January 16, 2019
Lung cancer remains the Philippines’ number one cause of cancer deaths among men and number three among women (Philippine Council for Health Research and Development), no thanks to smoking.
Around 80%–90% of lung cancer incidences are smoking-related. It is encouraged to avoid cigarette smoking to prevent acquiring the disease.
But what if the cancer is already there?
This is what happened to the father of TV and media personality Diego Castro that prompted him to become an ambassador of the multi-stakeholder movement, Hope from Within: Test, Talk, and Take Action – a lung cancer awareness, education, and prevention campaign.
Diego’s father, renowned broadcast anchor Angelo Castro Jr., passed away from lung cancer in 2012 after having been diagnosed just four years earlier. “He began smoking when he was 10 years old,” revealed Diego. “But he had already quit around 10 years prior to his diagnosis.”
As with many lung cancer patients, persistent cough was what led the elder Castro to the doctor. After having been diagnosed, he initially sought alternative treatments and remained to be in relatively good health despite having been given an initial prognosis of only a few months to live.
Angelo eventually submitted to medical doctors and underwent chemotherapy for up to two years. The disease, however, had progressed which led to his eventual death.
This story is much more common than we may imagine. Lung cancer develops without signs or symptoms, so in the early stages when it is most treatable, the disease often goes undetected.
LUNG CANCER SCREENING
Specifically, for lung cancer, it is important for those at high risk to get screened so that the disease can be addressed immediately, according to Dr. Ivy de Dios, oncology medical adviser of global biopharmaceutical company MSD in the Philippines. “Any persistent cough should be looked into,” she added.
The American Cancer Society recommends yearly lung cancer screening to people aged 55 to 74 years old, who have smoked 1 pack per day for 30 years or 2 packs a day for 15 years, and whose last cigarette was smoked less than 15 years ago.
The recommended first step in lung cancer screening is low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan. X-ray may still be used in some places, but CT scans are much better at detecting developing cancer tumors and provide the best benefit towards cancer survival. Any mass identified for biopsy will then be analyzed by a pathologist for particular proteins.
If cancer is confirmed, the doctor can begin treatment, either through surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or a combination of these treatment approaches.
ADVANCES IN LUNG CANCER TREATMENT
But these days, the pathologist can do much more than just say whether it is cancer. The pathologist can actually describe the specific characteristics of the cancer cells to allow doctors to customize treatment even more.
By identifying whether this particular lung cancer comes with a certain gene mutation or a specific protein proliferation, trailblazing cancer treatments such as targeted immunotherapy become possible. These treatments drastically increase the patient’s chance of going into remission with fewer adverse events than, say, a standard chemotherapy regimen.
Targeted therapies are also available for patients with mutated EGFR or ALK genes.
An example of medication used for targeted immunotherapy is pembrolizumab which is used as first-line treatment for late-stage non–small-cell lung cancer that has a protein called PD-L1 (programmed death ligand) and no abnormal EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) or ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) genes.
“In order to benefit from the innovation of immunotherapy and other targeted therapies particularly for certain types of advanced lung cancer, it is important that it is administered as early as possible upon the onset of the disease,” explained Dr. de Dios. “That is why we are particularly urging people to get screened right away. This is the best weapon to protect ourselves from the burden of the disease at its late stages.”
January 5, 2019
Acne sucks. What's worse is, I'm way past the adolescence stage and even though I'm washing my face daily, I still get zits. And annoyingly, there's no one-size-fits-all acne product that magically cures you overnight.
To be honest, I've tried several products that promises to cure pimples (overnight). Yet, I haven't found the perfect one until I came across Go Bloom & Glow and found Pyunkang Yul Acne line set.
I wasn't familiar with the brand because, well, I'm a skincare noob. So I Googled it and was surprised at how popular and well-received the brand is all over the world.
So to give you a background, Pyunkang Yul is a cruelty-free brand developed by the renowned Pyunkang Oriental Medicine Clinic in South Korea, an institution well-known for treating skin disorders with their traditional and medicinal products.
Pyunkang Yul removes all unnecessary chemical substances from their products one typically finds on the ingredients list, utilizing only the minimum, most gentle and safe ingredients. This means no scents, to textural enhancers, and your sensitive skin’s dream come true.
I have been using the Pyunkang Yul Acne Line Set for a week and I have a lot of good things to say about them. They certainly did not disappoint. But...
There's still more to know about their line than what's basically promised. So here, I've rounded up the things you should know about each product on their Acne Line Set.
Pyunkang Yul Acne Facial Cleanser
What it promises:
- It is designed to address blackheads, pores, breakouts, and excess oil, revealing incredibly smooth and radiant results.
- Penetrates pores, targeting the most stubborn pimples caused by bacteria and dead skin.
- Removes excess oil and exfoliates dead skin cells.
- Prevents bacteria within the pores from creating inflammation in the skin. Fights new acne from occurring with its anti-bacterial properties.
- Combats redness and heals damaged skin.
- Rejuvenates skin; purges the deepest impurities, without stripping the skin.
Pyunkang Yul Acne Toner
What it promises:
- Detoxifies pores, zaps blemishes and purges excess oil, blackheads and bacteria.
- Gently exfoliates and rid skin of dead cells.
- It helps in unclogging pores and targeting the most stubborn pimples caused by bacteria and dead skin for a smoother, healthier-looking complexion.
- Controls excess sebum production to prevent breakouts.
- Gently softens sensitive acne skin texture and relieves the skin remarkably.
Pyunkang Yul Acne Cream
What it promises:
- A lightweight, oil-free gel cream that soothes acne-prone skin, delivers rich hydration, conditions damaged skin, soothes acne-prone skin, and helps improve the look of the overall skin complexion.
- It exfoliates dead skin cells, absorbs excess oil and helps purify clogged pores.
- Helps to combat signs of tired and overstressed skin.
- Provides oil control by absorbing excess sebum.
Pyunkang Yul Acne Spot Cream
What it promises:
- Fast results
- Calms inflammation
- Reduces redness
- Reduces the dullness and rough texture appearance
- Controls existing breakouts and formation of future acne
- Clears blemishes, pimples, blackheads and whiteheads
- Unclogs and refines pores
Pyunkang Yul Acne Mask
What it promises:
- Helps in reducing and healing blemishes.
- It penetrates to help dissolve impurities and dirt, without causing redness or irritation.
- Powered with sebum control, it targets the acne formation and fights breakouts, leaving skin soft, smooth, and comfortable.
THOUGHTS:
- I like that these products are not scented.
- They are lightweight and very hydrating to the skin.
- They could be more effective when used consistently for a longer time.
- From 7 days of using these products, I noticed changes on my skin already. My pores are now tighter and I have lesser sebum excretion. I also don't have oily face now.
- It didn't heal my pimples completely after using it for a week but it heals faster than normal. Overnight, the fuss is gone but the bump didn't fade immediately.
- I have lesser breakouts than before.
Sorry I didn't take an "after" photo because I'm not feeling well for the past few days, thus I look horrible.
Overall, I highly recommend this acne line as it provides what it promises.
P.S. They are currently on SALE! Shopping at Go Bloom & Glow is fast and hassle-free! Better to shop now than be sorry later! ♥
January 1, 2019
As much as I want to be positive today and welcome the new year with a high note, I'd have to say that 2018 was just okay. It's not a stellar year for me and kind of appalling. Nothing momentous has happened.
And I'm not gonna lie...
It has been a difficult year for me. There were so many questions of what ifs, hows and whys. But along the way, I've seen a different side of me which led me to quite interesting, fun and exciting things that were beyond the boundaries I set and never thought I could and would ever do.
And that was what I'm thankful for for the past year. I stepped one block away from my comfort zone and I must admit, I have a long way to go to fully escape the four corners of my own cage.
As the New Year starts, I promise myself to not rush and always trust the process. So here I am, walking away from 2018 leaving all the pitfalls behind and welcoming 2019 with positivity.
Let's all be grateful for today because we all have been through so much and still made it out.
2019, I'm ready for you. Happy New Year!
So on to my outfit, I'm wearing a cap and pants, both in leather materials. Some asked me how I managed to get through the heat while wearing those. Well, my top is light, the cap protects me from the sun and the pants is not that thick so I can move freely. I got this leather pants from Zaful which is similar to the women leather pants from Dresshead.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons