The ABCDE of melanoma, five letters that could save your life

In these days of intense sun looks fresh, fresh, fashionable, sexy and showing lots of skin to give honor to summer. However, beware of ultraviolet (UV) because they can be deadly and damaging your health begin with the appearance of "mere specks" on your skin and thus cause the dreaded melanoma.

Melanoma is a cancer that originates in the skin by malignant transformation of cells called melanocytes. And the melanocytes are the cells that are responsible for the production of melanin, the substance that gives color to skin and hair and protects against UV radiation from the sun.

Melanoma is a type of aggressive skin cancer, which tends to spread very quickly and has a prognosis of less than eight months, however if melanoma is detected early can be curable.

It is therefore important to periodically check your body and your skin for any changes or abnormalities in moles and see a doctor if you have any doubt in the appearance of a mole. This way you could save your life with early diagnosis, preventing the disease continues to advance.

At a press conference, Dr. John W. Zinser Sierra, Coordinator of the Oncology Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Mexico, said that in America there are 3 million 500 thousand people with skin cancer each year. The survivors of skin cancer, melanoma is caused by about 800 thousand people."

The incidence of melanoma in women aged 18-39 has increased eight times in the past four decades, according to a study by the Mayo Clinic.

This high recurrence warn us to use the chart below as a reference when making your skin periodic review. As a way to detect skin cancer melanoma is taking into account the following aspects of a mole.

By Lourdes Gonzalez

The anti-smoking measures have saved millions of lives

25 years ago began fighting snuff for the benefit of health. The three pillars of this initiative have been the ban on smoking in public places, the tax increase on cigarettes and conducting awareness compañas. During this quarter century in the United States almost 800 000 lives saved , considering only deaths averted because of lung cancer . The results of a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) show that the efforts in this country between 1975 and 2000 towards tobacco control, gave excellent results. At first, the smoking ban ruled only for indoors, until in 2010 it began to consider the possibility that also govern for sites open. Thus, in 2011, New York could not be established that smoking in any public park or square. This provision of course includes the famous Central Park.

The study in detail the research team led by Dr. Suresh Moolgavkar, a member of the program of Biostatistics and Biomathematics Research Center Fred Hutchinson Cancer Seattle, U.S., developed a sophisticated model to estimate changes in smoking patterns that North American country. From this analysis, we extracted between 1975 and 2000 were 2.1 million lung cancer deaths among men and about 1.05 million between women. With that number in hand, considering what happened earlier, researchers argued that because of the actions averted 552 000 deaths among 243 000 men and women. "

Quitting for reducing deaths from lung cancer. The problem is that despite the spread, even many people who smoke . But this should not make us throw up their hands because we know that the most effective way to reduce the burden of lung cancer is to get smokers to quit but especially prevent non-smokers begin to do it, "explained the team members Moolgavkar in the online edition of JNCI. "And we must not forget that beyond the lung cancer, smoking cessation also reduces heart attack rates, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), "they concluded.

An aspirin a day keeps cancer at bay

Taking aspirin regularly may have a protective effect against cancer , according to a new study published in the medical journal The Lancet . During his final analysis, Professor Peter Rothwell of Oxford University, found that the protective effect of aspirin becomes evident after three to five years of taking the medication daily . Other medical studies have previously shown that exercise, smoking cessation and healthy eating can significantly reduce the risk of cancer, but the team said Rothwell, aspirin reduces this risk even more. The findings show that a small dose (75-300 mg) a day is enough to reduce cancer risk by 25 percent in a period of three years of consumption. Consumed after five years, aspirin reduces the risk of death from cancer by 15 percent. And although the study recognizes aspirin can help prevent cancer, the authors also suggest that before taking any decision or add aspirin to a daily diet, everyone should consult their doctor.

New screening for colorectal cancer

Month of March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness, a disease that affects 1 in every 17 people and is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. Timely detection of this disease is paramount, and for this there is a new noninvasive test that has shown greater accuracy.
The new test is "highly accurate, noninvasive, requires no bowel preparation, or restrictions on drugs, or dietary changes and can be performed with samples sent by mail, obviating the need, expense and inconvenience of going to the doctor , "she says Dr. David Ahlquist of the Mayo Clinic . Researchers at Mayo Clinic and Exact Sciences Inc . developed in this test set detection is now under investigation. According to experts, the results of two recent studies reveal that this test is highly accurate and significantly more sensitive than other noninvasive tests to detect pre-cancerous growths (adenomas) and early cancer. "This test, with its high accuracy, can improve participation rates, thanks to the benevolent features it offers to patients, "says Dr. Ahlquist.

What is the new screening examination of stool DNA genetic markers specific search in the stool samples flanked by patients. If the result is positive, the next step is a colonoscopy to remove polyps to prevent the subsequent formation of a cancer, says Dr. Ahlquist. on its accuracy: - In the nearly 400 cases, the stool DNA test detected 87 percent of the curable stage colorectal cancer. It is noteworthy that neither the location nor the stage of the tumor affected the sensitivity of detection. - The review identified most large precancerous polyps who are at high risk of progressing to cancer. - The sensitivity was 64 percent for polyps more than 1 centimeter (cm), 77 percent for those over 2 cm, and 92 percent for those above 4 cm. "It seems important to mention that this test provides a means unique, noninvasive and accuracy of large polyps, offering the hope of actually prevent cancer development, "said researcher Dr. Stephen Thibodeau, Mayo Clinic geneticist

Although that recommends a colorectal cancer screening to everyone after 50 years, 60 percent of patients are diagnosed when the disease is in advanced stage, mainly due to failure to follow . The examination is critical because survival rates increase dramatically when colorectal cancer is detected early. Source: Mayo Clinic

Paracetamol can ease a broken heart

We already know that the love itself is capable of causing physical pain , and apparently there is also a medical remedy for the breakups. Incredibly, a new study found that a dose of paracetamol may help relieve the pain caused by a broken heart . As reported by Marie Claire , neuroscientists at the University of California found that emotional pain is processed in the same area of the brain physical pain, so that could be used to relieve pain . In a test that took three weeks to a group of people was given Tylenol, a drug that showed a significant reduction in feelings of pain, compared with cases in which only offered placebos.

But beware, this is not to say that if you end up with your boyfriend fill of pills to end the pain. Dr. Esisenberger he warns people about taking painkillers after a traumatic experience: " The emotional pain is a healthy response, which teaches us not to repeat the behavior that caused us pain, and relieve the pain [drug ] could prevent recovery . " Also, remember that self-medication will never be right. If you dislike that made ​​it bad, you should ideally consult an expert to deliver that feeling and find a solution to physical discomfort. What not to do either is to take your feelings on deaf ears, because research has shown that a broken heart can even cause death ...

Sleeping pills can cause cancer and death

A new study suggests that the pills are commonly prescribed for sleep can increase 5.7 times the risk of disease, making them as dangerous and lethal as smoking . Naturally, the results of this study raise the alert on the increased use of drugs to help people with insomnia. The study published in the British Medical Journal Open estimated between 320.000 and 507.000 U.S. deaths could be linked to the sleeping pills .

As indicated by the authors, these drugs can both increase the risk of death as that of developing certain types of cancer . Sleeping pills or 'hypnotic' associated with these hazards include benzodiazepines such as temazepam, non-benzodiazepines such as Ambien (zolpidem), Lunesta (eszopiclone) and Sonata (zaleplon), barbiturates, and sedative antihistamines. Those patients who consumed the highest dose of pills with these ingredients showed increased risk of developing various cancers, including esophageal, lymphoma , lung, colon and prostate . The scientists who conducted this study suggest that before taking or continue taking any medications, patients talk with their doctors about alternatives exist to achieve pharmacological sleep.

Although The investigation was unable to determine how this relationship lies between sleeping pills and the risk of death, it does serve to point to a serious problem facing the nation. And many Americans use this type of sleeping pills. In fact, during 2010, including one 20 and one in 10 adults have used these drugs in the country .

Endometriosis increases the risk of ovarian cancer

Endometriosis affects 10 percent of women of reproductive age , which means that around one million sufferers. It is a hormone-dependent disease, ie, produced by the action of estrogens, which stimulate the growth of the endometrium. To understand more about the disease, a group of specialists from different U.S. universities analyzed the results of 13 studies theme that included data from a total of 23 000 women, to try to understand the correlation between endometriosis and the possibility of developing cancer of the ovary.

"Considering the data from these investigations, we established a strong link between endometriosis and the risk of developing ovarian cancer in three types: clear cell, endometrioid and serous low-grade . However, most women with endometriosis fortunately not develop these tumors. However, we believe that physicians should be alert and try to notice this condition as soon as possible so that way he can control, "explained the charge of the review in the recent edition of The Lancet . The endometrium.

The endometrium, etiology of this condition, is a tissue that lines the entire interior of uterus and that usually clears each period. However, it may be that this does not happen or at least not entirely. That's when you begin to form " endometriotic lesions "in the ovaries and in all other organs of the female pelvis. This is because once stayed outside the uterine cavity, endometrial tissue grows because it reacts to the hormonal changes characteristic of the menstrual cycle and generates a kind of scar which in turn causes inflammation and pain .

So the main manifestation of endometriosis occurs precisely to menstruation (ie when there is ovarian activity). warning signs and risks The main symptom of endometriosis is pain a woman feels, especially when menstruating . However, according to Dr. Juan Jose Etchepareborda, president of the Sociedad Argentina de Endometriosis (SAE), " The main risk lies in the possibility of developing infertility , since it is estimated that between 25 and 40 percent of women who have difficulties to get pregnant have endometriosis. " "So you have to do is find the disease in women with a family history of endometriosis, but also started menstruating early, with heavy menstrual flow or that fail to become pregnant "added the specialist. "What happens, complemented Dr. Luis Augé, a specialist in Reproductive Medicine, former president of Argentina Endometriosis Society and professor of gynecology at the UBA-is that endometriosis often does not give any symptoms. In this table, unless there are cases in the family and the woman approaches the clinic expressly for that background, it is difficult to detect pathology .

In addition, often the parameter of pain is not taken into account by the belief that reads: 'it is normal for women to feel pain when menstruating. "The truth is that this is not so. So we must look for endometriosis by clinically-reviewed medical consultation and examination, and by ultrasound, MRI and laparoscopy . " Data on the review so far, the studies that evaluated the relationship between endometriosis and the possibility of ovarian cancer have been contradictory. But in conducting this review of American specialists found that the presence of endometriosis increases in three times the risk of having a clear cell tumor in two chance of developing a tumor or tumor endometrioid serous low-grade (all ovarian cancer). In contrast, no relationship was observed between gynecological disorder and other ovarian tumors as mucinous carcinoma, the high-grade serous borderline tumors.

sTreatment Once endometriosis is present must act because, although not curable, it can be done to relieve pain, but also prevent the growth of endometriosis, decrease the possibility of injuries and improve fertility reappear . also recommend that women change their diet or use methods of exercise, relaxation and breathing to help relieve the pain. In what has to do with diet, experts suggest eating whole grains like rice and oats, but also eating a diet rich in fiber and, if possible, vegetarian . also advise eating lots of fruits and vegetables and incorporate fatty acids Omega 3 , found primarily in fish, since they have anti-inflammatory effect.

The strongest ally of cancer is smoking

The Cancer Research UK has launched the largest study ever done on the cancer and its causes, which is credited with having investigated in depth the relationship between lifestyle and propensity to fall ill with cancer. And Max Parkin, the epidemoiologo who led the research, is very explicit: 40 percent of cancers can be prevented is not in the genes, nor is written in destiny.

RECOMMENDATIONS - just to avoid cigarettes and alcohol, weight control (especially the ladies) and reduce exposure to the sun. And remember to eat fruit and vegetables (especially good advice for men). The research, published in British Journal of Cancer , says that 4 out of ten cancers are due to their habits of life and the destiny of human beings is in their hands, sometimes more than one is led to think. In essence well 134 000 cancer diagnoses each year in Great Britain would no longer exist if the style of life follow some basic rules and be accurate 40 percent of females and 45 percent of males do not get sick.

ALL THE SINS OF BAD HABITS - The number one enemy of health and the most faithful ally of the tumors confirmed to be the cigarette. At the top of the list of causes of cancer are in fact the smoke, which causes the disease in 23 percent of men and 15.6 percent of women. Following the trend in overweight females. In particular, breast cancer is often correlated with the excess weight and obesity in general determines the 5.5 per cent of cancer and in particular the 6.9 per cent in women (10,800 diagnoses) and 4.1 per cent in the male population (6,500 diagnoses). Alcohol is directly involved in 4 percent of cancer and particularly in the 4.6 per cent of cases among men and 3.3 per cent of cases among women. The absence of fruit and vegetables in the diet is responsible for 6.1 percent of male cancers and 3.4 percent of those women. Overall, therefore, a diet low in fruits and vegetables and too much salt is in charge of 9, 2 tumors of one hundred.

MINOR ENEMIES - The list of accomplices of cancer is still long and there are many other behaviors or conditions in direct connection with cancer . Just think of the human papilloma virus, common cause of cervical cancer (cancer that begins in the cervix point), lack of exercise, the work in contact with harmful substances, hormonal therapy and radiation. Fourteen environmental and behavioral factors combined together are able to determine the disease in thousands of cases and the stronger role is exercised by the trio alcohol / smoking / diet, because 34 percent of the cases of the disease. A good reason to say goodbye forever to stop bad habits and always talks about genes or bad luck.

Apple juice can be a health risk, the calories

It's true: the apple juice can be a health risk. But not necessarily because of traces of arsenic which is talking about. Despite the consideration of the government on new limits on arsenic, nutrition experts say the real danger of the apple juice is for the likes of waist and children's teeth. Apple juice has few natural nutrients, calories, and in some cases, more sugar than a soft drink.

He also teaches a child to like sweet things, food and beverage moves better, and adds to problem of obesity , say critics. "It's like sugar water," said Judith Stern, a professor of nutrition at the University of California, Davis campus, who has been a consultant to manufacturers of sweets and Weight Watchers. "I do not let my grandson three years apple juice drink," he said. Many juices are fortified with vitamins, so they are not only calories, but that does not reassure some nutrition experts. "If they were not healthy in principle add vitamins does not make a healthy food, "and if it causes weight gain is not a healthy choice, said Karen Ansel, a registered dietitian in New York and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that the juice can be part of a healthy diet, but their policy is blunt:

" Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefit for infants under six months and not more beneficial than whole fruit for older children . " The TV host Dr . Mehmet Oz became the subject matter of debate a few months ago when it issued an alarm-some say-false alarm about the presence of arsenic in apple juice, based on evidence that your program commissioned a private laboratory. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, for its initials in English) said its own tests do not agree with these results and the apple juice is safe. However, on Wednesday, after Consumer Reports for their own analysis several brands of juices and joined other consumer groups to demand more stringent standards, the FDA said it will examine whether its restrictions on the amount of arsenic allowed in apple juice are sufficiently stringent. Some forms of arsenic, such as the type found in pesticides can be toxic and pose a risk of cancer if consumed at high levels or for long periods.

Create a 'superbrócoli' which removes toxins

A team of scientists from the Institute of Food Research and John Innes Centre in Norwich, United Kingdom, have created 'Beneforté', a new type of broccoli that is even healthier than their natural variable, as it provides benefits such as the ability to remove toxins, lower cholesterol and prevent cancer.

They have been promoting one of the components of this vegetable, the glucoraphanin something to work from the early 90's. Specifically, researchers, inspired by the anti-cancer properties associated with glucoraphanin, chose a wild species of broccoli with high levels of this component and mixed it with a cropped version to create a hybrid.

The new plant type showed high levels of the compound present in his 'father' wild, but like a normal broccoli. In the process of creation, which has lasted 15 years, scientists have also been able to remove sulfur that can give this food a bitter taste.

A key part of this study was to explore the benefits in health that could bring the new plant. According to Professor Richard Mithen, "identifying glucoraphanin itself is important and achieved mainly with cultured human cells."

"Taking human cells, placing them in petri dishes and adding this compound to see how cells react. In this way we identify compounds that have anticancer properties," said the researcher, who says that "have been able to demonstrate the benefits of the disease cardiovascular, we are still working to show whether cancer has. "

To achieve these benefits, Mithen Beneforté Eat two or three times a week as part of a diet healthy. This 'superbrócoli' is already on sale in the UK and will soon be in the world.

Parental cancer can define the type of breast cancer

The risk of breast cancer may be increased due to genetic and other factors related to lifestyle, such as gene BRCA2, age of first child or the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Now, n new study published in BioMed Central has analyzed the relationship between women with breast cancer and diagnosis of cancer in their parents. The results show that the chances of women with lobular breast cancer has been a parent with cancer (especially prostate cancer) is nearly double that of women with other forms of breast cancer .

A team of researchers from the University of Lund (Sweden) examined data from women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1980 and 2008. About 40% of them had invasive ductal breast cancer and 8% lobular cancer. At the time of diagnosis, 15% had a parent with cancer and 21% a mother diagnosed with cancer.

Once the data were adjusted for age, use of hormone replacement therapy, the number of children and other known genetic factors, such as having a mother with breast cancer, women who had a parent with cancer almost doubled the risk of developing lobular breast cancer, compared with other types of breast cancer.

Hormonal factor

Since breast cancer is an important hormonal component (in this study 63% of women had lobular cancer with estrogen-receptor positive), one might assume that the parental cancer may be important. However, the increased risk of lobular breast cancer associated with having a parent with cancer was independent of estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status. Prostate cancer is also related to hormones, but the relationship remained even after removing the group of parents with prostate cancer.

The author of the work, Ellberg Carolina, said if you look at the grandparents and other relatives, "the greatest risk of lobular cancer was directly related to having a parent with cancer. This does not necessarily mean that the daughter of a man diagnosed with cancer is more likely to develop lobular breast cancer, but if you develop breast cancer are more likely to be lobular . "

Oral sex increases neck cancers

It was news that the global incidence of cervical cancer is declining, largely because fewer people smoke (the snuff and alcohol are the major traditional risk factors), but now there is a rise in the incidence of some cancers of the neck among Americans for oral sex, according to the Faculty of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The alarming thing is that it is targeting older people, but are cases in middle-aged and younger. The reason some experts say has to do with the increased popularity of oral sex in the last decades.

Oral sex and cancer human papilloma virus (HPV) is an important cause of these cancers, and that HPV can be transmitted through oral sex. A 2007 study found that young people with head and neck cancers who tested positive for oral HPV infection were more likely to have multiple oral and vaginal sex partners over their lifetime. It was the conclusion that having six or more oral sex partners in life increased the risk 3.4 times higher oropharyngeal cancer, ie cancer of the base of the tongue in the back of the throat or tonsils. Having 26 or more vaginal sex partners tripled the risk. Moreover, as cancers of the tonsils and base of the tongue have increased every year since 1973, suggests that the widespread practice of oral sex among teens may be a contributing factor in this increase. Another Swedish study in 2010 suggested that the increase in oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer in several countries is a slow epidemic caused by HPV infection. According to experts explain, HPV tends to remain in first place entering the body , so it has been affected the mouth and throat.

More oral sex now in 1992 showed that about three quarters of men aged 20 to 39 years and about 70 percent of women age 18 to 59 made and received oral sex in 2002, nearly 90 percent of men and 88 percent of women 25 to 44 reported having oral sex with a partner of the opposite sex, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Disease Prevention (CDC). UU. HPV and cancer of the only good news is that cervical cancers associated with HPV are more treatable than those due to smoking or drinking, although the former tend to be diagnosed at a later stage. You can use less intensive radiation and about 85 percent of nonsmokers and positive HPV survive suffer. After this is important there is a vaccine redordar relatively new to prevent HPV infection. It will not help those already infected, but it might help those who are not yet infected.

Fluorescent spray created to help cancer detection

A couple of months ago we told about an experiment with fluorescent cats help fight HIV . Now, the ability to absorb energy and then emitted as light could also help fight cancer . Scientists at the University of Tokyo, Japan, and the National Institutes of Health, United States, have created a spray that can illuminate the cancer cells, thus allowing surgeons to remove them to detect human body . As reported in BBC , this spray will be helpful in the operating room and help you locate even the most microscopic foci of tumors. How do I use this spray?

During surgery or endoscopy, physicians should apply spray that will cause in a matter of minutes 'illuminate' the cancer cells. The chemical reaction caused by this substance will display the microscopic cells are dispersed in the body, and that naked eye, would be impossible to locate. According to research published in the journal Science Translational Medicine and released by BBC World , this tool promises to be very useful for better detection of the disease. Thanks to the doctors fluorescent effect can confirm that during operation to remove cancer cells, there is not a tumor remaining in the body of their patients.

Catalunya tested the treatment of cancer using viruses

The Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) is trying a new way of treating the tumors from virus , reported the health center said Thursday.

The new method, known as virotherapy, has been released as part of Science Week. The virotherapy allows modification of the virus that, once modified, they are able to infect and kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

The head of the investigation, Manel Cascallar, highlighted the "power" of the new technique "because it has the ability to self-powered as the virus generates many copies of itself, copies that are infecting neighboring cells."

What do you see the pill and cancer of the prostate?

Oddly enough, taking birth control pills women can have an adverse effect on the health of men.

According to new research ,

"the pill is significantly associated with both the number of new cases of cancer of the prostate as the deaths from this disease " . The authors of this study note that these data are not absolutely certain, because are based on calculations, so that still more research is needed in this regard. But what we want to know is where does this strange connection. As reported in BBC News , researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital.

University of Toronto believe that estrogen byproducts are excreted in the urine of women taking the pill have been polluting the food chain and drinking water. We are on the sides. Previous studies have shown that estrogen promotes the growth of certain tumors. On the other hand, the use of the pill has increased dramatically over the past four decades. The question is, how is that our contaminated urine has come to affect men? "

These compounds are easily decomposed, so that can be passed into the urine and end up in drinking water or the food chain, exposing the general population , "say the authors. But again, what time was established a direct connection between the pill and cancer Prostate? What happened in this research is that we compared the incidence data on the use of contraceptive pills in certain regions, with data from prostate cancer incidence in populations.

In short, this research does not yield precise information on this topic. There is nothing that connects directly to the use of the pill with the development of prostate cancer. "Compare the rates of two seemingly unrelated issues in various countries is a very unreliable way of determining whether they are truly linked, because there are many things that vary from one country to another and it is impossible to say if one is causing the other, "said Jessica Harris, Cancer Research UK, a BBC World . Far from scaring the population, the results of this research should only give rise to new studies that can be analyzed more in detail these two variables that, from my perspective, still without a direct connection.

The incidence of lung cancer in women continues to grow

The lung cancer may become, in 2020, the most common cancer in women over breast cancer due to smoking. This disease is now the second leading cause of death among women. In fact, in the last decade has doubled to reach the 3,000 cases who died in 2009, as reported by the Spanish Association of People Affected by Lung Cancer (AEACaP).

"In addition to enhancing the diagnosis and prevention programs specifically targeting the female population, it is essential to enhance support programs to ensure patients psychological care," said Francisco J. Martinez, president of AEACaP. "Women have to deal, in addition to the actual consequences of the disease, with aesthetic and psychological changes that occur during the treatment period, a trance that requires constant psychological support," Martinez has said.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is a very stressful event and this must be added the physical changes that are experienced, Marina pointed Sangonzalo, director of AEACaP. November is Lung Cancer which aims to raise awareness and sensitize the population to take a further step in information and awareness of disease prevention, among others, and promote, simultaneously improving the quality of life and wellbeing of people who have it.

Multidisciplinary approach

In addition to promoting research, experts have called "psychological support programs are included within a multidisciplinary treatment approach, offering both patients and their families all the necessary information about the disease and its stages," stressed Sangonzalo.

And, unlike other cancers, " the society is uninformed about lung cancer , so it is essential information from the query itself to eliminate unfounded fears and promote a dialogue between professionals and patients, " he insisted.

Sangonzalo underlines the relevance of the prevention of lung cancer than children and adolescents from starting to nicotine addiction. "We must call things by their name, smoking is an addiction . But we must also promote technical research in noninvasive screening: investing in early-stage deal is to save and promote health and wellness. "

Information and education

"The information and education from childhood are central to the project work for the prevention of lung cancer. Also, efforts are being made on the legal around the smoking ban will help, no doubt, to get better results and give a step in the prevention of these tumors, "added the director of AEACaP.

"Helping to improve the physical appearance of female patients helps improve their quality of life and this promotes better adherence to treatment. Therefore, represents an additional stimulus in the fight against the disease. What concerns us is the gradual increase of women with lung cancer in Europe and is therefore very important to promote the dissemination of knowledge on the impact of this type of tumor in the female population, "concluded Stefania Vallone, representing Walca ( Women Against Lung Cancer in Europe).

Acupuncture helps to treat side effects of cancer

Some patients with cancer suffer from dry mouth, and according to new study, acupuncture can help relieve these side effects of the disease. According to research by the Universtity of Texas, people who were treated with radiation therapy for cancer head and neck, reduced dry mouth after receiving an acupuncture treatment. The dry mouth, also known as xerostomia , occurs when there is not enough saliva in the mouth.

"The medical implications are profound in terms of quality of life, because while the dry mouth chronic level appears to be benign, has a big impact on sleep, eat and talk," said Lorenzo Cohen, director of MD Anderson's Integrative Medicine Program . "Without saliva, there may be a further growth of microbes, a possible bone infection, and nutritional deficiencies irreversible." After six months of acupuncture treatment, cancer patients investigated showed a significant improvement in dry mouth . The scientists looked at 86 people with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who were receiving radiotherapy. Forty of the patients received acupuncture three times a week, so in addition to other therapies. While researchers say they still need more studies on this topic, once again we see that this millennial therapy is part of the alternative medicine can offer many benefits to our health.

Head and neck cancers: prevention key

In the face of frequent symptoms and "trivial" as a chronically congested nose, frequent lowering of voice, decreased hearing, earache or difficulty swallowing do not think the worst. Yet they can be the sign of a cancer of the head or neck disorders is poorly understood (and therefore often discovered too late) that affect the mouth, tongue, gums, pharynx, larynx, nose, sinuses, and salivary glands. Attention, recall specialists, oral hygiene, ulcers in the mouth and chronic injuries, sometimes caused by poorly made ​​dentures. Alcohol and smoking, then, greatly increases the chances of getting these cancers whose numbers are growing in Italy. "The intent is not to scare anyone, but only to inform - says Mark Whiting, Director of the Department of Medicine 2 Hospital Santa Croce and Carle in Cuneo. -. If these symptoms persist for long periods it is best to refer them to the doctor and maybe ask for a visit with a specialist. As revealed by the surveys, information on the head and neck tumors is still lacking, so unfortunately 80 percent of cases leads to the diagnosis when the disease is well advanced.

" STUDY - The confirmation comes from a ' survey involving 104 patients across Europe and was presented at ' last European conference multidisciplinary oncology : when they were asked to tell their own story, from first diagnosis to post-treatment through the ' emotional impact and quality of life, respondents highlighted the urgent need to first of all, better education on the head and neck cancers, to facilitate early diagnosis. Following are the emerging need for clear information about the disease and treatment options, the need for assistance in assessing the choice of the best treatment possible, based on the situation of each patient, and greater support during and after treatment, to and psychological rehabilitation. "If the disease is discovered in the early stages surgery may be less invasive and more chance of a cure," says Whiting. New studies presented at the conference also confirmed the progress made ​​in recent years with chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with advanced malignancy: "The data from different experiments have shown that adding the monoclonal antibody cetuximab to chemotherapy and radiation treatment prolongs survival of patients and improves disease control with acceptable toxicity, without affecting their quality of life, "concludes Lisa Thornton, head of medical oncology for cancers of the head and neck cancer institute of Milan.

Drug could reduce the growth of prostate cancer

A new study suggests an alternative for those who prefer to avoid overtreatment of prostate cancer at low risk , a disease that in most cases will not threaten their lives: a drug that may slow the growth of these tumors in men who prefer to be controlled rather than undergo treatment immediately. This is the first time that a rigorous study finds a remedy to treat enlarged prostate also helps to treat prostate cancer. Could persuade more patients to prefer active surveillance instead of rushing to receive treatment that may provoke urinary or sexual problems, doctors say. However, the results also show that most of these men have very good results without any treatment . "We are identifying the men who probably do not even need a pill," said Dr. Maha Hussain, a specialist from the University of Michigan, but Americans fear cancer so much that they prefer some kind of treatment and underestimate the financial and health risks to treat low-risk cases, he said. The expert runs a cancer conference in Florida where the study will be presented this week. The results were released Tuesday in a telephone briefing sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Approximately half of the 218,000 diagnosed each year with prostate cancer have low-risk variant, with levels of PSA in the blood below 10 and low tumor aggressiveness. "The American Cancer assumption" is that it is always best to treat it, so that 80% of these men choose immediate treatment, said Dr. Otis Brawley, an expert on prostate cancer is medical director of the American Cancer Society. In Europe, on the other hand, most prefer strict surveillance and treatment only if the cancer progresses, if it causes pain or causes other problems.

Doctors know that drugs that reduce the prostate, Avodart GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Merck & Co. Proscar - can help prevent prostate cancer, but the federal advisers recently recommended that they take for this purpose because of potential risks. The new study tested Avodart "not to prevent cancer but the progression "in men who already have the disease, which could result in a much better use of the drug, said study lead author, Dr. Neil Fleshner of the University Health Network and Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto.

"We know that the vast majority of these men are not destined to die of that cancer" and wanted to see if Avodart could make surveillance more secure, he said. The study was conducted in the U.S. and Canada.

Brain stimulation increases the urge to smoke

Targeted brain stimulation increases the urge to smoke, according to a study by Duke University (USA) and published in Biological Psychiatry , which could lead to new treatments to reverse these effects.

The keys associated with the urge to smoke, how to do while waiting for someone, generates the need to consume snuff and causes relapses in people who want to quit . Smokers use many different methods to reduce your urge to smoke, among which are pharmacological treatments such as nicotine patches or alternative approaches such as hypnosis or acupuncture.

Scientists have long suspected that these different methods so they could share a common mechanism of operation , as is the reduction of brain activity responsible for the urge to smoke. The hypothesis is supported by brain imaging studies that show the activation of several brain regions during the time it takes a cigarette, which involves regions of the cerebral cortex and the limbic system, a brain circuit associated with emotion.

Anxiety

Based on these imaging studies, the scientists manipulated this "circuit of anxiety", which uses electromagnetic currents to address specific or general areas of the brain. Depending on the frequency used, can stimulate or depress brain activity. The researchers found that repeated delivery of superior frontal TMS to turn at high frequency (10Hz) increases the urge to smoke a cigarette.

According to one of the authors of this study, Jed Rose, "directly stimulate the frontal region of the brain using magnetic fields and show that this increased the need for cigarette smokers to observe key moments related to smoking. By better understanding how the brain influences the urge to smoke, they could develop strategies to block these responses and develop more effective treatments against smoking, "he says.

However, these investigators did not demonstrate that low frequency stimulation (1Hz) reduced the urge to smoke. Thus, a potential intervention that reduced activation of this circuit will not produce the opposite effect. It will therefore be necessary to further investigate these effects.