Less Alcohol not more Veg to cut Cancer Risk

Strong links to obesity and alcohol, rather than more fruit and veges, are main avenues to cancer, but the message does not seem to be getting through. Add smoking to the list and you have the perfect developer for Cancer.
Prof. Tim Key, an epidemiologist, Oxford University, says while there are undoubted benefits in eating fruits and vegetables, there is little hard evidence that they protect against cancer. But there is strong scientific evidence, that after smoking, overweight or obese, together with high alcohol intake are two of the biggest cancer risks.
Being overweight can increase risk of other common cancers like bowl, pancreatic, oesophageal and kidney cancers.
UK. stats show 15,000 cancers are caused by alcohol, and 19,000 cases caused by overweight.
Sarah Hiom, dir, Health Information, Cancer Research Ltd., suggests keeping alcohol intake to a maximum of one small drink a day for women and two small drinks per day for men and keeping weight within healthy limits can have enormous impact. Acknowlegment: British Journal of Cancer 2010. Geoff

Cyberknife versatility for low risk Prostrate Cancer

Cyberknife stereostatic radiation for low risk prostrate cancer has found most patients had disease-free survival after five years, with little toxicity, results that researchers say could help bolster support for treatment.
It's no longer investigational or experimental therapy says study co-author, Dr.Debra E. Freeman , radiation oncologist, Cyberknife Centers, Tampa Bay, Florida.
It is felt slower growing "indolent" prostrate cancers respond better to hypofractionated treatments, as opposed to radiotherapy treatments.
Dr.Freeman commented toxic side effects from zapping the prostrate were also rare, with no rectal bleeding or significant damage to the bladder.
The greater availability of Cyberknife could increase the menu of options for many patients. And we know of the performance of Cyberknife in treating brain tumors.
Acknowledgment: www.dotmed.com Geoff.

Health-Care Providers warn Overuse Radiation during Patient exams.

US. Health-Care providers are pledging to stop overuse of radiation on patients during examinations, launched in Chicago recently. Too much radiation can cause cancer.
Because of increased use of radiation in recent decades, particularly on new imaging and CT scans, questions were raised about possible increased cancer risk.
Addressing an imaging safety panel at Radiological Society of North America, William Hendee said "There are lots of reasons that medical images are over-utilised".
Patients can be part of the problem if they request a test they don't need because a friend had similar symptoms and got that test.
Duplicate test can also be done when a doctor doesn't know the patient's full medical record, Hendee said.
Another danger is "dose creep" when technologists increase radiation dose to get amazing-looking pictures.
"But you don't need pretty images to provide information necessary to yield a diagnosis" Hendee concluded. Acknowledgment: aolhealth.com Geoff.