Nearly 65,600 adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged 15–39 were diagnosed with cancer in 2005; that is according to the National Cancer Institute. On the brink of 2010, cancer cases aren’t getting any better. The incidence of specific cancer types varies dramatically across the AYA age continuum. For example, leukemias, lymphomas, and central nervous system (CNS) tumors are prevalent in younger AYAs; in those aged 20–39, these cancers decline in frequency while other cancers such as cervical, colorectal, and particularly breast cancer, comprise a growing share of AYA cancers. Read the rest of this entry »

A routine breast examination is advised for all women to identify any suspicious lumps so that breast cancer detection is made as early as possible. Mammography is the most common first line screening tool for breast cancer. But in some cases, mammography may miss some abnormalities, especially if the woman’s breast tissue is dense. Sometimes dense breast tissue and cancers may appear similar in mammography.

So, a lump that may be felt manually may appear as normal breast tissue when screened through mammography which may then lead to a biopsy to confirm cancer. But now, even the cancerous tissue that mammography misses can be identified by a new diagnostic technique called breast specific gamma imaging. Read the rest of this entry »

Surely you know someone who has, or had, cancer. Whether it was a friend, family member, co-worker, or even yourself, now days everyone knows someone who has suffered from a form of cancer. And, with all the media attention andcancer awareness groups out there, no doubt that you have seen the pins, t-shirts, stuffed animals, cards, jewelry, and other gifts that all support cancer and cancer awareness. Read the rest of this entry »

According to the 2007 report of the World Health Organization, the next thirty years will witness a significant global rise, in the number of deaths due to non-communicable diseases, especially cancer. This prediction is mainly due to the ageing of the population of the world. Read the rest of this entry »