Cancer is the abnormal proliferation of cells in the body. Normally we have genes that stops this abnormal proliferation of cells. Some people are predisposed because of a family history of cancer, environmental factors that triggers these changes, unhealthy lifestyle (smoking), occupational hazards (exposure to chemicals, radiation). Patients diagnosed with cancer affects not only the health of the individual but also puts a strain on finances, emotional and psychological well being not just the patient but also his/her family. Over the years there have been many medications to combat cancer but not without its downsides. Patients have to contend with side effects, from loosing hair to target organ damage like the heart. Decrease in their immune system making them prone to infection. Some even tried food supplements.
Recently I have come across an article in Popular Science of a rodent (a mole rat) that is immune to cancer. Visit the Popular Science for the full story. They even labeled it as hideous creature. These lovely animals could be hideous to others but hope to patients with cancer. Another story from Electric Fields Halt the Spread of Brain Tumor uses electric field to halt the spread of cancer. They say this could eventually be use to other form of cancer. This may give cancer patients a fighting chance since the aggressiveness of the cancer or the rate at which it spread and multiply fast is one factor we consider if the disease is treatable or not. This will give the medications a chance to really eradicate cancer cells. Nothing is more devastating to a person than being diagnosed with cancer. To know that your time has been cut short, the pain they experience because of the tumor. These news of hope could alleviate their pains even just a little. In our day and age, the next trend in medicine is manipulating proteins and genes that will cure diseases. This may be the beginning for the cure of cancer and in the near future, we may treat cancer the same ease as treating the common cold.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Plaque regression wiht Niacin versus Placebo
Patients has been asking me if taking medications for dyslipidemia like statins will relieve the stenosis in the coronary arteries. People are always looking for a quick fix. Atherosclerosis is a process that takes years to accumulate and is affected by physiologic and environmental factors. Once you are diagnosed with atherosclerotic heart disease, cardiovascular disease like heart attack or brain attack, the process of atherosclerosis has been going on for a long time. It has only recently been shown that statins can halt or even regression of atherosclerosis. But taking medications for a month will not regress all the atherosclerosis you accumulated for so many years eating those fatty food and not lack of exercise and poor health habits.
There is a new study ARBITER-HALTS 6 thats about to come out with its results on the use of niacin in the regression of plaques (caused by atherosclerosis) compared to placebo by measuring the intima media thickness of the carotid. This will add to our current medical strategy in treating dyslipidemia and target regression of aterosclerotic plaque. This may have a big impact on Filipinos since it has been shown in studies that Filipino patients who had cardiovascular disease like myocardial infarction (heart attack) had normal or low LDL cholesterol, tryglycerides. However, these patients also had low HDL. The addition of niacin in the treatment of Filipino patients with cardiovascular disease could have a very big impact on morbidity and mortality. For more information visit Hearwire.
There is a new study ARBITER-HALTS 6 thats about to come out with its results on the use of niacin in the regression of plaques (caused by atherosclerosis) compared to placebo by measuring the intima media thickness of the carotid. This will add to our current medical strategy in treating dyslipidemia and target regression of aterosclerotic plaque. This may have a big impact on Filipinos since it has been shown in studies that Filipino patients who had cardiovascular disease like myocardial infarction (heart attack) had normal or low LDL cholesterol, tryglycerides. However, these patients also had low HDL. The addition of niacin in the treatment of Filipino patients with cardiovascular disease could have a very big impact on morbidity and mortality. For more information visit Hearwire.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Internet Advantage on Old Peoples Brains
Elderly people especially Filipinos have this mentality that they cannot do something or anything because they are already old and I hear this from people who are only aged 60. They do less work, they don't exercise and they pretty much become sedentary. But I have observed that elderly people who are more active physically and mentally looks younger compare to people of the same age. One of my mentors in cardiology is 86 years old and he is still active and I see patients 65 years old and they are already senile. Elderly people who are active physically and mentally tend to healthier. Studies have shown that elderly people who continuously use their mind (whether word puzzle or sudoku) had better memory and less likely to be senile.
A researcher found out that elderly people who were taught to use the internet or those who were using the internet can enhance the brains function. For more information visit WebMD Health News and Fewer Dsiease for retiree....
A researcher found out that elderly people who were taught to use the internet or those who were using the internet can enhance the brains function. For more information visit WebMD Health News and Fewer Dsiease for retiree....
Statins Becoming a Wonder Drug?
The benefits of statins on patient has been well documented in large randomized controlled trials. Over the years it also shows pleotrophic effects like its anti inflammatory effects. This means aside from lowering cholesterol it has other good effects like the anti-inflammatory properties especially on the cardiovascular system. In other words for you out there with some medical background, the drug is beneficial to those with indications to take the drug. But the benefits does not stop there. A recent study showed that people who were hospitalized for flu and were taking statins, were 50% less likely to die of flu. For more details, visit WebMD Health News.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Starting to Look Like Mom? A Quick Fix
Starting to Look Like Mom? A Quick Fix posted at WebMD Health News
Women are more often conscious about how they look. The slightest wrinkle here and there would start them in a panic and starts surfing the net for solutions or going to the mall for cosmetic solutions. Others undergo surgery to to eliminate these wringkles. Younger women now a days is fearful that they may look like their moms at a young age.
A new research confirms this. At least they say when it comes to your lower eyelids. They say they can precisely say what part of the eyelid you will age and by how much offering early correction for the affected individuals. If the mother develop wrinkles in their lower eyelids, there is a good chance that the daughters may develop wrinkles as well. But mothers who have taut skin, they say these are the women who age well.
So ladies, don't try to stare to much at your mom. Its rude. ;-)
Women are more often conscious about how they look. The slightest wrinkle here and there would start them in a panic and starts surfing the net for solutions or going to the mall for cosmetic solutions. Others undergo surgery to to eliminate these wringkles. Younger women now a days is fearful that they may look like their moms at a young age.
A new research confirms this. At least they say when it comes to your lower eyelids. They say they can precisely say what part of the eyelid you will age and by how much offering early correction for the affected individuals. If the mother develop wrinkles in their lower eyelids, there is a good chance that the daughters may develop wrinkles as well. But mothers who have taut skin, they say these are the women who age well.
So ladies, don't try to stare to much at your mom. Its rude. ;-)
"Smoking's Damage Swift and Ireversible"
I remember when I first started smoking when I was in college. I did it to look cool and appear older when we went on gimmick with my friends. Peer pressure and culture shock of college life. We had this feeling of being invincible because we were young and felt we could do anything. Recent studies however shows that smoking even 1 stick can cause irreversible damage to the arteries. It stiffens instead of its normal elasticity as reported recently in WebMD Health News Oct. 27, 2009. The study showed that 1 stick of smoking stiffened the arteries of 18-30 year old smokers by 25% after teadmill exercise test. In non-smokers, it dropped to 3.6%.
Normally, arteries dilate during exercise to accommodate for the increase in the metabolic requirements of the body. It dilates so more blood with the oxygen and nutrients goes to the muscles in an efficient, optimal manner. Smoking apparently stiffens the arteries as reported and the effect of this is the muscles gets tired easily due to accumulation of lactic acid.
Also stated in the report is that if you stop smoking, the elasticity becomes better compared to continued smoking but it will never return to normal.
So, we were not invincible after all. I will never have a normal artery compared to my high school or elementary years. So my advise to you people, stop smoking and start living healthy.
Normally, arteries dilate during exercise to accommodate for the increase in the metabolic requirements of the body. It dilates so more blood with the oxygen and nutrients goes to the muscles in an efficient, optimal manner. Smoking apparently stiffens the arteries as reported and the effect of this is the muscles gets tired easily due to accumulation of lactic acid.
Also stated in the report is that if you stop smoking, the elasticity becomes better compared to continued smoking but it will never return to normal.
So, we were not invincible after all. I will never have a normal artery compared to my high school or elementary years. So my advise to you people, stop smoking and start living healthy.
"Cell Phones on Hip May Weaken Bone"
We have seen youtube videos of 4 cell phones ringing simultaneously arranged in a circle could pop corns placed smack in the middle. It may be cool to look at and maybe fun to try with friends but it brings a serious question up front. Does cell phones (or its radio signal, or electromagnetic emissions) affect the human body in one form or another?
A report by Salynn Boyles on (WebMD Health News Oct 27, 2009) in a study done Turkey's Suleyman Demireli University showed that cell phones may affect the human body. The researchers of the said institution measured the pelvic bone density in 150 men who carried their cell phones regularly attached to their belts. They carried it for an average of 15 hours everyday for 6 years and found that bone mineral density was slightly less on the side of the pelvis where the mobile phones where carried. The overall results were not significant and was not as much as that seen in people with osteoporosis. The mean average age of the men was 32 years of age. The researchers reiterated that the results are prelimenary.
There is however conflicting issues regarding electromagnetic fields since experimentally it showed that EM waves has been found to strengthen the bones in patients with osteoporosis. But the EM wave frequency used in the above experiments on patients with osteoporosis was 15-72 Hz. Cell phone EM frequencies is in the range of 900-1800 MHz
At the moment, there is no definite conclusions on the effect of cell phone on the human body. There is an ongoing study, the Interphone study being conducted in 13 countries to see if cell phone use can cause brain tumors.
On a personal note, we have a SPAN bayantel phone (Huawei) is the brand and it heats up 10 minutes into using the phone and then my head starts throbbing and a full blown headache in 20 min. My siblings experience the same thing. This concerned us a lot and we stopped using it. For now, lets wait for the result of the Interphone study.
A report by Salynn Boyles on (WebMD Health News Oct 27, 2009) in a study done Turkey's Suleyman Demireli University showed that cell phones may affect the human body. The researchers of the said institution measured the pelvic bone density in 150 men who carried their cell phones regularly attached to their belts. They carried it for an average of 15 hours everyday for 6 years and found that bone mineral density was slightly less on the side of the pelvis where the mobile phones where carried. The overall results were not significant and was not as much as that seen in people with osteoporosis. The mean average age of the men was 32 years of age. The researchers reiterated that the results are prelimenary.
There is however conflicting issues regarding electromagnetic fields since experimentally it showed that EM waves has been found to strengthen the bones in patients with osteoporosis. But the EM wave frequency used in the above experiments on patients with osteoporosis was 15-72 Hz. Cell phone EM frequencies is in the range of 900-1800 MHz
At the moment, there is no definite conclusions on the effect of cell phone on the human body. There is an ongoing study, the Interphone study being conducted in 13 countries to see if cell phone use can cause brain tumors.
On a personal note, we have a SPAN bayantel phone (Huawei) is the brand and it heats up 10 minutes into using the phone and then my head starts throbbing and a full blown headache in 20 min. My siblings experience the same thing. This concerned us a lot and we stopped using it. For now, lets wait for the result of the Interphone study.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
