What Can One Do to Reduce the Chances of Getting Cancer (2)

In this segment, we are going to briefly describe several principles that could reduce the chances of getting cancer; they are all related to two objectives: (1) avoid/lower the risk factor of getting cancer, and (2) strengthen the immune system.  The very basic principle to achieve both objectives is to live according to the rules of nature.

Human beings are amazing organisms created by Mother Nature.  Therefore, it makes a lot of sense for us to follow nature’s rules.  In a normal human body, different types of cells in different tissues live, function, and die as they are supposed to.  This is similar to a situation wherein ordinary people live in a normal community; in the community, everyone lives, works to contribute to the society, gets married, produces the next generation, and dies.  This general process was outlined in our unique human life cycle scheme in my book, IS CANCER IN US.  

However, there are a number of specific subjects that need to be further described in order to have a better understanding about reducing the chances of getting cancer.  They will be briefly described shortly.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2017
Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I wrote, "IS CANCER IN US", published in 2016.

Novel/Unconventional Methods for Cancer Treatment (7)

Converting cancer cells back to normal cells (7)

Yet another general strategy in cancer treatment is to convert cancer cells back to normal cells or stem cells.  At first, this may sound strange or even ridiculous.  However, it does make sense if we think it over carefully. 

As we mentioned before, most cancer cells are derived from normal cells and they are like brothers/sisters.  In an analogy, this is similar to the human society in that most criminals were good people before they commit some crimes.  Many times, it is because something bad happens to a person to create a situation for the person to commit a crime.  For example, continued attraction by money or sexual reason can create a situation for someone to commit a crime (i.e., normal cells to become cancerous cells).  However, if the person has been well trained and/or disciplined, many of these people could be re-educated and gradually become normal good people (i.e., cancer cells to become normal cells).  One of the new strategies to treat cancer is based on this principle.  However, this is not an easy task. For example, a number of genes in the nuclei of cancer cells may have to be modulated so that the cells can be “re-educated and/or guided” back to become normal cells.  

Furthermore, if certain drugs can reverse the process and “normalize” cancer cells, why can’t we use the same strategy to prevent normal cells to become cancer cells?  In other words, if one can avoid the cancer causing factors, the chance of getting cancer (risk factor) will be significantly reduced.  This is an important strategy of cancer prevention.

If this strategy, reversing cancer cells back to normal cells, can be successfully developed and used, I think it could become one of the best ways to deal with cancer.  This is just like what the ancient Chinese war strategist, Sun Tze, said, conquering your enemy without a war is the best strategy.  Unfortunately, researchers are still working hard in this area and it could take a while for this strategy to become practical.

Scientists are making real progress in the area of cell-to-cell transition between different types of cells.  For example, a process called epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) converts epithelial cells (differentiated cells) back to mesenchymal stem cells.  EMT occurs in wound healing and other some biological processes.  For another example, Dr. Panos Anastasiadis and colleagues at Mayo Clinic discovered a potential mechanism of reprogramming cancers cells.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2016

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Although some commercial products, publications, and services are mentioned in this blog, the author does not endorse any specific products, publications, or services.  None of the contents in this blog represents or warrants that any of the products, publications, or services is appropriate or effective for their intended purposes. Readers shall always seek the advice of their physicians or other medical practitioners with any questions regarding personal health or medical conditions and shall be solely responsible for their own decisions and/or actions.

Risk factors of pancreatic cancer

Usually, pancreatic cancer does not show significant symptoms until the disease is in an advanced stage.  The symptoms include abdominal pain and bone pain, jaundice, loss of appetite, weight loss, etc.  This is why pancreatic cancer is dangerous and difficult to treat.

However, I believe there are subtle signs that may indicate early stage of pancreatic cancer.  Symptoms such as chronic subtle lower abdominal pain and lower back pain can be indication that pancreas may have certain tumor on pancreas.  If that is the case, ask your doctor to conduct a thorough examine by CT scan or MRI to be sure.

Risk factors of pancreatic cancer are shown below:

1.      High sugar consumption

As we have mentioned several times in previous sections, high blood levels of sugar are not healthful and related to several diseases including pancreatic cancer.  Not only it’s a good idea to reduce the consumption of sugar, other carbohydrates (rice, bread, etc.), if taken too much, could become risk factors of pancreatic cancer.

2.      Diet with high fat content

Eating too much fatty foods could contribute to metabolic syndrome, such as insulin resistance and abdominal fat; the metabolic syndrome is a risk factor of pancreatic cancer.

3.      Smoking

Smoking is not only a significant risk factor of lung cancer, it is also a risk factor of a few other diseases including pancreatic cancer.

4.      Vitamin D deficiency

People who live in sunny climates (i.e., under more sunlight exposure) tend to have a lower risk of pancreatic cancer, although they tend to have a higher risk of skin cancer.  This is because sunlight helps produce vitamin D in the skin and lack of vitamin D is a risk factor of pancreatic cancer.

The following actions may help reduce the chances of getting pancreatic cancer:

§  Avoid or reduce all the risk factors of pancreatic cancer as much as possible. 

§  Switch to a diet high in vegetables.

§  Maintain sufficient vitamin D by taking the vitamin supplement.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of stomach cancecr

      Based on the statistics from the American Cancer Society, stomach cancer is more common in Japan, China, Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as South and Central America.  This disease is less common in Africa and North America.  People in Japan and China are known to consume pickled vegetables, smoked fish/food, and/or fermented foods, which could be significant risk factors of stomach cancer.  On the other hand, people who consume fresh fruits and vegetables appear to have lower chances of getting stomach cancer.  These dietary habits seem to play an important role in the risk of stomach cancer.

Another factor is Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Traditionally, H. Pyroli bacteria are linked to ulcers and some types of lymphoma of the stomach. However, it is increasingly clear that infection with H. Pyroli is associated with a higher risk of stomach cancer. [34-36]

For more info about my upcoming book, Is Cancer in Us, please visit my crowdfunding site. You'll have a chance to get the first copy and making contribution to the American Cancer Society simultaneously. Thank you for your support.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of liver cancer

There are a number of risk factors for liver cancer; some of them are listed below.

Alcohol: Alcohol abuse is one of the few causes of cirrhosis (liver fibrosis) and cirrhosis may increase the risk of liver cancer, also referred to as hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatitis: In the U.S., infection of hepatitis C is the major risk factor of liver cancer.  Hepatitis B infection is also a significant risk factor.  People with both viruses have an increased risk of developing cirrhosis; people with cirrhosis tend to have a higher risk of liver cancer.  For heavy drinker, the risk of liver cancer is even higher.

Type 2 diabetes: People with type 2 diabetes tend to be obese and might cause some liver problems.  Added with other risk factors, they may have a higher risk of liver cancer.


© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of skin cancer

One of the important risk factors of skin cancer is too much exposure to sunshine.  Supposedly, it’s the ultraviolet (UV) component in sunshine that damages DNA, thus increasing the chances of genetic mutation and getting skin cancer.  Therefore, reducing the exposure to sunshine is important in order to reduce the chances of getting skin cancer.

There are indeed some other specific risk factors that are associated with genetic nature, which are out of our control.  Examples of these risk factors include family history of skin cancer, lighter skin color, and large number of moles.  However, avoiding too much sunshine can still be useful in reducing the impact of these factors.

Please visit my crowdfunding site for info about the upcoming book to be published in December 2015.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of breast cancer (2)

(Risk factors of breast cancer, part 2)

Breast feeding: An interesting finding about breast cancer is that some studies suggest that continued breast feeding may slightly lower the risk of breast cancer.  The longer women breast feed, the more they are protected against breast cancer. However, it is not very clear whether this is related to hormones or menstrual cycles.

Drinking alcohol: Based on a number of scientific reports, there is an association between alcohol drinking and some types of cancer.  Studies have indicated that the amount of alcohol taken is related to the risk factor of getting cancer, including breast cancer.  For women who drink 3 drinks daily, there is a 1.5 times risk as compared to those who don’t drink alcohol at all.

Body weight and Physical Activities:  Body weight and physical activities might be related to the risk factor of breast cancer.  Some reports indicate that being overweight after menopause may increase breast cancer risk; on the other hand, proper physical activities (exercise) may reduce the risk.  It has been reported that physical exercise can reduce risk of breast cancer.  Studies suggested that women with 1-3 hours of exercise per week could reduce the risk of breast cancer by 30%, and those with >4 hours of exercise per week could reduce the risk by >50%.

There is only one month left for you to buy the book and simultaneously contribute to the American Cancer Society at http://igg.me/at/whataboutcancer/x/10534737. 

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of breast cancer (1)

Several risk factors of breast cancer are briefly described below.

Gender: Being a woman provides a higher risk of getting breast cancer as opposed to being a man. Unfortunately, this is something that we can’t control.

Age: An older person has a higher risk of getting breast cancer as compared to a younger person.

Genetic risk factors: The most common hereditary breast cancer is from inherited mutation of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.  If someone has inherited mutated BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, there is a higher risk of developing breast cancer.  This is because, in normal cells, BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes help regulate DNA repair proteins, cell cycle, and apoptosis to keep the cells from becoming cancerous.


Birth control and hormone: It has been reported that women who use birth control drugs (oral contraceptives) have a slightly higher risk of getting breast cancer.  For example, some studies have been conducted on an injectable form of progesterone, Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA; Depo-Provera®); DMPA is given once every 3 months as a birth control.  The results showed that women currently using DMPA may have an increase in risk of breast cancer.  However, if the drug was used more than 5 years ago, the risk doesn’t seem to be increased.  Some studies indicate that both estrogen therapy (ET) and estrogen progestin therapy (EPT) are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer.  The longer ET or EPT is used, the higher the risk.


(to be continued)

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of colon cancer

Many studies indicate that high-fat and low-fiber diet is a risk factor of colon cancer.  Logically, low-fat and high-fiber diet should help reduce the chances of getting colon cancer.  In my opinion, fibers from foods could provide the following benefits:

1. Dietary fibers help form bulky stools which can help remove unhealthful materials.
2. Dietary fibers can work like micro-brushes and help clean colon surface microscopically.
3. Dietary fibers can also help discourage the growth of harmful bacteria.

For many years, it has been proposed that high-fiber diet could help prevent colon cancer.  Indeed, plenty of studies have indicated that this is the case; in cultures where people eat more high-fiber foods, colon cancer rates are much lower.

The other important factor is fatty food.  There are complicated theories and studies to support that high fatty foods increase the risk of getting colon cancer.  Here, let’s use a common sense to think about fatty food and colon. Fatty food is slippery, which makes it harder to clean the colon as compared to food with high fiber content.

In summary, current understanding is that eating more high-fiber and low-fat foods is one good way to lower the chances of getting colon cancer.

Please visit my crowdfunding site for info about the upcoming book (Is Cancer in Us?) to be published in December 2015

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of lung cancer

Smoking is known to be a significant risk factor of lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world.  In the United State, non-small cell lung cancer represents 85% of all lung cancer cases.

Lung cancer was known as an occupational hazard of asbestos workers many years ago; that’s why asbestos has been banned for many years although they could exist in some very old buildings.  Also, it was reported that smoking and asbestos together can synergistically increase the risk of lung cancer.

In addition, exposure of several chemicals has been reported to be linked to lung cancer in the United States. These chemicals include chromium, formaldehyde, and nickel.


© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.