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Posts in category Diseases

Acute Renal Failure (ARF)

Sep17
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Types | Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Complications |           Treatment

Kidneys can get damaged by sudden acute loss of blood and cause sudden kidney (renal) failure. This rapid drop in the kidney function is called acute renal failure. When ARF occurs, waste products, such as nitrogen, salt and fluid can accumulate, upsetting the body’s normal chemical balance. Chemicals and electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium, which are needed for normal body functioning, become toxic to the body when they reach abnormally high or low levels.acute-renal-failure READ MORE »

Posted in Kidneys & Related Diseases - Tagged

Testicular Cancer

Sep17
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Stages | Treatment

testicular

testicular

Testicular cancer is a rare disease in men caused by abnormal growth of cells in the tissues of one or both testicles. The male sex gland, testicles (testes or gonads) are the body’s main source of male hormones which is involved in the production of sperm. The testicles, two in number, which look round and a little smaller than golf balls, are located behind the penis in a pouch of skin called the scrotum.

Testicular cancer usually arises between the ages of 15 and 49, more likely between 20-35. Testicular cancer or malignant tumour (also called germ cell tumour) begins when cells within the testicle become cancerous and begin to grow out of control. Seminoma and Nonseminoma are the two types of testicular cancer. Nonseminomas include four sub-types namely Choriocarcinoma, Embryonal Carcinoma, Teratoma, and Yolk sac tumors. Seminomas, made up of immature germ, are slow growing and tend to stay localized in the testicle for long periods. Nonseminomas arise from more mature, specialized germ cells and tend to be more aggressive than Seminomas. Tumors can also arise in the supportive and hormone-producing tissues of the testicles and are called Gonadal Stromal tumors. Leydig cell tumors and Sertoli cell tumors are two types. Secondary testicular tumors are those that start in another organ and then spread to the testicle. The most common secondary testicular cancer lymphoma, arise from lymphatic tissue (tissue that forms part of the immune system) within the testicle. These are very rare. READ MORE »

Posted in Cancer - Tagged

Prostate Cancer

Sep17
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Stages | Treatment

Prostate cancer is an abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells that results in the formation of a tumor in the prostate gland. Prostate, the walnut sized gland, is a part of the reproductive system which lies deep in the pelvis.  It is located in front of the rectum and underneath the urinary bladder and surrounds the urethra, (the urine tube running from the bladder, through the prostate and the penis). It contains gland cells that produce some of the seminal fluid, which protects and nourishes sperm cells in semen and supports the ejaculatory ducts, or sperm tubes. The prostate continues to grow till a man reaches adulthood and is maintained after it reaches normal size as long as male hormones are produced.

Prostate cancer begins most often in the outer part of the prostate. It is the most common cancer in men older than age 50. In most men, the cancer grows very slowly. In fact, many men with the disease will never know they have the condition. Early prostate cancer is confined to the prostate gland itself, and the majority of patients with this type of cancer can live for years with no problems. In some cases, it may spread from the prostate to nearby lymph nodes, bones or other organs. This spread is called metastasis. Most Prostate cancers originate in the posterior prostate gland, the rest originate near the urethra. READ MORE »

Posted in Cancer

Penile Cancer

Sep17
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Types | Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Stages | Treatment

Cancer of the penis or penile cancer is a rare disease in which cancer cells or malignant cells are found on the external skin and in the tissues of the penis. It is generally an aggressive form of cancer that has a tendency to spread.

Penile cancer is relatively rare in Western countries; In some South Asian countries, Africa and South America, however it ranks first among malignancies. Although this type of cancer is rare, it is estimated that more than 75% of people older that 60 years are affected by penile cancer. It usually responds well to treatment, and many patients can be cured.

The penis is the external male organ that contains many types of tissue, like skin, nerves, and blood vessels
. Penile cancer evolves from a disruption in one or more genes in a cell’s DNA. Genes control cell activities including division and growth. When cells die, they are replaced by new cells as the body needs them. However, when the genes that orchestrate this natural replacement process are disrupted by chemicals, illness, or other unknown factors, control over cell division and growth is lost. The resultant uncontrolled mass of tissue is a tumor. The tumor spreads gradually becoming larger in the area of the skin where it first develops. Ultimately, it spreads to deep tissues inside the body of the penis and to lymph nodes in the groin (inguinal area) or pelvis. Different types of penile cancer can develop in each kind of cell. READ MORE »

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Mesothelioma

Sep17
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Types | Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Stages | Treatment

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant cells are found in the mesothelium. When it occurs, the cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body.

Mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. A layer of specialized cells called mesothelial cells lines the chest cavity, abdominal cavity, and the cavity around the heart. These cells also cover the outer surface of most internal organs. The tissue formed by these cells is called mesothelium. The mesothelium of chest is called pleura, of the abdomen is peritoneum and of the pericardial cavity, i.e the sac-like space around the heart, is called pericardium. READ MORE »

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Melanoma – Skin Cancer

Sep16
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Types | Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Stages | Treatment

Melanoma is the least common but most dangerous and serious type of skin cancer. It can develop anywhere on the body. Most melanomas develop in your skin. But it can also form in the eye and in rare cases in internal organs such as intestine. The skin is the body’s largest organ which protects us against sunlight, injury, and infection. It helps regulate body temperature, stores water and fat, and produces vitamin D. Skin is divided into two main layers namely, epidermis and dermis. Epidermis is the layer nearest the surface of the skin and is mostly made up of flat, scalelike cells called squamous cells. Round cells called basal cells lie under the squamous cells in the epidermis. The lower part of the epidermis also contains melanocytes. Dermis is the layer underneath epidermis and itcontains blood vessels, lymph vessels, hair follicles and glands. READ MORE »

Posted in Cancer - Tagged

Lung Cancer

Sep16
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Types | Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Stages | Treatment

Lung Cancer or bronchogenic arcinoma, a life threatening disease, is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both of the lungs. While normal lung tissue cells reproduce and develop into healthy lung tissue, these abnormal cells reproduce rapidly and never grow into normal lung tissue. As a result, lump mass known as a tumor are formed, disrupting the lungs and making it difficult to function properly. Tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Benign tumors may grow causing discomfort and bleeding, but they do not spread to other parts of the body and can be removed. Malignant tumors grow aggressively, spread into other areas of the body and destroy normal tissue. The process of spreading the tumor is called metastasis (secondary tumors) and the areas of tumor growth at these distant sites are called metastases. READ MORE »

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Leukemia

Sep16
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Types | Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Stages | Treatment

Leukemia also known as blood cancer is a malignant disease (cancer) of blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. These deranged, immature cells accumulate within the blood and organs of the body and are unable to carry out the normal functions of blood cells.

The blood is made up of a fluid called plasma and three types of cells, namely white blood cells (WBCs or leukocytes), red blood cells (RBCs or erythrocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes). WBCs helps the body to fight infections and other diseases. RBCs which gives blood its color, carry oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues and take carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs. Platelets helps to form blood clots that control bleeding. These blood cells are formed in the bone marrow, the soft, spongy center of bones. READ MORE »

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Colorectal Cancer

Sep16
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Stages | Treatment

Colorectal cancer is the cancer in the large intestine and rectum. It occurs when some of the cells that line the colon or the rectum become abnormal and grow out of control. The abnormal growing cells create a tumor, which is the cancer. Cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer and in the rectum is called rectal cancer. It is common in both men and women .The risk of developing colorectal cancer rises after age 50.

The colon, the longest part of the large intestine or large bowel, is a long muscular tube shaped organ connecting the small intestine to the rectum. It extends from the end of the small bowel to the anus, twisting and turning through the abdomen (belly). It is divided into four sections namely, the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon. The colon removes water and some nutrients and electrolytes from partially digested food. The remaining material, solid waste called stool, moves through the colon to the rectum and leaves the body through the anus. The rectum is lower part of the colon that connects the large bowel to the anus. The rectum’s primary function is to store formed stool in preparation for evacuation.

Colon along with the rectum is called the large intestine. Cancers affecting either of these organs also may be called colorectal cancer. Most colorectal cancers arise in the sigmoid colon which is the portion just above the rectum. They usually start in the innermost layer and can grow through some or all of the several tissue layers that make up the colon and rectum. Most colorectal cancers grow slowly over a period of several years, often beginning as small benign growths called polyps. Removing these polyps early, before they become malignant, is an effective means of preventing colorectal cancer.colon-cancer READ MORE »

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Sleep apnea

Sep16
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder which is characterised by pauses in breathing during sleep. It occurs when enough air cannot move into your lungs while you are sleeping. Sometimes this common disorder can be very serious.
In sleep apnea, your breathing stops or gets very shallow while you are sleeping. Each pause in breathing typically lasts 10 to 20 seconds or more. These short stops in breathing can happen up to 400 times every night. If you have sleep apnea, the periods of not breathing may  wake you up from a deep sleep. But it is so brief that you may not be aware that your sleep was interrupted. READ MORE »

Posted in Disorders - Tagged
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