Taking Aspirin Daily Good for Bowel Cancer Patients

Research study has found reduction in death caused by bowel cancer if patient takes aspirin every day. The study result has been presented at British Journal of Cancer.

The study included examination of 4,500 patients of bowel cancer.

All patients were on aspirin 80mg tablet. Aspirin is analgesic pain killer and is usually prescribed to heart patients for daily use.

Despite positive result of aspirin's effect, experts are not ready to prescribe the drug to bowel cancer patients any time soon.

Plenty of research studies have found aspirin helpful in preventing cancers of initial stage. Recent findings have also backed result of previous studies - Aspirin could work well to prevent spread of cancer if included in cancer therapy.

However, grave side effects of Aspirin - such as internal bleeding and irritation in stomach - undermine its good effects, believes expert.

4,500 bowel cancer patients were inspected for almost 10 years. 25% of the patients were not taking aspirin, 25% patients started taking aspirin after diagnosis of bowel cancer and rest of the patients were on aspirin before and after they were diagnosed with cancer.

Patients were taking aspirin, post cardiovascular event, as a part of the treatment to prevent future heart disease and stroke.

Aspirin found to reduce bowel cancer death by 23% regardless of the time span aspirin was taken. Chances to die from bowel cancer were 30% less for those who took aspirin standard dose for 9 months after cancer diagnosis.

Administration of aspirin only after cancer diagnosis was more effective than taking aspirin before and after diagnosis. The reason assumed for this is that people who took aspirin before bowel cancer diagnosis might had stubborn tumor.

Dr Gerrit-Jan Liefers is lead author of the study. Dr Leifers is a scientist at Leiden University Medical Centre.

check more here. Acid reflux disease

Quick Facts about Aspirin

Aspirin

• Aspirin contains Acetylsalicylic acid as its active ingredient
• Aspirin is most commonly prescribed pain killer drug.
• Aspirin is analgesic i.e. it masks the pain.
• Patients with history of cardiovascular evets are recommended to take aspirin (75mg) daily
• Rare side effect of aspirin is fatal internal bleeding.

HPV Vaccine May Reduce Cervical Cancer Rates in Developing Countries

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a set of over 150 viruses; know as papilloma viruses, which encourages a certain type of skin growths. Human papilloma viruses (HPV) are often connected to certain kind of cancer, also known as, carcinogenic HPVs or “high-risk," oncogenic.

Out of 150 types of HPV, 40 types of HPV are contagious, and can be transmitted from person to person during sexual interaction. The transmission of HPV can take place by genitals or oral, even if usually HPV’s is passed on sexually. It is studied that several Human papilloma virus (HPV) appear without any indications and goes away without any treatment.

The major cause of cervical cancer is high-risk HVP infection. More or less all the women have HPV infection, at some point of time, but only few develop into cervical cancer. Immune system, nearly in all the women, is suppresses or reduces HPV. Only a persistent HPV infection leads to the development of cervical cancer.

As per a study, giving human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine dose for a longer period of time may establish an effectual way to formulate the vaccine to be obtainable to more and more women’s in the underprivileged nations.

According to the researcher, different schedules of dosing vaccine where used to conclude the treatment in the developing country.

The WorldHealth Organization (WHO) has accepted this programmatic limitation that should be considered to be initiated in the national Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programs. Neuzil's team has announced that, delivering Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine in flexible timetable, will lets countries to  reduces the cost and increase the availability of vaccination  programs.

Some Quick Facts on Cancer & Its Type

Mouth cancer, breast cancer, blood cancer (Chronic leukaemia) are some of the types of cancers we have heard of. The fact is, there are more than 100 types of cancers. Cancer can develop to any part of the body. No body part is above cancer. HIV positive patients may catch skin cancer known as kaposi's sarcoma, liquid secretion cancer, cervical cancer. Six different types of cancers can occur in eyes. There are two types of breast cancer.

Types of Cancers

Thyroid Cancer

There are four types of thyroid cancer. 1) papillary 2) medullary 3) anaplasticand 4) follicular. High cholesterol, 40+ age, first six months after pregnancy, severe depression, continuous contact with litium can cause thyroid cancer.

Appendix Cancer

Appendix Cancer (Appendiceal Carcinoma) found in rare cases. In most cases \n appendix cancer spreads out of the appendix. Surgry is very difficult and its \n treatment is rare too. 10 cms long appendix is believed to be almost useless organs in body. Five types of cancers can develop in appendix.
Malignant Carcinoid, Mucinous Adenocarcinoma, Adenocarcinoma, Adenocarcinoid, \n and Signet Ring Adenocarcinoma. Surgery is the only well known remedy for appendix \n cancer.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is fastest growing cancer in the world. Can be found in both \n male and female, yet rare in male. Surgery, chemo therapy, radiation therapy and \n vaccine therapy have been used so far to treat this cancer. Female death toll caused by breast cancer is the second largest in the world.
Not necessarily develop in breast only but can also develop outside of breast. Breast cancer can infect lungs which may result into lung cancer.

Lung Cancer

Unwanted formation of lung cells or tissues causes lung cancer. Tobacco intake for long period of time, constant company of smoker, interaction with radon gas (very rare case) and pollution also leads to develop lung cancer. Genetic factors plays important role for those who have taken tobacco for short period of time.
Two basic types of lung cancers are seen: 1) Small cell cancer also called \n oat cell cancer 2) Non-small cell cancer (most common lung cancer, with 70%).
Non-small cell cancer has been divided into five category depending upon appearance of cells

• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Large cell carcinoma
• Adenosquamous carcinoma
• Adenocarcinoma
• Undifferentiated carcinoma

According to World Health Organization estimates 1.4 millions (and growing) death each year by lung cancer.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is believed to 'totally male' cancer. Prostate cancer surviving person feels pain during urination or sexual intercourse. This cancer poses danger to the born of new baby.
Vitamin E and celenium deficiency or excess of vitamin D may invite prostate cancer. Nickol masa was the first to identified this cancer in 1536. Other family members must be wary if any of the members found this cancer.

Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer starts within any of the artery or vein in kidney. Mostly found \n in small children. Kidney cancer develop before age of five.

Fact File about Cancer

58 millions people were reported died in 2007, out of which 13% i.e 7.6 millions deaths were because of cancer.
Lung cancer, Intestine cancer and liver cancer are the top three cancer causing death in male.
Breast cancer, lung cancer and intestine cancer are most deadly for fmale.
Cancer is treatable if diagnosed early.
Tobacco is number one reason to cause cancer.

Generic For Breast Cancer Drug in America (USA)

FDA has approved generic versions of Arimidex. Given Arimidex was about to go patent free many pharmaceutical companies had applied to FDA approval for their respective generic drugs. Total eleven drugs have been approved.

Arimidex is post brest cancer surgery drug. Arimidex inhibits the action of an enzyme (Aromatase) that is believed to cause cancer. By inhibiting or decreasing activities of Aromatase,
Arimidex prevents recurrance of breast cancer.
List of the Approved Companies is....

• Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd,


• Accord Healthcare Inc,


• Natco Pharma Ltd,


• Roxane Laboratories Inc,


• Stason Pharmaceuticals Inc,


• Sandoz Inc,


• Synthon Pharmaceuticals Inc,


• Three Rivers Pharmaceuticals LLC,


• TEVA Pharmaceuticals USA,


• Watson Laboratories Inc,


• Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.

Aromatase inhibitors are used in the treatment of hormone-receptive breast cancer after surgery to reduce the risk for recurrence. They are usually prescribed for a period of 5 years.
By these approval now Americans can significantly reduce cost of the treatment which is likely to last for more than five years.
Approximate cost of using Arimidex was $2500 for a year. The same treatment now may cost $1000 per year.
Because the generics have been approved recently, it may take couple of months find them at your near by pharmacy store. Patient can take alternative cancer drugs such as Tamoxifen.
Use of generic version cost almost half the cost of branded drug. Patients are always advised to take generic version of branded drug.

Statin Drugs Help Reduce Prostate Cancer after Surgery

There was news lately about retinopathy prevention with statin and fibrate drugs. Experts find use of statin, a cholesterol lowering drugs (lipitor), helpful in other diseases as well. Researchers at Duke university found link between cholesterol lowring drugs and prostate cancer.

Experts at private research university have discovered that statin drugs, such as lipitor, also helped to minimize chances of prostate cancer coming back once performed prostate surgery.

Dr Stephen Freedland, a urologic surgeon, included around 1,300 patients, who had prostate cancer surgery, into study. Dr stephen studied chances of prostate cancer coming back in patients who were taking statin drug and in patients who were not.

Patients on statin drug were at 30% lower risk of cancer recurrence. Rfurther decreases if higher dose of statin drug is administered.

“The risk of cancer was reduced by 40% to 50% if the patient was on an intermediate to high dose of statin cholesterol lowering drugs.” Freedland said.

Although healthcare professionals indicate the result is not suffice to prescribe statin drug to treat cancer, it is compelling fact to pursue non-medicinal ways (e.g. diet and exercise) to lower cholesterol level.

Lung Cancer is Linked to Defetive ALK Gene

Use of living matters in medicines is believed to be new way to treat cancers. ALK inhibitors (a type of gene inhibitors) are likely to be new class of drug alongside others such as Monoclonal antibodies and molecule inhibitors.

Non small-cell lung cancer or NSCLC is found in 8 to 9 out of 10 cases of all lung cancers. Defective rearrangment of ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) is found to be triggering event to cause NSCLC. A study conducted at University of Colorado and represented at joint conference of AARC and IASLC says that normal rearrangements of chromosomes interrupt the ALK gene causing its fusion with another gene which triggers creation of oncogenic ALK fusion genes. This event initiates cell growth.

A drug, named Crizotinib in experiments, by Pfizer has shown positive result in lung tumers. Experiments showed reduction of tumor by 57% and progression of tumor stopped in 87% of the patients.

Crizotinib is said to be only drug that is intended to target defective gene. The drug could pave the way for new therapeutic mechanism in drugs used for cancer.

Alice Shaw, a thoracic cancer specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston explains how rearrangements turns into cancer: Normal chromosomal arrangement of defective ALK gene breaks and part of broken gene gets fused with other gene. Such rearrangements cause growth of cells out of control.
Crizotinib is under experiments and could hit the market in 2013 if found positive results in later large scale studies.