HEALTH ( 15 / 16 )

How are head and neck cancers staged and what, exactly, does that mean?   created at May 09, 2009   1,143   A staging system is a clinical evaluation, based on the best possible estimate of the extent of the disease prior to treatment. Head and neck cancers are commonly staged using the TNM system. T describes the size of the tumor. N describes the extent of the...

What are the warning signs of head and neck cancers?   created at May 09, 2009   1,296   Warning signs of head and neck cancers depend on the location of the cancer. Sometimes there are no warning signs. That's why men and women over 40 may wish to get an annual cancer-related health checkup, especially if they use tobacco or alcohol. Having a...

What are the major contributing factors for head and neck cancers?   created at May 09, 2009   1,404   The major causes (etiologic factors) for head and neck cancers are tobacco and alcohol use, including cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, betel leaf, lime, catchu and areca nut, and marijuana. Combining tobacco and alcohol use poses an even greater...

What if the surgery doesn't help for sinus surgery ?   created at May 08, 2009   1,165   First, be patient, recovery from surgery takes weeks (occasionally months). If you aren't better at that point then there are many possibilities including allergies, immune problems, fungal infection of the sinuses, scarring from the original surgery, sinu...

How is treatment different after surgery?   created at May 08, 2009   1,145   It doesn't mean that you won't get sinusitis any more, but it is often easier to treat. Surgery is not meant to cure the disease. Once the sinuses have been opened up by surgery, it is possible to wash out the sinuses if necessary , and as a result, someti...

What is done if I have to have sinus surgery?   created at May 08, 2009   1,184   You should first understand that I am not a surgeon, so this is from the perspective of someone who has seen the surgery, and had the surgery done, but who doesn't do the surgery himself. The surgery, called functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), may ...

When should surgery be considered?   created at May 08, 2009   1,147   A small percentage of patients with chronic sinusitis will fail to improve even with the best medical treatment. In most studies of patients treated by allergists who specialize in treatment of chronic sinusitis, this is less than 10% of patients who have ...

What effect do nasal polyps have on sinus problems?   created at May 08, 2009   1,125   Nasal polyps are not true polyps but rather are probably caused by inflammation in the nose. They look like peeled grapes but are basically fluid-filled sacs. They can be found anywhere in the sinuses or nose and commonly are associated with sinus infectio...

What kind of effects do tobacco smoke and other irritants have on the sinuses?   created at May 08, 2009   1,261   Tobacco smoke and various other irritants may cause worsening of symptoms. Those irritants include auto exhaust, gasoline fumes, paint fumes, perfume, roach spray and household chemicals such as bleach, etc. Cigarette smoke paralyzes the tiny hairs (cilia)...

Why do I have to keep my nose clear? I can breathe through my mouth.   created at May 07, 2009   1,212   While you can breathe through your mouth,relying solely on it is less efficient and can lead to dryness and irritation.Your nose filters,warms,and humidifies the air you breathe,protecting your lungs from irritants and pathogens.Keeping your nose clear ens...

Why do we have sinuses?   created at May 06, 2009   1,296   The sinuses are air pockets located inside the bones in the skull. They are located to either side of the nose (maxillary), behind and in between the eyes (ethmoid), in the forehead (frontal), and there is one much further back in the head (sphenoid). (For...

What is the treatment for Lyme disease?   updated at Oct 31, 2025   1,124   Key Points about Lyme Disease Treatment?:Antibiotics are the Primary Treatment: The standard treatment for Lyme disease is with antibiotics.Early Treatment is Crucial: Antibiotics are most effective when started as early as possible after infection.Prompt ...

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?   created at May 06, 2009   1,298   Lyme disease can affect any part of the body and cause many different symptoms. The commonest symptoms relate to the person feeling unwell, having flu-like symptoms, extreme tiredness, muscle pain, muscle weakness, joint pain, upset digestive system, heada...

How to remove attached ticks ?   created at May 06, 2009   1,259   Prompt removal of ticks decreases the chances of getting Lyme disease. The proper and easiest method is to grasp the tick with fine tweezers, as near the skin as you can, and gently pull it straight out. Be careful not to squeeze the tick when removing it ...

Side effects of vulvar cancer surgery   created at May 05, 2009   1,338   The consequences of curative surgery can be psychologically devastating, as vulvar surgery can result in lifelong anatomic alterations. Sexual dysfunction is common because of loss of clitoris in some clinical situations and in general because of alteratio...

Questions a woman may want to ask her doctor before treatment begins for vulvar cancer   created at May 05, 2009   1,093   Here are some questions a woman may want to ask her doctor before treatment begins: What is my diagnosis? What is the stage of the disease? What are my treatment choices? Which do you recommend for me? Why? What are the chances that the treatment will be s...

Side effects of radiation therapy for ovarian cancer   created at May 05, 2009   1,125   Radiation therapy mainly causes fatigue, especially in the later weeks of treatment. Though resting is important, doctors usually advise patients to stay as active as possible. Skin in the treated area may become red, dry, tender and itchy, and there may b...

Side effects of chemotheray for ovarian cancer   created at May 05, 2009   1,086   With chemotherapy, side effects depend on which drugs the patient receives, as well as personal variance from patient to patient. In general, chemotherapy drugs affect rapidly dividing cells. The drugs kill cancer cells, but also affect other cells in the ...

How will my doctor know if I have ovarian cancer?   created at May 05, 2009   1,158   Women who have regular pelvic exams increase the chance that, if ovarian cancer occurs, it will be found before the disease causes symptoms. However, pelvic exams often cannot find ovarian cancer at an early stage. Often, the doctor orders a blood test to ...

What are the symptoms for ovarian cancer?   created at May 05, 2009   1,125   As a tumor grows, a woman may notice these symptoms: Swelling, bloating or general discomfort in the lower abdomen Loss of appetite or a feeling of fullness, even after a light meal Gas Indigestion Nausea Weight loss Diarrhea, constipation or frequent urin...

What are the causes and risk factors for ovarian cancer?   created at May 05, 2009   1,111   It is difficult to discover what actually causes cancer from one person to another, but researchers have discovered several factors that increase a woman’s likelihood of developing ovarian cancer. Some risk factors for ovarian cancer include: Most ovarian...

Things to preapre for Cervical Cancer Treatment   created at May 04, 2009   1,162   Here are some questions you may want to ask your doctor before treatment begins: What is the stage (extent) of my disease? What are my treatment choices? Which do you recommend? Why? What are the chances that the treatment will be successful? Would a clini...

How is cancer of the cervix treated?   created at May 04, 2009   1,429   The choice of treatment for cervical cancer depends on the location and the size of the tumor, the stage (extent) of the disease, the woman's age and general health, and other factors. Gynecologic oncologists have expertise in the diagnostic evaluation and...

How are precancerous conditions of the cervix treated?   created at May 04, 2009   1,142   All treatments directed toward neoplastic conditions of the cervix should be based on a biopsy and not a Pap smear alone. Treatment for a precancerous lesion of the cervix depends on a number of factors. These factors include whether the lesion is low or h...

What is the difference between precancerous conditions and cancer of the cervix?   created at May 04, 2009   1,130   Cells on the surface of the cervix sometimes appear abnormal but not cancerous. Scientists believe that some abnormal changes in cells on the cervix are the first step in a series of slow changes that can lead to cancer years later. That is, some abnormal ...

The treatment for Pancreatic Cancer? What should I ask?   created at May 04, 2009   1,152   Three kinds of treatment are used for pancreatic cancer: Surgery – taking out the cancer in an operation Radiation therapy – using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells Chemotherapy – using drugs to kill cancer cells A doctor m...

What are the causes and risk factors for pancreatic cancer?   created at May 04, 2009   1,125   It is difficult to discover what actually causes cancer from one person to another, but researchers have found several specific factors that increase a person’s likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include: Over 5...

The symptoms for liver cancer?   created at May 04, 2009   1,183   These symptoms might be caused by liver cancer: Unexplained weight loss Anorexia (persistent lack of appetite) Early satiety (feeling very full after a small meal) Persistent abdominal pain Increasing abdominal girth (swelling of the "stomach" area) with o...

Radiation Therapy for Colorectal Cancer   created at May 04, 2009   1,176   Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is the use of high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing. Like surgery, radiation therapy is local therapy; it can affect cancer only in the treated area. Radiation is sometimes used befo...

Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer   created at May 04, 2009   1,124   Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is sometimes given after surgery for colorectal cancer to try to prevent the disease from recurring, or coming back. This additional treatment is called adjuvant therapy. The doctor may us...