All About Brain Cancer

Instead of CT scan, the MRI scan is used for suspected brain tumors because MRI has a higher sensitivity for detecting the presence of, or changes within, a tumor. Most institutions, though still use the CT scan as the first diagnostic test.

Skull x-rays are not any more widely used to diagnose brain cancer.

You will be referred to a specialist in brain surgery if your scans indicate the presence of a brain tumor. You should also be referred to a specialist in brain tumors (neuro-oncologist).

Next step is to confirm that you have a cancer. A biopsy (a small sample of the tumor) is taken to identify the type of tumor. The most widely used technique for obtaining a biopsy is surgery, in which the skull is opened. The intention is to remove the whole tumor if possible. A biopsy is then taken from the tumor.

If the surgeon is not able to remove the whole tumor, the surgeon takes a small piece of the tumor.

There are some cases when it is possible to collect a biopsy without the need to open the skull. Using CT or MRI scans while the head is held still in a frame, the exact location of the tumor is determined stereotactically. A small hole is then made in the skull and a needle guided through the hole to the tumor. The needle collects the biopsy and is removed. This is called stereotaxis, or stereotactic biopsy.

The biopsy is examined under a microscope by a pathologist–a physician who specializes in diagnosing diseases by looking at tissues and cells.

Being diagnosed with a brain tumor is a nightmare and it turns your world upside down.

I luckily had very little time between being diagnosed with my benign meningioma and it being surgically removed but the time I did have was spent frantically trawling the internet trying to find some answers to my questions of why, how and what do I do next. I managed to find medical papers on the subject but as I don’t have a degree in medicine was at a loss to understand them. I found plenty of Brain Tumor Forums where I managed to scare myself stupid because I could not find any stories with a positive outcome to offer me some encouragement and believe me, I needed it. It would appear that the survivors out there must be so happy to be alive after their ordeals that they are too busy living life to put pen to paper and tell their stories.

My very happy world was hit by a thunderbolt on the 14th July when I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I had a brain tumor; I had it surgically removed on 19th July.

I was probably luckier than most with regard to the position of my meningioma tumor, I had a fabulous doctor with insight and I had a top rate neurosurgeon on my side. I also had the will and determination to overcome this hiccup in my life.

I have had very little sickness in my life and have never been in hospital for any reason. You have it right, I have my tonsils and my appendix and I have never broken a bone in my body or had a baby. Remarkable isn’t it that I escape a hospital visit for 48 years? But, boy, when I do it, I do it big style!

After waking up one morning in Mid June, I stretched and my lower leg started to kick involuntarily at about one second intervals. Just to make sure you have the picture correct, I don’t mean a kick that would score a winning goal, more of a gentle flick as if trying to get the sand out of your toes. I grabbed my leg, pulled it back to try and stop it, got up out of bed and stood on it but that didn’t work either. It was a little scary – who likes to be out of control? Certainly not me!

I thought I may have trapped a nerve in my back. Why I thought that, I don’t know. I have no medical training. It just seemed like a plausible explanation to me at the time. Because of this self diagnosis, I decided to put the incident on hold and see if it happened again. Well, guess what? It took a few weeks, but yes, it did happen again. Just as before and I am ashamed to say that I let it happen twice more before visiting the doctor.

The whole point of this tale is that brain tumor symptoms come in all guises depending on their position and what part of the brain they are affecting. My brain tumor was positioned on the top of my head on the right hand side and due to its growth was fighting for space and restricting the nerves on the left hand side of my body, namely my leg.

Listen to your own body because if something out of the ordinary is happening there is a reason.

I am happy to report that I came through this ordeal with flying colours feeling no pain whatsoever. I now have a very good tale to tell at parties, my scar is completely hidden and when people around me are whining about small details I can usually bring about a sense of proportion by asking them on a scale of 1-10 how it compares to brain surgery.
A meningioma is a tumor of the meninges, which are the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Malignant meningiomas are extremely rare. Most meningiomas are found to be benign, make up nearly 1 in 5 of all primary brain tumors and are more common in women than men. As with most brain tumors, the cause of a meningioma is unknown and research is being carried out into possible causes.

The use of cell phones has taken the world by storm. From the old to the very young is using cell phones. Many households are without a home phone entirely because the cellular has taken its place. People use cell phones so much that the device has taken on a life of its own. Television networks, movie studios, music industry, and giant internet companies have all capitalized on the cellular telephone to further their objectives.

A few years ago, a multitude of mobile program developers were hired by many companies to build the next generation of mobile phones that would interact with the internet. We are now seeing this come to pass with the high level of performance of today’s wireless mobile units. We can say then that the cell phone is here to stay or is it?

Most would argue that the mobile phone is here to stay but at what cost to our health. Yes, the cellular phone is convenient; that is why we use it. We use the cellular telephone so much that it is causing motor vehicle accidents left and right. That is one of the ways it is affecting our health, negatively of course. Anyone can attest to seeing someone driving while blabbing on the phone; most of the times these drivers are so involved with their conversations that they don’t even know what’s going on around them, in regards to the road and traffic.

It is not rare to see a near-miss and a cell phone talker being at the helm of one of the vehicles. A rule of thumb is to always lookout for drivers on their phones. Make sure the horn works on the vehicle being driven because it may be needed at moment’s notice. Accidents are common among people who talk on their phones and drive at the same time, but is this the only threat cell phone use pose on human health? No! Not according to a National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) study.

Some in the scientific community say cell phone use pose a great risk to human health because it emits radiation in the form of radiofrequency (RF) energy, which has the potential of causing cancer. In fact, no one knows for sure how much radiation is completely safe for the human body. The wireless spectrum is a fairly new technology, so radiation from cellular telephone’s effect on the human body has not yet been extensively studied, (NCI). There simply hasn’t been enough time to see long-term effects of cell phone use-not enough data available.

Why is all the fuss about cell phone use and brain cancer? Well, the answers are here. According to the NCI, cellular telephones emit radiofrequency (RF) energy, which is another name used for radio waves. Exposure to high levels of RF energy causes heating of body tissues, ever wondered why your cell phone becomes hot against the ear when talking for an extended period, enough said! According to the NCI study, the RF energy produced from cellular telephones is too low to cause significant tissue heating and tissue damage.

Studies are currently being conducted of tumors of the brain and central nervous system and other site of the head and neck because the side of the head is where people place their cell phones when speaking. Cell phones are held next to the head when being used. At the moment though, studies have not shown any consistent link between cellular telephone use and cancer. Additional research is needed before firm confirmation can be made, (NCI).

A cellular telephone user is exposed to RF energy through the phone’s antenna. The fact that the antenna of a hand-held cellular telephone is in the handset, it will most likely affect the brain and subsequently the nervous system because it is held against the head. So, the closer the antenna is to the head, the greater the danger of RF exposure. Therefore, a person will absorb less RF energy when the cellular unit’s antenna is at a significant distance away from the user, (NCI).

An important point is that the amount of RF energy increases the farther away the communication tower or base is from the cell phone and its user. In other words, the cellular telephone has to increase its RF energy output when the main tower is far away; thus, introducing a higher degree of radiofrequency radiation to the user. So, the closer the tower to the cellular phone, the less energy is generated by the phone, and therefore, the less radiation the cell phone user will be exposed to. This raises an important question. How can a person avoid dealing with cell phone towers that are too far apart?

One should not be a penny wise and a pound foolish. In general, the cheaper the cell phone plans and services of a new and less establish cell phone company are the lower the overall quality of the service is going to be, in regards to drop calls and such. This means that the towers are going to be farther apart. When the towers are farther apart, the amount of RF energy that will be required to maintain a connection will be tremendously high. All this high degree of radiation will be transmitted directly into the user’s body, especially if the wireless device is held close to the body, such as the head.

It cost wireless phone companies millions of dollars to put up communication towers. So, if a company is going to always offer half price of the going rates of cell phone services, this company will not have the revenue to build many communication towers; thus, the towers that such companies will have will be dramatically less than that of companies with traditionally high levels of cellular telephone services and whom have been around for a long time.

A person will therefore be exposed to more RF radiation with phones from less well-known companies rather than phones with more well known companies because less well-known companies will not have the capital to build many towers as does the more establish and major companies. Yes, the company may be able to offer great cell phone plans and deals; however, the rate of radiation exposure will be much higher. One doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to see the idea! Therefore, the more popular a less well-known cellular telephone company becomes, the more communication towers it will have and the higher its cellular phone plans will become!

There are more factors that determine how much RF energy a cellular telephone user experiences. Some of these are: number of calls; duration of calls; amount of cellular phone traffic; the size of the cell phone unit itself; and the extended distance of the unit’s antenna, (NCI). In fact, many people speak on the cell phone for very long periods and this definitely is not a good practice. It is best to keep cell phone calls to a minimum. A cell phone should only be used sparingly.

How about the long term effect of cellular telephone use on children and teens? Researchers at the NCI conducted a study to see if children would be more at risk for brain cancers by using cell phones. Persons 18 years and older were used in the study. The study found that there were no possible risks among children who used cell phones. In fact, very few children used cell phone prior to the date of the study. Therefore, there are no data concerning possible risk. Nevertheless, there was concern that certain agents such as ionizing radiation and other chemicals pose great risks in children because they can affect the developing brain and nervous system. However, the study found that the radiation emitted by cell phones has not been demonstrated to cause brain cancers in humans of any age at this present time. More studies are still needed to fully rule out the possibility of cell phone induced cancers.

The bottom line is that wireless phones should be used sparingly because no one knows for sure if they cause cancers in humans. A rule of thumb is to always use a head set or put the cell phone on speaker when speaking, and keep it away from the body at all times when it is turned on. It is always better to be safe than sorry!

The cellular telephone is a great tool for communication. However, it poses great risks to our health-accidents and brain cancers. Accidents have increased dramatically as a result of people talking on their cellular phones and driving. Although, there is no solid evidence to support the claim that cell phones cause cancers, one should still be cautious when using this mode of communication. After all, cellular telephones do emit radiofrequency (RF) energy, a form of radiation that heats up body tissues, which can be harmful at very high levels. Children could also be at great risks for brain cancers from exposure to the radiation emitted by cell phones because certain radiations do cause cancers of the brain and nervous system in children. However, at the present time, there is no evidence to support that cellular telephones cause cancers in children of any age. One should proceed with caution though because although there isn’t any evidence as yet, there could be some in the future. Therefore, to completely rule out such idea more research is needed. The cellular phone technology is very new at this time; therefore, there isn’t enough data available to conduct a conclusive study! The rule of thumb is to use cell phones with extreme caution by limiting the length of time one spends speaking on them. One should use speaker or a hands free device when speaking on cellular phones to limit the amount of (RF) radiation being introduced to the body.

When tumors are found in your brain, they can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumor has no cancer cells while malignant tumor has cancer cells that grow very quickly.

Some of the symptoms of brain tumors are the following:

* Worse headaches in the morning
* Nausea and vomiting
* Significant changes in the ability to see, talk or hear
* Walking or balancing problems
* Memory or thinking problems
* Twitching or jerking of the muscle
* Numbness or tingling sensation in arms or legs.

Brain cancers can be either Glioma or Meningioma. It is considered to be primary when it starts in the brain and metastatic if it starts from the other parts of the body and moves into the brain.

Symptoms are the indications by the body that there is something wrong. These refer to the physical feelings undergone by the sick person. They may or may not be visible. The signs of an illness can be diagnosed by the doctor or the medical practioner. Just one symptom cannot diagnose a particular disease but can lead to an investigation and help can be provided before the disease flairs up.

Cancer is a disease that can affect ant part of the body ranging from the glands, blood, bone, muscles, organs, and skin. It is basically an uncontrolled division of cells that cannot be regulated by the body. As an enemy within the body it ravages each cell while spreading its deadly tentacles, affecting healthy tissues and cells. The symptoms of cancer depend upon its origin and size of the tumor and its spread.

In some types of cancer the specific symptoms do not appear until it has reached an advanced stage. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body then there may be a variety of symptoms. In brain cancer, if a tumor is formed the size of a speck also, there may be variety of symptoms as it may push against a nerve or a blood vessel that might be affecting a particular portion of the body.
As the cancerous tumor continues to grow, the intensity of the symptoms may increase manifolds because it may start pushing the adjoining organs and tissues leading to discomfort.

The specific symptoms may be localized to a certain extent depending upon the area of spread of cancer. Generally all cancers have some common symptoms and specific symptoms related to the affected area of the body. These symptoms are common to other diseases also and the medical practioner can be misguided on the diagnosis of the disease. Sometimes symptoms are ignored because they seem insignificant and temporary. However the earlier cancer is diagnosed the better you have a chance of stopping it from spreading further.

Some symptoms may not be a sign of cancer but in any case they need medical attention. The general symptoms range from weakness, fever, weight loss to dizziness and backaches.
Fever is a common symptom of cancer as it shows that the body is fighting an infection. Persistent fever shows an advanced stage of cancer specially leukemia. Sudden weight loss of more than 15 pounds without any explanatory reasons can also be a sign of cancer related to stomach and lung or even the digestive system. Weakness and fatigue are also an indication of cancer due to weight loss and blood loss in some forms of cancers. Skin cancers produce symptoms like darkening and yellowing of skins.

While the localized and the particular cancer symptoms may differ as to the region they have affected. Any change in the normal functioning of the organ can be a reason for cancer check.

o Change in excretory system : constipation , piles , change in stool formation, passing of blood in stool or urine, pain during urination can all be symptoms of colon cancer , prostrate cancer and bladder cancer.

o Passing of blood: any unusual amount of blood that is passed while coughing, with urine, stool or major vaginal bleeding are not normal. They are signs of lung cancer, rectal, kidney, uterine cancers, and stomach cancer.

o Chronic Ulcers: Oral ulcers and sores that have not healed on the penis and inside the vagina may be cancerous.

o Formation of lumps: Any formation of lumps in the body whether in the skin, breast, testicals, glandular lumps that have grown in size show an early signs of cancer. Warts that have grown in size.

Even a minor symptom of any disease should not be ignored. Prevention is always better than cure.

Astragalus membranaceus is the root of a plant member of the Pea family and is native to the Northeast region of China, but it is now also cultivated in the United States. In China, it is known by the name Huang-qi.

The name means “Yellow leader” because it is one of the superior tonic roots, used in traditional Chinese medicine. It was first mentioned in the 2000 year old, classic “Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing”. It has been used to stimulate energy and general weakness, Lack of appetite, Treatment of colds, flu,abdominal ulcers and Diabetes.

Astralagus is still widely used in Chinese medicine, to this day and is known to be a immunostimulant, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory agent.
It has been said that no single compond has such wide ranging beneficial effects on the healing process of the human system. Polysaccharides are contained, they are very important in the in the enhancement of the Immune System.

In China it is commonly used on Cancer patients undergoing Radiation and / or Chemotherapy, to stimulate their Immune System, which takes quite a beating under these treatments.

Astragalus has been used in the treatment of AIDS, Allergies, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Cancer, Chlamydia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Debility, Diabetes, Digestion, Edema, Fibromyalgia, Gonorrhea, Heart Disease, Hepatitis, HIV, Hypertension, Immune System, Kidney Disease, Leukemia, Liver Disease, Malaria, Stress, Ulcers, Urinary Tract Infections, Vaginitis.

Astralagus provides one of the Eight Essential Sugars that are used in Glyconutrients. These sugars improve Cellular Communication, and helps everyone to achieve Optimal Health.
There has never been any adverse reactions or side effects on record, associated with Astragalus or Glyconutrients.

Brain cancer accounts for about 1.4% of all cancer cases and about 2.4% of all cancer deaths. This may not seems like a lot but don’t let the numbers fool you on the severity of brain cancer. Once the cancer turns malignant, the tumors grow aggressively and overpower the healthy cells taking up their space, blood and nutrients. This is an area of grave concern because the brain is the most important part of your body and controls everything. Whenever there is something wrong with your brain, it affects the entire body. Knowing what the brain cancer symptoms are and able to recognize these symptoms is incredibly important for our prognosis and survival from this deadly disease.

The biggest problem with brain cancer and brain tumors is that their symptoms are often nonspecific making it is very difficult to know if you have it or not, unless you are seriously looking for it. The most common symptoms of brain cancer are headaches, general weaknesses, difficulty in walking, clumsiness and seizures. Other more serious symptoms include difficulty with speech, abnormal vision, nausea, vomiting, quick emotional changes, and an altered mental state. An altered mental state can include changes in concentration, memory, intellectual capacity, attention and alertness.

Several different factors can cause these symptoms. Some of these symptoms are caused by the tumor pressing on different parts of the brain and impairing them from functioning properly. The symptoms can also be caused by the swelling of the brain, the tumor or the area around the tumor. Unfortunately, these brain cancer symptoms usually develop very slowly and gradually over time and this makes it really difficult for anyone to confirm the existence of this deadly disease. For instance, people often think that a headache is just a headache or that the dizziness felt is due to any other reasons except cancer. If these symptoms occur frequently and very rapidly, you should definitely visit your doctor to see what the problem is.

The doctors will often make you take a CT scan if they feel you have brain cancer. A CT scan is like an x-ray except in shows the brain in three-dimensions. A harmless dye is usually injected into your bloodstream to make abnormalities more visible in the CT scan. Other tests include blood tests, liver tests, urine tests and blood coagulation profiles. MRI scans are sometimes used instead of CT scans. The reason for this is because MRI has a better ability to assess the changes in a tumor.

Brain cancer is an incredibly serious form of cancer and it is important for us to know what these brain cancer symptoms are so that we can take necessary action to arrest the situation early. If you suspect you are suffering or are suffering from these symptoms, please consult your doctor early to ascertain your actual medical condition. If brain cancer is confirmed, discuss with your doctor for an appropriate course of treatment best suited for you. An early intervention increases your chances for an early recovery and a prolonged survival.

When you are told that a loved one has a Meningioma or maybe you have been diagnosed yourself, there are so many different questions, concerns and fears. It strikes terror into your heart when you don’t know much about the condition and starts an emotional roller coaster of feelings.

Nothing conclusive has been found out about this type of brain tumor. The survival rate for those with meningioma is high, but the very idea of knowing the medical condition exists can be devastating. Offering support to someone that has this type of brain tumor can be difficult when you feel in such turmoil yourself but being with them through the various tests and treatments can ease the feeling of them being totally alone and a positive attitude is paramount. Looks of pity, terror and total confusion are not helpful at this time.

Being diagnosed with a brain tumor can feel like the end of the world; however it doesn’t have to be. Contact can be made with fellow meningioma sufferers and their families through specific support groups. Relating to others that have trodden the same path can lighten the load and help you to see clearly through the trauma of the situation.

Meningioma symptoms come in all guises and are frequently frustrating for the diagnosed person as they are often suffering problems that are not easily seen by everyone else, such as headaches, blurred vision and memory loss. The person that suffers from this condition often feels tired or drained, and will certainly be feeling a great deal of anxiety. Talking the situation through and reassuring them that you will be there through it all is what is required together with a positive outlook and possibly helping them and working with them to find out as much about the condition as possible.

The effects of the diagnosis and suggested treatments can also leave the person feeling emotionally drained, scared that proposed actions are moving very fast, lost in a situation where they have absolutely no knowledge or understanding of why this has happened. The meningioma sufferer may experience the ‘Why Me’ feeling which is perfectly normal and may even feel angry. To avoid depression and emotions such as hopelessness it is important for supporters to remain positive. Being there to listen and offer words of reassurance is so important for the person diagnosed to come to terms with the condition and deal with it.

Hearing the news that a family member has been diagnosed is nearly as traumatic as personally receiving the diagnosis. A state of shock usually prevails which is quickly taken over by fear. There will be numerous questions and uppermost in everyone’s mind will be outcome and survival rates. It is really important at this time to collect together as much factual information as you can before bombarding the meningioma sufferer with questions that may scare or depress them. Armed with good positive facts can help contain panic and will assist in reassuring the sufferer that survival rate are high.

Of course, there are books and other medical guides and articles that can help people understand and be able to emotionally cope with the medical condition too. Fear of the unknown is a demon and the more educated a person is about their condition, ultimately the less fear will be experienced.

Asking questions of someone who has already been down the same path of dealing with a meningioma brain tumour will help deal with anxieties about your own or a loved one’s condition.

There are over 200 diseases that can be called cancer. They have different causes, happen in different tissues, develop in different ways and for different reasons, and demand a variety of treatments. They all have one fatal element in common. In every case normal cells have gone wild and lost their normal growth and development.

The 3 classifications of cancer:

Cancer is classified in 3 stages. The cancer in the epithelial tissue (covering or lining of tissue) are called carcinomas. The 2nd class of malignant tumors is the sarcomas. They originate in connective tissue such as bone and muscles. The 3rd class of cancer is leukemia and the lymphomas. They are diseases of the blood forming organs and the lymphatic system. They are not tumors and spread in a different way.

Stages of cancer:

Initial stages of cancer may start with just one or a few cells in the body that undergo a change and become malignant or cancerous. The cells divide and reproduce themselves. Most cancer arises on the surface of tissue such as skin, uterus lining, mouth, stomach, bowel, bladder, bronchial tube in the lungs, or inside a duct in the breast or prostate gland. The cancer eventually grows from a microscopic clump to a visible mass. It then invades underlying tissue. As long as cells remain in one mass, the cancer is localized.

Later stages of cancer start in a process called metastasis where some of the cancer cells split off and go into the lymph channels or bloodstream to other parts of the body. If the disease is not arrested it will rapidly invade other parts of the body. Death is usually a more certain result then. Some people respond to radiation therapy and some do not. About one half of the known types of cancer are incurable at almost any stage. Of all or any cancer it is imperative to diagnose and treat it as soon as possible.

Causes of cancer:

Cancer can be caused by factors in our environment. These factors include a large number of chemical agents such as tobacco, tobacco smoke, asbestos fibers, and other occupational hazards. Other causes are X Ray radiation, nuclear bombs, sunlight, injury or repeated irritation, metal or plastic implants, flaws in the body’s immune system, genetic mistakes, and some scientists believe viruses also.

Major types of cancer:

- Lung Cancer – Kills more Americans than any other cancer.
- Colon Rectum Cancer – The 2nd leading cause of death in the United States.
- Skin cancer – The largest single source of malignancy in the United States.
- Oral Cancer – Strikes and estimated 24,000 people a year.
- Stomach Cancer – One of the most frequently diagnosed types of cancer in the United States.
- Bladder Cancer – Arises progressively with age & more common in men than women.
- Prostate Cancer – One of the most common cancers among men and 2nd only to lung cancer as lethal to men.
- Kidney Cancer – More likely to occur in young children or adults over age 40.
- Pancreatic Cancer – Accounts for 5% of all cancer deaths. Affects men and diabetics more often.Usually occurs after age 40.
- Liver Cancer – The result of metastasis from other parts of the body. Affects more men than women. Usually occurs after age 40.
- Brain Cancer – The result of metastasis from other body organs. It affects more children than adults.
- Larynx Cancer – Affects 8 times as many men as women. Usually occurs around age 60.
- Thyroid Cancer – It is relatively uncommon. The death rate is about 1% per every 200,000 people.
- Hodgkin’s Disease (lymphoma Cancer) – Affects mostly young adults, but can appear at any age. Affects more men than women.
- Leukemia- Especially lethal to children under the age of 15. Acute leukemia occurs at any age. Chronic leukemia usually doesn’t happen before age 40.
- Myelomas- Originate in bone marrow. Affects more men than women. Seldom found under the age of 40. Usually occurs around age 65.

Cancer’s 7 Warning Signs:

- Change in bowel or bladder habits
- A sore that does not heal.
- Unusual bleeding or discharge.
- Thickening or lump in breasts or elsewhere.
- Indigestion or difficulty swallowing.
- Obvious change in wart or mole.
- Nagging cough or hoarseness.

If you have any warning signs you should see your doctor immediately. The sooner cancer is diagnosed, the better your survival rate is. Remember if you put off going to your doctor because you are afraid he may find cancer, by the time you do go it could be too late. So please don’t take chances with your health or your life.

Cancer also called is Malignancy and Neoplasms. Cancer is a serious, but curable illness. Cancer is not one disease, but many diseases that occur in different areas of the body. Cancer is a disease characterized by disorderly division of cells, combined with the malignant behavior of these cells. Cancer is usually classified according to the tissue of origin more than the location of manifestations. Prognosis in most cases depends on the original staging of the disease. There are many theories about the cause of cancer. Cell division or cell proliferation is a physiological process that occurs in almost all tissues and under many circumstances. Normally the balance between proliferation and apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is tightly regulated to ensure the integrity of organs and tissues. Imbalances in the rates of cell division and cell death can lead to tumor growth in a tissue. Other events are usually required before metastasis can occur. Locally expansile tumors can also cause severe problems when they grow in certain locations, such as the head or airway. Environmental stimuli, or carcinogens, such as tobacco smoke, radiation, chemicals, or infectious agents, can cause cancer. Cancer can also occur in young children and adolescents, but it is rare. Some studies have concluded that pediatric cancers, especially leukemia, are on an upward trend.

Cancer is caused by exposure to carcinogens (cancer causing substances), which alter and damage DNA. Cancers are classified by the type of cell that resembles the tumor and, therefore, the tissue presumed to be the origin of the tumor. Carcinoma often develops as a result of a very improper lifestyle. Carcinoma: malignant tumors derived from epithelial cells. This group represents the most common cancers, including the common forms of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer. Lymphoma and Leukemia: malignant tumors derived from blood and bone marrow cells Sarcoma: malignant tumors derived from connective tissue, or esenchymal cells. Mesothelioma: tumors derived from the mesothelial cells lining the peritoneum and the pleura. Glioma: tumors derived from glia, the most common type of brain cell. Germ cell tumor: tumors derived from reproductive cells, most commonly found in the testicle and ovary. Female and male infants have essentially the same overall cancer incidence rates, but white infants have substantially higher cancer rates than black infants for most cancer types. Relative survival for infants is very good for neuroblastoma, Wilms’ tumor and retinoblastoma, and fairly good (80%) for leukemia, but not for most other types of cancer.

Tips on Cancer Prevention

1. Limit alcohol.

2. Maintain a healthy weight.

3. Stay physically active.

4. Consider limiting fat in your diet.

5. Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and other UVA/UVB sources, such as tanning beds.

6. Use ample amounts of sunscreen or sunblock with an SPF of 15 or higher every day, even if it is cloudy.

7. Wear large framed or wrap-around sunglasses to protect the eye area.

8. Have your skin checked by a dermatologist regularly.

9. Do avoid all poisonous chemical substances such as cigarettes, alcohol, car exhaust fumes, as well as fumes belched by factory chimneys, which are very toxic.

10. Anilin is a carcenogenic substance used for colouring food, so try to avoid artificially dyed foods and instead look for natural foods.