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Tuberculosis(TB) is a potentially fatal contagious disease that can affect almost any part of the body but is mainly an infection of the lungs. It is caused by a bacterial microorganism: the tubercle bacillus or Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
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Tuberculosis(TB) is a potentially fatal contagious disease that can affect almost any part of the body but is mainly an infection of the lungs. It is caused by a bacterial microorganism, the tubercle bacillus or Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
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Detailed information on tuberculosis, including risks, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information tuberculosis, tuberculosis symptoms, tuberculosis causes, tuberculosis diagnoses, tuberculosis treatment
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Detailed information on tuberculosis, including risks, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on tuberculosis, including risks, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on tuberculosis, including risks, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment
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What are the signs and symptoms of TB? Can the illness disappear after a time if left untreated? Can TB be missed on an X-ray?
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Tuberculosis is a chronic, infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs.Tuberculosis(TB) is caused by a bacteria that primarily attacks the lungs. An individual may be"TB infected," meaning the bacteria are in the body but are in an inactiv...
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Tuberculosis(TB) is a contagious and potentially fatal disease that can affect almost any part of the body but manifests mainly as an infection of the lungs. It is caused by a bacterial microorganism, the tubercle bacillus or Mycobacterium tubercu...
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Rheumatic fever(RF) is an illness which arises as a complication of untreated or inadequately treated strep throat infection. Rheumatic fever can seriously damage the valves of the heart.Throat infection with a member of the Group A streptococcus(...
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Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that may develop after an infection with Streptococcus bacteria(such as strep throat or scarlet fever). The disease can affect the heart, joints, skin, and brain.Rheumatic fever is common worldwide and is...
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Detailed information on rheumatic fever, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Rheumatic fever(RF) is an illness that occurs as a complication of untreated or inadequately treated strep throat infection. Rheumatic fever causes inflammation of tissues and organs and can result in serious damage to the heart valves, joints, ce...
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Rheumatic fever(RF) is an illness that arises as a complication of untreated or inadequately treated strep throat infection. Rheumatic fever can seriously damage the valves of the heart.Throat infection with a member of the Group A streptococcus(s...
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Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy, x-ray therapy radiation treatment, cobalt therapy, electron beam therapy, or irradiation uses high energy, penetrating waves or particles such as x rays, gamma rays, proton rays, or neutron rays to...
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Radiation therapy uses high powered x-rays or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells.Cancer cells usually multiply faster than other cells in the body. Because radiation is most harmful to rapidly growing cells, radiation therapy damages cancer ce...
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Doctors first began using X-rays to treat cancer in the early 1900s. Since then, the field of radiation therapy has grown tremendously in its use to treat cancer patients. Today, radiation therapy is considered a standard treatment for cancer and its symptoms.
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Detailed information on radiation therapy for prostate cancer treatment Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill or shrink cancer cells, and to decrease their ability to divide. Radiation is often used to treat prostate cancer that is still confined to the prostate gland, or has spread only to nearby tissue. If the disease is advanced, radiation may be used to reduce the size of the tumor and to provide relief from symptoms.
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Radiotherapy is the use of high-energy penetrating radiation(x rays, gamma rays, proton rays, and neutron rays) to kill cancer cells.The primary purpose of radiotherapy is to eliminate or shrink localized cancers. It is also sometimes used to trea...
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Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells.
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Detailed information on radiation therapy, one type of cancer therapy Radiation therapy for cancer treatment:
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Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy, x-ray therapy radiation treatment, cobalt therapy, electron beam therapy, or irradiation uses high energy, penetrating waves or particles such as x rays, gamma rays, proton rays, or neutron rays to...
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Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells.
Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. It begins with a planning visit to map out your treatment. During the treatment course, you'll meet with your doctor on a routine basis. After your therapy is done, you will have one or more follow-up visits to check your progress. Keep all your appointments.
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Because radiation affects normal cells as well as cancer cells, you may have some side effects from this treatment. Usually, the risk of side effects is far less than the benefit of killing cancer cells. Many people have no side effects at all. If you do have them, they relate to the dose of radiation you get and the area of your cancer, and they are generally limited to the area that's been treated.
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This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
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This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
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This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
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This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
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Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. Your radiation therapy team will work with you. Together you will set treatment goals, make a plan, and carry out the treatment. To be an active member of this team, ask questions when you don't understand what is happening. And let your team know how you're doing.
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The side effects of radiation treatment vary from patient to patient. You may have no side effects or only a few mild ones through your course of treatment. Some people do experience serious side effects, however. The side effects that you have depend mostly on the radiation dose and the part of your body that is treated. Your general health also can affect how your body reacts to radiation therapy and whether you have side effects. Before beginning your treatment, your doctor and nurse will discuss the side effects you might experience, how long they might last, and how serious they might be.
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This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
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This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
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Radiation treatment to the chest may cause several changes. For example, you may find that it is hard to swallow or that swallowing hurts. You may develop a cough or a fever. You may notice that when you cough the amount and color of the mucus is different. Shortness of breath is also common. Be sure to let your treatment team know right away if you have any of these symptoms. Remember that your doctor and nurse have seen these changes in many radiation patients and they know how to help you deal with them.
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What is the goal of this treatment? How will the radiation be given? How many treatments will I get? Over what period of time?
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Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to treat your cancer. From the moment you found out you had cancer, you most likely have had questions about treatment. You are not facing cancer treatment alone. Loved ones, support groups, and counseling can help you. Keep a list of any questions you have for your radiation therapy team. Ask these questions during your visits, or call if you need to. And use the resources below for information.
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Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. To feel better, get plenty of rest, exercise, and eat well. This will give your body the extra strength it needs right now. Also, look to family and friends for support and comfort.
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Is it safe for a child to be around a person undergoing radiation therapy? Claire McCarthy, M.D., is a senior medical editor for Harvard Health Publications. She is an instructor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, an attending physician at Children's Hospital of Boston, and co-director of the pediatrics department at Martha Eliot Health Center, a neighborhood health service of Children's Hospital. The author of two books, "Learning How the Heart Beats" and "Everyone's Children", Dr. McCarthy was a regular columnist for "Sesame Street Parents Magazine" from 1995 to 1998 and is currently a contributing editor for "Parenting Magazine".
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Autoimmune disorders are conditions in which a person''s immune system attacks the body''s own cells, causing tissue destruction.Autoimmunity is accepted as the cause of a wide range of disorders, and it is suspected to be responsible for many more....
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An autoimmune disorder is a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. There are more than 80 different types of autoimmune disorders.Normally the immune system''s army of white blood cells hel...
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Detailed information on autoimmune diseases and pregnancy Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the body makes antibodies against one's own normal body chemicals. In these diseases, antibodies cannot tell antigens in the inside of the cell from antigens outside of the cell. When the antibodies attack the internal cells, the reactions can be local - in just a small area, or systemic - throughout the whole body. The skin and connective tissues (cartilage, bone, tendons) are most affected but other tissues can be affected, as well, including nerve and muscle.
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Autoimmune disorders are conditions in which a person''s immune system attacks the body''s own cells, causing tissue destruction.Autoimmunity is accepted as the cause of a wide range of disorders and suspected to be responsible for many more. Autoim...
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Doctors divide autoimmune diseases in two categories: Those that attack a specific organ and those that target many organs.
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Diseases in which the immune system attacks the body''s own healthy tissues, forming antibodies in an assault on mistakenly identified"foreign invaders.".Autoimmune disorders occur when the body''s immune system loses its ability to recognize the di...
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Detailed information on respiratory conditions in children, including asthma, croup, the common cold, and the flu
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An esophageal perforation is a hole in the esophagus, the tube through which food passes from the mouth to the stomach.A perforation is a hole through which the contents of the esophagus can pass into the mediastinum, the surrounding area in the c...
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Myocarditis is an uncommon disorder that is usually caused by viral, bacterial, or fungal infections that reach the heart.Coxsackie Cytomegalovirus Hepatitis C Herpes HIV Parvovirus.Aspergillus Candida Coccidioides Cryptococcus Histoplasma Schisto...
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Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the heart muscle(myocardium) that can result from a variety of causes. While most cases are produced by a viral infection, an inflammation of the heart muscle may also be instigated by toxins, drugs, and h...
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A heart attack is the death of, or damage to, part of the heart muscle because its blood supply is severely reduced or stopped.Heart attack is the leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately every 29 seconds one American will have a...
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A heart attack is when blood vessels that supply blood to the heart are blocked, preventing enough oxygen from getting to the heart. The heart muscle dies or becomes permanently damaged.
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Detailed information on heart attack, symptoms of heart attack, warning signs, how to respond in an emergency, and heart attack treatment
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Detailed information on heart attack, symptoms of heart attack, warning signs, how to respond in an emergency, and heart attack treatment
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Detailed information on heart attack, symptoms of heart attack, warning signs, how to respond in an emergency, and heart attack treatment
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Over the long term, your quality of life is tied to how severe your heart attack was and how it was treated. Beyond that, any change will depend largely on you.
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The Framingham risk-assessment tool is used to evaluate a person's risk of heart attack, but it does not consider the influence of inflammation. Researchers have developed a new tool that uses three additional factors to evaluate your heart attack risk.
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Chest pain could be simple indigestion or a heart attack. Knowing the warning signs of a heart attack, and knowing how to respond, could save a life. The following guidelines can help you make the right decisions and take the right steps when seconds count.
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A heart attack is an urgent message from your heart that it's starved for oxygen. When oxygen-rich blood to your heart is blocked by a clot, heart muscle begins to die and symptoms of a heart attack start.
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Discussion of what constitutes a heart attack and new ways to treat them.It's a story that is played out countless times every day. A 58-year-old man develops chest pain while watching a playoff game on TV. He's always been pretty healthy, but he hasn't had a check-up for years. He's had some heartburn from time to time, but this pain is different: a heavy pressure just below his breastbone with an ache in his jaw. He feels sweaty, nauseated, and a bit lightheaded. Probably the chips and garlic dip, he thinks, reaching for an antacid. But his wife knows better; she calls 911 and gives him an aspirin to chew. The EMTs arrive in a few minutes, but by then the pain is gone. Feeling foolish, he agrees to an IV, oxygen, and a trip to the hospital. In the emergency ward there are questions, EKGs, chest x-rays, and blood tests. And then the big question: Did I have a heart attack?
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For many women, a heart attack may feel like a strange discomfort in the back or some other easily ignored sign, instead of crushing chest pain.
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Detailed information on heart attack, symptoms of heart attack, warning signs, how to respond in an emergency, and heart attack treatment
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Technology has given us the automated external defibrillator (AED), which is turning up far from hospitals. Some schools and public buildings already have AEDs.
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A new study suggests an aspirin before bed may lower blood pressure while protecting against heart attack and stroke.
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A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about how to tell heartburn from more serious heart trouble.
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People who are at risk for heart disease may be fine for some time, until a stressful event or situation acts as a trigger for a heart attack or stroke. Even in those with heart disease, some of these triggers can be minimized or avoided.
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People at risk for heart attack or stroke will likely benefit from taking low-dose daily aspirin, but for some there are greater risks (such as ulcers or gastrointestinal bleeding) that outweigh aspirin's help.
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Besides the nutritional benefits, eating beans regularly can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of a heart attack.
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Research shows that heart attack risk varies by both the season and time of day.
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Researchers believe that enough evidence exists now to list rheumatoid arthritis as a marker of increased heart attack risk. The next step is to examine how people with RA might alter their drug treatment plan or make lifestyle changes to reduce their risk for heart attack.
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Although their symptoms and effects can be similar—and confusing—strokes and heart attacks are two different medical problems.
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This article discusses the drug Plavix: what it does; who needs it; and, the risks and benefits.
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Depression can often develop as a result of a heart attack or cardiac surgery, and has more serious effects on heart health and overall health than depression that was present before a heart attack.
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Aspirin is safe for some healthy women over age 65 to take to prevent stroke and heart attack, but probably not for most younger women.
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Advisory ratchets down targets for LDL (bad) cholesterol for some people, not others; no one-size-fits-all recommendation yet.
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Though clot-busting drugs are delivered with little delay in most emergency rooms, angioplasty does not fare as well, according to a new study.
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Heart attacks rise during winter and, especially, over the holidays. Possible explanations for this phenomenon, and how to protect yourself this season.
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Studies suggest mental health care following a heart attack can improve patient health and mortality.
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The Women's Health Study, released in March 2005, provides surprising new information about the health benefits of aspirin for women.
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A myocardial infarction, or heart attack, is the death or damage of part of the heart muscle because the supply of blood to the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped.Myocardial infarction(MI) is the leading cause of death in the United State...
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A heart attack is the death of, or damage to, part of the heart muscle because the supply of blood to the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped.Heart attack is the leading cause of death in the United States. More than 1.5 million Americans ...
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If you're looking for a reason to exercise, try this one: A routine workout may help ward off blood clots, the villains behind most heart attacks. You suffer a heart attack when a blood clot forms in an artery, blocking oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart.
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Normally, your body warns you of a problem by making you feel pain. But over time, high blood sugar damages nerves in your body. This may keep you from feeling pain caused by a heart problem.
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If hospitals become accredited as "chest pain centers," it could make deciding where to go for treatment easier, and also increase recovery rates.
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A review of advances in heart medicine since the 1950s, when President Eisenhower bucked conventional wisdom by returning to physical activity several months after a heart attack.
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Angioplasty to treat chest pain will be most efffective if the procedure is done within the first 12 hours after onset. If you have had symptoms for longer, drug treatment is likely to be as effective as angioplasty.
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More Americans have their hypertension under control. Folic acid does not prevent heart attacks. Exercise after heart surgery is safe and beneficial. Program your cell phone with an emergency contact.
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Two new tests aim to provide better measures of "bad" cholesterol in order to more accurately predict the risk of heart attack.
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The experience of a heart attack can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder, which can delay recovery and perhaps cause heart disease to progress further.
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A recent study offers evidence that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may help those who develop depression after a heart attack.
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Many instances of "sudden" cardiac arrest are not sudden at all. In the majority of occurrences there is at least one warning sign before the event: chest pain, shortness of breah, nausea, and dizziness are the most common ones.
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Sweating is an almost as common, but lesser-known, sign of heart attack as more "classic" chest pains.
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The Harvard Health Letter celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. In the first of a series, the Health Letter takes a look back at three decades in medicine.
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Unlike traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as aspirin and ibuprofen, COX-2 drugs have been linked to heart attacks because they encourage blood clots to form.
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The benefits of aspirin for those at risk for heart disease are clear, but for women under 65 who are not at risk, there is no benefit to a daily aspirin. There is evidence that taking aspirin regularly may reduce the risk of stroke, regardless of age.
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An expert shares his beliefs about how best to treat and avoid cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases.
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A pair of studies found that increased, prolonged strain in people's close relationships or jobs correlated with an increased risk for a cardiac event.
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A set of related cancers that form in the bone marrow and other blood-producing organs.Leukemia is named after the leukocytes, white blood cells which mutate before maturity and become cancerous. These cells reproduce rapidly, suppressing producti...
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Detailed information on leukemia, including causes, stages, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Leukemia is a cancer that starts in the organs that make blood, namely the bone marrow and the lymph system. Depending on specific characteristics, leukemia can be divided into two broad types: acute and chronic.
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Leukemia is a group of bone marrow diseases involving an uncontrolled increase in white blood cells(leukocytes).For information about a specific type of leukemia, see the following:.Acute lymphocytic leukemia(ALL) Acute myelogenous leukemia(AML) C...
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Leukemia is different from other types of cancer. Most cancers begin as a tumor and spread to other parts of the body. How large the tumor is and how far the cancer spreads determines the stage of the cancer. But leukemia doesn't begin as a tumor. It is in your blood, which means it is already moving throughout your body.
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Cancer occurs when cells in the body begin changing in ways that aren't normal. Cancer that starts in blood cells is called leukemia.
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Detailed overview of leukemia, including types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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You have just been told, "You have leukemia.” With these 3 words, you may feel that your world has stopped. It's scary to hear. However, knowledge is powerful. It can help make a difference in how you handle your experience with leukemia.
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Certain factors can make one person more likely to get leukemia than another person. These are called risk factors. Although such risk factors do exist, a person who has one or more risk factors will not necessarily get leukemia. In fact, a person can have all the risk factors and still not get leukemia, or he or she can have no known risk factors and still get the disease.
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There is no sure way to prevent leukemia. In fact, most people with leukemia have no known risk factors. People can, however, make certain lifestyle choices that might lower their risk of developing leukemia.
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Normal white blood cells help the body fight infections. Because leukemia cells are abnormal, they do not function as normal cells do. People with leukemia often find out about their disease because they may have fevers and infections.
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The cells that were removed for your biopsy are looked at more closely during special tests. These tests help tell what kind of leukemia you have. The type you have affects your choices for treatment.
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No standard screening process exists for detecting early stage leukemia. Doctors often detect chronic leukemia during routine blood count checks or screening tests, such as those conducted when a person seeks employment, joins the military, is pregnant, or is about to undergo an operation.
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Detailed information on leukemia in childhood, including symptoms, staging, diagnosis, and treatment
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You will likely have physical concerns since your leukemia may cause symptoms and you may have side effects from your treatment. In this section, you'll learn more about how to respond to some of the most common ones. You will not likely have all of these side effects or symptoms. They are listed alphabetically to help you find information when you need it.
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If your doctor thinks you might have leukemia, you will have a special kind of biopsy. For it, your doctor needs a small sample of bone marrow and bone. The doctor takes these from the inside of your pelvic bone. The procedure is called a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. In some cases, the doctor takes an aspiration from the breastbone instead. A pathologist looks at the sample under a microscope. It may take a few days for the results to come back. Then your doctor knows if you have leukemia.
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Targeted therapy is a new type of treatment for some types of leukemia. It's designed to "see” a certain change in a cancer cell. This is a change that makes the cancer grow, divide, repair, or "talk” with other cells. These new drugs attack only cancer cells. They destroy or slow the growth of cancer cells. But they avoid normal, healthy cells. That means this treatment tends to cause fewer and less severe side effects than other kinds of treatment. These 3 main types of targeted therapy can treat leukemia.
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This treatment uses strong X-rays to kill leukemia cells. For leukemia, this treatment is most often used after a hematopoietic stem cell transplant. It may also be used to help control pain. In the rare cases that leukemia causes a tumor, radiation may be used to shrink it. A radiation oncologist sets your treatment plan. The plan details what kind of radiation you'll have and how long the treatment will last. This doctor can also tell you how you may feel during and after the treatment.
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Detailed information on leukemia in childhood, including symptoms, staging, diagnosis, and treatment
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Leukemia can be treated. Your treatment depends on all these things. The type of leukemia you have
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Listed below are some frequently asked questions about leukemia. Q: What is leukemia?
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To find out whether you have leukemia, your doctor does a physical examination and other tests. Sometimes a doctor finds leukemia during a routine exam. This can happen when a person doesn't know about a problem because he or she doesn't have symptoms.
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It's normal to worry about what leukemia will mean for you and your family. You may wonder, "What are my chances of being cured?” and "How long will I live?” The answers to these questions are what you may hear healthcare experts call your prognosis. This is the likely outcome, or course, of your leukemia. Your doctor considers how likely these outcomes are for you when making your prognosis.
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Treating your leukemia to get the best results is important. But your quality of life also matters. Let your doctor or nurse know if you are experiencing any side effects or discomfort. Make sure to tell your doctor or nurse how these problems affect your day-to-day life. Your healthcare team is there to help you manage your symptoms as well as to treat your leukemia.
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The hallmark of leukemia is often an increase in the number of white blood cells. It's ironic that mass production of white blood cells--your body's infection fighters--actually causes you harm. The problem is that the white blood cells made when you have leukemia may not function normally. When your body makes too many leukemic white blood cells, it doesn't make enough normal ones to fight infection. This decrease in the strength of your immune system is called immunosuppression. A weaker immune system means you are at a greater risk of getting both common infections you encounter in everyday life as well as uncommon ones.
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Surgery can do little to treat leukemia. For chronic leukemia, though, it is helpful in some cases. Your doctor may remove your spleen if it is swollen and pressing against other organs. Your spleen is an organ near your stomach. It helps produce white blood cells and destroy red blood cells. Another reason you may have your spleen removed is to raise levels of certain blood cells. That's because a swollen spleen can start removing too many of them from your blood.
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A clinical trial is when a new treatment is tested. It tests treatments that may work better or cause fewer problems than current treatments. A clinical trial may give you a chance to get a new treatment not yet available to the public.
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Once your radiation oncologist has mapped out your treatment plan, a radiation therapist treats you. There are a few ways to do that.
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How you get targeted therapy depends on the kind you get. You get monoclonal therapy by intravenous (IV) needle or under the skin 3 times a week. You won't need to stay in a hospital overnight. How long each treatment lasts depends upon the dose you get. It also depends on whether you have any reactions to the treatment. If you get an IV, it may take about 2 hours. If you get an injection under the skin, it may take a few minutes.
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If you are having targeted therapy, your healthcare team will explain its side effects and help you manage them.
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When you are being treated for leukemia, you will likely have side effects from that treatment and also, perhaps, symptoms of the disease itself. For instance, the leukemia itself can cause symptoms such as fevers, weight loss, or bleeding. The treatments to destroy leukemia cells can harm healthy cells at the same time, and that means treatment can cause side effects.
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Dealing with these feelings is often easier as you learn more about your disease and get support. Doctors, nurses, and other members of your healthcare team can answer questions about your concerns. Talking with friends and relatives or getting in touch with others who have had leukemia or cancer can be helpful. Meeting with a social worker, counselor, or member of the clergy may also help. Many people with leukemia attend support groups. There they can share what they have learned about leukemia and its treatments.
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Some people use statistics to try to figure out their chances of getting cancer or of being cured. Statistics show what happens with large groups of people. Because no two people are alike, statistics cannot be used to know or predict what will happen to a particular person.
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When many people think of cancer care, they may think of traditional treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. These treatments are used to get rid of cancer cells in the body. But there is another form of care that many people with cancer also receive called supportive care. Supportive care does not fight the cancer, but it can improve the overall health or quality of life for a person with cancer. It can include dealing with side effects of cancer and its treatments, such as fatigue and pain, learning about the condition and treatment, and getting nutritional and psychological support. For leukemia patients, supportive care is an important part of helping the patient get through treatment.
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Once you know you have leukemia, your doctor will likely do more tests. Most people need more than one.
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You and your doctor will talk all about stem cell transplants and their side effects before you have it done. After this treatment, you will have a weakened immune system. That makes you are at greater risk for infection and other serious side effects. You must stay in the hospital for several weeks. You may also need to be in isolation after being in the hospital until your white blood cell counts start returning to normal. During this time, your stem cells are making new white blood cells. Here are some common side effects you can expect. Many of these are from chemotherapy or radiation treatments and will go away after treatment ends.
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You may have heard a lot about alternative or complementary care. These are a group of practices and products that are not yet thought of as a part of standard medicine.
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Side effects of chemotherapy depend upon the type and amount of drugs you take. They vary from person to person. Here's a list of side effects you may have with this treatment. Talk with your doctor or nurse about which might be most likely to happen to you.
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Radiation affects normal cells as well as cancer cells. It may cause side effects. They depend on how much radiation you get and where you get it. Here's a list of common side effects people with leukemia may have after radiation. Ask your doctor or nurse which ones you are most likely to have.
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Many side effects of treatment are not serious. They end once the treatment ends. But others may develop over time or be a sign of more serious damage from treatment. For instance, chemotherapy can damage organs, such as kidneys or lungs. Also, when leukemia cells break down during treatment, they release their contents into the bloodstream. This can cause what is called tumor lysis syndrome. It can also affect certain organs. If you have a stem cell transplant, the immune system cells from a donor attack the leukemia cells. They can also attack your normal cells, causing a variety of side effects. And, in rare cases, you may develop another type of cancer as a side effect of treatment.
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Usually referred to as the flu or grippe, influenza is a highly infectious respiratory disease. The disease is caused by certain strains of the influenza virus.
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The flu is a contagious infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by the influenza virus.In temperate climates, influenza A usually arrives between early winter and early spring. Influenza B can appear at any time of the year.The most common...
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Detailed information on influenza (flu), including symptoms, treatment, prevention, and the flu vaccine
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Usually referred to as the flu or grippe, influenza is a highly infectious respiratory disease. The disease is caused by certain strains of the influenza virus.
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Detailed information on influenza (flu), including symptoms, treatment, prevention, and the flu vaccine
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Detailed information on influenza (flu), including symptoms, treatment, prevention, and the flu vaccine
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Detailed information on influenza (flu), including symptoms, treatment, prevention, and the flu vaccine
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Detailed information on influenza (flu), including symptoms, treatment, prevention, and the flu vaccine
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Usually referred to as the flu or grippe, influenza is a highly infectious respiratory disease. Its name comes from the Italian word for"influence," because people in eighteenth-century Europe thought that the disease was caused by the influence o...
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Usually referred to as the flu or grippe, influenza is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by certain strains of influenza virus. When the virus is inhaled it attacks cells in the upper respiratory tract causing typical flu symptoms suc...
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You can protect yourself against these illnesses. It's also important to know the symptoms of each.
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Influenza is a potentially severe acute respiratory illness caused by various strains of the influenza virus. The different strains all produce characteristic symptoms, and because major outbreaks are associated with increased mortality, occurrenc...
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Immunization against the viruses that cause influenza can prevent an infection or lessen its severity. Find out if you should be getting a flu shot each year.
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You can avoid the flu this season by taking one simple step: Get a flu vaccination.
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You don't want to spend this winter battling a runny nose, a nagging cough or a fever. Here's what to do.
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Does your blood sugar level go up when you have an illness, such as the stomach flu?
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Detailed information on influenza (flu), including symptoms, treatment, prevention, and the flu vaccine
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Detailed information on influenza (flu), including symptoms, treatment, prevention, and the flu vaccine
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Each fall you hear that the flu threatens senior citizens and folks with chronic ailments. But the rate of hospital stays is highest in another group—young children.
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Flu and pneumonia are respiratory illnesses that should not be taken lightly. In the United States, pneumonia and the flu combined are the sixth leading cause of death. Older adults are at greater risk than younger adults for contracting pneumococcal pneumonia, the most common bacterial form of the disease.
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Information about annual flu shots.Don't forget your flu shot There's still plenty of time to be vaccinated against this year's strains of influenza. In the United States, the peak flu season is December through March. The CDC recommends that most people receive their flu vaccine in October and November. A flu shot begins to protect you after one to two weeks. Who should get a flu shot? Anyone may receive flu vaccine, but the CDC recommends it especially for adults age 50 and over, women who may become pregnant during flu season, anyone with a chronic medical condition that weakens the immune system, children 6–23 months, and healthcare workers. Why get a flu shot? It will reduce your risk of getting an illness that kills about 36,000 Americans each year and hospitalizes another 114,000. Immunizing yourself also reduces your chance of passing influenza on to others. For more information about influenza and flu shots, visit www.cdc.gov/flu.
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Suggests alternatives to the flu vaccination for flu prevention, from hand-washing to prescription drugs.
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The flu shows up each fall, and misconceptions come with it. Test your savvy about influenza by taking this quiz.
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Pregnant women in their second or third trimester during influenza season should be immunized.
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Getting the flu can be serious business for people with asthma. That's why it's important to take steps to prevent it.
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Heart patients are being encouraged to get a flu shot, because fiu can worsen heart disease or lead to pneumonia, which strains the heart along with the rest of the body.
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A study found that heart disease deaths peaked each year during flu season, because the flu can trigger a heart attack or stroke. Those with heart disease, and those at higher risk of getting it, should get a flu vaccine each year.
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Here???s a rundown of some winter-related dangers, including heart attacks and other heart problems, the flu, snow shoveling, seasonal affective disorder, vitamin D, hypothermia, frostbite, and carbon monoxide poisoning.
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The Harvard Health Letter celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. In the fifth of a series, the Health Letter takes a look back at three decades in medicine.
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Lung cancer is caused by mutations in cell DNA, which is unconnected to the influenza virus or vaccine.
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I am over 65, have asthma and am diabetic. According to all recommendations I am eligible to receive a flu shot, but none of my doctors are able to obtain any vaccine. Where do I go, or whom do I contact to get my shot this year?
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I have severe asthma and take oral corticosteroids, as well as cyclophosphamide, to control it in addition to inhaled medications. Should I get an influenza vaccination while being on these medications?
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I am a diabetic, and am allergic to eggs, which prevents my getting a flu shot. Can I receive a pneumonia shot? Also, are flu shots the only available medical preventative for the flu?
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Is it OK to get the flu shot when you have a cold?
Anthony Komaroff, M.D., is professor of medicine and editor-in-chief of Harvard Health Publications at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Komaroff also is senior physician and was formerly director of the Division of General Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Komaroff has served on various advisory committees to the federal government, and is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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Flu shots are important because the virus that causes the flu changes constantly, and a new strain appears almost every spring.
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Acute(sudden) kidney failure is the sudden loss of the ability of the kidneys to remove waste and concentrate urine without losing electrolytes.Kidney failure; Renal failure; Renal failure- acute; ARF; Kidney injury- acute.There are many possible ...
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This guide discusses ways to recognize, prevent, and treat the most common types of kidney disease, such as kidney stones, glomerulonephritis, and chronic kidney disease.
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Chronic kidney failure occurs when disease or dis- order damages the kidneys so that they can no longer adequately remove fluids and wastes from the body or maintain proper levels of kidney-regulated chemicals in the bloodstream.Chronic kidney fai...
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Chronic kidney failure occurs when disease or disorder damages the kidneys so that they are no longer capable of adequately removing fluids and wastes from the body or of maintaining the proper level of certain kidney-regulated chemicals in the bl...
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Hemodialysis is one kind of dialysis. It uses a machine that holds a filter called a dialyzer. As blood flows through the dialyzer, waste is removed and fluid and chemicals are balanced. Hemodialysis treatments are usually done at a special dialysis center. In some cases, treatments may be done at home.
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Detailed anatomical description of the prostate gland, including simple definitions and labeled, full-color illustrations
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Detailed anatomical description of the prostate gland, including simple definitions and labeled, full-color illustrations
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Detailed anatomical description of the prostate gland, including simple definitions and labeled, full-color illustrations
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Detailed information on male growth and development As a male matures from a young boy into a man, there are many important things to consider regarding his health and development. Listed in the directory below are some, for which we have provided a brief overview.
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If you're not quite sure what's up with AIDS these days, don't feel alone. Misconceptions and falsehoods concerning AIDS and HIV abound.
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New drug treatments can delay the effects of AIDS and are helping patients live longer. But the reality is that no medicine can cure AIDS or the virus that causes it, HIV. Once inside the body, HIV destroys immune system cells, making it difficult to fight off illness.
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A person with HIV can look and feel perfectly healthy. But that person can give HIV to others as soon as he or she is infected with the virus.
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What's true and what's not when it comes to AIDS? Here's a look at some common myths surrounding HIV infection and AIDS.
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While new antiviral treatments have been developed, a vaccine has yet to be found. HIV causes AIDS(acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), an unpredictable condition that may progress over many years and is characterized by a slow deterioration of th...
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Human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) is a retrovirus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS) by infecting helper T cells of the immune system. The most common serotype, HIV-1, is distributed worldwide, while HIV-2 is primarily confined ...
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Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, is the final, life-threatening stage of infection with any of the human immunodeficiency viruses(HIV-1, its many subtypes, or HIV-2), which are transmitted from person to person sexually(including via a...
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Detailed information on HIV and AIDS, including transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on HIV and AIDS, including transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) during pregnancy
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Detailed information on HIV and AIDS, including transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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