Leukemia + Original Articles

The Link Between Shift Work and Cancer Risk

Shift work (working during the time when most people are asleep) may increase your risk of cancer learn what you can do about it. Sleep is critical to our overall health and well-being. Prolonged sleep disruptions, such as those that come with working non-daytime hours, prevent the brain from performing important restorative tasks. A number of studies also suggest long-term shift work is associated with a higher risk of certain types of cancer, especially breast cancer.

Does Alcohol Increase Your Risk of Cancer?

Alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for cancer, but the headlines may be a bit misleading. Recent news reports have raised concerns that drinking alcohol increases the risk for melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. Alcohol is a significant risk factor for cancer, but the headlines are a bit misleading. What the research really says about alcohol and cancer risk The study in question reports that people who drink alcohol regularly had a 20 percent higher risk of developing malignant (spreading) melanoma than people who drink occasionally or not at all.

"Cold Caps" May Prevent Hair Loss From Chemo

One of the most psychologically and socially devastating side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. Although not yet FDA-approved, cold caps have helped many women hold onto their locks. Widely used in Europe and Canada, "cold cap therapy," is a treatment that involves cooling the scalp during chemotherapy so that many potent anti-cancer drugs are prevented from getting to the hair follicles and damaging them. Chemotherapy is a major stressor on the body, and hair loss is one of its more visible effects.

Promising New Research on Leukemia and Lymphoma

Scientists are learning much more about leukemia and lymphoma. This is good news for those with either condition. Here's the update. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood tissues, usually the bone marrow. It causes the body to produce large numbers of blood cells, which then enter the blood stream. Lymphomas begin in white blood cells in the immune system. Both cancers can be slow growing (chronic) or fast (acute), and there are many subtypes, depending upon the type of cell in which they originate.

The Facts About Childhood Leukemia

It's a frightening topic. Fortunately, huge strides have been made in treatment, and a majority of cases go into remission. Few diagnoses are as frightening to parents and kids alike as childhood leukemia, or cancer of the blood. In years past, it was usually a fatal diagnosis, but today, most children are cured as modern treatments have changed the outlook for this disease from hopeless to hopeful.

Living With Cancer? 10 Healthy Habits to Follow

Don't let cancer cramp your style. These hints will help you thrive during treatment. When you're facing a serious illness like cancer, taking these healthy steps every day can help you feel more in control, and perhaps even ease your concerns a bit. Here are some practical and emotionally beneficial daily activities to consider: 1. Exercise.

Are You Covered? The Case for Cancer Insurance

Think you're covered in case of cancer? You might need to think again. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year 12.7 million are diagnosed with cancer and 7.6 million people die from the disease worldwide. Cancer can be devastating, not only to the mind and body but to your finances, too: A 2007 study by researchers at Harvard University found that medical expenses were responsible for 62 percent of personal bankruptcies in this country.

The Health Benefits of Milk Thistle Herb

This little-known herb has been used since ancient times to treat liver ailments. Learn more about it. Mother nature may hold the answer to whatever ails you. Take the milk thistle herb, also called Silybum marianum, which people have relied on for centuries to treat liver problems and related symptoms. "There is good scientific evidence of the milk thistle herb's efficacy for conditions such as cirrhosis and chronic liver disease," says James Roza, a certified nutritionist and director of Product Development for Reliance Vitamin Company.

Living With Cancer? How to Help Others Help You

After disclosing your cancer diagnosis, you may find friends and family behaving differently toward you. Here's how to put an end to the awkwardness. As you may have noticed, when you tell someone you, or a close family member, have cancer, they begin to act in a different manner. It's not in your mind. The National Cancer Institute says talking with others about cancer is difficult. Communication can be easier—or harder—depending on the relationship before your illness.

Unexpected Symptoms of Cancer

Even with a lack of pain, cancer can make its presence known in many ways, although some symptoms are a bit vague and ambiguous. When you consider the side effects of cancer, what comes to mind? You probably think about pain and the presence of a noticeable lump (at least for common cancers such as breast or prostate cancer). According to the National Cancer Institute, early cancer does not usually cause pain, which makes it not a very good early warning symptom.

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