Volume 2, Issue 2

June is Mens Health

Awareness Month

Men & Prostate Cancer

The Prostate
The prostate gland is found only in males. It is just
below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The
tube that carries urine (the urethra) runs through
the center of the prostate. The prostate contains
cells that make some of the fluid (semen) that
protects and nourishes the sperm. Prostate cancer
is the most common type of cancer found in
American men, other than skin cancer. About 1
man in 7 will get prostate cancer during his
lifetime. Prostate cancer is the second leading
cause of cancer death in men, behind only lung
cancer. About 1 man in 38 will die of this disease.
The size of the prostate changes with age. In
younger men, it is about the size of a walnut, but it
can be much larger in older men. The growth is
fueled by male hormones (called androgens) such
as testosterone. There are several types of cells in
the prostate, but nearly all prostate cancers start
in the gland cells. This kind of cancer is known
as adenocarcinoma. Some prostate cancers can
grow and spread quickly, but most of the time,
prostate cancer grows slowly. Autopsy studies show
that many older men (and even some younger men)
who died of other causes also had prostate cancer
that never caused them problems. In many cases
neither they nor their doctors even knew they had
it. Prostate cancer can be a serious disease, but

June 2015

Myasthenia Gravis
What is Myasthenia Gravis?

Myasthenia Gravis (pronounced My-as-theen-ee-a Grav-us)

comes from the Greek and Latin words meaning "grave
muscular weakness." The most common form of MG is a
chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that is
characterized by fluctuating weakness of the voluntary
muscle groups. The prevalence of MG in the United States is
estimated to be about 20/100,000 population. However, MG
is probably under diagnosed and the prevalence may be
higher. Myasthenia Gravis occurs in all races, both genders,
and at any age. MG is not thought to be directly inherited
nor is it contagious. It does occasionally occur in more than
one member of the same family. The voluntary muscles of
the entire body are controlled by nerve impulses that arise in
the brain. These nerve impulses travel down the nerves to
the place where the nerves meet the muscle fibers. Nerve
fibers do not actually connect with muscle fibers. There is a
space between the nerve ending and muscle fiber; this space
is called the neuromuscular junction. When the nerve
impulse originating in the brain arrives at the nerve ending,
it releases a chemical called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine
travels across the space to the muscle fiber side of the
neuromuscular junction where it attaches to many receptor
sites. The muscle contracts when enough of the receptor
sites have been activated by the acetylcholine. In MG,
there can be as much as an 80% reduction in the number of
these receptor sites. The reduction in the number of receptor
sites is caused by an antibody that destroys or blocks the
receptor site. Antibodies are proteins that play an important
role in the immune system. They are normally directed at
foreign proteins called antigens that attack the body. Such
foreign proteins include bacteria and viruses. Antibodies
help the body to protect itself from these foreign proteins.
For reasons not well understood, the immune system of the
person with MG makes antibodies against the receptor sites
of the neuromuscular junction. Abnormal antibodies can be
measured in the blood of many people with MG. The
antibodies destroy the receptor sites more rapidly than the
body can replace them. Muscle weakness occurs when
acetylcholine cannot activate enough receptor sites at the
neuromuscular junction.
The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) is the
only national volunteer health agency in the United
States dedicated solely to the fight against myasthenia
gravis. MGFA serves patients, their families and caregivers
through a network of chapters, support groups and
programs. Each chapter shares the vision of a world without
MG.

June is Mens Health

Awareness Month
Volume 2, Issue 2

Scleroderma
Scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis, is a
chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterised by
hardening (sclero) of the skin (derma). In the more severe
form, it also affects internal organs.

June 2015

Cancer Survivors Day June 7, 2015

Ribbons colors & their meanings

Limited Scleroderma involves cutaneous manifestations that

mainly affect the hands, arms and face. It was previously
called CREST syndrome in reference to the following common
manifestations: calcinosis (the deposition of calcium nodules
in the skin), raynaud's
phenomenon (exaggerated vasoconstriction in the hands, with
fingers undergoing white-blue-red color transitions in the
cold), esophageal dysfunction (leading to difficulty

What is a cataract?
A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects
vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are
very common in older people. By age 80, more than half
of all Americans either have a cataract or have had
cataract surgery. A cataract can occur in either or both
eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other.

What causes cataracts?

The lens lies behind the iris and the pupil. It works
much like a camera lens. It focuses light onto the retina
at the back of the eye, where an image is recorded. The
lens also adjusts the eyes focus, letting us see things
clearly both up close and far away. The lens is made of
mostly water and protein. The protein is arranged in a
precise way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass

Did you knowthe month of June is Mens

Health, Cataract, Myasthenia Gravis,
Aphasia, Congenital Cytomegalovirus, Safety,
Scleroderma, Cancer Survivor & Sickle Cell
AWARENESS MONTH!!

All Cancers - Lavender

Appendix Cancer - Amber
Bladder Cancer - Marigold / Blue / Purple
Brain Cancer - Grey
Breast Cancer - Pink
Carcinoid Cancer - Zebra Stripe
Cervical Cancer - Teal / White
Childhood Cancer - Gold
Colon Cancer - Dark Blue
Esophageal Cancer - Periwinkle
Gallbladder / Bile Duct Cancer - Kelly Green
Head and Neck Cancer - Burgundy / Ivory
Hodgkin's Lymphoma - Violet
Kidney Cancer - Orange
Leiomyosarcoma - Purple
Leukemia - Orange
Liver Cancer - Emerald Green
Lung Cancer - White
Lymphoma - Lime Green
Melanoma - Black
Multiple Myeloma - Burgundy
Ovarian Cancer - Teal
Pancreatic Cancer - Purple
Prostate Cancer - Light Blue
Sarcoma / Bone Cancer - Yellow
Stomach Cancer - Periwinkle