Cancer is a condition which most people dread. There are certain types of cancer which respond very well to modern chemotherapy and have excellent chances of recovery. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is not one of those cancers which is amenable to treatment. In most cases, the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer comes very late, when the disease has already progressed and involved the surrounding organs. This makes prevention a very important part of keeping oneself healthy. This article discuses the answer to the question how can I avoid pancreatic cancer.

To understand how can I avoid pancreatic cancer, the first step is to understand the risk factors for this condition. There are many factors that are associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. The most important links start with smoking. It has been observed that smoking cigarettes is a very important risk factor which contributes to increased risk of pancreatic cancer. You will want to kick the smoking habit to ensure protection not just against pancreatic but also lung and oral cancers. Being obese or overweight also contributes to an increased susceptibility to cancer of the pancreas. You should maintain the ideal weight for your age and height by embarking on a regular fitness program and sticking to a healthy diet. Diet may also play an important part as pancreatic cancer can be associated with diets which are rich in fats and meat.

Other factors which influence the answer to the question how can I avoid pancreatic cancer come from the family history. You have to check if your family has a positive history of pancreatic cancer. This might be among first or second degree relatives. There is also an influence of conditions like chronic pancreatitis. If you have a history of repeated attacks of inflammation of your pancreas, this increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer to a great extent. Some families have a predisposition to chronic pancreatitis and this factor must be looked into in detail. One risk factor for pancreatitis itself and indirectly affecting the risk of developing pancreatic cancer is alcohol intake. There is clinical evidence to prove that alcohol induced pancreatitis is positively correlated with a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer.Alcohol intake is also associated with liver cirrhosis which has been implicated in the development of pancreatic cancer. Family history of genetic syndromes that can increase cancer risk, including a BRCA2 gene mutation, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Lynch syndrome and familial atypical mole-malignant melanoma (FAMMM).

Age is another factor in the puzzling answer to what can I do to avoid pancreatic cancer. The older you are , the higher are your chances of developing the condition. But this is usually the case above to age of 70 years. The African - American population also has a higher chance of developing pancreatic cancer. The solution to this is to go in for regular check - ups to detect any abnormal cellular activity if you have any of the risk factors mentioned. This could be an annual health check up with special emphasis on cancer detection. Pancreatic cancer is also an risk in case you are diabetic, so you must consult you doctor about risk factors in your family that could combine with your diabetic condition to develop pancreatic cancer. There is also evidence pointing to the long term exposure to chemicals like gasoline and its related compounds which increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Some insecticides have also been implicated in this.



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Cancer presents the patients with the most challenging times their life. They have to face the prospect of losing their life and at the same time, they have to take decisions regarding the treatment. Cancer has various stages. People who have cancerous cells before it starts spreading are faced with issues of personal health cancer with built in quandary. There may be multiple options to choose from and some of them may involve some sacrifices to personal health. Let us take the case of breast cancer in women to find out how a typical sequence of events plays out.

In breast cancer, there is a specific type of cancer called D.C.I.S. or Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. Majority of these cases are non-invasive. However some have the potential to become invasive in the future. A large number of such cases are being recorded as the screening process has improved which has resulted in an increase in the health cancer checkups. A number of women who are healthy get their breast X-ray so that any cancerous cells may be detected early. This situation presents a quandary for the doctors who now have to advise the women on the possible treatment options. The doctor has to first find out whether the cancer may actually turn out to be invasive by biopsying it. In this case, there are a number of possible treatment options and each of them has their own unique price to pay. This is what makes the situation of personal health cancer with built in quandary so difficult for the doctors. If there was default treatment option which does not come with any side effects, then the doctors are only happy to treat the cancer.

The patients also find themselves in a difficult situation. They have to take a decision regarding the type of treatment they want. When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, the best option is to go for mastectomy. This involves the removal of the breast with the cancerous cells so that they do not spread. This is a difficult option for some women and their family members. When D.C.I.S. is found in women, the choice becomes extremely difficult as there is only a slight chance the cancer will become invasive. The patient has to do extensive research and consult some other physicians to find out their opinions. The patient eventually has to come to a decision with full knowledge of the side effects. One advantage the patient has in this situation is absence of emergency. She can take her time and come to a decision after carefully weighing all the factors and outcomes to take decision regarding personal health care with built in quandary.

This situation can exist in all other types of cancer as well. The basic factor in personal health cancer with built in quandary is that the patient has to decide between personal health and other side effects when looking at treatment options. This can be largely mitigated only through careful analysis and study of the various factors. The eventual aim should be personal health as the health outcomes issues in cancer is the most important.



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A sarcoma muscle cancer is a highly malignant and rare type of cancer that arises in the connective tissues in the body.There are approximately 9,800 new cases of soft tissue and bone sarcoma each year in the United States. It is rare among adults and accounts for less than 2% of all adult cancers. This type of cancer is more common in children and sarcoma is one of the top five most commonly diagnosed cancers among children.

Sarcoma muscle cancer is not the only type of sarcoma seen clinically. Soft tissue sarcomas are malignant tumors that can develop from fat, muscle, nerve, fibrous tissues surrounding joints, blood vessel, or deep skin tissues. Sarcomas can develop in any part of the body. Around 55% to 60% of them develop in the arms or legs. Fifteen to twenty percent begin in the trunk, eight to ten percent in head and neck area and internal organs and around fifteen per cent originate at the back of the abdominal cavity. Sarcoma is the term used for cancers of these tissues.

The human body has 2 types of muscle: smooth and skeletal. Smooth skeletal muscle is found internal organs such as stomach, intestines and blood vessels and causes them to contract. These muscles are involuntary and hence we have no control over their functioning. Skeletal muscle is the muscle is attached to bones and aids in our movement. This type of muscle in within our control and are also called voluntary muscles. Leiomyomas are benign tumors of smooth muscle. They can arise almost anywhere in the body where smooth muscles are present. The most common of these is the fibroid tumor that develops in many women. Leiomyosarcomas are sarcoma muscle cancer of involuntary muscle tissue. They can grow almost anywhere in the body but are most often found in the back of the abdominal cavity and the internal organs and blood vessels. Occasionally, they may affect the deep soft tissues of the legs or arms. They tend to occur in adults, particularly the elderly. Rhabdomyomas are benign tumors of skeletal muscle. They are rare tumors. Rhabdomyosarcomas are malignant tumors of skeletal muscle. These tumors commonly grow in the arms or legs, but they can also begin in the head and neck area and in reproductive and urinary organs such as the vagina or bladder. Children are affected much more often than adults.

Surgery is the primary treatment for sarcoma muscle cancer. The main goal of surgery is to remove the tumor and at least two to three centimeters of the surrounding tissue. In the past amputation of an arm or leg was a standard treatment for soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities. Owing to advancements in surgical practice, nowadays, amputations are performed in only about five percent of cases nationwide. Most small sarcomas can be treated with surgery alone but the majority of sarcomas are greater than five centimeters in size. These sarcomas are usually managed using a combination of surgery and radiation therapy. Radiation therapy may be used before, during, and after surgery.


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