Augusta focus. ([Augusta, Ga.) 198?-current, January 05, 1995, Image 11

Augusta focus., January 05, 1995, Page 11, Image 11

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Newspaper Page TextDon’t ash! b r i i : e e 3 ik o s "”":"::E""’"”'r.;.r’-' :.).':;.;'.;,_.,' /.;',,,;;/ R aa . . 3 R R R R & BB N e T e 1“ i R 1 e . LR R 5 i g & i e 7 »&9’ i Though the human skin pro vides the same functions for ev eryone, certain conditions are more common because of skin MCG researchers seek link between calories and breast cancer Calories are being cut and fe male hormones are being regu lated by researchers at the Medi cal College of Georgia who want to pick the major players in 95 percent of breast cancer cases. “We know there are certain genes, hereditary genes, that account for familial hreast can cer (but) that’s for only 5 percent ofbreast cancers,” said Dr. Nurul H. Sarkar, MCG virologist. “Somethingelseis goingon. What is the cause of those other 95 percent of tumors?” Dr. Sarkar believes the body’s fuel — calories — is one of those players, because just as calories provide energy for routine ac tivities, they also increase ex pression of certain genes and hormones. It’s the increased ex pression of genes, coupled with the increase of hormones, that each month makes the breast a very dynamicenvironment which leads tothe abnormal cell growth that is breast cancer, he said. In past research using as his model mice injected with a mam mary tumor virus, Dr. Sarkar Specialists in Real Estate Lending B Real Estate FHA ¢ VA « Conventional M Refinances B Community Home Buyer Program 2743 Perimeter Parkway, Augusta, GA 30909 @ North Augusta, SC: (803) 442-9674 Augusta, GA: (706) 863-5626 “CENDER. Aiken, S.C. (803) 649-7311 il color. Skin cancer is more pre dominant in white skin because black skin contains more mela nin, or pigment, which provides cut caloric intake by 35 percent to 40 percent and reduced breast cancer formation by about 70 percent. Mice usually take in 16 calories a day, and in his labora tory he simply cut daily intake to 10 calories. Now he has a better model for studying human disease in ge netically altered mice — called transgenic mice — which are in jected as developing embryos with cancer-causing oncogenes. In humans, oncogenes have been shown to cause cervical and co lon cancer and leukemia, and their role in breast cancer is vir tually certain, Dr. Sarkar said. “If you analyze human breast tumors, you find certain genes activated which are not supposed te be, so there are good implica tions that (oncogenes) probably cause the tumors.” Everyone has oncogenes, which are key in embryonic de velopment, where nature pro vides nine months for a single cell to become a baby. But that same kind of rapid cell growth can be deadly when it’s a cancer Livingßetter a darker, richer skin tone and a built-in shield that protects skin from the sun. “But there is a trade-off,” says Patricia Treadwell, M.D., Asso ciate Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics at Indiana Uni versity School of Medicine. “While African Americans are resistant to skin cancer, they do have some skin problems all their own.” Hyperpigmentation (dark ening of skin), keloids (enlarged scars), and ingrown hairs are a few of the more specific skin con cerns, however, dry skin or “ashiness” is by far the most pre dominant skin complaint among African Americans, and fortu nately it’s easily treated. Characteristics of ashy skin Ashiness, which occurs when dry, dead skin cells clump to gether, becomes a bigger prob lem during the winter months due to low ambient humidity, windy conditions and colder tem peratures' — is most prevalent on those areas of the body that are less efficient at replenishing natural oils, according to repre sentatives of Vaseline Research. These are the legs, hands, el bows and knees and, to a lesser extent, the arms the researchers say. While the problem of exces sively dry, ashy skin is a cosmet ic concern, if it is left untreated, the problem can compound itself and lead to more serious symp toms, including flaking, chap cell. More typically, oncogenes lie dormant after birth, except for occasional jobs such as help ing injuries heal. “When a disturbance is caused in this gene, such as diet, hor mone, radiation or spontaneous mutation, they express more,” Dr. Sarkar said. “Ninety percent of the tumors are most likely caused by oncogenes. The idea is how could you prevent the onset of these oncogenes?” Hormones involved in the re productive process, including progesterone, estrogen and pro lactin, stimulate each other and are key to cell proliferation as breasts go through the normal changes of each monthly cycle. Breasts are very active areas of the body, where cells are con stantly in an evolutionary pro cess as hormonal surges prepare the premenopausal women to lactate each month. It’s known that hormonal therapy after menopause to regulate hormone supplies also cuts a woman’s chance of breast and endome trial cancer. “These hormones Dry, ashy skin a special concern of African Americans, but easily treated ping, itching, cracking — and in extreme cases, bleeding and in fection, according to Vaseline Research. To prevent this, the researchers say, one must main tain the integrity of the stratum corneum —the skin’s outer most layer and natural moisture bar rier — by keeping it well-mois turized. Preventing ashy skin Researchers say the best treat ment for ashy skin is daily and thorough cleansing with a soft wash cloth, to stimulate circula tion and gently exfoliate dead surface skin, and daily applica tion of a therapeutic protectant for exceptional moisturization. According to Tony Johnson, manager of Skincare Research, “If skin is not moisturized regu larly —especially during the cold, dry winter months —the skin’s barrier function will be affected, hindering the skin from retain ing the moisture it needs to re main soft, supple and healthy looking.” According to a dermatology res ident at MCG, many people think that moisturizing will prevent skin conditions such as wrinkling, but what they really need todo is stay out of the sun. “If your skin’s not dry you really don’t need a mois turizer,” she said. Vaseline Research warns that, if skin conditions persist for a long period of time or seem “ir regular,” seek professional at tention. canalso cause breast cancer, but not alone. They work in associa tion with other things.” He be lieves the “other things” are ex cessive calories. Dr.Sarkaris manipulating the key factors, seeing if he can pre vent activation of the oncogenes that he knows are present and will cause the transgenic mice to develop cancer within four to six months after birth. Dr. Sarkar is following the transgenic mice throughout their normal life span of about three years, again restricting total ca loric intake by 40 percent with out worrying about specific fac tors such as fat intake. He noted that fat intake is an issue only because fatty foods are higher in calories. Dr. Sarkar is measur inglevels of circulating hormones and watching how the expres sion of oncogenes and hormones in the breasts are affected by cutting calories. | Some women who consume excessive calories may be giving breast cancer an edge. AUGUSTA FOCUS January §, 1995 Cryosurgery may put the freeze on prostate cancer JACKSONVILLE, FL. Cryosurgery may prove to be the deep freeze for large prostate cancers that cannot be treated with surgery or radiation. The new procedure, now avail able through May Clinic Jack sonville urologists, uses an ul trasound scanner and special probes to expose cancer cells to liquid nitrogen cooled to minus 204 degrees Celsius. The liquid nitrogen freezes and kills the cells. Cryosurgery is still being in vestigated, and no one knows how effective it will bein the long run. But the procedure appears safe, says Dr. Michael Wehle, a urologist at Mayo Clinic Jack sonville. According to Dr. Wehle, long-term follow-up is needed to measure the procedure’s true benefit. “This is not first-line treat ment,” Dr. Wehle says. “It doesn’t replace surgical removal of the prostate or radiation treatment. It adds another option for the patient. We think it will be espe Super Reunionf{eglilH . | Three-day Bafia:[ PN Cruise!N ' JVI | June 15-18, 1995 .M | Deposit as E low as SIOO g For information e Call 7969247 Make Tracks to Tire Town!:‘ [TIRE MILEAGE RATINGS FROM 40,000 TO 80,000 MILES) WHITE WALLS YRR Lo P155/80R13 20.95 P165/80R13 25.95 P175/BCRI3 26.93 PlB5/80R13 28.24 PlB5/75R14 28.99 P195/75R14 30.37 P205/75R14 31.99 P215/75R14 = 37.95 P205/75R15 32.95 P215/75R15 34.61 P225/75R15 36.28 P235/75R15 37.95 | 72,000 MILES AB | PlB5/75R14 35.82 P195/75R14 36.61 P205/75R14 38.28 P215/75R14 39.35 P205/75R15 40.41 P215/75R15 41.79 P225/75R15 44.99 P235/75R15 46.38 WIDE WHITE WALLS 48,0003 C 205/75R14 44.50 205/75R15 50.61 215/75/Rls 44.95 225/75R15 55.21 235/75R15 63.27 Super Star, Road "nFr. Grand Prix, Lee Turbo, Available! Light Truck, * Tractor, Boat Traller, RV Tires ALL TIRES AVAILABLE « WHEEL BALANCING $3.95 up LIFETIME INSIDE FLAT REPAIRS $7.50 USED TIRES S 5 %] TIRE TOWN 1854 GORDON HIGHWAY+73B-3374 8:30-5:30 Mon.-Fri. 8:30-1:00 Sat. Call Bob Williams 738-3374 Phone Prices Given ~ Call For Prices On Your Size And To Hold Your Selection Artheat ART CAN'T HURT YOU. cially useful in treating patients who've had radiation that didn’t kill all the cancer. Before, we had little to offer them.” Cryosurgery also may be used to destroy tumor cells that re main after surgery. And, in some cases, it may be used in place of surgery for large but localized tumors. The procedure is done at St. Luke’s Hospital and involves an overnight stay. Because it re quires only five small punctures for the probes, it is much less disablingthan other treatments. Recovery takes only a few weeks. And it can be applied more than once — a big advantage if cancer cells return. “The treatment is good from an economic standpoint,” Dr. Wehle says, “because the hospi tal stay is so much shorter.” About 200,000 men in the United States are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. About 38,000 a year die from the dis ease. TR W XY ARRY [—_l7s/70/913 38.79 185/70/Rl3 39.99 195/70/Rl3 41.83 205/60/Rl3 46.54 185/70/Rl4 41.94 195/70/Rl4 43.99 205/70/Rl4 44.71* 215/70/Rl4 46.99* 225/70/Rl4 51.09 215/70/Rls 49.99 225/70/Rls 51.29* 235/70/Rls 53.99 255/70/Rls 59.56 215/60/Rl4 51.29 225/60/Rl4 52.72 235/60/Rl4 54.46" 245/60/Rl4 59.46 235/60/Rls 58.19 245/60/Rls 61.33 255/60/Rls 62.85 275/60/Rls 64.73* 215/65/Rls 50.51 *TECH 5000 TRUCK TIRES } 235/75R15 53.49] 30/950R15 69.95| 31/1050R15 77.95! 32/1150R15 81.921 31250815 _ 91.23 CLOSED MON.. 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