by the pines

Introduction Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine (colon), the lower part of your digestive system. Rectal cancer is cancer of the last 6 inches of the colon. Together, they’re often referred to as colorectal cancers. About 112,000 people are diagnosed with colon cancer annually, and about 41,000 new cases of rectal cancer are [...]

Introduction Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, among both men and women. It claims more lives each year than colon, prostate, lymph and breast cancers combined. Yet most lung cancer deaths could be prevented. That’s because smoking accounts for nearly 90 percent of lung cancer cases. Your risk [...]

Introduction A lung can collapse for many reasons: a growing tumor blocking a major airway, an infection, even an inhaled foreign object. One type of lung collapse, known medically as a pneumothorax, occurs when air leaks into the area between your lungs and chest wall (pleural space). The pressure of the air against the lung [...]

Introduction Cancer that originates in the bone — primary bone cancer — is rare. Fewer than 2,500 Americans are diagnosed with this type of cancer each year. The condition affects more children than adults. The most common forms of primary bone cancer are: Osteosarcoma, which occurs primarily in growing bone tissue Chondrosarcoma, which occurs in [...]

Introduction Gallbladder cancer and bile duct cancer are rare cancers of the biliary tract. Your gallbladder stores and your bile duct transports bile, a fluid produced by your liver that’s essential to the digestive process. Gallbladder cancer seldom produces symptoms in the early stages. In fact, early gallbladder cancer is often only discovered when the [...]

Introduction Breast cancer isn’t just a woman’s disease. Men also have breast tissue that can undergo cancerous changes. While women are about 100 times more likely to get breast cancer, any man can develop breast cancer. Male breast cancer is most common between the ages of 60 and 70. The prognosis for male breast cancer [...]

Introduction Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare but aggressive type of breast cancer that develops rapidly, making the affected breast red, swollen and tender. It’s a locally advanced cancer, meaning it has spread from its point of origin to nearby tissue and possibly to nearby lymph nodes. The early signs of more-common forms of breast [...]

Introduction Wrinkles are a natural part of aging. As you grow older, your skin gets thinner, drier and less elastic. And it becomes less able to protect itself from damage. As a result, wrinkles, lines and creases form in your skin. Although genetics are the most important determiner of skin texture, a major contributor to [...]

Introduction Acute liver failure is a medical emergency that occurs when your liver rapidly loses its ability to function. Most often, liver failure develops slowly over the course of years, usually due to long-term alcohol use or infection with the hepatitis virus. But acute liver failure can develop in a matter of days. Many cases [...]

Introduction In 1995, actor Christopher Reeve fell off a horse and severely damaged his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. From then until his death in 2004, the silver screen Superman became the most famous face of spinal cord injury. Most spinal cord injury causes permanent disability or loss of movement (paralysis) [...]