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Brain Cancer Signs

Brain Cancer Signs: Causes of Brain Cancer

Brain cancer signs

Brain cancer signs are many but, scientifically, the exact cause of most brain cancer have not been established.

As it is on the norm, we cannot talk about causes of brain cancer without touching on the brain cancer signs. Just as it is with tumors in different parts of the body, scientifically, the exact cause of most brain cancer have not been established. Nevertheless, various factors like the genes, head radiation, cigarette smoking, HIV infections and various environmental toxins has been associated with cancers of the brain hypothetically. However, in most cases, no clear cause can be shown reiterates doctor Dalal Akoury MD and President of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center.

That is to say, not all brain tumors cause symptoms. In fact, some brain cancers like tumors of the pituitary gland are evident until a CT scan or MRI is done professionally. It is however important to note that brain cancer signs (symptoms) can be numerous but not necessarily explicit to brain tumors denoting that they can be caused by other diseases. This therefore leaves us undergoing professional diagnostic tests as a remedy of ascertaining what is causing the symptoms. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health Center, it is important to note that in many cases, symptoms can be caused by:

  • A tumor pressing on or intruding on other parts of the brain thereby hindering normal functions.
  • Bulging in the brain triggered by the tumor or surrounding inflammation.

The symptoms of primary and metastatic brain cancers are similar and may include seizures, headache, feebleness, difficulty walking and clumsiness. Besides that, there’re other nonspecific signs and symptoms like:

  • Altered mental status like changes in concentration, memory, attention, or alertness
  • Nausea, vomiting
  • Vision impairment
  • Communication difficulties
  • Slow changes in intellectual capacity including emotional response

It is worth noting that for most patients, brain cancer signs are often gradual and may not be noticed easily by both the direct and indirect victims. But at times this can happen rapidly. When this happens, the patient will demonstrate some signs of ones who has suffered a stroke.

Brain Cancer Signs: When to Seek Medical Care

Professionally, doctor Akoury recommend that if you have the following symptoms, you will need to seek medical care immediately:

  • Mysterious and persistent vomiting
  • Double vision or unexplained blurring of vision more so when its affecting only one side
  • Tiredness or increased sleepiness
  • New seizures
  • New pattern or type of headaches

Although headaches are thought to be a common symptom of brain cancer, they may not occur until late in the progression of the disease. Finally, for those with known brain tumor history, any new symptoms must be taken seriously by visiting the nearest hospital emergency department. As a matter of precaution, the following new symptoms must be taken seriously:

  • Visual changes and other sensory problems
  • Unexplained onset of fever more so after chemotherapy.
  • Seizures
  • Nausea or vomiting (especially in middle-aged or older people)
  • Difficulty with speech or in expressing yourself
  • Clumsiness or difficulty walking
  • Changes in mental status, such as excessive sleepiness, memory problems, or inability to concentrate
  • Changes in behavior or personality

In all these, remember that brain cancer signs must be taken seriously by seeking professional help immediately. For more professional guide you can always schedule an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for more professional assistance.

Brain Cancer Signs: Causes of Brain Cancer

Getting the basics about brain cancer

 

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EPCs Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

Endothelial Progenitor Cells Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

EPCsCurrently, regenerative medicine is on focus with hopes that it can be used in treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The circulating endothelial progenitor cells have been shown to possess an ability to form mature endothelial cells that can be useful in the process of vascular repair as well as neoangiogenesis. In preclinical studies, it has been shown that the circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have the potency for cardiovascular regeneration. With this said, it is god to admit that there is still a lot needed to be done in this area to show the effectiveness of the regenerative activities of these EPCs. Here we look at how the EPCs relate to cardiovascular diseases.

Endothelial Progenitor Cells are biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases

Just like other stem cells the circulating endothelial progenitor cells have the ability to proliferate, migrate, and differentiate into mature endothelial cells. First discovered from the human peripheral blood, the EPCs were shown to incorporate into sites of physiological or pathological neovascularization. Ever since the EPCs were discovered, a lot has improved in the understanding of the blood vessel formation. There is a growing body of evidence that EPCs helps in providing postnatal vasculogenesis mechanism for neovascularization and vascular remodeling.

These cells have also been shown to possess diverse physiological functions and helps in the recovery process of myocardial ischemia and infarction, limb ischemia, wound healing, atherosclerosis, endogenous endothelial repair, and tumor vascularization. Earlier clinical trials have proved that EPC therapy is safe and feasible for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Plus, the circulating EPCs are also considered as biomarkers for coronary and peripheral artery disease. In spite of the medicinal abilities of these EPCs, there is still a lot to be done in order for the mechanism by which these cells work can be fully understood and be applied.

Despite the haze that still clouds the mechanism with which the EPCs work, it has been shown that EPCs locating to damaged tissues and organs proceeding vascular regeneration do not only help in the formation of the neovasculature but also produce a variety of proangiogenic cytokines and growth factors thus promoting proliferation and migration of pre-existing Endothelial Cells and activating angiogenesis to contribute to vascular regeneration. it is suggested that the EPCs owes their ability to contribute to vascular regeneration to the presence of cytokines and other secreting pro-angiogenic factors in them such as VEGF, stroma derived factor (SDF)-1α, angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), hepatic growth factor (HGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, and eNOS/iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase). Thus, EPCs can mediate tissue-protective effects and contribute to neovascularization via direct vasculogenesis in ischemic tissues and indirect production of proangiogenic factors to pre-existing endothelial cells.

Research has shown that there are reduced numbers of EPCs in clinical conditions like diabetes mellitus, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and hypertension. In such conditions these EPCs also become impaired and malfunctioning. It has also been shown that the number of peripheral EPC is significantly reduced and their functions impaired in patients with established coronary artery disease and stroke. In contrast the number of EPCs has been found to be on the increase in patients with acute coronary syndrome such as acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina since they are mobilized from the bone marrow into the bloodstream.

The levels and migratory capacity of EPCs is also highly reduced in those suffering from hypertension with coronary artery disease. Besides, the concentration of circulating EPCs is considerably reduced in refractory hypertension as compared to healthy subjects. Imanishi T and his colleagues reported that EPC senescence is augmented in both experimental hypertensive rats and patients with essential hypertension, which may be related to telomerase inactivation. The team found that the hypertension-induced EPC senescence may affect the process of vascular remodeling.

Another researcher, Delva P in his research; Endothelial progenitor cells in patients with essential hypertension, reported that there was no alteration in the number or functional activity of EPCs in 36 patients with essential hypertension. Some research studies have also demonstrated that the numbers of EPCs are decreased in pulmonary hypertension while others that the number of EPCs are increased or remain normal in pulmonary hypertension. With these available literature that are somehow conflicting there isn’t a clear relationship between EPCs and hypertension

EPCs and Heart Failure

EPCsTo show the relationship between heart failure and the number of circulating EPCs, Valgimigli M and his counterparts tested the level of EPCs in patients suffering from heart failure and they discovered that EPC mobilization occurred in heart failure and showed a biphasic response, with elevation in early stages while depression in the advanced stages. The increased EPCs was shown as a replication of a functional bone marrow response to diffuse and severe endothelial damage during the early stages of heart failure but an additional and significant increase of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) counteracted and overwhelmed the elevation of EPC mobilization in advanced disease phases by exerting a possible suppressive effect on hemopoiesis.

conference

With the above findings, it is clear that there is a relationship between the EPCs and the cardiovascular diseases. For more information about bone marrow transplant and stem cell transplantation, visit www.awaremednetwork.com Dr. Dalal Akoury, a doctor with years of experience in integrative medicine will be able to help. Don’t hesitate to check on http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com  and learn about the upcoming Integrative Addiction Conference 2015. The conference will dwell on unique approaches to telling symptoms of addiction and how to help addicts.

Endothelial Progenitor Cells Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

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