FINGER LENGTH – A reliable predictor for prostate cancer?

Earlier this month, British researchers published new research presenting a link between the relative length of the index finger and the risk of developing prostate cancer. In men with an index finger longer than the ring finger the chances are 33% higher for not developing the disease.

Often such studies are qualified by non-experts as “nonsense” – initially because of the association with classical palmistry. Usually a main argument of concern is the seize of the studied sample: many ’2D:4D digit ratio’ studies have been focused relatively small samples, and usually with the statistics were simly not strong enough to be applied to individuals. But those arguments can not be used to the describe the new British study!

The new British research involves a study where the hands of 1,524 prostate cancer patients were examined, which were compared with a control group of 3,044 men.

It can also be noted that Professor John Manning described in his second book ‘The Finger Book‘ with great details the suspected link between the ’2D:4D digit ratio’ and prostate cancer – a complex theory about of role glutamine chains in the sensitivity of hormone receptors, which in their turn play a role in the activation of testosterone in the body:

“…The various forms of the androgen receptor have important consequences for our health and behaviour. For example, African-American men have shorter glutamine chains (high sensitivity to testosterone) than white men. Short glutamine chains are associated with an increased susceptibility to prostate cancer, and this may in part explain why the incidence of prostate cancer is higher in African-Americans than in white Americans. …”

In short, there seems to exist a triangular relationship between: 1) the high percentage of prostate cancer in Americans with African ancestry, 2) the length of the glutamine chains, and 3) the length ratio between index finger and ring finger.

The importance of the new British study can be recognized in the fact the use of preventive screening for prostate cancer – which is anno 2010 usually done through the use of a blood test – is still an object of confusion. Simply because the benefits of the screening devices are still very unclear. Meanwhile it is a fact that prostate cancer is known as the No. 1 cause of death from cancer in men (see picture below).

The British researchers therefore are speculating about how to add a practical application of their finger length study to the traditional methods of prostate cancer prevention screening!

RELATED SOURCES:
• More finger length studies
• How to read your own palm!

HANDS & CANCER – part 4: ‘Palmar keratosis’ & bladder + lung cancer!

HANDS ON CANCER – ‘Palmar keratosis’ is often seen in various types of cancer! ‘Palmar keratosis’ is a relatively common skin condition characterized by an overgrowth of keratin on the skin of the hand. Interestingly, this skin condition in the hand is about 4 times more frequently observed in persons with various cancerous tumors, including: bladder cancer & lung cancer. Some statistics on ‘palmar keratosis’ & cancer: “This skin condition in the hand is about 4 times more frequently observed in persons with cancerous tumors – compared to healthy individuals (15% to 23%). Multiple studies have indicated that ‘palmar keratosis’ is especially very often seen in patients with bladder cancer (67% to 87%) or lung cancer (71%).” NOTICE: ‘Skin keratosis’ is a very common (pre-cancerous growth) skin condition – ‘actinic keratosis‘, the most common variant, is usually found on various body parts, including: the backs of the upper arms, thighs, and (especially in women) the buttocks areas. SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER READING: • HANDS ON CANCER: 4 hand characteristics related to various cancers! • HAND-FOOT SYNDROME: Why a cancer patient may have no fingerprints! • Can palm reading pick up ovarian cancer? • Tripe palms may signal lung cancer or stomach cancer! • Nail clubbing may signal lung, heart & stomach diseases! • Palmar fascial thickening + deeper palm lines linked with ovarian cancer!

Palmar fascial thickening + deeper palm lines linked to ovarian cancer!

‘Palmar fascial thickening’ relates to ovarian cancer! Curling or thickening of the hand palm combined with swelling of the fingers, making the hand look like wood with lumpy areas. It’s called PFPAS, a.k.a the ‘palmar fasciitis and polyarthritis syndrome’ (PFPAS). What are the palmar fascia? The palmar fascia lie under the skin on the palm of the hand and fingers. These fascia are a thin sheet of connective tissue, and the fascia separate into thin bands of tissue at the fingers. The fascia cover the tendons of the palm of the hand and holds them in place. It also prevents the fingers from bending too far backward when pressure is placed against the front of the fingers – see the picture below. The palmar fascia: Some statistics on ‘palmar fascial thickening’ & cancer: “Combined with a deepening of the palmar lines this hand characteristic is since 1982 known as a signal for ovarian cancer – but it’s a very rare condition for since then about 40 cases have been reported.” NOTICE: Problems with the palmar fascia are also often seen in “Dupuytren’s contracture” (Dupuytren’s disease). SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER READING: • Hands on cancer: how the hand signals various type of cancers! • How a doctor found a brain cancer via a handshake! • Can palm reading pick up ovarian cancer? • More about how the hand relates to cancer! • How fingerprints may disappear from cancer drugs

Tripe palms may signal lung cancer or stomach cancer!

‘Tripe palms’ relate to lung/stomach cancer! Tripe palms is a very rare skin disease which is characterised by thickened velvety palms that have the appearance of tripe – the stomach lining of beef, pork, or sheep. If tripe palms is featured with acanthosis nigricans (a brown to black, poorly defined, velvety hyperpigmentation of the skin), the cause is usually related to stomach- (35%) or lung cancer (11%). Some statistics on ‘tripe palms’ & cancer: “In over 40% of patients, tripe palms are the first sign of an undiagnosed cancer, hence all patients should undergo a full diagnostic workup for an associated malignancy, particularly lung cancer, gastrointestinal carcinoma, or a colonic polyps.” “There is no specific treatment for tripe palms. It has been reported that approximately 30% of cases resolve once the underlying cancer is treated. However, tripe palms inconsistently respond to successful therapy and may persist for many years despite remission of the underlying cancer.” Approximately in 90% of people having tripe palms this unusual hand characteristic can be associated with internal malignancy, for example a colonic polyps. SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER READING: • Hands on cancer: how the hand signals various type of cancers! • Can palm reading pick up ovarian cancer? • Fingerprints may vanish due to cancer drugs! • Did Michael Jackson suffer on skin cancer?