Top Hospitals
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
From its beautifull Architectural Design to its high price tag, this is one of the best hospital in America. Founded in 1980. Over the last ten years, BWH has been one of the top two largest non-university recipients of research funding from the National Institutes of Health.[3] In 2010, the hospital received a total of $555 million in research funding from all sources. The BWH Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), which oversees the hospital's research, has a staff of more than 3,700 researchers, including over 900 principal investigators.
Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles
Founded and financed by businessman Kaspare Cohn, Cedars-Sinai was established as the Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902. This hospital is famous for its celebrity guests and privacy, celebrity's are well guarded when they come to this hospital and the security is very tight so its very hard for the media to get in or to get information out.
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland
The Cleveland Clinic was founded in February 1921 by four renowned Cleveland physicians. The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute is home to all laboratory-based, translational and clinical research at Cleveland Clinic, having total annual research expenditures exceeding $258 million from the National Institutes of Health and other funding sources in 2008. With more than 1,300 residents and fellows, the Cleveland Clinic’s graduate medical education program is one of the largest in the country. The Cleveland Clinic was ranked as the fourth best hospital in America for complex and demanding situations according to the 2010 U.S. News & World Report America's Best Hospitals report and ranked number one for cardiac care for 16 years in a row.
The Cleveland Clinic is heavily involved in efforts to expand Cleveland's economy and produce growth for the region. The Clinic is the largest private employer in northeast Ohio, and the third largest in the state of Ohio, with over 36,000 employees all over the United States and revenues exceeding $4.4 billion annually. At $2.7 billion, the Clinic's endowment rivals those of top American universities.
Vitamin B
B vitamins are essential for growth, development, and a variety of other bodily functions. They play a major role in the activities of enzymes, proteins that regulate chemical reactions in the body, which are important in turning food into energy and other needed substances. B vitamins are found in plant and animal food sources.
B vitamins are an important part of the diet and are needed to help avoid many health problems. But, with the exception of vitamin B9 (folic acid), there is not enough scientific evidence to know whether B vitamins can reduce the risk of cancer.
People with low intake of folic acid are at increased risk for certain types of cancer. A diet rich in vegetables containing this vitamin, and perhaps a daily multivitamin supplement containing the recommended daily value of folic acid is recommended by some experts in cancer prevention. (See our separate document, Folic Acid, for more information.)
Available scientific evidence does not support claims that any B vitamin is an effective treatment for people who already have cancer.
Scientists know that B vitamins are part of many important bodily functions:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) help the body produce energy and affect enzymes that influence the muscles, nerves, and heart.
- Vitamin B3 (niacin) has a role in energy production in cells and helps keep the skin, nervous system, and digestive system healthy.
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) influences normal growth and development.
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) helps the body break down protein and helps maintain the health of red blood cells, the nervous system, and parts of the immune system.
- Vitamin B7 (biotin) helps break down protein and carbohydrates and helps the body make hormones.
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid) helps the cells in the body make and maintain DNA and is important in the production of red blood cells.
- Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) plays a role in the body's growth and development. It also has a part in producing blood cells, nervous system function, and how the body uses folic acid and carbohydrates.
Deficiency of certain B vitamins can cause anemia, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, depression, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, muscle cramps, respiratory infections, hair loss, eczema, poor growth in children, and birth defects.
Some alternative medical practitioners claim that deficiencies in B vitamins weaken the immune system and make the body vulnerable to cancer. They recommend high doses of B vitamins as treatments for people with cancer. Many researchers are studying the relationships between vitamin intake and risk of developing certain cancers.
The limited data on B vitamins and cancer come mainly from animal studies and observational epidemiologic studies. These types of studies are not as strong as randomized controlled clinical trials and must be interpreted with caution.
There is some evidence from observational epidemiologic studies that increased intake of vitamin B9 (folic acid) is linked to a lower risk of colon cancer, especially in people who are vitamin deficient, such as those who drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Evidence of effects on breast cancer and other types of cancer has been mixed.
Most observational epidemiologic studies have also shown a link between intake of vitamin B6 (as well as blood levels of this vitamin) and lower risks of colorectal cancer. Possible links between other B vitamins and cancer risk have not been studied as extensively or have been studied with mixed results.
Only a few randomized clinical trials of B vitamin supplements have been done. Most of these studies reported that supplements did not reduce cancer risk. In one recent study, people given folate and vitamin B6 supplements were more likely to develop and die of cancer than people taking a placebo pill. It is still unclear whether taking in more B vitamins will help protect against cancer or increase cancer risk. Some scientists have proposed that inherited differences in to the way a person's body uses B vitamins influence whether these supplements will harm or help a person, and that some day it will be possible to provide a personalized recommendation that might lower cancer risk.
Even if some B vitamins prove to be helpful in preventing certain cancers, it does not mean that B vitamins would be useful in treating cancers. In fact, some experts have cautioned that certain B vitamins, such as thiamine and folic acid, might actually make it easier for established tumors to grow. This is not well proven, but caution is advised when considering taking large doses of these vitamins.
At this time, it is hard to say how each nutrient or nutrient combination affects a person’s risk of cancer. On the other hand, studies of large groups of people have shown that those whose diets are high in vegetables and low in animal fat, meat, and/or calories have lower risks for some of the most common types of cancer. Until more is known about this, the American Cancer Society recommends eating a variety of healthy foods -- with most of them coming from plant sources -- rather than relying on supplements.
While it is best to get vitamins and minerals from foods, supplements may be helpful for some people. If a supplement is taken, the best choice for most people is a balanced multivitamin/mineral supplement that contains no more than 100% of the "Daily Value" of most nutrients. Pregnant women, women of childbearing age, and people with restricted food intakes should speak with their doctors about supplements containing higher levels of certain vitamins.
taken from http://www.cancer.org