Cancer - Symptom, Treatment And Causes

A liver transplant surgery is a procedure by the virtue of which the doctors remove the liver in that cases where it becomes non-functional or does not function appropriately. In this process, the malfunctioning liver is substituted with the healthy liver obtained from a living donor.

Liver transplant surgery has been performed in the medicine for more than 30 years and it has been observed that this surgery is successful and the patients who undergo liver transplant are able to live healthy lives.
Liver transplant is usually performed in the cases where the liver failure could not be treated by other alternative medical treatments available and cancerous conditions. There can be either acute liver failure or chronic liver failure. The Liver transplantation is more often performed in order to treat the chronic ailments.

In Adults

1. In the cases of adults, one of the major causes of getting liver transplantation done is liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a medical condition where there is a gradual deterioration of liver and severe chronic illness may lead to malfunctioning of the liver.
2. The blood flow across the liver can be blocked due to the dominance of the scar tissue over healthy tissue.
3. There can also be other reasons for cirrhosis which include the attack of viruses like hepatitis B and C, the alcoholic liver disease due to excess intake of alcohol, increase in the fat proportion in the liver, Autoimmune disorders of liver or you can say, hereditary diseases such as hemochromatosis and Wilson’s disease.
4. When the alcohol intake increases rapidly, then the patients do need a liver transplant but if the person controls the intake of alcohol, then improvements can be observed significantly and the patients may even survive for a long time even without getting the transplant done. But in certain cases, even after abstaining from alcohol, the damage is untreatable and healthy liver tissue cannot be restored, in such cases, liver transplant becomes a compulsion.

In children

1. In the case of children, biliary atresia is the most prominent reason for the liver transplant surgery. It is a very rare condition wherein the bile duct that connect the liver and the small intestine is either blocked or absent in newborn babies. Hence, the function of bile ducts, i.e. removal of bile juice from the liver gets hampered and obstructed bile leads to cirrhosis. The digestion of the food could not be carried out properly.
2. There can be several other reasons for liver transplantation such as the cancer in the liver or benign tumors that can be present in the liver. When a patient suffers from liver cirrhosis, the chances of acquiring the primary cancer increase by multiple times. The likelihood increases furthermore in those patients who have liver disorders along with hepatitis B. Mostly, after liver transplant surgery, patients are able to live their life normally, but if the cancer starts spreading to other body parts from the liver, then liver transplantation is not the solution.

If it runs in your family, you are at risk to get it too. Yes, we are talking about cancer and the debilitating effect that cancer has, on not only the victim but also his/her immediate relatives. However, the idea that this malady is passed on to progeny unquestioningly and runs from generation to generation like a curse is but a myth.

Ovarian Cancer is one of the cancers that affect a woman’s ovaries whereby abnormal cell growth takes place in one of these places: on the tissue within the ovary, on the surface of the ovary, in egg-forming germ cells within the ovary. Studies show that 85% of the patients who had developed Ovarian Cancer had no family record of the disease. Thus it can be attested that one is not compelled to follow the footsteps of the forefathers. Bifurcation is possible and prevention can be accomplished if these guidelines can be followed.

1. Exercise well and eat better: This is a fool-proof tip that works behind the cure of almost all severe ailments, whether it is about prevention or post-treatment care. In this case, exercise and healthy eating habits reduce the risk of developing Ovarian Cancer. Fatty fish, orange juice, milk, nuts, beans, eggs, fortified cereals, carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, leafy vegetables, flax, whole grains are some of the food products that prevent cancer. For better results, you can seek advice from a physician. Intake of food rich in Vitamin D is another measure. Regular exercise and maintaining a sound BMI are keys to staying healthy and cancer-free.
2. Birth Control Pills: According to research conducted by the American Cancer Research Institute women who have consumed birth control pills are less likely to develop ovarian cancer so much so that the risk reduces by 30% to 50%. However, one who wishes to opt for this as a preventive measure must consult a physician beforehand.
3. Surgery: Post-menopausal women can undergo surgeries that remove ovaries & tubes alongwith uterus. These surgeries reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 90% in post-menstruating women and by 60% in pre-menstruating women. However, a person opting for such surgeries as preventive measures of ovarian cancer owing to a genetic disorder must consult a specialist before undergoing surgery.

These methods are not fool-proof and do not warrant the elimination of one’s possibility of developing cancer. But like they say it’s better to be safe than sorry. Therefore, maintain a healthy lifestyle and who knows, maybe you will succeed in becoming one of those who eliminate that possibility!

The small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also called a small bowel. It is about 6 m (20 feet) long. Its upper end is connected to the stomach and lower end is connected to the large intestine. The main function of the small intestine involves the breakdown of the food particles and absorption of nutrients, fats, vitamins, and other substances from it. It is divided into three parts such as duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

Small intestinal cancer is a very rare disease where the cells in the tissue of the small intestine rapidly grow out of control and form a tumor, and these tumor cells may obstruct the small intestine. It can occur from any part of the small intestine. Males are more likely to develop the disease than females. It is common in the people who are above 60 years of age.

Etiology

Possible risk factors for small intestinal cancer include following conditions:

1. Excessive smoking or drinking alcohol
2. Crohn's disease - It is a condition in which the immune system attacks own GI tract. This disease mostly affects the lower part of the small intestine.
3. Celiac disease - Celiac disease causes gluten (a protein that is found in wheat and other types of grain) intolerance because of which the body makes antibodies which can attack the lining of the intestines. These people have an increased risk of a particular kind of lymphoma of the intestine. They may also have an increased risk of small intestine adenocarcinoma.
4. Radiation exposure
5. Hereditary gastrointestinal cancer syndromes: It involves cancer syndromes, such as familial adenomatous polyposis, hereditary nonpolyposis, colorectal cancer, and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

The most common cancerous (malignant) tumors of the small bowel are as follows:

1. Adenocarcinoma – It is related to the glandular (secretory) cells.
2. Lymphoma – It is related to the lymphatic glands.
3. Sarcoma – It is related to the connective tissues, such as muscle, blood vessels, etc.
4. Carcinoid tumor

All these tumors can invade the bowel wall, spread into adjoining lymph nodes, and even move to distant organs (metastasize).

Signs and symptoms of small intestinal cancer include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Weight loss
• Blood in the stool
• Intestinal obstruction
• Weakness
• Anemia (a low number of red blood cells), due to blood loss
• Diarrhea
• Nutritional deficiencies

Following tests are conducted for the diagnosis of intestinal cancer:

• X-rays
• CT or MRI scans
• Endoscopy
• Biopsy from the affected area

Small intestinal cancer can be treated in following ways:

1. Surgery is the main treatment for cancer of the small bowel.
2. Radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be used after surgery or used in combination.

There are many types of cancer that may affect the human body. Bladder cancer is one such cancer that is caused when there is an abnormal growth and accumulation of the cells in the bladder. This kind of growth may cause mutations which can then manifest into tumours that may or may not be malignant.

Let us find out more about the causes and risk factors of bladder cancer.

1. Transitional cell carcinoma: In this kind of bladder cancer, the transitional cells that line the inner region of the uterus and urethra will expand when the bladder is full. Further, these cells will end up contracting when the bladder is empty. This will lead to numerous complications which can cause the formation of tumours as an end result.
2. Squamous cell carcinoma: The squamous cells are those that are usually found in the bladder as a response to any kind of infection or even irritation in the area. These cells become cancerous over a certain period of time. This is also one of the most common types of bladder cancer in the US, as per various medical reports.
3. Adenocarcinoma: This kind of cancer usually starts in the cells that make mucus and form glands for the production of the same, in the bladder. This is a rather rare form of bladder cancer.
4. Risk factors: There are a number of risk factors that may affect the manifestation of the abnormal cell growth which can lead to any one of the above types of bladder cancer. Let us learn more about these risk factors.
5. Smoking: Smoking does not merely cause lung cancer, but it is also capable of causing chemicals from tobacco to accumulate in your urine and lead to several complications, including the increase of abnormal cell growth in the bladder. These chemicals may also cause widespread damage to the lining of your bladder.
6. Diabetes medication: One of the side effects of taking certain types of diabetes medication may be seen in the bladder and its cells. Pioglitazone is one such medicine which can cause these kinds of complications.
7. Chronic bladder inflammation: Repeated bladder infections may cause an unhealthy amount of persistent inflammation, which can lead to the growth of cells in an abnormal manner. This can lead to damage of the bladder’s inner lining. In such a case, bladder cancer becomes a risk for the patient.
8. Family history: A family history of the condition also leaves the person susceptible to this disease. Colorectal cancer instances or Lynch syndrome cases in the family can increase the risk of contracting bladder cancer. This is due to the fact that the faulty gene can affect the various organs of the urinary area.

Though breast cancer has become very common, the good news is that more women than ever are living a healthy life to tell their survival stories. They have not just survived, but are thriving. Let us take you through a couple of survivor stories which not just gives strength and hope, but also the immense courage to stand up and fight it. The names are, however, changed to prevent identity.

Help yourself and others too: For most women, getting diagnosed with blood cancer can mean the end of life. While for the medical person, it is just another individual, for the individual, there is an entire world to think of, her world. What will happen to her family, her job, her life in total. Each person is different, and so the approach has to be different. It should not be a routine combo of surgery, chemo, and radiation. While some hospitals do it, giving a personalized touch helps. That is what happened Susan, who had a complete set of people including dietitian and psychiatrist to help her. The change that she saw with this approach led her to give a helping hand to others. She presently helps people fight and overcome breast cancer and has an extremely fulfilling life.

Shrink the tumor, not your life: For a person with two kids, Tina was aghast when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was just 31, and her second daughter was just turning 1, she was extremely distraught. But, her family stood with her through those testing times when she would not have time to run with her daughter or walk along with her mother. With immense support from her family, she is now free of cancer and is a Zumba instructor and now spends quality time with her daughter.

An experiment that worked: At 46 years of age, Maya was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She found a lump in her breast, which turned out to be breast cancer. The doctor said she would need it removed, and she also opted for surgery. What worked for her, though, is the fact that she was advised to try tamoxifen, which was not so strongly recommended during the initial times. She went ahead and tried, and even after 30 years down the line, is still free of cancer.

Two lives saved: At 23, Sonia was diagnosed not just with stage 4 breast cancer, but also with pregnancy. Re-testing yielded negative results. So she went ahead with chemo and radiation, but the abdominal fullness continued, and when tested again, the tests confirmed her pregnancy. She carried it through, and delivered 4 weeks prematurely but is very healthy and cancer-free now. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!