One thing scientists have learned after years of study is that cancer isn’t just one disease. While a lot more research needs to be done, scientists have made great strides. One area of focus is our immune systems. Another is genetics.
Our immune systems work to protect us from foreign bodies that can hurt us. We just need to be able to identify these to fight them. We now know that cancer can sometimes hide which prevents our immune system from finding the cancerous cells. New immunotherapy techniques help our immune systems attack the cancer by 1) Preventing the cancer from hiding and 2) Boosting our immune response against cancer.
Genomics is the study of changes to the genes in your DNA. It’s giving doctors important clues about how your cancer will act and with this knowledge, they can make the best determination for treatment. It works by looking for changes called mutations in certain cancer genes. Once found, doctors can better diagnose the cancer, predict the outcome and decide on the best drug or treatment. They can also monitor how well the treatment is working.
These new developments mean faster identification and diagnoses to help treat cancers more quickly and easily which often leads to a cure.
Previously overshadowed by more commonly known diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has finally hit the spotlight. HPV is actually a group of over 200 related viruses. More than 40 of these are spread through direct sexual contact and cause genital warts. Even more concerning is how they can cause certain types of cancer – like cervical, vaginal, penile and anal. And that’s just the short list.
We can all agree that suicide is at an all-time high with our youth. Why is it happening and how do we as adults help?
As a pastor I have been called to homes immediately following death by suicide. What I witness is a loss felt deeper than any other loss can be felt. It is a loss than sends shock waves through the air of the surrounding community. A death by suicide does not only impact the person that has died it impacts everybody around them too. It changes so many lives forever.
Did you know nearly 5,000 emergency room visits each year are the result of injuries related to backpack usage. The most common injuries being sprain/strains and subluxations potentially resulting in significant back pain. Some, if not most, of these injuries are preventable with proper usage/wearing. Here are a few things to consider.
