Are you aware of the link between air pollution and cancer? Air pollution refers to the mixture of several harmful substances, which lead to various serious health hazards on exposure. The primary sources of air pollution are man-made, including fumes from automobiles and the smoke from burning fuels. Desert dust, radon gas, and several other natural sources of air pollution are equally dangerous. Air pollution is classified into outdoor and indoor air pollution. It is highly associated with increased risks of developing cancer. Smoking is considered to be one of the major agents, which pollute the air and increase the chances of cancer to a large extent.

Outdoor air pollution

Outdoor air pollution is strongly linked with cancer development.
As every person is exposed to some form of air pollution, it has a more harmful effect on the whole population across the globe as a general threat.
A certain part of outdoor air pollution referred to as PM 2.5, or solid dust particles, are highly responsible for the development of cancer.
The chances of cancer increase with the increase in PM 2.5 levels in the air.
Indoor air pollution

There are several sources of indoor air pollution that are closely associated with an increased risk of cancer.
The sources include fuels used for heating homes and for cooking, radon, and tobacco smoke.
Second hand smoke is another harmful indoor air pollutant that causes cancer.
Second hand smoke

Secondhand smoke increases the risk of cancer development, along with the risk of developing other diseases such as stroke and lung disease.
A lot of people all over the world get exposed to second hand smoke.
A lot of deaths occur due to cancer because of second hand smoke exposure which is common every year, all over the globe.
Radon

Radon is a natural radioactive gas, which is associated with increased risks of developing lung cancer.
It is found at low levels outdoors. It may also build in high concentrations indoors.
Although radon exposure does not pose a huge threat for cancer, a lot of radon-associated cancers develop due to exposure to radon, along with tobacco smoke.
Benzene

This is a flammable liquid having no color and with a sweet odor.
It is closely associated with the development of leukemia and cancers affecting other cells of the body.
Cigarette smoking and tobacco smoke are major cancer causing elements that are found in the air commonly. Both of these are quite harmful. It is recommended that you not only quit smoking, but also keep away from passive smoking.

Pollution and Cancer - How They Are Related?

Cancer has been regarded as one of the most deadly diseases. It is a non-communicable chronic disorder, caused by uncontrolled growth of cells in the human body. Every year over 7 million people succumb to this disease globally and over 12 million people are diagnosed with cancer. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), estimated that India will observe over 8 lakh deaths and over 17 lakh new cancer cases annually by the year 2020. The survival expectancy of a cancer patient depends upon the stage of diagnosis.

There are some forms of cancer which show any noticeable symptoms only in the final stage while there are certain other subtle symptoms which if paid attention to might save a life.
Some common signs of cancer:

Unexplained weight loss: This is one of the earliest noticeable symptoms of cancer and is particularly common in patients of lung and breast cancer. Weight loss has been observed in over 40% of cancer patients at the time of diagnosis. Losing over 10% of body weight in a span of 6 months or less could be a cause of concern.
Wheezing: This is associated with lung cancer, which is also the most common form of cancer. When the airway in the lungs is pressed or narrowed by a tumor, it creates a wheezing sound while breathing.
Frequent infections: Frequent infections and fever may indicate that something is not right with the internal organs of the body. This could be because of cancerous conditions such as leukemia or lymphoma. 
Loss of appetite: Cancer impacts the metabolic process of the body, hence often leads to a loss of appetite. This is particularly a symptom of colon, stomach, ovaries and pancreatic cancer. 
Blood in stool/urine: Traces of blood while passing stool or urine could be a symptom of cancer. Though, this could be attributed to many other infections and conditions as well.
Chronic cough: Flu and cough along with symptoms like chest pain, hoarseness, weight loss and fatigue could be because of lung cancer.
Night sweats: Though night sweat could be attributed to many more reasons, it is also one of the many early warning signs of cancer.

Early Warning Signs Of Cancer That We Often Ignore!

Cancer is the most dangerous disease noticeable throughout the world. The most common type of cancer that affects men is prostate cancer. Prostate is a small exocrine gland situated directly below the bladder and in front of the rectum. This is gland is approximately in size of a walnut and plays an important role in production of a milky fluid during orgasm of sex in which the semen travels. During the climax stage of the prostate gland is forced to push the fluid and remove the semen out of the reproductive structures.

Prostate gland is a slow progressive disease which makes many males left unidentified even the presence of prostate cancer even until they die. 6 out of 100 male over the age of 60 are getting prostate cancer. Though prostate cancer can be cured at a better rate when compared to other type of cancer it is always best to stay protected. Prevention is always better than cure. Here are few tips to keep your prostate healthy.

Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer-

During the early stages of prostate cancer there are usually no symptoms. Most men at this stage find out they have prostate cancer after a routine check up or blood test. When symptoms do exist, they are usually one or more of the following:

The patient urinates more often

The patient gets up at night more often to urinate

He may find it hard to start urinating

He may find it hard to keep urinating once he has started

There may be blood in the urine

Urination might be painful

Ejaculation may be painful (less common)

Achieving or maintaining an erection may be difficult (less common).

If the prostate cancer is advanced the following symptoms are also possible:

Bone pain, often in the spine (vertebrae), pelvis, or ribs

The proximal part of the femur can be painful

Leg weakness

Urinary incontinence

Fecal incontinence

Ways to have a healthy prostate  

Diet and weight   the most important factor is the diet to maintain a healthy weight. Avoid fatty food items and take fats from vegetables than from animals. Avoid dairy products and increase the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Exercise   have a regular practise of doing exercise at least for 30mins a day. This really helps you to keep your body fit.

Be precautious   if you have a family history of prostate cancer or if you feel you are at high risk of getting prostate cancer talk with your doctor about it and take preventive drugs as per the doctor s advice.

Red foods   research shows that men who consume red foods like watermelon, tomato and other red fruits are at lower risk of getting prostate cancer as they contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene

Caffeine   three to four cups of coffee per day reduces your risk of getting prostate cancer.

Stop smoking   if you are at high risk of getting prostate cancer it is best advised to quit smoking and alcohol.

Prostate Cancer - What To Expect

Irrfan Khan's saddening revelation about his health and diagnosis of Neuroendocrine tumour (NET) has undoubtedly created a rage amongst his fans, which is now being followed by good wishes for speedy recovery from his supporters all across social media.  

The actor shared in an emotional Twitter post that he s been diagnosed with NET, a rare tumour that develops from cells of the neuroendocrine system and grows predominantly in the digestive or respiratory tract - lungs, appendix, small intestine, rectum, and pancreas - it can occur in any part of the body.

Here is more on Irrfan s disease:

What is NET?

A neuroendocrine tumor is characterized by a rapid and abnormal growth that happens in the nerve cells which produce hormones. Hormones control how different organs in the body work.

It is a condition wherein, endocrine cells, the hormone-producing cells of the body, develop a tumor in any part of the body - while it can can grow in lungs or the thymus, or more rarely, in the ovaries, kidneys, or testicles - the most common is lung, intestines, and pancreas.

What causes NET?

A neuroendocrine tumour is quite a rare disease, occurs in less than one per million cases. The exact cause is not known.

The Symptoms-

It can cause a myriad of symptoms, depending on where in the body the NET is.

If it is in your digestive system, it can cause pain or discomfort in the abdomen area that comes and goes. You may feel sick, nauseated, vomited, or there may be a change in how often you pass stools.
If the NET is in the lung, it can cause shortness of breath, chest infections, or you can even have a cough up blood.
Weight loss and loss of appetite may also be some common signs of a neuroendocrine tumour.
Some NETs may overproduce a hormone-like substance called serotonin. This causes a group of symptoms called carcinoid syndrome. Symptoms include wheezing (like asthma), flushing of the skin and diarrhoea.
Who can be affected with NET?

These tumours, depending on the type, are more common in certain age or sex. And few have very strong family history too.
People who have a rare condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 have an increased risk of developing a NET.
Did You Know?

Apple founder  Steve Jobs  died from the same disease in 2011. The tumour affected his pancreas.

Know The Different Types of NET:

Based on the organ that is affected, NET can vary a lot. When the chromaffin cells that produce adrenaline are affected, it is called Pheochromocytoma, and it is related to the stress levels of the body.

When a cell is formed abnormally under the skin and the hair follicles, it is called Merkel cell cancer. This is also called neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin and the condition can occur anywhere in the body. The commonly occurring places include lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and brain.

The status of the tumour, cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign), decides the survival rate. Often slow-growing and noncancerous, they can invade surrounding parts of the body and at times, turn cancerous and spread across the body. However, you can still choose to live a good quality life with strict modifications in diet and lifestyle. The changes are made after taking into consideration the symptoms of the tumor. The organ where the tumor is formed also matters.

How Is It Treated?

Treatment depends on the location of the tumour, its type, how severe it is and whether it has spread to other parts of the body. Usually, the first treatment choice is surgery to remove the tumour. And, if the NET cannot be removed, your will prescribed with a treatment that will not only relieve the symptoms but will also improve the quality of your life.

How can a NET be prevented?

The first thing you need to do for the prevention of NET is to curb stress. Stress affects the entire body severely.

Lifestyle modifications:

A healthy lifestyle is what you need to stick to if you want to manage its symptoms during the treatment cycle. Your doctor will prescribe you to do exercises at least 4 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. You can also try a walk instead of strenuous exercises.

People with carcinoid syndrome may be advised to avoid food or activities that may trigger flushing, such as eating spicy food or drinking alcohol.

Indulge yourself in therapies that help in gaining more positive energy. If you are already affected by NET, eliminate all the sources of stress and get a good night's sleep every day. Join the support groups that make you grow strong and happy. After all, the mind is devised to do miracles when it is full of life and positive thoughts.

Is Irrfan Khan's tumour curable?

Dr Saumitra Rawat, HOD, Surgical Gastroenterology & Liver Transplant, Sri Ganga Ram Hospital, said, "NeuroEndocrine Tumour is an abnormal growth of Neuroendo cells which are present in bodies. When there is an abnormal growth, then it forms a tumor - Normally seen in intestine, pancreas, lung, thyroid and other parts of the body".

On commenting on Khan's case, he said, "It depends on the location of tumour, its size, and what is its mitotic index".

"Depending on where the tumour is localized, you can take it out surgically and the chances of cure are very high", Dr Rawat explained.

Actor Irrfan, who has been diagnosed with the disease is one of the most versatile actors in India, has also made a name for himself in the west, where he has been an important part of critically-acclaimed films such as  The Namesake ,  Jurassic World , and  Life of Pi . At home, the actor has delivered remarkable performances in films such as  Haasil ,  Paan Singh Tomar ,  Maqbool ,  Lunch Box ,  Piku , and the most recent  Hindi Medium .

Irrfan Khan is not just a disarmingly natural actor, but also an endearing human being -- honest and humble to the core. It s time to stand together and pray for him a speedy recovery!

Irrfan Khan - Battle Against Neuroendocrine Tumour!

Brain metastases from systemic cancer are the most common type of intracranial neoplasm in adults, being almost 10 times more common than primary malignant brain tumors, which cause a significant burden on the management of patients with advanced cancer (1). The lungs represent one of the most frequent sources of metastases to the brain, with a probability of (36 64%) (3). Symptoms suffered by the patients include headaches, epilepsy, focal weakness, numbness or changes in mental status. The prognosis of patients with brain metastases is not optimistic and the median survival time is  1 2 months if left untreated. The 1-year survival rate has been recorded as 10.4% (4,5). The treatment of metastatic brain tumors is complex; not only due to being able to provide local control and improve neurological function, but also due to factors such as age, performance and systemic disease status and the size, volume, location and number of metastases at presentation

CyberKnife is a robotic radiosurgery system with a linear particle accelerator (linac), which is coupled with real-time imaging to track and compensate for the patient s or target s motion. As a relatively non-invasive treatment modality, CyberKnife demonstrates certain benefits, including a more accurate target localization and improved dose delivery for the management of metastatic brain tumors that allows higher biologically effective dose delivery without increased incidence of toxicity.

In the present case, the results for the treatment of multiple brain metastases after CyberKnife surgery with a 7 8 Gy marginal dose was promising. CyberKnife for metastatic brain tumors is an effective and safe method for reducing the marginal dose prescribed for multiple brain metastases and for minimizing the radiation-related neurotoxicities. In conclusion, CyberKnife, a focused, highly-targeted radiosurgery and fractionated radiotherapy is particularly useful for multiple brain metastases. CyberKnife provides the advantage of the management of local recurrence and a tolerable complication rate. Although the treatment of brain metastases has been performed with CyberKnife, the clinical significance and optimal dose fractionation scheme require further investigation.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

CyberKnife Therapy Of 24 Multiple Brain Metastases From Lung Cancer!

Lungs are very important organs of your body as they play a pivotal role in respiration. Lung cancer refers to the gradual development of cancerous cells in the lungs. Many common symptoms can help you to identify lung cancer. They are stated below:

A) persistent cough
B) change in your voice
C) pain in the chest region
D) breathing problem
E) fatigue
F) loss of weight and appetite
G) sometimes a person may also cough up blood
H) cough accompanied by a wheezing sound

Lung cancer is very fatal and has less chances of getting cured. However, ayurveda offers effective and natural remedies for treating lung cancer. They are mentioned as follows:

1. Practice breathing exercises regularly: breathing exercises can help you to deal with the problem of lung cancer in an effective manner.

2. Quit smoking and avoid drinking alcohol: this is absolutely essential for treating lung cancer. Both smoking and consuming alcohol can cause severe damage to your lungs.

3. Practice meditation. According to ayurveda, meditation is known to have great healing powers for any health problem. This can help you to cope up with cancer as well.

4. Avoid junk foods and carbonated drinks: consuming these foods frequently can worsen your condition.

5. Massage therapy: sometimes massage therapy can work wonders in ayurveda. Massaging certain essential oils can be very helpful.

6. Aromatherapy: aromatherapy can also prove to be effective in treating lung cancer. It is a procedure in which essential oils are not only used for massaging your body but also for inhaling.

7. Ayurvedic herbs: there are many ayurvedic medicines and herbs also which can treat lung cancer efficiently.

Since lung cancer involves very less survival rate, it is of utmost importance that you go the doctor immediately once you start noticing any of the above mentioned symptoms.

Treating Lung Cancer With Ayurveda

Don't wait any longer, manage your Breast Cancer Specialist online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Breast Cancer Specialist - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES