Chicago- Blood samples from women for whom breast cancer has come back had high levels of estrogen although most of them had been treated with estrogen blocking drugs, U.S. researchers reported.

The researchers said that the finding recommends women with a history of breast cancer to take extra steps like that of weight management and regular exercise in order to lessen their estrogen levels and reduce the risk of the cancer’s return.

Estrogen has been highly linked with the development of many breast cancers. However, very few researches have examined at the connection between high estrogen levels and cancer recurrence, particularly in women who are treated with anti estrogen drugs such as tamoxifen.

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New York-The federal government on Friday showed green signal to biotech major Genentech Inc. for marketing its best selling drug Avastin as a medication for late stage breast cancer, a decision welcomed by some but condemned by others concerned about the efficiency and cost of the drug.

Previously the drug has been approved to treat colon and lung cancer. The Food and Drug Administration’s decision clears the way for doctors to recommend the drug for women who have metastatic breast cancer. In the past, doctors were prescribing avastin for such women on an unapproved or “off label” basis. Though it is a legal thing it makes insurance coverage less probable.

The FDA decision has been made following the claim by U.S. Biotechnology Company last week that a study of Avastin used with chemotherapy prolonged progression free survival significantly in patients with breast cancer.

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Washington - The American Cancer Society said that death rate in the U.S due to cancer is maintained a constant decline, which started in the early 90s. However, it may still cause an estimated 565,650 American deaths in this year.

Age-adjusted cancer death rates for U.S. males in a graphic released by the American Cancer Society. The U.S. death rate from cancer has continued a steady decline that began in the early 1990s but it will still kill a projected 565,650 Americans this year, the organization said on Wednesday. REUTERS/Handout

“The death rate due to lung, prostate, breast, colorectal and various other types of cancer dropped in 2005, which is the most recent year for which data were available. However the data was less compared to 2003 and 2004,” the American Cancer Society said. In 2005, there was about 184 cancer deaths per 100,000 people where as it was 186 the year before.

But there was increase in the actual number of deaths due to cancer. ACS said that about 559,312 people died due to cancer in 2005, compared to 553,888 in the year 2004. The numbers of deaths have increased in spite of fall in death rate as the population of the United States increased more. (more…)

Cancer is a deadly disease which begins in your cells. Our body is made up of many types of cells. Usually our body creates new cells when needed and replaces the old cells when they die to keep our body healthy. But sometimes this process goes wrong. New cells grow in an uncontrolled way when they are not needed and old cells don’t die when they should. These cancerous cells form a mass of tissue called tumor. Tumors can either be malignant or benign. Cancer cells are malignant and they will spread to other parts of the body through the lymph systems and blood. Most cancers are named after the organ from which it is originated. For example liver cancer starts in the liver. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis.

What are the different types of cancer?

There are more than 100 different types of cancers are found. The most common type of cancer is the skin cancer, blood cancer, brain cancer, lung cancer and liver cancer.

Skin Cancer

Among all type of cancer, skin cancer represents about half of all cancers diagnosed in USA. Skin cancer is a disease in which cancer cells are found in the outer layers of your skin. People who are spending a lot of time in sunlight have more possibility of getting affected by skin cancer and those who are having light colored skin are more prone to skin cancer. The signs and symptoms of skin cancer are, wound that doesn’t heal and presence of small lump and red spots in skin. Skin cancer is classified into three main types- basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma.

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