NanomedicineCenter.com

What causes skin cancer

There are a few major causes of skin cancer, but by far the most over-riding is excessive or constant over-exposure to ultraviolet (most often known as “UV”) radiation form the sun. Many people forget that the sun’s energy is actually a type of radiation and it consists of both visible and invisible rays. Invisible infrared radiation is what makes the sunlight feel hot. Ultraviolet rays are also invisible, and these are what precipitate both sun tans and skin cancer. This is where the sun tan myth should be entirely exploded: Many people, especially in Western cultures, have-for a protracted period of time-prize sun tans as visible manifestations of health and wellness.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Consider the earlier statement that UV rays cause the skin to tan and you begin to realize what is actually happening. A sun tan actually denotes damaged, burned skin, and this will affect the cells, damaging DNA which is the genetic material that comprises genes. This, in the case of severe genetic damage, causes the otherwise normal skin cell to grow in a disorder and uncontrolled way – which is a prime function of cancer cells – and this is what has made incidents of skin cancer rise steeply in many western countries. There are two different kinds of ultraviolet ration, and these are ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB). Where once scientists believed that over-exposure to UVB rays was the principal cause of skin cancer they now believe that AVA is also implicated. This is why it is so important to cover exposed skin and apply effective sunblock products in order to protect your skin when the sun is at its strongest.

Having said this there are other factors that may herald the onset of skin cancer, among them are hereditary causes which is why people with instances of skin cancer in their family history should be extra careful. In such cases skin cancer is caused by a child’s abnormal genes that are inherited from their parents. When taking UV factors and the fashionable trend for desiring sun tans into account people should also consider the use of tanning booths, which are also heavily implicated in instances of skin cancer.

Impairment of the immune system, called immunosuppression, can also make a person more prone. In such cases the immune system, the mechanism that protects the body from foreign matter such as germs, ceases to function properly and thus leaves the body more susceptible to infections and diseases. This may happen as a result of other illnesses or due to medicines taken to fight auto-immune diseases. People that have had an unusually high number of x-rays or exposure to radioactive or immunosuppressing chemicals are also at greater risk, as are those who come into frequent contact with certain chemicals such as arsenic. Such people may include farmers and miners. Those with fair skin that freckle easily or with light colored hair (blond or red) are also in a higher risk category for skin cancer and should exercise greater caution in the sun.

Metastatic renal cancer

Metastatic renal cancer is a type of kidney cancer, commonly known as metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and is a particularly dangerous form of the cancer. Originating in the small tubes that kidneys use to filter blood and remove toxins, RCC has a high resilience to most conventional radiation therapy and invasive surgery is generally necessary. Once it reaches a metastatic state, however, the cancer has spread to other organs and created a wider range of issues to combat. Most often metastatic RCC affects neighboring organ tissue such as the lungs or digestive tract, though it can be known to spread throughout the body due to its close relation with the circulatory system and can even metastasize to the brain.

Signs and symptoms of RCC can vary from person to person, though some common symptoms include abnormal urine color due to the presence of blood, loin pain, mass development in the abdominal region, weight loss and anemia. Other symptoms are less common but may include vision abnormalities, constipation, hypertension, night sweats and severe sudden weight loss. Should you exhibit any of these symptoms it is highly recommended that you seek out a medical professional immediately in order to receive a full diagnosis and rule out RCC as a potential cause of any problems.

Diagnosis generally must be done through a number of different examinations and tests and can not be determined by symptoms alone as these are not conclusive of the disease itself – other factors such as kidney stones, urinary tract infections or other conditions could easily cause the same or similar symptoms in patients. Physical examinations of the abdomen, imaging tests and some lab tests (though these are less common) are all ways used by doctors to diagnose the cancer and, if caught in the early stages, treat any developments quickly.

When caught in the early stages most prognosis for RCC is fairly good, with the 5-year survival rate on individuals with tumors at 90-95%. Larger tumors typically lower the 5-year survival rate to 80-85%, while if the cancer has metastasized to the lymph notes the 5-year survival rate drops to 5-15% and below 5% if it has metastasized to other organs.

Most current treatments for this particular form of cancer require surgery and removal of the tumors as the cancer is particularly resilient to chemotherapy, though some treatments using immunotherapy to stimulate the body’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells has proven effective in some patients, effectively curing them of the disease after extended treatment. Immunotherapy is not necessarily effective for everyone, however, and as such can not be considered a viable treatment for most cases due to the fact that the successful treatment rate using this form is generally less than 10%. Still, research is continuing to be done into this field in the hopes of increasing the effectiveness and provide a reasonable less-invasive alternative to the standard surgical treatment currently used for most cases. Some cancer vaccines have also been tested and shown some success in combating RCC, however the success rate is still too low to be considered of any reasonable worth.

Famous people with cancer

Instances of cancer are on the rise, and have become more and more common and more highly publicized in recent times. Many people know or are aware of someone that either has or has had cancer, whether this is a friend, relative or someone at work. There are many cases, of course, of famous people that have – or have had – cancer. Kate Jackson, perhaps the most famous of the original Charlie’s Angels from the original 1970s TV series, battled against cancer in 1987 and 1989, as did the singer and star of Grease, Olivia Newton John, who having been diagnosed in 1992 underwent surgery for a mastectomy and breast reconstruction.

Also of original Charlie’s Angels fame Jacelyn Smith found a lump back in 2002 and underwent treatment, including radiation and a lumpectomy. Many people, especially as the myth is precipitated by the mass media, believe that breast cancer only affects women. However Richard Roundtree, star of the original 1970s Blaxploitation classic Shaft, was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent grueling rounds of chemotherapy and also a mastectomy.

Interestingly, not everyone opts for conventional forms of treatment when they are diagnosed with cancer, however scary a diagnosis it may be. Radical approaches to cancer treatment can cause considerable controversy when your are a celebrity – and such was the case for soap actress and author Suzanne Somers who opted to forgo standard cancer treatments in favor of holistic medicine and alternative therapies. Many believed at the time that this set a bad and even dangerous example to other sufferers and potential sufferers,

The singer-songwriter and former music teacher Sheryl Crow was also diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2006, and the condition was found to be at an early stage. She started off having only slightly invasive surgical treatment, followed-up with radiotherapy. In the following year, she made a documentary called Crazy Sexy Cancer. Her one-time husband, seven-time tour de France winner Lance Armstrong also suffered from testicular cancer and underwent chronic radiation therapy and surgery – and this was even before he won the tour!

Australian pop star and one-time Neighbors star, Kylie Minogue, also found herself facing a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer in 2005. This caused her to put a halt to her grueling tour itinerary so that she could under chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. Showing just how much of an influence celebrities have on the general public consciousness with such things, her diagnosis caused a steep rise in women aged between 25-44 deciding to have breast imaging and biopsies to check for the disease.

Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon, who portrays the lawyer Miranda Hobbs in the highly successful show, underwent her battle with cancer in 2002 and initially stayed silent about her condition, choosing to campaign out of the media spotlight. She later became a cancer activist, and in 2008 became the ambassador and spokesperson for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.