Thursday, May 6, 2010

Breast Cancer – Problem Faced By Women

There was a time when Breast Cancer was termed to be as a dreaded disease. But things have changed now. If detected earlier, this could be easily treated. Removal of your breast during the treatment of breast cancer can be one of the painful things you would have to go through. It may not be the same case for all patients. With the increasing knowledge about the cures and treatment breast cancer can be treated very easily.

Breast cancer occurs when cell in our breasts known as tumor grow out of control causing damage to the nearby tissues and spreads throughout. These tumors which are cancerous are known as malignant tumors and cause lot of damage to your body. As it takes lot of time for a tumor to grow, it may not be easy to detect the tumor during self exam. But these can be detected with mammograms.

Breast cancers best treatment - early detection. Once, cancer is detected it becomes easier for the doctors and yourself to fight it out. By the age of 20 all women should start doing Breast Self Examination (BSE) it is one of most easiest and earliest ways of detecting cancer. These check ups should be done few days after your periods. You should do this check up at least once a month. A clinical breast exam should be done at least once a year.

Some of the signs to look for, while doing BSE

-A lump found in and around the nipple or underarm
-Change in size or shape
-Nipple discharge or nipple turning inward
-Redness of skin or warmth
-Formation of dimple or change in skin texture

Some of the causes of having breast cancer

Gender: Being a woman is one of the common reasons for suffering from breast cancer. Event though men suffer from this disease too, just being a woman puts you in lot of danger.

Age: As you grow older your chances of having breast cancer increases.

Family history: If somebody in the family has suffered from breast cancer your chances of having breast cancer increases.

Being overweight or obese: If you are an overweight women your chances of breast cancer increases after menopause.

Lack of exercise: Being lethargic and lack of any physical activity leads you towards increasing weight and chances of breast cancer

Alcohol: Drinking alcohol becomes very risky as it increases your chances of breast cancer

Methods to Prevent Breast Cancer

-Turn into a vegetarian
-Have plenty of organic food and vegetables
-Avoid red meat and any processed foods
-Avoid alcohol and colas
-You can have something sweet by having Stevia, an herb which is a substitute to any other toxic artificial sweetener
-Having whole grains is very good such as Oatmeal, Kamut and Psyllium, which are a good source of fiber and enters directly into your bloodstream
-Your diet must include wheat, bran and Cabbage as they are very nutritious food which helps to prevent breast cancer
-Garlic, Ginger, carrots, celery, cilantro, parsley and parsnip has some of the highest cancer fighting nutrients. Include them in your daily diet.

Antiperspirants And Breast Cancer

Most underarm antiperspirants contain as the active ingredient, Aluminium Chlorohydrate, as you will probably remember there has been controversy about Aluminium, since the 1950's when it was a popular metal used for making cooking pots, Saucepans and Fry Pans and that it could be one of the contributing factors to Alzheimer's, now we have another problem that could also be related to Aluminium, Breast Cancer.

Research shows that one of the leading causes of Breast Cancer could be the use of antiperspirants. The human body has a number of areas, that it uses to purge Toxins from the body, these are, behind the knees, behind the ears, the groin area, and the armpits. The toxins are purged from the body in the form of perspiration and antiperspirant as the name clearly suggests prevents you from perspiring, thereby inhibiting the body from purging Toxins from the armpit area.

These Toxin do not just disappear, Instead, the body deposits them in the Lymph Nodes below the arms, since it is unable to sweat them out. A concentration of Toxins then builds up in the areas such as the armpits, which can then lead to cell mutations, which is cancer.

It cannot be ignored, that nearly all Breast Cancer Tumors occur in the upper outer quadrant of the breast area, this is where the Lymph Nodes are located. Men are less likely (but not totally exempt) to develop breast cancer prompted by the use of antiperspirants, because the antiperspirant is more likely to be caught in the armpit hair, rather than directly applied to the skin, but ladies, who shave their armpits, increase the risk by causing imperceptible nicks in the skin, which allow the chemicals to enter easily into the body through the armpits.

This article is aimed mainly at ladies, but please be aware that there are a few antiperspirants on the market that are made from natural products, but basically they would still trap the Toxins in the same areas. The best solution is to use deodorants, rather than antiperspirants, also please remember that the Eight Essential Sugars in Glyconutrients can also help to fight off Toxins.

There is a lot of controversy about this article, the medical profession scoff at the idea, and so do big business, but then again there are huge numbers of people that scoff at the problems associated with Fluoride in drinking water. You can make up your own mind on whether there is something in this article or not, I know that if I was a lady, I would keep clear of Antiperspirants. I realize that Doctors everywhere, do a marvelous job, and they are appreciated, but they are reluctant to look at the bigger picture, also please remember that the fourth largest killer of people in the western world is prescription drugs.

Alternative breast cancer natural herbal treatment

In recent years, there's been an explosion of life-saving treatment in an alternative way with natural and herbal medicine advances against breast cancer, bringing new hope and excitement. Instead of only one or two options, today there's an overwhelming menu of treatment choices that fight the complex mix of cells in each individual cancer.

Let me ask you a question before you start reading this article:

If I could show you a natural cancer fighting strategy that when used alone or when coupled with conventional treatments could kill your cancer - would you be willing to spend 15 minutes reading and listening to the audio of the patients. This potentially is a life changing report?

If you answered NO, then I wish you the best of luck with your doctor.

If you answered YES, then go ahead and read this report.  Do not simply skim over it or skip around from section to section - but read it word for word.  There is some cancer fighting information here.  You won't want to miss a thing.

Finding out that you or a loved one has breast cancer can be absolutely terrifying. However, once you understand the causes of breast cancer and learn how to reverse those causes, you or your loved one can have more than a fighting chance of beating breast cancer. Unfortunately, these strategies can't help everyone survive, but if the person using these strategies has enough time left so that they can start to work, quite often they reverse their cancer.

Now, because you chose to read this report in its entirety - this tells me two things about you.

   1. You want an aggressive no-holds barred approach to skyrocket your chances of survival beyond the ordinary.

   2. You realize conventional treatments may not do the trick alone, and can potentially batter your body, destroy your health and possibly ruin you financially.

A Breast Cancer Survivor says that “We fight cancer everyday...and we never give up.”

We know you are fighting for your life. At Cancer Treatment Centers and our mission is to arm you with every choice and offer you every chance.

Aggressive research, innovative new therapies, and highly-trained, experienced cancer practitioner of conventional treatment work to provide each patient with a personalized treatment plan, based on his or her unique medical condition, needs and desires.

Breast Cancer Treatment
There is hope. Some about treatment options available to you.
Alternative Cancer Treatments
Alternative cancer treatments that counter the underlying causes of cancer, help relieve pain, reduce side effects and help the immune system to more effectively fight cancer.

Let me be in brief about the things

What this cancer exactly is?
Cancer cells are always being created in the body. It's an ongoing process that has gone on for eons. In fact, the immune system developed components whose job it is to seek out and destroy cancer cells.
Cancer is not a mysterious disease that suddenly attacks you out of the blue, something that you can't do anything about. It has definite causes that you can correct if your body has enough time, and if you take action to change the internal environment to one that creates health, not cancer, while at the same time attacking cancerous cells and tumors by exploiting their weaknesses.

How we came across this disease?
Cancer has been around as long as mankind, but only in the second half of the 20th century did the number of cancer cases explodes. Contributing to this explosion are the huge amounts of toxins and pollutants we are exposed to, high stress lifestyles that zap the immune system, poor quality junk food that's full of pesticides, irradiated and now genetically modified, pathogens, electromagnetic stress, lights and just about anything that wasn't around 200 years ago. All these weaken the immune system, and alter the internal environment in the body to an environment that promotes the growth of cancer.
Cancer tumors begin when more cancerous cells are being created than an overworked, depleted immune system can destroy.
Constant exposure to tens of thousands of man made chemicals from birth onward, chlorinated and fluoridated water, electromagnetic radiation, pesticides and other toxins, leads to the creation of too many free radicals and excessive numbers of cancerous cells.
 
Alone this would be enough to raise cancer levels, but combined with an immune system weakened by a diet of refined and over processed food, mineral depleted soils, and too much exposure to artificial light at night, the immune system at some point no longer is able to keep cancer in check and it starts to grow in your body.

Did you know about this?
Research shows that the immune system needy 9 1/2 hours of sleep in total darkness to recharge completely. When was the last time you had enough sleep?

As a result of all this stress on our bodies and the overload of toxins, what you get is a malfunctioning immune system and a body that is not capable of destroying the excessive numbers of cancerous cells that develop. Some, sooner or later, survive and multiply. And then you have cancer.

Overcoming cancer is a process of reversing the conditions that allowed the cancer to develop, and going after and killing cancerous cells.

The exact causes don't have to be known, though certainly the more varied the approaches taken to correct those conditions, the more likely you are going to hit on what works best in a particular case. What needs to be done is to strongly and dramatically interrupt and reverse these cancer-causing conditions so that the body becomes healthier, and no longer capable of breeding cancer.

The more cancer there is, the more serious the condition -- meaning much has to be done -- fast. In your personal situation it may be too late, or it may not. No one knows where that cutoff point is as even advanced cases can turn around. 

This report acts like a suggestor to you. The most important things you can do for your health is to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. But much, much more potent.

One of the basics of fighting cancer is going on a fairly low carbohydrate diet, especially sugars and refined carbohydrates, because they digest extremely fast and flood the body. Your body must then produce a lot of insulin to get the sugar into cells fast, and this feeds the cancer cells just what they like to eat.

10 Strategies to focus on when fighting cancer...


1.Kill Them Naturally And Safely Without Harming Your Body
2.Increasing Oxygen Levels In Your Body And Cells Can Literally Kill Cancerous Cells
3.Normalizing pH Levels which Can Stop Cancer In Its Tracks
4.Getting Methylgyloxal Back Into Cells Puts The Brakes On Cancer Cell Growth
5.A Strong Immune System Seeks Out And Destroys Cancer Cells
6.Eliminating Candida And Fungal Infections Vital For Getting Rid Of Cancer
7.Reducing Toxic Overload Vital For Successfully Fighting Cancer
8.Free Radical Scavengers Protect Cells From Damage
9.Increasing Enzyme Levels Can Wipe Out Cancer
10.Raising The Vibratory Level In The Body Disrupts Cancer Growth
11.Resolving Issues And Reducing Stress May Be Vital For Success Against Cancer

A natural and herbal approach to cancer is based on making the body healthier. This alternative cancer strategy is to strengthen a depleted, worn out, under energized immune system that is not capable of killing cancer cells as fast as they are multiplying.

This is part of changing the body's internal environment so cancer cells can't survive and so you will experience greater health in every way. You accomplish this by supporting the body's fight against cancer, by changing the body's internal environment to one that does not support the growth of cancer, and by directly attacking cancer cells.

You will learn about safe and effective supplements that deal with each cancer weakness mentioned in the web site. Products that can defeat cancer as they get at the underlying causes of cancer. That work on any and every cancer. Let's get started with the last one first...

A 10-Year Drive To Put The Brakes On Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a highly treatable disease that now has a survival rate of 85 percent. Yet more than 212,000 women are still diagnosed with the condition each year.

Since early diagnosis is an important key to successful treatment, doctors say it's important that all women over the age of 18 do a Breast Self-Exam (BSE) every month, two or three days after their menstrual cycle. In addition, women between 20 and 39 should have a clinical breast exam at least every three years and women 40 and older should have a mammogram every year.

For the past 10 years, BMW of North America has worked with The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation-the largest fund-raiser for breast cancer research in America-to help spread the message of early detection and to help ensure that breast cancer research continues. The groups' Ultimate Drive program has raised millions to help fund the efforts.

The initiative, fully underwritten by BMW, consists of two fleets of specifically badged BMWs making a cross-country trek, stopping in communities along the way to hold daylong events. People will be invited to test-drive the cars-at no cost to the participants-to raise money for breast cancer research, education and screening treatment programs.

The car company donates $1 directly to the Komen Foundation for each mile driven, along with whatever other proceeds are received from the program. Upon completion of every drive, each participant adds his or her own name to the Signature Vehicle-this year, a BMW 3-Series.

This year's goal is to raise over $1 million, bringing the program's 10-year total up to over $10 million. To help celebrate the initiative's 10th anniversary, the 240-stop cross-country trek has been expanded to include Alaska.

People can test-drive the cars to help fight breast cancer. They can also:

• Regularly conduct BSEs, have clinical exams and mammograms

• Stop smoking and stressing

• Get more exercise

• Cut or reduce their alcohol consumption

• Watch their diet. Try to eat plenty of olive oil, fruits, vegetables, grains, fresh fish and poultry.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Goals of chemotherapy

Your healthcare team will tell you why chemotherapy is a treatment option for you. A medical oncologist will explain your treatment plan. The chemotherapy can pursue the following objectives:

Destruction of Cancer
Chemotherapy, used alone or in combination with other treatments designed to destroy cancer cells in the body. Many types of cancer can be treated with a combination of chemotherapy drugs (combination chemotherapy).
 
Shrink a tumor before other treatments
Chemotherapy is sometimes used to shrink a tumor before surgery or radiotherapy (neoadjuvant chemotherapy).
 
Destruction of cancer cells after other treatments
Chemotherapy is often used in addition to surgery or radiation to destroy cancer cells that have escaped the scalpel or X-rays (adjuvant chemotherapy).
 
Preparation for bone marrow or stem cell
Some types of cancer can be treated by bone marrow or stem cells. High doses of chemotherapy drugs are used to destroy existing bone marrow before it is replaced by stem cells or bone marrow from a donor (ablative chemotherapy).
 
Relief of symptoms caused by cancer
Chemotherapy may be used to alleviate pain and other symptoms caused by cancer (palliative chemotherapy).

Monday, April 5, 2010

Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare form of cancer that can develop and spread quickly, even during the early stages of the disease. This type of cancer can develop when breast cancer cells block the lymph vessels to help remove fluids, bacteria and other waste from breast tissue. It may then result in inflammation of the breasts. Unlike most breast cancers, which cause the appearance of one or several different solid tumors, inflammatory breast cancer tends to grow in layers or nests.
 
Symptoms

Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer vary from person to person and can occur suddenly. Consult your doctor if you notice one or more of the following symptoms:

    * Changing the size or shape of the breast, the breast volume can take some time (for some women, the equivalent of a cup size bra in a few more weeks);
    * Boobs hot or warm to the touch;
    * Change in color or normal breast texture of the skin of the breast can become red, pink or bruised for no apparent reason (in whole or in patches);
    * Itchy breasts as ointments or creams can not relieve;
    * Sudden onset of a lump in the breast, but as inflammatory breast cancer tends to grow in layers instead of forming a solid tumor, a person with this type of cancer may not necessarily see the presence of a breast lump;
    * Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or above the clavicle;
    * Discharge from the nipple.

Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer may be similar to a breast infection (mastitis), which can be treated successfully with antibiotics. If antibiotic treatment fails to relieve symptoms, it is important to consult your doctor again. Other tests may be needed to confirm or exclude a diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer.
 
Diagnosis

Inflammatory breast cancer is usually detected by mammography or ultrasound unless a solid tumor has developed. The biopsy is the surest way to detect inflammatory breast cancer.
 
Treatment

Treatment is often undertaken on the spot because inflammatory breast cancer can spread quickly. We usually use a combination of treatments: chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. As cancer cells proliferate in inflammatory breast all the breast tissue rather than concentrating in a single tumor, chemotherapy is often administered prior to surgery or radiotherapy.

Treatments for Breast Cancer

Before starting treatment, talk about contraception with your doctor. If you are in childbearing age, it is important to use contraception during treatment, even if your periods stop. You may still be fertile during this period and get pregnant. However, some treatments against cancer can affect fetal development.

Surgery

The type of surgery will depend on the tumor location and size. During the intervention, there will be partial or total removal of the tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue. The operation will be performed under general anesthesia (you are asleep) and you will be hospitalized for several days after the operation.

Surgery is the treatment most often recommended in cases of breast cancer. The interventions are of two types:

    * Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy): removal of a breast tumor and some surrounding tissue, but not the entire breast;
    * Mastectomy: removal of the entire breast

During surgery, the surgeon generally removes some lymph nodes under the armpit to see if they contain cancer cells. This procedure is called axillary dissection. It could also offer a more recent technique, called sentinel node biopsy, which can reduce the number of nodes removed.

After surgery, it may be that you felt some pain or nausea, or you have no appetite. These side effects are temporary and can be mitigated. Depending on the amount of breast tissue removed and the location of the tumor, it may be that your breast no longer look the same after surgery. In some cases, it is possible to have breast reconstruction during the same operation, otherwise you will have the opportunity later.

Removal of lymph nodes under the armpit can cause an accumulation of lymph fluid and swelling in the arm and hand. This is called lymphedema.

Care practices and side effects after surgery

Radiotherapy

In external radiotherapy, using a large device that can direct a beam of radiation to the precise location of the tumor. The radiation damages the cells that are in the path of the beam - normal cells as cancer cells. In internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy, radioactive elements are placed directly into or near the tumor.

The lumpectomy is almost always followed by external radiation therapy to destroy any cancer cells that may still be present in the breast area. In some cases, the region of lymph nodes will also be treated. Sometimes use of radiotherapy after a mastectomy.

Side effects of radiation therapy are usually mild and vary by body part being treated. Perhaps you feel more tired than usual or notice that your skin looks different (it may be red or be sensitive to the touch) to the treated area. The nipple and the fold under the breast may also be sensitive or sore. These side effects result from damage to healthy cells, they usually fade away once the treatment is completed and the cells were regenerated. The radiation directed toward the armpit may increase the risk of lymphedema.

Side effects of radiotherapy

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy can be administered as tablets or by injection. Chemotherapy drugs prevent the development and spread of cancer cells, but they also damage the cells that are healthy. Healthy cells can recover over time, but in the meantime, the treatment may cause some side effects at home, such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, hair loss and increased risk of infection .

Some chemotherapy drugs can affect fertility. If you plan to have children after treatment, discuss the options available to you with your doctor.

Side effects of chemotherapy

Hormone

Hormones are chemical substances that are either naturally secreted by the human body, is synthesized in the laboratory. Hormone therapy is a treatment that removes hormones or your body that neutralizes the effects to prevent cancer cells from developing. You can change hormone levels with medication, with surgery or radiotherapy.

If the hormonal receptor status of the tumor that you are achieving is positive, your doctor may suggest to take hormone.

The hormonal drug can be administered as tablets or by injection, or both. Side effects vary from one drug to another. You may experience symptoms similar to those of menopause: irregular periods, hot flushes, vaginal irritation or loss. These effects can usually be mitigated or alleviated. They often disappear after treatment, but it may happen that the menopause is final.

Biological therapy

This form of breast cancer treatment involves using drugs to inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells and mobilize the body's immune system to destroy them.

Biological therapy may be indicated for women whose breast cancer has a high protein Her2. The drug is given by injection, sometimes in combination with chemotherapy. It can cause side effects similar to flu symptoms (fever, chills, nausea), headache, rash or heart problems.

Pain relief

See how you can mitigate and control the pain as discomfort, side effects and stress while you follow your treatments against cancer.

Coping with cancer
 
However, regardless of your (newly diagnosed cancer, current treatment or coach to a person with cancer), you will probably solve many practical problems, difficult decisions and manage a range of emotions.