health Cancer

[peterparker]

I am not sure if this is true, but I have read that prostate cancer are caused by masturbation caused by a high sexual drive due to high hormones during in our 20's and 30's?

 

here is the link where I read it from.

 

 

 

hmm.. bro, masturbation per se does not cause prostatic carcinoma..

 

if it did, there would be a hell of a lot MORE cases reported.. as men are basically horndogs.. hehe

 

 

 

:mtc:

[angel_by_day]

age, race (blacks more than whites) and family history are among the most impt risk factors for prostate cancer.

others are diet and lifestyle.

ejaculatory frequency may be protective but the number of sexual partners may be a risk factor. (when we say may be, it means that there are no conclusive trials on it)

[kastanova]

any info on testicular cancer. i have a friend who's suffering this rare disease..

[peterparker]

any info on testicular cancer. i have a friend who's suffering this rare disease..

 

 

 

What is testicular cancer?

 

Testicular cancer is a disease in which cells become malignant (cancerous) in one or both testicles.

 

The testicles (also called testes or gonads) are a pair of male sex glands. They produce and store sperm and are the main source of testosterone (male hormones) in men. These hormones control the development of the reproductive organs and other male physical characteristics. The testicles are located under the penis in a sac-like pouch called the scrotum.

 

Based on the characteristics of the cells in the tumor, testicular cancers are classified as seminomas or nonseminomas. Other types of cancer that arise in the testicles are rare and are not described here. Seminomas may be one of three types: classic, anaplastic, or spermatocytic. Types of nonseminomas include choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, and yolk sac tumors. Testicular tumors may contain both seminoma and nonseminoma cells.

 

Testicular cancer accounts for only 1 percent of all cancers in men in the United States. About 8,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer, and about 390 men die of this disease each year (1). Testicular cancer occurs most often in men between the ages of 20 and 39, and is the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 34. It is most common in white men, especially those of Scandinavian descent. The testicular cancer rate has more than doubled among white men in the past 40 years, but has only recently begun to increase among black men. The reason for the racial differences in incidence is not known.

 

 

What are the risk factors for testicular cancer?

 

The exact causes of testicular cancer are not known. However, studies have shown that several factors increase a man's chance of developing this disease.

 

 

Undescended testicle (cryptorchidism): Normally, the testicles descend from inside the abdomen into the scrotum before birth. The risk of testicular cancer is increased in males with a testicle that does not move down into the scrotum. This risk does not change even after surgery to move the testicle into the scrotum. The increased risk applies to both testicles.

 

 

Congenital abnormalities: Men born with abnormalities of the testicles, penis, or kidneys, as well as those with inguinal hernia (hernia in the groin area, where the thigh meets the abdomen), may be at increased risk.

 

 

History of testicular cancer: Men who have had testicular cancer are at increased risk of developing cancer in the other testicle.

 

 

Family history of testicular cancer: The risk for testicular cancer is greater in men whose brother or father has had the disease.

 

 

How is testicular cancer detected? What are symptoms of testicular cancer?

 

Most testicular cancers are found by men themselves. Also, doctors generally examine the testicles during routine physical exams. Between regular checkups, if a man notices anything unusual about his testicles, he should talk with his doctor. Men should see a doctor if they notice any of the following symptoms:

 

 

a painless lump or swelling in a testicle

pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the scrotum

any enlargement of a testicle or change in the way it feels

a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum

a dull ache in the lower abdomen, back, or groin

a sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum

 

These symptoms can be caused by cancer or by other conditions. It is important to see a doctor to determine the cause of any of these symptoms.

 

 

How is testicular cancer diagnosed?

 

To help find the cause of symptoms, the doctor evaluates a man's general health. The doctor also performs a physical exam and may order laboratory and diagnostic tests. These tests include:

 

 

Blood tests that measure the levels of tumor markers. Tumor markers are substances often found in higher-than-normal amounts when cancer is present. Tumor markers such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ßHCG), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) may suggest the presence of a testicular tumor, even if it is too small to be detected by physical exams or imaging tests.

 

 

Ultrasound, a test in which high-frequency sound waves are bounced off internal organs and tissues. Their echoes produce a picture called a sonogram. Ultrasound of the scrotum can show the presence and size of a mass in the testicle. It is also helpful in ruling out other conditions, such as swelling due to infection or a collection of fluid unrelated to cancer.

 

 

Biopsy (microscopic examination of testicular tissue by a pathologist) to determine whether cancer is present. In nearly all cases of suspected cancer, the entire affected testicle is removed through an incision in the groin. This procedure is called radical inguinal orchiectomy. In rare cases (for example, when a man has only one testicle), the surgeon performs an inguinal biopsy, removing a sample of tissue from the testicle through an incision in the groin and proceeding with orchiectomy only if the pathologist finds cancer cells. (The surgeon does not cut through the scrotum to remove tissue. If the problem is cancer, this procedure could cause the disease to spread.)

 

If testicular cancer is found, more tests are needed to find out if the cancer has spread from the testicle to other parts of the body. Determining the stage (extent) of the disease helps the doctor to plan appropriate treatment.

 

 

How is testicular cancer treated? What are the side effects of treatment?

 

Although the incidence of testicular cancer has risen in recent years, more than 95 percent of cases can be cured. Treatment is more likely to be successful when testicular cancer is found early. In addition, treatment can often be less aggressive and may cause fewer side effects.

 

Most men with testicular cancer can be cured with surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy. The side effects depend on the type of treatment and may be different for each person.

 

Seminomas and nonseminomas grow and spread differently and are treated differently. Nonseminomas tend to grow and spread more quickly; seminomas are more sensitive to radiation. If the tumor contains both seminoma and nonseminoma cells, it is treated as a nonseminoma. Treatment also depends on the stage of the cancer, the patient's age and general health, and other factors. Treatment is often provided by a team of specialists, which may include a surgeon, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist.

 

The three types of standard treatment are described below.

 

 

Surgery to remove the testicle through an incision in the groin is called a radical inguinal orchiectomy. Men may be concerned that losing a testicle will affect their ability to have sexual intercourse or make them sterile (unable to produce children). However, a man with one healthy testicle can still have a normal erection and produce sperm. Therefore, an operation to remove one testicle does not make a man impotent (unable to have an erection) and seldom interferes with fertility (the ability to produce children). For cosmetic purposes, men can have a prosthesis (an artificial testicle) placed in the scrotum at the time of their orchiectomy or at any time afterward.

 

Some of the lymph nodes located deep in the abdomen may also be removed (lymph node dissection). This type of surgery does not usually change a man's ability to have an erection or an orgasm, but it can cause problems with fertility if it interferes with ejaculation. Patients may wish to talk with their doctor about the possibility of removing the lymph nodes using a special nerve-sparing surgical technique that may preserve the ability to ejaculate normally.

 

 

Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) uses high-energy rays to k*ll cancer cells and shrink tumors. It is a local therapy, meaning that it affects cancer cells only in the treated areas. External radiation (from a machine outside the body), aimed at the lymph nodes in the abdomen, is used to treat seminomas. It is usually given after surgery. Because nonseminomas are less sensitive to radiation, men with this type of cancer usually do not undergo radiation therapy.

 

Radiation therapy affects normal as well as cancerous cells. The side effects of radiation therapy depend mainly on the treatment dose. Common side effects include fatigue, skin changes at the site where the treatment is given, loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea. Radiation therapy interferes with sperm production, but many patients regain their fertility over a period of 1 to 2 years.

 

 

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to k*ll cancer cells. When chemotherapy is given to testicular cancer patients, it is usually given as adjuvant therapy (after surgery) to destroy cancerous cells that may remain in the body. Chemotherapy may also be the initial treatment if the cancer is advanced; that is, if it has spread outside the testicle at the time of the diagnosis. Most anticancer drugs are given by injection into a vein.

 

Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy, meaning drugs travel through the bloodstream and affect normal as well as cancerous cells throughout the body. The side effects depend largely on the specific drugs and the doses. Common side effects include nausea, hair loss, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, chills, coughing/shortness of breath, mouth sores, or skin rash. Other side effects include dizziness, numbness, loss of reflexes, or difficulty hearing. Some anticancer drugs also interfere with sperm production. Although the reduction in sperm count is permanent for some patients, many others recover their fertility.

 

Some men with advanced or recurrent testicular cancer may undergo treatment with very high doses of chemotherapy. These high doses of chemotherapy k*ll cancer cells, but they also destroy the bone marrow, which makes and stores blood cells. Such treatment can be given only if patients undergo a bone marrow transplant. In a transplant, bone marrow stem cells are removed from the patient before chemotherapy is administered. These cells are frozen temporarily and then thawed and returned to the patient through a needle (like a blood transfusion) after the high-dose chemotherapy has been administered.

 

Men with testicular cancer should discuss their concerns about sexual function and fertility with their doctor. It is important to know that men with testicular cancer often have fertility problems even before their cancer is treated. If a man has pre-existing fertility problems, or if he is to have treatment that might lead to infertility, he may want to ask the doctor about sperm banking (freezing sperm before treatment for use in the future). This procedure allows some men to have children even if the treatment causes loss of fertility.

 

 

Is follow-up treatment necessary? What does it involve?

 

Regular follow-up exams are extremely important for men who have been treated for testicular cancer. Like all cancers, testicular cancer can recur (come back). Men who have had testicular cancer should see their doctor regularly and should report any unusual symptoms right away. Follow-up varies for different types and stages of testicular cancer. Generally, patients are checked frequently by their doctor and have regular blood tests to measure tumor marker levels. They also have regular x-rays and computed tomography, also called CT scans or CAT scans (detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine). Men who have had testicular cancer have an increased likelihood of developing cancer in the remaining testicle. Patients treated with chemotherapy may have an increased risk of certain types of leukemia, as well as other types of cancer. Regular follow-up care ensures that changes in health are discussed and that problems are treated as soon as possible.

 

 

 

:mtc:

[angel_by_day]

thank you. doc peterparker.

 

i'd just like to reiterate that they are divided into 3 basic types - seminomatous, non-seminomatous and mixed.

 

it depends on what type, as mentioned above, if he will respond to either radiation therapy or chemotherapy. and depends on what stage, of course.

 

you will know the type based on biopsy, and if the so-called tumor markers (serum AFP and beta hCG) are elevated or not.

 

chemotherapy for the more chemo-responsive nonseminomatous type is given for about 3 or 4 cycles, and we use bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin.

Edited March 27, 2009 by angel_by_day

[kastanova]

thank you. doc peterparker.

 

i'd just like to reiterate that they are divided into 3 basic types - seminomatous, non-seminomatous and mixed.

 

it depends on what type, as mentioned above, if he will respond to either radiation therapy or chemotherapy. and depends on what stage, of course.

 

you will know the type based on biopsy, and if the so-called tumor markers (serum AFP and beta hCG) are elevated or not.

 

chemotherapy for the more chemo-responsive nonseminomatous type is given for about 3 or 4 cycles, and we use bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin.

 

 

thanks angel_by_day & to peterparker..

[eyedoc2020]

The most common cancer among men is still lung cancer, and this is due to cigarette smoking.

 

Even among women, lung cancer cases are increasing as more women are becoming smokers.

 

Quit smoking: live longer, live better.

[youmakemewannabeabetterman]

I lost a friend yesterday, she died of CLL. tough because i knew how she suffered, and i can't do anything about it.

[peterparker]

I lost a friend yesterday, she died of CLL. tough because i knew how she suffered, and i can't do anything about it.

 

 

my condolences to you bro...

 

While generally considered incurable, CLL progresses slowly in most cases. Many people with CLL lead normal and active lives for many years - in some cases for decades. Because of its slow onset, early-stage CLL is generally not treated since it is believed that early CLL intervention does not improve survival time or quality of life. Instead, the condition is monitored over time to detect any change in the disease pattern...

 

 

 

:mtc:

[peterparker]

The most common cancer among men is still lung cancer, and this is due to cigarette smoking.

 

Even among women, lung cancer cases are increasing as more women are becoming smokers.

 

Quit smoking: live longer, live better.

 

 

Worldwide, lung cancer is the most common cancer in terms of both incidence and mortality (1.35 million new cases per year and 1.18 million deaths), with the highest rates in Europe and North America. The population segment most likely to develop lung cancer is over-fifties who have a history of smoking. Lung cancer is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most Western countries, and it is the leading cancer-related cause of death. Although the rate of men dying from lung cancer is declining in Western countries, it is increasing for women, due to the increased takeup of smoking by this group. Tobacco companies have focused their efforts since the 1970s at marketing their product toward women and girls, especially with "light" and "low-tar" cigarettes. Among lifetime nonsmokers, men have higher age-standardized lung cancer death rates than women.

 

Not all cases of lung cancer are due to smoking, but the role of passive smoking is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor for lung cancer—leading to policy interventions to decrease undesired exposure of nonsmokers to others' tobacco smoke. Emissions from automobiles, factories, and power plants also pose potential risks.

 

 

 

:mtc:

[angel_by_day]

if anyone knows someone who has advanced liver cancer, kindly pm me asap.

we have an ongoing clinical trial for them.

free meds.

[Turninglong]

I heard or read somewhere that the reason why men develop prostate cancer is that they seldom or don't masturbate at all. The prostate needs to be massaged to prevent prostate cancer and masturbation provides a way for it to be massaged.

 

One more thing w/c I heard is that the fruit, Soursop or guyabano, is a cure for cancer or rather it helps in slowing down the development of cancer. Thus, it's good to drink it's juice. However, I don't really know if this is true or not.

[peterparker]

I heard or read somewhere that the reason why men develop prostate cancer is that they seldom or don't masturbate at all. The prostate needs to be massaged to prevent prostate cancer and masturbation provides a way for it to be massaged.

 

One more thing w/c I heard is that the fruit, Soursop or guyabano, is a cure for cancer or rather it helps in slowing down the development of cancer. Thus, it's good to drink it's juice. However, I don't really know if this is true or not.

 

 

here are some of the latest findings on the link between ejaculation and prostatic carcinoma :

 

More frequent ejaculation also may decrease a man's risk of prostate cancer. One study showed that men who ejaculated five times a week in their 20s had a decreased rate of prostate cancer, though other studies have shown no benefit. The results contradict those of previous studies, which have suggested that having had many sexual partners, or a high frequency of sexual activity, increases the risk of prostate cancer by up to 40 percent. The key difference is that these earlier studies defined sexual activity as sexual intercourse, whereas this study focused on the number of ejaculations, whether or not intercourse was involved. Another study completed in 2004 reported that "Most categories of ejaculation frequency were unrelated to risk of prostate cancer. However, high ejaculation frequency was related to decreased risk of total prostate cancer." The report abstract concluded, "Our results suggest that ejaculation frequency is not related to increased risk of prostate cancer." A 2008 study showed that frequent masturbation, of about two to seven times a week, at the ages of 20s and 30s, increases the risk of having prostate cancer. While frequent masturbation, once a week, at the age of 50s decreases the disease risk.

 

 

with regards to your query about soursop or guyabano, the fruit contains a group of biologically active chemicals called Acetogenins which have been documented to have cytotoxic as well as cytostatic properties, essentially stating that they can k*ll and/or inhibit tumor cells primarily shown in in vitro studies...

 

so far no studies have been done yet proving that the acetogenins found in guyabano would work against tumor cells found in the human body...

 

 

 

:mtc:

Edited May 5, 2009 by peterparker

[angel_by_day]

i think we have already answered the question on ejaculation and prostate CA in previous posts.

[b1gbeauty89]

Good Day to all....

 

Just wanted your take on this subject. Your fears, questions, opinions, and whatever... If you would like support, I hope this thread can handle it too...

 

I'll start the ball rolling.

 

I lost my wife of 16 years to Breast Cancer. We battled it for almost 3.5 years, but in the end, we lost. It was a long, painful, uphill battle. It drained us financially, emotionally, physically. Nearing the end my wife thanked me for the support. Told her not to thank me, as I would have done it even without her asking for it.

 

But life has to go on. Not advisable to just sit in a corner and sulk or be despondent about Life.

 

Life is to short not to enjoy it....

 

 

my condolences kahit medyo matagal na siguro ito nangyari...as for me im in the middle of it ...it pains to know that someone i dearly loved was recently diagnosed to have the big C...my mom. Im trying my best to keep up the fight until my last breath...for how long this will last i really don't know

[E-poc]

has anyone of you tried vitamin b-17 or amygdalin/amigdalin? what's point of view about this?

[peterparker]

has anyone of you tried vitamin b-17 or amygdalin/amigdalin? what's point of view about this?

 

 

i`ve heard about vitamin b-17/amygdalin.. it`s also marketed as laetrile..

 

Amygdalin is extracted from almond or apricot kernel cake by boiling ethanol; on evaporation of the solution and the addition of diethyl ether, amygdalin is precipitated as white minute crystals.

 

It is marketed as a supposed cancer treatment option, but the US Food and Drugs Administration continues to seek jail sentences for vendors selling laetrile for cancer treatment, calling it a "highly toxic product that has not shown any effect on treating cancer."

 

A 2006 Cochrane review of the evidence concluded "The claim that Laetrile has beneficial effects for cancer patients is not supported by data from controlled clinical trials. This systematic review has clearly identified the need for randomised or controlled clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of Laetrile or amygdalin for cancer treatment." It has not been approved for this use by the United States' Food and Drug Administration. The U.S. government's National Institutes of Health evaluated the evidence, including case reports and a clinical trial, and concluded that they showed little effect. A 1982 trial of 178 patients found that tumor size had increased in all patients. Minimal side effects were seen except in two patients who consumed bitter almonds and suffered from cyanide poisoning.

 

:mtc:

[E-poc]

i`ve heard about vitamin b-17/amygdalin.. it`s also marketed as laetrile..

 

Amygdalin is extracted from almond or apricot kernel cake by boiling ethanol; on evaporation of the solution and the addition of diethyl ether, amygdalin is precipitated as white minute crystals.

 

It is marketed as a supposed cancer treatment option, but the US Food and Drugs Administration continues to seek jail sentences for vendors selling laetrile for cancer treatment, calling it a "highly toxic product that has not shown any effect on treating cancer."

 

A 2006 Cochrane review of the evidence concluded "The claim that Laetrile has beneficial effects for cancer patients is not supported by data from controlled clinical trials. This systematic review has clearly identified the need for randomised or controlled clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of Laetrile or amygdalin for cancer treatment." It has not been approved for this use by the United States' Food and Drug Administration. The U.S. government's National Institutes of Health evaluated the evidence, including case reports and a clinical trial, and concluded that they showed little effect. A 1982 trial of 178 patients found that tumor size had increased in all patients. Minimal side effects were seen except in two patients who consumed bitter almonds and suffered from cyanide poisoning.

 

:mtc:

 

I came about this vitamin on 2001 when my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. Me and my two siblings gathered all the info we can get from books and net. I forgot the term they called for this practice but the very first doctor who used it is a filipino. He already passed away but his son continues it but I think he's practicing it discreetly. From what I've read, big pharma companies who makes the drugs/machines for chemo shells out to discredit the alternative medicine to which they know is a threat and that includes b-17. One thing they kept on insisting is the cyanide content. Sorry, but I already forgot the details about b-17. Will try to look up if i can still find the book. But I know its somewhere in the net.

[romeo]

TRy wheatgrass juice. it supposedly reduces carcinogens in our body.

[angel_by_day]

again, personally, as an oncologist, i have nothing against herbal supplements, provided they have no adverse reactions on you.

it is your prerogative.

 

and again, as long as you know what you are endorsing.

 

i've already posted my thoughts on this in the herbal medicine thread.

[cadr117]

any advice on dendritic cell treatment breast cancer, the one being done in medical city?? thanks in advance

[angel_by_day]

you are talking about stem cell treatment for cancer, wherein dendritic cells are harvested either from embryos or bone marrow stem cells (the former raises more controversy than the latter) and transfused back into the patient.

 

dendritic cells, in layman's term, are cells which are in charge of presenting the antigens (disease-causing) to T-lymphocytes (disease-fighting) in order to stimulate the whole immune system cascade. These are the ones used in the dendritic cell vaccine now used for cancer, albeit in its early stages still. As for the price, i'm not quite familiar with it, but you can inquire in the said hospital or even at UP Diliman Department of Molecular Biology.

[angel_by_day]

sorry sir, didnt notice your med prof sig.....di na pala kailangan i-translate to layman's terms.

 

my apologies :hypocritesmiley:

 

 

btw, my boss here at PGH does that too, i think. i'll ask him about it.

[angel_by_day]

there's a nice article at the Inquirer today on SCT.

 

you can check it.

[cadr117]

i read it already. it was exactly what my wife underwent when she had recurrence of her breast ca in the operative site after about 6 years. she underwent another surgery and 6 rounds of taxotere and xeloda and radiotx and because she is triple negative, we decided to undergo the dendritic cell theraphy under dr samuel bernal. i was asking a lot of opinions from classmates and colleagues but they seem to have different opinions about the said treatment. maybe im just looking for more assurance that the said treatment would work as it was designed but i have learned that nobody can give you an assurance and peace of mind except prayers. thank you very much for your opinion angel...