The wait for the shingles vaccine continues, and figures to get even longer, as word spreads that the Food and Drug Administration has approved its use in 50- to 59-year-olds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet incorporated the FDA’s March 24 announcement into its recommendations. the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which makes vaccine recommendations to the CDC, is expected to discuss the topic next month.

Many facilities and insurance companies say they will wait for CDC approval to make the vaccine available to the 50-59 age group. the vaccine costs $180 to $220. Medicare part D covers it, but some insurance companies do not.

An estimated 1 million Americans a year — 200,000 of them between the ages of 50 and 59 — battle the painful, blistering condition known as shingles. It is a disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is part of the herpes family and is the same virus that causes chickenpox.

After an attack of chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in certain nerves in the body. for reasons not fully understood, the virus can reappear in the form of shingles, “more commonly in people with weakened immune systems and with aging” the FDA stated in a March 24 media release.

”the likelihood of shingles increases with age,” said Dr. Karen Midthun, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “the availability of Zostavax to a younger age group provides an additional opportunity to prevent this often painful and debilitating disease.”

”We get calls every day for it,” said Kristin Campbell, office manager at Lima’s Pharmacy in McKinleyville. “It’s back-ordered until June.”

Campbell said she has 25 people on her waiting list and 20 vaccines due to arrive next month.

Costco pharmacist Derby McLaughlin said his list numbers 119.

”We’ve been out of it for maybe four or five months,” he said. “We just got it back in stock now — maybe 40 vaccinations — and we are constantly trying to re-order.”

Cloney’s pharmacist Richard Spini said more than 200 names dotted his waitlist last fall.

”the 20 vaccines we just got is a release from about four months ago,” he said. “That’s how far behind Merck is. We have orders in, but they tell me they aren’t going to fill them for another four months.”

”Manufacturing issues” is the reason Merck gave for the backlog, according to other news reports.

Since 2006, a vaccine called Zostavax has been available to people age 60 and older. It was credited with a 55 percent reduction of people developing shingles and a 67 percent reduction in pain at the site of the rash that can persist for weeks, months or years.

”now that they’ve lowered the age, a lot more people are eligible and it is apparently more effective when given at a younger age,” Spini said.

The FDA announcement to lower the age of approval was based on a multi-center study of 22,000 people ages 50 to 59 conducted in the United States and four other countries. Half the group received Zostavax and half a placebo. Participants were monitored for at least one year to see if they developed shingles.

”Compared with the placebo, Zostavax reduced the risk of developing shingles by approximately 70 percent,” the FDA stated.

Shingles is characterized by a rash of blisters that tend to develop in a strip around one side of the body, usually in the upper quadrant of the head, along the shoulder and upper back or around the abdomen.

Pain, or in some cases a burning sensation or itch, usually appears one to five days before the blistering rash. other symptoms include upset stomach, fever, headache or chills.

The rash scabs over in 10 days and clears up within two to four weeks, but one in five people will develop serious, long-term pain known as postherpetic neuralgia.

Other complications may include blindness, skin infections and neurological problems associated with hearing, balance, facial paralysis or brain inflammation.

”I’ve known people whose lives were destroyed by it,” Dr. Alan Glaseroff told Tri-City Weekly in a story posted online March 1.

In younger people, Glaseroff said, it tends to be “the rash, a couple of weeks of pain, the memory of it and then it’s over. in old people, it can be a lifetime of pain.”

The CDC reports one out of every three people in the United States will develop shingles.

Half of all shingles cases occur in men and women age 60 and older and half of all people living to age 85 will ultimately deal with it, the CDC says. yet only 10 percent of the over-60 age group took advantage of the vaccine in 2009.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa wasn’t among them. the 66-year-old was reportedly diagnosed with shingles by the Mayo Clinic early in may. the appearance of his right eye and head — and the obvious pain and discomfort visible at press conferences — raised awareness of the disease in the Midwest and may help some determine the wisdom of vaccination.

”in the case of shingles, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words,” said Cindy Denbo, executive director of Area 1 Agency on Aging.

——

Carol Harrison is a freelance journalist commissioned by Area 1 Agency on Aging to produce this column twice a month.

images/stories/2011/03March/030411bettyjones2.jpg

South Boston resident Betty Jones has always maintained a positive outlook on life, and she has always been proactive when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.

That positive outlook was put to the test several years ago when Jones was diagnosed with Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH), a genetic disorder and leading cause of iron overload disease, but she has persevered and now wants to communicate the lessons she’s learned in fighting the disorder to others.HH is not rare, with more than 1 million people in the United States suffering from the disorder, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.But, public awareness in regards to its symptoms, diagnosis and treatment lags behind that of other diseases and disorders, according to Jones.“The gene was discovered in 1996, and prior to that, it was considered a rare, fatal disorder of mostly older men,” said Jones, who was first diagnosed with the disorder in 1999.further research has since revealed it to be the most common genetic disorder among Caucasians in the United States, she added.“In a normal person, the body sloughs off excess iron, more than your body needs, but with this disorder, the iron doesn’t go, and it’s stored somewhere in the body,” said Jones in describing the effects of HH.Excess iron can be stored in vital organs such as the pancreas, and the effects are much the same as a car rusting, according to Jones.“Much like a car that begins to rust, that organ begins to rust, and of course it causes damage, and ultimately it could be fatal,” said Jones.“The disorder itself is not fatal, but the problems it causes can be fatal if left untreated.”Jones recalled her symptoms as similar to others with the same disorder.“My symptoms were like most people have, a chronic fatigue, and it can magnify itself through heart problems and diabetes in particular as well as arthritis, and it can cause arrhythmia which (in turn) can cause heart attacks.”Other signs may include abdominal pain, elevated liver enzymes, cirrhosis, emotional changes, depression and hair loss.Disheartening diagnosisJones said she was initially misdiagnosed, something that has happened frequently with HH patients.“I know someone who had gone to 12 different doctors before it was diagnosed,” she pointed out.“When I was first diagnosed I was going to a doctor in Roanoke who was doing these kinds of tests automatically, and when she did it, and results came back, she said it could be colon cancer.”That’s when family history and personal research kicked in, and Jones got a handle on how to live with the disorder.“From the time the doctor told me I could have colon cancer until the gastrointerologist reported I was cancer free was only four months,” recalled Jones.“But, it seemed like an eternity, and reading on a medical website that HH was a rare and often fatal disease made it even worse.“Since that time, with the advances in research and testing, I have learned that diagnosed in time, this disorder is not fatal.  in fact, in some cases the damage can be reversed if found in time.”At present, the only treatment for the disorder is phlebotomy, according to Jones.“There’s no pill, nothing like that,” she noted, recalling a normal woman’s iron level as being between 75-200 (ng/ml).“When mine was discovered it was 600, which is three times greater than normal.“Once I was diagnosed, I had to give a pint of blood a week for four months.“A normal person can’t give blood but once every other month, but instead of making me feel tired, it made me feel better every time I did it.“I had aching joints, but fortunately it didn’t damage any of my organs, so I’m lucky.”“Some people have so much iron built up in their bodies that they set off metal detectors in airports and have to carry a letter from doctors explaining why.“Mine never got that bad, and I feel very, very fortunate.”Jones counts herself among the lucky ones who had their disorder diagnosed in time.“Once they got my iron level down to a normal level, I go periodically to get my blood work done,” she said.Learning about Hereditary HemochromatosisJones has attended two international patient conferences focusing on HH at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.“During the conferences I’ve attended, patients have told horror stories about being misdiagnosed and the number of doctors they have visited (as many as 15) before receiving help,” she said.“I consider myself blessed because every medical professional that I have seen locally has been great.  they have listened to me, referred me when necessary, read the information I have given them, treated me and monitored my progress.“And, when I say medical professionals, this includes the nurses, lab personnel, X-ray technicians and office staff.”Knowledge is keyJones said she has had everything from a brain MRI, organ scans, X-rays and numerous blood tests, and except for some arthritis, all indicate she is in good health, as long as she monitors her iron level.she emphasized there are specific tests available to diagnose Hemochromatosis, and patients need to ask for them specifically.“I want to get the word out, there are people with similar symptoms who may not have this, but why not get it checked out,” she urged.“I believe it’s better to be tested and find out you don’t have a problem than to assume you don’t have it and end up with life threatening medical issues.”Jones asks that anyone with comments or questions call her at 434-222-7227.

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Don't worry, I don't have the Swine Flu. but I do have a bih medicine cabinet full of basic Flu remedies that you can buy at the drug store, like Tylenol Cold & Flu, Benelyn All-in-one, and stuff like that.

If I or someone in my home gets the Swine Flu, will these things help at all? Would they at least help with symptom relief?

Tamiflu is the suggested medication for flu symptoms

NO!!!!!!! The vaccine for the human seasonal flu does not protect against the Swine Flu, even if the virus strains are the same specific variety, as antigenically very different.

Related to the vaccine of the swine flu, there has been inconsistent responses to it since the flu has grown stronger. The current vaccines are oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), it is said that the flu is susceptible to those but not guarantee to cure it just treat it.

At least the US is preparing. right now they are sending 12million vaccines of Tamiflu to the 5 US States where the flu has been first identified. Comparing to Mexico that has the biggest outbreak and only have 1 million vaccines available right now.

More information just so you know:

The first diagnose of the swine flu was in 1976 but returned again in 2007 and now stronger than before in 2009.

The virus was transmitted first from pigs to humans but became dangerous when it started infecting human-to-human. That's why it is also very important for the people who have swine farms to take their pigs to the veterinary for a swine flu vaccine. Maybe this is one of the big reasons that the flu started so strong in Mexico (since more people live from farms than in the US).

It's best to keep your immune system healthy in the usual ways, as well as to take immuno boosters. Prevention is the best defense, and sources like swineflusymptom.com show you how to prepare for the swine flu virus, just in case.

Over-the-counter flu remedies are for symptomatic relief only, and there is no reason they shouldn't work on the swine flu just like any other flu.
They will not prevent the flu or help get over it faster.
There are anti-flu medicines you can get by prescription; they recommend taking them soon after you get symptoms.
The best prevention at this time is hand-washing and avoiding sick people.
Although it is generally considered a good thing to keep your immune system strong, that probably won't help with this swine flu, as it hits hardest on the most robust patients. I think a minor cold or other infection would be a better protection against the new Swine Flu; but I'm not sure how to manage that. Viruses like to attack a healthy host, because they depend on the patient's cells to reproduce itself.

Over-the-counter? Well, depends where you are… read on

The two that work are Tamilfu and Relenza (I blog them here cancuntravelog.com/42/cancun-…

They are prescription in the US, but if you are in Mexico, can get it non-prescription (been told for $40).

Other than the two medications above, I believe the other medication would be not very effective.

What is Skin cancer: Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer found in humans. around 1 million skin cancer cases were registered for every early and this annual rate is increasing drastically due to increase in risk factors. Skin cancer can be recognized by the changes in appearance of the skin. Skin cancer causes the skin cells to grow rapidly without any controlling limit.

Skin cancer is a combination of several diseases with different types of causes, symptoms and treatments. Skin cancer effects the basic life cycle of the cells and causes an abnormal growth and division of cells without any controlling limit, then it results in forming tumor (excess tissue) in the body.

Tumors are of two types, they are as follows:

• Benign tumor • Malignant tumor

Benign tumor: this tumor is not cancerous. They can be treated easily. They don’t spread to other parts of the body. If this tumor continues to grow in the same site for long time then it causes damage to the distant organs.

Malignant tumor: this tumor is cancerous, they causes damage to the adjacent organs by spreading the cancer cells at high rate. The cells in this tumor invade the distant organs and forms new tumors through blood flow or by lymphatic system. The new tumor has the same characteristic features of the primary tumor. For example, if the skin cancer spreads to the lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are actually belonging to the skin cancer cells. then this disease is called as metastatic skin cancer.

Skin cancer types: Skin cancer is categorized into three different types they are

• Basal cell carcinoma • Squamous cell carcinoma • Melanoma

Basal cell carcinoma: this skin cancer is not metastatic .It doesn’t spread to other parts but causes damage to nearby tissues. The risk factors for basal cell carcinoma are listed below. The basal cell carcinoma looks like dome shaped bump. this bump shape is covered by the telangiectases blood vessels .the starting stage of this benign tumor cannot be detected easily because it is shiny and translucent. with the biopsy process we can detect the starting age of this skin cancer. Some of the carcinomas contain melanin pigment which makes the tumor to look dark rather than shiny. Basal cell carcinomas generally appear on the back side or chest. Basal cell carcinomas make the skin dry with raw patches. these carcinomas take several years to grow into uncontrolled size and damage the nearby senses by disfiguring ear, nose or eye.

Squamous cell carcinoma: this cancer occurs in the squamous cells. these carcinomas appear to be thin, flat cells which look like fish scales. these Squamous cells present in the surface tissues of the skin. so if there is any abnormality in the squamous cells, then Squamous cell carcinoma occurs. due to excess growth of squamous carcinoma cells a mound is formed which is called as keratoacanthoma.

Risk factors of basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma and Melanoma:

Age: this type of skin cancer occurs after the age of 50 years. But the sun burning effects starts in the early stage.

Sun exposure: People who face severe blistering sunburns can have the chance of occurring melanoma cancer. so, sunburns in young age will be a risk factor for casing basal cell carcinoma cancer. take sun lotion creams to avoid the risk factor of melanoma cancer.

UV radiation: due to long exposure to the ultraviolet radiations, the chances of having basal cell carcinoma cancer increases. People who stay in the sun for longer time will have more risk factors. due to this UV rays the skin becomes grey and causes skin irritation. Aging of the skin appears due to increase in risk factors. so, please stay away from UV rays to reduce the risk factors of basal cell carcinoma cancer.

Therapeutic treatment: taking this treatment for curing other cancer diseases can increase the chance of having basal cell carcinoma cancer.

Weak immune system: People with weak immune system will have more chances of getting skin cancer.

Family pedigree: Risk factors of skin cancer sometimes can be caused due to the family relation link. It some time runs in the families. so please take regular checkup to reduce the risk factors of this cancer.

Fair skin: People with fair skin have more chances to expose to melanoma cancer because it is easily burned and freaked out. so, people with fair skin should take some skin lotions to reduce the causing factors of melanoma cancer.

Having more moles on the body: Too many moles in the body can cause melanoma cancer for sure.

Skin cancer symptoms and signs: • Gray skin • Head aches • Swollen lymph nodes • Pain in moles • Asymmetry • Border irregularity • Color diameter • Weight loss • Chronic cough • Skin thickening • Itching, tingling, Irritations. • Redness • Swelling • Patches • bleedingTreatment for basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma:

Surgical operation: Surgery operation is carried to remove the entire tumor. this process is useful during the early stages of the tumor occurrence.

Curettage and desiccation: Curette is the instrument used by the dermatologists to remove the tumor by scooping out the cell carcinoma. And desiccation is the electric current process useful in burning the remained cancer cells. this treatment is carried for small cancers. Radiation therapy: this treatment is based on the extent of the skin disease. Radiotherapy is a process of removing carcinoma cancer cells by using high intensity x-rays. these high energy x-rays are aimed at the effected part of the skin surface to destroy the cancer cells. Cryo surgery: this is a new process evolved in treating the carcinoma cancer cells. in this process the cancer causing cells in the body are destroyed completely by injecting a freezing liquid through intravascular veins of the body. The freezing liquid used in this treatment process is nothing but argon or liquid nitrogen. this freezing liquid is directly injected into the body for the removal of cancer cells. this treatment is given when there is advancement in the skin cancer. this treatment produces side effects like damage to the urethra and bladder by damaging normal cells.

Mohs micrographic surgery: this treatment process gives 98 percent of success rate in removing carcinoma cells. this treatment causes very low side effects and damages very less normal cells. this process is carried by making small incision to the effected part of the body for removing the entire carcinoma tumor or part of it by micrographic instruments. The sequence of removing carcinoma cells is carried continuously without causing any pain. The cure rate is very high and this is the best process for treating advanced skin cancers.

Medical therapy by using creams: this treatment can be taken to avoid surgery. this medical therapy creams kills the cancer cells and increases the body immune system to protect from infections.

Treatment of melanoma cancer:Surgery: Surgery is carried to remove the cancer tumor. Surgery can be carried in the early stages of the tumor occurrence. Surgery is taken place only if the cancer is located in only one part of the body. During the surgery process the damaged lymph nodes are also removed along with the tumor. this surgery process depends on the location, area and size of the tumor.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy drugs are called as anti-cancer drugs used to destroy cancer cells .there are many types of chemotherapy drugs available in the market for the treatment of cancer. these drugs are available in the form of pills but mostly given by drip into the blood veins.

Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy is a process of removing cancer cells by using high intensity x-rays. these high energy x-rays are aimed at the cancer affected part of the body to destroy the cancer cells. this process also causes damage to the normal cells for its side effects.

Biotherapy: due to weak immune system in the body, there are chances for the development of cancer. so this Biotherapy treatment process is useful in rebuilding strong immune system in the body. Biotherapy is also called as immunotherapy or biological response modifier therapy. this treatment process is really useful in repairing, enhancing and stimulating the weak immune system of the body. this process can be carried along with surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Melanoma cancer is treated as the serious skin cancer disease due to its risk factors. It is treated as a malignant tumor because it spreads through out the body. The treatment for this melanoma cancer should be carried in the early stages to cure it completely.

Basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma are most common type of skin cancers found in people. these two types of skin cancers are together called as Non-melanoma skin cancer. Melanoma skin cancer is termed as metastatic skin cancer because of its serious effects. Melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer which spreads through out the body.

Skin Cancer

Other articles you might like;

• How to Diagnose Prostrate Cancer
• Brain Cancer – causes, Symptoms
• Proven Prostate Cancer Treatment Options
• Causes ,effects symptoms and treatments of brain cancer
• Lung Cancer causes – The most Common causes this Dangerous Condition

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Filed under: Skin Cancer

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Women taking hormone drugs during oraround menopause have a higher risk of developing breast cancerthan those who wait five years, according to a study of morethan 1.1 million British patients.

The magnitude of the risk was also linked to the type ofhormone replacement therapy the women took, researchers saidtoday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, an OxfordUniversity Press publication not affiliated with the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

The study updates research that showed a link between thetherapy, known as HRT, and breast cancer risk, and is the firstto investigate the timing of the treatment. A tie betweenhormone type and risk had been suggested by the U.S. Women’sHealth Initiative, a set of clinical trials and a study ofhealth records for 161,808 postmenopausal women.

“What we found and what had been suggested earlier is thatif you start taking HRT at or around menopause, the risks ofbreast cancer are higher,” said Valerie Beral, lead researcherfor the latest study and director of the cancer epidemiologyunit at Oxford University in Oxford, England, in a telephoneinterview today. “It’s not only the interval, it’s also thekind of HRT the women are taking.”

The study found that about 55 percent of the 1.1 millionwomen in the study, recruited from 1996 to 2001, reported takinghormone therapy at some time in their lives.

Timing important

Among women in their 50s who never took hormones, theannual rate of breast cancer was 3 per 1,000 in the study. Therewas little to no increased risk for women getting estrogen aloneat the time of study if they had started the therapy at leastfive years after menopause. If they had begun estrogen aloneless than five years after menopause, their risk increased to4.3 breast cancers per 1,000.

Women who had started the combination of estrogen andprogestin less than five years after menopause showed a rate of6.1 per thousand, about double the risk of never-users, theresults showed.

“We’ve known for a while that HRT can increase the risk ofbreast cancer,” said Ed Yong, head of health information forCancer Research UK, a London-based charity, in an e-mailedmessage today. “This study suggests that there might be somesituations in which that risk is small or negligible.”

Delaying HRT therapy to minimize risk may not be feasible,because hormones are usually prescribed to alleviate symptomsduring menopause, not five years later, Beral said.

Reduced estrogen levels during menopause may cause the partof the brain responsible for temperature control to malfunction,according to the North American Menopause Society, a nonprofitorganization based in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. Hot flashes strikesuddenly and can be accompanied by rapid heartbeat, nausea,dizziness, headaches, muscle weakness and fatigue, according tothe group.

Wyeth, acquired in October 2009 by new York-based PfizerInc. for $68 billion, is the largest maker of hormonereplacement drugs. Annual sales of Wyeth’s hormone-replacementdrugs topped $2 billion before results from the Women’s HealthInitiative released in 2002 suggested women using the medicineshad a higher breast cancer risk.

The National Cancer Institute, based in Bethesda, Maryland,estimates that there were 209,000 new cases of breast cancer inthe U.S. last year, and about 40,000 deaths from the disease.

To contact the reporter on this story:Eva von Schaper in Munich at ;

To contact the editor responsible for this story:Phil Serafino at