Bananas may help detect, cure skin cancer — study

PARIS, France — The black spots on old banana peels may unlock a faster, easier diagnosis of human skin cancer, boosting survival chances, scientists said Monday.

When bananas ripen, their skin is covered in small, round black spots caused by an enzyme known as tyrosinase.

The same enzyme is present in human skin, and in greater quantities in people suffering from melanoma — a potentially deadly form of skin cancer.


A team of scientists used this observed commonality to build a cancer scanner, which they then refined and tested at length on banana peels before moving on to human tissue.

First, researchers at the Laboratory of Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry in Switzerland concluded that the enzyme is a reliable marker of melanoma growth.

In the earliest stage 1 of cancer, the enzyme is not very apparent, becoming widespread and evenly distributed in stage 2, and unevenly distributed in stage 3 — by when the cancer has started spreading to other parts of the body.

The earlier the cancer is detected, the greater the chances of survival.

According to the American Cancer Society, people have a 10-year survival rate of 95 percent if the melanoma is detected in stage 1 — falling to 43 percent by mid-stage 3.

The team developed a scanner and tested it on banana peel spots — which are roughly the same size as melanoma spots on human skin.

“By working with fruit, we were able to develop and test a diagnostic method before trying it on human biopsies,” team leader Hubert Girault said in a statement.

The scanner has eight flexible microelectrodes, spaced like comb teeth, that pass over the skin to measure the quantity and distribution of tyrosinase.

“This system could obviate the need for invasive tests like biopsies,” the team said.

Girault believes the scanner could be used one day to destroy tumors, hopefully rendering biopsies and even chemotherapy unnecessary.

“Our initial laboratory tests showed us that our device could be used to destroy the cells,” he said.

The research was published in the German science journal Angewandte Chemie.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Breast cancer in men may be rare, but it happens

Breast cancer usually happens to women. In fact, the American Cancer Society said that one out of eight women suffers from breast cancer worldwide.

But men are not immune to breast cancer. Yes, it may be rare, but it happens. The same organization noted that one out of 1,000 men develops breast cancer.

One of them is Ernesto Petil.

It all started with just a "mere insect bite." Little did he know then that it was the first sign of breast cancer.

"Iyong pagkaalam ko, kinagat lang ng ipis or whatever na insekto. Pinabayaan ko pa rin. Hanggang noong napapansin ko nagkaka-kulani na sa may kili-kili," he said in a report on GMA News TV's "News To Go" on Wednesday. 

However, Petil was not surprised when the doctor confirmed that he had breast cancer. It was in his genes. His sisters also suffered from the disease. In 2013, the mass was removed from his chest.

But it has already spread to his lungs and brain. This means he needs another series of treatments.

"Kung may nagmamagandang loob na nanawagan ako. Kailanga ko kasi ang medication kasi nasabi sa akin na ang chemotherapy, sabi sa akin ng doktor, isang milyon," he added.  




According to the American Cancer Society, since men have breast tissue, they can also develop breast cancer.

Although breast cancer is common among women, men may only learn they have the disease at a later stage. Lack of awareness is one of the reasons why.

Just like Petil, many men may ignore possible warning signs such as lumps and changes in their chest. This could delay diagnosis, the American Cancer Soceity said. Thus, the mass will have a chance to grow.

Here are some signs of breast cancer in men:

    A lump or swelling, usually (but not always) painless
    Skin dimpling or puckering
    Nipple retraction (turning inward)
    Redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin
    Discharge from the nipple


A breast cancer may also spread to lymph nodes under the arm or around the collar bone and cause a lump or swelling.

"Sa lalaki kasi hindi siya common so parang walang recommended screenings for males. Ang lalaki wala namang breast eh. So kung may tutubo sa chest wall nila, makakapa nila agad-agad," oncologist Dr. Ma. Cecilia Pagdanganan pointed out.

Women should still be alarmed

Although breast cancer do exist in men, women are still the main targets of the disease. In fact, breast cancer is so common in women that most, if not all, studies into the causes, prevention, and treatment of the disease are done with women as case studies.

Hurdling out of breast cancer has never been easy. To help others who are battling this disease, breast cancer survivor Christina Terado has been teaching arts and crafts to those undergoing chemotherapy.

"Nagdasal ako para bibigyan ako ng gabay na mapapagtutuunan ko ng pansin para hindi ko maisip ang sakit ko. Nagtuturo na ako sa cancer patients and iba pang grupo kasi nagiging creative kami at saka positibo kami sa buhay," she said.

Pagdanganan recommended women to undergo a mammogram every other year when they hit 40 years of age until they turn 49 years old—even when they don't see any warning signs.

And when cancer hits, Terado has some words of courage: "Kailangan talagang lumaban ka." — Trisha Macas/BM, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Health Food Made in the U.S.A. – An American Manufacturing Success Story

Health food manufactured in the U.S.A. is not always the greatest, but one manufacturer is working to set higher standards. With one of the biggest production facilities in the world, this producer is doing more than any other health food company to guarantee the safety and effectiveness of its totally natural, herb based products.

Starting 29 years ago, Dr. Tei-Fu Chen, an American immigrant from Taiwan and his wife, Dr. Oi-Lin Chen from Hong Kong, gave birth to Sunrider. Today, with worldwide headquarters in Los Angeles, California, Sunrider is a leading manufacturer of premium herbal health food and green personal care products. Sunrider's state-of-the-art U.S. manufacturing facility boasts an unrivaled 1 million square feet of space on some of the most expensive real estate anywhere. Touring the factory, one realizes the focus on cleanliness, safety, and effectiveness that permeates every infinitesimal detail of the production process.

Sunrider's exceptional production processes are setting new standards of quality in the health food industry. The company self manufactures over 415 natural, plant based products that harness ancient Chinese formulas combined with remarkable technological advances. Possessing unrivaled owner expertise, Dr. Chen is one of the world's leading authorities on herbs and a licensed pharmacist, while his counterpart, Mrs. Oi-Lin Chen, is a Western trained Medical Doctor. Jointly, they lead a pool of scientists to unite the herbal traditions of the East with modern technology of the West in order to manufacture the safest, most potent herbal health food products possible.

In the company's new manufacturing plant, Dr. Tei-Fu Chen has made it a priority to eliminate toxic, heavy metals, such as mercury and radiation from the raw herbs that Sunrider uses. His manufacturing processes extend far beyond what most health food companies adhere to for testing of undesirable microbes and heavy metals in their raw ingredients. No other health food manufacturer in the world is taking the colossal steps that this company is to assure that their products are safe and potent. In fact, many health food companies do not even manufacture their own products, but subcontract that operation to a third party.

In addition to innumerable awards accepted by Sunrider for health food manufacturing, Dr. Chen was honored by Forbes Asia as one of the 25 most important Chinese-Americans in 2010. His humanitarian efforts have been acknowledged by Unicef, The American Cancer Society, and the American Red Cross, among others. Some might say that Dr. Chen is lucky to have built a health food empire generating millions of dollars in revenue and enjoying such fantastic success. He prefers the wisdom that says "luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity". This is why Sunrider will soon be celebrating 30 years as an American health food manufacturing success story. Author Cliff Everett Smith owns http://www.BestHealthFoodStore.net, the Internet health food store that provides products made entirely by Sunrider. Look at the catalog and discover why these formulas provide outstanding nutrition, greater effectiveness, and absolute safety.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com