Posts

Showing posts with the label prostate cancer

Cancer Diary: The (Sometimes Unrealized) Benefits of Walking for Cancer Patients

Image
  Carl did not like to walk. That was not the only thing that did him in, but it was one of the things that might have helped him. The benefits of walking can be immense: Walking increases muscular strength , especially lean muscle mass and functional strength. Walking a mile a day has been found to lower the risk of dying from breast cancer and prostate cancer . In addition, walking and  aerobic exercise diminishes the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment , such as fatigue, anxiety and depression. See also  Walking for Exercise | Cancer Today (cancertodaymag.org) . Walking can improve mental health , thanks to releasing endorphins. Walking can decrease the likelihood of diabetes . Walking can decrease bad cholesterol . Walking can decrease high blood pressure . Walking can reduce cardiovascular risk by 14%. Finally, walking a mile a day can cut risk of dying from prostate or breast cancer by 40% says one study .  For another MSI Press blog post on walking, take a look at: 

Cancer Diary: Some Hope for Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Image
  Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have identified how a specific substance (a mutant) plays a key role in helping   prostate cancer   to spread and become harder to treat.  They hope the findings might offer new treatment options for aggressive prostate cancer. Read the full article HERE . For other Cancer Diary posts, click  HERE . Blog editor's note: As a memorial to Carl, and simply because it is truly needed, MSI Press is now hosting a web page,  Carl's Cancer Compendium , as a one-stop starting point for all things cancer, to make it easier for those with cancer to find answers to questions that can otherwise take hours to track down on the Internet and/or from professionals. The CCC is expanded and updated weekly. As part of this effort, each week, on Monday, this blog will carry an informative, cancer-related story -- and be open to guest posts:  Cancer Diary .   Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter  here  or on our  home page . Follow MSI Press on  Twitter

Cancer Diary: High Heat/Charred Meat, a Surreptitious Potential (Likely?) Cause of Some Kinds of Cancer

Image
We love grilling. Carl had quite a reputation for grilling hamburgers, hot dogs, salmon, and more, a tradition carried on by his children (son Shawn in the picture) and grandchildren (granddaughter Neela in the picture). Friends, family, and neighbors always loved coming by for Carl's BBQs.  Then, Carl fell and was diagnosed with stage 4 Cancer of Unknown Primary , which is an aggressive cancer, leaving little time to cope with rapid changes , let alone grilling or any kind of final fun. His oncologist thought that the primary probably was in the GI tract. Carl had skipped his colonoscopy (no one should ever do that). He was treated with a generic mix of chemicals as well as a mixture for colorectal cancer. It was too late! What we never realized during all those years of grilling was the potential connection between grilling and cancer. Had we known that, maybe Carl would have grilled less or differently. Perhaps he would have been more diligent about getting his colonoscopy. By