|
 |
 |
How To Spot Lung Cancer Early
Parade
January 14, 2007
By: Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld
Lung cancer is one of the most deadly malignancies, killing 1 million people worldwide every year. Heavy smokers, current and former, are vulnerable, as is anyone who has been chronically exposed to secondhand smoke, asbestos, uranium or radon. Lung cancer can be cured only if it is removed surgically in its earliest stages. By the time it shows up on a regular chest X-ray, it's usually too late.
But now, tiny curable lung cancers can be detected in vulnerable individuals by a spiral CT scan of the lungs. I have several patients continue to be cancer-free years after their tumor was detected by such a scan.
In a recent study, CT scans of 32,000 men and women at high risk for lung cancer detected 484 cancers; 85% of them were at a very early stage. When such tumors are removed in time, the estimated survival rate for these patients is 92% for a 10-year period. By comparison, 95% of those whose lung cancers are diagnosed only after symptoms develop die within five years. Anyone at risk for lung cancer should have a spiral CT scan of the lungs every year.
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
Cancer Patient Awarded Millions
Patsy Bates never thought her battle with cancer would lead to a groundbreaking arbitration decision that awarded her $9.3 million. “I was David, and they were Goliath. And I won,” says Bates, referring to her unlikely victory against Health Net Inc., one of California’s largest insurers. Read more...
PSA Variability: A new factor
It’s a simple question, but for many men who choose to have the prostate-specific antigen blood test to screen for prostate cancer, there is no simple answer. Read more...
New Colon Cancer Screening Guides Issued
Medical experts recommended Wednesday that a less invasive procedure known as a virtual colonoscopy and a stool DNA test join the arsenal of screenings for colon cancer in the hopes that more people would get checked out. Read more...
Certain Symptoms may be Early Signs of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer has long been called a “silent killer,” because symptoms are thought to develop only after the disease has reached an advanced stage and is largely incurable. Read more...
Cancer Death Rates Dropping Fast
A turning point came in 2002, scientists conclude Monday in the annual “Report of the Nation” on cancer. Between 2002 and 2004, death rates dropped by an average of 2.1% a year. Read more...
Jefferson Team Finds Colon Cancer a Disease of Hormone Deficiency
Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have found new evidence suggesting that colon cancer is actually a disease of missing hormones that could potentially be treated by hormone replacement therapy. Read more...
More Proof that Prempro causes Breast Cancer
Another study has confirmed that the recent drop in breast cancer rates is due to reduced use of combination hormone therapy (CHT) such as Prempro, has criticized similar studied by claiming they fail to account for a decline in screening mammography. Read more...
A Not-So-Silent Killer
Activists won a fight to have the medical establishment recognize that ovarian cancer has early symptoms. But that is only half the battle. Read more...
How To Spot Lung Cancer Early
Lung cancer is one of the most deadly malignancies, killing 1 million people worldwide every year. Heavy smokers, current and former, are vulnerable, as is anyone who has been chronically exposed to secondhand smoke, asbestos, uranium or radon. Lung cancer can be cured only if it is removed surgically in its earliest stages. By the time it shows up on a regular chest X-ray, it's usually too late. Read more...
BRAIN CANCER SAID TO BE LINKED TO CHEMICAL PLANTS
Two suits recently been filed in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania against Rohm and Haas Chemicals. Read more...
A Major Advance on Breast Cancer
A drug that targets only diseased cells has proven effective against an aggressive form of early breast cancer - a long-sought breakthrough that has doctors talking about helping thousands of women each year in this country alone. Read more...
Biopsy Marker May Predict Breast Cancer's Course
A new tumor-cell biomarker may predict how well women do after they're diagnosed with breast cancer, researchers report. It might also prove to be a valuable target for therapy, they added. Read more...
Red Meat and Colorectal Cancer Risk Confirmed
People who eat red meat and processed meat have an increased of developing colorectal cancer, according to the results of a large review of the published literature, which will be published in the International Journal of Cancer. Read more... |
| |
|
|
