Bone drug hope for breast cancer patients

Doctors were mostly hoping to prevent complications and relapses when they gave young women a medicine to keep their bones strong during breast cancers treatment. Seven years later, they found it did more than that: The bone drug improved survival, as much as much chemotherapy does. The study found a 37 percent lower risk of death among women who received the bone drug, Zometa. In absolute terms, it meant that 4 to 5 more women out of every 100 were alive seven years later. It’s especially impressive considering that the women took the drug, given as an infusion every six months, for only three years.

Zometa (zow-MAY-tuh) should now be offered to all patients like those in this study – younger women forced into early menopause by hormone-blocking cancer treatments, some specialists said. Bone drugs called bisphosphonates have long been sold for treating osteoporosis. Those are daily pills. Zometa, made by the Swiss company Novartis AG, is given intravenously to treat breast cancers that has spread to the bone. All had surgery followed by hormone blockers, and half also received Zometa. Now, with seven years of follow-up, researchers see that Zometa not only helped keep cancer from coming back, but also improved survival. There were 33 deaths among women given the bone drug and 49 among those not treated with it. That magnitude of benefit is comparable to many chemotherapy treatments. Researchers think because Zometa strengthens bones, it’s tougher for cancer to spread there and the drug may also have direct effects against circulating cancer cells or microscopic tumors.

Zometa’s side effects were mostly fever and bone and joint pain, and doctors saw no cases of jawbone decay, a serious problem long linked to bisphosphonates. Zometa costs more than $1,000 in the U.S. and about half as much in Europe, though the price may drop when its U.S. patent expires in 2013. Novartis helped pay for the study and Gnant consults for the company. The bone drug proved disappointing though in a large study last year in postmenopausal women, who account for three-fourths of all breast cancers. But there was a glimmer of hope in the oldest patients.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_BREAST_CANCER_BONE_DRUGS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-12-08-18-14-34

Herniated Disc Symptoms

Understanding Herniated Disc Symptoms

 

Herniated disc is a condition in which the pads (disc) situated between the vertebrae out of its normal place. Herniated disc often occurs in old age. This is related to the change in bone structure. In the old age the pads become stiff, making it very easy to place a herniated disc. Different at a young age; disc is more elastic and smooth. However, there was a person like the 30s damaged up to 30%. The problem that is often complained of the patient is diagnosed with a herniated disc lower back pain (LBP), pain in the legs, and weakness in lower extremities. The related of herniated disc symptoms with anatomically shows that it is very close to the disc with the spinal nerves and spinal cord, so despite the fact that there is extra space in the spinal cord and spinal nerves, but if there’s still a herniated disc spinal cord and spinal nerves will get pressure. So this will disrupt nerve transmission from the brain as well as from both extremities.

 

The herniated disc symptoms that often appear on herniated disc including tingling and numbness, electric shock pain, muscless weakness, and bowel or bladder problems. Some how that is done to diagnose a herniated disc are the physical examination such as examination saensasi, muscle strength. And reflexes, plus with such X.ray radiologic examination and MRI. Treatment of a herniated disc begins conservatively like rest and activity modification, ice & heat application, physical therapy, analgesisia, edidural steroid injection.

What’s Enlarged Prostate Symptoms?

The Things You Should Know about Enlarged Prostate Symptoms

The most irritating health problem mostly happen in men is probably enlarged prostate symptoms. When this enlarged prostate symptoms appeared, most of men will go through an enlarged prostate. The enlarged prostate symptom commonly occurred on about 90% of men at a particular time of their lives. The enlarged prostate symptoms usually are the initial of the emergence of prostate cancer. However, the enlarged prostate symptoms that lead to prostate cancer occurred less in number. Most of men who got enlarged prostate symptoms experienced prostate gland enlargement that is known as prostatic hyperplasia.

What is actually enlarged prostate symptoms? Enlarged prostate symptom is part of men’s life experience that must happen in their life. Every man knows that in their range of time they will arrive at the point when the ageing problems cause some health problem, including enlarged prostate symptoms. These symptoms happen in men over 50 years old. This health problem is also appeared due to infections, such as urinary tract infection. For this infection, a medication can solve and heal it quickly. The enlarged prostate symptoms may appear with the problem of urinating. This problem causes inability to urinate. You will also difficult in control the urine flow—some of the sufferers also will experience frequent urination moreover at night. The sufferers will also find blood in their urine or semen. A weak and intermittent flow of urine and also burning sensation during the urination time will also be parts of the symptoms. In addition, when the symptoms are getting worse, the sufferers will get problems in achieving erection and pain in the lower back.

The important thing you have to know if you get the enlarged prostate symptoms is you have consult to the doctor immediately. If the enlarged prostate symptom you are experiencing is caused by the problem of benign prostatic hyperplasia, than a simple medication and treatment can be done. However, if the problem leads to prostatic cancer, you have to see a urologist, a specialist in urinary system diseases, to get the immediate medication to prevent the cancer spread outside the prostate gland. In addition, before you experience this kind of symptoms, it is suggested that you keep a healthy life style. Consuming a good nutritious food, doing regular exercises, and having a health life activities and also having an enough time to take a rest will somehow reduce the risk of the enlarged prostate symptoms.