The American Cancer Society is predicting that about 72, 570 new cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, and nearly 15,210 individuals will lose their lives from this devastating disease. However, there seems to be light at the end of this tunnel, as over 500,000 people living in this country are proud bladder cancer survivors – a number that could only continue to increase with a newly unveiled technological innovation.
Just today in fact, March 1, researchers revealed that a blue light solution is currently being leveraged at Wheeling Hospital that is being highlighted for its capability to detect bladder cancer more quickly than ever before.
According to doctors Dr. Gregory Merrick, director of the hospital's Schiffler Cancer Center; Dr. Hugo Andreini of the hospital's Center for Urology; and Dr. Angelo Georges, chief medical officer, “Traditional cystoscopy uses white light for detection of cancerous lesions, while the new, fluorescent technology, called Cysview, uses blue light. During the procedure, a dye is injected into the bladder. After one hour of allowing the cells to take in the dye, the cells turn red so cancerous lesions better stand out on a blue background.”
While other forms of cancer tend to receive more notoriety, this unfortunate sickness targeting the bladder produces symptoms such as blood in the urine, frequent and even painful urination, back pain and sometimes pelvic pain. Some factors that could increase your chances of being diagnosed with this type of ailment include: smoking, old age, being white and of the male sex, risking exposure to harmful chemicals, and of course, a family history of cancer.
While there is currently no way to truly safeguard yourself from getting cancer, scientists are working tirelessly to figure out ways to make you cancer free if you do in fact suffer from this disease. Back in December, a new bra was introduced to the market that can actually let a woman know if she has breast cancer. When wearing the material that covers your bosoms for around 12 hours, heat sensors go to work and can quickly alert the female if there are temperature changes in their tissue, which is usually a sign of a tumor.
“The thermostat sends a low impedance scan through the breast and reports back as a temperature," Matt Bernadis with First Warning told ABC News in San Francisco, Calif. “Against the screening mammogram we're finding the mammogram was accurate up to about 70 percent on average, whereas the First Warning System was accurate to about 90 percent, 90 percent-plus.”
Moreover, just last month, the healthcare space was rocked by the news that three-dimensional breast imaging technology used in conjunction with annual mammography’s is helping to cut down on inaccurate diagnoses, as well as inform individuals in a much shorter time when they do in fact have breast cancer. This could make the difference between life and death.
Getting regular checkups from your doctor as well as making an appointment right away if you notice any sudden change in your health are key to you living a long, healthy life. Cancer is no longer a death sentence, but instead, an annoying inconvenience that technology is helping the public to overcome.
Edited by
Allison Boccamazzo
