Men who have desk jobs are more likely to develop prostate cancer, research suggests.
A study found those who spend most of their working lives sitting down are almost 30 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than those with very active jobs.
Analysis of 45,000 men aged 45 to 79 found those who had highly physical jobs were 28 per cent less likely to develop the disease than those who spent most of their working lives sitting.
In turn, those who sat for half of their working day had a 20 per cent lower risk than men who spent their entire day sitting, the British Journal of Cancer reports.
Other forms of exercise also had an impact, with men who walked or cycled for more than an hour a day having a 14 per cent lower risk than those who walked or cycled for 40 minutes or less a day.
Although regular exercise is recommended for all-round health, evidence of its protective effect against prostate cancer had been lacking until now.
The researchers, from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, said it appeared that exercise in a man's youth and middle-age affected his risk of contracting cancer.
They are not sure why exercise is protective but suspect it alters levels of certain hormones associated with the cancer, including testosterone.
They concluded: 'Findings from this study show that not sitting for most of the time during work or occupational activity and longer daily durations of the main component of active living (walking or cycling) may be associated with reduced prostate cancer incidence.
'Our findings, which may have major public health implications in the prevention of prostate cancer, require confirmation by other well-designed studies.'
Previous studies have suggested that diets rich in fruit in vegetables can cut the risk of the disease, which affects 35,000 British men a year.
Dr Helen Rippon, of the Prostate Cancer Charity, said: 'It has been known for a long time that a physically active lifestyle reduces your risk of heart disease, but it is becoming ever more apparent that it reduces the chances of developing other diseases too.
'This study recommends that men of all ages try to be active for a total of at least one hour each day.
'This doesn't mean you have to "go for the burn" at the gym every evening; walking or cycling will do perfectly well.'
Earlier this week it emerged that Andrew Lloyd Webber had his prostate removed after being diagnosed with the early stages of the disease.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Prevent breast cancer by getting yourself checked regularly
KANPUR :Every year, the month of October is being observed as the 'Breast Cancer Awareness Month'. Unlike the past, this year also the month
ended on a low note in the city. The hospitals registered only a few women who took an initiative to come forwarded and to get themselves checked. However, it remained a cause of concern for the doctors, whether it was the the shyness in discussing the topic or lack of awareness that prohibited them.
"Early diagnosis can help prevent breast cancer in females and during the month we only tried to create an awareness on how the deadly disease can be avoided," said Dr AK Dixit, professor of JK Cancer Institute, associated hospital of Ganesh Shanker Vidyarthi Memorial (GSVM) medical college. "Finding out that you have breast cancer causes a range of feeling-- from sadness and fear to anger and despair. Normally, these emotions make it hard for the sufferer to move ahead. At this time, there is a requirement to see a doctor and to get proper treatment, as required. However, this is not being implemented by most of the women. Shyness is keeping them back," he explained.
Informing that around 20-25 out of 1,000 women in India were prone to breast cancer, Dixit mentioned that there were many abnormal cells in the body and breast were no different. "They too have abnormal cells which grow and form a mass called as malignant tumour. The lump formed is different from the rest of the breast tissues. More than 50 per cent of the confirmed cases are identified when a women feels a lump. Apart from this, the other notable changes is the change in breast size or shape, pain and sometimes discharge from the nipples. However, pain in the breast cannot be true test for the cancer."
According to MP Mishra, director of the Cancer Institute: "Changing lifestyle has attributed to the rise in cancer. High fat diet, trend of alcohol consumption in women and obesity have led to an increase in the breast cancer cases. There are other factors like age, level of hormones and radiations. Risks are even higher if any of the close family members have cancer. Also women who are physically inactive throughout their life have an increased risk. Being active may help them."
"A female having breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in the other breast as well. Sometimes unexplained weight loss, fever, chill, bone or joint pains are also symptoms, but these are nonspecific and can also be symptoms of some other disease. So, it must not be confused," he informed.
About treatment, Rajesh Agarwal, associate professor of Cancer Institute, informed that cancer was curable and it was not always necessary to remove the breast. Most women who have breast cancer undergo surgery to remove the cancer. The tumour or the lump is removed through operation. After surgery, the patient is treated with radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells. There are also chances of getting chemotherapy or hormone therapy. Radiation, chemotherapy or hormone therapy can also be done before surgery to help shrink the cancer.
However, the treatment depends upon the stage of the cancer, he said. "A breast conserving surgery or lumpectomy is done to remove the cancer from the breast. In this, radiation is continued for several weeks after surgery. While mastectomy (surgery to remove the breast) is also being done, depending upon the stage of the cancer."
Trying to clear the misconception that breast cancer means that the breast is removed, he said: "It is not necessary to remove the breast. A small incision can also be done and, through latest techniques, the incision might not be visible. Therefore, women should discard their false belief and should come forward if they trace symptoms by self-examination."
Further discussing the role of female hormones, Dr Dixit said: "At the time of menstrual cycle, the level of estrogen is high. The higher the estrogen level, more are the chances of breast cancer. Medicines which increase the level of hormones after menopause should be avoided. Breast feeding also lessens the risk. One should also strive for a healthy weight. Extra fat cells make extra estrogen which raises the chances of cancer. Even a full-term pregnancy before the age of 30 should be given preference."
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
ended on a low note in the city. The hospitals registered only a few women who took an initiative to come forwarded and to get themselves checked. However, it remained a cause of concern for the doctors, whether it was the the shyness in discussing the topic or lack of awareness that prohibited them.
"Early diagnosis can help prevent breast cancer in females and during the month we only tried to create an awareness on how the deadly disease can be avoided," said Dr AK Dixit, professor of JK Cancer Institute, associated hospital of Ganesh Shanker Vidyarthi Memorial (GSVM) medical college. "Finding out that you have breast cancer causes a range of feeling-- from sadness and fear to anger and despair. Normally, these emotions make it hard for the sufferer to move ahead. At this time, there is a requirement to see a doctor and to get proper treatment, as required. However, this is not being implemented by most of the women. Shyness is keeping them back," he explained.
Informing that around 20-25 out of 1,000 women in India were prone to breast cancer, Dixit mentioned that there were many abnormal cells in the body and breast were no different. "They too have abnormal cells which grow and form a mass called as malignant tumour. The lump formed is different from the rest of the breast tissues. More than 50 per cent of the confirmed cases are identified when a women feels a lump. Apart from this, the other notable changes is the change in breast size or shape, pain and sometimes discharge from the nipples. However, pain in the breast cannot be true test for the cancer."
According to MP Mishra, director of the Cancer Institute: "Changing lifestyle has attributed to the rise in cancer. High fat diet, trend of alcohol consumption in women and obesity have led to an increase in the breast cancer cases. There are other factors like age, level of hormones and radiations. Risks are even higher if any of the close family members have cancer. Also women who are physically inactive throughout their life have an increased risk. Being active may help them."
"A female having breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in the other breast as well. Sometimes unexplained weight loss, fever, chill, bone or joint pains are also symptoms, but these are nonspecific and can also be symptoms of some other disease. So, it must not be confused," he informed.
About treatment, Rajesh Agarwal, associate professor of Cancer Institute, informed that cancer was curable and it was not always necessary to remove the breast. Most women who have breast cancer undergo surgery to remove the cancer. The tumour or the lump is removed through operation. After surgery, the patient is treated with radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells. There are also chances of getting chemotherapy or hormone therapy. Radiation, chemotherapy or hormone therapy can also be done before surgery to help shrink the cancer.
However, the treatment depends upon the stage of the cancer, he said. "A breast conserving surgery or lumpectomy is done to remove the cancer from the breast. In this, radiation is continued for several weeks after surgery. While mastectomy (surgery to remove the breast) is also being done, depending upon the stage of the cancer."
Trying to clear the misconception that breast cancer means that the breast is removed, he said: "It is not necessary to remove the breast. A small incision can also be done and, through latest techniques, the incision might not be visible. Therefore, women should discard their false belief and should come forward if they trace symptoms by self-examination."
Further discussing the role of female hormones, Dr Dixit said: "At the time of menstrual cycle, the level of estrogen is high. The higher the estrogen level, more are the chances of breast cancer. Medicines which increase the level of hormones after menopause should be avoided. Breast feeding also lessens the risk. One should also strive for a healthy weight. Extra fat cells make extra estrogen which raises the chances of cancer. Even a full-term pregnancy before the age of 30 should be given preference."
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Not a woman’s disease
A RECENT Fit4Life article on breast cancer in men (My breast tumours, Health at Large, Oct 11) caught my interest – and, I’m sure, the interest of many others who think that it only affects women.
I wish to share the story of male breast cancer survivor Peter Criss, formerly of the band Kiss.
I first heard the rock ‘n’ roll drummer’s story through the Kiss Army Facebook alerts. Recently, CNN broadcast an interview with him on the subject (kissarmynews.blogspot.com/2009/10/peter-criss-talks-breast-cancer.html).
Criss discovered a lump in his left nipple in December 2007. In a Reuters article featured during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States, Criss said men needed to get over their perception that breast cancer is a woman’s disease.
“It can happen to you, and when it does, if you don’t deal with it right away, with your ‘dude’ and your metal and your tattoos, you’ll go in the box and we’ll see you.”
True. Here’s a reminder for “macho men” out there: You’re not invincible, and breast cancer isn’t just a chick thing.
Source: thestar.com.my
I wish to share the story of male breast cancer survivor Peter Criss, formerly of the band Kiss.
I first heard the rock ‘n’ roll drummer’s story through the Kiss Army Facebook alerts. Recently, CNN broadcast an interview with him on the subject (kissarmynews.blogspot.com/2009/10/peter-criss-talks-breast-cancer.html).
Criss discovered a lump in his left nipple in December 2007. In a Reuters article featured during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States, Criss said men needed to get over their perception that breast cancer is a woman’s disease.
“It can happen to you, and when it does, if you don’t deal with it right away, with your ‘dude’ and your metal and your tattoos, you’ll go in the box and we’ll see you.”
True. Here’s a reminder for “macho men” out there: You’re not invincible, and breast cancer isn’t just a chick thing.
Source: thestar.com.my
Thursday, October 29, 2009
NZ researchers use ice cream to combat cancer effects
New Zealand scientists are developing an ice cream that is so good for you, it could come with a doctor's prescription.
Researchers at the University of Auckland are working with dairy giant Fonterra to create a "medical dessert" which has shown encouraging signs in combating the side-effects of chemotherapy in cancer sufferers. The ice cream, called ReCharge, is using active ingredients from dairy products to relieve diarrhoea, anemia and lack of appetite in people undergoing chemotherapy.
Participants in a trial have been eating a 100 gram tub of the strawberry-flavoured ice cream each day.
"The two bio-active milk components developed for ReCharge have the unique potential to assist the body in coping with the side effects of chemotherapy," Fonterra's chief technology office Jeremy Hill said in a statement.
Dairy is New Zealand's largest export industry, with Fonterra controlling about a third of the world's dairy exports. (Reporting by Adrian Bathgate, editing by Miral Fahmy)
Researchers at the University of Auckland are working with dairy giant Fonterra to create a "medical dessert" which has shown encouraging signs in combating the side-effects of chemotherapy in cancer sufferers. The ice cream, called ReCharge, is using active ingredients from dairy products to relieve diarrhoea, anemia and lack of appetite in people undergoing chemotherapy.
Participants in a trial have been eating a 100 gram tub of the strawberry-flavoured ice cream each day.
"The two bio-active milk components developed for ReCharge have the unique potential to assist the body in coping with the side effects of chemotherapy," Fonterra's chief technology office Jeremy Hill said in a statement.
Dairy is New Zealand's largest export industry, with Fonterra controlling about a third of the world's dairy exports. (Reporting by Adrian Bathgate, editing by Miral Fahmy)
Breast cancer can also strike men
BY HEATHER WARLICK
This year’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Oklahoma City raised more than $250,000 for breast cancer research. And the foundation is still raising money with its "2010 Men of Oklahoma” calendar.
Though not as sexy as the "Save the Ta-Tas” T-shirts, the calendar features prominent Oklahoma men including University of Oklahoma football heroes Josh Heupel, Tinker Owens and Steve Owens and Oklahoma City radio and television icon Danny Williams. All the men featured in the calendar have friends or family members who have had breast cancer.
But breast cancer advocates want men to remember that the disease is not strictly one that their mothers, sisters and wives may get. Men also have breast tissue. Although women are about 100 times more likely to get breast cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic, men can develop it.
A CNN story published in September raised awareness of male breast cancer that occurred in strikingly high numbers among Marines who between the 1960s and 1980s lived at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps training base in North Carolina. The article focused on 20 men who had breast cancer, a disease that strikes about 2,000 men each year. Each man had part of his chest removed and also had chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
The men blame the cancer on toxic water they say they were exposed to at Camp Lejeune. Subsequently, 20 more men came forward with similar claims.
But breast cancer doesn’t only strike men exposed to toxic environments.
Actor Richard Roundtree, who played the title role in the 1970s movie "Shaft,” has been an advocate for male breast cancer awareness. He was diagnosed with the disease in 1993. After a mastectomy of his left breast and removal of a questionable lymph node, Roundtree is healthy but has scars that constantly remind him of his struggle.
As it is with women, male breast cancer is often genetic, said Lorna Palmer, executive director of the Central Oklahoma Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. If a man has a sister, mother or father who had breast cancer, his odds of getting it increase.
"Because men are not on the lookout for it, the survival rates are not as high,” Palmer said. Though men don’t usually get mammograms, because they have less breast tissue, it is easier for men to do self exams and detect a lump than for women, she said.
"Getting more men in the public to talk about it will help get rid of that stereotype that it’s a women’s disease and only women will get it,” she said.
This year’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Oklahoma City raised more than $250,000 for breast cancer research. And the foundation is still raising money with its "2010 Men of Oklahoma” calendar.
Though not as sexy as the "Save the Ta-Tas” T-shirts, the calendar features prominent Oklahoma men including University of Oklahoma football heroes Josh Heupel, Tinker Owens and Steve Owens and Oklahoma City radio and television icon Danny Williams. All the men featured in the calendar have friends or family members who have had breast cancer.
But breast cancer advocates want men to remember that the disease is not strictly one that their mothers, sisters and wives may get. Men also have breast tissue. Although women are about 100 times more likely to get breast cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic, men can develop it.
A CNN story published in September raised awareness of male breast cancer that occurred in strikingly high numbers among Marines who between the 1960s and 1980s lived at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps training base in North Carolina. The article focused on 20 men who had breast cancer, a disease that strikes about 2,000 men each year. Each man had part of his chest removed and also had chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
The men blame the cancer on toxic water they say they were exposed to at Camp Lejeune. Subsequently, 20 more men came forward with similar claims.
But breast cancer doesn’t only strike men exposed to toxic environments.
Actor Richard Roundtree, who played the title role in the 1970s movie "Shaft,” has been an advocate for male breast cancer awareness. He was diagnosed with the disease in 1993. After a mastectomy of his left breast and removal of a questionable lymph node, Roundtree is healthy but has scars that constantly remind him of his struggle.
As it is with women, male breast cancer is often genetic, said Lorna Palmer, executive director of the Central Oklahoma Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. If a man has a sister, mother or father who had breast cancer, his odds of getting it increase.
"Because men are not on the lookout for it, the survival rates are not as high,” Palmer said. Though men don’t usually get mammograms, because they have less breast tissue, it is easier for men to do self exams and detect a lump than for women, she said.
"Getting more men in the public to talk about it will help get rid of that stereotype that it’s a women’s disease and only women will get it,” she said.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Curry spice ‘kills cancer cells’
An extract found in the bright yellow curry spice turmeric can kill off cancer cells, scientists have shown.
The chemical - curcumin - has long been thought to have healing powers and is already being tested as a treatment for arthritis and even dementia.
Now tests by a team at the Cork Cancer Research Centre show it can destroy gullet cancer cells in the lab.
Cancer experts said the findings in the British Journal of Cancer could help doctors find new treatments.
Dr Sharon McKenna and her team found that curcumin started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours.
‘Natural’ remedy
The cells also began to digest themselves, after the curcumin triggered lethal cell death signals.
Dr McKenna said: "Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells that have become cancerous and we suspected that curcumin might have therapeutic value."
Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is interesting research which opens up the possibility that natural chemicals found in turmeric could be developed into new treatments for oesophageal cancer.
"Rates of oesophageal cancer rates have gone up by more than a half since the 70s and this is thought to be linked to rising rates of obesity, alcohol intake and reflux disease so finding ways to prevent this disease is important too."
Each year around 7,800 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK. It is the sixth most common cause of cancer death and accounts for around five percent of all UK cancer deaths.
Source: Exfn.com
The chemical - curcumin - has long been thought to have healing powers and is already being tested as a treatment for arthritis and even dementia.
Now tests by a team at the Cork Cancer Research Centre show it can destroy gullet cancer cells in the lab.
Cancer experts said the findings in the British Journal of Cancer could help doctors find new treatments.
Dr Sharon McKenna and her team found that curcumin started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours.
‘Natural’ remedy
The cells also began to digest themselves, after the curcumin triggered lethal cell death signals.
Dr McKenna said: "Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells that have become cancerous and we suspected that curcumin might have therapeutic value."
Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is interesting research which opens up the possibility that natural chemicals found in turmeric could be developed into new treatments for oesophageal cancer.
"Rates of oesophageal cancer rates have gone up by more than a half since the 70s and this is thought to be linked to rising rates of obesity, alcohol intake and reflux disease so finding ways to prevent this disease is important too."
Each year around 7,800 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK. It is the sixth most common cause of cancer death and accounts for around five percent of all UK cancer deaths.
Source: Exfn.com
Cell Phones Cause Cancer, Says World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is stirring up a storm by claiming it will release a study later this year that links cell phone use to an increased risk of brain and salivary gland tumors. The decade-long study claims to have found a definite link, though it stops short of inferring direct causation. The press release, however, does state that using a mobile phone for a decade or more results in "a significantly increased risk" of these types of cancer.
The study isn't actually a medical experiment, but rather a survey and meta-study in the sense that it draws data from surveys previously undertaken by other research teams. Of course, the WHO study has already come under fire from critics, despite its unreleased status -- and for good reason.
Of course, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the WHO is reviving the debate over cell phones and cancer. The WHO has been criticized before for hyperbole, most notably over its study of second-hand smoke (PDF). But, even discounting those past general criticisms, there are legitimate questions about this particular study's methodology. First, MRIs have improved and become more common over the last ten years, leading to an increased detection of tumors, potentially skewing results of any such study. Secondly, there is no way to differentiate the effects of cell phone use from exposure to other sources of electro-magnetic radiation (such as microwaves and televisions). These facts were pointed out to News.Com.Au by brain tumor specialist, Professor Andrew Kaye.
So the debate rages on. We wouldn't suggest literally strapping your iPhone to your head 24 hours a day, but don't stop your weekly, hour-long phone call to your mother for fear it might end in chemotherapy.
Source: Daily Express, News.Com.Au, and Telegraph
The study isn't actually a medical experiment, but rather a survey and meta-study in the sense that it draws data from surveys previously undertaken by other research teams. Of course, the WHO study has already come under fire from critics, despite its unreleased status -- and for good reason.
Of course, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the WHO is reviving the debate over cell phones and cancer. The WHO has been criticized before for hyperbole, most notably over its study of second-hand smoke (PDF). But, even discounting those past general criticisms, there are legitimate questions about this particular study's methodology. First, MRIs have improved and become more common over the last ten years, leading to an increased detection of tumors, potentially skewing results of any such study. Secondly, there is no way to differentiate the effects of cell phone use from exposure to other sources of electro-magnetic radiation (such as microwaves and televisions). These facts were pointed out to News.Com.Au by brain tumor specialist, Professor Andrew Kaye.
So the debate rages on. We wouldn't suggest literally strapping your iPhone to your head 24 hours a day, but don't stop your weekly, hour-long phone call to your mother for fear it might end in chemotherapy.
Source: Daily Express, News.Com.Au, and Telegraph
Monday, October 26, 2009
Mobiles "Cause Brain Cancer" According To WHO
by Desire Athow
A research study conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the links between usage of mobile handsets and incidents of brain cancer; a fact long suspected by many experts and medical practitioners.
The research by WHO which went over a period of 10 years has found crucial evidence that shows that heavy mobile users invariably posses a higher risk of being affected by brain tumours in the latter stages of their lives.
The scientists have strongly argued for precautions to be taken in order to mitigate the chances of developing brain cancer due to excessive use of cell phones.
Explaining their views on the subject, Dr Siegal Sadetzki, a key researcher who participated in the study mentioned "Most studies, including ours, show something happening in long-term users. Why shouldn't we take some simple measures to limit exposure just to be on the safe side?”
The new findings are surely going to raise concerns amongst many people who cannot possibly even imagine leaving their mobile phones for a long time.
However given the fact that use of mobile phones carries the potential risk of causing cancer, users should try their most to limit the usage and parents too should look to minimise of the use of mobile phones by their kids.
Source: ITproportal.com
A research study conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the links between usage of mobile handsets and incidents of brain cancer; a fact long suspected by many experts and medical practitioners.
The research by WHO which went over a period of 10 years has found crucial evidence that shows that heavy mobile users invariably posses a higher risk of being affected by brain tumours in the latter stages of their lives.
The scientists have strongly argued for precautions to be taken in order to mitigate the chances of developing brain cancer due to excessive use of cell phones.
Explaining their views on the subject, Dr Siegal Sadetzki, a key researcher who participated in the study mentioned "Most studies, including ours, show something happening in long-term users. Why shouldn't we take some simple measures to limit exposure just to be on the safe side?”
The new findings are surely going to raise concerns amongst many people who cannot possibly even imagine leaving their mobile phones for a long time.
However given the fact that use of mobile phones carries the potential risk of causing cancer, users should try their most to limit the usage and parents too should look to minimise of the use of mobile phones by their kids.
Source: ITproportal.com
Prevent Breast Cancer with Vitamin D and a Vegan Diet
In 1940, the risk of a woman getting breast cancer was one in 20. Today that number is one in eight. Risk factors for breast cancer include genetics, family history, and diet. Western diets have changed dramatically since 1950- and not for the better. As our food is filled with more preservatives, toxins, and unnatural fillers and as fast food restaurants appear on every corner, cancer rates consequently have skyrocketed.
The best cure is prevention. The National Cancer Institute estimates that as much as 80% of cancer cases are preventable. Maintaining a healthy diet is the number one thing you can do to prevent yourself from getting breast cancer. A diet low in sugar, dairy, and meat and high in leafy greens, fruits and vitamin D can prevent disease and promote well-being.
Vitamin D is an immune system booster that aids the body in attacking breast cancer cells by preventing them from dividing and multiplying. "Vitamin D is a key component in helping the body respond to many different kinds of assaults and stimuli," says Robert Heaney, Ph.D., professor of medicine at Creighton University. "In the absence of it, you're asking the body to defend itself with one hand tied behind its back."
You can get vitamin D from mushrooms, dark leafy green vegetables, fish oil, soymilk and rice milk. In the summer, spend some time in the sun. Sunlight exposure stimulates vitamin D production in the skin. According to Dr. Oz, host of The Dr. Oz Show, fair-skinned people need about 10-15 minutes of sunshine a day while darker skinned individuals can benefit from up to an hour of sun exposure. In the winter months Dr. Oz recommends taking vitamin D supplements.
In addition to getting enough vitamin D, maintaining a healthy diet is key to breast cancer prevention. Breast cancer survivor Elaine Sloan attributes her vegan diet to keeping her cancer-free for 17 years since her diagnosis.
"Before my mastectomy, I ate lots of eggs, cheese, and other dairy products," says Sloan. "I knew I had to make some changes if I wanted to live a long, healthy life. My son suggested I consider a vegan diet. After reading that high-fat diets may well contribute to breast cancer, I knew that going vegan would be a step in saving my life in the future."
Studies have shown that a diet high in animal products and dairy- which is full of hormones and saturated fat- can cause breast cancer, while vegan diets can help prevent and even reverse it. A vegan diet is a plant-based diet where all animal products such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy are avoided.
There are several ways that a vegan diet reduces the risk of breast cancer. When our body is overloaded with toxins, it is unable to fight off disease. However, the body naturally wants to heal itself and we can help it do that by eating the proper nutrition. According to The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "People consuming a low-fat vegetarian diet tend to have higher levels of natural killer cells, which appear to make the immune system more effective in destroying tumors."
A diet high in animal fat, especially the carcinogens found in cooked red meat, and the fat-soluble hormones found in milk from cows can be toxic to your system. According to Arthur Upton, former Director of The National Cancer Institute, "Both breast cancer and colon cancer have been generally associated with the level of consumption of animal fat."
A diet high in fruits and vegetables is beneficial because of the phytochemicals found in produce, which aid the immune system in destroying tumors. Plant-based dieters tend to get the recommended amount of servings of produce while those following a typical Western diet do not.
Western countries have much higher rates of breast cancer than Asian countries such as Japan where the diet is much lower in animal fat. When Japanese women are raised on Western diets, their breast cancer risk dramatically increases.
"A Harvard Medical School study of more than 90,000 women revealed that the women who ate the most meat were nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those who did not eat much meat," says Sloan. "Personally, I don't need another study to tell me that meat, eggs, and dairy products are unhealthy and vegan foods are wholesome and beneficial. I can feel the difference for myself."
Following a vegan diet has many health benefits. "Since I switched to a vegan diet, my energy level has increased, my cholesterol level has decreased, and I feel healthier overall," says Sloan. "But the best health benefit is the peace of mind I get from knowing that I'm much less likely to have a breast cancer relapse."
Source: NaturalNews.com
The best cure is prevention. The National Cancer Institute estimates that as much as 80% of cancer cases are preventable. Maintaining a healthy diet is the number one thing you can do to prevent yourself from getting breast cancer. A diet low in sugar, dairy, and meat and high in leafy greens, fruits and vitamin D can prevent disease and promote well-being.
Vitamin D is an immune system booster that aids the body in attacking breast cancer cells by preventing them from dividing and multiplying. "Vitamin D is a key component in helping the body respond to many different kinds of assaults and stimuli," says Robert Heaney, Ph.D., professor of medicine at Creighton University. "In the absence of it, you're asking the body to defend itself with one hand tied behind its back."
You can get vitamin D from mushrooms, dark leafy green vegetables, fish oil, soymilk and rice milk. In the summer, spend some time in the sun. Sunlight exposure stimulates vitamin D production in the skin. According to Dr. Oz, host of The Dr. Oz Show, fair-skinned people need about 10-15 minutes of sunshine a day while darker skinned individuals can benefit from up to an hour of sun exposure. In the winter months Dr. Oz recommends taking vitamin D supplements.
In addition to getting enough vitamin D, maintaining a healthy diet is key to breast cancer prevention. Breast cancer survivor Elaine Sloan attributes her vegan diet to keeping her cancer-free for 17 years since her diagnosis.
"Before my mastectomy, I ate lots of eggs, cheese, and other dairy products," says Sloan. "I knew I had to make some changes if I wanted to live a long, healthy life. My son suggested I consider a vegan diet. After reading that high-fat diets may well contribute to breast cancer, I knew that going vegan would be a step in saving my life in the future."
Studies have shown that a diet high in animal products and dairy- which is full of hormones and saturated fat- can cause breast cancer, while vegan diets can help prevent and even reverse it. A vegan diet is a plant-based diet where all animal products such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy are avoided.
There are several ways that a vegan diet reduces the risk of breast cancer. When our body is overloaded with toxins, it is unable to fight off disease. However, the body naturally wants to heal itself and we can help it do that by eating the proper nutrition. According to The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "People consuming a low-fat vegetarian diet tend to have higher levels of natural killer cells, which appear to make the immune system more effective in destroying tumors."
A diet high in animal fat, especially the carcinogens found in cooked red meat, and the fat-soluble hormones found in milk from cows can be toxic to your system. According to Arthur Upton, former Director of The National Cancer Institute, "Both breast cancer and colon cancer have been generally associated with the level of consumption of animal fat."
A diet high in fruits and vegetables is beneficial because of the phytochemicals found in produce, which aid the immune system in destroying tumors. Plant-based dieters tend to get the recommended amount of servings of produce while those following a typical Western diet do not.
Western countries have much higher rates of breast cancer than Asian countries such as Japan where the diet is much lower in animal fat. When Japanese women are raised on Western diets, their breast cancer risk dramatically increases.
"A Harvard Medical School study of more than 90,000 women revealed that the women who ate the most meat were nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those who did not eat much meat," says Sloan. "Personally, I don't need another study to tell me that meat, eggs, and dairy products are unhealthy and vegan foods are wholesome and beneficial. I can feel the difference for myself."
Following a vegan diet has many health benefits. "Since I switched to a vegan diet, my energy level has increased, my cholesterol level has decreased, and I feel healthier overall," says Sloan. "But the best health benefit is the peace of mind I get from knowing that I'm much less likely to have a breast cancer relapse."
Source: NaturalNews.com
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Second hand smoke can trigger heart attacks
Non smokers can suffer heart attacks even if they are exposed briefly to cigarette smoke, says a new report of the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
The US Surgeon General has confirmed that nearly 50,000 Americans die every year from exposure to secondhand or passive smoking, known to cause of other serious diseases and ailments, including lung cancer.
Half of the US states have implemented comprehensive laws, which protect workers from passive smoking. Bars and restaurants in these states are also smoke-free , which gives people with asthma and other lung diseases the freedom to dine and socialise wherever they choose.
The American Lung Association (ALA) is working to eliminate exposure to second hand smoke in all work and public places, through its Smokefree Air Challenge, a nationwide campaign, says a release quoting its president and CEO Charles D. Connor.
Source: INDO ASIAN NEWS SERVICE
The US Surgeon General has confirmed that nearly 50,000 Americans die every year from exposure to secondhand or passive smoking, known to cause of other serious diseases and ailments, including lung cancer.
Half of the US states have implemented comprehensive laws, which protect workers from passive smoking. Bars and restaurants in these states are also smoke-free , which gives people with asthma and other lung diseases the freedom to dine and socialise wherever they choose.
The American Lung Association (ALA) is working to eliminate exposure to second hand smoke in all work and public places, through its Smokefree Air Challenge, a nationwide campaign, says a release quoting its president and CEO Charles D. Connor.
Source: INDO ASIAN NEWS SERVICE
Chrysanthemum Extract May Treat Cancer
Extracts from the flowers commonly called mums (chrysanthemum) have been shown to possess anticancer properties. Chinese researchers have now uncovered the mechanism of action for the chrysanthemum’s cancer treatment activities.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the incidence of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) is increasing, mainly in relation to the spread of hepatitis C infection. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common cancer in some areas of the world, with more than 1 million new cases diagnosed annually. Estimated new cases of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in the United States in 2009 is 22,620, with an anticipated 18,160 deaths.
Previous studies have shown that chrysanthemum species, especially Chrysanthemum indicum, possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immune system modulating, and neuroprotective properties. The flower’s anticancer abilities, however, have been of special interest, and were explored in the current study in liver cancer.
In the current study, the authors examined the impact of Chrysanthemum indicum extract on both rat and human liver cancer cells (MHCC97H cell line). They found that the extract inhibited the proliferation of the cancer cells without harming normal cells. The chrysanthemum extract also induced apoptosis (cell death) of liver cancer cells and caused other actions indicative of anticancer effects. The researchers concluded that Chrysanthemum indicum extract has potential as a treatment for human cancer.
Other studies of Chrysanthemum indicum in combination with cancer-fighting agents or traditional Chinese medicine have been promising as well. One study showed that patients with metastatic breast cancer who took Chrysanthemum indicum extract after surgery along with either traditional Chinese medicines or chemotherapeutic agents had a five-year overall survival rate of 70 percent and 77 percent, respectively, without adverse effects. Another study (2008) found that the plant extract along with traditional Chinese medicine achieved a 67 percent response rate in patients with advanced esophageal cancer.
Source: Deborah Mitchell
According to the National Cancer Institute, the incidence of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) is increasing, mainly in relation to the spread of hepatitis C infection. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common cancer in some areas of the world, with more than 1 million new cases diagnosed annually. Estimated new cases of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in the United States in 2009 is 22,620, with an anticipated 18,160 deaths.
Previous studies have shown that chrysanthemum species, especially Chrysanthemum indicum, possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immune system modulating, and neuroprotective properties. The flower’s anticancer abilities, however, have been of special interest, and were explored in the current study in liver cancer.
In the current study, the authors examined the impact of Chrysanthemum indicum extract on both rat and human liver cancer cells (MHCC97H cell line). They found that the extract inhibited the proliferation of the cancer cells without harming normal cells. The chrysanthemum extract also induced apoptosis (cell death) of liver cancer cells and caused other actions indicative of anticancer effects. The researchers concluded that Chrysanthemum indicum extract has potential as a treatment for human cancer.
Other studies of Chrysanthemum indicum in combination with cancer-fighting agents or traditional Chinese medicine have been promising as well. One study showed that patients with metastatic breast cancer who took Chrysanthemum indicum extract after surgery along with either traditional Chinese medicines or chemotherapeutic agents had a five-year overall survival rate of 70 percent and 77 percent, respectively, without adverse effects. Another study (2008) found that the plant extract along with traditional Chinese medicine achieved a 67 percent response rate in patients with advanced esophageal cancer.
Source: Deborah Mitchell
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Raw Fish Spread Liver Cancer
Uncooked fish can cause human liver cancer, but most sushi lovers need not worry since the condition comes only from eating certain freshwater fish.
The human liver fluke, a freshwater parasite endemic to areas of Thailand, Japan, and Siberia, triggers human liver cancer by creating harmful cell mutations, encouraging tumor growth, and stopping normal cell death, according to a study released yesterday in the journal PLoS Pathogens.
The research could help prevent millions of people from developing liver cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer "has classified Opisthorchis viverrini as a Class One carcinogen," said Sutas Suttiprapa, a scientist at George Washington University and a co-author of the PLoS Pathogens papers.
"I think that over the next year or next few years there will be a big campaign to treat and give these people some knowledge to stop eating raw fish."
There are actually three species of microscopic human liver fluke. O. viverrini is endemic to streams and lakes in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia and was the actual species of fluke tested by the scientists. Another fluke lives in Siberia, and yet another is found in Japan and Korea.The parasite is only found in freshwater however, so eating sushi from the ocean is safe to eat.
Like many parasites, the human liver fluke has a complicated life span. An egg is first released from the human host. A snail eats the egg, which hatches and begins to develop.
Eventually a free swimming larvae emerges from the snail and attaches to the skin of a freshwater fish. When a human eats the fish raw, or as most people in Thailand are infected, by eating a delicacy of fermented fish, the parasite emerges from the small intestine and takes up residence inside the liver.
Once in the liver three things happen that eventually lead to cancer. First, the body tries to kill the fluke by producing free oxygen radicals. The fluke is largely immune from these attacks, however, so the radicals rebound, enter the body's own liver cells, and mutate human DNA.
Next, the fluke inadvertently encourages these mutated cells reproduce. Granulin, a growth factor, helps the fluke reproduce. Unfortunately for humans, granulin also encourages human cancer cells to reproduce and grow.
Finally, the flukes prevent the cancer cells from dying at their appointed time. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is one way the body stops cancer cells from developing. The flukes produce another protein that stops apoptosis, according to unpublished results.
Just having the fluke along creates a small number of liver cancers, but diet accounts for most liver cancers in infected patients. The popular fermented fish delicacy, known locally as plaa raa, contains large amounts of nitrosamines, another carcinogen linked to prostate cancer.
"In early studies hamsters were infected with the liver fluke along, and a small number of hamsters developed cancer," said Suttiprapa. "But when they put nitrosamines in with the liver fluke, they found that most hamsters developed the cancer."
The human liver fluke is not the only pathogen linked to cancer. Helicobacter pylori, herpes, and other microorganisms cause cancer in less than one percent of the infected population. Of the roughly nine million people infected with Opisthorchis viverrini, an estimated 33 percent will develop liver cancer.
There is hope for people infected with the flatworm. The parasite can, and often is, killed with praziquantel, one of the WHO's Essential Medicines. The problem is that people take a cavalier approach to infection.
"They can take the medicine to cure themselves of the fluke," said Suttiprapa. "But every reinfection causes more and more damage to the bile ducts."
Linking a parasite to a cancer is very rare, says Polly Sager, a scientist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases familiar with the research. Linking consumption of raw fish to cancer should help reduce the prevalence of liver cancer in areas of Thailand, Laos, and neighboring countries. It also gives cancer researchers here in the US another way to study another path to cancer.
"This could be a mechanism that is used in other types of cancer," said Sager. "Anytime we can figure out any mechanism for how something heads down the path to cancer is a good thing to know because we can look for it in other cancers."
The human liver fluke, a freshwater parasite endemic to areas of Thailand, Japan, and Siberia, triggers human liver cancer by creating harmful cell mutations, encouraging tumor growth, and stopping normal cell death, according to a study released yesterday in the journal PLoS Pathogens.
The research could help prevent millions of people from developing liver cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer "has classified Opisthorchis viverrini as a Class One carcinogen," said Sutas Suttiprapa, a scientist at George Washington University and a co-author of the PLoS Pathogens papers.
"I think that over the next year or next few years there will be a big campaign to treat and give these people some knowledge to stop eating raw fish."
There are actually three species of microscopic human liver fluke. O. viverrini is endemic to streams and lakes in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia and was the actual species of fluke tested by the scientists. Another fluke lives in Siberia, and yet another is found in Japan and Korea.The parasite is only found in freshwater however, so eating sushi from the ocean is safe to eat.
Like many parasites, the human liver fluke has a complicated life span. An egg is first released from the human host. A snail eats the egg, which hatches and begins to develop.
Eventually a free swimming larvae emerges from the snail and attaches to the skin of a freshwater fish. When a human eats the fish raw, or as most people in Thailand are infected, by eating a delicacy of fermented fish, the parasite emerges from the small intestine and takes up residence inside the liver.
Once in the liver three things happen that eventually lead to cancer. First, the body tries to kill the fluke by producing free oxygen radicals. The fluke is largely immune from these attacks, however, so the radicals rebound, enter the body's own liver cells, and mutate human DNA.
Next, the fluke inadvertently encourages these mutated cells reproduce. Granulin, a growth factor, helps the fluke reproduce. Unfortunately for humans, granulin also encourages human cancer cells to reproduce and grow.
Finally, the flukes prevent the cancer cells from dying at their appointed time. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is one way the body stops cancer cells from developing. The flukes produce another protein that stops apoptosis, according to unpublished results.
Just having the fluke along creates a small number of liver cancers, but diet accounts for most liver cancers in infected patients. The popular fermented fish delicacy, known locally as plaa raa, contains large amounts of nitrosamines, another carcinogen linked to prostate cancer.
"In early studies hamsters were infected with the liver fluke along, and a small number of hamsters developed cancer," said Suttiprapa. "But when they put nitrosamines in with the liver fluke, they found that most hamsters developed the cancer."
The human liver fluke is not the only pathogen linked to cancer. Helicobacter pylori, herpes, and other microorganisms cause cancer in less than one percent of the infected population. Of the roughly nine million people infected with Opisthorchis viverrini, an estimated 33 percent will develop liver cancer.
There is hope for people infected with the flatworm. The parasite can, and often is, killed with praziquantel, one of the WHO's Essential Medicines. The problem is that people take a cavalier approach to infection.
"They can take the medicine to cure themselves of the fluke," said Suttiprapa. "But every reinfection causes more and more damage to the bile ducts."
Linking a parasite to a cancer is very rare, says Polly Sager, a scientist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases familiar with the research. Linking consumption of raw fish to cancer should help reduce the prevalence of liver cancer in areas of Thailand, Laos, and neighboring countries. It also gives cancer researchers here in the US another way to study another path to cancer.
"This could be a mechanism that is used in other types of cancer," said Sager. "Anytime we can figure out any mechanism for how something heads down the path to cancer is a good thing to know because we can look for it in other cancers."
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Meditation improves wellbeing of cancer patients
Washington, Oct 14 (IANS) Transcendental Meditation (TM) reduces stress and improves wellbeing among women with breast cancer, according to a new study.
A total of 130 women with breast cancer, 55 years and older, participated in the two-year study at Saint Joseph Hospital.
The women were randomly assigned to either the TM technique or to a usual care control group. They were administered quality of life measures, including the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), every six months for two years.
“The women in the study found their meditation practice easy to do at home and reported significant benefits in their overall quality of life,” said Sanford Nidich, study co-author and senior researcher at the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention (INMP), Maharishi University of Management.
“Emotional and psycho-social stress contribute to the onset and progression of breast cancer and cancer mortality,” added Nidich.
“Data from this well-designed clinical trial and related studies suggest that effective stress reduction with the Transcendental Meditation program may be useful in the prevention and treatment and of breast cancer and its deleterious consequences,” said Robert Schneider, study co-author and director, INMP.
Women over 50 years have four times the incidence of breast cancer compared to women below 50, which remains a leading cause of death among them, according to the National Cancer Institute, said an INMP release.
The project was a collaboration between the Centre for Healthy Aging at Saint Joseph Hospital; the Institute for Health Services, Research and Policy Studies at Northwestern University; the department of psychology at Indiana State University and INMP.
A total of 130 women with breast cancer, 55 years and older, participated in the two-year study at Saint Joseph Hospital.
The women were randomly assigned to either the TM technique or to a usual care control group. They were administered quality of life measures, including the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), every six months for two years.
“The women in the study found their meditation practice easy to do at home and reported significant benefits in their overall quality of life,” said Sanford Nidich, study co-author and senior researcher at the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention (INMP), Maharishi University of Management.
“Emotional and psycho-social stress contribute to the onset and progression of breast cancer and cancer mortality,” added Nidich.
“Data from this well-designed clinical trial and related studies suggest that effective stress reduction with the Transcendental Meditation program may be useful in the prevention and treatment and of breast cancer and its deleterious consequences,” said Robert Schneider, study co-author and director, INMP.
Women over 50 years have four times the incidence of breast cancer compared to women below 50, which remains a leading cause of death among them, according to the National Cancer Institute, said an INMP release.
The project was a collaboration between the Centre for Healthy Aging at Saint Joseph Hospital; the Institute for Health Services, Research and Policy Studies at Northwestern University; the department of psychology at Indiana State University and INMP.
Source: sindhtoday.net
Young Breast Cancer Survivor Offers Hope
By Jennifer Mayerle, CBS Atlanta Reporter
ATLANTA -- Women are told time and time again, a breast self exam can save a life. Emily Cochran said that's what saved her life and she wants other young women to pay attention.
“I think the one thing, the emotion that overcomes everything else, is that it's really empowering,” said Cochran.
The 31-year-old looks at beating breast cancer opportunity to raise awareness about the disease.
“I discovered it through a self breast exam and at the time, I was actually 22,” said Cochran.
A doctor dismissed the lump because Cochran was so young. She wasn't diagnosed until the following year, as a senior in college at age 23.
“It just wouldn't go away. It felt like a jelly bean or a pebble. I think at first it was emotional because I didn't know if I was going to live, if I was going to die, if I was going to go back to college,” said Cochran.
Doctors also found a lump in her other breast so Cochran had a double bilateral mastectomy to have both of her breasts removed.
“I had four rounds of chemo. All my hair fell out. I was sick,” said Cochran.
She said when she was diagnosed eight years ago, breast cancer in young women was rare, and new to her doctors.
“The closest person to my age they were treating was in their 40s so it was difficult. Breast cancer in young women is different. It's a lot more aggressive and a lot of times you catch it later and we didn't know what we were dealing with,” said Cochran.
Cochran believes young women with breast cancer face different obstacles than women who are diagnosed later in life. She said there’s dating issues and fertility issues. That’s why she’s pushing forward, and sharing her story.
“The fact that I can actually talk to one person and let them know this can potentially save your life overcomes any other sad, scary, any anxiety over it,” said Cochran.
Cochran is a volunteer with the Young Survival Coalition, a nonprofit committed to raising awareness about young breast cancer survivors. She will be riding in 'Tour de Pink' Saturday, Oct. 17 at Perimeter Mall. It's a fundraiser for YSC. CBS Atlanta News is a proud sponsor of the event.
ATLANTA -- Women are told time and time again, a breast self exam can save a life. Emily Cochran said that's what saved her life and she wants other young women to pay attention.
“I think the one thing, the emotion that overcomes everything else, is that it's really empowering,” said Cochran.
The 31-year-old looks at beating breast cancer opportunity to raise awareness about the disease.
“I discovered it through a self breast exam and at the time, I was actually 22,” said Cochran.
A doctor dismissed the lump because Cochran was so young. She wasn't diagnosed until the following year, as a senior in college at age 23.
“It just wouldn't go away. It felt like a jelly bean or a pebble. I think at first it was emotional because I didn't know if I was going to live, if I was going to die, if I was going to go back to college,” said Cochran.
Doctors also found a lump in her other breast so Cochran had a double bilateral mastectomy to have both of her breasts removed.
“I had four rounds of chemo. All my hair fell out. I was sick,” said Cochran.
She said when she was diagnosed eight years ago, breast cancer in young women was rare, and new to her doctors.
“The closest person to my age they were treating was in their 40s so it was difficult. Breast cancer in young women is different. It's a lot more aggressive and a lot of times you catch it later and we didn't know what we were dealing with,” said Cochran.
Cochran believes young women with breast cancer face different obstacles than women who are diagnosed later in life. She said there’s dating issues and fertility issues. That’s why she’s pushing forward, and sharing her story.
“The fact that I can actually talk to one person and let them know this can potentially save your life overcomes any other sad, scary, any anxiety over it,” said Cochran.
Cochran is a volunteer with the Young Survival Coalition, a nonprofit committed to raising awareness about young breast cancer survivors. She will be riding in 'Tour de Pink' Saturday, Oct. 17 at Perimeter Mall. It's a fundraiser for YSC. CBS Atlanta News is a proud sponsor of the event.
Source: cbsatlanta.com
Survivors of Childhood Cancer Less Likely to Marry
Newswise — Childhood cancer survivors typically suffer from the long-term effects of cancer treatment on physical health, and results of a new study suggest that social implications also exist, which may affect their chance of an “I do” at the altar.
Survivors are 20 to 25 percent more likely “to never marry” compared with siblings and the general population, according to findings published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
“Many childhood cancer survivors still struggle to fully participate in our society because of the lasting cognitive and physical effects of their past cancer therapy,” said lead researcher Nina S. Kadan-Lottick, M.D., M.S.P.H., assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center, and medical director of the Health Education, Research & Outcomes for Survivors (HEROS) Clinic for childhood cancer survivors.
Using data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, a retrospective cohort of more than 10,000 childhood cancer survivors (who are now adults) treated at 26 institutions around the country, Kadan-Lottick and colleagues evaluated the frequency of marriage and divorce rates among survivors compared with their sibling group and U.S. Census data. The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study is an ongoing study funded by the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers distributed surveys to participants to determine late outcomes of therapy, medical problems, subsequent cancers, psychosocial functioning and other aspects of survivorship, according to the researchers. They identified patients and treatment factors that may predict marital status, including psychosocial distress and neurocognitive impairment.
“Our study pinpointed what aspects of the survivor experience likely contribute to altered marriage patterns: short stature, poor physical functioning and cognitive problems,” said Kadan-Lottick. “These conditions are known to be associated with certain chemotherapy and radiation exposures.”
Results showed that an estimated 42 percent of survivors were married, 7.3 percent were separated or divorced and 46 percent were never married.
Those who survived brain tumors were 50 percent more likely never to marry. Survivors of central nervous system tumors and leukemia had the greatest likelihood of never marrying, according to the study. Cranial radiation was the therapy most associated with not getting married.
Likelihood of divorce did not vary between the study populations.
“While it can be debated whether marriage is a desirable outcome, marriage is generally an expected developmental goal in our society to the extent that most U.S. adults are married by the age of 30. Our results suggest that survivors of childhood cancer need ongoing support even as they enter adulthood,” Kadan-Lottick suggested.
Electra D. Paskett, Ph.D., who was not involved with the study, but is a deputy editor of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, said these findings shed light on the use of certain treatments and their long-term implications, which may affect a patient’s physical appearance, thereby resulting in social effects.
“In other studies marital status has been found to be a significant predictor of survival. Will we see this among the childhood survivors as well?” asked Paskett, who is the Marion N. Rowley professor of cancer research in the Division of Epidemiology, and associate director for population sciences in The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
As a follow-up to this report, separate analyses are underway to better understand factors that contribute to other adult benchmarks among childhood cancer survivors, such as living independently, achieving higher education and income. The National Institutes of Health funded this study.
Source: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Survivors are 20 to 25 percent more likely “to never marry” compared with siblings and the general population, according to findings published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
“Many childhood cancer survivors still struggle to fully participate in our society because of the lasting cognitive and physical effects of their past cancer therapy,” said lead researcher Nina S. Kadan-Lottick, M.D., M.S.P.H., assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center, and medical director of the Health Education, Research & Outcomes for Survivors (HEROS) Clinic for childhood cancer survivors.
Using data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, a retrospective cohort of more than 10,000 childhood cancer survivors (who are now adults) treated at 26 institutions around the country, Kadan-Lottick and colleagues evaluated the frequency of marriage and divorce rates among survivors compared with their sibling group and U.S. Census data. The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study is an ongoing study funded by the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers distributed surveys to participants to determine late outcomes of therapy, medical problems, subsequent cancers, psychosocial functioning and other aspects of survivorship, according to the researchers. They identified patients and treatment factors that may predict marital status, including psychosocial distress and neurocognitive impairment.
“Our study pinpointed what aspects of the survivor experience likely contribute to altered marriage patterns: short stature, poor physical functioning and cognitive problems,” said Kadan-Lottick. “These conditions are known to be associated with certain chemotherapy and radiation exposures.”
Results showed that an estimated 42 percent of survivors were married, 7.3 percent were separated or divorced and 46 percent were never married.
Those who survived brain tumors were 50 percent more likely never to marry. Survivors of central nervous system tumors and leukemia had the greatest likelihood of never marrying, according to the study. Cranial radiation was the therapy most associated with not getting married.
Likelihood of divorce did not vary between the study populations.
“While it can be debated whether marriage is a desirable outcome, marriage is generally an expected developmental goal in our society to the extent that most U.S. adults are married by the age of 30. Our results suggest that survivors of childhood cancer need ongoing support even as they enter adulthood,” Kadan-Lottick suggested.
Electra D. Paskett, Ph.D., who was not involved with the study, but is a deputy editor of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, said these findings shed light on the use of certain treatments and their long-term implications, which may affect a patient’s physical appearance, thereby resulting in social effects.
“In other studies marital status has been found to be a significant predictor of survival. Will we see this among the childhood survivors as well?” asked Paskett, who is the Marion N. Rowley professor of cancer research in the Division of Epidemiology, and associate director for population sciences in The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
As a follow-up to this report, separate analyses are underway to better understand factors that contribute to other adult benchmarks among childhood cancer survivors, such as living independently, achieving higher education and income. The National Institutes of Health funded this study.
Source: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
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