The Salmanyah Hospital, located in Bahrain, recently took delivery of a Paxman Scalp Cooling Machine. The revolutionary Paxman hair loss prevention system is responsible for helping thousands of people worldwide keep their hair and their dignity.

One of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy treatment is hair loss. Scalp cooling can reduce or prevent hair loss by lowering the temperature of the head and scalp immediately before, during and after chemotherapy, minimising the damaged caused to the hair follicles.

Richard Paxman, Operations Director at Paxman said: “It is great to see our scalp cooling machines making a significant difference in medical centres across the world. I am delighted at the new partnership with the Salmanyah Hospital and we are looking forward to continuing to develop our relationships in the Middle East through our distributor Gateway Scientific.”

For many, January is often seen as a month to ease back into work and plan for the year ahead, for Paxman this is certainly not the case.

Sales and Training Manager, Claire Paxman has been distributing scalp coolers and delivering training to nurses at a number of hospitals throughout the UK. 

Delivery Schedule:

Claire Paxman commented: “At Paxman, our mission is to increase awareness of scalp cooling worldwide and establish it as a common treatment practice for all patients undergoing chemotherapy. One of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy treatment is hair loss and it is important that patients are provided with the right information on the various options that are available to them whilst undergoing chemotherapy.

“I’m delighted that we have had so many deliveries in January, it has been a great start to the year, and I’m looking forward to continuing to develop new relationships with hospitals throughout the country.”

We all know how important exercise is as part of a healthy lifestyle – but it is even more important for those suffering from cancer.

Experts at Macmillan Cancer Support say that all patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment should be doing around two and a half hours of exercise every week.

Research shows that exercise reduces the side effects of cancer and the chances that the cancer will return. The idea that patients should take it easy after chemotherapy is certainly an outdated one.

Exercise is safe during and after most types of cancer treatment and there is no reason for survivors to avoid activity. The exercise need not be anything too strenuous, doing the gardening, or going for a brisk walk both count as exercise!

Research shows that exercising can:
• Reduce the risk of breast cancer recurring by 40%
• Reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer by 30%
• Reduce the risk of dying from bowel cancer by 50%

British scientists have recently discovered a new way to stop cancer by manipulating a master switch responsible for cell growth.

The findings, published in the Cancer Cell journal, expose how cancer cells grow more rapidly by producing their own blood vessels.

Cancer cells gain the nutrients they need by producing proteins that make blood vessels grow, helping deliver oxygen and sugars to the tumour. These proteins are formed by different parts of genes slotting together.

Scientists at the University of the West of England (UWE) and Bristol University studied tissues removed from kidney cancer patients at Southmead Hospital.

Researchers discovered that mutations in a specific cancer gene controlled the balance of this process, called splicing, and in turn found a way of using drugs to switch it off. This stopped the growth of cancers.

Dr Michael Ladomery, from UWE, cautioned that halting the process of growing cancer cells had only been tried in models so far.

He said: ‘It is important to stress that this is basic research. This could give encouragement that splicing can have a profound effect on tumour growth and encourages others to go down this particular path.’

Paxman have recently delivered an Orbis Paxman scalp cooling machine to the Al Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi, the first of its kind in the region. It has already been used by 16 patients with an incredible 74% success rate.

One of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy treatment is hair loss. Scalp cooling can reduce or prevent hair loss by lowering the temperature of the head and scalp immediately before, during and after chemotherapy, minimising the damage caused to the hair follicles.

Dr.Kassem Alom, CEO of AL Noor Hospitals Group said that installing and using the new device, which is considered the first of its kind in the region is part of the Group’s strategy to provide the best treatment methods that will enhance the patient’s psychological state and encourages commitment to the chemo-therapeutic sessions in the field of cancer treatment.

This revolutionary scalp cooling treatment has already gained interest from the local media, to read the full article click here.

No food can single-handedly cure or prevent cancer, but with a balanced diet, we can reduce the chances of getting cancer.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has put together a list of foods which it believes will help to fight cancer.

Such foods include: Blueberries, Cranberries, Grapes and grape juice, Green tea, Tomatoes, Dark green leafy vegetables, Broccoli, Winter squash, Beans, Flaxseed, Garlic, Soy, and Whole grains. 

These foods signify that a broad, balanced diet is what strengthens the fight against cancer. The AICR has also provided additional tips on how to reduce the risk of cancer:

1. Limit your intake of red meats (beef, pork, lamb).

2. Do not indulge in sugary drinks.

3. Avoid meal supplements.

4. Limit alcoholic beverages to one drink per day for women and two per day for men.

5. Limit salty foods.

6. Avoid processed foods.

7. New mothers should breastfeed exclusively for six months prior to adding additional foods and liquids.

The key factor in reducing your chances of getting cancer is through your diet. Using these tips and increasing your fruit and vegetable intake can help to create a healthy defence against cancer.

A recent review published in the British Journal of Cancer has revealed that nearly half of the estimated 130,000 Cancers diagnosed in the UK each year are caused by avoidable life choices, including smoking, drinking and eating the wrong things.

The report published by Cancer Research UK has named Tobacco as the biggest culprit causing a staggering 23% of cancers in men and 15.6% in women.

Authors of the report claim it is the most comprehensive analysis to date. Lead author Professor Max Parkin said: “Many people believe cancer is down to fate or ‘in the genes’ and that it is the luck of the draw whether they get it. Looking at all the evidence, it’s clear that around 40% of all cancers are caused by things we mostly have the power to change.”

The best advice for men appears to be to stop smoking, eat more fruit and veg and cut down on alcohol intake. And for women again the advice is to stop smoking and watch your weight.

Professor Parkin said: “We didn’t expect to find that eating fruit and vegetables would prove to be so important in protecting men against cancer. And among women we didn’t expect being overweight to be more of a risk factor than alcohol.”

14 environmental and lifestyle factors such as where you live and what job you have, combine to cause 134,000 cancers in the UK each year.

Paxman have gained media attention once again after the delivery of 5 Paxman scalp cooling machines to The Royal Derby Hospital. 

Derby Hospitals pride themselves on hospital cleanliness, and new facilities, and have now become the first hospital in the East Midlands to be involved in a scheme by national charity Walk the Walk to extend Paxman’s scalp cooling technology across the UK.

The hospital previously used a Gel Cap system which had proven to be less effective. A hospital spokesperson commented: “The caps did not stay cool for a long period of time so this meant they had to be swapped for cooler ones to ensure treatments continued.”

In comparison to the Paxman system the previous techniques were less adaptable to individual patients as only came in one size, had limited mobility, and required additional equipment alongside the cap.

To read more about how Paxman scalp coolers compare to the traditional gel caps click here to download our handy comparison sheet.

The new machines from Paxman were funded by Walk the Walk following its pledge four years ago to put the technology into every hospital in the UK within five years.

Julie Chapman, Manager of The Derby Hospital charity, was given the money to spend and said: “The Derby Hospital charity exists to make patients’ lives better and we are thrilled that, thanks to this donation, we have been able to make a real difference.”

Claire Paxman, Sales and Training Manager at Paxman commented: “We are delighted that The Derby Hospital has taken delivery of 5 of our scalp cooling machines. It is great that the hospital recognised that our system differs from the traditional gel cap system which has a negative stigma attached to it.

One of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy treatment is hair loss and it is important that patients are provided with the right information on the various options that are available to them whilst undergoing chemotherapy.”

To read the full news story click here.

To learn more about scalp cooling click here.

The National Lung Cancer Audit Report 2011 claims that better care is being received by lung cancer patients in the UK as we close the gap on others in Western Europe in terms of quality.

The report indicates the percentage of patients receiving crucial care measures, such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy is improving each year.

Lung cancer kills more people in the UK than any other form of cancer and this new audit includes data for almost 100% of the estimated 38,057 UK cases first treated in 2010 that presented to secondary care.

The NHS information centre in partnership with Royal College of Physicians, manage the audit and it is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership.

Results show that 13.7% of patients in England and Wales and 11.1% of patients in Scotland received an operation, compared to 10.8% and 10.6% respectively in 2008.

Lung cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, so up to three quarters of patients are not suitable for surgery. Audit authors said the improved surgery rate suggested improving expertise among clinical teams in assessing patients for borderline fitness for surgery and better access to more complex surgical techniques.

For anti-cancer treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 58.4% of patients in England and Wales and 63.9% of patients in Scotland received an anti-cancer treatment, compared to 54% and 64.1% respectively in 2008.

Consultant in respiratory medicine Dr Mick Peake, audit clinical lead and clinical lead for NHS Cancer Improvement and the National Cancer Intelligence Network, said: “The audit has exceeded all our hopes and expectations both in terms of the quality and comprehensive nature of the data and the impact that it is clearly having on the care of lung cancer patients in the UK.”

Women please note – four cups of coffee a day could help you keep womb cancer at bay.

A new study at Harvard School of Public Health has found a link between regular consumption of coffee and a lower risk of developing endometrial cancer.

A 26 year study of almost 70,000 women found that women who drank four or more cups a day over many years were 25% less likely to develop the disease than those who had less than one cup daily.

The ‘Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention’ journal said that both caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties appear to help although tea had no effect. If drunk regularly coffee may help lower the level of hormones believed to fuel cancer, say researchers.

They also stated that “Increasing exercise and maintaining normal body weight are the most important ways to prevent endometrial cancer. Additional strategies are also needed and dietary habits such as coffee could provide one option.”

Researchers cautioned that adding cream and sugar to coffee may cancel out the effects as can smoking, The Daily Mail reported.