Why chemo works for some people and not others

MIT researchers have shown that cells from different people don't all react the same way when exposed to the same DNA-damaging agent — a finding that could help clinicians predict how patients will respond to chemotherapy.
The research team from MIT's Center for Environmental Health Sciences (CEHS) and the Departments of Biological Engineering and Biology, identified a group of 48 genes that can predict how susceptible an individual is to the toxic compound, known as MNNG. The work appears in the Sept. 19 online edition of Genes and Development.

MNNG, a DNA-damaging compound similar to toxic chemicals found in tobacco smoke and in common chemotherapy agents, usually kills cells by inducing irreparable DNA damage. However, the researchers found a wide range of susceptibility among cells taken from healthy people.

"A cell line from one person would be killed dramatically, while that from another person was resistant to exposure," said Rebecca Fry, former MIT research scientist and lead author of the paper. "It wasn't known that cell lines from different people could have such dramatic differences in responses."

Toxic agents such as MNNG create lesions in DNA, provoking the cell to defend itself with a variety of DNA-repair and other pathways. However, every individual expresses slight differences in the genes involved in those pathways.

"Even if everyone is exposed to exactly the same things, they would respond differently, because we're all genetically different," said Leona Samson, senior author of the paper, director of CEHS, and an American Cancer Society Research Professor.

The team members found that after measuring the expression of every gene in each cell line, they could predict cell sensitivity to MNNG from the expression of just 48 specific genes, with 94 percent accuracy.

Several of those 48 genes have already been linked to cancer, said Samson, but it was not known that their expression is already altered before exposure to the DNA damaging agent.


Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Soy Can Help Prevent Cancer

Recent studies have shown that eating soy products has helped protect Asian women against certain types of cancer. Scientists at the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee conducted a study of 120 Asian women. Results produced more evidence that a long-term diet rich in soy can be linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer - as much as a 50 percent in some cases - according to research presented in Honolulu in December during the 2000 International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies. 

The soybean is used in foods and beverages, including tofu, miso, soymilk, soy coffee, butter, veggie burgers, crackers, cookies and flour. Low in cholesterol and high in isoflavones, the benefits of the soybean are many. Start adding some to your diet today. Better yet, start your babies on it early and continue as a lifelong commitment to healthy eating.

source : health-fitness-tips.com

Tips On…Prostate Cancer Screening

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced only by the prostate gland. The amount of PSA produced by a man's prostate gland can be helpful in detecting and monitoring prostate cancer.

PSA can be measured with a simple blood test. It is an important breakthrough because prostate cancer is usually silent in early stages. The PSA blood test indicates whether the amount of PSA is within the normal range.

There is some controversy about the value of the PSA blood test and whether it should be done routinely for men over a certain age. However, the American Cancer Society recommends that all men begin having annual prostate cancer screenings at age 50, a rectal exam and a serum PSA level. If you are at increased risk for prostate cancer, discuss when to begin screening with your health care professional.


source : Sisters of Mercy Health System

Tips On...Pap Smear

Most women should get a Pap smear every one to three years. Your health care provider will recommend how often you should be tested based on your risk factors for cervical cancer.
Your health care provider may not recommend continuing Pap smears beyond age 65 if previous Pap smears were consistently normal. However, an annual exam continues to be important for other health reasons, including early detection of breast and vulvar cancer.

Preparation
• Do not douche or use vaginal creams during the two days before the test 
• Do not have intercourse within 24 hours of the Pap smear, because it can cause inaccurate test results. 
• A Pap smear takes only a few seconds and is performed as part of a routine pelvic examination. A Pap test is not 100 percent accurate. You may want to talk to your provider about the results.

Results
• If the cells look normal, no treatment is necessary. 
• The Pap test may show that you have an infection. Your health care provider may treat you for the infection and suggest that you have another Pap test in several months. 
• If the cells look abnormal, more tests may be necessary. Discuss with your provider when you should return for a follow-up exam. 

Benefits
Pap smears can detect precancerous conditions. If these conditions are discovered, there is a good chance that simple treatment will prevent the development of cancer. Pap smears are also useful for detecting some types of cervical or vaginal infections.


source : Sisters of Mercy Health System

Tips On…Skin Cancer: How to Protect Yourself

Each year an estimated 1.2 million cases of skin cancer are reported. But most of these cases are curable with early detection and proper treatment.
• Try to stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.
• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays and has a SPF of 15 or greater.
• Wear protective, tightly woven clothing.
• Self-examination of the entire body using a full-length mirror in a brightly lit room is the best way to discover any signs of skin cancer that may require a physician’s attention.
See your doctor if you notice any suspicious marks or changes in your skin.


source : Sisters of Mercy Health System

Tips On…Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (Colorectal Cancer)

The American Cancer Society recommends three tests as valuable aids in detecting colon and rectal cancer early in people without symptoms:
• A physician should perform a digital rectal exam during an office visit every year after age 50
• Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) is recommended every year after age 50. One of the earliest signs of colorectal cancer is often occult (hidden) blood in the stool.
• Screening sigmoidoscopy every three to five years after age 50. This is an exam of the rectum and lower colon using a sigmoidoscope. The physician looks through a thin, lighted tube to check for polyps, tumors or other abnormalities.

Preventive Measures
• Decrease fat in the diet
• Increase fiber (bulk) in diet, such as whole grains, bran, fresh fruits and vegetables
• Yearly physical exam by your physician.


source : Sisters of Mercy Health System

Tips On…Mammogram

Mammograms help doctors diagnose various disorders of the breast. Most commonly, it helps find breast cancer at an early stage. One out of every eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. The smaller and the more localized the cancer at the time of diagnosis and treatment, the greater the likelihood of a cure. The mammogram allows the detection of some types of breast cancer one to two years before a doctor or patient could feel it by physical examination. There is a better chance of curing the cancer if it is found at an early stage.

Mammograms help save lives. Ask your doctor if mammograms are recommended for you.

Consider Notifying a Physician if You:

• Notice a change in your breasts
  
• Find a lump during a self-exam
  
• Have nipple discharge
  
• Notice skin changes on your breasts.
  

source : Sisters of Mercy Health System

Tips On…Prostate Health

Prostate Health is Key for Men

If you’re a man, chances are that you’ll eventually have some form of problem with your prostate gland. More than half of men over age 60 develop an enlarged prostate, a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. In addition, the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 184,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. Thankfully, a variety of treatment and prevention options are now available to combat prostate problems.

Regular Testing is Important

Both BPH and prostate cancer can have similar symptoms, so consult your physician if you suffer from any of the problems associated with BPH.

A basic screening known as the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test can detect prostate cancer in its early stages, often before symptoms even arise. The American Cancer Society recommends that men age 50 and older have an annual PSA blood test as well as a digital rectal exam, another test that can detect prostate cancer. Men in a higher risk group (see following list) should follow their physician’s recommendation for frequency of testing.


source : Sisters of Mercy Health System

Tips On…Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer often has no symptoms. When there are symptoms, they can be similar to the symptoms of noncancerous growth of the prostate (benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH, which can occur as men age). The symptoms of a tumor in the prostate are also often the same as the symptoms of an infection of the prostate or other blockage. Possible symptoms are:

• The need to urinate frequently and with urgency
  
• Difficulty beginning a stream of urine
  
• Decreased force in the stream of urine
  
• Increased need to urinate at night
  
• Inability to urinate
  
• Bone pain or back pain if the cancer has spread.
  

Have regular checkups with your doctor. Rectal exams of the prostate can be embarrassing and slightly uncomfortable, but it is important for men to have one every year. The yearly rectal exam also screens for cancers of the colon and rectum.


source : Sisters of Mercy Health System

Tips On…Breast Cancer

Remember to follow the American Cancer Society’s three-step process for early detection of breast cancer. First, have a mammogram every year beginning at age 40. Second, see your health care professional for regular examinations. Third, do your own breast self-exam each month.


source : Sisters of Mercy Health System

10 Summer Beauty Tips

by Janice Wee

Drink plenty of water to reduce the risk of heat stroke. Start the day with at least 1 large glass of water. Drink another large glass of water before stepping outdoors. It would help you hydrate your skin from within.

Think SPF. Go for a sunblock. Use a lotion over your face and body with at least SPF 15 to ward off the skin cancer inducing UV rays. Use it liberally and reapply frequently. Besides increasing the risk of skin cancer, exposure to the sun's UV rays damages your skin and causes premature aging. Hence the best anti-aging skin care involves the use of a sunblock.

Protect your eyes with large sunglasses. Sun exposure increases the risk of cataracts so put on those shades.

When it comes to makeup, go light. Switch from a foundation to a tinted moisturizer.

Lighten your skin care in summer. This is the time when your skin gets oilier and more pimple prone. You might want to switch to skin care products that are water-based instead.

Think color. Line your eyes with a bright colored eyeshadow like violet or turquoise. For more glamour, try colored mascara in the same shade if possible.

Wear a hat to protect your hair and for more shade from the blazing summer sun.

During the day, use a colored lip gloss instead of lipstick for kissable lips that are more casual.

For night, line and color your lips with lip liner. Then go over your colored lips with a lip gloss. This would outlast your usual lipstick, and is perfect for summer.

Arm yourself with a tube of aloe vera gel. It is wonderful for healing sunburns. On top of that, it is a great oil-free moisturizer for face and body.





Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/authors/183/Janice-Wee

Janice Wee is the webmaster of http://www.getyouthful.com where you can find more anti aging tips and ways to look young in spite of your age.