Hope For Cancer

What is the Pancreas?
The pancreas is a digestive organ attached to the small intestine. It literally means “all meat” since it looks like a piece of beef. It is about 4 inches long, and has a thicker “head” portion near where it connects to the small intestine, and a thinner “tail” which meets the spleen. The area between the head and tail is called the “body” of the pan-creas.

The pancreas assists digestion in two ways. The first is it’s“endocrine” activity which means that it makeshormones secreted into the bloodstream. A hormone is a chemical messenger which controls some activity distantly from where it is secreted. The most important hormones of the pancreas areinsulin andglucagon. Insulin lowers the blood sugar by causing the body’s cells to uptake sugar from the bloodstream. It also allows the sugars to be stored and turned into fats. A lack of insulin, or the body’s cells being insensitive to it, leads to high blood sugar (“diabetes”). Chronically high blood sugar damages the kidneys, nerves and eyes (“triopathy”). Glucagon has just the opposite effect, it causes sugars to be released into the bloodstream from the cells to raise the blood sugar, and breaks down fat to be used for energy. This is crucial to prevent the blood sugar from becoming to low, since the brain is dependent upon sugar to remain conscious. Thus, both high blood sugar (“hyperglycemia”) and low blood sugar (“hypoglycemia”) are harmful, and should be immediately corrected by a properly functioning pancreas.

Secondly, the pancreas has “exocrine” activity meaning that it makes substances which are excreteddirectly into the small intestine, through the “pancreatic duct”. This duct meets with the common bile duct from the gallbladder, which also excretes important substances to assist digestion by breaking down (“emulsifying”) fats. The area where these ducts meet is called the “Ampulla of Vater”. Exocrine substances from the pancreas includeenzymes, such as amylase and lipase, which break down complex sugars and fats into simpler forms allowing them to be easily digested. It also makesbicarbonate to help neutralize the hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach. All these chemicals are essential for digestion, both within the intestines and even within all the body’s billions of cells. A person cannot live without these activities, either from the pancreas itself or by giving replacement drugs. Fortunately, we are now able to replace enough of the pancreas’ function to keep a person alive without a pancreas!

Since the pancreas is a major digestive organ, it has a very important place in the central upper portion of the abdomen, surrounded by the stomach, liver, spleen and small intestine. It receives blood from a major arterial trunk (“celiac”) off of the body’s main artery, the aorta. It shares both its blood supply and it’s venous drainage with the small intestine, liver and spleen. Also, a separate system of tiny “lymph channels”drain blood serum from the pancreas, filtering it in nearby “lymph nodes” to purify it. Lymph nodes contain clusters of white blood cells to kill germs. The lymph nodes are connected to each other via elaborate channels, which ultimately return the purified serum to the bloodstream. Lymph nodes are normally pea-sized, but can swell up (“lymphadenopathy”) when exposed to germs or cancer cells. The pancreas can becomes inflamed from backup of it’s products owing to duct blockage by a bile-stone (“gallstone ileus”), by viruses or bacteria, or by excessive alcoholic beverage consumption. To say the pancreas is inflamed does not specify it’s cause, but is generally called “pancreatitis” . Both acute and chronic forms of pancreatis exist, and the disease is made known by abdominal pain, digestive problems, and failure of the pancreas to perform its exocrine and endocrine functions. Pancreatitis is the most common problem with the organ. More rarely, the pancreas can be afflicted by cancer.

What is Pancreas Cancer?

Like all organs, the pancreas is made up of individual living cells. These cells are joined to form the “tissues” of the pancreas. There are several different types of cells in the pancreas to accomplish it’s functions. The these cells divided rapidly while the pancreas was growing in the womb, childhood and through puberty. As adults, they only divide rarely to replace old, dying cells or injured ones. Cell division is normally under very tight control by the genetic material (“genes”) inside each cell. Pancreas cancer begins in a single cell. A change occurs in the genes of this cell, which loses it’s controls to prevent haphazard division. The abnormal cell starts dividing rapidly, makes millions and billions of copies of itself. Soon a clump of abnormal cells is produced, called a“tumor”. A tumor simply means a swelling, and isnot necessarily cancerous. When the cells in the tumor just grow in their local area, and don’t ever spread elsewhere, then the tumor is “benign”. However, when the tumor’s cells, which are dividing out of control, have the capacity to spread to distant body areas, this is a“malignant” whichis cancer . Malignant tumors can spread to any area of the body, the process of distant spread is called metastasis. The cancer at first grows in it’s local area and interferes with the pancreas’ functions. When cancer metastasizes, it can grow in vital organs, cause symptoms there, and eventually kill the patient.

How Common is Pancreas Cancer?

There were about 27,500 new cases of Pancreas Cancer in the U.S.A. in 1996, and 26,000 deaths. It is the 2nd most common gastrointestinal cancer after colo-rectal cancer. Pancreas cancer accounts for 2% of the new cancers each year in the U.S.A. and 5% of cancer deaths. Men and Women are equally affected, and the average patient is 65 years old. It is rare (<1%) in patients under 45 years old. Black individuals are affected almost twice as commonly as Whites. The number of new patients per year in the U.S.A. has remained steady over the past 25 years.

What Causes or Increases the Risk for Pancreas Cancer?

No one knows why any particular person gets pancreas cancer and another does not. However, certain things have been shown to increase the risk of getting it:

1. Cigarette smoking is a factor in over 1/2 of deaths from pancreas cancer. The risk gradually returns to normal after quitting smoking for 5 years.
2.Alcoholism can cause pancreatitis ( inflammation) which is strongly connected to pancreas cancer.
3.Chronic Inflammation of the pancreas from any source, including a blocked pancreatic duct, hereditary pancreatitis, or viruses increase cancer risk.
4. Carcinogens are chemicals that increase cancer risk. Workers in coke plants or those exposure to naptha or benzene get more pancreas cancer. The DDT pesticide is linked to a 7 times increase in pancreas cancer risk.
5. Diet is linked to many gastrointestinal cancers. High fat, low fiber diets may increase risk of pancreas cancer. Caffeine has not been proven to increase risk.
6.Diabetes is weakly linked to pancreas cancer, but pancreas cancer can also cause diabetes.
7. Surgery which has removed part or all of the stomach (“gastrectomy”) raises the risk of pancreas cancer by 5 times over the following 20 years.

** Pancreas Cancer is not normally hereditary and is not contagious .

As you can see, something that most of the above “risk factors” have in common is that they stimulate the growth of pancreas cells through irritation or injury. The more often cells divide, the higher the chance that amistake will occur in their genetic code (a “gene mutation”) leading to a “transformed” cell which is cancerous.

Can Pancreas Cancer Be Prevented?

While pancreas cancer cannot be entirely prevented, the risk to get it may be lowered by avoiding cigarettes, using alcohol only in moderation, and lowering dietary fat. There is some evidence that vitamins“A” and“E”, found in fresh vegetables and fruits, lowers the risk for all “gastro-intestinal” cancers. Interestingly, getting one’s tonsils removed (“tonsillectomy”) appears protective against pancreas cancer.

What are the Symptoms of Pancreas Cancer?

The symptoms of pancreas cancer depend upon where the pancreas it starts. In the tail of the pancreas, the tumor can grow very large with no symptoms at all until it spreads. In the “head” of the pancreas, closer to the small intestine, it is usual to see
some jaundice (below) as the cancer closes off bile ducts. The most common symptoms for cancer in the head or body include:

1. Weight loss and decreased appetitein 3/4 of patients.
2. Abdominal pain in 2/3 of patients. This pain is gnawing, and may be relieved by leaning forward. In general, it radiates to the patient’s back.
3. Jaundice means a yellowing of the whites of the eyes, then the skin, caused by backup of bile into the bloodstream. The gall bladder and the pancreas empty into the same area of the small intestine, so a pancreas tumor can block-up the bile drainage and force it to backwash into the blood. The yellow-green bile causes the yellowing of the patient, in 1/2 of these cancer patients.
4. Bleeding into the intestines is seen in about 1/3 of patients. This may be seen as thick, tarry stools (also see below), since blood released into the upper intestine will appear black (“melena”) by the time it passes through the anus.
5. Itching (“pruritis”) especially in the palms and soles shows advanced cancer. The pruritis usually goes along with jaundice, from buildup of blood “bilirubin”.
6.Diabetes is caused by loss of the pancreas’ ability to secrete insulin.
7. Loose, smelly stools (“steatorrhea”) is caused by loss of the pancreas’ ability to excrete the enzymes (amylase and lipase) necessary for proper digestion.
8.Liver Symptoms (right upper abdomen pain) from liver spread and swelling it.
9.Hoarsenes s is found in one-quarter of patients.
10. Paraneoplastic syndromes means unusual conditions caused by the cancer releasing (or causing to be released) chemicals. For instance, skin color may start darkening, fat in the body decomposing or shifting location, blood clots may form, new hair may develop, are arthritis may set in – all due to cancer.
11. Depression, unexplained for other reasons, may herald pancreas cancer. It is critical for a psychiatrist to realize that new onset depression, especially in the older patient, may presage cancer.

Any of the above symptoms are much more likely to represent a benign condition than pancreas cancer. Nevertheless, they should not be ignored but brought to medical attention - if it is cancer, then early detection is crucial .

The pancreas is a digestive organ located in the upper abdomen, it is necessary for both maintaining proper blood sugar and proper digestion of food. When the pancreas develops cancer, it is critical to get the proper treatment to have the best chance for survival. Once pancreas cancer was considered uniformly fatal, but recent research offers new hope for cure and comfort for those stricken.

It is important to be knowledgable to make the right choices for the pancreas cancer patient. Making the right choice can literally mean the difference between life and death. You deserve the peace-of-mind knowing that you have done everything possible to help fight pancreas cancer successfully.

Internal cancers, like pancreas cancer and mesothelioma, are often hard to diagnose since they cannot be easily seen. Find a mesothelioma law firm if you think you’ve been affected by asbestos or anotherenvironmental toxin, and you may be entitled to a mesothelioma settlement.

CancerAnswers’s materials explain, in plain English, the definition, frequency, risk factors, symptoms, evaluation, historic treatment and latest effective treatment and results. We describe surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. We tell you everything you need to know to help make the right choices today in dealing with a pancreas cancer problem.

This is just an excerpt from our Complete Cancer Treatment Transcript. Much more, including latest treatments, can be sent to you by email when you order the complete transcript at a nominal cost.

Description of the Normal Ovaries

The ovaries are the two “egg shaped” (“ovoid”) structures which are suspended in the female pelvis. They are normally of a pinkish-grey color, and are land 1/2 inches in length, 3/4 of an inch in width, 1/3 of an inch thick, and weigh 1/4 of an ounce apiece. They are smooth in a youngster, but tend to be puckered and pockmarked in older women. The outer coat of the ovary is a tough glisteny membrane called the “tunica albuginea”. There is one ovary on either side of the uterus (womb), and they connect to the uterus via the fallopian tubes. Along with the lower cervix, vagina and vulva, these “organs” make up the female reproductive system. A “system” is made up of several organs, an “organ” is made up up various tissues, and a “tissue” is made up of many individual “cells”, which are the smallest unit of human life. A network of “ligaments” of connective tissue suspends the ovaries in the pelvis. Specifically, each “broad ligament” helps connect the ovaries to the uterus; the fallopian tubes are embedded in the upper portion of the broad ligament. The “ligament of the ovary” connects the lower portion of the ovaries to the uterus, while the “round ligament” tethers the uterus itself inside the pelvis. Thus the actual position of the ovaries in the female pelvis will vary with the position of the uterus, but normally the ovaries are very close to the inner muscular “pelvic wall”. The upper portions of the ovaries are free of attatchments. The “ampulla” of the fallopian tubes curves around each ovary to receive its contents, but it also can miss allowing an egg, germ or cancer cell to get onto the “peritoneal” membrane lining that surrounds the inner pelvis and abdomen. This is an important “route of spread” for ovarian disease.

The blood supply to the ovaries and fallopian tubes are from a tributary of the great descending “aorta” which emanates from the heart and supplies the entire body below the heart with fresh blood. Specifically, the paired “gonadal” or “ovarian” arteries from the aorta conduct blood to the ovaries to nourish them. The importance of the ovaries is highlighted by the fact that they have their own blood vessels supplying them, in contrast to other pelvic organs which share sub-branches of the aorta. Used blood drains from the ovaries into a network (“plexus”) of veins, called the “pampiniform plexus”, ultimately this collected blood drains back to the heart by way of the large “inferior vena cava” which collects used blood from the lower body. This venous drainage system can act as a route of spread for infection or cancer. When blood goes into the smallest vessels, called “capillaries”, the fluid portion of the blood (“serum”) seeps out to bathe the individual cells with oxygen and nutrients. This fluid is then called “lymph”, and it is recollected by “lymph channels”. The lymph channels conduct the lymph fluid to local “lymph nodes” which abnormally pea-sized glands stuffed with white blood cells. Lymph nodes “filter” the lymph fluid, and the nodes interconnect to send the purified lymph back toward to heart to rejoin the bloodstream. Regarding the ovaries, the lymph drainage occurs along the ligaments and the fluid is processed in “groups” of “regional lymph nodes”. These are named according to the major blood vessels they are near. For the ovary, the regional lymph node groups in the pelvis include the the “iliac’, “hypogastric”, “sacral”, and “obturator” nodes. These are all subgroups of “pelvic” lymph nodes. Drainage of lymph fluid to further regional nodes, including the “inguinal” in the groin and the “Para-aortic” in abdomen can occur. When lymph nodes trap germs or cancer cells, they swell (“lymphadenopathy”). Lymph nodes are considered “enlarged” when they are larger than 1 cm (-1/2 inch) across. The lymph system can act as a conduit for spread of infections or cancer, but conversely it may help limit these processes by trapping and destroying germs or cancer cells.

The ovaries are the female paired reproductive organs (“gonads”) which produce store, and release eggs (“ova”) in anticipation of child-bearing. Each part of the reproductive system has its “counterpart” in the opposite sex– that is what it would have been had the sex been different. The counterpart to the ovaries are the male testicles, to the clitoris is the penis, and to the vulva is the scrotal sac. While in the womb, “hormonal influences” (messenger chemicals) under the control of “genes” within each living “cell” guide the early gonad cells to develop (“differentiate”) into either female or male gonads and genitals. The presence of the male hormone “testosterone” is coded for by the “Y” sex chromosome, and if it is present, testicles, a penis, and a scrotum will form. Conversely, in incipient females only the “X” sex chromosomes are present, meaning ovaries, fallopian tubes, a uterus, cervix, vagina and vulva will develop in the early fetal period. From birth, the ovary contains all of the “eggs” that a female will ever have, usually about 100,000. This is different than the male, who continues to produce new sperm through adult life. The ovary produces hormones (estrogen and progesterone) which are critical in female maturation and fertility. The ovary is composed of several types of cells, each of which can give rise to specific cancers. These cells include the primordial eggs themselves (“oocytes”), the supporting cells which contain them (“epithilial cells”) and hormone-producing cells (“Granulosa” and “Theca” cells). Young women first start their monthly “periods” at “menarche”, which normally occurs around 11 years of age. With each monthly “menstrual cycle” one (or occasionally more) egg(s) are released in anticipation of fertilization. The lining of the uterus (“endometrium”) is built up prior to the egg’s release to form a nourishing surface for combining egg and sperm, and sustaining the resultant “embryo”. If successful fertilization occurs, then the embryo will become a “fetus” after 8 weeks of gestation in the womb, by which time its sex becomes apparent. If no fertilization occurs, then the egg dies, and the inner lining of the uterus sloughs off as a bloody emission called I’menses”. As the ovary ages, it gives up its egg cells during each month’s period or for a pregnancy. By age 50 or so, the ovary runs out of eggs, loses it’s ability to produce hormones, and shrinks (“atrophies”). This process is called “menopause”. Most ovarian cancers occur after the age of menopause.

What is Ovarian Cancer?

The ovary is composed of individual cells, including the eggs (oocytes), supporting cells of the organ (epithelial cells), and hormone-producing cells (granuloma and theca cells). These cells divide to produce new ones, and grow very rapidly during womb life, early childhood and puberty. In adulthood, new cells are produced only to replace those that die of old age, injury or disease. As mentioned, no more egg cells are ever produced after womb life, however other ovarian cells are. Normally, division of cells is under very tight control. This control is exerted by the “genes” inside each cell, which are housed in long clumps forming “chromosomes”, which are visible under a light microscope. The genes themselves are made up of DNA, the master genetic code material. If the genes are damaged, say by chemicals or radiation, the control over cell division may be lost in one particular cell. Ultimately, cancer is considered a disease of the DNA. Ovarian cancer starts in a single cell. That cell starts dividing haphazardly, making millions and billions of copies of itself. It takes up the nourishment needed by other cells, depriving them so the cancer can continue to grow. Quickly growing cells can clump up to form a “tumor”. A tumor simply means a swelling, it can be caused by inflammation or infection. A “benign” tumor only grows in it’s local area (although it may get quite large)– it cannot spread and is not cancer. By contrast, a tumor which can spread to other body areas is called “malignant” and this is cancer. The process of cancer spread to other areas is called “metastasis”, so only malignant tumors (i.e. cancer) can metastasize. Theoretically, cancer can spread to any area of the body, and it often grows better in it’s area of spread than in It’s area of origin (“primary site”). It is this capacity for spread that makes cancer so dangerous. Cancer commonly kills by causing anemia (low red blood cell counts), infection (from poor immune function and low white blood cells counts) and debility (from general malnutrition, dehydration and weakness). With ovarian cancer, a common reason for death is by the tumor pressing on the nearby kidney drainage system leading to kidney failure, called “uremia”. In younger women, most ovarian tumors are benign cysts and are not dangerous. Unfortunately, most ovarian tumors in post-menopausal women are cancerous, and lethal if their growth is not arrested.

How Common Is Ovarian Cancer?

Each year in the U.S.A. there are 23,000 new cases of ovarian cancer causing 13,000 deaths. It is the 4th most common lethal cancer in women. The annual number of cases has increased 10% over the past 25 years. Some of this increase is due to better detection and recognition of ovarian cancer. About 1 woman in 70 will develop ovarian cancer, and the average patient is 60 years old. It is more common in industrialized countries, and very rare in children.

What Causes or Increases the Risk for Ovarian Cancer?

Like any cancer, the exact reason why one woman gets ovarian cancer and another does not remains unknown. However, several “risk factors” have been noted.

While most ovarian cancers are aggressive, and historically were very lethal, new research provides better hope than ever before for ovarian cancer patients. Commonly, patients first get diagnosed with advanced disease, since early disease rarely produces symptoms.It is crucial to understand your treatment options for ovarian cancer, selecting the proper treatment can literally make the difference between life and death. It is important to have the peace-of-mind of knowing you have done everything possible to fight this cancer successfully.

CancerAnswers’s materials explains the definition, types, frequency, symptoms, evaluation, historic and latest effective treatment for ovarian cancer. We describe surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormones. We tell you everything you must know to help you make the right choices today for an ovarian cancer problem.

This is just an excerpt from our Complete Cancer Treatment Transcript. Much more, including latest treatments, can be sent to you by email when you order the complete transcript at a nominal cost.

What is the Nasopharynx ?

The nasopharynx is located behind the nose and is the upper part of the throat (also called the pharynx). The pharynx is a muscular tube about 5 inches long. It starts behind the nose and goes down to the neck to become part of the tube that divides to become the become the esophagus (toward the stomach) and the trachea (toward the lungs). The upper 2/3 of the pharynx has an inner lining, or “mucosa” of a special type of cell, called “squamous ” cells. 90% of cancers are“squamous cell carcinomas”, while the remaining 5% are melanomas, lymphomas, and sarcomas. Air and food pass through the pharynx on the way to the windpipe (trachea) or the esophagus. The nostrils in the nose lead into the nasopharynx.

Two openings on the side of the nasopharynx lead into the ear, and so pain in the nasopharynx may radiate toward the ears. The top of the nasopharynx is called the “cribriform plate”, which is a sieve-like structure that transmits the nerves for smell to the brain. The back of the nasopharynx is next to the “cavernous sinus”, an area close to the brain through which important blood vessels and nerves travel. Thus, problems in the nasopharynx can damage these nerves (which emanate from the brain and are called “cranial nerves”) leading to eye or facial paralysis or blood distribution problems in the brain. The nose is in front of the nasopharynx and the throat is downward. The most dangerous places for the cancer to grow are upward and backward, that is into the brain. People usually go for long periods before the cancer is diagnosed, since many symptoms are much more often due to non-cancerous causes.

What is the average age of patients with head and neck cancers?

The average age is 59 years old. Sarcomas or cancers of the salivary glands, thyroid or paranasal sinuses are usually younger than 59 years old, while those with squamous cell cancers of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx are generally older than 59 years old.

How common is Nasopharynx cancer?

Each year in the United States there are about 11,000 new cases of nasopharynx cancer. 8,000 males and 3,000 females. Cancer of the nasopharynx is primarily prevalent in immigrant Chinese and slightly less prevalent in first-generation Chinese Americans. In certain Chinese provinces, rates as high as 20,000 per 100,000 have been reported! The incidence remains high for descendants of Southern Chinese living in other countries, suggesting a genetic predisposition to the disease, in combination with environmental triggers.

What is Cancer of the Nasopharynx?

Cancer of the nasopharynx is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the nasopharynx. Cells in the nose are subjected to lots of injury from heat and abrasion, and thus must divide frequently to replace those lost due to injury and old age. Normally, cells divide quickly as we develop in the womb and through infancy, and then the rate slows down considerably, just to replace cells that die. the division of cells in the nose and elsewhere are under very tight control, regulated by the genes within the cells. When this control is lost, the cells may start to divide in a haphazard, uncontrolled manner, and grow to form a swelling of abnormal cells, called a “tumor” . A “benign” tumor only grows within it’s local area, it does not spread to distant organs, and it is not cancer. In contrast, a “malignant” tumor can spread to any area of the body. it is cancer . It is this ability to spread, or “metastasize”, to vital organs which makes a cancer so dangerous. Cancers of the nose and the mouth tend to grow to large sizes locally before they spread, but any cancer can spread at any time. Cancer of the nasopharynx most commonly starts in the cells which line the area, called “squamous” cells. These are similar to the lining cells of the mouth and upper throat. they give rise to a cancer called“squamous cell carcinoma”. Less commonly, the cancer may originate from gland cells within the nasopharynx, it is then called “adenocarcinoma”.About 60% of nasopharynx cancer spreads from other “primary sites” such as lung, prostate, breast, stomach, colon, or kidneys. When the first evidence of cancer is found in the the neck, due to lymph gland swelling there, the most likely area it started was in the upper respiratory tract. Likely sites are the nasopharynx, tonsils, base of tongue, and an area behind the base of the tongue called the pyriform sinus. As will be seen, all of these sites are routinely examined when the patient is suspected of having a nasopharynx cancer.

What is Tornwaldt’s Cyst?

Also called a “nasopharyngeal cyst”, it is usually found in the midline of the nasopharynx. It tends to be on the surface lining, and is covered by the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx. If infected, it may cause persistent discharge with a foul taste and odor, eustachian tube obstruction ( the tube that connects the middle ear with the throat and allows the air pressure on both sides of the eardrum to be equalized), and sore throat. A discharge may be seen at the opening of the cyst. These symptoms may initially be confused with nasopharynx cancer.

What Causes, or Increases Risk for Nasopharynx Cancer?

Like any cancer, the exact reason why one person gets nasopharynx cancer and another does not remainsunknown . However, several “risk factors” have been shown to be much more likely to be present in nasopharynx cancer patients. These include :

1) Tobacco usage– This is the single strongest risk factor for developing cancers of the head and neck. Any form of tobacco taken through the mouth, whether smoked or chewed, increases the risk over time. The more tobacco that is used, for a longer period of time, the higher the chance is to get cancer. Likewise, when use is stopped, the risk declines to normal over a 5 to 10 year period.
2) Infections such as syphilis and some viruses can lead to cancer over time, these cause sores which heal poorly. The constant attempt to heal leads to“chronic cell division” and thus more chance for cancer. Viruses can also get into the cells of the nose themselves and change the genes in them to form a cancer cell. This elaborate process is called“oncogene activation”. The most common virus noted to do this in the upper respiratory tract is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Some people seem genetically predisposed to getting cancer from viruses.
3) Lowered Immunity such as from AIDS or transplant anti-rejection drugs will increase the risk for many cancers, including those of the “aero-digestive tract” (i.e. the area from the nose and mouth to the lungs and stomach). This will be especially important in combination with the other risk factors noted.
4) History of Cancer of the aero-digestive tract can mean as much as 5% chance of a separate simultaneous cancer, and a 25% chance of developing another cancer in this area over time (especially if risks like smoking are continued).
5) Breathing sawdust and smoke from certain fires increases the risk for nasopharynx and sinus cancers, probably from chronic irritation.

What are the Symptoms of Nasopharynx Cancer?

A cancer must grow to 1 billion cells to be just 1 cm. (about 1/2″) across, so a very early cancer will haveno symptoms and likely to go undetected . As it grows, it produces symptoms in it’s local area, and eventually in distant areas as it spreads.

The “nasopharynx” is the highest portion of the throat, behind the nose. When we breathe through our nose, the air then goes into the nasopharynx. At the top of this area, close to the brain, is a special “sieve” (cribriform plate) where smells are made into nerve signals and conducted up into the brain to be recognized.Air breathed through the nose is “filtered” by the tonsil tissue in the lower nasopharynx; air carried germs are slammed directly into these tonsils and destroyed by the body’s immune system. Cancer in the nasopharynx, while rare in America, is more common in the Orient.

It is critical to get prompt diagnosis and proper treatment for a nasopharynx cancer problem; this can literally make the difference between life and death. Understanding your options will give you the peace-of-mind of knowing you have done everything possible to ensure a successful outcome for yourself or a loved one.

CancerAnswers’s material explains, in plain English, the definition, types, risk factors, frequency, symptoms, evaluation, historical and latest effective treatments for nasopharynx cancer. We describe surgery, radiation and chemotherapy along with their side-effects and results. While we don’t promise a cure, we tell you everything you must know to help you make the right choices today for nasopharynx cancer problem.

This is just an excerpt from our Complete Cancer Treatment Transcript. Much more, including latest treatments, can be sent to you by email when you order the complete transcript at a nominal cost.