Cancer Research Blog

Alvin Hopkinson asked:


Many individuals are put on medications to control their high blood pressure. Depending greatly on the severity of the blood pressure you might be able to discontinue using the medications with some modifications to your lifestyle and diet.
Many doctors will begin a medicinal treatment with mild medications for high blood pressure and sometimes it might be necessary to start off with a more vigorous medication and slowly work down to a mild one.

Understanding the different types of medications and how they actually treat and benefit the condition is important. Throughout this article you will learn the medications that are used for treating high blood pressure and gaining control over it. Generally, all of the medications that are currently being used for the successful treatment of high blood pressure fall into one of five categories.

The category or type of medication your doctor will put you on will greatly depend on a few factors. Among them are the level of high blood pressure you have, existing medical conditions, current medications you take as well as family medical history. Here are the categories:

* Vasodilators

* Diuretics

* Angiotensin II receptor blockers and ACE inhibitors

* Calcium channel blockers

* Beta-adrenergic blocking agents

Let’s start off by discussing the Vasodilators. These are designed to make the veins and the arteries wider, thus allow the blood to flow a bit more freely. In some circumstances a doctor might prefer to combine another medication with a Vasodilator to get your blood pressure to the ideal level and maintain it.

ACE Inhibitors is the next medication we will briefly discuss. These are among the most popular medications prescribed for treating and stabilizing blood pressure. These are designed to successfully relieve the stress of blood vessel contraction as well as regulate the blood flow and decrease the blood pressure. ACE inhibitors will then convert the hormone that is usually inactive into an active hormone.

The next medication is the Calcium Channel Blockers. These decrease the blood pressure because they relax the blood flow and the vessels themselves. The blood generally is able to flow with ease once the medication gets into the individuals system. The relaxation enhances the flow of the blood without stressing the heart.

Beta blockers or Beta-adrenergic blocking agents are often the first choice for many doctors in treating high blood pressure. Basically, this type of medication will minimize the stress on the heart by limiting the work that is needed to be done by the heart.

The number of beats the heart has to do to make sure the blood is pumping is lowered because the heart no longer has to work as hard. This also decreases the intensity of the heartbeats, thus combining all of this the blood pressure is often successfully modified and reduced to a healthy level.

Mild medications for high blood pressure will be determined generally on an individual patient basis. The prescribing doctor will take into consideration several other health related issues before prescribing the best medication for your blood pressure. Be sure you are giving as much information to your doctor as you can about your medical history and your family medical history.

Alvin Hopkinson is a leading health researcher in the area of natural remedies and high blood pressure treatment. Discover how you can lower high blood pressure naturally using proven and effective home remedies, all without using harmful medications or drugs. Visit his site now at http://www.minusbloodpressure.com



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

Jonathan Bell asked:


Most docs would never accept this barbaric cancer treatment.
Why should you?

This year, an estimated 1.4 million Americans will receive the most frightening diagnosis in medicine — cancer. Most will spend months or years receiving deadly chemotherapy drugs that wither away their bodies, leave them depressed, and shred their immune systems.

And these patients may never realize that they are part of one of the greatest cons in the history of modern medicine.

Outrageous? No way. 73% of doctors surveyed said they would NEVER accept chemotherapy for themselves. And why should they, when there are safer and more effective cancer treatments available. Sure, chemotherapy is great if you want nausea, hair loss and depression…and no guarantee you’ll live.

There can be easier, safer and more natural ways to survive. One nightmarish day, you’re told you have the “Big C.” As if that’s not bad enough, next the “specialists” start throwing around words like “chemo” and “radiation,” and your head really begins to swim. And then they start to sharpen their scalpels…

They call this science…medicine? It’s absurd. Because so many truly effective tests and therapies are absolutely safe, cheap and simple. You’ll be shocked by how many powerful alternatives you have–and can easily afford.

Sure, conventional medicine wants you to believe that surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are your only weapons against cancer. Maybe it’s because the average cancer patient represents a $500,000 payday for the cancer treatment system. They’re making money while destroying your health.

Did you know that 75% of the average oncologist’s “take home pay” is profit from the chemo drugs he gives to his patients. Your oncologist is just doing his job, working with information that’s been approved by our fabulously corrupt Food and Drug Administration and his overlords at the American Medical Association. Cancer therapies are built on myths and lies. The hypocrisy is amazing.

Before you submit yourself to toxic tests and “therapies” that so often just increase your pain and suffering, doesn’t it make sense to know all of your options?

Recently, when one of the world’s largest cancer centers surveyed oncologists about how they would treat their own cancers, almost 90% said they would refuse chemotherapy. They said that chemotherapy drugs were ineffective and have an unacceptable degree of toxicity.

The pathetic fact is that by shrinking tumors, chemotherapy encourages stronger cancer cells to grow and multiply, becoming chemo-resistant. Then there are the new cancers caused by chemotherapy, or secondary cancers. Somehow they forget to mention this life-threatening detail on the list of “side effects” in a drug’s accompanying literature.

You’re not a number, you’re a human being. The powers that be-the puffed-up politicos, greedy mega-corporations and profit-obsessed pharmaceutical companies won’t have you believe it for a second. They want you to be like a dog on a leash. The minute the dog starts to think for themselves and do some exploring, the leash gets jerked back. Pretty soon, the dog stops exploring, content to go where his leader lets him.

The truth is, good health is a matter of common sense and having a healthy dose of cynicism about what the “authorities” have to say about what’s good for you–and what’s not.

For instance, Starting tomorrow, drink no tap water. Not because of industrial pollution, but because of chemicals that “health authorities” are adding to your water. For example…

People who warned against FLUORIDATION used to be ridiculed, but guess what? In Scandinavia, in fact all of Europe, and nearly every other medically advanced nation, they have now banned the practice.

Know why? Because fluoride makes your body absorb extra aluminum. And where does the aluminum go? Your brain. And what metal shows up alarmingly in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims? You guessed it. (Hmm…Maybe our health authorities have been drinking too much water?)

Here’s another one, recently, Merck & Co. withdrew Vioxx, its COX-2 arthritis drug, from the market after a study found it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke. Since then, the company has put out at least four press releases defending the safety of other COX-2 inhibitors.

In case you’re curious, it wasn’t caring doctors who wrote these press releases. No, you are being encouraged to continue taking a dangerous drug by marketers-professionals who are paid to “spin” any story, however controversial, so it comes out smelling like roses. This is science-by-press-release-and it stinks like yesterday’s tuna!

It’s interesting to note that Pfizer’s Bextra is now recognized as a dangerous drug and Merck’s Vioxx is off the market for the same reason, but Pfizer’s other COX-2 drug, Celebrex is still being sold to trusting patients all over the world.

It truly boggles the mind. Here we are, supposedly the healthiest, wealthiest nation on the planet, and many state health departments continue to churn out a daily flood of lies, half-truths and old wives tales designed to scare us into submission.

There is some good information out there, and there is some garbage. We have to be able to sort through the meat and throw out the bones.



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Ethan Miller asked:


There are two new reports by cancer prevention specialists at Moores Cancer Center, Univsrsity of California, suggest that vitamin D in new prescriptions may prevent up to one half of all cases of breast cancer.

The study is published online in the current issue of The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It pooled data from two earlier studies by the Harvard Nurses Health Study and the St. George’s Hospital Study that alleged that people with the highest levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 25(OH)D, had the lowest incidences of breast cancer.
The research was based on 1,760 cases of individuals in the two studies and divided them into five equal groups, from the lowest 25(OH)D at less than 13 nanograms per milliliter, to the highest group with 52 nanograms per milliliter.

“The data were very clear, showing that individuals in the group with the lowest blood levels had the highest rates of breast cancer, and the breast cancer rates dropped as the blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D increased,” said study co-author Cedric Garland, Dr.P.H. “The serum level associated with a 50 percent reduction in risk could be maintained by taking 2,000 international units of vitamin D3 daily plus, when the weather permits, spending 10 to 15 minutes a day in the sun.”

However, women are warned not to run out and start supplementing their diet. There may be other factors that were overlooked in these studies. While the reports are valid, and the research solid, they only represent 1,760 people out of the entire population.

“Meta-analysis is an important tool for revealing trends that may not be apparent in a single study,” said co-author Sharif B. Mohr, M.P.H. “Pooling of independent but similar studies increases precision, and therefore the confidence level of the findings.”

The authors recommend further research to study individuals for the effect of vitamin D from sunlight, diet and supplements on the risk of cancer.

The dose-response data on 1,448 people in the study were put into order by serum 25(OH)D level and then divided into five equal groups, from the lowest blood levels to the highest.

Co-author Edward D. Gorham, Ph.D said: “We project a two-thirds reduction in incidence with serum levels of 46ng/ml, which corresponds to a daily intake of 2,000 IU of vitamin D3. This would be best achieved with a combination of diet, supplements and 10 to 15 minutes per day in the sun.”

Vitamin D3 is available through diet, supplements and exposure to sunlight, or ultraviolet B (UVB) as long as the skin does not tan or burn. In a white woman, it will only take 10 minutes at noontime on a clear day, with 50 per cent skin exposure, to absorb adequate vitamin D. Darker skin will require up to 25 minutes.

It is important to eat a balanced diet. Vitamin D is linked to Calcium absorption, so overdosing on one will throw out the balance and may result in a depletion of one vitamin.

The reports continued and measured Vitamin D’s ability to prevent colorectal cancer and found similar results.



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

Groshan Fabiola asked:


Research has always been done to discover more and more ways of treating and who knows, even curing prostate cancer. The most recent discovery of all is a vaccine against prostate cancer, which can prologue your life.

Death from prostate cancer is second on the death list for men. So, you see, something had do be done. Researchers have started studying all things related to prostate cancer and new and amazing discoveries are announced. The most recent of them is the vaccine against prostate cancer. The first study was conducted at a University in California. A number of one hundred and twenty seven patients with advanced prostate cancer have participated at this study.

The vaccine against prostate cancer was their only solution, because they all suffered from the most advanced state of prostate cancer. Thy did not respond to any treatment, but these prostate cancer patients still suffered from excruciating pain. Some of these prostate cancer patients were given placebo and the others received the new vaccine against prostate cancer. The study lasted one month and a half, the time they were given the treatment, and then another three years when these people were kept under careful supervision.

The results confirmed what scientists only dared to dream: the people that were given the prostate cancer vaccine lived almost four to five months longer than the others. Furthermore, the side effects of this vaccine against prostate cancer were slim to non. Some mild fever and some chills were all that these patients suffered from after being given the vaccine against prostate cancer. These side- effects also passed in a few days. More studies were then undertaken in many Universities and the results of this vaccine against prostate cancer did not sees to amaze. What this vaccine actually does is to stimulate your immune system to fight against prostate cancer.

This amazing discovery has opened a door for many prostate cancer patients. Not only the effects of this vaccine are amazing, but this prostate cancer vaccine means a new beginning. Hope is in the air for all people that have severe prostate cancer and also for those that are only at the beginning. If this vaccine can do so much for a person that is in the end stage of prostate cancer, then the others can only expect bright times ahead of them. Scientists are also working to find the cause of prostate cancer and a way of preventing it.

For more information about prostate cancer treatment and about prostate cancer please review this web site http://www.prostate-cancer-center.com



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

Jerry Ryan, Ph.D. asked:


This article is part of a series on Natural Health Therapies and Cancer. The material presented is meant to inform you of complementary cancer therapies that are available in the medical community. These therapies are to be used in cooperation with other cancer treatment methods. They are not meant to be done in place of your physician’s care. In the last article, we covered the basics of cancer – what it is, what causes it, what are its various types and stages. This article will focus on the aspect of Dietary Changes and Nutritional Supplements as a form of cancer therapy.

Aside from tobacco and smoking, there is no greater factor for triggering and promoting cancer than diet and nutrition. When used correctly, diet and nutrition are also the factors that have the highest ability to reverse cancer. According to the National Academy of Sciences, 40% of all cancer in men may be directly related to diet. The statistics are even worse for women; 60% of all cancers in women may be linked to nutritional factors.

As I’ve pointed out in other articles, what we eat is important to our health. Equally important is what we don’t eat. Our society has turned from a natural, raw food diet to a highly processed and refined diet. The average American meal consists of high-fat, high-protein, low-fiber foods in oversized portions. Our fast-paced society even calls some of them a ‘Value Meal.’ Where’s the value? The nationwide increase in cancer has been parallel to the decline in our eating habits.

Several areas of our society’s diet are excessive. In clinical studies, these excesses have been found to significantly increase cancer risks. The key sections of the American diet that contribute to cancer are:

· Excessive intake of animal protein (meat, cheese, dairy) – can increase the risk for cancer in the breast, colon, pancreas, kidney, prostate, and endometrium; certain preparation and cooking techniques (such as pickling, smoking, frying) add to the cancer risks; fatty meats contain higher levels of carcinogenic pesticides

· Intake of contaminated fish – mercury, nickel, oil, and PCBs found in many marketplace fish; 1/10 of a teaspoon of PCBs is enough to cause illness or cancer

· Excessive fat intake – can increase risk for cancer of the breast, colon, rectum, uterus, prostate, and kidney; partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are considered major problems along with insufficient intake of healthy Omega-3 fats

· Excessive intake of refined carbohydrates and table sugar – lowers immune system function; elevates insulin levels (which can promote breast cancer); tumors thrive in a high-glucose environment

· Excessive intake of iron – associated with red meat, fortified breads and pastas; cooking in iron pots and skillets can add to your iron exposure

· Excessive intake of alcohol – can increase risk for cancer in the breast, mouth, throat, pancreas, liver, head and neck; alcohol suppresses Natural Killer cells that help repel cancer

· Excessive intake of caffeine – cancer rates are higher for those who drink more than 3 cups of coffee a day; caffeine can cause DNA damage, adding to cancer risk

Although it looks like our diets doom us to destruction, there are steps we can take to reduce the cancer risk. Here are some ways to combat and prevent cancer through some simple changes in your diet –

· Eat more fruits and vegetables

· Drink green tea, fresh juices

· Eat nuts, seeds, legumes

· Avoid all red meats, dairy products, eggs and shellfish

· Avoid refined, sugary foods

· Avoid caffeine and alcohol

· Avoid all vegetable oils especially hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils

· Use olive, pumpkin seed, flaxseed, walnut, and sesame oils

· Avoid margarine, fried foods, creamy sauces and dressings

· Eat salmon, halibut, red snapper, and flounder for healthy Omega-3 fats

· Avoid cooking in iron or aluminum cookware

· Use stainless steel or glass cookware

· Avoid microwave use, particularly with plastic containers

· Eat organically-grown foods when possible

More advanced nutritional therapies include Vegan and Macrobiotic diets. These nutritional

regimens consist of raw, natural foods and specific food preparation techniques. These diets are used to help cleanse the digestive system, allowing the elimination of excessive toxins.

Nutritional supplements can play a major role in cancer prevention and cancer therapy. There are many different approaches being practiced successfully. For example, antioxidants, such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Alpha-Lipoic-Acid combat the free radical damage associated with cancer. Sea vegetables such as kombu are linked to a lower breast cancer rate in Japanese women. Garlic appears to boost the Natural Killer cell function and block cancer cells in the bloodstream. Certain types of digestive enzymes can be used to break down the protective coating on certain cancer cells. Minerals such as selenium, magnesium, calcium, and zinc are also used in varying dosages for certain cancer therapies.

As you may know, my PhD research is on the connection between nutrition and health. I’m concentrating on the importance of 8 basic carbohydrates called glyconutrients that help the cells communicate properly. ‘Glyco’ means sugar and these 8 simple sugars are involved in every cell interaction. The relatively new scientific field of glycobiology is making amazing discoveries on the impact of these simple sugars on our health. The studies show that many of these glyconutritional sugars, such as fucose, inhibit growth and/or tumor cell metastasis in certain cancers. The inhibition of cancer growth by glyconutritional sugars, such as mannose, appears to be partially related to immune system activation of Natural Killer cells, the white blood cell that destroys cancer cells. Research also demonstrates that glyconutritional sugars appear to inhibit tumor cell metastasis by preventing the attachment of tumor cells to normal cells. They do this by competing for glyconutritional sugar binding sites on the cell surfaces.

I personally know individuals that have had outstanding results against cancer with the use of these nutrients. Various glyconutrients are traditionally found in mother’s breast milk, pectin from apples and oranges, specific types of mushrooms, and limu. However, most of these glyconutrients are not in our diets. Luckily, our bodies can manufacture many of these nutrients through a lengthy metabolic process. Unfortunately, the effects of stress, medications, and other environmental factors make this process difficult and prone to errors. For that reason as well as the nutrition lost from the over-processing of our foods, the only way to insure that you get all 8 glyconutrients is through nutritional supplements. For additional information on glyconutritional supplements, you may also refer to material posted at www.glycoscience.com or at www.glycoinformation.com. You can also research these nutrients on PubMed under glycobiology or by name of the sugar such as fucose, mannose, etc.

A couple of good books for Cancer and Nutrition that I recommend are:

Beating Cancer with Nutrition by Patrick Quillin, Ph.D., and Director of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Options: The Alternative Cancer Therapy Book by R. Walters

Alternatives in Cancer Therapy by R. Pelton and L. Overholser

Sugars that Heal by Dr. Emil Mendoa, MD

“Education is the best provision for the journey to old age” – Aristotle



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Wain Roy asked:


Medical tourism is the act of touring different countries or nations around the world to receive medications like dental, neurosurgery or surgical care and various other forms of specialized treatments. Medical tourism or healthcare facilitation is very cost effective and has grown to become very popular with time. Due to much technological advancement and improvement, standards of care and the affordability of international travel have become the primary factors leading to the popularity of medical tourism.

In the past few years, the costs of medical treatment or health care have soared high in industrialized nations and developed countries. And with this rise in health care costs, people from USA, Europe, Canada and Australia are seeking alternatives to reduce their expenses and build financial savings. This has prompted the people of developed countries serve as medical tourists.

Among all the nations where people are going for low cost medical treatments, India has emerged as a significantly favorable destination or a top hot spot. India is, now, one of the leading countries promoting medical tourism. With an increasing number of outside patients flocking to India for low cost medical treatments, India’s medical tourism industry is doing pretty fine.

The focal attraction for the medical tourists is the price factor or medical costs. Medical tourists believe that, in India, the cost of surgery or other treatments is one tenth of what it is in European countries or in developed nations. The concept of medical tourism is new to many people and it is up to them whether or not they will find the desired medical treatment at a minimum cost. Medical technology has improved drastically in Indian hospitals and their standards have increased too, being at par with American and European countries.

Among all the various treatments that are done in India, the commonest are heart surgery, Lasik eye surgery, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery and dental care. India has some of the best hospitals and treatment centers in the world with the best facilities. Infrastructure, technology advancement, outstanding doctors and medical staffs, world-class hospitals, all these have made India the prime location or the top choice for medical tourists seeking overseas health care.

The highlights of medical tourism in India are as follows:

·India has world-class medical facilities, with excellent staff in all areas of medical care

·Consultation with leading doctors or specialists

·Indian hospitals are equipped with the latest electronic and medical diagnostic equipments

·Low cost medical treatment or health checkups

·Luxurious rooms within affordable ranges

·Accommodation for attendants or accompanying family members are provided

·Ayurveda Therapy and Spa resorts available for relaxing and refreshing

·Exclusive Indian cuisines, Indian movies, Indian music and Indian dance

·Diversified cultural heritage in the different states

·Some top tourist destination spots like Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutab Minar etc.

·Holidaying, family reunions, festive occasions and medical checkups—all in one tour to India

Although there are many countries giving world-class medical assistance to the medical tourists who are seeking overseas healthcare or low cost healthcare, India attracts the most. Since it offers a beautiful holiday destination, apart from having a wide variety of low cost medical treatments, good hospitals and medical staffs, it is the foremost choice among people. Medical tourism India or health tourism India is an emerging concept whereby people from all over the world visit India for their medical and relaxation needs.



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Groshan Fabiola asked:


In order to prevent prostate cancer scientists are trying to find abnormal genes that are related to this disease and so identify those who are at risk of developing prostate cancer.

For these people special treatment will be instituted earlier in order to stop the disease from occurring.

Nowadays the scientists use the DNA micro-array technology for studying many genes at the same time and discover those that are related to prostate cancer. This screening could save a lot of time and could replace the currently used PSA blood test.

DNA micro-array identified a product of one gene (named EZH2) that seems to appear more frequently in advanced prostate cancers than in early staged cancers. Scientists want to find out if this gene product signalizes that the cancer is more aggressive or not. This could help doctors decide whether that form of cancer needs treatment or must only be supervised carefully.

Researchers have discovered that tomato and soybeans contain some substances that are useful in preventing prostate cancer (lycopenes and isoflavones). Vitamins are also useful: vitamin D, E and selenium decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

A new clinical trial has been developed in order to see if patients with prostate cancer respond to medication that decreases the level of the androgen hormone called DHT. These drugs (Finasteride and dutasteride) have been used until now only for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Staging prostate cancer is very important for doctors because it helps them institute the most proper treatment. CT and MRI are not so efficient in this case. Instead, enhanced MRI is quite helpful because it detects the possible cancer cells in the lymph nodes.

As a possibility of treatment is surgery. The radical prostatectomy could have some risks. If the nerves that control erection have to be removed the man will end up being impotent. Doctors are testing a replacement of those nerves with the Sural nerve but they are not positive about the usefulness of this technique.

Radiation therapy is also possible. If using conformal radiation therapy (CRT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) the radiation will be directed straight to the prostate gland and affect less other normal tissues.

Chemotherapy seems to be effective in prostate cancer too. Chemotherapy drugs can be successfully used in combination with other drugs like: Taxotere associated with Calcitriol, a form of vitamin D.

A vaccine has also been tested with amazing results on prostate cancer patients. This vaccine is not like the others that are designed to prevent a disease. This is made to treat advanced prostate cancer by increasing the immune system’s response to cancer cells. The vaccine has been made out of a genetically engineered protein and a dendritic cell provided from the patient’s bloodstream. Three shots of the vaccine (Provenge) were made over the course of a month. The immune system will react and will activate immune T-cells to find and destroy the cancer cells.

Monoclonal antibody treatment can also be applied in this case. They stimulate the body’s natural cell-killing mechanism or they carry a radioactive molecule that will destroy the cancerous cell.

Another treatment is using angiogenesis inhibitors. These drugs prevent the growth of blood vessels and so, the tumor cells will not be nourished any more.

Sometimes the prostate cancer spreads in the body and affects the bones. For stopping the bone pain doctors use radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and CT. with this technique they will destroy the tumor by heating it.

For recovering patients are advised to adopt a certain lifestyle. They must not eat meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products, keep an active lifestyle and even perform yoga.

For more information about prostate cancer prevention and about early symptoms prostate cancer please review this web site http://www.prostate-cancer-center.com



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

peterhutch asked:


Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system. In the United States; about 8,000 to 9,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. Over his lifetime, a man’s risk of testicular cancer is roughly 1 in 250 (four tenths of one percent, or 0.4%). It is most common among males aged 15-34 years, particularly those in their mid-twenties. Testicular cancer has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers: in excess of 90%; essentially 100% if it has not metastasized.

Testicular cancer that forms in tissues of the testis (one of two egg-shaped glands inside the scrotum that make sperm and male hormones). Testicular cancer usually occurs in young or middle-aged men. Two main types of testicular cancer are seminomas (cancers that grow slowly and are sensitive to radiation therapy) and nonseminomas (different cell types that grow more quickly than seminomas).

Testicular cancer accounts for only 1 percent of all cancers in men in the United States. About 8,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer, and about 390 men die of this disease each year (1). Testicular cancer occurs most often in men between the ages of 20 and 39, and is the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 34. It is most common in white men, especially those of Scandinavian descent. The testicular cancer rate has more than doubled among white men in the past 40 years, but has only recently begun to increase among black men. The reason for the racial differences in incidence is not known.

The testicles manufacture the male hormone testosterone. They also produce sperm. Sperm cells are carried from the testicle through the vas deferens to the seminal vesicles, where they are mixed with fluid produced by the prostate gland. During ejaculation, sperm cells, seminal vesicle fluid, and prostatic fluid enter the urethra, the tube in the center of the penis through which both urine and semen are passed.

Most testicular tumors are discovered by patients themselves–either by accident, as Knies did, or while performing self-examination on each testicle. “The usual presentation is of an enlarged, painless lump,” says Malkowicz.

“Occasionally there can be pain.” The lump typically is pea-sized, but sometimes it might be as big as a marble or even an egg.

Each normal testicle has an epididymis, which feels like a small bump on the upper or middle outer side of the testis. Normal testicles also contain blood vessels, supporting tissues, and tubes that conduct sperm. These can feel bumpy and sometimes men confuse these structures with cancer. If you have any doubts, ask your doctor. The doctor may order an ultrasound test to examine the scrotum (see the American Cancer Society document, Testicular Cancer). This is an easy and painless way of finding out whether there is a tumor.

Symptoms include pain, swelling or lumps in your testicles or groin area. Most cases can be treated, especially if it is found early. Treatment options include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. Regular exams after treatment are important. Treatments may also cause infertility. If you may want children later on, you should consider sperm banking before treatment.

Testicular cancer is highly treatable, even when cancer has spread beyond the testicle. Depending on the type and stage of testicular cancer, you may receive one of several treatments, or a combination. Regular testicular self-examinations can help identify growths early, when the chance for successful treatment of testicular cancer is highest.



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Amy Danise asked:


There are three main ways a new life insurance policy is priced: Underwritten policies are those where you answer questions on your personal and family medical history and undergo a medical exam arranged by the insurance company; a simplified issue life insurance policy application asks you some medical questions but does not require a medical exam; and a guaranteed issue life insurance policy requires no questions and no medical exam. If you’re healthy, or even if you have a few medical problems, you’re likely to get the best insurance value from an underwritten policy, which is priced specifically for you. Simplified issue and guaranteed issue life insurance policies set a price that assumes risk that you may not have.

Whether you’re buying term life insurance or whole life insurance, you’ll likely be asked to undergo a medical exam. These are typically performed by licensed paramedicals who are often independent contractors hired by the insurance company. They will schedule a visit to your home for the exam and bring all the necessary supplies. The life insurance company foots the bill for the exam.

Health questions

When you submit your completed application for your life insurance policy, your agent or life insurer will call a paramedical service to let them know you require an life insurance medical exam. The service will then contact you to arrange a convenient time and place. You must have the exam or your application won’t be processed.

The life insurer may still request an attending physician’s statement (APS) from your doctor, but you cannot have the life insurance medical exam done by your own physician.

In a basic exam, the paramedical will take your medical history (even though you’ve already supplied it on your application), height and weight, blood pressure, pulse, and blood and urine samples. Beyond that, tests will vary based on your age and policy amount.

For example, MetLife will order an in-home EKG for applicants age 50 and older who are applying for face amounts of at least $1 million. For applicants age 70 and older who are applying for $2 million policies and higher, MetLife forgoes the paramedical exam and requires an exam by an M.D. chosen by MetLife (not your own doctor). The doctor will ask the same medical questions as a paramedical and get your height, weight, blood pressure and pulse, plus do a brief medical exam such as listening to your heart.

Jacki Goldstein, Vice President of Life Underwriting at MetLife, emphasizes that this is not a comprehensive medical exam and does not include sensitive issues, such as a breast exam for women. Goldstein also stresses that the M.D. life insurance exam is not a substitute for good routine medical care.

When age and face amounts get higher, a treadmill test may be required. For example, MetLife requires treadmill tests for applicants who are at least 50 and applying for over $10 million in insurance or applicants 76 and older applying for $5 million or more.

If you’re applying for a low face value policy, you may not even be asked to do a paramedical exam. For example, if you’re age 40 and applying for $50,000 of life insurance, MetLife requires no specific tests or measurements. And for some cases, MetLife asks for a “simple paramed” exam, encompassing the basic measurements and blood and urine work but without the paramedical question list. Guidelines for tests will vary among life insurers.

What are They Looking For?

The life insurance company wants to know if you have any health condition that could shorten your life  which in turn affects the insurer’s risk and your policy premium. When samples of blood and urine are collected, the insurer tests for HIV, cholesterol and related lipids, liver or kidney disorder, diabetes, hepatitis, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and immune disorders. The urine sample might go through routine analysis, plus screening for certain medications, cocaine and other drugs.

Results go to the life insurer’s home office for an underwriter to review. You can usually send a written request if you want a copy of the results, and some insurers will automatically send you a copy of your lab work. If there’s anything of concern about the lab results, you would need to consult your own doctor. Goldstein says, “It’s not uncommon to have abnormalities that don’t mean anything.”

A life insurance underwriter then reviews your application and the results of your medical exam. They decide your life insurance rating, which sets your premium. If there are lingering questions about your health, they may request additional information or medical tests. In the very rare event you are unknowingly quite ill  chronically or terminally  your application would be declined and you would have to look for a high-risk carrier or one that offers guaranteed issue life insurance.

Don’t Let Your Life Insurance Premiums Go Up In Smoke

Smokers pay higher premiums for life insurance because of their higher mortality rate. If any nicotine shows up in your results, you’ll be considered a smoker. The test also detects nicotine from a transdermal patch.

After the Life Insurance Exam Results

If your test results correlate with the classification used for your original life insurance quote, you’ll have no problem getting that rate. If a medical problem is discovered, you might be offered a life insurance policy with a higher premium.

There are two types of risk ratings: “flat” ratings, sometimes called temporary flat extras, and “table” ratings. Underwriters assess health conditions based sophisticated table to determine how to rate certain health conditions.

For instance, an underwriter might apply a flat rating for a short period of time for a person who has just had surgery. On the other hand, a person with high-blood pressure could receive a table rating, which increases premiums by a set amount for the duration of the policy, depending on your medical condition and age. If you disagree with a rating you receive, contact your agent.

Agents can find out if the rating can be revised based on supplemental medical tests to prove you qualify for a better rating.

Even if you end up declining the life insurance policy, your test results become part of your record in MIB Group’s database (formerly the Medical Information Bureau), a clearinghouse of medical information that insurers share which stores information for seven years after you apply for a life, health, disability income, long term care or critical illness insurance policy.

MIB is jointly owned by about 470 insurance companies. So, if you go shopping around for other term or whole life insurance policies, remember that your medical information is accessible to other insurers in the near future. Note that MIB’s database does not contain actual medical records but rather codes that represent medical conditions and tests, hazardous hobbies and even your bad driving record.

If you want to check your MIB file, or dispute information in it, you can obtain one free report annually at www.mib.com.

No Way, You Say?

Life insurance medical exams are really quite routine. But if you want to avoid a medical exam at all costs, you could buy a simplified issue life insurance policy, which requires only that you answer a few medical questions, or a guaranteed issue life insurance policy, which requires neither an exam nor questions.

Keep in mind, though, that if you’re in general good health, or even with a history of some health issues, you’ll likely get a much better rate by buying a life insurance policy that requires a medical exam.

Tips for a Better Life Insurance Medical Exam

Certain health conditions simply cannot be masked, but to obtain the best possible results, here are some recommendations:

-Get a good night’s rest the night before your exam. -Don’t drink for at least eight hours before the exam.

-Avoid coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks such as soda for at least one hour prior to the exam.

-Limit salt intake and high-cholesterol food 24 hours before your exam.

-Don’t engage in strenuous physical activities 24 hours before the exam.

Source: Exam & Profile Services, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

John Bisnar asked:


Each year, I receive over 250 requests to evaluate potential medical malpractice claims. Most of these requests appear to have valid claims against a healthcare provider for errors in providing medical services or failure to provide services.

In most situations, in order to properly evaluate a potential claim, records need to be obtained and then reviewed by a medical expert. The cost of time and money to obtain records and have them reviewed generally is between $1,500 and $2,500. Therefore it is not surprising that only about one in fifty of these potential claims appear to be “economically viable”.

Knowing this, it is essential that I pick through the requests and evaluate only those that have a high probability of being “economically viable,” unless the potential client wants to pay for the evaluation. To properly evaluate all apparently valid claims that I receive, I would be spending about $500,000 a year ($2,000 X 250).

From years of experience I know that I will only find about five cases out of 250 that will be “economically viable”. “Economically viable” means that the chance of winning and the amount of the potential award are high enough to offset the enormous costs of time and money to pursue the case.

The cases that are potentially “economically viable” are those cases that are the most outrageous, include clear liability on the part of the healthcare provider and who’s “economic damages” are in excess of a million dollars. The reason that the threshold for “economically viable” is so high is due to the many roadblocks to medical malpractice lawsuits created by the healthcare industry and its insurance companies.

These were enacted by the California legislature in 1975 to keep YOU from successfully pursuing just and proper claims against healthcare professionals. Medical malpractice cases are the ONLY type of cases in California where the injured plaintiff is restricted from recovering all of his or her damages. Who benefits from this law? Who is prejudiced by this law?

Who do you think was behind getting the California legislature to pass laws that DO NOT hold healthcare providers liable for their errors in the same way as every other professional in California?

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice or medical negligence occurs when a doctor or other healthcare provider breaches his or her duty to perform treatment to a patient in accordance with the “standard of care”.

The “standard of care” in California requires that a healthcare provider exercise adequate skill, knowledge and care ordinarily possessed and exercised by other members of the profession acting under similar conditions and circumstances.

What can I recover in a Medical Malpractice case?

As in any other personal injury case, the damages which can be recovered in a medical malpractice case fall into two classifications: “special damages” and “general damages”. “Special damages, or “economic”, damages, are the “cost” of medical care, the “cost” of special medical devices, “costs” the plaintiff will incur in on order to continue to function, the loss of future earnings, and other “out of pocket” expenses/losses. “General Damages” or “non-economic” damages, are the compensation to the plaintiff for the pain, suffering, disfigurement, embarrassment, loss of enjoyment of life, and so on.

Legislative Limit on “Non-Economic/General” Damages

In 1975, the California Legislature limited the plaintiff’s ability to recover “non-economic” damages to $250,000. No matter how much pain the plaintiff has/will suffer, no matter how their future life has been altered, no matter the disfigurement, no matter that they will never walk again, hold their child, or enjoy the normal functions and joys of life, the limit on “non-economic damages” is $250,000. That limit has not changed since 1975.

The Economics of a Medical Malpractice Case

When considering the costs of pursuing a medical malpractice case ($50,000 to $100,000+ in costs) plus attorney’s fees and the projected outcome of a jury award, it becomes apparent that the only “economically viable” medical malpractice cases are those with very large “economic damages”.

What about a Death caused by Medical Malpractice?

In cases involving a death, the same basic analysis applies as any other personal injury case, except for the non-economic damages and the attorneys’ fees. Non-economic damages remember are limited to $250,000.

In addition to non-economic damages the hires are entitled to recover the incurred medical and funeral expenses as well as loss of income that they would have otherwise received but for the death. This situation results in most death cases of a relative that was not supporting someone, being not “economically viable”, even though a life has been wrongfully taken.

Proving Medical Malpractice

It is expensive to gather and present evidence needed to prove that a provider had fallen below the ’standard of care’.

Plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases need to hire expert witnesses to testify on the issues of:

(1) the “standard of care”;

(2) the provider’s breach of that standard;

(3) the causal relationship between the negligence and the injuries caused; and

(4) the cost of the future care for the injuries caused; and

(5) any loss of earnings over the lifetime of the plaintiff. Most plaintiffs cannot afford the cost of hiring these experts ($50,000 - $100,000+), especially at a time when they are dealing with the changes in their life caused by the malpractice.

Plaintiffs are left to relying on attorneys to advance these litigation costs in the hope that the recoveries in their cases will repay those costs. The only part of the recovery by the plaintiff that can repay the costs without compromising that plaintiff’s future medical care, nursing care, equipment needs, or lost income is the “non-economic damages” portion of the recovery which has been limited by California law.

Why are Plaintiffs’ Law Firms reluctant to take Medical Malpractice Cases?

In the vast majority of medical negligence cases the profit margin is to low or non-existent. It is more expensive to pursue medical malpractice claims than it is to fight most every other type of personal injury claim, with the exception of large products liability claims against automobile manufacturers and drug manufacturers.

In California, the attorneys fees have been lowered by the California legislature to substantially less than what plaintiffs’ firms earn on auto and drug cases, even though the amount of work to prepare for most medical malpractice cases is equal or greater. The plaintiffs’ law firms don’t want to work on, and invest their money in, cases that are substantially more difficult, riskier and pay substantially less. Generally, juries are much more likely to hold an automobile or drug manufacturer accountable for their wrongdoing than they are the local doctor or healthcare provider.

Please Keep In Mind

Please keep in mind, in California for a medical malpractice claims in most every situation (other than minors), failure to file a lawsuit within one year of the injury results in the loss of all ability to pursue legal rights through the court system. Further, please keep in mind, until I formally accept a case (a written retainer agreement is signed), I am not your attorney nor am I representing you. The fact that we may be corresponding about possible representation does not make me your attorney.

If you feel that your medical malpractice situation is “economically viable” or you wish to speak to an attorney, please contact Bisnar | Chase, California Medical Malpractice lawyers.



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