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How get I get help writing a book about my life? I survived alcoholish, breast cancer, husband suicide & more?

  • Posted on October 18, 2010 at 6:17 pm

Both parents alcoholic, married an alcholic, am a recovering alcoholic and have 44 year old daughter that is an alcoholic. Childhood was horrible – then suffer from 4 bouts of Breast Cancer, Fibromyalgia and forced to leave good job because of health.

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I am having EXTREME difficulty with my 76 year old father who also has rectal cancer. We are drifting apart.!

  • Posted on August 31, 2010 at 4:32 pm

My 76 yr. old dadhas rectal cancer,diagnosed Aug/2006. Trouble is that we have been super close ever since I can remember, and I always considered him to be my true soul mate. I also have a 46 yr. old brother who is a recovering alcoholic. My father sends about $300/month down to my niece who lives in Uruguay; my bro has been unable to work for quite some time due to his depresssion and alcoholism. My father met my brother’s daughter just 1 yr. ago at 16.. She saw only the VERY BEST SIDEof my dad, SOON dad sent regular support for her education. My dad is TOTALLY ESTRANGED from my brother cuz of MANY YEARS AGO. My dad now refuses to have. anything to do w/ brother, but pays for his daughter to visit us in US.

The other night my dad got extremely angry with me in a public place when subject of my bro he brought up.Now he is saying horrible stuff to my son, saying that just cuz I let bro visit @ xmas, his support for his daughter may stop, etc, and I don’t even feel I can talk

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If your son or daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer and you are retired would you stay or go?

  • Posted on July 31, 2010 at 1:21 am

away from the area she lives in to another part of the country? Usually my in-laws leave for Arizona in Septermber but this year they stayed in the area because my wife’s diagosis of breast cancer. They left in November.

Her aunt and uncle left too for Texas, and only her brother remained in the area but he works full time. It was easier for me when my in-laws were around because my wife would talk with her mom and dad. They would come by and keep her company and they would go out to breakfast together.

I felt ok to go to work and then they would leave when I got off work or stick around and we would talk together. I know they are retired and earned their right to travel. But I felt deserted when they left, I felt a huge burden upon my shoulders. Nobody would be there for my wife to take her to the hospital if she needed to go. She never did but the thought of her being alone scared me.

They left after my wife had her mastectomy and her mom helped empty her drain. When the left she started 12 weeks of Taxol and I did not know how those treatments would go for her, I was scared and feared the worse.

My wife now is on her last week of radiaiton. It is hell for her. She is taking two Percocet for pain (when she had her mastectomy she only took one and she hates to take pain pills). Yesterday she told me she wishes her mom was here. I told her they will be here in about a month. They don’t call to see how she is doing. I feel like they don’t care. If it were my child I would not leave the area until the doctors said she was through it. Am I wrong to feel like she has been abandoned?

It hurt me a lot to hear her say she wishes her mom was here because she is not and there is nothing I could do to make her be here. I have felt like calling them and asking them to hurry home their daughter needs them, but I am afraid to.

What would you do?

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What is Breast Cancer and Causes of Breast Cancer

  • Posted on January 19, 2010 at 6:20 pm

Definition of breast cancer: Cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.


Symptoms of Breast Cancer


Knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer may help save your life. When the disease is discovered early, you have more treatment options and a better chance for a cure.


A lump or thickening in the breast or armpit


A change in the size or shape of the breast


Discharge from the nipple


A change in the color or texture of the skin of the breast or areola (such as dimpling, puckering, or scaliness).


Breast discharge is a common problem and is rarely a symptom of cancer. Discharge is most concerning if it is from only one breast or if it is bloody. In any case, all breast discharge should be evaluated.


A change in the shape of your nipple, particularly if it turns in, sinks into the breast or becomes irregular in shape


A blood-stained discharge from the nipple


A rash on a nipple or surrounding area


A swelling or lump in your armpit


Causes of Breast Cancer


Age: The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older. Most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 60.


Personal history of breast cancer: A woman who had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in her other breast.


Your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you get older. About 1 out of 8 invasive breast cancer diagnoses are among women younger than 45, while about 2 out of 3 women with invasive breast cancer are age 55 or older when they are diagnosed.


Recently published research shows that a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer is also affected by breast density and whether she has used hormone therapy; including these additional risk factors in a breast cancer risk assessment tool might increase its accuracy, but researchers still need to validate these additional factors with data from independent studies


Family history: If a woman’s blood-related relatives on either her mother or father’s side of the family have had breast cancer, then she is at increased risk for the disease. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) with breast cancer can double a woman’s risk.


Breast Cancer Treatments


Surgery


The goals of breast cancer surgery are to remove the cancerous tissue, and to analyze it for type, grade, size, hormonal status, and possible metastasis.


Frozen sections. Mayo Clinic has the benefit of its unique frozen section pathology lab, which allows for rapid and accurate microscopic analysis of tissue while a patient is still in the operating room. This capability allows doctors to know whether they have removed all of the cancer (achieved negative margins) within minutes of removing the tissue. Without frozen section analysis, determining whether all of the cancer has been removed may take days, causing a patient to undergo multiple surgeries.


Breast Reconstruction


Many women choose to have a plastic surgeon reconstruct their breast, either at the time of mastectomy or afterward. The surgeon may use saline-filled implants and/or tissue from other parts of the body to rebuild a natural looking breast and nipple. Reconstruction should be discussed with a plastic surgeon before you have your mastectomy. California law requires that insurers cover the costs of breast reconstruction.

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To Fight Cancer, Know the Enemy To Beat Cancer, Stand and Fight To Kill Cancer, We Must Stand Together

  • Posted on January 16, 2010 at 8:20 pm

Lung Cancer is a killer. Walk into any public place anywhere and ask for a show of hands regarding people who know someone with cancer and 85% of the hands will spring into the air followed by stories of battles won and lost of bravery and fear all fought on a global battlefield yet fought hand to hand, one on one and more times then not, to the death. For those who fight and survive, your path is altered in someway, you will never be the exact same person you once were, life’s lessons can be harsh at times.

I read an article written by Dr. James Watson, founder of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Nobel Prize recipient and brilliant sometimes-controversial thinker of thoughts. I have nothing short of respect and admiration for him in regards to what he has given to the world over the course of his career. His call to battle was picked up by Dr. Antonio Giordano from the Sbarro Health Research Organization who also called for the “second war on cancer” to begin. At the University of Wisconsin, there is a highly dedicated group of volunteers working tirelessly to staff a research facility with scientists and researchers. I’m sure all over the country the same thing is playing out, research facilities awaiting funding to continue an on going war.

I am not an award-winning scientist nor am I a Nobel Prize winner. I don’t know how to split a cell. The genes that I work with are Levi. I will not be the one who develops the cure, that is not my role. I am a current small cell Lung Cancer survivor. I say current, because things can change. As a small cell lung cancer patient, to survive to the five-year mark is a feat that not many can accomplish. Lung cancer is cancer’s leading assassin and will continue to kill more people each year then breast cancer, colon and prostate cancer combined.

What I offer you now is the patient’s perspective of the war on cancer. First of all let me state that my knowledge is strictly with lung cancer and the treatments that I underwent. As a patient although there seem to be universal methods of treatment depending upon the type and severity of cancer you have, every individual will react differently to that treatment. We are dependant upon a Doctors opinion and experience to provide us with the best option for treatment; we are dependant on a scientist or researcher to provide the doctor with the best options available for them to treat us with. It’s then up to us to stand, fight and survive. The treatment that I received consisted of radiation twice a day mixed with chemotherapy followed up with preventative radiation to the brain to kill any cells that might have migrated like geese. These treatments helped to save or at the very least prolong my life and I am grateful for that. But they’re harsh and un-relenting and the thing that will eventually help save you can almost kill you. We need to continue pursuing methods that will someday enable us to defend ourselves in advance as opposed to fighting it out toe to toe with cancer like prizefighters in the ring.

The American Cancer Society suggests that there will be 1,479,350 new cases of cancer diagnosed in 2009. Sticking to what I know, 219,440 of those cases will be lung related roughly 14.5%. Of those 219,440 cases there is an expected mortality rate of 72.5%. 159,390 friends, family members, mom’s, dad’s and yes children will lose a quick vicious fight with lung cancer. The family members, Moms, dads and children left behind to morn and wonder what if things would have been different?

When we talk about killing cancer it must be a group effort. Collectively as a culture we must continue to grow and develop new talent in the research fields. We must ensure that new ideas are free flowing from our leading minds. We have to be on the front side of the development of new technology. We have to obtain funding through all means possible. Corporate America the Federal Government should be stepping up to provide money and resources on a much larger scale. Research from the private sectors should be geared at public benefit and not private gain where cancer is concerned.

And what are you and I going to do to help defend our families and ourselves? If it were a man with a gun pointed at your daughter what lengths would you go to deliver her from harms way? Cancer is just that, it is a loaded gun pointed at every member of your family as if it were a cosmic game of Russian roulette. Cancer attacks and kills without reason, without remorse. Cancer does not discriminate it doesn’t make excuses for it’s behavior. Cancer knows no social bounds, rich or poor, all are vulnerable.

I contend that it is our responsibility as a society to help provide for cancer research and development above the normal taxes we pay. That maybe once a month we could forego the extra cheeseburger, the bottle of water, the new ring tone download take that $5.00 and send it in to a scientist who may be the one that turns around and saves your life with their research. So here’s the math $5.00 per month times 12 months = $60 per year per person times the current U.S. population between the age of 18 and 65 or 144,950,554 people. We’ll give 9.8% of those people a break for unemployment leaving a pool of 130,745,400 that could generate $7,844,724,000. Far fetched? Yes and no. Yes because that’s not the way we work, we like our extra cheeseburger and our bottled water and all that other stuff. But just imagine the impact we could have as a Nation if we could all give up a little something of non importance and trade it in to insure a better, healthier life for the next generation. What if the thing that we watched kill our Fathers was banished from our existence due to our efforts?

November is lung cancer awareness month. I’m asking you to begin now if you haven’t already. Fill a floor at the University of Wisconsin, sponsor a scientist at Temple University or help finance research at any one of the great institutions across the country that are working under funded in an effort to make our lives better. To kill cancer, we must stand together.

If you wish further information regarding Tim Giardina or the G.F.L.C.C.O. visit www.gflcco.com

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Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

  • Posted on January 12, 2010 at 4:06 am

Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

There are certain risk factors of breast cancer that is important to know. Your age can play a part in developing breast cancer. If you are over fifty years of age or older you are more likely to develop breast cancer then if you are a younger woman. Other risks factors that make you a higher risk are if you had your first period before you were twelve years of age or have began menopause in your fifties.

If you had children at a later age or if you never had any children at all. These are all risk factors of breast cancer. If your sister, daughter or mother has had breast cancer in their lifetime your risk of breast cancer will be higher. Your family history is an important factor to look at when it comes to knowing how great your risk factor may be for breast cancer.

If you have had previous breast biopsies that have come back abnormal you may be a higher risk. If you have had any type of breast diseases you could also be at risk for breast cancer. Weight is a big factor especially after menopause so it is important to gain control of your weight and live a healthier lifestyle. If you have inherited certain genes this can be a risk factor for developing breast cancer. All of these things should be taken into consideration for your risk factors.

Some other risk factors may be a diet that is high in saturated fat. You should make it a point to cut back on saturated fats in your diet and eat healthier foods such as more fruits and vegetables. Your diet should be healthy in order to lower your risk factor of developing breast cancer.

Another risk factor may be the use of oral contraceptives. This is something you should discuss with your doctor to find out what is best for you.

The lack of exercise is another risk factor. It is important to make sure that you have enough physical activity in your life to stay physically fit and have a healthy body. If you drink alcohol more then one drink per day can also be a risk factor for you in developing breast cancer.

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Breast Cancer Ribbon Tattoos

  • Posted on January 10, 2010 at 3:07 am

Its incidence is in rise in the developing countries, may be due to the life style changes. Breast Cancer Ribbon TattoosThis cancer, the most accessible cancer; has generated much interest in the recent past in understanding its process of development, the genetics and developing more effective treatment modalities. The surgery has evolved from maximum dissection to minimal and more conservative approach. Newer chemotherapeutic drugs are coming up as well as more precision radiotherapy. Approach to breast cancer has become essentially multidisciplinary in the last decade or two. Here we will search literature to add more knowledge to our existing views on this cancer. The views expressed in it may not be conclusive, may be in a trial phase and does not anyway supersede the opinion of treating doctor of a patient.

Notch pathway in cell division and its inhibitors: The primitive cells during development of baby and also later in life are capable of differentiating to one or other cell types. This recruitment of daughter cells and their multiplication is largely controlled by what is called a Notch pathway. These primitive cells are called the stem cells; can form e.g. bone cell, muscle cell and heart cell etc. This notch pathway is also responsible for regulated tissue growth i.e. no excess or no less; through communication between the cells. It can be likened to cells having sensors on their outer membrane, represented by notch a protein. The communication may be something like this: one cell will say to its neighbor cell; “Hi, I am dividing to muscle cell; you need not go in that line”, “Oh yeah, you carry on; I am going in the line of breast cells”, would be the reply. Again to have controlled growth close contact between the cells is required. The Notch would be keeping close contact between cells, may be in a way something like this;”Hello my dear neighbor come closer and closer, do not go away.”

Any derangement in this notch may give rise to uncontrolled growth of cells. In cancer, there are stem cells which divide continuously to give rise to a visible tumor. These stem cells are resistant to conventional chemotherapy and could be the cause of recurrence of cancer, at least in some 1% of breast cancers; which also makes a large number. So the Notch inhibitors can be instrumental in controlling some cases of breast cancer recurrence, when used in addition to chemotherapy. “The Notch pathway regulates self-renewal of stem cells and research indicates that it also regulates cancer stem cell self-renewal, the impact of using a Notch inhibitor was to sensitize a significant proportion of otherwise treatment-resistant cancer stem cells. This supports the notion that a select sub-population of cells in breast cancer is largely responsible for disease recurrence and cancer spread.” I quote from a study’s lead author, Jenny Chang, M.D., professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. She and her team implanted mice with human breast cancer biopsy material that included breast cancer stem cells, and then gave them a Notch inhibitor (MRK-003) or a placebo. MRK-003 significantly reduced formation of clusters of tumor cells called mammospheres, when compared with placebo.

Role of spices like turmeric and piperine: As Reported by HealthDay News, 2009 December 11, breast stem cells appear to be sensitive to certain spices. When researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center applied curcumin and piperine to breast cancer cells, they noted that the number of stem cells (but not normal cells) decreased. Curcumin is a component of turmeric, and piperine is found in black pepper. Both of these dietary compounds have been studied previously for their effects against cancer, but this is the first study to evaluate their effects on stem cells.

Alcohol and cancer: Even a few glasses of wine or cocktails a week may increase the risk of recurrence for breast cancer survivors, researchers found. Women who averaged three to four or more drinks per week were 34% more likely to have a recurrence, than those who drank less than once a week; according to an observational study led by Marilyn L. Kwan, PhD, of Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif. Likewise, breast cancer-specific mortality risk rose to 51% for the regular drinkers among breast cancer survivors; Kwan’s group reported at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. After a breast cancer diagnosis, women who drink alcohol should consider cutting back, they recommended.

Amplification of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 in breast cancer: Shiang CY, Qi Y, Wang B, Lazar V, Wang J, Fraser Symmans W, Hortobagyi GN, Andre F, Pusztai L., Department of Breast Medical Oncology, USA, studied that: fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR-1) is amplified in 10% of human breast cancers. A FGFR-1 small molecule inhibitor may have direct anti-proliferative effects in addition to its’ anti-angiogenic effects. According to Kristjansdottir K, Dizon D.Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA, a human epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (HER)-dimerization inhibitor that represent a novel class of agents, aimed at blocking HER2 from pairing with other receptors of the HER family, may play a role in the management of HER2-positive breast cancers. Trastuzumab is one of the drugs of this group.

Lung Cancer Secrets Revealed Click here

Effect of osteoporosis inhibitor drugs on breast cancer: Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, led by Brufsky, concluded that zoledronic acid, a bisphosphonate, is safe and effective for use by postmenopausal women with breast cancer; who are being treated with aromatase inhibitors. Bone mineral density increased 6.2 percent in women taking zoledronic acid, compared with 2.4 percent in the control group. Fractures were also reduced slightly in the treatment group. It may be effective in inhibiting spread of the disease to bone.

Vitamin D and cancer: Researchers say that vitamin D in high doses may have a beneficial effect in preventing breast cancer. High-dose vitamin D significantly reduced muscle and joint pain in breast cancer patients treated with the aromatase inhibitor like anastrozole. Weekly vitamin D supplementation led to significant improvement in pain and mobility after two months, said Antonella Rastelli, MD, of Washington University at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Breast cancer genetic evolution decoded: In the metastatic cancer, 32 protein-altering mutations were found that were not present in healthy tissue from the same woman, according to Samuel Aparicio, BM BCh, PhD, MRCPath, of the British Columbia Cancer Agency, and colleagues. Then, using the same approach, they looked back at cancer tissue taken from the same woman during treatment nine years earlier to see which variants were present then. Five variants, in the genes ABCB11, HAUS3, SLC24A4, SNX4, and PALB2 were common in the DNA of the primary tumor. They had previously been unknown to researchers. Another six in the genes KIF1C, USP28, MYH8, MORC1, KIAA1468, and RNASEH2A were found in between 1% and 13% of the primary tumor cells. There were 19 that were not detected and two were undetermined, the researchers said. This shows that genetic mutation takes place in the course of the disease.

Regular exercise reduces cancer risk: Regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise may reduce breast cancer risk for postmenopausal women, researchers found. Postmenopausal women who maintained more than seven hours per week of higher intensity activity over the 10-year period prior to entry into the study, were 16% less likely to develop breast cancer (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.93), according to Tricia M. Peters, M.Phil, and colleagues of the National Cancer Institute. It may be that some cancer genes are switched off in exercising population. The same effect has also been seen in case of colon cancer, published in a recent article.

Ginseng appears to help breast cancer patients: The traditional Chinese herb ginseng may improve survival and enhance the quality of life of breast cancer patients, an observational study suggested. Compared with those who never used ginseng, breast cancer patients in China who took it regularly before their diagnosis had a disease specific mortality that was 30% lower, three to four years later; said Xiao-Ou Shu, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues, of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, published online by the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Breast density and cancer risk: All post-menopausal women should be screened for breast cancer risk by assessing breast density combined with other risk factors, researchers say. They found that breast density was strongly associated with breast cancer. To reduce breast cancer risk overall, they advised, physicians should recommend exercise, weight reduction, a low-fat diet, and reduced alcohol intake. But they also noted that eating fruits and vegetables was not associated with a decreased risk. Still, the researchers concluded that breast density combined with other risk factors is a viable assessment of risk.

Breast feeding and cancer: Breast feeding can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to a study by Cancer Research UK. The increase in the disease in developed countries is due to women having fewer children and breast feeding for shorter periods of time, the study says.

Metformin under evaluation for cancer treatment: The glucose-lowering drug metformin, used as first line drug in obese type 2 diabetes is showing anticancer activity, reported by “The Lancet”. There has been possible association between obesity and different cancers. It may be possible in future to know more about action of metformin. The data come from the studies being conducted in both the diabetes and oncology research communities, according to experts who spoke at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

Soy safe for breast cancer survivors: Soy consumption appears to be safe, and potentially even protective, for women with breast cancer despite fears about estrogen-like effects, according to a population-based study by the researchers. Benefits of soy appeared to increase with intake up to 11 g of soy protein or 40 mgs. of soy isoflavone per day.

Lymphatic chemotherapy: Platinum based drugs used in chemotherapy have many side effects. Researchers have found out that lymphatic route of administration of these drugs may be less toxic than vascular route. When these and some other chemotherapeutic agents are administered subcutaneously gets better concentrated in the lymphatic tissue, which is the most common path of spread of cancerous cells to other organs from the primary.

hormone receptor status: The estrogen receptor(ER) status has much predictive value, and tissue expressing ER in patients of post menopausal status are more likely to be benefited from its inhibitor drugs like tamoxifen.

High precision Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy has become an integral part of multidisciplinary approach to breast cancer treatment. It has undergone tremendous modification to cause least possible damage to the surrounding tissue through delivery of high precision radiotherapy.

Surgery related changes: Surgery has changed from maximum tissue removal to minimal tissue removal and more conservative in approach i.e. from radical mastectomy to lumpectomy or quadrantectomy. Intra-operative frozen section biopsy to determine disease free margin in the tissue to be left with, has facilitated conservation of breast; so also, an intra-operative radiation detecting probe that detects radiation from the cancerous tissue, pre-injected with radio-active substances that accumulates specifically in the cancerous cells. Breast reconstruction has become very attractive option in the recent days adding confidence to the working cancer survivors.

Investigations: Fine needle aspiration cytology FNAC), ultrasound (USG), mammogram, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are some of the armors in the hands of health care personnel, to boost their ability for early diagnosis; and thereby providing effective treatment.

Carcinoma gene expression and prediction of breast cancer: Breast cancer (BRCA) suppressor gene is responsible for error free repair of Genetic material during cell division. Faulty BRCA may be responsible for breast cancer. According to estimates of lifetime risk, about 12.0 percent of women (120 out of 1,000) in the general population will develop breast cancer sometime during their lives compared with about 60 percent of women (600 out of 1,000) who have inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2. In other words, a woman who has inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 is about five times more likely to develop breast cancer than a woman who does not have such a mutation. Breast cancer patients may additionally be tested for carcinoma antigen (CA-125).

We hope to conquer this cancer in the near future, probably more through a genetic manipulation and life style change.

lung cancer treatment breakthroughs Click here

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Diet and Breast Cancer

  • Posted on January 9, 2010 at 1:06 pm

Breast cancer is a cancer of the glandular breast tissue. Breast cancer affects one in eight women during their lives. Breast cancer may be one of the oldest known forms of cancer tumors in humans. Breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any cancer except lung cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. While the majority of new breast cancers are diagnosed as a result of an abnormality seen on a mammogram, a lump or change in consistency of the breast tissue can also be a warning sign of the disease. Breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women between the ages of 45 and 55. Although breast cancer in women is a common form of cancer, male breast cancer does occur and accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths in men. Breast cancer usually begins with the formation of a small, confined tumor. Some tumors are benign, meaning they do not invade other tissue; others are malignant, or cancerous. Malignant tumors have the potential to metastasize, or spread. Some risk factors, such as your age, and family history, can’t be changed, whereas others, including weight, smoking and a poor diet, are under your control.

A woman’s risk of breast cancer is higher mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer. The risk can actually be lower if you have a short menstrual life, large family or first child before age 18 years. Men have a lower risk of developing breast cancer (approximately 1.08 per 100,000 men per year), but this risk appears to be rising. Other risks include being overweight, using hormone replacement therapy, taking birth control pills, drinking alcohol, not having children or having your first child after age 35 or having dense breasts. Alcohol appears to increase the risk of breast cancer, though meaningful increases are limited to higher alcohol intake levels. Breast cancer constitutes about 7.3% of all cancers. Symptoms of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in size or shape of the breast or discharge from a nipple. Most breast lumps are benign , that is, they are not cancer. Benign breast tumors are abnormal growths, but they do not spread outside of the breast and they are not life threatening.

Treatment of breast cancer include Radiation Therapy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, and Immune Therapy. Certain foods, vitamins, or minerals may interfere with cancer treatment. Drink plenty of fluids but avoid drinks during meals because they may cause a bloated feeling. Proteins: May provide protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. Meats, beans, nuts, and seeds provide these benefits. Some seeds, like almonds, are good sources of vitamin E. Dairy products: Milk and cheese provide calcium, protein, and vitamin B12. Grains: Breads, pasta, rice, and cereals provide carbohydrates and B vitamins. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy. Eat cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, bok choy, and brussel sprouts – which contain plant phytochemicals that lower blood estrogen levels by increasing the estrogen detoxification capacity of the liver. Try cool foods. Warm foods may worsen nausea. Do not eat or drink until vomiting is under control.

Breast Cancer Treatrment and Diet Tips

1.Eat a diet lower in fat, ideally no more than 18% of your daily caloric intake.

2. Use “good” fats — monounsaturated and omega-3 fats – from olive oil, flax seed oil, almond oil and canola oil, as well as fats from deep-sea fish.

3. Eat cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, bok choy, and brussel sprouts.

4. Eat a diet high in fiber, with plant-based sources of protein.

5. Soy, aim for 1 to 2 servings of soy products per day.

6. Tea (black or green), aim for 3 to 5 servings per day.

7. Nitrates and nitrites, avoid cured meats when possible.

8. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy.

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Understanding Cervical Cancer:

  • Posted on January 8, 2010 at 12:27 am

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When abnormal cells in the cervix grow out of control, it leads to cervical cancer. The lower part of the uterus, which opens directly to the vagina, is called the cervix. If this problem is discovered early, it can easily be cured, and this discovery at this early stage can only be possible if the patient is one that undergoes regular tests of her body systems. The discovery of cervical cancer is by carrying out a test called Pap test.

CAUSES OF CERVICAL CANCER:

There is no singular factor that we can say that it is the principal cause or the main factor that is responsible for the cancer of the cervix. However, there are some factors that appear to increase the risk of developing this cancer of the cervix. The main factor that we can point to that increases the risk of the cancer of the cervix is what we refer to as human papilloma virus. (HPV) This is a combination of more than 100 types of viruses, and some of these viruses can easily be transferred from person to person through sexual intercourse. These types of HPV infections are very common, and because the immune system gets rid of them, they goes without treatment. However, there are some stubborn HPV that does not die easily. These have the ability to cause changes in the cells in cervix, and this is what eventually leads to cervical cancer.

It is highly recommended that one should go for a regular pap test. This will help one to find out the changes in her cervical cells before they can even turn to cancer, but when they are discovered in time and treated, you may have succeeded in preventing cervical cancer. Beside this, there are other factors that are likely to increase the risk of one developing cervical cancer, and these factors are as follows.

1) Becoming sexually active at a very young age.

2) Having many sexual partners, or even a single sexual partner who has had many sexual partners.

3) Smoking.

4) Having a weakened immune system. This can be as a result of taking drugs, after an organ transplant, or having a disease like AIDS.

5) Using birth control pills for a long time.

6) Giving birth to many children.

7) Having taken diethylstilbestrol (DES) or one being the daughter of a mother who took DES. This is a form of estrogen that was used between 1940 and 1971 to treat women with certain problems during pregnancy, such as miscarriages. However, some women develop cervical cancer without any of these symptoms or risk factors. Proper care of the body is very important because a popular saying is that health is wealth. When you are healthy, you are wealthy already.

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Breast Cancer – Diagnosis,Causes, Symptoms,Treatments,Prognosis

  • Posted on January 5, 2010 at 11:21 am

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women affecting one in eight women during their lives. It may develop at any time but the risk of developing it increases as women get older. It is far more common in post-menopausal women and the risk continues to increase with rising age.


CAUSE

The cause of breast cancer is not known and while it can also occur in men, the much higher occurrence in women implicates estrogen.

Today, breast cancer, like other forms of cancer, is considered to be the final outcome of multiple environmental and hereditary factors.


Breathing secondhand smoke increases breast cancer risk by 70% in younger, primarily pre-menopausal women.

A newly released study indicates a correlation between the drop in breast cancer and the drop in women taking HRT.


SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Breast cancer elicits so many fears, including those relating to surgery, death, loss of body image and loss of sexuality, however it is more easily treated and often curable if it is found early, therefore regular self examination and screening is essential. Breast cancer usually shows as a lump or thickening in the breast tissue, although most breast lumps are not cancerous.


Certain predisposing factors are clear.

Women at high risk are those who:

Have a family history of breast cancer.

Have long menstrual cycles, began menses early or menopause late.

Have never been pregnant

Were first pregnant after age 31.

Have had unilateral breast cancer.

Have endometrial or Ovarian cancer.

Were exposed to low level ionizing radiation.

Many other possible factors are still under investigation including, obesity, alcohol and environmental factors.


Those with lower risk include women who:

Were pregnant before age 20.

Have had multiple pregnancies.

Are native American or Asian.


Breast cancer occurs more often in the left breast and in the upper quadrant.

Indications of breast cancer other than a lump may include changes in breast size or shape, skin dimpling, nipple inversion, or spontaneous single-nipple discharge.


TYPES

When breast cancer cells invade the dermal lymphatics, small lymph vessels in the skin of the breast, its presentation can resemble skin inflammation and thus is known as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include pain, swelling, warmth and redness throughout the breast, as well as an orange peel texture to the skin referred to as peau d’orange.


The most common pathologic types of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinoma, malignant cancer in the breast’s ducts, and invasive lobular carcinoma, malignant cancer in the breast’s lobules.

Occasionally, breast cancer presents as metastatic disease, that is, cancer that has spread beyond the original organ. Bone or joint pains can sometimes be manifestations of metastatic breast cancer, as can jaundice or neurological symptoms.


TREATMENT

Much controversy still exists over treatment of breast cancer, options include; Surgery , chemotherapy, Radiotherapy,Hormonal therapies,Herceptin and complementary treatments.


The mainstay of breast cancer treatment is surgery when the tumor is localized, with possible adjuvant hormonal therapy (with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor), chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy.


In February 2007, the MammaPrint test became the first breast cancer predictor to win formal approval from the Food and Drug Administration. This is a new gene test to help predict whether women with early-stage breast cancer will relapse in 5 or 10 years, this could help influence how aggressively the initial tumor is treated.


Interstitial laser thermotherapy (ILT) is an innovative method of treating breast cancer in a minimally invasive manner and without the need for surgical removal, and with the absence of any adverse effect on the health and survival of the patient during intermediate follow up.


PREVENTION

Routine (annual) mammography of women older than age 40 or 50 is recommended by numerous organizations as a screening method to diagnose early breast cancer and has demonstrated a protective effect in multiple clinical trials.

Women with one or more first-degree relatives (mother, sister, daughter) with premenopausal breast cancer should begin screening at an earlier age.


PROGNOSIS

There are many prognostic factors associated with breast cancer: staging, tumour size and location, grade, whether disease is systemic (has metastasized, or traveled to other parts of the body), recurrence of the disease, and age of patient.


With advances in screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the death rate for breast cancer has declined by about 20% over the past decade, and research is ongoing to develop even more effective screening and treatment programs.

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