Cancer, the most dreaded word after AIDS. Yes. It’s true. We all want to stay away from it, as far as possible. We don’t want to touch it even with a ten foot pole. God forbid, if any one is diagnosed or even asked to go for a biopsy, life becomes hell (till cleared). Forget about the treatment–which is not conclusive even in this age–it does more damage than treat. The side effects give more publicity than the disease itself: patches on open skin, bulges on or near treatment area, rapidly losing hair leading to baldness, fearful eyes, changed overall behavior and what not! The unlucky one needs to live with it.

I think its enough description. But I had to put it. Because only then I could emphasize how you can possibly avoid it. I use the word “possibly” because nothing in this world is foolproof. But then there are two foolproof things: one that we can not go away from “the moment of truth” and the other one we are going away from: nature. That’s the first tip: stay closer to nature.

Let us have an example. All medical journals talk: prolonged exposure leads to cancer. I am not categorizing any causes, there may be many. But consider this: Indian summer months often cross 120 degrees Fahrenheit, local populace don’t have enough clothes to cover their bodies, yet we don’t see considerable population affected by the prolonged exposure. The locals eat raw onion, chillies and other local fruits & vegetables and for them the Sun does not exist. Women breast-feed their children, continue feeding till the next baby arrives and never get breast cancer. Allow your organ to do what it is supposed to do and it never develops the unwanted: the same tip, stay close to nature helps prevent complications.

Have a headache? Pop in a pill. No mustache? Get hormone treatment. Going out in the Sun? Use sunscreen. What the heck! All are chemicals. Do not go by the research journals alone. They hide more than they reveal. There are commercial lobbies & interests to stub the findings. Do some research on your own. Fashion & lifestyles are necessary but should not be bounding. Use a hat to avoid the Sun. Try to bear some pain, indulge in other work and your brain will forget. Fantasize often, it works wonders, and that’s the second tip.

The doctors treat you for your disease, as it appears NOW. They don’t know how you spent your childhood, your teen & middle age. Whether you drank beer or coke (good for cleaning toilets) instead of water, or kept yourself hydrated well, you popped too many pills or slept in Oxygen nets (like late Michael Jackson). Too much of anything and it hurts, not today but later when you grow old. Mend your ways, it is never too late. This is the next quarter-tip.

Do you take a morning stroll or run daily? Well, running one or two miles is enough, excess is bad. Your body is not made for running. Walking is good, for any length. Walking provides good lubrication for joints, with zero stress. Rope climbing, skipping ropes, laughing are good for health. Those who fear exercising stand to lose on every front. Accidents, injuries & trauma are part of life. They will always make inroads in our lives, but you can prevent injuries and give accidents a slip. This is the tip number two and a half.

Remember, we spend more than 12 hours standing / walking / working and so, our shoes should be comfortable. Next 6-8 hours in bed, so even that should be comfortable. The food we eat provides all the energy hence it should be filling, nourishing and satisfying. Binging once or twice a week is okay, excess is bad. Eat good food is the next tip.

The brain controls our body. What do you do to nourish it? You may sleep but brain functions, like our heart. Smile, laugh, crack jokes that induce laughter, weep till tears flow and meditate often. Spirituality is good for your brain, it soothes your nerves, silently. Read a page or two everyday of any holy text, especially before retiring to bed. If you cannot stand, listen to cool music. This the last tip.

Friends, stress, strain, tension are all here to stay. Lubricate all your body parts, avoid excess and stay by nature are the mantras to put cancer at bay.

Most people look good with a tan so it is small wonder that sun beds are popular especially with the younger people. Like so many things that have a positive side especially in the short term will also in the long run have their downside.

REPEATED SUN BED USE CAN PRODUCE

-Age the skin prematurely Wrinkles, brown patches broken blood vessels and a leathery look to the skin will develop (read about sun damaged skin at www.SkinCareGuide.ca)

-Risk skin cancer There is no doubt that there is an increased risk of skin cancer especially the fatal type called melanoma. The quickest rise in incidence of skin cancer is in young women. It has been seen that sun bed use in youngsters is linked with other risk activities. Girls use tanning bed more often than boys. They often use in to supplement beach tanning. (See also www.SkinCancerGuide.ca)

Recently the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that sun beds should be banned for use by teenagers of 18 years and under. Young people are at increased risk of skin cancer by early life exposure to ultraviolet light. There is a direct link between tanning bed use and skin cancer.

Currently tanning bed use is prohibited for the under 18 year old in France and California. Other jurisdictions are looking at this issue. Since alcohol and cigarettes are restricted to adults this move may not be seen as unreasonable. Since there is perceived short terms social gain to tanning because it is seen and attractive and sexy, it may be too much to ask the teen to exercise a good judgment call.

HOW IS A SUN BED DIFFERENT FROM NATURAL SUNLIGHT?

Sun beds give off mostly UVA while some add a little UVB

Ultraviolet is part of the spectrum of radiation emitted by the sun. It is divided into different wavelengths and are called UVA, UVB and UVC.

UVC This is the shortest wavelength and is blocked by ozone and oxygen. It is the most dangerous for our skin and also can damage plant life as well as plankton in the sea.

UVB It increases in quantity in the summer months. It causes burning of the skin and is associated strongly with the common skin cancers. It is much less effective in tanning the skin.

UVA This is the longest of the UV wavelengths and is able to penetrate more deeply into the skin. It produces tanning and burning is less of a problem at low doses. Naturally occurring UVA remains at a fairly constant level throughout the year. UVA is thought to be important in developing Melanoma It is the wavelength used in tanning studios. The dose of UVA used in sun beds is considerably higher that that found in sunlightDoes a sun bed tan protect us before going on a sunny vacation?

The sunbed tan does protect us to a certain degree but it does not help as much as a naturally produced tan.

The tan is different and the artificial tan only protects us about 1/5 to 1/10 of the from sunlight. The reason for this is that UVA activates only the pigment cells called melanocytes to use and produce the pigment melanin.

Since the natural sun has a significant amount of UVB it will cause the surface of the skin called the epidermis to thicken which gives us added sun protection.

WHAT TYPE OF UV AGES THE SKIN?

Both but UVA will play the major role in producing the sun damaged look.

DO DERMATOLOGISTS USE UV TO TREAT PATIENTS?

Yes. Both UVB and UVA are immunosuppressant. This means that white cells especially lymphocytes are prevented from working in the skin by UV. There are a number of skin conditions like psoriasis (www.PsoriasisGuide.ca) and eczema (www.EczemaGuide.ca) where the immune system is overactive in the skin. Therefore UV is used with caution in severe cases to help control the disease.

It is interesting to note that some people will develop cold sores (herpes virus reactivation) on their lips after sun exposure. This is a result of the UV suppressing the immune system allowing the virus to divide and grow.

THE SUNSCREEN STORY

• Early sunscreens were developed to prevent us from burning in the sun by blocking UVB
• This allowed us to be in the sun for longer, which allowed more UVA to reach the skin than was normal. UVA is linked to melanoma risk.
• Newer sunscreens therefore have a broad sun protective profile reducing penetration of the whole spectrum of light.
• Sunscreens should be used to supplement protection from clothing, shade and avoidance of exposure in the middle of the day.

WHAT IS MEANT BY PHOTOSENSITIVITY?

• Some medication make us burn more easily in the sun such as the commonly used anti acne antibiotic tetracycline. The sensitivity most commonly is seen with UVA.
• The use of the retinoid creams e.g. Retin A will make the skin burn more easily not because it makes the skin photosensitive but because it peels off the top layers of the skin allowing increased penetration of UV light
• Diseases such as systemic lupus (link to lupus) are activated by UV light.

COMMENT

In our open tolerant society, adults are given a choice about risk activities. Sun beds will continue to be used. It seems prudent to protect our young from sun beds and to educate them about the potential hazards of tanning. It might be sensible to make all who use tanning beds take instruction of the risks as well as learn the signs of skin cancer. This would be particularly important for the fair skinned, blue eyed individual who tan poorly, burns easily and have many moles or have a family history of skin cancer. Spray tanning is the perfect alternative to achieve beautiful bronzed skin. You can even get a mobile spray tan in the comfort of your own home.

By Richard Thomas, MD, FRCPC

One of the saddest realities that we, humans, face is the risk of illness. It gets even sadder when the illness we face is terminal or leading to death. There are various diseases that may be considered terminal, but among those that are very common today is skin cancer. In fact, among the different types of cancer, this one is said to be the most common. Although there are three forms of this disease – basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma – the fact that it is terminal should be enough to alarm us. As we know, there is still no definitive cure for the disease, that’s why the best defense we have against it is prevention.

Fortunately, there are some things we can do to prevent skin cancer. One is by simply avoiding the sun when possible. If we must go under the sun, we should never forget to apply sunscreen on all exposed body parts. Some people apply sunscreen everywhere on their body except their face. Of course, the face should have all that sunscreen because it’s probably the most exposed among all skin surfaces in one’s body. Overexposure to the sun’s rays is known to cause melanoma, but overexposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause basal cell carcinoma.

It is important for parents to know that their children could be the most at risk because of their young age. These kids tend to have very thin skin compared to that of adults and because of this, the sun’s rays can more easily penetrate through their bodies. Skin cancer is known to start in childhood, so it is important that parents always get their kids in the habit of using sunscreens.

Another thing we can do is boost our immune system by consuming foods that are known to have this effect. For example, citrus fruits are great for this purpose because of their high ascorbic acid or Vitamin C content. When we have a weak immune system, we have a greater chance of developing cancer. That’s why we need to strengthen our immunity to decrease the odds of getting the disease.

Sometimes, however, cancer may just be in our genes, but it doesn’t mean we should just accept this without a fight. Even if a lot of our relatives were affected by this disease, we should, instead, make it a motivation for us to work harder at reducing our own risks by living a healthy lifestyle. This means making the right food choices and regularly exercising. For people who are genetically predisposed to cancer, eating foods high in antioxidants is a must. Antioxidants are substances that prevent cellular mutation which characterizes all types of cancers.

Scientists have developed a novel gadget that converts the iPhone into a powerful medical tool to review skin cancers.

The wonder device named ‘Handyscope’ when plugged with an app into the Apple smartphone turns iPhone into a dermatascope, which doctors use to detect cancer.

Marketing Manager of the device Valeska Heinrich said, “The Handyscope combines the latest communication technology with a sophisticated tool for skin cancer screening, opening up a new era for cancer diagnosis.

“This is a very exciting innovation and the first of its kind in the world. The Handyscope makes skin examinations much more convenient by allowing them to be carried out anywhere. The brilliant dermatoscopic photos on-screen show important details at a glance, so a decision can quickly be made on whether a mole is suspicious.”

Working of Handyscope

The Handyscope uses a polarising light to check whether a mole is malignant. It has a standardized zoom and auto-focus that clicks images of a mole with a single tap of the iPhone’s touchscreen.

The special feature of the device is that the images captured can be mailed immediately to the dermatologist for an early diagnosis. Images can be enlarged on the full screen at 20 times their actual size and then saved with another tap on the screen. The shooting date and time is automatically recorded with the uploaded images.

In addition, the relevant data of the patient and other necessary information can also be added manually. All the data is encrypted and can be protected with a password to preserve doctor/patient confidentiality.

Dr David Pye, a researcher based at Salford University stated, “This is a powerful piece of kit which could be very useful for people in the profession assessing whether a mole is cancerous.

“Sending images around the world for expert diagnosis could be incredibly helpful and this is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this before.

“During a mole examination you’re looking for things like irregular edges and unusual colouration, which the device would be very good at picking up.

“However, I don’t think it will be Joe Bloggs performing examinations at home – this is likely to be for doctors who could do with a second opinion.”

Handyscope an expensive gadget

Handyscope is made by German-based firm FotoFinder is an expensive technology. The gadget, which is being launched today is priced at £995 while the app needed to use it costs £6.99.

The Handyscope can be purchased online and the app can be bought from the Apple iTunes store.

Photo dynamic therapy achieved eradication of these diseases through a combination of a photo sensitizing cream and a red light bulb that eliminates malignant cells without cuts or scars. More photo dynamic therapy has not been revealed only as a simple treatment, safe and effective against certain skin cancers, has also proved an excellent system for skin rejuvenation.

How does photodynamic therapy Skin Cancer?

Photo dynamic therapy is based on the theory of bio-stimulation and modulation of cellular activity. It combines two essential elements that work in synergy:

* photosensitizing substance in a cream (methyl – aminolevulinate)
* a narrow band red light of 635 nm.

Treatment consists of applying the cream to the lesion, covering the skin with an occlusive dressing for 3 hours. Methyl – aminolevulinate acts on photo active porphyrins, so that when the area is illuminated with red light of 635. for about 7 to 9 minutes, it stimulates the production of a number of free radicals that lead to tumor destruction process, removing only the cancerous cells without harming healthy cells.

Unexpected side effects and positive

Its use for cosmetic purposes was accidental, as when treated malignant lesions, it was observed improved adjacent tissues. We worked with the idea of extending its application to healthy skin, and found to activate cell renewal and boosts the production of collagen and elastin to exceptional levels.

Who photo dynamic Skin Cancer therapy is recommended?

It is indicated for people with signs of photo aging such as wrinkles, irregular thinning of the epidermis, hyperpigmentation in patches and formation of spider veins or telangiectasia. It is said that a meeting with Photodynamic Therapy Photorejuvenation is three sessions with Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) conventional. Spectacular results have been observed in the treatment of mild to moderate acne. Is an effective alternative for patients whose skin has become resistant to treatment with antibiotics and / or for those wishing to avoid the inconvenience of topical ointments or oral treatment with isotretinoin. In the case of acne treatment using a light and a photo sensitizing substance, in addition to killing bacteria, reduce inflammation and redness associated with acne lesions.

SPF stands for ‘sun protection factor’. Basically, the SPF in sunscreen protects your skin from cancer causing UV rays by multiplying your natural defense against the rays. Sounds confusing, but it’s not. Here’s how it works – If you burn easily and can generally only last 10 minutes in the sun, a sunscreen with SPF 15 will in theory protect you for 15 times more than your natural protection time, so in this case you will protected against UV rays for 150 minutes. That is however a theoretical time – it doesn’t take into account sweating, swimming, or wearing clothes – or any other factor that might rub the sunscreen off or impede it’s benefits.

Another thing to note is that once you’ve used your protection time (the theoretical 150 minutes), another dose of sunscreen will not add more protection during that day. In this case if you’ve been outside in the sun for your ‘protected’ time minutes you are best to avoid sun for at least the remainder of the day to avoid getting burnt.

On the subject of burning, there are 2 types of UV (ultraviolet) rays that can cause cancer: UVA & UVB.

UVA are sun rays that cause our skin to tan and wrinkle and over time will produce age posts and skin sagging. Although not as powerful as the UVB rays, it can penetrate more deeply into the skin. UVB are shorter, more powerful ultraviolet radiations from sunlight. UVB is responsible for sunburn – It affects the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and is a major contributor to development of skin cancer. The best sunscreens protect from both UVA & UVB rays.

Different parts of the world have variable burn times depending on how strong the ozone layer is in that party of the world. New Zealand for example has a ‘hole’ over it and burn times can be very fast.

People all throughout the entire world are not particularly aware of the dangers of skin cancer or much known as Nodular Melanoma. Knowledge upon this particular disease has not been as high as other cancers are, and the final phase of melanoma is more often left undiagnosed at any possible stage due to lack of knowledge.

The most serious type of skin cancer could lead one to fatality is Nodular melanoma. This is around 35% of all thick melanoma cases combined. The general form of melanoma is more often diagnosed in its initial phase or most often called as thin melanoma. The big differences of thick and thin melanoma are easy to distinguish. Thick melanoma is the types of tumors that penetrates and grow deeper into the person’s skin while a thin melanoma spreads just over the top of the skin’s surface.

Nodular melanoma is the type of cancer that is invasive. This cancer form can normally be seen on the arms, legs or torso’s of a person aged 60 and above. The scalp of someone with nodular melanoma can be affected in any age group. This malignant tumor can be seen as a bump-like feature in the skin. Most of the time, it would be seen as blue, white, brown, grey or tan in tone.

This type of skin cancer is less detected than any other sub types of skin cancer. It only accounts for 15% of the total number of all melanoma cases all around the world. This disease attacks people who are at the later years of their life for it is more commonly found in people aged 50 and above. Nodular melanoma looks like a blue-red or blue-black or an amelanotic nodule in the body. Skin cancer survival rates to any of these accounts to at least 98% chance of survival.

The five – year skin cancer survival rate of someone with nodular melanoma is 91%. When the malignant tumor has reached its next phase, it drops down to 60% and 16% in the later stage. Like any type of cancer there are things you could do to reduce the risk of having skin cancer. One must avoid the sun rays from 10am to 4pm if possible. If one could not stop from basking into the sun on those times, he or she must put on sunscreen or a hat to protect themselves from the harmful sun rays during these times.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6104568

Protect your skin from the sun when you can, wear protective clothing such as hats, long-sleeved shirts, long skirts, or pants. Use sunscreen lotion on your face, neck, hands, forearms and other unprotected areas of the skin. Be sure to choose a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater. Apply the sunscreen before going out in the sun.

Ultraviolet radiation can travel through car and home windows, where it can contribute to the daily accumulation of sun exposure that can lead to skin cancer and photo aging. Ultraviolet rays are a part of sunlight that is an invisible form of radiation. Just what is ultraviolet (UV) radiation? UV radiation, emitted by both the sun, and tanning beds and lamps, is a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent).

Skin cancers are a rapidly growing portion of all cancers diagnosed each year. These cancers are sometimes classified as either Melanoma or non Melanoma. They can sometimes arise from a non-cancerous skin condition called an actinic keratosis.

Basal Cell carcinoma (the most common form) and Squamous Cell carcinoma (the second most common form) are non-melanoma skin cancers linked with sun accumulation that has occurred over a number of years. Basal cell carcinoma usually occurs on areas of your skin that have been exposed to the sun. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are very common skin cancers with more than 1 million cases per year in the United States.

Melanoma is a more serious type of cancer than the more common skin cancers, basal cell cancer or squamous cell cancer, which begins in the basal or squamous cells of the epidermis. Most types of skin cancers can be effectively cured if found early, especially if it has not spread to nearby organs. The outlook depends on a number of factors, including the type of cancer and how quickly it was diagnosed. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma rarely spread to other parts of the body.

Melanoma also kills more young women under the age of 40 than any other cancer. Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is diagnosed in about 59,000 people annually and was expected to cause 7,800 deaths during the past year. Melanoma is a more serious type of cancer than the more common skin cancers, basal cell cancer or squamous cell cancer.

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