Thursday, October 18, 2012

What are symptoms in skin cancer?


Checking your skin for signs of skin cancer
The symptoms of non melanoma skin cancer can usually be seen quite easily. They tend to occur most often on skin that is exposed to the sun. It will help you to spot skin cancers early if you are aware of how your skin normally looks. That way, you will recognise any changes more easily. Remember to get your partner or someone else you trust to check your back or other areas that you can’t easily see. This is very important if you sunbathe a lot or if you regularly work outside without a shirt on.

There is also information about changes to look for with the skin cancer that develops from abnormal moles (melanoma) on the page about symptoms of melanoma.

Where non melanoma skin cancers usually develop
Skin cancers can develop on or near other non cancerous (benign) skin growths. You should show your doctor any area of your skin that is damaged and does not heal up.

The symptoms of non melanoma skin cancer may be similar to symptoms of other skin conditions. It is worth having any symptom checked by your GP. Your doctor won’t think you are bothering them for something trivial. They can decide whether your symptoms need to be investigated further.


How skin cancers can appear
Skin cancers can appear as

A spot or sore that does not heal within 4 weeks
A spot or sore that continues to itch, hurt, scab, crust or bleed for more than 4 weeks
Areas where the skin has broken down or become an ulcer, you can't think of a reason for this change, and it does not heal within 4 weeks
An ulcer is an area that is breaking down and begins to get deeper. This can be called erosion.

Basal cell skin cancers look like a small, slow growing, shiny, pink or red lump. If left, they tend to become crusty, bleed, or develop into an ulcer. They are commonest on the face, scalp, ears, hands, shoulders and back.

Squamous cell skin cancers are usually pink lumps. They may have hard or scaly skin on the surface. They can bleed easily and develop into an ulcer. They are most often found on the face, neck, lips, ears, hands, shoulders, arms and legs.



Bowen’s disease
This is a very early form of skin cancer. It usually looks like a red patch that may be itchy. It can appear anywhere on the skin. But it can also develop on the moist membranes of the body. Moist membranes means soft wet skin similar to the skin on the inside of your mouth. Bowen's disease may appear as a white patch in the mouth or a red patch in the genital area.

What are the Signs of Childhood Cancer?


Even though there are many different types of childhood cancer, the risk for any one child to have cancer is fairly low and cancer is considered to be rare in children. Overall, there are only about 150 cases of childhood cancer for every 1 million children in the United States. Still, cancer is one of the leading causes of death in children, so it is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer in children.
Among the types of cancer that children are most likely to get include:
  • leukemia - most common type of childhood cancer
  • brain tumors - second most common form of cancer in children
  • lymphoma - such as Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins lymphoma
  • neuroblastoma - most common solid tumor outside of the brain in children
  • bone tumors - including Ewing's sarcoma and Osteosarcoma
  • retinoblastoma - an eye tumor that is usually detected by examining for a red reflex in a child's eye
  • Wilm's Tumor - a kidney tumor that mostly affects young children between the ages of 2 and 4 years
The symptoms of these cancers are sometimes easy to recognize, such as the large abdominal mass in a child with Wilm's Tumor.
Some other symptoms of cancer in children might include fever, frequent infections, bone pain, night sweats, vomiting, and headaches, all of which children often have when they have more common and less serious viral infections or other common problems of childhood.

How Prostate Cancer Works in Time for Fathers Day


Since today is Father’s Day, it’s a great time to bring awareness to something very important that affects men. As the description of the video reads, “We care about our dads, uncles, grandpas – and all of the men in our lives. So why not understand the basics underlying the 2nd largest cancer killer in America and the UK among men (and 6th worldwide)?”
We are reminded that 80 percent of men will suffer from prostate cancer before the age of 80. Those are staggering and frightening statistics! In the short video, they strip down the process of cell regulation, cancer, and what is known about prostate cancer.
Watch the video below and share it with your friends and family to help bring awareness and discussion around this important issue.
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Read more at: http://www.homorazzi.com/article/how-prostate-cancer-works-video-causes-prevention-fathers-day/#ixzz29gOEBF00

What causes prostate cancer?


At this time, scientists do not know exactly what causes prostate cancer. However, there are certain factors that increase a man's chance of getting prostate cancer. These include:

  • Age: As men get older, their chance of getting prostate cancer increases.
  • Race: Prostate cancer is more common in African American men than in white men. In New York State, African American men are one and a half times more likely to get prostate cancer and almost two times as likely to die from the disease as white men.
  • Family History: A man with a father, brother, or son who has had prostate cancer is two to three times more likely to get prostate cancer than one who does not have a close family member with the disease.
  • High Fat Foods: Some studies suggest a diet high in animal fat or meat may increase a man's risk for prostate cancer.

Can a man survive prostate cancer?

Yes. Men are surviving prostate cancer. In fact, the number of deaths from prostate cancer has declined. If detected early, the disease can be cured.

What is metastatic prostate cancer?

Sometimes, cancer cells break away from the malignant tumor in the prostate and enter the bloodstream or the lymphatic system and travel to other organs in the body. This is called metastatic prostate cancer.

Will My Diet Affect My Treatment?


Yes. Good nutrition is an important part of recovering from the side effects of radiation therapy. When you are eating well, you have the energy to do the activities you want to do, and your body is able to heal and fight infection. Most important, good nutrition can give you a sense of well-being.
Since eating when you don't feel well can be difficult, consider working with a dietitian. He or she can help make sure that you are getting adequate nutrition during your radiation therapy.