Cancer Central

What is the Difference between a Malignant and a Benign Tumor?

Cancer Info — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:55:50 +0000

The answer to this question is important to cancer patients, their loved ones, and students of medicine who are in the initial stages of studying cancer. The simple answer is that malignant tumors are the ones that contain cancer cells.

If a patient already has a malignant tumor, their cells can invade and destroy the tissue near its location and gradually spread to other parts of the body if left unchecked. Having a malignant tumor is life-threatening and should be addressed immediately by a highly competent and qualified cancer specialist. This is important in order to improve the quality of life of the patient, manage pain, and if at all possible, heal the patient of the cancer that is spreading in his or her body.

A benign tumor on the other hand, is not cancerous. Like the malignant tumor, it is also composed of a mass of cells and tissues but their main difference is that a malignant tumor does not contain dangerous cells that may bring disease to nearby cells and tissues. Benign tumors can also grow large, although they cannot spread to other body parts. Having a benign tumor instead of a malignant tumor is more preferable at any time. A benign tumor is abnormal as well but is usually a symptom of other less serious illnesses. Benign tumors also have capsules, while malignant ones do not.

Anyone who knows the answer to the question “What is the difference between a malignant and a benign tumor?” would definitely prefer to be diagnosed with a benign rather than a malignant tumor. A medical professional will know for sure if the tumor is benign or malignant by taking a sample of it and running a biopsy to determine the presence of cancer cells.

It is the writer’s hope that this article sufficiently addresses the question “What is the difference between a malignant and a benign tumor?”
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How is Cancer Diagnosed?

Cancer Info — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:52:20 +0000

With the way cancer has a devastating effect on anyone ever diagnosed with it, patients certainly deserve to know everything about this disease. What is the nature of cancer? How is cancer diagnosed? What are the treatment options? Is there a way to somehow reverse its effects on the body’s cells? Each of these topics produce a lengthy discussion, so for the purpose of this article, we will focus on answering the question: “How is cancer diagnosed?”

When a patient goes to the doctor and reports certain symptoms, the doctor will evaluate the situation and if these point to the presence of cancer, he or she will then order you to undergo diagnostic tests to determine if you have any abnormal cells in the general area of the body that corresponds to your complaint. These tests may also be ordered if prior screening tests or clinical examinations also suggest the presence of cancer, even if the patient does not report any pain or unusual growth in the body part being examined. The diagnostic tests will reveal whether the abnormal cells, if any are found, are malignant or non-malignant. The former confirms the presence of cancer, while the latter is not a fatal condition, requires treatment nonetheless in order to correct any abnormal condition that the patient experiences as a result of this.

Below are some of the tests that will answer the question of how is cancer diagnosed:

Biopsy. With most of cancer cases, this is the only way to determine without a doubt whether there are indeed cancer cells in the body. In this procedure, a doctor cuts a small tissue sample or a group of similar cells and sends it to a laboratory for testing. A pathologist will examine the tissue under a microscope to determine whether it contains cancer cells.
Imaging tests
Laboratory tests
Genomic tests

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What happens in cancer?

Cancer Info — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:46:35 +0000

All of us try to live our lives in a healthy manner. Therefore, it can be devastating when we or one of our loved ones get diagnosed with cancer. So what happens in cancer and why is this disease feared by many?

Cancer refers to a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and are able to cause damage to nearby healthy cells and tissues and make them cancerous as well. Cancer cells travel to other parts of the body by means of the blood and lymph systems.

What happens in cancer is that it is not just one type of disease, but is subdivided into many other diseases. There are over a hundred different types of cancer according to certain criteria. Most types of cancers get their name from the organ or type of cell where the disease starts. What happens in cancer is that it is grouped into broader categories such as:

Carcinoma. This type of cancer starts in the skin or in tissues lining or covering the internal organs such as the lungs.
Sarcoma. This type of cancer begins in the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, as well as other connective or supportive tissue.
Leukemia. This type of cancer starts in tissues which manufacture blood, such as the bone marrow. This causes a great number of abnormal blood cells to be made and enter the blood.
Lymphoma and myeloma. These cancers start in the cells of the immune system.
Central nervous system cancers. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord, so any cancer originating in these parts fit the classification of a central nervous system cancer.

What happens in cancer is that it starts in the very basic unit of life, which is the cell. It is still a huge mystery until now how an otherwise normal cell actually starts to turn into a cancerous one.

Understanding Colon Cancer Symptoms

Cancer Info — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:22:04 +0000

Colon cancer symptoms usually do not appear in its early stages. Most often, they are present when the disease has already progressed into its advanced stages. Below are symptoms which point to the presence of colon cancer in the body:

Blood in the stool. This is one of the most common colon cancer symptoms. However, sufferers do not often see or check for the presence of blood in the stool. This is because some foods such as watermelon and red licorice causes the stool to turn red, which is why many people are not worried if their stool turns red. Even if it is clearly blood that appears on the stool, it is not a cause for concern amongst many individuals because this symptom is also common with less severe health conditions such as hemorrhoids and anal fissures.
Thin stool. The size of a person’s stool is a good indicator of the internal processes going on in the stomach and intestines. Stool that is thin or shaped like a ribbon indicates that there is an obstruction which prevents stool from going out freely. This is one of colon cancer symptoms which point to a tumour. However, this may also be caused by other conditions such as a large benign polyp or hemorrhoids. Stool which is as thin as a pencil is a sign of an underlying medical condition. If a person notices his or her stool to be consistently getting thinner, even if they may not be as thin as a pencil, it is important to seek medical attention so tests can be done which will confirm if the patient is experiencing one of colon cancer symptoms or a less serious condition.
Constipation. This symptom is not specific to colon cancer alone. Most of the time, frequent constipation is only the underlying cause of a condition which is far less serious than colon cancer. Constipation becomes one of colon cancer symptoms when a tumour is blocking or obstructing the colon.
Abdominal pain. Like constipation, this is also a non-specific symptom for colon cancer, and also becomes a symptom of colon cancer due to the tumour blocking the tumour. Gas pains become common because the obstruction in the tumour does not allow the gas in travelling through the colon and out of the body.

Mesothelioma Asbestos Caused Cancer

Cancer Info — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:12:34 +0000

Mesothelioma asbestos caused cancer which affects the serous membranes surrounding many of the body’s vital organs. These membranes are known as mesothelium, and their function is to secrete a lubricating fluid that will allow for easy movement of organs within the body. It is crucial for mesothelioma asbestos sufferers to find the most reliable, accurate and current information about this dreaded disease in order for them to cope with this disease better and prepare for its effects.

Many websites on the Internet such as http://www.mesotheliomahelp.net provides information which an individual who is not medically trained can easily read and understand. The information includes medical terms relating to mesothelioma asbestos that the patient can expect to to encounter as well as a detailed look at the options for treatment that are currently available. These sites also talk about the struggles that patients undergo as they learn how to fight and live with the disease, offering hope with information regarding the latest treatment news and medical research for mesothelioma asbestos.

Mesothelioma asbestos is not rare for people who have had considerable exposure to asbestos either through working at a construction site that uses asbestos as one of the materials for construction or if they are residents who happen to pass by frequently or live within the same area. It is considered a rare cancer because there are very few reported cases and the progression of the disease is very low. Many of the cases of mesothelioma asbestos that were recently diagnosed have had asbestos exposure years or even decades ago.

Sadly, it is quite tragic that mesothelioma is actually preventable if only companies and government agencies that were using asbestos and its related materials in construction and industrial projects only took measures to safeguard their workers and all individuals prone to asbestos exposure. Many of these corporations that manufactured and reaped profits from the manufacture and sale of asbestos products were already aware of the dangers of using asbestos even as they are commissioning these projects.

Important Prostate Cancer Statistics for American Men

Cancer Info — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:06:49 +0000

Among men today, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer which is not a form of skin cancer. Thousands of men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, which is why it is important for them to take note of important prostate cancer statistics such as the following:

Prostate cancer is diagnosed in one out of six men. Prostate cancer statistics vary according to important factors such as race, country of origin and age. For Americans, one of every six men will be afflicted with prostate cancer in their lifetimes. The only other type of cancer that is more prevalent than prostate cancer are certain types of skin cancer.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death among American men due to cancer, with almost 30,000 men dying of prostate cancer each year. Only lung cancer eclipses the number of deaths from any other type of cancer afflicting Americans.
African-American men have a higher incidence of being diagnosed with prostate cancer than any other group. In addition, they are also most likely to die from the disease than any other race in America. The second leading group of prostate cancer sufferers are Caucasian men, however their rates are still significantly lower than African-Americans. Hispanic and Asian men round up the rest of groups of races in America. They are fortunate to have lower rates of prostate cancer and will also be least likely to die from this disease.
Incidence of prostate cancer remain steady over the last decade. Within the first few years following the PSA test being put into widespread use, prostate cancer statistics in terms of the rate of incidence registered a dramatic increase. However, this did not mean that there were more individuals suddenly contracting the disease. Instead, this only goes to show the effectiveness of the test in diagnosing prostate cancer because this was instrumental for diagnosing a number of men for the first time.
One good news from all of these sad prostate cancer statistics is that deaths resulting from prostate cancer have actually decreased over the past decade.

Evaluating Breast Cancer Treatment Options

Cancer Info — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 07:00:59 +0000

Treatment for breast cancer has greatly improved with the continuous research being done on this dreaded disease. However, a great number of breast cancer patients diagnosed (about 40%) still ultimately die despite the existence of a number of breast cancer treatment options currently available. This reality supports the fact that new and better breast cancer treatment options will need to be designed or the existing ones will need to be thoroughly evaluated and improved on. This way, the mortality rate from breast cancer will be reduced.

Existing breast cancer treatment options such as drugs and ionizing radiation work by damaging DNA and the structure that supports it. These treatment options are designed to kill certain kinds of cancer cells because of their diminished chances of surviving the damage done by drugs and radiation. However, the main problem with these breast cancer treatment options is that it also affects the functioning of normal cells. These cells suffer damage to their DNA, however they do have the ability to repair it. Unfortunately, this same characteristic of the DNA makes some types of cancer cells resistant to treatment. This is because they are also more or less capable of activating cell death following damage done to the DNA.

The existing challenge now for medical researchers and doctors is in how to use the properties of cancer cells which tell them apart from normal cells in order to specifically direct the effects of drugs and radiation towards the cancer cells only. Advances in breast cancer research is already leading to the growth in understanding of the biology involving cancer cells, subsequently leading to designing better breast cancer treatment options that will work by directly killing only the cancer cells. Listed below are six examples of promising breast cancer treatment options:

Oncolytic Viral Therapy
Interventional Radiology
Gene Therapy
Vaccination
Use of Genes Resistant to Breast Cancer

Cervical Cancer Treatment Options

Cancer Info — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:32:50 +0000

Cervical cancer treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of these. A doctor specialising in the treatment of cervical cancer will suggest the best course for treatment for a patient depending on a number of factors such as the patient’s state of general health, what type of cervical cancer afflicts her and the stage of the disease when the diagnosis was rendered. These treatment options are given in detail below and classified according to what will work on a specific stage of cervical cancer:

Early stage. The patient has more cervical cancer treatment options in the early stage of diagnosis for this disease. Surgery is often the main course of action for cervical cancer treatment in its early form when the cancer is only contained within the cervix. Another alternative cervical cancer treatment plan that the patient can avail of is radiotherapy. Doctors may decide to give this after the patient undergoes surgery if they have sufficient cause to believe that there may still be some cancer cells left behind that are in danger of multiplying. This will safeguard the patient against the possibility that the cancer will recur. For larger tumours in the cervix measuring over 4 centimetres, radiotherapy can be combined with chemotherapy in a process known as chemoradiation. Chemotherapy may also be used prior to the surgery to shrink the tumour and thus make it easier for the doctors to remove it.
Locally advanced cancer. If the cervical cancer cells have already moved beyond the cervix and is not possible to be contained using only surgery, doctors can also opt to give radiotherapy in combination with chemotherapy instead of surgery.
Advanced and recurrent stages. For women whose cancer has already spread beyond the cervix and to other parts of the body or whose cancer recurs even after undergoing radiotherapy, chemotherapy is the cervical cancer treatment plan prescribed. In this stage, women with the disease undergo palliative treatment in a move to shrink and control the cancer, resulting to a relief from symptoms as much as possible and prolonging the good quality of life for the sufferer.

Procedures in Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Cancer Info — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:25:21 +0000

Whatever diseases the patient may be suffering from, they will always ask the following questions:

Am I correctly being diagnosed?
Am I availing of the best diagnostic methods?
Is the process taking too long?
Am I receiving enough support?
Is the medical team overseeing my diagnosis competent enough?

The above anxieties and fears are no different from the ones that patients undergoing mesothelioma diagnosis feel. Since mesothelioma is a type of cancer which is a deadly disease, a patient receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis may experience drastic and life-altering changes to their way of life that only a serious illness can do. Many patients are in shock and denial, and all too often the most common reaction after a mesothelioma diagnosis is to seek a second opinion.

Once the disease is confirmed, the patient should immediately consult with an oncologist who specializes in the kind of mesothelioma he or she is suffering from so that treatment options can be explored and begun as soon as possible and to ensure that the patient receives optimal care in the duration of the illness.

Generally, a doctor will formulate a mesothelioma diagnosis within three to six months after a patient first consulted with him or her. The early symptoms of mesothelioma that patients usually complain from are breathing problems, chest and abdominal pain depending on where the cancer site is. The primary doctor typically takes the initial steps in the diagnostic process, after which the patient may be referred to a pulmonologist or an oncologist to undergo further tests. A doctor will take into account the following factors before considering mesothelioma as the likely cause of the symptoms:

The patient’s medical history. This includes the patient’s past and present health complaints with emphasis on respiratory problems, family history of cancer and whether or not the patient is currently or previously smoking.
Physical examination. The doctor will check for signs of pleural effusion or pleural mass, reduced ability to expand the chest, muted or absent sounds of breathing, mediastinal displacement, tenderness in local areas, and any protruding tumors.
Prior exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma. Therefore, any previous exposure to this necessitates further testing.

Latest on Breast Cancer Research: Starch Intake Influences the Recurrence of Breast Cancer

Cancer Info — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:18:26 +0000

Breast cancer research is continuously being done in order to stop one of the most prevalent killers among women today, breast cancer. Breast cancer research may involve aspects of the disease such as:

treatment plans or options
manufacturing new drugs or improving existing ones
finding the link between lifestyle factors and the risk of improving the disease

The subject of this article belongs to the third aspect, since starch intake is part of the diet that the patient consumes. At the 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium held during December 6 to 10 in San Antonio, Texas, medical experts involved in breast cancer research have linked an increased intake in starch to a greater risk for the recurrence of breast cancer in patients who were already diagnosed and have been in remission. According to Jennifer Edmond, a public health doctoral student at the University of California, San Diego, results from clinical trials show that the exact risk comes not just from carbohydrates in general, but starch in particular. This data came from the plant-based intervention trial called Women’s Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) involving 3,088 women and a subset analysis of 2,651 women who are breast cancer survivors. Breast cancer researchers involved in this project studied exclusively the recurrence of breast cancer in participants whom they have followed for about seven years.

The results from the study showed that women who experienced breast cancer recurrence had a mean increase in their carbohydrate intake of 2.3 grams daily on the first year. On the other hand, women who did not experience breast cancer recurrence decreased their carbohydrate intake by 2.7 grams on average per day during the first year of the study. Edmond has singled out starches as being particularly important because changes recorded in the starch intake of the patients accounted for 48 percent of the change in the intake of carbohydrates.