Cancer is the name for a group of diseases in which cells in a specific part of the body divide and grow abnormally to form clusters known as tumors. All body tissues are formed from cells whose behavior is governed by genes. Under normal circumstances, cells reproduce and die at an equal rate, but if the gene responsible for controlling this aspect of cell behavior changes or mutates then the cell can begin to replicate uncontrollably. Whilst the link between cancer and obesity has been the focus of significant research for some time, no single causal pathway has been identified and at present it is not clear whether obesity is responsible for causing the gene mutations that can initiate cancer, or if it somehow promotes cancer progression such that the disease is detected at an earlier age than would otherwise be typical

Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing is temporarily suspended during sleep. There are several forms of sleep apnea, including central, complex and obstructive sleep apnea, of which the latter is the most common. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may involve two different types of breathing interruption: apnea and hypopnea. Apnea occurs when the upper airway becomes obstructed due to collapse of the muscles and soft tissues of the throat during inspiration. Hypopnea is said to occur when the blockage is only partial, resulting in a significant reduction in airflow.

The wonders of technology can be truly impressive and sometimes daunting. The idea of a robot operating on a human being (for example, on you) could certainly be considered intimidating. So when doctors say they would recommend a procedure using the da Vinci Surgery robotic system, does that sound like a robot is going to perform the operation? Actually the da Vinci system is an ‘Intuitive Surgical Endoscopic Instrument Control System.’ That means the da Vinci system is a combination of computers, electronics and machinery that provides a surgeon with an intuitive tool for seeing and controlling surgical instruments during an operation.