General Cancer Information

Alcohol Consumption:
Chronic heavy drinking has been linked to an increased risk of
cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, pancreas and
rectum. Consuming as little as three ounces of hard liquor every
day for several years can cause damage.
Aspirin Linked to Reduce Lung Cancer Risk:
Aspirin has already risen from the ranks of a mere pain reliever to
become a highly valued heart attack and stroke prevention tool,
and now researchers say preventing lung cancer may be added
to its list of benefits.

Cancer and Nutrition:

To prevent cancer, avoid dietary fats. Eat a diet rich in soy, fruits,
vegetables and fiber.
Cancer Risk Factors
The following are various types of cancer and their risk factors:

* Breast- Family history of breast cancer, obesity, late

childbearing and childlessness
* Bladder- Smoking (nearly half of cases), hair dye - bladder
cancer is more common in men than women
* Cervical- First intercourse at an early age, multiple sexual
partners, smoking, history of genital herpes
* Colorectal- Being over 50 with colon polyps or ulcerative colitis,
family history of these disorders or colon cancer, high-fat, low-
fiber diet
* Leukemia- Exposure to radiation, benzene and other chemicals
* Lung- Smoking (83 percent of cases), exposure to asbestos,
radiation and secondhand tobacco smoke
* Lymphoma- Being over 50, no other known risk factors
* Oral- Smoking, chewing tobacco and heavy alcohol use
* Pancreatic- Smoking, high-fat diet
* Prostate- Risk increases with age; more than 80 percent of
cases occur after 65
* Skin- Fair skin, severe sunburn in childhood, frequent sun
exposure, family history of skin cancer
* Uterine- Being post-menopausal with a history of infertility,
ovulation failure or abnormal bleeding, also obesity, hypertension
and diabetes

Early Detection
The earlier cancer is detected, the greater the chance it can be
treated before it spreads to other areas of the body. That's why
self-examinations (such as checks of the breasts, testicles and
skin) are important to build into your routine. And it's why regular
medical screenings (such as mammograms, fecal occult blood
tests, Pap smears and prostate exams) are crucial even if you
feel perfectly healthy.

More Precise Cancer Treatments

Once, a cancer was a cancer was a cancer. Now, scientists have
succeeded in using DNA to determine whether a particular type of
cancer will be resistant to certain therapies, paving the way to
choosing more effective, tailor-made treatments for patients.

Nutrition and Cancer Patients

A great tasting, nutritious milkshake for cancer patients requiring
extra calories in small amounts is made by adding 2 large scoops
of ice cream and 1 package of vanilla-flavored Carnation Instant
Breakfast to 8 ounces of milk and blending until smooth.

Orange Zest and Cancer

Don't toss away that orange peel -- it may help protect you
against cancer. Grated citrus zest -- the outmost layer of the peel,
not the white pith -- includes compounds may provide health
benefits, such as inhibiting development of some cancers and
lowering cholesterol. Scrub the rind with warm water and a drop
of soap before starting to grate. Press a piece of wax paper onto
the grater to make clean-up easier; the zest accumulates on the
paper instead of getting stuck in the holes of the grater. Best of
all, you can use the zest for a flavor boost in low-fat baked goods,
pilafs, salad dressings, marinades and fruit salads.

Seven Cancer Warning Signs

1. A change in bowel or bladder habits
2. A sore that does not heal
3. Unusual bleeding or discharge
4. Thickening or a lump in the breast or other area
5. Chronic indigestion or swallowing problems
6. An obvious change in a wart or a mole
7. A nagging cough or hoarseness

Startling Facts About Smoking and Cancer

Eighteen little-known facts about smoking might motivate even a
veteran smoker to give up the habit:
1. Cigarette smoke contains tar, made up of over 4,000
chemicals, including 43 known to cause cancer.
2. Chemicals in smoke include cyanide (a deadly poison),
methanol (wood alcohol), formaldehyde (a preservative),
acetylene (fuel used in torches) and ammonia (found in fingernail
polish remover). It also contains nitrogen oxide and carbon
monoxide, both poisonous gases.
3. Smokeless tobacco (snuff) exposes a person to at least 10
times more cancer-causing substances than smoking does.
4. Smoking filtered cigarettes lowers the risk of lung cancer by
only about 20 percent.
5. Smokers are more likely to get pneumonia than are
nonsmokers.
6. Smokers are more likely to have and die from stomach ulcers
than are nonsmokers.
7. Smoking causes and worsens heart disease, emphysema,
bronchitis, sinusitis, and cancers of the lung, mouth, larynx (voice
box), and esophagus (swallowing tube), and increases the risk of
bladder, kidney, pancreas, stomach and cervical cancers.
8. Women smokers experience earlier menopause and have less
dense bones, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis and
hip fractures.
9. Children whose parents smoke are at a higher risk for
pneumonia and bronchitis.
10. Diseases caused by cigarette smoking kill about one in four
smokers.
11. By the time lung cancer is diagnosed, it has usually spread to
other parts of the body. The survival rate is low: only 13 percent
are still alive five years after diagnosis, fewer than 10 percent
after 10 years.
12. Lung cancer now kills more women than any other type of
cancer.
13. Smoking takes an average of seven years off a person’s life.
14. Smoking causes one out of every six deaths in the United
States.
15. Nine out of ten smokers say they want to quit.
16. More men have quit smoking than women.
17. More than 43 million Americans have quit smoking, and–over
the past decade–the percentage of smoking adult Texans has
decreased from 31 to 22 percent.
18. Between 1964 and 1985, approximately 750,000 deaths were
avoided or postponed as a result of decisions to quit smoking or
not to start.
And that’s Not All!
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer in
America, but it could be prevented 80 to 90 percent of the time if
only people would not smoke.
Tea for Tumors
Research shows one kind of tea can be up to 100 times more
potent at blocking growth of cancer cells than another. While all
tea (green, oolong or black) contains antioxidant compounds
called catechins that protect against cancer (especially of the
lung, breast, colon, stomach and skin) by neutralizing free
radicals, green tea contains about 7 times more catechins than
black tea. Green tea also has unique catechins that block an
enzyme involved in breast, prostate and colon cancers. Green tea
is 10 to 100 times stronger than black tea in blocking the growth
of cancer cells. Catechins also prevent heart disease and stroke,
primarily by defending against the harmful effects of artery-
clogging LDL cholesterol.

Understanding Blood Counts

counting and examining blood cells are very important in the
diagnosis of blood cell diseases. Blood has several different types
of cells in it:
* Red blood cells pick up oxygen as blood passes through the
lungs and release it to the cells in the body.
* White blood cells help fight bacteria and viruses.
* Platelets are the cells that form a plug in response to a cut or
wound. The platelets aggregate and plug up the site of bleeding.

Normal blood counts fall within the range that has been
established by testing healthy men and women of all ages.
The approximate normal ranges of blood cell counts for healthy
adults are as follows:
* Red blood cell (RBC) count: 4.5 to 6.0 million red cells per
microliter of blood in men, 4.0 to 5.0 million red cells per microliter
of blood in women
* White blood cell (WBC) count: 4.5 to 11 thousand white cells per
microliter of blood
* Platelet count: 150 to 450 thousand platelets per micro liter of
blood

Hematocrit is the percent of the blood that is composed of

red cells:
* 42% to 50% is normal in men
* 36% to 45% is normal in women

Hemoglobin is the compound in the red blood cell that

carries oxygen.
* 14 to 17 grams per 100 milliliters of blood is normal for men
* 12 to 15 grams per 100 milliliters of blood is normal for women

White cell differential count, sometimes referred to as a "diff,"

measures the proportion of the total white cell count that is
composed of one of the five principal white cell types. The
observer can also tell if the white cells in the blood are normal in
appearance. The five types of normal white cells that are counted
are neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and
basophils. Blood contains about 60% neutrophils, 30%
lymphocytes, 5% monocytes, 4% eosinophils and 1% basophils.

Vitamin E and Cancer

Vitamin E has been found to reduce cancer risk when consumed
at recommended levels.

Want to Quit Smoking?

Most people who quit smoking have tried before, so don’t give up!
Try these tips:
* List the reasons you want to quit. Refer to the list every time you
want to smoke.
* Typical triggers to smoking include working under pressure,
feeling depressed, having a drink, drinking coffee, driving a car,
finishing a meal and watching someone else light up a cigarette.
Learn to look for these triggers and then avoid them, for example,
by cutting down on alcohol and caffeine.
* Reward yourself for not smoking. Spend the money saved from
not buying cigarettes on a treat for you.
* Keep lots of low calorie snacks handy, including sugarless gum.
* Try taking a few deep breaths when you start to feel stressed.
* Quit smoking with a friend, bet someone you will quit, or get
involved with a group having the same goal of quitting.
* Take your mind off smoking by keeping your hands busy with
handwork or hobbies.

Watermelon and Cancer Prevention

Juicy, red watermelon is not only delicious, it may help prevent
cancer. As long as you spit out the seeds, watermelon is the
biggest supplier among fresh fruits and vegetables in the
antioxidant lycopene, which is believed to play a big role in the
prevention of the killer disease. Antioxidants such as lycopene
work in your body by disarming free oxygen radicals, which are
thought to contribute to the development of many cancers. A 2-
cup serving of watermelon contains 15 - 20 milligrams of this vital
plant pigment. Other sources include tomatoes, red grapefruits
and guavas.