with the position of many Holistic practitioners who often have a wider view of health than orthodox medical practitioners.

Dr. Robert Buckman is an experienced cancer researcher, and author of the informative book: ‘What You Really Need to Know About Cancer’. He summarises what he sees as the present position of scientific cancer research:

“We now have a very large number of ways of looking at cancer cells in the laboratory. We have thousands of different types of cancer cells growing in dishes, many of which can be grown and then cured in laboratory bred mice. We also have thousands of different ways of looking at and testing those cells. We can look at the cells’ growth, their abilities to produce different substances, their sensitivity to some chemotherapy drugs and their resistance to others, the way they respond to growth factors, their genetic material including oncogenes and substances controlled by oncogenes, their ability to effect other cells (of the immune system, for example), their ability to damage membranes and invade, their structure under the electron microscope and whether or not the cell surface has any of hundreds of different marker molecules on it. These are just a few examples of what can be done nowadays: the complete list of ways in which cancer cells can be tested would probably be longer than this entire book. But here is the snag: although this accumulation of experience is wonderful and commendable, cancer in human beings is far more complicated then any laboratory system can ever be (at least in the light of current knowledge)”.

This is an extract from ‘Don’t Get Cancer’a new ebook available only at: http://www.simonthescribe.co.uk/don’tget1.html

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http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Cancer-Research-Industry&id=1343

By Glenn Sheiner

There are many different types of cancer therapies. Some are well established and some more experimental. Some have proven to be useful only in certain cancers and not in others.

If you embark on the path of researching cancer treatments, you’ll become very familiar very quickly with the treatments being used for the particular cancer you’re researching.

This article is just a basic introduction of various cancer therapies. Before you ultimately decide on a particular form of therapy you’ll need to investigate it thoroughly.

You’ll need to know the cure rate, the side effects, how long you’ll be incapacitated, etc.

But here is a very basic introduction:

The most well-known cancer therapies are:

1.   Surgery;

2.   Chemotherapy;

3.   Radiation Therapy.

Often the standard treatment for a cancer is a combination of various therapies. For example, the standard treatment might be surgery followed by chemotherapy or surgery followed by radiation therapy:

Surgery is the removal of tissue by physical means such as taking out a cancerous lung or removing a cancerous prostate;

Chemotherapy is a type of drug which kills cells. The principle is to give toxic substances which kill cells and hopefully will kill the fastest growing cells (the cancer cells) at a higher rate than the regular body cells;

Radiation Therapy is the killing of cancerous cells using ionizing radiation. This radiation can either be given internally or, more commonly, externally.

But there are many other types of cancer treatments. For example:

Hormonal therapy in which medication is given to block or enhance the effect of the body’s own hormones;

Anti-angiogenesis therapy in which drugs are given to inhibit the growth of blood vessels which are the lifeline of all cancers;

Biological therapy (also known as immunotherapy, biotherapy, or biological response modifier therapy). This type of therapy attempts to use the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. A number of different treatments fall into this category including interferons, interleukins, colony stimulating factors, monoclonal antibodies, vaccine therapy, and gene therapy;

Laser therapy in which high-intensity light is used to shrink or destroy tumors. Lasers are most commonly used to treat superficial cancers (cancers on the surface of the body or the lining of internal organs);

Hyperthermia is a type of cancer treatment in which body tissue is exposed to high temperatures (up to 113°F) to damage and kill cancer cells;

Photodynamic therapy is a treatment that uses a drug, called a photosensitizer or photosensitizing agent, and a particular type of light. When photosensitizers are exposed to a specific wavelength of light, they produce a form of oxygen that kills nearby cells;

Targeted cancer therapies use drugs that block the growth and spread of cancer. They interfere with specific molecules involved in carcinogenesis (the process by which normal cells become cancer cells) and tumor growth;

Cryosurgery (also called cryotherapy) is the use of extreme cold produced by liquid nitrogen (or argon gas) to destroy abnormal tissue.

Hopefully this list will be useful to you when you come across unexpected terms.

Dr. Glenn Sheiner is a medical doctor with diplomas in Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine, and Family Medicine. Dr. Sheiner is the author of the medical multimedia digital product called Cancer Research Online Made Easy.

Dr. Sheiner created this product to help patients research cutting-edge medical information in hours not days. The product contains 5 videos illustrating exactly what to do. To learn more go to  Cancer Research Online Made Easy.
To learn more about prostate cancer statistics go to   Prostate Cancer Statistics.

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By Dr. Randy Wysong

(If one were to judge by television advertising and news reports, it would seem that the “war on cancer” is all but won. What are the weapons being heralded? Drugs, research, tests and exams. They miss the point.

“Prevention” is promoted as meaning catching the disease early. Really. That also misses the point. Is it “prevention” if you call 911 when you come home and see smoke billowing from all your windows? Do we just live with a carpe diem philosophy and wait for the doctor to tell us we have a lump in our breast or a swollen nodular prostate? Is the cause of cancer a lack of one of the new cancer drugs? Is the cause of cancer really unknown, requiring endless research?

First, let me put to rest the propaganda that the war is being won. Since President Nixon declared the war (1971) and after over 200 billion dollars have been spent on research (remember, one billion is a thousand million), more Americans will die of cancer in the next 14 months than have died in all U.S. wars ever fought combined! (Where are the protest marches?) Soon, cancer will overtake heart disease as the number one killer.

Decades ago, early in the war, there were some dramatic successes such as with Hodgkin’s disease and some forms of childhood leukemia. There can be little doubt that debunking (surgical removal) of large cancers brings benefits. But the big killers such as colorectal, lung, prostate and breast cancer remain as threatening as ever. Survival gains are measured primarily in additional months (not years) added to life, not in cures. The placebo effect is by and large ignored. (People getting a sugar pill placebo in cancer studies have been known to lose their hair and some actually cure themselves by simply thinking they will be cured.) A percentage of people can experience remissions spontaneously and from simple lifestyle adjustments, but the cancer therapy is always credited with the cure. (Investigations, “Placebo Learning: The Placebo Effect as a Conditioned Response,” 1985; 2(1):23. O’Regan B, et al. 1993. Spontaneous Remission: An Annotated Bibliography. Sausalito, CA. Talbot M. 1991. The Holographic Universe. New York. Harper Collins Publishers. Townsend Letter, 2004; 251:32-3.)

Statistics can always be massaged to create the result desired. This practice is rampant in cancer research. Animal models (euphemism for real living and feeling caged creatures being tortured by the millions) do not prove effectiveness across species boundaries to humans. Neither do laboratory cell lines. That’s why all the “breakthroughs” based on tumor shrinkage never pan out. For-profit drug companies and National Cancer Institute grant-based research ignore metastases (the spreading cells of cancer through the body) in their positive reports.  Instead they highlight and focus on more easily obtained lab results, such as “tumor shrinkage,” and on easily manipulated clinical data such as “five-year survival.”

Twelve new “improved” drugs introduced in Europe between 1995 and 2000 were no better than the drugs they replaced. But the prices were all higher, in one instance by a factor of 350 times. One new “revolutionary” drug, Erbitux™, found to “shrink” tumors but not extend the lives of patients at all costs $2,400 per week. Avastin™, another costly chemotherapeutic, by the best calculation, extended the lives of 400 colorectal patients by 4.7 months.  Tamoxifin™ is proven to be effective in decreasing breast cancer.  Risk is decreased by about 15% but what is not equally heralded is the fact that it increased the risk of endometrial uterine cancer by about 15%.  (Patient Information: Nolvadex, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals)

Are such results worth the financial devastation and miserable life that chemotherapy, radiation and surgery impose? Is that the way to spend one’s remaining days? If such therapy does add a couple of months, are those couple of months really worth the poking, prodding, pain, unrelenting nausea, disfiguring, destruction of the immune system and increased susceptibility to other diseases? “Yes” would be a hard answer to justify.

In the face of a cancer diagnosis most people just throw up their hands in terror and surrender to the conventional cancer therapy death process. The feeling is that something must be done, and, since “doctors know best,” one must begin the “fight” by following the advice of the doctor. But fighting does not mean surrendering to the will of another person who has their own personal agenda and narrowed field of view dictated by the club they belong to. That misses the point. You must do something.

Here’s the on-point best approach:

1. Prevention means adjusting your life right now so that you are living in tune with your design. Cancer is, quite simply, the reaction of cells subjected long enough to an environment they are not designed for. The genetic apparatus loses its bearings, becomes insane, if you will, and regresses to embryonic infancy and just begins multiplying recklessly. What is the proper environment? It is that food, air, water and lifestyle you are genetically designed for. The proper healthy preventive living context is encapsulated in the Wysong Optimal Health Program™.

2. If you get cancer, don’t panic. First thing is follow #1 advice. Learn. Gather as much information as you can from all resources, not just what the medical establishment provides. We try to gather such information for you in The Wysong Directory of Alternative Resources.

3. Think about what has happened in your life that has caused the disease. It is caused, it does not just happen. Correct your life.

4. You take control of your own body and you make the decisions. Determine to set right what is wrong and do it. Taking control is essential to not feeling like a helpless victim and sinking into hopeless despair – a sure mindset to speed the disease along.

5. Think long and hard before submitting to unproven cancer therapies. If the doctor cannot prove effectiveness (at least prove that you will be better off with the therapy than without) and if you are not willing to take the risk of all the contraindications, then don’t submit because you think it is “all that can be done.” It isn’t. See #2 above.

All good things in life are hard. In our modern world, good health takes effort and attention. Preventing and reversing disease also takes effort – your effort. Begin today to take charge of your health and be the best you can be. Most chronic degenerative diseases have long latency periods, the time between when the disease begins and it manifests in overt symptoms. Most everyone reading this has such disease brewing within at this very moment. So take advantage of the window of opportunity and give your body a chance by living the life you were designed to live. That will not only prevent disease from gaining a foothold, but reverse disease that is incubating within.

Dr. Wysong is a former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute.  He is author of The Creation-Evolution Controversy now in its eleventh printing, a new two volume set on philosophy for living, several books on nutrition, prevention and health for people and animals and over 15 years of monthly health newsletters. He may be contacted at Wysong@Wysong.net and a free subscription to his e-Health Letter is available at http://www.wysong.net

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Cancer—The-Missing-Point&id=53387

By Bill Ransom

The treatment depends on the staging of the cancer. When colorectal cancer is caught at early stages (with little spread) it can be curable. However when it is detected at later stages (when distant [[metastasis|metastases]] are present) it is less likely to be curable.

Surgery remains the primary treatment while chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy may be recommended depending on the individual patient’s staging and other medical factors.

Surgery

Surgical treatment is by far the most likely to result in a cure of colon cancer if the tumor is localized. Very early cancer that develops within a polyp can often be cured by removing the polyp at the time of colonoscopy. More advanced cancers typically require surgical removal of the section of colon containing the tumor leaving sufficient margins to reduce likelihood of re-growth. If possible, the remaining parts of colon are anastomosed together to create a functioning colon. In cases when anastomosis is not possible, a stoma (artificial orifice) is created. While surgery is not usually offered if significant metastasis is present, surgical removal of isolated liver metastases is common. Improved chemotherapy has increased the number of patients who are offered surgical removal of isolated liver metastases.

Laparoscopic assist resection of the colon for tumour can reduce the size of painful
incision and minimize the risk of infection. As with any surgical procedure, colorectal surgery can in rare cases result in complications. These may include infection, abscess, fistula or bowel obstruction.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is used to reduce the likelihood of metastasis developing, shrink tumour size, or slow tumor growth. Chemotherapy is often applied after surgery (adjuvant), before surgery (neo-adjuvant), or as the primary therapy if surgery is not indicated (palliative). The treatments listed here have been shown in clinical trials to improve survival and/or reduce mortality and have been approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Adjuvant (after surgery) chemotherapy. One regimen involves the combination of infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
Leucovorin (LV), Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin®), Capecitabine (Xeloda®).

Chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Commonly used first line regimens involve the combination of infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) with bevacizumab or infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) with bevacizumab, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), Leucovorin, Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin, Bevacizumab and Cetuximab.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is used to kill tumor tissue before or after surgery or when surgery is not indicated. Sometimes chemotherapy agents are used to increase the effectiveness of radiation by sensitizing tumor cells if present. Radiotherapy is not used routinely in colorectal cancer, as it could lead to radiation enteritis, and is difficult to target specific portions of the colon, but may be used on metastatic tumor deposits if they compress vital structures and/or cause pain. There may be a role for post-operative adjuvant radiation in the case where a tumor perforates the colon as judged by the surgeon or the pathologist. However, as the area of the prior tumor site can be difficult (if not impossible) to ascertain by imaging, surgical clips need to be left in the colon to direct the radiotherapist to the area of risk.

Immunotherapy

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is gaining prominence as a complementary theraputic agent in the treatment of colorectal cancer. A review of results from recent clinical trials is given in Mosolits et al.

Support Therapies

Cancer diagnosis very often results in an enormous change in the patient’s psychological wellbeing. Various support resources are available from, hospitals and other agencies which provide counseling, social service support, cancer support groups, and other services. These services help to mitigate some of the difficulties of integrating a patient’s medical complications into other parts of their life.

William Ransom provides information of Colon cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment at http://colon-answers.com

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