New Diagnostic Technology Helps Oncologists Diagnosis In Colon Cancer

Rapid molecular testing in the laboratories has greatly helped oncologists to diagnose cancers of the breast, lymphoma and leukemia.
One type of cancer that is a high-profile target for improved diagnostic testing is colon cancer. It is one of the most common malignancies in men and women. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 141,210 new cases of colon and rectal cancers will be reported and an estimated 49,380 Americans will die of these diseases this year.  Anytime time a lab presents new testing it requires financial,clinical and operational resources. Since there is a high rate of colon cancer it is important to have more accurate testing.  Past testing such occult blood and sigmoidoscopy are variable and can have false positives.  The new testing is using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to detect only human blood in stool, this technology has improved specificity, sensitivity, accuracy, the White Paper reported.

In conclusion, the ability of new technologies to contribute to improved performance of assays used in screening individuals for colorectal cancer demonstrate how swiftly the standard of care in laboratory medicine can be changed for the better. New generation FOB lab tests are one example of the types of changes now occurring across the entire range of testing services offered by clinical laboratories and pathology groups.

Read more: New Diagnostic Technology Creates Opportunities for Clinical Laboratories to Help Physicians with Faster, More Accurate Diagnoses | Dark Daily http://www.darkdaily.com/new-diagnostic-technology-creates-opportunities-for-clinical-laboratories-to-help-physicians-with-faster-more-accurate-diagnoses-10311#ixzz1hw54QQj0

Skin Cancer-Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common skin cancer.  This cancers results from the uncontrolled rapid growth of abnormal cells.
The main symptom is a growing bump that may have a rough, scaly surface and flat reddish patches.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma under the nail

 
Below is a slide of a histology slide after biopsy of squamous cell carcinoma.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is caused by UV rays over a period of a lifetime. Although SCC is usually found on the skin that has been exposed to the sun SCC can also be found in the mucus membranes and genitals.

Skin biopsies are done using a local anesthetic (numbing medicine), which is injected into the area with a small needle. You will likely feel a small pinch and a little stinging as the medicine is injected, but you should not feel any pain during the biopsy. Any biopsy is likely to leave a scar. Since different methods produce different types of scars, you should ask your dermatologist about biopsies and scarring before the procedure is done.



Diagnosis begins with a biopsy of the suspicious growth on skin. This procedure needs to be performed by a dermatologist.   Shave biopsy uses a thin surgical blade to shave off the top layers of skin. This is the most common method for diagnosing squamous cell skin cancer. Punch biopsy uses a round, cookie cutter-like tool. It is used to take a deeper skin sample.
Skin biopsies are done using a local anesthetic (numbing medicine), which is injected into the area with a small needle. You will likely feel a small pinch and a little stinging as the medicine is injected, but you should not feel any pain during the biopsy. Any biopsy is likely to leave a scar. Since different methods produce different types of scars, you should ask your dematologist about biopsies and scarring before the procedure is done.

 

Above is a video of the histology of a squamous cell carcinoma by Washington Deceit.  This explains how pathologists view cancerous tissue under the microscope to properly diagnosis the cancer for the doctor.

Below is a video of the treatment options of SCC by Dr. Shane Chapman

Skin Cancer- Basal Cell

The chance of getting skin cancer needs to be taken seriously. Laying in tanning beds on a regular basis or not using protection when exposed to the sun such as hats,sunscreen ,etc will greatly increase the probability of skin cancer.  Skin cancer is abnormal growth of skin cells. There are three types of skin cancer which are basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma.  Basal cell cancer is the easiest to treat.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Skin cancer is divided into two major groups: nonmelanoma and melanoma. Basal cell carcinoma is a type of nonmelanoma skin cancer, and is the most common form of cancer in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, 75% of all skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas.
Basal cell carcinoma starts in the top layer of the skin called the epidermis. It grows slowly and is painless. A new skin growth that bleeds easily or does not heal well may suggest basal cell carcinoma. The majority of these cancers occur on areas of skin that are regularly exposed to sunlight or other ultraviolet radiation. They may also appear on the scalp. Basal cell skin cancer used to be more common in people over age 40, but is now often diagnosed in younger people.
Your risk for basal cell skin cancer is higher if you have:

• Light-colored skin
• Blue or green eyes
• Blond or red hair
• Overexposure to x-rays or other forms of radiation

Basal cell skin cancer almost never spreads. But, if left untreated, it may grow into surrounding areas and nearby tissues and bone.

                                                 Basil Cell Cancer

 

 Basil Cell Cancer

Basal cell carcinoma may look only slightly different than normal skin. The cancer may appear as skin bump or growth that is:

• Pearly or waxy
• White or light pink
• Flesh-colored or brown

In some cases the skin may be just slightly raised or even flat.
You may have:

• A skin sore that bleeds easily
• A sore that does not heal
• Oozing or crusting spots in a sore
• Appearance of a scar-like sore without having injured the area
• Irregular blood vessels in or around the spot
• A sore with a depressed (sunken) area in the middle
  
  If your doctor is suspicious of skin cancer then they will cut out the abnormal section of skin which is called a biopsy.
  
  
  Skin Cancer Nodular Basal Cell Carcinoma Cancer presented by Dr. Shane Chapman
  
  Treatment
  
  
• Excision cuts the tumor out and uses stitches to place the skin back together.
• Curettage and electrodesiccation scrapes away the cancer and uses electricity to kill any remaining cancer cells.
• Surgery, including Mohs surgery, in which skin is cut out and immediately looked at under a microscope to check for cancer. The process is repeated until the skin sample is free of cancer.
• Cryosurgery freezes and kills the cancer cells.
• Radiation may be used if the cancer has spread to organs or lymph nodes or for tumors that can't be treated with surgery.
• Skin creams with the medications imiquimod or 5-fluorouracil may be used to treat superficial basal cell carcinoma. 
• For more information go to: www.mayoclinic.com ; www.nih.gov
  

Skin Cancer; What You Need to Know To Save Your Life Video

This is an educational video that shows what skin looks like and other irregularities concerning the shape of the tumor.  You will have understanding as to what the pathologist views under the scope to determine a person's diagnosis of melanoma. 

Advancing Histology To Determine Cancer Diagnosis Video

Histology is extremely important in the diagnosis of all cancers.  Tissues from biopsies procedures from any part of the body are processed in the histology department. After the tissues are processed the pathologist will view the prepared tissue on slides to determine if cancer is present.

Peter Kilner demonstrates a whole new way of approaching tissue processing with the Thermo Scientific Securesette cassette making it easier and more efficient to carry out biopsies and other tests in the histology lab. http://www.thermoscientific.com/pathology

Pancreatic Cancer Chemotherapy

John Chabot, MD, chief, division of GI/Endocrine Surgery, executive director, Pancreas Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, discusses the current chemotherapy options available to treat pancreatic cancer. The main drug available is gemcitabine
and is currently used in combination therapies.

There are currently trials underway that are demonstrating improved survival with aggressive chemotherapy. Nongemcitabine regiment was identified that proved to be a better treatment option for stage IV pancreatic cancer than gemcitabine. Chabot expects that drugs that are used in other types of cancer will show the most significant improvement in the future.

New Anti-Cancer Vaccine Developed by University of Georgia

By Joel Provano

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Researchers from the University of Georgia have developed a vaccine that has shown promising results against cancer, the UGA News Service is reporting.
The vaccine dramatically reduced the size of tumors in laboratory mice and was particularly successful against breast and pancreatic tumors, two of the deadliest forms of cancer, the researchers reported.
"This vaccine elicits a very strong immune response," UGA researcher Geert-Jan Boons wrote. "It activates all three components of the immune system to reduce tumor size by an average of 80 percent."
The vaccine trains the immune system to distinguish and attack cancer cells based on their different chemical structures, said Sandra Gendler, a researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, which was also involved in the research.
"We are beginning to have therapies that can teach our immune system to fight what is uniquely found in cancer cells," Boons said. "When combined with early diagnosis, the hope is that one day cancer will become a manageable disease."
After further testing in the laboratory, clinical testing could begin in 2013, the researchers said.