The fight against cancer continues. With no definite cure, it still remains a deadly disease that affects millions of people yearly, causing death. Research studies highlight that oral cancer and lung cancer account for over 50% of all cancer deaths. In India an estimated number of people living with the disease are around 2.5 million. One of the major causes of cancer are gene mutations that occur after birth.

Besides this, there are other lifestyle factors that may cause changes (mutations) to the DNA of our body cells leading to uncontrolled growth of cells that can affect normal body functions. These include smoking, radiation, viruses, cancer-causing chemicals, obesity, hormonal changes, chronic inflammation, lack of exercise and more.

Reports also suggest that one out of eight men have the possibility of developing cancer in their lifetime. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India is likely to have more than 17.3 lakh new cases of cancer and over 8.8 lakh deaths due to the disease by 2020 with cancers of breast, lung and cervix topping the list.

Prostate cancer, the second most common cancer among the residents of Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata and Pune, is increasing at the rate of 2.5 per cent per year. According to the doctors, late detection and unawareness of the disease is the sole reason that prostrate cancer has affected a total of 1.7 million people around the globe, with 2,88,000 cases in India alone. Also, citing the rise of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), another serious prostrate problem, the doctors have urged persons above 40 to undergo monthly checkups.

Cancer is the leading cause of mortality in the world, killing close to 9 million every year. Although the exact cause of the disease is still unknown, it begins by the development of cancerous cells in one site of the body and then begin to multiply at a manic pace. Once the disease progresses, it starts devouring the healthy cells in the body and outnumbering them. These cells are so powerful that after a momentarily halt they become drug resistant and start progressing again.Experts at the University of Salford, UK have found a novel way to kill these cancerous cells and stop them from becoming drug resistant. According to a study published in journal Oncotarge, a combination of vitamin C and antibiotics may be up to 100 times more effective at killing cancer cells than standard drugs.The antibiotic, doxycycline, followed by doses of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), were surprisingly effective in killing the cancer stem cells under laboratory conditions. Vitamin C was found to be up to ten times more effective at stopping cancer cell growth than pharmaceuticals. When combined with an antibiotic, vitamin C can be up to ten times more effective in killing cancer cells - nearly 100 times more effective than a drug called 2-DG.Cancer cells are pretty efficient in switching their fuel source, this combination approach prevents cancer cells from changing their diet (metabolically inflexible), and effectively starves them, by preventing them from using any other available types of bio-fuels.

"Vitamin C behaves as an inhibitor of glycolysis, which fuels energy production in mitochondria, the 'powerhouse' of the cell," said Federica Sotgia, co-author of the study published in the journal Oncotarget.
The team also identified eight other drugs that could be used as a "second-punch" after the antibiotic regime, including berberine (a natural product) and a number of cheap non-toxic approved drugs.

Cancer research remains highly underfunded all across the globe. In such circumstances, similar studies provide a promising future to the development of advanced cancer treatments. Further trials are called for to study the combination therapy in detail.

We all love to sip on our favourite beverages using a plastic straw. Be it a smoothie or a soft drink, an energy drink or a cold coffee - using a straw is a super convenient and fuss-free way of enjoying any cold drink. Many like to enjoy their drinks this way because using a straw reduces the exposure to sugary and carbonated drinks in the mouth, preventing acid erosion of the teeth out enamel. While it may be convenient to drink beverages using plastic straws, it might not be an eco-friendly option. Moreover, this could be an unhealthy practice too. If you haven't known the health hazards plastic straws can bring, we unveil some of them.According to Chief Nutritionist Priya Bharma, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, "We sip our drinks through straw because it is simply easier. It has somehow become our habit to use straw while sipping cold or hot drink that is poured in a glass. It's highly recommended to not use straw as they are supposed to be made of polyethylene compounds and contains harmful chemicals that enter your body and welcome many diseases while we sip. Try not to use straw but if you wish you may use paper straw or bamboo straw."

While drinking beverages using a straw, the movement of the mouth area may encourage the breakdown of collagen and elasticity more quickly and easily, causing unnecessary wrinkle and fine lines. This may be true in case of regular sipping on beverages with a plastic straw.

Another reason to drop the straw is the presence of many chemicals in the plastic. Most straws contain petroleum based plastic called polypropylene and Bisphenol A (BPA) that can easily leak chemicals in the liquid, especially if it's a hot cup that heats and melts the plastic. These plastic chemicals are known to cause obesity and, in extreme cases, even cancer.

Along with drinking just liquid using a straw, you are also swallowing excess air unknowingly that is responsible for causing gas and bloating in your stomach. Therefore, it is always better to drink your beverage directly from the glass rather than using a second source.

Another concern related to plastic straws is that it may cause cavities; this however has to do with the location at which you place the straw in the mouth and how you sip. Most people sip with the straw in the middle of their mouth. Sipping through a straw can concentrate the exposure of sugar to one area, causing tooth cavity or decay over prolonged usage.

It is good to give up on plastic straws as they have the potential of not only harming your health, but also doing nothing good for the environment considering they are non-recyclable. Drop the straw and enjoy your lemonade and iced teas without any external health risks.

Taking oral drugs daily can be an effective treatment for nearly 10 million cancer patients worldwide suffering from a deadly blood clot condition, results from a clinical trial have showed. People with cancer have an increased risk of developing blood clots, with roughly one in five experiencing venous thromboembolism (VTE) -- either a blood clot in a deep vein or a condition in which one or more arteries in the lungs become blocked by a blood clot.

The results from the clinical trial called “select-d” suggested that prescribing the oral drug rivaroxaban significantly reduced VTE recurrence among patients with cancer. “Clinicians were already adopting the oral drug into practice for non-cancer patients and now they have data from this study to indicate that this form of treatment is an alternative option for many cancer patients who have a clot,” said lead author Annie Young, Professor at University of Warwick in the Britain.

Although there are many causes and risk factors for VTE, cancer patients are particularly at risk due to a combination of factors such as immobility, pancreatic and gastric tumours as well as chemotherapy, the researcher said.

For the “select-d” trial, researchers enrolled 406 patients who had cancer and VTE; most (69 per cent) were receiving cancer treatment (typically chemotherapy) at the time of their VTE. Half were randomly assigned to receive low-molecular-weight heparin (dalteparin) and half were given the oral drug rivaroxaban. After six months of treatment, the VTE recurrence rate was four per cent among those taking the tablet and 11% in those receiving dalteparin. The results for secondary outcomes were mixed, the researcher said.

In patients receiving rivaroxaban, there were around the same percentage of major bleeding events (6%) as those receiving dalteparin (4 per cent) but a marked and significant increase in clinically relevant non-major bleeds (13%) with rivaroxaban compared to those having low molecular weight heparin (4%).

The reason for increased bleeding is not known. It may be because rivaroxaban is more ‘potent’, the paper published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology said.

This month, a study published in the Journal of Public Health and Environment, raised new fears about cancer’s connection to cellphones, reported The Telegraph (UK). The research team investigated the rise of an often fatal type of brain tumour called Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). A total of 79, 241 malignant brain tumours over 21 years were analysed. They found that GBM cases in England went from around 1,250 a year in 1995 to just under 3,000.

According to The Telegraph, scientists at the Physicians’ Health Initiative for Radiation and Environment (PHIRE) said the increasing rate of tumours in the frontal temporal lobe “raises the suspicion that mobile and cordless phone use may be promoting gliomas”. Cell phone radiation exposure has been principally linked to two types of brain tumours − gliomas and acoustic neuromas.

So, are our beloved palm-sized gadgets safe to use? Can the radiation emitted by cellphones really give you cancer?

Dr Avinash Deo, Medical Oncologist, Fortis SL Raheja Hospital, Mumbai, points out that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has identified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic (having the potential to cause cancer).

Earlier this year, a survey conducted in India revealed that 65% of its participants considered smartphones to be their best friend. Yes, let that sink in. Most people would rather communicate with an electronic device than a living, breathing human being. That’s how much we’ve grown to be dependent on technology, and especially on our smartphones.

Apart from cancer and brain tumour, there are concerns in the medical community that excess smartphone usage can lead to early deafness, memory loss and even interfere with the nervous system.

“Cellphones emit low levels of radio magnetic waves. The kind of radio magnetic waves your cellphone emits also plays a part. A number of studies have been conducted to examine whether the radiation leads to brain tumours, or increases risks of cancer. So far, there has been no conclusive evidence,” says Dr Sanjay Dudhat, senior consultant and surgical oncologist, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai.

Dr Deo says that one of the issues with extensive studies is that because they take place over a period of 10 or 20 years, the technology studied becomes outdated. “Cellphone companies then say that they no longer make use of that particular technology. Moreover, it relies on the participant’s ability to recall their usage estimate. This may not always be accurate.”

To err on the side of caution, limit your cellphone usage to the bare minimum. As much as possible, rely instead on good old landlines, or even speaker mode or headphones for that matter. And if you have children, ensure they are kept away from it. Their brains are smaller and still developing.

“Even though we don’t have a clear indication of cancer risk, it’s a scientific fact that cellphones emit radiation in a 3-4 ft radius,” says Dr Dudhat. For that reason alone, it’s wise not to sleep with your cellphone next to your head on the bed. Best to keep it on a table away from the bed.

Apart from deadly diseases like cancers, there are other problems that heavy gadget usage can cause. Since we’re constantly typing these days, we could damage the tendons of our fingers and end up with tendonitis.

And if you think reading on the mobile doesn’t count as a bad thing, you’re mistaken. The LED light it emits is not doing your eyes any favours.

Moreover, being glued to your favourite device gives way to a sedentary lifestyle. And that, in turn, leads to conditions like obesity and diabetes.