Cancer - the very word cancer gives some people a weak feeling in the knees. Why? The survival rates for most cancer is not very good. Most people today are more than aware of this and thus the fear associated with the term cancer.
Penile cancer is the topic of this article. Cancer of the penis is something that most men do not wish to think about much less discuss. Unfortunately, it does exist and there are specific causes that lead to it. If the reader wishes to investigate the several causes of penile cancer they can enter the term into any search engine of their choice.
The causative factor for penile cancer that we are concentrating on for this article is smokeless tobacco. Tobacco plays a very important role in squamous cell cancer of the penis. Chewing tobacco or using dry or moist snuff.
Just how important a role does smokeless tobacco play in the development of penile cancer? One study has shown that 34% of tobacco chewers as compared to those who do not use tobacco in a controlled study developed penile cancer. This percentage was over twice the percentage for those who do not use tobacco.
All forms of tobacco use have been shown to significantly increase the incidence of penile cancer [BRITISH JOURNAL OF UROLOGY (London), Volume 75, Number 3: Pages 375-377, March 1995].
Let us cover a general examination of the role tobacco use in any form contributes to the susceptibility to penile cancer. Penile cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the penis. Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor.
Risk factors of tobacco use in any form in developing penile cancer.
The penis is a rod-shaped male reproductive organ. Sperm and urine pass from the body through the penis. It contains two types of erectile tissue (spongy tissue with blood vessels that fill with blood to make an erection):
1) Corpora cavernosa: The two columns of erectile tissue that form most of the penis.
2) Corpus spongiosum: The single column of erectile tissue that forms a small portion of the penis. The corpus spongiosum surrounds the urethra (the tube through which urine and sperm pass from the body).
The erectile tissue is wrapped in connective tissue and covered with skin. The glans (head of the penis) is covered with loose skin called the foreskin.
There are several factors that can cause penile cancer but the focus of this article is that of tobacco use in any form.
Possible signs of penile cancer include:
!) sores
2) discharge
3) bleeding.
These and other symptoms may be caused by penile cancer. Other conditions may cause the same symptoms. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:
1) Redness
2) irritation
3) a sore on the penis.
4) a lump on the penis
The following tests that examine the penis are used to detect and diagnose penile cancer:
1) Physical exam and history: An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking the penis for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual.
2) A history of the patient’s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken.
3) Biopsy: The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer
The chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following:
1) The stage of the cancer.
2) The location and size of the tumor.
3) Whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has come back.
Anyone who desires further information of the dangers of smokeless tobacco and the effects it has on the human body can review a FREE eBook on the subject at the following link:
"Stop Using Smokeless Tobacco Now!"
In summary, the use of tobacco in any form is a risk factor for penile carcinoma. Tobacco may exert its action through its metabolites, or directly after systemic absorption. Use of more than one form of tobacco multiplies the risk of development of penile carcinoma.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zachary_Malott
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Breast Cancer Chemotherapy and the Endocrine System | breast cancer husband
Cancer chemotherapy affects the function of the ovaries in pre-menopause, specifically its ability to produce estrogen and progesterone. The ovaries secrete these hormones in a cyclic manner in response to trigger hormones produced by the pituitary gland. During the later part of a woman's reproductive life, during her late 40s or early 50s, the ovaries no longer produce these hormones and she is thus entering menopause. This process, where the ovaries shut down their sex hormone production, takes several months to a year or so to happen. The gradual decrease in estrogen and progesterone is usually accompanied by menopausal symptoms such as cessation of menstrual periods, hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Undergoing chemotherapy may accelerate menopause. This basically means that at the very same time a woman is handling a breast cancer diagnosis, she must deal with the changes and possible undesirable effects of the menopause. The same is true for woman on hormone replacement therapy who must abruptly stop her hormone treatment due to the diagnosis of breast cancer.
The association between breast cancer and endocrine status is complex and varies with every woman. The standard therapy for a recently diagnosed breast cancer patient is to stop hormone replacement therapy. This is because it has been found from numerous researches that estrogen increases the risk or breast cancer. In the past, women with breast cancer were advised not to resume hormone replacement therapy or begin it. Fortunately, this practice has changed and nowadays, treatment is based on each woman's individual situation. Nevertheless, you must consider the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy in relation to your disease.
Chemotherapy in younger women often produces symptoms of menopause that can be distressing and debilitating. Fortunately, women suffering from these symptoms can turn to Eastern medicine for relief. Certain herbal medicines used for many years by Eastern medical practitioners contain estrogen-like substances called phytoestrogens. Some of these herbs relieve symptoms without having any cancer promoting effects of estrogen. A few of these herbs are gotu kola and oil of evening primrose.
A lot of women have also found that through dietary modifications, they experience fewer hot flashes. Soy and soy products contain genistein, an estrogen-like substance. It is much less potent than the estrogen produced by the ovaries, but it does have the ability to improve hot flashes to varying degrees in most women.
After chemotherapy, many women will experience vaginal dryness as a result of estrogen deficiency. There are a number of effective vaginal moisturizers that can alleviate this symptom. Estrogen vaginal cream provides an excellent remedy, but in such cases, estrogen is absorbed systematically, which is usually contraindicated in the setting of breast cancer. The thinner the vaginal membranes, the more quickly estrogen is absorbed, thereby allowing large amounts to enter the body. New products are available on the market today in the form of a slow-releasing formulation estrogen vaginal inserts which may provide minimal amounts of estrogen to the body. These agents help ease the discomfort of dryness but do not provide so much estrogen as to stimulate growth in the cancer cells and interfere with treatment. You may want to discuss with your oncologist regarding treatment options when you are experiencing these adverse effects of chemotherapy on your endocrine function.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
The association between breast cancer and endocrine status is complex and varies with every woman. The standard therapy for a recently diagnosed breast cancer patient is to stop hormone replacement therapy. This is because it has been found from numerous researches that estrogen increases the risk or breast cancer. In the past, women with breast cancer were advised not to resume hormone replacement therapy or begin it. Fortunately, this practice has changed and nowadays, treatment is based on each woman's individual situation. Nevertheless, you must consider the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy in relation to your disease.
Chemotherapy in younger women often produces symptoms of menopause that can be distressing and debilitating. Fortunately, women suffering from these symptoms can turn to Eastern medicine for relief. Certain herbal medicines used for many years by Eastern medical practitioners contain estrogen-like substances called phytoestrogens. Some of these herbs relieve symptoms without having any cancer promoting effects of estrogen. A few of these herbs are gotu kola and oil of evening primrose.
A lot of women have also found that through dietary modifications, they experience fewer hot flashes. Soy and soy products contain genistein, an estrogen-like substance. It is much less potent than the estrogen produced by the ovaries, but it does have the ability to improve hot flashes to varying degrees in most women.
After chemotherapy, many women will experience vaginal dryness as a result of estrogen deficiency. There are a number of effective vaginal moisturizers that can alleviate this symptom. Estrogen vaginal cream provides an excellent remedy, but in such cases, estrogen is absorbed systematically, which is usually contraindicated in the setting of breast cancer. The thinner the vaginal membranes, the more quickly estrogen is absorbed, thereby allowing large amounts to enter the body. New products are available on the market today in the form of a slow-releasing formulation estrogen vaginal inserts which may provide minimal amounts of estrogen to the body. These agents help ease the discomfort of dryness but do not provide so much estrogen as to stimulate growth in the cancer cells and interfere with treatment. You may want to discuss with your oncologist regarding treatment options when you are experiencing these adverse effects of chemotherapy on your endocrine function.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
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