There are a number of Research Updates in this PH Online Aug Issue 173 which point to potentially significant steps in our understanding of certain cancers.

Lee et al from National Cancer Institute, Bethesda MD, USA noted that nitric oxide (NO) induces cytotoxicity and angiogenesis, and may play a role in prostate carcinogenesis, potentially modulated by environmental exposures. This research team then investigated and evaluated the association of prostate cancer with genetic polymorphisms in two genes related to intracellular nitric oxide (NO).

The results for eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were statistically significant for prostate cancer (P = 0.005), especially for aggressive cancer (stage III-IV or Gleason score > or = 7) (P = 0.01). These particular SNPs showed significant associations with aggressive cancer and not for non-aggressive cancer, suggesting that NOS gene polymorphisms are genetic susceptibility factors for aggressive prostate cancer.
www.positivehealth.com/research-view.php?researchid=4211  

Two studies by Jeong et al, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea studied the role of  plasma carotenoids, retinol and tocopherol levels and ovarian cancer risk in Korean women as well as the association between antioxidant micronutrients and endometrial cancer risk in Korean women.

In the first study, women with the highest plasma levels of plasma carotenoids, retinol and tocopherol had much lower risks  of ovarian cancer than women with the lowest levels. These risks ranged from 12% for beta-carone, 9% for lycopene, 23% for alpha0tocopheral and 28% for gamma-tocopherol.
www.positivehealth.com/research-view.php?researchid=4212  

In the second study by the same team, the researchers examined the relation between the plasma concentration of antioxidant micronutrients and endometrial cancer risk in Korean women. The mean concentration of plasma beta-carotene (p=0.001), lycopene (p=0.008), zeaxanthin plus lutein (p=0.031), retinol (p=0.048), and gamma-tocopherol (p=0.046) were significantly lower in endometrial cancer patients than in controls. The authors concluded that plasma levels of beta-carotene and lycopene are inversely associated with the risk of endometrial cancer in Korean women.
www.positivehealth.com/research-view.php?researchid=4213  

These research studies provide but a tiny snapshot of what is being added to our knowledge base of mechanisms of cancer, its causes and future potential methods of treatment.

Within the Articles for this Aug Issue 173, there are several features discussing treatment therapies, including Reflexology - Caring for Older People by Lynne Booth
 
Neuromuscular Therapy for Chronic Pain and Postural Dysfunction by Humphrey Baccus 

Facet Joint Syndrome Source of Back and Neck Pain by Jesse Cannone
 
Aromatic Pregnancy and Childbirth in the UK by Pam Conrad
 
Spoiled Sport by Joël Carbonnel
 
and Dru Yoga for Wellbeing and Resilience to Stress by Jane Saraswati Clapham
 

The Nutrition articles in this issue discuss the digestive complaint of Bloating by Wilma Kirsten, 

Magnesium Supplementation by Marek Doyle  

Two further articles describe and argue the merits of Vegetarianism:
Be Vegetarian by BD Basu
 
And No More Beef - The Argument for Vegetarianism by Donna Jennings
 
And on more psychological and philosophical levels, featured are Higher Consciousness Healing - Tara Springett by Kwami E Nyamidie
 
and the very last Expert Column Moving Towards Serenity by Beata Bishop.
 
Beata Bishop has been a tireless contributor to Positive Health PH Online over the past decade. Her articles, Expert Columns and book reviews have attracted a loyal following, well before the days of social networking. She has metamorphosed from a survivor of Stage 4 melanoma herself to author and tireless worker and active campaigner for the Gerson treatment approach. In March 2010 the Gerson Institute Board of Directors' selected Beata Bishop to receive their first Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Recognition for her decades-long volunteer work in the interest of healing the hopelessly chronically ill using the Gerson Therapy. Her latest book, co-authored with Charlotte Gerson is Healing The Gerson Way: Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases, reviewed by Dr Nichola Hembry on PH Online:  
 
The large body of knowledge which has accumulated within all fields of Complementary Medicine engenders feelings of confidence in the clinical progress of natural treatment approaches. However, reading the conventional medical journals or listening to media about new medical discoveries for cancer, diabetes or even back pain brings into sharp relief the divided universes which still don't really converge. They simply co-exist as separate entities, with the more powerful and resourced medical and pharmaceutical organizations still exercising supreme legal, political and clinical power over us all. I hope that there will come a day when these two universes cooperate.