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Saturday, October 10, 2009

Who should get PSA testing?


Who should get PSA testing?

LINTHICUM, MD, April 27, 2009The American Urological Association (AUA) today issued new clinical guidance which directly contrasts recent recommendations issued by other major groups about prostate cancer screening, asserting that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test should be offered to well-informed, men aged 40 years or older who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years. The PSA test, as well as how it is used to guide patient care (e.g., at what age men should begin regular testing, intervals at which the test should be repeated, at what point a biopsy is necessary) is highly controversial; however, the AUA believes that, when offered and interpreted appropriately the PSA test may provide essential information for the diagnosis, pre-treatment staging or risk evaluation and post-treatment monitoring of prostate cancer.

The new Best Practice Statement updates the AUA's prior guidance, which was issued in 2000. Major changes to the AUA statement include new recommendations about who should be considered for PSA testing, as well as when a biopsy is indicated following an abnormal PSA reading. As per the AUA, early detection and risk evaluation of prostate cancer should be offered to well-informed men 40 years of age or older who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years. The future risk of prostate cancer is closely correlation to a man's PSA score; a baseline PSA level above the median for age 40 is a strong predictor of prostate cancer. Such testing may not only allow for earlier detection of more curable cancers, but may also allow for more efficient, less frequent testing. Men who wish to be screened for prostate cancer should have both a PSA test and a digital rectal exam (DRE). The Statement also notes that other factors such as family history, age, overall health and ethnicity should be combined with the results of PSA testing and physical examination in order to better determine the risk of prostate cancer. The Statement recommends that the benefits and risks of screening of prostate cancer should be discussed including the risk of over-detection, detecting some cancers which may not need immediate therapy.........

VITAMINS & PROSTATE CANCER


VITAMINS & PROSTATE CANCER

Listen up if you're a man and are popping large amounts of vitamins and dietary supplements in the hope that they'll improve your health. You may instead be raising your risk of prostate cancer.

About one-third of the 300,000 men in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study of prostate cancer were taking a daily multivitamin; and the approximately 5 percent of them who were swallowing more than 7 multivitamin tablets a week had a 32 percent increased risk of advanced prostate cancer and a two-fold greater risk of dying of prostate cancer.


The strongest association with these advanced forms of prostate cancer was found among the men who had a family history of prostate cancer or who took other supplements like selenium, beta-carotene, or zinc along with the extra amounts of multivitamin pills.

Taking one or more multivitamin pills a day did not raise the risk of localized prostate cancer, so it is possible that the vitamins did not cause prostate cancer but instead prodded cancer cells that were already present to grow faster.

Now, add to these findings from the NIH study above some more bad news for supplement takers, this time about lycopene, a carotene abundant in tomatoes that earlier large studies had found protected against prostate cancer.



A study of more than 28,000 men between the ages of 55 and 74 from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle has demonstrated that higher blood levels of lycopene did not diminish the risk of either total or aggressive prostate cancer. Moreover, the men with the highest blood levels of beta-carotene had a 3-fold greater risk of aggressive prostate cancer than did those with the lowest beta-carotene levels.

This latter finding is not surprising, since earlier studies demonstrated that taking supplements of beta-carotene increased the risk of lung cancer among cigarette smokers.



And, just for good measure, another small study at Wake Forest University recently found that adding lycopene to one's dietary supplements did not slow the progression of cancer in men with recurrent prostate cancer.

Still, it's difficult to understand how extra doses of multivitamins would foster aggressive prostate cancer or why the latest results show no protection from higher blood levels of lycopene when earlier observations found that a higher intake of lycopene reduced prostate cancer risk.

While much data indicate that ample intake of fruits and vegetables protects against cancer, the discrepant findings in the studies described above illustrate how difficult it can be to prove that a particular dietary component will prevent cancer.



Quite frankly, I'm not sure that taking an extra multivitamin pill a week is harmful or that lycopene fails to prevent aggressive prostate cancer. I do agree, however, with the position of the American Cancer Society (ACS), which does not recommend the use of multivitamin supplements but recommends instead that people get their vitamins from natural food sources.

And I continue to decry the gullibility of the American public, whose naïve trust encourages the practices of manufacturers of vitamins and other dietary supplements. Whenever a study suggests that something new may have health benefits, these manufacturers stuff it into a pill, advertise it stridently so that Americans waste lots of money on it, and end up with big profits.

CT Scans Increase Cancer


CT Scans Increase Cancer

RiskPhysicians should review a patient's CT imaging history and cumulative radiation dose when considering whether to perform another CT exam, as per scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.

The study included 130 patients who had at least three emergency department visits within one year in which they had a Computerized axial tomography scan of the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis. "We gathered the recent CT exam histories for each of these patients and observed that half had undergone ten or more Computerized axial tomography scans in the prior eight years, up to a maximum of 70 Computerized axial tomography scans," said Aaron Sodickson, MD, PhD. "Using typical dose values and standard risk estimation methods, we calculated that half of our group had accrued additional radiation-induced cancer risks above baseline greater than 1 in 110, up to a maximum of 1 in 17".

"A patient's cumulative risk of radiation-induced cancers is believed to increase with increasing cumulative radiation dose. The level of risk is further increased for patients scanned at young ages and is in general greater for women than for men. There is no absolute threshold, however, and the potential risks of radiation induced cancer must be balanced against the expected clinical benefits of the Computerized axial tomography scan for the patient's particular scenario," he said.........

CT colonography Cost Effective?


Is CT colonography Cost Effective?

CT colonography is a relatively new imaging technology that can be used to examine the large bowel and rectum where these cancers occur. It is a noninvasive technique that reveals cancer lesions and polyps with nearly the same sensitivity and specificity as colonoscopy, without the risks of bowel perforation.

A study by Heitman and colleagues from Canada compares the costs and effectiveness of CT colonography to the conventional colonoscopy for screening. They found that screening 100 000 patients with CT colonography would cost $2.3 million more (in Canadian dollars) than with colonoscopy, and would avoid 3.8 fatal perforations, but at the same time, this method would lead to 4.1 cancer-related deaths from polyps not seen with CT, which would later become malignant. (Colonoscopy is slightly more sensitive than CT colonography, and could be expected to detect a certain number of polyps that the CT method would miss.)

New technologies are always attractive. Because CT colonography does not physically invade the body, it has even more appeal, it is easier for patients to accept. Its cost, however, is much higher, and its benefit (in terms of years of living that are gained) is only slightly lower than when colonoscopy is used.

Diabetic Hearts Make Unhealthy Switch


Diabetic Hearts Make Unhealthy Switch

The high-fat "diet" that diabetic heart muscle consumes helps make cardiovascular disease the most common killer of diabetic patients, according to a study done at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The study will appear in the February 7 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and is now available online.

Sixty-five percent of people with diabetes die from heart attack or stroke. When the researchers investigated fuel consumption in heart muscle, they found that heart muscle of type 1 diabetic patients relies heavily on fat and very little on sugar for its energy needs.

In contrast, heart muscle in non-diabetics doesn't have this strong preference for fat and can use either sugar (glucose) or fat for energy, depending on blood composition, hormone levels or how hard the heart is working.

"The diabetic heart's overdependence on fat could partly explain why diabetic patients suffer more pronounced manifestations of coronary artery disease," says senior author Robert J. Gropler, M.D., professor of radiology, medicine and biomedical engineering and director of the Cardiovascular Imaging Laboratory at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at the School of Medicine. "The heart needs to use much more oxygen to metabolize fats than glucose, making the diabetic heart more sensitive to drops in oxygen levels that occur with coronary artery blockage."

Compared to non-diabetics, diabetic patients often have larger infarctions and suffer more heart failure and sudden death when the heart experiences an ischemic (low-oxygen) event.

Reocgnition of HIV


Reocgnition of HIV
HIV stands for Human immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is past by semen, vaginal fluids, blood, and breast milk. There are four ways HIV can be spread: birth, unprotected sex, dirty needles or through blood transfusion. HIV is spreading across the US and the world. The United Nations estimated that HIV as killed over 26 million since it was first recognized.

Dropping condom use may up HIV infections


Dropping condom use may up HIV infections four-fold in 10yrs
* HIV
* United Kingdom

London, July 25 : Australian researchers have rubbished suggestions that patients who have been effectively treated with antiretroviral drugs, and have no genital infections, don’t have to worry about transmitting the virus to others through unprotected sex.

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Specific white blood cell


Specific white blood cell subset expansion may be HIV progression biomarker
* HIV
* United States

Washington, Mar 28 : According to the researchers at the Temple University, an increase in a specific white blood cell subset could be a biomarker for the progression of HIV disease.

Monocyte is a specific white blood cell, a part of the human body’s immune system that protects against blood-borne pathogens and moves quickly to sites of infection within the body’s tissues.

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cancer victims stage dramatic recovery after drug trial



Two prostate cancer victims stage dramatic recovery after drug trial

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1194315/Inoperable-prostate-cancer-patients-stage-dramatic-recovery-drug-trial.html#ixzz0RgMxJbjp


Mayo clinic urologist Dr Michael Blute said: 'The tumours had shrunk dramatically.

I had never seen anything like this before. I had a hard time finding the cancer. At one point the pathologist asked if we were sending him samples from the same patient.'

One patient underwent radiation treatment after surgery.

Further research is planned to understand more about the mechanisms of the antibody and how best to use it on patients.

Dr Kwon said: 'This is one of the holy grails of prostate cancer research. We've been looking for this for years.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1194315/Inoperable-prostate-cancer-patients-stage-dramatic-recovery-drug-trial.html#ixzz0RgN17kM0

Conflict of interest in cancer studies


Conflict of interest in cancer studies

Nearly one-third of cancer research published in high-impact journals disclosed a conflict of interest, as per a newly released study from scientists at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The most frequent type of conflict was industry funding of the study, which was seen in 17 percent of papers. Twelve percent of papers had a study author who was an industry employee. Randomized trials with reported conflicts of interest were more likely to have positive findings.

"Given the frequency we observed for conflicts of interest and the fact that conflicts were linked to study outcomes, I would suggest that merely disclosing conflicts is probably not enough. It's becoming increasingly clear that we need to look more at how we can disentangle cancer research from industry ties," says study author Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil., assistant professor of radiation oncology at the U-M Medical School.

The scientists looked at 1,534 cancer research studies published in prominent journals. Results of this current study appear online in the journal Cancer

"A serious concern is individuals with conflicts of interest will either consciously or unconsciously be biased in their analyses. As researchers, we have an obligation to treat the data objectively and in an unbiased fashion. There appears to be some relationships that compromise a researcher's ability to do that," Jagsi says.........

Statins may reduce the risk of prostate cancer


Statins may reduce the risk of prostate cancer

Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may reduce inflammation in prostate tumors, possibly hindering cancer growth, as per a research studyled by researchers in the Duke Prostate Center.

"Prior studies have shown that men taking statins seem to have a lower occurence rate of advanced prostate cancer, but the mechanisms by which statins might be affecting the prostate remained largely unknown," said Lionel Baez, M.D., a researcher in the Duke Prostate Center and lead investigator on this study. "We looked at tumor samples and observed that men who were on statins had a 72 percent reduction in risk for tumor inflammation, and we believe this might play a role in the correlation between prostate cancer and statin use".

The scientists presented their finding at the American Urological Association's annual meeting on April 26, 2009, and the study was selected to be part of the meeting's press program on April 27, 2009. The study was funded by the United States Department of Defense and the American Urological Association Foundation.

The scientists looked at pathological information from the tumors of 254 men who underwent radical prostatectomy or surgery to remove the entire prostate as a therapy for prostate cancer at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center between 1993 and 2004. The tissue was graded by a pathologist for inflammation on a scale of 0 to 2: 0 for no inflammation, 1 for mild inflammation (less than 10 percent of the tumor) and 2 for marked inflammation (greater than 10 percent of the tumor).........

Targeting tumors using gold nanorods


Targeting tumors using gold nanorods

MIT researchers developed these gold nanorods that absorb energy from near-infrared light and emit it as heat, destroying cancer cells. Photo / Sangeeta Bhatia Laboratory; MIT

It has long been known that heat is an effective weapon against tumor cells. However, it's difficult to heat patients' tumors without damaging nearby tissues.

Now, MIT scientists have developed tiny gold particles that can home in on tumors, and then, by absorbing energy from near-infrared light and emitting it as heat, destroy tumors with minimal side effects.

Such particles, known as gold nanorods, could diagnose as well as treat tumors, says MIT graduate student Geoffrey von Maltzahn, who developed the tumor-homing particles with Sangeeta Bhatia, professor in the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) and in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, a member of the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Von Maltzahn and Bhatia describe their gold nanorods in two papers recently published in Cancer Research and Advanced Materials. In March, von Maltzahn won the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize, in part for his work with the nanorods.

Cancer affects about seven million people worldwide, and that number is projected to grow to 15 million by 2020. Most of those patients are treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation, which are often effective but can have debilitating side effects because it's difficult to target tumor tissue.........

prints and printmakers


prints and printmakers
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Hiv and punishments
Félix Vallotton (1865-1925) was born in Lausanne, which is now home to the Fondation Félix Vallotton. He moved to Paris in 1882 to study under Jules Joseph Lefebvre and Gustave Boulanger at the Académie Julian. In 1891 Félix Vallotton made his first woodcut, an art to which he devoted much of his time for the next decade, inspired by the Japanese ukiyo-e prints that were such a formative influence on the Impressionists, post-Impressionists, and Symbolists. Also in the 1890s Vallotton was a key member of the post-Impressionist alliance known as Les Nabis; he was particularly close to Édouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard, and Maurice Denis. As a printmaker, Félix Vallotton is best-known for his woodcuts, but he also produced some powerful lithographs, in particular the 23 original colour lithographs that comprise the 1902 Crimes et Châtiments issue of the anarchist satirical journal L'Assiette au Beurre, protesting oppression by all forms of authority: the state, church, bosses, parents, sexual predators, and especially the police.
A note on the back cover tells us that "The current number presents many innovations. It is lithographed, it is only printed on the recto, and its format is larger than ordinary issues of L'Assiette au Beurre." It is worth noting that this was the only issue of which this can be said. Paul Balluriau did illustrate an issue with original lithographs, but they were printed on recto and verso. In practically all other issues, the illustrations (even those by major figures such as Kees van Dongen) were reproduced drawings rather than original prints. I think L'Assiette au Beurre was right to accord this extra respect to these marvellous lithographs by Félix Vallotton, which are angry, powerful, funny, and always drawn with the most expressive of lines, and the subtlest use of tiny patches of colour. I'll let them speak for themselves, with the original captions and my free translations (and of course will be grateful for any improvements to these).

drug users who share needles


I.V. drug users who share needles and/or syringes face a much greater risk of infection than hospital workers who accidentally prick themselves on infected syringes, as the full contents of a syringe is dumped directly into a vein along with the contaminated blood of other users.

One 1987 Australian study indicated that 2% of Australians had injected themselves with a drug at least once in the previous 12 months.[vi] I.V. drug use is the major IV transmission vector aside from anal sex. Three Australian studies showed the rising prevalence of HIV infection in the I.V. dug-using community, based on rates of contaminated syringes. In 1985 the rate was 0.5%; in 1986 the figure was 1% and in 1987 some centers reported a 10% infection rate. These figures could be slightly inflated by the regular return of syringes to needle exchange centers by a few heavy users, but by 1988 one of the centers alone was giving out around 2,500 needles a month in Sydney’s King’s Cross. In February 1988, 10-15% of 1,500 returned needles in three inner-city suburbs were infected.

[vii] “These kids are homeless and routinely take serepax, alcohol, speed, heroin or combinations of all these drugs,” said the director of the King’s Cross Kirketon Road Centre. “They are living very dangerous lives anyway.

“They view AIDS as just one concern and probably not as important as having a full stomach or somewhere to stay. A virus that will not appear for three or four or five years… well, it’s very difficult for them to grasp.”
The New South Wales State Government started a pilot needle exchange at one centre in November 1986. In the first nine months of operation 14,000 needles were handed out, so the scheme was expanded.[viii]

In New York and many other places it’s still (on writing) illegal to for non-insulin users to possess a hypodermic syringe, which has meant that some users hire their used syringes out to other users, often using abandoned buildings as ‘shooting galleries’.

Mainly as a result of such outdated legislation, 1988 figures from the Bronx indicated that half of the estimated 30,000 to 40,000 I.V. drug users there may have been infected with HIV.

“A quarter of these AIDS victims are women,” according to Dr Ernst Drucker, an epidemiologist who ran the Montefiore Medical Centre’s community health and drug addiction programmes.

[ix] 1988 New York City Health Department figures show that 52 out of 650 homeless youths under the age of 21 who came to the Covenant House crisis centre were infected with HIV.

“Fifty-two people tested positive, but the most startling statistic we have come up with is that the incidence of antibodies to AIDS among the males and females (in these 52) is exactly the same,” said medical director Dr Jim Kennedy of Covenant House, located two blocks from Times Square.
“What has already happened with AIDS in New York is very interesting. First the incidence of AIDS in gay men has peaked and is going down. The incidence of I.V. drug users getting AIDS is going up and up,” said Dr Kennedy.[x]

The demonstrated prevalence of I>V> drug use in the U.S., Australia and the rest of the developed world shows how easily I.V. drug users can account for most HIV cases classed as ‘heterosexual’ or ‘other/unknown’ (see AIDS – The Heterosexual Myth). When added to the reported and unreported incidence of anal sex and bisexuality (see part 3), most – if not all – cases attributed to possible heterosexual transmission of AIDS are accounted for.

XMRV Virus--A Sexually Transmitted Disease?


Virochips, Prostate Cancer, XMRV Virus--A Sexually Transmitted Disease?

We know that several viruses are linked to cancer, including Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Ebstein Barr Virus (EBV), and others. We know that HPV is spread sexually, making cervical cancer a de facto STD. Now we learn that prostate cancer, at least in some cases, is linked to a virus that has never been found in humans before. This discovery was made possible by a Virochip, a diagnostic device that allows simultaneous testing for 1000 viruses.

This News-Medical-Net release discusses a new finding that a virus, XMRV, has been found in prostate specimens in 8 of 20 men with prostate cancer and two mutated copies of a gene, RNaseL. RNaseL gene serves as a protective mechanism against some viruses. If the gene is mutated, it can no longer protect as well against viral infection.

In a study of 150 men, the researchers identified the virus, called XMRV, and determined that it is 25 times more likely to be found in prostate cancer patients with a specific genetic mutation than men without the mutation.

"This is a virus that has never been seen in humans before," said co- author Eric Klein, M.D., Head of Urologic Oncology at the Glickman Urologic Institute of Cleveland Clinic. "This is consistent with previous epidemiologic and genetic research that has suggested that prostate cancer may result from chronic inflammation, perhaps as a response to infection."

Cleveland Clinic researcher, Robert H. Silverman, Ph.D., previously discovered a gene called RNaseL that fights viral infections. Men with mutations in this gene are at greater risk for prostate cancer. In their study, Cleveland Clinic and University of California researchers examined tissue samples of 86 prostate cancer patients whose prostates had been surgically removed.

....The ViroChip contains genetic sequences of more than 1,000 viruses. Using the chip and the patient samples from Cleveland Clinic, they found the XMRV virus in eight (40%) of the 20 men with two mutated copies of the RNaseL gene and only (1.5%) of the 66 men who had one copy or no copy of the mutated gene. Laboratory pathology at Cleveland Clinic confirmed the presence of the virus in prostate tissue.

While the genetics of prostate cancer are complex, one of the first genes implicated in the process was RNaseL, which serves as an important antiviral defense mechanism. Given the anti-viral role of this gene, some scientists have speculated that a virus could be involved in a subset of prostate cancer cases.

"While we can't state that this virus causes prostate cancer, these are remarkable findings because of the association of the virus with the mutation," said Dr. Robert Silverman, collaborating investigator in the study. "This project was possible only because of the willingness of physicians and scientists in different areas of expertise at the two institutions to work closely together towards a common goal, that of identifying a new infectious agent in prostate cancer."

SWINE FLU MAY POSE PROBLEMS FOR PREGNANT

SWINE FLU MAY POSE PROBLEMS FOR PREGNANT

"Pregnant women are at higher risk of complications of influenza, whether it's the seasonal influenza or pandemics of the past. We are also seeing some severe complications in women with this year's novel H1N1 virus," Dr. Anne Schuchat, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's interim deputy director for science and public health program, said during an afternoon teleconference".



The CDC is investigating 20 cases of pregnant women with the swine flu, several of whom experienced complications, Schuchat said. Complications can include pneumonia, dehydration and premature birth.

"It is very important that doctors who are caring for pregnant women they suspect may have influenza, that they issue prompt treatment with antiviral medicines," she said.


Doctors can be reluctant to treat pregnant women with antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza, and pregnant women may be reluctant to take them out of fear that they may pose a risk during pregnancy, Schuchat said. "Experts who have looked into this situation strongly say that the benefits of using antiviral drugs to treat influenza in a pregnant woman outweigh the theoretical concerns about the drugs," she said.



Of the three swine-flu related deaths in the United States, one involved a 33-year-old pregnant woman from Texas who had other health problems before she was infected with the virus.

Schuchat said Monday that federal health officials were shifting their focus from individual cases of infection to trying to project what is likely to occur with the virus in the fall. Because the new virus -- technically called H1N1 -- is a highly unusual genetic mix of bird, pig and human viruses, health officials worry that it could continue to mutate and return in a more virulent form for next winter's flu season.



The CDC is concerned with what will happen as this new virus moves into the Southern Hemisphere, where the flu season is about to start. The agency is also preparing for the virus' likely return in the fall to the Northern Hemisphere, Schuchat said.

As of Tuesday, there were slightly more than 3,000 confirmed cases in 45 states and the District of Columbia, with three confirmed deaths and 116 people hospitalized. All three patients who have died in the United States had underlying health problems before their infection with the flu.

Testing has found that the swine flu virus remains susceptible to two common antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, according to the CDC.



Schuchat said Monday that the confirmed cases were likely just the tip of the iceberg. Many people who become ill don't seek medical attention and are never tested for this strain of flu. "The numbers we are reporting are a minority of the actual infections that are occurring in the country," she said.

Reporting Monday in the journal Science, researchers from the World Health Organization said the swine flu epidemic has pandemic potential and is likely to be comparable to other 20th century pandemics -- at least in terms of its spread.

The report also suggested that the true number of -- largely unreported -- swine flu infections in Mexico, the outbreak's epicenter, possibly had already reached 32,000 by the end of April. The World Health Organization's official tally for Mexico stood Tuesday at 2,059 confirmed human infections, including 56 deaths.



The United States has now surpassed Mexico -- believed to be the source of the outbreak -- as the country most affected by the epidemic, according to World Health Organization statistics. As of Tuesday, the agency was reporting 5,251 confirmed cases of swine flu in 30 countries, with Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom having the most cases outside of the United States and Mexico.

Meanwhile in Mexico, federal health officials said Tuesday that the worst seemed to be over despite more deaths. The country's death toll rose Tuesday to 58 deaths and 2,282 confirmed cases of swine flu -- a rise of two deaths and 223 more cases since Monday. But Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordovan said this reflects a testing backlog: The last confirmed case was May 8, the Associated Press reported.

Also Tuesday, Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG said it was donating enough Tamiflu for 5.65 million people to the World Health Organization.

credits: WWW.yahoo.com

percent HIV infections


Between 5-10 percent HIV infections is due blood transfusion

Dr. Geoffrey R. K. Nyamuame, Medical Superintendent of the Volta Regional Hospital on Monday said: "In our part of the world, between five to ten (5-10) per cent of HIV infections were transmitted through transfusion of contaminated blood." He said "many more recipients of blood are infected by Hepatitis B and C viruses, Syphilis and other infectious agents such as chagas". Dr. Nyamuame said this in a welcome address at the 2009 World Blood Donor Day celebration in Ho.It was under the theme; "one hundred per cent voluntary non-remunerated blood donation, with special focus on the youth". He said the problem could be addressed through the formation of voluntary blood donor clubs, as blood from such donors were identified as safe, because they were motivated solely by altruism and had no reason to conceal their lifestyles or medical conditions. Dr. Nyamuame said voluntary blood donation should be the ultimate humanitarian act, an altruistic gift and should never be a marketable commodity.He said apart from the Volta Regional Hospital, other hospitals in the region depended solely on a 100 per cent family replacement donation for transfusion; a situation he said was not pleasant. Mr. Vincent Fekpe, Volta Regional Blood Organizer appealed to churches and other voluntary organizations to put blood donation on their agenda.He also appealed to philanthropists to donate either in kind or cash to his outfit to enable them motivate voluntary blood donors. Mr. Michael Ayittey Siti of Ho, who had donated blood 26 times, was presented with a radio recorder and a certificate. Mr. Emmanuel Patu also of Ho and Mr. Harrison Asiamasco of Have rpt Have who donated blood 20 and 19 times respectively, were also presented with a radio recorder and standing fan respectively and certificates. Seventy-seven students from OLA Senior High School (SHS) donated blood to the Volta Regional Hospital as part of the celebration. A quiz competition which was organized as part of the day was won by OLA SHS.
Source:GNA

Painless treatment for prostate cancer debuts


Painless treatment for prostate cancer debuts

One in every seven men suffer from prostate cancer....
One in every seven men suffer from prostate cancer but many in the country are still unaware about the ailment and seek treatment only when the disease turns critical. City-based urologist Dr Ramesh Ramayya recently launched the non-invasive mode of treatment for prostate cancer through the robotic High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (Hifu) called Sonablate 500 HIFU in the city. This therapy destroys the cancerous tissue with rapid heat elevation by focusing ultrasound energy or sound waves at a specific location with temperatures rising to almost 90 degree Celsius in a matter of seconds. “A viable alternative to surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, High Intensity Focused Ultrasound treatment is a painless procedure performed after a prostate specific antigen (PSA) or blood test and a digital rectal exam,” Dr Ramayya told reporters in the city on Tuesday. The duration of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound treatment differs depending on the size of prostate cancer. According to Dr Ramayya, the timing may vary between two and six hours. Claiming that the success rate is above 95 per cent, Dr Ramayya said even in case of patients with five per cent recurrence can be treated and cured. (Source: Deccan)

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# Seasonal Affective Disorder

* Spanish Version

# Seasonal Affective Disorder (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
# Seborrheic Keratosis

* Spanish Version

# Secondary Intraocular Lens Implant

* Image

# Secretin Stimulation, Test for

* Spanish Version

# Sedative Drug Dependence

* Spanish Version

# Sedatives (Tranquilizers)
# Seizures

* Spanish Version

# Seizures, Febrile

* Spanish Version

# Seizures, Febrile (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Seizures, Generalized Tonic-Clonic

* Spanish Version

# Seizures, Partial Focal

* Spanish Version

# Seizures, Petit Mal

* Spanish Version

# Seizures, Temporal Lobe

* Spanish Version

# Selective Mutism

* Spanish Version

# Selective Mutism, Resources for

* Spanish Version

# Self-Control
# Self-Esteem

* Spanish Version

# Self-Esteem for Teens
# Self-Esteem: Resource List
# Self-Harming Behaviors
# Self-Harming Behaviors in Children and Teens
# Self-Management: Taking Charge of Your Health (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Semen, Analysis

* Spanish Version

# Semen, Blood in

* Spanish Version

# Senile Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy

* Spanish Version

# Sensitivity, Analysis

* Spanish Version

# Sensory Dysfunction, Problems with Smell Or Taste (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sensual Touch
# Sepsis

* Spanish Version

# Sepsis, Neonatal

* Spanish Version

# Septicemia

* Spanish Version

# Septicemia, Group B Streptococcal, Newborn

* Spanish Version

# Septoplasty

* Spanish Version

# Serology

* Spanish Version

# Serosanguineous, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Serotonin Level, Serum Test for

* Spanish Version

# Serotonin Syndrome

* Spanish Version

# Serum Sickness

* Spanish Version

# Sesamoid Injuries of the Foot

* Image

# Sever's Disease, Heel Pain and (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

* Spanish Version

# Sex After a Heart Attack
# Sex Education for Young Children
# Sex Education: Resource List
# Sex Therapy
# Sex, Making the Right Decision (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sex-Linked Dominant Trait

* Spanish Version

# Sex-Linked Recessive Trait

* Spanish Version

# Sex: Talking with Your Teen
# Sexual Abuse and Children
# Sexual Abuse in Childhood: Its Impact on Adult Life
# Sexual Addiction
# Sexual Assault Prevention in Children
# Sexual Behaviors: Setting Limits
# Sexual Desire, Inhibited

* Spanish Version

# Sexual Dysfunction, Female

* Spanish Version

# Sexual Dysfunction, in Women (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sexual Intercourse, Painful

* Spanish Version

# Sexual Problems
# Sexual Problems and Aging
# Sexual Problems, Overview

* Spanish Version

# Sexuality, Chronic Illness and (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Protecting Yourself (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Symptoms and Prevention (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Shaken Baby Syndrome

* Spanish Version

# Shampoo, Swallowing of

* Spanish Version

# Shared Psychotic Disorder
# Sharing: Resource List
# Sheehan Syndrome

* Spanish Version

# Shin Splints

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Shin Splints

* Spanish Version

# Shin Splints: Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Shock

* Spanish Version

# Shock, Cardiogenic

* Spanish Version

# Shock, Hypovolemic

* Spanish Version

# Shock, Septic

* Spanish Version

# Short Height: Resource List
# Short Philtrum

* Spanish Version

# Short Stature

* Spanish Version

# Shoulder Bursitis

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Shoulder Bursitis Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Shoulder Injuries
# Shoulder Replacement Surgery (Shoulder Arthroplasty)
# Shoulder Separation

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Shoulder Separation Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Shoulder Subluxation

* Spanish Version

# Shoulder Subluxation Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Shoulder, Frozen

* Spanish Version

# Shoulder, Instability (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Shoulder, Pain (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic (TIPS)

* Spanish Version

# Shunt, Ventriculoperitoneal

* Spanish Version

# Shyness: Resource List
# Sialogram

* Spanish Version

# Sibling Quarrels
# Sibling Rivalry Toward a Newborn

* Spanish Version

# Sibling Rivalry: Resource List
# Sibling of Newborn: Resource List
# Sick Sinus Syndrome

* Spanish Version

# Sick Sinus Syndrome (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sickle Cell Anemia, Test for

* Spanish Version

# Sickle Cell Disease, Sickle Cell Crisis and, Preventing (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sickle Cell Disease, in Children (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sickle Cell Disease: Comprehensive Version
# Sigmoidoscopy

* Spanish Version

# Sildenafil (Viagra) (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Silicosis

* Spanish Version

# Silicosis, Acute

* Spanish Version

# Simian Crease

* Spanish Version

# Single Parenting
# Sinusitis

* Spanish Version

# Sinusitis (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sinusitis, Chronic

* Spanish Version

# Sinusitis: Comprehensive Version
# Sitz Bath, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Sjogren Syndrome

* Spanish Version

# Skeletal Limb Abnormalities

* Spanish Version

# Skin Cancer

* Spanish Version

# Skin Color, Patchy

* Spanish Version

# Skin Discoloration, Bluish

* Spanish Version

# Skin Graft

* Spanish Version

# Skin Problems, Dry, Itchy Skin (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Skin Problems, Job-Related (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Skin Tag, Pit, Preauricular

* Spanish Version

# Skin Tags, Cutaneous

* Spanish Version

# Skin Turgor

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Abnormally Dark or Light

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Blushing/Flushing

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Care of, Men and (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Clammy

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Culture

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Dry

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Dry, Cold Weather and

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Hyperelastic

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Lesion, Aspiration of

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Lesion, Gram Stain

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Lesion, KOH Examination

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Oily, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Paleness

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Sagging, Treatment of

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Self-Examination

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Smoothing Surgery for

* Spanish Version

# Skin, Wrinkles: Comprehensive Version
# Sleep Apnea

* Spanish Version

# Sleep Apnea, CPAP Devices for (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sleep Apnea, Central

* Spanish Version

# Sleep Apnea: Brief Version (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sleep Apnea: Comprehensive Version
# Sleep Disorders

* Spanish Version

# Sleep Disorders in Children
# Sleep Disorders, Elderly

* Spanish Version

# Sleep Misbehaviors: Overview
# Sleep Problems
# Sleep Problems: Resource List
# Sleep Walking

* Spanish Version

# Sleep and Children: What's Normal?
# Sleep, Changes In Older Adults (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sleep, Difficulty

* Spanish Version

# Sleep, Natural Short Sleeper

* Spanish Version

# Sleep-Wake Syndrome, Irregular

* Spanish Version

# Sleeping Sickness

* Spanish Version

# Sleepwalking

* Spanish Version

# Sleepwalking In Children (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sleepwalking, Children and

* Spanish Version

# Sling, How to Make

* Spanish Version

# Sling: How to Use
# Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis
# Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis

* Spanish Version

# Slit-Lamp Examination

* Spanish Version

# Small Intestine, Aspirate and Culture

* Spanish Version

# Smallpox

* Spanish Version

# Smearing of Fecal Material
# Smell, Impaired

* Spanish Version

# Smokeless Tobacco
# Smoking, Facts For Teens (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Smoking, Hazards of

* Spanish Version

# Smoking, Quitting, Do I want to? (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Smoking, Quitting, in Recovering Alcoholics (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Smoking, Smokeless Tobacco Use

* Spanish Version

# Smoking, Steps to Break the Habit (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Smoking, Tips on How to Quit

* Spanish Version

# Smoking: Comprehensive Version
# Smoking: Ways to Quit
# Snapping Hip Syndrome

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Snapping Hip Syndrome Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Sneezing

* Spanish Version

# Snoring

* Spanish Version

# Snowboarding, Tips (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Soap, Swallowing of

* Spanish Version

# Social Anxiety Disorder in Children and Teens
# Social Phobia

* Spanish Version

# Social Phobia

* Spanish Version

# Social Phobia: Resource List
# Social Support
# Sodium, Fractional Excretion of

* Spanish Version

# Sodium, Serum Test for

* Spanish Version

# Sodium, Urine Test for

* Spanish Version

# Soft Contact Lenses
# Soft Contact Lenses Insertion and Removal
# Soft Contact Lenses: Enzyme Cleaning
# Soft Contact Lenses: One-Step Peroxide Disinfection
# Soft Contact Lenses: Two-Step Peroxide Disinfection
# Soft Lenses: Thermal Disinfection
# Soft Tissue, Necrotizing Infection

* Spanish Version

# Soiling (Encopresis), in Children (AAFP)
# Solution Incompatibilities
# Somatization Disorder
# Somatization Disorder

* Spanish Version

# Somatoform Disorder, Coping with (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Somatoform Pain Disorder

* Spanish Version

# Sore Throat

* Spanish Version

# Sore Throat, Easing the Pain (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Spanking

* Spanish Version

# Spasmodic Dysphonia, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Spasms, Coronary Artery

* Spanish Version

# Spasms, Esophageal

* Spanish Version

# Spasms, Hand or Foot

* Spanish Version

# Spasms, Vascular

* Spanish Version

# Spasmus Nutans

* Spanish Version

# Spasticity

* Spanish Version

# Speech Disorders

* Spanish Version

# Speech Impairment, Adult

* Spanish Version

# Speech Problems: Normal vs. Stuttering

* Spanish Version

# Speech Problems: Resource List
# Speech and Language Delay (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Speech and Language Problems
# Sphincter, Inflatable Artificial

* Spanish Version

# Spina Bifida, Resources for

* Spanish Version

# Spinal Cord Injury, Resources for

* Spanish Version

# Spinal Cord Trauma

* Spanish Version

# Spinal Fusion
# Spinal Fusion

* Spanish Version

# Spinal Injury

* Spanish Version

# Spinal Instrumentation
# Spinal Muscular Atrophy

* Spanish Version

# Spinal Stenosis
# Spinal Stenosis

* Spanish Version

# Spinal Surgery, Cervical

* Spanish Version

# Spinal Surgery, Lumbar

* Spanish Version

# Spirituality, Health and (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Spitting Up

* Spanish Version

# Spitting Up In Babies (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Spleen, Removal of

* Spanish Version

# Splenectomy, Risk of Infections and (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Splenic Infarction, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Splenomegaly

* Spanish Version

# Splint, How To Make

* Spanish Version

# Splinter, Removal of

* Spanish Version

# Spoiled Children: Prevention
# Spondylitis, Ankylosing
# Spondyloarthropathies, Seronegative, Adult
# Spondyloarthropathies, Seronegative: Pediatric Version
# Spondylolisthesis

* Spanish Version

# Spondylolisthesis, Adolescent
# Spondylolisthesis, Degenerative
# Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Spores, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Sporotrichosis

* Spanish Version

# Sports Hernia

* Image

# Sports, Women Athletes and, The Female Athlete Triad (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sprain, Acute Cervical (Whiplash)
# Sprain, Ankle, Preventing Injury (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Sprain, Ankle: Brief Version
# Sprain, Elbow
# Sprain, Finger

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Sprain, Finger: Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Sprain, Foot

* Image

# Sprain, Foot: Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Sprain, Low Back
# Sprain, Midback
# Sprained Thumb

* Image

# Sprained Thumb:Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Sprains

* Spanish Version

# Sprains

* Spanish Version

# Sputum, Culture, Routine

* Spanish Version

# Sputum, Fungal Smear

* Spanish Version

# Sputum, Gram Stain

* Spanish Version

# Statins

* Spanish Version

# Stealing
# Stem Cell Research

* Spanish Version

# Stent

* Spanish Version

# Stepparenting or Blended Families
# Stereotactic Radiosurgery

* Spanish Version

# Sterilization Surgery, Decisionmaking for

* Spanish Version

# Sternoclavicular Joint Separation

* Image

# Sternoclavicular Joint Separation Rehabilitation Exercises

* Image

# Steroid Medicines, Stopping Safely (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Still's Disease, Adult

* Spanish Version

# Stillbirth, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Stimulants, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Stimulus, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Stings, Bee

* Spanish Version

# Stings, Jellyfish

* Spanish Version

# Stings, Scorpion Fish

* Spanish Version

# Stings, Wasp

* Spanish Version

# Stomach Acid, Test for

* Spanish Version

# Stomatitis, Herpetic

* Spanish Version

# Stones, Bladder

* Spanish Version

# Stones, Kidney

* Spanish Version

# Stones, Salivary Duct

* Spanish Version

# Stool, Bloody or Tarry

* Spanish Version

# Stool, C Difficile Toxin Test for

* Spanish Version

# Stool, Floating

* Spanish Version

# Stool, Foul Smelling

* Spanish Version

# Stool, Gram Stain

* Spanish Version

# Stool, Guaiac Test for

* Spanish Version

# Stool, Ova and Parasites Examination

* Spanish Version

# Stool, Pale or Clay-Colored

* Spanish Version

# Stool, Trypsin and Chymotrypsin in

* Spanish Version

# Stork Bite

* Spanish Version

# Strabismus

* Image

# Strabismus

* Spanish Version

# Strabismus (Cross-Eyes) (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Strain, Back, Treatment of

* Spanish Version

# Strain, Muscle, Treatment of

* Spanish Version

# Strains

* Spanish Version

# Strength Training Basics^preventive Medicine

* Image

# Strength Training, Lower Body Exercises

* Image

# Strength Training, Upper Body Exercises

* Image

# Strep Infection, Group B, During Pregnancy (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Strep Throat

* Spanish Version

# Strep Throat (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Streptococcus, Screen for

* Spanish Version

# Stress
# Stress Echocardiogram
# Stress Fractures

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Stress Management
# Stress Management

* Spanish Version

# Stress Management: Brief Version

* Spanish Version

# Stress Management: Deep Breathing
# Stress Management: Mental Imaging
# Stress Management: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
# Stress Test, Thallium and Sestamibi

* Spanish Version

# Stress and Anxiety

* Spanish Version

# Stress in Childhood

* Spanish Version

# Stress in Children and Teens
# Stress vs Anxiety

* Spanish Version

# Stress, Caregiver (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Stress, Coping with (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Stress, How to Cope (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Stress, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Stress, Post-Traumatic, After a Traffic Accident (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Stress: Comprehensive Version
# Stretching

* Image

# Stretching and Strengthening Exercises After Delivery

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Striae

* Spanish Version

# Stridor

* Spanish Version

# String Test

* Spanish Version

# Stroke

* Spanish Version

# Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident)

* Image

# Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident; CVA): Comprehensive Version
# Stroke, Hemorrhagic

* Spanish Version

# Stroke, Rehabilitation (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Stroke, Related to Cocaine Use

* Spanish Version

# Stroke, Secondary to Atherosclerosis

* Spanish Version

# Stroke, Secondary to Cardiogenic Embolism

* Spanish Version

# Stroke, Secondary to Carotid Dissection

* Spanish Version

# Stroke, Secondary to Carotid Stenosis

* Spanish Version

# Stroke, Secondary to FMD

* Spanish Version

# Stroke, Secondary to Syphilis

* Spanish Version

# Stroke: Brief Version

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Strongyloidiasis

* Spanish Version

# Sturge-Weber Syndrome

* Spanish Version

# Stuttering

* Spanish Version

# Stye

* Image

# Subacute Combined Degeneration

* Spanish Version

# Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

* Image

* Spanish Version

# Subcutaneous, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Subluxation, Radial Head (Nursemaid's Elbow, Supermarket Elbow)
# Substance Abuse (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Substance Abuse, Maternal

* Spanish Version

# Substance Abuse: Resource List
# Substance Abuse: Treating Teens
# Substance Use During Pregnancy: Brief Version

* Spanish Version

# Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder
# Substance-Induced Mood Disorder
# Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

* Spanish Version

# Sugar-Water Hemolysis, Test for

* Spanish Version

# Suggested Reading Activities
# Suicide
# Suicide and Suicidal Behavior

* Spanish Version

# Suicide in Children and Teens
# Sunburn

* Spanish Version

# Sunburn, First Aid for

* Spanish Version

# Sunglasses
# Sunscreen, Swallowing of

* Spanish Version

# Superior Vena Cava Obstruction

* Spanish Version

# Supranuclear Ophthalmoplegia, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Surgeon, Choosing a Qualified

* Spanish Version

# Surgery, Pain Control After, Medicines for (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Surgical Excision, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Sutures, Cranial

* Spanish Version

# Sutures, Ridged

* Spanish Version

# Sutures, Separated

* Spanish Version

# Swallowing, Difficulty

* Spanish Version

# Swallowing, Painful

* Spanish Version

# Swearing
# Sweat Electrolytes, Test for

* Spanish Version

# Sweating

* Spanish Version

# Sweating, Absent

* Spanish Version

# Swelling

* Spanish Version

# Swelling, Facial

* Spanish Version

# Swelling, Foot, Leg, and Ankle

* Spanish Version

# Swelling, Joints

* Spanish Version

# Swelling, Scrotal

* Spanish Version

# Swimmer's Ear

* Spanish Version

# Swimmer's Ear, Chronic

* Spanish Version

# Swimming and Water Exercise
# Sydenham Chorea

* Spanish Version

# Symptomatic, Definition of

* Spanish Version

# Syndactyly
# Synovial Fluid, Analysis

* Spanish Version

# Synovitis, Pigmented Villonodular (PVNS) (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Synovitis, Toxic

* Spanish Version

# Synovitis, Transient, of The Hip (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Syphilis

* Spanish Version

# Syphilis, Congenital

* Spanish Version

# Syphilis, Primary

* Spanish Version

# Syphilis, Secondary

* Spanish Version

# Syphilis, Tertiary

* Spanish Version

# Syphilis, VDRL Test for

* Spanish Version

# Syphilis: Brief Version (AAFP)

* Spanish Version

# Syphilitic Myelopathy

* Spanish Version

# Syringomyelia

* Spanish Version

# Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

* Spanish Version

# Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and the Heart
# Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Resources for

* Spanish Version

# Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Comprehensive Version
# Systemic, Definition of

cancer twice as high in Vietnam


Prostate cancer twice as high in Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange

The 20 million gallons of dioxin-laden Agent Orange sprayed in Vietnam in the '60s and early '70s to kill foliage continues to hurt U.S. soldiers and Vietnamese citizens.

A study of more than 13,000 Vietnam veterans who served between 1962 and 1971 found that prostate cancer occurs twice as often in those who were exposed to the toxin Agent Orange compared to those who were not exposed to the herbicide. In addition, Agent Orange-exposed veterans were diagnosed two-and-a-half years younger and were nearly four times more likely to develop more aggressive forms of cancer compared with those who were not exposed. Other prostate cancer risk factors such as race, body mass index and smoking were not statistically different between the two groups.

Prostate cancer cells dividing. Image: Steve Gschmeissner/Science Photo Library

The findings, published in the Sept. 15 issue of the journal Cancer , are the first to reliably link the herbicide with prostate cancer through a large population study, according to researchers at the University of California-Davis Cancer Center. The men in the study, all in their 60s, are enrolled in the VA Northern California Health Care System. They were screened with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test used as a tool for early diagnosis and tracking of prostate cancer.



"While others have linked Agent Orange to cancers such as soft-tissue sarcomas, Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, there is limited evidence so far associating it with prostate cancer," said Karim Chamie, lead author of the study and resident physician with the UC Davis Department of Urology and the VA Northern California Health Care System. "Here we report on the largest study to date of Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange and the incidence of prostate cancer."



"Just as those with a family history of prostate cancer or who are of African-American heritage are screened more frequently, so too should men with Agent Orange exposure be given priority consideration for all the screening and diagnostic tools we have at our disposal in the hopes of early detection and treatment of this disease," said study co-author Ralph deVere White, UC Davis Cancer Center director in a written statement. ( Symptoms of prostate cancer may include problems passing urine, low back pain or painful ejaculation, according to the National Institutes of Health.)



Some cancer physicians were skeptical of the findings and suggested that increased screening for prostate cancer resulted in the higher than normal rates of occurrence.

Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. It is estimated that there will be about 186,320 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2008 and about 28,660 men will die of the disease this year.



Agent Orange was one of several defoliants containing dioxin tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD) used in Vietnam. It is estimated that more than 20 million gallons of the chemicals were sprayed between 1962 and 1971, contaminating not only ground cover but U.S. soldiers and Vietnamese citizens. Thirty years after the U.S. military left Vietnam the country still has 150,000 children with birth defects believed to be a result of their parents’ exposure to Agent Orange.



Related:

Vietnam Vets need to know: Agent Orange effects can come 30 years or more after exposure; hard-fought for benefits available -- An interview with Jim Fiebke. A dozen diseases, from multiple myeloma to prostate cancer to Type 2 diabetes, have been deemed presumptive for Agent Orange exposure.

Unprotected Sex


Ray J’s Dick – Unprotected Sex -2wks later?IS THAT RAY J’s DICK?
2-3 Weeks After UNPROTECTED SEX.

by m. b
Fact: Ray J brilliantly demonstrated how unprotected sex is the #1 form of transmission for HIV and numerous sexually transmitted infections(STI).

Two consenting adults having sex is not a negative image; however, unprotected sex is an irresponsible and damaging message that promotes HIV. If Ray J had a condom – I’d promote the damn video myself, but he’s barebacking/raw with no communication reference protection between him and his partner. After much research, I gather they were in a quasi-relationship (for a Hollywood minute), but not once, during their stimulating conversation, did I hear the word LOVE, nor any endearing sentiments. Yeah, I know, it’s porn, but…

I’m very concerned about the No Condom aftermath. The truth is, many viewers of Ray J’s HIV 101 tapes are not mature nor adults. Too many folks cannot differentiate between fantasy and reality. Ray J is an idol: a person boys want to emulate and girls crave.

In essence, Black boys have too many damaging and negative images and lyrics created by black people who knowingly degrade black folks. I’m worried! I predict more young black celeb porn stars(where ya at Bobby Brown) will emerge going for the $1mill payoff. Therefore, will we witness an even greater surge in HIV rates among black youth as they imitate their idols by participating in unprotected sex acts. I give Ray J and Kim a big thumbs down. Ray and Kim got paid large while too many youth will lose big to a host of sexually transmitted infections, and for some unfortunately death.

More black men die from HIV than homicide in Washington DC, HIV/AIDS is #1 killer of black men ages 24-44 nationally, and black folks are nearly 50% of all new HIV cases.

So, Mr. Ray J, I’m awaiting your public apology; a condom ad just won’t do. Lets say, a spot on BET Rap it Up would be a good start. Until then, my money and the money of many others will not go to purchase previous, current or future Ray J products. And that goes for you too Kim!. Ray J., you know how to find me.

If you are a woman


If you are a woman: Women are more likely to get an STI than an a man. Women are also more likely to be infected with an STI and not know it because they have no symptoms.

Prevention: There are only two ways to completely prevent STI transmission: 1. stay sexually abstinent (do not have sex) or 2. engage in sexual activity with one monogamous partner who does not have any STIs.

For many people, these two options are not viable. The next safest thing to do is to use a new condom the right way for every sexual act (including oral sex…HIV can be transmitted this way). Try watching this video for more information.
**Important things to remember when using condoms**

* Use a new condom for EVERY sexual act. If you put a condom on the wrong way, DO NOT flip it over and try to use it, because there will probably already be semen on it. Use a new condom instead.
* Make sure to leave a reservoir tip at the end, smooth out any air bubbles, and roll down the condom the entire way to the base of the penis.
* It is strongly recommended to use an oil or water based lubricant to reduce the risk of slippage or tearing
* Do not store condoms in any place that can get too hot or too cold, including a wallet, the car, etc
* Check the expiration date of every condom
* Even with perfect use, YOU CAN STILL CONTRACT AN STI.

To be even safer, ask your partner to get tested for STIs before you engage in sexual activity. Although it may be uncomfortable and certainly goes against the heat of the situation, it just isn’t worth it to contract an STI. You can get free STI testing at a local Planned Parenthood.

Treatment: Depending on the STI you acquire, there are different treatments. Some require simple antibiotics. However, for any virus (HIV, HPV, Genital Warts), there is no cure and hardly any treatment. These are lifelong diseases that will not go away. Unfortunately, these three are some of the most conspicuous infections in that you can have it symptom-free for years. So, the myth that you can “check someone out” (visually inspect their genitalia) to determine whether or not they have an STI is dangerous. Even if someone looks “clean” or like they would not have an STI, keep in mind that by age 25, 50% of people will have had at least one STI. You can never be too sure.

Virochips, Prostate Cancer


Virochips, Prostate Cancer, XMRV Virus--A Sexually Transmitted Disease?

We know that several viruses are linked to cancer, including Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Ebstein Barr Virus (EBV), and others. We know that HPV is spread sexually, making cervical cancer a de facto STD. Now we learn that prostate cancer, at least in some cases, is linked to a virus that has never been found in humans before. This discovery was made possible by a Virochip, a diagnostic device that allows simultaneous testing for 1000 viruses.

This News-Medical-Net release discusses a new finding that a virus, XMRV, has been found in prostate specimens in 8 of 20 men with prostate cancer and two mutated copies of a gene, RNaseL. RNaseL gene serves as a protective mechanism against some viruses. If the gene is mutated, it can no longer protect as well against viral infection.

In a study of 150 men, the researchers identified the virus, called XMRV, and determined that it is 25 times more likely to be found in prostate cancer patients with a specific genetic mutation than men without the mutation.

"This is a virus that has never been seen in humans before," said co- author Eric Klein, M.D., Head of Urologic Oncology at the Glickman Urologic Institute of Cleveland Clinic. "This is consistent with previous epidemiologic and genetic research that has suggested that prostate cancer may result from chronic inflammation, perhaps as a response to infection."

Cleveland Clinic researcher, Robert H. Silverman, Ph.D., previously discovered a gene called RNaseL that fights viral infections. Men with mutations in this gene are at greater risk for prostate cancer. In their study, Cleveland Clinic and University of California researchers examined tissue samples of 86 prostate cancer patients whose prostates had been surgically removed.

....The ViroChip contains genetic sequences of more than 1,000 viruses. Using the chip and the patient samples from Cleveland Clinic, they found the XMRV virus in eight (40%) of the 20 men with two mutated copies of the RNaseL gene and only (1.5%) of the 66 men who had one copy or no copy of the mutated gene. Laboratory pathology at Cleveland Clinic confirmed the presence of the virus in prostate tissue.

While the genetics of prostate cancer are complex, one of the first genes implicated in the process was RNaseL, which serves as an important antiviral defense mechanism. Given the anti-viral role of this gene, some scientists have speculated that a virus could be involved in a subset of prostate cancer cases.

"While we can't state that this virus causes prostate cancer, these are remarkable findings because of the association of the virus with the mutation," said Dr. Robert Silverman, collaborating investigator in the study. "This project was possible only because of the willingness of physicians and scientists in different areas of expertise at the two institutions to work closely together towards a common goal, that of identifying a new infectious agent in prostate cancer."

Prostate cancer


Prostate cancer is the next killer after lung cancer in men-Mr.Sekley
A Biomedical Scientist and Chief Executive Officer of G2 Medical Laboratory Mr Gershon Sena Sekley,last weekend disclosed that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death among men after lung cancer.He said statistics indicate that 5% of men who are 50 years and aboveare at risk getting prostate cancer, whilst 10% of men at the age 40 and above with family history of the disease are likely to contract it.Mr Sekley said this at the launch of Prostate Cancer Awareness month and fund in Accra.The lecture was under the theme "A Healthy Happy Father, A Healthy Happy Family and A Healthy Happy Nation." He said the disease was really dangerous and needed an urgent public awareness education.The disease can cause emotional, physical and psychological effect on human coupled with it high cost of treatment. The Biomedical Scientist said the disease could be controlled if men who fell within the vulnerable age group exposed themselves to regular check-ups for early detection of symptoms for treatment.Mr Sekley said the medical laboratory would use the world celebration of Fathers' Day, on June 21, to create awareness on prostate cancer. He finally advice the public not relate superstitious beliefs to the disease.

GENITAL HERPES - TOPIC OVERVIEW!


GENITAL HERPES - TOPIC OVERVIEW!

What is genital herpes?

Genital herpes is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The disease can be bothersome. But if you are a healthy adult, you do not need to worry that it will cause serious problems.

Most people never have symptoms, or the symptoms are so mild that people do not know that they are infected. But in some people, the disease causes occasional outbreaks of itchy and painful sores in the genital area.

After the first outbreak, the herpes virus stays in the nerve cells below the skin and becomes inactive. It usually becomes active again from time to time, traveling back up to the skin and causing more sores. Things like stress, illness, a new sex partner, or menstruation may trigger a new outbreak. As time goes on, the outbreaks happen less often, heal faster, and don't hurt as much

What causes genital herpes?

Genital herpes is caused by a virus—either the herpes simplex virus type 1 or the herpes simplex virus type 2. Either virus can cause sores on the lips (cold sores) and sores on the genitals. Type 1 more often causes cold sores, while type 2 more often causes genital sores.

You are more likely to get genital herpes if you:

* Have more than one sex partner.
* Have a high-risk partner (someone who has more than one sex partner or someone who has genital herpes).
* Have unprotected sex (without condoms).
* Have sex before age 18.
* Have an impaired immune system.
* Are a woman. Women are more likely than men to get infected.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms can vary greatly from person to person. Most people never have any symptoms, or the symptoms are so mild that they may not notice them.

Some people have outbreaks of itchy and painful blisters on the penis or around the opening of the vagina. The blisters rupture and turn into oozing shallow sores that take up to 3 weeks to heal. Sometimes people, especially women, also have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and muscle aches. They may also notice an abnormal discharge and pain when they urinate.

Once you have been exposed to genital herpes, it takes 2 to 14 days to have your first outbreak.

Genital herpes infections can be severe in people with impaired immune systems, such as people with HIV.
How is genital herpes diagnosed?

Your doctor may diagnose genital herpes by examining you. He or she may ask you questions about your symptoms and your risk factors, which are things that make you more likely to get a disease.

If this is your first outbreak, your doctor may take a sample of tissue from the sore for testing. Testing can help the doctor be sure that you have herpes. You may also have a blood test.
How is it treated?

Although there is no cure, medicine can relieve pain and itching and help sores heal faster. If you have a lot of outbreaks, you may take medicine every day to keep the number of outbreaks down.

After the first outbreak, some people have just a few more outbreaks over their lifetime, while others may have 4 to 6 outbreaks a year. Usually the number of outbreaks decreases after a few years.

Treatment works best if it is started as soon as possible after the start of an outbreak. This is especially true for outbreaks that come back again and again.

Finding out that you have herpes may cause you to feel bad about yourself or about sex. Counseling or a support group may help you feel better.
Can genital herpes be prevented?

The only sure way to keep from getting genital herpes—or any other sexually transmitted disease (STD)—is to not have sex. If you do have sex, practice safe sex.

* Before you start a sexual relationship, talk with your partner about STDs. Find out whether he or she is at risk for them. Remember that a person can be infected without knowing it.
* If you have symptoms of an STD, don't have sex.
* Don't have sex with anyone who has symptoms or who may have been exposed to an STD.
* Don't have more than one sexual relationship at a time. Having several sex partners increases your risk for disease.
* Use condoms. Condom use lowers the risk of spreading or becoming infected with an STD.
* Don't receive oral sex from partners who have cold sores.

Taking medicine for herpes may lower the number of outbreaks you have and lower the chances that you will infect your partner.

If you are pregnant, you should take extra care to avoid getting infected. You could pass the infection to your baby during delivery, which can cause serious problems for your newborn. If you have an outbreak near your due date, you probably will need to have your baby by cesarean section. If your genital herpes outbreaks return again and again, your doctor may talk to you about medicines that can help prevent an outbreak during pregnancy.

Vaccines that can prevent a genital herpes infection are not available yet, but several are being studied.

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