Posts Tagged ‘Death’

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Throat Cancer Does Not Really Exist - But You Have To Be Cautious.

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Actually there is no such medical illness called ?throat cancer?, although several sorts of cancer can arise in the throat and neck. The proper medical term for the throat is the ?pharynx?, which can be defined as: ‘the channel that ensures that food and drink go to the stomach and air to and from the lungs’.

The pharynx is made up of three parts: the oropharynx (the back of the mouth, including the soft palate and back of the tongue); nasopharynx (connecting the back of the nose to the back of the mouth); laryngopharynx (connecting the oropharynx and nasopharynx to the beginning of the gullet (oesophagus) and the windpipe (trachea) via the voice box (larynx)).

The laryngopharynx is occasionally called the hypopharynx. ?Throat cancer? can be cancer of any of these, although the most common form of ?throat cancer? is nasopharyngeal cancer.

Just to make the term ?throat cancer? even more inadequate and puzzling, some individuals apply it to cancer of the thyroid gland (situated at the front of the base of the neck), cancer of the voice box (larynx), cancer of the gullet or cancer of the windpipe (trachea), which actually comes into the lung cancer group.

Most head and neck cancerous cells are squamous, which is to say that they do not travel far from their origin, although they often have an impact on the lymph nodes. In fact, the first symptom of head or throat cancer is frequently an enlarged neck lymph node, which is also occasionally called throat cancer.

A different sign could be the appearance of white areas or spots in the mouth that will not respond to medication. Known as leukoplakia, 33% of them become cancerous. It is estimated that 7,000 Americans die of a throat cancer each year, often because it was detected late. Ethnicity might also play a part, since African American men are 50% more at risk of throat cancer than Caucasian men.

These cancers are relatively painless in early stages and can be confused with toothache, earache, sore throat or croakiness. Once established however, they develop very quickly, although if caught at an early stage, they can almost always be successfully removed.

There is a wide variety of reasons why someone can be at a greater risk for a throat cancer, including smoking; chewing tobacco and other things, such as betel nut, gutkha, marijuana or pan; heavy alcohol consumption; poor diet resulting in vitamin deficiencies (worse if this is caused by heavy alcohol intake); weakened immune system; asbestos exposure; prolonged exposure to wood dust or paint fumes; exposure to petroleum, industrial chemicals, and being more than the age of 55 years.

The existence of acid reflux disease (gastroesphogeal reflux disease - GERD) or larynx reflux disease can also be a major factor. In the case of acid reflux disease, stomach acids flow up into the oesophagus and damage its lining, making it more liable to throat cancer.

Because successful treatment depends on early detection, routine oral examination is suggested. Your dentist will have been trained to be on the look out for early symptoms, making a bi-annual visit to the dentist even more worthwhile

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on quite a few subjects, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

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Melanoma: Skin Cancer By Another Name

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

Melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer and skin cancer is the most widespread kind of cancer in the Western world. It starts in skin cells called melanocytes.

Melanocytes are situated under the skin, which is made up of two strata: the epidermis on the outside and the dermis below that. To be accurate, melanocytes are found in the lowest strata of the epidermis, but not actually in the dermis.

These cells produce melanin, which has an effect on the epidermis? pigmentation, both natural skin colour and because of exposure to the sun as in tanning.

Sometimes, a group of near-by melanocytes combine with a little local tissue to form a mole (also called a nevus; plural nevi). The average individual has between ten and forty moles, which usually seem before the fortieth birthday. They often fade or disappear with age.

Moles are non-malignant (non-cancerous) and can be flat or raised in shape and almost any colour. Usually, they are a little darker than one?s natural skin colour. Dark skinned individuals tend to have more moles.

Cancer begins in cells where the regular cycle of decay and replacement by regeneration has been disrupted. In these conditions, cells do not always die when they should and new cells are produced needlessly.

This, in turn, produces a growth (also called a tumor), which can be either benign or malignant (that is to say cancerous or non-cancerous).

Benign tumors can be surgically removed and hardly ever come back. They do not spread or affect adjacent tissue.

Malignant tumors are cancerous and can have an effect on adjacent tissue and organs. In these cases, cancerous cells can break away from the primary tumor and affect other organs or enter the blood stream (lymphatic system), whereby it will spread to other parts of the body (metastasis) very quickly. The rate of metastasis is a deciding factor in how a surgeon deals with cancer.

Melanoma happens when melanocytes become malignant. It can occur at any age, but the likelihood rise with age. Fair-skinned people are more probable to develop it than dark-skinned people. In fair-skinned races, men tend to get it on the torso and neck, whereas women get it on their calves (lower legs).

Dark-skinned people hardly ever suffer from melanoma, but if they do, it is usually under the finger and toe nails or on the soles of the feet or palms of the hands. When cancerous cells from melanoma enter the lymphatic system and affect other organs, it is still attributed to melanoma. For instance, if the liver becomes affected by cancerous cells from melanoma, it is referred to as metastatic melanoma, not liver cancer.

Frequently, the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, colour, or texture of an existing mole, although it frequently first manifests itself with a new mole or moles. Self-diagnosis is not to be relied on - always seek professional advice if you have any concerns relating to your skin. However, it is wise to keep in mind ?The ABCD of Melanoma?, which goes thus:

Asymmetry: the shape of one side of the mole is not the same as the other side.

Border: the border or edges of the mole are not plainly defined; a bit tattered or the colouration ?leaks? into the surrounding skin.

Colouration: the mole is not consistently of one colour, although it is not so important what that colour is.

Diameter: there is a modification in size or a new mole gets larger than 5mm in size.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on quite a few subjects, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

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Birth Control And Cervical Cancer

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

Birth control is a large issue, there is no doubt of that and women are more aware than ever that having children is not a necessary result of having sex. They are also conscious that having children at the wrong time can ruin their careers and they are also aware that passions or alcohol get in the way of safe sex using condoms very frequently.

This results in women taking supervision of the vast majority of birth control by taking ‘the pill’. The contraceptive pill caused an uproar in the Sixties with the Establishment and the Churches predicting the downfall of society and morality. And in a manner of speaking, they were right. But what happened was to sweep away a great deal of social barriers and privileges that previously just the rich (and men) had had. The ‘old order’ lost a bit of ground.

The problem with the way that women took control of their sex lives was or is twofold: firstly, men leave ‘that type of thing’ to the woman and secondly, taking the pill can lead to cervical cancer. The chances of getting cervical cancer from taking the pill are small (15,000 Americans a year, of which a third dies), but they do exist.

However, there are no recorded cases of men contracting cancer from wearing a condom.

Women normally get cervical cancer from having sex. They pick up the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Most of the time, the woman’s immune system will prevent that virus from causing cancer, but research has shown that women who take the pill for more than five years consecutively have a higher danger than women who have not.

Consequently a condom would be useful here.

Regrettably, there are no indications in the early stages of cervical cancer, but later on, there may be heavier losses of blood, pain after sexual intercourse and even unpleasant smells. Periods could also last a great deal longer than ‘normal’.

The difficulty with studies is that, there often comes another study to prove something else and this is true here as well. Some studies have shown that the use of the contraceptive pill lessens the incidence of ovarian cancer.

It is like old sayings, there is always a opposite, as in: ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder’ and ‘Familiarity breeds contempt’.

If you listen to the ‘experts’, you would be in a permanent state of quandary. Therefore, the only actually safe course to take is to go for frequent tests or screenings - at least once a year, unless your doctor or gynecologist tells you different and if he or she does, query it.

The pharmaceutical companies have been promising a male contraceptive pill or implant for decades. In fact, the pill may even be there. But that is not the reason usually. The difficulty is normally men. The majority of men cannot be depended upon to supply sufficient contraception whilst they are concerned in casual relationships.

So long as this state of affairs continues, women will continue to take risks so that they are not bogged down by a family of a dozen kids like their great-grandmothers were.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on a number of topics, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

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Thyroid Cancer - The Four Types

Saturday, May 14th, 2011

Thyroid cancer (cancer of the thyroid gland) comes in four types: papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic. Papillary and medullary are slow-growing and occasionally return, but respond well to therapy in patients under middle age.

Medullary also reacts well to therapy, if it has not already spread. Anaplastic developes quickly and responds badly to therapy. The spread of these kinds of cancer is not uniform throughout the world, but is roughly: 78% for papillary; 17% for follicular; 4% for medullary and 1% for anaplastic.

Usually, the first symptom of a problem is the growth of a nodule or nodules in the neck in close proximity to the thyroid gland. However, only 5% of these are malignant. Sometimes an early warning sign is discomfort or even pain; sometimes, the lymph nodes swell, the voice alters or there is hypo- or hyper- thyroidism.

Diagnosis usually takes place after a nodule is discovered during a (routine) physical examination. The patient is then referred to an endocrinologist or a thyroidologist, who will arrange an ultrasound test or a biopsy. Using a thin needle enough cells can be taken to perform an accurate test on the precise state of the thyroid and whether the nodules are cancerous.

Papillary thyroid cancer more frequently occurs in women and frequently in the 30-40 year old age group and is frequently characterized by bulging eyes. If the growth is less than 1cm in size a partial thyroidectomy or hemithyroidectomy would almost certainly be recommended.

Above 1cm and a full thyroidectomy is preferred. Some surgeons prefer a full thyroidectomy anyway because the cancer cannot come back then.

Follicular thyroid cancer is more common in women over 50 years of age. Therapy is most often full thyroidectomy as the threat of recurrence of this aggressive form is quite big for partial surgery.

Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) begins in the cells that produce the hormone calcitonin. Increased degrees of calcitonin in the blood are a reasonable indication of MTC, although these increased levels of calcitonin are probably not harmful in themselves.

Changes in the DNA involved in cell growth and development are responsible for nearly all cases of hereditary or familial medullary thyroid carcinoma. Hereditary medullary thyroid cancer is inherited as a 50/50 likelihood from each affected parent. DNA analysis makes it possible to identify children who carry the mutant gene.

Surgical removal of the thyroid in children who carry the mutant gene is effective if the whole thyroid gland is removed at an early age, before there is a spread of the tumor. Hereditary MTC accounts for about 25% of all cases of MTC. The other 75% of cases are called sporadic MTC and normally happen in older patients.

Frequently the disease is well advanced in these cases as there has been no screening as in hereditary MTC. The first sign is frequently diarhoea. The likelihood of surviving MTC seem to be related to the rate at which the patient?s post operative calcitonin levels double.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is highly aggressive and likelihood of survival are almost nil. It is resilient to all known cancer medicines and invades nearby tissue early.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on quite a few topics, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

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The Importance Of Baby Bedding

Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

Most individuals find that having a baby is a wonderful experience and they look forward to the glad event with great pleasure. There is a huge amount to learn on the subject of having and taking care of a baby, so the learning curve is very steep on the first baby.

Parents get help with the birth of their children, but frequently they are left to discover how to take care of them by themselves. One of the things that you will have to think of when taking care of your new-born besides bottles, feeding, bathing and disease-control is bedding since new-born babies spend a lot of time asleep.

Cot death is a concern for parents because no-one really knows why babies die a cot death. Therefore, the priority when choosing bedding is safety. Comfort is second, you still would like your baby to be comfortable in order for it to get a good sleep.

Modern theory on cot death or SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) attributes it to excessively soft bedding, so it is important to get bedding that is neither too soft nor too rough. This relates to the mattress, pillows and blankets.

Overly-soft bedding might permit the baby’s face to sink into it, which could cause the baby to suffocate. Even if the baby does not suffocate, it could cause the baby to breathe too much carbon dioxide for too long which might cause brain damage.

The first thing to look out for is the fit. The mattress, pillow and blankets should fit the width and length of the cot so that the baby cannot fall into a gap, which would impede breathing.

There are several kinds of baby beds and it is difficult to work out which is which as a lot of advertisers use the terms arbitrarily. However, the terms are: bassinet, cradle, crib and cot. Some of these devices have high sides to prevent the baby from getting or falling out and others can be rocked back and fore, normally from side to side.

The foremost thing to remember, whatever sort of bed you use for your baby is that all the bedding must fit it well. Being too big and curling up at the edges for the baby to squash up against is just as bad as being too small and creating gaps for the baby to fall into where it can suffocate.

Cotton is the best fabric to have the bedding manufactured from, because it is airy, it permits the baby’s body to breathe. It is also easy to keep clean. One interesting thing here is that modern doctors recommend that the fabrics used for the baby’s bedding should be patterned with bright colours.

What is the purpose of this? Well, the reasons are that children react better to primary colours (yellow, blue and red) and that patterns, such as flowers or animals, will give the child something to concentrate on, stimulating the development of the eyes, the brain and recognition.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a variety of topics, but is now concerned with decorative bed pillows. If you want to know more, please visit our website at Modern Throw Pillows For Sale.

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Information On Breast Cancer

Monday, May 9th, 2011

The official phrase for breast cancer is ‘malignant breast neoplasm’. Breast cancer originates most frequently in the inner lining of the milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. The general term for cancers that originate in ducts is ‘ ductal carcinomas’ and the term for cancers originating from the lobules is ‘lobular carcinomas’.

Successful treatment depends greatly on the kind of cancer, staging and the age of the patient, however the figures vary from 10% to 98%. Worldwide, breast cancer accounts for just more than 10% of all cancers in women, which makes it the second most common form of cancer in women after skin cancer.

In 2004 (the latest figures accessible at the moment), breast cancer caused almost 520,000 deaths worldwide, which is 7% of all deaths by cancer and 1% of all deaths. One more interesting statistic is that women are 100 times more likely to get breast cancer than men, but women have a far higher likelihood of recovery (mostly due to more frequent screening).

October has been designated as ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Month’ and the symbol used (not just in October) is the ‘Pink Ribbon’. It has become a global symbol of breast cancer awareness.

However, some companies have been criticized for putting the pink ribbon on the labels of their products (see Kentucky Fried Chicken and some alcoholic drinks). The lesson to be learned is to check out how much that firm actually donates to breast cancer awareness and research.

If Breast Cancer Awareness month is to do any good, the one thing it should concentrate on is making women aware that this form of cancer is not a death sentence, because if it can be treated early the survival rate is very high. Even cancers that have been caught ‘a little late’ can be treated successfully although the treatment will almost certainly be much more harsh.

All women ought to go for frequent screening by a professional - at least once a year - but they ought to also learn how to test their breasts themselves and get into the habit of doing the self-test every day whilst washing in the shower. You could also get a friend to lend a hand by incorporating it into foreplay.

The information necessary for self-testing is widely accessible all year round (not merely in October) at your doctor’s surgery or at your gynecologist’s. It is also available in libraries, clinics, some schools and on Net. One of the foremost factors that you should take in to account when deciding on your plan for counteracting the threat of cancer is whether any other members of your family have had breast cancer or any other form of cancer for that matter.

One concern that numerous people in the know have is that breast cancer research is receiving too high a proportion of the total funding for cancer research. This means that more patients are dying of other kinds of cancer than necessary.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of subjects, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

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What Life Insurance Can Mean For You And Your Loved Ones

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

There are many circumstances in life that may render you unable to care for your loved ones, and it is important that you have a financial plan in place just in case this happens to you. In fact, if you have a spouse, children, or any other dependants, life insurance can bring you both protection and peace of mind. If anything happens to you suddenly, those you care for will be well taken care of.

Wading through the many types of life insurance policies that are available can be a daunting task. It is important that you take the time to figure out which one might be right for you.

Term life insurance is a fairly straightforward form of insurance. As its name implies, it offers protection for a specific period of time, which typically ranges from 1-30 years. You pay the same premium as long as the policy is in effect. If the insured person survives past the end of the term, no insurance is paid. If, however, the insured dies while the policy is still in effect, his or her beneficiary receives the specified amount of insurance. An insured person who is alive at the end of the term can allow the policy to expire, convert it into another type of insurance policy known as “permanent life,” or extend the policy.

One thing to keep in mind if the policy is renewed is that the premiums you are required to pay will usually rise. Still, the fact that term life insurance is relatively cheap is one of its advantages. In fact, term life is generally acknowledged to be the best kind of insurance for its price.

Universal life insurance as a form of whole life insurance combines term life insurance policy with a tax deferred interest-accumulating savings account.

This type of insurance allows enough time generate substantial savings and is therefore beneficial for people who need insurance into their 70s or 80s. With the long periods of accumulating considerable value, this type of insurance is a form of long term saving. For people who feel they cannot wait up to their 70s you need to take term life insurance and then find a different form of saving for your retirement.

Overall, it is important to research the different kind of life insurance policies available to you, and then you can make an educated decision on which one will best benefit you and your family. There are many factors you will need to consider, such as your age, your needs, and the number of beneficiaries you have. Ultimately, when you select the right policy, you can live without the stress of wondering how your family will survive once you are gone.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal. For more information on the different types of life insurance visit our website.

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The Two Types Of Life Insurance

Monday, November 8th, 2010

Life Insurance consists of two types. One is whole life insurance and another is term life insurance. Whole life insurance is to protect the entire life of a man with all benefits. It covers the entire period of policy holder until his death. Really, all benefits of whole life policy will be rendered to the person according to the value of the policy at the time of his death. Benefit value on the tax defer is also included. For whole life policy holder, dividends also will be paid.

Term insurance is obviously purchased for a certain period or term. If the death of the insured occurs within that period, the face value of the policy is paid to the named beneficiaries. The policy must be in force as time of death, that being the premiums are current and the term of the policy had not expired. Term insurance has no cash value and pays no dividends.

The costs (premiums) of term life insurance are small in the beginning of the policy and increase over time. Since term insurance has no cash value it?s not possible to borrow against insurance policy, unlike with whole life insurance. Term insurance coverage can be purchased for terms ranging from five to thirty years. The longed the term of the policy the more expensive the policy will be.

In order to get a suitable life insurance quote you can visit various agents or their websites to compare the quotes. There are also websites that have quotes from different companies therefore eliminating the need to visit different agents. Once you have the different quotes you can choose the one with affordable premiums. One major advantage of term life insurance is that it offers you the chance of converting to permanent life insurance once it expires.

You can also opt for a universal life insurance cover. This will depend on various factors including your current age. Obviously younger people get a better quote than the older ones. Some companies can even issue you with a cover without any medical examination relying on the answers given on issues such as occupation, health and age.

Generally term life insurance is less expensive than whole life insurance. The difference between the values of whole life (permanent) insurance and term life insurance is utilized by insurance companies to invest and make a profit. Hence, term life insurance is considered to be profitable and cheaper.

The main idea behind term life insurance is to reduce financial risks for a specified period of time. The money paid in premiums is meant only for paying insurance therefore term life insurance is the only form of pure life insurance. The policy can be bought in increments of ten or twenty years.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal. For more information on the different types of life insurance visit our website.

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The Fate Of Life Insurance

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

Life is never a walk in the park. Many of us plan something in our life but destiny leads us somewhere. Some of us are lucky enough to have a very blessed life. They enjoy their lives without any problems. But most of us have to live our lives in a hard way. We have to struggle for each and everything. Even the basic things cannot be obtained easily.

It is, then, much better to have some foresight, to prepare, for any eventuality. Life insurance can help you invest in your family’s future. Just in case. There are more life insurance policies on the market than one can count, but if you search around, you’ll find one that fits your budget and life. Investing in life insurance is a sure way to allow your family to live on when you are gone. If you already have life insurance, congratulations. If not… well, maybe it is time to take a look at it.

Take the guidance of professional experts when investing in a life insurance policy and always invest in a policy that goes well with your financial situation. The returns of Life insurance policies always amuse the person who invested in it and if you were to face any unusual situations in your life in future you will not miss any advantage. Investing in any Life Insurance Policy provides a financial support to your family and gives them a prospective of a new career after your death. It is never late to invest in a policy. So if you have not done it yet, this is the right time.

A great advantage is that your family doesn?t have to cut back on the expenses they already have. If anything were to ever happen, the insurance company will pick up a great deal of the expenses that are left behind. This is a situation that is very difficult to deal with for a family. Although, the policy will take away all the stress.

The only thing you’ll ever have to deal with is the monthly premium. Yes, some policies can get expensive, but do not look at those as if they’re the only ones! Many policies can fit your budget.

I realized the advantages of a Life Insurance Policy when my friend got its benefits after the death of his father. My friend was very young then and had to take care of his helpless mother too. It was the Life insurance Policy that came to their help. My friend?s house was mortgaged and the life insurance company took care of the payments towards the mortgage.

The insurance company was very helpful during this time of turmoil. My friend needed it considering he had the other expenses to take care of. His father had definitely made a wise decision by investing in life insurance. Once this time had occurred, I was sure that I wanted to invest in life insurance as well. I want to wait till my business is more stabilized and then invest so that my family will not struggle if anything would ever happen to me.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal. For more information on the different types of life insurance visit our website.

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Life Insurance, Why We Need It

Friday, October 8th, 2010

Life insurance offers benefits that we need and provides options within each policy. It is imperative to find a policy that benefits us in the future while considering the present expenses. The universal life insurance policy is very popular because of the convenience it offers when it comes to the cost benefit analysis.

The Universal Life Insurance Policy is an excellent policy and among the best. Many people are purchasing this policy that provides financial assistance at times when it is most critical. This is a unique policy of excellent quality.

It allows us to see the pros and cons from many different policies at once, although, before making a final decision, you should always speak to a life insurance broker to make sure all your information is correct and to help decided which one best suits your needs.

It is important to buy a life insurance policy that maintains a financial stability in our life. Studies depict that the life insurance that best reward and provide most advantages is the universal life insurance policy because it provides room to revise the sum of insurance as requirements may change.

Owning a life insurance policy is a growing trend and important to maintaining financial stability. Policies with that offer the most benefit are the one?s most often chosen by purchasers. The Universal Life Insurance Policy is a flexible policy that permits the revision of insurance coverage based on the policy holder?s requirements.

A 5% price charge is subtracted out of every premium sum and the balance is then added to the policy account cost. The monthly fee of the death benefit and the policy supervision is then taken away from the additional account.

Regardless of the information given here it would still be in your best interest to consult a life insurance broker before purchasing any life insurance policy. When it comes to family it is better to be safe than sorry.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover website.

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