Eye cancer is a rare cancer that can affect the orbit (bony portion surrounding your eye), globe (eyeball) and its adnexal structures (eye tissues such as the eyelid). According to the American Cancer Society, eye cancers can appear at any age but...
Ovarian cancer begins in the tissues of the ovary, one of the reproductive glands where eggs are formed. The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2009, there will be 21,550 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed in the United States. Early...
Once menopause occurs, vaginal bleeding normally ceases. Any type of vaginal bleeding that occurs in the postmenopausal period is abnormal and fits into a category sometimes known as dysfunctional uterine bleeding, or DUB. Postmenopausal bleeding...
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that affects men. The cancer usually grows slowly and is not a problem if confined to the prostate area. Once the cancer starts to spread to other tissues, the condition becomes...
Mammograms are screening evaluations of breast tissue. With recent advances in technology, these screening tools have reduced the number of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at later stages. Combined with the advancements in treatment,...
Some breast cancer tests may be for preventive purposes, such as a mammogram, while others may be for diagnostic reasons, such as a biopsy. Whatever the reason, it is important for women to know what each test is for and what to expect before...
Fat necrosis of the breast is a benign condition affecting women's breasts in which fatty tissue breaks down, causing localized inflammation and swelling. Treatment can involve complete excision of the necrotic area; alternatively, the necrotic...
The National Cancer Institute estimates there were nearly 193,000 new cases of prostate cancer in 2009. The prostate, located under the bladder and in front of the rectum, is part of the male reproductive system. It produces seminal fluid that...
The esophagus is a tube starting at the throat and ending at the stomach. Food and liquid that is swallowed travels through this tube to get to the stomach. Cancer that starts in this tube is called esophageal cancer, which was diagnosed in more...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that most sexually active men in the United States will have genital human papillomavirus, HPV, at one point in their lives. HPV is a common virus, with more than 100 types, 40 of which can be...
Breast cancer will be diagnosed in 200,000 women annually in the United States or 1 in 8 women in their lifetime. Of those, 20% will die, ranking second only to lung cancer among women’s cancer deaths. Increased risk factors include the...
After a cancer diagnosis, staging of the cancer takes place. Staging involves classifying cancer in a standardized way, according to the spread of disease and diagnostic markers. The stage of disease helps guide treatment plans as well as...
Constipation is defined by the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse as having three or fewer bowel movements per week. Bloating--the sensation of feeling abdominal fullness even long after a meal--is usually attributed to excess...
The prostate gland is a small walnut-shaped gland in men that helps produce the seminal fluid that nourishes and carries sperm. Prostate complications are common in men as they get older and can cause symptoms such as urinary frequency and...
Doctors usually don't diagnose pancreatic cancer until the disease is advanced, which reduces the chances of a cure. However, researchers identified 10 tumor markers in the blood that are very sensitive to the presence of pancreatic cancer. In...
A biopsy involves removing and examining tissue, cell, or fluid samples from a living body, according to Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary. Although a biopsy may be used to determine a number of diseases, a prostate biopsy is most often done to...
Ultrasound equipment is used to image internal structures and organs by bouncing sound waves off of these tissues and using a computer to interpret and present the results. A trained ultrasound technician, or sonographer, can read these images and...
The thyroid gland is located in the front of the neck and is shaped like a bow tie. Hormones secreted by the thyroid gland regulate heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure and weight. Persistent lumps in the neck, trouble swallowing or...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 78,561 Americans were diagnosed with esophageal cancer from 1999 to 2004. This type of cancer is in the top 10 causes of cancer death in the country. There are two main types...
Uterine cancer, also known as endometrial cancer, occurs most often in women who have gone through menopause, though about a quarter of uterine cancer cases involve women under the age of 50. According to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, uterine...
Breast calcifications are deposits of the mineral calcium located in breast tissue. While breast calcifications can sometimes indicate breast cancer, most breast calcifications do not. Breast calcifications occur commonly, particularly in...
Breast biopsies serve as an important diagnostic tool in characterizing breast lumps. Although doctors can determine the size, shape and some other characteristics of a breast lump using medical imaging, such as a mammogram, these technologies do...
According to breastcancer.org, breast cancer affects 13 percent of women in the United States. Information, medications and support are available if you are suffering with breast cancer.
Your dentist is likely to be the first medical professional to spot signs that you may have a case of oral cancer. This happens most often when the cancer is confined to your lip, mouth, tongue or salivary glands. Your dentist may find symptoms of...
An integral part of the digestive system, the pancreas produces enzymes for digestion and insulin for glucose, or sugar, breakdown, according to Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Diseases of the pancreas can destroy...
Ultrasounds are noninvasive tests that are used to create images of organs and systems within the body. Also referred to as sonograms, ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves to capture the movement of the body's structures and can also display...
According to the American Cancer Society, about 217,730 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2010, resulting in about 32,050 deaths. Modern methods of detection, such as the prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test...
The liver stores glucose for future energy needs and breaks down this stored energy when the body needs it. It filters toxic substances out of the bloodstream, breaks down fats and makes proteins and substances to help form clots. When it is...
Ovarian cancer is a serious and life-threatening form of cancer that often goes undetected until the cancer is in its final stages. Because ovarian cancer is not tested for or detected with a routine Pap smear, it is difficult to get pre-screened...
Menstrual disorders refer to any abnormality in the menstrual cycle in a woman. Get expert tips and advice on diagnosing and treating menstrual disorders in this video.
