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What is (are) Skin Cancer ?
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S. It occurs in more than a million people each year, including many older people. There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Of the three, melanoma is the most serious. The Body's Largest Organ The skin ...
What causes Skin Cancer ?
Scientists have been able to identify the causes and risk factors for skin cancer. A risk factor is anything that increases your chances of getting a disease. DNA Damage One of the main reasons that skin cancer develops is because DNA is damaged. DNA is the master molecule that controls and directs every cell in the bo...
What are the symptoms of Skin Cancer ?
Early Detection is Important When skin cancer is found early, it is more likely to be treated successfully. Therefore, it is important to know how to recognize the signs of skin cancer in order to improve the chances of early diagnosis. Most non-melanoma skin cancers (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) c...
How to diagnose Skin Cancer ?
What Happens During Screening? Checking for cancer in a person who does not have any symptoms is called screening. Screening can help diagnose skin problems before they have a chance to become cancerous. A doctor, usually a dermatologist, screens for skin cancer by performing a total-body skin examination. During a ski...
What are the treatments for Skin Cancer ?
Many Treatment Options There are many treatment options for people with melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The choice of treatment depends on your age and general health, the site of the cancer, the stage of the cancer, whether or not it has spread beyond the original site, and other factors. If tests show that you...
what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Skin Cancer ?
Many Areas of Research Scientists are constantly searching for new ways to detect skin cancer, assess risk, and predict patient outcomes. They are interested in finding new treatments and new ways to deliver drugs and radiation. As scientists get a better understanding of what causes skin cancer and what genetic and en...
What is (are) Skin Cancer ?
The body is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow, divide, and produce more cells as needed to keep the body healthy. Sometimes, the process goes wrong. Cells become abnormal and form more cells in an uncontrolled way. These extra cells form a mass of tissue, called a growth or tumor. Tumors can be benig...
What is (are) Skin Cancer ?
Skin cancer occurs when cancer cells form in the tissues of the skin. The skin is mainly made up of two layers: the inner layer, called the dermis, and the outer layer, called the epidermis. Within the epidermis, there are three types of cells; squamous cells, basal cells, and melanocytes. There are three types of skin...
What is (are) Skin Cancer ?
Basal cell carcinoma develops in the basal cells of the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin. It is the most common type of skin cancer in the United States, but it spreads slowly and is rarely life-threatening. Basal cell carcinoma occurs most often on parts of the body that have been exposed to the sun, such as the...
What is (are) Skin Cancer ?
Squamous cell carcinoma develops in the squamous cells of the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin. It is much less common than basal cell carcinoma and is rarely life-threatening. Squamous cell carcinoma occurs most often on parts of the body that have been exposed to the sun, such as the face, ears, neck, hands and...
What is (are) Skin Cancer ?
Melanoma is the fastest growing and most invasive type of skin cancer. This cancer arises from overgrowth of melanocytes. Melanocytes are specialized skin cells that produce a pigment called melanin.
What is (are) Skin Cancer ?
When the cancer spreads from its original tumor location in the skin to another part of the body such as the brain, it is called metastatic skin cancer. It is not the same as a cancer that started in the brain (brain cancer). Doctors sometimes call this "distant" disease.
Who is at risk for Skin Cancer? ?
Skin cancer is caused by DNA damage, which can result from excess exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. Having a previous occurrence of skin cancer or a close family member with the disease also puts you at risk for skin cancer. Other risk factors include having - a weak immune system - unusual moles or a large number o...
Who is at risk for Skin Cancer? ?
The best way to reduce your skin cancer risk is to reduce your exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. To do this, you can avoid outdoor activities during midday, when the sun's rays are strongest, or wear protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, and pants. (Watch the video to learn ...
What is (are) Skin Cancer ?
SPF is a sun protection rating. The SPF of a sunscreen is a measure of the time it takes to produce a sunburn in a person wearing sunscreen compared to the time it takes to produce a sunburn in a person not wearing sunscreen. This varies from person to person, so be sure to reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours.
What are the symptoms of Skin Cancer ?
Skin cancer is usually visible. Changes in your skin, such as lumps, scabs, red spots, rough patches, or new or irregular moles should be reported to your doctor. You should also see a doctor if you have a mole, birthmark, or other pigmented area of skin that can be classified by the ABCDE symptom system. ABCDE stands ...
What is (are) Skin Cancer ?
Once cancer has been found, the doctor will need to determine the extent, or stage, of the cancer. Through staging, the doctor can tell if the cancer has spread and, if so, to what parts of the body. More tests may be performed to help determine the stage. Knowing the stage of the disease helps you and the doctor plan ...
What are the treatments for Skin Cancer ?
Different types of treatment are available for patients with skin cancer. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. Four types of standard treatment are used: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and immunotherapy. Another thera...
What are the treatments for Skin Cancer ?
Yes. Some skin cancer patients take part in studies of new treatments. These studies, called clinical trials, are designed to find out whether a new treatment is both safe and effective. Clinical trials are research studies with people to find out whether a new drug, therapy, or treatment is both safe and effective. Ne...
what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Skin Cancer ?
The National Cancer Institute has developed a comprehensive online cancer database called the Physician Data Query (PDQ) to present evidence from the most recent research on melanoma and other skin cancers. Click here to see the PDQ. A window will open. Click the "x" in the upper right hand corner of the "PDQ" window t...
How to prevent Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Many Reasons for Abuse Drug abuse, whether prescription or illicit drugs, can have serious consequences, particularly for older adults. That is why prevention is key. However, there are many different reasons why people abuse drugs and become addicted to them. These reasons need to be taken into account when considerin...
What is (are) Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Addiction is a chronic disease in which a person craves, seeks, and continues to abuse a legal (medication, alcohol, tobacco) or an illicit (illegal) drug, despite harmful consequences. People who are addicted continue to abuse the substance even though it can harm their physical or mental health, lead to accidents, or...
What is (are) Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Physical dependence is a normal process that can happen to anyone taking a medication for a long time. It means that the body (including the brain) is adapting to the presence of the drug, and the person may require a higher dosage or a different medication to get relief; this condition is known as tolerance. They may ...
What are the symptoms of Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
A persons behavior, especially changes in behavior, can signal a possible substance abuse problem. For example, you may notice that an older adult seems worried about whether a medicine is really working, or complains that a doctor refuses to write a prescription. He or she may have new problems doing everyday tasks or...
What is (are) Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
The prescription medications most commonly abused by people of any age are opioids (painkillers), depressants, and stimulants. Doctors prescribe opioids to relieve pain and, sometimes, to treat severe coughs and diarrhea. Common opioid prescription medications include the following: - morphine (MS Contin, Kadian, Avinz...
What causes Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Medications affect older people differently than younger people because aging changes how the body and brain handle these substances. As we age, our bodies change and cannot break down and get rid of substances as easily as before. This means that even a small amount of a medicine or a drug can have a strong effect. If...
What is (are) Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Marijuana is the most abused illicit drug among people 50 and older.
What are the treatments for Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Although under federal law, marijuana is illegal to use under any circumstance, in some states doctors are allowed to prescribe it for medical use. However, solid data on marijuanas health benefits is lacking, and for smoked marijuana many health experts have concerns about the potential negative effects on the lungs a...
What are the symptoms of Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Not always. Some warning signs, such as sleep problems, falls, mood swings, anxiety, depression, and memory problems -- can also be signs of other health conditions. As a result, doctors and family members often do not realize that an older person has a drug problem, and people may not get the help they need.
What are the treatments for Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Depending on the substance(s) involved, treatment may include medications, behavioral treatments, or a combination. A doctor, substance abuse counselor, or other health professional can determine the right treatment for an individual. Treatment helps people reduce the powerful effects of drugs on the body and brain. In...
What are the treatments for Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
People can receive treatment as outpatients (they live at home and visit the doctor or other provider) or through inpatient services (they live temporarily at a special facility where they get treatment). The support of family and friends is important during the treatment process.
What are the treatments for Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
The first step in a substance treatment program is often detoxification (detox), the process of allowing the body to get rid of the substance. Detoxification under medical supervision allows the symptoms of withdrawal to be treated, but is not addiction treatment in and of itself. (Withdrawal is the sick, sometimes unb...
What are the treatments for Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Different types of medications may be useful at different stages of treatment to help a person stop abusing a substance, stay in treatment, focus on learning new behavioral skills, and avoid relapse. Currently, medications are available to treat addiction to opiates, nicotine, and alcohol, but none are yet approved for...
What are the treatments for Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Behavioral treatment helps people change the way they think about the abused substance and teaches them how to handle or avoid situations that trigger strong drug cravings. Behavioral therapies can make treatment medications more effective, help people stay in treatment longer, and prevent relapse. There are four main ...
What are the treatments for Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse ?
Recovering from addiction is hard. Even with treatment, many people return to substance abuse, sometimes months or years after having stopped drug use. This is commonly referred to as relapse. As with most chronic diseases, relapse in addiction is not unusual, and signals a need to restart, adjust, or modify the treatm...
What is (are) Problems with Smell ?
Our sense of smell helps us enjoy life. We delight in the aromas of our favorite foods or the fragrance of flowers. Our sense of smell also is a warning system, alerting us to danger signals such as a gas leak, spoiled food, or a fire. Any loss in our sense of smell can have a negative effect on our quality of life. It...
What causes Problems with Smell ?
Problems with smell happen for many reasons, some clearer than others. Loss of smell may be permanent or temporary, depending on the cause. Effects of Aging As with vision and hearing, people gradually lose their ability to smell as they get older. Smell that declines with age is called presbyosmia and is not preventab...
What are the symptoms of Problems with Smell ?
A Reduced Sense of Smell There are several types of smell disorders depending on how the sense of smell is affected. People who have smell disorders experience either a loss in their ability to smell or changes in the way they perceive odors. Some people have hyposmia, which occurs when their ability to detect certain ...
What are the treatments for Problems with Smell ?
Relief is Possible Although there is no treatment for presbyosmia -- loss of smell due to aging -- relief from smell disorders is possible for many older people. Depending on the cause of your problem with smell, your doctor may be able to treat it or suggest ways to cope with it. Recovering the Ability To Smell Some p...
What is (are) Problems with Smell ?
Smell is part of our chemical sensing system. Our sense of smell is the ability to detect odors in our environment through our nose, like the fragrance of flowers or the smell of baking bread. Smell is also the ability to detect food odors or aromas released in our mouths when we chew, which then flow from the roof of ...
What are the symptoms of Problems with Smell ?
People who experience smell disorders either have a decrease in their ability to smell or changes in the way they perceive odors. Total smell loss is relatively rare, but a decrease in the sense of smell occurs more often, especially in older adults. There are several types of smell disorders depending on how the sense...
What causes Problems with Smell ?
Most people who have a problem with smell have recently had an illness or injury. The most common causes are upper respiratory infections, such as the common cold, and chronic sinus or nasal disease. Other common causes are - aging - smoking - nasal polyps - head injury - allergens such as ragweed, grasses, and...
How to prevent Problems with Smell ?
Problems with smell that occur with aging are not preventable. However, you can protect yourself against other causes of smell loss with these steps. - Treat Sinus and Nasal Conditions. Swollen sinuses and nasal passages may cause total or partial loss of smell. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic or anti-inflammat...
What causes Problems with Smell ?
In rare cases, certain medicines such as antibiotics or antihistamines may cause a change in your ability to smell. If you are taking these medications and notice a change in your sense of smell, talk to your doctor. You may be able to adjust or change your medicine to one that will not cause a problem with smell.
How to diagnose Problems with Smell ?
Scientists have developed tests to determine the nature and extent of a person's smell disorder. Tests measure the smallest amount of odor patients can detect as well as how accurately a person can identify different smells. An easily administered "scratch and sniff" test allows a person to scratch pieces of paper trea...
What are the treatments for Problems with Smell ?
Depending on the cause of your smell disorder, your doctor may be able to treat your problem or suggest ways to cope with it. If a certain medication is the cause of the disorder, ask your doctor if you could substitute other medications or reduce the dose. Your doctor will work with you to get the medicine you need wh...
What is (are) Problems with Smell ?
You can help your doctor make a diagnosis by writing down important information about your problem beforehand and giving the information to your doctor during your visit. Write down answers to the following questions. - When did I first become aware of the problem? - Did I have a cold or the flu? - Did I have a head ...
what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Problems with Smell ?
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) supports basic and clinical investigations of smell and taste disorders at its laboratories in Bethesda, Md. and at universities and chemosensory research centers across the country. These chemosensory scientists are exploring how to - promote...
What is (are) Heart Failure ?
In heart failure, the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. In some cases, the heart cannot fill with enough blood. In other cases, the heart can't pump blood to the rest of the body with enough force. Some people have both problems. Heart failure develops over time as the pumping action of the heart...
What causes Heart Failure ?
Heart failure is caused by other diseases or conditions that damage the heart muscle such as coronary artery disease (including heart attacks), diabetes, and high blood pressure. Treating these problems can prevent or improve heart failure. Coronary Artery Disease Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death in ...
Who is at risk for Heart Failure? ?
Preventing Heart Failure There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk for coronary artery disease and heart failure. These things include - keeping your cholesterol levels healthy - keeping your blood pressure at a normal level - managing diabetes - maintaining a healthy weight - quitting smoking -...
What are the symptoms of Heart Failure ?
Common Symptoms The most common symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, feeling tired, and swelling. Swelling usually occurs in the ankles, feet, legs, and sometimes in the abdomen. Swelling is caused by fluid buildup in the body. The fluid buildup can lead to weight gain as well ...
How to diagnose Heart Failure ?
Diagnosing Heart Failure There is not one specific test to diagnose heart failure. Because the symptoms are common for other conditions, your doctor will determine if you have heart failure by doing a detailed medical history, an examination, and several tests. The tests will identify whether you have any diseases or c...
What are the treatments for Heart Failure ?
There is no cure for heart failure, but it can be controlled by treating the underlying conditions that cause it. Treatment for heart failure will depend on the type and stage of heart failure (the severity of the condition). The goals for treatment of all stages of heart failure are to reduce symptoms, treat the cause...
What is (are) Heart Failure ?
In heart failure, the heart cannot pump enough blood through the body. Heart failure develops over time as the pumping action of the heart gets weaker. Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped working or is about to stop working. When the heart is weakened by heart failure, blood and fluid can back up int...
What causes Heart Failure ?
Heart failure is caused by other diseases and conditions that damage the heart muscle. It is most commonly caused by coronary artery disease, including heart attack. Diabetes and high blood pressure also contribute to heart failure risk. People who have had a heart attack are at high risk of developing heart failure.
What are the symptoms of Heart Failure ?
The most common symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, feeling tired, and swelling. Swelling is caused by fluid build-up in the body. Fluid buildup can lead to weight gain and frequent urination, as well as coughing.
How many people are affected by Heart Failure ?
Approximately 5 million people in the United States have heart failure. It contributes to 300,000 deaths each year. It is the number one cause of hospitalizations for people over the age of 65.
Who is at risk for Heart Failure? ?
Heart failure is more common in - people who are 65 years old or older - African-Americans - people who are overweight - people who have had a heart attack - men. people who are 65 years old or older African-Americans people who are overweight people who have had a heart attack men. Aging can weaken the heart mus...
How to prevent Heart Failure ?
Ways to prevent heart failure include - keeping your cholesterol and blood pressure levels healthy - keeping diabetes in check - maintaining a healthy weight - quitting smoking - following a heart healthy diet - limiting the amount of alcohol you drink - eating a diet low in salt because salt can cause extra ...
What is (are) Heart Failure ?
Keeping your cholesterol levels healthy can help prevent coronary artery disease. Your goal for LDL, or "bad," cholesterol depends on how many other risk factors you have. Here are recommended LDL cholesterol goals. - If you don't have coronary heart disease or diabetes and have one or no risk factors, your LDL goal is...
How to diagnose Heart Failure ?
There is not one specific test to diagnose heart failure. Because the symptoms are common for other conditions, your doctor will determine if you have heart failure by doing a detailed medical history, an examination, and several tests. During a physical exam, a doctor will listen for abnormal heart sounds and lung sou...
How to diagnose Heart Failure ?
Once initial tests have been performed, your doctor may decide to send you to a cardiologist, a specialist in diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. A cardiologist will perform a physical exam and may order other tests. There are several tests that can identify the cause of heart failure. These tests include: - An e...
What are the treatments for Heart Failure ?
Treatment for heart failure includes lifestyle changes medications specialized care for those in advanced stages of the disease.
What are the treatments for Heart Failure ?
Lifestyle changes to treat heart failure may include - reducing salt and fluid intake - following a heart healthy diet - adopting a plan to lose weight - quitting smoking - engaging in physical activity. reducing salt and fluid intake following a heart healthy diet adopting a plan to lose weight quitting smoking e...
What are the treatments for Heart Failure ?
Many medications are used to manage heart failure. They include diuretics, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers and digoxin. Diuretics are used to reduce fluid buildup. ACE inhibitors work to improve heart failure in many ways, including lowering blood pressure. Beta blockers can also improve heart failure in many ways, inclu...
What are the treatments for Heart Failure ?
For severe heart failure, patients may require additional oxygen, a mechanical heart pump, or a heart transplant.
What is (are) Heart Failure ?
More detailed information on heart failure is available at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci
What is (are) Lung Cancer ?
How Tumors Form The body is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow, divide, and produce more cells as needed to keep the body healthy and functioning properly. Sometimes, however, the process goes wrong and cells become abnormal, forming more cells in an uncontrolled way. These extra cells form a mass of ...
What causes Lung Cancer ?
Tobacco Products and Cancer Using tobacco products has been shown to cause cancer. In fact, smoking tobacco, using smokeless tobacco, and being exposed regularly to secondhand tobacco smoke are responsible for a large number of cancer deaths in the U.S. each year. Cigarette Smoking Causes Lung Cancer Cigarette smoking ...
What are the symptoms of Lung Cancer ?
Common Signs and Symptoms When lung cancer first develops, there may be no symptoms at all. But if the cancer grows, it can cause changes that people should watch for. Common signs and symptoms of lung cancer include: - a cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time - constant chest pain - coughing up blood -...
What are the treatments for Lung Cancer ?
There are many treatment options for lung cancer, mainly based on the extent of the disease. The choice of treatment depends on your age and general health, the stage of the cancer, whether or not it has spread beyond the lung, and other factors. If tests show that you have cancer, you should talk with your doctor and ...
What are the treatments for Lung Cancer ?
The choice of treatment depends on the type of lung cancer, whether it is non-small or small cell lung cancer, the size, location, the stage of the cancer, and the patient's general health. Doctors may suggest many different treatments or combinations of treatments to control the cancer and/or improve the patient's qua...
what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Lung Cancer ?
Researchers continue to look at new ways to combine, schedule, and sequence the use of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to treat lung cancer. Today, some of the most promising treatment approaches incorporate precision medicine. This approach first looks to see what genes may be mutated that are causing the cancer,...
What is (are) Lung Cancer ?
The body is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow, divide, and produce more cells as needed to keep the body healthy and functioning properly. Sometimes, however, the process goes wrong -- cells become abnormal and form more cells in an uncontrolled way. These extra cells form a mass of tissue, called a ...
What is (are) Lung Cancer ?
Lung cancer occurs when malignant tumors form in the tissue of the lung. The lungs are a pair of sponge-like organs. The right lung has three sections, called lobes, and is larger than the left lung, which has two lobes.
What is (are) Lung Cancer ?
There are two major types of lung cancer -- non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Each type of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways, and each is treated differently. Non-small cell lung cancer is more common than small cell lung cancer. It generally grows and spreads slowly. Learn more abou...
What causes Lung Cancer ?
Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. Scientists have reported widely on the link between cancer and smoking since the 1960s. Since then, study after study has provided more proof that cigarette smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer. Before cigarette smoking became popular after World War I, d...
Who is at risk for Lung Cancer? ?
Risk factors that increase your chance of getting lung cancer include - cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking, which account for well over half of all cases of lung cancer - secondhand smoke - family history - HIV infection - environmental risk factors - beta carotene supplements in heavy smokers. cigarette, cigar, a...
Who is at risk for Lung Cancer? ?
If you smoke cigarettes, you are at much higher risk for lung cancer than a person who has never smoked. The risk of dying from lung cancer is 23 times higher for men who smoke and 13 times higher for women who smoke than for people who have never smoked. Stopping smoking greatly reduces your risk for developing lung c...
What causes Lung Cancer ?
Some studies suggest that non-smokers who are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, also called secondhand smoke, are at increased risk of lung cancer. Secondhand smoke is the smoke that non-smokers are exposed to when they share air space with someone who is smoking. Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals,...
Who is at risk for Lung Cancer? ?
Quitting smoking not only cuts the risk of lung cancer, it cuts the risks of many other cancers as well as heart disease, stroke, other lung diseases, and other respiratory illnesses. Each U.S. state and territory has a free quitline to provide you with information and resources to help you quit smoking. To reach the q...
Who is at risk for Lung Cancer? ?
Another substance that can contribute to lung cancer is asbestos. Asbestos is used in shipbuilding, asbestos mining and manufacturing, insulation work, and brake repair, but many products that contain asbestos have been phased out over the past several decades. If inhaled, asbestos particles can lodge in the lungs, dam...
What are the symptoms of Lung Cancer ?
The possible signs of lung cancer are: - a cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time - constant chest pain - coughing up blood - shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness - repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis - swelling of the neck and face - loss of appetite or weight loss - fatigue. a c...
What is (are) Lung Cancer ?
A person who has had lung cancer once is more likely to develop a second lung cancer compared to a person who has never had lung cancer. Second cancers arise in a different site than the original cancer. If the original cancer returns after treatment, it is considered recurrent, not a second cancer. Quitting smoking af...
How to diagnose Lung Cancer ?
Doctors can perform several tests to stage lung cancer. Staging means finding out how far the cancer has progressed. The following tests are used to stage lung cancer: - Computerized tomography or CAT scan is a computer linked to an x-ray machine that creates a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. Comp...
What are the treatments for Lung Cancer ?
- Surgery is an operation to remove the cancer. Depending on the location of the tumor, the surgeon may remove a small part of the lung, a lobe of the lung, or the entire lung. Surgery is an operation to remove the cancer. Depending on the location of the tumor, the surgeon may remove a small part of the lung, a lobe o...
What are the treatments for Lung Cancer ?
Doctors treat patients with non-small cell lung cancer in several ways, and surgery is a common treatment. Cryosurgery, a treatment that freezes and destroys cancer tissue, may be used to control symptoms in the later stages of non-small cell lung cancer. Doctors may also use radiation therapy and chemotherapy to slow ...
What are the treatments for Lung Cancer ?
Small cell lung cancer spreads quickly. In many cases, cancer cells have already spread to other parts of the body when the disease is diagnosed, so chemotherapy is usually the best choice. See more on treatments for small cell lung cancer.
What are the treatments for Lung Cancer ?
Researchers continue to look at new ways to combine, schedule, and sequence the use of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to treat lung cancer. Targeted therapy, using drugs that go directly to a gene mutation and repair or block the mutation from causing cancer, are the current gold standard for treating some types ...
What are the treatments for Lung Cancer ?
Researchers are working to develop drugs called "molecularly targeted agents" which kill cancer cells by targeting key molecules involved in cancer cell growth.
What is (are) Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Alcohol, also known as ethanol, is a chemical found in beverages like beer, wine, and distilled spirits such as whiskey, vodka, and rum. Through a process called fermentation, yeast converts the sugars naturally found in grains and grapes into the alcohol that is in beer and wine. Another process, called distillation, ...
What is (are) Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measures the percentage of ethanolthe chemical name for alcohol in alcoholic beveragesin a persons blood. As you drink, you increase your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level. The higher the BAC, the more impaired a person is. In all states, it is against the law for people to drive...
What are the symptoms of Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Its not always obvious that someone drinks too much. For older adults, clues to a possible alcohol problem include memory loss, depression, anxiety, poor appetite, unexplained bruises, falls, sleeping problems, and inattention to cleanliness or appearance. Answering "yes" to at least one of the following questions is a...
What is (are) Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
If a person drinks too much or too often he or she may develop an alcohol use disorder (AUD). An AUD can range in severity from mild to severe. On one end of this spectrum, drinking might cause sickness, depression, or sleeping problems. More severe symptoms include drinking more than intended or craving alcohol once y...
What are the treatments for Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
There is not one right treatment for everyone with alcohol problems. In general, many people need more than one kind of treatment. Medicines can help people with alcohol use disorder quit drinking. Meeting with a therapist or substance-abuse counselor or with a support group may also help. Support from family and frien...
What are the treatments for Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Prescription medicines can help people with alcohol use disorder reduce their drinking, avoid going back to heavy drinking, and get sober. None of them works in every person. There are three medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. - Naltrexone (Depade, Re...
What are the treatments for Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Talking about alcohol use with a professional is beneficial to many people. Counseling either one-on-one or in groups can help develop skills to stop or reduce drinking, develop reachable goals, manage the triggers that lead to alcohol misuse and build a strong social support system that supports healthy habits. Ther...
Where to find support for people with Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Many people with alcohol problems find it helpful to talk with others who have faced similar problems. Mutual help groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12-step programs, help people recover from alcohol use disorder. AA meetings are open to anyone who wants to stop drinking. Attending mutual-help groups is benefic...
What is (are) Alcohol Use and Older Adults ?
Some people with an alcohol use disorder are treated in a facility, such as a hospital, mental health center, or substance abuse clinic. Treatment may last as long as several weeks. This type of treatment typically involves detoxification (when a person is weaned from alcohol), medicine, and counseling. Learn more abo...