In the news and talk shows there are many discussions about obesity concerning the heart, joints, and other parts of the body. A new article is reporting that obesity affects breast cancer recurrence rate. I am encouraging you to change what you eat if you are overweight. Look for products that are low in carbs and low in fat. Please read the follow article by Private MD Lab. It is a wake-up call for change.
For women who receive lab test results indicating they have breast
cancer, the prognosis may be more favorable if they are not overweight.
New research indicates that women who are overweight or obese at the
time of their diagnosis may be more likely to experience a recurrence of
cancer after their initial treatment.
The findings have
important implications for the prevention of breast cancer deaths. The
researchers said that breast cancer rates have been climbing along with
obesity rates. The fact that the two phenomena may be linked suggests
that encouraging healthier lifestyles may be an effective method for
reducing the number of women affected by breast cancer.
For the
study, researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston
examined the medical records of 1,909 women treated for breast cancer
between 1997 and 1998. The results showed that those who were overweight
or obese were significantly more likely to experience a recurrence.
"When
you consider that data from 2007 to 2008 show that 68 percent of U.S.
adults aged 20 years and over were overweight or obese, as compared to
only 56 percent of the same group in 1994-1998, you can see the way the
problem is growing," said lead researcher Jennifer Ligibel.
Myeloproliferative disease or MPD deals with a group of diseases of the bone marrow in which excess cells are produced.
Myeloproliferative
disorders is the name for a group of conditions that cause blood cells
-- platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells -- to grow
abnormally in the bone marrow. Though myeloproliferative disorders are
serious, and may pose certain health risks, people with these conditions
often live for many years after diagnosis. The prognosis largely
depends on the type of disorder.
Myeloproliferative disorders include:
Polycythemia
vera -- occurs when the bone marrow produces too many blood cells,
especially red blood cells. More than 95% of people with polycythemia
vera carry the blood mutation JAK2V617F.
Essential
thrombocytosis -- occurs when the body produces too many platelet
cells, which help blood to clot. Clots can block blood vessels leading
to heart attack or stroke.
Primary or
idiopathic myelofibrosis, also known as myelosclerosis -- occurs when
the bone marrow produces too much collagen or fibrous tissue in the bone
marrow. This reduces bone marrow's ability to produce blood cells.
Chronic
myelogenous leukemia (CML) -- cancer of the bone marrow that produces
abnormal granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, in the bone marrow.
Signs and Symptoms:
Many
people with myeloproliferative disorders have no symptoms when their
doctors first make the diagnosis. One symptom shared by all
myeloproliferative disorders, with the exception of essential
thrombocytosis, is an enlarged spleen. An enlarged spleen can cause
abdominal pain and a feeling of fullness.
Many times, especially in the early stages, myeloproliferative
disease does not have symptoms. When it does have signs, they vary from
person to person. If you have symptoms, they may include:
Headache
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Easy bruising or bleeding
Petechiae (tiny red spots under the skin)
Unexplained weight loss
Night sweats
Fever
Specific disorders in which the bone marrow produces too many cells have similar and yet different symptoms.
Some signs and symptoms of the different types of myeloproliferative disorders include:
Polycythemia vera
Fatigue, general malaise
Trouble breathing
Intense itching after bathing in warm water
Stomachaches
Purple spots or patches on the skin
Nosebleeds, gum or stomach bleeding, or blood in the urine
Throbbing and burning pain in the skin, often with darkened, blotchy areas
Headache and problems with vision
High blood pressure
Blockage of blood vessels. This may cause heart disease, stroke, or gangrene (tissue death) of the arms and legs.
Essential thrombocytosis
Heart attack or stoke
Headache
Burning or throbbing pain, redness, and swelling of the hands and feet
Bruising
Gastrointestinal bleeding or blood in the urine
Primary myelofibrosis
Fatigue, general malaise
Trouble breathing
Anemia
Weight loss
Fever and night sweats
Abnormal bleeding
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
Fatigue, general malaise
Weight loss or loss of appetite
Fever and night sweats
Bone or joint pain
Heart attack or stroke
Trouble breathing
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Infection
Laboratory Tests
Complete blood count (CBC) and differential CBCs and differentials
are the most frequently ordered tests used to help diagnose and monitor
MPDs. Often ordered as part of a yearly physical exam, they are routine
tests that count the number and relative proportion of each of the
different types of cells in your blood stream. They give your doctor
information about the size, shape, and relative maturity of the blood
cells present in your blood at that moment.
CBCs and differentials can be used to detect WBC, RBC, and platelet
increases, decreases, and abnormalities. They can help determine their
severity, diagnose their cause, monitor the course of a disease, and
monitor the response to treatment.
With polycythemia vera, increased RBCs, platelets, and sometimes
WBCs, may be seen. With myelofibrosis, immature granulocytes and
misshapen immature teardrop-shaped red blood cells are often seen, and
WBC and RBC numbers are often decreased. With thrombocythemia, greatly
increased numbers of platelets are seen along with abnormally large
platelets, platelet clumps, and fragments of megakaryocytes.
Irregularities in cell counts may be due to MPDs, but they may also be due to a variety of other temporary or chronic conditions. Other testing is usually done to confirm or rule out the diagnosis of an MPD. Bone marrow aspiration/biopsyIf a doctor suspects a bone marrow disorder, he may order a bone marrow aspiration or biopsy to collect a small sample of marrow. When a specialist (a pathologist,
oncologist, or hematologist) examines the bone and fluid from the bone
marrow sample under the microscope, he can see the number, size, and
shape of precursor cells (blasts), red and white blood cells, and megakaryocytes (platelet precursors).
He can determine the proportions of mature and immature cells, see any
overgrowth of fibrous tissue, and detect any cancer cells from cancers
that may have spread to the marrow. Most bone marrow disorders can be
diagnosed during this examination.
ABGs (Arterial blood gases)
- This test measures the amount of gases in your arterial blood and may
be done when polycythemia vera is suspected. Low levels of oxygen are
associated with secondary polycythemia. Erythropoietin
is a hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce RBCs. With
primary polycythemia, erythropoietin levels will be very low or absent,
but with secondary polycythemia they will be normal or high. Genetic testing is sometimes used in suspected chronic myelogenous leukemia to check for the presence or absence of a Philadelphia (Ph') chromosome or a bcr-abl translocation (see BCR ABL) and in suspected polycythemia vera, myelofibrosis, and essential thrombocythemia for the presence or absence of JAK2 mutations, a gene associated with marrow cell production.
Video of Bone Marrow Biopsy
This video is a lecture about a very common MPD which is polycythemia vera. It is seen frequently in persons who live in high altitudes.
For more information then check the following websites:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/myeloproliferative-disorders-000114.htm or
When melanoma is discussed we immediately think of cancer of the skin , but it also can be present in our eyes. This type of cancer is called Intraocular Melanoma.
Melanoma in the iris of the eye.
Melanoma in the retina of the eye
Intraocular melanoma begins in the middle of 3 layers of the wall of the
eye. The outer layer includes the white sclera (the "white of the eye")
and the clear cornea at the front of the eye. The inner layer has a
lining of nerve tissue, called the retina, which senses light and sends
images along the optic nerve to the brain.
This type of cancer most often occurs in people who are middle aged. In
most cases of intraocular melanoma, doctors detect the cancer during a
routine eye examination. The chance of recovery (prognosis) will depend
on factors such as the size and cell type of the cancer. This type of melanoma is rare.
Most people with intraocular melanoma experience no symptoms of the
cancer in its early stages. Melanoma that starts in the iris may appear
as a dark spot on the iris. Intraocular melanoma that is in the ciliary
body or choroid may cause blurry vision.
Age and sun exposure may increase the risk of developing intraocular melanoma.
Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a
risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get
cancer; not having risk factors doesn’t mean that you will not get
cancer. People who think they may be at risk should discuss this with
their doctor. Risk factors for intraocular melanoma include the
following:
Older age
Being white
Having a fair complexion (light skin) or green or blue eyes.
Being able to tan
Possible signs of intraocular melanoma include a dark spot on the iris or blurred vision.
Intraocular melanoma may not cause any early symptoms. It is
sometimes found during a routine eye exam when the doctor dilates the
pupil and looks into the eye. The following symptoms may be caused by
intraocular melanoma or by other conditions. A doctor should be
consulted if any of these problems occur:
A dark spot on the iris
Blurred vision
A change in the shape of the pupil
A change in vision
Glaucoma may develop if the tumor causes the retina to separate from
the eye. If this happens, there may be no symptoms, or symptoms may
include the following:
Eye pain
Blurred vision
Eye redness
Nausea
Doctors stage intraocular melanoma based on the area of the eye
where the tumor is found and the size of the tumor. The stages of
intraocular melanoma include:
Iris melanoma
Ciliary body melanoma
Small choroidal melanoma
Medium and large choroidal melanoma
Extraocular extension and metastatic intraocular melanoma
Recurrent intraocular melanoma.
Iris Melanoma
Intraocular melanoma of the iris occurs in the front colored part
of the eye. Iris melanomas usually grow slowly and do not spread to
other parts of the body.
Ciliary Body Melanoma
Intraocular melanoma of the ciliary body occurs in the back part of the eye.
Small Choroidal Melanoma
Intraocular melanoma of the choroid occurs in the back part of the
eye. This type of tumor is classified by the size of the tumor. A small
choroidal melanoma is 3 millimeters or less in thickness.
Medium and Large Choroidal Melanoma
Intraocular melanomas of the choroid occur in the back part of the
eye. This type of tumor is classified by the size of the tumor. Medium
and large choroidal melanomas are more than 3 millimeters in thickness.
Extraocular Extension and Metastatic Intraocular Melanoma
In extraocular extension and metastatic intraocular melanoma, the
melanoma has spread outside the eye, to the nerve behind the eye (the
optic nerve), to the eye socket, or to other parts of the body.
Recurrent
Recurrent intraocular melanoma refers to cases of the cancer that have come back (recurred) after they were treated.
Treatment for Intraocular Melanoma
Treatment options for intraocular melanoma may include:
Surgery (taking out the cancer)
Radiation therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells)
Laser therapy (using an intensely powerful beam of light to destroy the tumor or blood vessels that feed the tumor).
In some cases (such as when the cancer is small and causing no
symptoms), the treatment plan may involve monitoring the patient's
cancer carefully and waiting to treat it until it changes or causes
symptoms. This is sometimes known as watchful waiting.
Video of a cancerous tumor of eye surgically removed.
Diagnostic Biosystems (DBS), a specialty Immunohistochemistry company,
announces its debut as an automated IHC company, introducing the Mosaic
360™ System with a product offering of novel Multiplex
Immunohistochemistry kits and a complementary line of optimized IHC
reagents.
Built on a history of developing distinctive chromogens to differentiate
morphology on a single slide, Diagnostic BioSystems introduces a
portfolio of five Mosaic Multiplex™ Lung Cancer Kits for use in tissue
analysis of suspected Lung Cancer patients. Pathologists are challenged
with scarce tissue availability in patients with cancer. DBS is
addressing the tissue challenge with the Mosaic Multiplex ™ kits
enabling testing of multiple analytes on one slide with a complete kit
optimized for the DBS Mosaic 360™ System automated platform for lab to
lab standardized results.
The Mosaic System™ also includes a new line of “plug and play” reagents
optimized on the Mosaic 360™ platform to provide convenience for the
Histology Technologist in the Pathology laboratory.
“Diagnostic Biosystems is focused on developing clinically relevant
tools for pathologists. We believe it is important to provide the most
information with the limited tissue available in cancer patients today.
Our standardized Mosaic Multiplex™ lung cancer kits” are focused on
solving this problem,” said Dr. Bipin Gupta, PhD, President & CEO of
Diagnostic BioSystems.
During the USCAP, Diagnostic BioSystems will sponsor a Pathologist
Roundtable event on Tuesday, March 20, 2012 in Vancouver BC to discuss
advances in the use of Multiplex Kits in the analysis of suspected
cancers. Two industry experts, Dr. Omar Hameed from Vanderbilt and Dr.
Arundhati Rao from Scott & White Healthcare System, will join Marc Key
Ph.D., DBS Scientific Advisor, in leading these discussions.
