Tag Archives: Cancer Awareness

What to Know About Sarcomas – Soft Tissue and Bone

Being Aware of the Signs of Cancer Can be an Effective Way to Catch Cancer Before its Too Late.
Being Aware of the Signs of Cancer Can be an Effective Way to Catch Cancer Before its Too Late.

Sarcoma is a relatively rare form of cancer, so it doesn’t have the same public awareness as leukemia, breast cancer or other well-known types. Here’s what you should know about this “forgotten cancer.”

What Is Sarcoma?

Sarcomas can be found anywhere within the body. They fall into two general types: soft tissue sarcoma, which occurs in muscles, blood vessels and connective tissue, and bone sarcoma.

Approximately 15,000 new cases of sarcoma are projected to be diagnosed in the United States during 2017. While the five-year survival rate is around 50 percent, sarcomas are known to frequently recur and metastasize.

5 Important Facts About Sarcoma

• Sarcomas account for only about one percent of adult cancer diagnoses, but they make up roughly 15 percent of cancers diagnosed in youngsters under the age of 20.

• While sarcomas can be found anywhere in the body, 50 to 60 percent of soft tissue sarcomas occur in the arms and legs.

• Most sarcomas arise from unknown causes. Certain genetic conditions or exposure to toxins can increase risk.

• Due to its rareness and lack of symptoms in the early stages, sarcoma is difficult to detect and diagnose.

• Few doctors have much experience with cancer treatment for sarcoma, so it’s essential to follow up a diagnosis with a second opinion from a specialist.

Personalized Cancer Treatment at Issels®

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with a rare cancer like sarcoma or a more common form such as lung cancer, we will create a specific immunotherapy cancer treatment to address your individual needs. Contact us to learn more about the Issels® difference.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This Month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Support those Going Through Treatment Today!
This Month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Support those Going Through Treatment Today!

Nearly one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer, which has the highest death rate for females after lung cancer. Beginning in 1985, October has been designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to educate the public and raise funds for research.

Raising Global Awareness of Breast Cancer

American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries, now known as Astra Zeneca, co-founded NBCAM to encourage women to get mammograms. Eight years later, Evelyn Lauder of Estee Lauder Companies established the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and popularized the symbolic pink ribbon.

NBCAM Activities

During the month of October, organizations around the world stage promotions and fundraisers to support NBCAM. Some of their major activities include:

• The National Football League integrates pink both on and off the field.

• Landmark buildings such as the White House and Tokyo Tower are lit up in pink.

• Race for the Cure, a series of 5K runs and fitness walks, originated in Dallas but is now held throughout the world.

• Susan G. Komen sponsors a three-day event where participants walk an average of 20 miles per day. 3-Day for the Cure® is held in major American cities such as Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco.

• The third week of October is now dedicated to raising awareness of male breast cancer, which is less common but equally important.

Immunotherapy for Cancer: Treating Men and Women of All Ages

Both men and women diagnosed with breast cancer, leukemia and all other forms have been successfully treated with personally developed immunotherapy for cancer programs at Issels®. Contact us to learn more.

Family’s 1,200 Mile Bike Ride to Fund Cancer Research

Family Raises Money for Pediatric Cancer
Family Raises Money for Pediatric Cancer

Getting creative can always help with a cancer awareness campaign. For one family in Michigan, that meant climbing on a bicycle built for three and setting out on a six-week fundraising bike trek from a Detroit suburb to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Karl and Eva Helminen have participated in many cancer fundraising efforts over the years, and they are also avid cyclists. As part of the Great Cycle Challenge USA program, they spent May 25 to July 5 on a bike with their 10-year-old son pedaling along, too. Their bulldog, Duchess, lent moral support and enjoyed restaurant leftovers along the way.

For the Helminens, the trip represented a special opportunity to help fundraise for childhood cancer treatment. As many families can relate, the Helminens have numerous family members and friends whose lives have been affected by cancer.

How Fundraising Events Help Cancer Treatment

Cancer awareness events can take many forms besides the typical walk or 5k run. Getting people talking and learning about cancer treatment and research projects is always the real goal.

The proceeds from cancer research events often get used to fund research to address difficult-to-treat types of cancer, including advanced stages, rare types, and cases that resist standard cancer therapeutic approaches.

At Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, we see firsthand how innovative treatments can lead to cancer remission. Our therapies include targeted protocols to destroy cancer cells as well as immune enhancement that boosts the body’s existing cancer-killing capabilities.

The fight against cancer still has a long path ahead, but awareness and research are making inroads. Contact Issels® to learn more about our non-toxic immunotherapy cancer treatment.

People of Color Can Still Get Skin Cancer and Melanoma – What to Know

People of Color Can Still Get Skin Cancer and Melanoma - What to Know
People of Color Can Still Get Skin Cancer and Melanoma – What to Know

A commonly-held misconception is that people of color have little risk of developing skin cancer. It’s true that melanoma occurs less frequently, but the consequences of skin cancer among African Americans are more serious than most realize.

How Melanoma Affects People of Color

Data from a study published last July in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology showed that people of color are most likely to be diagnosed with melanoma in its later stages, resulting in worse prognoses and lower overall survival rates.

Many believe that the higher percentage of melanin in darker skin protects from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. A recent survey revealed that 63 percent of African Americans never use sunscreen, despite the fact that they actually can be susceptible to sunburn.

Causes and Warning Signs of Melanoma

Genetics and environmental factors also play a role in the development of melanoma, as they did with iconic reggae singer Bob Marley. The Jamaican native died at the age of 36 from acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), a form of cancer that appears on the palms of hands and the soles of feet.

Dr. Martitza I. Perez, senior vice president of The Skin Cancer Foundation, recommends that people of all ethnicities watch for the warning signs of melanoma:

• A sore or growth that doesn’t heal

• An ulcer or scaly red patch that crusts or bleeds

• Moles that are asymmetrical, larger than a pencil eraser, or display any sign of change

Cutting-Edge Immunotherapy for Cancer at Issels®

Our immunotherapy for cancer treatments have been effective against melanoma and many other types of tumors. Contact us to learn more.

Hispanic and Black Males are Less Likely to Receive Prostate Cancer Treatment – Why?

Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black males are at greater risk of developing prostate cancer than any other race or ethnicity. Despite this, a recently published study shows that black and Hispanic males are least likely to receive treatment of all groups.

Does Race Impact Prostate Cancer Treatment?

The study was conducted jointly by researchers from Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Participants included 327,641 men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer between 2004 and 2011.

Data gathered by researchers included demographic data such as age, race and marital status along with two cancer-specific elements:

  • Gleason score, which indicates the relative aggressiveness of a tumor (a score of 7 to 10 is considered high-grade)
  • D’Amico risk classification, which determines the risk of post-treatment recurrence (low, intermediate or high)

Within all three D’Amico categories, data analysis revealed that black males had “significantly lower odds” of receiving treatment. The same held true for Hispanic males in the intermediate- and high-risk categories.

While some subjects may have followed a new approach called watchful waiting, wherein the patient continues to receive medical care but defers actual treatment, lead author Dr. Kelvin Moses of VUMC points to the “significant disparity” in treatment rates for African-American males. With Hispanic males not far behind, Dr. Moses hopes results of the study will prompt action within the medical community.

Immunotherapy for Cancer Addresses Your Specific Needs

At Issels®, our personally tailored immunotherapy for cancer programs have successfully treated patients with prostate cancer as well as other forms including breast, colon, lung, and melanoma. Contact us today for real-life testimonials from our patients.

Thyroid Cancer the 8th Most Common Cancer in the United States

Thyroid Cancer Most Likely Occurs in Middle Aged Women, But Can Affect Anyone at Any Age
Thyroid Cancer Most Likely Occurs in Middle Aged Women, But Can Affect Anyone at Any Age

Here at Issels®, we treat many types of cancer with immunotherapy, including thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer diagnoses have risen over the last 30 years and it is now the 8th most common cancer in the United States.

Role of the Thyroid

The thyroid gland is found in the front of the throat area and is very important. Its multiple tasks include producing several hormones, which work to control the heart rate and regulate body temperature. The thyroid also aids in controlling the amount of calcium in the bloodstream and regulating metabolism.

Risk Factors

Cancer of the thyroid is most commonly found in middle-aged white females, but it also occurs in both men and women of all ages. It is a slow-growing cancer and is markedly treatable. People with exposure to radiation also have an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer.

Symptoms

A hoarse voice, neck pain and lymph nodes that are enlarged are some of the early signs of thyroid cancer. Thyroid nodules are not common in children or teens but become more prevalent as people get older.

Types

While the papillary and mixed papillary/follicular thyroid cancer is the most prevalent type, there are three other types, including follicular/Hurtle cell, medullary and anaplastic. The most common types are the most curable, with a cure rate of over 97%.

At Issels®, we can help you find the right combination of thyroid cancer immunotherapy treatment that will help you flourish. Contact us to learn more about our immunotherapy cancer treatment breakthrough.