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Study finds cancer survivors affected by anxiety
Date: 2013-06-05 00:00:00

Individuals who are impacted by medical conditions may opt to undergo a lab test outside of a doctor's office to help take command of their own health. While blood testing is one of many medical processes people can engage in without a healthcare provider's interference, for some issues like cancer, people may seek solace from a doctor.

For those who are treated and survive cancer, anxiety may develop, according to the findings of a recent study published in The Lancet Oncology.

Researchers learned that people who have recovered from cancer are increasingly more likely to struggle with nervousness than those who have not been affected by the condition, as are their loved ones, HealthDay News reported.

"Our results suggest that, after a cancer diagnosis, increased rates of anxiety tend to persist in both patients and their relatives," said lead author Alex Mitchell, MBBS, Of Leicester General Hospital in England. "When patients are discharged from hospital care they usually receive only periodic check-ups from their medical teams and this autonomy in the post-acute period can be anxiety-provoking."

Data extracted from 27 publications containing 43 comparison studies revealed cancer survivors were nearly 30 percent more likely to be affected by anxiety two years or more after a diagnosis than individuals never impacted by cancer.

Over the course of 10 years, 50 percent of these individuals were likely to report feelings of nervous tension or stress.

Surprisingly, the partners of cancer survivors were also inclined toward feelings of anxiety over the span of two to 10 years after recovery from the condition. The rates of depression among survivors and their partners were comparable, according to the researchers.

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, approximately 12 million individuals in the U.S. have a history of cancer. About 60 percent of adults who are cancer survivors are over the age of 65, and 14 percent recovered more than 20 years ago.

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Are cancer patients reluctant to talk about the costs of treatment?
Date: 2013-06-06 00:00:00

Cancer treatments can be costly, which is why many individuals prefer to take lab tests outside of a traditional healthcare setting. Doing so can ensure that people gain results and greater insight into their own health and wellness.

However, many individuals are unaware of the benefits of undergoing a FSH test or other related procedure outside of a clinical environment. These patients may continue to get assistance solely from doctors, but may be hesitant to ask about the costs of treatment up front, according to a recent study by the Duke Cancer Institute.

According to researchers, some people express fears that discussing their financial reservations about treatment will compromise the quality of care that they receive from healthcare providers. However, bringing these concerns up may be beneficial in more ways than one.

"Even my patients with insurance were asking for less expensive medications and less frequent visits [since they couldn't afford the travel costs]," said study lead author Yousuf Zafar, M.D., an assistant professor at the Duke Cancer Institute. "There's this undercurrent of expenses that patients are facing that often goes unseen."

Researchers recruited about 300 patients who were being treated at clinics in North Carolina, as well as Duke Health. They learned that more than half of the individuals taking part in the study wanted to discuss the costs of treatment options with medical staff, but less than 20 percent actually did so.

Surprisingly, 57 percent of participants who did discuss their financial reservations with healthcare professionals found that doing so helped them find more economical alternatives for treatment. This suggests more people should be forthright about their concerns.

According to the American Cancer Society, the overall expenses of cancer treatment can be hefty, but for those who plan ahead and have health insurance, the impact may be less substantial.

Individuals being treated for cancer typically undergo office visits, lab tests, imaging tests, procedures for treatment or diagnosis, medication costs and lengthy home care. Speaking with a healthcare professional about financial planning can be beneficial for relieving some of the financial strain of this life event.

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Men with prostate cancer may want to say 'yes' to vegetable fat
Date: 2013-06-11 00:00:00

Nearly 30,000 men die of prostate cancer in the U.S. each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. This is one of the many reasons why men - especially those who are middle-aged - should get regular blood tests to make sure that they are healthy. Obesity is one of the main risk factors for developing this disease, so men need to make sure they eat healthy foods if they want to reduce their chances of having prostate cancer.

Recently, researchers the University of California, San Francisco, found that one change men who are either concerned about prostate cancer or already have the disease may want to make to their diets is to replace carbohydrates and animal fat with vegetable fat. The scientists found that doing this may help reduce the risk of death in men with non​-metastatic prostate cancer.

Vegetable fat is superior ... Full Story

Colorectal screenings could save lives, study finds
Date: 2013-06-25 00:00:00

A new study published in the journal JAMA Surgery has demonstrated that routine colonoscopies can have a significant impact on the health of individuals, and may help extend one's life.

"Compliance to screening colonoscopy guidelines can play an important role in prolonging longevity, improving quality of life, and reducing healthcare costs through early detection of colon cancer," wrote the study's researchers, from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, respectively.

Close to 1,100 patients who were treated for colon cancer were examined in the report, with their medical outcomes factored into the overall results. In 217 cases, colorectal screenings helped individuals gain a diagnosis of the condition.

Those who did not undergo screenings were almost double as likely to have an invasive tumor than those did have them done, HealthDay News reported.

There are a few tests that can be taken to determine whether an individual is affected by colorectal cancer, including a fecal occult blood test, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy and a barium enema. In addition, the National Cancer Institute notes that individuals can take a DNA stool test and virtual colonoscopy.

As of 2009 - the most recent year statistics were taken - the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that 136,717 people in the U.S. were diagnosed and affected by colorectal cancer, of whom 70,223 were men and 66,494 were women.

This is an important finding that suggests that individuals who monitor potential health conditions may be poised to enjoy better overall wellness if they take preventative steps early on.

The first move that people can make to gain control of their health is to have a lab test done today. With a lab test online, individuals can enhance their understanding of their bodies and gain a better idea of how their health is shaping up.

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Information regarding immune cells revealed
Date: 2013-07-24 00:00:00

New research conducted by the University of Manchester has uncovered more information on how white blood immune cells fight tumors and viral infections. University scientists revealed how the cells alter the construction of surface molecules in response to proteins that are carried by tumor or viral-infected cells.

The report expressed hope that these findings will lead to better treatments for chronic diseases. Researchers specifically discovered that the protein found on viral-infected or tumor cells is not evenly spaced, but instead can be found in clusters. The study likens the pattern to how stars appear in the galaxy.

"This is the first time scientists have looked at how theses immune cells work at such a high resolution," said Daniel Davis, lead investigator. "The surprising thing was that these new pictures revealed that immune cell surfaces alter at [the nano scale] which could perhaps change their ability to be activated in a subsequent encounter with a diseased cell."

Researchers used high quality fluorescence microscopy with super-resolution to examine samples taken from blood tests and to learn more about the white blood immune cells. Previously, light microscopy has been unable to look at the cells at such an extreme scale.

Davis noted that being able to look at the cells in such great detail enabled the researchers to better understand the function of the immune system.

What do white blood cells do?... Full Story

Researchers find new method of detecting bladder cancer
Date: 2013-07-24 00:00:00

A recent study conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University has uncovered a novel gene target that may help doctors to detect and treat bladder cancer. The gene is known as melanoma differentiation associated gene-9/syntenin (mda-9/syntenin), and researchers have expressed hope that it might be used as a means of destroying bladder cancer cells, diagnose the cancer non-invasively and prevent metastasis.

"Currently, there are no biomarkers that can accurately predict bladder cancer metastasis, or monitor its progression," said Paul Fisher, coauthor of the study. "Our findings could assist in the development of innovative ways to detect, monitor and treat bladder cancer."

The report used lab tests of cell cultures and mouse models of the bladder cancer found in humans to determine that mda-9/syntenin helps to regulate the growth and metastasis of bladder cancer cells. Researchers also experimented with increasing the gene's expression, and they found that it was linked to disease progression. When they suppressed the expression, the cancer cells grew at a significantly slower rate, and they were less able to divide.

Mda-9/syntenin controls the progression of bladder cancer by affecting epidermal growth factor receptor signals. EGFR contributes to cell proliferation, cell migration, resistance to cell suicide and the growth of new blood vessels. It can be found on the surface of bladder cancer cells.

Current bladder cancer treatment... Full Story

Researchers find link between throat cancer and HPV
Date: 2013-07-28 00:00:00

A recent study from the University of New South Wales in Australia found that a human papillomavirus infection may increase the risk of throat cancer by as much as threefold.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is linked to cervical cancer, genital cancers and oropharyngeal cancer, which originates in the back of the throat.

University researchers examined the rate of HPV patients diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, or throat cancer, through lab tests. The disease's most common causes are smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or extremely hot liquids, eating a diet rich in red meat and possibly consuming a certain amount of toxins.

"This is an important new finding which resolves a previous uncertainty," said Raina MacIntyre, senior author of the study. "Given that the most common two cervical-cancer-causing HPVs are now preventable by early vaccination, this may be significant in countries where [esophageal squamous cell carcinoma] is frequently found."

MacIntyre went on to note that this type of cancer is responsible for a large number of deaths in China, so having a proven preventative measure, such as an HPV vaccine, may be of particular interest to their health authorities.

The report noted that while the team established a link between HPV and throat cancer, further research is required to determine whether HPV is the actual cause.

HPV and medical complications... Full Story