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Neck Dissection

craig — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 18:54:38 +0000

What is a Neck Dissection and Why is it Performed?

Neck dissection is usually performed to remove cancer that has spread to lymph nodes in the neck.

Lymph nodes are small bean shaped glands scattered throughout the body that filter and process lymph fluid from other organs. The immune cells in the lymph nodes help the body fight infection. When cancer cells spread from another part of the body, they may get caught in a lymph node where they grow. An individual might feel a non-tender lump in the neck. The cancer in the lymph node is known as a metastasis. When someone undergoes surgery for cancer that has spread to lymph nodes, both the initial or primary cancer as well as the metastases must be removed.

Neck dissection refers to the removal of lymph nodes and surrounding tissue from the neck for the purpose of cancer treatment. The extent of tissue removal depends on many factors including, the stage of disease which reflects the extent of cancer as well as the type of cancer. The most common cancers removed from lymph nodes in the neck include head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, skin cancers including melanoma and thyroid cancers.. In general, the goal of neck dissection is to remove all the lymph nodes within a predefined anatomic area. Many of the lymph nodes removed during surgery will not prove to have cancer in them.

Many patients wonder why so many non-cancerous lymph nodes must be removed; why can’t surgery be done to remove only the lymph nodes with cancer in them?

A cancer may shed any number of metastases that lodge in lymph nodes, grow and spread. There are over 150 lymph nodes on each side of the neck. During an operation, a surgeon will not be able to tell if a lymph node is clean, or if it has cancer that will later grow into a visible neck lump. The lymph nodes must be processed and tested; this takes time. For that reason, it is recommended that the lymph nodes in a predefined region are removed, not just lymph nodes that are obviously enlarged with cancer.

In addition, different cancers spread differently. Skin cancers first spread to lymph nodes in different parts of the neck than thyroid cancers or oral or larynx cancers. Squamous cell carcinomas that start in the lining or mucosa of the mouth, throat or larynx have a tendency to spread to lymph nodes early; cancer cells can often be detected in lymph nodes in the neck when examined under the microscope, even in the absence of visible or palpable neck lumps.

Lymph node metastasis reduces the survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma by half. The survival rate is less than 5% in patients who previously underwent surgery and have a recurrent metastasis in the neck. Therefore, the control of cancer that has spread to the neck is one of the most important aspects in the successful management of these particular cancers. The neck dissection is a standardized procedure that was developed to ensure the complete removal of cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes of the neck.

Radical vs. Modified Neck Dissection

Radical Neck Dissection

- This operation has been used for almost 100 years and describes the removal of lateral neck nodes and tissues to surgically remove cancer in the neck. Included in this tissue, which extends from the collarbone (clavicle) inferiorly to the jawbone (mandible) superiorly are dozens of lymph nodes. In addition to lymph nodes, this operation often includes remove the submandibular gland (a saliva-producing gland in the upper neck), the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the jugular vein and the spinal accessory nerve (to the trapezius muscle).
- The radical neck dissection was designed to ensure complete cancer removal in individuals with very advanced cancers in the neck. The radical neck dissection is effective but produces characteristic cosmetic changes. Because so much tissue is removed, one side of the neck may appear flatter than the other. More importantly, sacrifice of the nerve to the trapezius muscle results in visible drooping of the shoulder and difficulty in raising the arm over head. Some individuals develop pain in the neck and collarbone. An intensive physical therapy program may diminish some of these problems, but some long-term disability can be anticipated.

Historically, radical neck dissections were the most commonly performed type of neck dissection performed by surgeons. This is no longer the case. Most patients are candidates for a less radical operation.

Modified Radical Neck Dissection

This term describes a variety of neck dissections that preserve structures that are usually sacrificed in the radical neck dissection such as the spinal accessory nerve, the internal jugular vein or sternocleidomastoid muscle. Further, selective neck dissections are neck dissections that, in addition to preserving these important structures, are used to remove specific groups of lymph nodes, rather than all the lymph nodes on the side of the neck, based on the probability that those lymph nodes harbor cancer.
While radical neck dissections produce the greatest changes in cosmetic appearance and shoulder function, selective neck dissections produce the least. In fact, selective neck dissections frequently produce no obvious cosmetic changes, yielding a nearly invisible scar. Nevertheless, strength and flexibility may be enhanced with adherence to neck and shoulder range of motion exercises after surgery. The best results can be expected with faithful adherence to an exercise program over the long term.

The Procedure

Neck dissections are done under general anesthesia through an incision that runs along a skin crease in the neck, extending vertically on the side of the neck. Incisions are usually designed to enhance the visualization and protection of important structures in the neck, and enable the safe removal of lymph nodes that harbor cancer.

Beneath the skin, underlying fat, and a thin layer of muscle (the platysma), the dissection proceeds to identify and remove the tissue containing the lymph nodes. If the sternocleidomastoid muscle is removed as part of the operation, there may be some flattening of the neck, but removal of this muscle rarely results in significant weakness.

What are the risks of neck dissection?

Neck dissections are subject to numerous potential operative complications that are common to all operative procedures, as well as complications specific to this procedure. Some of these are described below, but do not include all potential complications associated with neck dissection. The risk of specific complications may be best determined for an individual by the nature and extent of their cancer, prior treatment and other circumstances.

Bleeding-Patients may bleed after an operation. Bleeding under the skin after a neck dissection is rare. Sometimes an operative procedure to remove the blood is required. Rarely, a blood transfusion is also needed.
Infection can occur after any surgical procedure including neck dissection (uncommon)
Chyle leak, which results in fluid accumulation in the neck from disruption of the thoracic duct (this problem is more common after left sided neck dissections) (rare)
Wound healing problems requiring additional surgery (rare)

Several important nerves are found in the neck around the lymph nodes, and depending on the area of the neck to be operated, these nerves can be at risk for damage. The primary nerves of concern are-

The marginal nerve, a small branch of the facial nerve which controls lower lip movement
The spinal accessory nerve which aids in shoulder mobility and raising the arm over head
The hypoglossal nerve, which controls movement of the tongue (uncommon)
The lingual nerve, which controls sensation on the side of the tongue (rare)
The vagus nerve which controls movement of one vocal cord (rare)

Additional potential long-term problems include:

Incision-Most incisions heal well, but some individuals develop scars.
Numbness of the skin along the incision as well as over the cheek, ear and neck can be anticipated which improves with time; some long term numbness can be anticipated
Neck stiffness or pain
Long term swelling in the neck or lymphedema
Shoulder weakness (uncommon)
Changes in speech and swallowing (rare)

Some problems are attributable to nerve injury; more commonly, scarring under the skin from surgery and radiation contributes to disability. Some problems may be avoided with early and faithful adherence to a shoulder range of motion exercise program, lymphedema or speech therapy rehabilitation programs.

to be continued

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Lymph Nodes and Cancer

craig — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 01:40:04 +0000

What is the lymph system?

Lymph Nodes and Cancer

Our bodies have a network of lymph vessels and lymph nodes. (Lymph is pronounced limf.) This network is a part of the body’s immune system. It collects fluid, waste material, and other things (like viruses and bacteria) that are in the body tissues, outside the bloodstream.

Lymph vessels are a lot like the veins that collect and carry blood through the body. But instead of carrying blood, these vessels carry the clear watery fluid called lymph.

Lymph fluid flows out from capillary walls to bathe the body’s tissue cells. It carries oxygen and other nutrients to the cells, and carries away waste products like carbon dioxide (CO₂) that flow out of the cells. Lymph fluid also contains white blood cells, which help fight infections.

Lymph fluid would build up and cause swelling if it were not drained in some way. That’s the role of the lymph vessels. Lymph vessels draw up the lymph fluid from around the cells to send it towards the chest. There, lymph fluid collects into a large vessel that drains into a blood vessel near the heart.

Lymph nodes and what they do

Lymph vessels route lymph fluid through nodes throughout the body. Lymph nodes are small structures that work as filters for harmful substances. They contain immune cells that can help fight infection by attacking and destroying germs that are carried in through the lymph fluid.

There are hundreds of lymph nodes throughout the body. Each lymph node filters the fluid and substances picked up by the vessels that lead to it. Lymph fluid from the fingers, for instance, works its way toward the chest, joining fluid from the arm. This fluid may filter through lymph nodes at the elbow, or those under the arm. Fluid from the head, scalp, and face flows down through lymph nodes in the neck. Some lymph nodes are deep inside the body, such as between the lungs or around the bowel, to filter fluid in those areas. The lymph fluid slowly flows in from all around the body, making its way back to the chest. At the end of its journey, the filtered fluid, salts, and proteins are dumped back into the bloodstream.

Swollen lymph nodes

When there’s a problem, such as infection, injury, or cancer, the node or the group of lymph nodes in that area may swell or enlarge as they work to filter out the “bad” cells. This may be called lymphadenopathy (LIMF-ad-uh-NOP-uh-thee). Swollen lymph nodes tell you that something is not right, but other symptoms help pinpoint the problem. For instance, ear pain, fever, and enlarged lymph nodes near your ear are clues that you may have an ear infection or cold.

Some areas where lymph nodes commonly swell are in the neck, groin, and underarms. In most cases, only one area of nodes swells at a time. When more than one area of lymph nodes is swollen it’s called generalized lymphadenopathy. Some infections (such as strep throat and chicken pox), certain medicines, immune system diseases, and cancers like lymphoma and leukemia can cause this kind of swelling. The health care provider will look for more information to figure out the cause of the swelling. Lymph node swelling is often caused by something other than cancer.

Cancer in the lymph nodes

Cancer can appear in the lymph nodes in 2 ways: it can either start there or it can spread there from somewhere else.

Cancer that starts in the lymph nodes is called lymphoma. You can read more about lymphoma in Hodgkin Disease and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

More often, cancer starts somewhere else and then spreads to lymph nodes. That is the focus of this section.

How does cancer spread to lymph nodes?

Cancer can spread from where it started (the primary site) to other parts of the body.

When cancer cells break away from a tumor, they can travel to other areas of the body through either the bloodstream or the lymph system. Cancer cells can travel through the bloodstream to reach distant organs. If they travel through the lymph system, the cancer cells may end up in lymph nodes. Either way, most of the escaped cancer cells die or are killed before they can start growing somewhere else. But one or two might settle in a new area, begin to grow, and form new tumors. This spread of cancer to a new part of the body is called metastasis.

In order for cancer cells to spread to new parts of the body, they have to go through several changes. They first have to become able to break away from the original tumor and then attach to the outside wall of a lymph vessel or blood vessel. Then they must move through the vessel wall to flow with the blood or lymph to a new organ or lymph node.

When cancer grows inside lymph nodes, it usually affects the lymph nodes near the tumor itself. These are the nodes that have been doing most of the work to filter out or kill the cancer cells.

How is cancer in lymph nodes found?

Normal lymph nodes are tiny and can be hard to find, but when there’s infection, inflammation, or cancer, the nodes can get larger. Those near the body’s surface often get big enough to feel with your fingers, and some can even be seen. But if there are only a few cancer cells in a lymph node, it may look and feel normal. In that case, the doctor must check for cancer by removing all or part of the lymph node.

When a surgeon operates to remove a primary cancer, one or more of the nearby (regional) lymph nodes may be removed as well. Removal of one lymph node is called a biopsy. When many lymph nodes are removed, it’s called lymph node sampling or lymph node dissection. When cancer has spread to lymph nodes, there’s a higher risk that the cancer might come back after surgery. This information helps the doctor decide whether more treatment, like chemo or radiation, might be needed after surgery.

Doctors may also take samples of one or more nodes using needles. Usually, this is done on lymph nodes that are enlarged. This is called a needle biopsy. The tissue that’s removed is looked at under the microscope by a pathologist (a doctor who diagnoses illness using tissue samples) to find out if there are cancer cells in it

Under the microscope, any cancer cells in the nodes look like the cancer cells from the primary tumor. For instance, when breast cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, the cells in the nodes look like breast cancer cells. The pathologist prepares a report, which details what was found. If a node has cancer in it, the report describes what it looks like and how much was seen.

Doctors may also use scans or other imaging tests to look for enlarged nodes that deep in the body. For more on this, see Imaging (Radiology) Tests. Often, enlarged lymph nodes near a cancer are assumed to contain cancer.

What does it mean if there’s cancer in my lymph node?

It depends. Sometimes there are so few cancer cells in the node that the pathologist must use special tests to find them. In the case of a very few cancer cells in a lymph node, it may not change the treatment plan at all.

If there’s a lot of cancer in a node, the large mass can be seen easily. If the cancer is growing out of the lymph node through the layer of connective tissue on the outside (called the capsule), it’s called extracapsular extension.

More cancer in the nodes may mean that the cancer is fast growing and/or more likely to spread to other places in the body. But if nearby lymph nodes are the only other place cancer is found beyond the main (primary) site, surgery to remove the main tumor and the nearby lymph nodes may be able to get rid of it all.

Cancer that has spread to nodes further away from the primary cancer will more likely need extra treatment with chemo or radiation.

Cancer in nodes affects cancer stage

Treatment of cancer is based on the type of cancer a person has, and the stage of the cancer. Doctors use a system to assign a stage to the cancer. The most common staging system is the TNM system. The T in TNM stands for tumor, the M stands for metastasis, and the N stands for lymph nodes. If there’s no cancer found in the lymph nodes near the cancer, the N is assigned a value of 0. If nearby or distant nodes show cancer, the N is assigned a number such as 1, 2 or sometimes 3, depending on how many nodes are affected, how much cancer is in them, how large they are, and where they are.

A cancer with lower TNM numbers is usually easier to treat and has a better outlook for survival. For instance, a cancer with T1, N0, M0, would be a cancer that was found very early, before it spread. The T1 would mean a small tumor, the N0 means that no nodes are involved, and the M0 means that no metastases were found. For more information on staging, see information about your cancer type, or read Staging.

Effects of removing lymph nodes

Nodes that have been removed during cancer surgery can leave part of the body without a way to drain off the lymph fluid in the affected area. Many of the lymph vessels now run into a dead end where the node used to be, and fluid can back up. This is called lymphedema, and it can become a life-long problem. The more lymph nodes that are removed, the more likely it is to occur.

Source: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/lymph-nodes-and-cancer.html

to be continued

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How fast does cancer spread?

craig — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 03:37:52 +0000

Cancer Progression

How Quickly Cancer Spreads

Our bodies are made up trillions of cells. Normally, new cells replace old or damaged cells as they die off.

Sometimes, a cell’s DNA becomes damaged. The immune system can generally control a small number of abnormal cells from further damage to our bodies.

Cancer occurs when there are more abnormal cells than the immune system can handle. Instead of dying, abnormal cells continue to grow and divide, piling up in the form of tumors. Eventually, that out-of-control growth causes the abnormal cells to invade surrounding tissues.

There are more than 100Trusted Source types of cancer named for the tissues or organs where they originate. All have the ability to spread, but some are more aggressive than others.

Continue reading to learn how cancer spreads, how it’s staged, and how various treatments work.

Why cancer spreads

Cancer cells don’t respond to signals telling them it’s time to die, so they continue rapidly dividing and multiplying. And they’re very good at hiding from the immune system.

When cancer cells are still contained in the tissue where they developed, it’s called carcinoma in situ (CIS). Once those cells break outside the tissue’s membrane, it’s called invasive cancer.

The spread of cancer from where it started to another place is called metastasis. No matter where else in the body it spreads, a cancer is still named for the place it originated. For instance, prostate cancer that has spread to the liver is still prostate cancer, not liver cancer, and treatment will reflect that.

While solid tumors are a feature of many types of cancer, that’s not always the case. For example, leukemias are cancers of the blood that doctors refer to as “liquid tumors.”

Exactly where cancer cells will spread next is dependent on their location in the body, but it’s likely to spread nearby first. Cancer can spread through:

Tissue. A growing tumor can push through surrounding tissues or into organs. Cancer cells from the primary tumor can break away and form new tumors nearby.
The lymph system. Cancer cells from the tumor can enter nearby lymph nodes. From there, they can travel the entire lymph system and start new tumors in other parts of the body.
The bloodstream. Solid tumors need oxygen and other nutrients to grow. Through a process called angiogenesis, tumors can prompt the formation of new blood vessels to ensure their survival. Cells can also enter the bloodstream and travel to distant sites.

Fastest- and slowest-spreading cancers

Cancer cells that have more genetic damage (poorly differentiated) usually grow faster than cancer cells with less genetic damage (well differentiated). Based on how abnormal they appear under a microscope, tumors are graded as follows:

GX: undetermined
G1: well-differentiated or low-grade
G2: moderately differentiated or intermediate-grade
G3: poorly differentiated or high-grade
G4: undifferentiated or high-grade

Some cancers that are generally slower growing are:

breast cancers, such as estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-)
chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
colon and rectal cancers
most types of prostate cancer

Some cancers, such as prostate cancer, can grow so slowly that your doctor may recommend a “watchful waiting” approach rather than immediate treatment. Some may never require treatment.

Examples of fast-growing cancers include:

acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
certain breast cancers, such as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)
large B-cell lymphoma
lung cancer
rare prostate cancers such as small-cell carcinomas or lymphomas

Having a fast-growing cancer doesn’t necessarily mean you have a poor prognosis. Many of these cancers can be effectively treated. And some cancers don’t necessarily grow faster, but are less likely to be detected until they have metastasized.

What stages have to do with cancer spread

Cancers are staged according to tumor size and how far it has spread at the time of diagnosis. Stages help doctors decide which treatments are most likely to work and give a general outlook.

There are different types of staging systems and some are specific to certain types of cancer. The following are the basic stages of cancer:

In situ. Precancerous cells have been found, but they haven’t spread to surrounding tissue.
Localized. Cancerous cells haven’t spread beyond where they started.
Regional. Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, tissues, or organs.
Distant. Cancer has reached distant organs or tissues.
Unknown. There’s not enough information to determine the stage.

Or:

Stage 0 or CIS. Abnormal cells have been found but have not spread into surrounding tissue. This is also called precancer.
Stages 1, 2, and 3. The diagnosis of cancer is confirmed. The numbers represent how large the primary tumor has grown and how far the cancer has spread.
Stage 4. Cancer has metastasized to distant parts of the body.

Your pathology report may use the TNM staging system, which provides more detailed information as follows:

T: Size of primary tumor

TX: primary tumor can’t be measured
T0: primary tumor can’t be located
T1, T2, T3, T4: describes the size of the primary tumor and how far it may have grown into surrounding tissue

N: Number of regional lymph nodes affected by cancer

NX: cancer in nearby lymph nodes can’t be measured
N0: no cancer is found in nearby lymph nodes
N1, N2, N3: describes the number and location of lymph nodes affected by cancer

M: Whether cancer has metastasized or not

MX: metastasis can’t be measured
M0: cancer hasn’t spread to other parts of the body
M1: cancer has spread

So, your cancer stage might look something like this: T2N1M0.

Tumor growth and spread

Benign tumors

Benign tumors are noncancerous. They’re covered with normal cells and aren’t able to invade nearby tissue or other organs. Benign tumors can cause a few problems if they:

are large enough to press on organs, cause pain, or are visually bothersome
are located in the brain
release hormones that affect body systems

Benign tumors can usually be surgically removed and are unlikely to grow back.

Malignant tumors

Cancerous tumors are called malignant. Cancer cells form when DNA abnormalities cause a gene to behave differently than it should. They can grow into nearby tissue, spread through the bloodstream or lymph system, and spread through the body. Malignant tumors tend to grow faster than benign tumors.

How treatment works to stop cancer spread

Generally speaking, it’s easier to treat cancer before it has the chance to spread. Treatment depends on the specific type of cancer as well as the stage. In many cases, treatment will consist of more than one therapy.

Surgery

Depending on the type of cancer you have, surgery may be the first-line treatment. When surgery is used to remove a tumor, the surgeon also removes a small margin of tissue around the tumor to lower the chances of leaving cancer cells behind.

Surgery can also help stage the cancer. For example, checking the lymph nodes near the primary tumor can determine if cancer has spread locally.

You may also need chemotherapy or radiation therapy following surgery. This may be an added precaution in case any cancer cells were left behind or have reached the blood or lymph system.

If a tumor can’t be completely removed, your surgeon may still remove part of it. This can be helpful if the tumor was causing pressure on an organ or causing pain.

Radiation therapy

Radiation uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. The rays target a specific area of the body where cancer has been found.

Radiation can be used to destroy a tumor or to relieve pain. It can also be used after surgery to target any cancer cells that may have been left behind.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment. Chemo drugs enter your bloodstream and travel throughout your body to find and destroy rapidly dividing cells.

Chemotherapy is used to kill cancer, slow its growth, and reduce the chance that new tumors will form. It’s useful when cancer has spread beyond the primary tumor or if you have a type of cancer for which there are no targeted therapies.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapies depend on the specific type of cancer, but not all cancers have targeted therapies. These drugs attack specific proteins that allow tumors to grow and spread.

Angiogenesis inhibitors interfere with the signals that allow tumors to form new blood vessels and continue growing. These medicines can also cause already existing blood vessels to die, which can shrink the tumor.

Some types of cancer, like prostate and most breast cancers, need hormones to grow. Hormone therapy can stop your body from producing the hormones that feed the cancer. Others stop those hormones from interacting with cancer cells. Hormone therapy also helps to prevent recurrence.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapies boost the power of your own body to fight cancer. These drugs can strengthen your immune system and help it recognize cancer cells.

Stem cell or bone marrow transplant

A stem cell transplant, sometimes called bone marrow transplant, replaces damaged blood-forming cells with healthy ones. The procedure takes place following large-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy to kill cancer cells and to stop your stem cells from producing cancerous cells.

Stem cell transplants can be used for several types of cancer, including multiple myeloma and some kinds of leukemia.

Cancer isn’t a single disease. There are many types — and subtypes — of cancer. Some are more aggressive than others, but there are many variables that lead to different cancer characteristics.

Your oncologist can give you a better understanding of the typical behavior of a certain kind of cancer based on the specifics of your pathology report.

source: https://www.healthline.com/health/cancer/how-fast-does-cancer-spread

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14 Symptoms of Throat Cancer

craig — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 23:06:54 +0000

Throat Cancer

Nobody wants to receive a diagnosis of cancer. Cancer is a scary word, but luckily, medical science has come a long way in the last decade, and a cancer diagnosis is no longer a death sentence. Most people who receive the proper treatment on time, do survive cancer and are able to go on to live normal lives.

The key to catching cancer quickly is to be aware of the symptom. When you are familiar with the symptoms, you will know when you experience them and when to seek medical attention.

Throat cancer is a very common type of cancer, and it has specific symptoms. Some symptoms start out mild and become more severe as cancer progresses. If you suspect you may have throat cancer and are experiencing any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor to get a proper diagnosis immediately so you can begin the right treatment.

1. Persistent Cough

A cough can be a sign of a cold, flu, or something more severe like throat cancer. When you first start coughing, you probably assume it’s something mild and not something as serious as throat cancer. This causes many people to put off seeing a doctor for their cough and having their throat cancer diagnosed at a later stage. If you have a cough and no other symptoms of the flu or a cold, it may be caused by something more serious.

If the cough is persistent and lasts for more than a week, you should talk to a doctor to rule out something as serious as throat cancer. Throat cancer doesn’t only show up on the outside of the throat. It can start from the inside. As cancer grows and becomes more severe, it can cause symptoms to become worse, including a cough. Many people continue to struggle with a cough even after they have successfully overcome throat cancer.

2. Sore Throat

People with throat cancer almost always experience a sore throat at some point. A sore throat is common and can have many causes. Strep throat, infections, colds, and the flu are all possible causes of a sore throat. Throat cancer is a less likely but more severe cause.

A sore throat caused by throat cancer stars like any other sore throat but will become worse over time and be accompanied by other symptoms of cancer. Since sore throats are so common, most people don’t seek medical attention until the pain becomes severe, or they suspect there may be a serious cause.

Doctors may need to take a biopsy or scrap of the throat to test the tissue to see if there are cancer cells present. The throat may also be sore during cancer treatment. Some people even continue to experience a sore throat after cancer has been successfully treated.

3. Difficulty Swallowing

A lot of people have a hard time swallowing and don’t think anything of it. This symptom is one that is easily overlooked as a symptom of throat cancer because there are so many other possible causes of it. It’s very common in older people, and many elderly people have a later throat cancer diagnosis because they don’t seek medical attention when they first notice this symptom.

Throat cancer can cause the glans in the neck to swell, which can close off the throat and make it hard to swallow. It can also dry out the throat so that food and liquids have no lubrication, making it harder to swallow them.

Some people even report trouble swallowing after they have been treated and recovered from throat cancer. Both surgery and radiation can cause problems in the throat that make it hard to swallow. The condition may improve with time or may be permanent.

4. Lump In The Throat (My 'lump' is at the back of my throat)

This symptom is one of the most obvious signs of throat cancer, but it’s not always the first one that is noticed. The lump may come on suddenly or grow larger over time. Some people feel slight discomfort or lump around the throat and neck and just assume it is a swollen gland caused by a mild infection or something more common like a pimple or cyst.

It is only when the lump grows larger that they seek medical attention and a proper diagnosis. The lump may be painful or may not cause any pain at all. It may grow larger with time or stay the same size. Some people are able to push on the lump and move it around.

Doctors may need to do a biopsy of the lump to determine what exactly is causing it. While throat cancer is one possible cause, there are many other disorders that can cause lumps, as well.

5. Hoarseness Or Voice Changes

Anytime there is a problem or infection that affects the throat, you can expect voice changes. Some people who have throat cancer experience hoarseness long before they notice any other symptoms. They may be confused about the cause and assume they are getting sick. Many people feel fine in the early stages of throat cancer, and the hoarseness or changes in the voice are the only things they notice. As cancer becomes more severe there may be more changes.

In some cases, the person may lose their voice entirely. Cancer treatments can make changes or hoarseness worse. Even when a person has recovered from cancer, they may still not regain their normal voice. Their voices may be permanently changed, or they may remain permanently hoarse. Some people are able to sip warm liquids to help with the hoarseness. The hoarseness and changes are not always permanent, and the symptom may improve with time.

6. Ear And Jaw Pain

Many people don’t realize they have throat cancer because the symptoms they first experience start out elsewhere in the body. They may have ear or jaw pain and not even realize it’s anything serious. Since there are numerous other things that can cause this type of pain, including ear infection, sinus infection, and tooth infections. Most people don’t suspect throat cancer when they first experience pain in the jaw or ear.

It’s only when the pain becomes severe or is accompanies by other symptoms. The pain may be caused by swelling or the growth of a tumor or from inflammation. It can also be directly from cancer growing near the areas of the ears and jaws. One cancer treatment begins, and any tumors start shrinking, the pain in the ear and jaw should subside. Some people do experience pain in these areas during and after treatment. Pain medication may help.

7. White Patches In The Mouth

Throat cancer obviously affects the throat, but it can also affect other nearby areas as well, such as the mouth. Many people who have throat cancer don’t notice symptoms in their throat in the early stages. Instead, they may notice white patches or sores in their mouths. The sores can occur on the lips, inside the jaws, or even on the gums. They can look and feel like canker sores, but they don’t get better over time.

They may spread or grow and can become so sore that they make it hard to eat or drink. These sores and patches can eventually show up in the throat too. They can cause bad breath and dry mouth. Some people also experience a bad taste in their mouths. Since canker sores are common and feel similar to the sores caused by throat cancer, many people don’t see sores as a serious problem and don’t seek medical treatment until other symptoms become present.

8. Difficulty Breathing

It’s not uncommon for people who are suffering from throat cancer to have trouble breathing problems. If the throat swells, it may block the air passages and prevent a person from breathing properly. If cancer causes a tumor, it can grow on the inside of the throat and completely block off the throat, making breathing almost impossible. If not treated quickly, it could lead to death as a result of complications.

People who have sore throats or problems swallowing as a result of cancer usually have trouble breathing too. Breathing can become more difficult with treatment, as it can take a toll on the body, much like cancer. The body becomes weak and struggles to take deeper breaths that are needed to get enough air despite the tumor or cancer that is present. Most people recover and do not have breathing problems after cancer has been successfully treated.

9. Headache

Any time the body is under stress or fighting a foreign body, it can react by causing pain in other parts of the body. Headaches are common for many people who are fighting any type of cancer, but they are more common in people who have cancer in their throat or other areas around the face and head.

The nerves in the face and head are very sensitive, and when something affects them, they can send pain signals to the brain. Swelling caused by cancer in the throat can trigger these nerves and cause headaches. The headaches may come and go, or they may be constant.

Some people are able to find relief with over the counter medication. Treatment for cancer may help ease the pain of headaches or make them worse. Once a person recovers from throat cancer, they are not likely to experience pain related to cancer.

10. Unexplained Weight Loss

Unexplained weight loss is a sign that something is wrong in the body. If you are losing weight and haven’t changed your diet or increased your physical activity, there could be something wrong. Cancer is known to cause weight loss, no matter where it occurs.

This is often one of the first symptoms that patients notice. It may happen over time, or you may suddenly notice it one day. Since it usually takes a while to notice, cancer may be in the later stages by the time a person is diagnosed.

Cancer usually presents other symptoms with weight loss, which leads people to seek medical attention. Some people are happy with the weight loss and don’t see it as a problem at first. It is only when the other symptoms present themselves, or the weight loss seems to become extreme, that a person seeks a diagnosis from a doctor.

11. Swelling In the Eyes, Throat, and Neck

Throat cancer can cause a lot of problems in and around the throat, but the problems aren’t limited to only that area. The swelling can affect the entire face and neck. Many people experience swelling in and around their eyes, around the sinuses, in their neck and shoulders, and of course, the throat itself. The swelling can be the result of cancer grows larger, or it may be caused by inflammation.

When the body realizes there is something foreign in the body, it reacts with inflammation. As long as the cancer is in the body, there may be swelling. The swelling may come and go, or it may be chronic. Some people also experience swelling as a result of cancer treatment. Once cancer has been successfully treated, the swelling should subside. Using a warm compress and drinking plenty of liquids may help treat the inflammation and cause the swelling to go down temporarily.

12. Nausea

Many people who have throat cancer or any type of cancer may experience nausea. This is because cancer is taking a toll on the body. Your body knows that something is wrong even before you are diagnosed with cancer.

Any time the body is under stress, it reacts by trying to get rid of whatever is in the body. Nausea may or may not lead to vomiting, and it may come in go or become chronic. Nausea can also affect a person’s appetite, and cause them not to want to eat or drink. This can lead to hunger pains and dehydration, which can the nausea to be worse.

Nausea is not a symptom of throat cancer on its own, but when accompanied by other symptoms, it can help doctors to decide to test for cancer in the throat or other parts of the body. The nausea may continue during cancer treatment, and even after the patient recovers.

13. Extreme Fatigue

Cancer can take a big toll on the body and cause extreme fatigue. Many people start to feel tired long before they experience any other symptoms or even suspect they have cancer. Some people may assume they are getting sick or fighting off an infection. The fatigue caused by throat cancer isn’t likely to go away but may get worse as the cancer spread or becomes more severe.

Many people also experience extreme fatigue as a result of cancer treatment. The treatment exhausts the body and makes it hard for the patient to have any energy at all. Sleeping may help at times, but most people still feel tired even after they sleep well. Once cancer has been successfully treated, the fatigue should go away.

A healthy diet may help treat the fatigue associated with cancer. Staying hydrated and resting can also make help. Doctors may also suggest a vitamin regimen to help with fatigue associated with cancer or treatment.

14. Loss of Taste

People who are suffering from throat cancer often have a loss of taste. They may not be able to taste certain foods or any food at all. They may not be able to even taste foods that have strong flavors or spices. This is not as common as other symptoms of throat cancer and will not affect everyone who is diagnosed with it.

Many people don’t realize that their loss of taste is caused by something serious. They may relate it to a burnt tongue or even a sinus infection. It’s only when it is prolonged or when there are other symptoms present, that people see a doctor for the loss of taste.

They may regain their taste during treatment, or once treatment is successful. Some people do have a permanent loss of taste as a result of throat cancer. Many people find that their taste is lessened but still present.

to be continued

~~~

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Food For Cancer – The Good and The Bad

craig — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 22:20:04 +0000

Food for Cancer

Fighting Cancer by the Plateful

No single food can prevent cancer, but the right combination of foods may help make a difference. At mealtimes, strike a balance of at least two-thirds plant-based foods and no more than one-third animal protein. This "New American Plate" is an important cancer fighting tool, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Check out better and worse choices for your plate.

Fighting Cancer With Color

Fruits and vegetables are rich in cancer-fighting nutrients -- and the more color, the more nutrients they contain. These foods can help lower your risk in a second way, too, when they help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Carrying extra pounds increases the risk for multiple cancers, including colon, esophagus, and kidney cancers. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark green, red, and orange vegetables.

The Cancer-Fighting Breakfast

Naturally occurring folate is an important B vitamin that may help protect against cancers of the colon, rectum, and breast. You can find it in abundance on the breakfast table. Fortified breakfast cereals and whole wheat products are good sources of folate. So are orange juice, melons, and strawberries.

More Folate-Rich Foods

Other good sources of folate are asparagus and eggs. You can also find it in beans, sunflower seeds, and leafy green vegetables like spinach or romaine lettuce. The best way to get folate is not from a pill, but by eating enough fruits, vegetables, and enriched grain products. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should take a supplement to make sure they get enough folic acid to help prevent certain birth defects.

Pass Up the Deli Counter

An occasional Reuben sandwich or hot dog at the ballpark isn't going to hurt you. But cutting back on processed meats like bologna, ham, and hot dogs will help lower your risk of colorectal and stomach cancers. Also, eating meats that have been preserved by smoking or with salt raises your exposure to chemicals that can potentially cause cancer.

Cancer-Fighting Tomatoes

Whether it's the lycopene -- the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color -- or something else isn't clear. But some studies have linked eating tomatoes to reduced risk of several types of cancer, including prostate cancer. Studies also suggest that processed tomato products such as juice, sauce, or paste increase the cancer-fighting potential.

Tea's Anticancer Potential

Even though the evidence is still spotty, tea, especially green tea, may be a strong cancer fighter. In laboratory studies, green tea has slowed or prevented the development of cancer in colon, liver, breast, and prostate cells. It also had a similar effect in lung tissue and skin. And in some longer term studies, tea was associated with lower risks for bladder, stomach, and pancreatic cancers. But more research in humans is needed before tea can be recommended as a cancer fighter.

Grapes and Cancer

Grapes and grape juice, especially purple and red grapes, contain resveratrol. Resveratrol has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In laboratory studies, it has prevented the kind of damage that can trigger the cancer process in cells. There is not enough evidence to say that eating grapes or drinking grape juice or wine (or taking supplements) can prevent or treat cancer.

Limit Alcohol to Lower Cancer Risk

Cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, liver, and breast are all linked with drinking alcohol. Alcohol may also raise the risk for cancer of the colon and rectum. The American Cancer Society recommends limiting alcohol to no more than two drinks per day for men and one for women. Women at higher risk for breast cancer may want to talk with a doctor about what amount of alcohol, if any, is safe based on their personal risk factors.

Water and Other Fluids Can Protect

Water not only quenches your thirst, but it may protect you against bladder cancer. The lower risk comes from water diluting concentrations of potential cancer-causing agents in the bladder. Also, drinking more fluids causes you to urinate more frequently. That lessens the amount of time those agents stay in contact with the bladder lining.

The Mighty Bean

Beans are so good for you, it's no surprise they may help fight cancer, too. They contain several potent phytochemicals that may protect the body's cells against damage that can lead to cancer. In the lab these substances slowed tumor growth and prevented tumors from releasing substances that damage nearby cells.

The Cabbage Family vs. Cancer

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale. These members of the cabbage family make an excellent stir fry and can really liven up a salad. But most importantly, components in these vegetables may help your body defend against cancers such as colon, breast, lung, and cervix. Lab research has been promising, but human studies have had mixed results.

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

Dark green leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, lettuce, kale, chicory, spinach, and chard have an abundance of fiber, folate, and carotenoids. These nutrients may help protect against cancer of the mouth, larynx, pancreas, lung, skin, and stomach.

Protection From an Exotic Spice

Curcumin is the main ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric and a potential cancer fighter. Lab studies show it can suppress the transformation, proliferation, and invasion of cancerous cells for a wide array of cancers. Research in humans is ongoing.

Cooking Methods Matter

How you cook meat can make a difference in how big a cancer risk it poses. Frying, grilling, and broiling meats at very high temperatures causes chemicals to form that may increase cancer risk. Other cooking methods such as stewing, braising, or steaming appear to produce fewer of those chemicals. And when you do stew the meat, remember to add plenty of healthy vegetables.

A Berry Medley With a Punch

Strawberries and raspberries have a phytochemical called ellagic acid. This powerful antioxidant may actually fight cancer in several ways at once, including deactivating certain cancer causing substances and slowing the growth of cancer cells. There is not, though, enough proof yet to say it can fight cancer in humans.

Blueberries for Health

The potent antioxidants in blueberries may have wide value in supporting our health, starting with cancer. Antioxidants may help fight cancer by ridding the body of free radicals before they can do their damage to cells. But more research is needed. Try topping oatmeal, cold cereal, yogurt, even salad with blueberries to boost your intake of these healthful berries.

Pass on the Sugar

Sugar may not cause cancer directly. But it may displace other nutrient-rich foods that help protect against cancer. And it increases calorie counts, which contributes to overweight and obesity. Excess weight is also a cancer risk. Fruit offers a sweet alternative in a vitamin-rich package.

Don't Rely on Supplements

Vitamins may help protect against cancer. But that's when you get them naturally from food. Both the American Cancer Society and the American Institute for Cancer Research emphasize that getting cancer-fighting nutrients from foods like nuts, fruits, and green leafy vegetables is vastly superior to getting them from supplements. Eating a healthy diet is best.

to be continued

~~~

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Cancer Fighting Foods – The Top 12 List

craig — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 15:16:59 +0000

Cancer Fighting Foods

Cancer Fighting Foods: This is generally a very good article. However I would take issue with some of his claims to do with 'cleanse' and 'detoxify'. There is no such thing as a 'liver flush', 'liver cleanse', 'liver detoxify'. These terms are misleading and have no basis in science. The liver is a chemical reactor, not a filter. It does not get blocked, clogged or need 'flushing'.

Cancer Fighting Foods - I have long maintained that diet/nutrition is both the cause and the cure for most diseases. No one understands how the digestive system works and how nutrition is processed. Equally no one understands the effects of processing, chemicals, pesticides and additives. It would appear our whole food chain is being poisoned and much of the food we buy is killing us.

Cancer is recognized worldwide to be a major health problem affecting millions of people each year. More than 1 million people in the United States alone get cancer each year, and as of 2009, a total of 562,340 deaths from cancer were projected to occur in the United States yearly. The good new is there are certain foods — so-called cancer-fighting foods — that can help combat cancer.

Cancer is a systemic disease with various causes, some of which include a poor diet, toxin exposure, nutrient deficiencies and to some extent genetics. One extremely important way to prevent and/or treat cancer is nutritionally, through eating a nutrient-dense diet full of cancer-fighting foods and avoiding things that are known to increase cancer risk.

But for many people navigating the modern-day food system often seems overwhelming. Ingredients found in ultra-processed foods are being blamed for everything health-related, from cancer and diabetes to reduced kidney function and bone loss.

Only adding to the confusion, sometimes even the way we cook otherwise-healthy foods puts them in the cancer-causing foods category while not consuming enough cancer-fighting foods.

Unfortunately, until food manufacturers are forced to clean up the ingredients they use in their products, it’s up to us to avoid the worst kinds and to choose cancer-fighting foods. Researchers have known about the dangers associated with some unhealthy habits and cancer-causing foods for decades, while others are just now emerging as possible culprits. Below I outline the association between certain cooking techniques, unhealthy ingredients found in processed foods and the risk for developing cancer.

In order to overcome their disease, many cancer survivors have been fortunate enough to use a combination of natural cancer treatments in conjunction with conventional medical treatments. Today, the early combination of chemotherapy and nutrition therapy is able to save the lives of thousands of cancer patients. This duel approach can help support the entire body and mind in the healing process, which sometimes be long and very difficult. Certainly when it comes to cancer prevention, more research is still needed. But for now, I’ll share the types of foods and ingredients I’d recommend avoiding most, plus tips for how to transition to eating an anti-cancer diet full of cancer-fighting foods.

Are You Eating Enough Cancer-Fighting Foods Every Day?

While we often think of the word “cancer” as one type of disease, this term actually encompasses over 100 different cellular disorders in the body. Cancer refers to uncontrolled cell division that leads to a tumor or abnormal cell growth. When abnormal cells divide without control, they can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body, including the blood and lymphatic systems.

What does work when it comes to lowering inflammation and fighting free radical damage? The key is consuming plenty of cancer-fighting foods with antioxidants and natural anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. This means avoiding packaged and processed foods and focusing on only those that do not contain antibiotics, chemicals or toxins. Buying foods that are organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised and additive-free can greatly lower the toxic load of your diet.

Findings from the 2010 European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) that looked at dietary factors associated with higher cancer risks showed that there’s significant associations between cancer risk and low intakes of certain nutrients. Data from the investigation that was published in the European Journal of Cancer showed an inverse association between higher intakes of vitamin C, carotenoids, retinol, α-tocopherol and fiber with overall cancer risk.

After following over 519,978 participants living in 10 European nations, results showed that those who most closely followed a style of eating similar to the Mediterranean diet had the most protection against cancer. High intake of cancer-fighting foods like vegetables, fruit, fish, calcium-rich foods and fiber was associated with a decreased risk of colorectal, lung and breast cancers, while red and processed meat intake, alcohol intake, unhealthy body mass index (BMI), and abdominal obesity were associated with an increased risk. Being physically active and obtaining enough vitamin D also helped lower cancer susceptibility.

Meanwhile, a keto diet that eliminates excess refined sugar and other processed carbohydrates may be effective in reducing or fighting cancer. It’s not a coincidence that some of the best cancer-fighting foods are on the keto diet food list.

Cancer-Fighting Foods vs. Cancer-Causing Foods: Foods and Habits that Increase Your Cancer Risk

Inflammation is the underlying issue that dictates cancerous tumor initiation, progression and growth. Studies suggest that 30 percent to 40 percent of all kinds of cancer can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle and dietary measures! And other sources claim that this number is in fact much higher, with around 75 percent of cancer cases being lifestyle-related.

Here are examples of some cancer-causing foods you might not realize are in your diet:

1. Processed Meats

While quality meats, fish and dairy products can be included in an anti-cancer diet, processed meats are definitely something to avoid. The American Cancer Society states on their website that “The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified processed meat as a carcinogen, something that causes cancer. And it has classified red meat as a probable carcinogen, or something that probably causes cancer.” A recent meta-analysis of 800 studies found evidence that eating 50 grams of processed meat every day (equal to about 4 strips of bacon or one hot dog) increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.

Processed meats are those that have been treated, altered or preserved to improve taste and prolong freshness. They can contain additives such as nitrates and tend to be very high in sodium. A clue that is a meat is processed is if it’s been prepared in any of the following ways: salting, curing, smoking. Examples of processed meats include hot dogs, ham, bacon, sausage, and some deli meats/cold-cuts.

2. Fried, Burnt and Overly Cooked Foods

In early 2017, Britain’s Food Standards Agency launched a campaign to help people better understand, and to avoid, the toxin called acrylamide. Acrylamide is found in things like cigarette smoke and is also used in industrial processes like making dyes and plastics. What’s surprising is that acrylamide is also a chemical that forms on certain foods, especially starchy foods like bread, crackers, cakes and potatoes, when they are cooked for long periods at high temperatures.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies acrylamide as a “probable human carcinogen” based on data showing it can increase the risk of some types of cancer in lab animals. Acrylamide is mainly found in highly-cooked plant foods like potato and grain products, such as French fries, potato chips, and to some extent coffee. The chemical reaction occurs when certain starchy foods are cooked above about 250° F. This causes sugars and the amino acid asparagine to create acrylamide. Note: Acrylamide does not form (or forms at lower levels) in dairy, meat, and fish products.

3. Added Sugar

Sugar can do more than increase your calorie intake and contribute to an expanding waistline— high consumption of added sugar has also been associated with increased cancer risk. There’s evidence that added sugars, such as high fructose corn syrup, may increase the risk of esophageal cancer, small intestine cancer, colon cancer and breast cancer. A number of studies have found that sugar not only contributes to problems like obesity and diabetes, but is also linked to increased growth of tumors and metastasis.

Here’s another reason to avoid too much sugar: studies have found that people getting 17 to 21 percent of calories from added sugar face a 38 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who got just 8 percent of their calories from sugar.

4. Foods High in Additives

A 2016 study published in Cancer Research discovered a link between common food additives and colon cancer. Researchers at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences found that mice that regularly ingested the dietary emulsifiers called polysorbate-80 and carboxymethylcellulose experienced exacerbated tumor development and increased, low-grade inflammation and colon carcinogenesis.

These emulsifiers act as “detergent-like” ingredients in the gut, significantly changing the species composition of the gut microbiome. Alterations in bacterial species can result in bacteria expressing more flagellins and lipopolysaccharides; in other words, changes in the microbiome can interfere with functions of the immune system, promote inflammation and increase harmful gene expressions. What types of processed foods and products contain these emulsifiers? Examples include dairy products such as ice cream, creamy beauty products, toothpaste, mouthwash, laxatives, diet pills, water-based paints, detergents and even vaccines.

5. Rice Products

Drinking water contaminated with arsenic can increase a person’s risk of lung, skin and bladder cancers. That’s why there are clear limits set for the amount of arsenic allowed in water. But what about the arsenic present in the food supply? Turns out, most Americans get more arsenic from the foods in their diet than from the water they drink. So is arsenic poisoning from foods like rice something you need to consider?

While babies potentially face the highest risk, excess arsenic isn’t good for any of us. A 2012 Consumer Reports investigation found arsenic in every brand of infant rice cereals it tested – nearly ten times the legal limit for drinking water! Subsequent testing was even more dire: just one serving of infant rice cereal can put children over the weekly maximum advised by Consumer Reports.

According to the The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) website, “Heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium and lead are naturally present in water and soil. In some places, intense concentrations exist as a result of industrial pollution and decades of agricultural use of lead- and arsenic-based pesticides.” Organizations like the EWG and the World Health Organization now recommend limiting consumption of rice and rice-based foods (including those containing rice flour) when possible and instead eat a varied diet of healthy lower-arsenic grains and sweeteners.

Just like with heart disease, diabetes, leaky gut syndrome and other autoimmune disorders, free radical damage or oxidative stress from inflammation is truly at the root of cancer formation. What does this mean in terms of choosing the very best cancer-fighting foods that you can? Lots of fruit and vegetables can help lower the risk of cancer and offer protective elements so these should be the bases of your diet. On top of that, obtaining enough healthy proteins and fatty acids keeps your immune system working properly and prevents muscle wasting, deficiencies, or hormonal and nerve problems.

Top 12 Cancer-Fighting Foods

1. Leafy Green Vegetables

Leafy greens are the cornerstone of any healthy diet since they’re exceptionally rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes, yet very low in calories, fats, sodium and other toxins. Leafy greens of all kinds — nutritious spinach, kale, collard greens, romaine, arugula salad, watercress, etc. — are rich in antioxidants known to combat cancer, including vitamin C and beta-carotene (a type of vitamin A).

And the benefits keep coming; as natural sources of glucosinolates, they also contain antibacterial and antiviral properties, inactivate carcinogens, help reprogram cancer cells to die off, and prevent tumor formation and metastasis. These powerhouse chemicals are known to break down during the chewing and digestion process into biologically active compounds that prevent cancer cells growth, which are referred to as indoles, thiocyanates and isothiocyanates.

Isothiocyanates (ITCs) found in leafy greens, which are made from glucosinolates, have been reported to help detox your body at the cellular level. Add a handful of leafy greens to your lunch and dinner to increase your nutrient intake; to make obtaining them simpler, try juicing vegetables for near perfect health. Vegetable juices are very easy to digest and make yourself at home. The Gerson diet meal plan even advises cancer patients to drink 13 glasses of freshly prepared juice daily!

2. Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are known to be powerful cancer killers and some of the best vitamin C foods widely available. Many are rich in glutathione, known as the body’s “master antioxidant” since it has high free-radical-scavenging abilities. Nearly all members of the brassica family of cruciferous vegetables are nutrient-dense sources of a family of phytochemicals called isothiocyanates that are linked to cancer prevention. In addition to isothiocyanates, cruciferous veggies like cabbage and broccoli also contain sulforaphanes and indoles — two types of strong antioxidants and stimulators of detoxifying enzymes that protect the structure of DNA.

Add one or two kinds — including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage or Brussels sprouts — to three mostly plant-based meals daily in the form of roasted veggies, soups or stir fries, or dip them into hummus or Greek yogurt for a healthy, fast snack. Additionally, many other vegetables are beneficial for lowering cancer risk, including onions, zucchini, asparagus, artichokes, peppers, carrots and beets.

3. Berries

The ORAC scores of nearly all berries are very high, making them some of the top high-antioxidant foods in the world. Blueberries, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, goji berries, camu camu and blackberries are easy to find and use in numerous types of recipes — which is good news considering they supply vitamin C, vitamin A and gallic acid, a powerful antifungal/antiviral agent that increases immunity.

Berries are especially rich in proanthocyanidin antioxidants, which have been observed to have anti-aging properties in several animal studies and are capable of lowering free radical damage. High amounts of phenols, zeaxanthin, lycopene, cryptoxanthin, lutein and polysaccharides are other berry benefits. Less familiar “superfoods” mulberry, camu camu and goji berries have been used in traditional Chinese medicine since around 200 B.C. to increase immunity and energy, so look for those in powder or dried form in health food stores and online.

4. Brightly Orange-Colored Fruits and Veggies (Citrus Fruits, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, etc.)

Brightly colored pigments found in plant foods are a sure sign that they’re beaming with phytochemicals, especially carotenoid antioxidants. This is exactly the reason you want to “eat the rainbow” and vary the colors of the foods on your plate.

Carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin) are derivatives of vitamin A found in many citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, berries, pumpkin, squashes and other plant foods. One of the most researched is beta-carotene, an essential nutrient for immune functioning; detoxification; liver health; and fighting cancers of the skin, eyes and organs. Two nutrients that give these foods their signature dark hues include lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been shown to help prevent eye and skin-related disorders since they act as antioxidants that filter harmful high-energy blue wavelengths, protecting healthy cells in the process.

When it comes to carbohydrate-rich veggies, studies show that complex carbs, including sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, other tubers and whole-grain foods, is related to a reduced risk of several types of cancer, particularly of the upper digestive tract. This is likely due to a favorable role of fiber, but the issue is still open to discussion. In contrast, refined grain intake and high glycemic load foods are not apart of an anti-cancer diet. These have been associated with increased risk of different types of cancer, including breast and colorectal.

5. Fresh Herbs and Spices

Turmeric, which contains the active ingredient curcumin, is one of the most powerful ingredients in an anti-cancer diet because it’s been shown to decrease tumor size and fight colon and breast cancer. Along with easy-to-use black pepper, turmeric absorption is enhanced and better able to fight inflammation. Aim for one teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper or more daily, which can easily be used in a tonic drink, with eggs or in a veggie stir fry. You can also take curcumin supplements; aim for 1,000 milligrams daily.

Additionally, other herbs that act as immune system boosters include ginger, raw garlic, thyme, cayenne pepper, oregano, basil and parsley — which can easily be used in many recipes, juices, dressings and smoothies.

6. Organic Meats

Organic meats including beef or chicken liver are recommended on many cancer-fighting diets since they’re considered some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and extremely high in vitamin B12. Consuming organic meats as part of a “nose to tail” approach to eating animal proteins provides minerals that help cleanse the liver and enhance the ability to remove toxins from the blood and digestive tract.

Detoxifying with rich sources of selenium, zinc and B vitamins helps purify blood; produce the bile needed to digest fats; balance hormones naturally; and store essential vitamins, minerals and iron. These mineral-rich foods can help counteract the effects of alcohol, prescription drugs, hormone disruptions, high triglyceride levels, low potassium, obesity and viral infections.

7. Cultured Dairy Products

Cultured dairy products are a rich source of “good bacteria” probiotics, which are microorganisms that promote a natural bacterial balance in your intestinal microflora and help increase immunity. Over 80 percent of your immune system is housed in your gut, so it’s no surprise that probiotic foods and supplementation can stop tumor growth and help cells renew.

One of the easiest ways to consume more probiotics is in their most natural state, which includes raw milk products such as cheese, kefir and yogurt. Raw and cultured are key here, since fermentation produces probiotics but high heat processing used to pasteurize dairy can damage many of the vital nutrients, including the enzymes, proteins and probiotics. Most dairy today is loaded with hormones, antibiotics, pain killers and pesticide residue so buying organic is also important.

Aim for six ounces of cultured dairy daily (probiotic yogurt, cottage cheese, goat milk kefir or amasai). Cottage cheese, which is rich in sulfur protein and saturated fats, was found to be especially beneficial as part of the Budwig diet for cancer protocol. You can also increase your probiotic food intake without dairy by consuming cultured vegetables like kimchi, sauerkraut, coconut kefir, kombucha or natto.

Cultured dairy is also a great source of calcium. Calcium, particularly when combined with Vitamin D3 form, may reduce the incidence of cancer by 35 to 60 percent. Calcium seems to be especially beneficial for preventing cancer and rectal cancers. Some studies have also found that it helps reduce breast cancer and ovarian cancer risk. Sunlight exposure and marine oils such as cod liver oil or krill oil are great sources of vitamin D that help with calcium absorption. Calcium should ideally be obtained from foods like organic dairy products (I recommend

8. Nuts and Seeds

Chia seeds and flaxseeds are two of the most nutrient-dense seeds in the world. They provide fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and a range of important minerals. Hemp seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are also beneficial and full of healthy fatty acids, as are walnuts, brazil nuts and almonds. Their health benefits and are best sprouted and can be used easily in smoothies, baked goods and with yogurt. Aim for two tablespoons daily.

9. Healthy Unrefined Oils (Coconut, Flax, Cod Liver and Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Did you know that your brain and nervous system control the function of your entire body and that about 60 percent of your nervous system is made up of fatty acids? The problem is that many of the conventional processed fats and oils widely consumed today are hydrogenated oils that are capable of destroying the membranes of our cells, leading to diseased cells and toxicity.

Refined and rancid fats create problems throughout your entire body, leading to lower immune function, cell congestion and inflammation that kicks off disease. Replace refined vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils and trans fats with quality oils, including flax oil, extra virgin olive oil, cod oil and coconut oil. These nourish your gut and promote better immune function, help you reach and maintain a healthy weight, plus flaxseed and cod liver oil contain essential omega-3 fatty acids that can help energize your cells. Olive oil contains phytonutrients that seem to reduce inflammation in the body. It may reduce the risk of breast and colorectal cancers.

10. Mushrooms

Nutritious mushrooms vary in terms of their benefits, taste and appearance since hundreds of mushroom species are in existence today, but all are known to be immune-enhancers and many have been used to fight cancer for centuries. Reishi, cordyceps and maitake in particular can improve immune function, fight tumor growth and help with cell regeneration. Look for them in capsule or tincture form, and cook with them whole whenever possible too.

11. Traditional Teas

Metastasis is the most deadly aspect of cancer and results from several connected processes including cell proliferation, angiogenesis, cell adhesion, migration and invasion into the surrounding tissue. Metastasis is the principal cause of death among cancer patients, so it’s one of the most important issues in cancer research today. Several clinical and epidemiological studies have reported that the consumption of green tea can help decrease cancer risk. Green tea contains major polyphenolic compounds, including epigallocatechin-3-gallate, which has been shown to inhibit tumor invasion and angiogenesis, which are essential for tumor growth and metastasis.

Teas derived from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis are commonly consumed as beverages around the world, including green, black or oolong tea. While all traditional teas seem to be beneficial, the most significant effects on human health have been attributed to green tea, such as matcha green tea. It contains the highest percetange of polyphenolic compounds, catechin, gallocatechin and EGCG.

The antioxidant EGCG appears to be the most potent of all the catechins, and its anticancer effects have activity about 25–100 times more effective than that of vitamins C and E! EGCG has been reported to be linked to the modulation of multiple signaling pathways, finally resulting in the downregulation of expression of proteins involved in the invasiveness of cancer cells.

12. Wild-Caught Fish

According to a 2004 study conducted by researchers at the Richerche Institute of Pharmacology, higher fish consumption is another favorable diet indicator of better immune function. The study, which investigated the cancer-fighting effects of the Mediterranean diet, found that people who reported eating less fish and more frequent red meat showed several common neoplasms in their blood that suggested higher susceptibility.

Wild and especially small fish, including salmon, mackerel and sardines are anti-inflammatory omega-3 foods that are correlated with better brain, hormonal and nervous system health. Omega-3 fatty acids exert anti-inflammatory effects, and therefore recent studies have connected them to cancer prevention and natural enhancement of antitumour therapies. (20) Evidence suggests a role for omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in cancer prevention and reducing symptoms of treatments like chemotherapy. Omega-3s have been shown to preserve muscle mass and function in chemotherapy cancer patients and to contribute to a reduced inflammatory response resulting from the treatment’s toxicity.

Cancer-Fighting Foods: Other Ways to Increase Effectiveness of An Anti-Cancer Diet

1. Lower Your Toxin Load

An anti-cancer diet consists of:

Lowering your toxin intake.

Supporting the body’s cleansing and detoxifying processes.
Eating healthy and nutrient-rich foods to support all of your body’s functions.
First and foremost, you can take these steps to reduce or eliminate the following products and substances from your life in order to halt toxin accumulation and reduce free radical, cellular damage:

Electromagnetic Waves:

Cell phones, TV’s, computer screens, microwaves—even the wiring in our homes and basic appliances emit constant electromagnetic frequencies or EMF’s that disturb the bioelectrical functioning of our bodies. Cell phone use has been linked to a host of cancer-promoting processes. Limit your exposure by getting rid of your microwave, as it is your largest source for EMF’s, and making use of headphones with your cell phone.

Commercial Health and Beauty Products:

The things we put in our mouths and use on our skin or hair, such as commercial shampoos, makeup and cleansing products, are often loaded with potential carcinogens. Visit the Environmental Working Group’s SkinDeep database to look-up your favorite products and determine if you should switch to another brand.

Household Cleaners:

Indoor environments are often concentrated sources of pollution. Lower your toxin load by switching to natural cleaners or making your own instead of using products that are filled with chemicals.

Unnecessary Medications:

All medications pass through and burden the liver. High use of acetaminophen is rapidly overtaking alcohol as the number one cause of liver disease. Work with your physician to lessen the amount of medications you are taking.

Plastics:

Compounds in plastic containers, plastic wraps, the lining of metal cans, and paperboard containers can all leach compounds that disrupt the neuroendocrine system. This is especially true when plastic is heated, which is why it’s smart not to microwave plastic containers, store very hot food in plastic, or leave plastic water bottles anywhere where they will become very hot (such as in your car).

You may also want to periodically try fasting to help with detoxification. Even if you eat healthy foods regularly, environmental toxins bombard you at all turns. The organs that are responsible for detoxification and elimination–the skin, respiratory system, kidney, liver and digestive tract–often get overburdened and re-circulate toxins in the bloodstream. Practicing a cleanse or detox every few months can help these organs “catch up” and dispose of toxins stored in cells and tissue. Colon and liver cleanses can be accomplished with a variety of herbs, green drinks and easily digested whole foods such as juiced vegetables or those that are lightly steamed.

2. Drink Clean Water

Our drinking (tap) water can contain hundreds of unregulated substances, from pesticides and heavy metals to hormones and other pollutants. Bottled water is even less regulated, which means it’s not necessarily a good alternative. Your best bet is buying a filter that can be used as home to remove chlorine, fluoride and other pollutants from the water you drink and cook with.

3. Cook Foods at Lower Temperatures and Avoid Burnt Food

Don’t fry your foods! Greatly reduce the amount of fast food, french fries, chips, cakes, cereals and crackers you eat.
It’s virtually impossible to completely eliminate acrylamide that can accumulate on fried foods. But eating a balanced diet mostly free of processed foods and avoiding a high-starch diet can greatly reduce acrylamide levels.
Frying, baking, broiling or roasting are more likely to create acrylamide. On the other hand, boiling and steaming appear less likely to do so. Longer cooking times and cooking at higher temperatures can increase the amount of acrylamide in foods further.

Don’t store potatoes in the refrigerator. That can cause acrylamide levels to surge. If you’re planning on cooking potatoes at higher temperatures, soak the cut-up spuds first. Soaking in water for 2 hours before high-temp cooking can reduce acrylamide levels by nearly 50 percent. Even a simple 30-second rinse can slash acrylamide levels by 20-plus percent.

I don’t eat much bread, but when I do eat an occasional sandwich or toast, I make sure it’s made with sprouted bread, such as Ezekiel bread. Additionally, I definitely avoid over-toasting or burning the bread! The Food Standards Agency says as a general rule of thumb, aim for a golden yellow color or lighter when toasting, roasting, frying or baking.

4. Avoid Processed Grains and Added Sugar

Our bodies make best use of food in its natural state, which is why added sugar or processed/refined grains are difficult to break down and can cause gut trouble. The more processed and altered that a food is, the more unnatural and harmful it becomes. Refined sugar, wheat flour, boxed pastas, frozen dinners, powdered cheese and heat-treated vegetable oils—these processed foods are at the heart of a whole host of diseases and disorders.

Wheat, soy and corn products are highly subsidized by the US government, making them very cheap and widely available for production of highly processed and refined products. Food allergies associated with these foods are subsequently on the rise and can contribute to leaky gut syndrome and improper nutrient absorption. These foods are also often loaded with pesticides, herbicides, GMOs and heavy metals. More and more, the seeds from which they are grown are genetically engineered. The solution? Buy organic, sprouted whole grains and avoid processed soy products.

Check ingredient labels to be sure you’re not consuming high amounts of added sugar/sweeteners. Brown rice syrup found in some snack bars and non-dairy beverages may contain high arsenic levels.

Be wary of foods that might seem healthy but are really not, such as low-fat or fat-free foods, dairy-free and gluten-free foods, rice milk and foods containing artificial sweeteners. Many times these foods contain chemical additives in order to replace fat, wheat or dairy ingredients.

Try working alternative grains like quinoa or buckwheat into some meals, rather than eating lots of bread, instant rice, pasta, cereal, etc.

Rinse, soak and sprout your grains. Rinse your rice and cook it like pasta to reduce the amount of antinutrients it will provide. According to a Cornell University researcher, rinsing brown rice until the water is clear (usually 5 to 6 washings), and then cooking in a ration of 1 cup of rice to 6 cups of water, can remove 40 to 55 percent of inorganic arsenic in rice. And researchers from the UK found that cooking rice in a coffee pot reduced arsenic by up to 85 percent.

Consumer Reports testing found that basmati rice grown in California contained the lowest levels of arsenic; all types of rice, except sushi and quick-cooking rice, from Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas contained the highest levels of inorganic arsenic in a Consumer Reports testing.

5. Use Essential Oils

Frankincense essential oil (Boswellia serrata) has been clinically shown to be a vital treatment for various forms of cancer, including breast, brain, colon and prostate cancers. Frankincense has the ability to help regulate cellular epigenetic function, which positively influences genes to promote healing. Rub frankincense essential oil on your body (neck area) three times daily and take three drops internally in eight ounces of water three times daily as part of a natural prevention plan. Other helpful anti-inflammatory essential oils include clove, rose, tea tree and oregano oils.

6. Get Enough Sunshine and Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts similarly to a hormone in our bodies. The best way to naturally obtain enough is through direct exposure to the sun, although eating certain vitamin D-rich foods like salmon and eggs can help, as can taking a high-quality supplement.

Clinical research shows that vitamin D can help prevent cancer best when you acquire about 50–70 nanograms per milliliter daily. (26) Cover your bases of vitamin D3 through getting 20 minutes of sun exposure every day, ideally between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. with 40 percent of your entire body exposed to the sun. You can also take an oral supplement containing around 5,000 to 10,000 IUs of D3 every day; I recommend an effective combination formula of astaxanthin and omega-3 fish oils with vitamin D3 taken together.

7. Boost Detoxification with Supplements and Herbs

Some experts recommend drinking alkaline water which you can create by adding lemon or lime juice and/or a few drops of hydrogen peroxide.To help with detoxification you may also want to increase your intake of raw foods and green juices. Although fiber is an important part of digestion, elimination, detoxification and a source of probiotic support—too much fiber can stress a weakened or hyper-reactive immune system. Juicing, steaming and lightly cooking raw foods, using green powders and cutting back on or eliminating whole grains can ease digestion and make many nutrients more readily available.

Eating a healthy diet is number one when it comes to cancer prevention. But there are also certain herbs and supplements that have been shown to help lower inflammation, boost the immune system, and therefore help to decrease cancer risk. These include:

Alpha-linolenic acid (Omega-3 fatty acid): Omega-3 fatty acids are getting so much attention because the Western diet is so unbalanced with an overabundance of omega-6’s. Omega-3’s have a host of health benefits and research is still underway to validate their benefits in combating cancer.

Chorella, Blue-green algae and Spirulina: These single-celled animals are a source of Vitamin B12 and bind with heavy metals, helping to eliminate them from the body.

CLA: Conjugated linoleic acid boosts the immune system and may reduce the risk of developing colon, rectal and breast cancers.

Coriolus Mushrooms: These disease fighting mushrooms have specific polysaccharides that boost the immune system, reduce tumor growth and combat cancer.

Folate/Vitamin B9: Folate (vitamin B9) is crucial to DNA production and has been found to be effective against breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancers.

Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone that helps to regulate our sleep and waking cycles. This hormone’s levels are closely linked to immune system function. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep and reducing stress will boost your melatonin levels.
Cancer-Fighting Foods Recipes

The No. 1 thing to do immediately to protect yourself from cancer is to improve your diet. Focus on filling your plate with nutrient-dense vegetables first, and then add in all of the other components that make up a healthy diet.

Precautions Regarding An Anti-Cancer Diet and Cancer-Fighting Foods

The quality of your diet is undoubtably linked to your overall health and ability to prevent cancer. However other factors are also important for cancer-prevention, such as exercising, avoiding medication and toxin exposure, not smoking or consuming too much alcohol, sleeping well and controlling stress. A variety of foods can be included in an anti-cancer diet, and your diet doesn’t need to be “perfect” to be healthy. Start by making one or two changes at a time to your diet, removing foods that you consume a lot of but that are known to increase cancer risk.

Final Thoughts on Cancer-Fighting Foods

Cancer-causing foods, as opposed to cancer-fighting foods, include those that contain pesticides, additives, added sugar or artificial sweeteners, processed meats, burnt foods, fried foods and other chemicals. Examples of cancer-causing foods and ingredients are french fries, hot dogs, deli meats, sausage, ice cream, refined rice and other gains, high fructose corn syrup, processed vegetable oils, and trans-fats.

To follow an anti-cancer diet, lower your toxin intake, support the body’s cleansing and detoxifying processes, get enough vitamin D, upgrade your water and eat unprocessed nutrient-rich foods — in addition to cancer-fighting foods.
Some of the top cancer-fighting foods include cruciferous veggies, leafy greens, berries, orange and yellow veggies, herbs and spices, cultured dairy products, nuts, seeds and healthy fats like coconut or olive oil.

Source: https://draxe.com/nutrition/cancer-fighting-foods/

to be continued

~~~

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What Is Nasopharyngeal Cancer?

craig — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 04:29:43 +0000

What Is Nasopharyngeal Cancer?

Nasopharyngeal cancer is a type of head and neck cancer. It starts in the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat behind the nose and near the base of skull. Cancer starts when cells begin to grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer, and can spread to other areas. (To learn more about how cancers start and spread, see What Is Cancer?)

Where nasopharyngeal cancer forms

The nasopharynx is the upper part of the throat (pharynx) that lies behind the nose. It's a box-like chamber about 1½ inches on each edge. It lies just above the soft part of the roof of the mouth (soft palate) and just in back of the nasal passages.

The nasopharynx serves as a passageway for air traveling from the nose to the throat (and then on to the lungs).

Types of nasopharyngeal tumors

Several types of tumors can develop in the nasopharynx. Some of these tumors are benign (not cancer), but others are malignant (cancer). It's important to talk with your doctor about what type of tumor you might have.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)

Most nasopharyngeal cancers are nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). It is by far the most common cancer in the nasopharynx. Carcinoma is cancer that starts in the cells that line the internal and external surfaces of the body (called epithelial cells).

There are 3 types of NPC. They all start from epithelial sells that line the nasopharynx, but the cells of each type look different under a microscope:

Non-keratinizing undifferentiated carcinoma (this is the most common type of NPC in the US.)
Non-keratinizing differentiated carcinoma
Keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma

The treatment is the same for all types of NPC. The non-keratinizing types tend to respond better to treatment, but the stage of the cancer – how far it has grown and spread – is often more important than the type in predicting a person's outlook (prognosis).

Many NPCs also contain lots of immune system cells, especially white blood cells called lymphocytes. The term lymphoepithelioma is sometimes used to describe an undifferentiated NPC with many lymphocytes among the cancer cells. The presence of these cells does not usually affect the choice of treatment options. But they may help researchers develop new treatments, because they may be a clue to how the body attempts to fight the tumor. (See What's New in Nasopharyngeal Cancer Research?)

Other cancers in the nasopharynx

Other types of cancers can also be found in the nasopharynx:

Lymphomas can sometimes start in the nasopharynx. They are cancers of immune system cells called lymphocytes, which are found throughout the body, including in the nasopharynx. See Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma to learn more.
Adenocarcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma are cancers that can start in the minor salivary glands in the nasopharynx. But these cancers are more commonly found in the nose (nasal cavity) or mouth (oral cavity). See Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer, Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses Cancer, or Salivary Gland Cancer for more about these cancers.

Benign nasopharyngeal tumors

Benign nasopharyngeal tumors are fairly rare and tend to develop in children and young adults. These tumors do not spread to other parts of the body and are usually not life-threatening. They include tumors or malformations of the vascular (blood-carrying) system, such as angiofibromas and hemangiomas, and benign tumors of minor salivary glands within the nasopharynx.

Benign nasopharyngeal tumors don't always need treatment. When they do, the treatment is not the same as for nasopharyngeal cancer. If you have a benign tumor, talk to your doctor about what to expect.

What Are the Symptoms of Nasopharyngeal Cancer?

Hearing loss, ringing in the ear, pain, or feeling of fullness in the ear (especially on one side only)
Ear infections that keep coming back
Nasal blockage or stuffiness
Nosebleeds
Headaches
Facial pain or numbness
Trouble opening the mouth
Blurred or double vision
Trouble breathing or talking

to be continued

~~~

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What is Cancer?

craig — Sun, 26 Jan 2020 23:35:39 +0000

What is Cancer?

At its heart, cancer is the result of uncontrolled cell growth. Our bodies are composed of trillions of cells, all working together. In cancer, one of those cells stops paying attention to the normal signals that tell cells to grow, stop growing or even to die.

Cancer cells still share many of the same needs and properties of normal cells but they become independent of the controls that make our body function smoothly.

The process by which a normal cell changes into one that behaves so abnormally can take a long time and is often triggered by outside influences.

Cancer is actually a general term that describes a large group of related diseases. Every case of cancer is unique, with its own set of genetic changes and growth properties. Some cancers grow quickly while others can take years to become dangerous to the patient.

The many differences between cases of cancer, even of the same organ (i.e. different cases of breast cancer), is one of the main reasons that treatment is so difficult.

Despite the differences between different types of cancer, all cancers DO share some common features, and these shared properties are the basis for many cancer treatments and research efforts. It is important to understand the basic, shared, features of cancer. This will allow for an understanding of detection, diagnosis and treatment options.

There are numerous changes that must occur for a normal cell to become a cancer cell. Additional changes are needed for that single cell to form a group of cancer cells, called a tumor, and then for that tumor to grow and spread.

Hallmarks Of Cancer: Growth Without 'GO' Signals

Normal cells will not divide unless they receive outside signals that cause it to enter the cell cycle. These signals are detected outside the cell (on the cell surface) and sent into the cell.

They come from three different sources; growth factors (what tells a cell to grow), cell-cell adhesion molecules (what connects one cell to another), and extracellular matrix components (what exists outside of the cell).

Normally these signals, along with other factors, help control the growth of cells, preventing them from dividing uncontrollably. Cancer cells develop the ability to grow in the absence of these external factors and no longer obey the normal regulations on cell division.

They do this by, producing their own growth factors, alter their growth receptors to divide more, and even influence surrounding cells to produce growth signals. At this point cancer cells begin to behave more like independent entities living without regard for the organism as a whole.

Hallmarks Of Cancer: Failure To Respond To 'STOP' Signals

The division of normal cells is restricted by signals from other cells. Cells will stop dividing when they are in contact with neighboring cells. This cell contacts send signals into the dividing cells that cause them to stop dividing. An alternative mechanism to stop cell division is called differentiation. This is the process by which a cell shows different characteristics because it has a certain function.

An example of this would be the maturation of a stem cell to a fully mature colon epithelial cell. The maturation process involves the cells ability to express certain genes, which results in differential properties for the cells.

Hallmarks Of Cancer: Unlimited Number Of Cell Divisions

While normal cells can only divide a finite number of times before stopping cell division and dying, cancer cells have the ability to divide endlessly without displaying the normal 'aging' seen in non-cancer cells.

In many cancers this is due to the activation of an enzyme, telomerase, that maintains the integrity of the chromosomes during cell division, keeping them functional and able to divide.

Hallmarks Of Cancer: Avoidance Of Cell Death

In normal tissue there is a balance between the generation of new cells via cell division and the loss of cells through cell death. Old cells become damaged over time and then go through a process called apoptosis, or cell death.

Apoptosis is a very orderly process in which the genome of the cell, all of its genetic information, is broken down, The cell is fragmented into smaller pieces and the debris is consumed by nearby cells that clean up the cell fragments (called phagocytic cells).

This process is normal and necessary for us to refresh our bodies with new and healthy cells. There are checkpoints built into the cell cycle that can recognize and eliminate the cells that are dividing in an abnormal way.

These checkpoints are responsible for preventing the development of cancer, since cancer cells develop and divide in a different way than normal cells. Cancer cells that get past these checkpoints have can avoid the cell death signals triggered by their abnormal behavior.

Avoidance of cell death, coupled with continued cell division leads to the growth of the tumor. Many of the chemotherapy drugs discussed in the Cancer Treatments section work by forcing the cancer cells to undergo apoptosis.

Hallmarks of Cancer: Getting a Blood Supply

When a tumor becomes large enough where it needs to increase the supply of nutrients and oxygen it receives, it will create new blood vessels. This process is called angiogenesis. Low oxygen levels (hypoxia) trigger the tumor and its surrounding environment to release signals that result in the growth of blood vessels towards and into the tumor. These new vessels supply oxygen and nutrients that allow the tumor to continue growing.

Because the development of blood vessels is so important in tumor growth and is a target of some cancer treatments, we have created separate section on angiogenesis.

Hallmark of Cancer: Metastasis

The spread of cancer from its original location to other parts of the body is called metastasis. This is a critical event in cancer. About 90% of the death associated with cancer is due to disease that has spread. On this page, we present an introduction to the steps in metastasis of a cancer cell. Because of its importance, we have also created a section on how cancer spreads.

Into the Blood
Intravasion, or the process of gaining entry into the blood circulation, is the first step in metastasis.

To accomplish this, individual cells must move away from the primary tumor, which occurs through a change in molecules on the cell's surface that normally keeps it in place. These molecules are called adhesion molecules and normally ensure that cells remain closely linked to each other and the tissue.

However, in some tumor cells these molecules are no longer present, allowing the cell to move away from the tumor and enter the blood stream.

For normal cells, the loss of adhesion molecules results in their death. This mechanism helps prevent them from entering the blood stream. However, metastatic cells have developed mutations that allow them to survive without being attached by adhesion molecules.

In the Blood
Once tumor cells have successfully entered the blood stream, they face an entirely new challenge: surviving transit in the blood. Most cells, including tumor cells, are not designed to survive the stresses of the blood system.

One of the primary ways in which tumor cells survive this transit is by using platelets to act as shields.

Platelets are small blood cells that can surround the cancer cells and protect them from both the force of blood flow and attacks from immune cells.

Out of the Blood
Extravasation, or exit from the blood vessel, is the final leg of the tumor cell's journey through the circulatory system. In some cases, tumor cells, which are often larger than blood cells, get stuck in the capillary bed of a distant organ.

A capillary bed is the network of small blood vessels that are too narrow for the tumor cells to get through. Here they can continue to grow until they burst through the vessel. In other cases, extravasion is more specific.

Tumor cells are often drawn to certain organs based on their adhesion molecules' abilities to bind to certain organ tissues better than others. Evidence for this is observed in breast cancer, which frequently travels to the lung. Breast cancer cells are capable of interacting with an adhesion molecule specifically present on cells of the lung.

Changes in Physical Properties of Cancer Cells

The changes in cell behavior that occur as cancer develops are, in part, dependent on changes in physical properties of the cells. Some of the changes have been identified and may be used to identify cancer cells.

Tumor cells display a characteristic set of features that distinguish them from normal cells. These traits allow the individual cells to form a tumor mass and eventually to metastasize to other parts of the body.

We will briefly consider the changes that affect cell functions and then discuss some of the capabilities that must be acquired by the tumors as a whole to enable them to grow and spread.

A wide range of changes occur during the transformation of a normal cell to a cell capable of forming a cancerous growth. All cancer cells acquire the ability to grow and divide in the absence of signals that are normally 'turned on' and/or in the presence of signals that are normally 'turned off'. There are also detectable changes in the physical properties of the cells.

These changes include the following:

Cytoskeletal changes: The distribution and activity of components in the cell infrastructure, namely microfilaments and microtubules, may change. These alterations change the ways in which the cell interacts with neighboring cells and alter the appearance of the cells. Changes in the cytoskeleton also affect cell adhesion and movement (motility).

Cell adhesion/motility: The reduction of cell:cell and cell:extracellular matrix adhesion allows large masses of cells to form. As described in the section on cell division, cancer cells are able to continue to grow even when surrounded by other cells. The alterations in cell adhesion also impact on the ability of the cells to move. Cancer cells must be able to move and migrate in order to spread, and cell adhesion plays a major role in regulating cell movement.

Nuclear changes: The shape and organization of the nuclei of cancer cells may be markedly different from that of the nuclei of normal cells of the same origin. This change in appearance may be useful in the diagnosis and staging of tumors.

Enzyme production: Cancer cells often secrete enzymes that enable them to invade neighboring tissues. These enzymes digest away the barriers to migration and spread of the tumor cells.

Summary

Hallmarks of Cancer

Cancer typically arises from genetic changes to a single cell.
Numerous changes are necessary to create a cancer cell from a normal cell.
Additional changes must occur to allow a tumor to form and spread.
Cancer cells must acquire the following set of capabilities in order to proliferate:
- Unlimited number of cell divisions
- Growth without external signals
- Failure to respond to 'stop' signals
- Avoidance of cell death
- Acquire an adequate food supply via the promotion of blood vessel formation
- The ability to leave the original tumor location and form a new tumor, or metastasis

Characteristics of Cancer Cells

Cytoskeletal changes allow a cell to alter its appearance and interactions. Helps in cell motility.
Cancer cells have less cell:cell and cell:surroundings connections allowing the cell to become mobile.
A cancer cell's nucleus may be markedly different from that of a normal cell's.
Cancer cells often secrete enzymes that allow it to invade neighboring tissues.
Cancerous tissue is disorganized and appears abnormal.

Source: https://www.cancerquest.org/patients/what-cancer

to be continued

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The Library Archives - Craig's Story

Neck Dissection

What is a Neck Dissection and Why is it Performed?

Radical vs. Modified Neck Dissection

Categories

to be continued

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Lymph Nodes and Cancer

What is the lymph system?

Lymph Nodes and Cancer

Lymph nodes and what they do

Swollen lymph nodes

Cancer in the lymph nodes

How does cancer spread to lymph nodes?

How is cancer in lymph nodes found?

What does it mean if there’s cancer in my lymph node?

Cancer in nodes affects cancer stage

Effects of removing lymph nodes

Categories

to be continued

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How fast does cancer spread?

Cancer Progression

How Quickly Cancer Spreads

Why cancer spreads

Fastest- and slowest-spreading cancers

What stages have to do with cancer spread

Tumor growth and spread

Benign tumors

Malignant tumors

How treatment works to stop cancer spread

Surgery

Radiation therapy

Chemotherapy

Targeted therapy

Immunotherapy

Stem cell or bone marrow transplant

Categories

to be continued

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14 Symptoms of Throat Cancer

Throat Cancer

1. Persistent Cough

2. Sore Throat

3. Difficulty Swallowing

4. Lump In The Throat (My 'lump' is at the back of my throat)

5. Hoarseness Or Voice Changes

6. Ear And Jaw Pain

7. White Patches In The Mouth

8. Difficulty Breathing

9. Headache

10. Unexplained Weight Loss

11. Swelling In the Eyes, Throat, and Neck

12. Nausea

13. Extreme Fatigue

14. Loss of Taste

Categories

to be continued

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Food For Cancer – The Good and The Bad

Food for Cancer

Fighting Cancer by the Plateful

Fighting Cancer With Color

The Cancer-Fighting Breakfast

More Folate-Rich Foods

Pass Up the Deli Counter

Cancer-Fighting Tomatoes

Tea's Anticancer Potential

Grapes and Cancer

Limit Alcohol to Lower Cancer Risk

Water and Other Fluids Can Protect

The Mighty Bean

The Cabbage Family vs. Cancer

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

Protection From an Exotic Spice

Cooking Methods Matter

A Berry Medley With a Punch

Blueberries for Health

Pass on the Sugar

Don't Rely on Supplements