Prostate Cancer

What Is Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer develops in a man's prostate, the walnut-sized gland just below the bladder that produces some of the fluid in semen. It's the most common cancer in men after skin cancer.  Prostate cancer often grows very slowly and may not cause significant harm.  But some types are more aggressive and can spread quickly without treatment.

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

In the early stages, men may have no symptoms.  Later, symptoms can include:

• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Difficulty starting or stopping urination
• Weak or interrupted urinary stream
• Painful or burning sensation during urination or ejaculation
• Blood in urine or semen

Advanced cancer can cause deep pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.

Enlarged Prostate or Prostate Cancer?

The prostate can grow larger as men age, sometimes pressing on the bladder or urethra and causing symptoms similar to prostate cancer. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It's not cancer and can be treated if symptoms become bothersome.  A third problem that can cause urinary symptoms is prostatitis. This inflammation or infection may also cause a fever and in many cases is treated with medicine.

Risk Factors You Can't Control

Growing older is the greatest risk factor for prostate cancer, particularly after age 50.  After 70, studies suggest that most men have some form of prostate cancer, though there may be no outward symptoms. Family history increases a man's risk: having a father or brother with prostate cancer doubles the risk. African-Americans are at high risk and have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world.

Risk Factors You Can Control

Diet seems to play a role in the development of prostate cancer, which is much more common in countries where meat and high-fat dairy are mainstays. The reason for this link is unclear. Dietary fat, particularly animal fat from red meat, may boost male hormone levels. And this may fuel the growth of cancerous prostate cells. A diet too low in fruits and vegetables may also play a role.

Myths About Prostate Cancer

Here are some things that will not cause prostate cancer: Too much sex, a vasectomy, and masturbation.  If you have an enlarged prostate (BPH), that does not mean you are at greater risk of developing prostate cancer. Researchers are still studying whether alcohol use, STDs, or prostatitis play a role in the development of prostate cancer.

Can Prostate Cancer Be Found Early?

The American Cancer Society advises men to talk with a doctor about the pros and cons of screening tests, beginning at:

• 50 for average-risk men who expect to live at least 10 more years.
• 45 for men at high risk. This includes African-Americans.
• 40 for men with a strong family history.

The American Urological Association recommends a first-time PSA blood test at age 40, with follow-ups per doctor's orders. It's important to note that screening may detect cancers that are so slow-growing that treatment would offer no benefit. The treatments themselves can have serious side effects.

Screening: DRE and PSA

Your doctor may initially do a digital rectal exam (DRE) to feel for bumps or hard spots on the prostate.  A blood test will measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein produced by prostate cells. An elevated level may indicate a higher chance that you have cancer, but you can have a high level and still be cancer-free. It is also possible to have a normal PSA and have prostate cancer.

PSA Test Results

A normal PSA level is considered to be under 4 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood, while a PSA above 10 suggests a high risk of cancer. But there are many exceptions:

• Men can have prostate cancer with a PSA less than 4.
• A prostate that is inflamed (prostatitis) or enlarged (BPH) can boost PSA levels, yet further testing may show no evidence of cancer.
• Some BPH drugs can lower PSA levels, despite the presence of prostate cancer, called a false negative.

If either your PSA or DRE are abnormal, your doctor will order other tests.

Prostate Cancer Biopsy

If a physical exam or PSA test suggests a problem, your doctor may recommend a biopsy. A needle is inserted either through the rectum wall or the skin between the rectum and scrotum. Multiple small tissue samples are removed and examined under a microscope. A biopsy is the best way to detect cancer and predict whether it is slow-growing or aggressive.

Biopsy and Gleason Score

A pathologist looks for cell abnormalities and “grades” the tissue sample from 1 to 5. The sum of 2 Gleason grades is the Gleason score. These scores help determine the chances of the cancer spreading. They range from  2, less aggressive, to 10, a very aggressive cancer. Gleason scores helps guide the type of treatment your doctor will recommend.

Prostate Cancer Imaging

Some men may need additional tests to see if the cancer has spread beyond the prostate. These can include ultrasound, a CT scan, or an MRI scan (seen here). A radionuclide bone scan traces an injection of low-level radioactive material to help detect cancer that has spread to the bone.

In the MRI scan shown here, the tumor is the green, kidney-shaped mass in the center, next to the prostate gland (in pink).

Prostate Cancer Staging

Staging is used to describe how far prostate cancer has spread (metastasized) and to help determine the best treatment.

• Stage I: Cancer is small and still within the prostate.
• Stage II: Cancer is more advanced, but still confined to the prostate.
• Stage III: Cancer has spread to the outer part of the prostate and nearby seminal vesicles.
• Stage IV: Cancer has spread to lymph nodes, nearby organs or tissues such as bladder or rectum, or distant organs such as bones or lungs.

Prostate Cancer Survival Rates

The good news about prostate cancer is that it usually grows slowly. And 9 out of 10 cases are found in the early stages. Overall, the 5-year relative survival rate is 100% for men with disease confined to the prostate or nearby tissues, and many men live much longer. When the disease has spread to distant areas, that figure drops to 31%. But these numbers are based on men diagnosed at least 5 years ago. The outlook may be better for men diagnosed and treated today.

Treatment: Watchful Waiting

With low-risk cancer, one option is to watch and wait. This is determined by your biopsy, PSA test, and Gleason scores. Your doctor will order periodic testing. Other treatments – with the risk of sexual or urinary problems – may not be necessary. Some men who are older or have serious health conditions may not need treatment. However, more aggressive treatment is usually recommended for younger men or those with more aggressive disease.

Treatment: Radiation Therapy

External beam radiation to kill cancer cells can be used as a first treatment or after prostate cancer surgery. It can also help relieve bone pain from the spread of cancer. In brachytherapy, tiny radioactive pellets about the size of a grain of rice are inserted into the prostate. Both methods can impair erectile function. Fatigue, urinary problems, and diarrhea are other possible side effects.

Treatment: Surgery

Removing the prostate, or radical prostatectomy, is used to eliminate the cancer when it is confined to the prostate. New techniques use smaller incisions and seek to avoid damaging nearby nerves. If lymph nodes are also cancerous, prostatectomy may not be the best option. Surgery may impair urinary and sexual function, but both can improve over time.

Treatment: Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy may shrink or slow the growth of your cancer, but unless it is used with another therapy it will not eliminate the cancer. Drugs or hormones block or stop the production of testosterone and other male hormones, called androgens. Side effects can include hot flashes, growth of breast tissue, weight gain, and impotence.

Treatment: Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy kills cancer cells throughout the body, including those outside the prostate, so it is used to treat more advanced cancer and cancer that did not respond to hormone therapy.  Treatment is usually intravenous and is given in cycles lasting 3-6 months. Because the chemotherapy kills other fast-growing cells in the body, you may have hair loss and mouth sores. Other side effects include nausea, vomiting,  and fatigue.

Treatment: Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy freezes and kills cancerous cells within the prostate (like the highly magnified cells shown here.) It is not as widely used because little is known about its long-term effectiveness. It's less invasive than surgery, with a shorter recovery time. Because the freezing damages nerves, as many as 80% of men become impotent after cryosurgery. There can be temporary pain and burning sensations in the bladder and bowel.

Treatment: Prostate Cancer Vaccine

This vaccine is designed to treat, not prevent, prostate cancer by spurring your body’s immune system to attack prostate cancer cells. Immune cells are removed from your blood, activated to fight cancer, and infused back into your blood. Three cycles occur in one month. It's used for advanced prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormone therapy. Mild side-effects can occur such as fatigue, nausea, and fever.

Hope for Advanced Cancer

Your doctor will continue to monitor your PSA levels and may perform other tests after treatment for prostate cancer. If it recurs or spreads to other parts of the body, additional treatment may be recommended. Lifestyle choices may matter, too. One study found that prostate cancer survivors who exercised regularly had a lower risk of dying.

Coping With Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is a common side effect of prostate cancer treatments. Generally, erectile function improves within two years after surgery. Improvement may be better for younger men than for those over 70. You also may benefit from ED medications. Other treatments, such as injection therapy and vacuum devices, may help.

Food for Health

A cancer-conscious diet may be the best choice for survivors who want to bolster their health and those hoping to lower their risk. That means:

• Five or more fruits and veggies a day
• Whole grains instead of white flour or white rice
• Limit high-fat meat
• Limit or eliminate processed meat (hot dogs, cold cuts, bacon)
• Limit alcohol to 1-2 drinks per day (if you drink)

Foods high in folate may have some action against prostate cancer (spinach, orange juice, lentils). Studies found mixed results on lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes.

Supplements: Buyer Beware

Be wary of supplements that are marketed to prevent prostate cancer. Some herbal substances can interfere with PSA levels. A 10-year study showed an increase in the risk of cancer for men who took folic acid supplements. A 5-year study of selenium and vitamin E did not show a decreased risk of prostate cancer. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking vitamins or supplements.

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Hair Loss Problem

Every day, every one of us looses some hair. Our body then replaces it with some new strands as part of the many renewal processes that are built into our body systems. As we all age, 'the reappearance of new hair' event gradually slows down. This observable fact is more evident in men than women, whose 'male-pattern baldness is genetically determined and can begin as early as age 20. For women, hair normally thins after age 50, and considerable hair loss before that age is very rare.

General problems of hair loss: Dandruff, Graying of hair, loosing hair, brittle hair and slow growth of hair are some of the common hair problems that people complain about. Though most of these problems are natural signs of aging or part of our genetic makeup, there are some simple preventative measures and home remedies that may help some of these hair complaints.

FACT ABOUT HAIR

• Typically, hair grows an average of an inch every two months.
• The average head can shed up to 100 of its 100,000 hairs every day.

INDICATION OF HAIR LOSS

• Hair Loss generally is noticed in one of two-ways.

1. With common pattern baldness, the loss is gradual. It can start as early as puberty, or very late in life.
2. Sudden loss of hair, or loss in clumps usually indicates a different problem. This type of symptom could be caused by a number of factors, including hormonal changes, medications, thyroid problems, among others.

• Male pattern baldness typically starts by causing the hairline to recede in the center of the forehead. A bald spot may then form on the top of the head, towards the back and center. Eventually almost all the hair on the top of the head will be lost. This leaves the hair on the sides and back forming the notorious horseshoe pattern. By this stage, hair loss will be very difficult to treat with medications. A hair transplant may be a good option at this point, though they can be expensive.
• Female pattern baldness results in a more evenly spread out thinning of hair. Women will notice an increased rate of hair loss. This will most likely be noticed on pillows, in the shower, hairbrushes, or even vacuum brushes. It is impossible to count the number of hairs being lost per day, but women will notice the thinning and loss of hair around the same time. Some women who have curly or thick hair may not notice the change as early. Skin and hair color also determine how easily the thinning is noticed. Someone who has light hair and dark skin will notice balding much sooner than most.

SELF-CARE REMEDY TIPS FOR HAIR LOSS

1. Massage the scalp with 2-3 drops of essential oil or a good vegetable oil. Massage well into the scalp so that the oil gets into deep roots of hair. Wrap the hair in plastic wrap and place a warm towel around it. Leave it for 2 to three hours or overnight. Shampoo the hair with a mild shampoo. Practicing this at regular basis would help your hair pores get rejuvenated.
2. Eat a handful of white sesame seeds every morning. One handful of these small seeds contains about 1,200 mg. of calcium and magnesium to ignite the required nourishments of your scalp not to loose hair.
3. Take some yogurt everyday (unless you are allergic to milk).
4. Rinse hair with a mix of apple cider vinegar tea to help hair grow.
5. Mix little warmer castor and almond oil and massage over scalp at least once a week.
6. Grind lime seeds and black pepper in equal number in some water and apply on the scalp at regular intervals.
7. Scrub the bald portion with onions till it becomes red. Then applying honey, scrub the scalp once a day.
8. Massage almond oil on scalp 2 to 3 times a day. Further hair loss will stop by doing this practice.
9. Massage coconut milk or Aloe Vera gel into the scalp and hair. Leave it for ½ hour, and then rinse with warm water. Repeat 3 times a week.
10. Massage honey with egg yolk into the scalp and hair. Leave for a 1/2 hour, then rinse to prevent hair loss.

CAUSE OF PROBLEMS

The cause of hair loss is most commonly related to male gender, hormonal changes and genetics. Medications can be another reason for the hair loss.

Temporary hair loss can occur in conjunction with a high fever, a severe illness, thyroid disorders, iron deficiency, general anesthesia, drug treatments, hormonal imbalance, or extreme stress, and in women following childbirth. In these conditions, a large number of hair follicles suddenly go into a resting phase, causing hair to thin noticeably

GENERAL TIPS TO TAKE CARE OF HAIR FROM LOSS

• Eating a balanced, healthy diet is important for a lot of reasons, and it really benefits your hair. And don't forget to treat your hair well. For example, some doctors recommend using baby shampoo, shampooing no more than once a day, and lathering gently.
• Don't rub your hair too vigorously with a towel, either. Many hair experts suggest you consider putting away the blow dryer and air-drying your hair instead. If you can't live without your blow dryer, try using it on a low heat setting.
• Style your hair when it's dry or damp. Styling your hair while it's wet can cause it to stretch and break. And try to avoid teasing your hair, which can also cause damage. Finally, be careful when using chemicals - such as straightness or color - on your hair.

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Ways to lose weight

By: Wendy C. Fries And Miranda Hitti

DON'T SUBTRACT, ADD

Forget diet denial: Try adding foods to your diet instead of subtracting them.

Add in healthy goodies you really love, like deep-red cherries, juicy grapes, or crunchy snow peas. Slip those favorite fruits into your bag lunch and breakfast cereal; add the veggies into soups, stews, and sauces.

"Adding in really works, taking away never does," says registered dietitian David Grotto, RD, LDN, author of 101 Optimal Life Foods, but do remember to keep an eye on overall calories. And don't forget to add in something physical, too, whether it's doing a few dance moves before dinner, shooting hoops, or taking a quick stroll.

FORGET ABOUT EXERCISE (WORKING OUT)

If the word "exercise" inspires you to creative avoidance, then avoid it. Maybe the trick to enjoying a workout may be to never call it working out.

"There's some truth to that," Grotto tells WebMD, and once you start your not-calling-it-exercise plan, Grotto says you'll discover "the way good health feels knocks down the roadblocks that were preventing you from exercising in the first place."

So burn calories and invigorate muscles by beachcombing, riding bikes, grass skiing, making snow angels, hiking, washing the car, playing Frisbee, chasing the dog around the yard, or even enjoying great sex. After all, a rose by any other name ...

GO WALKING

Walking when the weather's nice is a super-easy way to keep fit, says Diane Virginias, a certified nursing assistant from New York. "I enjoy the seasons," she says, adding that even when she's short on time she'll go out for a few minutes. "Even a five minute walk is a five minute walk."

No sidewalks in your neighborhood? Try these tips for slipping in more steps:

• Trade your power mower for a push version.
• Park your car at the back of the lot.
• Get out of the office building and enjoy walking meetings.
• Sweep the drive or rake the leaves instead of using a leaf-blower.
• Get off the bus a few stops earlier.
• Hike the mall, being sure to hit all the levels.
• Take the stairs every chance you get.
• Sign up for charity walks.
• Crank the music and get your heart rate up the next time you mop or vacuum.

It all adds up. If you walk twice a day for 10 minutes and try a few of these tips, you may find yourself with a low-impact, 30-minute workout easily tucked under your belt.

LIGHTEN THE FOODS YOU ALREADY LOVE

One of the easiest ways to cut back without feeling denied is to switch to lower-calorie versions of the foods you crave. A pizza tastes just as good with reduced-fat cheese, and when you garnish low-fat ice cream with your favorite toppers, who notices those missing calories?

And while you're trimming fat calories, keep an eye on boosting fiber, suggests registered dietitian Elaine Magee, RD, MPH, author of Tell Me What to Eat If I Suffer From Heart Disease and Food Synergy.

Fiber helps you feel satisfied longer, so while you lighten family favorites, you can easily amp up the fiber by adding a cup of whole wheat flour to your pizza dough, or toss a handful of red bell peppers on the pie.

Don't forget to lighten the drinks going with that meal. Try switching from high-calorie favorites to diet soda or light beer, or maybe add a spritz of seltzer to your wine.

Hate low-cal drinks? Mix your preferred drinks with a splash of the low-cal option, then increase the ratio as your taste buds adjust. And don't forget to keep pouring that ultimate beverage, says Magee: water!

BECAUSE HYDRATION HELPS 

Down some water before a meal and you won't feel so famished, says David Anthony, an information technology consultant from Atlanta. "Drinking a glass of water before a meal helps me watch what I eat. … I don't just hog everything, since I'm not so hungry."

Magee, who also writes the "Healthy Recipe Doctor" blog for WebMD, adds that for the compulsive snacker it's a great idea to keep no-calorie beverages at hand "as a way to keep your mouth busy and less likely to snack on junk food."

Going to a party? Grab a low-cal drink in one hand and keep it there. Not only does it make it harder to graze the buffet, but you'll also be less tempted to sip endless cocktails, too.

Finally, keeping your body refreshed with plenty of water may also help your workout, says Anthony. Staying hydrated means "I can exercise more, and longer, than if I don't drink water."

SHARE ALIKE

With the massive meals served at so many American restaurants, it's easy to go Dutch -- with the dinner plate.

"When we go out, I often share a meal with my wife," Anthony tells WebMD. "We've been known to split a dessert, even a pint of beer. That way, we don't feel stuffed, and we save some money."

You can share more than just a meal out. Why not double up on a bicycle built for two? Go halves on the cost of a personal trainer? Maybe split a gym membership?

"When you're trying to eat better or get more exercise, you can be more successful if you do it with a partner or group," says Grotto. "The community, the partnership, whether online or in person, it really helps."

Twice the motivation, without twice the effort -- a steal of a deal.

TUNE IN, TONE UP

The American Heart Association knows what we love: television. And they also know we need to get more exercise. So why not combine the two, they ask?

Try dancing to the music when you tune into your favorite music show, or practice some stress-relieving cardio boxing when your least favorite reality contestant is on camera.

During commercials pedal your stationery bike, walk the treadmill, or slip in a little strength training doing bicep curls with cans of your favorite fizzy beverage as weights. Or get inspired to really focus: Put in a high-energy exercise DVD and get motivated by the pros onscreen.

It doesn't matter exactly what you do, so long as you're up and active. Aim for at least 15 minutes, says the AHA. But who knows? If you get really engrossed, you just might outlast the last survivor.

SIZE MATTERS

Eating less without feeling denied is as close as your dinnerware.

That's because while a small portion served on a large plate can leave you craving more, a smaller plate gives the visual signal that you already have more.

"People go by physical cues," when they eat, Grotto tells WebMD. We know we've had enough because we see the bottom of our bowl or plate. "A smaller plate full of food just feels more satisfying than a large plate with that same amount of food on it."

And don't forget smaller bowls, cups, and spoons. For example, try savoring a bowl of ice cream with a baby spoon. Not only does the pleasure last longer, but your body has time to register the food you've eaten.

GET INVOLVED, OR AT LEAST GET TO THE TABLE

When your weight loss efforts lead to boredom or too much self-focus, get occupied with something else. "I eat more if I'm bored," says Virginias, "especially if I'm eating in front of the TV."

So take a break from the siren-call of the tube, and get occupied with things that have nothing to do with food.

For some, that might mean becoming involved with local politics, discovering yoga, or enjoying painting. Or maybe you want to help a child with a science project, repaint the bedroom, or take a class. The key: Have a life outside of weight loss.

Already busy enough? Then at least eat your meals at the table. "The TV is distracting, and I'm just not conscious of eating," Virginias tells WebMD. "Once I'm at the table, with a place setting, I'm much more aware of what I'm eating."

LOSE IT TODAY, KEEP IT OFF TOMORROW

Finally, be patient. While cultivating that virtue isn't exactly painless, it may help to know that keeping weight off generally gets easier over time.

That's the result of a study published in Obesity Research, where researchers found that for people who had lost at least 30 pounds -- and kept it off for at least two years -- maintaining that weight loss required less effort as time went on.

So if you crave the results reported by successful "losers" like these -- improved self-confidence, a boost in mood, and better health -- cultivate patience. You may find your way to sweet (and nearly painless) weight loss success.

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Eye Cataract

What is cataract?

Cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens - the part of the eye responsible for focusing light and producing clear, sharp images. The lens is made up mainly of water and protein. Over time, protein can build up, clouding the light passing through the eye and making sight blurred or fuzzy. For most people, cataracts are a natural result of aging. Often cataracts develop in both eyes at the same time. The symptoms vary, but include a gradual blurring of vision, halos around lights, glare and double vision. The very worst cataracts - where the iris appears almost entirely clouded over - can cause a total loss of vision.

Causes of cataract

There is no single cause of cataract (the clouding of the eye's lens). A number of risk factors seem to have an impact. There are some risks that can be reduced by a change in lifestyle, and some that can't. Sightsavers is raising awareness of the risks, and providing treatment where possible.

Risks that can be reduced:

• cigarette smoking
• drugs: some eye drops used to treat eye problems contain steroids. If unsupervised and taken over a long time, they can cause cataracts.
• diabetes: proper treatment can reduce the risk of cataract
• dehydration: people who have suffered severe dehydration seem more likely to suffer from cataract. This can result from severe illness (such as cholera), acute heat stroke or even from local customs such as withholding water from women during labour and immediately after giving birth.

Risks that can't be reduced:

• ageing - the single-most important cause of cataract
• genetic predisposition- in 25-50 per cent of cases there is a family history of cataract eye conditions such as short sightedness and inflammation in the eye seem to be linked to cataract. Severe trauma to the eye can also be a cause.
• Environmental factors - cataract occurs more often and at an earlier age in developing countries
• daylight - some controversially believe ultraviolet light worsens cataract. This is unproven and impossible to combat if true.

Cataracts and poverty

Removing cataract (the clouding of the eye's lens) is a relatively simple surgical procedure. It is common and easily accessible in developed countries. But in the countries where Sightsavers works, many people with cataracts are yet to benefit.

Why is this?

lack of awareness in some areas about the number of people with cataracts, and how best to diagnose them lack of staff and equipment to significantly reduce the growing backlog of cataract operations needed. There are also reasons why prospective patients may be wary of an operation: they may not know that the operation is simple and safe they may have heard of someone who had a bad experience while having an operation they may live far from towns, and getting to hospital may involve a lot of travel and expense. This is never easy for a blind person as well as the travel costs, people will not be able to work immediately after the operation and will lose income people sometimes expect to go blind as a natural part of ageing and are unaware of how simple it is to have their sight restored. Sightsavers is raising awareness of the need for cataract treatment and providing it wherever possible.

Our cataract work involves a number of different aspects:

Screening and referring those in need

We train local community health workers to identify those in need of cataract treatment, ensuring that they are referred to an ophthalmic specialist for an operation.

Providing free surgery and transport

The only way to treat cataract (the clouding of the eye's lens) is by surgery. This involves removing the cloudy lens, leaving the capsule that contains it intact. A plastic lens is inserted, meaning that there is no need to wear special glasses after the operation. Many people live a long way from hospitals or clinics, so wherever possible we provide transport so they can get to where their treatment is being carried out. We also carry out surgical outreach camps in areas that are difficult to access, or there is a poor or ineffective health system in place.

Training new eye-care personnel.

We are tackling the growing number of people needing cataract treatment by training ophthalmic staff. Experienced ophthalmic nurses are trained to undertake cataract surgery, as well as to manage eye care services and train and supervise new eye-care workers. Ophthalmic nurses play a key role in preparing patients for surgery, freeing the surgeon to carry out the eye operation itself.

Improving the standard of service

Sightseeings believes it is important to ensure that the experience of treatment is positive. If the experience is good, patients will return to their village and tell people about it, making others with cataract willing to undergo similar operations. 

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Cataract Surgery

Colon Cancer

What is Cancer?

To understand what colon cancer is, it helps to start with a basic understand of cancer in general. Normal cells in the body grow and divide in an orderly fashion. Eventually, they die and are replaced by new, healthy cells. But cancer cells play by different rules—they don’t grow in an orderly fashion and they don’t die in an orderly fashion either.

Cancer cells no longer respond to the signals that tell them to grow and divide normally, which allows them to grow out of control. Cancer cells also are ‘immortal’: they have the ability to continue living indefinitely. Even when damaged in a way that should cause cell death, cancer cells may not die.

What is the Colon?

The colon is an important part of the digestive system, and as such, it has a major role in helping the body absorb nutrients, minerals, and water. The colon also helps rid the body of waste in the form of stool. The colon makes up the majority of the large intestine, approximately six feet in length. The last six inches or so of the large intestine are the rectum and the anal canal.

What is Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer is cancer that occurs in the cells of the colon. Colon cancer is quite common, being the third most common cancer in men and women in the U.S. About 110,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with colon cancer each year.

Some health experts consider colon and rectum cancers as one group, called colorectal cancer. Others treat these two cancers as completely separate: colon cancer and rectum (rectal) cancer.

Stages of Colon Cancer

In order for your doctor to develop the right treatment plan, he or she will stage your colon cancer. The stage of cancer refers to how far it has spread beyond the location where it first developed in your body.

Generally, the higher the number or letter that is used to describe the stage of cancer, the more advanced the cancer is. To learn more about colon cancer staging, be sure to review Diagnosis of Colon Cancer and Treatment of Colon Cancer.

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Symptoms and Information

Smoking Habit

Harmful Effects of Smoking

-One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Half of these deaths will occur in middle age.

-Tobacco smoke also contributes to a number of cancers.

-The mixture of nicotine and carbon monoxide in each cigarette you smoke temporarily increases your heart rate and blood pressure, straining your heart and blood vessels.

-This can cause heart attacks and stroke. It slows your blood flow, cutting off oxygen to your feet and hands. Some smokers end up having their limbs amputated.

-Tar coats your lungs like soot in a chimney and causes cancer. A 20-a-day smoker breathes in up to a full cup (210 g) of tar in a year.

-Changing to low-tar cigarettes does not help because smokers usually take deeper puffs and hold the smoke in for longer, dragging the tar deeper into their lungs.

-Carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and body tissue of oxygen, making your whole body and especially your heart work harder. Over time, your airways swell up and let less air into your lungs.

-Smoking causes disease and is a slow way to die. The strain of smoking effects on the body often causes years of suffering. Emphysema is an illness that slowly rots your lungs. People with emphysema often get bronchitis again and again, and suffer lung and heart failure.

-Lung cancer from smoking is caused by the tar in tobacco smoke. Men who smoke are ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers.

-Heart disease and strokes are also more common among smokers than non-smokers.

-Smoking causes fat deposits to narrow and block blood vessels which leads to heart attack.

-Smoking causes around one in five deaths from heart disease.

-In younger people, three out of four deaths from heart disease are due to smoking.

-Cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of low birth weight, prematurity, spontaneous abortion, and perinatal mortality in humans, which has been referred to as the fetal tobacco syndrome.


Major Diseases caused by Smoking

Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death due to smoking.
Hardening of the arteries is a process that develops over years, when cholesterol and other fats deposit in the arteries, leaving them narrow, blocked or rigid. When the arteries narrow (atherosclerosis), blood clots are likely to form.

Smoking accelerates the hardening and narrowing process in your arteries: it starts earlier and blood clots are two to four times more likely.
Cardiovascular disease can take many forms depending on which blood vessels are involved, and all of them are more common in people who smoke.

Cancer

Smokers are more likely to get cancer than non-smokers. This is particularly true of lung cancer, throat cancer and mouth cancer, which hardly ever affect non-smokers.
The link between smoking and lung cancer is clear.
Ninety percent of lung cancer cases are due to smoking.
If no-one smoked, lung cancer would be a rare diagnosis - only 0.5 per cent of people who've never touched a cigarette develop lung cancer.
One in ten moderate smokers and almost one in five heavy smokers (more than 15 cigarettes a day) will die of lung cancer.
The more cigarettes you smoke in a day, and the longer you've smoked, the higher your risk of lung cancer. Similarly, the risk rises the deeper you inhale and the earlier in life you started smoking.
For ex-smokers, it takes approximately 15 years before the risk of lung cancer drops to the same as that of a non-smoker.
If you smoke, the risk of contracting mouth cancer is four times higher than for a non-smoker. Cancer can start in many areas of the mouth, with the most common being on or underneath the tongue, or on the lips.

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a collective term for a group of conditions that block airflow and make breathing more difficult, such as:

emphysema - breathlessness caused by damage to the air sacs (alveoli)
chronic bronchitis - coughing with a lot of mucus that continues for at least three months.

Smoking is the most common cause of COPD and is responsible for 80 per cent of cases.
It's estimated that 94 per cent of 20-a-day smokers have some emphysema when the lungs are examined after death, while more than 90 per cent of non-smokers have little or none.
COPD typically starts between the ages of 35 and 45 when lung function starts to decline anyway.

In smokers, the rate of decline in lung function can be three times the usual rate. As lung function declines, breathlessness begins.
As the condition progresses, severe breathing problems can require hospital care. The final stage is death from slow and progressive breathlessness.

Smoking and impotence

For men in their 30s and 40s, smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) by about 50 per cent.

Erection can't occur unless blood can flow freely into the penis, so these blood vessels have to be in good condition.
Smoking can damage the blood vessels and cause them to degenerate: nicotine narrows the arteries that lead to the penis, reducing blood flow and the pressure of blood in the penis.
This narrowing effect increases over time, so if you haven't got problems now, things could change later.
Erection problems in smokers may be an early warning signal that cigarettes are already damaging other areas of the body - such as the blood vessels that supply the heart.

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Rat Bites

Rat-bite fever is a rare disease spread by infected rodents.

Causes:

     Rat-bite fever can be caused by the two different bacteria, Streptobacillus moniliformis or Spirillum minus, both of which are found in the mouths of rodents.

     Most people get rat-bite fever through contact with urine or secretions from the mouth, eye, or nose of an infected animal. This most commonly occurs though a bite, yet some cases may occur simply through contact with these secretions.

     The source of the infection is usually a rat. Other animals that may cause infection include squirrels, weasels, and gerbils.

Symptoms:

     Symptoms depend on the bacteria that caused the infection.

     Symptoms due to Streptobacillus moniliformis may include:

• Chills
• Fever
• Joint pain, redness, or swelling
• Open sore at the site of the bite
• Rash -- may be red/purple plaques

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