AtoZ Diseases

What is this condition?

This type of cancer attacks the esophagus - the canal extending from the throat to the stomach. The tumor is usually infiltrating. There’s no known cure yet.
What causes it?

The cause is unknown, but predisposing factors include chronic irritation caused by heavy smoking and excessive alcohol use, stasis-induced inflammation, and nutritional deficiency
What are its symptoms?

Swallowing difficulty and weight loss are the most common initial symptoms. Swallowing difficulty is mild and intermittent at first bur soon becomes constant. Pain, hoarseness, coughing, and esophageal obstruction follow. Physical wasting and malnutrition may develop.
How is it diagnosed?

X-rays of the esophagus, with barium swallow and motility studies, reveal structural and filling defects and reduced peristalsis. An endoscopic examination of the esophagus, biopsies, and cytologic tests confirm esophageal tumors.
How Esophageal Cancer is treated?

Whenever possible, treatment includes surgical removal of the tumor to maintain a passageway for food. This may require radical surgery. Some people can undergo only palliative surgery, which relieves some symptoms but doesn’t cure the disease. Other therapies may consist of radiation, chemotherapy with cisplatin, or insertion of prosthetic tubes to bridge the tumor and alleviate swallowing difficulty. Treatment complications may be severe.

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What is this condition?

Kaposi’s sarcoma is a type of cancer affecting the walls of certain lymphatic cells. Until the 1980s, doctors viewed it as a rare sarcoma (soft­tissue cancer) of the blood vessels, occurring mostly in elderly Italian and Jewish men. But the incidence of Kaposi’s sarcoma has risen dramatically along with the incidence of AIDS. Currently, it’s the most common AIDS-related cancer.

Kaposi’s sarcoma causes both structural and functional damage. When associated with AIDS, it has an aggressive course, involving the lymph nodes, internal organs, and possibly the digestive tract.

What causes Kaposi’s Sarcoma?

The exact cause of Kaposi’s sarcoma is unknown, but the disease may be related to suppression of the immune system. Genetic or hereditary predisposition is also suspected.

What are its symptoms?

The first sign of Kaposi’s sarcoma is one or more obvious skin lesions. These lesions vary in shape and size, and their color may range from red-brown to dark purple. They are most common on the skin, inside of the cheek or mouth, lips, gums, tongue, tonsils, eyes, and eyelids. Besides the skin, Kaposi’s sarcoma may affect the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and other areas.

When the disease advances, the lesions may join, becoming one large plaque, or patch. Untreated lesions may look like large, craterlike masses. Other signs and symptoms include:

• pain (if the sarcoma advances beyond the early stages or if a lesion breaks down or presses on nerves or organs)
• swelling caused by clogged lymphatic channels
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing (if the disease affects respiratory structures), wheezing, slow and shallow breathing, and respiratory distress
• digestive problems.

How is it diagnosed?

The doctor performs a tissue biopsy (removal and analysis of tissue from the lesion) to identity the type and stage of the lesion. Then the person may undergo a computed tomography scan (commonly called a CAT scan) to detect and evaluate possible disease spread.

How is it treated?

Treatment isn’t indicated for all cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma. But if the disease is progressing quickly and the lesions are cosmetically offensive or painful or if they’re blocking vital functions, the person should get treatment.

Treatment options include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and biotherapy (administration of drugs called biological response modifiers). Radiation therapy eases symptoms, including pain from obstructing lesions in the mouth, throat, arms, or legs and swelling caused by lymphatic blockage. It may also be used to improve the person’s appearance.

Chemotherapy includes combinations of the drugs doxorubicin, vinblastine, vincristine, and etoposide (VP-16).

Biotherapy with interferon alfa-2b may be prescribed for AIDS­related Kaposi’s sarcoma. This treatment reduces the number of skin lesions but isn’t effective in advanced disease.

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What is this condition?

This cancer attacks the ovaries, the organs in women that produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone. There are three main types of ovarian cancer: primary epithelial tumors (accounting for 90% of all ovarian cancers), germ cell tumors, and sex cord (stromal) tumors.

Prognosis depends on the type of cancer cell and the disease stage. Unfortunately, there are few early warning signs and the disease is often advanced by the time it’s diagnosed. About 40% of women with ovarian cancer survive for 5 years.

What causes it?

The exact cause of ovarian cancer isn’t known. Risk factors include a family history of ovarian, breast, or uterine cancer; infertility; celibacy; exposure to asbestos, talc, or industrial pollutants; and a high-fat diet.

Ovarian cancer spreads rapidly throughout the abdominal cavity and, occasionally, through the lymphatic system and the blood­stream. Generally, when it spreads outside the abdomen, it enters the chest cavity, where it may cause abnormal fluid buildup in the lungs. Spread to other sites is rare.

The symptoms or warning signs of ovarian cancer

Typically ovarian cancer smptoms vary with tumor size. Some women with early­stage disease experience vague stomach upset. As the cancer develops, symptoms become more distinct, including frequent urination, constipation, pelvic discomfort, and weight loss. In advanced disease fluid builds up in the abdomen. If the tumor ruptures or becomes twisted or infected, it may cause pain. In young women, this pain may be mistaken for appendicitis. Some older women experience postmenopausal bleeding and pain.

Some types of tumors cause feminizing effects, such as bleeding between periods in premenopausal women; other types cause masculinizing effects, such as developing masculine secondary sex characteristics. Ovarian cancer that has spread to other sites may cause different symptoms.

How is it diagnosed?

The doctor performs a pelvic exam and takes a complete history. Before surgery, the doctor will take a Pap smear (although this is positive in few women with ovarian cancer) and will order many different diagnostic tests. For example, a woman may undergo abdominal ultrasound, a computed tomography scan (commonly called a CAT scan), or X-rays. A test called lymphangiography (a special X-ray of the lymphatic system) helps to investigate lymph node involvement. Mammography may be used to rule out primary breast cancer.

Usually, a surgeon performs exploratory surgery, taking cell and tissue samples for analysis.

How is it treated?

Treatment involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and, in rare cases, radiation therapy - depending on the woman’s age and the disease stage. In most cases, treatment is aggressive: the surgeon removes the uterus, both fallopian tubes, both ovaries, the omentum (part of the abdominal wall lining), and the appendix. If the tumor has matted around other organs or spread to other vital organs, complete removal of the tumor is impossible.

In rare instances, for example - a young woman with an encapsulated tumor in one ovary - the surgeon may elect to remove only the diseased ovary.

Chemotherapy can prolong life in most women with ovarian cancer, but in those with advanced disease, it can only relieve symptoms. However, prolonged remissions are being achieved in some women.

Radiation therapy is generally not used for ovarian cancer because it depresses the bone marrow, which could make chemotherapy less effective. Radioisotopes have been used as secondary therapy, but they can cause intestinal problems such as blockages.

Intravenous administration of drugs called biological response modifiers - interleukin-2, interferon, and monoclonal antibodies - is currently being investigated.

What can a woman with ovarian cancer do?

If you are premenopausal and must have both ovaries removed, be aware that you’ll have an early menopause and may experience hot flashes, headaches, palpitations, insomnia, depression, and excessive perspiration.

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What do Doctors call this Condition? - Basal Cell Epithelioma

What is this Condition?

Basal cell cancer is a slow-growing destructive skin tumor. This cancer usually occurs in people over age 40. It’s more prevalent in blond, fair­skinned men. In fact, it’s the most common malignant tumor in whites.

What Causes it?

Prolonged sun exposure is the most common cause of basal cell cancer. Other possible causes include arsenic ingestion, radiation exposure, burns, immunosuppression and, rarely, vaccinations.

Although it’s not well known how basal cell cancers develop, some experts suspect they originate when, under certain conditions, undifferentiated skin basal cells become cancerous instead of differentiating into sweat glands, sebum, and hair.

What are its Symptoms?

Symptoms vary, depending on which of the three types of basal cell cancer is involved. In one type, lesions develop on the face, particularly the forehead, eyelid margins, and around the nose. The lesions are initially small, smooth, and translucent, later becoming enlarged and ulcerated. In a second type, irregularly shaped, lightly pigmented plaques with clearly defined borders develop on the chest and back. The third type forms indistinct waxy, yellow to white plaques on the head and neck.

How is it Diagnosed?

All types of basal cell cancer are diagnosed by clinical appearance, biopsy, and cell microstructure studies.

How is it Treated?

Treatment depends on the size, location, and depth of the lesion as well as the individual’s age and health. Therapy may involve one or more of the following:

• curettage and electrodesiccation, if the cancer is small
• chemotherapy, if the cancer is superficial
• microscopically controlled surgery to carefully remove layers of skin until a tumor-free layer is reached
• radiation therapy, for less accessible tumors or if the individual is older or physically unable to endure surgery
• cryotherapy, which freezes and kills cancerous cells
• chemosurgery, if lesions are persistent or recurrent.

What can a person with Basal Cell Cancer do?

If you have basal cell cancer, here are some steps you can take to ease its symptoms and help prevent a recurrence:

• If the cancer has invaded the mouth and caused eating problems, substitute egg nog, pureed foods, or liquid protein supplements for solid foods to keep up your nutrition.
• To relieve local inflammation from chemotherapy, use cool compresses or a steroid ointment prescribed by your doctor.
• If you have facial lesions, wash your face gently when ulcers and crusting occur because scrubbing too vigorously may cause bleeding.
• Avoid excessive sun exposure to prevent recurring episodes.

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