Prostate cancer has a number of symptoms, and it should be remembered that the most typical prostate cancer symptoms and those of a non-cancerous enlarged prostate are identical. As a result, medical advice should be sought as soon as possible on identification of any such symptoms. These symptoms include the sudden need to rush to the lavatory in order to pass water and also a difficulty in passing water. There may also be instances of passing water more often than would otherwise be usual-particularly during the course of the night. Those so afflicted may also experience pain when passing water and may also find that there is blood in their urine-and also in their semen.

The symptoms themselves are often as a result of the growth pressing on the urethra (the tube that transports urine), causing a blockage to the flow of urine. This is true in both prostate cancer cases-as well as non-cancerous enlarged prostates. It is, as stated earlier, vital for those experiencing any such symptoms to consult a doctor as soon as possible. Also, it should be remembered that in its very early stages, prostate cancer does not, in the normal course of events, result in any symptoms whatsoever, as any prostate growth at this point is generally too small to affect the flow of urine in any appreciable or noticeable way. It should also be stated that many prostate enlargements are noon-cancerous, and can be treated without fuss or worry.

Enlargement of the prostate is more common in older men, and is one of the markers of growing older, as is the need to pass urine more often at night. Also, cancers of the prostate will often develop slowly in older men, and, as a result, the symptoms may develop over the course of many years and can be fairly mild. Primary symptoms can occur when the cells from prostate cancer spread to the bones, which can cause back, hip or pelvis pain (or pain in any bony area of the body). The medical term for this is secondary prostate cancer. Men may also experience other symptoms, such as difficulty in obtaining and maintaining an erection-especially where there existed no prior problem. There may also be symptoms associated with other forms of cancer too, such as sudden weight loss without trying-especially in older men. you may also experience extreme fatigue, experience pain or burning when passing water, pain and swelling i the lower extremities and a loss of appetite.

It is vital then to consult your GP, who will understand the warning signs and red flags, and will, if need be, refer you to a specialist to undergo tests. You may be offered a PSA blood test as well as a rectal exam. Remember to ask your GP to explain all of the tests and reasons as clearly a possible. Get as full an understanding as you can.

A lot of patients suffering from colon cancer might well present no symptoms or signs during the earliest stages of the condition. When symptoms do eventually present, they can be many and varied, and can very much depend upon the size of the affliction, how far it has spread and also its actual location. It might be that some symptoms that present are as a result of a condition other than cancer itself, ranging from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and occasionally diverticulosis. Also, such problems as abdominal pain or swelling can be symptomatic of colon problems and may well require further investigation.

You may also notice that, upon going to the lavatory, you have some blood in your stools, and this can be a symptom of cancer. It can, however, also be indicative of other conditions and problems. For example, the kind of bright red blood that you may see on your toilet tissue could be as a result of hemorrhoids or anal fissures. It should also be remembered that various food items can also result in red-colored stools, and these include beetroot and red liquorice. Some medications can also be culprits, and some can also turn the stools black-including iron supplements. Irrespective, any sign of blood or change in your stools should prompt you to seek advice from your GP, as it is always best to be sure that it is not a sign of a more serious condition, and with any cancer,early detection and treatment is essential to a successful recovery.

You should also note-if you are currently concerned-any change in the regularity of your stools-including whether or not they are more thin or irregular than usual-especially over a period of several weeks. Also, be mindful if you have diarrhea for several days in a row or, conversely, constipation.

You might also experience pain in your lower abdomen-including a feeling of hardness. You may also experience persistent pain or discomfort in your abdominal region, and this can include wind and cramps. You may also get the sensation that, when evacuating your bowels, that the bowel doesn’t empty fully. Also, if you have an iron deficiency (or anemia), it may be an indication that there is bleeding in your colon. Also, as in most cases and types of cancer, you should seek medical advice immediately if you experience any sudden and unexpected or unexplained weight loss, as this is one of the principal red flags. Also be aware of more vague, seemingly incidental symptoms, such as fatigue. IF you have a couple of symptoms and also feel fatigued for days in a row inexplicably, then this is also another warning sign and you should seek medical advice. It is important not to panic, but just to be aware of what might be going on.

Remember, cases of colon cancer account for around 90% of all cases of intestinal cancers, and also account for more deaths every year of men and women from cancer. Early treatment is an absolute must.

Cancer research is typically invested in by a number of different individuals, groups or organizations worldwide in the hopes of developing both treatment and cure for the disease. The state of California, for instance, has reportedly invested $10-12 million in direct cancer research annually, while the National Cancer Institute (NCI) within the United States has reportedly spend $4.8 to $5.2 billion per annum on cancer research and treatment development.

Using the NCI as an example for cancer research and how money is allocated, according to their fact sheet breast cancer is the primary investment target for most funds and received $572.6 million in 2008 alone. The runner up following this was prostate cancer, receiving $285.4 million, with colorectal cancer coming in third at $273.7 million. The cancer receiving the least allocated funds is actually uterine cancer, being granted only $17.1 million in 2008. While current figures may vary slightly this general allocation of funds has remained the same for some years and is expected to continue as such in the future.

While a large number of funds are gathered through support groups and fund raising drives throughout the world the primary source of most research comes from major organizations and governments that allocate funds specifically to the cancer research and cure drive. This has led many government based organization such as the NCI being established around the world in order to support private research developments and coordinate ongoing efforts between research professionals on a regular basis.

Since most major organizations spearheading research are government based the fund allocation is determined by regular budget proposals submitted for review on a monthly and yearly basis in order to be considered and have funds attributed accordingly. This is generally done withing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and is adjusted accordingly depending upon both individual and group research needs. The OMB, while working to support all cancer research, also strives to ensure that money is allocated where funds are needed most in order to ensure proper support and prevent unnecessary expenditures that may actually harm the overall cancer research process.

The amount of funds spent yearly on cancer research is something of a point of contention in the political world, for while billions are allocated yearly to the research and fighting of cancer far more money is spent elsewhere that many people feel is unnecessary in comparison. The arguments over foreign policy and the billions spent abroad aside California’s contribution of $10-$12 million, for instance, is seen as a drop in the pot when compared to the fact that many sports players within the state refuse to even play a game for a team unless paid at least twice that amount.

Regardless the funds being generated each year are carefully calculated and increasing funds are being generated yearly as cancer awareness increases and both private and public organizations work closely together to help fight against the ever growing cancer trend. Though projections for 2010 are still difficult to determine it is likely that the amount of funds for cancer research will continue to grow to help the over 1.2 million people that are diagnosed with cancer each year and help save the nearly 600,000 people that die annually in the US alone from cancer afflictions.

While cancer death statistics can vary from place to place it is generally estimated that roughly 7.2 to 7.5 million people worldwide die from cancer each year. In the United States alone where cancer death statistics are highly monitored each year has seen a steady death rate of 550,000 to 600,000 people year after year, or roughly 1,500 people per day. This puts cancer as the second leading cause of death in the US just behind heart disease, with it looking to take the number one slot in 2010 given current growth statistics.

With a growth rate of over one million new cases each year these numbers look only to continue growing as our bodies process the toxins around us and reach in different ways to our environments. The primary concern for this growth rate lies in the number of carcinogens – or cancer causing agents – that are highly present in developed countries and rapidly introduced to developing countries worldwide. Australia, for instance, is generally fairly well known for its clean and regulated environment, yet it still projects a yearly growth rate of 3,000 new cases regularly to contribute to its already 120,000 cancer sufferers.

The most common carcinogen present in most western societies is actually simply the air around us while staying indoors. Enclosed spaces with little to no air circulation contain significantly higher concentrations of gases and chemicals that are normally expelled and washed away, leading many office or home office workers to be at exceptionally high risks should they not have an open window or some way to circulate the air. This is further complicated by the use of aerosols, particularly in small bathroom spaces, that can easily enter our blood stream through inhalation and affect cell reproduction and repair.

Another common carcinogen lies in the heavy use of garden pesticides, with many leukemia cases developing in families that tend to use pesticides frequently. In fact, reports indicate that nearly 75% of all pesticide related cases are for children aged 14 years and younger. More so even still the common cosmetic can be a killer, and the price of beauty by regularly applying lipstick, foundation and other chemical based products to your skin could lead to an early death if not done in moderation – still, none of these are found as warning labels on cosmetic products. Some countries such as China attempt to strive against this by actually requiring all cosmetic products to be tested on animals and have thorough reports filed before they can even be considered close to market ready, yet this is not the case everywhere.

Finally, on a similar note a number of cancer cases leading to death are also caused by chemical application to the body such as through the use of hair dyes. Many researchers believe that nearly 20% of all reported non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases are actually a result of frequent hair dying, complicated even more by the fact that many hair styling products are aerosol based, so think twice before visiting a salon and putting yourself at risk.

There are a few major causes of skin cancer, but by far the most over-riding is excessive or constant over-exposure to ultraviolet (most often known as “UV”) radiation form the sun. Many people forget that the sun’s energy is actually a type of radiation and it consists of both visible and invisible rays. Invisible infrared radiation is what makes the sunlight feel hot. Ultraviolet rays are also invisible, and these are what precipitate both sun tans and skin cancer. This is where the sun tan myth should be entirely exploded: Many people, especially in Western cultures, have-for a protracted period of time-prize sun tans as visible manifestations of health and wellness.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Consider the earlier statement that UV rays cause the skin to tan and you begin to realize what is actually happening. A sun tan actually denotes damaged, burned skin, and this will affect the cells, damaging DNA which is the genetic material that comprises genes. This, in the case of severe genetic damage, causes the otherwise normal skin cell to grow in a disorder and uncontrolled way – which is a prime function of cancer cells – and this is what has made incidents of skin cancer rise steeply in many western countries. There are two different kinds of ultraviolet ration, and these are ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB). Where once scientists believed that over-exposure to UVB rays was the principal cause of skin cancer they now believe that AVA is also implicated. This is why it is so important to cover exposed skin and apply effective sunblock products in order to protect your skin when the sun is at its strongest.

Having said this there are other factors that may herald the onset of skin cancer, among them are hereditary causes which is why people with instances of skin cancer in their family history should be extra careful. In such cases skin cancer is caused by a child’s abnormal genes that are inherited from their parents. When taking UV factors and the fashionable trend for desiring sun tans into account people should also consider the use of tanning booths, which are also heavily implicated in instances of skin cancer.

Impairment of the immune system, called immunosuppression, can also make a person more prone. In such cases the immune system, the mechanism that protects the body from foreign matter such as germs, ceases to function properly and thus leaves the body more susceptible to infections and diseases. This may happen as a result of other illnesses or due to medicines taken to fight auto-immune diseases. People that have had an unusually high number of x-rays or exposure to radioactive or immunosuppressing chemicals are also at greater risk, as are those who come into frequent contact with certain chemicals such as arsenic. Such people may include farmers and miners. Those with fair skin that freckle easily or with light colored hair (blond or red) are also in a higher risk category for skin cancer and should exercise greater caution in the sun.

Metastatic renal cancer is a type of kidney cancer, commonly known as metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and is a particularly dangerous form of the cancer. Originating in the small tubes that kidneys use to filter blood and remove toxins, RCC has a high resilience to most conventional radiation therapy and invasive surgery is generally necessary. Once it reaches a metastatic state, however, the cancer has spread to other organs and created a wider range of issues to combat. Most often metastatic RCC affects neighboring organ tissue such as the lungs or digestive tract, though it can be known to spread throughout the body due to its close relation with the circulatory system and can even metastasize to the brain.

Signs and symptoms of RCC can vary from person to person, though some common symptoms include abnormal urine color due to the presence of blood, loin pain, mass development in the abdominal region, weight loss and anemia. Other symptoms are less common but may include vision abnormalities, constipation, hypertension, night sweats and severe sudden weight loss. Should you exhibit any of these symptoms it is highly recommended that you seek out a medical professional immediately in order to receive a full diagnosis and rule out RCC as a potential cause of any problems.

Diagnosis generally must be done through a number of different examinations and tests and can not be determined by symptoms alone as these are not conclusive of the disease itself – other factors such as kidney stones, urinary tract infections or other conditions could easily cause the same or similar symptoms in patients. Physical examinations of the abdomen, imaging tests and some lab tests (though these are less common) are all ways used by doctors to diagnose the cancer and, if caught in the early stages, treat any developments quickly.

When caught in the early stages most prognosis for RCC is fairly good, with the 5-year survival rate on individuals with tumors at 90-95%. Larger tumors typically lower the 5-year survival rate to 80-85%, while if the cancer has metastasized to the lymph notes the 5-year survival rate drops to 5-15% and below 5% if it has metastasized to other organs.

Most current treatments for this particular form of cancer require surgery and removal of the tumors as the cancer is particularly resilient to chemotherapy, though some treatments using immunotherapy to stimulate the body’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells has proven effective in some patients, effectively curing them of the disease after extended treatment. Immunotherapy is not necessarily effective for everyone, however, and as such can not be considered a viable treatment for most cases due to the fact that the successful treatment rate using this form is generally less than 10%. Still, research is continuing to be done into this field in the hopes of increasing the effectiveness and provide a reasonable less-invasive alternative to the standard surgical treatment currently used for most cases. Some cancer vaccines have also been tested and shown some success in combating RCC, however the success rate is still too low to be considered of any reasonable worth.

Instances of cancer are on the rise, and have become more and more common and more highly publicized in recent times. Many people know or are aware of someone that either has or has had cancer, whether this is a friend, relative or someone at work. There are many cases, of course, of famous people that have – or have had – cancer. Kate Jackson, perhaps the most famous of the original Charlie’s Angels from the original 1970s TV series, battled against cancer in 1987 and 1989, as did the singer and star of Grease, Olivia Newton John, who having been diagnosed in 1992 underwent surgery for a mastectomy and breast reconstruction.

Also of original Charlie’s Angels fame Jacelyn Smith found a lump back in 2002 and underwent treatment, including radiation and a lumpectomy. Many people, especially as the myth is precipitated by the mass media, believe that breast cancer only affects women. However Richard Roundtree, star of the original 1970s Blaxploitation classic Shaft, was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent grueling rounds of chemotherapy and also a mastectomy.

Interestingly, not everyone opts for conventional forms of treatment when they are diagnosed with cancer, however scary a diagnosis it may be. Radical approaches to cancer treatment can cause considerable controversy when your are a celebrity – and such was the case for soap actress and author Suzanne Somers who opted to forgo standard cancer treatments in favor of holistic medicine and alternative therapies. Many believed at the time that this set a bad and even dangerous example to other sufferers and potential sufferers,

The singer-songwriter and former music teacher Sheryl Crow was also diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2006, and the condition was found to be at an early stage. She started off having only slightly invasive surgical treatment, followed-up with radiotherapy. In the following year, she made a documentary called Crazy Sexy Cancer. Her one-time husband, seven-time tour de France winner Lance Armstrong also suffered from testicular cancer and underwent chronic radiation therapy and surgery – and this was even before he won the tour!

Australian pop star and one-time Neighbors star, Kylie Minogue, also found herself facing a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer in 2005. This caused her to put a halt to her grueling tour itinerary so that she could under chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. Showing just how much of an influence celebrities have on the general public consciousness with such things, her diagnosis caused a steep rise in women aged between 25-44 deciding to have breast imaging and biopsies to check for the disease.

Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon, who portrays the lawyer Miranda Hobbs in the highly successful show, underwent her battle with cancer in 2002 and initially stayed silent about her condition, choosing to campaign out of the media spotlight. She later became a cancer activist, and in 2008 became the ambassador and spokesperson for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

For many women probably the first symptom of breast cancer is finding a lump in one of their breasts. This, however, is not necessarily a cause for immediate alarm as around 90% of breast lumps found are benign, which means that they are non-cancerous. It is important to know, however, that this can only be ascertained by a doctor and a woman that finds a lump in her breast should seek immediate medical advice.

In general, breast cell change causing lumpiness is more obvious just prior to a period – especially in women over the age of 35 – and is normally indicative of benigness. Women might also notice such things as a change in either the size or shape of the breast or nipple, especially if the nipple sinks into the breast or takes on an irregularity of shape. Any blood-stained discharge from the nipple or any rashes either on or around the nipple should also be immediately examined by a health care professional.

Of course it is important to realize that if you have one of these signs it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have cancer, but you should seek medical advice to be on the safe side. Women should also be concerned about any swelling or lumps in the armpit region, as this can be a sign that the cancer has actually spread to the lymph nodes. There may also be changes in the skin, including dimpling of the skin along with new wrinkling.

There is also a rare type of breast cancer known as inflammatory breast cancer, and this type of cancer can present with different symptoms whereby the entire breast can present with red inflammation and may also be extremely sore – either to the touch or when left alone. The breast itself may also feel hard to the touch, with the skin sometimes resembling an orange peel due to the fact that the pores stand out where the inflammation occurs.

Also, with regards to the previously mentioned rash, this can sometimes signify another rare form of cancer when the rash presents around the nipple. This form is called Paget’s disease, and the rash is red and scaly and can also itch. On first sight, it may resemble eczema and is, in fact, sometimes at first mistaken for this.

In general terms experiencing breast pain is not something to be overly concerned about, although it may signify some other condition that requires some medical attention. A lot of perfectly healthy women find that their breasts are tender and sore during their period, and this is no further cause for concern or a mark of anything portentous as women can experience sore breasts from time to time without any sinister underlying cause. Most breast pain is not a result of cancer, however some breast cancers can cause pain so it is important to see your GP as soon as possible for a quick diagnosis. As ever, early diagnosis and treatment are the keys to a successful recovery, so medical help should be sought in case of any concerns.

The symptoms of lung cancer can be many and various. Around one-fourth of those actually diagnosed with lung cancer present no symptoms at the time of diagnosis. Diagnosis and identification of the cancer normally occurs incidentally when the patient has a chest x-ray for an unrelated reason. The remaining three-fourths do develop certain commonly-known symptoms, and these are a direct result of the effects of the primary tumor as well as the effects of metastatic tumors elsewhere in the body.

Perhaps the most common – and most important – identifying symptom of lung cancer is the cough. It is, however, hard to tell such a cough related to lung cancer apart from a cough related to smoking or with chronic respiratory problems such as COPD, which also is a result of smoking. In the case of a patient with a chronic cough it is important to identify any changes in the pattern of the cough, as this could indicate the potential for lung cancer. Also, a new cough in either a smoker or an ex-smoker should also raise concerns and should be check out by a health care professional as soon as possible. This of also true of any persistent cough that does not get better over the course of time.

Another associated symptom is shortness of breath, and this also can be hard to tell apart from that related to the condition COPD as mentioned above. Again, just as in the case of coughing, any changes in the patient’s patterns of breathing difficulties should raise concerns sufficiently to ensure that a health care professional is consulted.

People should also pay attention to a symptom called hemoptysis, which involves the spitting or coughing up of blood. In the case that this symptom presents itself in someone with a history of smoking the possibility of lung cancer should be highly suspected and work and tests should be undertaken to rule the condition out.

Also, repeated respiratory infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia should be a cause for concern. In fact, in many cases pneumonia is a common way in which lung cancer makes itself known initially as the growing cancerous tumor can cause the airways to become obstructed, resulting in something known as post-operative pneumonia. In such cases it is advisable for patients to obtain repeat chest x-rays in order to ensure that the pneumonia is totally cleared.

Lung cancer may also cause fluid in the lungs if it spreads to either the inner or outer lung coverings, which causes fluid accumulation between the lung and the chest wall. In the event that this occurs the patient may well experience shortness of breath and, in the event that the cancer has entered the chest wall, patients may experience chest pain too. This should cause special red flags to physicians examining patients at high-risk of lung cancer. Patients may also experience bone and joint pain, as a result of tumors in the apex of the lung infiltrating the nearby nervous structures resulting in shoulder or arm pain.

Patients can also see changes in their voice patterns, with constant hoarseness also being a possible symptom as well as having difficulty swallowing. Patients may also experience weight loss, anemia and fatigue.

It is now well known to medical science that the beginning point of all cancers is a change in either one cell or in a small group of cells. This means that, in the normal course of events, some years before a patient can even feel a lump and before a doctor or specialist is able to identify a cancer on a scan the cells themselves have already begun reproducing uncontrollably.

The cells are subject to something called mutation, in which the cancer cells appear to lose many important control systems as a result of the fact that a number of genes in the cell have been either lost or damaged and thus affect a cell’s overall operations. The genes are effectively the coded messages in a cell that instruct its behavior, directing the cell how to make different proteins. Proteins are the building blocks from which the cells are made up, with some acting in the role of switches aiding the control of cellular behavior

For example, in cellular reproduction the chain starts with a hormone signal acting on a protein whether on or actually in the cell itself. The protein subsequently sends a signal along a network of switches, and the last of these signals instructs the cell to reproduce – which it does by dividing into two. In the case of mutation a gene has been either lost or damaged, and this may result in either too much protein being produced or none at all. In specific cases proteins that operate by controlling and limiting cellular division may be permanently disabled, or a signaling protein might be permanently activated.

In terms of substances that can aid in the causing of cancer these are a number of substances currently in existence that damage cells, thereby making them more likely to become cancerous. Such substances are known as carcinogens and we can find many examples in daily life, such as cigarette smoke and other forms of pollution as well as certain fats – especially saturated fats – commonly found in fast foods.

Aging also results in the decreasing of cells’ ability to reproduce healthily, causing oxidization In terms of what types of genes make a cell cancerous there are three primary different types. The first type are oncogenes, which encourage cells to multiply or double. This would happen very occasionally in healthy adults, and cells would usually only multiply in order for damage to be repaired – after an operation or an injury, for instance. In such cases where such genes become abnormal they actually instruct the cell to multiply continuously.

The second type are called tumor suppressor genes, and these genes halt cell doubling or multiplication. It only takes one of these genes to get damaged and cease functioning for the cell to continue multiplying endlessly. As a result the cell effectively becomes immortal-and this is one of the principle properties of a cancer cell. Perhaps the most well-known tumor suppressor genes is called P53, which acts by halting the reproduction of other damaged genes as well as encouraging such genes to destroy themselves. It is known that the P53 gene is either absent or damaged in most forms of human cancer.

Finally, there are the genes that act by repairing other damaged genes, and they repair problems associated with the DNA that constitutes the cells’ genes. If these types of cells are damaged in any way it means that other cellular mutations will not be fixed and subsequently the cell can replicate its mutations to daughter cells. These repair genes have been discovered damaged in certain forms of human cancer, including bowel cancer.

Nanotechnology deals with manipulating the structure as well as properties of matter at the atomic and molecular level. As the result of this maneuvering, the properties of matter change dramatically. While some insoluble elements develop high solubility capacity, inert substances start exhibiting catalyst properties. Owning to their size and properties, nanomaterials are extensively used for the treatment of a number of diseases. Cancer is such a disease where nanotechnology can play a significant role.

Nanoparticles and nanorobots
Cancer is a condition where changes occur in a small percentage of cells and they start replicating interminably. Problems come to the fore only when the condition becomes unmanageable. The size of nanoparticles and nanorobots is exceedingly small, and because of this property, they can easily enter into the blood vessels, organs, tissues and even the cells of the body. Additionally, they can also find out those cells that are growing abnormally. Thus, they can play a decisive role in the detection of cancer at a very early stage.

Accurate drug delivery
Once the cancer has been detected, it becomes essential to treat it as quickly as possible. Most of the cancer treatment methods cause widespread damage because while eliminating the cancerous cells they also start acting upon the normal cells. Drug delivery systems that use nanoparticles can effectively treat cancer without damaging the surrounding cells and tissues. These nanoparticles are smaller than the body cells, and can easily carry the drug to that part of the body where the cancerous cells are located.

Biopharmaceuticals and cancer
Biopharmaceuticals are basically proteins molecules that trigger multiple reactions in the human body. They are widely used in the treatment of cancer. The effectiveness of these pharmaceuticals will increase several times if they are coupled with nanoparticles. The nanoparticles will carry the biopharmaceuticals directly to the tumor site without adversely affecting the cells and tissues that come in the way. In this manner, cancer would be cured and healthy cells will remain as such.

Cell repair machine and cancer treatment
Cancer primarily occurs due to mutation; the genetic information stored in the DNA is changed. As the result the affected cells divide continuously and cause the formation of tumors. The cell repair machine that is as small as a nanoparticle can easily penetrate into the cancerous cell and repair the damaged DNA. As the technique is completely non-invasive, therefore the normal cells remain unharmed.

Nanotechnology is the science of maneuvering and modifying the structure and properties of matter at an atomic and molecular scale. Due to these manipulations, inert elements start to function as catalyst, and insoluble matter develop unique solubility capacity. Likewise, non-colloids begin exhibiting excellent colloidal properties and electrical non-conductors start conducting electricity. All these materials can be used for a vast variety of purposes in field as diverse as medicine, energy production and electronics.

In recent years, nanotechnology has found innumerable applications in the field of medicine — from drug delivery systems, nanorobots and cell repair machines to imaging, nanoparticles and nanonephrology. Owing to the extensive use of nanomaterials in medical equipments and devices, nanomedicine has become a significant branch of nanotechnology. Here are some important uses of nanotechnology in the field of medicine. All these things prove that nanotechnology will play a significant role in the future, and shows why is nanotechnology useful.

Drug delivery system and nanoparticles
The primary objective of the drug delivery system is to make the life-saving drug available in that part of the body where it is required the most. However, most of the time, these systems fail to work efficiently because the particles of the drug are too large for the cells to absorb, or they are insoluble or they have the potential to cause tissue damage. On the other hand, due to their exceedingly small size, nanoparticles are easily taken up by the cell. Moreover, they are completely soluble and they do not also damage the tissues. In nutshell, the efficiency of the drug delivery system can be increased several times by integrating nanoparticles with them.
Coupling of nanoparticles with biopharmaceuticals
Biopharmaceuticals are peptides or protein molecules that trigger multiple reactions in the human body. They are widely used in the treatment of life-threatening diseases like cancer. The effectiveness of biopharmaceuticals can be increased several times by coupling them with nanoparticles, which will proficiently deliver the peptides or proteins at the tumor site and in this manner cure cancer without causing extensive damage to the adjacent tissues and organs.

Nanotechnology and neuro-electronic devices
Neuro-electronic devices are unique machines based on nanotechnology that connect the nervous system with the computer. These devices not just detect and interpret the signals from the nervous system, but also control and respond to them. They can be used in the treatment of diseases that slowly and steadily decay the nervous system like multiple sclerosis.

Nanonephrology
This is a sub-branch of nanomedicine which is concerned with the detection and treatment of kidney diseases. Here various devices based on nanotechnology are used for the studying the different kidney processes and detecting disorders. Thereafter, nanoparticles and drug delivery system are used for curing the disorder.

Nanotechnology and cell repair machines
These cell repair machines use nanotechnology to penetrate into the cell and rectify disorders like DNA damage or enzyme deficiency. These machines are no bigger than a bacteria or virus.

Nanorobots
The entry of nanorobots will literally revolutionize the world of medicine. These miniature devices would not only be capable of entering into the body and detecting the diseases and infection, but they will also be capable of repairing internal injuries and wounds.

Scientists from the University of Southampton’s School of Electronics and Computer Science have gotten an assignment to create a special technique to produce nanowires, which would make mass production possible. The final goal is to be able to perform quick blood tests without the need to go to a laboratory.

The British researchers are using the standards that are currently being used in making television displays. The need for quick blood tests, which could be done during surgery, are in demand and would help significantly. Peter Ashburn, the leading researcher, said: “Standard clinical laboratory tests have limitations outside the laboratory, which can reduce the diagnostic impact of new protein biomarkers for complex conditions like cancer and chronic inflammation,” said Professor Ashburn. “One-dimensional nanostructures such as nanowires are ideal for diagnosis as they can be integrated into microfluidic chips that provide a complete sensor system.”

The research is supposed to end within three years.

In today’s technological age, it seems advancements in all fields leap forward by the day. Medical technology certainly hasn’t been left out of the loop, and some of the breakthroughs in modern medicine have been quite revolutionary and had a huge impact. But where will the field of medicine be in 20 years from now? What major advancements are waiting just around the next corner? In this article we will consider just two of the biggest technologies that are emerging over the horizon.

Electronic Implants

We have computers everywhere these days, but it’s not just the ones on our desks that we use to surf the net. We have computer chips in washing machines and just about all of our other appliances too. In the realm of science fiction (all too often a prediction of future science) we have seen technologically enhanced humans with superhuman abilities but what if those technologies were real and used for medical purposes?
Scientists have been working for years on implementing a special kind of microchip known as a “neuroprosthetic chip” that can be implanted into the brain. This chip helps to decipher signals in the brain when the brain itself cannot, and to trigger the appropriate responses. For example, the chip could help to control epileptic seizures, or help a patient suffering with paralysis to control prosthetic limbs with thought alone.

Stem Cell Research

One of the most talked about areas of medical technology today is stem cell research. With the first human trials currently taking place to determine the safety of human treatment, stem cell technology may not be too far away. The basis of stem cell therapy is regenerative: stem cells help the body to form new cells and generate tissue. If we can harness the power of stem cells for medical use, we may be able to cure paralysis, blindness, heart disease and diabetes, treat stroke patients and repair damaged organs and tissues, helping the body to regenerate and cure itself. Some people are even optimistic that stem cell research could lead to curing cancer!
Stem cell research has been the subject of much controversy. The needed stem cells are actually taken from embryos developed using IVF techniques as there are often surplus embryos and these are donated for scientific use. The stem cells gathered in this way are generic and have no predetermined cell type, which enables scientists to force the stem cells to become a specific, needed type of cell that can be injected into a patient in need of them. The embryos are only a few days old and about the size of a full stop (period), but there are many who think that stem cell research is just plain wrong; that it is “playing God” with an unborn child. This may all change as new research shed light on the ability to use adult stem cells, but only time will tell.

Nanomedicine

Nanotechnology, especially nanomedicine, are advancing significantly day by day. Nanoparticles are being already used in many products (mainly in cosmetics), but other spheres such as pharmaceutics and general medicine are slowly applying nanotechnology standards.
Nanomedicine, along with stem cells research, will probably change the way the world sees medicine. Many experts predict that it will change everything.

This was just a brief look at what the future of medicine may hold for us, but with these and many more exciting technologies rapidly emerging that future certainly looks bright.

In 1974, Norio Taniguchi of the Tokyo Science University, defined the term nanotechnology for the first time. According to his definition, nanotechnology encompasses separating, processing, consolidating and deforming matter at atomic and molecular scales. Although the term nanotechnology got its definition in 1974, the actual concept was introduced way back in 1867, when James Clerk Maxwell proposed a minuscule entity called Maxwell’s Demon that was capable of handling individual molecules.
Richard Adolf Zsigmondy was the first person to observe and measure the dimensions of nanoparticles. He was also the first person to use nanometer for characterizing the size of the nanoparticles unambiguously. He determined that 1 nm was 1/1,000,000 millimeter. He also developed the first classification system that was based on size of the particle that ranged in nanometer.

In the 20th century several developments took place that helped in characterizing nanomaterials. Like in 1920, Irving Langmuir introduced the concept of monolayer, where a layer of material is just one molecule thick. He received a Nobel Prize for this concept.
In 1959, Richard Feynman, at a meeting of American Physical Society at Caltech, put forth a process that had the ability to control and modify individual atoms and molecules. He stated that by scaling down the dimensions of the atom, dramatic changes can be brought about in its properties. After the discourse, he announced two challenges; first was the construction of nanomotor, which achieved by William McLellan in 1960,and second involved the process of scaling down the letters of Britannica Encyclopedia to fit on the head of a pin; this task was accomplished by Tom Newman in 1985.
In 1965, Gordon Moore made an astounding prediction; he stated that the number of transistors that could fit in a specific area would double every 18 years for the next 10 years. Till this date the trend is continuing, from 2000 transistors in 4004 processors to 7,000,000,000 transistors in Core 2, and Gordon’s prediction is popularly known as Moore’s Law.
In 1974, Dr. Tuomu Suntola et al. patented the atomic layer deposition process. Through this process it became possible to deposit uniformly thin films, one atomic layer at one time. In the 1980s, nanotechnology no longer remained stochastic, but became deterministic. During this period, Dr. K. Eric Drexler advocated the significance of nanomaterials and devices.

So much of groundwork on nanotechnology made the process of production and implementation of nanomaterials relatively simple.

A team of scientists from the University of Toronto have found that, by modifying a protein that improves the process of preventing cancer growth, a new way of treating cancer is on the way. The protein they have been researching is called von Hippel-Lindau (VHL).

Tumors are known to have very low blood supply when they grow. Therefore, some parts — including the center of the tumor — have low levels of oxygen and are said to be hypoxic. Cells in these parts produce hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) that makes it possible for them to keep on growing. Now, under normal conditions VHL degrades HIF — but VHL is deactivated when oxygen levels are low. So, in hypoxic regions of a tumour, just where VHL is needed to inhibit cancer, it is ineffective. That’s why scientists created a new type of VHL — a type that doesn’t stop working if oxygen levels are low.

“We have genetically removed the Achilles’ heel of VHL to permit unrestricted destruction of HIF,” said Michael Ohh, one of the researchers. “The level of HIF is usually very high under conditions of low oxygen but when we put in our bioengineered VHL its levels go right down to a level that would be comparable to that in normal oxygen levels.”

The details are published in EMBO Molecular Medicine.

Adopted from materials provided by the University of Toronto

Researchers from Rice University, led by Professor Yildiz Bayazitoglu, have performed a research which showed that by combining two lasers and pointing them to nanoparticles in order to heat them up, it is possible to destroy the “bad” tissue, with minimum damage to healthy cells.

Of course, lasers and nanoparticles are already used in nanomedicine for treating cancer — the technique is based on using nanoshells and heating them up by near-infrared laser.

The outcome of this research depends on the properties of nanoparticles — their light-scatter in particular. “We’re afraid that the nanoparticles located near the surface of a tumor will block a laser from reaching those at the center.”

The details are published in International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer.

Adopted from materials provided by UPI.com

Scientists from the Pennsylvania State University have found that a high amount of fluorescent molecules that naturally reside in human’s body can be used as biomarkers for cancer.

NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is an enzyme found in mitochondria. “Dysfunctional enzymes in the mitochondria are known to be associated with serious health problems such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases,” said Ahmed Heikal, one of the researchers. “By detecting the level of NADH and its distribution inside living cells, we should be able to monitor the mitochondrial activity and thus the integrity of any given cell, without adding potentially toxic dyes or actually destroying the cell.”

The main catch that scientists are working on is to be able to differentiate normal healthy cells from the “bad” cancer ones. Now, by using special techniques, they were able to make that happen.
“If we are given two live cells, one normal and the other cancerous, we could differentiate between the two with confidence,” said Heikal.

“Our method is not limited to detecting cancer. Other neurodegenerative diseases related to mitochondrial anomalies can also be detected with our method,” said Heikal. “We can also use our approach to quantify the efficiency of a new drug on manipulating the activities of mitochondrial enzymes associated with energy production in cells.”

Adopted from materials provided by psu.edu

You may have heard that nanotechnology is already being applied in many industry branches, but probably the most promising subfield of nanotechnology is nanomedicine. Researchers from the University of Alberta, led by Jie Chen, are working on developing a new technique which would allow them to replace chemotherapy and radiation, thus “killing” all the side effects caused by these methods.

The researching crew is doing experiments with injected nanoparticles that contain a bamboo compound that is sensitive to ultrasound. “So when the ultrasound is used and treated or targeted towards these compounds, then you will activate and generate something which can destroy the cancer, so it’s much safer compared to the conventional radiation,” said Chen.

As always when new technologies arise, security concerns come in the way. “It has been shown in animal experiments for example that very small particles can overcome the intestinal barrier and can go into the bloodstream and can go into the organs,” said Herman Stamm, a member of European Commission’s Joint Research Center. What they worry about is that the injected nanoparticles don’t really destroy themselves. They can actually stay in your body and go somewhere where they are not intended to go. Of course, that can cause problems.

Adopted from materials provided by cbc.ca

Taiwan, among other Asian countries, is heavily investing in nanotechnology — especially nanomedicine. They recognized the potential, and they’re jumping into it. However, they’re being cautious — National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan started a project which is supposed to explore the effects of nanotechnology on health.

The main goal of this research is to minimize the side effects caused by products based on nanotechnology. The officials in Taiwan reported that the value of products based on nanotechnology standards is over US$8.8 billion.
“Most of the simulation software currently used for nanotechnology research and its effect on the human body only supports the computation of either inorganic material or organic molecules. NCKU is the first institute to achieve a breakthrough that combines the simulation of organic and inorganic substances,” said Michael Lai, one of the researchers.