May 31
Two of the best things you can do to reduce the risk of colon cancer from causing your early demise is to eat right and to seek Early detection at the first sight of a problem. Colon cancer kills about 350 people out of 100,000 people, so although the risks are not high they are high enough to be of concern.
One thing of great benefit to know is that over the last decade or so thru good education and Early detection fewer people are dying from colon cancer. But there are a few things you need to look out for such as; blood in your stool and knowledge of your family and types of cancer that run in your genetic lines. If one of your siblings or one of your parents has had colon cancer you’d be advised to be checked out as early as age 40 and every five years.
If you are a woman and you’ve had breast cancer or ovarian cancer you might also be susceptible. If you have an iron deficiency whether you are a woman or a man this can be of concern. The survival rate of most types of colon cancer is quite high if detected in the earlier stages and this will definitely better your chances.
It is recommended you go to the American Cancer Society’s web site and read all about colon cancer if you think you might be at risk or you just want additional information and details for a loved one. I hope you will consider all of this in 2006.
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May 31
The prostate is a gland found only in men, which lies just below the bladder. The tube through which urine flows from the bladder when you pass water goes first through the prostate gland then out through the penis. The prostate gland can become enlarged in many men as they get older which then causes difficulty with urination.
The job of the prostate gland is to produce fluid which forms part of semen and helps to nourish sperm. The prostate gland sits in front of the back passage or “rectum” which is why if a doctor wants to examine the prostate gland they feel it by putting a finger into your back passage. This is also called a “digital rectal examination” or DRE for short. From feeling the prostate gland the doctor can tell how enlarged the gland is and whether it feels normal or cancerous, this can then provide a picture of prostate cancer if it exists.
Cells in the prostate gland are constantly turning over to replace old with new but sometimes this process can get out of control. Cancer is the name for cells which have lost control of their renewal process and start to grow unchecked. They grow into a group of cells called a “tumour”. As the cells grow they can start to invade surrounding tissues. This invading process is called acting in a “malignant” fashion. Cells can break off the tumour and spread to other sites in the body, usually via the blood stream. The cells can then grow where they have settled, often in distant parts of the body such as the bones or brain. These deposits are often called “secondaries” or “metastases”. These deposits are not new cancers but are groups of cancer cells spread from the original or “primary” cancer in the prostate gland.
Most often in prostate cancer this process of tumour growth followed by invasion then metastasis is relatively slow and can occur over many months or years. This is why some men may have prostate cancer but never have a problem because of it i.e. their prostate cancer grows so slowly that other diseases or illnesses (e.g. heart attack or stroke) cause problems or even death before the prostate cancer has developed far enough to cause symptoms or spread from the prostate. With modern treatments many men with early prostate cancer can be cured and in many more the prostate cancer can be controlled and the invasion process slowed even more. Prostate cancer survival rates vary widely around the world, although detection in 3rd World countries is often poorly catalogued.
The cause of prostate cancer is not known. What is known is the characteristics of those men who tend to develop prostate problems. These are known as “risk factors” i.e. men with these characteristics are at greater risk of developing the cancer. However it is important to realise that ALL men are at risk of prostate cancer and even young men who have no history of cancer in their family can develop prostate cancer.
Age
Age is the main risk factor for developing prostate cancer. As men get older they have a higher chance of developing all types of cancer including cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is quite uncommon below the age of 50 years however four out of every ten men who are 70 years or older will have the illness. Many of these men will live normally without knowing they have prostate cancer and without it giving them any symptoms or shortening their life span.
Hormones
We know that the male hormones tend to stimulate the development of prostate cancers and prostate cancer is very rare in men who have been castrated before the age of 40 years. This is likely to be because the normal prostate gland is affected by male hormones when carrying out its normal functions in the body. Prostate cancer cells originate and have some features similar to these normal prostate cells including being influenced by male hormones.
Race
Prostate cancer is seen more commonly in certain ethnic groups e.g. African-Americans.
Diet
Diet may have an influence on the development of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is more common in men who have a “western” diet high in saturated fats. Saturated fats are found in red meats such as beef, lamb etc and in some dairy produce e.g. butter and things made with butter e.g. cakes, biscuits etc., and also in highly processed foods e.g. ready meals. It seems that men who have a diet high in saturated fat are at increased risk of developing prostate cancer. It is also widely believed that a diet high in fruit and vegetables helps to prevent many cancers. This may be through the action of cancer protective chemicals found in many fruit and vegetables known as “anti-oxidants”. This is one of the reasons it is recommended that we include five portions of fruit and vegetables in our diet every single day.
Genetic
Prostate problems also tend to run in some families which could suggest part of the cause of some prostate cancers is genetic or hereditary. If your father or brother has prostate cancer your chance of developing it is about double that of the general population. However only a small number of all prostate cancers are caused by a known faulty gene and most occur at random.
SUMMARY OF PROSTATE CANCER CAUSES
Age (prostate cancer is more common as men get older)
Male hormones (prostate cancers uncommon in castrated men)
Ethnic group (prostate cancer more common in African-Americans)
Genetic (prostate cancer can run in families)
Diet
Adrian Jones writes on several forms of cancer. Further information is available on his website dealing with justabout-prostatecancer.com/ prostate cancer and justabout-prostatecancer.com/causes/prostate_cancer_causes_index.php causes of Prostate Cancer. You may reprint this if you include this credit.
May 31
Three main lifestyle habits lay the foundation for breast cancer prevention. They include:
• Staying physically active
• Limiting alcohol
• Eating right
The evidence so far tells us healthy eating and regular exercise really does contribute to breast cancer prevention. Plus, if you limit your exposure to substances that promote breast cancer, you will benefit even more.
There are some risks toward a higher incident of breast cancer that you cannot control. These include:
• Your age
• Genetic make-up
Although these two factors may loom against you there are still steps you can take on your own to prevent breast cancer. They provide no guarantee that you still will not develop the disease. They will give you a start toward breast cancer prevention.
Some of the easiest things you can control is what you eat and drink and how much exercise you get.
There remains a strong link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. Seems that it does not matter the type of alcohol one consumes, whether it be wine, beer or mixed drinks, there does not seem to be a difference according to researchers. A step toward breast cancer prevention would be to limit your alcohol to less than one drink per day or to avoid alcohol completely.
Researchers tells us there is also a clear link between obesity or weighing more than is appropriate for your age and height and breast cancer. This is especially true if you gain the extra weight late in life or after menopause. The reason for this is that excess fatty tissue is a source of circulating estrogen in the body. Breast cancer risk is linked to how much estrogen you are exposed to during a lifetime.
If you stay active with a regular exercise regime you are better able to maintain a healthy weight. This one accomplishment alone lowers your risk of breast cancer regardless of age or genetic make-up. We are consistently told to aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week. Always try to include weight-bearing exercises like walking, jogging or aerobics, which have the added benefit of keeping your bones and joints strong and healthy.
To date studies suggest a slight decrease in risk of invasive breast cancer for women who eat a low-fat diet. The effect is modest. It is probably a good idea to eat a low-fat diet anyway because it reduces your risk of other diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. A low-fat diet also can help you maintain healthy weight, which in turns, will help you in taking steps toward breast cancer prevention.
For the greatest benefit limit fat intake to less than 35 percent of your daily calories and restrict foods high in saturated fat.
Researchers have discovered two promising agents to help us prevent breast cancer. They are:
1. Retinoids
2. Flaxseed
Retinoids are natural or synthetic forms of vitamin A. Retionids may have the ability to destroy or disturb the growth of cancer cells. Retinoids may also be effective in premenopausal women and in those whose tumors are not estrogen-positive.
Flaxseed is quite high in one phytoestrogen, which is “lignan.” Phytoestrogens are compounds that occur naturally and lower circulating estrogens in the body. Lignan appears to decrease estrogen production and may help to inhibit the growth of some breast cancers.
Research continues, however, any woman at any age or genetic make-up can start today toward breast cancer prevention simply by staying active, watching what you eat and limiting intake of alcohol.
Source: Mayo Clinic
© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.
Written by: Connie Limon. For an extensive list of FREE reprint articles about Breast Cancer visit us at smalldogs2.com/BreastCancerArticles smalldogs2.com/BreastCancerArticles
