Dr Cory Couillard

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net According to recent research, traditional cancer treatments may actually invite the growth of cancer stem cells. These stem cells, just one type of cell found throughout cancerous tumors, promote tumor growth as well as the spread of cancer within the body. Cancer stem cells have also shown the ability to be resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. "So radiation and chemotherapy not only might create cancer stem cells, any pre-existing cancer stem cells in a tumor were very resistant to radiation and chemotherapy, so they remain as well," says Dr. Chiang Li of Harvard Medical School. "This could help explain why these therapies are sometimes not as effective as we might hope." These common cancer treatments have shown the ability to reduce overall tumor mass, but have not successfully reduced the number of cancer stem cells. This increases the ratio of stem cells to non-stem cells. As a result, tum...

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net Fifteen million people worldwide suffer a stroke each year. Shockingly, 3 million women and 2.5 million men die as a direct result. In addition to this tragic loss of life, another 5 million people are left permanently disabled, placing a burden on family, community and society. Stroke is very uncommon in people younger than 40 years of age, but when it does occur, high blood pressure is the main cause. Simply treating and preventing high blood pressure can reduce risk of a stroke up to 40 percent. Prevention is the ultimate cure.   What is a stroke? A stroke is the brain’s equivalent to a heart attack. The brain requires blood flow in order to function. Brain damage occurs when the brain loses its oxygen and energy supply. The symptoms of a stroke, as well as the extent of its damage, depend on which part of the brain is injured and how severely it is affected. A stroke can cause irreversible damage, immediate paralysi...

In the news: Africa syndication Rwanda St. Kitts Recent medical research has demonstrated that preventative screenings for ovarian cancer do not significantly reduce the risk of death in women. Instead, frequent and early screenings seem to increase incorrect diagnoses. Ovarian cancer is a particularly frightening form of the disease. It is much rarer than breast cancer, yet much more deadly. According to estimations by the National Cancer Institute, about 70 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will not survive the disease. While medical testing has helped many, it has also led to healthy people undergoing unnecessary procedures. Early detection techniques fall short Early detection via traditional screenings is not the only cancer prevention method available. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, UK researchers evaluated 1,110 women with moderate to high genetic risk of ovarian cancer. Of the total pool of subjects,...

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net Tobacco use is a global epidemic that brings disability, disease, lost productivity and death to entire countries and regions throughout the world.   Tobacco continues to be the leading cause of preventable death despite aggressive national educational campaigns.    Nearly 6 million people die every year via cancer, heart disease, lung disease and other chronic, long-term health conditions.   Over the course of the 21st century, tobacco use could kill up to a billion people unless urgent action is taken says the World Health Organization (WHO).  “The tobacco epidemic is entirely man-made, and it can be turned around through the concerted efforts of governments and civil society.” -Dr Margaret Chan, Director General WHO Big tobacco choking society Expensive healthcare costs are just the start to this global killer. It also causes hundreds of billions of dollars of economic losses via diminis...

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net Alcohol has been named the world’s third greatest risk factor in the development of premature disease.   This seemingly innocent drink is a staple in social gatherings but its effects often spills over into society as a whole.   Alcohol’s intoxicating, toxic and dependence-producing properties play a role in violence, child neglect and abuse, shattered relationships and poor job performance.   The harmful use of alcohol is a global problem that claims at least 2.5 million lives per year.   The sad reality is that many of the lives lost are caused by an intoxicated person’s poor choices that ultimately resulted in the harm of others.   Alcohol use is very similar to the concept of secondhand smoke; it impacts everyone around you.   Alcohol’s causing more than a buzz Very few people realize that the short-term abuse of alcohol can result in long-term, severe health conditions that include but ar...