Kidney Cancer Surgery and my life thereafter

December 31st, 2009 by Tony Ulrich

I was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer on October 1st of 2009. Only a few weeks before that, I was shocked when I saw dark red blood while I was passing urine. Of course, I went to see an Urologist immediately. We both thought that I had a kidney stone and in order to confirm our presumption, he sent me for a CT-Scan.

However, the CT-Scan came back with a totally different result. There was a huge black spot which turned out to be a tumor of 2.5 inches in size. Also, there was no way to save the organ and therefore I had a radical nephrectomy - the removal of the entire kidney - done via a minimally invasive procedure on November 30th.

This is a short report on how I feel two weeks after I had the surgery done.

To my surprise, I am doing very well and I can’t complain. Apparently, it’s too early at this point to start working out again. I also have to be careful with lifting up heavy items, or just in general all activities that could put strain on my abdomen. But what I really couldn’t understand at first: the doctors told me, that I will have no or only very limited dietary restrictions.

Knowing that I only have one kidney left, I thought it will take a while until my remaining kidney and the other organs will get ready to compensate for the loss of one of their compainons. But apparently, that’s not the case, every thing seems to work perfectly okay. There some foods I was told to better be careful with, things like red meats and bananas. Basically anything, that contains potassium or causes the body to produce high levels of uric acid.

Well, I personally have a slightly different take on that. First of all, I don’t eat meat at all. I was never a big meat eater to begin with and started completely staying away from any kind of meat shortly after my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. I also don’t eat any sweets, I never had a sweet tooth, so that’s no real sacrifice for me. And as for the alcohol, I stopped drinking completely as of February of this year.

The uric acid levels in my body where alarmingly high a year ago. Not only that, but I had gout attacks as a result. Anybody who ever had to experience a gout attack knows what I’m talking about. The pain is excruciating and so far only the stent that was inserted into my body after the Cystoscopy, has topped in terms of experiencing pain.

I weighed my options and the decision was made quickly. I had to stop consuming anything that could cause my body producing high amounts of uric acid. And how did I do that? Very simple. I just joined my wife and adopted her new eating habits. A lot of fresh veggies, a lot of green stuff like green smoothies; fruits, green tea and healthy grains like brown rice, amaranth and millet. And of course, trying to avoid processed food as much as possible.

I always ate a lot and I probably will keep doing that in the future. That’ just me. But you know what’s cool? Since I only eat good quality and healthy stuff, I lost quite some weight over the past few months. I am now back at 180 lbs (I am 6′ tall).

Well, I guess the point is: I feel good and the only thing I miss at this point is to work out again. That, though, is not possible, yet, because it would be certainly detrimental to my recovery process.

The bottom line is: I am fine.

The author Tony Ulrich provides kidney cancer info on ‘My kidney cancer’ , a website where he talks about how his own and his wife’s cancer diagnoses have changed their lives.

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Mesothelioma, General Information

December 30th, 2009 by Thomas Goldman

Mesothelioma affects one person in about a million typically, and is a type of cancer which is not common. It is usually caused by asbestos exposure.

Smoking is not known as a cause of mesothelioma itself, but it can increase the risk of the disease alongside asbestos exposure. The usual cause of the disease is breathing in the dust of asbestos. This can happen while working or indirectly such as while doing the laundry of a person who works with the chemical.

The symptoms of this cancer sometimes include difficulty in breathing due to liquid which builds up in the lungs, pain in the chest as well as less specific symptoms including loss of weight, high temperature and pains in the abdomen, head and neck. The symptoms might not be present at all until up to 50 years after the asbestos exposure. Diagnosis of the disease can be helped by a CT scan or chest X-ray, and could be verified by a biopsy (tissue sample).

Recovery from the disease is not common, and median survival times is about 9 months from presentation (with the 5-year survival rate being about 10%), although a few people do survive for more than 20 years after having the disease. Some patients have survived more than 5 years after having radical surgery plus chemo and radiation therapy, but radiation therapy alone has proved ineffective.

Most people who get the disease are dead within 18 months from knowing they have it. This is due to the challenges in having a clear diagnosis rather than the progression rate of the disease. Treatment for the disease can sometimes total 800,000 dollars.

Mesothelioma litigation began in 1929. Over half a million asbestos claims have been filed. Workers in the ship building and repairing industries have the highest mortality rate from Mesothelioma, and as such are the most likely to seek an asbestos settlement. The amounts received from mesothelioma claims can be considerable so there are specialist asbestos lawyers and asbestos attorneys.

The prognosis for the disease is typically not good, even given the currently available treatments.

Want to find out more about mesothelioma, see our new siteMesothelioma Reports

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Vaccines Immortal Cell Lines and Cancer

December 30th, 2009 by cancergal

Is this a risk you really want to take for CHICKENPOX?? Or for that matter measles,mumps or rubella, which you are unlikely to get and which cause mostly mild illness anyway?

HeLa cells, immortal cell lines, cell line contamination and cancer:
http://curezone.com/art/read.asp?ID=1…

Information from FDA on immortal (neoplastic) cell lines, safety and testing
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/0…

HeLa cells and contamination:
http://arpa.allenpress.com/arpaonline…

While lab culturing may indicate that so called immortal cells are not immediately changing to overt tumor cells, it is now well known in the scientific community that after these cells have been repeatedly cultured a certain number of times, something causes them to convert to a cancerous state. Normal embryo cells presumably represent a state in development which is genetically unstable, rendering them considerably more susceptible to malignant transformation.[76]
When new vaccine batches are needed, the virus is cultivated on the existing fetal cell lines, which in turn have been sub-cultured numerous times over the years. We have already discussed the absolute finite lifespan of these cell lines and we know the end of that timeline is rapidly approaching. According to the Hayflick Limit, the population can only double a limited number of times (around 50) before the cells senesce and are unable to grow any more. [77]
And what of the new fetal cell line, PER C6 recently introduced to the US last year and described in our previous section? PER C6 is a designer cell altered by introducing into the culture an E1 cellular gene transformed by an adenovirus type 5 (AD 5). This transformation process turns a normal cell into an immortal neoplastic cell. In other words, PER C6 is a normal cell that has been modified to resist cell senescence. And in doing so, it introduces the potential for cancer to form in the vaccine recipient
http://www.cogforlife.org/fetalvaccin…

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Effects Of Chemotherapy Treatment - LR

December 28th, 2009 by Reid Lee

Chemotherapy as the drug-based cancer treatment involves the elimination of the disease by stopping cancer cells from division. This treatment works by attacking and killing cells which divide very quickly as cancer cells do. Unfortunately, chemotherapy damages cells that have a rapid division process normally encountered with many body functions; this is the case with the cells in the digestive tract, hair follicles and bone marrow.

Hence, the chemotherapy effects usually damage these areas. The most frequent adverse reactions that occur during and after chemotherapy include hair loss, the inflammation of the soft membranes in the digestive tract or mucositis and the decrease of the blood cells production, called myelosupression.

Chemotherapy effects or side effects can classified according to the extent of the adverse reactions into long and short term categories. Side effects of chemotherapy represent unwanted symptoms which occur as a direct result of taking a drug. It is not difficult to confuse drug side effects with cancer symptoms. Symptoms characterize the disease in fact, while the side effects represent natural adverse reactions to a chemical invasion in the body. Side effects vary depending on the type of drugs used in the treatment, with the mention that one single form of medication will not trigger all the possible adverse reactions in a patient.

Generally speaking, chemotherapy affects those cells that divide at a quicker pace. Chemotherapy will thus affect the bone marrow responsible for blood cells production, the mouth, the intestines, the skin and the hair. Since hair is growing all the time, the skin is constantly renewing itself and the lining of the mouth and digestive system have the same dynamics, then, the cells of all these body tissues must constantly divide to produce a steady supply of new cells. And, unfortunately, it is due to this division process that the chemotherapy drugs attack proper functioning body parts.

Chemotherapy effects and adverse reactions also vary from one patient to another. The intensity of the experience, and their evolution during the treatment depend on many various factors. These elements include the period during which the drug has been taken, the dose or amount of drug, the administration mode, the patient’s general health state, as well as the combination of the chemotherapy drug with other medicines. Some chemotherapy effects represent serious medical conditions which must be dealt with; others, although bothersome, are not necessarily a major threat to the patient’s health. It is also important to discuss the effects of chemotherapy with the doctor and the contact person at the treating center where the patient is given the treatment.

Lee writes about many different subjects, including where to shop for Affordable Prom Dresses.

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Chemotherapy And Hair Loss - LR

December 25th, 2009 by Lee Reid

Chemotherapy hair loss is one of the numerous effects of this cancer treatment. What is the reason why hair loss occurs during chemotherapy? The medication used in chemotherapy is extremely powerful and it destroys all the developing cancer cells, although they affect other body parts too. There are normal body cells with a rapid growth rate, and they are not cancer; the cells in the digestive tract and the hair follicles are the main examples here.

The effects of chemotherapy on hair are not limited only to the scalp as the procedure affects the hair on the body, too. Thus, patients will experience the loss of eyebrows, eyelashes, pubic and armpit hair.

The variety of the drugs used in chemotherapy is incredibly high with hundreds of medicines available. Among these, obviously some are more likely to cause chemotherapy hair loss than others. The concentration of the drugs is another aspect to consider when hair loss is under discussion, as hair loss ranges from thinning to complete baldness. Thus, discussing the medication that will be prescribed with the doctor and nurse is very important as they are the specialists able to inform the patient on what to expect from chemotherapy.

Hair usually starts falling out after 10-14 days from the beginning of the treatment. It may happen quite fast, gradually or in clumps. Chemotherapy hair loss remains a problem throughout the entire period of the treatment and a month afterwards. Half of the hair can fall out before this is noticed by people around. Fortunately, in the majority of cases, chemotherapy hair loss represents a temporary effect. Hair will probably grow back within six months to one year from the end of the procedure. Although the regrowth of the hair occurs in most of the cases, the new hair could be of a different texture and shade temporarily.

It usually takes about four to six weeks for the hair to recover from chemotherapy, and the growth rate will be somewhere around a quarter inch per month. When the hair starts growing back again, it might be a little different from the hair that was lost because of therapy. The changes will be a first recovery sign and the hair will recover the look previous to the treatment the moment cellular pigmentation is functioning normally all over again. Unfortunately, one cannot prevent chemotherapy hair loss as there is no treatment which will guarantee that the hair will not fall out.

Lee writes about several subjects, including health and travel. Her latest is about locating Airline Tickets to Orlando.

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Learning About Mesothelioma Lung Cancer

December 24th, 2009 by kor rassad

Mesothelioma lung cancer has been around a number of years but a lot of people are not fully aware of what it means. This is a form of cancer that is found in the protective tissue that surrounds the lungs and other internal organs that we have. It is generally found in people that have had a lot of exposure to asbestosis, but it can be found in others as well but not nearly as much.

The number of instances of this disease has been seen to be on the rise over recent years. This could be due to the age of those that were often found to be working in asbestosis related occupations aging. Men are more often the gender that develops this disease, but women are able to as well, mind you it is relatively rare for this to happen.

Most people that have been exposed to asbestos for significant periods of time are prone to suffer from health conditions because of the exposure that they have had. The longer time of exposure that a person has the more chances they have of acquiring an asbestos related condition.

The indications that can come along that may signal that this condition may be present can take years to show up in people but when they do they are common ones that can be linked to many other health issues that people could be facing. Shortness of breath and chest pains are a common symptom of this disease but the fortunate part of this is that they are also a common symptom of many other issues as well. This can make things quite difficult when it comes time to make a firm diagnosis. There are a lot of other symptoms to think about as well, so getting information about what they all are can be a very good idea.

With the difficulty coming with diagnosing the disease, a doctor will need to be informed of an absolutely complete medical history in order to get a proper idea of what the issue may be. Answering all of the questions to the best of your ability is absolutely essential. After this a series of testing may be in order so as they can get clearer pictures of the areas that are of concern. If they deem it necessary a biopsy will be the next step to be done.

Determining at what stage that the disease is in is the next step the next thing that the doctor will look at. This enables them to decide on the best course of action to be taken when it comes to treating the disease. If it is caught early on and is considered to be localized then it is far easier for the doctor to treat then if it has advance to other areas of the body.

By maintaining a regular schedule of visits to your doctor is essential when it comes to looking after your health. This can help your doctor know of any new things that may be developing with regards to your health. Another thing that a person can do is to stay aware of the developments that are coming along when it comes to this disease. Remember that there are new things that are coming out all the time and that the advancements that are being made are very promising.

More information about mesothelioma lung cancer can be found here http://www.mesotheliomalawadvice.org

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How Effective Is Mesothelioma Treatment Presently

December 23rd, 2009 by Heidi Wingrain

Mesothelioma treatment is based on several factors, including the stage of infection, the area of infection, how much the contamination has spread, the nature of the affected cells and the age and overall health of the infected person. Infected persons are usually briefed about the success rates before embarking on any treatment process.

Three kinds of traditional mesothelioma treatment are in vogue, namely, surgery, medication and radiation. Surgery attempts to remove the cancer altogether while medication or chemotherapy fights the cancer through powerful drugs. Radiation is the process of destroying malignant cancer cells by use of high energy x-rays or other energy beams. In more serious cases, doctors try to contain the cancer by using a combination of two or three of these tactics.

Since clinical tests like blood analysis are not particularly successful in determining the type of cancer, diagnostic procedures like thorascocopy, video assisted thoracic surgery, mediastinoscopy and laproscopy are used to identify the malaise. The actual mesothelioma treatment starts after this.

Surgeries are applicable for patients who are suffering from mild infection. Here the roots of cancer are removed. Palliative treatment is also resorted to by doctors these days. Chest tub drainage and pleurodesis, thoracoscopy, pleuroperitoneal shunt and pleurectomy are the procedures which treat the symptoms rather than the causes. Pleurodesis and chest tube drainage are the common palliative treatment, which removes the discharge from the infected areas.

For removing the disease in its totality aggressive healing methods are used. Pleural mesothelioma comprises of more than three-fourths of total mesothelioma cases. Decortication is the method used to remove tumor pleural mesothelioma patients who are in stage 1 and stage 2. The lung is not removed in this process. In case the tumor cannot be removed without taking out the lung, pneumonectomy is used. Here the removal of the lung is done. Adequate tests and analysis are done before conducting the surgery.

Chemotherapy, which fights cancers through chemicals, tries to destroy the cancerous cells by preventing them to multiply. It helps to stop the spread, shrink existing tumors and remove remnants of the disease left after surgery. Palliative chemotherapy relieves symptoms like pain and is employed where odds of survival is bleak. Radiotherapy employs penetrating beams of extreme energy or particle streams. The process is called radiation and is usually used aggressively along with surgery. Mesothelioma treatment is thus a multifaceted strategy aimed to remove the cancer and alleviate distress.

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What You Need To Learn About Identifying Signs Of Skin Cancer

December 22nd, 2009 by John Claude

If you love spending time in the sun, you need to wear sun screen in order to prevent the development of skin cancer. However, many adults spent years tanning and enjoying the sun without knowing the tole it can take on their bodies. Now, they are paying for it as they develop a variety of different skin cancers. Learning the signs of skin cancer can mean the difference between early detection and treatment, and dealing with a cancer which has spread and is therefore much harder to treat.

Even people who do not know a lot about skin cancer have probably heard about malignant melanoma. This is because skin doctors stress the importance of identifying these fast spreading, deadly tumors. They are called melanomas because they start in moles and areas where melanin, the pigment factor in skin, is present. People with more melanin in their skin often have more of a protection against these tumors but it is no reason to go without sun screen if you will be outside.

One of the easiest ways to remember the signs of melanoma is through the ABC’s of skin cancer. A mole needs to have an Appearance that does not change rapidly. If you have a mole that suddenly grows larger or is raised from the surface of the skin, get it checked out. If the mole is benign, it will normally have Borders which are even and regular. A mole with jagged edges is also one that needs to be evaluated by a professional. The Color of a mole should be normal as well. Moles are usually a shade of brown and any other color should at least be looked at before it is dismissed as being nothing to worry about.

The next form of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma. These cancers do not start out life as a mole. Instead, they start off looking like several different things. They can look like a sore which will not heal, a small firm lump, or even a scar or reddish patch of skin. It is important to get any strange scars or marks on the skin checked out since it can mean that you are developing a basal cell carcinoma. They are serious but they rarely spread to other organs. Remember that even if the cancer is not spreading to other organs or systems it is still growing and if they are causing open weeping sores, you will not find them very attractive to look at.

Squamous cell carcinoma is another very common form of skin cancer. Like basal cell carcinoma these also start off as raised lumps, bumps or wart-like areas. They may also crust or scale over but may also open up and bleed or ooze on a regular basis. It can start out as a rough, red painful rash that may eventually form into a lump or bump and begin to grow from there.

Potential skin cancers are diagnosed in the same way. Doctors often biopsy an area that looks like it might be a problem. Depending on the test results, you may be required to undergo surgery, chemotherapy or even radiation therapy depending on the kind of cancer and whether it has spread throughout your body or not.

The effectiveness of skin cancer treatment is much better when you begin treatment shortly after a skin cancer has started to grow. Unfortunately many people do not regularly perform self examinations at home and do not get any areas they are concerned about checked out. Because early treatment can be the key to getting rid of the tumor completely, it is critical that you get in to see your doctor so that they can check you over as well.

There are different types of skin cancer being aware of the basic five signs of skin cancer is important. Where can I learn more about skin cancer? Please visit www.fivesignsofskincancer.net for more great tips.

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Mesothelioma: A Cancer That Kills Quietly

December 20th, 2009 by Joe Harrell

When a person gets exposed to asbestos for longer durations of time, it leads to the development of a certain type of cancer called mesothelioma: Dangerous cells are formed in the protective lining which is the covering of our vital organs known as mesothelium, in this type of cancer. This fatal cancer normally affects the pleura, which is the peripheral lining of the lungs and internal chest wall. It may also occur in the lining of the abdominal cavity called the peritoneum and the sac protecting the heart known as the pericardium.

It has been found that most of the victims of mesothelioma: have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles. Another option is that they might have got exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in some other ways. Even the family members of the workers are at risk of contracting the disease. Asbestos particles found in the clothes or hair of the workers is enough to throw all those who come in close contact, at the mercy of the disease. It should be noted that smokers are greatly under the risk of asbestos-induced cancer. Also smoking increases the seriousness of the disease.

There are many symptoms associated with mesothelioma cancer. Chest wall pain, shortness of breath, weight loss, fever etc are the common symptoms found. Mainly, this abnormal condition is detected when the patient goes to the doctor for getting treated for some minor disease. In the process, some tests may give hints to the doctor who in turn recommends a biopsy and microscopic examination which diagnoses the cancer.

Proper diagnosis as well as timely treatment of the disease is very difficult regarding the disease. The fact that the symptoms of this type of cancer are similar to those of other medical conditions confuses the doctors to a considerable extent. Another difficulty is that the symptoms appear very late and may even remain undetected for even 50 years. This proves to be the greatest hurdle in curing the disease. If the abnormality is detected timely, chances of survival are greatly increased.

The location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, the patient’s general health and age are the basic factors which determine treatment for mesothelioma: Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are the standard treatment options available for the patients. Doctors may combine these methods according to their discretion.

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Facts About Benign Mesothelioma

December 18th, 2009 by Heidi Wingrain

Benign mesothelioma is fond very rarely as mesothelioma lies inactive for a considerable period of time before the first symptoms become visible. It is a non-cancerous form of tumor affecting the lining of the lung and chest cavities known as the pleura. Asbestos particles responsible for the cancer get accumulated in the mesothelium, causing severe pain. This tumor growing to excessive size leads to shortness of breath, compressing the lung.

Benign mesothelioma can be cured through surgery, if the growth is only local. During the surgery, the pleural fluid may leak into the cavity around the lung. This possible complicated situation is called pleural effusion. However, the situation is not life threatening since the fluid can easily be drained. Occurrence of fatal mesothelioma types like the pleural, peritoneal or pericardial can be avoided by investigating into this non-cancerous growth. This probe will reveal whether the patient is exposed to asbestos.

Even though not potent enough to bring death, benign mesothelioma has the potential to make your life hell by creating breathing problems, localized pain etc. The overall health of the patient would definitely be affected. The most prominent symptoms are chronic cough, shortness of breath and chest pain. Open lung biopsy and chest CT scan or x-ray can easily reveal the existence and spread of this malice.

Surgery is the best treatment option for benign mesothelioma and it should be done as early as possible. Postponing consultation with the doctor can make the situation worse. It is better to consult a doctor as soon as the symptoms appear. Men fall prey to benign mesothelioma far easily than women. It is also noticed that sometimes the presence of the tumor is noticed without any symptoms. Seeing the clubbed appearance of fingers, an expert doctor can identify the disease.

There is the possibility of the situation to recur after ten years in at least 10% of the cases. But the good news is that it can also be cured through proper treatment. Apart from this benign mesothelioma may prompt you for detailed check ups, which will help you to prevent malignant mesothelioma.

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