Cervical cancer starts in the cells of the cervix. The cervix is the narrow, lower part of the uterus (or womb). It is the passageway that connects the uterus to the vagina.

The cervix is part of a womans reproductive system. It makes mucus that helps sperm move from the vagina into the uterus or keeps sperm from entering the uterus. Every month during your menstrual period blood flows from the uterus through the cervix into the vagina. During pregnancy, the cervix is closed to keep the baby inside the uterus. During childbirth, the cervix opens (dilates) so that the baby can pass through the vagina.

Before cervical cancer develops, the cells of the cervix start to change and become abnormal. These abnormal cells are precancerous, meaning that they are not cancer. Precancerous changes to the cervix are called dysplasia of the cervix (or cervical dysplasia).

Dysplasia of the cervix is not cancer. It is a common precancerous change that can develop into cancer if it isnt treated. It is important to know that most women with dysplasia do not develop cancer.

Most women have regular cervical screening with a smear test or liquid-based cytology. The screening is designed to find early changes in the cells of the cervix, so that treatment can be given to prevent a cancer from developing. Although the aim of cervical screening is to prevent cancer, it can also sometimes detect a cancer that has already developed, before any symptoms occur.

Cancer of the cervix can take many years to develop. Before it does, changes occur in the cells of the cervix. These abnormal cells are not cancerous, and are called cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN). Some doctors call these changes pre-cancerous. This means that the cells might develop into cancer in some women if they are not treated. It is important to know that most women with CIN do not develop cancer.

CIN is usually the result of a virus infection: the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a very common virus that can affect the cells of the cervix. It is mainly passed on during sexual intercourse. Most women who have had sexual intercourse will have the virus at some time in their life. However, in many women their immune system will get rid of the virus and they won’t even know they had it.

Recently several research trials have looked at using vaccines to prevent HPV infection. The results seem to show that in future, it will be possible to vaccinate young women against the high-risk types of HPV and so prevent most cases of cervical cancer.

CIN that might develop into cancer can be treated in various ways. The aim of any treatment is to remove or destroy all of the affected cells. This can be done using surgery, where the affected area of the cervix is removed by large loop excision (LLETZ) or cone biopsy. Instead, the affected areas can be destroyed by laser therapy, or using heat (cold coagulation). These procedures are usually carried out in an outpatient clinic and may be done by doctors or specialist nurses.

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I was mortified as a father described the horrifying details of his daughters cancer. He stopped by my upholstery shop after a 14 hour work day to purchase a piece of foam. Out of his mouth he spoke of the cancer that consumed his twelve year old daughter. During the fight for her life she lost her left eye, her left breast, both ovaries and her uterus. He explained that he worked all of the time in order to pay for the chemotherapy. His wife stopped working so she could stay by their child’s side refusing to leave their house for fear of what would happen to their daughter next.

The man that stood before me looked exhausted, and almost defeated. The description of his daughter sent chills through my body as I realized just how horrible a disease cancer can become. A quickening in my heart opened my mind to the revelation that he was describing the slow, painful, death of his beloved child. Without hesitation and a renewed sense of determination he stated, “I believe in God!”

The statistics of this ferrous cancerous disease is mind bobbling. A million and a half people every year come down with cancer. Thirty percent diagnosed are people who choose to smoke. Currently there are tens of millions of people suffering and even more millions of people dealing with the pain of watching a family member slowly die an agonizing death from this horrible disease.

Cancer does not discriminate, it attacks everyone from new born babies to elderly adults. The chances are, if you are over seventy years of age, you will eventually die from some form of cancer. This is the reality of this disease. It is a truth that makes all people question “Why Would a Loving God Allow Christians to Suffer With Cancer”?

Doctors, parents and society will do anything to fight against cancer through research, cancer awareness programs, and through regular checkups to catch the disease before it can spread. From new medications to operations that remove the disease have been improved, but still the disease is ranked as one of the number one killers of people.

Why has cancer gripped so tightly to the human race? If doctors and medicine can’t protect us from the disease, then what can? When the epidemic of cancer is so wide spread, who will be next? If God loves people then why would he allow Cancer?

All of these questions can only be answered when we look at the purpose of our world. Why are we here in the first place? If all we are here for is to suffer and endure pain then I want out of this world, now!

Many Christians, all over the world, look full into the face of the devil cancer and feel helpless and scared. They are filled with fear and dread as they wonder how they will overcome such a terrible disease.

It is very important as we face hard tests in life that we understand why we must stand our ground and fight! Jesus came to save people by teaching them lessons on spiritual warfare. When you are a Christian you are different from those who don’t have Jesus in their lives. Jesus opens our eyes and gives us battle plans so we will face all obstacles with faith.

Matthew 10: 34, “Do you think that I came to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

We as Christians must be prepared to fight for our lives. We must hold onto the principles of God and understand that our biggest enemy is Satan. Satan is the god of this world and his goal is to destroy the lives of good people. When we are aware of whom we are fighting then we must get our shields of faith up and fight!

We live in a world where we must learn the difference between right and wrong. In order to understand right from wrong we must be presented with opposites: good health and disease, war and peace, love and hate, and clearly the difference between God and Satan.

Most people, when they are in the throws of facing a deadly disease, blame God and hate Him for allowing them to get this disease. They don’t take responsibility for smoking cigarettes that gave them lung cancer. They don’t think about how they don’t read their Bibles, go to church, or pray. All they can think about is finding someone greater than themselves to blame.

God did not create cancer! God is love! He loves people and wants the best for their lives. Unfortunately, when you turn away from God you take away your ability to fight.

2 Kings 17: 25-28, “When they first settled there, they did not worship the Lord, and so he sent lions, which killed some of them. The emperor of Assyria was told that the people he settled in the cities of Samaria did not know the law of the god of that land, and so the god had sent lions, which were killing them. So the emperor commanded: ‘Send back one of the priests we brought as prisoners; have him go back and live there, in order to teach the people the law of the god of that land.’ So an Israelite priest who had been deported from Samaria went and lived in Bethel, where he taught the people how to worship the Lord.”

When you don’t understand why you need God, then you lose your fight against anything that wants to destroy your life. Satan is the god of this world and when we do nothing to prevent him from hurting us then evil reigns supreme. This simple illustration of how lions were killing people shows how our lives can be filled with chaos if we don’t have God on our side.

Jesus came to teach people how to fight. We must activate our faith in God by prayer and Bible study. Pray the Lord’s Prayer. Pray for protection from Satan. Pray for strength during your fight and ask for the Lords will to be done. When you know what you are suppose to do in order to fight against the evil that wants to destroy your life, then you have a battle plan.

Romans 12: 12, “Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times.”

God loves you. Fear is Satan coming in to corrupt your thinking and to separate you from activating the power of God. God conquers all evil. Believe in Miracles. Believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior and you will be saved. Believe in the saving power of grace and how God forgives you the wrongs of your past.

Our world is filled with traps and temptations that lead us astray from God. But with Christ you can do anything. You can endure cancer with victory when you place your faith in Jesus. God loves people and He is right by your side during every procedure you endure when you are fighting for your life against cancer. When you are in the throws of cancer, He will give you joy. Joy that he allowed you worthy to suffer for His sake. Joy that assures you that you are His witness to doctors, nurses, friends, and all people who come into contact with you that Satan may be able to kill your body, but he can’t destroy your faith in God.

Everything we endure in this world is meant to teach us the difference between good and bad. When we have this knowledge then we know with certainty how to fight against Satan. Pray for protection from Satan. Be positive while giving encouragement to those who are suffering with cancer.

You are a light to the world. A light that can only shine when you are going through the fire of testing. Tests reveal what a person is like in their heart! Tests when they are over will give you the power to witness to others of what you can overcome when you have Jesus in your life. Tests show us that we are more powerful than the god of this world.

The statistics are staggering of how many people are suffering from cancer in our world today. But with Gods help you can overcome the world. With Jesus on your side you can walk down whatever path you must travel with confidence that you can do it! God loves people and He will never let you down. Trust in God and you will win your game of life.

Linda C Dipman author of The Game Of Life It’s Almost Over http://outskirtspress.com/gameoflife presents And His Love Shone Down, my true life story! It describes all the persecutions I endured. It will put you on the edge of your seat as you read each vivid detail. You will feel terror and experience love like nothing you have ever read before. lovinghandsministry.com

Melanoma skin cancer is a condition that affects millions upon millions of American people every day. It is the result of abnormal cells in the skin that often result from prolonged exposure to the sun, one of the reasons why direct tanning is discouraged and strong sunblock is so strongly encouraged these days.

The cells that have become abnormal spread the condition to the cells surrounding them, creating a condition that can get out of hand fast if not taken care of.

How to Find Melanoma Skin Cancer

The best way to find and cure melanoma skin cancer is to pay close attention to the face and the skin. Melanoma can be indicated by moles that are appearing long after birth, moles that are seeming to grow, marks on the skin that do not seem to be fading, or a mysterious birthmark.

Those who think that they might have symptoms of melanoma should definitely seek a doctor for further examination.

Normal moles or skin abnormalities will not bleed, scale, or grow any bigger. Permanent marks on the body are just that permanent and will not change. If they are abnormal they might however, and that is why they are such a telling indicator of melanoma.

A Doctor Can Officially Diagnose Melanoma

Upon examination, if your doctor determines that your abnormal skin does have the makings of melanoma, they will remove some tissue from the area for further testing.

The tests should help to determine whether or not the cells are abnormal cancer cells or just skin cells that are going a bit out of control.

Melanoma Treatments

In most cases, the treatment of melanoma skin cancer involves a fairly non invasive surgical procedure. They are not difficult to administer, and usually involve the simple removal of moles and other imperfections on the skin.

Depending on how significant the cell damage is, the removal of the tissue may leave a scar on the face, and that is one of the most difficult side effects of the illness and treatment.

If not diagnosed, melanoma skin cancer can get out of hand and spread to other organs of the body. By itself, it is fairly easily treated and can easily be eradicated forever.

An Ounce of Prevention…

You know what they say about prevention; an ounce of it is worth a pound of treatment and that is the case with skin cancer.

A sunblock cream with an SPF of 15 or higher is recommended for everyone every day when exposed to the sunlight, no matter what their skin tone is like.

Melanoma may appear on normal skin, or it may begin at a mole or other area that has changed in appearance. Some moles present at birth may develop into melanomas.

The development of melanoma is related to sun exposure, particularly to sunburns during childhood, and is most common among people with fair skin, blue or green eyes, and red or blond hair.

Skin cancer does not have to be a problem. With global warming becoming more and more of an issue, melanoma is also a bigger issue. Unlike global warming, you can directly contribute to the health of your skin with proper protection and prevention.

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Cancer is, unfortunately, spreading in the modern society. Nearly all cancer forms are increasing when it comes to incidence, i.e. new cases/year (cf. Hallberg & Johansson 2002a).

It could recently be read in the BBC News that skin cancer is rising in young adults, and Sara Hiom, head of the health information at Cancer Research UK said, when interviewed, that “Non-melanoma cancers are rising at an alarming rate”.

Non-melanoma cancers are rising at an alarming rate
More and more research efforts goes into understanding the molecular mechanisms behind these various progressive cancer forms, and much more money is spent on finding new drugs to treat patients. However, oddly enough, very little is spent on understanding the actual causes for cancer.

Among such possible causative agents, more and more focus is nowadays put on modern gadgets, such as mobile telephones and computers, and their chemical and physical emissions, including flame retardants and electromagnetic non-ionising radiation.

Childhood leukemia was early connected to power-frequent magnetic fields already in the pioneering work by Wertheimer and Leeper (1979), and more recently Scandinavian scientists have identified an increased risk for acoustic neuroma (i.e., a benign tumor of the eighth cranial nerve) in cell phone users, as well as a slightly increased risk of malignant brain tumors such as astrocytoma and meningioma on the same side of the brain as the cell phone was habitually held (Hardell et al. 1999, 2004, 2005; Lonn et al. 2004).

In addition, a clear association between adult cancers and FM radio broadcasting radiation has been noticed, both in time and location (Hallberg & Johansson 2002b, 2004, 2005a). Initial studies on facial nevi indicates that nowadays also young children can have a substantial amount of these.

If it can be shown that radiofrequent radiation is not correlated with child cancers the current focus on low-frequency electromagnetic fields can continue. If there is also a radiofrequent and/or microwave correlation then this must be considered in future research as well as in today’s preventive work.

Most recently, Dr. Djemal Beniashvili and other scientists at the Edith Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, Israel, have demonstrated a possible link between exposure to power-frequent electromagnetic fields and breast cancer in elderly women (Beniashvili et al. 2005).

They compared the breast cancer rates in elderly women from an earlier period (1978-1990) to a more recent period (1991-2003), which has been characterized by a much more extensive use of personal computers (more than 3 hours a day), mobile telephones, TV sets, and other household electrical appliances. They used available medical records extending over a period of 26 years, involving the analysis of more than 200,000 samples.

Most recently a possible link has been demonstrated between exposure to power-frequent electromagnetic fields and breast cancer in elderly women
Among the elderly women who developed breast cancer in the first time frame, 20 percent were regularly exposed to power-frequent fields.

But in the more modern period 51 percent were so exposed, mainly through the use of personal computers. The authors concluded: “There was a statistically significant influence of electromagnetic fields on the formation of all observed epithelial mammary tumours in the second group.”

This represented a more than two-fold increase, which was considered highly significant (cf. Beniashvili et al. 2005).

Of course, many other environmental factors have changed during the period 1978-1990, but increased environmental exposure to power-frequent fields is among the more conspicuous changes to have taken place. Naturally, there are many aspects of this question that remain to be clarified, and, from a scientific point of view, it is far from conclusively settled.

Educational Cell Phone Digital Book by Paul Fitzgerald, EMF expert, graduated from NJIT in Newark, NJ. He has been studying EMF’s for over 15 years.. He has done over 100 radio shows in 2006 and released his book CellPhone Lies To learn more go to EMF Radiation News.

Many films about cancer have been made in recent years, the most notable features a scientist who discovers the cure in a South American rain forest, only to lose it; cancer has killed untold millions, but each year the cure for this disease gets another step closer. Although there are other more awful diseases, this one holds the crown at the moment because of how often it is diagnosed; a cure would bring a sigh of relief everywhere. 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.

Even now many people do not really understand what cancer is despite growing up with it all around them. Could it be true that we are all born with it? Well, it is a disease that’s characterized by a large number of cells that continue to grow and divide; they invade and destroy adjacent tissues and may even spread to other anatomical sites through a process called metastasis.

Benign tumors do not normally grow larger, metastasize or threaten the body and organs like malignant (cancerous) tumors do although it is possible for a malignant tumor to have started out as benign. Whilst it is not generally a young person’s disease, it can occur at any age; cancer is responsible for around 130,000 deaths for every one million people each year. Cancer is an abnormality in the body’s cells and can be caused by a number of agents including carcinogens or poisons such as smoke, infectious agents or radiation.

Just to confuse the issue more, it is possible inherit genes that may be pre-disposed to it as well as faulty genetic DNA replication. However this does not mean you will contract it as the relationship between carcinogens and an individual’s genetic makeup is a complex one.

Research into the cause of cancer continues around the globe and is the disease most frequently studied on a regular basis. More knowledge is being acquired about cancer each year. More information is being gathered about all illnesses and why some people are more prone to certain conditions. We all want to know more about the causes of cancer what we can do to help prevent this illness from striking.

The food you eat on a regular basis will have an effect on your health, especially in the future. Some believe it may even be causing a large number of cases in certain groups of people. Foods that could be a problem are Salt, sugar, saturated fat and cholesterol. Recent studies have shown that calcium received from dairy products can be harmful to men and could encourage the onset of prostate cancer.

Cancer can affect any part of the body from the bones, blood, skin or organs. nowhere is safe from it. Sometimes the disease is only picked up through routine screening. Usually the cancer is at an early stage and a person may have a better chance of being cured. the number of different types of cancer that can be treated has increased dramatically in recent years with so much intensive research being carried out. All this research is gradually leading towards more effective treatments for cancer and it is not always the terminal disease it used to be.

There is a great resource that I have found that has methods to treat cancer naturally at: www.cancer-natural-treatments.info you can find a lot of useful information there.

External beam radiation therapy has long been the standard for treating most cancer types in the world of radiation treatment. Brachytherapy, the lesser known form of radiation treatment among the general populace, has been around almost as long as particle and wave form radiation therapy. It’s brought success in cancers dealing with a long range of bodily locations such as the head and neck, lung, cervix, breast and most commonly the prostate.

This article will touch on some information about what brachytherapy is along with an overview of the process and expectations one should anticipate.

Implanting Radioactive Seeds

Usually brachytherapy is slightly invasive. That is, it will probably involve breaking of the skin to insert what is known as a “seed”. The seed is usually a small rod-like tube that encases a radioactive compound. The seed is inserted into the tumor in such a way that the radiation will affect the cancer cells and disrupt their cellular division to ultimately kill or stop the cancerous cell growth. Mold Brachytherapy is an exception. In this case the radiation source can go next to the tumor, set next to the skin adjacent to the cancerous mass.

The seeds are about the size of a small grain of rice and have a short range of radiation kill. The radius of the radiation field that emits from the rice that is used to kill the cancer cells is only a few millimeters. In fact, the trunk part of the word, brachy, is Greek meaning “short.”

The Procedure

In this instance I’ll use the example of prostate treatment as a case example to give an overview of what one may expect. So, before the radiation therapy begins, the doctor will do the preliminary check ups. Procedures like EKG, blood tests, and x-rays may be involved depending on the risks. But usually an ultrasound of the prostate will be done to make sure it’s clear and to identify the tumor beforehand. With the images captured, the doctors and clinicians will know what they are up against and know how many seeds need to be implanted.

The nice thing about this sort of application is that it’s an outpatient procedure. Sometimes the treatment will only last as long as an hour. The patient will usually get a local anesthetic so feeling from the waist down is numbed.

After the painkiller has set in, an ultrasound probe will be inserted into the rectum to bring up video of the prostate for easy guidance. The seeds will be planted, sent through tiny needles, after the tumor is targeted. The needles will enter through the skin between the scrotum and the rectum. Usually there are about 50 to 100 seeds sent into the cancerous portion of the prostate.

When all is said and done, the patient will usually have a catheter inserted and left in for several hours to a day. Post procedure, an ice bag will be used to prevent swelling. After all of that, life can come as it does normally, but rest and no heavy activity is typically prescribed. Four or five days are the estimated time for normalcy among most patients.

Vantage Oncology (http://www.vantageoncology.com) networks and finances radiation therapy clinics across the country. Each radiation oncologist that is affiliated with Vantage Oncology is board certified and has access to state of the art technology for their patients.

Breast thermography is a new, non-invasive imaging procedure that utilizes infrared heat-sensing technology to detect metabolic changes in the breast. Abnormalities can be detected long before a tumor is present. Because researchers are acknowledging the importance of prevention and early detection as the keys to long term breast health, breast thermography is fast becoming an important diagnostic test to add to health care regimens.

To perform breast thermography, a special camera equipped with heat-sensing, or infrared, technology takes pictures of the breasts and the images are sent to a computer. Multiple images are taken from several different angles in order to provide a three-dimensional result. These images are digitally processed by sophisticated equipment to create a detailed thermal map.

Because each individual has a unique ‘thermal fingerprint,’ the images help your doctor to establish the normal thermal state of your breasts. That way, if a change occurs, a diagnosis can be determined quickly. The images reveal to the doctor whether the two breasts have the same temperature patterns and whether any areas differ from one breast to the other. Abnormalities on the infrared images, including changes in temperature, blood flow, hormone levels, or metabolic activity, may indicate current or potential tumor growth. The necessary diagnostic steps are then taken to determine the nature of the abnormalities.

During a mammogram, the estimated compression weight on the breast, which can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful, can be several pounds to over forty pounds. In addition, radiation collects in the breast tissue during mammograms; the more radiation the breast is exposed to, the higher the risk of cancer. Unlike mammograms, thermography does not require compression of the breasts nor does the infrared scanning process involve radiation or contact with the body.

Mammograms can only detect tumors that have already developed. In comparison, breast thermography provides images of physiological changes in the breasts that could cause future tumor growth. One such abnormal thermal pattern, estrogen dominance, can be a precursor to breast cancer. If estrogen dominance is found, hormonal levels can be balanced using natural means; thereby, preventing cancer. Breast thermography can also detect small growths – those too small to be visible on mammogram or ultrasound – because these tiny masses radiate heat.

Breast thermography provides important, relevant, and necessary information about your health without exposure to radiation. This diagnostic test, which compliments clinical examination and mammography, should be added to your health care regimen. Prevention and early detection are the keys to long term breast and whole body health. By providing essential information early, breast thermography can save your life.

For more health tips and published research with vertigo, migraine, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease patients by Dr. Erin Elster, D.C., upper cervical chiropractor, in Boulder, Colorado, visit her website www.erinelster.com.

Whether or not to treat prostate cancer conventionally is one of the major medical dilemmas we have today. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. Approximately 222,000 cases will be diagnosed this year, however most prostate tumors tend to grow slowly. They never actually threaten lives. There is no sure way to tell which tumors will grow at a more rapid rate.

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) tests can help find tumors many years before they cause any prostate cancer symptoms, however routine screening of men who are at average risk is currently not recommended, because there is no proof that it saves lives.

Prostate cancer treatments are particularly rugged, especially on older men. And many men end up after the treatment with sexual, bladder control or other prostate gland or prostate health problems. Many doctors instead recommend “watchful waiting” to monitor signs of prostate disease and treat it only if the signs or symptoms get worse. Smaller studies have given contrary views of the safety of this approach.

This new study looked at the natural course of the disease in the men who had chosen that option. Grace Lu-Yao of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey was the head of the study. It’s the first study involving so many older men. 50% of the men were over 75 and many of their tumors were found through the PSA tests.

As part of this study they used the U.S. government’s prostate cancer database. The researchers studied 9,017 men who were diagnosed over a period of ten years, from 1992-2002, with early-stage cancer who did not get prostate surgery, radiation or hormone therapy for at least six months. Most of the men never had any treatment whatsoever.

Ten years later only 3 percent to 7 percent of those with the low-grade or moderate-grade tumors (which are rated by how aggressive the cells appear to be) had died of prostate cancer, while 23 percent of those with high-grade tumors died. Overall, prostate cancer killed only 10 percent of the patients.

It’s thought that most of the patients are going to die from something else and because of this most of the older men with the early-stage tumors could delay any treatment. It’s not clear what should be done, if anything – whether it’s conventional prostate surgery, radiation and hormone therapy or alternative treatment. This may be true even if people are younger or have a more advanced prostate cancer. Most cases are diagnosed in men who are 68 or older, and most are in an early stage.

In any event this large study shows that a large number of men do well with no initial treatment and with no treatment long term. So this new study shows that for older men observation is a reasonable approach. Many patients do well for a long period of time with absolutely no treatment.

To sum up, older men with early-stage prostate cancer are not taking a big risk if they just keep a good eye on the progress instead of going ahead with treatment. It’s the largest study to look at this issue since the PSA blood tests to detect prostate tumors became so popular in the 1990s. The study may persuade some middle-of-the-road prostate doctors that we are over-treating prostate cancer and that PSA testing may be magnifying the problem. Finally patients have the opportunity to concentrate on adopting a healthy lifestyle and most importantly adopting a healthy diet.

For more information on prostate cancer treatments and prostate cancer symptoms go to a nurse’s website http://www.BestProstateHealthTips.com specializing in enlarged prostate, and prostate cancer tips, advice and resources, including info on prostate tests and natural prostate cancer treatments

A radiation oncologist is often thought of as the main role within a radiation clinic and for the most part this is true. They do help orchestrate the course of therapy, but without a full staff of professionals who know their specific role, it would be an impossible task for the oncologist alone.

The following will be a little run down on who is in the clinic helping radiation patients and what specifically they do. It will touch on points of what to expect as a patient and some background on training for radiation staff.

The Coach and Playmaker, the Radiation Oncologist

The radiation oncologist is the first point of contact for the patient when they seek or are referred to radio treatment. The radiation oncologist is the doctor that runs the show (trumped only by the patient) and plots the course for overall treatment. They’ve chosen to specialize in radiation treatment for their profession as opposed to a medical oncologist who normally uses chemotherapy as a preferred choice of cancer treatment.

They not only work with their immediate staff of clinicians to plot a course of therapy, but also refer to other doctors that the patient may be seeing such as their chemo doctor (chemo is often combined with radiation treatment), a surgical oncologist, other surgeons and internal medicine doctors and pharmacists to pool overall knowledge.

Training for the profession in the U.S. starts like any other doctor’s course with 4 years of specialized training outside of college and 4 years of residency with internship. During residency they are drilled a great deal on general oncology and the physical aspect of ionizing radiation and its application.

The Radiation Therapist

The radiation therapist is probably the closest one to the radiation oncologist doctor when it comes to planning the application and doses of radiation therapy. The oncologist will give the instruction to the therapist regarding what needs to be done for the specific cancer type. Then much of the application procedure from there is up to the therapist as far as instructing staff on the parameters of the machines and operating software to apply the dosing. The therapist will often have a technician who will talk to the patient and position them when it comes time to go through with the treatment.

The Rest of the Staff

Although there are possibly dozens of those who help in a clinic or hospital, you’ll also receive a good deal of personal contact and support from the radiation nurse. They are what most would contend as the most human part of the therapy. It will be up to them to provide you an insider’s look at the experience. While the radiation oncologist and therapist will probably give you a laundry list of points that you will expect with your treatment, the nurse will give you an expectation on a more personal level. They can give you background on any side effects that can occur and also provide very professional advice on how well the radiation worked after the session.

Along with the nurse and other immediate clinicians, a patient will also be introduced to a dietician or physical therapist depending on the treatment type, treatment side effects, and severity of the cancer.

Vantage Oncology (http://www.vantageoncology.com/doctors.php) lists board certified radiation oncologists that reside in a network of Vantage Oncology owned centers around the U.S. The centers all use state-of-the-art technology and instrumentation. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

Most people have probably heard of asbestos and the fact that people who have been exposed to it may go on to develop illnesses. Although the use of asbestos has been banned now in the European Union, people have still contracted diseases from when it was used in the past.

One of these illnesses is mesothelioma which is a rare form of cancer which affects the lining of the lung, lining of the abdominal cavity or lining around the heart. This is caused by the exposure to asbestos which was around quite a lot in certain areas before it was banned. It could have been contracted in a number of ways from simply breathing it in to picking it up second hand from other people’s clothing, hair or skin.

People who are most at risk of developing mesothelioma are those who have worked directly with asbestos or asbestos products in the past. However, it has been known that even people who have had limited exposure to it have contracted it due to contamination from friends or family who have been around it.

There are particular trades who are at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma than others. For this reason if you worked in any of the following professions when asbestos was still being used it could be an idea to go to the doctor for tests. Metal plate workers including shipbuilding, vehicle body builders including rail vehicles, plumbers, gas fitters, carpenters, electricians and construction workers are just some of the trades where individuals may have been affected.

Other trades that are at high risk from developing mesothelioma are plasterers, builders, handymen, steel erectors, painters, sheet metal workers and welders. The reason why people who worked in these jobs are at a higher risk than others is because of the products that contain asbestos. For example, it was present in Bitumen roofing material and therefore anyone working with it would have been exposed to it.

There are symptoms that you can look out for with mesothelioma. Generally shortness of breath, chest pain, a persistent cough and pain in the shoulder blade or lower back are common symptoms. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain and swelling, nausea and vomiting, bowel obstruction and weight loss.

However, there are various other illnesses linked to these symptoms to it does not necessarily mean that you have mesothelioma. If you have any questions or worries the best thing to do is get evaluated by a qualified physician.

J M Skinner & Co Solicitors mesothelioma provide specialist legal services for property,asbestos, employment, personal injury and many other matters. Submitted by search engine consultants at http://www.webrepairservices.co.uk