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Posts Tagged ‘Liver Cancer’

Study Suggests Cure for Hepatitis C

October 28th, 2008

Von

by Steven Reinberg

Researchers are reporting a potential “cure” for hepatitis C, a blood-borne viral infection that’s the leading cause of cirrhosis, liver cancer and the need for liver transplants in the United States.

Use of the drug peginterferon, either alone or in combination with the drug ribavirin, reduced levels of the virus to undetectable levels for up to seven years, the researchers said.

“This paper strongly suggests, for the first time, that hepatitis C is a curable disease,” said lead researcher Dr. Mitchell Shiffman, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and chief of hepatology and medical director of the school’s Liver Transplant Program. “After treatment, 99.6 percent of the patients remained virus undetectable for over five years,” he added. (more…)

Posted in Health Tips, Liver cirrhosis

Tags: Blood Levels, Curable Disease, Detectable Virus, Digestive Disease Week, Disease Of The Liver, Dr Mitchell, Hepatitis, Hepatitis C, Hepatology, Liver Cancer, Liver Transplant Program, Liver Transplants, Pegasys, Pegasys Peginterferon, Peginterferon Alfa, School Of Medicine, Undetectable Levels, Viral Infection, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University School Of Medicine

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Prevention is still the best treatment for liver cirrhosis

August 28th, 2008

Von

The liver is essential in keeping the body functioning properly. It removes poisons, germs and bacteria from the blood, produces immune agents to control infection, makes proteins that regulate blood clotting and produces bile to help absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. You cannot live without a functioning liver.

It is one of the organs in the body that is capable of regenerating itself, recovering to almost its original size in as early as two weeks after liver surgery. Because of its important role metabolizing toxic substances in the body, the liver is prone to a lot of damage from environmental and infectious causes. And one of the most dreaded complications of prolonged and sustained liver injuries is liver cirrhosis. (more…)

Posted in Liver cirrhosis

Tags: Asia Brewery, Chinese General Hospital, Chinese General Hospital And Medical Center, Fat Soluble Vitamins, Fatty Liver, Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Germs And Bacteria, Hepatitis B And C, Liver Cancer, Liver cirrhosis, Liver Injury, Liver Surgery, Liver Tissue, Organs In The Body, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, Santo Tomas Hospital, Scar Tissue, Swelling Of The Abdomen, University Of Santo Tomas, University Of Santo Tomas Hospital

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Group advises men to “tune up” their lifestyle

July 23rd, 2008

Von

You probably know when your car is not running at its peak performance level. It’s even instinctive for men to know which kind of oil goes into it – and, of course, it’s always the best quality possible. Can you say the same about your body? Are we equally conscientious of the kind of maintenance that we give ourselves to make sure our bodies can take us where we want to go without breaking down?

Unfortunately, most men are not as careful of their lifestyle choices.

They just realize the gravity of the situation when their “engine” runs into trouble. Dangerous detours from a healthy lifestyle that men usually encounter are heart disease, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and strokes. These diseases are generally believed to be preventable if men will just take heed of the health red flags. (more…)

Posted in Mens health, News

Tags: C Network, Cancer Colon, Cancer Prostate, Cancer Types, Colon Cancer, Fruits And Vegetables, Gravity Of The Situation, Healthy Lifestyle, Heart Disease, Journal Of The National Cancer Institute, Lifestyle Changes, Lifestyle Choices, Liver Cancer, Lung Cancer, National Cancer Institute, Palm Of Your Hand, Peak Performance Level, Preventable, prostate cancer, Red Flags

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Fatty liver: The start of a serious disease

July 18th, 2008

Von

Though fatty liver is commonly seen among heavy alcoholics and in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, its presence in diabetics, in patients with high cholesterol and triglycerides, and in overweight or obese individuals – adults and kids alike – makes it a growing concern of the new millennium. What is needed alarming is that, according to Dr. Joel Lavine, University of California, San Diego, fatty liver has been found in obese children as young as three years old and its complication of cirrhosis as young as age seven.

Excessive alcohol intake of more than three bottles of beer, one shot of whiskey, or 100cc of wine daily may lead to fatty liver. Prolonged alcohol intake may then cause liver inflammation and later cirrhosis. If the fatty liver is not associated with alcohol intake, it is called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (more…)

Posted in Liver Cancer, Mens health, Womens health