Aplastic Anemia Incidence

The term aplastic (or hypoplastic) in aplastic anemia means empty, meaning the disease is developed when the bone marrow contains nothing or has very few blood cells. Each year, the incidence of aplastic anemia is 2 to 4 million cases, which typically occurs in three different life phases:

2 to 5 years
20 to 25 years.
55 to 60 years
When the bone marrow is damaged, its production of healthy cells become erratic. The result will be lower count of all blood cell types: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The irregular functioning or failure of the bone marrow will eventually lead to aplastic anemia.

Common causes of aplastic anemia include:

Autoimmune disorders - hereditary and acquired immune disorders
Drugs - chloramphenicol, felbamate, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenylbutazone, and quinine
Radiation
Benzene and other toxic chemicals
Acquired cases - destruction of stem cells due to medications and infections
Inherited cases - Fanconi Anemia, Schwachman-Diamond Syndrome, and Dyskeratosis Congenital
Pregnancy
In 1888, the idea of aplastic anemia was first introduced after studies on the case of a pregnant woman died of bone marrow failure. The disorder was named as such in 1904.

In more than half of the cases, the exact reasons and causes of the aplastic anemia incidence remain unknown to doctors even after diagnosis. The disease is rare but serious. A definitive diagnosis is typically performed through biopsy of the bone marrow. The biopsy test includes:

CBC - with platelets and smear
Drug screen
Viral serologies
Serum folate
B12

Common symptoms are caused by the following conditions:

Low platelet count - bruising, petechiae, and hemorrhage
Low count of white blood cells - severe infections
Low count of red blood cells - malaise and pallor

Common treatment options include:

For mild to moderate cases - prescription medication (suppressants for the immune system); blood transfusions
For severe cases -Through advanced medical technology, bone marrow transplants are made possible but rather difficult. The main obstacle is finding a suitable bone marrow donor. Researches show, a matched sibling donor transplant has a cure rate of 60 to 70 percent.

David Austin is an Attorney focused on complex injury cases. You can learn more about Aplastic Anemia Incidence at his website. Burke-Eisner.com

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What is Lung Cancer - Incidence, Signs, Symptoms, Causation, Prognosis and Treatment

INTRODUCTION

Lung cancer may also be the most tragic cancer because in most cases, it might have been prevented, 87% of cases are caused by smoking. Lung cancer has long been the most common cause of cancer death in men and since 1987 it has also become the most common cause of cancer death in women. It is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most western countries and although the lung cancer incidence is less common in developing countries, the rapid increase in the popularity of smoking will see the number of sufferers in those countries quickly catch up with the western world.

Lung cancers can arise in any part of the lung, and 90%-95% of cancers of the lung are thought to arise from the epithelial, or lining cells of the larger and smaller airways (bronchi and bronchioles); for this reason, lung carcinomas are sometimes called bronchogenic carcinomas or bronchogenic cancers.

The most common types are epidermoid carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.

Most experts agree that lung cancer is attributable to inhalation of carcinogenic pollutants by a susceptible host. Who is most susceptible? Any smoker over the age of 40, especially if they began smoking before the age of 15, have smoked 20 or more for 20 years, or worked with or near asbestos. Two other factors also increase susceptibility: exposure to carcinogenic industrial and air pollutants (asbestos, uranium, arsenic, nickel, iron oxides, chromium, radio active dust, and coal dust.) and familial susceptibility.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Because early lung cancer usually produces no symptoms, the disease is often in an advanced stage when first diagnosed. Late stage signs are: with epidermoid and small cell carcinoma; smokers cough, hoarseness, wheezing, dyspnea, hemoptysis and chest pain. With adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma; fever, weakness, weight loss, anorexia and shoulder pain. In addition, hormone production which regulates various body functions may also be affected.

DIAGNOSIS

Firm diagnosis requires chest x rays, sputum cytology, CT scanning, bronchoscopy the examination of pleural fluid and biopsies. Other tests to detect metastasis include bone scans, bone marrow biopsy and CT scans of the brain and abdomen.

METASTASES

The disease most often spreads to the liver, the adrenal glands, the bones, and the brain. Cancer that has metastasized to the bone causes bone pain, usually in the backbone (vertebrae), the thighbones, and the ribs. Cancer that spreads to the brain can cause difficulties with vision and weakness on one side of the body.

The cancer may grow into certain nerves in the neck, causing a droopy eyelid, small pupil, sunken eye, and reduced perspiration on one side of the face; together these symptoms are called Horner's syndrome (see Autonomic Nervous System Disorders: Horner's Syndrome). It may grow directly into the esophagus, or it may grow near it and put pressure on it, leading to difficulty in swallowing. It may also spread through the bloodstream to the liver, brain, adrenal glands, spinal cord, and bone.

TREATMENT

Treatment depends on the cancer's specific cell type, how far it has spread, and the patient's performance status. If investigations confirm lung cancer, CT scan and often positron emission tomography (PET) are used to determine whether the disease is localised and amenable to surgery or whether it has spread to the point where it cannot be cured surgically. Treatment is usually a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Surgery is usually the first option. Chemotherapy can be used as a first line treatment for or as additional treatment after surgery. Radiation therapy can be directed at your cancer from outside your body (external beam radiation) or it can be put inside needles, seeds or catheters and placed inside your body near the cancer (brachytherapy). Radiation therapy can be used alone or along with other lung cancer treatments. Radiation therapy can also be used to lessen side effects of lung cancer.

Treatment may not be as effective for patients with bone or liver metastases from lung cancer, excessive weight loss, ongoing cigarette use, or pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease or emphysema. At some point, if you and your oncologist or primary care physician agree that treatment no longer is advisable, hospice care can provide comfort.

Dick Aronson has been involved in the healthcare industry for 35 years.He has written numerous articles on the subject and runs a number of informative websites, visit: http://www.life-wave-patches.com and http://www.healthinnovationsonline.com

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