Each year, more than two million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer. The earlier the disease is detected, the easier …
javahut healthy feed
A New Way to Screen for Skin Cancer
Reply
Tag Archives: Cancer
Breast Cancer Awareness Beauty Products: Which Ones Are Worth It?
Every October, the pink ribbons seem to multiply. On t-shirts, bags of chips — even hair straighteners. Believe me, I’m …
javahut healthy feed
Major Breast Cancer News: What You Need to Know
Amazing research alert: There are four genetically distinct classes of breast cancers, according to an article published in the journal Nature. These findings will impact how doctors approach cancer treatment going forward.
“Knowing about the different classes of tumors means doctors can tailor a patient’s therapy so that it’s more individualized,” says Alyssa Gillego, M.D., breast surgeon at Beth Israel Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City. That means better targeted—read: more accurate, less risky—approaches, depending on your tumor type. (One harmless way to stay on top of your breast health? Take the Touch Yourself Challenge.)
For instance, one class of cancer cells is called Basal-like, or triple-negative. The researchers determined that it genetically resembles a certain type of ovarian cancer. Currently, it’s commonly treated with a class of chemotherapy drugs called Anthracyclines, which are associated with increased risk of heart disease. But knowing that Basal-like cells resemble ovarian cancer cells, which aren’t typically treated with Anthracyclines, researchers can begin to study whether there are alternative ways (with fewer side effects) to treat basal-type cancers.
All that being said, the four genetic differences between breast cancer tumors aren’t exactly breaking news to most cancer specialists. “Women are treated based on these four categories already,” says Gillego.
What makes this study newsworthy, then, isn’t so much the nitty-gritty findings, but that it serves as further evidence to support the need for personalized medicine, an increasingly popular philosophy in patient care. While many doctors now support this philosophy, some still exist who aren’t as up-to-date and prefer to treat patients wholesale, rather than as individuals.
For example, traditionally tumor size has dictated whether a patient receives chemotherapy, says Gillego. “If the tumor was a centimeter in diameter, you automatically got chemotherapy, regardless of genetics. There are people in other parts of the world, and even some parts of this country, who still practice like that.” The problem with this approach, as supported by the study findings, is that chemotherapy doesn’t actually work on all tumors. Some need hormone therapy. Some just need surgery. Some need a combination of all or some of the above. The bottom line, though, is that one size does not fit all when it comes to cancer treatments. And ultimately, the more research that exists that supports the need for genetics-based, individualized treatments, the better for the future of cancer care.
In the meantime, if you find yourself facing a breast cancer diagnosis, Gillego recommends seeking treatment from a breast cancer specialist at a cancer center. Cancer centers tend to have integrated teams, where oncologists, radiologist, surgeons, and other specialists all work together closely. “Integrated teams are better set up to provide patient-centered therapy,” she says. Just what the doctor ordered.
photo: Hemera/Thinkstock
More from WH:
7 Ways to Keep Your Breasts Healthy
Should You Get a Mammogram?
18 Self Checks Every Woman Should Do
Find easy ways to look and feel good fast in Dr. Oz’s book You Being Beautiful
Should You Get Screened for Ovarian Cancer?
A new recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent group of national experts, says that most women should not get routinely screened for the fifth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women: ovarian cancer.
Why? It turns out that regular screenings do not reduce the number of deaths from ovarian cancer in the general population, and can actually do more harm than good, according to the findings of a 13-year study which followed 78,216 women, half of whom were screened annually.
Although the task force made the same recommendation in 2004, many women are still screened on an annual basis, hoping that it will catch ovarian cancer early on and potentially save their lives. After all, the American Cancer Society estimates about 15,500 women will die of ovarian cancer this year.
“Too many women are dying needlessly from ovarian cancer,” says radiologist Margaret Cuomo, MD, author of the upcoming A World Without Cancer (available this fall) and sister of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. So how can you take preventative measures in light of the new recommendations? Here, Cuomo weighs in:
Why don’t regular ovarian cancer screenings reduce the number of related deaths?
Currently, the screening methods for ovarian cancer include a blood test called CA-125 and transvaginal ultrasounds. And they are far from perfect, says Cuomo. Low-risk women who regularly undergo blood tests and transvaginal ultrasounds generally aren’t diagnosed any earlier than are women who are not screened annually. About 72% of the cancers that are found through annual screenings are already in the late stage of diagnosis, according to the study. False negatives are to blame. “There’s such an urgency for finding that biomarker, that test that will detect ovarian cancer in its earliest stages,” says Cuomo.
What harm could screening do?
It turns out a lot–particularly if your test delivers false-positive results. In the study, about 10 percent of the women who were screened experienced false-positive results, leading a third of those women to undergo unnecessary surgery. Moreover, 15 percent of them experienced at least one serious complication from that surgery. According to Cuomo, blood tests can deliver false-positive results in women in pregnant women or those with uterine fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, or tuberculosis, while transvaginal ultrasounds can return false positives for benign cysts.
Is there anyone who should be regularly screened?
Yes, but only if you’re at high risk. “The tests aren’t perfect, but they are all we have right now,” says Cuomo. “If you are at high risk for ovarian cancer you should use whatever is available to you.” Also, ask your doctor about screening if you experience any symptoms of ovarian cancer, such as irregular vaginal bleeding, persistent urinary or bowel problems, or continued bloating, pelvic, and back pain.
What factors put a woman at high risk for developing ovarian cancer?
Your family history of ovarian cancer—and breast cancer—can greatly influence your ovarian cancer risk. That’s because both cancers can develop from BRCA1 and BRCA2 hereditary gene mutations. (Genetic testing can determine if you have these genetic mutations.) While you can’t change your genes, eating a healthy diet can decrease your risk of ovarian cancer, says Cuomo. Because the chance of developing (and dying) from ovarian cancer is higher in obese women, exercise could also contribute to a reduced risk. Also, as oral contraception use and pregnancy correlate with a lower risk, some experts believe that ovulation could contribute to the development of ovarian cancer.
photo: Photodisc/Photodisc/Thinkstock
More from WH:
Foods that Lower Cancer Risk
Ovarian Cancer Causes
Surviving Breast Cancer
18 Self Checks Every Woman Should Do
Happenings: Electoral Coffee Cups, Remembering 9-11 (from Space), and Standing Up to Cancer
When you aren’t massaging a heap of kale into submission (a dinosaur, indeed!), swinging by Sephora to get your skin …
javahut healthy feed
“I Am a Breast Cancer Survivor…”
Are you currently battling breast cancer? Are you a breast cancer survivor? Share your journey with us by emailing breastcancerstories@rodale.com. Your story may be featured in an upcoming article on WomensHealthMag.com.
Please include the following information in your email…
*A photo of yourself
*Name
*Diagnosed at what age?
*Currently at which stage or NED (No evidence of disease)?
*Your current age
*City/State where you live
*Three sentences about yourself
*Inspirations
*Advice to new patients
*How I’ve changed
*What I’m proud of
*What I wish everyone knew
Thank you for sharing your breast cancer story with us (breastcancerstories@rodale.com).
Photo: iStockPhoto/Thinkstock
Are Your Office Lights Giving You Skin Cancer?
If you’re like, ehem, many people we know, you’ve spent the bulk of your summer glued to your desk chair. And while you may wish you had more time to bask in the warm weather and acquire a sun-kissed glow, you suck it up. After all, every moment in the office means one less in the sun’s harmful UV rays. Right?
Turns out, not quite. In fact, new research suggests that your skin could be endangered indoors–especially if energy-efficient compact-fluorescent (CFL) bulbs light your office. According to a new study from State University of New York, Stony Brook, these bulbs could expose skin to damaging sun-like radiation, thus adding to the world’s skin-cancer woes. (And P.S.: They’re not so great for your eyes, either. Here’s how to save your peepers.)
To find out which bulbs are suspect and get the full scientific scoop, check out Rodale.com. And in the meantime, take the precautions from the study’s lead author Miriam Rafailovich, PhD, professor in the department of material science and engineering, who says that slathering on sunscreen at the office isn’t necessary. Instead, here’s how to protect your skin:
• Keep your desk lamps at arm’s length. “You shouldn’t sit closer than a foot to these bulbs,” says Rafailovich. The UV rays don’t spread much farther than that. That distance helps if you’re using CFLs in an overhead light fixture, which is far enough away to keep them from doing much damage.
• Invest in some glass shades. Glass shades prevent UV rays from penetrating much better than plastic or cloth lampshades, she adds.
• Go au naturel. Avoid the whole light bulb issue entirely by letting in as much natural light as possible. At home, you can hang mirrors to reflect light, brighten spaces by applying a fresh coat of soft white paint, and pull more outdoor light into your rooms by opening blinds. Throw open the shades at your office, too. Many office windows have something called a low-e coating, which helps buildings save energy and has the added benefit of blocking most of the UV radiation from sunlight.
photo: Hemera/Thinkstock
More from WH:
What’s Your Skin Cancer Risk?
Sunscreen Questions Answered
18 Self Checks Every Woman Should Do
Look Better Naked: Buy the book to learn how to look (and feel!) your very best.
The Drink that Fights Cancer
Before you soak up the sun this weekend, finish your coffee. The strong stuff can reduce your risk of developing the most common type of skin cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer Research. Don’t worry, it can be iced.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School followed 112,897 people for more than 20 years over which 20% of participants developed basal cell carcinoma. People who drank three cups or more of caffeinated coffee each day had the lowest risk of developing the skin cancer. Female coffee addicts slashed their risk of developing basal cell carcinoma by 21%. Here’s what you should know before you place your next coffee order:
How does coffee prevent basal cell carcinoma?
Caffeine is to thank for the coffee’s preventative effect, says study co-author and epidemiologist Jiali Han, PhD. Good thing you never liked decaf anyway! Studies done on animals have shown that caffeine kills and helps eliminate UV-damaged cells, reducing the risk of basal cell carcinoma. While researchers also looked at the effects of caffeine consumption from tea, soda, and chocolate, any and all caffeine-carrying foods should decrease risk of the cancer.
However, you’d have to down three bottles of soda (or 20 servings of chocolate!) to score the amount of caffeine found in just one cup of coffee. No wonder why coffee accounts for about 80% of all caffeine consumed in the United States. Not a fan of Joe? Opt for tea. While tea contains just one-third of the amount of caffeine found in coffee, tea still offers plenty of cancer- and age-fighting antioxidants. (Read more about the best kind of tea for your health.)
How much coffee should I drink?
Three cups a day will keep the basal cell carcinoma away. Well, not quite. But it will help–and deliver a bevy of other healthful benefits. Besides preventing basal cell carcinoma, caffeine can help prevent type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, dementia, and depression, Han says. “Skin-cancer prevention alone isn’t reason enough to drink coffee, but it’s one of many pieces of evidence showing that drinking coffee is beneficial to ones health,” he says. Plus, coffee tastes better than the mystery formula in your 5-hour ENERGY shot. But still, there’s no need to go overboard: Studies have shown that more than five cups of coffee can be unhealthy.
What should I order?
Here’s one more reason to stick to your Starbuck’s habit: Its coffees have the highest caffeine content of the popular coffeehouse chains, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Guzzle a grande Pike Place roast or Clover brewed coffee and you’ll score 330mg of caffeine. Don’t bother with blended beverages: Besides being loaded with sugar and calories, they don’t pack much coffee—or caffeine. (If you’re seriously craving a blended treat, try one of these healthy smoothie recipes.)
What else can I do to prevent basal cell carcinoma?
Sunscreen is still your friend, and your first defense in preventing basal cell carcinoma, Han says. What’s more, the study found that caffeine doesn’t reduce the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma, and sun exposure is the primary cause of basal cell carcinoma, which affects about 2.8 million Americans a year. In fact, it’s the most frequently occurring form of all cancers.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
More from WH:
Better-for-You Iced Coffee
Sun-Fighting Superfoods
Reverse Sun Damage
18 Self Checks Every Woman Should Do
Learn new abs exercises with The Women’s Health Big Book of Abs. Order now!
Freak-Out Fridays: Do Chlorinated Pools Cause Cancer?
Editor’s note: Remember the good old days of blissful ignorance, when you could bite into a bratwurst without worrying about …
javahut healthy feed
Caffeine With Exercise Reduces Skin Cancer
Caffeine With Exercise Reduces Skin Cancer
Of course protecting yourself from UV rays is your best defense against skin cancer, but a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) suggests exercise combined with caffeine consumption could cut …
Read more on FitSugar.com
PepsiCo Aims to Bring Urban Cool to Mountain Dew Image: Retail
Now it's working to broaden the sugary, caffeine- laced drink's appeal to a wider, more diverse, array of young soda consumers. In a marketing push featuring hip-hop singer Lil Wayne and street skateboarder Paul Rodriguez, PepsiCo is hoping Mountain …
Read more on Bloomberg