Month: December 2019

There are over 200,000 diagnosed cases of lung cancer (LC) each year in the United States. While the incidence rate has declined since 1991, the disease remains the leading cause of cancer-related death. When the condition is detected in stage 1 (i.e. localized within the lung), it can be treated successfully. By the time cancerous cells have metastasized and spread to distant lymph nodes, it becomes more difficult to contain.

In the past, the disease was treated through thoracotomy (also known as open chest surgery). The patient’s thoracic cavity was accessed by the surgeon after a long incision was made into the chest. The breastbone was cut and the ribs were spread to provide working space. Because the ribs have limited flexibility, the procedure occasionally resulted in fractures. To resolve this issue, thoracic surgeons began to remove portions of the patient’s ribcage.

Today, minimally invasive techniques are often used to …

Alzheimer’s disease is often difficult to deal with for everyone involved. There is no cure and there is no way to reduce the risk of developing the disease. This disease slowly progresses over time, and damages some nerve cells in parts of the brain. In early stages, a person may have loss of short-term memory that progresses to the failing of long-term memory, language, and reasoning. Things such as age, family history, and sex could play a role in whether or not a person is susceptible to developing Alzheimer’s and although forgetfulness is a natural part of life as age, there are things that can be done to help protect against the disease.

There are things to look for when trying to determine if a family member may be developing Alzheimer’s disease. One thing to look for is impaired thinking such as, forgetting one’s own birthday or occupation. Difficulty in …