Cancer+and+AIDS+&+HIV+-+Period+4

**Overview **
toc Cancer and HIV/AIDS are two of the largest problems in America. Prostate cancer is one of the top killers in men, this and Lung cancer teams up to kill plenty of men each year. Breast cancer has been a growing problem lately for the ladies. Even though some of these cancers are known for a specific sex, they can affect anybody. HIV/AIDS are also deadly diseases. AIDS is a disease that can be prevented a lot easier than Cancer though. Basically all you have to do to avoid AIDS is keep abstinent. Cancer is a more unpredictable disease that can strike any person at any time. Cancer can be treated though. One way to treat cancer is to use chemotherapy. Chemotherapy kills deadly cancer cells. It can help slow down or even stop cancer but has numerous side effects. It is similar to another cancer treatment which is radiation therapy. Again, this treatment helps with the cancer but also hurts your body. Sometimes the radiation kills normal cells in the body causing long term side effects. There is no cure for HIV or AIDS.

Prostate cancer is a big problem. It is one of the top three types of cancer found in males. Prostate cancer often occurs in males at the age of fifty-five. That is not saying that males in their twenties should not worry about prostate cancer. They should still go once a year to get their prostate checked out. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men. Also Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men. The prostate is the part that makes the male reproductive system. Prostate cancer is very treatable when caught at an early stage. The survival rate of prostate cancer is seventy-five percent (NCBI). That is a very good survival rate because some other types of cancer survival rates can be in the sixty percent area. That is why full body physicals for men should start in the forties.

**Lung Cancer **
 Lung cancer is the seco  nd most common cancer found in men, and a decent amount of women are diagnosed with the disease as well. Most of the cases are lung cancer are caused by smo king. Occasionally, lung cancer can be hereditary, or it can be caused by things like second-hand smoke, radon gas, or air pollution. Lung cancer is the result of abnormal cells beginning to grow out of control in a patient’s lungs. There are no early signs or symptoms of lung cancer, so it is hard to prevent if it occurs in someone that does not smoke. Symptoms of lung cancer can include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and bloody mucus. It can be treated by using surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Lung cancer causes the most deaths of men and women of all cancerous diseases. There are two types of lung cancers. Small-cell lung cancer spreads to the rest of the body faster, and is more deadly. More common is non-small-cell lung cancer, which is normally the type of cancer that nonsmokers are diagnosed with (Amabile-Cuevas).

**Breast Cancer **


Breast cancer is the most common cancer found in women, but men can also be diagnosed with the disease. Breast cancer is caused when malignant cells form in the tissues of the breast. Risk factors for breast cancer can include old age (over 65), obesity, poor nutrition and exercise, and family history. Symptoms of breast cancer can include bone pain, breast pain or discomfort, skin ulcers, arm swelling, and weight loss. MRIs, ultrasounds, biopsies, CT scans, mammograms, and PET scans can all be used to find and diagnose breast cancer. Hormone treatment can be used to treat breast cancer, as well as radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery. Non-invasive, invasive, recurrent, and metastatic breast cancer are a few of the various types of breast cancer (National).

**HIV/AIDS **
HIV and AIDS is one of today’s deadliest diseases infecting more than one million people each year and one in five are completely unaware of it. AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the cause of AIDS. It is not one virus, but many virus' put together. When it was first discovered it was mostly found in sexually active homosexual men. Today HIV and AIDS affects people of all ages including newborns. AIDS is a disease that attacks the immune system and causes it to become weak and start to fail. It can only be transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids, perinatal transmission (from mother to child before and during birth), and unprotected sexual intercourse. In the 1970's, scientists discovered that the HIV virus can stay dormant in the body for up to 10 years before becoming active and showing symptoms (“AIDS” par.1). Some early symptoms are flu like symptoms in the beginning stages. When AIDS is in its earliest stage, usually one to three weeks after being infected, it mimics the symptoms of a flu and then acts invisible to the body while multiplying and you suddenly start to feel better as your immune system makes antibodies (“AIDS” par.13). AIDS must be diagnosed by an experienced doctor. It is detected by a test that counts the number of T-cells your body has, mainly if it's a low number, and by AIDS defining illnesses also known as "Opportunistic infections" (“AIDS” par.12).

**Cancer & HIV/AIDS Prevention **
The best way to keep safe fro m the harm of the HIV/AIDS disease is to stay abstinent. It always works 100% of the time. There are other options that people prefer other than abstinence that can be used but may not work as well (“Health”). The usage of condoms for both male and female or the right contraceptives works well too, anything to stop the exchange of bodily fluids especially blood. The possibility of transmitting AIDS through breast feeding your child is not too slim. Therefore any mothers who are infected with AIDS should avoid it. Women should begin AIDS treatment with antiretroviral drugs before conceiving because it can significantly reduce the chances of transmitting the disease to the baby. Donating blood and organs, or sperm if you're a guy, is something to avoid for people who happen to be HIV/AIDS positive (“Health”). Male circumcision should be taken into consideration when contemplating HIV prevention. It should not be used as a replacement to existing medications and prevention, but an addition (DeNoon). Although AIDS has no definite cure, there are medications available that will help treat the disease.

**Vitamin Supplements/NNRTI’s **
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vitamin supplements such as Selenium are taken to suppress the advancement of HIV and increase the amount of white blood cells in the body (Waterworth). NNRTI is a antiretroviral drugs class made up of three drugs so far that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. NNRTIs interfere with a step in the HIV’s life-cycle and stops the HIV's ability to reproduce. NNRTIs can work very effectively but only when taken properly. The body can easily become resistant to the drug if it is not taken exactly as the doctor prescribes it and it is possible for the body to become resistant to more than one drug in the NNRTI class. A combination of three drugs are needed for the drugs to be effective (“Know”)

**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chemotherapy **
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Chemotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in a cancer patient’s body. There are many different chemotherapy drugs available, and they can be used alone or in a combination to treat various types of cancers. Some side effects from chemotherapy are mild and treatable, but others can be much worse and can cause serious complications. Chemotherapy can be used to kill cancer cells or slow down their growth, kill remaining cells after other treatments or surgeries, to shrink a tumor with the hope that other treatments will work better, or to help relieve signs and symptoms of cancer. In addition to cancer, chemotherapy can be used for bone marrow disease and immune system disorders. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, fever, mouth sores, constipation, and easy bruising (Staff).

**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Radiation Therapy **
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Radiation therapy is form of treatment that is used to kill cancer cells without doing surgery (Treatment). Radiation therapy works by inserting three small transmitter plates into the prostate. Then a x-ray plate is placed over top the patience body. What the x-ray plate does is it sends radiation signals to the spot where the transmitter plates are placed. This type of treatment is painless. The patient usually has to lay on the table for about a half hour each day and wait for the radiation to be completed by the machine and doctors. A common side effect for radiation therapy is it makes the patient very tired.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Citations**
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"AIDS, Homophobia and Wild Tigers [GRAPHS]." Epic. Graphic. Web. 15 May 2012. <http://epicgraphic.com/aids-homophobia-and-wild-tigers-graphs/>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"AIDS therapies and vaccines." The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 4th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2011. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Amabile-Cuevas, Carlos F. "Zeroing in on cancer: as targeted cancer therapies get more specific, the targets get rarer." American Scientist 98.5 (2010): 366+. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 22 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">DeNoon, Daniel J. "Circumcision: A New Weapon for AIDS Prevention?" WebMD. WebMD, 29 Mar. 2007. Web. 18 Apr. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Health Guide." AIDS. The New York Times, 25 May 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Katz, Neil. "HIV/AIDS: Why Don't Some People Get Sick?" CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 08 Nov. 2010. Web. 15 May 2012. <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20022046-10391704.html>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Know Your HIV Drugs: NNRTIs." TheBody.com. Remedy Health Media, 1 June 2000. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"National Cancer Institute." Comprehensive Cancer Information -. Web. 22 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"No Oil for Pacifists." No Oil for Pacifists. Web. 15 May 2012. <http://nooilforpacifists.blogspot.com/2007/08/healthcare-update.html>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Science Market Update." Cincinnati Cancer Research Yields New Chemotherapy Delivery Agent. Web. 15 May 2012. <http://info.biotech-calendar.com/bid/83632/Cincinnati-Cancer-Research-Yields-New-Chemotherapy-Delivery-Agent>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Definition." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 05 May 2011. Web. 05 Apr. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Thoughts About Breast Cancer." Thoughts About Breast Cancer. Web. 15 May 2012. <http://nanahood.com/5-reminders-of-why-breast-cancer-awareness-and-early-detection-important>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Waterworth, Charlotte. "Selenium to Treat HIV and AIDS." LIVESTRONG.COM. Demand Media Inc., 28 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2012.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">References **

AIDS.gov

Cancer.org

World AIDS Day