Pomegranate For Cancer

Recent scientific research is demonstrating that pomegranate may be helpful in the prevention and treatment of various types of cancer such as breast cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.  Research using both mouse mammary organ culture and human breast cancer cells in vitro has demonstrated anticancer effects of pomegranate extracts.  Dr. Hasan Mukhtar and colleagues from the University of Wisconsin have shown that a topically-applied pomegranate fruit extract can block skin tumor formation in mice.  

Another study demonstrated significant antitumor activity of pomegranate-derived materials against human prostate cancer.  Yet another study shows the extracts of pomegranate can promote differentiation--the ability of cancer cells to revert to their normal counterparts

Pomegranates are the richest source of a natural substance called ellagic acid.  According to master herbalist and certified nutritionist Donald Yance in his book HERBAL MEDICINE, HEALING & CANCER, ellagic acid inhibits cancer formation and is believed to inhibit cancer mutation by latching onto DNA-masking sensitive sites on the genetic material that might otherwise be occupied by harmful chemicals.  Ellagic acid is particularly effective in the inhibition of lung cancer caused by tobacco..

Pomegranate also contains the anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins (flavonoids), which are substances that have been shown in animal and test tube experiments to reduce tumor angiogenesis. 

FDA Warns of Counterfeit Avastin

The FDA has issued a warning that a counterfeit version of the anti-cancer drug Avastin is being distributed to clinics in the U.S. According to drug maker Roche, counterfeit Avastin does not contain bevacizumab, the active ingredient in the drug. In a written statement from Genentech (part of the Roche family), the company cited the fake version as unsafe and ineffective.According to reports, the FDA has contacted 19 clinics in the U.S. that were known to have purchased counterfeit Avastin from an overseas supplier. The investigation could reveal more clinics in the future.

                                               Implications for Patients

If a healthcare provider suspects a patient may have received counterfeit drug, they should immediately report this by contacting the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations (1-800-551-3989, www.fda.gov/OCI) or Genentech's Product Quality Assurance department at 1-800-334-0290.

If a patient taking Avastin is experiencing any side effects, they should contact their healthcare provider immediately. If the patient is experiencing any side effects that the healthcare provider thinks may be related to Avastin or that are different from those commonly associated with Avastin (please see important safety information detailed below), the healthcare provider should immediately call FDA's MedWatch Program (1-800-FDA-1088) or Genentech's Drug Safety Department at 1-888-835-2555.

Roche and Genentech's Anti-Counterfeiting Measures 

As the implications for public health and safety are high, we take the issue of counterfeiting extremely seriously. Roche and Genentech have implemented various approaches to combat counterfeiting that include working with relevant stakeholders to secure the distribution system, and implementing special packaging and printing techniques that make counterfeits both more difficult to make and easier to spot. We work closely with health authorities and law enforcement agencies to combat the unsafe distribution of our products through unauthorized sources.

Counterfeit medicines are mostly offered for sale by unlicensed sources. In order to help ensure the integrity of the supply chain for Genentech's medicines in the United States, our medicines are sold directly to a defined number of licensed wholesalers and specialty distributors.

Roche and Genentech take very seriously compliance with relevant national and international standards, guidelines and regulations aimed at combating counterfeit active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), medicines and diagnostics. We fully support governmental efforts and are committed to cooperating with the authorities whenever one of our products is concerned. Further, we participate in national and international industry and governmental efforts to develop stronger laws and improve enforcement, educate the public and train local officials.

About Avastin

Avastin is a prescription-only medicine that is a solution for intravenous infusion. It is a biologic antibody designed to specifically bind to a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that plays an important role throughout the lifecycle of the tumor to develop and maintain blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Avastin is designed to interfere with the tumor blood supply by directly binding to the VEGF protein to prevent interactions with receptors on blood vessel cells. The tumor blood supply is thought to be critical to a tumor's ability to grow and spread in the body (metastasize). For more information about angiogenesis, visit http://www.gene.com.

Avastin is approved for the first- and second-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with intravenous 5-FU-based chemotherapy; first-line treatment of unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic, non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel; metastatic renal cell carcinoma in combination with interferon alfa; glioblastoma, as a single agent for adult patients with progressive disease following prior therapy. The effectiveness of Avastin glioblastoma is based on an improvement in objective response rate. Currently, no data are available from randomized controlled trials demonstrating an improvement in disease-related symptoms or increased survival with Avastin in glioblastoma.

Cancer Hospitals In India

• Amala Cancer Hospital  - Amala Cancer Hospital and Research Centre was established in 1978 as nonprofit, charitable institution aimed at treatment and management of Cancer in Central Kerala (Trichur)
• Apollo Cancer Hospital - The Apollo Cancer Institute, which is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, advanced cancer treatment center with following specilities - Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Pediatric Oncology, Radiation Oncology
• Bangalore Institute of Oncology - Bangalore Institute of Oncology (BIO) was founded in 1989. It is a 150  bed cancer hospital.
• Cancer Centre Welfare Home And Research Institute - was founded in 1973, and is located in Thakurpukur Kolkatta (Calcutta). This is one of the the largest cancer centers in Eastern India.
• Gujarat Cancer Research Institute - The largest cancer hospital in western India having latest facilities for cancer treatment.  
• Janseva - A voluntary organization with a cancer hospital in Allhabad Uttar Pradesh
• Kailash Cancer Hospital and Research Center - Tertiary cancer hospital with dual energy linear accelerator integrated brachy-therapy unit.  
• Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology - Located in Bangalore,this Institute was established in 1973 and is currently one of the leading Cancer treatment and research Institutes.
• Sibar Cancer Hospital - A non profit organization located in Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh
• TATA Memorial Hospital - The Tata Memorial Center is a center for the prevention, treatment, education and research in Cancer and is recognized as one of the leading cancer centers in India.

Symptoms

Very few people in the world today have not been affected personally by cancer. Some of the most popular charitable organizations in the world revolve around finding cures for cancer in all of its forms, such as breast cancer, leukemia and lung cancer. Raising awareness for these diseases is often the paramount goal of the organization, in the hopes that raising awareness can both garner more necessary research funds to end cancer, but also hoping that more aware individuals will recognize cancer symptoms and seek medical attention, perhaps saving valuable time that could possibly save their life
CancerSymptoms.org is dedicated to helping you find out more information about various symptoms you may have that could lead to early detection of cancer, or are symptoms of cancer treatment that you are already receiving. The website also features a number of resources to help you detect cancer earlier, as well as tips to help you cultivate a lifestyle that could prevent cancer altogether.

 Nausea from cancer treatment, a common side effect, does not usually indicate a problem in and of itself; nevertheless, you should tell your doctor if you experience it. Today, medicine can go a long way in preventing and treating this unpleasant result of cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy can often cause nausea. Not all chemotherapy drugs have this effect, so definitely discuss with your physician whether your particular drugs may make you prone to nausea. Women, especially those under the age of fifty, more often tend to experience episodes of chemotherapy-induced nausea. Females who suffered morning sickness while pregnant also tend to have nausea while undergoing chemotherapy. Patients with a history of motion sickness may more likely fall prey to nausea during treatment as well.

Carcinogen to cancer

A carcinogen is any substance,  that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive substances are considered carcinogens, but their carcinogenic activity is attributed to the radiation, for example gamma rays and alpha particles, which they emit. Common examples of carcinogens are inhaled asbestos, certain dioxins, and tobacco smoke. Cancer is a disease in which damaged cells do not undergoprogrammed cell death.
After the carcinogen enters the body, the body makes an attempt to eliminate it through a process called bio transformation. The purpose of these reactions is to make the carcinogen more water-soluble so that it can be removed from the body. But these reactions can also convert a less toxic carcinogen into a more toxic carcinogen.
                                  Tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemical compounds, many of which are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic. One of these is a compound marketed as a rat poison.Cooking food at high temperatures, for example grilling or barbecuing meats, can lead to the formation of minute quantities of many potent carcinogens that are comparable to those found in cigarette smoke .Charring of food resembles coking and tobacco pyrolysis, and produces similar carcinogens
         DNA is nucleophilic, therefore soluble carbon electrophiles are carcinogenic, because DNA attacks them. For example, some alkenes are toxicated by human enzymes to produce an electrophilic epoxide. DNA attacks the epoxide, and is bound permanently to it. This is the mechanism behind the carcinogenicity of benzo[a]pyrene in tobacco smoke, other aromatics, aflatoxin and mustard gas.