Cancer Headlines CHICAGO (AP) - Low-income American women and women in developing countries who are tested for cervical cancer could benefit from faster, more aggressive treatment, two studies suggest. Some of those women would be treated unnecessarily, but some experts believe the trade-off might save lives in impoverished countries where women often die from a cancer that can be treated if caught early. "We may have to decide what's feasible, what we can afford and what's the best care for different groups," said University of California, Irvine, researcher Dr. Wendy Brewster, co-author of one of the studies. Both studies appear in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. Cervical cancer is preventable and mostly afflicts the world's poorest women. Eighty per cent of the 230,000 cervical cancer deaths worldwide each year are in developing countries, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In the United States, black and Hispanic women have the highest death rates for cervical cancer. Many women in affluent countries get screened annually with a Pap smear, a test in which cells are scraped from the cervix and examined under a microscope in a lab. If the test is abnormal, the patient is called back for a biopsy. If the biopsy shows signs of cancer, the woman and her doctor discuss treatment choices. In poor countries, however, lab testing and biopsies are rare. In poor U.S. neighbourhoods, patients might not get regular Pap tests, or might fail to return for follow-up exams, Brewster said. The new studies, which explore ways to get more poor women tested and treated, were done in South Africa and in largely Hispanic neighbourhoods in Orange County, Calif. In the California study, 3,521 women were given Pap smears. One group of women stayed at the clinic to await results. If their tests indicated high-grade precancerous lesions, the women had a procedure that day to remove a layer of the cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. In the comparison group, women with abnormal tests were referred for later follow-up care. Checking back six months and 12 months later, researchers found that the women in the single-visit group were significantly more likely to have completed their care than women in the comparison group. Samples for biopsies were taken before treating the women. Those indicated that two out of 14 women had had the procedure unnecessarily because their biopsies were negative. The procedure is considered safe but still carries risks. In the South Africa study, 6,555 women got two screening tests: one for human papilloma virus, HPV, a common sexually transmitted virus that causes most cervical cancer, and the other a simple, cheap test for precancerous lesions. The women then were divided into three groups. In the first group, only the women testing positive for HPV were given cryotherapy, a procedure that destroys cells on the cervix by freezing them with nitrous oxide. In the second group, only the women who tested positive for precancerous lesions had cryotherapy.
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Colon Cancer Symptoms
Treating Constipation With Natural RemediesThere are two basic types of constipation - organic and functional. Organic constipation is a result of some physical change, obstruction, or distortion in your colon. This type of constipation needs immediate attention from a doctor. This article only covers Functional Constipation. This type of constipation is a result of not following a proper diet, drinking enough fluids, having good emotional health and not having a good lifestyle - a lifestyle that promotes good movement of digested foods through the intestines and colon. Even though there are many definitions for constipation, constipation is simply a condition where the fecal matter traveling through your colon remains too long in your colon before traveling out the rectum. Constipation is a symptom and not a disease. It is a condition that tells you your colon is not working properly or that you have some underlying gastrointestinal disease you are not aware of. Constipation may be a warning that your diet and lifestyle are causing an imbalance in your body. It is a symptom that many people ignore or that many people try to eliminate by using unnatural and oftentimes dangerous drugstore laxatives. Drugstore laxatives should be avoided when you have constipation. They can become habit-forming, damage your colon, and have nasty side effects if used too long. They sometimes have the tendency of creating the problem you are trying relieve - constipation. To keep your body in chemical balance, it is important to use only natural remedies for constipation. Natural remedies such as herbs and foods bring into the colon those nutrients that can build up your colon and reactivate your natural peristaltic action. As you use natural remedies, keep in mind that one particular remedy may not work for you. You may have to try a different remedy or increase dosage of the one you are using. If you supply what your body needs by using a specific remedy, then you will get results from using that remedy. Experimenting is part of finding out what remedy is best for you. There are many different natural remedies you can choose from. Look on the internet for "natural remedies for constipation" and you will find many listings. Keep in mind that most remedies should be used only for a short time, two to four days and not longer than 2 weeks. They should only be used for the time needed to clear your constipation. This might be just 4 or 5 times or sometimes it may take several weeks. There are some herbal combinations that can be used for longer duration. These combinations can improve your colon's health and get your bowels moving again. If you have constipation, the natural balance and function of your colon has been affected. But, natural remedies can bring you colon back into balance. Constipation And Hemorrhoids: Alexander Sviridov is a practicing proctologist. More information and advice about hemorroids symptoms, kinds of hemorrhoids and ways of treatment you’ll find here http://www.hemorroids-treatment.net. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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