Cancer in The Family Ann

In 1989 after bleeding for over a year and just having a week clear I had a hysterectomy because they found that I had cancer of the womb after the operation,  I went once a week to the specialize because he was not satisfied because he told me that he could feel something so he then sent me up for a x-ray which they found that I had cancer of my right kidney and that it had to be removed right away. 

When my Dr. told me about this, it was not long after I had the first cancer operation I was beside by myself,  so I walked home crying my eyes out, I had no one with me to talk to about it.  Why I had no one with me was because I did not know what the Dr. was about to tell me and I did not think to phone my husband, to pick me up.  

http://annfreespiritcancer.blogspot.co.nz/p/cancer-in-family_25.html

Ovarian cancer awareness highlighted

February is ovarian cancer awareness month and that means women are being reminded to be aware of the symptoms of the condition in the absence of a screening programme.

Ovarian cancer is the biggest killer among gynaecological cancers and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Gynaecological Cancer Foundation is urging women to become aware and educated about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, which is one of five gynaecological cancers - which also include cervical, endometrial, vulval and vaginal.

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/top-stories/a/30700957/ovarian-cancer-awareness-highlighted/

Our Cancer Research - Researching Cancer Treatments‎

It is a sobering fact that despite decades of research and billions of dollars of funding, cancer death rates have changed little over the past 50 years. What’s more, cancer remissions are often transient, drug resistance is a major problem and drug withdrawal can result in an aggressive return
of the disease. 

Cancer Immunotherapy was named the breakthrough of the year by the Editorial Board of the highly respected journal Science in December 2013.  In immunotherapy, it’s not the disease but the immune system that is targeted. This marks a new therapeutic principle in medical care and is a focus of much of our cancer research at the Malaghan Institute.

http://www.malaghan.org.nz/what-we-do/cancer/?gclid=CMjctsKzxsoCFdh5vQod8skJDA

Sunsmart Schools New Zealand

Skin cancers are the most common form of cancers in New Zealand.  The incidence of melanoma skin cancer is among the highest in the world.

• The SunSmart schools website provides information for teachers, students and parents on how to be SunSmart. 
• The SunSmart schools programme provides Cancer Society approved guidelines on how to make your school a safe place for students and the school community.

http://www.sunsmartschools.co.nz/

A new model for cancer care in New Zealand

An ageing population, earlier diagnosis and advances in oncology treatment are contributing to a rising number of cancer survivors in New Zealand. This is placing an unsustainable pressure on oncology services, which has led to the announcement of a new national framework for managing people with cancer.
The new model of care focuses on a wider level of involvement in cancer care, for a more diverse range of clinicians, using a tiered approach to treatment, based on patient needs. It is likely that primary care clinicians will play a role in this new framework, which is to be implemented within the next three to five years.

http://www.bpac.org.nz/BT/2012/October/cancermodel.aspx 

Brain Tumor News: Brain cancer drug approved for NZ

A cancer drug that could prolong the lives of people with aggressive brain tumours has been approved for use in New Zealand.
Wellington neurosurgeon Kelvin Woon applied to Medsafe to have Gliolan made available after noting its benefits for patients in the United Kingdom. The drug will be used for malignant brain tumours known as glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM, by causing them to light up and become fluorescent during surgery.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/72196153/brain-cancer-drug-approved-for-nz 

Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer:

The recent focus of the group has been to understand the molecular events that are occurring as HDGC stomach cancers develop and progress. By understanding these events we will be better placed to identify 

(i) the reasons and triggers that underlie the variable age of onset in HDGC families (ii) which drugs may be effective in treatment and (iii) possible drugs which can be used to prevent cancer development (chemoprevention).

http://www.nostomachforcancer.org/hereditary-diffuse-gastric-cancer-research-update-october-2008 

Get The Tools - The Nuts & Bolts of Men's Health

Welcome to the bloke’s place – where you can access the latest A-Z of NZ men's health information & tools.  We want kiwi blokes to live healthier lives & celebrate more birthdays with their family & friends, so welcome to GTT, "The nuts & bolts of mens health"

http://www.getthetools.org.nz/ 

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is responsible for approximately 3% of all malignancies diagnosed in New Zealand each year. Bladder cancer is more common in men than women and typically affects people over 60 years of age. The main risk factor for this disease is cigarette smoking.
Nearly all are transitional cell cancers (arising from the inner lining cells of the bladder). Rarer bladder tumours include adenocarcinoma (usually arising from the urachus) and squamous cancer (associated with chronic inflammation and schistosomiasis).

http://www.aucklandurologist.co.nz/bladder-cancer.html 

Lung Cancer | Asthma Foundation New Zealand

Lung Cancer What is it? Our bodies are made up of tiny cells, which normally repair and reproduce themselves. Sometimes, however, they develop in an abnormal way forming lumps or tumours. Lung cancer is cancer of some of the cells in part of the lungs, usually beginning in the lining of the airway.

Primary lung cancer is cancer that originated or started in the lungs. Secondary lung cancer is cancer that has started somewhere else in the body (bowel or breast for instance) and spread to the lungs.

http://asthmafoundation.org.nz/your-health/other-respiratory-conditions/lung-cancer/ 

Twelve Key Points from the Alcohol & Cancer Conference

Hosted by Alcohol Action NZ and Cancer Society of NZ, Te Papa 17 June 2015

1. In 1988, the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Cancer Research scheduled alcohol (ethyl alcohol, ethanol) as a Group 1 carcinogen – an agent for which there is sufficient evidence to assert it directly causes cancer.
2. The degree of public awareness about the link between alcohol and cancer in New Zealanders is not known. In Canada, public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer has slowly increased from 21% in 1996 to 36% in 2012, and education level did not predict awareness of the link.

http://www.alcoholaction.co.nz/?p=433 

Sunbeds – Consumer NZ and Cancer Society call for ban

Consumer NZ and the Cancer Society are calling for an outright ban on commercial sunbeds. Although both organisations support amendments to the Health (Protection) Amendment Bill banning the provision of sunbed services to under-18s, they argue the ban does not go far enough.
Consumer has been surveying sunbed businesses for over a decade and found many operators ignoring – or unaware of – the safety guidelines of the voluntary standard (AS/NZ 2635:2008 Solaria for cosmetic purposes). This standard was revised in 2008 following concerns from health groups and the community about the increased risks to users of sun-tanning appliances. It:

http://www.standards.co.nz/touchstone/consumer-safety/2015/mar/sunbeds-consumer-nz-and-cancer-society-call-for-ban/ 

Chemical mix may trigger cancer

Common chemicals that people are routinely exposed to may be mixing together in the body to cause cancer, researchers say.  Chemicals deemed safe to humans may blend lethally together inside the human body to cause cancer, a high-profile scientific taskforce has ruled.
Researchers, including New Zealand scientist Dr Linda Gulliver, have released findings into possible links between common chemicals and the development of cancer. Their results, published in the journal Carcinogenesis, show mixtures of chemicals used in our environment may be acting in concert with each other inside the body to trigger the deadly disease.

http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=208719&fm=newsarticle+-+Politics%2Cnrhl 

Lung cancer

Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs. If left untreated, it can spread beyond the lungs into nearby tissue or other parts of the body. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer. Smoking is the single main avoidable cause of lung cancer. It is not known why one smoker develops lung cancer and another does not. Up to 90% of lung cancer is caused by smoking.
Lung cancer occurs most often in adults between the ages of 40 and 70 who have smoked cigarettes for at least 20 years. They are also likely to have started smoking as teenagers. Second-hand smoking (passive smoking) may also cause lung cancer. However, as with many cancers, we do not know the cause in all cases.

http://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/health-a-z/l/lung-cancer/

HPV and throat cancer

Recently many people have become aware of information in the media suggesting that there is a link between human papilloma virus (HPV), that might be transmitted by oral sex, and some cancers in the throat. Little is known about the natural history of oropharyngeal (throat) HPV but it is an area of rapidly emerging new knowledge.
This information will be updated as new evidence is available. The answers to the following frequently asked questions are to help you understand what is known and what is not yet clear.

http://www.hpv.org.nz/hpv-throat-cancer 

Cancer - leading cause of death among females

The leading cause of death in 1995 for females was cancer (all types), which accounted for 26 percent of all deaths. Although female age-standardised rates for cancer are lower than for males, female rates have increased by 5 percent over the last ten years, while male rates have dropped 3 percent.
Breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer death for females in 1995 (25.5 deaths per 100,000 population) and although numbers of deaths have increased by 21 percent over the last decade, age-standardised rates have increased by only 2 percent.

http://www2.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/web/nzstories.nsf/0/d393a86a4ecc6deacc256b180006d772?OpenDocument 

Cancer Cover Insurance

When it comes to health and wellbeing, one of the most common fears people have is getting sick from cancer. Cigna can help you prepare with Cigna Cancer Cover.
It's insurance that will provide you with a lump sum, tax free payment upon diagnosis.  This means you’ll have extra funds to cover any shortfalls as a result of your treatment. Apply online now or find out below how you can benefit from Cigna Cancer Cover.

http://www.cigna.co.nz/insurance-products/cancer-cover/  

Blood, Cancer and Palliative Care Services in New Zealand

Treatment for cancer services in the New Zealand public health system is delivered from six District Health Boards - Auckland, Waikato, MidCentral, Capital and Coast, Canterbury and Southern.
Most cancer centres operate as integrated departments delivering cancer services across the following disciplines: medical oncology, haematology and radiation oncology. Linkages with hospital and community based palliative care teams are strong in all regions.

http://www.kiwihealthjobs.com/health-campaigns-and-events/details/siid/1q4e7/Regional-Cancer-Services 

Melanoma New Zealand

Welcome to our website. Melanoma New Zealand (formerly known as the Melanoma Foundation of New Zealand) is a registered charitable trust devoted to issues relating to melanoma.
Our mission is to prevent avoidable deaths from melanoma and alleviate anxiety among those affected by it. Search the Melanoma section for information about prevention, diagnosis, treatment of melanoma and more.

http://www.melanoma.org.nz/

Testicular Cancer NZ

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer affecting men between the ages of 15 and 39, but the disease also occurs in other age groups, so all men should be aware of its symptoms. While testicular cancer is common among young men, young men typically do not get a lot of cancer, so overall testicular cancer is a relatively rare disease.
Men with testicular cancer have to make vitally important decisions about types of treatment. They may also have to make important choices and adjustments to enjoy a full life. To do this they need relevant and current information to help them make the decision that is best for them. While it is not our role to give you medical advice, we will guide you to the most appropriate information available.

http://www.testicular.org.nz/