Ovarian cancer Whispers …

… so listen… Watch for Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort; vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, and indigestion; frequency and / or urgency of urination in the absence of an infection; unexplained weight gain or weight loss; pelvic and / or abdominal swelling, bloating and / or feeling of fullness; ongoing unusual fatigue; or unexplained changes in bowel habits… If symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, ask your doctor for a combination pelvic / rectal exam, CA-125 blood test, and transvaginal ultrasound. A Pap Test WILL NOT detect ovarian cancer.

Let’s shout, yell, cry, scream, bellow, screech, bawl, holler and roar until everyone knows its name…

Genes May Dictate Response to Stress

By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay News) — Whether or not you have one or another variant of a particular gene could determine your response to life’s ups and downs, a new study finds.

A U.S. team has found a variant of the serotonin transporter gene that may predispose individuals to depression in stressful circumstances.

But the opposite also held true: People without the variant almost seemed to thrive on stress.

The study seemed to confirm previous research and may have added “one more piece of the puzzle,” said Dr. Jay Gingrich, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York City.

He was not involved in the research, which is published in this week’s issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

While there’s been ample clinical data to suggest that certain gene variants predispose a person to depression, this is the first human brain-imaging study supporting that theory, according to lead researcher Turhan Canli, an assistant professor of psychology at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, N.Y.

“There has been clinical evidence to suggest an association, but it hasn’t been described at the level of neurosystems,” he explained. “The question was whether we could find evidence for that interaction in the brain as well.”

Prior brain-imaging studies had found that certain areas of the brain are activated when depression or stress is present.

For this study, Canli and his colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure blood flow in these brain regions in 48 healthy adult volunteers. None of the participants had been diagnosed with any mood disorder, including depression.

Participants were asked to report on any life stresses, including legal or health problems, and childhood stressors.

The amygdala region of the brain, which has been implicated in depression and anxiety, was overactivated in people with the “short” version of the gene and with high levels of life stress, the Stony Brook team reported.

These individuals also showed higher levels of “rumination” (brooding or obsessive thinking), a risk factor for depression.

“Greater life stress seems to increase the level of activation in these brain regions,” Canli said.

Interestingly, the opposite was true for others.

“Surprisingly, for the other group of people with a different genetic background, stress is associated with less [amygdala] activation,” Canli added.

“It’s not just that they are not showing the effect of the other genotype. They are actually showing exactly the opposite pattern,” he explained. “These are people to whom the phrase, ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’ might actually apply.”

At this point, the study raises at least as many questions as it answers.

Canli is currently hunting funds to follow a larger sample of people to see if people with the shorter variant and more life stresses go on to develop depression.

Another direction would be to see if one’s genotype influences decisions about seeking out a more or less stressful life.

“I would think that if you happen to have the short [variant], and you do find yourself not responding well to stressful experiences, you would tend to shy away from them as much as you can,” Canli said. “It would interesting to see whether there’s a difference there in terms of control over life experiences.”

More information

For more on depression, visit the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.

Via

http://www.livescience.com/healthday/535397.html

Therapy may cut lung cancer risk

Smoking raises the risk of lung cancer

Treatment with a derivative of vitamin A called retinoic acid may help to cut former smokers’ risk of lung cancer, research suggests. It is suspected that lung cells damaged during years of smoking may continue to grow and evolve into cancer even after that person has quit.

Scientists found the therapy reduced growth among those lung cells.

The University of Texas study is published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

These early results are intriguing, but much more work is needed before we know for sure whether these chemicals could prevent or slow lung cancer growth Josephine Querido Cancer Research UK

Tobacco smoking accounts for 90% of the attributable risk for lung cancer, but the risk of the disease remains elevated for many years after people give up and never decreases to the level of that for non-smokers.

Nearly half of newly-diagnosed lung cancers occur in former smokers.

The researchers, from the university’s MD Anderson Cancer Center, work focused on 225 people who were once heavy smokers, but who had quit the habit.

The volunteers either received a three-month treatment combining a form of retinoic acid with vitamin E; a different form of retinoic acid in isolation; or a placebo.

Tissue samples

The researchers examined samples of lung tissue taken from all the volunteers before and after treatment.

They measured proliferation of the cells by recording levels of a tell-tale chemical “biomarker” called Ki-67.

Both treatments reduced cell proliferation in one layer of the lung cells - the parabasal layer.

But the researchers were surprised that neither reduced cell growth in a second, the basal layer.

They say more work will be needed to tease out the exact effects of retinoic acid treatment.

But writing in the journal, they said decreased proliferation of lung cells should slow tumour development by reducing the number of cells in which things could go wrong, and minimising the potential for uncontrolled cell growth.

Dr Eva Szabo, of the US National Cancer Institute, agreed that more research was needed before the therapy could be tested in more advanced clinical trials.

She said: “We do not have a full understanding of the effects of these agents on [lung cells] or their effects during the full spectrum of carcinogenesis.”

Josephine Querido, of the charity Cancer Research UK, said: “The effect of vitamin derivatives and supplements on lung cancer is unclear - so giving up smoking is by far the best way for smokers to reduce their risk of the disease.

“These early results are intriguing, but much more work is needed before we know for sure whether these chemicals could prevent, or slow, lung cancer growth.”

Clock change may cause tiredness

Even a small change can damage sleep routines, says Dr Stanley

Many people use the clocks going back to gain an extra hour in bed - but a sleep expert says the change can actually leave people tired. Even such small changes, said Dr Neil Stanley, can disrupt sleep routines and cause semisomnia - low grade exhaustion caused by inadequate rest.

He estimated that it could take three days to fully adjust to the change.

The Norfolk and Norwich Hospital expert said people should set aside time to wind down before going to bed.

“People may feel relaxed and refreshed as they wake up this morning after an extra hour in bed, but it will actually take three days for their body to catch up with this one-hour time shift.

The key to getting a good night’s sleep lies in winding down effectively before bedtime Dr Neil Stanley, sleep expert

“With more than 30m people up and down the country suffering from ’semisomnia’, it’s very important for them to realise just how much of a toll daylight saving takes on their body,” he said.

Dr Stanley, in a report commissioned for drinks company Horlicks, suggests that the best way for Britons to help their bodies cope with the impact of daylight savings is to set some extra time aside to relax before bedtime during the next three days.

He said: “The key to getting a good night’s sleep lies in winding down effectively before bedtime, but six out of 10 people are failing to do this regularly and are suffering as a result.

“People need to prepare for sleep in the same way they warm up before exercise.

“This is particularly important in light of the clocks going back, but I hope people will seize the opportunity to adopt new habits and start a permanent new wind-down routine.”

Patient awake during brain op

John James lay on the operating table, a hole in his head and a nurse showing him flashcards.

The Canberra man had the unique experience of being awake while neurosurgeons drained the blood out of a potentially fatal aneurysm that had formed in a vein inside his brain.

As surgeons probed the 1.5cm hole they had cut through his skull, Mr James read words and numbers on the flashcards aloud to let them know the risky operation was not damaging his vision or thinking.

The retired bus driver today said it was a strange feeling listing to doctors speaking during the operation.

“The nurses looking after me, they were talking to me,” he said.

“I could only see bits because I couldn’t move my head at all.”

“I wasn’t worried whatsoever … I was quite confident all the way through.”

The medical team believe his operation was a world first, based on the combination of the high technology equipment used, the tiny “keyhole” incision they made and the fact Mr James was conscious throughout the procedure.

“As far as I’m aware reading the literature, this kind of thing done as a package has never been done before,” Canberra Hospital neurosurgeon Dr Vini Khurana said.

“So we were pleased, the result was obviously very good.”

Mr James, who turned 78 two weeks ago, went to the doctor complaining of blackouts and problems with his vision.

Scans found an abnormal tangle of veins and arteries in his brain that had formed the aneurysm, similar to a blister.

Surgery was urgent because the particular type of venous aneurysm was “very prone to haemorrhage”, Dr Khurana said, which is often fatal.

But the location of the aneurysm just behind Mr James’ right eye meant it would be risky, and removing it could have cut off the blood flow to his eye, sending him blind.

“That’s why we wanted Mr James to be awake during that portion of the procedure,” Dr Khurana said.

“We wanted to be sure that in disconnecting this high-flow structure we didn’t in any way impair his vision.

“An error in that circumstance could be fatal.”

The surgeons rehearsed the procedure using virtual reality software that created a 3D image of Mr James’ brain.

Using tools just 1.5 mm thick, they cut through the leathery covering of the brain, teased the aneurysm free, and used a titanium clip to drain the blood out.

During the April 26 procedure, Dr Khurana could see a three-dimensional MRI scan of Mr James’ brain projected onto the right hand side of his eyepiece.

Mistakes during Ramadaan

Too much stress on food and drink

For some people, the entire month of Ramadaan revolves around food. They spend the ENTIRE day planning, cooking, shopping and thinking about only food, instead of concentrating on Salaah, Qur’aan and other acts of worship. All they can think of is FOOD. So much so that they turn the month of ‘fasting’ into the month of ‘feasting’.
Come Iftaar time, their table is a sight to see, with the multitudes and varieties of food, sweets and drinks. They are missing the very purpose of fasting, and thus, increase in their greed and desires instead of learning to control them. It is also a kind of waste & extravagance. “and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allaah) likes not Al-Musrifoon (those who waste by extravagance)” [al-A'raaf :31]

Spending all day cooking
Some of the sisters (either by their own choice or forced by their husbands) are cooking ALL day and ALL night, so that by the end of the day, they are too tired to even pray Ishaa, let alone pray Taraweeh, Tahajjud or read Quraan, etc.

Eating too much
Some people stuff themselves at Suhoor until they are ready to burst, because they think this is the way to not feel hungry during the day and some people eat at Iftaar, like there is no tomorrow, trying to ‘make up for the food missed.’ However, this is completely against the Sunnah. Moderation is the key to everything.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach; for the son of Adam a few mouthfuls are sufficient to keep his back straight. If you must fill it, then one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for air.” (Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani).

Too much food distracts a person from many deeds of obedience and worship, makes him lazy and also makes the heart heedless. It was said to Imam Ahmad: Does a man find any softness and humility in his heart when he is full? He said, I do not think so.

Sleeping all day
Some people spend their entire day (or a major part of it) ’sleeping away their fast’. Is this what is really required of us during this noble month? These people also are missing the purpose of fasting and are slaves to their desires of comfort and ease. They cannot ‘bear’ to be awake and face a little hunger or exert a little self-control.
For a fasting person to spend most of the day asleep is nothing but, negligence on his part.

Wasting time
Other people waste away their day playing video games, or worse still, watching TV, movies or even listening to music. Subhaan Allaah! Trying to obey Allaah by DISOBEYING him!

Fasting but not giving up evil
Some of us fast but do not give up lying, cursing, fighting, backbiting, etc. and some of us fast but do not give up cheating, stealing, dealing in haraam, buying lotto tickets, selling alcohol, fornication, etc. and we think we are sooooo good.
The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, and ignorance, Allaah has no need of him giving up his food and drink.” (Bukhaari)

Smoking
Smoking is forbidden in Islam whether during Ramadaan or outside of it, as it is one of al-Khabaa’ith (evil things).(This includes ALL eg. cigars, cigarettes, pipes,’Sheesha’ ,etc.)
“he allows them as lawful At Tayyibaat (all good and lawful things), and prohibits them as unlawful Al Khabaa’ith (all evil and unlawful things) [al-A'raaf :157]

It is harmful, not only to the one smoking, but also to the ones around him. It is also a means of wasting ones wealth.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “There should be no harming or reciprocating harm.”
This is especially true during fasting and it invalidates the fast. (Fatwa -Ibn ‘Uthaymeen)

Skipping Suhoor
The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Eat suhoor for in suhoor there is blessing.”(Bukhaari, Muslim).
And he (pbuh) said: “The thing that differentiates between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is eating suhoor.” (Muslim)

Stopping Suhoor at ‘Imsaak’Some people stop eating Suhoor 10-15 minutes earlier than the time of Fajr to observe ‘Imsaak’. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: This is a kind of bid’ah (innovation) which has no basis in the Sunnah. Rather the Sunnah is to do the opposite. Allaah allows us to eat until dawn:
“and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night)” [al-Baqarah 2:187]
And the Prophet (pbuh) said: “….eat and drink until you hear the adhaan of Ibn Umm Maktoom, for he does not give the adhaan until dawn comes.”

This ‘imsaak’ which some of the people do is an addition to that which Allaah has enjoined, so it is false. It is a kind of extremism in religion, and the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed.” (Muslim)

Not fasting if they missed Suhoor - Very Important
Some people are too scared to fast if they miss Suhoor. However, this is a kind of cowardice and love of ease. What is the big deal if you missed a few morsels of food? It’s not like you will die. Remember, obedience to Allaah overcomes everything.
Saying the intention to fast ‘out loud’ or saying a specific dua to start fasting
The intention is an action of the heart. The Muslim should resolve in his heart that he is going to fast tomorrow. It is not prescribed for him by the Shari’ah to say out loud, “I intend to fast”, “I will fast tomorrow” or other phrases that have been innovated by some people. All he needs to do is to resolve in his heart that he is going to fast tomorrow.

Also, there is no specific dua to be recited at the time of starting the fast in the correct Sunnah. Whatever ‘dua’ you may see on some papers or Ramadaan calendars is a Bid’ah.

Delaying breaking fast
Some people wait until the adhaan finishes or even several minutes after that, just to be ‘on the safe side’. However, the Sunnah is to hasten to break the fast, which means breaking fast right after the sun has set.

Aa’ishah said: This is what the Messenger of Allaah (pbuh) used to do. (Muslim)
The Prophet (pbuh) said: “The people will continue to do well so long as they hasten to break the fast.” (Bukhaari, Muslim)

Determine to the best of your ability, the accuracy of your clock, calendar, etc. and then have tawakkul on Allaah and break your fast exactly on time.

Missing the golden chance of having your Dua accepted
The prayer of the fasting person is guaranteed to be accepted at the time of breaking fast.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Three prayers are not rejected: the prayer of a father, the prayer of a fasting person, and the prayer of a traveler.” (al-Bayhaqi, saheeh by al-Albaani).

Instead of sitting down and making Dua at this precious time, some people forego this beautiful chance, and are too busy talking, setting the food, filling their plates and glasses, etc. Food is more important to them than the chance to have their sins forgiven or the fulfillment of their Duas.

Fasting but not praying
The fasting of one who does not pray WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. This is because not praying constitutes kufr as the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Between a man and shirk and kufr there stands his giving up prayer.” (Muslim)

In fact, NONE of his good deeds will be accepted; rather, they are all annulled.
“Whoever does not pray ‘Asr, his good deeds will be annulled.” (Bukhaari)

Fasting and not wearing Hijaab
Not wearing the Hijaab is a major sin as it is obligatory for Muslim women. (Surah Nur, Surah Ahzaab). So fasting and not wearing hijaab certainly takes away enormously from the rewards of fasting, even if does not invalidate it.

Not fasting because of exams or work
Exams or work is NOT one of the excuses allowed by the Shari’ah to not fast. You can do your studying and revision at night if it is too hard to do that during the day. Also remember that pleasing and obeying Allaah is much more important than ‘good grades’.

Mixing fasting and dieting
DO NOT make the mistake of fasting with the intention to diet. That is one of the biggest mistakes some of us make (esp. sisters). Fasting is an act of worship and can only be for the sake of Allah alone. Mixing it with the intention of dieting is a form of Shirk.

Fighting over the number of Raka’ah of Taraweeh
There is no specific number of rak’ahs for Taraweeh prayer, rather it is permissible to do a little or a lot. Both 8 and 20 are okay.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “No one should be denounced for praying eleven or twenty-three (raka’ah), because the matter is broader in scope than that, praise be to Allaah.”

Praying ONLY on the night of the 27th
Some people pray ONLY on the 27th to seek Lailat ul-Qadr, neglecting all other odd nights, although the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Seek Lailat ul-Qadr among the odd numbered nights of the last ten nights of Ramadaan.” (Bukhaari, Muslim).

 

 Via a forwarded Email

Chemo best for child brain cancer

Radiotherapy can have dangerous side-effects in the brain

Using chemotherapy instead of radiotherapy in children with brain tumours reduces the risk of long-term brain damage, say UK researchers. Radiotherapy was thought to offer the best chance of survival for such tumours, despite a likelihood of future learning difficulties.

But a decade-long Lancet Oncology study in young children found safer chemotherapy is as good a treatment.

Children under three are particularly vulnerable to radiation side-effects.

A total of 89 children aged under three years who had been diagnosed with a type of rare brain cancer called an ependymoma all underwent surgery to try and remove their tumours.

It’s clear from this study that a significant proportion of children can be spared, or have delayed, the effects of radiotherapy by using chemotherapy Professor Richard Grundy, study leader

They were then given an intensive course of chemotherapy “the baby brain protocol” to kill off any remaining cancer cells.

Radiation treatment was reserved only for those children whose disease had spread or progressed.

But of these patients, the chemotherapy treatment managed to delay their need for radiotherapy by more than one and a half years, so the children were older and their brains were more developed.

Overall, 42% of the patients did not receive any radiation treatment for their cancer and almost two-thirds of the children - 64% - were still alive five years after diagnosis - similar if not better rate than with radiotherapy alone.

Side-effects

Around 350 children under the age of 15 are diagnosed with brain cancer each year in the UK, say Cancer Research UK who funded the research.

Around a tenth of these cases are ependymomas - equating to around 35 cases each year - half of which occur in children under the age of four.

Study leader Professor Richard Grundy, professor of paediatric neurooncology at the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre, the University of Nottingham, explained that radiotherapy in young brains could cause short-term memory loss and reduced IQ.

“We know radiotherapy can be harmful to the developing brain, so avoiding it or using it at an older age if needed will hopefully reduce any learning difficulties these children may develop as a result of this treatment without compromising their chance of a cure.”

Dr Judith Kingston, paediatric oncologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital said they were now trying the treatment in other brain tumours.

“It’s becoming standard in the UK to treat young children in this way.”

Amanda Froggatt, aged 16, was just two when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Amanda was two when diagnosed and is now a healthy teenager

Her mum Diane is incredibly grateful that Amanda was able to take part in the trial.

“There was no need to have radiotherapy because there has been no change since the chemotherapy.

“She had mild learning difficulties but they’re very mild and we don’t know if it was because of any treatment or just one of those things.

“But with radiotherapy kids can have really bad problems.”

Despite suffering a stroke due to the surgery she had to undergo, Amanda, who lives in Mansfield, is now a happy healthy teenager and about to start a foundation studies course at a local college.

“If she hadn’t been able to have the chemotherapy she wouldn’t be here now.”

Via BBC Health

Healthy weight link to longevity

Being overweight can lead to high blood insulin levels

Keeping a healthy weight may help people live longer by limiting brain exposure to insulin, say US scientists. A study in mice found that reducing insulin signals inside brain cells increased lifespan.

Writing in Science, the researchers said a healthy lifestyle and weight reduce insulin levels in humans and may have the same effect.

Experts said, if proven, insulin would be just one of many factors, such as genes, that influence longevity.

Our findings put a mechanism behind what your mother told when you were growing up - eat a good diet and exercise and it will keep you healthy Dr Morris White

Previous research in fruit flies and roundworms has suggested that reducing the activity of the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels, can increase lifespan.

The latest study looked at the effects of a protein, IRS2, which carries the insulin signal in the brain.

Mice who had half the amount of the protein lived 18% longer than normal mice.

Despite being overweight and having high levels of insulin, the mice were more active as they aged, and their glucose metabolism resembled that of younger mice.

The researchers said the engineered mice were living longer because the diseases that kill them, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, were being postponed due to reduced insulin signalling in the brain, even though circulating levels of insulin were high.

They said, in the future, it may be possible to design drugs to reduce IRS2 activity to reproduce the same effect, although they would have to be specific to the brain.

Weighty problem

Study leader Dr Morris White, an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, said the simplest way to encourage longevity was to limit insulin levels by exercising and eating a healthy diet.

He said: “Our findings put a mechanism behind what your mother told when you were growing up - eat a good diet and exercise, and it will keep you healthy.

“Diet, exercise and lower weight keep your peripheral tissues sensitive to insulin.

“That reduces the amount and duration of insulin secretion needed to keep your glucose under control when you eat.

“Therefore, the brain is exposed to less insulin.”

This is an interesting study as the work done on mice could suggest that insulin is playing a role in the ageing process Diabetes UK

His team is now planning to look at possible links between IRS2 signalling and dementia, which research has shown is associated with obesity and high insulin levels.

Matt Hunt, science information manager at Diabetes UK, said: “This is an interesting study as the work done on mice could suggest that insulin is playing a role in the ageing process.

“Nevertheless, we are looking at numerous and extremely complex gene interactions in the brain and this research doesn’t yet explain how this mechanism might be working.”

He said that human longevity had been steadily increasing, despite rising levels of obesity and diabetes suggesting that insulin levels in the brain would be only one of many factors involved.

“We welcome the fact that this study supports our key message of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.”

Via BBC Health