A Simple Guide to Vulvitis

A Simple Guide to Vulvitis
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What is Vulvitis?
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Vulvitis is an acute inflammation of the vulva in females.

What are the causes of Vulvitis?
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Vulvitis is usually caused by the following:

Infections:

1.sexually transmitted disease like gonorrhea,trichomonas and chlamydia.

2.Fungal infection such as candidiasis

3.Herpes simplex in recurrent cases

4.Pediculosis pubis or lice

5.pinworm infection in children

6.Urinary infection such as cystitis

Allergies:

1.Clothings

2.perfumes

3.powders

4.drugs

Chemical irritants:

1.vaginal douche

2.detergents used to wash underwear

Mechanical irritants:

1.ill fitting underwear

2.inadequate sexual lubrication

Postmenopausal:

Atrophic vulvovaginitis after menopausal with dryness and inflammation of the vulval and vaginal lining

Generalised disorders:

Dermatological disorders such as lichen simplex


What are the symptoms and signs of Vulvitis?
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Persons who has Acute Vulvitis has the following
Symptoms:

1.vulval irritation and itch

2.discharge from vagina

3.painful or frequency of urination

4.excoriation of the inner lining of vulva

Signs:

1.discharge can be seen in female vagina

2.redness and inflammation of the vulva

How do you diagnose Vulvitis?
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Diagnosis can usually be made by :

1.History of vulval itch associated frequency of urination, painful urination or discharge from vagina

2.Vulva shows inflammation, excoriation of lining,

3.Vulval and vaginal swab to culture for bacteria and sexually transmitted organisms and the antibiotic most appropriate for it.

4. biopsy of the suspicious vulval lesions to exclude other causes of vulval problem such as tumor

What is the treatment of Vulvitis?
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1.Approprate Antibiotics, antifungal for infections especially after urine bacterial culture

2.Antihistamine medicine for itch

3.Topical oestrogen cream for postmenopausal atrophic vulvovaginitis

4.Proper hygience after urination, sexual intercourse and bathing

5.Avoid strong soaps

6.Use of lubricants during sexual intercourse

7.Weight reduction if obese

8.Treat underlying condition such as diabetes,allergic dermatitis,other skin
conditions.

What is the prognosis of Vulvitis?
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Prognosis is usually good with medication.

Sexual partner may need to be treated.

Recurrence is quite common.

A Simple Guide to Stomach Cancer

A Simple Guide to Stomach Cancer
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What is Stomach Cancer?
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Stomach cancer (also called “gastric cancer”) is the growth of abnormal cells in the lining and wall of the stomach which mutates and proliferates giving rise to the stomach cancer .
Stomach Cancer can spread to the surrounding organs like liver,pancreas and colon.
Once in the blood stream it can spread to the brain, bones and kidneys.

Who is at risk of getting Stomach Cancer?
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1. Chronic Helicobacter pylori bacteria infection. This bacteria is found in the stomach and has been found to cause gastric ulcers and stomach cancer.

2. family history of stomach cancer

3. frequent consumption of preserved or smoked food such as salted vegetables,fish,meat. Cancer causing nitrosamines are released when these food are cooked.

4.previous stomach surgery with partial removal of stomach (gastric ulcers or polyps)

5. Pernicious anaemia- a rare blood disorder affecting the red blood cells

6. Smoking

7. Men are affected more than women

8. Age above 50 years of age

9.People with blood group A has a higher incidence

What are the symptoms of Stomach Cancer?
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In the early stages, stomach cancer may have no symptoms.

As it spread it can cause the following symptoms:

1.Indigestion, stomach discomfort or heartburn

2.A fullness feeling or bloating after eating a small meal

3. loss of appetite

4.Nausea or belching

5. Feeling tired

When the cancer is larger, it can cause the following symptoms:

1.Stomach pain

2.Vomiting

3.Blood in your stool or black tarry stools

4.Unexplained weight loss

5.pallour due to anaemia from loss of blood

Many of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions besides cancer.
So the earlier stomach cancer is found, the better are the chances of it being cured.

How do you diagnose Stomach Cancer?
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1.medical history and complete physical exam.

2.Abdominal X-ray for any other condition in the abdomen causing pain or swelling in the abdomen

3.Gastroscopy:
a thin, lighted tube is put into your mouth and passed down to your stomach.

4.Biopsy:
During gastrocopy, a small piece of your suspicious stomach tissue is taken to check for cancer cells. This is called a biopsy sample which is then examined under a microscope for cancer cells.

How is stomach cancer treated?
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Treatment for stomach cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or a combination of these treatments. The choice of treatment depends on whether the cancer is just in the stomach or if it has spread to other places in the body. A person’s age and overall health will also affect the choice of treatment.

Surgery
Surgery is still the best form of treatment for stomach cancer.
For smaller cancers -partial removal of the stomach is done.
In early stages cure rate is about 90%.
For later stages of cancer, the whole stomach including the spleen and surrounding tissues may be removed.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is used in conjunction with surgery in later stges of cancer.

Radiotherapy:
Radiation can help to kill the cancer cells surrounding the stomach cancer as well as to relieve pain.

Can I prevent stomach cancer?
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There is no way to prevent stomach cancer.
However, you can help reduce your risk of getting stomach cancer by:
Living a healthy lifestyle

Not drinking a lot of alcohol or smoking.

Avoid preserved food

Treat H.pyrori infections of the stomach early.

Eat a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, and vitamin C.
Vitamin C is found in foods such as oranges, grapefruit and broccoli.

AS IN ALL CANCERS, EARLY DETECTION IS THE BEST CURE!!

A Simple Guide to Liver Cancer

A Simple Guide to Liver Cancer
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What is Liver Cancer?
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Liver Cancer develops when the liver cells undergo abnormal changes to form cancer cells.
Most Primary cancer of the liver begins as mutated hepatocytes(liver cells).
Secondary cancer of the liver is due to spread from the stomach, colon, breast, lungs, ovaries etc

What is the incidence of Liver Cancer?
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Liver cancer is one of the most common cancer.
It occurs in men more than women.
It is more common in the 40s and 50s age groups.

What are the Risk Factors of Liver Cancer?
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The main risk factor for liver cancer is
1.Hepatitis B infection.

Other important risk factors include
2.Hepatitis C infection

3.alcoholic liver disease (disease of the liver caused by heavy alcohol consumption).

4.family history of liver cancer

5.Chemicals exposures such as nitrites,solvents, hydrocarbons,viny chloride

6.poisons (e.g. aflatoxin present in some spoilt or mouldy peanuts).

7.inherited liver diseases (alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency)

8.Drug abuse eg heroin


What are the Signs and Symptoms of Liver Cancer?
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During the early stages, most people with liver cancer do not show any signs or symptoms.
Signs and symptoms, when they do appear, include:

1.loss of appetite and weight

2.discomfort or swelling in the upper part of the abdomen on the right side

3.weakness and fatigue

4.nausea and vomiting

5.jaundice - yellowness of the skin and eyes

6.dark color urine

7.Persistent or swinging fever

How is the Diagnosis of Liver Cancer confirmed?
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1. full medical history especially history of Hepatitis B and alcohol

2. full examination especially of the liver

3.an ultrasound scan of the liver and gallbladder, if possible the whole abdomen.
4.CT scan or MRI of the liver and surrounding tissues


5.blood tests (a protein present in blood called the alpha- fetoprotein or AFP may be found to be raised in liver cancer)

6.needle liver biopsy into the liver swelling as detected by ultrasound or MRI (to confirm the liver cancer).

With the diagnosis confirmed, the doctor will proceed with further tests to find out how advanced the liver cancer is. This will help the doctor to plan the treatment.

What is the Treatment of Liver Cancer?
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As in all cancers, treatment includes surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy.

In Liver cancer percutaneous ethanol (alcohol) injection is injected directly into the tumour, by means of a small needle, to kill the cancerous cells.

Liver transplant can also be carried out in selected cases where the size of the cancer is not too massive but surgery is not feasible due to the patient's limited liver reserve(provided a suitable liver donor can be found).

Treatment depends on the the stage of the cancer as well as health of the affected person.

The goal of treatment is complete cure.

However, where this is not possible, treatment is aimed at
preventing the tumour from spreading or growing.
Helping to eliminate uncomfortable symptoms is also an important aspect of liver cancer treatment.

How to Protect yourself from Liver Cancer?
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Prevention from getting liver cancer is by taking steps to reduce your risk factors.

1. Reduce your risk of Hepatitis B by getting vaccinated. The Hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective.
Both Hepatitis B and C are spread through infected blood or sexual fluids as well as intravenous drug abuse. It is therefore important to avoid activities that put you at risk:

2.Avoid multiple sex partners and having sex with commercial sex workers, strangers or anyone with multiple sex partners.

3.Do not abuse drugs or share injection needles.

4.Never share personal items like razors, toothbrushes or other items that may cause breaks in the skin.

5.Visit only reliable operators for ear/body piercing, tattooing or acupuncture.

6.It is also important that you limit your consumption of alcohol as excessive drinking can give rise to liver disease and increase your risk of liver cancer.

The liver is one of the largest and most important organs in your body. It performs many essential functions including:
making and storing of essential nutrients
making important hormones and enzymes
breaking down harmful substances.

Do not abuse Your LIVER by excessive drinking or taking drugs!

A Simple Guide to Prostate Cancer

A Simple Guide to Prostate Cancer

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What is prostate cancer?

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Cancer of the prostate occurs when the cells of the prostate gland mutates and turn cancerous.

Prostate cancer is a group of abnormal cells in the prostate which is a gland about the size of a walnut found in men between the bladder and rectum.

It produces and secretes prostatic fluid, one of the main components of semen.

How does prostate cancer occur?

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Prostate cancer occurs when a malignant (harmful) tumour develops inside the gland. This could be caused by the male hormone testosterone.

However, the exact cause of prostate cancer is not known.

What are the types of Prostate Cancer?

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Prostate cancer can be

1.aggressive, which means it grows quickly and spreads to other parts of the body, such as the bone.

2.slow-growing, where the cancer patient can expect to live as long as men who do not have cancer. Most patients with slow-growing cancer will never have symptoms.

Three out of four cases of prostate cancer are of the slow-growing type that is relatively harmless.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

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Those with prostate cancer may experience similar symptoms to those with enlarged prostate gland and prostatitis (infection of the prostate gland), such as:
1.Difficulty starting to urinate

2.Having an interrupted or weak flow of urine

3.Dribbling after you finish urinating

4.Urinating too frequently, especially at night

5.Blood or pus in the urine

6.Pain or burning feeling while urinating

Other symptoms include:

1.Being unable to have an erection

2.Having blood in the semen

3.Constant pain in the hips, upper thighs or lower back area

Who is affected by prostate cancer?

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Prostate cancer usually develop slowly, and is seldom the sole or final cause of death.

Men over 65 years of age are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

However, men aged 50 and above with a close relative who has had prostate cancer before 60 years of age, have a higher risk and should go for screening.

How can prostate cancer be detected?

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Your doctor may examine your prostate by putting a gloved, lubricated finger a few inches into your rectum to feel your prostate gland. A normal prostate feels firm. If there are hard spots on the prostate, your doctor may suspect cancer.It is difficult to detect prostate cancer accurately.

The current approach is to measure the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) present in the blood. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate. However, this test is not always reliable. This is because infections or an enlarged prostate can also increase PSA levels and affect the test results.

Thus, a biopsy is normally used to confirm the diagnosis.

How is prostate cancer treated?

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Surgery, radiation and drugs are the main treatment options.

They can cure prostate cancer if it's caught early.

However, these treatments can cause serious problems, such as impotence and incontinence.

Surgery or radiation may help treat the more aggressive cancers that are most often found in middle-aged men.

In serious cases, the tumour in the prostate gland can be removed with surgery.

After surgery, it is important that the patient has a healthy diet to build up strength and resistance. The patient must also be monitored closely, as in some cases the cancer could recur.

In rare cases,chemotherapy may be necessary for cancer which has spread to outside of the prostate.

Some mild cases may not require surgery, but require regular monitoring by doctors.

The treatment decision will depend on a combination of clinical and psychological factors.

Men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer today will likely live for many years.

Careful consideration of the different options is an important first step in deciding on the best treatment course.
Consultation with all three types of prostate cancer specialists—a urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist—will offer the most comprehensive assessment of the available treatments and expected outcomes.