CANCER INFORMATION

Top 50 Cancer Hospitals in the USA

2010-04-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer

2010-04-16T09:10:00.001-07:00

The Cause of Breast Cancer

In a study of 150 breast cancer patients by Dr. Rau, in Switzerland, 147 of them had had root canals on the same meridian as the breast cancer. The other 3 also had dental problems on the same meridian, but they were not root canals, they were infections in the jawbone.

Another medical doctor reported a similar experience with his breast cancer patients.

Root canals create a safe-haven for cancer-causing bacteria. These cancer-causing microbes do not originate in the root canals. Rather, the microbe originates in the breasts and then some of them live the "good life" while hiding in the root canal(s), free from any interference of the immune system.

The statistics indicate that the constant reinfection prevents the body from successfully fighting the breast cancer. Apparently, when a woman (or a man in some cases) gets breast cancer, the body is generally able to fight it off, unless the person also had a root canal on the same meridian. The root canal(s) apparantly allow the cancer to win the battle.

What Dr. Rau proved was that a bacteria-type microbe caused breast cancer. This has been known for over a century, but orthodox medicine refuses to acknowledge this proven fact. See the book: Four Women Against Cancer, by Dr. Alan Cantwell, M.D., for even more evidence for this fact.

The point is that it is virtually impossible to totally get rid of breast cancer without removing all root canals.

While soaking your root canal teeth in 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide (i.e. putting 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide in your mouth so that your root canal teeth are soaking in the solution for 2 or 3 minute at a time), twice a day can kill microbes inside the root canal teeth, most root canal teeth also have a crown which does not let liquids inside the tooth except at the bottom of the crowns. So be careful about depending on the hydrogen peroxide solution if your root canal teeth have crowns.

Issues With Brain Cancer and Alternative Cancer Treatments

2010-04-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

Brain cancer is one of the trickiest types of cancer for alternative medicine to treat. While it is easy to kill the cancer cells in a brain cancer patient (many alternative cancer treatments easily penetrate the blood-brain barrier), it is not easy to safely kill the cancer cells. The problem is that the debris from dead cancer cells can be very difficult to safely remove from the brain.

Other problems are inflammation and swelling. Before a cancer cell dies it gets sick. The problem is that once the cancer cell gets sick the immune system recognizes the cell as being sick and attacks it and this causes inflammation and swelling. This is not good to happen inside the skull.

One category of alternative cancer treatments that do not cause dangerous inflammation and swelling are treatments that build the immune system and then let the immune system kill the cancer cells safely. These treatments are generally used in conjunction with a product like Vitalzym, which strips the protein coating around the cancer cells so the immune system has an easier time killing the cancer cells.

The problem with these treatments is that they typically work very slowly and many brain cancer patients do not have enough time left to live to use slow-working alternative cancer treatments.

Fortunately, there are two treatments have been developed which work quickly and do not cause any type of brain swelling or inflammation. They are recommended in this article for the most dangerous kinds of brain cancer. For more typical brain cancer patients, there are more options to consider (including the two treatments for the most dangerous kinds of brain cancer).

Issues With Brain Cancer and Orthodox Cancer Treatments

2010-04-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

While radiation may be necessary in cases of dangerous swelling and inflammation, using radiation to treat cancer is almost guaranteed to be useless. Let me start with the observations of one person familiar with brain cancer treatments:

"Orthodox treatment for brain cancer, especially Children's, is absolutely appalling. Chemotherapy and radiation treatment cause horrific side-effects and permanent retardation. Very few survive for five years with this treatment. Their quality of life is ghastly, constantly sick from the chemotherapy/radiation treatments, their immune system wrecked by this barbaric treatment."
http://www.cancerinform.org/kids1.html

I wanted to emphasize the concept of permanent retardation. The wife of a good friend of mine developed brain cancer. She had radiation therapy that bascially made her mentally retarded. It was only after this happened that the radiologist admitted to my friend that radiation probably didn't do any good. Needless to say his wife died.

"As a rough estimate, neurosurgeons do well to cure one in every 1,000-brain cancer patients they operate on. Radiation therapy slows the growth of adult tumors, gaining perhaps one month of life, and may result in a cure of only one in 500-1,000 patients. Similarly, chemotherapy, despite 30 years of clinical trials, has not resulted in the development of a single drug or drug combination that elicits more than an occasional transient response in primary brain tumors."
Dr. Robert Burdick, oncologist and professor at the University of Washington Medical School

Brain cancer and brain tumors are somewhat unique because of the "blood-brain barrier," which severely restricts the types of substances in the bloodstream that are allowed by the body into the brain. While the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is great for protecting the brain from danger, when the brain has cancer cells, the BBB can be a problem.

While there are new chemotherapy drugs which can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, because chemotherapy is worthless in the rest of the body, why would someone think that chemotherapy would do any good running around among the extremely delicate brain cells?

Recommended Primary Treatment - Tony Isaacs Oleander Protocol

2010-04-16T09:07:00.002-07:00

The use of oleander as a treatment for cancer has come a long way since the days when you had to go out and cut oleander plants and make an "oleander soup," though some people still do that.

Today, the protocol is based on oleander pills which are prepared with a safe yet effective dose of the oleander plant. The only potential problem with this protocol is shipping the pills from South Africa.

The oleander protocol is also a protocol for AIDS, so you can expect this protocol to deal with any infections you have in your body.

This protocol is a complete protocol designed to kill cancer cells, rebuild the immune system, and do everything else needed to treat the cancer successfully.

As with every cancer treatment on earth, a good "cancer diet" is necessary. There are several levels of cancer diets ranging from simple to highly complex. The level of complexity is a function of the danger of the situation.

Adenocarcinoma - Important Notice

2010-04-16T09:07:00.001-07:00

One of the problems in researching this kind of cancer is that in most cases when a person has a cancer of the gland tissue, the cancer is not described as adenocarcinoma, it is described as: lung cancer (adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer, making up 30-35% of all cases), liver cancer (liver cancer is primarily adenocarcinoma, with 2 major cell types: hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma), etc.

Do you see the problem? Cancers can be described in terms of their location, such as lung cancer or liver cancer; or in terms of the type of cancer cells, such as adenocarcinoma. I suspect that cancers involving the gland tissue are seldom actually refered to as adenocarcinoma or adeno carcinoma.

In using the "type of cancer" treatments on this website, such as this article, if you have a liver cancer which is an adenocarcinoma use the liver cancer article!! In other words, if there is an article on the primary location of you cancer, choose the article by location rather than this article.

If your adenocarcinoma is located in more than one location, such as in the lungs and the liver, then pick the article which involves the most dangerous location of your adenocarcinoma.

See the "Stage IV" article to find out where the most dangerous locations for a cancer are located (hint: brain cancer (due to swelling), lung cancer (due to congestion) and bone cancer in the spine (due to several reasons) are typically the most dangerous locations for a cancer.

Also if the cancer is in more than one location, take into account where the largest concentration of cancer cells are in the case.

In other words, do not use this article unless the cancer does not involve a major organ or there is no specific article for where your cancer is located.

Skin Cancer - Frankincense and Other Essential Oils

2010-04-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a testimonial for Frankincense Oil:

" just wanted to share more about Frankincense. My Dad tried it for his COPD and was very surprised with the effects. We were talking about what he called cancer on his face and top of ears and he was saying that he'd have to go have it cut off again. I just mentioned that he try some of his Frankincense. It's been about a week and half, and last night he started telling me how he was telling his friend that he had these things on the side of his face and on top of his ears. THEN, he said "I started putting my oil on them and one is gone and the other I can barely feel" he is starting to trust and believe in the oils. He is a very cautious man so I was a little surprised he even tried it. Sometimes we just have to be patient.
http://stopcancer.com/EssentialOilsTestimonies.htm

I have seen several testimonials for frankincense oil. Whenever you talk about "essential oils," the first manufacturer that should come to mind is "Young Living." They create therapeutic-grade essential oils, not the perfume-grade oils normally found in retail and wholesale distribution.

(Note: Some health practitioners import high quality essential oils made in other countries.)

The current protocol for treating skin cancer is the following (using a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of the two oils):

1) Frankincense with Idaho Balsam Fir (3 days);
2) Frankincense with Tsuga (3 days);
3) Frankincense with Ledum (3 days);
4) Frankincense with Lavender (3 days);
5) Frankincense with clove, which may make the skin burn, so skip this step for cancer on the face (3 days);
6) Frankincense with Sandalwood (3 days); 7) Repeat cycle as needed.

The exact number of times the oils should be put on the skin cancer is up to the patient and their situation, but may range from 3 to 12 times a day.

Skin Cancer and Vitamin C

2010-04-16T09:05:00.002-07:00

Vitamin C Treatment

When Vitamin C comes into contact with a skin cancer or external tumor (e.g. basel cell carcinoma), it hardens the tumor and forms a crust, such that the scab falls off in 2 weeks or so depending on how big the tumor is and how aggressive you get with the Vitamin C.

The solution is made by adding 1/8 tsp (teaspoon) of pure Vitamin C crystals to 1 tsp of water (a ratio of 1:8). Add any more and the Vitamin C won't dissolve. This should make enough solution to last all day. If more is made than is needed you should store it in a closed container in the refrigerator.

Even better, put 1 or 2 ounces of water (30-60 ml) in a small glass bottle and add 1 tsp of Vitamin C for each ounce of water (that is a 1:6 ratio). If after mixing you don't see any crystals on the bottom then add more Vitamin C until the water won't dissolve anymore. This insures a saturated solution of Vitamin C.

The treatment is to apply the mixture (using a cotton swab or Q-Tip) to the tumor. This should be done 2 or 3 times a day. It is best to put a bandage or other cotton covering over the tumor after each treatment, if possible.

On the skin cancer the bandage is just to keep the lesion wet with Vitamin C until the next treatment. If there is an infection you should change the bandage more often. Ascorbate is also anti-infective and is used topically and IV for burn patients. You would therefore be curing the cancer and infection at the same time.

Melanoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma

2010-04-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

Melanoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) do not spread like other kinds of cancer. While most types of cancer spread by the cancer cells dividing, these two types of cancer spread by a different mechanism.

While there are microbes inside of all cancer cells, it appears from the evidence that microbes come out of the cancer cells in these two types of cancer and move through the bloodstream and burrow into normal cells in another location of the body, making these cells cancerous. This is why these cancers can spread like a wild fire to highly diverse parts of the body.

For this reason, to stop the spreading of these kinds of cancers, it is critical to deal with ALL microbes in the body.

In short, treating melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma involves two key issues.

First, is the issue of killing the stationary cancer cells. Like most cancers, the main melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma cancer cells are stationary.

Second, stop the spreading of this cancer. While most cancers spread by cell division, these two types of cancer spread via the bloodstream by microbes. Thus, it is necessary to make sure all microbes in the bloodstream are killed at least once every 12 hours.

Understanding Colon and Stomach Cancer

2010-04-16T09:02:00.002-07:00

The first thing a colon cancer or stomach cancer patient needs to understand is that the "cure rate" of orthodox medicine for these two kinds of cancer is virtually zero. Even the "cure rate" for alternative cancer treatments is significantly lower than for most other kinds of cancer.

The reason the cure rate is so low, in my opinion, is because of the damage caused by surgery and chemotherapy to the colon and/or stomach.

Surgery on the colon and/or stomach damage the body's ability to digest foods and extract the nutrients from foods. Chemotherapy, for any reason, can damage the lining of the stomach and/or colon, thus interfering with the body's ability to process the nutrients in foods and supplements.

Because the body cannot digest foods properly, and cannot extract nutrients from the foods and supplements (because of surgery and chemotherapy), the cancer cells are not able to be killed by any cancer treatment and the non-cancerous cells are not properly protected and nurished by the foods and supplements that are consumed.

When you think about colon and stomach cancer you need to think about two different concepts:
1) The cancer cells (which need nutrients to be killed),
2) The non-cancerous calls (which need nutrients to keep the cancer patient alive).

THESE TWO ITEMS ARE OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE TO ANY CANCER PATIENT, BUT BOTH OF THEM ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO STOMACH AND COLON CANCER PATIENTS BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE DONE BY SURGERY AND CHEMOTHERAPY.

Surgery and chemotherapy damages the ability of the body to properly digest the foods they eat and thus their cancer cells are not adequately killed, their non-cancerous cells are not adequately protected and their immune system has not been adequately nourished.

In addition, due primarily to surgery, many advanced colon and stomach cancer patients cannot eat very much and of course what they can eat is not digested properly.

But there is yet another reason getting rid of cancer cells quickly is critical.

First, cancer cells steal both glucose and nutrients from non-cancerous cells. It is bad enough that the person may not be able to eat much, and cannot digest much, but the cancer cells are stealing glucose and nutrients from the non-cancerous cells.

It gets worse. Cancer cells also create lactic acid. Lactic acid can further block nutrients from getting to the non-cancerous cells.

But perhaps even more important, lactic acid is converted to glucose in the liver. In other words, the cancer cells consume glucose (in fact they steal glucose from non-cancerous cells) and in turn create lactic acid. The lactic acid goes to the liver and the liver converts the lactic acid into glucose, which then goes back to the cancer cells.

This cycle is called the "Lactic Acid Cycle" or the "Cachexia Cycle." It sounds harmless, but it is not. At both ends of the lactic acid cycle enormous amounts of energy are consumed by the body and cells. This further steals energy from the non-cancerous cells.

For a colon cancer patient there are many things that can cause a loss of appetite. But the two main reasons are pain and cachexia. Pain can cause a lack of appetite because surgery, radiation or chemotherapy may have damaged the stomach or colon, thus making it painful to eat.

The second major reason for a loss of appetite is cachexia. Because the patient may not be able to digest foods the cancer cells may thrive greatly thus creating cachexia.

A Transatlantic Bridge for Cancer Research

2010-04-16T09:02:00.001-07:00

A new exchange program brings young researchers of the University Hospital in Essen/Germany and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) closer together in cancer research: The Pittsburgh-Essen-Partnership-Program (PEPP) was designed to build a transatlantic bridge for cancer research, as the UPCI is one of the most renowned cancer institutes worldwide. An official contract for the cooperation was signed in Essen.

The program enables five postdoctoral fellows of the medical faculty of the University Duisburg-Essen per year to spend 18 to 24 months in the UPCI-research facilities with a PEPP-grant, conducting studies in tumour-immunology and tumour-biology. Young researchers from Pittsburgh are welcome to make use of the exchange program as well, spending time at the University Hospital in Essen, where cancer research is one of the main research areas.

“Both sides can profit immensely from this exchange program. The Pittsburgh Cancer Institute runs one of the leading cancer research programs in the USA, is extremely well connected to other institutes and has state of the art research laboratories. In addition to that, the UPCI is well known for its excellent educational programs for young researchers”, notes Professor Dr. Stephan Lang of the University Hospital Essen, who developed the idea for the PEPP-scholarship with Prof. Dr. Theresa Whiteside of the UPCI and UPCI-chairman Dr. Ronald Herberman. On her recent visit to Essen Prof. Theresa Whiteside stressed how useful the input of the young researchers from Essen is for her institute. “We are looking forward to this close encounter with the research fellows from Germany”, Whiteside stated.

According to Professor Lang, the patients at the University Hospital Essen will profit from this exchange program as well. Lang is director of the Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology at the University Hospital of Essen and coordinates international programs of the medical faculty.

The PEPP-scholarship-grant will be provided by the medical faculty of the University of Essen and by the clinical institutions where the scholar is based as a postdoctoral fellow. American scholars who visit Essen will be financed by the University of Pittsburgh. Cancer research fellows of all departments and institutes at the UK Essen are welcome to take part in the new PEPP-adventure.

Markey Cancer Center Facilities

2010-04-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Phone: 859-257-4488

Address: 800 Rose St.
Lexington, KY 40536-0293

Directions Directions to Markey Cancer Center >

Maps: Map of Lexington
UK Chandler Hospital campus
UK Chandler Hospital first floor

Established in 1985, Markey Cancer Center utilizes the resources of 28 departments, eight colleges and 150 faculty members throughout UK to further the prevention, treatment and cure of cancer.

The Role of Nephrectomy in Advanced Disease

2010-04-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

Nephrectomy has become an integral part of the management of patients with metastatic kidney cancer. In the past, nephrectomy was performed in this setting only in certain circumstances – mostly to relieve pain or as a response to intractable bleeding. But indications that some patients had spontaneous regression of their metastatic disease following nephrectomy, and the fact that the primary tumor rarely, if ever, responded to systemic therapy, prompted more widespread integration of nephrectomy into the management of patients with metastatic disease.

Performing nephrectomy in patients with advanced kidney cancer is not without risk, however. The very real chance of significant metastatic disease progression during the postoperative period or complication before or during surgery that may prolong postoperative recovery could potentially delay or prevent the administration of systemic therapy in the postoperative period. Patient selection for surgery remains critical for success. Patients should be good candidates for surgery, and have a relatively small tumor that can be impacted significantly by surgery. Patients with complicating factors, including extensive metastases to the liver, brain, or bones, may not be good candidates for surgery because of their poor overall prognosis.

Telephone Information Service

Our telephone information service (Nurse Hotline) may be accessed directly by calling +1 503 215 7921. The nurses can answer most questions about the treatment of kidney cancer, including the management of side effects from therapies for advanced disease. They can also provide referrals to expert physicians in the United States.

Lyn Glenn, MN, FNP, AOCN
Manager/Nurse Practitioner

Roxanne Payne, FNP, AOCN
Nurse Coordinator

Sarah Linehan, RN, OCN

Brendan Curti, MD
Medical Director, Biotherapy Program and Genitourinary Research Program

Providence Cancer Center
Biotherapy Program
4805 N.E. Glisan
Portland, OR 97213

Cancer Prevention Tips

2010-04-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

Look and Feel Younger

Here are some strategies which not only reduce your risk of cancers, but can also protect against heart disease, stroke, diabetes, other diseases … and keep you looking and feeling younger!

Don’t smoke or if you do smoke, quit!
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and is a major contributor to cancers of the lung, head and neck, bladder and other organs.
Use of smokeless tobacco is not a safe substitute for smoking cigarettes. So-called spit tobacco is linked to cancers of the mouth and pharynx.

Protect yourself from the sun.
Avoid sunlight during the hours between 10 a.m.-2 p.m., when rays are strongest. Wear protective hats and clothing. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen (protects against UVB and UVA rays) with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Avoid tanning and sunlamps.

Maintain a healthy body weight.

Get moving!
Be moderately active at least 30 minutes on five or more days each week. To reduce the risk of breast or colon cancer, even more exercise may be better. But the most important change you can make is to move from sedentary to incorporating even a little activity into our daily routine.

If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer

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If a Pap smear reveals abnormal cells, further diagnostic tests are performed to determine a diagnosis. Irregular cells could indicate:

Human Papillomavirus Infection
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN): See the next page for details on this pre-cancerous condition.
Cervical Cancer

Further tests are necessary to make a diagnosis. Additional tests that may be performed include:

Colposcopy - the use of a lighted instrument to more closely examine the cervix. Vinegar (acetic acid) may be swabbed on the surfaces to be examined. The acid solution makes abnormal tissues turn white and therefore they are easier to see. A camera may be attached to the instrument.
Biopsy - removal of a small sample of tissue for examination by a pathologist. The procedure is typically done without anesthesia and is associated with minimal pain or bleeding. It is possible to perform the biopsy during a colposcopy.

If the diagnostic tests indicate the presence of cancer, additional imaging (CT, MRI, etc.) may be performed to determine the location and extent of the disease.

When Cancer Recurs

2010-04-16T08:57:00.001-07:00

When cancer recurs, or comes back, treatment options expand significantly. Gone are the days when we had little to offer these women. Topotecan, Doxil, Gemzar, Hycamptin, Vespid and Tamoxifen are just a few of the drugs in our arsenal. Unfortunately, though there are many choices, the chances of success begin to decline significantly. The chances of response to chemotherapy after the initial surgery approach 75-80%. Second-line agents all have response rates on the order of 15-25%, with none clearly superior to the others. Frequently, the most effective agents are the ones given initially, usually Taxol and Paraplatin. The longer the period of remission, the greater the likelihood of a second remission. Second remissions are usually shorter than the first, and almost invariably are followed by another recurrence. Surgery is occasionally of benefit, especially when the disease seems to be relatively limited in extent on a CT scan and the chances are great for removing all grossly evident (i.e., to the naked eye) tumor growths or when patients have signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction (an inability to eat or drink without vomiting). Most patients lose their strength slowly over the course of several months and at the end, slip into a restful sleep.

Research into new drugs, approaches and technologies continues. The standard therapy for this disease has already changed in the last decade. As more information becomes available, we will hopefully make inroads in both the diagnosis and management of this disease.

Who gets ovarian cancer?

2010-04-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

The simple answer is anybody. More specifically, post-menopausal women (about 51 years of age in the U.S.), women who have never been pregnant, women who have never used birth control pills (yes, oral contraceptives are protective), women who have a first- or second-degree relative with ovarian cancer, and women who have a personal or family history of breast or colon cancers are prone to this disease.

The very strongest risk factor is family history, but only 5% or 1 in 20 women with a cancer of the ovary will have one of the genetic variants. This means that, for most patients, there is nothing in their family tree to alert concern.

Symptoms

For years, many believed that there were no symptoms associated with ovarian cancers in their early stages. The truth of the matter is that the symptoms are so vague and non-specific that oftentimes both patients and doctors attribute them to other causes. Heartburn and early satiety (fullness after eating) are blamed on the spicy foods they had for dinner.

An increase in abdominal girth is middle-age spread and too many rich meals. The pain in the lower abdomen is a muscle pull from moving the lawn. Or frequent urination is a fallen bladder. It is of little surprise then, that three-quarters of patients with ovarian cancer have a metastatic, advanced stage of the disease when they are diagnosed.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made at surgery for most patients. Usually there is evidence on an ultrasound or CT scan of abnormalities in the ovaries. Oftentimes, there is free fluid or ascites present in the abdomen. Many times, a woman's pelvic examination is abnormal. CA-125 is a blood test that is often elevated in women with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (80%), though only half of the women with cancer confined to the ovary will have an elevation of this test. In post-menopausal women with evidence of a mass on examination, ultrasound or CT scan, a CA-125 can predict, with great accuracy, whether there is a cancer present.

Advances in Research/ Screening/Genetic Testing

With such a devastating disease that presents in advanced stages so often, research efforts have focused on ways of diagnosing the disease early through screening. Unfortunately, there is no screening test or combination of tests that has proven of benefit for the average patient. In women considered to be high risk, recent evidence suggests that screening transvaginal ultrasound may be of benefit. But, even in this carefully screened and evaluated group of patients, cancers eluded the investigators and were diagnosed within a year of their evaluation. In women who come from families where cancers of the breast, ovary, endometrium, and colon cluster, genetic testing can sometimes be of benefit. Testing requires a blood or tissue sample from the woman with the cancer to determine if a variant of the BRCA 1 or 2 gene exists, and if so, what it is. When this information is available, then the blood of other family members can be tested to determine if they carry the same abnormal gene. A mother has a 50% chance of transmitting the gene to her children (both boys and girls) and a 25% risk of transmitting it to her grandchildren. In some families where the expression of the gene is strong, women who carry the abnormal gene have a 40% lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer. Many would recommend that such a woman foregoes imperfect screening tests and simply have her ovaries removed when her childbearing is completed.

Surgical Treatment

Once a mass has been identified and examined radiographically, surgery is necessary to make a complete diagnosis. Surgery provides the opportunity to define the disease and resect (surgically remove) it. When cancer is ostensibly confined to the ovary, a systematic exploration of the abdomen and pelvis with biopsies of some 15-20 different sites is performed (a staging laparotomy).

When, as is so often the case, the disease is scattered widely throughout the abdominal cavity, a resection of as much cancer as possible is performed, occasionally requiring the removal of portions of the intestine. Ovarian cancer has a characteristic spread pattern it sprinkles and studs the inside of the abdominal cavity, a "salt and pepper" effect. It is important for the operating surgeon to be aggressive in his or her approach to the management of this disease, since many studies have shown a correlation between the amount of residual cancer and the chances of a patient responding to chemotherapy and living longer. Those patients with the smallest amount of residual disease have the very best prognosis.

Prognosis

Prognosis is clearly related to several key features of a woman s cancer, most importantly stage and grade. Stage defines the extent of disease. For the overwhelming majority of women with ovarian cancer, the disease is advanced. Survival for Stage III or IV disease is 15-20% at five years. When fortunate enough to find the disease when it s confined to the ovary, survival for Stage I disease is 80-85%. Grade describes the pattern of growth as seen under the microscope. Grade 1 cancers have a pattern of growth similar to that of normal tissues, and these cancers grow more slowly and are more likely to do well. Grade 2 and 3 cancers have a very disordered pattern of growth and consequently, are more unpredictable in their behavior. The woman who has Stage 1 Grade 1 disease is likely to be cured by surgery alone.

Ovarian cancer

2010-04-16T08:55:00.001-07:00

Ovarian cancer is an infrequently diagnosed, but serious illness for women. One in 70 American women will receive this diagnosis in their lifetime. This year alone, 24,000 women will be diagnosed, and 14,200 will die. The therapy and prognosis varies significantly, based on the stage (extent of disease), grade (microscopic pattern of growth) and histology (cell type) of the disease.

Ovarian cancer is not one disease, but many. The ovary is an organ that contains many different types of cells - the germ cells ("eggs"), the surface epithelial cells, the stromal cells that surround the germ cells, as well as blood vessels and other supporting tissues. Each of these cells has the potential to develop into a malignancy. The most common type of ovarian malignancies are the epithelial ovarian cancers, and of these, the most common is papillary serous carcinoma. All subsequent discussion will focus on these epithelial cancers.

Cervical Cancer

2010-04-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

Cervical cancer forms in the interior lining of the cervix, the junction of the vagina and uterus. The development of cervical cancer is typically slow, and occurs over a period of years. The progression to cervical cancer begins with the development of precancerous changes in normal cells. Most of these changes, even if left untreated, will not progress to cancer. However, in 2008 the American Cancer Society estimates 11,070 women will be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer and 3,870 will die of the disease in the United States.

Cervical cancer is most often diagnosed in middle-aged women, with half of those diagnosed between the ages of 35 and 55. Cervical cancer is very rarely seen in women less than 20 years of age, but approximately 20% of cases occur in women over 65, demonstrating the necessity of continued screening procedures. The five year survival rate of invasive cervical cancer is currently 72% and improvements in screening and the development of prophylactic vaccines have decreased the incidence of late-stage cancer.

About Prostate Cancer

2010-02-16T00:51:00.000-08:00

What is Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer occurs when cells within the prostate grow uncontrollably, creating small tumors. The term "cancer" refers to a condition in which the regulation of cell growth is lost and cells grow uncontrollably. Most cells in the body are constantly dividing, maturing and then dying in a tightly controlled process. Unlike normal cells, the growth of cancer cells is no longer well-regulated. Instead of dying as they should, cancer cells outlive normal cells and continue to form new, abnormal cells.

Abnormal cell growths are called tumors. The term "primary tumor" refers to the original tumor; secondary tumors are caused when the original cancer spreads to other locations in the body. Prostate cancer typically is comprised of multiple very small, primary tumors within the prostate. At this stage, the disease is often curable (rates of 90% or better) with standard interventions such as surgery or radiation that aim to remove or kill all cancerous cells in the prostate. Unfortunately, at this stage the cancer produces few or no symptoms and can be difficult to detect.

What is Metastatic Prostate Cancer?

If untreated and allowed to grow, the cells from these tumors can spread in a process called metastasis. In this process, prostate cancer cells are transported through the lymphatic system and the bloodstream to other parts of the body, where they lodge and grow secondary tumors. Once the cancer has spread beyond the prostate, cure rates drop dramatically.

In most cases, prostate cancer is a relatively slow-growing cancer, which means that it typically takes a number of years for the disease to become large enough to be detectable, and even longer to spread beyond the prostate. This is good news. However, a small percentage of patients experience more rapidly growing, aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Unfortunately, it is difficult to know for sure which prostate cancers will grow slowly and which will grow aggressively - complicating treatment decisions.

The spread of cancer outside the prostate can be detected by the presence of prostate cancer cells in areas surrounding the prostate such as the seminal vesicle, lymph nodes in the groin area, the rectum and bones. When prostate cancer spreads to another site, such as bone, the new tumor is still considered to be prostate cancer, not bone cancer.

How Common is Prostate Cancer

It is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men. A non-smoking man is more likely to develop prostate cancer than he is to develop colon, bladder, melanoma, lymphoma and kidney cancers combined. In fact, a man is 35% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than a woman is to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
In 2009, more than 192,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 27,000 men will die from the disease. One new case occurs every 2.7 minutes and a man dies from prostate cancer every 19 minutes.

It is estimated that there are more than 2 million American men currently living with prostate cancer.

How curable is prostate cancer?

As with all cancers, "cure" rates for prostate cancer describe the percentage of patients likely remaining disease-free for a specific time. In general, the earlier the cancer is caught, the more likely it is for the patient to remain disease-free.

Because approximately 90% of all prostate cancers are detected in the local and regional stages, the cure rate for prostate cancer is very high nearly 100% of men diagnosed and treated at this stage will be disease-free after five years. By contrast, in the 1970s, only 67% of men diagnosed with local or regional prostate cancer were disease-free after five years.

Types of Mesothelioma

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Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma represents about 75% of all mesotheliomas. The disease can grow quickly and enlarge the pleural space, causing it to fill with fluid. This fluid leads to the discomfort or pain associated with first detection of the disease. It is thought that pleural mesothelioma is caused by the inhaling of fibrous materials, including asbestos. These fibers become lodged in the pleura and, over time, cause damage that can lead to cancer. Learn more about pleural mesothelioma.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

The rarest form of mesothelioma is that which affects the linings of the heart cavity, called the pericardium. Less than 10% of all mesothelioma cases are related to the heart. As in the lung, the rapid growth of the cancerous tumors can cause expansion of the tissue and accumulation of fluid. The fluid can interfere with the functioning of the heart and cause chest pain. Mesothelioma cases are known to be caused by exposure to asbestos; but it is completely unknown how the asbestos fibers enter the tissue layers surrounding the heart. Learn more about pericardial mesothelioma.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma of the abdomen is called peritoneal mesothelioma. The serous membrane surrounding the abdomen is known as the peritoneum. This disease accounts for approximately 10% to 20% of mesothelioma cases. In addition, a rare form of peritoneal mesothelioma affects the male testicles. The covering layer of the scrotum is actually an outpouching of the peritoneum. Peritoneal mesothelioma is due to the ingestion of fibrous materials, including asbestos.

Types of Mesothelioma

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Mesothelioma cancer affects the serous membranes that surround the major organs in the midsection of the body. Different organs can be affected by mesothelioma because the serous membranes surround the lungs, heart, abdomen and others. The most common type of mesothelioma is that which affects the lung lining, and is called pleural mesothelioma. Other types are pericardial mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the heart, and peritoneal mesothelioma, affecting the lining of the abdomen.

Mesothelioma, contrary to what many people think, is not a type of primary lung cancer. That is, mesothelioma does not originate in the lungs, but as described above, it starts in the serous membranes or lining around the lungs (or other organs). However, mesothelioma can spread to the lungs and when this occurs, it is considered to be a secondary lung cancer. Mesothelioma is also commonly referred to as an asbestos lung cancer. Technically, this is also incorrect, since mesothelioma does not originate in the lungs. Asbestosis is a type of asbestos lung disease that is often confused with mesothelioma.

The Lawyers of the Mesothelioma Legal Help Center

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Your local Mesothelioma Legal Help Center has top mesothelioma attorneys with proven track-records of success. These gifted attorneys have handled mesothelioma lawsuits for many years and fight for the highest compensation for you and your family.

The Mesothelioma Legal Help Center is Here to Help You

Your local Mesothelioma Legal Help Center is here to help. You should not bear the costs of expensive mesothelioma treatments. You may be entitled to substantial compensation that can pay for your medical expenses and protect the financial future of your family.

To contact your local Legal Help Center, fill out the email contact form. You can expect to be contacted by a representative from your Legal Help Center immediately.

How Do I Get Started?

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The local Mesothelioma Legal Help Center will put you in touch with trustworthy, experienced mesothelioma lawyers who will provide a free case evaluation. If your case is accepted, your case will be handled on a contingency fee. This means that you pay the lawyers nothing, unless you recover money. Representatives from the local Mesothelioma Legal Help Center may be able to arrange for an in-person meeting at your home or another place you choose. If your schedule permits, this meeting can take place within 24 hours.

Your case will be investigated immediately at no charge. If your case is accepted, your Legal Help Center will work to obtain compensation for you as quickly as possible. Once again, our attorneys work for free unless you recover money in the lawsuit. Although each case is different, in many mesothelioma lawsuits, money is received by the people filing the lawsuit in a matter of months. To see how we can help you and to learn about results that have been obtained in cases similar to yours, contact your local Mesothelioma Legal Help Center.

Why Should Companies that Made Asbestos Products Compensate Me?

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Asbestos fibers are often invisible, and many people were exposed to asbestos without knowing it. Workers inhaled these invisible fibers that became imbedded in their lungs. Unfortunately, many spouses and children of workers also inhaled these fibers from their loved one's clothing. Evidence now shows that most asbestos companies knew about the dangers of asbestos long before they tried to protect their workers and families. These companies did not inform workers of these dangers or offer protective clothing.

It is now clear that many companies deliberately chose to protect their profits rather than their employees. Manufacturers of asbestos products could have easily warned workers simply by putting warnings on product packages or labels. Workers went to work every day, not knowing that exposure to asbestos could cause mesothelioma. It is important that companies who caused this needless suffering are held accountable; they must pay the victims and their families for their suffering to ensure that companies do not neglect their employees' health again.

Why Should I Contact a Lawyer About Mesothelioma?

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Most patients who have developed mesothelioma have never had a lawyer work for them and may not understand why it is important to contact a lawyer about this disease. It is important to know that most patients who are diagnosed with mesothelioma are eligible to receive compensation from the companies responsible for the asbestos exposure. However, in order to receive compensation, you must file a lawsuit. The lawyers from the local Mesothelioma Legal Help Center will, at no cost to you, investigate your case. If the case is accepted, the lawyers may file a lawsuit on your behalf. The initial consultation and investigation are free. The lawyers receive no payment unless you are paid.

Who Is Typically Stricken With Mesothelioma

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People stricken with mesothelioma come from all walks of life. Some well-known mesothelioma victims include movie stars, such as Steve McQueen and well-known public servants, such as the famous Navy Admiral, Elmo Zumwalt. Other people who have gotten mesothelioma spent their whole lives working in refineries, auto shops, railroad yards, shipyards or construction sites. Some people developed mesothelioma by laundering the dusty clothing of a husband or parent. Most people who develop mesothelioma have one thing in common - they have worked hard all of their lives, they have played by the rules, and now have been stricken with a preventable disease that was caused by corporate negligence. Money obtained from these companies on your behalf by the local Mesothelioma Legal Help Center can be used to pay your medical expenses and can be used to protect the financial future of your loved ones.

How Can the Mesothelioma Legal Help Center Provide Assistance?

2010-02-16T00:41:00.000-08:00

Unlike other cancers, mesothelioma is preventable and has a known source: asbestos exposure. Many products used throughout the United States contain asbestos. Asbestos exposure has lead many patients and their families to suffer from mesothelioma. The companies responsible for asbestos exposure are required to compensate victims and their families for the illness and suffering. Your local Mesothelioma Legal Help Center has highly skilled and experienced attorneys who understand how to quickly get help for patients who have been exposed and are ill. These attorneys conduct research to determine the cause of the asbestos exposure and work diligently to obtain compensation from companies responsible for causing the illness. The money recovered from these companies can be used to offset medical expenses and help to restore a more normal life, as much as possible, for the victims and their families.

Mesothelioma Patients and Their Families Can Get Help

2010-02-16T00:40:00.000-08:00

People who get mesothelioma are often no longer able to work or enjoy life. Also, these victims often need very expensive medical treatments. The mission of the Mesothelioma Legal Help Center is to help patients and their families overcome these terrible emotional and financial difficulties. To learn more about how we can help, please contact the Legal Help Center in your area. There is no cost to you for the phone call or the initial assistance.

Secondary Lung Cancer

2010-02-16T00:39:00.000-08:00

Secondary lung cancer is cancer that has spread to the lungs from other organs. Many different types of cancer spread to the lungs, because of its very high blood supply. These include breast cancer and colon cancer.

The type of cancer is very important when it comes to treatment. The different types of cancer cells respond differently to different types of chemotherapy and other therapies. When cancer cells spread from other organs to the lungs, then the lungs have to be treated for the other type of cancer, not lung cancer. This is an important distinction. For example, breast cancer that spreads to the lungs, has to be treated for breast cancer, not lung cancer.

Non-Small Cell Cancer

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Non-small cell cancer falls into these categories:

· Squamous cell carcinoma
· Adenocarcinoma
· Large cell carcinoma
· Adenosquamous cell carcinoma
· Undifferentiated carcinoma

Each category of non-small cell cancer are physiologically similar and they respond to treatment differently than to small cell lung cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of primary lung cancer. This type of cancer is also linked to smoking and it develops from the cells than line the airways in the lungs. Squamous cells are thin, flat cells that look like fish scales. Commonly the tumor growths are located in the center of the lungs near the large airways (bronchi). It is also referred to as epidermoid carcinoma. It comprises approximately 30 to 35% of the non-small cell cancer in the US, affecting men and the elderly most frequently.

Adenocarcinoma, like squamous cell carcinoma, develops from tissues in the lung airways. But, it develops from the glandular secretory tissues. (tissues that produce mucus). It is often found in the outer airway passages, not the main bronchi, like the squamous cell variety. The incidence of this cancer is increasing. It comprises about 40% of the non-small cell lung cancer in the US and is the most common lung cancer among women.

Large cell lung cancer is named after its appearance. The cells look large and unnatural under the microscope. These types of cells grow quite quickly.

Adenosquamous carcinoma are cells that appear flat under the microscope, like the squamous cells, but derive from the glandular secretory cells, like the adenocarcinoma.
Undifferentiated carcinoma includes cancer cells that cannot be identified as one of the other groups. The cells appear abnormal under the microscope and multiply uncontrollably.

Primary Lung Cancer

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There are several different types of primary lung cancer. These are divided into two main groups:

* Small Cell Lung Cancer

* Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Pleural mesothelioma is often thought of as a third type of primary lung cancer. However, it is not a lung cancer. Mesothelioma does not develop in the lungs, but in the serous membranes surrounding the lungs. As such, it does not fall into the typical categories of lung cancer. Mesothelioma can also occur in other tissues, in the lining of the abdomen, call peritoneal mesothelioma, and in the lining of the heart, pericardial mesothelioma.

Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small Cell Lung Cancer comprises approximately 20% of the primary types of lung cancer. It is called small cell cancer because the tumor cells are very small, with the cells containing almost exclusively the cell nucleus and nothing more. This type of cancer is also referred to as oat cell cancer. Chemotherapy is often suggested for this cancer in the early stages because of the rapid way it which it spreads. Surgery is not a good option to stop the spread early on. This type of cancer is most closely linked to smoking; non smokers rarely have it.

Lung Cancer

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Lung cancer occurs when lung tissue develops cancerous growths. Primary lung cancer is cancer that originates in the lung tissue. Secondary lung cancer is cancer that spreads, or metastasizes, from other organs.

Primary Lung Cancer and Secondary Lung Cancer - Mesothelioma

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Cancer is a disease related to the uncontrolled growth of tissue, leading to the accumulation of mass (called a tumor or lesion.) Normal cells in the body divide and grow in an orderly controlled manner. When cells grow uncontrollably and this growth invades other tissues or organs, the growths are called malignant or cancerous. When a mass of tissue, or tumor, is benign, it is relatively stable and does not invade other tissues.

Cells from malignant tumors can break away and travel to other parts of the body, usually through the bloodstream, but also through the lymph system. When these cells find new host organs, these cells can grow into tumors in the new tissue. This spreading process is called metastasis and when a cancer has reached an advanced stage to where the malignant cells are attacking other organs, it is said that the cancer tumors have metastasized. The tumors in new organs are always made up of cells similar to those of the original tumor.

Benign tumors do not metastasize. They can often times be removed through surgery and not re-occur.

Why is asbestos still a problem

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Asbestos is still a problem because a great deal of it has been used in the United States and elsewhere, because many asbestos-containing products remain in buildings, ships, industrial facilities and other environments where the fibers can become airborne, and because of the serious human health hazards of inhaling asbestos fibers.

Many Americans believe that use of asbestos in products was banned years ago. The fact is that asbestos-containing products are still being imported and sold in this country, continuing to endanger people who may come in contact with such products. A majority of these products are imported from Canada and Mexico, two countries where asbestos is still used; further, not all imported asbestos-containing products are clearly labeled with proper content information. (Sources: US Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2003)

In an August 2003 report, the EPA's Office of Inspector General reiterates that asbestos is still a product very much around us: a survey in the mid-1980s found that, on average, 20% of all buildings in the United States contain asbestos. Further, this latest report confirms that asbestos containing material is still allowed in pipeline wrap, asbestos-cement corrugated sheet, asbestos-cement flat sheet, roofing felt, millboard, vinyl-asbestos floor tile, asbestos-cement shingle, and roof coatings.

A 2004 report by the Environmental Working Group provides a timely evalution of the asbestos-related disease epidemic in America - a "public health tragedy caused by asbestos." This report documents the history of asbestos use and provides analysis and statistics to inform the political debate currently being waged to resolve the problem.

What are asbestos-containing products

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What is common to many asbestos-containing products is that they were (are) used to contain heat (ie thermal insulation.) It is impossible to list all of the products that have, at one time or another, contained asbestos. Some of the more common asbestos-containing products are pipe-covering, insulating cement, insulating block, asbestos cloth, gaskets, packing materials, thermal seals, refractory and boiler insulation materials, transite board, asbestos cement pipe, fireproofing spray, joint compound, vinyl floor tile, ceiling tile, mastics, adhesives, coatings, acoustical textures, duct insulation for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, roofing products, insulated electrical wire and panels, and brake and clutch assemblies.

Some of these products contained a very high proportion of asbestos, while others contained small amounts.

Mesothelioma Facts & FAQs

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What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that make up the lining around the outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs (pleura), or around the abdominal organs (peritoneum).

What does asbestos have to do with mesothelioma?

The only known cause of mesothelioma in the U.S. is previous exposure to asbestos fibers. Asbestos manufacturers knew about the hazards of asbestos seventy years ago - but they kept this knowledge to themselves. The first warnings to workers exposed to asbestos were given in the mid-1960s, and they were terribly inadequate. Even today, workers are not always told they are working around asbestos and are at risk for asbestos disease.

What can someone with mesothelioma do?

· Seek out the best and most up-to-date information.
· Seek out the best medical care.
· Early screening for mesothelioma diagnosis.
· Stay in close contact with your doctor.
· Consider whether or not you want to bring a lawsuit because of this asbestos-related injury.
· Remember that resources are available to you through community and medical support groups, asbestos victims' organizations, your place of worship, as well as your family and friends.

Asbestos and The Lungs - What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos is the name for a group of naturally occurring silicate minerals that can be separated into fibers. The fibers are strong, durable, and resistant to heat and fire. They are also long, thin and flexible, so that they can even be woven into cloth.

Because of these qualities, asbestos has been used in thousands of consumer, industrial, maritime, automotive, scientific and building products. During the twentieth century, some 30 million tons of asbestos were used in industrial sites, homes, schools, shipyards and commercial buildings in the United States.

There are several types of asbestos fibers, of which three have been used for commercial applications:

(1) Chrysotile, or white asbestos, comes mainly from Canada, and has been very widely used in the US. It is white-gray in color and found in serpentine rock.

(2) Amosite, or brown asbestos, comes from southern Africa.

(2) Crocidolite, or blue asbestos, comes from southern Africa and Australia.
Amosite and crocidolite are called amphiboles. This term refers to the nature of their geologic formation.

Other asbestos fibers that have not been used commercially are tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite, although they are sometimes contaminants in asbestos-containing products. It should be noted that there are non-fibrous, or non-asbestiform, variants of tremolite, anthophylite and actinolite, which do not have the adverse health consequences that result from exposure to commercial forms of asbestos.

Diagnosing Pleural Mesothelioma

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A physical exam and patient history will likely be your doctor's first step in diagnosing pleural mesothelioma. Past exposure to asbestos is a strong risk factor for pleural mesothelioma and the longer and more seriously you were exposed to asbestos, the greater your risk. If your doctor does not ask about your work history and potential mesothelioma risk factors, let him or her know about your asbestos exposure.

The next step is usually an x-ray of the chest. Pleural effusions, masses, and scarring may be seen on x-rays. Because x-rays are less sensitive than newer imaging techniques, an abnormal finding on an x-ray will likely prompt your physician to order further imaging through a CT or CAT scan or MRI. This will likely provide a better idea of the size, location, and invasiveness of the mass, but not a definitive diagnosis, nor a complete picture of if the mesothelioma has metastized into the lymph system.

Once a suspicious mass or fluid has been spotted, your doctor will probably order a thoracentesis and / or biopsy be performed.

Thoracentesis is a minimilarly invasive procedure where fluid is removed from the pleural space. As many as 95% of patients with pleural mesothelioma have pleural effusions, or excess fluid collection in the pleural space. Thoracentesis (or thoracocentesis) is generally an outpatient procedure and usually requires only local anesthestic. A hollow needle or catheter is interted into the chest to drain the accumuated fluid.

Generally the first biopsy, or tissue collection, performed is a fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Using a thin, hollow needle, cells from the suspcious mass are extracted. Like the thoracentesis, it is not as invasive as many surgical procedures and can help avoid the need for diagnostic surgery.

The collected fluid and / or biopsy tissue will then be sent for analysis by pathologist and / or cytologists. These specialists will look for signs of cancerous cells in the samples. Immunohistochemistry is the chemical staining of these samples to better identify abnormal cells. "Immunos," as these tests are sometimes called, are an important form of testing and are usually recommended.

If a definitive diagnosis has still not been reached, more invasive testing may be required. Your doctor may perform a thoracoscopy; this involves inserting a lighted scope, sometimes with a camera on it, into the chest for a closer look. If suspicious masses are seen, the doctor may cut out a sample of tissue to be examined for maligant cells.

Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnosis

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Pleural mesothelioma, while the most common type of mesotheioma, is still a rare diagnosis. It is important that you seek out specialists who can effectively diagnose any symptoms suspected of indicating pleural mesothelioma. Many patients begin exhibiting symptoms for several months before addressing them with their physician; once in the care of a doctor, pleural mesothelioma is still somewhat tricky to diagnose, thanks to its rarity and nonspecific symptoms. While not surprising that early diagnosis is tricky, if you have a history of risk factors and concerns regarding an unusual symptoms, visit your doctor; ask about your concerns regarding pleural mesothelioma.

Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms

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"Do I have pleural mesothelioma?" If you have been asking yourself this question, chances are you have a history of asbestos exposure.

Pleural mesothelioma's symptoms are not specific, and may indicate other, less serious, conditions. However, if you know you have a history of asbestos exposure, it is wise to be proactive regarding your health care choices and observant of potential symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Have regular check ups with your physician and make sure he or she is aware of your concerns and your history of asbestos exposure.

Pleural mesothelioma is a dose-dependent disease, meaning that the longer and more heavily your exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance you have of developing pleural mesothelioma (or another type of mesothelioma). This dose-dependence can also affect how quickly you are diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, although the disease is known for its long latency periods of 10, 20, even as many as 40 years from exposure to disease progression.

Pleural Mesothelioma

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Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma, making up over two-thirds of all cases. Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of the lung and chest cavity known as the pleura.

The pleura is made up of the parietal and visceral pleura. The parietal pleura lines the chest wall and diaphragm while the visceral pleura lines the lungs. Fluid between these two membranes allows them to slip against one another as the lungs expand and contract.

Asbestos fibers work their way into the smallest passageways of the lungs and then into the pleura. Once there, an unknown chemical reaction causes cancerous cell development. As the cells begin to divide abnormally, the pleural lining thickens and excess fluid may accumulate.

Pleural thickening gradually contracts the breathing space, causing shortness of breath-often the first symptom for pleural mesothelioma. The fluid, once carefully measured to allow smooth movement between the lungs and other organs, now causes increased pressure, further hindering breathing. This excess fluid is often seen on X-rays, and is referred to as a pleural effusion.

Pleural mesothelioma, like all kinds of mesothelioma, can be difficult to diagnose or easily misdiagnosed. If you are aware of prior asbestos exposure, it is important to inform your physician so that mesothelioma symptoms can be correctly identified.

While a diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma is certainly serious, it is not without options. A variety of new and novel mesothelioma treatments are available, as are a variety of clinical trials.

Asbestos Related Lung Cancer

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While much of the focus on cancers caused by asbestos is on mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the lung, heart, or abdomen), other thoracic carcinomas, such as adenocarcinoma, are also caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is estimated to account for 3,400 to 8,500 new lung cancer cases in the United States each year.

Like mesothelioma, the latency period between asbestos exposure and the development of asbestos related lung cancer may be two, three, four, or even more decades. Very often, asbestos-related cancer victims also suffer from asbestosis, a scarring of the lung tissue caused by asbestos exposure. About one in seven people with asbestosis will eventually develop lung cancer.

A number of studies have attempted to determine whether asbestosis is present in all cases of asbestos-related lung cancer. While this would simplify the pathology determination once a lung cancer diagnosis was made-and potentially aid in treatment decisions-this has not proved to be a reliable pattern in asbestos related lung cancer cases.

Top 50 Cancer Hospitals in the USA

2010-01-01T04:09:00.000-08:00

1. Memorial Sloan - Kettering Cancer Center, New York
2. University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
3. Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore
4. Dana - Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
5. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
6. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.
7. University of Chicago Hospitals
8. UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles
9. University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor
10. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
11. University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle
12. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
13. H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa
14. Cleveland Clinic
15. Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia
16. University of California, San Francisco Medical Center
17. Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Stanford, Calif.
18. University Hospitals of Cleveland
19. Barnes - Jewish Hospital/Washington University, St. Louis
20. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville
21. University Medical Center, Tucson, Ariz.
22. University of Alabama Hospital at Birmingham
23. University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis
24. Yale - New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn.
25. University of Colorado Hospital, Denver
26. New York - Presbyterian Univ. Hosp. of Columbia and Cornell
27. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
28. University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison
29. Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital, Columbus
30. University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics, Salt Lake City
31. Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
32. University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville
33. NYU Medical Center, New York
34. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago
35. Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, Va.
36. Wake Forest Univ. Baptist Medical Center, Winston - Salem, N.C.
37. University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill
38. Harper University Hospital, Detroit
39. University of California, San Diego Medical Center
40. Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo
41. Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Fla.
42. Dartmouth - Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, N.H.
43. City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, Calif.
44. Clarian Health Partners (IU and Methodist Hospitals), Indianapolis
45. F.G. McGaw Hospital at Loyola University, Maywood, Ill.
46. Greater Baltimore Medical Center
47. Baptist St. Anthony's Health System, Amarillo, Texas
48. Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit
49. William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich.
50. Riverside Methodist Hospital - Ohio Health, Columbus

Lung cancer in women

2010-01-01T04:08:00.002-08:00

Lung cancer strikes 900,000 men and 330,000 women yearly. Among men, smoking causes more than 80 per cent of lung cancer cases. In women, smoking is the cause of 45 per cent of all lung cancer worldwide, but more than 70 per cent in North America and Northern Europe. In both men and women, the incidence of lung cancer is low before age 40, and increases up to age 70 or 75.

The rise in female smoking prevalence is a major public health concern. In the US, more women die from smoking-induced lung cancer than from breast cancer and in some Nordic countries, including Iceland and Denmark, female lung cancer deaths have begun to outnumber male tobacco victims. Considering that in several European countries up to 50 per cent of young women are now regular smokers, this will cause a disease burden that significantly reduces women’s health in decades to come.

Cancer by the Numbers

2010-01-01T04:08:00.001-08:00

Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, accounting for 1.2 million new cases annually; followed by cancer of the breast, just over 1 million cases; colorectal, 940,000; stomach, 870,000; liver, 560,000; cervical, 470,000; esophageal, 410,000; head and neck, 390,000; bladder, 330,000; malignant non-Hodgkin lymphomas, 290,000; leukemia, 250,000; prostate and testicular, 250,000; pancreatic, 216,000; ovarian, 190,000; kidney, 190,000; endometrial, 188,000; nervous system, 175,000; melanoma, 133,000; thyroid, 123,000; pharynx, 65,000; and Hodgkin disease, 62,000 cases.

The three leading cancer killers are different than the three most common forms, with lung cancer responsible for 17.8 per cent of all cancer deaths, stomach, 10.4 per cent and liver, 8.8 per cent.

Industrial nations with the highest overall cancer rates include: U.S.A, Italy, Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, Canada and France. Developing countries with the lowest cancer were in Northern Africa Southern and Eastern Asia.

Global cancer rates could increase by 50% to 15 million by 2020

2010-01-01T04:06:00.000-08:00

Cancer rates could further increase by 50% to 15 million new cases in the year 2020, according to the World Cancer Report, the most comprehensive global examination of the disease to date. However, the report also provides clear evidence that healthy lifestyles and public health action by governments and health practitioners could stem this trend, and prevent as many as one third of cancers worldwide.

In the year 2000, malignant tumours were responsible for 12 per cent of the nearly 56 million deaths worldwide from all causes. In many countries, more than a quarter of deaths are attributable to cancer. In 2000, 5.3 million men and 4.7 million women developed a malignant tumour and altogether 6.2 million died from the disease. The report also reveals that cancer has emerged as a major public health problem in developing countries, matching its effect in industrialized nations.

“The World Cancer Report tells us that cancer rates are set to increase at an alarming rate globally. We can make a difference by taking action today. We have the opportunity to stem this increase. This report calls on Governments, health practitioners and the general public to take urgent action. Action now can prevent one third of cancers, cure another third, and provide good, palliative care to the remaining third who need it, "said Dr. Paul Kleihues, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and co-editor of the World Cancer Report.

The World Cancer Report is a concise manual describing the global burden, the causes of cancer, major types of malignancies, early detection and treatment. The 351-page global report is issued by IARC, which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of WHO, states: “The report provides a basis for public health action and assists us in our goal to reduce the morbidity and mortality from cancer, and to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and their families, everywhere in the world,”

Examples of areas where action can make a difference to stemming the increase of cancer rates and preventing a third of cases are:

Reduction of tobacco consumption. It remains the most important avoidable cancer risk. In the 20th century, approximately 100 million people died world-wide from tobacco-associated diseases
A healthy lifestyle and diet can help. Frequent consumption of fruit and vegetables and physical activity can make a difference.
Early detection through screening, particularly for cervical and breast cancers, allow for prevention and successful cure.

The predicted sharp increase in new cases – from 10 million new cases globally in 2000, to 15 million in 2020 - will mainly be due to steadily ageing populations in both developed and developing countries and also to current trends in smoking prevalence and the growing adoption of unhealthy lifestyles.

“Governments, physicians, and health educators at all levels could do much more to help people change their behaviour to avoid preventable cancers,” says Bernard W. Stewart, Ph.D., co-editor of the report, Director of Cancer Services, and Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia. “If the knowledge, technology and control strategies outlined in the World Cancer Report were applied globally, we would make major advances in preventing and treating cancers over the next twenty years and beyond.”

From a global perspective, there is strong justification for focusing cancer prevention activities particularly on two main cancer-causing factors - tobacco and diet. We also need to continue efforts to curb infections which cause cancers,” said Dr Rafael Bengoa, Director, Management of Non-communicable disease at WHO. “These factors were responsible for 43 per cent of all cancer deaths in 2000, that is 2.7 million fatalities, and 40 per cent of all new cases, that is four million new cancer cases.”

As part of an effort to stem this trend, WHO is engaged in efforts to stem both tobacco use, and to improve diet, nutrition and physical activity. Tobacco consumption remains the most important avoidable cancer risk. The report reviews and recommends a number of strategies to reduce global tobacco consumption, requiring the coordinated involvement of government and community health organizations, health care professionals and individuals. The groundbreaking public health treaty - the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - which the Member States of WHO have agreed to submit to the World Health Assembly in May 2003, represents a powerful tool to ensure that such strategies are implemented.

WHO is also engaged in preparing a Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, under a May 2002 mandate from Member States to address the growing global burden of chronic diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity. WHO is consulting widely with Member States, other UN agencies, the private sector and civil society on the strategy, which will be presented to the World Health Assembly in May 2004. The strategy will contain recommendations for governments on nutrition and physical activity goals and population-based interventions to reduce the prevalence of chronic disease including cancer.

2007 World Cancer Deaths Top 7 Million

2010-01-01T04:05:00.000-08:00

The American Cancer Society today predicted that worldwide in 2007, more than 12 million people will be diagnosed with cancer and 7.6 million will die of cancer.

That's about 20,000 global cancer deaths per day, according to the American Cancer Society's first "Global Cancer Facts & Figures" report.

The report shows a gap in cancer survival among economically developed nations and economically developing countries.

Part of that gap is due to infection and lack of access to medical care in the developing world. Lifestyle factors also play a role.

"This cancer burden is also increasing as people in the developing countries adopt western lifestyles such as cigarette smoking, higher consumption of saturated fat and calorie-dense foods, and reduced physical activity," says American Cancer Society epidemiologist Ahmedin Jemal, MD, in a news release.

The American Cancer Society predicts that in 2050, there will be 27 million new cancer cases and 17.5 million cancer deaths "simply due to the growth and aging of the population" around the world.

World Cancer Annual Deaths CLOCK

2010-01-01T04:04:00.000-08:00

Per Year 6202080

Per Month 516840

Per Day 16992

Per Hour 708

Per Minute 11.8

Cancer Death Rates Among 50 Countries

2010-01-01T04:03:00.000-08:00

Bar charts are presented for all cancer sites combined and several specific cancer sites. These charts depict the cancer mortality rates 1986-88 in 50 countries around the world. The rates used are the number of cancer deaths per 100,000 population and are age-adjusted to the world standard (Parkin, 1992).

The cancer mortality rates for each of the 50 countries are ranked from the highest to the lowest. Separate graphs are shown for males and females. There is a four-fold difference between the lowest (54.4 in Thailand) and highest (235.4 in Hungary) male cancer mortality rates. The difference between the lowest and highest rates for female cancer mortality is not as striking (36.4 in Thailand vs. 139.4 in Denmark), a little less than four-fold. For males, the United States ranks 24th (163.2 per 100,000) from the highest; for females, the United States ranks 17th (109.7 per 100,000) out of 50 countries. For both males and females, the cancer mortality rates for the United States are in the middle. Cancer mortality is generally higher among males. It should be noted that Thailand's mortality rates look unusually low in that they are low for every site presented.

The death rates for all cancer sites combined provide an overview of the burden of cancer by country and sex. Cancer death rates for specific cancers may vary widely among countries, and an overall rate may obscure these site-specific patterns. The dynamic nature of these overall demographic patterns and rates is better understood by comparing mortality rates for specific cancers.

Death from cancer (most recent) by country

2010-01-01T04:02:00.000-08:00

Rank Countries
1 Netherlands: 433 deaths per 100,000 peopl
2 Italy: 418 deaths per 100,000 peopl
3 Hungary: 411 deaths per 100,000 peopl
4 Luxembourg: 409.7 deaths per 100,000 peopl
5 Slovakia: 405.3 deaths per 100,000 peopl
6 Ireland: 357.6 deaths per 100,000 peopl
7 Czech Republic: 335.4 deaths per 100,000 peopl
8 New Zealand: 327.3 deaths per 100,000 peopl
9 United States: 321.9 deaths per 100,000 peopl
10 Australia: 298.9 deaths per 100,000 peopl
11 Norway: 289.4 deaths per 100,000 peopl
12 France: 286.1 deaths per 100,000 peopl
13 Austria: 280 deaths per 100,000 peopl
14 Sweden: 268.2 deaths per 100,000 peopl
15 Finland: 255.4 deaths per 100,000 peopl
16 United Kingdom: 253.5 deaths per 100,000 peopl

Total: 5,350.7 deaths per 100,000 peopl
Weighted average: 334.4 deaths per 100,000 peopl

Cancer Deaths Per Year

2010-01-01T04:01:00.000-08:00

The origin of cancer is when cells in any part of the body go out of control. Unlike normal cells, cancerous cells continue to multiply at an alarming rate. They form new abnormal cells which invade other organs and tissues and spread to other parts through lymph and blood.

This spread of the disease is called metastasis. The type of cancer is named after the organ from where it originated.

Although each type of cancer has its own symptoms, there are certain signs that are common to all forms of cancer.

Relentless fatigue, and in certain cases anemia.
Unexplained weight loss.
Pain generally at a later stage.
Persistent fever. Fever is generally a signal of the immune system coming under stress.
Bowel changes
Persistent cough.
Although the above symptoms are common to other diseases, if any two are present it merits a visit to the doctor.

Some significant cancer data are:

Cancer accounts for one in eight deaths worldwide.
Cancer accounts for more deaths annually than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.
Next to heart disease, cancer is the biggest killer in developed countries.
Cancer is the third leading cause of death in developing countries.

WHO statistics indicate an estimated 7.9 million deaths worldwide because of cancer in 2007. This is expected to rise to 11.5 million deaths by 2030.

The principle causes in terms of deaths in 2007 were:

Tobacco use – 1.8 million
Obesity and inactivity – 274,000
Harmful alcohol use – 351,000
Sexually transmitted disease – 235,000
Occupational carcinogens – 152,000

The WHO estimates that 40 percent of cancer deaths are preventable.

Cancers and drop in death rates

2010-01-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

Breast cancer

Death rate dropping by 2% per year since 1990.

Colon cancer death

Death rates dropping by 2% per year since the mid-1980s.

Prostate cancer

Deaths rates dropping by 4% a year since 1994.

Lung cancer

Death rates dropping by 2% per year since 1991 for men, but has not dropped for women.

In fact, the total number of all cancer deaths among women increased.

Experts say they expect to see total numbers rise again. This is because people are living longer. Cancers tend to develop more in people as they get old - if there are more very old people around, there will be more cancer diagnoses.

As the American population is getting fatter, who knows whether in the medium term this will have an effect on cancer rates and cancer deaths. Obesity raises the risk of developing diabetes type 2, which in turn may raise the risk of developing some cancers.

Total Cancer Deaths Down In USA, First Time In 75 Years

2010-01-01T03:59:00.001-08:00

For the first time since 1930, the total number of annual cancer deaths has dropped in the

USA

. In 2003, 556,902 people died of cancer in the

USA

, the total for 2002 was 557,271, according to figures published by the National Center for Health Statistics.

The greatest contributor to the fall, say experts, is the drop in the number of people in the country who smoke. Another contributor is earlier diagnosis, as well as better treatment.

This is the first drop in the number of total deaths. If calculated as deaths per 100,000 people, rates have been falling by about 1% per year for the last ten years. However, as the

population has been rising fast, it is only now that the fall in total deaths have overtaken the rise in the country's population.

The biggest falls in total deaths were seen in:

* Cancer
* Breast Cancer
* Prostate Cancer
* Cancer

These four cancers account for over half of all cancers in the

USA

Cancer death rate down but 565,650 seen in 2008

2010-01-01T03:58:00.000-08:00

The U.S. death rate from cancer has continued a steady decline that began in the early 1990s but it will still kill a projected 565,650 Americans this year, the American Cancer Society said on Wednesday.

The death rate from lung, colorectal, prostate, breast and other cancer types fell in 2005, the most recent year for which figures were available, but not as much as in 2003 and 2004, the group said. The actual number of cancer deaths rose.

The cancer death rate for men has fallen by 18.4 percent since peaking in 1990 and for women has fallen by 10.5 percent since peaking in 1991. Cancer is the No. 2 cause of death in the United States, behind heart disease.

The declines are driven by improved treatment and screening methods as well as progress toward prevention such as declining smoking rates, according to American Cancer Society researcher Ahmedin Jemal, who helped write the report.

The society estimated there will be 1,437,180 new cancer cases 745,180 in men and 692,000 in women -- in 2008 in the United States, as well as 565,650 cancer deaths -- 294,120 among men and 271,530 among women.

It said 559,312 people died of cancer in 2005, compared with 553,888 in 2004. The number of deaths rose even as the rate dropped because the U.S. population grew more than the death rate fell in 2005.

"The increase in the number of cancer deaths in 2005 after two years of historic declines should not obscure the fact that cancer death rates continue to drop, reflecting the enormous progress that has been made against cancer during the past 15 years," American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer John Seffrin said in a statement.

An illustration of the slowing decline in the death rates can be seen in colorectal cancer.
The death rate from colorectal cancer fell by about 3 percent in 2005 from 2004, after falling by 6 percent in 2004 from 2003. Declines in death rates for lung and prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women were also smaller in 2005 than in the prior two years.

Lung cancer cases are falling in men and appear to be leveling off in women after rising for decades, the group said.

The overall death rate in 2005 was 184 cancer deaths per 100,000 people. The cancer death rate fell by about 1 percent in 2005 from 2004 after falling by about 2 percent in each of the previous two years, Jemal said.

Had the cancer death rates remained at the peak levels recorded in the early 1990s, an estimated 534,500 more Americans would have died since then, the group said.

Racial Gaps in Cancer

2010-01-01T03:57:00.000-08:00

Cancer continues to take a heavier toll on African-Americans than whites, the report shows.

"African Americans are more likely to develop and die from cancer than any other racial or ethnic group," states the report. "The death rate for cancer among African American males is about 37% higher than among white males; for African American females, it is about 17% higher."

Most cancers are less common among Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and Pacific Islanders than among whites. But there are exceptions.

Compared with whites, Hispanics have higher rates of cervical, liver, and stomach cancer. Liver and stomach cancers are more common among Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders than any other racial or ethnic group.

American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rate of kidney cancer cases and deaths from kidney cancer, the report also shows.

Regardless of a person's background, the American Cancer Society stresses the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle to lower cancer risk and following guidelines for cancer screening.

Women's Leading Cancers

2010-01-01T03:56:00.002-08:00

The top causes of cancer death for women are:

• Lung cancer: 71,030 deaths expected in 2008

• Breast cancer: 40,480 deaths predicted in 2008

• Colorectal cancer: 25,700 deaths predicted in

Not counting nonmelanoma skin cancer, women's most common new cancer cases are:

• Breast cancer: 182,460 new cases predicted in 2008

• Lung cancer: 100,330 new cases predicted in 2008

• Colorectal cancer: 71,560 new cases predicted in 2008

Men's Leading Cancers

2010-01-01T03:56:00.001-08:00

For men, the top three causes of cancer death are:

Lung cancer: 90,810 deaths predicted for 2008
Prostate cancer: 28,660 deaths predicted for 2008
Colorectal cancer: 24,260 deaths expected in 2008

Not counting nonmelanoma skin cancer, men's most common new cancer cases are:

Prostate cancer: 186,320 new cases predicted for 2008
Lung cancer: 114,690 new cases predicted for 2008
Colorectal cancer: 77,250 new cases predicted for 2008

U.S. Cancer Deaths Up in 2005

2010-01-01T03:55:00.000-08:00

New cancer statistics show a rise in cancer deaths in 2005 and an overall drop in the cancer death rate since 1990.

In 2005, a total of 559,312 people in the U.S died of cancer. That's 5,424 more people than in 2004, according to the American Cancer Society.

But the American Cancer Society also notes that the big picture shows that the cancer death rate declined by about 18% for men and 10% for women between the early 1990s and 2004.

"The increase in the number of cancer deaths in 2005 after two years of historic declines should not obscure the fact that cancer death rates continue to drop, reflecting the enormous progress that has been made against cancer during the past 15 years," John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, says in a news release.

Seffrin notes that although the decline in the cancer death rate slowed in 2005, "the fact remains that cancer mortality rates continue to drop, and they're doing so at a rate fast enough that over half a million deaths from cancer were averted between 1990/1991 and 2004."

U.S. Cancer Cases, Deaths Continue to Drop

2010-01-01T03:54:00.000-08:00

Better screening, healthier living and new treatments have all continued to help cut the annual number of cancer cases and deaths in the United States, a new report says.

The findings showed that new cancer cases and deaths from cancer have declined significantly for both men and women and for most racial/ethnic populations.

These decreases were largely due to decreased incidence and death from lung, prostate and colon cancer among men and a drop in two of the three leading cancers in women (breast and colon cancers). New diagnoses for all types of cancer in the United States declined almost 1 percent per year from 1999 to 2006 and cancer deaths dropped 1.6 percent per year from 2001 to 2006.

The report, which appears in the Dec. 7 online edition of Cancer, was compiled from data by the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.

"For me, when I see the downturn in some cancers it says we can actually address the cancer burden through a variety of efforts," said report author Brenda K. Edwards, associate director of the Surveillance Research Program at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

But the battle against cancer continues, she stressed. "We see the downturn in mortality, but we still have almost 1.5 million people with new cancer diagnoses in 2009. So, we still have a large number of people affected. For some of them, we have relatively effective treatments and for others not so."

Edwards noted that for the cancers that have seen the biggest decreases, such as breast and colon cancer, effective screening methods probably explain the downward trend, although there are still too few people who take advantage of them.

Cancer rates are still higher for men than for women, but men had the biggest declines in new cases and death, the report showed.

This year's report focused on trends in colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer, the third most-diagnosed cancer in both men and women, is also the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Overall, colon cancer rates are declining, but the decline is mostly among those over 65. Increasing numbers of cases in men and women under 50 is worrisome, the report noted.

Among both men and women, there were major declines in colorectal cancer cases from 1985 to 1995, minor increases from 1995 to 1998, and significant declines from 1998 to 2006. Since 1984, death rates also dropped, with accelerated rates of decline since 2002 for men and since 2001 for women.

In fact, from 1975 to 2000, cases of colorectal cancer fell 22 percent; 50 percent of which was most likely due to changes in lifestyle, and 50 percent to more people being screened.

In addition, deaths from colorectal cancer fell 26 percent during the same time; 9 percent of the drop came from lifestyle changes, 14 percent came from screening and 3 percent came from improved treatment, according to the report.

Going forward, if there were no changes in lifestyle, screening or treatment, there would be a 17 percent drop in colorectal cancer deaths from 2000 to 2020. However, if current trends remain the same, there will be a 36 percent drop in colorectal cancer deaths.

But, if more Americans adopted more healthy lifestyles, such as quitting smoking, and were screened for colon cancer and had access to optimal treatment (such as more effective chemotherapy), deaths from colon cancer could be reduced by 50 percent by 2020, the report predicted.

Other highlights from the report were that among men, cases of prostate, lung, oral cavity, stomach, brain, colon and rectum cancers have declined, but cases of kidney/renal, liver and esophageal cancer, along with leukemia, myeloma and melanoma, are increasing.

Among women, cases of breast, colorectal, uterine, ovarian, cervical and oral cavity cancers decreased, but cases of lung, thyroid, pancreatic, bladder and kidney cancers, along with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma and leukemia are on the rise.

Where cancers have increased, Edwards noted that in most cases there are no effective screening tests to catch the cancer early. In addition, for many of these cancers, the causes aren't known and there aren't effective treatments, she said.

Cancer death rates remain highest among blacks and lowest among Asian/Pacific Islanders. Although death rates by race/ethnicity were similar for most cancers, deaths from pancreatic cancer, the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the United States, increased in white men and women but dropped among black men and women.

Among men, except for Asian/Pacific Islanders, the three leading causes of cancer death were lung, prostate and colorectal cancer. Among Asian/Pacific Islanders, lung, liver and colorectal cancers were the top three causes of cancer death.

For women, except Hispanic women, the three leading causes of cancer death were lung, breast and colorectal cancer. For Hispanic women, breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer deaths, the study authors noted.

These differences in death rates may be due to differences in risk behaviors, socioeconomic status and access to and use of screening and treatment, according to the report.

While these trends are expected to continue, they could be accelerated if more people would make the lifestyle changes needed to reduce their risk of cancer. These include not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthful diet and exercising.

In addition, lives could be saved if more people were screened for cancers such as breast and colon cancer, and if there was more access to newer treatments, the report said.

Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, said that "there is enormous detail in this comprehensive report, but the take-away message is as clear as it is compelling: the incidence and death toll from cancer are both steadily, if gradually, declining."

That is not a new message, Katz noted.

"The gratifying conclusion is that we are effectively fighting cancer at every level: preventing it outright by modifying cancer risk factors; finding it early through effective screening; and treating it ever more effectively. The benefits of screening suggested here are timely in light of recent debate about the net benefits of mammography," he said. "The overall news here is clearly good, and is something of a rebuke for those who fear modern science rather than embracing the benefits it so often confers."

Cancer deaths decline for 2nd straight year

2010-01-01T03:53:00.000-08:00

ATLANTA - Cancer deaths in the United States have dropped for a second straight year, confirming that a corner has been turned in the war on cancer.

After a decline of 369 deaths from 2002 to 2003, the decrease from 2003 to 2004 was 3,014 — or more than eight times greater, according to a review of U.S. death certificates by the American Cancer Society.

The drop from 2002 to 2003 was the first annual decrease in total cancer deaths since 1930. But the decline was slight, and experts were hesitant to say whether it was a cause for celebration or just a statistical fluke.