NanomedicineCenter.com

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.

Signs of breast cancer

For many women probably the first symptom of breast cancer is finding a lump in one of their breasts. This, however, is not necessarily a cause for immediate alarm as around 90% of breast lumps found are benign, which means that they are non-cancerous. It is important to know, however, that this can only be ascertained by a doctor and a woman that finds a lump in her breast should seek immediate medical advice.

In general, breast cell change causing lumpiness is more obvious just prior to a period – especially in women over the age of 35 – and is normally indicative of benigness. Women might also notice such things as a change in either the size or shape of the breast or nipple, especially if the nipple sinks into the breast or takes on an irregularity of shape. Any blood-stained discharge from the nipple or any rashes either on or around the nipple should also be immediately examined by a health care professional.

Of course it is important to realize that if you have one of these signs it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have cancer, but you should seek medical advice to be on the safe side. Women should also be concerned about any swelling or lumps in the armpit region, as this can be a sign that the cancer has actually spread to the lymph nodes. There may also be changes in the skin, including dimpling of the skin along with new wrinkling.

There is also a rare type of breast cancer known as inflammatory breast cancer, and this type of cancer can present with different symptoms whereby the entire breast can present with red inflammation and may also be extremely sore – either to the touch or when left alone. The breast itself may also feel hard to the touch, with the skin sometimes resembling an orange peel due to the fact that the pores stand out where the inflammation occurs.

Also, with regards to the previously mentioned rash, this can sometimes signify another rare form of cancer when the rash presents around the nipple. This form is called Paget’s disease, and the rash is red and scaly and can also itch. On first sight, it may resemble eczema and is, in fact, sometimes at first mistaken for this.

In general terms experiencing breast pain is not something to be overly concerned about, although it may signify some other condition that requires some medical attention. A lot of perfectly healthy women find that their breasts are tender and sore during their period, and this is no further cause for concern or a mark of anything portentous as women can experience sore breasts from time to time without any sinister underlying cause. Most breast pain is not a result of cancer, however some breast cancers can cause pain so it is important to see your GP as soon as possible for a quick diagnosis. As ever, early diagnosis and treatment are the keys to a successful recovery, so medical help should be sought in case of any concerns.

Lung cancer symptoms

The symptoms of lung cancer can be many and various. Around one-fourth of those actually diagnosed with lung cancer present no symptoms at the time of diagnosis. Diagnosis and identification of the cancer normally occurs incidentally when the patient has a chest x-ray for an unrelated reason. The remaining three-fourths do develop certain commonly-known symptoms, and these are a direct result of the effects of the primary tumor as well as the effects of metastatic tumors elsewhere in the body.

Perhaps the most common – and most important – identifying symptom of lung cancer is the cough. It is, however, hard to tell such a cough related to lung cancer apart from a cough related to smoking or with chronic respiratory problems such as COPD, which also is a result of smoking. In the case of a patient with a chronic cough it is important to identify any changes in the pattern of the cough, as this could indicate the potential for lung cancer. Also, a new cough in either a smoker or an ex-smoker should also raise concerns and should be check out by a health care professional as soon as possible. This of also true of any persistent cough that does not get better over the course of time.

Another associated symptom is shortness of breath, and this also can be hard to tell apart from that related to the condition COPD as mentioned above. Again, just as in the case of coughing, any changes in the patient’s patterns of breathing difficulties should raise concerns sufficiently to ensure that a health care professional is consulted.

People should also pay attention to a symptom called hemoptysis, which involves the spitting or coughing up of blood. In the case that this symptom presents itself in someone with a history of smoking the possibility of lung cancer should be highly suspected and work and tests should be undertaken to rule the condition out.

Also, repeated respiratory infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia should be a cause for concern. In fact, in many cases pneumonia is a common way in which lung cancer makes itself known initially as the growing cancerous tumor can cause the airways to become obstructed, resulting in something known as post-operative pneumonia. In such cases it is advisable for patients to obtain repeat chest x-rays in order to ensure that the pneumonia is totally cleared.

Lung cancer may also cause fluid in the lungs if it spreads to either the inner or outer lung coverings, which causes fluid accumulation between the lung and the chest wall. In the event that this occurs the patient may well experience shortness of breath and, in the event that the cancer has entered the chest wall, patients may experience chest pain too. This should cause special red flags to physicians examining patients at high-risk of lung cancer. Patients may also experience bone and joint pain, as a result of tumors in the apex of the lung infiltrating the nearby nervous structures resulting in shoulder or arm pain.

Patients can also see changes in their voice patterns, with constant hoarseness also being a possible symptom as well as having difficulty swallowing. Patients may also experience weight loss, anemia and fatigue.