Leukemia Lymphoma Cancer

What Is Lymphatic Cancer (Lymphoma) and Its Treatment Effects?

2011-12-09T03:21:00.000-08:00

Lymphoma is the cancer of lymph nodes. Like all cancers, it is the uncontrolled growth of cells in the vicinity of lymph nodes. Lymph nodes can be viewed as stopping points of lymphatic system. Lymphatic system basically carries fighting soldiers to whatever areas of your body whenever the body area is invaded or requires help to fight foreign intruders. The lymphatic system is a network of 'highways' starting from below the chin to the back of the neck, to underneath the armpits and then to the groin area and connects to the spinal cord.

Lymphoma develops as lumps at the node areas, typically behind the neck, armpits and groin areas. Not all lymphomas grow in detectable areas. Once a lump develops careful monitoring is required. Whenever a lump occurs, it can be caused by

1) viral infection, which can be easily cured by a course of antibiotics and usually last only a week or two,
2) Tuberculosis, which detected at early stages can easily be cured, and which will require more specialized medical care and treatment,
3) Cancer, which can only be confirmed by a biopsy. If there are several lumps that have been growing for some time, it is vital to get the lumps checked out by a Hematologist. Hematologists are specialized doctors dealing with blood disorders. Lymphoma is considered as a blood disorder. For other types of cancer, one would go to an oncologist.

Other noticeable signs are cold sweats at night, lost of appetite, drastic weight loss and lethargy. Sometimes these signs do not appear as in my case except for the lumps on base of the neck.
Like many other cancers, lymphomas are quite complicated and have different types and subtypes but generally lymphoma can be divided into two broad categories, namely Hodgkins and Non-Hodgkins. Hodgkins lymphoma is much more curable and the prognosis is very good.

Conventional treatment applies for Lymphoma - surgery and radiation - if the cancer is fairly isolated typically only in stage 1 (more on staging later). Chemotherapy followed by radiation for cancer that is not so widespread in the body. If the cancer is in a fairly advanced stage as in stage 3 and 4, then a full course of Chemotherapy treatment is required, as was in my case.

Staging in lymphoma is different from other types of cancer. Stage 1 is cancer found on one part in one section of the body either above or below the diaphragm. If the cancer has appeared in more than one place on same side of the diaphragm, then it has gone to stage 2. Stage 3 means the cancer has spread to the abdomen and groin areas above and below the diaphragm. Stage 4 means that the cancer has been detected in the bone marrow. Stage 3 is already considered advanced stage.

Once a biopsy has confirmed that a tumour is cancerous, a CT scan is usually performed to stage the cancer. In lymphomas, a bone marrow tap is usually done to check if the bone marrow carries the cancer as well. CT scans are also performed at regular intervals during Chemotherapy to determine the treatment's efficacy. If the current treatment is not effective, doctors will switch to another Chemotherapy regimen. At the end of the treatment, a final CT scan and PET scan are conducted to confirm absence of cancerous cells. The words "No cancerous cells detected" are the sweetest words one can ask for.

Chemotherapy treatment can last between six to eight months and a month more to recuperate from the onslaught of Chemotherapy. Most people will give up work to focus on the treatment. As in my case, Chemotherapy was once every two weeks. The first week immediately after Chemotherapy is the worst.

Most of the time, I was too weak to keep awake. As time passed, strength returned and by the second week, I could manage a short walk. After that the whole process starts all over again.
Towards the end of the Chemotherapy, the body would have been pretty badly savaged by the Chemo poison. One often lands up feeling very different after Chemotherapy, and it takes months to get back toany normalcy. The speed of recovery from Chemotherapy really depends on one's physical and mental strength.

Symptoms of Leukemia: Spotting Them Before It's Too Late

2011-12-05T03:20:00.000-08:00

Leukemia is a type of cancer that is very common nowadays. It does not choose who it attacks: men, women, children, adults, Caucasian, African-American, Asian, Hispanic - we are all at risk. According to the latest survey conducted, almost 44,000 people will be diagnosed with leukemia by 2010. It is now 2011. However, with developments that we have had in the aspect of health and medicine, the outcome of leukemia is looking bright. There is now a significant increase in the survival rate - a little over 50 per cent. That might not be a very big number for you, but compared to the 1970s when they only had a 14 per cent chance of survival, 50 per cent is almost like being disease-free. Won't you agree?

Surviving leukemia would largely depend on the severity of the disease by the time it gets diagnosed. As you could deduce, an earlier diagnosis of leukemia would give a better prognosis as compared to a late detection. Knowing which symptoms to look out for would be a great help in getting the earliest treatment possible. The following would be the most common symptoms of leukemia:

• Fever and recurrent infections. The reason behind this is that in leukemia, you do not have mature white blood cells to combat foreign bodies. You do not have a good defense system to protect you from invading viruses.

• Fatigue. Leukemia is a condition where there is a massive production of abnormal white blood cells. These cells would take up a lot of space, thus impeding the production of other types of cells. Since the production of red blood cells is decreased in the process, oxygen delivery to your various systems would also be decreased. This is what's causing fatigue.

• Bleeding and/or easy bruising. Bleeding, when associated with cancer, is painless. The same goes with bruising. A normal bruise would be tender when touched. Bruising, as related to leukemia, does not have any pain at all. Platelets, the ones responsible for clotting, are decreased in leukemia. This causes the bleeding and the bruising.

• Petechiae. They are tiny, rash-like spots found on the skin. Unlike rashes, though, petechiae are not itchy. This is caused by the rupture of capillaries and a decrease in platelet count.

• Pain. All types of cancer have pain. In the case of leukemia, it is bone or joint pain. This should not be confused with symptoms of bone cancer, though. The pain in bone cancer is caused by the compression of nerves due to tumor growth. In leukemia, the pain is caused by the overcrowding of blood cells in the bone marrow.

There are many other symptoms of leukemia, but the aforementioned would be the most common of the lot. If you experience any of those mentioned above, consult with your doctor immediately. If you get treatment early in the disease, there is a chance that the cancer cells might be eradicated and you would be one of the few survivors who would live to tell your story about battling with death.

What Are Some Of The Blood Cancer Types?

2011-11-13T03:19:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, there are many people who get cancer each year and have to deal with these types of illnesses. One type of cancer is blood cancer. Many people wonder what are some of the blood cancer types that people become sick with. Find out what some of the blood cancer types are.

One of the first common types of blood cancer is Leukemia. This unfortunately targets parts of your body that help you form your blood. There are a variety of types of Leukemia but all of them hurt your ability to produce healthy white blood cells. Because people with Leukemia lack white blood cells, typically the complications come from an inability to fight infection versus the cancer itself. Unfortunately, this is one of the more common cancers in children.

Lymphoma is another type of cancer that people get. This is a cancer of the lymph system which sometimes is referred to as Hodgkin's lymphoma or Hodgkin's disease. What happens is that the cells within the lymphatic system start to not form correctly. Eventually it's difficult to fight infections making the person very sick. There are also forms of lymphoma that are called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma which effects the while blood cells instead.

A third type of cancer is Multiple Myeloma. This type of cancer is very dangerous simply because it will effect the plasma cells in the blood. Generally the signs of this type of cancer is difficult to spot until someone has already had some serious infections because the body can't fight them off too well.

You need to be aware that there are multiple versions of each type of these cancers. Some are acute as they appear and harm the body quickly while others will not be so severe and gradually build up unless dealt with. If you need more information on a specific type of cancer, you can talk to your doctor getting all the information you need about a very specific type of cancer.

No matter what, the best advice we can give you is to start treating your cancer as soon as possible. The more time you give the cancer in your blood to evolve, the harder it will be to get rid of it in the end. Blood cancer is not a terminal disease per say, but if you do not start treating it immediately, it may very well be!
We wish you the best of luck with treating the cancer in your blood or avoiding same.

Cancer Of The Lymph Nodes

2011-11-09T03:16:00.000-08:00

Cancer of the lymph nodes, also known as lymphoma, will effect more men than women. With about 5 percent of all cancers, lymphoma is found to develop more frequently in people between the ages of 15 to 55.

There are between 500 to 700 lymph nodes in the body found in groups mostly in the neck, underarm, chest, abdomen and groin. These nodes are tiny rounded or bean shaped masses.

The two forms of cancer are affecting these nodules are, Hodgkins Disease and Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Hodgkins Disease is a rare form presenting symptoms of night sweats, unexplained weight loss, unexplained fever and constant fatigue. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, the most common, has the same symptoms as Hodgkins Disease. Regardless of gender, if there is a family history of this form of cancer, the risk increases. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is believed to develop in people that have had a high exposure to herbicides and pesticides.

The lymph nodes are a part of the lymphatic system. Lymph, the fluid in this system originates as plasm, flows between cells delivering nutrients, oxygen and hormones to the cells. As it leaves the cells it removes excess fluid, dead blood cells, bacteria, viruses and all other waste material with it. These nodes will trap cancer cells, slowing the spread of the disease, until cancer overwhelms them.

Cancer can metastasize in other parts of the body by traveling either through the bloodstream or through the lymph nodes. When this happens the cancer will be still called by its origin, for instant papillary thyroid cancer or breast cancer, but with lymph node involvement.

The most common symptom or sign that cancer has spread to the nodes is that one or more of them are enlarged. With that said there are many other reasons this inflammation could happen, infdction for instance. Your doctor will want to do a physical examination and blood and urine tests to rule out infection. For further screening diagnostic imaging to find the location of any tumors in the body will be done. A biopsy on the enlarged nodules may also be done either by surgery or by performing a fine needle aspiration.

Once all the diagnostic testing is complete the stage of the cancer can be determined. Staging of cancer is determined by the number of tumors, if they have spread and if so how intensely. Staging will assist the doctors determine treatment and the prognosis of the disease.

It is routine procedure when operating on an area of the body that has cancer like the thyroid or the breast, that suspicious and some normal lymph nodes are removed at the same time. These are all sent for biopsy. The pathology report will tell you how intensive the cancer of the lymph nodes is. In the case of papillary and follicular thyroid cancer the normal protocol, if the thyroid cancer is found in any of the nodes removed, is treatment with radioactive iodine will be required.

Like many cancers, when cancer of the lymph nodes is diagnosed in an early stage the better the prognosis. Today with all the medical advancements, there are many effective treatments available for this type of cancer.

How to Diagnose and Treat Lymphoma Cancer?

2011-11-08T03:18:00.000-08:00

The lymph system is a tubular structure branching out to all the parts of the body and is vital to fight infections. Lymph is a colorless fluid that contains white blood cells (lymphocytes) and is carried by the lymph system.

There are various types of lymphoma cancers and hence, answering a question, how to diagnose and treat lymphoma is a great challenge. The most common type of lymphoma and the term that is used interchangeably is Hodgkins disease and the rest of the types are known as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Diagnosis:

Although, there are several symptoms of lymphoma cancer, but they may be similar to any other illness, making it difficult to suspect the diagnosis of lymphoma.

Some symptoms are:

    * Swelling of the lymph nodes
    * Fatigue feeling
    * Weight loss
    * Recurrent fever
    * Night sweats

Once a patient experiences symptoms, he/she may consult a physician, who may carry out the diagnostic procedure to confirm the disease. The diagnosis will be based upon:

    * Thorough physical examination of the patient
    * Inquiry about the complete personal and family history
    * Physically examining the lymph nodes for any abnormalities present
    * Biopsy test to confirm about the malignancy present in the lymph nodes
    * Chest x-ray to verify any enlargement of the lymph nodes in the chest
    * Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) or Computer Tomography (CT) scan
    * Ultrasound examination

After the diagnosis is done and the lymphoma cancer is confirmed, then the patient may further undergo a few tests to detect the exact stage of the disease.

Cancer Treatment:

    * Radiation Therapy - Powerful x-rays or any such radiations may be used to treat the lymphoma cancer. The radiations are directed to kill the abnormal cancerous cells either by internal or external radiation therapy. However, pregnant women are not eligible for radiation therapy until delivery.

    * Chemotherapy - This therapy uses anti-cancer drugs to destroy the malignant cells in the lymph system. The therapy may be administered through mouth, intravenously or placing directly into the cerebrospinal fluid. Although, chemotherapy may be observed in pregnant women, close watch is required to see any danger to the fetus.

    * Vaccine Therapy - This is a new treatment technique used to treat lymphoma. This technique aims at strengthening body's immunity to fight the cancerous cells. The medications used are directed to restore the immune system and boost its defense against the malignancies.

    * High-dose chemotherapy in combination with stem cell transplant is another treatment option lately being considered. The technique is to replace the destroyed blood-forming stem cells in the patient with the donor stem cells.

Lymphoma cancer is type of cancer that affects the lymph system of the body. There are around 35 and more types of this cancer. Hence, how to diagnose and treat lymphoma cancer is a challenge for medical professionals. Like any other cancer, early detection and prompt treatment are vital.

New T-Cell Therapy May Be a Powerful Cancer Fighter

2011-11-03T03:18:00.000-07:00

Researchers have been working hard to find a way to use the body's own t-cell's to fight cancer and dertroy it. Clinical trials have been conducted and some people who were participants have gone into complete remission using this exciting and novel new approach. This is known as "gene therapy" and researchers have been working furiously for years trying to find ways to utilize the body's own cells to be reprogrammed to fight and destroy cancer cells.

A clinical trial held at The University of Pennsylvania involved providing this treatment to participants who suffered from leukemia. One participant in particular, a man who had suffered from leukemia participated in the trial and it turned his life around for the better. Chemotherapy was no longer effective for his disease. A few weeks after this treatment, he was in complete remission with no trace of cancer to be found. It is now a year later and he is still completely cancer free. There were an additional two patients who participated in this trial. One had another complete remission of the leukemia and the third participant had a partial remission result. These results are extremely promising and plans are being made for further gene therapy trials.

The Procedure: This trial involved the removal of billions of a person's T-cells. T- cells are one of the white cells in the human body whose function is to fight and destroy viruses and tumors. Once these t-cells are removed they are genetically reprogrammed with new genes. These new genes actually teach the t-cells to seek out and destroy cancer in the human body. They are then reinjected back into the patient.

The doctors who are part of the trial are not stating yet that this is a cure. They say the treatment is still experimental and has only involved a few patients. This trial has been written about in The New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine. Many researchers are very excited about it and feel it is a significant achievement in the field of gene therapy to fight cancer.

This procedure basically was able to use a person's own immune system to kill cancer cells. Researchers are now trying to determine if other types of cancer might also be responsive to this gene therapy.

The doctors leading this study and trial said they were also stunned by the results of complete remission. Although this is still experimental at this point, researchers hope to replicate this study again and see how it responds to other types of cancer.

Tumor Destruction by T-cells: Scientists are trying to determine how to make these modified t-cells destroy tumors. This particular research study done at The University of Pennsylvania appears to have been able to accomplish this by leaving a population of "memory" t-cells" within the body that will be able to remultiply when needed, as they will recognize the development of cancerous cells.

This gene therapy concept of genetically modifying the body's t-cells really began in the 1980s with research conducted in Israel. Over the years much research has continued to occur in this area and it appears that scientists are making great progress. Researchers are hopeful that one day soon, these "cancer killer" t-cells" will effectively destroy cancer and be available as a therapy option for people suffering from this dreadful disease.

Potential Dangers of T-Cell Therapy: Although this research is incredibly promising there are certain dangers still inherent to it. A person may become vunerable to infection because the treatment will destroy both healthy and cancerous cells simultaneously, in this leukemia case wiping out a patient's entire B-cell population. Doctors are providing these patients with precautions such as periodic infusions of immune building substances to prevent infections from occurring.

Another danger could be the overwhelming number of cancer cells that can die off all at once. This can overwhelm the liver and kidneys and lead to "tumor lyses", a potentially deadly reaction. Doctors are working on this problem by providing drugs which will help protect the kidneys while this process is occurring.

Additionally there may be other reactions which may be life threatening because everybody is unique and the modified t-cells can target cancer cells anywhere in the body. Therefore if there is cancer in the lungs, the lungs may become overwhelmed and the patient can develop breathing problems which can be dangerous. Additionally side effect reactions that occur from this treatment include high fevers and inflammation.

The Future: Researchers are very excited about the future of genetically modified t-cell therapy in treating and even destroying cancer. Although it may be years away, the hope is to perfect the therapy and make it available to anyone who may benefit from it. Many hurdles still exist including how this treatment could be massed produced by the pharmaceutical industry. Until that time, researchers continue to work hard and are grateful for the astonishing results of complete remission they have already achieved in several patients suffering from leukemia.

The Issels Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California is a world renowned alternative cancer treatment center. The Issels Treatment is an Integrative Immunotherapy program with a 50 year history. Founded in 1951 by a pioneer in integrative cancer medicine, Dr. Josef Issels, MD., a German oncologist, The Issels Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California treats patients with all natural non toxic therapies for a variety of health conditions including cancer.

Medical Oncology For Children

2011-10-16T03:17:00.000-07:00

Cancer therapy for children is most often called pediatric oncology. It is one of the most ruthless forms of cancer because it attacks young defenseless children. If you spend any time learning about cancer and pediatric oncology you'll undoubtedly discover that there are many stories of young lives taken much too soon to this horrible disease.

In their efforts to fight their cancer children must undergo painful medical oncology treatments.

Types of Cancer Treatment For Children

The main types of cancer treatment for children are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery to remove the cancer.

Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that kills cancer cells but damages normal human cells. This type of treatment can cause severe side effects and long lasting health implications. The damage depends greatly on how long chemotherapy is performed and how long the child is exposed to this type of treatment.

Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that can make tumors smaller by using high energy rays. Radiation therapy can be used as a stand alone treatment or it can be used prior to or after surgery. It can also be harmful to normal cells, not just cancer cells so there is a risk of severe side effects.

Surgery can be one of the most effective forms of cancer treatment. Surgery can major or minor, depending on the size of the cancerous area and progression of the disease. One of the main considerations doctors have when performing this type of surgery is to try to take out as much of the cancer as possible without removing healthy tissue (or only removing very little healthy tissue).

Pediatric Cancer Centers

It is important to know when you are looking for a cancer center for children that you find one that is a member of the Children's Oncology Group (COG). Most of these types of facilities are non-profit organizations with the sole mission of helping kids fight cancer and other related diseases. Beyond fighting the sickness these types of facilities also help children cope with what they have.

Generally speaking, almost 71% of all people who initially find out they have cancer are treated in medical facilities accredited by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) by the American College of Surgeons so this is also important to look for when seeking treatment as you can be assured that these centers have the highest level of care available to your child.

Treating Multiple Myeloma Naturally

2011-10-01T03:14:00.000-07:00

Multiple myeloma is a cancer that commences in plasma cells which are a part of the white blood cells present in the blood circulation. These plasma cells play an important part in the immune system of the body by producing antibodies to help protect the body against infection and damage. In this disease, plasma cells become abnormal and are then termed as myeloma cells, which produce antibodies known as M proteins. These myeloma cells gradually crowd out the normal cells within the bones and produce symptoms in several bones at a time, because of which this condition is termed as multiple myeloma. When myeloma cells collect in one single bone, this mass is known as plasmacytoma.

Multiple myeloma produces symptoms such as weakness, tiredness, frequent infections, frequent thirst, bone pains - especially the back, broken bones, frequent urination, nausea, constipation, anaemia, weight loss, kidney failure, and amyloidosis. Multiple myeloma is diagnosed with the help of tests such as x-rays for bones, high levels of plasma cells and calcium in the blood, M protein and Beta 2 microglobulin, and Bence Jones protein test for 24 hours urine. A bone marrow examination is usually diagnostic of this condition. CT scan, MRI, and PET scan can be utilised to identify the spread of the disease and severity, after which the disease is graded so as to define the treatment plan for this condition. Anticancer drugs, radiation therapy, and stem cell transplantation constitute the conventional treatment for this condition. Overall, response to anticancer drugs and radiation therapy is quite poor, and most patients stop responding after some time.

Ayurvedic herbal treatment is especially useful in the treatment of multiple myeloma, since it treats both the original problem in the bone marrow and also treats its associated symptoms. The herbal medicines which are used in the management of this condition have a specific action on the bone marrow and stimulate it to start producing normal plasma and other blood cells. Simultaneously, other medicines are utilised in order to kill and remove the abnormal plasma cells from the blood and the bones. These dead cells are then flushed out from the body either from the gastrointestinal tract or through the kidneys via the urine.

Herbo- mineral medicines can be used in the management of multiple myeloma which normalise the production of red blood cells and white blood cells and thereby treat symptoms such as weakness, tiredness, frequent thirst and anaemia. Removal of the abnormal plasma cells from the bones reduces bone pains and prevents or reduces fracture of bones due to bone weakness. The excess calcium present in the blood is redirected towards the bones to normalise the disturbed metabolism resulting from multiple myeloma. Medicines which remove the debris, dead cancer cells, and generated toxins through the kidneys also have a preserving function on the kidneys so that these are not damaged due to the disease. If the affected individual exhibits symptoms of amyloidosis, this condition needs to be treated separately with Ayurvedic medicines.

Some Ayurvedic medicines which are useful in the management of multiple myeloma include Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis),Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Abhadi Guggulu, Panch-Tikta-Ghrut Gugglu,Gokshuradi Guggulu and Mahamanjishthadi Qadha. Most individuals affected with multiple myeloma require Ayurvedic treatment for about 9 to 15 months in order to benefit significantly from treatment and obtain considerable relief from this condition. Ayurvedic treatment can definitely bring about a good response in this condition, which has so far proved to be refractory to conventional treatment, and herbal treatment can provide significant improvement in the quality of life as well as survival of affected individuals. Ayurvedic herbal treatment thus has a significant contribution to play in the management and treatment of multiple myeloma.