What is colorectal cancer?

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Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon or the rectum. The colon is also known as the large intestine and the rectum sits at the bottom of the colon, connecting the colon and the anus. Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States. For 2015, the American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 93,090 new cases of colon cancer and 39,610 new cases of rectal cancer.  

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Study Supports Cancer Link with Height

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Study Supports Cancer Link with Height

A Swedish study of five million people appears to support the theory that height and cancer risk are linked. The study found that taller people had a slightly higher risk of breast cancer and skin cancer, among other cancers.

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Aspirin Might Boost Cancer Therapy

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Aspirin Might Boost Cancer Therapy

Aspirin may be able to boost the effectiveness of cancer medicines that improves the immune system. Immunotherapy lets the body's own defenses fight cancer. Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have published a study suggesting aspirin may prevent tumors from hiding from the immune system. Cancer Research UK said it could be a simple way of improving treatment. The team showed that skin, breast and bowel cancer cells were producing high levels of a chemical, called prostaglandin E2, that could dampen down the immune response - effectively letting a tumor hide.

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Skin cancer – why food can be an ally in preventing this common cancer

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Skin cancer – why food can be an ally in preventing this common cancer

When former president Jimmy Carter was recently diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer, it was a reminder for all of us that taking care of the largest organ in our body, our skin, should not be overlooked.  What also should not be overlooked is what we eat. Nutrition may have the potential to influence whether we develop skin cancer and might be one step out of many that can protect us from having to face this disease.  Before we learn about nutrition’s possible role, let’s review more facts about this prevalent cancer.

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New blood test could detect breast cancer recurrence

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New blood test could detect breast cancer recurrence

Researchers from London say they have found a new blood test that can detect breast cancer DNA months before it would show up on medical scans. The blood test is not yet available because it is still in the early stages of research. However, the research looks quite promising.

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Signs of Cancer You Shouldn't Ignore

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Signs of Cancer You Shouldn't Ignore

When the War on Cancer was declared in the early 1970s, the average five-year relative survival rate for all cancers was only 50 percent. Due to advances in research over these last decades, mostly funded by the National Institute of Health and National Cancer Institute, we've seen an increase in the five-year survival rate now being 68%. However, there are a number of cancers that still fall below 50 percent survival. These cancers are considered the "deadliest," cancers. Sometimes symptoms that we ignore can overlap with potential signs of cancer. 

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Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of any common cancers

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Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of any common cancers

Only 3% of those diagnosed expected to live 5+ years. Mainly due to the lack of symptoms and late diagnosis. Disease has already spread to other parts of the body, with minimal options for treatment. The study from Queen Mary University conducted research, which was funded by the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund. Published in Clinical Cancer Research, scientists discovered a new biomarker (set of three proteins) which is a potential for new diagnostic test that could detect early-stage pancreatic cancer. Could be a definitive indication of whether someone has pancreatic cancer, or doesn’t

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CANCER SURVIVAL 'LAGGING IN ENGLAND'

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CANCER SURVIVAL 'LAGGING IN ENGLAND'

Study suggests England's track record for cancer survival remains poorer than other countries with similar health systems. Published in the British Journal of Cancer, the research compares England's survival trends with figures for five other countries over 15 years. Researchers say there have been steady improvements, but more needs to be done to close the survival gap. NHS England says survival figures have never been higher in the country. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine compared England's survival figures for colon, breast, lung, ovarian, rectal and stomach cancers with data from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

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Coffee may benefit colon cancer patients

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Coffee may benefit colon cancer patients

A new study suggests that drinking caffeinated coffee on a regular basis may lower the risk for colon cancer recurrence and improve survival in patients with stage three colon cancer. The study found that drinking four or more cups of coffee on a daily basis was the most beneficial. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Jimmy Carter’s Diagnosis: What the News of Stage 4 Melanoma Means

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Jimmy Carter’s Diagnosis: What the News of Stage 4 Melanoma Means

News broke late last week that former President Jimmy Carter has been diagnosed with Melanoma, first on his liver, and now 4 spots on his brain have been identified by doctors. Many people are unaware that Melanoma can actually occur internally, not just on the skin. The former President announced he will be undergoing radiation treatments targeted at the spots on his brain. The scary thing is doctors are unsure where the cancer has originated and many wonder about the likelihood of pancreatic cancer due to his aggressive family history of the disease. 

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Jimmy Carter Has Cancer

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Jimmy Carter Has Cancer

Former President Jimmy Carter has revealed that he has been diagnosed with cancer. Jimmy Carter is 90 years old. It appears that his cancer is metastatic, meaning that is has spread throughout the body.  However, we do not yet know what kind of cancer he has. The cancer was identified by doctors earlier this month during a surgical procedure to remove a small mass that was found on his liver. He will be treated at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia.  

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Understanding Head and Neck Cancer

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Understanding Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancers are those cancers which affect the head and neck, and typically develop in the squamous cells that line the inside of the throat, mouth and nose.   Because of where they begin, these types of cancers can be referred to as squamous cell carcinomas.  Within this group of cancers, each case is categorized by the area of the neck or head that the cancer originated.  For example, if the cancer originates in the throat it is considered throat cancer, if it originates in the nasal cavity it is considered nasal cavity cancer, and so on. 

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What you need to know about gastric cancer

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What you need to know about gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is also known as stomach cancer. The stomach is located beneath the ribs and in the upper middle portion of the abdomen. The stomach hold food after consumption, and also helps to break it down and digest it. Adenocarcinoma, which is cancer that begins in the lining of the stomach, is the most common type of stomach cancer.

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Risk factors for esophageal cancer

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Risk factors for esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells that line the inner esophagus. The esophagus is a muscular tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach to be digested. This type of cancer can occur anywhere in the esophagus, but is most commonly found in the lower esophagus in people who develop it in the United States.

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Cervical cancer screening: What you need to know

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Cervical cancer screening: What you need to know

Almost 13,000 cases of invasive cervical cancer are diagnosed each year, with over 4,000 women dying from the disease. However, pre-cancers are diagnosed far more often than invasive cancer. Since the adoption of the Pap smear, the incidence of invasive cervical cancer has dramatically decreased over the past 30 years.

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What is mouth cancer?

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What is mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer is any cancer that develops in any of the parts of the mouth. This includes the bottom of the mouth, the top of the mouth, the tongue, the lips, the gums, or the inner lining of the cheeks. Mouth cancer may also be known as oral cancer or oral cavity cancer. It most commonly affects the lips and tongue. Mouth cancer is just one of a few different types of cancers that are considered head and neck cancers. It is estimated that about 10 out of 100,000 adults will develop mouth cancer.

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What is small intestine cancer?

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What is small intestine cancer?

Small intestine cancer is also known as small bowel cancer or a small intestine tumor. The small intestine or small bowel is the part of the intestines that connects the stomach to the colon, or large intestine. There are five different types of cancer that can grow in the wall of the small bowel. Small intestine cancer is very rare. It is estimated that there are about 7,000 new cases of small intestine cancer diagnosed in the United States each year.

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Facts about stomach cancer

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Facts about stomach cancer

Stomach cancer is also known as gastric cancer. The stomach is located beneath the ribs and in the upper middle portion of the abdomen. The stomach hold food after consumption, and also helps to break it down and digest it. Adenocarcinoma, which is cancer that begins in the lining of the stomach, is the most common type of stomach cancer.

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Melanoma: A Pathologist’s Perspective

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Melanoma: A Pathologist’s Perspective

With summer upon us it is time to think about sun safety. An alarming recent report found rates of new melanoma have doubled over the past three decades. It is estimated that education and awareness of the dangers could prevent 20 percent of new cases between 2020 and 2030, according to the CDC report. Without prevention programs rates will continue to increase.

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Breast Cancer vs. Prostate Cancer

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Breast Cancer vs. Prostate Cancer

Did you know that breast cancer and prostate cancer are almost identical in statistics? Believe it or not, they have almost the same number of diagnoses each year and even occur at almost the exact same age in men and women. Prostate cancer is just as common in men as breast cancer is in women, with over 233,000 cases diagnosed each year. 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with Prostate cancer while 1 in 8 women with Breast cancer. Both stand as the most common type of cancer among men and women, with a new case being diagnosed on every 2 minutes.  

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