Medical News

Iron Man would be the perfect poster rep this month, because July is National Hemochromatosis Screening Awareness Month. Affecting primarily Caucasians of northern European descent, hemochromatosis (HCC) is an inherited disorder where the body absorbs too much iron, a necessary mineral for us to exist, but one that the body can’t get rid of on its own and, over time, builds up to toxic levels in the major organs as well as joint fluid, causing them to become diseased. Untreated, HHC can be fatal. It affects people of every age, men more than women. Iron Man could handle it. Tony Stark, not so much

Iron is essential to our bodies—it carries the oxygen in our blood to all parts of the body. Healthy humans absorb about 8-10 percent of iron from the foods we eat. Those with HHC absorb up to 30 percent, sometimes 40 percent, and over time retain 5 to 20 times more iron than they need. Left untreated, HHC increases the risk for diseases and conditions such as diabetes, irregular heart beat or heart attack, arthritis (osteoarthritis, osteoporosis), cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer, depression, impotence, infertility, early menopause, thyroid deficiency, hypogonadism, and some cancers. Excessive iron in the brain is seen in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, early onset Parkinson's, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. Joint pain is the most common complaint of people with HCC. Other common symptoms include fatigue, lack of energy, abdominal pain, loss of sex drive, and heart problems.

What can you do about it? Get tested. Blood tests determine whether the iron stored in your body is too high, and how efficient your blood transports it. A thorough medical history will also help rule out other conditions that could be causing the symptoms. This info often provides helpful clues, such as a family history of arthritis or unexplained liver disease. A liver biopsy may be required.

While the disease can be fatal, treating it is simple: Give blood. The first step is to get rid of the extra iron in a process call phlebotomy, the same process as donating blood. Depending on the iron levels, a pint of blood is taken once or twice a week for several months to a year, on occasion maybe longer. Iron levels are tested each time, with the goal of bringing it to the low end of the normal range. When this happens, a “maintenance donation” every 2 to 4 months or sometimes more frequently, is given for the rest of your life. If treatment begins before any internal damage occurs, the HHC conditions mentioned above can be prevented.

So take the time this month to evaluate your health. And if you’re taking over-the-counter iron pills without consulting a doctor first, you might want to reconsider.

June is National Hernia Awareness Month. Nearly 5 million people get hernias each year, but only about 700,000 seek treatment. An untreated hernia only gets worse, resulting in increased pain, death to the organ involved, and possible death to the person who didn’t get it treated.
A hernia happens when internal tissue or organs protrude beyond its natural boundaries through an abnormal opening. The most common hernias are groin and abdominal wall. Who’s most likely to get hernias? Those who do chronic lifting or activities that are straining. People with chronic constipation and those who are obese also have a high risk. How can you tell if you have a hernia? A typical sign is actually being able to see a bulging at the hernia area, along with its typical pain, which can spread to nearby areas. Sometimes treating the hernia is as simple as pushing it back in and holding it in with an external brace or wrap, but this often is a short-term, unsuccessful treatment. When this can’t be done anymore, it is now an incarcerated hernia and is at risk of becoming strangulated. This means the blood supply to the hernia contents has been compromised, often accompanied by extreme pain, and surgery is now absolutely required or the hernia contents could die. If you wait too long, you can die.
The best treatment for a hernia is surgery. Typically, the hernia contents are put back where they should be and the opening sutured closed to prevent the hernia from popping out again. Another method is using a synthetic or tissue graft material in the defect area to help prevent the hernia from happening again. The surgery can be done either the traditional way – opening you up – or by minimally-invasive methods, working through tiny incisions and correcting the problem via laparoscopic techniques. With laparoscopy surgery, recovery time is much quicker, post-operative pain is less, and patient exercises to help the healing process can begin sooner.
Surgery, while often the best treatment method, can’t stop some hernias from returning and the reasons are many. The quality of the initial surgical repair is a major factor. How well the patient healed is another major factor, often determined by how much the patient paid attention to post-operative instructions on avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous activities according to the doctor’s stated period of time, which allows enough internal healing before stretching the area of the hernia repair. Those on chronic steroids, or patients with poor tissue quality, tend to have poor healing results. Obesity also contributes to a greater risk of hernia recurrence.
In the end, a healthy lifestyle and diet will keep those hernias in place and quiet.

Prepare, People, Prepare. May is Allergy & Asthma Awareness Month, and if you haven’t stocked up on tissues, nose sprays and medicine yet, you’d better hurry. Defend your nose or lose the battle.
Peak season for allergy and asthma sufferers begins when everything starts to bloom – grass, trees, flowers, weeds – and shed as well, like dog and cat hair and the dander that spreads around. Winter colds and flu give way to spring coughing, runny noses, echoing sneezes, and watery eyes. And if you suffer from seasonal allergies and resulting or concurrent asthma, you know full well what you’re in for and you don’t need me – a fellow traveler on the allergy and asthma trail – to spell it out. Now, what can you do about it?
Prepare. Go on the Offense with a good Defense. Yes, it can be as simple as that.
Weather forecasts are helpful, and online weather reporting is even better. The Weather Channel offers a free downloadable weather system for your computer (no need for the paid version). It’s realtime and provides two-day pollen levels for trees, grass, and weeds based on your zip code, allowing you to prepare your defense. The desktop application also has a ten-day weather forecast that lets you prepare that much more. (If days are going to be windy, pollen is going to be flying, and you’re going to be suffering more – but not if you prepare.) You can also sign up for allergy alerts from Pollen.com. When the allergy conditions reach moderate levels, the point where most allergy sufferers begin to experience symptoms, Pollen.com sends you a two day forecast for your local area. It arrives early in the morning so that you can use the info to help manage the day’s allergies and better plan for the next day. Or go to their site and get the four-day report. Yahoo and Google also offer downloadable widgets that give you a four-day pollen alert. I also highly recommend the detailed daily air quality reports from the Air Quality Partnership of the Delaware Valley (www.airqualitypartnership.org, 800-872-7261), which includes ozone and particulate-matter levels that can severely affect allergies and induce asthma, and you can set it up to receive the daily reports via email.
Now take all this information and prepare your daily defense. If you know it’s going to be a bad allergy and/or asthma day, then take precautions first thing in the morning. (You may want to start the night before, also an effective method.) Allergy symptoms start when you breathe in the dreaded pollen or allergen, causing receptors in your nose to produce histamines (hence, antihistamine medications) that cause runny noses, sneezing, and the whole ball of snot to ruin the day. While not breathing isn’t an option, you can use one of the many nasal sprays that block the histamines from being activated—sort of locking out the allergens—so it doesn’t matter as much, if at all, if you breathe in the allergen. Prescription nasal corticosteroid sprays such as Flonase, Nasacort, Nasonex and Rhinocort are so good that allergy practice parameters call them the drugs of choice for allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever. Don’t let the word steroid scare you. These are not the anabolic steroids that muscle builders abuse. Corticosteroids will not make your muscles grow, guys (and gals). A nonsteroidal, antihistamine spray alternative is Astelin. Mind you, I wouldn’t suggest you shove your face in the grass or such, but they do a good job and you can get on with your life. This is your first line of defense, literally stopping the allergen/pollen from producing the histamine that causes the allergy reaction.
For an extra measure of protection, and again everyone is different, there are pills and liquids that also stop allergens once they’ve activated your allergy responses. Now mostly over the counter are: Alavert, Allegra, Benadryl, Claritin, Sudafed, and Zyrtec, and their store brand equivalents, along with prescription medications such as Singulair (which is also prescribed for asthma). People react differently to the various medicines, so one may be more effective for you than others, and combinations can be more effective depending on symptoms.
Asthma sufferers, whether by itself or in conjunction with or induced by allergies, need to also plan ahead. If just asthma, then a corticosteroid oral inhalant such as Flovent is a preventative using the same methodology as nasal steroid sprays. An emergency inhaler is also good to keep on hand for extreme cases, but the daily use of corticosteroid inhaler will go a long way to relieving symptoms. If you suffer from allergies with your asthma, or one aggravates the other, using both a nasal and oral corticosteroid daily is a good combination, along with any supplemental medicine to treat symptoms that arise due to conditions beyond your control or what you prepared for.
Keep in mind that any medicine you take will prevent or relieve your symptoms in a best-case scenario. Stop taking them and the symptoms can return. For permanent relief of allergies, only allergy shots have been shown to work. Allergy shots work by teaching your body to tolerate what you’re allergic to. They can be expensive and they don't work for everyone. But when they do work, you can usually scratch allergy medication right off your shopping list. In the meantime, watch the weather and pollen forecasts, don’t wait for the symptoms to show, pretreat accordingly and regularly, and remember the best defense is a good offense.

April is Stress Awareness Month. Were you aware of that? WERE YOU???! WHY NOT???!!!? Okay, don’t get all stressed over it. Relax, take a deep breath, AND READ THE FOLLOWING!!!!
Stress is a common feeling that affects everyone, some to a greater degree than others. It’s what you do, or don’t do, with it that causes problems.
Medically, stress is what happens as your body responds to any kind of demand, releasing chemicals that provide strength and energy into your body to handle the situation. It’s what you do with that energy, or if you even allow it to progress, that matters. Bad stress results when you don’t have an outlet, or don’t know where or how to release the energy built up by your body’s natural reaction. Extreme stress or long-term stress wears down your body and mind, but small amounts of stress can be good. If nothing caused you any stress or excitement, you’d be bored and may not live up to your potential. If everything causes you stress, you could have health or mental problems that will make your behavior worse.
So, is your stress good/positive or bad/negative? If you’re playing a sport and your opponent is bearing down, you react positively by, hopefully, getting out of the way. This is good stress, as it prepares you for an encounter and you have an outlet for your increased metabolism. If you freeze from the fear of impact, and get stomped into the ground, then the stress was negative, causing a bad reaction. In a less physical environment, people often get “butterflies” in their stomach before giving a speech: Some people channel this stress and use their body’s increased energy to give the best presentation of their life; others get sick to their stomach, run to the bathroom and puke.
Stress is what you make it, and can depend on how you handle the stressful situation—through mental and/or physical reactions—to channel your body’s chemical response. Learn to use the stress and it won’t abuse your body. Is it as easy as that? Often it is.
How do you handle the stress? In an immediate situation, such as being hit by car as you cross the street, you need to run/jump/get out of the way. There is no handling it. You just do it. The stress energy your body produces to save itself is here and now. You either use it, or lose it, sometimes forever.
Mental stress is often the same way. With mental stress gone bad, though, think of the 3Re’s: Relax, Rebound, React. Yes, it’s that simple. It’s a mind game you need to learn to play. Take a step back, literally, and slowly count to ten. Slow your breathing down and take deep breathes from your stomach on up. Take a walk away from the cause. Think of something funny. Mentally put your reaction to the stress into a thought balloon and let it escape your body. The situation that caused the stress may still be there, but your reaction to it can now be positive, not negative.
Stress is all around us. Some is from our surroundings, much is self-induced by our very own reactions. You may not be able to control all your situations, but you can learn to situate your control.

There are 57 million people in the U.S. who have pre-diabetes, a condition most type 2 diabetics had before being diagnosed with full diabetes. Pre-diabetics have blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. However, research indicates that you can prevent type 2 diabetes—and avoid daily insulin shots and medications—through exercise, diet, and common sense. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, along with a 5-10 percent reduction in body weight, produced a 58 percent reduction in diabetes in a recent study.
What kinds of physical activity should be part of my routine? Aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility exercises. And it can begin as simply as taking a moderate to brisk walk. This aerobic exercise, at least 5 days a week, is good for most people. Not very active recently, then begin with a 5 or 10 minute daily routine and work up to 30 minutes, or take a 10 minute walk after each meal. Don’t want to walk? Then dance to the radio or MP3 player. Add strength training by holding a 1 or 2 pound weight in each hand. Don’t have weights? Grab a can of soup. Strength training done 3 to 5 times a week helps build muscle and will increase your aerobic ability. More muscle also makes you burn more calories. Start your aerobics and strength training with some simple stretching to increase your flexibility. Try and reach your toes, twist slowly at your waist, and do the dog stretch—just lie on the floor, reach over your head, point your toes, and stretch your entire body.
Eating properly to lose weight and prevent pre-diabetes turning into full diabetes isn’t that hard. Go back to the basic rules. One basic rule in choosing food is: the fewer ingredients there are on the list, the better. Of course, if those ingredients are all sugar, don’t buy it. While some desserts are fine, eliminate high-calorie snack foods and desserts such as chips, cookies, cakes, and whole milk ice cream. And while drinking non-fat/fat free milk is better for pre-diabetics, fat free food isn’t necessarily better for you since manufacturers make up for the lost of taste (from no or less fat) by adding sugar. Other basic rules are eat whole grain (top of the ingredient list only) foods over processed foods, a variety of fruits and veggies in a variety of colors every day, fish up to five times a week, and lean meats only—no processed sandwich meats. Drink only water when exercising, and preferably most of the rest of the time. And last but not least, control your meal portions, since eating too much of even healthy foods will lead to weight gain and increase your diabetes chances.

Winter can deter even the most motivated from exercising outside, and depress them enough to not exercise inside. But the benefit of outdoor exercise in the winter, in addition to losing weight and gaining muscle tone, is direct sunshine, which is good for you in two ways in the winter.

Sunlight hitting your skin causes your body to naturally produce Vitamin D, which promotes normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, aids in the absorption of calcium to help form and maintain strong bones, and protects from osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cancer, several autoimmune diseases, and heart disease. While we can get D from fortified foods and pills, the best way is through the interaction of our skin and the sun. Past recommended amounts of D range from 200-600 International Units (IU), but recent studies indicate the increased benefits of 10,000 IU, currently the upper tolerable daily intake. Now, exercising outside in the winter means only your face is exposed to the sun, but a fair-skinned person can naturally manufacture 15,000 IU or more of vitamin D in as little as 30 minutes of optimal sun exposure.

In addition, studies have proven the more sun we receive in the winter the less depression we succumb to due to the longer, darker days.

Exercising outside requires dressing properly in layers to prevent both hypothermia and overheating. Start with synthetic polypropylene undergarments, which wick away sweat; cotton fabrics keep sweat next to your skin and chill you. Next add a fleece layer, then an insulated but breathable windbreaker. You could add a layer of wool or silk in between, both of which wick moisture away. The layering system allows sweat to evaporate out while preventing wind chill’s effect on your body, which could possibly cause hypothermia. If you feel overheated, open or remove the outer layer.

Prepare yourself for outside exercise by warming up inside first. One of the best indoor exercises is walking. It may seem silly to walk around your house for the sake of walking, but how far is it around the house to make a mile? Measure and find out. Add in stair climbing. Climbing your stairs is invigorating and a 150-pound person can burn 10 calories a minute climbing stairs according to the Calorie Control Council. An hour of stair climbing burns 600 calories. Keep in mind that walking down stairs burns half the calories of walking up, but running up stairs increases caloric burn, offsetting the burn decrease.

Whether you face the weather outside, or weather the weather inside, keep on exercising in the winter. And when you do exercise outdoors, remember to face the sun. Inside and outside, you’ll feel refreshed, happier, stronger and lighter.

Today’s woman must be an expert in multi-tasking, team work, coordinating and risk taking. Women are shouldering more responsibility at work and in the community, all while taking care of their entire family. Busy work schedules, care of young children and elderly parents or relatives combine with other social responsibilities to cause a woman to put her families’ needs before her own. One issue which can’t be ignored is a woman’s health. If we aren’t in top condition, we can’t take care of our family. Routine tests are essential to early detection of manageable conditions.

Heart disease is the number one killer in the United of States and on the rise among women. Therefore, after age 35 women need to have their lipid profiles checked, including good cholesterol (HDL), bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides (TG). High LDL (100 to 130 and above), low HDL (50 and below in women) and high TG (>150) are considered increased risk for heart attacks. Other risk factors are smoking, a family history of heart disease and being overweight (waist size > 40 inches). The risk of women having heart attacks increases after menopause. As soon as you start to have hot flashes, night sweats or mood changes, see your doctor for a heart check up. Early detection and treatment could save your life.

Menstruation, child bearing and birth as well as menopause are unique to women. The period when a woman approaches menopause is referred to as perimenopause. Her body starts experiencing hormonal changes which cause night sweats, hot flashes, breast pain, irregular periods, frequent urination, loss of sex drive, vaginal dryness, sleep problems, mood swings and irritability. It is as if the woman is going through a re-birth. Recognizing the symptoms and seeking medical attention can ease those uncomfortable feelings. Exercising regularly and consuming diets rich in soy products also helps.

Breast cancer is still the number one form of cancer killing women. Risk factors of breast cancer include smoking, being overweight, having a family history or previous personal history of breast cancer, early onset of menstruation and late menopause, never having given birth or breast feeding, previous surgery to the breast, etc.

Breast cancer occurs more in the post menopausal women, with 1 in 7 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the US. However, breast cancer when detected early is very treatable. The most effective way to detect early-stage breast cancer in the US is the Mammography of the breast as it detects micro calcification, an early form of cancer. Women age 40 and above should have annual breast exams and mammograms. Cervical cancer is another deadly disease among women and is mostly caused by high-risk Human Papilloma Virus the most dangerous of which is HPV 16 or 18. Symptoms would include irregular vaginal bleeding, pain and abnormal discharge.

Early detection and treatment are facilitated by yearly PAP smears which are recommended after a woman starts to have sexual intercourse. Further evaluation and treatment by colopscopy would be warranted if the PAP smear is abnormal. HPV vaccinations which may prevent cervical cancer in women are now available and it is recommended that females between ages of 9 and 26 be inoculated.

Thyroid disease is also common in women and may be genetically linked. Thyroiditis such as Hashimoto disease, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism may occur in middle age women. Thyroid storm, such as in Grave’s disease may affect your eyes causing you to feel weak, tired, gain or lose weight and experience hair loss and mood swings. Other medical conditions occurring in women include auto-immune diseases like Lupus, Sjogren’s disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression.

A woman’s health is very important and we should pay more attention to our body and its warning signs. When a woman is healthy and happy, the whole family and all the people associated with the woman would be happy.

We all enjoy the holidays when we dress up our kids for a Halloween parade, make pumpkin pie and turkey for Thanksgiving, put up the tree for Christmas or candles for Hanukkah, toast the New Year, or watch dragons dance for Chinese New Year.

The festive atmosphere, the aroma from the gourmet holiday food and the excitement of getting gifts all make the holiday season so special, but most of all, we get a chance to share our happiness and love with family and friends. Looking forward to the future, we hope next year will be better than the last. Hope is the light carrying us forward. Many of us make time to review the past year’s successes or mistakes and make New Year’s resolutions.

The last thing many of us consider during this busy season is our health, but in many cases it should be first on our list. What health concerns should we be aware of in the holiday season?

1. Depression is a disease which strikes frequently during the holiday season. If anyone you know has become ill, injured, unemployed, gotten divorced, separated or lost someone they’ve loved reach out and lend them a helping hand. If you are the person who has suffered during the year, please talk to your doctor and family to get help.

2. Elderly people may not be as active during the winter season; they have poor circulation and their skin is very fragile. Check to make sure they don’t have frostbite on their extremities. Warm mittens, a scarf and warm shoes may be good gifts for them. Moisturizer for dry skin is also useful. Many have inadequate heat in their homes and no one to turn to for help. Visit them and offer to check the heating system – don’t forget to make sure there are no carbon monoxide emissions in the house. Check the batteries in their smoke detectors.

3. Food poisoning could happen during holidays. Make sure to throw out leftovers that are sitting out in a warm room, especially recipes that include raw egg yokes or raw meat. Wash hands frequently to avoid transferring bacteria and viruses to each other, especially before meals and after using the bathroom.

4. Over eating is frequently a big problem during the holiday season. Try not to stuff yourself with so much food that it causes abdominal pain, gas/bloating and diarrhea/constipation. Remember to eat more vegetables and fruits to obtain 30-35 grams of fiber a day. Digestive enzymes with probiotics may help us digest food and absorb nutrients. If you are taking prilosec or similar medications for esophageal reflux, you need to remember to take Vitamin B supplements because these medicines can inhibit B vitamin absorption.

5. Children are delicate and tend to get very excited by the gifts. Toy safety is of the utmost importance as kids may choke on small pieces or poked by sharp objects. Supervise children during this time to avoid accidents and injuries. Don’t forget to make sure they get adequate sleep/rest. 6. People with chronic diseases may find that they have difficulty managing their conditions. Blood pressure may go up because of too much salt or alcohol intake; glucose may elevate because of the additional desserts and candies we eat. Cholesterol and triglycerides increase because of too much meat and fatty foods. Heart attacks and stroke occur more often in the winter than any other time of the year. Please check your blood pressure and glucose level frequently during the holiday season if you have Hypertension and Diabetes. If the blood pressure or sugar level is out of control, you need to talk to your doctor for medication adjustment.

Let us enjoy the holiday spirit, the happiness of love, caring and giving. Let us focus on the well being of our body and mind. Let this holiday season be free from sickness and injury.

We all love the fall when the leaves turn beautiful colors and the migrating birds start to fly south. The world becomes so busy and exciting. One factor we might or might not like is that the winter is coming! What can we expect or prepare for during the winter? What diseases could occur in winter? How can we prevent them to happen to us?

Start with the fall - we know this time of the year we could get seasonal allergy symptoms with ragweed. If you have had an allergy to ragweed in the past you may want to see your doctor to prevent it. When allergies get out of hand, secondary infections with virus or bacteria could occur.

Winter brings the cold air and wind that could penetrate our clothing. The cold temperature could cause frostbite, so first thing is to make sure we all dress for the weather; dress warmly. For parents who have small children, please check the weather report and have your children wear comfortable winter clothes. Hat and mittens may be needed for outdoor activities.

Winter will also bring viruses and bacteria close to our body. The human body is a good hiding place for them causing people to come down with upper respiratory infections including the common cold, bronchitis, sinusitis and Influenza, all of which could be deadly to young people and the elderly. If you are 50 years or older, have children under 3 years old, or medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, renal failure, auto immune diseases, etc, you need to get a FLU shot.

Winter means we are not so active outside and more cooped up inside. We may lack sun exposure and fresh air. Indoor allergens caused by hot air heat blowing around cause allergy symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion, watery eyes, coughing and asthma attacks. Subsequently, the allergy can become sinusitis, bronchitis, COPD exacerbation (chronic obstructive bronchitis, especially in smokers) or pneumonia. Many people have to be admitted to hospitals for breathing problems in winter. See your family doctor if you start to get sick - do not wait until complications occur. People who are 65 or older should have Pneumonia vaccinations at least once

Winter also is the time to take precautions against meningococcal meningitis. This disease tends to occur among school students. That is why college students should have vaccination to prevent it from occurring.

Snow will come during the winter season. Preventing falling in the snow or ice is very important. Falling in the street or other hard surface can cause bone fracture, especially in people who have osteoporosis. Car accidents occur more frequently during snowy or icy conditions. Safety is one thing we should all keep in mind during this time of year.

The tips mentioned above are just a few ways to take precautions during the winter season. Remaining healthy during the winter will help us prepare for the future. Don’t forget when winter comes, spring isn’t far away!

Do you know any cancer can be caught by contact with certain bacteria or viruses? Are cancers contagious? Can we prevent cancers by immune vaccination?

Scientists and physicians have been asking the same questions for decades and trying to understand the causes and pathology of cancers, yet they are still the most difficult to treat and the most devastating diseases in existence. Everyone has known of a loved one or close friend or neighbor who has suffered from cancer. There are several cancers that have been linked to certain bacteria and viruses:

Stomach cancer may be linked to a bacteria called H. Pylori which is transmitted by eating contaminated food.

Cervical cancer may be linked to a Virus called Human Papilloma virus (HPV) by sexual contact.

Liver cancer may be linked to the viruses Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C by blood.

T-cell Leukemia may be linked to certain retroviruses (such as HTLV) by blood.

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma may be linked to a virus called Epstein-Barr Virus by respiratory infection

Prostate cancer may be linked to a virus called XMRV which may or may not be sexually transmitted.

It is possible that more and more viruses could be linked to cancers. It seems that the viruses and bacteria linked to cancer mostly are through parts of the human body that open to the outer environment such as mouth, nose, gut, vagina, prostate though eating, breathing or sexual activity.

The mechanism of developing cancer through these viruses or bacteria is that the DNA or RNA of these viruses or bacteria incorporate into human DNA and change the function of the human gene. The changed cells start to over grow and over power the human immune system. Eventually, it leads to an abnormal growth called Tumor/Cancer.

Cancer cells are generated everyday and in everyone. Why some people get cancer and others do not get cancer? The answer lays in our immune system. We have millions of immune cells patrolling through our body daily. The powerful immune system destroys cancer cells constantly. Only when our immune system is weaker than the production of the cancer cells, does the human body developer tumors.

If cancer can be infected by viruses and bacteria, can we prevent them by immune vaccination?
We now have a vaccine for Human Papilloma Virus to prevent cervical cancer; it is recommended to be given to pre-teen girls. We also have a vaccine for Hepatitis B to prevent liver cancer; it should be given to everyone. We may also take antibiotics to kill bacterium H. Pylori to prevent stomach cancer.

Scientists and medical professionals are continually searching for and finding the causes and treatments for cancer. Many cancers can be detected earlier and therefore cured, such as having a PAP smear to detect cervical cancer; Mammograms are used to detect breast cancer, PSA for detecting prostate cancer.

Prevention and early detection are important for fighting cancer. As an individual, one thing we could do in the battle against cancer is to check one’s life style, reduce risk factors, build up a strong immune system and learn about any and all available preventive measures.

STATISTICS Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the cells of the breast in men and women. It is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer death. Women in the United States have the highest incidence rates of breast cancer in the world; in 100,000 women, the occurrence were 141 among white women and 122 among African American women. Women in the US have a 1 in 8 (12.5%) lifetime chance of developing invasive breast cancer and a 1 in 35 (3%) chance of breast cancer causing their death. In 2007, breast cancer was expected to cause 40,910 deaths in the US (7% of cancer deaths; almost 2% of all deaths). Incidences of breast cancer in men are approximately 100 times less common than in women, but men with breast cancer are considered to have the same statistical survival rates as women.

PREVENTION:
Naturally:
1. Lower age of first childbirth (< 24 year old)
2. Having more children (reduce breast cancer risk 7% per child)
3. Breast feeding (reduce breast cancer risk 4% per year of breast feeding)
4. Exercising three time times a week for one hour reduce breast cancer risk by 40 %

Nutritionally:
1. Taking Phytoestrogens found in soybeans or soy products, in early adolescence may protect against breast cancer later in life. However, taking soy product later in life has no positive or negative effect for breast cancer risk.
2. Foods rich in folate include citrus fruits, citrus juices, dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, dried beans and peas. Vitamin B9 can also be taken in a multivitamin pill.

Environmentally:
1. Breathing secondhand smoke increases breast cancer risk by 70% in younger, primarily pre-menopausal women. Stop secondhand smoking reduces breast cancer risk.
2. Food high in processed oil, trans fatty acid increases the chance of obesity and breast cancer risk. Obesity increase the breast cancer risk.

Medical Intervention:
1. Oophorectomy and mastectomy, in high risk individuals, when child-bearing is complete, reduces the breast cancer risk by 60% as well as reduces ovarian cancer risk 96%.
2. Medication: Hormonal therapy for chemoprevention in high risk women, such as Tamoxifen, Raloxifene. The relative risk reduction is 50%-76%. But the risk of hypertension, venous thromboembolism and fatal stroke would be increased. So the risk and the benefits should be weighed.

Screening -
Breast cancer screening is an attempt to find unsuspected cancers. The most common screening methods are self and clinical breast exams, x-ray mammography, and breast Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

X-ray mammography -
Mammography is still the modality of choice for screening of early breast cancer, since it is relatively fast, reasonably accurate, and widely available in developed countries. A clinical practice guideline by the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended "screening mammography, with or without clinical breast examination (CBE), every 1 to 2 years for women aged 40 and older. Mammography has been estimated to reduce breast cancer-related mortality by 20-30%.
Ultrasound - Used in conjunct with x-ray mammography for detecting lesions in the breast for further evaluation of breast lump or nodules.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -
MRI has been shown to detect cancers not visible on mammograms, but has long been regarded to have disadvantages. For example, although it is 27-36% more sensitive, it is less specific than mammography. As a result, MRI studies will have more false positives (up to 5%), which may have undesirable financial and psychological costs.

Who needs Breast MRI? Those with a strong family history, patients with BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 tumor suppressor gene mutations, women with breast implants, those with a history of previous lumpectomy or breast biopsy surgeries, axillary metastasis with an unknown primary tumor or people with very dense or scarred breast tissue.

Breast self-exam and Clinical Breast Exam -
It is recommended to have yearly physical exam with primary care or gyn doctor for women to have a clinical breast exam. Breast self-examination is optional method of breast cancer screening because women taught to self-exam tended to detect more breast nodules but they were just as likely to die of breast cancer.

Genetic testing -
The most-used test for detecting breast cancer susceptibility genes are the test of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. It is recommended for women with a strong family history of breast cancer to have genetic counseling and evaluation for BRCA testing. The high risk group is about 2 % of the women who have breast cancer.

Who is among the high risk group for developing breast cancer? Two first-degree relatives with breast cancer, 1 of whom received the diagnosis at age 50 years or younger, Three or more first- or second-degree relatives with breast cancer regardless of age at diagnosis, both breast and ovarian cancer among first- and second- degree relatives. A first-degree relative with bilateral breast cancer, a combination of 2 or more first- or second-degree relatives with ovarian cancer regardless of age at diagnosis, a first- or second-degree relative with both breast and ovarian cancer at any age, a history of breast cancer in a male relative and women of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, an increased-risk family history includes any first-degree relative (or 2 second-degree relatives on the same side of the family) with breast or ovarian cancer.

All medical information gathered is meant to increase our knowledge about diseases that we are trying to avoid or fight against. It is important to individually apply this knowledge to our daily life. To prevent and fight against breast cancer, like all other cancers, we need to go out and exercise 20-30 minutes every day, take our vegetables and soybean products, avoid being overweight, and keep your BMI under 25. Visit your doctor each year for breast exams and mammograms when age appropriate. Finally, talk to your doctor about genetic counseling if there is a strong family history of breast cancer.

1. Make sure the screening tests and immunizations that are appropriate are up to date.

2. Complete an Advanced Health Care Directive.

3. Exercise " aerobically" , enough to raise your heart rate to about (220-your age) x 70%. Your goal is at least 30 minutes every day.

4. Achieve and maintain normal body weight. Ideal weight is BMI<25.

5. Eat foods low in saturated fat and trans fatty acids and high in calcium, Vitamin D and fiber, with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Take a calcium/Vitamin D supplement, if necessary.

6. Practice safe sex, use condoms and a reliable method of contraception.

7. Do not smoke, and avoid inhaling others' cigarette smoke. If you need help quitting, please ask.

8. "Safety-proof" your home to prevent falls, poisoning, accidental use of firearms and fire.

9. Do not drive or allow others to drive while under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering substances. Use sport helmets appropriately, regardless of your age. Know the safety regulations for automobile airbags.

10. Seek help early for depression, mood changes, alcohol or drug abuse.

11. Perform regular skin self-examinations. Protect your skin from sun damage with sunblock, hat and clothing.

12. Women should seek medical attention for breast changes.

13. Men should seek medical attention for testicular changes.

14. Find balance in your life between work, home and play time. Include stress reduction activities every day.

It is also recommended that:

1. Routine breast exam should start at age 20, every 3 years should have your doctor to do the exam. Routine breast mammograms for women should start at age 40. If you have family history of breast cancer, you may start mammogram exam earlier.

2. Routine PAP smear for cervical cancer screening should start at beginning of sexual contact annually. No later than age 21. After you reach age 30, you may have PAP smear every 3 years if you have had three normal PAP test.

3. Colon cancer screening should begin at age 50. If you have family history of colon cancer then test earlier. If test is normal, you may repeat the colonoscopy in 10 years.

4. Women age 65 and older should have a DEXA scan for detecting osteoporosis.

5. Lipid screening for men should start at age 35, and for women at age 45. Keep your good cholesterol (HDL) high (man >40, woman>50) by exercising and eating foods high in Omega-3.

6. Prostate cancer screening may start at age 50. If you have family history of prostate cancer, screening test should start earlier.

6. Diphtheria-Tetanus Booster should be given every 10 years for men, women and children.

7. Get another Tetanus shot with Pertussis (DTaP) at age 12 and as an adult when working as a health professional.

8. HPV vaccination may prevent cervical cancer, starting at age 9-12.

Americans are getting better on prevention and early detection of Heart disease, Diabetes and Cancer, etc. But we still have a long way to go. For the problem of obesity, we are loosing the battle every day. 20 years ago, there are average 16% of American are obese. Now we have over 35%-55% people who are obese. There is a Chinese saying: “All diseases started from your mouth!” We really need to watch our mouth to prevent diseases. What you eat , how you eat and how much you eat will make a big difference. Let us all think for five seconds before we put anything into our mouth!