Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Get Help I am a person with lung cancer

If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, CancerCare understands your concerns. You are embarking on a journey that will be guided by you in partnership with your team of health care providers. Here at CancerCare, we believe that the more you understand about your disease—such as learning new terminology and aspects of treatment—will help you communicate with your health care team. Your emotions are also important. Understanding and respecting your emotions, and perhaps sharing them with other lung cancer patients, will help you get through the treatments and some difficult days. CancerCare doesn’t view you as a lung cancer patient, it views you as a person with lung cancer. The disease does not define who you are.

What you will find on this site are practical advice and support, up-to-date medical information on lung cancer, and links to other organizations and web sites that set the standards in their particular area of expertise. Please let us know if there are areas that are not included in this site that you would find useful. You can contact us at info@cancercare.org
Answers for People with Lung Cancer

What services are available to me through lungcancer.org?
Lungcancer.org is a program of CancerCare, a national nonprofit organization that provides free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer: people with cancer, caregivers, children, loved ones, and the bereaved. CancerCare programs - including counseling, education, financial assistance and practical help - are provided by trained oncology social workers and are completely free of charge. The goal of lungcancer.org is to be a source of support and information for lung cancer patients and their loved ones.
Sometimes, I feel so emotional about my cancer diagnosis. Is there anything CancerCare can do to help?
Yes. From our more than 60 years of experience working with people with cancer, we know that counseling (talking to a professional about your concerns) helps. Some people prefer individual counseling with our trained social workers; others find help from our professionally facilitated support groups (face-to-face, online or telephone) to hear how others manage their concerns.
I'm having trouble paying my bills. Can CancerCare help?
We know that cancer is an expensive illness and financial difficulties are not easily solved. CancerCare can give you valuable information about helpful resources, in addition to providing direct financial assistance for people who qualify. View our CancerCare Assist® services.
Where can I learn about my diagnosis, possible side effects and how to make treatment decisions?
To learn more about lung cancer and its treatment, visit our Lung Cancer 101 section. CancerCare offers a range of free educational programs that provide you with reliable information from leading cancer experts. In addition, we've developed a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section.
Can I use your services if I do not live near a CancerCare office?
Yes. All of our services, including support groups, are offered online and by telephone. Also, if you are looking for a specific service in your area, we can often help you find an organization closer to home.
How can CancerCare help my loved ones?
Whatever we do for you, we will do for your loved ones, including your caregiver, family members and friends. That means helping them understand your cancer, putting them in touch with helpful resources, and providing support for their concerns and needs. View the "I am a loved one/friend" FAQ for more information.mesothelioma treatment.
How can CancerCare provide all these services for free?
CancerCare is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and is able to provide free services because of the generosity of many committed donors.

OLIVE OIL AND CANCER

Epidemiological studies suggest that olive oil exerts a protective effect against certain malignant tumours (breast, prostate, endometrium, digestive tract,...)

A number of research studies have documented that olive oil reduces the risk of breast cancer. Eating a healthy diet with olive oil as the main source of fat could considerably lower cancer incidence. The reason is that the cell mutations caused by cancer are partly due to toxins which, when consumed through the diet, attack DNA. On passing through the liver, these toxins produce free radicals that then attack DNA. To combat such free radicals, the body needs vitamins and antioxidants like those contained in olive oil.

It has also been reported that an olive-oil-rich diet is associated with reduced risk of bowel cancer. The protective effect of olive oil is irrespective of the amount of fruit and vegetables eaten in the diet.

Recent studies have demonstrated that olive oil provides protection against cancer of the colon. Lately, research has been looking into the metabolic implications of fats, more specifically the protective role of olive in chronic liver disease and in the disorder of the intestines known as Crohn's disease. Results point to beneficial effects of olive oil on pre-cancerous lesions. After analysing three types of diet, research scientists arrived at various conclusions. The olive oil diet reduced the number of cancerous lesions; the number of tumours that developed was clearly and significantly low; and the tumours were less aggressive and had a better prognosis.

This beneficial effect could be related to oleic acid, the predominant monounsaturated fatty acid in olive oil. It has been observed that this fatty acid lowers the production of prostaglandins derived from arachidonic acid, which in turn plays a significant part in the production and development of tumours.

However, it is not excluded that other constituents of olive oil, such as antioxidants, flavonoids, polyphenols and squalene may also have a positive influence. Squalene is believed to have a favourable effect on the skin by reducing the incidence of melanomas.

Olive oil also adds to the taste of vegetables and pulses whose benefits in cancer prevention have been amply proved.

Some very promising, current research is centred on the protection provided by olive oil against child leukaemia and various cancers, such as oesophageal squamous cell cancer.

Various research studies have reported a close relationship between diet and blood pressure. Certain foods can raise blood pressure besides having an effect on body weight.

Cancer is one of the chief causes of death in the developed countries, and its incidence is on the increase.

It is now conceded that there is a relationship between diet and the development of a large number of malignant tumours. Cell oxidation is one of the major risks in the formation of cancer:the more susceptible the cell is to oxygen, the greater the risk of cancer.

The types of cancer most closely associated with diet are colon-rectal, prostate and breast cancer.

Recent research has revealed that the type of fat seems to have more implications for cancer incidence than the quantity of fat.

WHAT IS CANCER?

A tumour is an abnormal swelling or enlargement of a part of body tissue. Tumours may be benign or malignant.

Benign tumours are tumours whose cells remain at their original site. They form a localised cell mass which, when it grows, encapsulates and very rarely causes death.

Malignant or cancerous tumours, on the other hand, invade the tissue where they grow. Often they pass into the bloodstream and the lymphatic system, forming secondary tumours at other sites known as metastases. The speed of growth and metastasis varies according to the type of tumour.

Various environmental factors (physical factors: radiation; chemical factors: certain constituents of foods) and genetic factors are at play in the formation of tumours. In most types of cancer, environmental factors are most important.
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