Breast Cancer Medicines

The study of prostate cancer has come a long way since its identification in 1853. Information concerning diagnostic methods, treatment options and even the pathophysiological characteristics of this condition has been provided in useful details by researchers, but the specific causes of prostate cancer remain unknown up to this day.

The causes of prostate cancer, or any other type of cancer for that matter, have remained a mystery to those who are studying the disease. Despite being able to explain the process by which cancer of the prostate develops, the exact reasons behind the condition's occurrence remain a challenge to cancer researchers.

Cancer of the prostate is a condition that affects only men. The prostate gland, which is part of the male reproductive system, helps make and store seminal fluid. It surrounds part of the urethra and is located under the urinary bladder and in front of the rectum. Its position allows it to influence the processes of urination, ejaculation and defecation.

Although the causes of cancer of the prostate have yet to be fully understood, scientists were able to identify some of the factors associated with the risk of developing this condition. A man's chances of developing prostate cancer are influenced by his age, genes, race, diet, lifestyle and the medications that he is taking. Cancer of the prostate is quite uncommon in men aged below 45. However, the chances of developing prostate cancer increase as a man ages. Based on statistics gathered on prostate cancer patients, 70 is the average age of diagnosis.

Prostate cancer is a slow developing condition. Some men who have it never even knew that they had the condition and they could die of other causes before their cancer manifests itself. But a man who has a first degree relative, like a brother or a father, who has been diagnosed with this condition is believe to have a higher chance of developing prostate cancer, particularly if the relative was diagnosed at an early age.

Among the races, African Americans have been known to account for the highest percentage of diagnosed cases of prostate cancer. Asians, on the other hand, recorded the least number of diagnosed cases. Researchers speculate that this might be due to the difference between the diet and lifestyle of Western and Asian men. Westerners usually take in more red meat while Asians are more likely to eat vegetables and fruits. Men who have higher levels of the short chain fatty acid linolenic acid have also been found to have higher rates of cancer in the prostate. Other dietary factors that have been implicated in the development of prostate cancer include low intake of elements such as vitamin E, lycopene, omega-3 fatty acids and selenium.

In terms of genetics, no single gene has yet to be proven to be responsible for the development of prostate cancer, although BRCA1 and BRCA2, both risk factors for ovarian cancer and breast cancer in women, have been implicated.

Although the causes of prostate cancer have not yet been fully identified, there is high hope that the exact process that governs this disease will eventually be understood and prevention methods will be developed to lessen the number of men suffering from this condition.

Mensglands.com provides you with info on causes of prostate cancer, its treatments and symptoms and how to overcome or reduce the risk of getting it. http://www.mensglands.com/

General Information on Breast Cancer

Breast cancer has been one of the leading health concerns for women. For over 3,600 years the cancer has affected the lives of women in immeasurable ways. According to the Edwin Smith papyrus, awareness of breast cancer has been well established since 1600 BC in Egypt, thus making it the oldest form of cancer known to humans. “There is no treatment”, this is what early Egyptian physicians writes about breast cancer according to the papyrus and for centuries this has been the attitude displayed by both health practitioners and patients.

But while the Egyptians have considered the disease incurable, we now have medical advancements that make survival almost an absolute certainty at early stages. All we need is a firm knowledge on warning signs of the cancer and the determination to go through the treatment process.

What are the Causes of Breast Cancer?

About one in eight women will be diagnosed with this cancer in a lifetime. There are several risk factors which are part of our lives that we could not change. This includes aging, familial history, genetics and menstrual cycle.

The risk of getting cancer becomes higher as a person ages. Advanced cancer stages are commonly found in women fifty years old and above. About thirty percent of women who have breast cancer have a family history of breast, ovarian, uterine or ovarian cancer.

Some people have gene defects that make them more susceptible to acquiring the disease. This includes defects commonly found in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Women with these gene defects have an eighty percent chance of getting breast cancer. Those who have started menstruation before the age of twelve or went through menopause after the age of fifty-five have higher breast cancer risk.

Women who never had children or gave birth only after the age of thirty also have an increased risk for breast cancer.

Other risk factors include alcohol consumption, obesity, hormone replacement therapy to avert menopause, the use of the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) to prevent miscarriage, and radiation.

Curiously, there is no evidence linking the use of breast implants, antiperspirants, pesticides and underwire bras in raising cancer risks.

What are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

Undergoing regular breast examination is important in detecting cancerous growths because in early stages, cancer of the breast may not manifest any symptom at all. As the cancer develops women may experience one or a combination of the following.

• A painless hard lump with uneven edges in the breast or armpit area.
• Noticeable change in size, shape, feel and texture of the breast and nipple.
• Unusual fluids, such as pus, coming out of the nipple.

For women who are in advanced breast cancer stages, symptoms may include bone pain, pain and discomfort in the breast area, skin ulcers in the breast or underarm, weight loss, and swelling of one arm.

How to Prevent Breast Cancer?

Since some risk factors are uncontrollable, awareness is the most important step in fighting the disease. In general, having a healthy diet and lifestyle reduces a person’s chance of getting cancer. Early detection of the cancer raises the cure rate and thus, breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination and screening mammography are highly recommended.

Experts advise BSE once a month for women over twenty. The test should be done a week after their menstruation. For those between the ages of twenty to thirty-nine, clinical examination should be done every three years.

Women above the age of forty are generally advised to undergo a complete breast examination and mammography once a year. Breast MRI should also be done for women who are have higher breast cancer risk factors.

Certain drugs, such as Tamoxifen, are approved by the USDA for cancer prevention in women aged thirty-five or older. Preventive prophylactic mastectomy, or the surgical removal of the breast, is advised for those who already had one breast removed and for those who are identified to have genetic mutations that raise tumor risks.

What exams and tests are involved in the detection of breast cancer?

Your doctor will gather information of your symptoms and risk factors. A thorough physical examination, which includes the breast, armpit, chest and neck, would then be performed to check for possible tumor growths.

To confirm the diagnosis additional test may be performed, this includes mammography, breast MRI, CT scan and PET scan, to identify the size, shape and location of the breast lump. Breast ultrasound is also done to check if the lump is solid or is filled with fluids. Needle aspiration and sentinel lymph node biopsy is done for further laboratory examination of a breast lump and adjacent lymph nodes.

How do we classify breast cancer?

After positive diagnosis of breast cancer, further test will be done in order to check the extent of the cancer. This is called breast cancer staging. This helps doctors identify the treatment methods necessary and to give the patient a prognosis.

Breast cancer stages ranges from zero to four. When a cancer has not yet spread, it is called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The cancer may be noninvasive or invasive depending of the advancement of cancer.

A combination of treatments is commonly received by women and this differs on the stage of the cancer. In stage one, the goal to eliminate the cancer and prevent its spread to other tissues and organs of the body. For women with stage four breast cancers, the treatment is aimed at prolonging the life span of the patient as the cancer in stage four cannot be treated.

How is breast cancer treated?

The treatment of cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer and its sensitivity to certain hormones. The cancer is also monitored for overproduction of the HER2 gene.

The general breast cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Surgical removal of cancerous tissues is also done to effectively remove breast lumps. Surgery may be in form of removal of breast lumps (lumpectomy) or removal of the entire breast and nearby structures (mastectomy). Radiation therapy is the use of high energy x-rays to destroy cancerous tissues.

Treatments such as hormonal therapy and targeted therapy may also be done in order to avert possible metastasis and to stop certain hormones from fueling cancer growth. Some samples of hormonal therapy include drugs such as Tamoxifen and Exemestane which are used to block the effects of estrogen and reduce cancer development. Drugs such as Herceptin plus trastuzumab may be used as a form of targeted therapy in women with stage IV HER2 positive breast cancer.

What to expect after treatment?

There are a number of medical advancements that makes it possible for patients to live longer, more active lives after cancer treatment. Still, we cannot help but stress the importance of early detection. In the American Cancer Society’s study, the five year survival rate for stage zero and one cancer is at a high of a hundred percent and this goes down to at least twenty percent for stage four. Visit your physician and find out more about cancer and learn how breast self examination is done.

Don’t Fall Victim to Breast Cancer, Identify the Early Warning Signs and Find out about Symptoms and Treatment Options Today. Visit Symptoms-of-Cancer.com today and find more information about how to identify Breast Cancer Symptoms

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Recent research has turned up very encouraging evidence that Curcumin and Piperine (substances derived from Turmeric and Black Pepper respectively) have huge potential as breast cancer treatments.

A recent study, published online in the journal “Breast Cancer Research and Treatment,” reveals for the first time the exact mechanics of how these natural spice compounds can prevent or even eliminate cancer.

The study shows that Curcumin and Piperine target cancer stem cells. Stem cells are basic, unspecialized cells, the blank templates so to speak, from which can grow any type of cell in an organ and cancer stem cells comprise the cells that fuel the growth of malignant tumours.

This discovery is of huge importance because chemotherapy is useless against these cells, which is the reason why cancers so often recur and spread in spite of highly intrusive treatment with very expensive, toxic and unpleasant “chemo.” The new study does show that the Turmeric and Black Pepper derivatives Curcumin and Piperine are able to do what chemo can’t - they limit the self-renewal of stem cells.

If the cancer stem cells can either be eliminated or their growth stopped, or both, using agents derived from nutrition and which cause little or no side effects, this, is extremely good news for breast cancer victims and women in general.

It is also good news for the health system in general because substances that already occur in nature cannot be invented in a laboratory and thus patented, rendering them the exclusive property of the inventor/manufacturer who can thus set a high price for them and make vast profits while the patent lasts.

Furthermore, it is a matter of record that many natural substances do a better job than their man-made counterparts, more safely, with fewer or no side effects and at a fraction of the cost. This is of course bad news for the pharmaceutical industry that works hard and at great expense to bolster the “PR” of the drug-profit-drug paradigm and steer the people away from nutrition and allied sciences. In so doing it labors to stave off its own extinction.

There is more good news for human health - and correspondingly bad news for the psycho-pharmacy - in that the same study showed the aforementioned compounds had no effect on cell differentiation, which is the normal process of cell development and that means these spice compounds are not toxic to normal breast tissue.

Women who are at high risk of breast cancer are currently given the choice of drugs such as Tamoxifen or Raloxifene for prevention, but most women won’t take them because they are much too toxic. In addition, Tamoxifen and Raloxifene are designed to target estrogen but the most aggressive and deadly breast cancers are often not estrogen-related and tend to be problematic to treat.

The spice compounds, however, could affect malignancies whether they are estrogen-sensitive or not and this and the discovery that such dietary compounds also present very low toxicity make this an important and exciting development in the forward march of nutritional science.

Here then is yet more compelling evidence that dispensing with the overly drug-oriented medical paradigm presents a quantum leap forward in human health.

A Golden Age is coming - and there are no dinosaurs in it.

Hello! My name is Jon Davy and I am a poet and writer interested in health and nutrition and in finding workable solutions to today’s problems of living. I am very pleased to now be on the team at the excellent libertarian project at Freedom Plaza. It doesn’t make me any money but it is something I believe in and I am very pleased to be involved with Freedom Plaza. If you go top http://www.wellhealthy.org you will find me there.

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The reminder that my mammogram was overdue sat in my ’in’ box for over a year. I kept putting it off to the side, as I went through the pile day-by-day. Finally, one day I got sick of putting it off, pulled it out, and called for an appointment. That day, the technician was very friendly, chit-chatting as she took the pictures, but as she looked at the results on her monitor, the chatting stopped, and she seemed more reserved. I went home and told my husband that I felt unsettled by the test, and that I would not be surprised if I got a call about the results. The call came the very next day. The doctor described the findings as ’suspicious’ and asked me to come back in for more pictures and a biopsy. That accomplished later in the week, the next call (the one I dreaded) came telling me that I had DCIS, which means “Ductal Carcinoma In Situ”, an early cancer. They had found it in my left breast, near the chest wall. Every nursing mother retains small flecks of calcification in her milk ducts from the milk she produced. Sometimes these flecks become cancerous, and this type of cancer is not generally caught with a manual breast exam until it is more advanced. In my case, having PCOS, which impedes or prevents regular ovulation and the progesterone that is released with it, was likely a contributing factor, according to the oncologist. Because of this lack of progesterone, I had had unopposed estrogen in my system for abnormally long periods of time throughout my life, and my cancer was estrogen positive. (Let this be a warning to those with PCOS — don’t miss those mammograms!)

The thought that I had put off having a mammogram for so long, while DCIS quietly grew in my breast, was sickening. I have consoled myself many times since then with the thought that, had I gone in on time, the DCIS might have been missed, being too early. As it was, one year later, the areas were small and hard to see. But who knows? I have stopped beating myself up now — it is what it is.

So, since the cancer was stage 0, I had a sizable lumpectomy, about the size of a deck of cards. When the lab work came back, we discovered that not only was there more cancer left in the breast, but on a scale of 1-9 for ’badness’, mine was a 9. So the surgeon gave me the option of another lumpectomy, (the normal approach for DCIS) or, considering the size of the area and its potential for nastiness, a mastectomy. I wrestled with that decision for many days, and glued myself to the web, searching for answers. In the end, I decided to have the mastectomy, with immediate reconstruction.

My research told me that I could hope to have a ’skin-sparing and nipple-sparing’ mastectomy, with reconstruction using fat from my belly. We live near a tertiary medical center, but after a consultation with them, I found that they didn’t offer a nipple-sparing option, and they still did breast reconstruction using the rectus abdominis muscle (TRAM flap) which, I knew from the experience of two close friends, was not preferable. In fact, the loss of the muscle for one friend had left her in chronic pain for several years until she found a physical therapist who helped her realign her core through massage and exercise. No thanks. So I hopped on the Web and found a doctor in New York City who had pioneered the procedure of fat-only transfer to reconstruct the breast. This is more difficult than the transfer of muscle, because the blood vessels in fat are more minute than those in muscle, requiring extra training in microsurgery to accomplish.

So I went straight to that practice. I could not get Dr. Robert Allen (who pioneered the procedure), without waiting longer than I wanted to, so I went with his partner, Dr. Levine. Overall, I am happy with the results. The shape of the breast itself is great, and the fat transfer was successful, which is no small thing in itself. Unfortunately, the nipple/areola did not fare well, due to a blood clot underneath it after surgery, which was not caught. Dr. Levine wanted to go ahead and remove the nipple/areola but I was determined to keep it and see what happened. This meant letting the area die off to the extent that it would from the lack of circulation, and then see what was left. Now, a year later, the nipple itself is gone, and the areola looks pretty scarred up, but I am hopeful that with tattooing to make the scarred areola match the color of the other side, and with a reconstructed nipple, that it will end up looking good. The abdominal scar, on the other hand, is 20″ long and there is no other way to describe it but ugly, although I hope it will improve as the scar fades.

In retrospect, I think I would have done things a little differently. I let the first surgeon scare me with the statistics of how likely the cancer was to return if I did not have a mastectomy. The reality is that had I had another lumpectomy that got all of the cancer, that would probably have been enough, with radiation, to give me the same survival rate that I have now, having had a mastectomy without radiation. It turned out that there was not much cancer left after the lumpectomy — another pass would probably have gotten it all, plus a nice wide margin around the cancerous area, which is the major determining factor of whether this particular cancer will return. A wide margin is key, and far more meaningful than any statistics. I wish I had made that second pass and assessed the results before moving on to mastectomy. If I had reservations at that time, I could always have continued on with a mastectomy. There is no going back, however, once the mastectomy is done.

Here is one important thing that was driven home to me during this experience. No doctor will care about the outcome of your situation as much as you do. And no doctor will have to live with the outcome — you will. Every doctor, as caring as he might be, still has his own agenda, potentially in conflict with yours, simply because surgery is how they make their living. I admired Dr. Allen for coming right out and saying this voluntarily. Breast reconstruction surgeons, he said, will tend to advocate mastectomy — it’s what they do best, and it provides the most definitive defense against cancer. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but you must factor your surgeon’s bias into the equation. So listen to your doctors at every stage, but be your own advocate, and make your decisions based on what is best for you. Educate yourself about what is available, and go after what you want.

Here are some thoughts.

1. Remember that Federal law requires your insurance to cover reconstruction. They must also cover the matching of the other breast, if need be, so that you end up with a “matching set”. And many insurance HMOs or PPOs will allow you to go elsewhere if you can prove that your group does not offer the procedure you want.

2. If a lumpectomy is offered as a treatment, seriously consider exhausting that option first, before jumping into a mastectomy. In many cases, there is no difference in survival rate between the two, and your doctor can better advise you if this may be true in your case. As I mentioned above, the margin around the cancer is a major factor. Had I gone with a lumpectomy, I would have very little evidence today that anything had ever happened. One big difference between most lumpectomies and a mastectomy is that there is no feeling left in the breast after a mastectomy, which I have found very disappointing. After the lumpectomy, I still had full feeling. Sometimes sensation will return after a mastectomy, at least partially. With my larger breast, I doubt I will ever have much feeling, and this is a change in the quality of life that I will live with for a long time. I avoided radiation by having the mastectomy, but this was the only real benefit as far as I was concerned, although an important one. Radiation is generally a requirement when having a lumpectomy.

Naturally, getting rid of the cancer is Job One. I guess my opinion is to consider all of your options, and don’t just take the most radical approach if you don’t have to, to achieve the same survival rate. Consider your quality of life, as well, if you have options, and don’t be ashamed for doing so. Oddly, I felt compelled to demonstrate to others, at times, that I only wanted to get rid of the cancer, instead of appearing to be vainly pre-occupied with retaining the look and feel of my breast. Don’t make my mistake. Having a mastectomy and reconstruction will be one the most difficult things a woman ever goes through, and it is not a procedure to be done for any other reason than a woman is certain it is best for herin every respect. The lumpectomy, on the other hand, is more easily accomplished, and you are on your feet and well in a matter of days, breast intact. Please don’t think I am advocating taking the easy road, when it might compromise your survival. But think twice if there is no statistical difference in survival between lumpectomy/radiation and mastectomy. Again, that will be for you and your doctor to evaluate together.

3. Go for the latest procedures, and go to the best doctors you can. Nipple sparing mastectomy is relatively new, so if you want that, then find a surgeon who will do it for you — it is not yet a foolproof, or widespread, procedure. Go for a fat-only transfer, the most common of which is called a DIEP flap, pioneered by Dr. Allen. I also see that his practice has added a partner that specializes in nipple sparing mastectomy since I saw them for my surgery, so they are worth a visit. Or try Sloan-Kettering — they seem to have the most comprehensive overall approach to breast cancer reconstruction, from all of my research, and will offer similar options. I discovered this after I had committed to the Allen practice, insurance-wise, and I didn’t want to start over, but I found that Sloan-Kettering is an excellent option. Lastly, it is also sometimes possible to transfer a nerve along with the fat, which may improve the chances of regaining some sensation in the breast, so ask your surgeon about this.

4. Question all incisions. I stopped the first surgeon and asked him if he had to put the incision right in the middle of the inner half of my breast, where I would always see it. It turns out he didn’t, it was just easier there. So don’t worry about ’inconveniencing’ your surgeon for a few minutes, when you might have an unnecessary scar to look at for years. Question everything. It would be nice if we didn’t have to, but as mentioned above, no one will care about the outcome the way you do.

You may also want to inquire about having a ’sub-cutaneous’ breast reconstruction.This is where the incision is made along the crease under the breast. Surgeons currently favor going in through the nipple area, and they will tell you that a sub-cutaneous incision makes reaching the upper area of the breast tissue more difficult, but I never understood this. To me, going through the nipple, especially if you want to keep it, can only compromise the blood flow, putting the area at risk. I argued with several surgeons about it, but could not get them to see my point, which is this: If you have a larger, sagging breast (finally a benefit!) a very large (6-7 inch) incision could be made without it ever being seen again under the breast. An incision this size would certainly allow a surgeon to reach any part of the breast area. There are some surgeons doing this, but new techniques are slow to catch on, as surgeons wait for others to take the risks first. The aesthetics of such are scar are preferable, and I believe would allow for better circulation to the nipple/areola. This option, of course, would not make sense for those with small breasts, where the large incision would show.

5. There are new reconstruction technologies just around the corner. Surgeons today are sometimes reluctant to do a very large lumpectomy or quadrantectomy (where one-quarter or more of the breast is removed) because it will disfigure the breast, and the reconstruction of these irregular shapes is more difficult with today’s fat transfer technology, although there are a few surgeons who will do a partial reconstruction with a mini flap of fat. More often, though, if the need for lumpectomy becomes too great, a surgeon will suggest a mastectomy instead, because creating an even breast-shaped mound is, simply, easier. That’s great for them, but then you have to live with the result. Advanced methods in fat transfer are around the corner, however, which will make it easier to fill in dents and irregular areas, for those whose cancer is larger, nearer the surface, or for those with smaller breasts, which are more easily disfigured by a lumpectomy. This method, using liposuction to remove fat cells from another area, mixing them with stem cells for improved survival of the fat cells, and then injecting this mixture into the irregular breast area, may someday become a preferred method for reconstruction. I am no expert, but I do believe that it will become possible, at least in some cases (depending on the size and location of the cancer), to utilize these methods to achieve that desirable wide margin around the cancer, and at the same time reduce or eliminate the need for a 20-inch scar, while ultimately preserving a more natural breast, with perhaps a greater chance to preserve nipple and sensation. At least one company, Cytori, is making headway on this.

Here’s a bonus FYI — did you know that there are a few surgeons out there doing breast reduction using only liposuction? A great alternative if you need to have the other breast reduced to match the reconstructed one. (Who needs major surgery on the other breast, too?) Also, it’s becoming a more common alternative for regular breast reduction. Use these search terms “tumescent breast reduction” to find more info on the web.

Fortunately, breast cancer treatments and surgeries are improving at a rapid pace, and in another 10 years, I think the approach to treating breast cancer, on all fronts, will be very different from what it is today.

Susan Sylvia is a stay-at-home mom, with a husband, three teens, two dogs, one cat, and a busy household situated in the countryside of New Hampshire. Breast cancer at 49 was not welcome into her happy existence, but having been through it, there has been one great benefit: it forced her to re-evaluate her life and its brevity. The time came to evaluate her priorities and realign her lifestyle with the things she loved. This meant continuing to spend as much time as possible with her family and, toward that end, restructuring her part-time professional. So she has been re-doubling her efforts to leave that work which takes her away from the family, and to finally do something that she truly loves to earn money. With the family’s support, she has ventured into the world of ecommerce, opening a website to sell her hand dyed wool — a hobby she has enjoyed for years. She’d love a visit from you, if you’d care to click below:

Rug hooking wool

When she is not hanging with the family, she loves to cook, garden, and read. She also loves to write and is hoping to author a book or two someday. These articles represent the early framing of her thoughts, and she invites your comments and questions.

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In addition to the medical and emotional issues one must deal with after having breast cancer, some other issues breast cancer survivors must deal with are health insurance and employment discrimination. As much as people want to deny the problem, there is discrimination against people who have had cancer. Hard to believe, since having cancer can really make a person stronger and more focused, but it happens. So this article will discuss some issues and approaches to take to deal with discrimination not only with employment, but with insurance.

It is very important NOT to let your insurance lapse after having cancer. Your current insurance company cannot drop your coverage after having a life threatening illness like cancer, but many insurance companies WILL NOT let someone who has had a life threatening illness start a policy with them or they will cover you, but NOT in the event of a recurrence. Changing insurance coverage through a job change will usually be ok, but you will need to check to make sure. Also, if you quit your job or leave for any reason, it's usually a good idea to continue your coverage through COBRA until you have a new job or coverage through other means. It can be expensive, but worth it in the event of any health problems. Also, it is harder to get other types of insurance coverage, like life and disability after having breast cancer.

In terms of employment, everyone must make a decision to tell or not tell co-workers about having cancer. It is technically against the law to discriminate against the handicapped. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) extended this to the private sector. Cancer and other diseases fall under this law. If you have issues at your job due to the effects of your cancer treatment, your employer must make accommodations for you. But the truth is that many employers will find other ways to discriminate against workers who have had cancer, so be on your guard.

It's a little trickier when you are trying to find a new job. Employers can be shy about hiring people who have had cancer. It's against the law, but it still happens. You have to decide if you want to be upfront about your illness or just cover it up. On one hand, you might want to work for a company that will be supportive of your situation. On the other hand, you might not want to risk losing the job and choose just not to mention it. In addition, if you need to take time off for appointments and other things, it might not go over well with them if they didn't know that when they hired you. It's a very personal decision, one in which you must carefully weigh all your options. If you can find some kind of career counseling center, they may be able to give you some type of advice or guidance.

Michael RussellYour Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Have you ever noticed that one physical attribute almost all women featured in billboards or magazine covers and spreads have in common? Yes, they all have well-endowed breasts, may it be natural or artificially enhanced. Indeed, marketing and promotional materials for liquors, cigarettes, and condoms usually seem to be lacking without the presence of nubile starlets, with gigantic breasts and in lingerie. This is the reason women who are flat-chested are dreaming of undergoing breast enlargement procedure that can instantly uplift their worth in the mammary asset department. Surprisingly, even women who already have relatively endowed chests are seeking the help of science in further improving their breast sizes. To this date, many women turn to breast enlargement pill with high hopes of achieving breasts big enough to fill the cup size of their fantasies. It doesn't matter to some of these women if they have to spend a fortune just to have breasts humongous enough to rival that of Dolly Parton or Baywatch babe, Pamela Anderson.

Both real and online markets nowadays are teeming with breast enlargement products promising attractive, sex symbol-like boobs. From breast augmentation and 'magic' creams to pills, a woman can choose among various boob-enhancing procedures and methods depending on their preference and budget. There are also several reasons why a particular woman wishes to improve her breast size but most of the time, every reason is brought about by the need to look and feel good. A desperate wife of a rich but philandering husband, for example, may want to enhance her breasts to lure her husband away from committing extra-marital affairs. The woman probably believes that once she had her breasts surgically enhanced, her husband will see her in a different light: someone who is just as exciting and desirable as the younger sexy women. An aspiring model may also subject herself to medical produces to 'vulcanize' her breasts. She may think having extra big and luscious breasts mean improving her chances of getting noticed by advertising agencies as well.

A question pertaining to possible health complications is probably the most popular query a woman asks her doctor before subjecting her boobs to breast enlargement surgery. There are several women who wish to augment their breasts but are only too worried of hazardous side effects which may include excessive bleeding, infections, hematoma, or even breast cancer. Women who undergo surgical procedures should also expect certain amounts of pain in the process even if doctors use anesthesia. It is no wonder some women opt for the breast enlargement pill as a cheaper and painless alternative. But pills may not produce results as effective and as fast as surgeries can.

For more valuable information on Breast Enlargement and Breast Enlargement Pill please visit http://www.breast-enlargement-expert.com

In women, breast cancer is the common type of cancer and it is affecting one out of eight women. At any time, this cancer may develop and the risk increases with developing of cancer as the women get older. In most of the post-menopausal women, it is common and with the increase in age will increase the risk as well.

When the cancer is spread beyond the breast, then it is said to be in metastatic state. This means that cancer has traveled from breast to another part of the body. The cells of cancer will travel through blood vessels or lymphatic system.

Causes

As of today, the breast cancer like any other forms of cancer is considered as one of the final outcomes of multiple hereditary and environmental factors. The risk of breast cancer will be increased by 70% in young people by inhaling the secondhand smoke and primarily menopausal women are affected by this.

Symptoms

So many fears are elicited by breast cancer including the ones that are related to surgery, loss of body image, death and loss of sexuality and however, if the breast caner is diagnosed earlier, then it is curable. Therefore, it always recommended doing a regular self screening of the body. Usually, the breast cancer will show thickening or lump in the breast tissues but not all the breast lumps are cancerous.

Often, the breast cancer will occur in left breast and also in the upper quadrant. Other than the lump, the indications of this cancer include skin dimpling, changes in breast shape and size, spontaneous discharge of single nipple or nipple inversion.

Treatment

In order to treat the breast cancer, controversies are still raging all over the world. The options to treat the breast cancer include chemotherapy, surgery, herceptin, hormonal therapies, radiotherapy and other complementary treatments.

Whenever the tumor is localized, surgery is the mainstay of the treatment. Some of the surgeries include the possible hormonal therapy (with aromatase inhibitor or with the tamoxifen), radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.

MammaPrint test is the first tests that became one of the first breast cancer predicator, which won the formal approval of the USFDA. This is a new type of gene test, which will predict whether women with the early stage of cancer will replace in about 5 to 10 years. This test will help to influence on how aggressively the tumor in the initial stages can be treated.

ILT (Interstitial Laser thermotherapy) is one of the innovative methods that are used to treat the breast cancer through minimal invasive manner. This method does not involve any surgical procedures. This procedure will not have any adverse effect on health and during the intermediate follow-up; the survival rate of the patient is high.

Routine mammography of the women aged more than 40 to 50 years is very much recommended by many science institutes. By doing so, if there is cancer, then it can be detected at the earlier stages and it can be treated effectively at early stages.

Abortion Clinic — Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the Orlando Women’s Center in March 1996. Florida Abortion Clinic, physical examinations, family planning, counseling.

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Myth: A woman who has been cancer earlier should not get pregnant.

There is much metabolic and hormonal change occurring when a woman gets pregnant. Studies have shown that this does not cause any significant risk of breast cancer recurring.

Myth: Breast cancer can be got by coming into contact with an individual who already has it, that is, it is contagious.

This is absolutely false. Cancer is formed by the abnormal multiplication of cells and changes that occur in one woman's cells cannot affect the cells of another woman. The common risk factors of breast cancer are age, obesity, high fat content diet, family history, if menstruation begins at an early age, if menstruation continues beyond the age of 50, if a previous breast biopsy shows benign conditions, mutations of the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 and not having children.

Myth: If only your mother's family has a history of breast cancer, it can affect your risk.

This is not so. You could be at risk equally if either your mother's or father's family has had a history of breast cancer. Your compliment of genes come equally, that is, half from your mother and half from your father. If a man and a woman have a similar breast cancer gene abnormality, the likelihood of the woman developing breast cancer is more than when compared with the man. Therefore in order to follow your father's family history, you have to take into account the women on your father's side and rather than the men.

Myth: You have been cured of breast cancer if you are cancer free five years after you have been diagnosed.

Being free of some cancers five years after you have been diagnosed does imply a cure, but it is not the case in breast cancer. The chances of it recurring is greatest in the first two years after it has been diagnose, but it can and does recur at any time after the initial diagnosis, that is, it can occur even after 2 or 3 or even 10 years after initial diagnosis.

Myth: You will lose your hair when you undergo radiation therapy.

You will not lose the hair on your head, but you may lose the hair on your nipple and the hair in your armpit next to the breast that is undergoing the radiation. This is only temporary and will grow back. Radiation therapy is focused directly on the tissue of the breast and sometimes on the nearby lymph nodes. You will lose your hair on your head only if the radiation is targeted at your head.

Myth: You will lose your hair when you undergo chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy affects the whole body and as a result, there might be some loss of hair. However, this loss of hair depends on how long the treatment is going to be, they types of drugs and the dosage. If a woman does lose hair, however during chemotherapy it usually begins about three weeks after the treatment has begun. The loss of hair is, however, only a temporary side effect and will grow back once chemotherapy has concluded.

Michael RussellYour Independent guide to Breast Cancer

The medical world agrees that women who smoke have the odds stacked against them for getting breast cancer. Women who are concerned about getting this cancer should stay away from tobacco. Toxins found in most tobacco contribute to the onset of breast cancer, while nicotine on the other hand, contributes to its spread. Women can help themselves by putting an end to smoking.

Nicotine Spreads Cancer

Due to the physiological make up of women, nicotine causes breast cancer to spread quickly. On the positive side, many researchers are using this fact to find a cure. Females in their early teens should not start smoking due to their rapid breast development. If they smoke now, it would be in their best interests to stop as soon as possible. Similarly, middle aged and older women who smoke would be doing themselves a favour if they stopped smoking. By doing so, the chances of the cancer spreading will be minimized.

The Harmful Effects of Second Hand Smoke

Nicotine absorbed by the body via second hand smoke, can also be detrimental to breast cancer sufferers. It is therefore important that they move away from smoke when in public areas, or tactfully ask the smoker to stop if it isn’t possible to move away. This is equally important when around family and friends, although at times it can be more difficult due to dynamics of the relationship. It may be that a partner of a breast cancer sufferer may need to stop smoking. Since nicotine is one of the most addictive substances
known, giving up smoking may be a challenge.

While taking these two steps, that is stop smoking and move away from smoke, won’t cure the cancer, they will assist in reducing the chances of it spreading further. This is very important, as it is easier to eradicate cancer when it is isolated.

Nick has been writing on women’s and men’s health issues for a number of years. He is currently a staff writer for http://www.breastcancertoday.org. You can find more articles and useful information at that website. The article may be used without permission as long as it is shown in its entirety with this paragraph.

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Cancer is charterised by an abnormal of cells. There are a very large number of cancers in existence, including breast, skin, lung, colon, prostate cancer, and lymphoma. Of these, breast cancer is the most common cause of dead in women. Worldwide, it comprises 10.4% of all cancer incidences among women and is the fifth most common cause of death among women.

Breast cancer refers to cancers originating from the breast tissue, and most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. In theory, it can occur in both the genders although incidence in males is extremely rare.

Research has identified several factors that can make a woman more prone to breast cancer. Fifty percent of the incidence has been known to occur in women over the age of 65. Excess body weight and obesity is also linked to higher incidence of the cancer. An unhealthy diet and a lifestyle with little or no exercise can also increase the risk. And finally, it can be passed down from parent to sibling and a family history of cancer particularly in the female members like mother or sisters can increase the probability of contracting it.

The cancer exhibits itself through many different symptoms. A common symptom is the appearance of a lump in the breast tissue or thickening in or near the breast area. Physical appearance of the breast and the nipple may also be altered, in addition to swelling or deformation of the skin on the breast. Unexplained nipple discharge could also be a symptom of breast cancer.

It is one disease where prevention or at least early detection is better than cure. Doctors firmly believe that early detection of cancers save thousands of lives every year. Women who display no symptoms of breast cancer but have either a family history of the disease or follow lifestyles that make them more prone to breast cancer, are particularly advised to undergo screening so that cancer can be detected at an early stage before it starts causing symptoms.

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