All Mighty Words

By : Gerald Meyer

What are Polyphenols?

Polyphenols are compounds found in nature. More specifically they are found in plants and provide coloring for some. Their purpose appears to be a potent, natural antioxidant. There are many plants that we consume that contain polyphenols. Concentrations are high in Olive oil and Green Tea and have been the subject of many health articles and promoted to enhance your health.

How do Polyphenols work?

These antioxidants eliminate free radicals, unstable molecules that are the major cause of both aging and disease, in both plants and humans. Free radicals continually attack the body. Free radicals are a normal product of metabolism and result in a process called oxidation. Polyphenols and other antioxidants, including beta carotene (a vitamin A precursor), vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium, scavenge these free radicals and help to prevent formation of unstable oxygen molecules, known as oxidation. Oxidation can damage healthy cells in the body and have been linked to many diseases including cancer, heart disease and stroke. Polyphenols not only work to prevent diseases but may also help to reduce abnormal cells and inflammation; get rid of cancer causing agents and restore cells back to normal health.

What foods contain Polyphenols?

There are many but there are only a few, which contain particularly high levels. They include red wine, olive oil, black and green tea. Green Tea is the #1 source of polyphenols. These extremely high levels of polyphenols deliver green tea’s unique results in several ways. Just one example is a subgroup of polyphenols, exclusive to green tea, called catechins. EGCG, the most abundant and powerful of green tea’s 5 main catechins, is dubbed the ’super antioxidant’ because it is 200 times more powerful than the popular antioxidant vitamin E. Unfortunately, polyphenols have a quick life span (short half life) of about 3 hours, thus the scientific reason behind researchers’ recommendation to drink green tea a minimum of 8 times a day.

Not only may green tea protect and heal the body from disease but also clinical trials, conducted by the University of Geneva, in Switzerland, indicate that green tea raises metabolic rates and speed up fat oxidation. In addition to caffeine, green tea’s catechin polyphenols raise thermogenesis (the rate at which calories are burned) and hence increases energy expenditure. And, research at the University of Chicago has shown green tea extract injections in rats to cause appetite suppression. They consumed 60 percent less food and lost 21 percent of their body weight. However, as explained by the scientists, a person would have to drink green tea almost constantly to obtain these results. Green tea patches have been developed as a solution. They contain up to 300mg of polyphenols (30 times the potency of regular green tea) and provide a constant supply over 48 hours.

Research is still continuing with green tea and more health benefits continue to be discovered. For instance, EGCG’s may one day play a role in treatment of mad cow disease (Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, DOI:10.1038/nsmb743). And the formation of unstable oxygen molecules in the body is unavoidable. Aging, smoke, and environmental pollutants are all sources of the damaging free radicals. Japan and China have benefited from drinking green tea vs. black tea, like the rest of us, for centuries. The west is just now catching on to the benefits of green tea. With green tea being no more harmful than a cup of coffee (and actually containing less caffeine) there’s no reason why you shouldn’t begin today to benefit from green tea too.

Chemical name:
Various

Also known as:
Green Tea Polyphenols, Green Tea Water Extract, Black Tea Polyphenols, Black Tea Water Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), Polyphenon E (Mitsui-Norin, Ltd.), Topical Polyphenon E (Epitome Pharmaceuticals Ltd.)

Category:
Phytochemical

Liver cancer also known as primary or metastatic hepatic carcinoma is a fairly rare form of cancer in the western world (1% of all cancers) but much more common in Africa and parts of Asia (10% to 50% of all cancers).It is much more prevalent in men and incidence increases with age. Liver cancer is rapidly fatal, usually within 6 months from gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hepatic failure or metastasis.

TYPES OF LIVE CANCER
Most primary liver tumors are known as hepatomas (hepatocellular carcinoma and primary lower cell carcinoma). Some primary liver cancers originate in the bile duct and these are known as cholangiomas.Some rare liver cancers include Kupffer cell sarcoma and hepatoblastomas (which occur almost exclusively in children and are usually respectable and curable). Metastatic liver cancer is 20 times more common than primary liver cancer and after cirrhosis this is the leading form of liver related death.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Liver cancer does not normally cause symptoms until it is in an advanced stage.
Clinical effects of advanced liver cancers include:
1. A mass in the right upper side.
2. Tender, nodular liver on palpation
3. Severe pain in the epigastrium or upper right side
4. Weight loss, anorexia, weakness, fever
5. Occasional jaundice or ascites (fluid in the abdomen)

CAUSATION
The exact cause of liver cancer is unknown in adults but in children it may be a genetic disease. Adult liver carcinomas may result from environmental exposure to carcinogens such as mold, contrast media (no longer in use), androgens and oral estrogens, the hepatitis B virus or by damage to the liver due to cirrhosis caused by too much prolonged imbibing of alcohol.

DIAGNOSIS
Liver cancer is difficult to diagnose in the presence of cirrhosis, but several tests can help identify it: The combination of an imaging study (ultrasound, CT, or MRI scans) and an elevated blood level of alpha-fetoprotein will most effectively diagnose liver cancer, electrolyte studies may indicate increased sodium retention, a liver biopsy can make a definitive diagnosis.

TREATMENT
Treatments for primary liver cancer depend on the extent (stage) of the disease, age, overall health, feelings and personal preferences. Surgery is the most effective treatment for primary liver cancer, but this is not always possible due to the size or position of the tumor. Radiofrequency ablation is an option for people with small, unresectable hepatocellular tumors and for some types of metastatic liver cancers. During this procedure, the hepatic artery (the artery from which liver cancers derive their blood supply) is blocked, and chemotherapy drugs are injected between the blockage and the liver. Cryoablation may be an option for people with inoperable primary and metastatic liver cancers. Removing the whole liver and replacing it with a liver from another person is another possible form of treatment for primary liver cancer.

Even when treatments fail to provide much improvement in the liver cancer itself, pain and other signs and symptoms caused by liver cancer can be aggressively treated to improve quality of life. In general, the treatments available for children are the same as for adults, and the best approach depends on the stage and type of cancer as well as the child’s age and overall health.

PROGNOSIS
Prognosis is poor when cancer is advanced, but for small tumors that are confined to the liver, ablative therapies are palliative and surgical resection or liver transplantation is sometimes curative.

Author: Dick Aronson

Pericardial mesothelioma is a form of mesothelioma that affects the lining of the heart,

(pericardium).

Mesothelioma affects various body organs and therefore has several forms including pleural mesothelioma (affecting the lining of the lungs) and peritoneal mesothelioma (affecting the lining of the stomach). However, pericardial mesothelioma, affecting the lining of the heart, is the rarest form of mesothelioma.

How Common is Pericardial Mesothelioma?

Pericardial mesothelioma is the most rare form of mesothelioma, found in less than 10% of Mesothelioma cases (about 200 new cases yearly). Because it is so rare, little research has been conducted to better understand the symptoms of this disease and how it progresses.

How Pericardial Mesothelioma Affects the Body

In pleural mesothelioma, tiny asbestos fibers are inhaled and lodge in the lungs. However, it is not clear how these tiny fibers reach the lining of the heart. One theory is that the asbestos pieces that are inhaled and lodged in the lungs break down and are carried through the bloodstream, lodging in the heart lining. Once this occurs, chronic inflammation leads to the development of cancerous tissue.

Symptoms

Once cancer tumors begin to develop, the tissue expands and fluid accumulation occurs, resulting in:

· Irregular heartbeat

· Chest pain

· Shortness of breath

· Persistent cough

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon cancer, difficult to diagnose, and poorly responsive to treatment. By the time symptoms appear and the cancer is diagnosed, the disease is often advanced. The average survival time is about one year. However, if the cancer is found early and treated aggressively, almost half of the patients reach the two-year mark, and about 20% survive five years.

Author: Lynn Fugaro

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was found to have great heat and fire resistant qualities to it. Unfortunately, studies have shown that long-term exposure to asbestos can lead to serious, if not deadly, health problems.

Generally, exposure to asbestos will affect the lungs and abdominal areas. Here is a breakdown of the more common illness associated with asbestos exposure.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is not a cancer. Rather, it is a long-term illness that causes the lungs to develop scar tissue. This scar tissue can reduce your breathing capacity, making it difficult for oxygen and carbon monoxide to enter and exit the lungs properly. Asbestosis is a slow progressing disease and can take 10 to 20 years to develop after the initial exposure to asbestos. This disease can range from showing little or no symptoms to being potentially fatal. Symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Persistent cough producing mucus
• Tightness in the chest
• Chest pain
• Loss of appetite
• Dry, crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling

Pleural Plaques

The pleura is the thin lining surrounding the lungs. Pleural plaques are changes that occur in that thin lining due to low or intermittent exposure to asbestos. While pleural plaques are not concerned pre-cancerous, or a symptom of a more dangerous ailment to come, they may slightly affect some lung functions.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the most common asbestos-related cancer and accounts for 1 of every 5 deaths among asbestos workers. It may take as much as 40 or 50 years for lung cancer to develop after the initial long-term exposure to asbestos. Asbestos workers who also smoke increase their risk of lung cancer by 50 to 90 times. While it can be very difficult to detect initially, symptoms of lung cancer include:

• Cough producing blood or heavy amounts of phlegm
• Shortness of breath
• Hoarseness when speaking
• Significant weight loss
• Swelling in face or arms
• Severe headaches or migraines
• Vision problems
• Chest, back, neck, stomach or bone pain

Mesothelioma

The mesothelioma is a thin membrane that protects most internal organs (heart, lungs) and lines the body cavity (chest, abdomen). Malignant (cancerous) mesothelioma is commonly associated with long-term exposure to asbestos. As with other health issues relating to asbestos exposure, mesothelioma symptoms may not appear for years or decades. While all asbestos exposure symptoms are similar, a diagnosis of mesothelioma is generally found to be fatal, with death occurring within months.

Author: Patricia Woloch

Appendix cancer has often spread to the peritoneal surfaces of the abdomen by the time it is discovered. The surgery to remove as much of the cancer in the abdomen as possible, reducing the “bulk” of the cancer is called “debulking” or “cytoreduction” surgery. “Cyto” is a word root meaning cells, so cytoreduction means to surgically “reduce” number of cancer cells. Both terms mean the same thing and are usually used interchangeably.
Cytoreduction (debulking) surgery is often long and complicated and is associated with a high rate of post-operative complications. Parts of the large and small bowel along with organs or parts of organs in the abdomen that are cancerous may need to be removed during this surgery.

Cancers of the ovary and fallopian tube tend to spread to the abdominal and pelvic areas. For example, there may be cells found under the diaphragm, on the outsides of digestive organs, or in the omentum, an apron of fatty tissue roughly in front of the small intestine. During cytoreductive surgery, the surgeon carefully looks for all signs of cancer in the abdomen, and removes as much of the tumor as possible. Usually the omentum is removed as well. This makes it more likely that chemotherapy and/or radiation can kill the remaining cancer cells.

The impact of aggressive debulking surgery and cisplatin-based chemotherapy on progression-free survival in stage III and IV ovarian carcinoma
Forty consecutive patients with stage III and IV invasive ovarian carcinoma were treated on a phase II protocol consisting of optimal debulking surgery, induction cisplatin, cisplatin, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (PAC) chemotherapy, 6-month interval laparoscopy, reinduction cisplatin, PAC chemotherapy, and second-look procedure. All 40 patients have either disease progression or have completed the 12- month protocol. Eighty-seven percent of the patients (35) underwent optimal (less than or equal to 2 cm residual) debulking surgery before chemotherapy, in spite of the fact that 50% (20) were referred to Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) as inoperable after initial surgery elsewhere. There were no postoperative deaths and chemotherapy was started in less than or equal to 14 days in 97% of the patients. Of the 40 patients, 30% (12) achieved a pathologic complete remission (11) or a clinical complete remission (one patient refused second-look surgery).

What is “optimal”?
It is not always technically possible to remove most or all of the visible cancer during surgery. However, we have known that combining aggressive surgery with chemotherapy has led to the best cure rates for over 20 years. Over the years, the type of chemotherapy has changed and so has the definition of how aggressive or “optimal” surgery can or should be.
Other Surgery:
Palliative surgery is used to treat complications of advanced disease. It is not intended to cure the cancer. It can also be used to correct a problem that is causing discomfort or disability. This may require surgery for effective relief. Palliative surgery may also be used to treat pain when it is hard to control by other means.
Supportive surgery is used to help with other types of treatment. For example, a vascular access device such as a catheter port can be placed into a vein to help deliver chemotherapy treatments reducing the number of needle sticks needed.

Author: Samnickel6

Brain cancer is a disease of the brain where cancer cells (malignant) grow in the brain tissue. Cancer cells grow to form a mass of cancer tissue (tumor) that interferes with brain tissue functions such as muscle control, sensation, memory, and other normal body functions. Tumors composed of cancer cells are called malignant tumors, and those composed of noncancerous cells are called benign tumors. Cancer cells that develop from brain tissue are called primary brain tumors. Statistics suggest that brain cancer is not rare and is likely to develop in about 20,000 people per year.

There are two main types of brain cancer. Primary brain cancer starts in the brain. Metastatic brain cancer starts somewhere else in the body and moves to the brain. Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that grow quickly.

Although such growths are popularly called brain tumors, not all brain tumors are cancer. Cancer is a term reserved for malignant tumors.

Malignant tumors grow and spread aggressively, overpowering healthy cells by taking their space, blood, and nutrients. (Like all cells of the body, tumor cells need blood and nutrients to survive.)

Primary tumors

The brain is made up of many different types of cells.

Some brain cancers occur when one type of cell transforms from its normal characteristics. Once transformed, the cells grow and multiply in abnormal ways.

As these abnormal cells grow, they become a mass, or tumor.

Causes and Risk Factors

Aside from a known association with exposure to vinyl chloride, there are no known chemical or environmental agents that lead to the development of brain tumors. Genetic mutations and deletions of tumor suppressor genes (i.e., genes that suppress the development of malignant cells) increase the risk for some types of brain cancer.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor vary greatly and depend on the brain tumor’s size, location and rate of growth.

Depending on the location and size of the tumor, symptoms experienced by each patient may vary. Most of the common symptoms are due to increased intracranial pressure as the growing tumor affects surrounding structures:

Frequent headaches (reported by 50% of patients)

Blurry vision

Nausea and/or vomiting

Personality or cognitive changes

Treatment

Treatment for brain cancer depends on the age of the patient, the stage of the disease, the type and location of the tumor, and whether the cancer is a primary tumor or brain metastases. The treatment plan is developed by the oncology team and the patient. Treatment involves any combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Some tumors require several different surgical procedures, and some can be treated with radiation alone.

Before treatment begins, most patients are given steroids, drugs that relieve swelling or edema. Your may receive anticonvulsant medicine to prevent or control seizures. If hydrocephalus is present, you may need a shunt to drain cerebrospinal fluid. A shunt is a long, thin tube placed in a ventricle of the brain and then threaded under the skin to another part of the body, usually the abdomen. It works like a drainpipe. Excess fluid is carried away from the brain and is absorbed in the abdomen. In some cases, the fluid is drained into the heart.

Author: Peterhutch

Peritoneal mesothelioma is also referred to as abdominal mesothelioma and it is a form of rear cancer that affects the lining of the abdomen making fluid to build up. In the United States, only 100 to 500 cases of this illness are reported. Some of the signs that you can look out for to recognize this disease are weight loss, swelling or pain in the abdomen, fever, anemia and bowel obstruction. Some other symptoms may be minor and you may not realize them. The major cause of this diseased is believed to be the exposure to asbestos which can be ingested in the intestines or inhaled. However, there is no conclusive evidence that these is the cause and therefore nothing official.

If you suspect to have peritoneal mesothelioma, you are advised to see a doctor immediately to avert an imminent crisis. It has been reported that 70% to 80% of people who suffer from the illness have been exposed to asbestos at some point in their lives. Patients are advised to mention if they have come into contact with the substance. It is very difficult to diagnose the illness. The first thing a doctor orders is a chest and an abdomen x ray. Then the lungs are tested because the tumor forms near the organs to cause shortness of breath. Usually a thoracoscopy is performed. This is a test that is done that sees an object called a thoracoscope inserted in the chest cavity to search for the disease. The patient is under local anesthesia and the procedure is usually painless.

In the same way, the doctor may look inside the abdomen but, this procedure is called peritoneoscopy. Also the patient is put under local anesthesia. Both procedures are done in a hospital. During these procedures, a biopsy is usually done. A biopsy is the testing of a sample tissue under a microscope, to find out whether there are cancer cells. Therefore, some tissues of the affected area are usually cut to provide the samples. There are a lot of mis diagnosis for peritoneal mesothelioma because of the complex nature in diagonizing it. Peritoneal mesothelioma is fatal depending on the size of the cancer. There are treatments available and with the right follow up, a patient can recover totally.

There are several treatment options and, they include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy and others. Surgery is one of the best way to cure a malignant tumor and, there are several ways to do it with surgery. There are over 5 surgical procedures to treat peritoneal mesothelioma. High energy gamma rays and x rays are used to treat the disease and this therapy is called radiation. There are several kinds of radiation treatments and according to the uniqueness of each case, many treatments are administered. A patient can be treated using drugs to kill the cancer and this is called chemotherapy. The drugs can be administered orally or through injections. Some of these treatments can leave a patient very weak. Another side effect is loss of hair.

Author: Muna wa Wanjiru

On the internet, there is a lot of mesothelioma information and reading through various sites will give you so much insight. Mesothelioma is a lung cancer and is also known as asbestos cancer. Even though malignant mesothelioma is uncommon, a certain percentage of people suffer from the disease and this kind is the worse because it responds poorly to therapy. Mesothelial cells can be found on the lining of the chest, heart and abdominal cavity. Therefore, when these cells are abnormally produced, they will increase the fluid as well as create tumors in the cells. The tumors can be non cancerous or benign and they can be cancerous or malignant. It is especially difficult to diagnose the disease.

There is mesothelioma information that links asbestos to the disease. There has been conclusive study to show that asbestos will cause the illness. J.C Wagner has documented 32 cases of workers in South Africa at asbestos hills. And each worker confirmed that the exposure of asbestos will give rise to symptoms of the disease. The disease will manifest itself in 3 common places and they are the lungs, abdomen and heart. Peritoneal mesothelioma is the disease that affects the abdomen. Mesothelioma information will tell you who is at risk of the disease. Firstly, due to the association of asbestos to the cancer, people who work around the compound will be at a very high risk. It is said that even little contact will play a major role in ensuring the disease starts and continues.

People who inhale the asbestos dust are also at risk and the workers who are more likely to come into contact with the substance are insulators, boilermakers, ship fitters, steel workers, maintenance workers, pipe fitters and brake mechanics. This people can also put their families at risk when they come into contact with cloths or equipment that has been exposed. It is said that most workers do not know they are working with asbestos and it is therefore a responsibility of the company which contracts people to take the necessary precautions including informing the workers to be more careful. There is treatment available and like many other illnesses early detection will ensure that you have a bigger chance of total recovery.

There are several factors that will determine whether the disease will be managed effectively. The first is the age of the person and the older the person is, the more difficult it can be to treat although not in all cases. The appearance of the cells under a microscope will be vital. If the illness is responding well to treatment, then there is more hope for the disease to be totally cured. The other most vital factors are the location of the cancer, size and spread. There is so much much mesothelioma information for you to look at. You can get to know what your legal rights are and get the latest updates on the subject. Information will always empower you to make better decisions and know what to expect. There are very many other resources to read apart from the internet.

Author: Muna wa Wanjiru

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by asbestos and it affects the lining of the abdomen, the lungs and the heart. When the cancer is malignant, it can be fatal and you are advised to see the doctor immediately you notice the symptoms of this illness. There are very many mesothelioma symptoms and you need to make sure you know them in order to help yourself or someone else. When the condition affects the lungs, the patient will have excess fluid in their lungs and they can have a dry cough and the doctor examination will reveal that the breath sounds are silent while the tapping on the chest will reveal a dull sound. The normal sound is supposed to be hollow.

In the abdomen, patients will experience a mass and discomfort. Pain is usually a major symptom and patients will also experience irritable bowel syndrome. There will also be feelings of fever and fatigue. Many will be sure that something is wrong but, cannot point a finger at what exactly is wrong. All these symptoms will happen 20 to 50 years after you are exposed to asbestos and therefore it is more difficult than other diseases. The mesothelioma symptoms are similar to other diseases like flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease and many others. There are other mesothelioma symptoms and some patients could present with more symptoms than than the ones that are known.

Other symptoms include the lack of appetite and difficulties in sleeping. Since the disease will affect many parts of the body, the throat will also be affected and the person may have difficulty swallowing. Others will experience a husky voice and they should get checked out to rule out other diseases that it could be. The two most common problems that will see a patient seek medical help are the lack of breathe and the persistent coughing which are caused by the tumors in the lungs because they are not able to expand properly. It is said that the difficulty to sleep causes the loss of appetite and the lack of appetite will cause weight loss.

The abdominal illness will cause vomiting and also lack of appetite which will eventually lead to weight loss. Heart palpitations are other mesothelioma symptoms and they will present a lot discomfort in a patient. With all these symptoms, you need to make sure that you do not have the disease but, if you have it, there is hope because the treatments are widely available for you. When you experience all the mesothelioma symptoms, do not conclude that you are sick. When you visit a doctor, he will undertake so many other tests including a biopsy. Then you need to be checked and the conclusion will take sometime but, it will be conclusive. The tumors can be cancerous or malignant and they can also be benign or non cancerous. It is good for you to get regular check ups by the doctor and you do not have to wait for you to start showing signs of an illness. The most vital thing however is to stay away from asbestos and tell others to do the same.

Author: Muna wa Wanjiru

Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer the affects the mesothelium which is a protective cover for many internal organs including the intestines, heart, lungs and others. The disease is associated with asbestos and majority of all cases have come into contact with the substance either through contact or inhaling it. When a factory worker handles asbestos, he risks exposing it to his family and therefore it becomes a very serious issue when so many people have to suffer. This is one of the cancer that affects the lungs and is not associated with smoking. Generally, the disease is quite rare and in the United States, only 2,000 cases are diagnosed annually and the disease is more common in men than in women. It has been found that you can be exposed to asbestos and 30 or 50 years later, will be when you start experiencing the symptoms of the disease.

Therefore, the major risk factor to getting mesothelioma is working near asbestos. If you have no idea what asbestos is, then you need to know that it is a name given to a group of minerals and they occur naturally. Their strong fibers can be woven because they are very flexible. They are used in industries to produce various products like roof shingles, brake linings, cement, flooring products, textiles and insulation. Many workers in this industry can inhale the fibers and some may be trapped in their cloths. When the disease had not been discovered, many people used to suffer and they all seemed to work in the asbestos mining industry. When the cause was established, safety measures were put in place and workers in the U.S wear personal protective equipment and are only exposed to acceptable amounts of asbestos.

Workers also take other safety measures like showering and changing cloths before they leave their work areas. This enables them to reduce the risk of exposing the asbestos to their families. The symptoms of mesothelioma vary from the specific organs they affect and in the chest, you will experience shortness of breathe and intense pain. In the abdomen, you will have bowel obstruction, blood clotting, anemia, lack of appetite and weight loss. There will be a host of other symptoms like swelling of the face and trouble while swallowing. You are advised not to hesitate but, to see a specialist who will make recommendations for treatment if you are suffering from a form of mesothelioma.

Once you visit the doctor, he will do a test for mesothelioma and it is one of the most difficult tests to do. Very many diseases have similar symptoms and this is the reason why it is so hard to diagnose. Your history will provide the major clue as to whether, you have had asbestos exposure. A series of x rays will be performed as well as a host of other examinations. A biopsy will determine whether the cells are noncancerous in your body and if they are cancerous, you will be advised on the way forward. There are many treatment options available and you can recover completely from this disease. The options are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and others which have not been approved.

Author: Muna wa Wanjiru