Note: The contents of this blog are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional care. For medical emergencies, dial 911!
Posts with tag diagnostic
Posted Feb 14th 2007 3:25PM by Kristina Collins
Filed under: Oral Cancer, Research
Patients diagnosed with early stage oral cancer are usually examined by their doctor for suspicious areas in the mouth and throat area. A study was conducted that tested two diagnostic aids in evaluating lesions in the oral cavity.
Chemiluminescent light, or brand name Vizilite and toluidine blue, pharmaceutical grade dye, were used in addition to the conventional, visual and manual observations of the patient.
"By combining conventional techniques with more modern techniques, we were able to better diagnose and determine the best options for patients with oral cancer," said J.B. Epstein, lead author of the study and Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Posted Dec 24th 2006 10:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Childhood Cancers, Prevention, All Cancers, Daily news, Radiation
It has just recently been discovered that CT scans for children have been inappropriately used in two Ontario hospitals. As a result, some children have received excessive doses of radiation, putting them at greater risk of developing cancer later in life.
Staff at the two hospitals -- Peterborough Regional Health Centre is one -- reported that in close to 50 percent of selected cases, the appropriate equipment settings were not used.
Herein lies the problem -- developing organs are more susceptible to damage, and giving a small child an adult dose of radiation in a CT scan delivers the same amount of radiation as 4,000 traditional X-rays. Research shows that increased exposure to radiation over time can cause radiation-induced cancer.
CT scans are valuable diagnostic tools because they create 3-D images of organs, offering a better view of head injuries, chest trauma, cancer, and fractures. So they should not be disregarded -- but clearly, hospitals need to improve the management of all scanning procedures.
In Ontario, a
diagnostic image safety committee has already been formed. The goal of this committee is to develop standards and do a better job of tracking radiation levels.
Experts are encouraging Ontario parents to refrain from worry unless their children have received many CT scans. And all parents are encouraged to speak up before their children receive CT scans. "Is my child receiving a pediatric protocol?" is all it takes.
Posted Sep 19th 2006 2:30PM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Prostate Cancer, Products
The Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada has launched an interactive web resource to assist men in facing prostate cancer and in finding answers regarding prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.
Called Prostate Cancer Assessment Tools (PCATs), each of the 12 PCATs provides individualized information that will help each man better understand prostate cancer.
A sampling of the PCATs are as follows:
- Based on age, PSA, percentage of free PSA, and DRE findings what is the likelihood that I have cancer, if a biopsy is performed?
- Based on the characteristics of my cancer, what is the likelihood that the Gleason sum found on biopsy is higher than the Gleason sum on final pathology, when the prostate is removed?
- Based on the characteristics of my cancer, what is the likelihood that the cancer has spread beyond the capsule of the prostate?
- Based on my PSA, cancer stage at DRE, biopsy Gleason sum, the cumulative length (mm) of cancer on all biopsy cores and on the percentage of positive cores, what is the likelihood that my cancer is clinically significant (i.e., one that may kill)?
- Based on my cancer characteristics what is the likelihood that my cancer represents a (TZ) transition zone cancer?
- Based on the characteristics of my cancer, what is the likelihood that my PSA will increase and indicate a relapse of my prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy?
To learn more, and to make use of this interactive tool, visit the
Prostate Owners Manual.
Posted Aug 19th 2006 9:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Politics, Daily news, Healing Attitude Almanac
Less than one year ago, Rep. John P. "Jack" Murtha, D-Pa., came crashing onto the national scene with his opinion that the U.S. military could accomplish nothing more in Iraq and should be pulled out of the war zone. It was a harsh opinion -- and one his Democratic partners thought might hurt their party at a time when they were trying to gain control of Congress. The fact that the Democrats had been seen as weak on national security didn't help. And then a funny thing happened.
Murtha, 74 -- a decorated Marine and the first combat veteran of the Vietnam War elected to the House of Representatives -- became one of the most popular Democrats around, despite or maybe because of his passionate beliefs. Once a behind-the-scenes kind of man, he is now in the public eye. He's out raising money for Democrats in many states. He's attending fundraising events with Al Gore and others. And he's gathering allies at every turn. And while he still faces opposition, he believes that he must make public what he stands for. And so he does. And because of his recent uncharacteristic charismatic presence, details about this once-to-himself man are emerging. Details like these: A local airport is named for him. An institute for the study of neuroscience and pain is named for him. And a breast cancer center bears the name of his wife, Joyce.
The
Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center at Windber Medical Center opened its doors in February 2002. Located in Windber, Pennsylvania, this center began as a collaboration between Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Windber Medical Center and ever since its beginning has offered full diagnostic services for breast health and disease in one convenient location.
Murtha is surely raising awareness with his opinion about the military and national security and war. And even breast cancer gets a little press out of the whole frenzy surrounding this man and his efforts. Which reminds me that somehow, breast cancer seems to touch the lives of just about everyone is some way.
Posted Jul 12th 2006 9:15AM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Lung Cancer, Prevention, Research
Women who smoke are twice as likely than men to be diagnosed with lung cancer but less likely to die from the disease.
This is the
result of a study done by New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center researchers who cannot explain why women who smoke are at greater risk for lung cancer -- only that this is the conclusion of the research data.
As a result, they are recommending women who smoke be tested earlier and more frequently for lung cancer. In addition, they feel earlier intervention in warning campaigns about smoking and smoking cessation programs should be made available to women at a younger age -- ideally when they are still teens.
Early intervention is always a good idea. Even if you only reach some of the minds of young women and prevent them from starting a habit with the potential to kill them, it's worth the effort. Here's the problem as I see it. Unless I am wrong, and missed something, there is no really great method to screen for the earliest stage of lung cancer.
Posted Jun 7th 2006 8:00AM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Lung Cancer, Research
In most cases, by the time someone notices the signs and symptoms of cancer, the cancer has developed past the early stage when it is most treatable. That is why there is so much emphasis on annual cancer screening for the most common cancers. That is the traditional wisdom.
As a result of the Mayo Lung Project study,
researchers are saying the opposite. Basically, they are warning us not to go looking for trouble. It seems high-tech imaging technology can detect very small lung abnormalities that might be clinically unimportant but lead to over diagnosis of lung cancer, and subsequent toxicity and premature death from treatments for lung cancer.
The researchers placed patients in two groups. One group received multiple screening chest x-rays and spectrum tests used to identify lung cancer. The other group did not have any screening. 585 cancers were diagnosed in the first group, while 500 cancers were diagnosed in the second group.
The researchers concluded there is a very real and harmful role that over diagnosis plays in mass screening and the question remains if early detection of lung cancer through mass screening results in a net benefit to the public's health. Knowing this, I would still want to be screened. I might opt in getting second and third opinions in exploring treatment options before I rushed into any treatment though.
Posted May 27th 2006 9:00AM by Vicki Blankenship
Filed under: Bladder Cancer
Studies presented at the American Urilogical Association expand the role of the NMP22 Bladder Chek Test. It improves bladder cancer detection to 99 percent, aiding the earlier detection of cancer and is reported to indicate the likelihood of life threatening bladder malignancy. It is recommended for use in screening high risk populations for bladder cancer to save lives and reduce expense. It is also four times more effective than the conventional laboratory urine test in detecting recurrent bladder cancer.
Continue reading Fighting bladder cancer by finding it early
Posted Apr 24th 2006 10:54AM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Prostate Cancer, Alternative Therapies, Drug, Melanoma, Prevention
In 2003, University of Idaho and Utah State University researchers cloned three mules. The success of the cloning
came about by manipulating calcium levels. Calcium affects how quickly cells divide. The researchers are hoping that
calcium levels and function might explain why horses and mules develop cancer at much lower rates than humans. Because
of these cloning facts and findings, they base a possible hypothesis for discovering a key to cancer on the fact that
calcium imbalances are indicators of human
prostate
cancer and
diabetes. According to a
news report aired on KBCI News in Boise, Idaho, no male horse or mule has
ever been diagnosed with prostate cancer and melanoma does not metastasize in their bodies.
Two of the
three healthy cloned mules, Idaho Star and Idaho Gem, are preparing to race in Winnemucca, Nevada at the Mule Races and
Draft Horse Challenge. The cloned mules will gain worldwide attention next week when they become the first cloned mules
to participate in a sporting competition. Perhaps one day, cloned mules will help win the race in a cure for cancer.
Posted Apr 21st 2006 9:22AM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Drug, Chemotherapy
The good news is more breast cancers are caught early because of the technological advancement of diagnostic tools
being used during the screening process. The not-so-good news is once they find cancer, they cannot accurately tell if
it will spread. Therefore, cancer treatments might be inappropriate and unnecessary for the cancer being treated. The
goal is to create tests that will determine the
most
effective course of treatment for the cancer diagnosed.
Target Discovery scientists will be
working with University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center researchers to develop a new generation of cancer
diagnostic tools that go beyond simple detection to determining which of the cancers found are invasive cancers.
According to Target Diagnostics, the body modifies its proteins to create many isoforms that control biological
activity. These modifications can go awry, making isoforms the best indicators of the type and severity of many diseases
like cancer. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center researchers will provide the company with breast cancer samples, and the
scientists will use a technology they developed, called
Isotope-Differentiated Binding Energy Shift Tags, to
find protein biomarkers. This information will lead to the development of diagnostic tests that can tell the difference
between invasive and non-invasive forms of breast cancer. Once this goal is reached, they hope to do this for other
cancers as well.
Posted Apr 20th 2006 2:08PM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Alternative Therapies, Prevention
At the U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory and University of California-Berkeley, researchers have created a
profiling technique that has the potential for detecting the very beginning of cancer
at the cellular level. Based on the ability to monitor the O-linked protein glycosylation -- the attachment of sugars
to proteins through an oxygen atom on the protein -- scientists can now create a profile and detect changes that might
indicate cancer. The researchers are hoping that this ability will one day lead to a simple blood test that can
diagnose the earliest stage of cancer in a patient.
Posted Apr 8th 2006 11:11AM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Brain Cancer, Leukemia, Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Lung Cancer, Colon and Rectal Cancer, Prevention, Hodgkin's Lymphoma
According to the American Cancer Society,
cancer deaths could be cut by 50 percent if we all lived by lifestyle guidelines guaranteed to eliminate many cancers.
None of this is new news, but it comes as a new study. In the annual
Cancer
Prevention and Early Detection Facts & Figures 2006, the advice remains the same, and we all know it by rote.
Stop smoking, exercise, lose weight, eat nutritional food, protect yourself from the sun and go in for early diagnostic
cancer screenings. We have been told, we understand -- we get it already. Enough.
Tell us something we do
not know that can help us. Tell us about the causes of cancer we cannot be blamed for -- that we did not bring upon
ourselves in our errant lifestyle choices -- because the underlying message in how to cut cancer deaths in half, is one
of blame. Tell us what causes the other 50 percent of cancer deaths. Tell us what you are doing with the millions in
dollars publicly and privately raised, that is new news. You might start with the toxic chemicals saturating our
environment; the carcinogens allowed in the products sold; or in the modified enhanced foods that come to market. We
are not quibbling with you about the known lifestyle choices that can lead to a dramatic 50 percent reduction in cancer
deaths -- we agree -- but we want to know more about what we do not know. Information that is new news and not simply a
nag-fest in recycling the obvious, because that's too easy, and it's lazy. Too many of us are out here living by the
rules set to prevent cancer and are dying of cancer anyway, and we want to know why.
