Physical exercises linked to lower risk for seven cancers:

U.S investigators have found that leisure-time physical activity was linked to a lower risk for seven cancers, with multiple cancer types having a "dose/response" relation.

The study published in this week's Journal of Clinical Oncology showed that certain amounts of activity (7.5 to 15 metabolic equivalent hours per week) was associated with a statistically significant lower risk of seven of the 15 cancer types, with the reduction increasing with more exercises.

A metabolic equivalent or MET is the ratio of the rate of energy expended during an activity to the rate of energy expended at rest. For example, if a person does a two MET activity for two hour, he or she has done four MET hour of physical activity.

Researchers from the U.S. National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society and Harvard University pooled data from nine prospective cohorts with self-reported leisure-time physical activity and follow-up for cancer incidence.

They found that physical activity was linked with a lower risk of colon cancer in men (8 percent for 7.5 MET hours/week; 14 percent for 15 MET hours/week), female breast cancer (6 percent-10 percent), endometrial cancer (10 percent-18 percent), kidney cancer (11 percent-17 percent), myeloma (14 percent-19 percent), liver cancer (18 percent-27 percent), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (11 percent-18 percent in women).

The findings provided direct quantitative support for the levels of activity recommended for cancer prevention and actionable evidence for ongoing and future cancer prevention efforts, according to the researchers. 

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Gene discovery may lead to new treatments for osteoarthritis

Scientists have uncovered 52 new genetic changes linked to osteoarthritis which they say may help develop new treatments for the disabling condition. An international team of scientists analysed the genomes of over 77,000 people with osteoarthritis.

The findings, revealed new genes and biological pathways linked to osteoarthritis, which doubles the number of genetic regions associated with the disease.

They could also help identify starting points for new medicines and highlight opportunities for existing medicines to be evaluated in osteoarthritis, researchers said.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease in which a person's joints become damaged, stop moving freely and become painful. There is no disease-modifying treatment for osteoarthritis.

The disease is managed with pain relief medications and often culminates in joint replacement surgery, which has variable outcomes.

"Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of chronic disability worldwide and this study represents the largest genetic epidemiological study to date in our attempts to understand what makes one person more likely to develop the disease than another," said  a professor.

"As well as looking at inherited factors that underpin disease susceptibility, we also looked at how genes link together to form pathways that underpin disease biology," the Prof. said.

"This helps us to identify key points towards which we could target the development of new treatments for the disease. Here we show data to support the repurposing of existing treatments, some drugs that are already in development, and also novel avenues for drug exploration," he said.

To uncover the genetics underpinning osteoarthritis, scientists analysed the whole genomes of over 77,000 people with osteoarthritis and over 370,000 healthy people.

The team studied many different types of osteoarthritis, including in knee and hip joints.

"We found over 50 new genetic changes that increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis. This is a major step forward in developing treatments to help the millions of people suffering from the disease," the Prof. said.

In order to discover which genes cause osteoarthritis, the team incorporated additional functional genomic data and analysed gene activity by measuring gene expression down to the protein level.

The team integrated genetic and proteomic data on tissue taken from patients undergoing joint replacement surgery. By incorporating many different data sets, scientists were able to identify which genes were likely to be causal for osteoarthritis.

Ten of the genes were highlighted as targets of existing drugs, which are either in clinical development or approved for use against osteoarthritis and other diseases.

These include the drugs INVOSSA, which is registered for knee osteoarthritis, and LCL-161, a drug in clinical development for the treatment of breast cancer, leukemia and myeloma.

The team suggest that the ten drugs highlighted would be good candidates for testing in osteoarthritis.

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New Drug Offers Hope for Bone Marrow Cancer Patients

A therapeutic drug has been found to improve outcomes and survival rates for patients with a serious type of bone marrow cancer.

In a clinical trial by researchers, patients with newly diagnosed myeloma were treated with a drug called lenalidomide.

The results showed an improvement for those who received lenalidomide drug, compared to those not receiving it.

This is a major breakthrough as it shows that the long-term use of lenalidomide significantly improves the time myeloma patients stay in remission after initial therapy. 

Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells and it can affect several areas of the body, such as the spine, skull, pelvis and ribs. Current treatment usually involves chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant.

It is a huge step and, importantly, identifies that for younger patients lenalidomide improves their overall survival for this difficult-to-treat bone marrow cancer. Our research highlights that lenalidomide should be considered for newly diagnosed patients following stem-cell transplantation. 

As part of the study, a total of 1,137 newly diagnosed patients were randomly assigned to lenalidomide maintenance therapy and 834 patients to observation - this was after they completed their initial treatment.

The results show that lenalidomide can prolong the average remission time by more than two years in younger patients and by well over a year in older, less fit patients.

It reduced the risk of progression or death by more than 50 per cent in both groups.

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Diagnosis Of Blodd Cancer

If your doctor thinks you might have blood cancer, there are tests that can help her find out for sure. You may need to have more than one to know what’s going on.

Blood Tests

Complete blood count: This test measures the WBC, RBC, and other things that make up your blood. If the test finds any variation from the normal count, that can be a sign of a problem.

Blood smear: If the above test doesn’t give clear results or your doctor thinks your body isn’t making blood cells the way it should,then the Dr. may recommend this test. It tells whether the blood cells look normal and if you’ve got the right amount of them.

Blood chemistry: This is to measures blood sugar, cholesterol, proteins, hormones, and other things in your blood. This tells about your overall health and can show problems is any. For example, certain proteins can show how big tumors are and how fast they’re growing.

White cell differential: This is to measures the different kinds of white cells in your blood. The results help show how well your body can fight infection. They also can show signs of some types of blood cancers, like leukemia, and tell how advanced they are.

FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization): This focuses on blood cancer cells and the genetic blueprint that guides their growth is changing. The results will help the doctor know if you’re getting the right treatment.

Flow cytometry: If too many white cells in your blood test, this can tell if cancer is the reason for that. The test measures the number of WBC and notes their size, shape, and other traits.

Immunophenotyping: This can tell the difference between the types of cancer cells., and help the doctor figure out the best treatment for you.

Karyotype test: This test notes the changes in the size, shape, number, or arrangement in blood or bone marrow cells, to help the doctor plan your treatment.

Polymerase chain reaction: This can spot markers of cancer. It is more effective and can show what other test may have missed and let  your doctor know how well your treatment is working.

Bone Marrow Tests

Your bones are hard on the outside, but they’re more like sponge in the middle- the marrow, and it’s where your red blood cells and white blood cells are made.
Some illnesses show up there before they do in your blood. Your doctor may need to find out if a disease is attacking your bone marrow.
Your doctor probably will take a small amount of marrow from your hip.For this, the Dr. either numbs the area or gives you medicine to make you feel drowsy. Then the Dr. may do one of the following, which the Dr. feels, will give the better result. 

Bone marrow aspiration: The Dr. will use a hollow needle to take out a little of the fluid from your bone marrow. 
Bone marrow biopsy:The Dr. will use a slightly larger needle to take out a piece of the solid part of the marrow.

This can be done in a clinic or in the hospital, as it is a short procedure. The samples are sent to a lab to analyse if the bone marrow is producing healthy cells or not. The test can reveal at what stage your disease is, note if the treatment is effective.

Lymph Node Biopsy

Blood cancer may affect part of your immune system known as lymphatic system. The lymphatic system runs throughout your body, and our  body has hundreds of them, and they have white blood cells to help fight infections and illnesses.

The experts may want to take out part or all of a node to look for cancer. This is known as a lymph node biopsy.

When the experts see the extracted lymph node, they can look for cancer tumors, masses that aren’t cancerous, or infections. That can tell them whether you have lymphoma, a kind of cancer that attacks the lymphatic system.

Imaging Tests

Chest X-rays: These can help your doctor spot a tumor, an infection, or a large lymph node.

CT (computed tomography) scan: This scan machine takes X-rays from different angles and put them together to make a more complete picture. That can show large lymph nodes, and other organ abnormalities, or help your doctor see if cancer has returned after treatment.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan: This uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures of your organs, blood vessels, or bones. It can help your doctor spot tumors or look for changes in your bones that signal a type of blood cancer called myeloma. 

PET (positron emission tomography) scan: This uses a radioactive form of sugar to show your metabolism at work. It can tell your doctor if you have lymphoma or other cancers and also if your cancer has returned.

Spinal Tap- lumbar puncture

This test looks at a sample of the fluid around your brain and spinal cord. It can tell your doctor if the fluid has any blood cancer cells.

Urine Test

This measures proteins, blood cells, and other substances in your urine. Chemicals in your blood often end up in your urine after your kidneys filter them out.

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Guide to Blood Cancers

What Are They?

Your blood is a mix of fluid and different kinds of cells and proteins. Red blood cells carry oxygen, and white blood cells fight disease. Tiny cell fragments called platelets help your blood clot to patch up a cut. Some types of cancer affect the parts of your body that make these things, including leukemia, lymphomas, and myelomas. More than 171,000 people were expected to be diagnosed with blood cancers in 2016.

Who’s More Likely to Get Them?

Doctors don’t know what causes them, but some things can raise your chances of getting one. These include having a family member who’s had one, being around certain chemicals (like benzene, found in gasoline and other fuels), or being exposed to high levels of radiation. In some cases, people who are HIV-positive or have AIDS, or have had the Epstein-Barr virus, may be more likely to get certain types of blood cancer.

Lymphoma

Your body has a network called the lymphatic system, which helps you fight off infection. It includes organs all over your body called lymph nodes -- that filter out bacteria and viruses -- and white blood cells called lymphocytes. Cancers that attack the lymphatic system are known as lymphomas.They’re the most common kind of blood cancer. Because your lymphatic system runs throughout your body, this type can start almost anywhere.

Types of Lymphoma

There are two kinds -- Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's -- and they both happen in a similar way. Your body makes lymphocytes that don’t work the way they should, and they clump together to form tumors. They can crowd out healthy white blood cells so they can’t help you fight off disease.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma

The difference between the two types of lymphoma is in the lymphocyte that’s involved. With Hodgkin's lymphoma, your body makes a kind called Reed-Sternberg cells. About 12% of people who have lymphoma have this type, which is named for the doctor who identified it in 1832. It’s one of the most curable forms of cancer.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

If it doesn’t involve Reed-Sternberg cells, it’s called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This is the most common form of lymphoma -- more than 30 types of cancer fall into this category. Some kinds grow slowly, while others grow very fast and can spread to other parts of your body. These need to be treated right away and can be hard to cure.

Lymphoma Symptoms and Diagnosis

The most common signs are swollen lymph nodes, fever, unexplained weight loss, and feeling tired. You also might:

• Sweat at night
• Cough
• Have pain in your chest or belly
• Not feel hungry
• Have an enlarged spleen or liver

If your doctor thinks you have lymphoma, she’ll probably want to take a small sample of one of your lymph nodes. From the sample, she'll be able to tell if you have cancer and, if so, what kind.

Leukemia

This type of cancer affects your blood and bone marrow -- spongy tissue inside your bones where blood cells are made. Like lymphoma, it causes your body to make many white blood cells that don’t work right and keep healthy ones from fighting infection. But leukemia also keeps your bone marrow from making red blood cells and platelets the way it should. It’s the most common type of cancer in children, but adults can get it, too.

Leukemia Symptoms

This type of blood cancer can make you feel like you have the flu. You might have a fever, feel weak or sweaty, and have aches in your joints. You also might have:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Unexplained weight loss
• Bleeding or swollen gums

Other symptoms can include getting infections often, bruising easily, and anemia, which is when your body doesn’t make enough red blood cells.

Leukemia Diagnosis

Your doctor can test your blood and see if you have more white blood cells than normal or low numbers of red blood cells or platelets -- both can be signs of leukemia. She also might want to take a sample of your bone marrow (called a biopsy) to look for cancer cells. She’ll give you medicine to numb the area, then put a needle into a large bone to take out a small amount to have tested.

Myeloma

This type of blood cancer affects white blood cells called plasma cells. They make proteins called antibodies that attack bacteria and viruses in your body. If you have myeloma, your body turns out lots of problem plasma cells that make a protein that doesn’t help fight infections. These proteins can build up in your bone marrow and damage your kidneys, or in your bones and make them weak.

Myeloma Symptoms and Diagnosis

You may not notice symptoms early on, but the first sign is typically bone pain, usually in your back or ribs. You also may feel weak, get infections often, be very thirsty and need to pee more, be constipated, or have numb hands or feet. If your doctor thinks you might have myeloma, you’ll have blood tests to check for high levels of certain proteins, a bone marrow biopsy to look for cancer cells, and scans to see if your bones are thin or fractured.

Treatment: Radiation and Chemotherapy

Blood cancer treatments usually involve chemotherapy or radiation -- or a combination of the two -- to kill the cancer cells. Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to target the cells, while radiation uses high-energy rays to attack them. These can also damage healthy cells, cause side effects like nausea and hair loss, and make you more likely to get an infection. 

Treatment: Stem Cell Transplant

If other treatments don't work or your doctor thinks your cancer may come back, she might recommend this. Stem cells can become different types of cells, so the idea is to replace problem stem cells with ones that will become healthy blood or immune cells. You’ll have chemotherapy or radiation to kill problem cells, then you’ll get donated stem cells. It works like a blood transfusion -- the cells go through a tube into a large blood vessel.

Look Ahead

Research is under way to boost your chances of beating all kinds of blood cancer. Talk with your doctor about clinical trials that might be right for you. These trials test new drugs to see if they’re safe and if they work. They often are a way to try new medicine that isn't available to everyone.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                      PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/   

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