Probably one of the most unusual roles for Sean Connery was his portrayal of a doctor in a South American jungle, looking into a way to eradicate cancer. Although there are other more awful diseases, this one holds the crown at the moment because of how often it is diagnosed. Research over the years has helped our understanding of cancer but not to the point where we are able to foretell exactly when it will happen.

Of course many researchers belief that we are in effect born with cancer which is just waiting for something to set if off, but just what is cancer? They are able to spread to other areas of the body in a process called metastasis.

They affect many people without them even knowing they are there. As you get older the risk of cancer increases. While smoking, chemicals and radiation for instance, can be the cancer trigger, it is the poison from these or other sources that transform body cells and create genetic abnormalities which grow and multiply.

For some people the problem lies not with any form of external poison although faults with their parents DNA or genetic makeup can result in a person being born with the diseased cells. It would seem some people are more susceptible to it than others and it may be their genetic makeup and their exposure to certain carcinogens that is responsible.

Owing to this ongoing, worldwide research, we do actually know a considerable amount about cancer even if we are some way from finding a complete and consistent cure. Much of the world’s research into diseases is to try and find the reason why some people do not contract certain diseases while others do. We all want to know more about the causes of cancer what we can do to help prevent this illness from striking.

There is a saying ‘You Are What You Eat’ and this is now being looked at more closely as food may have a direct effect on the incidence of the disease in certain groups. Studies have shown that there is a connection between dairy produced calcium and prostrate cancer.

Cancer does not seem to have preferences as it is able to invade just about every part of the human body and organs. Sometimes the disease is only picked up through routine screening. For those people diagnosed with cancer, my heart goes out to them and their families.

INTRODUCTION: About 15,280 women die every year in the US from ovarian cancer. Despite this, the 5-year survival rate for the disease has improved greatly in the last 30 years. The prognosis of ovarian cancer is closely tied to the stage at diagnosis. There is no approved screening method available at present for ovarian cancer.

The Mayo Clinic has one of the largest ovarian cancer practices in the North America, treating more than 1,200 persons in 2006 who had a principal or secondary diagnosis of cancer of the ovaries. Mayo Clinic uses a great variety of imaging techniques to detect ovarian cancer, including PET scans, CT scans and MRIs.

WOMEN: Cancer of the ovaries is the seventh most common cancer in women in the United States, with over 25,000 women newly diagnosed each year with this disease. It is the fifth leading cause of deaths by cancer in women and frequently does not result in symptoms until the cancer is morely widely spread. Only about 20% of patients are diagnosed early, when the disease may be curable. Ovarian cancer usually occurs in women over 50, but it can also affect younger women. About 90 percent of women who get ovarian cancer are over the age of 40, with the greatest number being aged 55 years or more.

RISK: All women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but older women are more likely to get the disease than those who are younger. The precise cause of cancer of the ovaries is unknown, but several risk and contributing factors have been identified. Women who have been pregnant have a 50% less risk for developing ovarian cancer compared with women who have not. Oral contraceptive use decreases the risk of cancer of the ovaries. These factors support the belief that risk for ovarian cancer is related to ovulation and that conditions that suppress this ovulatory cycle play a protective role.

Genetic factors and Family history play an important role in the risk of developing cancer of the overies also. A history of breast cancer increases a woman’s chances of developing ovarian cancer. The lifetime risk for developing ovarian cancer is 1 percent. This compares to a 4-5% risk when 1 first-degree family member is affected, rising to 7 percent when 2 relatives are affected.

DISEASE: Early disease causes minimal, nonspecific, or no symptoms. The disease is uncommon in patients younger than 40 years, after which the incidence increases. Based on the surgical staging, patients are classified as having limited disease (stage I and II) or advanced disease (stage III and IV). Patients with limited disease are classified as having low or high risk for recurrence as follows: Low risk for recurrence includes the following; Grade 1 or 2 disease, No tumor on external surface of the ovary, Negative peritoneal cytology, No ascites, Tumor growth confined to the ovaries.

High risk for recurrence includes, Grade 3 disease, Preoperative rupture of the capsule, Tumor on the external surface of the ovary, Positive peritoneal cytology, Ascites Tumor growth outside of the ovary, Clear cell tumors, Surgical stage II for postoperative treatment. chemo drugs are indicated in all patients with ovarian cancer except those persons with surgical-pathological stage I disease with low-risk characteristics.

SYMPTOMS: may include Heavy a feeling in the pelvic area, Pain in lower abdomen, Bleeding from the vagina, Loss or gain in weight, Abnormal periods, Unexplained Pain in the back that gets worse, Gas, Nausea, Vomiting, or Diminished appetite. Symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to be sure is to see visit doctor, nurse, or other health care professional.

Traditionally, it was believed that ovarian cancer does not produce any characteristic symptoms until the tumor has metatasized, and that early signs of cancer of the ovaries were not recognizable. However, in June 2007, the American Cancer Society, along with other medical societies including the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, released a consensus statement about possible early symptoms of cancer of the ovaries. This statement was based on research indicating that some of the early symptoms of cancer of the ovaries can, in fact, be recognized.

TREATMENT: Treatment is usually surgery followed by treatment with chemotherapy drugs. There are also many combinations of these treatment methods and it is often worthwhile to get a second opinion about treatment before entering into a specific program. The greater the knowledge you have, the easier it is to make decisions about your personal treatment plan. Arlene Dunlop is a breast and ovarian cancer survivor whose treatments have kept her well and out enjoying life.

Conclusion: Cancer of the ovaries actually represents a group of different tumors that arise from diverse types of tissue contained within the ovary. Ovarian cancer can invade, shed, or metastasized to other organs. A malignant ovarian tumor can grow and invade organs next to the ovaries, such as the fallopian tubes and uterus. Ovarian cancer often produces signs and symptoms, so it is important for women to pay close attention to their bodies and know what is normal for it.

Ovarian cancer most frequently appears in women who are older than 60 (about 50% of patients are over age 65), although it may occur in younger women who have a family history of the disease. Ovarian cancer is the most common cause of cancer death from gynecologic tumors in the United States. Ovarian cancer is diagnosed in about 23,000 women in the United States each year. Ovarian cancer is a frightening diagnosis, but coming to it with knowledge and information helps a great deal. The sooner ovarian cancer is found and treated, the better your chance for recovery.

INTRODUCTION: Testicular cancer is a disease that occurs when cancerous (malignant) cells develop in the tissues of a testicle and is the most common cancer in men aged 20 to 35. It is most common among Caucasians and rare among men of African and Asian descent.

In the U.S., between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses are made annually. Over his lifetime, a man’s odds of developing the disease is roughly 1 in 250 (four tenths of one percent). Although it is found most commonly among men 15-40 years of age, it has three peaks: infancy, ages 25-40 years, and age 60.

Because it is curable (stage I can have a success rate of 95 percent) when detected early, experts recommend regular monthly testicular self examinations after taking a hot shower or bathing, when the scrotum is looser. Blood tests are used by your doctor to recognize and measure tumor markers that are specific to this desease.

CAUSE: Currently, there is no recognized method for preventing this disease because there is no known cause for it.

TYPE: Although testicular cancer can be derived from any cell type found in the testicles, more than 95% of testicular cancers are germ cell tumors. The main types of testicular germ cell tumors are seminomas and non-seminomas.

SYMPTOMS: May include one or more of the following: A lump in one testes or a hardening of one of the testicles. The testicle should normally feel smooth to the touch. Symptoms of late-stage testicular cancer may include: Dull pain in the lower back and abdomen, A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum, A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum, Pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum, Enlargement or tenderness of the breasts, Unexplained fatigue or a general feeling of not being well. However each individual may experience symptoms differently. The National Cancer Institute suggests that a man see a physician if any of the above symptoms lasts two weeks or longer.

RISKS: Risk factors for having testicular cancer include Klinefelter’s syndrome. This is a disorder in which a man has an extra X chromosome. This type of cancer is more common among white men than men of african descent. Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian males have a risk that is higher than black males but lower than white.

There are a number of factors that increase the risk for the disease. A major risk factor is cryptorchidism (undescended testicles). Surgery earlier in life reduces risk of testicular cancer among males with undescended testes.

According to an article recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, surgery before 13 years of age for the treatment of undescended testes decreases the risk of cancer of the testes when compared with surgery later in life.

Other possible risk factors include inguinal hernia and mumps. Physical activity is associated with lower risk and sedentary lifestyle is associated with higher risk. Also early onset of male characteristics is associated with increased risk.

Firefighters face higher risk of many cancers. According to the results of a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, firefighters have an elevated risk of developing certain kinds of cancer. Others with occupational risks include Miners, gas workers, leather workers, food and beverage processing workers, utility workers.

Other genetic syndromes are also associated with elevated risk. As mention previously white males are more likely to develop this cancer than are males of other races. Nevertheless many men with testicular cancer do not show the suggested risk factors.

TREATMENT: Treatment options are based on the results of staging. Correct diagnosis is necessary to ensure the most effective and least harmful treatment. An incorrect diagnosis is made at the initial examination in up to 25% of patients with testicular tumors and may result in delay in treatment or a sub-optimal approach (scrotal incision) for exploration.

The three basic types of treatment are surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. As an adjuvant treatment, use of chemotherapy as an alternative to radiation therapy is increasing, because radiation therapy appears to have more significant long-term side effects, for example, internal scarring, increased risks of secondary malignancies etc.

Chemotherapy is the accepted treatment for non-seminoma when the disease has spread to other areas of the body (that is, stage II or III). An alternative, equally effective treatment involves the use of four cycles of Etoposide-Cisplatin (EP).

While treatment success depends on the stage, the average survival rate after five years is around 95 percent, and stage I cancers cases (if monitored correctly) have basically a 100% survival rate (which is why prompt action, when testicular cancer is a possibility is extremely important). Understanding treatment options, accessing novel and innovative therapies through clinical trials, as well as understanding the role of supportive care and complementary and alternative medicine are essential.

CONCLUSION: Testicular cancer is a condition that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system. The exact cause is thus far unknown. Common symptoms include: A swelling and/or lump in one or both of the testes. It is important to understand that these symptoms can occur as a result of conditions not related to the disease.

Possible risk factors include the following: Age - Most testicular cancers occur in men between the ages of 15 and 40. It has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers, in excess of 90% and essentially 100% if it has not metastasized (spread).

It is diagnosed with the help of tests that examine the testicles and the blood. Your exact treatment will be determined by your doctor based on: your age, overall health, and medical history, stage of the disease, your tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies as well as personal preferences.