What is the connection between malignant neoplasms and crabs?

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The more common term for malignant neoplasms, cancer, is Latin for crab, and the word "carcinogen," meaning a cancer-causing agent, comes from the Greek word for crab, "karkinos." What is the connection between these two seemingly unrelated things?
Cancer, both the disease and the astronomical constellation, derive from the Latin cancer or cancrum, meaning crab. The astrological sign, of course, is said to resemble a crab and the disease was so named by the ancient Greek physician Galen (129-200 A.D.) who noted the similarity between a certain type of tumor with a crab as well—the swollen veins around the tumor resembling the legs of a crab.

Old English adopted cancer directly from Latin and used it for a variety of spreading sores and ulcers. This early sense survives in the modern word canker. From c.1000 in a manuscript called Læce Boc (Leech Book), collected in Oswald Cockayne’s Leechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft of Early England, Vol. II, 1865:

Gemeng wið þam dustum, clæm on ðone cancer.
(Mix with the dust, smear on the cancer.)

And from Wyclif’s 2 Timothy, 1382:

The word of hem crepith as a kankir

The word was being applied specifically to the disease we today call cancer by the beginning of the 17th century. From Philemon Holland’s translation of Pliny’s Historie of the World:

Cancer is a swelling or sore comming of melancholy bloud, about which the veins appeare of a blacke or swert colour, spread in manner of a Creifish clees.

The astronomical sense of cancer is from the Latin name for the constellation of the crab. The name was known to the Anglo-Saxons, but only as a Latin name and was not assimilated into English until the Middle English period. It appears in Ælfric’s De Temporibus Anni, written c.993, in a list of the constellations of the Zodiac:

Feorða • Cancer • þæt is Crabba
(Fourth, Cancer, that is the crab.)

The Anglicized name appears c.1391 in Chaucer’s Treatise on the Astrolabe:

In this heved of cancer is the grettist declinacioun northward of the sonne...this signe of cancre is clepid the tropik of Somer.
(At this first point (head) of cancer is the greatest declination northward of the sun…this sign of cancer is named the tropic of summer.)

(Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition)  (+ info)

Need help with my homework on the gastrointestinal or digestive diseases/disorders?

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I need to write about a gastrointestinal system or digestive system disease/disorder. I need to describe what it is, causes, symptoms and treatments. Anyone know any good links?
Gastroparisis,is also a good one to do cause its really rare.  (+ info)

Are there any annual screening tests for gastrointestinal health?

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I can't think of any routine, preventative screening tests for gastrointestinal problems... not cancer but general stomach/intestine disorders. In a healthy person (with no symptoms of gastrointestinal distress), are there questions a doctor would ask to make sure that their stomach/digestion is functioning well?
  (+ info)

What is the basis of differing actions of antineoplastic agents on different tissue/neoplasms?

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What is the basis for differing tissue- and neoplasm-specificites of antieoplastic chemotherapeutic agents? This doubt arose because considering what the pharmacokinetics of these drugs are it remains to be answered as to why a certain agent would act only in a particular tissue or neoplasm when the mechanisms they employ are so similar, e.g., various alkylating agents in spite having same action act of different tumors with differing degrees of effectiveness. Hope someone answers the question specifically. Useful links to free-text articles would also be highly appreciated. Bye. TC.
If you have thoughts on this subject, you ought to have the initiative to research it yourself.  (+ info)

how can the presence of parasites in the gastrointestinal system be determined?

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Is there any reliable test or something which can be used to see if parasites (for example hookworms) are present in the gastrointestinal system?
Unless you actually pass an adult worm, the most common and effective way to determine if you have worms or parasites is by a test called an Ova and Parasite Exam. You will be asked to provide anywhere from one to three consecutive stool samples. The laboratory technologist will treat the stool specimen to concentrate any eggs or parasites and then make a smear on a glass slide. This smear may or may not be stained with a dye; it is closely examined for the presence of ova (eggs) and parasitic amoebas and cysts. If your doctor suspects a pinworm infection, he will ask you to apply a piece of tape to the anal region in the morning before you use the bathroom and apply the sticky side of the tape to a microscope slide. The laboratory technologist will look at this slide under the microscope and look for the presence of the eggs.

I have many years of experience with this and I observed something quite interesting. In the poor communities in the US, I've rarely seen anything more than pinworm, but in the wealthy communities I've seen all sorts of parasites and worms! The reason is because these people have the money to take exotic vacations in other countries where they pick up these infestations and infections! It is not uncommon for people who live in third world countries to have multiple parasites. It has everything to do with good sanitation. If people are exposed to food or water contaminated with sewage, they will pick up parasitic infections.  (+ info)

frequently, I wake up in the morning with gastrointestinal discomfort. any idea what this might be?

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Sometimes, during the night I wake up to urinate and this gastrointestinal discomfort is already felt. This discomfort is associated with flatulence that may help relieve the pain. This discomfort diminishes after about 20-30 minutes or after breakfast. This has been experienced especially when I was a kid. But up to now, it still happens. I just don't know what is wrong. Perhaps I need to have your ideas of the probable cause/source of this abnormality. It happens occasionally, not everyday.
I would look at my eating habbits if I were you. What time to you eat supper or your last meal/snack? Your stomach should have 3 hrs at least to properally digest food before you try to rest. I would also do so checking in to your diet. Notice any similar foods on the days of the discomfort. Watch the diary. Lactose is a difficult sugar to digest.  (+ info)

Is there a difference between the digestive tract and the gastrointestinal tract?

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Is there a difference between the digestive tract and the gastrointestinal tract?
Yes there is- the digestive tract includes your mouth and saliva that starts to break down carbs before you seallow.
GOOD LUCK.  (+ info)

Can gourmet mushrooms cause severe gastrointestinal reactions?

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I added Alba Clamshell, Trumpet Royale & Forest Namedo mushrooms to a salad and within 30 minutes had severe gastrointestinal pain that lasted for over 4 hours. I slept but in the morning I still had residual heartburn, strange headache and flushing of face & neck with a hive itch feeling.

Could this be an allergic reaction?
Are you sure about the safety of the mushrooms you added? The reason I ask is that part of your symptoms don't match with food allergy. For example the gastro pain is not a typical symptom but red/flushed skin or hives is. Headache is not an allergy symptom but itching is.
Your reaction could be the result of a food intolerance which is medically different from a food allergy. Either way, you have to avoid the offending food.  (+ info)

Advice for caring for someone with gastrointestinal disorders?

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My wife has several diagnosed gastrointestinal disorders that, while treated, frequently cause her severe abdominal cramping/pain and nausea, and often tension headaches.

While we are still trying to get her effective medical treatment, is there any advice anyone has on home treatment/care I could provide to make things easier?

Thanks in advance!
Keep some ibuprofen on hand, it's an anti-inflammatory which will help. Make sure she takes it with food however, even if it's just a dry cracker. She can safely take 600 mg every 6-8 hours. Check with her doctor first in case her gastrointestinal issues won't allow her to take ibuprofen, he might prefer she use Tylenol. If these are ineffective talk to your local doctor about a mild muscle relaxer which will help to ease the cramps.

Make sure she drinks PLENTY of fluids, that's essential, and also get her a hot water bottle that she can hold across her abdomen. A fiber drink might help, but it depends upon the medical issue that she has. Peppermint tea is also good for nausea if she can tolerate it.

Hopefully you'll get some effective help soon. I wish you both the best.  (+ info)

The most important characteristic that a drug must have to freely pass from the gastrointestinal tract into?

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The most important characteristic that a drug must have to freely pass from the gastrointestinal tract into the circulation is to be
A. in salt form
B. bound to protein
C. bound to a receptor
D. fat soluble
That's (d) fat soluble..because the unionized form of a drug (more fat soluble) can pass by simple diffusion through the membranes of intestinal cells to pass again by the same simple diffusion mechanism and by virtue of its lipid solubility through the membranes of the blood capillaries in the intestinal walls and thus it can, finally, reach the systemic circulation...
The reverse is true for excretion and a drug should be in the ionized,(more water soluble) form to be excreted rapidly from the body and be removed from the systemic circulation by the kidneys  (+ info)

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