Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor that usually starts in the cells of one of your adrenal glands. Although they are usually benign, pheochromocytomas often cause the adrenal gland to make too many hormones. This can lead to high blood pressure and cause symptoms such as :

• Headaches
• Sweating
• Pounding of the heart
• Being shaky
• Being extremely pale

Sometimes pheochromocytoma is part of another condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome (MEN). People with MEN often have other cancers and other problems involving hormones.

Doctors use lab tests and imaging tests to diagnose it. Surgery is the most common treatment. Other options include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. It is invisible and has no odor or taste. It comes from the normal decay of uranium and thorium. These are two chemical elements that can be found in soil, rock, and groundwater. Radon breaks down quickly, giving off radioactive particles. Over time, breathing in high levels of these particles can cause lung cancer.

Outdoors, there are low levels of radon in the air. But radon can also be indoors. It can enter homes and buildings through cracks in the floors, walls, or foundations. Certain building materials can give off radon. And sometimes radon gets inside through well water.

Radon levels can be higher in homes and buildings that are well insulated, tightly sealed, and/or built on soil that has a lot of uranium and thorium. Basements and first floors usually have the highest radon levels because they are closer to the ground.

When you breathe in radon, its radioactive decay products can get trapped in your lungs. They can damage the cells that line your lungs. Over time, it can lead to lung cancer. It may take years before this happens.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths after cigarette smoking. If you smoke and are exposed to radon, your risk of lung cancer is much higher than if you did not smoke. Most radon-related cancer deaths happen in smokers.

Testing is the only way to know if there are high levels of radon in your home. You should test your home's radon levels:

• If it's never been tested or the radon levels are unknown
• When preparing to buy or sell your house
• Before and after any renovations, especially after making any repairs to reduce radon levels
• Before making any lifestyle changes in the home that would cause someone to spend more time in the basement or lower level (such as converting a basement to a bedroom)

Testing is fairly inexpensive and easy to do. You can buy a test kit at most hardware stores or hire someone to do a test. It's a good idea to first contact a state or local radon official for advice. They can explain the differences between testing devices and recommend the most appropriate test for your needs. They can also give you a list of qualified radon testers.

There are both long- and short-term test kits:

• Short-term kits measure radon for 2-90 days for quick results
• Long-term kits measure radon in your home for over 90 days

Radon levels can vary from day to day and month to month. So a long-term test will give a better estimate of your average radon level.

If the testing shows that you have an unsafe level of radon in your home, you can have a radon reduction system installed. It can bring the amount of radon down to a safe level. The cost of the system will depend on the size and design of your home.

You can also take some other steps to reduce radon levels in your home:

• Increase air flow in your house by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air. But this will only temporarily reduce the radon levels.
• Seal cracks in floors and walls with plaster, caulk, or other materials designed for this purpose.
• After any fixes, monitor the radon levels to make sure that they are lower.

Carcinoid tumors are rare, slow-growing cancers. They usually start in the lining of the digestive tract or in the lungs. They grow slowly and don't produce symptoms in the early stages. As a result, the average age of people diagnosed with digestive or lung carcinoids is about 60.

In later stages the tumors sometimes produce hormones that can cause carcinoid syndrome. The syndrome causes flushing of the face and upper chest, diarrhea, and trouble breathing.

Surgery is the main treatment for carcinoid tumors. If they haven't spread to other parts of the body, surgery can cure the cancer.

A hysterectomy is surgery to remove the uterus (womb). The uterus is the place where a fetus grows during pregnancy. A hysterectomy treats problems like heavy bleeding, pain, or cancer in the uterus.

After a hysterectomy, you no longer have menstrual periods and can't become pregnant. Sometimes the surgery also removes the ovaries and fallopian tubes. If you have both ovaries taken out,menopause symptoms will usually begin.

Hysterectomy is a major surgery. Your health care provider may suggest other treatment options first. These might include medicine, hormone therapy, or procedures to remove fibroids or stop heavy bleeding. Sometimes these won't help, or surgery might be the only option, depending on the condition that needs to be treated.

Your provider might recommend a hysterectomy if you have:

• Fibroids, if you are near or past menopause, have large fibroids or very heavy bleeding.
• Endometriosis, that hasn't been cured by medicine or surgery.
• Uterine prolapse, which can happen after several vaginal births, menopause, or because of obesity. It is when the uterus drops into the vagina.
• Cancer, of the uterus, cervix, ovaries, or endometrium (the lining of the uterus).
• Vaginal bleeding, that is heavy or unusual and persists despite treatment.
• Chronic pelvic pain, which starts in the uterus. A hysterectomy is a last resort since it doesn't fix some pelvic pain.
• Adenomyosis, is a thickening of the walls of the uterus. A hysterectomy is only considered if pain is severe and no other treatments have worked.

Your provider will discuss the type of hysterectomy you need, depending on your condition.

The different types of surgeries include:

• A total hysterectomy is the most common type and involves the removal of all the uterus, including the cervix. The ovaries and fallopian tubes may or may not be removed.
• A partial (subtotal or supracervical) hysterectomy removes just the upper part of the uterus. The cervix is left in place, and your ovaries may or may not be removed
• A radical hysterectomy removes all the uterus, cervix, and tissue on both sides of the cervix and the upper part of the vagina. This is most often used to treat certain types of cancer, such as cervical cancer. The fallopian tubes and ovaries may or may not be removed.

A hysterectomy may be done several different ways. Your provider will determine the best method for the surgery based on your general health, the reason for the surgery, and other factors.

Methods to perform a hysterectomy include:

• Abdominal hysterectomy. A cut is made in your lower abdomen (belly). Your provider may recommend this method if you have a large uterus or to check other pelvic organs for signs of disease. This surgery has a longer recovery time than the others.
• Vaginal hysterectomy. A small cut is made in your vagina. This may not be an option if you have very large fibroids.
• Laparoscopic hysterectomy. Uses an instrument with a thin, lighted tube and an attached camera. This helps your provider see your pelvic organs. Small cuts are made in either your abdomen (belly) or vagina. This is not an option for all types of uterine fibroids.
• Robotic surgery. Your provider guides a robotic arm to do the surgery through small cuts in your lower abdomen (belly).

After a hysterectomy, it can take four to six weeks to recover, depending on the type of surgery you have.

Like all surgeries, a hysterectomy has risks, even though the results are usually good. Talk to your provider about the benefits and risks of having a hysterectomy.

More serious risks can include:

• Too much bleeding during surgery
• Infection
• Blood clots

Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health

Your bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside some of your bones, such as your hip and thigh bones. It contains immature cells, called stem cells. The stem cells can develop into the red blood cells that carry oxygen through your body, the white blood cells that fight infections, and the platelets that help with blood clotting. If you have a myelodysplastic syndrome, the stem cells do not mature into healthy blood cells. Many of them die in the bone marrow. This means that you do not have enough healthy cells, which can lead to infection, anemia, or easy bleeding.

Myelodysplastic syndromes often do not cause early symptoms and are sometimes found during a routine blood test. If you have symptoms, they may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Weakness or feeling tired
• Skin that is paler than usual
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Pinpoint spots under the skin caused by bleeding
• Fever or frequent infections

Myelodysplastic syndromes are rare. People at higher risk are over 60, have had chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or have been exposed to certain chemicals. Treatment options include transfusions, drug therapy, chemotherapy, and blood or bone marrow stem cell transplants.

NIH: National Cancer Institute