Category: Oncology

TaqTik HealthOncology
early Signs of Lung Cancer
Lung Cancer, Oncology Taqtik Health

Early Signs of Lung Cancer

Not only cigarette smokers but there are nonsmokers who also do get lung cancer and smokers who don't get it. Early signs of lung cancer are very essential for diagnosing lung cancer early.

A major killer of men and women in the world is lung cancer. The main contribution to lung disease is cigarette smoking, secondhand smoke, air pollutants, and other causative factors.

Not only cigarette smokers but there are nonsmokers who also do get lung cancer and smokers who don't get it. Early signs of lung cancer are very essential for them. In Fact, fifty percent of persons who develop cancer of the lungs are previous smokers, and fifteen percent are non-smokers.

Lung Cancer has many symptoms. Sometimes all of them are associated with other illness that has no connection with lung cancer. You should be aware since lung cancer is in the early-stage not shows any symptoms at all. That's why most people will think it's just a small illness or even ignores it.

The following are the Early signs of lung cancer:

1. Shortness of breath

Another regular early sign of lung cancer is briefness of breath which you can only observe with activity. Talk to your physician when you have difficulty breathing in doing any activity.

2. Coughs that do not go away

Coughing is the most common of lung cancer symptoms experienced by 75% of patients. Hemoptysis or coughing out blood is an ordinary sign of lung tumor but may be fairly delicate and you can observe only little quantity of blood traced phlegm if you cough. If you suffer continual cough, consult your physician and look for a second opinion if you can not get an apparent reply.

3. Chest pain or pain in the abdomen

Almost fifty percent of persons with lung cancer suffer some chest pain or aches in the shoulder in time of the findings, particularly aches that increase during breathing and coughing.

4. Any unusual signs or common decline in health

Apparently dissimilar signs, like knee pain, can be a premature sign of lung tumor.

Lung cancer symptoms will show after 10 years or even more. And when it does, the lung cancer stage is already advanced and hard to treat. So should be aware of early signs of lung cancer.

 

Additional Lung Cancer Resources

Additional resources for lung cancer can be found at cancer.org, Healthline, lung.org, and the mayo clinic.

Cancer Treatment FAQ's can be found on our site here. 

Next Steps

You can start your online assessment here. Our online cancer connector is available if you are a patient recently diagnosed with lung cancer,  a caregiver caring for a cancer patient, or exploring options for a second opinion. If you have not been diagnosed but suspect you may have lung cancer please make an appointment to see your local general practitioner to arrange to have a diagnosis.  If you have any questions and wish to speak or communicate with a patient navigator please make an inquiry here. 

lung cancer
Lung Cancer, Oncology Taqtik Health

Diagnosing Lung Cancer Early

Here are the common ways of diagnosing lung cancer and why early diagnosis increases the chances of survival for patients who have this disease

Lung cancer is the fastest-growing smoking-related disease in the world, it is also fastest-growing cancer with almost a million+ people being diagnosed every year around the world. This kind of growth is cause for alarm, to be sure, but even more alarming is the fact that symptoms do not usually occur to suggest lung cancer until it has progressed beyond a surgically treatable option. When it comes to diagnosing lung cancer there are many options. However, until a doctor has reason to believe that a patient has this disease, there is seldom a reason to run any of these tests creating a situation where the disease has to progress substantially before a diagnosis is made.

Diagnosing Lung Cancer

The most common way of diagnosing lung cancer is via a chest x-ray. Generally, the chest x-ray is ordered to determine the cause of pneumonia which often results in the discovery of this disease, especially in the case of recurring pneumonia in the same section of the lungs. While this is a good way to diagnose cancer, the x-ray is not infallible and can only see masses in front of bones, not behind, so it is not 100% accurate in its diagnosis.

Another common, but less common than x-ray, way for diagnosing lung cancer is with a CT or more commonly known CAT scan. This scan allows doctors to see the smaller masses that an x-ray simply cannot see. The CAT scan is a better technology for this discovery, however, it is also more expensive so it is not used without a good cause. The CAT scan can also help doctors determine how far cancer has spread, and to where.

PET scans and MRI's are excellent ways to check for cancer, however, once again, they are not generally used for the diagnosis of lung cancer, instead, they are used to determine the spread of the disease and a PET scan can help doctors establish the number of cancerous tumors a person has in their body because of a special sugar injected into the body.

Taking a Biopsy

Once tumors are found on a person's lungs or throughout the body, diagnosing lung cancer becomes a matter of taking a biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of some of the suspected tissue from the person's body. It is then observed under a microscope to determine if it is a cancerous mass and if it is, what kind of cancer it might be.

The sooner it is diagnosed the better the prognosis for the patient. It is important for anyone who has been exposed to cancer-causing agents or who smoke to have themselves checked out for cancer whether they have symptoms or not. If they wait until symptoms it might be too late.

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Additional Lung Cancer Resources

Additional resources for lung cancer can be found at cancer.org, Healthline, lung.org, and the mayo clinic.

Cancer Treatment FAQ's can be found on our site here. 

Next Steps

You can start your online assessment here. Our online cancer connector is available if you are a patient recently diagnosed with lung cancer,  a caregiver caring for a cancer patient, or exploring options for a second opinion. If you have not been diagnosed but suspect you may have lung cancer please make an appointment to see your local general practitioner to arrange to have a diagnosis.  If you have any questions and wish to speak or communicate with a patient navigator please make an inquiry here. 

Oncology, Proton Therapy Taqtik Health

Proton Therapy vs. X-rays

Proton Therapy vs. X-rays

Radiation therapy with X-rays is a valuable treatment option for many cancers but its role is
limited by the risk of damage to organs adjacent to the tumor site that can sometimes be life
threatening. This is because X-rays are highly penetrating, imparting ionizing energy to cells as
they pass through the skin and tissues. This is not always a limiting factor: in the case of prostate
cancer, for example, treatment options include radical prostatectomy, standard radiation therapy
and proton therapy.

While X-ray delivers radiation not only to the tumor but also to healthy organs and tissues
surrounding the tumor, proton beams can release its maximum energy at the tumor. It attacks
DNA in the core of the cancer cells, making the cancer cells unable to reproduce which then
followed by a gradual disappearance of the tumor. Proton therapy is often considered the most
advanced form of radiation available today.  It results in less radiation, dramatically minimizes
serious side effects and lowers the chances of secondary cancers.

Why Proton Therapy

Unlike standard radiation or surgery, proton therapy is an extremely precise form of treatment for
certain cancers. Proton beams are a flow of particles generated from hydrogen gas. By using an
accelerator, a synchrotron accelerating these particles to near the speed of light, making it able to
precisely target cancer. With that said, proton beams have the ability to focus and affect cancer
lesions with minimal impact on surrounding muscle and tissues, thus minimizes detrimental side
effects on healthy tissues.

Benefits of Proton Therapy

  • Unmatched Precision - Proton beams can target the tumor and inflict damage on cancer cells.
  • Reduced Side Effects - Precision treatment minimizes serious side effects
  • Suitable for Complex Conditions - Prostate, lung, liver, bile duct, pancreas, head and neck, esophagus, breast and
    more.
  • Lower Chances of Secondary Tumors - Reduces the risk of radiation-induced secondary cancers

 

Breast Cancer
Oncology, Proton Therapy Taqtik Health

MediPolis Technique with Breast Cancer

MediPolis Technique with Breast Cancer 

Medipolis Technique: immobilization for breast cancer radiotherapy

It is not always necessary to aim for great precision when the whole breast is irradiated after breast-conserving surgery but targeted proton beam therapy requires immobilization of the breast and this presents practical difficulties for clinicians. Further, there is no consensus on the best position of the patient at fixation because the shape of the breasts may change due to the effect of gravity. Irradiation of the breast with the patient in the supine (that is, face-up) position would lead to a greater damage to the lungs and heart compared with the prone (that is, face-down) position. However, it is difficult to obtain high geometric accuracy during irradiation in the prone position because the breast is not secured and it shifts with the movement of the thorax due to respiration. The Medipolis Technique utilizes a hybrid breast-immobilization system (HyBIS) that exploits the best aspects of the supine and prone positions.

Using HyBIS: overview

There are three phases to HyBIS: preparation, setup and treatment. In the preparation phase, the patient is secured (except for the affected breast) on a whole body immobilization system that allows for adjustments in position. The device incorporates a photo scanning system that generates a digital image of the breast from which a unique breast cup is created.

The breast cup is fitted to the breast and held in place with a specially designed retention apparatus.

With the patient and breast immobilized, the setup phase of simulation and planning treatment based on CT images can begin. These data provide the basis on which the treatment phase is implemented. Treatment ends with the removal of the breast cup and relaxation in a bathtub.

Novel technologies

MPTRC has incorporated novel technologies in the development of HyBIS. The whole body immobilization system was designed to hold the entire body of a patient in a polycarbonate case on a purpose-built aluminum stretcher, with vacuum cushions and belts.

Treatment Schedule

Treatment schedule will be decided by the oncology specialists and advisors.   Patients will be treated daily  at the time for 15 min to 40 min.   In the average treatments, lung and liver cancers needs two to three weeks of daily treatment during weekdays,and prostate and osteocartilaginous cancers need approximately 8 weeks.

Adverse Effects

Patients with proton therapy therapy do not show significant adverse effects such as hair loss, nausea, vomiting, and mental disturbance.

Endovascular Treatment Taqtik Health

Endovascular Treatment at IGT Clinic

Endovascular treatment at IGT

Catheter guided cancer therapy:  inject the drug only around the cancer area, instead of whole-body administration, which allows minimizing the dosage of drugs and damage to surrounding healthy organs.

Under the advanced imaging instrument and technology, and experienced experts, IGT clinic has a long-time history and repeated patients worldwide.   The clinic is located within 30 min from Kansai/Osaka international airport.

Some patients repeatedly visit the clinic so that cancer size is reduced by the 2-3 days therapy, although some cancer is not completed removed.  The mass reduction of cancer help patients to survive longer, reduce pain, and remove the mass-growth related physical difficulty.

It costs approximately USD$30,000 for a 2-3 night stay.

hepatocellular
hepatocellular

 

Non-Surgical Cryoablation Treatment Taqtik Health

Non-Surgical Cryoablation Treatment of Breast Cancer Tumors

Non-Surgical Cryoablation Treatment of Breast Cancer Tumors in Kameda Medical Hospital

Cryoablation is the technique of using extreme cold to destroy tissue. It has been used for years in medical applications like dermatology, kidney, prostate, and liver to treat both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors.  Dr. Fukuma at Kameda Medical Hospital developed the technology to remove breast cancer by non-surgical cryoablation.  By this non-surgical treatment, Dr. Fukuma's patients avoid the risks and potential cosmetic impact of major breast cancer surgery.

The Kameda Medical Hospitals has cryosurgery for 304 patients from June 2006 to December 2018.  Only three patients among them were discovered to have tumor mass later.  The rest of all the patients has been completed for cancer-free status.

The cryoablation works for a group of breast cancer stage and metastatic status.  The cancer type would be examined before confirmation of the effectiveness of the cryosurgery. Patients could finish surgical operations with an early stage of cancer.  If patients need a pathological examination, patients need to stay two nights at the hospital.

It costs around USD $10,000 and more without Japanese National insurance.

Cryoablation may offer significant, minimally invasive　breast health options.

Dr Eisuke Fukuma MD, PhD, graduated from Iwate medical University in 1979. He did his resident training program in general surgery at St Luke's Hospital in Tokyo for 6 years. From 1985 to 2000, he worked under Professor Tatsuo Yamakawa, who is well known in the field of laparoscopic surgery in Asia. Dr Fukuma has been working on the development of endoscopic breast surgery (EBS) since 1995. This was the first clinical attempt in the world. He was one of the editors of a textbook on EBS published in Japanese in 2002. Dr Fukuma moved to Kameda Medical Center as a director of breast surgery in 2000 and has taken on responsibility as a chairperson of the breast center. Nonsurgical cryoablation for minimal breast cancer has been clinically tried at Kameda Medical Center since 2006 as part of the clinical research program. The purpose of nonsurgical cryoablation is to achieve the same local control rate as breast conservative surgery.

 

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Oncology Taqtik Health

Diet and Cancer

Diet is now considered a major factor in the prevention and treatment of cancer. According to the American National Cancer Institute about one-third of the cancers are linked to diet. Thus, right choices of foods can help prevent a majority of new cancer cases and deaths from cancer.

Cancer usually develops over a long period. Latest research shows that what one eats may interfere with cancer process at many stages, from conception to growth and spread of the cancer. Foods can block the chemical activation which normally initiates cancer. Antioxidants, including vitamins can eradicate carcinogens and can even repair some of the cellular damage caused by them. Cancers which are in the process of growth can also be prevented from further spreading by foods. Even in advanced cases, the right foods can prolong the patient’s life.

Researches conducted in ascertaining links between diet and cancer since 1970 have now conclusively proved that fruits and vegetables can serve as antidote to cancer. According to Dr. Peter Greenwald, Director of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control at the American National Cancer Institute: “The more fruits and vegetables people eat, the less likely they are to get cancer, from colon to stomach cancer to breast and even lung cancer. For many cancers, persons with high fruit and vegetable intake have about half-the risk of people with low intake. Some studies indicate that eating fruit twice a day instead of less than three times a week cut the risk of lung cancer 75 per cent, even in smokers.”

The normal servings of fruits and vegetables are two fruits and three vegetables a day. Adding more fruits and vegetables to these servings can reduce the risk of cancer.

The plant foods which are considered to possess anticancer properties by the American National Cancer Institute include vegetables like garlic, cabbage, tomato, soya beans, ginger, carrot, celery, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts’ and cucumber; citrus fruits like orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime; other foods like turmeric, whole wheat, brown rice, barely and berries; and herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme, chives and basil.

According to several studies, Vitamin A exerts an inhibiting effect on carcinogenesis. It is one of the most important aids to the body’s defence system to fight and prevent cancer. A recent British study found that cancer rates dropped by 40 per cent in men with the most blood beta carotene (a precursor of Vitamin A), compared with those with the least. Other research has found that those with higher levels of folic acid (found in green vegetable) and lycopene (a tomato compound) are much less vulnerable to all cancers, in particular of the lungPsychology Articles, cervix and pancreas.

 

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Disease_Treatment
Oncology Taqtik Health

Colorectal Cancer – Prevention Tips and Treatment Methods

Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer. In the United States, it is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. The colon is the part of the digestive system where the waste material is stored. The rectum is the end of the colon adjacent to the anus. Colorectal cancer causes 655,000 deaths worldwide per year. Many colorectal cancers are thought to arise from adenomatous polyps in the colon. Colon cancer often causes no symptoms until it has reached a relatively advanced stage.

In most cases, colorectal cancers develop slowly over a period of several years. It is common in the Western world and is rare in Asia and Africa. Colorectal cancer is potentially a very serious condition and can be life-threatening. Symptoms can include blood in the stool, narrower stools, a change in bowel habits and general stomach discomfort. Crohn’s disease of the colon, approximately 30% after 25 years if the entire colon is involved. S Crohn’s disease of the colon, approximately 30% after 25 years if the entire colon is involved. These polyps may follow a bout of ulcerative colitis. Some inflammatory polyps may become cancerous, so having ulcerative colitis increases your overall risk of colon cancer.

Treatments of colorectal cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination. Aspirin should not be taken routinely to prevent colorectal cancer, even in people with a family history of the disease. Chemotherapy can be used to destroy cancer cells after surgery, to control tumor growth or to relieve symptoms of colon cancer. In some cases, chemotherapy is used along with radiation the Some larger polyps may be removed using laparoscopic surgery. Radiation therapy, which also stops tumour cells from dividing and growing, may also be used as this has been shown to be beneficial to some patients.The drugs bevacizumab (Avastin), cetuximab (Erbitux) and panitumumab (Vectibix) can be administered along with chemotherapy drugs or alone.

Colorectal Cancer – Prevention and Treatment Tips

1. Surgery (colectomy) is the main treatment for colorectal cancer.

2. Radiotherapy is not used routinely in colon cancerScience Articles, as it could lead to radiation enteritis.

3. Aspirin should not be taken routinely to prevent colorectal cancer.

4. Chemotherapy uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.

5. Some larger polyps may be removed using laparoscopic surgery.

6. Survival is directly related to detection and the type of cancer involved.

 

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Oncology Taqtik Health

About Cancer Research in the UK

Radiation therapy has advanced as well. While more sophisticated equipment and technology does less damage to the surrounding tissues, new discoveries and developments have brought about new and more effective medicines with fewer side effects. This and other advancements have been brought about by ongoing cancer research.

Cancer Research UK is one research organization based in the United Kingdom. It is one of the few independent organizations devoted to cancer research in the world. One of the goals of this organization and others like it is to gain a better understanding of the various types of cancer. By doing so they can then develop better medicines and treatments to fight cancer.

Only through a better understanding of cancer can advancements in these areas be made.

Research is the step by step process that is done by collecting and examining data on cancer. It almost always involves a quest for new information that can help to develop a new drug or treatment or hopefully someday an actual cure for cancer.

Research can involve the study of its basic biology to the effects of treatments. Another area of research involves the testing of drugs that have already been developed. Before a drug is made available to the public it must undergo years of testing to make sure it is safe and effective. Right now there are drugs undergoing testing that in years to come will be available for use but researchers must first determine their overall effect on the cancer patients who use them.

Most people don’t realize just how many different types of cancer there are, each with its different problems in treating it. So there has to be many different areas of research to develop treatments for them. Cancer Research UK supports over three-thousand researchers and the work they are doing.

The one true key to successful cancer research is money. One ongoing job for nonprofit cancer research organizations is raising the funds to support the work they are doing. Anyone can help cancer research by making a donation to any of the nonprofit cancer research centers. In this way, you can do your part to help find better treatments and hopefully someday a cure for the disease.

Another way to help is to take part in a clinical trial of a new drug or treatment.

Another area of cancer research is focused on the relieving of the symptoms of cancer. Until a cure is found people with cancer have to endure the symptoms of the disease. The first one that comes to mind is pain but there are many others such as dietary and nutritional special problems cancer patients face.

Learning how to better keep cancer patients pain free, happy and healthy is another area of ongoing cancer research. There too many areas of cancer research to cover here but we have covered a few. Only through cancer research can progress be made in understanding its causesComputer Technology Articles, how to prevent it and eventually a cure.

 

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