Eat Fruit and Veggies to Cut Lung Cancer Risk

Eating five portions of fruit and vegetables per day is one of the means that experts most frequently recommend for preventing cancer.

In November of 2010, the European EPIC study carried out by researchers from ten countries showed that, in the case of lung cancer, the important thing is not just the quantity but also the variety of fruit consumed, which can reduce the risk by up to 23%.

"This research looks more deeply into the relationship between diet and lung cancer", María José Sánchez Pérez, co-author of the study and director of the Granada Cancer Registry at the Andalusian School of Public Health, tells SINC.

She says: "Aside from the amount consumed, it's also important to take into account the variety. A varied diet reduces the risk of developing this cancer, above all in smokers".

The results of this study, which have been published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, show that eating "more than eight sub-groups" of vegetables cuts this risk by 23% compared with eating "less than four sub-groups". In addition, this risk falls by a further 4% for each unit added to the diet from another sub-group.

"A significant link was only found in smokers", the researcher stresses. "For every two additional units of different kinds of fruits and vegetables in the diet, the risk of lung cancer falls significantly by 3%. So if smokers increase the variety of fruit they eat they could have a lower risk of developing this type of cancer".

The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) involves 23 centres from 10 European countries (Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Greece, Holland, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom and Sweden, working with a sample of 500,000 European subjects (41,000 of whom live in the Spanish regions of Asturias, Granada, Guipúzcoa, Murcia and Navarre).

Lung cancer continues to be one of the most common cancers in developed countries. For this reason, despite the encouraging results of this study, Sánchez Pérez concludes that "the most effective way of preventing it continues to be reducing the prevalence of tobacco consumption among the populace".

THE EFFECT BY TYPE OF CANCEROUS TISSUE

Greater variety in fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a lower risk of developing epidermoid carcinoma of the lung, with an additional two units of fruit and vegetable consumption leading to a 9% reduction in risk. This effect is clearer among smokers (where the risk falls by 12%).

No significant association between fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of developing lung cancer was seen for the other kinds of tissues affected (adenocarcinoma and small and large cell carcinoma).

The Causes and Risk Factors for Liver Cancer

Author: Cancer Treatment

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) disease is the main causes of liver cancer. Liver cancer relates to the regularity of chronic hepatitis B virus disease. Studies in animals also have provided that hepatitis B virus can cause liver cancer. For example, liver cancer develops in other mammals that are obviously infected with hepatitis B virus-related viruses. As a final point, by infecting transgenic mice with certain parts of the hepatitis B virus, scientists caused liver cancer to develop in mice that do not usually develop liver cancer.

It is not easy to find out what causes cancer from one person to another, but researchers have found several factors that add to a person's likelihood of developing liver cancer. Some risk factors for liver cancer include:

Viral hepatitis – Researchers have linked the disease of hepatitis-B virus (HBV) and hepatitis-C virus (HCV) with the progress of liver tumor. It is estimated that 10-20 percent of people with HBV will increase liver malignancy, and HBV is present in about one fourth of cases of liver cancer in the United States.
Exposure to aflatoxin – This is a carcinogenic body that can be found in molds that may infect peanuts, corn, grains and seeds. In tropical and subtropical regions, measures have been taken to change and get better storage in order to decrease exposure to aflatoxins.
Cirrhosis – The Countrywide Cancer Institute estimates that 5-10 percent of people with cirrhosis will develop liver tumor. Cirrhosis caused by viral hepatitis B and C, alcohol abuse and certain genetic disorders puts people at higher risk for developing liver malignancy.
Exposure to vinyl chloride and thorium dioxide – Revelation to these chemicals is more to be expected to cause angiosarcoma of the liver, a different type of tumor than HCC. They add to the risk of developing HCC to a far lesser degree.
Birth control pills – Types of by word of mouth contraceptives used in the past was linked to some varieties of liver cancer, but infrequently to HCC. Most of these types of oral contraceptives are no longer available, and it is unknown if those now in use increase risk for HCC.
Anabolic steroids – Long-term steroid use can a little increase the risk for liver tumor.
Arsenic – In some parts of the world, drinking water contaminated with arsenic causes increased risk for developing liver malignancy.

Treatment of liver cancer
The treatment of liver malignancy is overall condition of the patient. First action if liver tumor is Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a powerful drug to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is a not effective not some cases of liver malignancy but type of chemotherapy is known as chemoembolization is an central part of treatment for HCC. Chemoembolization causes many of the same side special effects as other forms of chemotherapy, as well as abdominal pain, nausea and sickness. Second treatment is surgery.

Surgery is best treatment for local resectable tumor is usually an operation known as surgical resection. In some cases, the area of the liver where the malignancy is found can be completely indifferent. Alcohol injection has been shown to improve survival in people with small hepatocellular tumors. It may also be used to help reduce symptoms in cases of metastatic liver cancer. The most common side effect is leaking of alcohol onto the liver or into the abdominal cavity.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/the-causes-and-risk-factors-for-liver-cancer-3418181.html

Breast Inflammation Key to Cancer Growth

PHILADELPHIA – It took 12 years and a creation of a highly sophisticated transgenic mouse, but researchers at Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have finally proven a long suspected theory: Inflammation in the breast is key to the development and progression of breast cancer.

In the December 15, 2010, issue of Cancer Research, the scientists say they can now definitively show that an inflammatory process within the breast itself promotes growth of breast cancer stem cells responsible for tumor development.

They also demonstrate that inactivating this inflammation selectively within the breast reduced activity of these stem cells, and stopped breast cancer from forming.

"These studies show for the first time that inactivating the NFKB inflammatory pathway in the breast epithelium blocks the onset and progression of breast cancer in living animals," says Richard G. Pestell, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Kimmel Cancer Center and Chairman of Cancer Biology.

"This finding has clinical implications," says co-author Michael Lisanti, Leader of the Program in Molecular Biology and Genetics of Cancer at Jefferson. "Suppressing the whole body's inflammatory process has side effects. These studies provide the rationale for more selective anti-inflammatory therapy directed just to the breast."

Dr. Pestell and his colleagues show the "canonical" NFKB pathway promotes breast cancer development: the first "insult" is provided by the HER2 oncogene, which then activates NFKB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells). NFKB turns on inflammation via tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), which produce tumor growth promoting factors.

Although inflammation, mediated by NFKB, has long been thought to be important in breast cancer development, the theory had been untestable because NF-?B is essential to embryonic development, Dr. Pestell says. "When you try to knock out NFKB genes in mice, they die."

He addressed this problem by creating a mouse in which the inflammatory system within the adult animal's normal breast could be regulated. This allows selective inactivation of NFKB in different cell types and took 12 years to accomplish, Dr. Pestell says. "These mice have five co-integrated transgenes."

The mice are programmed to develop breast cancer, but the researchers found that if they selectively blocked inflammation just in the breast, tumors would not develop. "This is a very novel finding," Dr. Pestell says.

They then demonstrated that this inactivation also reduced the number of cancer stem cells in the breast. "That told us that inflammation, through the action of NF-?B, is important to the growth and activity of cancer stem cells," Dr. Pestell says. "The transgenic mice are a new technology that can be used by the scientists and the pharmaceutical industry to understand the role of NFKB in different diseases including heart disease, neurodegeneration and other cancers."

Cancer Vaccines

Vaccines boost the immune system’s natural ability to defend the body against infection and to protect it from dangers posed by certain types of damaged or abnormal cells, including cancer cells.

Some cancer vaccines, known as cancer preventive vaccines, are designed to prevent cancer from developing in healthy people. Other cancer vaccines, known as cancer treatment vaccines, are intended to treat cancers that have already occurred.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two types of cancer preventive vaccines: A vaccine against the hepatitis B virus, which can cause liver cancer in chronically infected people, and a vaccine against human papillomavirus types 16 and 18, which are responsible for about 70 percent of all cases of cervical cancer

Cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat cancer by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.

Effective cancer treatment vaccines are difficult to develop because some cancers can escape detection by the immune system or weaken natural immune responses against cancer cells

The side effects of cancer vaccines vary from patient to patient and according to the type of vaccine being used. Most of the side effects reported thus far have been mild and limited to inflammation at the site of the vaccine injection.

Vaccines are medicines that boost the immune system’s natural ability to protect the body against “foreign invaders” that may cause disease. These invaders are primarily microbes, which can be seen only under a microscope. Microbes include bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.

The immune system is a complex network of organs, tissues, and specialized cells that act collectively to defend the body. When a particular type of microbe invades the body, the immune system recognizes it as foreign, destroys it, and “remembers” it to prevent another infection. Vaccines take advantage of this response.

Traditional vaccines usually contain harmless versions of microbes—killed or weakened microbes, or parts of microbes—that do not cause disease but are able to stimulate an immune response. When the immune system encounters these substances through vaccination, it responds to them, eliminates them from the body, and develops a memory of them. This vaccine-induced memory enables the immune system to act quickly to protect the body if it becomes infected by the same microbe in the future.

The immune system’s role in defending against disease-causing microbes has long been recognized. Scientists have also discovered that the immune system can protect the body against threats posed by certain types of damaged, diseased, or abnormal cells, including cancer cells.

Vaccines stimulate the immune system
White blood cells, or leukocytes, play the main role in immune responses. These cells carry out the many tasks required to protect the body against disease-causing microbes and abnormal cells.

Some types of leukocytes patrol the body, seeking foreign invaders and diseased, damaged, or dead cells. These white blood cells provide a general—or nonspecific—level of immune protection.

Other types of leukocytes, known as lymphocytes, provide targeted protection against specific threats, whether from a specific microbe or a diseased or abnormal cell. The most important groups of lymphocytes responsible for carrying out immune responses against such threats are B cells and cytotoxic (cell-killing) T cells.

B cells make antibodies, which are large proteins secreted by B cells that bind to, inactivate, and help destroy foreign invaders or abnormal cells. Most preventive vaccines, including those aimed at hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV), stimulate the production of antibodies that bind to specific, targeted microbes and block their ability to cause infection. Cytotoxic T cells, which are also known as killer T cells, kill infected or abnormal cells by releasing toxic chemicals or by prompting the cells to self-destruct (apoptosis).

Other types of lymphocytes and leukocytes play supporting roles to ensure that B cells and killer T cells do their jobs effectively. Cells that help fine-tune the activities of B cells and killer T cells include helper T cells and dendritic cells, which help activate killer T cells and enable them to recognize specific threats.

Cancer treatment vaccines work by activating B cells and killer T cells and directing them to recognize and act against specific types of cancer. They do this by introducing one or more molecules known as antigens into the body, usually by injection. An antigen is a substance that stimulates a specific immune response. An antigen can be a protein or another type of molecule found on the surface of or inside a cell.

Microbes carry antigens that “tell” the immune system they are foreign—or “non-self”—and, therefore, represent a potential threat that should be destroyed. In contrast, normal cells in the body have antigens that identify them as “self.” Self antigens tell the immune system that normal cells are not a threat and should be ignored.

Cancer cells can carry both types of antigens. They have self antigens, which they share in common with normal cells, but they may also have antigens that are unique to cancer cells. These cancer-associated antigens mark cancer cells as abnormal, or non-self, and can cause B cells and killer T cells to mount an attack against the cancer.

Cancer cells may also make much larger than normal amounts of certain self antigens. These overly abundant self antigens may be viewed by the immune system as being foreign and, therefore, may trigger an immune response against the cancer.

Cancer vaccines
Cancer vaccines are medicines that belong to a class of substances known as biological response modifiers. Biological response modifiers work by stimulating or restoring the immune system’s ability to fight infections and disease. There are two broad types of cancer vaccines:

Preventive (or prophylactic) vaccines, which are intended to prevent cancer from developing in healthy people; and

Treatment (or therapeutic) vaccines, which are intended to treat already existing cancers by strengthening the body's natural defenses against cancer.

Cancer preventive vaccines in Action
Cancer preventive vaccines target infectious agents that cause or contribute to the development of cancer (8). They are similar to traditional vaccines, which help prevent infectious diseases such as measles or polio by protecting the body against infection. Both cancer preventive vaccines and traditional vaccines are based on antigens that are carried by the infectious agents and that are relatively easy for the immune system to recognize as foreign.

Other microbes associated with cancer
Microbes cause or contribute to between 15 percent and 25 percent of all cancers diagnosed worldwide each year, with the percentages being lower in developed countries than in developing countries (4, 8, 13, 14). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified several microbes as carcinogenic (causing or contributing to the development of cancer in people), including HPV and HBV (15). These infectious agents—bacteria, viruses, and parasites—and the cancer types with which they are most strongly associated are listed in the table below.

Infectious Agents	Type of Organism	Associated Cancer(s)
hepatitis B virus (HBV)	virus	hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer)
hepatitis C virus (HCV)	virus	hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer)
human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18, as well as other HPV types	virus	cervical cancer; vaginal cancer; vulvar cancer; oropharyngeal cancer (cancers of the base of the tongue, tonsils, or upper throat); anal cancer; penile cancer
Epstein-Barr virus	virus	Burkitt lymphoma; non-Hodgkin lymphoma; Hodgkin lymphoma; nasopharyngeal carcinoma (cancer of the upper part of the throat behind the nose)
human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV1)	virus	acute T-cell leukemia
Helicobacter pylori	bacterium	stomach cancer
schistosomes (Schistosoma hematobium)	parasite	bladder cancer
liver flukes (Opisthorchis viverrini)	parasite	cholangiocarcinoma (a type of liver cancer)

Cancer treatment vaccines
Cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat cancers that have already occurred. They are intended to delay or stop cancer cell growth; cause tumor shrinkage; prevent cancer from coming back; or eliminate cancer cells that are not killed by other forms of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.

Developing effective cancer treatment vaccines requires a detailed understanding of how immune system cells and cancer cells interact. The immune system often does not “see” cancer cells as dangerous or foreign, as it generally does with microbes. Therefore, the immune system does not mount a strong attack against the cancer cells.

There are many reasons the immune system does not easily recognize the threat posed by an already growing cancer. Most important is the fact that cancer cells carry normal self antigens in addition to any cancer-associated antigens. Furthermore, cancer cells sometimes undergo genetic changes that lead to the loss of cancer-associated antigens. Finally, cancer cells can produce chemical messages that suppress specific anticancer immune responses by killer T cells. As a result, even when the immune system recognizes a growing cancer as a threat, the cancer may still escape a strong attack by the immune system.

Side effects seen in cancer vaccines
Vaccines intended to prevent or treat cancer appear to have safety profiles comparable to those of traditional vaccines . However, the side effects of cancer vaccines can vary widely from one vaccine formulation to another and from one person to another.

The most commonly reported side effect of cancer vaccines is inflammation at the site where the vaccine is injected into the body. Reported symptoms include redness, pain, swelling, heightened temperature (the skin surrounding the injection site feels hot to the touch), itchiness, and occasionally a rash.

People sometimes experience flulike symptoms after receiving a cancer vaccine, including fever, chills, weakness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, muscle ache, fatigue, headache, and occasional breathing difficulties. Blood pressure may also be affected.

Other, more serious health problems have been reported in smaller numbers of people after receiving a cancer vaccine. These problems may or may not have been caused by the vaccine. The reported problems have included asthma, appendicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and certain autoimmune diseases, including arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Vaccines, like any other medication affecting the immune system, can cause adverse effects that may prove life threatening. For example, severe hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions to specific vaccine ingredients have occurred following vaccination. However, such severe reactions are quite rare.

The Anti-Cancer Diet

By Dr. Ben Kim
DrBenKim.com

In response to an article on ways to prevent cancer that I wrote a few weeks ago, several subscribers sent in letters asking for a specific anti-cancer diet, one that can be followed after receiving chemotherapy.

I recommend the following guidelines to people who visit our clinic looking to get stronger and healthier after a bout with chemotherapy:

Set up a support system among family and friends that ensures that you have access to freshly pressed vegetable juices every day
All juices should contain at least 50 percent green vegetables by volume, the best choices being dark green, leafy vegetables like romaine lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens
If your life circumstances are such that you cannot arrange to have daily access to fresh vegetable juices, take 3 heaping tablespoons of a high quality green food product every day, mixed with water
Until you crave animal products, stick to eating fresh vegetables, their juices, and fruits only
Eat fruits and vegetables that are naturally rich in antioxidants
Take 1 teaspoon of a high quality cod liver oil per 40-50 pounds of body weight on a daily basis
Eat only when you are hungry and chew well when you do

A typical day would look something like the following:

Breakfast

Blueberries, mango, apple, avocado, celery sticks, and romaine lettuce

Mid-morning snack

Glass of freshly pressed vegetable juice - 8 leaves of romaine lettuce, handful of parsley, 2 ribs of celery, 2 carrots

Lunch

Large vegetable salad made with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, celery, bell peppers, carrots, avocado, and raw walnuts

Dressing, if desired: freshly pressed juice of 1/2 an orange

Mid-afternoon snack

Glass of freshly pressed vegetable juice - 4 large leaves of Swiss chard, 4 leaves of romaine lettuce, small piece of raw red beet, 3 ribs of celery

Dinner

Large plate of steamed vegetables - Chinese cabbage, broccoli, green beans, sweet potatoes
1 whole avocado on the side

Evening snack

Any ripe fruit in season or a handful of raw walnuts and organic raisins

I have found that this type of diet satisfies most chemotherapy recipients for at least a month, sometimes for as long as a year.

When cravings for animal foods surface, I recommend eating small amounts of organic eggs, wild fish such as wild salmon or anchovies, and any flesh meats that are raised with organic feed and in a free-range environment. Small amounts of raw dairy products that are obtained from organic and hygienic sources are also fine for people who can tolerate dairy. When eating animal foods, I recommend striving to make them no more than 30 percent of each meal. Vegetables should always be the biggest portion of every meal.

Beyond dietary guidelines to fight cancer, here are a few critical lifestyle recommendations:

Be in the presence of fresh air as much as possible
Without getting burned, let your skin see sunshine for at least 15 minutes every day
Spend your emotional energy on things that make you feel loved, loving, and peaceful
Get as much physical rest as you possibly can - if you've been abusing your body for years, then taking a year off from work and other major responsibilities may be just what you need to restore your health

Most importantly, an anticancer regimen must include constant reminders about why you want to be healthy again. Think about your reasons for wanting to be at your best. Take as much time as is necessary to become crystal clear on your reasons. Then, write your reasons down on paper and review them every day.

Remember: no one in this world can accurately tell you what your prognosis is. Your life is not a statistic. Your thoughts and daily choices are the most significant determinants of your health today and in the future.

Bone Cancer Treatment

Author: Cancer Treatment

Bone cancers are rare forms of cancer that can affect any bone in the body. Two types of bone cancer are multiple myeloma and bone sarcomas. Bone cancers can also happen when tumors that start in other organs, such as breasts, lung, and prostate, metastasize (spread) to the bone. Multiple myeloma is the most common type of bone cancer. Basic information about Bone cancer symptoms and treatment.

Blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, MIRs and ultrasound can all be used in the diagnosis of bone cancer and cancer of the bone marrow. Ultimately however, only a bone biopsy can provide a definitive diagnosis. By examining a sample of tissue, a Pathologist can determine whether cancer is present and how fast it's growing, crucial information in determining the best course of treatment.

Types of Bone Cancer: Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer. It rarely occurs in adults older than 25 years old. Osteosarcoma is usually found in the bones of the arms, legs and pelvis, and in bones that grow rapidly, such as the shoulders and knees.

Ewing's sarcoma is commonly found in children ages 4 to 15, and is rare in adults older than 30. It is an aggressive cancer typically found in the center of the long bones of the arms and legs.

Chondrosarcoma is found in cartilage cells and accounts for about 25 percent of bone tumors, making it the second most common type. Unlike most other bone cancers, it is most common in people older than 40. It is typically found in the large bones of the hips and pelvis.

Bone Cancer Symptoms:

Pain
Swelling or tenderness of the joints
Fractures
Fatigue, fever, weight loss, anemia
Bone dysplasia with medullary fibrosarcoma
Eosinophilic granuloma
Multiple Myeloma

The symptoms of bone cancer vary from one person to another according to the location and size of the bone cancer. Pain is one of the most common bone cancer symptoms. Generally, there is a gradual increase in the severity of the symptoms with time. At first, the pain may only be felt with activity or at night.

These are common types of Bone Cancer Treatment:

Surgery

How bone cancer is treated depends on the type of tumor, how aggressive it is, the location of the tumor and whether or not the cancer has spread to other areas of the body. Options include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, or a combination of the three.
Risks include infection, damage to surrounding muscles, nerves and blood vessels, and recurrence of the cancer. Patients are often prescribed a course of physical therapy after surgery to help them regain full use and strength in the limb where the tumor was removed.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is administered by an oncologist, and comprises a series of powerful intravenous drug treatments aimed at stopping and reversing the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy is often used before surgery to shrink the tumor, making surgery less invasive. After surgery, it is used as a safeguard to kill any remaining cancer cells. The drugs kill cancer cells, but also affect hair, digestive tract cells and blood-forming cells. Loss of hair, nausea, loss of appetite, anemia and low energy are common side effects of chemotherapy. These side effects usually go away quickly after chemotherapy stops. Chemotherapy patients are sometimes referred to nutritionists to help with the anemia and loss of appetite.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is administered by a radiation oncologist, and comprises a series of high-energy X-rays aimed at the site of the tumor. This treatment is given in small doses over several days, sometimes months. The most common side effects are loss of appetite, fatigue and damage to the skin and other soft tissue at the site of the treatment. Patients who undergo surgery near the site of radiation therapy sometimes are slow to heal because of damage to the blood vessels at the site. Most side effects go away quickly after radiation therapy is over, but problems with slow healing may persist.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/bone-cancer-treatment-2793236.html

About the Author

Sarasota Interventional Radiology using Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for Bone cancer treatment. Interventional radiology technique has really proved to be helpful to diagnose some of the most dangerous diseases like cancer. More Info Visit http://www.sivr.net

Scientists reverse stance on sun and cancer: Now they admit sunlight can prevent skin cancer

(NaturalNews) Since the 1980s, physicians and cancer groups have regularly warned the public against the potential health dangers of direct sunlight on skin. As a result, many people have stayed out of the sunlight completely, covered their limbs even in warm weather or slathered themselves with UV protection products, all in the interest of lowering their risk of melanomas.

However, more recent findings indicate that this kind of nearly vampiric avoidance of the sun may not benefit your cancer odds after all.

A 2009 study by a group of Leeds University researchers found that higher levels of Vitamin D were linked to improved skin cancer survival odds. Other studies have found that Vitamin D has a connection to a strong immune response in the body. In fact, Vitamin D may hasten the death of tumor cells.

Unfortunately, most people have low levels of Vitamin D, leaving them at higher risk for a host of diseases including breast cancer, prostate cancer, bowel cancer, cervical cancer, rickets and osteoporosis. (For more in-depth information on this, see this report: http://www.naturalnews.com/rr-sunli...)

"It's common for the general public to have low levels of vitamin D in many countries," said Professor Julia Newton Bishop of the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine and author of the Leeds study. "Melanoma patients tend to avoid the sun as sunburn is known to increase the risk of melanoma. We use sunshine to make vitamin D in the skin, so melanoma patients' levels of vitamin D may be especially low."

Bishop also noted that people can get more Vitamin D through dietary sources such as fatty fish. She points out that balance is key, as extremely high levels of Vitamin D can have a negative effect on health.

The mainstream media continues to run stories every summer warning people against the sun even two years after the Leeds study. While hours of sunbathing may be risky behavior for your long-term health, receiving a moderate amount of sunlight while out gardening or walking is actually as good for you as eating a low-fat diet and engaging in regular exercise. In fact, laying off the sunscreen may help you not only absorb sunshine into your skin to help fight tumors, but also helps you avoid the chemicals in most commercial sun blocking products. Some studies have indicated that these chemicals can actually generate harmful free radicals in the body.

So this summer, relax, and enjoy the sunshine.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/article...
http://www.skinbiology.com/toxicsun...

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/032533_sun_exposure_skin_cancer.html#ixzz1PFZgW8D4

Does drinking lots of coffee really help to prevent breast cancer?

(NaturalNews) Coffee addiction may not be the detriment to health many people think it is, according to a new study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research. Postmenopausal women over 50 who drink five or more cups of coffee every day may be as much as 57 percent less likely to develop estrogen-receptor (ER) negative tumors, say researchers from the Karolinska Institute (KI) in Sweden.

Dr. Jingmei Li and her colleagues from KI evaluated 6,000 women, some of whom drank no coffee, and others who drank five cups or more. After adjusting for outside factors like age at menopause, weight, family history of breast cancer, and others that affect results, the research team observed that women who drank the most coffee were least likely to develop some of the most serious forms of breast cancer.

On the other hand, coffee consumption played no role in reducing the risk of ER-positive cancers, indicating that something unique to the ER-negative varieties is sensitive to coffee. ER-negative breast cancers are typically the most difficult to treat with conventional medicine, as many breast cancer drugs have no effect on them.

"A high daily intake of coffee was found to be associated with a significant decrease in ER-negative breast cancer among postmenopausal women," wrote the team in their report. "We believe that this may have something to do with the way the coffee was prepared, or the type of bean preferred."

Previous research has shown that drinking coffee may also help to reduce the risk of developing liver fibrosis, hepatitis, type-2 diabetes, prostate cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease (http://www.naturalnews.com/028033_c...).

However, drinking too much coffee can lead to dehydration, hypertension, and even mineral leeching from the bones (http://www.naturalnews.com/000677.html). The high acidity of coffee can also upset proper digestive function, leading to various other health problems.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/...

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/032479_coffee_breast_cancer.html#ixzz1PFZGnpDd

Stomach Cancer

Stomach (Gastric) Cancer: The Facts

What is it?

Stomach Cancer, which is also called Gastric Cancer, is the term used for cancer that originates in the lining of the stomach. The stomach is the J-shaped organ in the upper abdomen, and is part of the digestive system. It is connected to the esophagus (food-pipe) and the small intestine. Food travels down the esophagus and into the stomach. There it is mixed with digestive juices from the lining of the stomach and broken down. Two or three hours later, the partially digested food moves into the small intestine, and then to the large intestine (colon).

Stomach Cancer usually begins in the lining of the stomach. The stomach has four layers of lining. The innermost lining, the mucosa, contains the glands that produce the digestive juices. Ninety to ninety-five percent of Stomach Cancers begin in the mucosa layer. The second layer, the submucosa, contains blood vessels that feed blood and oxygen to the glands of the mucosa. The third layer, the muscularis, contains muscles, which contract to make a rippling motion. This motion moves the food through the stomach and mixes it with the digestive juices. The fourth and outermost layer, the serosa, protects the other layers and keeps the acidic digestive juices confined to the stomach.

The different types of Stomach Cancer are usually identified by how they grow and spread. If left untreated, Stomach Cancer can eventually spread to many other organs. Stomach Cancer is normally associated with four typical growth patterns:

Superficial Spread: The Cancer forms only a thin layer over the mucosa. This is the least aggressive type of Stomach cancer.
Ulcer Forming: The Cancer creates an ulcer in the stomach wall. A biopsy can tell whether or not an ulcer is cancerous.
Polypoid: The Cancer forms tumors that resemble a cauliflower.
Infiltrating: This type of Cancer is the most common and the most aggressive.

Stomach Cancer is also classified using a staging system. This system is based on the extent that the cancer has spread and to what areas of the body. This classification system ranges from “stage 0” (cancer that is localized in the stomach) through “stage IV” (cancer that has spread to lymph nodes and distant organs).

Who gets it?

Annually in the United States, approximately 21,500 people will be diagnosed with Stomach Cancer. Most Stomach Cancer patients are in their 60’s and 70’s. Men are twice as likely to get Stomach Cancer as women. The disease is also more common in African-Americans than in Caucasians.

Near the beginning of the 20^th century, Stomach Cancer was a leading cause of death in the United States. With improvements in food production, preservation, and preparation, Stomach Cancer has become relatively uncommon in the United States. It is most common in Japan, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Rhode Island has a 25% higher rate of Stomach Cancer cases than the national average.

The exact cause of Stomach Cancer is still unknown, but certain factors can place you at a higher risk:

· Helicobacter Pylori Infection: A bacterial infection that can injure and shrink the stomach lining.

· Diet: A diet high in smoked or salted meat and fish, high starch/low fiber foods, pickled vegetables, and nitrate preservatives

· Smoking and Alcohol: Smoking and excess alcohol use have been linked to Stomach Cancer

· Prior Stomach Surgeries

· Pernicious Anemia: A condition in which no acidic digestive juices are produced.

· Sex: Males are at higher risk

· Family History: People with 3 or more first degree relatives (parents, sisters and brothers) who have had stomach cancer are at a higher risk.

· Blood Type: People with type A blood are at higher risk. Researchers have no idea why this is so.

· Occupational Hazards: Exposure to substances of coal mining and industrial processing of nickel, rubber, and timber.

How is it detected?

There is no officially accepted screening test for Stomach Cancer. If a physician suspects Stomach Cancer, he or she will usually perform a physical exam, a chest X-ray, and one or more of the following diagnostic tests:

Upper GI Series: The patient swallows a barium mixture and a series of x-rays of the digestive tract are taken. The barium makes abnormal tissues, ulcers, and tumors more visible on the screen.
Upper Endoscopy: The patient is sedated. A lighted probe is sent down through the esophagus and into the stomach. The doctor can examine the stomach and its lining for abnormal tissue. A sample of stomach tissue is usually taken and sent to a lab, where it is examined under a microscope by a pathologist for the presence of Cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.
CT Scan: A computer image of the abdomen, pelvis, or chest that can be used to determine if Cancer has spread to other organs.
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS): The patient is sedated. A probe is inserted through the esophagus that uses sound waves to make a screen image of the stomach that can be used to detect tumors or abnormal tissues. The EUS, unlike the CT scan or Upper GI Series, allows the doctor to see how deep the tumor is and how many layers of the stomach it has invaded.
Laparoscopic Ultrasound (LUS): The patient is given a local anesthetic. A small incision is made near the belly button, and a probe is inserted directly into the abdomen. An ultrasound is done from inside the body to create a screen image, which can then be used to locate tumors and abnormal tissue.
Fecal Occult Blood Test: A stool sample is analyzed to determine if there are microscopic amounts of blood present.

Symptoms

Early stages of Stomach Cancer usually show no symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose and treat. All of the following symptoms have been associated with Stomach Cancer, but none definitely indicate that Cancer is present:

· Unexplained weight loss

· Abdominal pain or vague pain above the belly button

· Indigestion/vomiting

· Weakness/fatigue

· Blood in vomit or stool

· Feelings of fullness

If the cancer has spread to the liver:

· Jaundice: Yellowing of the skin

· Ascites: Enlarged belly from fluid

Symptoms normally do not appear until Stomach Cancer has begun to develop into later stages. Report any symptoms to your doctor immediately! The earlier the cancer is detected, the better the chances of survival.

Is it curable?

Stomach Cancer is a very difficult disease to treat. Since the early cancer stages show few symptoms, Stomach Cancer is usually diagnosed in advanced stages. It is relatively uncommon in the U.S., so there are not routine screenings of the population for Stomach Cancer. RI has a 50% higher death rate from stomach cancer than the national average.

If detected early, Stomach Cancer can be successfully treated with no serious lasting effects. Advanced stages involve more extensive treatments, but can sometimes still be cured if the cancer hasn’t spread too much. In cases in which the cancer has spread to multiple organs, treatment of these other areas must be considered as well. The more the cancer has spread, the more difficult it is to treat successfully.

When detected in a late stage, the 5-year survival rate for Stomach Cancer is low. However, every case is different so patients with Stomach Cancer should not base their chances of survival on statistics alone. The seriousness of this disease must be kept in mind, but there are always new treatments that may offer hope.

It is easier to prevent cancer than to cure it…

Certain lifestyle changes can help decrease your risk of developing Stomach Cancer (as well as other types of cancer):

· A well balanced diet that avoids salted or smoked foods, avoids excess starch, and includes sufficient daily fiber.

· Prepare and refrigerate food properly

· Not smoking

· Use alcohol in moderation

· Avoid exposure to coal, nickel, or rubber processing

Cancer Symptoms Ignored

The 20 Cancer Symptoms Women Are Most Likely to Ignore

Don't rely on routine tests alone to protect you from cancer. It's just as important to listen to your body and notice anything that's different, odd, or unexplainable. Here are some signs that are commonly overlooked:

1. Wheezing or shortness of breath
One of the first signs many lung cancer patients remember noticing is the inability to catch their breath.

2. Chronic cough or chest pain
Several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung tumors, can cause symptoms that mimic a bad cough or bronchitis. Some lung cancer patients report chest pain that extends up into the shoulder or down the arm.

3. Frequent fevers or infections
These can be signs of leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells that starts in the bone marrow. Leukemia causes the marrow to produce abnormal white blood cells, sapping your body's infection-fighting capabilities.

4. Difficulty swallowing
Trouble swallowing is most commonly associated with esophageal or throat cancer, and is sometimes one of the first signs of lung cancer, too.

5. Swollen lymph nodes or lumps on the neck, underarm, or groin
Enlarged lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system, which can be a sign of cancer.

6. Excessive bruising or bleeding that doesn't stop
This symptom usually suggests something abnormal happening with the platelets and red blood cells, which can be a sign of leukemia. Over time, leukemia cells crowd out red blood cells and platelets, impairing your blood's ability to carry oxygen and clot.

7. Weakness and fatigue
Generalized fatigue and weakness is a symptom of so many different kinds of cancer that you'll need to look at it in combination with other symptoms. But any time you feel exhausted without explanation and it doesn't respond to getting more sleep, talk to your doctor.

8. Bloating or abdominal weight gain
Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer overwhelmingly report unexplained abdominal bloating that came on fairly suddenly and continued on and off over a long period of time.

9. Feeling full and unable to eat
This is another tip-off to ovarian cancer; women say they have no appetite and can't eat, even when they haven't eaten for some time.

10. Pelvic or abdominal pain
Pain and cramping in the pelvis and abdomen can go hand in hand with the bloating that often signals ovarian cancer. Leukemia can also cause abdominal pain resulting from an enlarged spleen.

11. Rectal bleeding or blood in stool
This is a common result of diagnosing colorectal cancer. Blood in the toilet alone is reason to call your doctor and schedule a colonoscopy.

12. Unexplained weight loss
Weight loss is an early sign of colon and other digestive cancers; it's also a sign of cancer that's spread to the liver, affecting your appetite and the ability of your body to rid itself of wastes.

13. Upset stomach or stomachache
Stomach cramps or frequent upset stomachs may indicate colorectal cancer.

14. A red, sore, or swollen breast
These symptoms can indicate inflammatory breast cancer. Call your doctor about any unexplained changes to your breasts.

15. Nipple changes
One of the most common changes women remember noticing before being diagnosed with breast cancer is a nipple that began to appear flattened, inverted, or turned sideways.

16. Unusually heavy or painful periods or bleeding between periods
Many women report this as the tip-off to endometrial or uterine cancer. Ask for a transvaginal ultrasound if you suspect something more than routine heavy periods.

17. Swelling of facial features
Some patients with lung cancer report noticing puffiness, swelling, or redness in the face. Small cell lung tumors commonly block blood vessels in the chest, preventing blood from flowing freely from your head and face.

18. A sore or skin lump that doesn't heal, becomes crusty, or bleeds easily
Familiarize yourself with the different types of skin cancer -- melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma -- and be vigilant about checking skin all over your body for odd-looking growths or spots.

19. Changes in nails
Unexplained changes to the fingernails can be a sign of several types of cancer. A brown or black streak or dot under the nail can indicate skin cancer, while newly discovered "clubbing"-- enlargement of the ends of the fingers with nails that curve down over the tips -- can be a sign of lung cancer. Pale or white nails can sometimes be a sign of liver cancer.

20. Pain in the back or lower right side
Many cancer patients say this was the first sign of liver cancer. Breast cancer is also often diagnosed via back pain, which can occur when a breast tumor presses backward into the chest, or when the cancer spreads to the spine or ribs.

Sources:

MSN Health

Dr. Mercola’s comments:

Whether you are a man or a woman, it’s important to watch for any unusual changes in your body and energy levels in order to detect any signs of cancer early on. The sooner you notice there’s a problem, the sooner you can begin to take the steps necessary to promote healing within your body.

Of course, ideally you should follow an anti-cancer lifestyle even before you notice any symptoms, as prevention is the best route when it comes to most chronic diseases. It is not unusual for 10 or more years to pass between exposure to a cancer-causing agent (tobacco, chemicals, radiation, cell phones, poor nutrition, etc.) and detectable cancer.

So during this time you have a chance to alter the progression of the disease.

Cancer is actually a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. The “cure” lies in controlling this abnormal growth and stopping the spread.

Your body has a remarkable capacity to do just that -- to heal -- and that ability is fueled largely by your lifestyle. If you eat well, exercise, get enough sleep and sun exposure and address your emotional stress, your body should be able to maintain a healthy balance.

The problem with cancer often lies not only with ignoring these health principles but also with the invasive and highly risky treatments that conventional medicine relies on to treat it -- surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

This may surprise you to hear, but a recent landmark study found some cancers, even invasive cancers, may go away without treatment, and it may happen more often than anyone thought.

On the contrary, many experts now say cancer patients are more likely to die from cancer treatments like chemotherapy than the cancer itself.

The alarming rates of cancer deaths across the world -- cancer has a mortality rate of 90 percent, according to Italian oncologist Dr. Tullio Simoncini -- speak volumes about the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of these treatments, yet they are still regarded as the gold standard of cancer care.

Cancer Rates Continue to Rise in 2009

Nearly 1.5 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the United States in 2009, not including the over 1 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancers that are also expected to be diagnosed this year, according to American Cancer Society data.

In all, more than 1,500 people will die from cancer each day, accounting for nearly one out of every four U.S. deaths.

The latest estimates show that by 2030, over 26 million people a year may be diagnosed with cancer, with 17 million people dying from it.

Many of these cancer cases and deaths can be prevented, however.

Even the American Cancer Society states that about one-third of the more than 562,000 cancer deaths expected to occur in 2009 will be related to overweight or obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition. Another 169,000 will be caused by tobacco use.

There is another widely overlooked cause of cancer deaths, one that could easily be changed as well, and that is a lack of vitamin D from sun exposure.

We now know that well in excess of half of cancer cases would simply disappear if vitamin D levels were optimized.

If You Suspect You Have Cancer, What Should You Do?

First and foremost I would suggest you seek the guidance of a knowledgeable natural health care practitioner. From there the choice is a highly personal decision but one I would urge you to keep an open mind on.

Many people turn to conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy because they think they are the ONLY option. Well, there are other safer options to consider, including one that you may have in your kitchen pantry: baking soda.

Sodium bicarbonate delivers a natural form of chemotherapy in a way that effectively kills cancer cells -- without the side effects and costs of standard chemotherapy treatments. The only problem with the treatment, according to Dr. Mark Sircus, is that it’s too cheap. Since no one is going to make money from it, no one will promote it.

Dr. Simoncini’s quite amazing experience has shown that 99 percent of breast and bladder cancers can heal in just six days, entirely without the use of surgery, chemo or radiation, using just a local infiltration device (such as a catheter) to deliver the sodium bicarbonate directly to the infected site in your breast tissue or bladder.

You can watch actual before and after footage of the treatment working in this video.

Another such approach is Dr. Hamer’s German New Medicine (GNM), which operates under the premise that every disease, including cancer, originates from an unexpected shock experience, and that all disease can be cured by resolving these underlying emotional traumas.

Dr. Hamer has spent time in prison for refusing to disavow his medical findings and stop treating his patients with his unorthodox techniques, and is currently living in exile, seeking asylum from persecution.

Make Sure Your Vitamin D Levels are in the Optimal Range

It is also very important for cancer patients to optimize their vitamin D levels into a high range, and you can find out the correct levels by watching my one-hour vitamin D lecture.

Calcitriol, the most potent steroid hormone in your body, is produced in large amounts in your tissues when you have sufficient amounts of vitamin D. However, most cancer patients are vitamin D deficient.

Calcitrol -- the activated form of vitamin D -- has been shown to protect against cancer by inducing cell differentiation and controlling cell proliferation.

People with a low vitamin D level are less able to make activated vitamin D in an amount sufficient to exert the controls over cell proliferation that are needed to reduce cancer.

Not only is this approach almost without any side effects, but the treatment is virtually free.

So, again, if you have or suspect you have cancer please watch my free vitamin D lecture now to find out how to optimize your levels to the therapeutic range.

12 Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer Now

As I said earlier, living an anti-cancer lifestyle now will help your body to stay healthy and in balance, and avoid developing cancer in the first place. Here are the top tips I recommend to start living your healthier lifestyle now:

1. Normalize your vitamin D levels by getting plenty of sunlight exposure and consider careful supplementation when this is not possible. If you take oral vitamin D and have a cancer, it would be very prudent to monitor your vitamin D blood levels regularly.

2. Reduce or eliminate your processed food, sugar and grain carbohydrate intake. Yes, this is even true for whole unprocessed organic grains, as they tend to rapidly break down and drive your insulin and leptin levels up, which is the last thing you need to have happening if you are seeking to resolve or prevent cancer.

3. Control your fasting insulin and leptin levels. This is the end result, and can be easily monitored with the use of simple and relatively inexpensive blood tests.

4. Normalize your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats by taking a high-quality animal-based omega-3 fat like krill oil and reducing your intake of most processed vegetable oils.

5. Get regular exercise. One of the primary reasons exercise works is that it drives your insulin levels down. Controlling insulin levels is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your cancer risks.

6. Get regular, good sleep.

7. Eat according to your nutritional type. The potent anti-cancer effects of this principle are very much underappreciated. When we treat cancer patients in our clinic this is one of the most powerful anti-cancer strategies we have.

8. Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution.

9. Limit your exposure and provide protection for yourself from radiation produced by cell phones, cell phone towers, base stations and WiFi stations.

10. Avoid frying or charbroiling your food. Boil, poach or steam your foods instead.

11. Have a tool to permanently reprogram the neurological short-circuiting that can activate cancer genes. Even the CDC states that 85 percent of disease is caused by emotions. It is likely that this factor may be more important than all the other physical ones listed here, so make sure this is addressed. One of the best approaches and my particular favorite tool is the Meridian Tapping Technique.

12. Eat at least one-third of your food raw. Personally my goal is 85% raw and I am usually able to achieve that.

You won’t read or hear much about these cancer-preventive techniques elsewhere because they have not been formally "proven" by conservative researchers. However, were you aware that 85 percent of therapies currently recommended by conventional medicine have never been formally proven either?

Now that’s something to think about.

With little effort on your part, these relatively simple risk reduction strategies can help you to virtually eliminate your cancer risk, and radically improve your chances of recovering from cancer if you currently have it. So go ahead and give them a try; you have nothing to lose and potentially everything, including your life, to gain.