The Dangers of Sun Damage and Skin Cancer

What if you were informed that you could save ten years on your skin's appearance by simply using sunscreen and avoiding prolonged contact with the scorching, hot sun? While healthy skin is usually hereditary or health-related, there's no doubt that sun damage leads to skin tightening, deep wrinkles, skin discoloration and even skin cancer. You can't prevent aging entirely, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to effective skin solutions!

Sun damage isn't just manifested in sunburns or blisters. There are other effects that are more subtle but just as dangerous in the long run. For instance, deep wrinkles, dryness, freckles, mottled pigmentation and skin transparency are a few symptoms of sun damage. A yellow discoloration, known as "sallowness", Telagiectasias, known as the dilation of small blood vessels beneath the skin, or Elastosis, known as the damaging of the elastic tissue that causes lines and wrinkles are telltale signs that skin solutions should be sought. Worst case scenario, pre-cancerous lesions appear as a result of the skin's diminished immune function, which may also lead to full-blown cancer.

Though breast cancer and lung cancer get all the media publicity, skin cancer caused by sun damage is the most predominant. There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Ninety-five percent of all skin cancers are the basal cell and squamous cell types. Luckily, they are less serious and are very treatable if detected early. Seventy-five percent of all skin cancer deaths are a result of melanoma, which occurs when abnormal pigment cells (melanocytes) grow uncontrollably. What may start as skin cancer can spread to other organs and manifest itself as all sorts of cancerous mutations.

Skin cancer is usually detected via a biopsy, where the dermatologist takes a skin tissue sample and examines it beneath a microscope. Often times, the cancerous tissue can be removed and no other treatment is necessary. In some cases, basal cell or squamous cell cancer is treated by Mohs surgery, which cuts out chunks of the cancer. Electrodesiccation and curettage is a fancy name for the physical scraping away of the skin cancer cells, as well as electrosurgery to remove any trace of sun damage. Like any skin treatment, cryosurgery and laser therapy are both viable options. Drugs like Retinoids can also help restore a natural balance.

A note from the Author - 'Harry R' is a writer for BotoxInjection-Facts.com who offer information and advice on a range Botox Injection related subjects. With a lot of great information on Botox alternatives, plus reviews of the latest Botox Creams.

A Brief Look At Skin Cancer Treatments

If you have been told that you have skin cancer you might be uncertain about the treatment you will receive as, even if you have already discussed your treatment with your physician, you might still be reeling from all the technical jargon that was thrown at you. You might not have been able to take in the information given to you by your doctor because of the shock following the diagnosis.

Below therefore is a brief outline of some of the treatments that may be used to treat skin cancer.

The type of treatment that you will receive is going to depend upon several different things which include things like your age and whether or not any cancer has spread to other parts of your body.

Your treatment may include surgery during which your surgeon may decide to remove the cancer itself together with some of the surrounding skin tissue. The amount of normal skin removed will depend on the specific type of cancer found and how deep it is. Usually an area of roughly one to two centimeters of skin from the surrounding area is removed.

Some types of skin cancer can be treated by freezing using liquid nitrogen or removed with drugs such as Imiquimod which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use on superficial basal cell carcinoma.

More extensive surgery might be needed where a sentinel lymph node is found to contain cancer cells following a biopsy of a suspect area. This type of surgery is designed to remove lymph nodes near to the cancer along with affected skin and is normally followed up with a course of radiotherapy.

A fairly recent development in the treatment of skin cancer is what is known as immunotherapy cancer vaccination although research into this particular form of treatment is still under way and it is not yet widely available. Chemotherapy could also be recommended if your skin cancer has spread to other areas.

There is no definitive form of prevention for skin cancer but there are several things which you can do to reduce your chance of developing the disease and by far and away the most important yet generally ignored is to minimize the skin’s exposure to the sun.

Everyone, no matter what the color or type of skin you have should use a sunscreen that has a protection factor of not less than 15. You should also wear protective clothing and stay in the shade as much as you can, particularly between 11am and 3pm when the sun’s rays are stronger. It is always advisable not to make use of sunlamps and sun beds as these also produce harmful rays.

Finally, keep an eye on your skin and pay particular attention to any alterations to moles and lesions. If you notice any changes then you ought to visit your doctor as soon as possible so that treatment can be given

YourCancerQuestions.com provides answers to not just your questions about skin cancer but to cancer questions on a wide range of topics including colon, liver, bone, prostate cancer and much more.

A Glimpse Into The Mysterious World Of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and, behind lung cancer, it is the second leading cause of cancer death among females. In the year 2004 no fewer than 186,770 new breast cancer cases were reported according to the American Cancer Society and this number appears to be going up on a yearly basis.

It should also be noted that breast cancer is not restricted only to women and that some 1,815 men contracted the disease in 2004 and that 362 men died of breast cancer that year.

The breasts in women are complex structures comprising glands, fat and fibrous connective tissue. Each breast has a number of lobes which are divided into lobules and end in the milk glands and there are also a large number of tiny ducts from the milk glands that join together and end in the nipple.  

Eighty percent of breast cancer cases occur in these ducts and this condition is called infiltrating ductal cancer. It is also relatively common for cancer to originate in the lobules where it is known as lobular cancer. Other forms of cancer are called inflammatory breast cancer.

Changes such as pre-cancerous changes (known as 'in situ') are also commonly seen in women and are changes that have not yet spread from the area of the breast where they were originally spotted. Where these changes occur within the ducts then the condition is referred to as ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS and when they are found in the lobules they are referred to as lobular carcinomas in situ or LCIS.

The most serious type of breast cancer is metastatic cancer which involves the spread of cancer from the place where it began. Breast cancer generally metastasizes into the lymph nodes above the collarbone or under the arms on the same side as the cancer which leads to pain and swelling to the affected area as the lymphatic drainage system is compromised. Other relatively common sites for breast cancer metastasis are the brain, liver and bones.

Besides the obvious factor of gender, age is a critical factor when considering the chances of getting breast cancer. Despite the fact that breast cancer can develop at any age the risk of finding it increases as you get older. A normal woman aged 30 will generally have a 1 in 280 chance of getting breast cancer during the next ten years of her life. However, this then rises to a 1 in 70 chance when that same women reaches her forties.  

The risk factor for breast cancer is also affected by family history with the risk being especially high when you have a close relative (like a mother or aunt) who has developed cancer of the breast at a young age.

Scientist have recently found what is thought to be a cancer gene that can be passed down from mother to daughter.

Breast cancer touches many lives today and for those of us with questions about breast cancer then there can be no better place than http://breastcancertreatmentinformation.com to find the answers we are seeking.

A Look At The Prostate Gland And Its Effect On Male Life

The prostate gland is a reasonably small gland that is about the size of a walnut and sits under the bladder and just in front of the rectum. A very important gland, the prostate manufactures the liquid which helps carry sperm.

A significant problem which can arise with the prostate gland is prostate cancer which is a life-threatening condition that currently strikes approximately ten percent of all men and is the second most common cause of cancer related death in men nowadays.

So how does this condition start?

Prostate cancer starts life as a malignant tumor growing in the prostate gland which, if left untreated, is likely to spread over time into the nearby tissue and organs and then into the bone and lymph nodes.

Just what are the risk factors involved?

Nearly three-quarters of those suffering from this disease are over the age of 65.

Men with family members like a grandfather or father who have had cancer of the prostate are up to eleven times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives.

The death rate in men with this condition rises with weight and is especially high in obese men.

Men of Caucasian decent are more than twice as likely to develop this disease than men of African decent.

Is there anything I can do to stop myself from contracting prostate cancer?

There is really nothing you can do to stop yourself from developing this disease although some people are convinced that eating a healthy diet can reduce your risk from this particular form of cancer. presently there is little if any substantive evidence to support this view.

Diagnosing prostate cancer.

There are several tests available including the PSA test, the digital rectal exam and a biopsy.

The prostate specific antigen test measures the level of a prostate specific antigen in the bloodstream. High prostate specific antigen levels do not mean that you have prostate cancer but are a marker for possible problems that should be investigated further.

The digital rectal exam requires a physician to wear a glove and place a lubricated finger into the anus to feel the prostate gland looking for signs of enlargement or irregularity.

In the case of a prostate biopsy your doctor will take a number of small tissue samples from the prostate which will then be studied under a microscope for signs of abnormal cells.

Advanced Prostate Cancer Sufferers Could Soon Be Able To Take A Short Chemotherapy Break

As soon as prostate cancer has moved out of the prostate gland and reached into other parts of the body it is said to be advanced prostate cancer and treatment for advanced prostate cancer is far more difficult than treatment when the disease is confined to the prostate.

If your cancer has not spread too widely and is not especially aggressive it is still possible not simply to treat it but in fact to cure it. In many cases however where cancer has spread widely, or is especially aggressive, treatment is a matter of merely holding back the progress of the disease and providing you with the best possible quality of life.

Currently one of the main prostate cancer treatment options for advanced prostate cancer is chemotherapy often using a drug known as docetaxal. Docetaxal is a very effective drug treatment for a lot of people and it does indeed slow the progression of advanced prostate cancer and extend life for a significant number of patients. Nonetheless, it does have some side effects that include things like nausea, loss of appetite, hair loss and an increased risk of infection. Consequently it is here that we come across one of the biggest problems in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

If you are treating a disease which cannot be cured and which will eventually kill you, then lengthening your life by holding back the progression of the disease is good as long as that treatment gives you a reasonable quality of life and does not leave you with the feeling that the treatment is worse than the cancer itself.

For many prostate cancer patients, who are often in their 60s, 70s or even 80s, chemotherapy is not pleasant but is a price that is worth paying when they initially begin their course of treatment. However, as the treatment progresses and the side effects begin to build up the picture frequently changes and many patients start to question whether or not it is all worth it. Naturally this is never a simple question to answer and must be the subject of a very personal discussion between you and your doctor.

A lot of us will be familiar with this situation either through our own experience with illness or as a result of our experience of seeing a family member or close friend in this situation and know well just how hard a time it can be.

There may however be a bit of light at the end of this tunnel as studies involving a group of patients with metastatic, androgen-independent prostate cancer suggest that many people may be able to take a 'chemo holiday' without significant damage to their treatment. In other words, following several weeks of chemotherapy, and at a time when the side effects are starting to get you down, you might be able to simply stop your chemotherapy for a time and give your body a chance to recover a bit before carrying on with your treatment.

Now it is of course early days yet and nobody is exactly sure yet about just how long a 'chemotherapy holiday' could be or how often you can take one, but for many advanced prostate cancer patients this seemingly small advance in treatment could well make a world of difference.

Mesothelioma Cancers - An Overview

Mesothelioma Cancer Video

What are Mesothelioma Cancers?

Mesothelioma cancers are the cancers that spread in the mesothelium tissues. Mesothelium in general is the name of tissue that forms lining of different body organs such as heart, lungs, abdomen and reproductive organs. The lining around abdominal organs is known as peritoneal membrane. Lining around lungs is called pleural membrane while the lining around heart is called pericardium. These linings perform two functions. They protect the internal organs by producing a lubricating fluid and to allow the smooth movement of the internal organs.

Recent studies have, however, revealed that exposure to asbestos can have damaging health implication resulting in asbestos disease and mesothelioma for both workers in industries making use of asbestos as well as those who live in the environment surrounding such places. Workers may inhale fine asbestos particles in the air; they also become exposed through skin contact with asbestos or by swallowing asbestos fibers while at work. These workers are vulnerable to asbestos diseases as mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Serious Effects Of Asbestos Disease

Mesothelioma is the most serious of several asbestos-related diseases detected so far. This is because of the carcinogenic effect of asbestos particles. Asbestos can cause cancer of the lungs, esophagus, colon, rectum, stomach, vocal chords, and kidneys. About 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases of asbestos disease mesothelioma - a rare type of cancer of the mesothelium, the membrane that covers and protects most of the body internal organs –are the result of asbestos exposure at work. Asbestos disease mesothelioma may not immediately manifest.

The asbestos particles can lie dormant in the body for several years and manifest later, when the prognosis is very grim. It is possible that by the time the disease is diagnosed, the cancer may have already spread significantly. In view of health concerns all new uses of asbestos in the manufacturing industries have been banned in the United States from July 1989 onward. In particular, the use of asbestos in hand-held hair dryers was voluntarily stopped in
1979. Schools are required to test for use of asbestos roofing and it is removed or covered up.

Compensation To Victims Of Asbestos Disease Mesothelioma

The first case of asbestos disease mesothelioma was filed nearly 70 years ago. Employees in industries with considerable risk of asbestos poisoning are, in principle, eligible for mesothelioma compensation. The compensation is available only for those employees who run the risk of asbestos exposure since the 1940s. Recently, many mesothelioma patients have filed lawsuits for compensation. They have been awarded compensation on the ground that the owners of industries continued to use asbestos despite the information of the health hazards it entails. Currently, help is available to victims of asbestos disease mesothelioma through many specialized legal firms in the United States.

For more information visit Asbestos Related Disease as well as Pericardial Mesothelioma

A Step Towards Mesothelioma Cure

The doctors and researchers are looking for answers related to Mesothelioma cure but have not found any. Before we discuss about mesothelioma cure, it is necessary to know about what is mesothelioma and what are its possible causes.

The primary cause of pericardial mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust and fibres.  Therefore those at risk are those who are most likely to have inhaled these deadly fibres such as construction workers and asbestos manufacturers.  Those in contact with these people also have a chance of getting pericardial mesothelioma because these people may have asbestos fibres stuck to their clothes or hair.

The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma change from patient to patient.  Usual symptoms include persistent coughing, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations.  Other symptoms patients may experience are nausea, weight loss, vomiting and loss of appetite.

Once detected, the chances of survival of an average mesothelioma patient are very bleak. The options for Mesothelioma cure depend upon the different stages of the disease. In the first stage the treatments options depends on factors such as patient’s age, general health, organ affected and the size of tumor.  

Surgery is used for mesothelioma treatment and cure in the first stage. The doctors remove the tumor and the nearby tissues with a surgical process. However, the doctors use a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy if the tumor has witnessed enormous growth. Fluid collection in the chest and abdomen takes place in the advance stages of mesothelioma.

What Is The Prognosis For a mesothelioma cure?

Mesothelioma cure in these stages involves draining of the fluid to reduce discomfort. This process of treatment is known as Thorancentesis or Paracentesis. After this, the doctors use Surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Treatment and efforts for mesothelioma cure can suffer a severe jolt if the disease strikes back. In that case, the treatment depends on the location of recurrence, and the patient’s medical history.

This is highly dependent on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated.  If pericardial mesothelioma is treated when it has fully developed and matured then the chances of a patient’s survival is very small.  The prognosis could be only a couple of months.
Research into cures of pericardial mesothelioma and all other forms of mesothelioma is being done in numerous research labs all over the USA.  Many pharmaceutical companies are also working hard to research new drugs for chemotherapy.  So far, research has been mostly unsuccessful.

For more information visit Asbestos Related Disease as well as Pericardial Mesothelioma