“Olaparib” is the new drug that is creating lot of hope among inherited Breast and Ovarian cancer patients. Drug succeeded in reducing the size of tumours in 40% of Breast cancer patients and also in 30% of ovarian cancer patients. Drug which is still in experimental stage is really a big hope for chronic patients. This research study is conducted by scientists at King’s college, London and is published in the magazine, Lancet. Mechanism of Olaparib: It will act by blocking poly ADP-ribose polymerase protein. “Olaparib” is an orally taken drug and reduced tumour growth in an experiment conducted on women with advanced breast cancer caused by a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. This gene is responsible for 5% of breast cancers and 10% of ovarian cancers. Important note: Olaparib does not help to cure cancer but only helps to prolong life by reducing tumour size. It is still in experimental stage but it is raising hope. … [Read more...]
Red wine improves cancer prognosis
Consumption of red wine reduces the growth of cancer cells and aids in the radiation treatment. Resveratrol, an antioxidant present in grape skin helps to kill mitochondria of cancer cells. It also makes cancer cells more susceptible to radiation therapy and makes normal cells more resistant to cancer treatment. This research study was done by University of Rochester scientists and published in the journal “Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology”. Resveratrol also acts as anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic agent. This anti-oxidant is a tumour sensitizer and makes cancer cells more susceptible to radiation and chemotherapy. It improves prognosis of cancer patients. It helps to use energy efficiently by helping to kill mitochondria of tumour cells. So, Cancer patients who are under treatment can consume moderate quantities of red wine. Scientists need to do more experiments on the effects of other antioxidants like Caffeine etc. … [Read more...]
Smoking, supplements effect on lung Cancer
Taking of Vitamin E supplements increase risk for lung cancer, according to cancer research in the University of Washington. Researchers conducted experiments on 78,000 adults over 4-year period. The lung cancer risk is especially high in smokers. This research study was published in the first issue of “American Journal of respiratory and Critical Care Medicine” which was published by American Thoracic society. Vitamins and cancer: 100 milligram increase intake of Vitamin will raise lung cancer risk by 7%. American Cancer Society is not recommending vitamin intake to prevent from lung cancer. Staying away from smoking is the best method to decrease lung cancer incidence. Vitamin D has some proven protective measures against breast, colon and ovarian cancers while foods rich in Vitamin A has shown effect in reducing cancer risk. American Cancer Society is recommending diet rich in green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits to protect from cancer. One should stay away from junk diet and refined foods to decrease cancer risk. Note: One should not take vitamin supplements with doctor’s advice. Smoking and Lung Cancer: According to a research study by University of California, Hydrogen peroxide in smoking is the major culprit for causing lung cancer. This research study was published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). Tobacco contains more than 4,000 chemical substances of which 43 substances are carcinogens. Smoking alone is responsible for 0.4 million deaths in the United States alone, according to Centre for Disease Prevention (CDC). Smoking is responsible for more than 80% of lung cancers in Americans and is the major cause of preventable deaths among Americans. Please share your opinion on harmful effects of smoking. … [Read more...]
Cancer Diet: low fat foods reduce ovarian cancer risk
Health foods like fruits and vegetables which are low in fat and high in fiber will help postmenopausal women in reducing ovarian cancer risk, according to Women’s Health Initiative dietary study. Women who reduced fat content in their diet have reduced ovarian cancer risk by 40%. This is a complete contrary finding to the WHEL trial (published in the Journal of American medical Association) which found no relation between no relation between diet and breast cancer. This randomized control study was done on 48,835 postmenopausal women over 8 years. The research study was published in the Journal of National Cancer Institute. Low-fat diet reduces ovarian cancer risk by decreasing estrogen production. Ovarian cancer statistics:Ovarian cancer is a rare one which affects 1 in 60 women but it is very difficult to diagnose in the early stage. It is a very serious disease which kills 55% of patients within 5 years. According to American Cancer Society estimates, 22,430 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2007 of which 15,280 women will die of it. Ovarian cancer prevention: Currently, use of birth control pills is the only way to reduce ovarian cancer risk and removal of ovaries is the major treatment. Birth control pills will reduce cancer of ovaries by 60%. Pills and fiber diet combination will reduce ovarian cancer risk by more than 80%. Genetic mutation is another major ovarian cancer cause. If women can take these simple modifications in their diet, they can be free of this deadly disease. … [Read more...]
Breast Cancer risk raises by any type of alcohol intake
All types of alcohol increases breast cancer risk, according to the research study Kaiser medical care programme, California. Researchers analyzed the drinking habits of 70,033 women of various races and asked them questions during health exams between 1978 and 1985. They looked at which types of alcohol the women drank and also their total alcohol intake. They compared that to women who had less than one drink a day. Amount of alcohol consumed is more significant than type of alcohol in causing breast cancer. There is no difference in breast cancer risk whether women drank red wine or white wine. Heavy drinkers (one or two drinks per day) have 10% raise in the risk of developing breast cancer than light drinkers (less than 1 drink a day). Women who take more than 3 drinks per day will have 30% increase in breast cancer risk. Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 US women and is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in American women, according to National Institute of Health. Globally, more than 1.2 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer and it kills 0.5 million women. Genetics, Obesity, age, Hormone Replacement Therapy and Birth control pills play crucial roles in causing breast cancer. 4% of all breast cancer cases are due to alcoholism, according to a report published in the British Journal of Cancer. But, red wine can protect against heart attacks by increasing good cholesterol (HDL Cholesterol), reducing blood clotting and reducing diabetes, according to the same researchers. Even though this research cleared some myths on the alcohol effects, controversy will continue unless major cancer organizations issue uniform guidelines on the effects of alcohol on breast cancer. … [Read more...]
FDA approved Wyeth drug Torisel for renal cell carcinoma
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Wyeth drug, Temsirolimus (Torisel), for the treatment of advanced kidney cancer, renal cell carcinoma. According to company research, it has shown better results than interferon-alpha treatments. This drug will be available for treatment of patients in July. Renal cell carcinoma accounts for about 85% of kidney cancers. According to American cancer society estimates, 51,000 new kidney cancer cases will be diagnosed this year of which 20,000 will be in advanced disease. Previously Nexavar (2005) and Sutent (2006) are approved for the treatment of Kidney cancer. Many kidney cancer patients are cured by removing the tumor through surgery but problems arise due to 35% recurrence or metastasis. At this advanced stage, prevention of spread is more important. Here Interferons and Torisel play vital roles. Mechanism of action of Temsirolimus: It blocks the function of the Rapamycin, a key protein that regulates the cell proliferation, growth and survival. It may also block the process of angiogenesis, a process that tumors used to create a blood supply to maintain their growth. Side-effects of Torisel: When compared to Interferons, tolerance is better with Torisel. Rash, Fatigue, Mouth sores and Nausea are common side effects. These side effects are reported in 25-30% of patients.High blood sugar, elevated blood lipids and low blood counts are also found. Effect of treatment: (according to company data)With interferon – 7.3 months of survival in advanced renal carcinoma patients. With Torisel – 10.9 months of survival. Approval of Torisel is another mile stone in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. … [Read more...]
Exercise and yoga help breast cancer women in early stage
According to latest research studies, Yoga and Aerobic exercise help to improve quality of life in early-stage breast cancer patients. Results of the research study were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. This study is the largest to date to find the effects of exercise during chemotherapy and the first one to evaluate the effect of resistance exercise. The study was conducted over a period of 17 weeks. Yoga studies were mainly conducted on Hispanic and African American women. Resistance exercise essentially helps in stopping the most common side effect in chemotherapy – reduced white cell count. Results of the Breast cancer research studies: 1. Resistance and aerobic exercises improved physical fitness, self-esteem and body composition.2. Resistance exercise improved chemotherapy completion rates. 3. Yoga was beneficial for women who were not receiving chemotherapy during the study. 4. Exercise did not cause Lymphedema or any other side effects. 5. Exercise may increase white blood cell counts and allow chemotherapy rates to continue. 6. Women responded well in the studies compared to men. 7. Benefits of yoga are more in women who adhered to the prescribed regimen and took more classes. 8. Yoga improved emotional well-being and mood and improved quality of life. Emotional well-being is crucial for women who are undergoing chemotherapy. 9. Lifestyle interventions definitely improve the quality of life in breast cancer patients (early stage). 10. Contrary to the popular opinion, exercise actually benefits the women who are under chemotherapy. Resistance and Aerobic exercises and Yoga are must for every breast cancer patient who is under chemotherapy. … [Read more...]
New Research results on Breast Cancer
1. New molecules to fight against Breast Cancer. Hamilton college research scientists discovered new molecules that will be effective in the fight against Breast Cancer. They found them using advanced computational Tomography techniques. Albany Medical professional synthesized those molecules. This research on Breast Cancer will be published in the May 16 issue of Journal of American Chemical Society. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and Tamoxifen is the preferred drug for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer treatment. According to American Cancer Society estimates, 0.18 Million people will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer in America. 2. Breast cancer comprises 60% of alcohol-attributable cancers among women. Drinking Alcohol (even in moderate amounts) is the major cause for Breast Cancer in Women. 3. According to the research by Italy Oncologists, Women at high risk for breast cancer who have undergone a hysterectomy appear to benefit from taking Tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer. 4. Decrease in Breast Cancer rates started even before the wide spread use of Hormone Replacement Therapy. … [Read more...]
Drop in Breast Cancer Rate
Breast Cancer which kills 40,000 american women annually has shown drop in new cases for the first time. Researchers are attributing it mainly to decreased use of Hormone replacement therapy (HRT). There is a 7% drop in brease cancer cases as per report. HRT is mainly used in treating Menopause. As per doctor reports, Hormone replacement therapy also causes stroke and heart attacks. You should check your breast for any lumps every month. If you are over 40 years or risk case for breast cancer, it is better to have mammogram annually. Don't use HRT without consulting doctors. Malignant cancers do not cause any pain. You should consult doctor immediately if you find any of below mentioned symptoms. Symptoms of Breast Cancer: If you feel any lump or thickening in your routine breast check up, Consult the physician immediately. Don't be afraid as most of the lumps are benign (not malignant). It is better to consult the doctor if you have noticed any changes in size,shape,color or texture of the breast. Discharge from nipples is also a symptom of breast cancer. See the above image. Other Breast Cancer symptoms: dimpling of breast skin nipple inversion change in the nipple Annual screening is a must for every woman over 50 years of age. … [Read more...]
