Are You Clear on Cancer? A Simple visit to the GP Could Save Your Life…

Cancer is one of the biggest killers in the world, afflicting more than one in three people during their lifetime. Each year a staggering 14.1 million cancer cases are diagnosed around the world, and this is predicted to rise to 24 million by 2035.

However, plenty of evidence exists to show that a patient’s treatment options and chance of recovery is far greater if the cancer is spotted at an early stage. For instance, a person’s chance of surviving from bowel cancer for an additional five years is 90% higher if the cancer is diagnosed early enough, but this rate drops to just 6% at the most advanced stage, and death is likely. A similar pattern holds true for numerous other types of cancer too.

This is where the Department of Health’s Be Clear on Cancer campaign is vital as the initiative looks to increase the UK public’s awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer, in addition to urging people with symptoms to see their doctor at the earliest possible chance to boost the chance of catching cancer early to make a full recovery.

Be Clear on Cancer has been formulated to primarily target the over-50s from lower socio-economic groups, as it is believed this demographic typically delay in seeing the doctor about persistent symptoms. The campaign has focused on a number of things so far, including:  bowel cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, blood in the urine (a key symptom of bladder and kidney cancer), oesophago-gastric and ovarian cancers. There is also a breast cancer campaign aimed specifically at women over the age of 70 and a cancer symptoms campaign called ‘Know 4 sure’.

As highlighted previously, it is imperative to get yourself checked out for diagnosis at the earliest chance, to boost your survival chance. Therefore, it is important to see your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any inexplicable changes to your body. Cancer symptoms can vary depending on where the body they appear, and symptoms that may be similar to cancer usually turn out to be something less serious.  However, if you notice anything unusual, it is still vital to make an appointment to see your doctor.

Most doctors and other health experts generally agree on a number of crucial symptoms to be aware of with regards to cancer. These include:

. A change in your regular bowel habits (i.e. diarrhoea or constipation for no obvious reason, or blood in your stools).
. A cough lasting more than three weeks.
. A mouth or tongue ulcer lasting more than three weeks.
. Blood in your urine.
. Breathlessness.
. Changes in the shape, size or colour of a mole.
. Coughing up blood.
. Inexplicable weight loss or heavy night sweats.
. Regular problems with swallowing and indigestion.
. The appearance of a lump or swelling on your body.


Many people are still unsure why they have developed cancer, and the answer is there are a multitude of factors that can increase your risk. Age is the main risk and unfortunately something we cannot control. Age is a risk factor as cell’s that become cancerous usually take many years to develop.

Moreover, there has to be a number of genetic mutations within a cell for it to become cancerous. Some people are born with one mutation already and although it is not a certainty the person will get cancer, they are statistically more likely to at some point during their lifetime.

Other cancer risks we can control however. For example, smoking is the single biggest cause of lung cancer, responsible for over 8 out of 10 cases (86%) as well as being linked to some cases of lung cancer in non-smokers, due to second-hand smoking (passive smoking). A long-term heavy alcohol intake and prolonged exposure to sunlight are also risks for cancer.

Though evidence is open to debate, it is thought that a diet high in processed meats and red meat can, with insufficient fruit and vegetables, heighten your risk of cancers such as bowel, breast and prostate cancer.

Obesity is yet another high risk, being linked to cancers of the breast, colon and rectum, endometrium (the lining of the uterus), gallbladder, kidney, oesophagus, pancreas, thyroid and maybe even other types of cancer.

Therefore, Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy urge you to be aware of the common symptoms of cancer and do not hesitate to see a GP if you spot any signs of cancer. You are not wasting anyone’s time and you will be able to stop worrying if it is nothing serious. If your doctor believes you might have cancer you will be referred to a specialist, usually within two weeks. Further tests will then be carried out – such as an X-ray or biopsy – and suitable treatment options will be discussed with you.

New cases of cancer now over 14 million

The number of people dying from cancer each year has increased, according to the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

The global death toll went up by 8%, increasing from 7.6 million – calculated in a 2008 survey – to the figure of 8.2 million that was estimated for 2012.

In respect of just actual diagnoses of cancer, this has also increased, with over 14 million being diagnosed with cancer in 2012. This marks a significant increase from the 12.7 million cases that were recorded in 2008.

Last year, an estimated 1.7 million women were given new a new diagnosis of breast cancer, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). This represents an increase in excess of 20% from 2008, with both incidence and mortality going up.

In fact, the disease is now the most prevalent of all cancers in women across 140 countries around the world.

Dr David Forman, from the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, said: “Breast cancer is also a leading cause of cancer death in the less developed countries of the world. This is partly because a shift in lifestyles is causing an increase in incidence, and partly because clinical advances to combat the disease are not reaching women living in these regions.”

IARC’s report, named GLOBOCAN 2012, offers the most recent available statistics for 28 different types of cancer within 184 countries, providing an extensive look into the problem of cancer across the globe.

The report states that the most diagnosed cancers worldwide in both sexes combined are lung, breast and colorectal cancers. The cancers found to commonly result in death are lung, liver and stomach cancers.

Overall, lung cancer – primarily caused as a result of smoking – was found to be the world’s most common cancer. The 1.8 million cases recorded is 13% of the total.

The burgeoning problem of cancer is believed to be linked to a change in lifestyles in the developing nations, shifting more closely towards industrialised countries.

However, the report noted “huge inequalities” between rich and poor countries. For instance, new cases of cancer being higher in developed countries, it is the less developed countries that have much higher death rates. Reasons for this are thought to be due to lack of screening and access to treatment, meaning cancerous tumours often not being found at an early enough stage.

Christopher Wild, IARC’s director, commented: “An urgent need in cancer control today is to develop effective and affordable approaches to the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer among women living in less developed countries.”

Scientific breakthrough in determining early cancer risk

A ground-breaking study could pave the way for the introduction of a quick and simple £5 saliva test to determine a patient’s risk of developing breast or prostate cancer, and it could be available within just five years.

The saliva test would find those who are genetically susceptible to the cancers and lead to thousands of lives saved each year with high-risk patients being monitored and even undergo treatment early enough to stop a cancerous tumour from even beginning to develop.

The research into early cancer prevention was conducted by scientists at the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London and funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the Wellcome Trust.

Researchers studied the DNA extracted from approximately 200,000 people; of which half were suffering from cancer and half were healthy. The massive project spanned four years of thorough genetic analysis by 1,000 scientists and they described their findings as the ‘single biggest leap forward’ in relation to the genetic causes of prostate cancer.

Each person is born with three billion pieces of code comprised of chemical letters: A, C, T and G; known as the ‘genome’ and is passed to us from our parents. A single nucleotide polymorphism is a single letter variation in DNA between people and we can have millions of these variations. Because cancer patients were compared with healthy individuals, scientists were able to see the genetic spelling mistakes that were prominent in the cancer group.

They discovered more than 80 genetic markers which are linked to the risk of somebody developing cancers. There were 49 for breast cancer, 23 for prostate cancer and 11 for ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, scientists were unable to ascertain around 60% of the genetic risk factors for the cancer types they focused, however their findings can still help increase knowledge of the inherited causes of the condition.

Interestingly, for the prostate cancer patients, 18 of the 23 variants were attributed to the most aggressive forms of the disease.

The next step for scientists is to create simple blood or saliva tests that can accurately obtain the future risk breast and prostate cancers. These samples would probably have to be sent off for a lab analysis but the hope is to have results available immediately at the doctors’ surgery.

New medicine for difficult-to-treat cancers could also be produced in addition to a new ovarian cancer test. It is thought that even bowel and lung cancers risks may be found with similar methods.
Dr Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “It can help us identify exactly what is driving different types of cancer, which could enable us to develop new therapeutic approaches.”
He added: “By understanding why some people seem to be at greater risk of developing cancer we can look towards an era where we can take steps to reduce their chances of getting cancer or pick up the disease at its earliest stages. The principle is broad and the potential gains are huge.”

Professor Ros Eeles, from the Institute of Cancer Research, also commented: “These results are the single biggest leap forward in finding the genetic causes of prostate cancer yet made. The work could have a big impact on the number of people dying from the disease, which is still far too high.”

New blood test could provide early diagnosis of cancer

Scientists claimed to have developed a simple blood test, which can accurately detect the early stages of breast and lung cancer in just an hour. Researchers from the Kansas State University developed the test that can detect cancer, even before symptoms like coughing and weight loss start.

The test works by detecting increased enzyme activity in the body. Iron nanoparticles coated with amino acids and a dye, are introduced to small amounts of blood or urine from a patient. The amino acids and dye interact with enzymes in the patient’s urine or blood sample. Each type of cancer produces a specific enzyme pattern, or signature, that can be identified by doctors.

The test was developed by chemistry professor Stefan Bossmann and anatomy professor Deryl Troyer. Professor Troyer said, “Right now the people who could benefit the most are those classified as at risk for cancer, such as heavy smokers and people who have a family history of cancer. The idea is these at risk groups could go to their physician’s office quarterly or once a year, take an easy to do, non invasive test, and be told early on whether cancer has possibly developed.”

The fact that this test specifically tests for lung cancer and breast cancer, is of significant importance. The American Cancer Society estimates about 40,000 breast cancer deaths and 160,000 lung cancer deaths are expected in the United States for 2012. Also as these statistics from Cancer Research UK show below, lung and breast cancer are the two most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide.

The 10 Most Commonly Diagnosed Cancers Worldwide:

• Lung – (13%)
• Breast – (11%)
• Colorectum – (10%)
• Stomach – (8%)
• Prostrate – (7%)
• Liver – (6%)
• Cervix – (4%)
• Oesophagus – (4%)
• Bladder – (3%)
• Non Hodgkin Lymphoma – (3%)

Unfortunately breast and lung cancer also feature in the top 5, for most common causes of death from cancer worldwide. With the exception of breast cancer, most types of cancer can be categorized in 4 stages based on tumour growth and the spread of cancer cells throughout the body. The diagnosis is made in most situations in stage 2 or 3, when the survival rate is lower than stage 1 or 2.  In addition, Bossmann said, “that very few people manage to discover they have cancer in early stages.”

Breast and lung cancer are typically found and diagnosed in stage 2, the stage when people often begin exhibiting symptoms such as pain, fatigue and coughing. Numerous studies show that the earlier cancer is detected, the greater chance a person has against the disease. “The problem, though, is that nobody knows they’re in stage 1. There is often not a red flag to warn that something is wrong. Meanwhile, the person is losing critical time,” said Professor Bossmann.

Researchers evaluated the test’s accuracy on 32 separate participants in various stages of breast or lung cancer. Data was collected from 20 people with breast cancer, ranging in age from 36 to 81 years old and 12 people with lung cancer, ranging in age from 27 to 63 years old.

Twelve people without cancer were also tested as a control group. This group ranged in age from 26 to 62 years old. A blood sample from each participant was tested three times. Analysis of the data showed a 95 percent success rate in detecting cancer in participants.

Bossmann said, “These enzyme patterns can also help distinguish between cancer and an infection or other diseases, which commonly occur in the human body. For example, a person who smokes a lot of cigars may develop an inflammation in their lungs. That will drive up some of the markers in the test but not all of them. Doctors will be able to see whether there was too much smoke inhalation or if there is something more serious going on. False positives are something that we really want to avoid.”

In addition to early detection, the test can be used to monitor cancer and observe the effectiveness of drugs, as a patient is being treated. Similarly, doctors can use the dye in the test to determine if the entirety of a tumour has been successfully removed from a patient after surgery. The researchers have designed a second testing method that is anticipated to produce the same results in about five minutes. Also, researchers want to develop a similar test to detect pancreatic cancer earlier.

Cancer fatalities should drop as fewer people smoke

Just one week ago, Medical Specialists realise we may have painted a fairly gloomy picture of what life could be like in eighteen years’ time, when we reported how some were predicting obesity levels to soar by 2030 in both the UK and U.S.

However, maybe we should turn that frown upside down after all! With the ‘Stoptober’ campaign set to get underway next Monday, Cancer Research UK have released a whole set of estimations for the same year (2030), and they predict that the rates of many different types of cancer are set to decrease by this point. The positive statistics are also for the charities’ ‘Stand Up To Cancer’, a fundraising partnership between Cancer Research UK and Channel 4. The campaign’s finale will be live TV entertainment show to be broadcast on Friday October 19.

They say that more efficient diagnosis for cancers and treatment will result in a reduction in cancer death rates by up to 17% by 2030. Smoking is the cause of many cancers such as throat, lung, mouth, etc., and this harmful lifestyle choice was obviously the basis of their research. A main reason for the predicted 17% drop is because there are now less people smoking than previous years, which could be down to certain adverts depicting images of blackened lungs after the damaging long-term effects of smoking.

In 2010 it was calculated that for every 100,000 of the general population in the UK, 170 people died from cancer. By 2030 this figure is estimated to have dropped by then to 142 for every 100,000. Breast cancer death rates are predicted to decrease by 28%, bowel cancer should drop by 23% and prostate cancer by 16%. However the largest decrease appears to be ovarian cancer, which is forecast to nosedive by an impressive 42.6%.

Interestingly, some cancers could increase by mortality rates. Liver cancer appears to look to be the worst, with death rates expected to rise by 39%. That means there is an incidence increase from 4.2 to 5.9 per 100,000 people. Next is oral cancer, which may rise by 22%.  This is an incidence rise from 2.9 to 3.5 per 100,000 people.

Professor Peter Sasieni, Cancer Research UK epidemiologist at Queen Mary, University of London, spoke on the forecasts for 2030 and said, “Our latest estimations show that for many cancers, adjusting for age, death rates are set to fall dramatically in the coming decades. And what’s really encouraging is that the biggest cancer killers, lung, breast, bowel, and prostate, are part of this falling trend. Because old age is the biggest risk factor for cancer and more people are living longer, they have a greater chance of developing and, unfortunately, dying from the disease. But overall the proportion, or rate, of those who die from cancer is falling.”

Adding to Professor Sasieni’s comments was Dr Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, who said, “These new figures are encouraging and highlight the huge progress we’re making. Research across many areas is having real impact. But we know there’s still so much more to do if we are to reach a day when no one dies prematurely from cancer. We continue to rely on the publics’ generosity to drive progress. This helps us turn discoveries made in our science labs into new treatments and to carry out clinical trials to find the best ways to treat patients. There are more exciting opportunities now to make a step-change than at any other time in history and we must grasp these.”

Many UK women face cancer risk 'due to Obesity'

Nearly fifty percent of women in England are at increased risk of some cancers because of their large waistlines, says a cancer charity.

The World Cancer Research Fund warning is based on data from the Health Survey for England suggesting 44% have a waist size exceeding 31.5 inches (80cm). Research has found that these women are particularly at risk from bowel and breast cancer. A third of men had a larger than recommended waistline.

The Health Survey for England, which monitors trends in the country's health and is commissioned by the Department of Health, was published earlier this month. It contained information and statistics on obesity and raised waist circumference in men and women in England. Previous scientific studies have shown that excess body fat increases cancer risk.

Strong evidence

There is strong evidence that a large waistline is particularly harmful and raises the risk of cancers of the bowel, pancreas, breast (post-menopausal) and womb lining, the World Cancer Research Fund says.

Dr Rachel Thompson, deputy head of science for WCRF, said it was often thought that men were more likely to put on weight on their stomach. "But these statistics show that, actually, women in England are more likely to have a raised waist circumference than men.”This is why it is important that we let women know that this is just as relevant for them, particularly as breast and endometrial cancers account for about a third of newly diagnosed cancers in women," she said. Dr Thompson added: "Over the last few years the evidence has become increasingly strong that excess body fat and particularly fat carried around the middle, is a cancer risk factor."

What treatment is available for Obesity?

So far there are only two treatments that are available in the UK which are Xenical and Alli, both are the same drug Orlistat. Orlistat works in the digestive system in the small intestine as a fat absorber. It blocks out a third of the fat in food eaten in a patient's diet.

Xenical is the stronger of the two medications which is double the strength of Alli which is why it is only available on prescription for people who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 28. To Buy Xenical Online please click the highlighted link

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Alli is available without the need for a prescription and has shown to be able to aid weight loss buy cutting out the fat in a person’s diet. To Buy Alli Online please click the highlighted link