Bladder cancer begins in the bladder, a central organ in the urinary system. The National Cancer Institute reports that 14,880 people will die from bladder cancer and 73,510 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed this year.

Causes“The initial step in all cancer development is damage to cellular DNA, specifically in genes that regulate growth,” says Michael a. Smith, a doctor with Life Extension of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The kidneys filter carcinogens (a substance that causes cancer) out of the body. The Official Foundation of the American Urological Association reports that before removal via urination, these carcinogens can rest in the bladder for several hours. The carcinogens damage the urothelium (the bladder’s lining), which is where over 90 percent of all bladder cancers begin.

Most bladder tumors are found in the urothelium or the lamina propria, connective tissue between the lining and bladder muscle.

Experts estimate that cigarette smoking accounts for approximately 50 percent of all bladder cancer instances in the United States. Long-term exposure to chemical compounds (paints, solvents) is responsible for 20 to 25 percent of bladder cancer.

Caucasians and men are more likely to develop bladder cancer than other ethnic groups and women.

SymptomsHematuria, blood in the urine, is the main symptom of bladder cancer, according to the American Bladder Cancer Society. Other common warnings signs include dysuria (painful urination), lower back pain, recurrent urinary tract infections and overactive bladder.

DiagnosisDoctors use several tests to diagnose bladder cancer. Urine cytology, cystoscopy, transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and imaging tests are common methods, reports the Mayo Clinic.

A urine cytology is the analysis of a urine sample to detect possible cancer cells.

A cystoscopy entails inserting a cystoscope, a type of narrow tube with a lens and lighting system, into the urethra. The doctor can assess the inside of the bladder and urethra.

Imaging test (CT scans, X-rays, MRIs) are used to analyze the urinary tract. after the confirmation of bladder cancer, these may be used to understand the stage of the cancer’s development.

There are four stages of bladder cancer, depending on the location to which the cancer has spread: only in the urothelium, inside the bladder wall, nearby tissue–prostate or vagina/uterus, and expanded into lymph nodes and beyond.

Yair Lotan, an associate professor of urology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says  newly diagnosed individuals should “get an initial transurethral resection to stage the tumor. Treatments depend on the depth of penetration of the tumor and grade of the tumor.”

TreatmentThe Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network reports that different treatments should be applied for bladder cancers of various grades at differing stages.

Cystectomy is a surgery that removes the entire bladder, which necessitates another surgery to create a new path for the body to remove urine.

More threatening, but still non-invasive, tumors, require more extreme therapies, such as immunotherapy, a biological therapy that mobilizes the body’s immune system against the cancer.

Smith called attention to a new treatment called photodynamic therapy, which uses a drug and a certain type of laser light to kill cancer cells, which minimizes damage to healthy cells.

Finally, doctors may use chemotherapy when bladder cancer invades the nearby lymph nodes (tiny glands that stores white blood cells).

The team found that patients who have myotonic muscular dystrophy are at increased risk primarily for four types of cancer: brain, ovary, colon, and the uterine lining known as the endometrium. The team also found a possible increased risk for some other types of cancer, including cancer of the eye, thyroid, pancreas, and other female reproductive organs.

Physicians estimate that approximately 40,000 Americans have myotonic dystrophy, an inherited disease that is marked by progressive muscle weakness. while the course of the disease varies from patient to patient, symptoms can include muscle stiffness, difficulty speaking and swallowing, problems walking, and in some patients, heart problems and cataracts.

Neurologists like study author Richard T. Moxley, M.D., of the University of Rochester Medical Center have long known that patients with myotonic dystrophy are at greater risk of a rare type of skin growth, and they know that skin cancer occurs more often as well in some families with the disease. Moxley teamed with cancer experts at the National Cancer Institute as well as scientists in Sweden and Denmark to study the link between muscular dystrophy and cancer more closely.

The team used detailed registries about the health of people with myotonic dystrophy to look closely at the records of 1,658 patients. among that group, 104 people developed cancer – twice the number of cases that would be expected in the overall population.

“Our findings suggest that patients with myotonic dystrophy need to be absolutely vigilant about cancer screening, particularly colon cancer screening,” said Moxley, director of the University’s Neuromuscular Disease Center and professor of Neurology. Moxley also heads the University’s Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Center, one of six research centers funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Over the last 15 years, Moxley’s colleague, Charles Thornton, M.D., has discovered how the genetic flaw at the root of myotonic muscular dystrophy – a genetic repeat, a kind of molecular stutter – actually causes the disease. he found that the flaw causes extra messenger RNA to accumulate in the nucleus of cells, making it difficult for a protein crucial for normal muscle growth to do its job.

Moxley notes that the genetic miscue that causes the disease is one that might also make cancer more likely to occur. The investigators say it’s possible that the extra RNA may also hinder proteins involved in repairing DNA; a malfunction of DNA repair machinery is one way that cancer comes about. In addition, they note that the product made by the faulty gene is a close molecular relative of several cancer susceptibility genes.

The scientists say much more study is needed to understand the process. They plan to study the issue in more depth using a muscular dystrophy registry which includes about 1,600 patients with muscular dystrophy that has been compiled by Moxley and colleagues at Rochester, thanks to funding from the National Institutes of Health.

more information: JAMA. 2011;306[22]:2480-2486.

Provided by University of Rochester Medical Center (news : web)

May 15, 2011 in Cancer Symptoms

Stomach cancer signs are asymptomatic or remain latent in the initial stage of the ailment. They also mimic the symptoms of other complications of this organ like gastric ulcer, stomach virus and tropical sprue.

As a result, in 80-90 percent diagnosed cases, the ailment is found to be in advanced stage. Owing to this reason, it has very prognosis. The standard treatments prove completely ineffective in treating the cancer.

National Cancer Institute reported 21,000 cases of gastric neoplasm in the United States in 2010. 10,570 people died owing to this disease. Awareness of the symptoms increases the chances of commencing the treatments early. This article tries to gain further insight on the subject.

TNM Classification of Malignant Tumors (TNM) of cancer staging is used to divide the severity of this ailment. Stomach cancer signs are classified according to these stages. They are:

Stage 1 or Early Gastric Cancer Signs:

• Irritation
• Heartburn
• Indigestion
• Loss of appetite
• Discomfort in the abdomen

Stage 2 or Middle Gastric Cancer Signs:

• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Bloating of the stomach especially after the meals

Stage 3 or Late Gastric Cancer Signs:

How the Gastric Cancer Signs are Diagnosed?Some of the tools and tests used to find the signs of neoplasm in stomach are:

• Knowing the medical history of the patient
• Physical examination
• Upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract radiography
• Biopsy with histological analysis – the most definite test for confirming the ailment
• Computer tomography of the abdomen
• Stool test
• Gastrolscopic exam – Viewing the inside of the stomach by inserting a camera-attached flexible tube
• Optical coherence tomography – Method involving acquisition and processing of the optical signals

Conclusion: further research is underway to find specific bio-markers which can confirm the presence of the stomach cancer signs as early as possible.

April 22, 2011 in Living with Cancer

43,140 new cases of pancreatic cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2010. according to an estimate by the National Cancer Institute, 36,800 individuals died due to this ailment. Survival rate and the quality of life after diagnosis are dependent on pancreatic cancer prognosis. The health care professionals choose a particular remedy to address the disease based on this parameter. This article tries to gain further insight on this subject.

What is Pancreatic Cancer Prognosis?

Conclusion: though the outcome is poor, awareness on pancreatic cancer prognosis can help the patients in receiving the best possible treatment for their condition.

April 7, 2011 in Cancer Symptoms

The signs of cancer remain latent until the disease reaches its advanced stage. Though there are certain common cancer symptoms, more than 100 types of this disease exist. Every type has its own specific symptoms which are either apparent or remain hidden. this article tries to gain insight on the signs of the dreadful cancer ailment.

What are the Types of Cancer Symptoms?Signs of cancer can be classified into three types based on the stage of the disease. these types are:

• Local symptoms (signs when a particular organ is affected by the disease)
• Metastatic symptoms (signs seen when the disease spreads to the entire body)
• Systemic symptoms (signs apparent owing to the distinct effects of the disease).

The below mentioned signs of the disease appearing at different stages are the primary indicators of the severity of the cancer. Vital aspects like diagnosis, choice of treatment and prognosis thereafter are dependent on the knowledge of these signs. They are:

According to the National Cancer Institute, there were 12 most common cancer types in the United States in 2010. The criterion considered for a cancer type to fall into this category was that the annual incidence of that cancer reported last year should have been 40,000 cases or more.

List of 12 Common Cancer Types in America in 2010:

Incidences of the 12 most Common Cancer Types in the United States in 2010:

S.no. Cancer Type new Cases Reported in 2010 no. of Deaths in 2010 1. Bladder 70,530 14,680 2. Breast Cancer in Women 207,090 39,840 3. Colon and Rectal 142,570 51,370 4. Endometrial 43,470 7,950 5. Kidney 53,581 11,997 6. Blood Cancer 43,050 21,840 7. Lung 222,520 157,300 8. Melanoma 68,130 8,700 9. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 65,540 20,210 10. Pancreatic 43,140 36,800 11. Prostate 217,730 32,050 12. 44,670 1,690 None

Bladder Cancer Symptoms:

Symptoms of Cancer in the Breast:

Colon Cancer Symptoms:

Endometrial Cancer Symptoms:

• Vaginal Discharge
• Abnormal bleeding from the vagina
• Pain during intercourse
• Difficulty in urination
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during urination

Kidney Cancer Symptoms:

Leukemia Symptoms:

Lung Cancer Symptoms:

Melanoma Symptoms:

• Ugly mole
• Change in the shape of a mole
• Change in the color
• Change in the border of a mole
• Change in the diameter
• Newly pigmented skin area
• Darkened area under the nail
• The tumor is firm to touch
• Constant growth in the tumor

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Symptoms:

Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms:

Prostate Cancer Symptoms:

Thyroid Cancer symptoms:

Conclusion: Awareness of the common cancer symptoms can help in early diagnosis and screening of the body. as this ailment has no cure, finding its signs in the initial stages is the only safe way to increase the chances of survival and complete recovery.

One Response to “what are Cancer Symptoms?”

If symptoms of leukemia (blood cancer) are diagnosed in its early stage, the chances of survival and even possibly getting cured completely rises many times.

According to the National Cancer Institute, 43,050 new cases of leukemia were reported in the United States in 2010. 21,840 people died suffering from this cancer.

This article presents the signs of this cancer to watch out for.

Symptoms of Leukemia (Blood Cancer):

There are four types of leukemia. They are Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

Symptoms of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL):

• Bone pain
• Epistaxis
• Anemia
• Metabolic abnormalities
• Fever
• Thrombocytopenia
• Lymphocytosis
• Granulocytopenia
• Nerve palsies

Symptoms of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL):

• Excessive sweating
• Enlarged liver, spleen and lymph nodes
• Abnormal bruising
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Unintentional weight loss
• Recurrent infections

Symptoms of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML):

Symptoms of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML):

Conclusion: Complete blood count, bone marrow examination, lymph node biopsy, blood chemistry tests, X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging and computer tomography are some of the diagnostic techniques used to find the above mentioned symptoms of leukemia (blood cancer).

According to the American Cancer Society, one-fifth of leukemia patients remain undiagnosed in spite of these available methods, as the signs are vague, unspecific and mimic symptoms of other ailments.

According to the National Cancer Institute, 222,520 individuals were diagnosed with Lung cancer in 2010 in the United States. 157,300 people lost their lives owing to this dreadful disease.

The technology available today is not sufficient to diagnose the ailment early. However, Korean researchers have discovered a serum protein which might change the situation for good. the results of the study are published are in the American Cancer Society’s Journal of Proteome Research in March 2011.

What the Research on Serum Protein Involved?

• The biggest challenge with lung cancer is that it can spread to fresh locations of the body very easily.
• The symptoms have the tendency to remain asymptomatic or without any apparent signs in the initial stages.
• It is not surprising to know that symptoms of lung cancer are revealed accidentally in many cases.
• The researchers of the present study tried to find proteins in the blood which might serve as an indicator for the presence of this cancer.
• As a part of the study, they searched for the novel protein in the patients of adenocarcinoma, a sub type of lung cancer which constitutes for 1 in 3 cases.
• Any advancement in the diagnosis of this lung cancer type was significant because it is one of the most aggressive forms of the disease which affects this organ especially in women.
• The experts discovered a protein called serum amyloid a (SAA) in the liquid portion of the blood (serum) in the tissues of lung adenocarcinoma patients.
• The study found that the levels of this protein are uniquely high in the patients of lung cancers in comparison to others forms of cancers or ailments of the lungs.

Conclusion: According to the researchers, their work on serum protein has provided a novel diagnostic tool for lung cancer. further efforts should be focused on making this new technique available in regular cancer diagnostic centers.

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

The Cancer Institute of new Jersey Explores Blocking Mechanism for Cancer Cell Survival

Newswise — Building upon recent laboratory discoveries on resistance by cancer cells to therapies that attempt to starve cancer, scientists at the Cancer Institute of new Jersey (CINJ) are conducting a clinical trial that further explores how to prevent that action. the goal is to discover if an anti-malaria drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration is able to block a cellular process that acts as a survival method for malignant cells in human melanoma, the most life threatening form of skin cancer. CINJ is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and new Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center — one of only 40 in the country.

Hydroxychloroquine, which is commonly used to treat malaria and certain types of arthritis, has been shown to block autophagy, the process by which cells eat themselves in order to survive through times of stress. this process allows cells to become resistant to cancer therapies. Research by CINJ Associate Director for Basic Science, Eileen White, PhD, adjunct professor of surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at Rutgers, the State University of new Jersey, and other laboratories at CINJ indicates that drugs such as hydroxychloroquine may help cancer treatments work more effectively by providing an easier path for the cancer drugs to enter the cell.

In this trial, investigators want to learn how to detect the process of autophagy in humans with melanoma, a goal lead researcher Janice Mehnert, MD, medical oncologist at CINJ and assistant professor of medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, says is key. “By further examining the process of autophagy and learning if hydroxychloroquine is able to interrupt this process in human blood and tumor samples, we may be able to find a way to maximize the benefit of hydroxychloroquine in order to improve clinical outcomes,” she said.

Adults with stage III or stage IV melanoma tumor or tumors (cancer that has spread beyond where it first occurred) who can be scheduled for surgery to either cure the cancer or lessen the symptoms of cancer are eligible to take part in the trial, although other criteria must be met. Patients with newly diagnosed melanoma tumors or who have disease that has returned also are eligible to participate. Prior to being accepted into the study, participants would undergo a number of tests including blood work and a physical.

If accepted for participation in the trial, individuals will take a hydroxychloroquine pill each day for two weeks leading up to surgery. Participants will keep a pill diary and undergo periodic blood work during this time.

For more information on how to take part, individuals should call CINJ’s Office of Human Research Services at 732-235-8675 or e-mail cinjclinicaltrials@umdnj.edu.

The trial is supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute and the Harry Lloyd Foundation.

Clinical trials, often called cancer research studies, test new treatments and new ways of using existing treatments for cancer. at CINJ, researchers use these studies to answer questions about how a treatment affects the human body and to make sure it is safe and effective. there are several types of clinical trials that are currently underway at CINJ, including those that diagnose, treat, prevent, and manage symptoms of cancer. Many treatments used today, whether it is drugs or vaccines; ways to do surgery or give radiation therapy; or combinations of treatments, are the results of past clinical trials.

As new Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, CINJ offers patients access to treatment options not available at other institutions within the state. CINJ currently has more than 1,000 patients enrolled in clinical trials, including approximately 15 percent of all new adult cancer patients and approximately 70 percent of all pediatric cancer patients. Enrollment in these studies nationwide is fewer than five percent of all adult cancer patients.

About the Cancer Institute of new JerseyThe Cancer Institute of new Jersey (cinj.org) is the state’s first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center dedicated to improving the detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer, and serving as an education resource for cancer prevention. CINJ’s physician-scientists engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice, quite literally bringing research to life. to make a tax-deductible gift to support CINJ, call 732-235-8614 or visit cinjfoundation.org. CINJ is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

The CINJ Network is comprised of hospitals throughout the state and provides the highest quality cancer care and rapid dissemination of important discoveries into the community. Flagship Hospital: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. system Partner: Meridian Cancer Care (Bayshore Community Hospital, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center, and Southern Ocean Medical Center). Major Clinical Research Affiliate Hospitals: Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Morristown Memorial Hospital, Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Overlook Hospital, and Cooper University Hospital. Affiliate Hospitals: CentraState Healthcare system, JFK Medical Center, Mountainside Hospital, Raritan Bay Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (CINJ Hamilton), Somerset Medical Center, the University Hospital/UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School*, and University Medical Center at Princeton. *Academic Affiliate

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Low-dose computed tomography scans might help reduce lung cancer mortalities among heavy smokers and former smokers, according to a new report. but further analysis of the findings is needed before screening recommendations can be issued for the disease, said a statistician for the study.

There is no generally accepted screening test for lung cancer. the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against screening asymptomatic people for the disease with either low-dose CT scans, chest x-rays, sputum cytology or a combination of these tests.

Results of the study, which were published online Nov. 2 in Radiology, found that CT scans decreased the mortality rate of heavy smokers and former smokers by 20.3% compared with chest x-rays. the National Cancer Institute sponsored the study.

“For the first time, we have definite proof that screening for lung cancer can reduce mortality,” said Constantine A. Gatsonis, PhD, a lead statistician for the study and a professor of biostatistics at Brown University.

He encourages physicians to consider the new data when they are deciding what test to recommend for screening a patient’s lungs.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among men and women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. the NCI estimates that 222,520 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed this year, and 157,300 people will die of the disease.

Researchers examined data on 53,456 current and former heavy smokers age 55 to 74 who were enrolled in the National Lung Screening Trial between August 2002 and April 2004. Participants smoked at least one pack a day for 30 years and had no signs, symptoms or history of lung cancer.

About half of the individuals were randomly assigned to receive three annual low-dose CT scans, and the other half got three standard x-rays. Participants were screened when they enrolled in the study and at the end of their first and second years in the trial. Then they were followed for as many as seven years. Radiologists reviewed the images for lung nodules and masses. Participants whose tests revealed an abnormality received follow-up recommendations.

At the end of the study in October, 796 of the participants had died of lung cancer. In the group that received CT scans, 44.5% died of the disease. the figure was 55.5% among those who got x-rays (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21045183/).

The potential disadvantages of CT procedures include the cumulative effects of radiation from multiple scans and false positives that can lead to unnecessary lung biopsies.

“At the end of the day, we have to balance the risks of [lung cancer] screening with the benefits. That will be part of a more detailed analysis” of the study’s findings, which will be published in the near future, Gatsonis said.

This content was published online only.

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