Cancer - Cancer Treatment

Asbestos Lung Cancer Treatment & Mesothelioma Information

2007-12-27T06:03:00.001-08:00

Doctor appointments are critical to make sure you're staying in proper health. However, exposure to asbestos presents an added urgency for routine appointments. Because asbestos related diseases take decades to form, early detection is critical for proper treatment. People who have jobs in industries like construction, shipbuilding and manufacturing are particularly susceptible of contracting these conditions.

Even with the best screening techniques available today mesothelioma often can escape diagnosis. The best thing to do is get screened early and consistently, especially if you had exposure to asbestos. Medical technology has breakthroughs every day and eventually a cure will be found. However, until then, the victims of mesothelioma should take action against those responsible. Contact a lawyer in your state today so you can receive compensation for your suffering.

The affected areas from mesothelioma cancer are the lining of the internal organs in the body. Because of the location of the infected cells, mesothelioma does not respond well to conventional treatments unlike most other forms of cancer. In addition, there are no blatant symptoms of the disease, so doctors cannot properly diagnose the illness until it's significantly advanced. Because of these factors, the effectiveness of many conventional treatments are limited.

When treating mesothelioma, doctors use several treatment options. Surgery, radiation treatments and chemotherapy have been traditional options for slowing the growth of cancerous cells. Doctors dealing with mesothelioma have to plan an innovative method of attack to combat this condition. New treatments like angiogenesis, photodynamic and gene therapy hold new hope for victims of mesothelioma everywhere. Depending on the state and location of the cancer, doctors will choose the best course of action for the circumstances. If it's discovered early enough, doctors can prolong the life of the victim, but sadly cannot cure the disease.

The three main types of malignant mesotheliomas are epithelioid, sarcomatoid and mixed/biphasic. Epithelioid is the most common kind as around 50-70% of all mesothelioma cases reported are this type. Epithelioid also has the best chances of survival. It affects the internal organs and internal surfaces coverings. Sarcomatoid is a much more serious condition as it affects the secondary tissues in the body such as cartilage, muscles, bone and fat. However, this cancer is much rarer, as it only occurs 7-20% of the time. Mixed/biphasic is having both types of the cancer at once, and this makes up 20-35% of the occurrences.
Tip! Whether you are scheduled to undergo breast surgery to determine if you need follow-up breast cancer treatment, or you are already undergoing breast cancer treatment, hypnosis can complement your medical treatment in multiple ways.

There are three targeted areas that mesothelioma can affect. Pleural mesothelioma affects the pleural cavity around the lungs and is responsible for a majority 75% of all cases diagnosed. Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for 10-20% of all cases and affects the tissues in the abdomen (especially the stomach and intestines). Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest form which affects the sac and lining surrounding the heart.

To learn more about known asbestos worksites, who gets mesothelioma or photodynamic therapy for mesothelioma, please visit our website. This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks.

Asbestos Lung Cancer Treatment & Mesothelioma Information

2007-12-27T06:03:00.000-08:00

Doctor appointments are critical to make sure you're staying in proper health. However, exposure to asbestos presents an added urgency for routine appointments. Because asbestos related diseases take decades to form, early detection is critical for proper treatment. People who have jobs in industries like construction, shipbuilding and manufacturing are particularly susceptible of contracting these conditions.

Even with the best screening techniques available today mesothelioma often can escape diagnosis. The best thing to do is get screened early and consistently, especially if you had exposure to asbestos. Medical technology has breakthroughs every day and eventually a cure will be found. However, until then, the victims of mesothelioma should take action against those responsible. Contact a lawyer in your state today so you can receive compensation for your suffering.

The affected areas from mesothelioma cancer are the lining of the internal organs in the body. Because of the location of the infected cells, mesothelioma does not respond well to conventional treatments unlike most other forms of cancer. In addition, there are no blatant symptoms of the disease, so doctors cannot properly diagnose the illness until it's significantly advanced. Because of these factors, the effectiveness of many conventional treatments are limited.

When treating mesothelioma, doctors use several treatment options. Surgery, radiation treatments and chemotherapy have been traditional options for slowing the growth of cancerous cells. Doctors dealing with mesothelioma have to plan an innovative method of attack to combat this condition. New treatments like angiogenesis, photodynamic and gene therapy hold new hope for victims of mesothelioma everywhere. Depending on the state and location of the cancer, doctors will choose the best course of action for the circumstances. If it's discovered early enough, doctors can prolong the life of the victim, but sadly cannot cure the disease.
Tip! Psychoneuroimmunology Another new form of cancer treatment is Psychoneuroimmunology. It believes that mind can wield enough control over the body to stimulate a healing process.

The three main types of malignant mesotheliomas are epithelioid, sarcomatoid and mixed/biphasic. Epithelioid is the most common kind as around 50-70% of all mesothelioma cases reported are this type. Epithelioid also has the best chances of survival. It affects the internal organs and internal surfaces coverings. Sarcomatoid is a much more serious condition as it affects the secondary tissues in the body such as cartilage, muscles, bone and fat. However, this cancer is much rarer, as it only occurs 7-20% of the time. Mixed/biphasic is having both types of the cancer at once, and this makes up 20-35% of the occurrences.

There are three targeted areas that mesothelioma can affect. Pleural mesothelioma affects the pleural cavity around the lungs and is responsible for a majority 75% of all cases diagnosed. Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for 10-20% of all cases and affects the tissues in the abdomen (especially the stomach and intestines). Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest form which affects the sac and lining surrounding the heart.
Tip! Naturopathy It is “back to nature” in the realm of cancer treatment, with natural therapy. Naturopathy is an herbal treatment, which furthers your body's innate ability to heal itself, combining a range of processes.

To learn more about known asbestos worksites, who gets mesothelioma or photodynamic therapy for mesothelioma, please visit our website. This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks.

Cancer Treatment For Dogs - The Holistic Approach

2007-12-27T06:02:00.003-08:00

You're driving home from the vet with your best friend and have just received the worst kind of news. You knew something wasn't right with your dog, he just wasn't himself lately. As a responsible dog owner, you took him to the vet, what you weren't expecting was the diagnoses: cancer. Now you're head is swimming with tons of information about treatment options, side effects, length of time you have left and quality of life for your dog.

Your first step is to assess all your treatment options and their consequences. If your current vet is only giving your traditional treatment options, you may want to ask for a referral to a vet that specializes in holistic options as well. You can mix both traditional western medicine and holistic options as well. For instance, if you choose the chemotherapy route that was advised by your vet, you can help your dog relieve some of the nausea and pain by acupuncture. You only get one shot at helping your dog through this terrible disease. There are tons of claims on the internet about cures that don't involve the traditional treatment options. It's essential that you have a veterinarian that is experienced in holistic treatments to guide you through this process.

Different holistic options include: homeopathic medicine, herbal treatments, flower essence, acupuncture and chiropractic care. Your vet can guide you through the many different options and create a blend of treatments that will work best for your dog.

It may seem bleak now, but with the many different treatment options there are, chances are good you can help your dog through this very difficult time.

Suzi Sevcik is the creator of http://www.dogvetcare.com a site dedicated to providing dog owners with expert advice on care for their four legged member of the family. For more information on holistic care for your dog, see http://www.dogvetcare.com/holistic/. You can reach Suzi by email at: suzi@dogvetcare.com.

Ganoderma - Could It Help In The Treatment Of Cancer?

2007-12-27T06:02:00.002-08:00

By definition, Ganoderma is a "mushroom" from the green and vibrant Mycetes plant kingdom where short and tiny fungi that are unable to manufacture their own food like green plants—through photosynthesis—thrive. Within the plant kingdom, Ganoderma Lucidum belongs to a superior grade. Of all the many edible fungi in the kingdom, the Ganoderma mushroom stands out in its significant medicinal values.

Although Ganoderma may seem trivial to most people for it leads a parasitic life by breaking down and surviving on nutrients of other plants and animals, there is more to this mushroom than meets the eye. Known as the "superior herb," Ganoderma Lucidum is a rare variety of mushroom credited with the highest medicinal qualities in the Ancient China and is also a subject of many researches by various universities and organizations in the modern times. Also known as "Linghzi" in China—which is considered as an auspicious medicine because of its medical efficacy—and "Reishi" in Japan—which is called, the ‘God's Herb', Ganoderma's worldwide popularity as a powerful medicinal herb continues to increase and is now mass-produced to help combat one of the dreaded diseases of today—cancer. Ganoderma works best in the treatment of cancer because it helps cleanse the entire body from toxins while it strengthens immunity. It also contributes to the improvement of liver function while it stimulates the regeneration of liver cells—providing a very important supplement for those people who have liver cancer. Aside enhancing liver detoxification, the anti-cancer agents in Ganoderma which include Germanium and polysaccharides. The polysaccharide fraction of Ganoderma is responsible for its anti-tumor efficacy.

The indications for Ganoderma use in cancer include supplementation to reduce side-effects during radiotherapy or chemotherapy, to prolong survival, to improve quality of life, and to prevent occurrence or recurrence. While Ganoderma is used as a supplement during chemotherapy or radiotherapy to reduce side-effects such as loss of appetite, fatigue, hair loss, and risk of infection, it can also reduce the toxic and lessen the pains during the sessions particularly to cancer patients at terminal stages. Aside from helping the immune and endocrine system to prevent tumors, help improve the circulation and eliminate harmful free radicals, other qualities of Ganoderma that help in the treatment of cancer include the inhibition of DNA synthesis of the cancer cells, destroying the terminal enzyme activity of the tumor cells and restrain the spread of cancer cells.
Tip! 2) Radiation therapy - Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells.

Still, while Ganoderma has been recognized traditionally and scientifically as potentially useful in the treatment of cancer, there is still a notable discrepancy whether it can totally cure the Big "C" because of the lack of clinical trials demonstrating its efficacy. Despite these controversies, studies still suggest that though Ganoderma and its derivatives are not pharmaceuticals and have not undergone rigorous clinical trials to be tested against the disease, there are indirect clinical evidences to support its supplemental use in cancer.

Aside from being the biggest potential in curing cancer, the need to take Ganoderma is still indispensable for many illnesses are caused by the imbalance of body functions due to the accumulated toxins in the body.

Apart from removing the build-up of toxins, Ganoderma also protects and detoxifies the liver, prevents and cures heart diseases while it slows the aging process. It also has positive effect on insomnia, being a cure for high blood pressure and as effective treat diabetes. While it serves as a treatment for chronic bronchitis and asthma, Ganoderma also has effect on hyper susceptibility and is used as a beauty care medicine for the skin.

Terry Dunn is Webmaster of http://www.Ganoderma-Online.com - a Informational Resource about Ganoderma

Hypnotherapy -- A Powerful Complementary Treatment in Cancer Therapy

2007-12-27T06:02:00.001-08:00

Imagine this scenario: Mary and Janet each discovered she had breast cancer at the same stage of development and began seeing the same physician on the same day. Each had the same treatments for the same period of time. Mary did not recover. Janet is not only alive, she is thriving.

What made the difference? Their belief system. Mary believed everything the doctor said about the treatment, its side effects and her slim chances of survival. She got sick with the treatment, became extremely tired, lost her hair and died right on schedule. Janet was determined to beat it no matter what it took. She believed she was more powerful than the cancer and she proved it.

Along with her prescribed treatments and a change in her eating habits, she sought out a hypnotherapist who works with patients undergoing cancer treatment. Why a hypnotherapist? To answer that question, let's explore the program Janet and the hypnotherapist developed together. Because Janet saw the hypnotherapist the week before the chemotherapy began, the first thing they did was help Janet's mind understand that there was no need for her to lose her hair or experience any other side effects. They reinforced this in the succeeding sessions.

After a number of chemotherapy sessions with minimal or no side effects, they began to explore possible causes of the cancer and do creative visualizations of Janet's perfect health. In other words, they gave her mind the goal of perfect health.

Does this sound impossible, farfetched or woo woo? Even if it sounds like that to you, know that the mind is a very powerful instrument and that our thoughts create our reality.

Have you heard the statement, "You are what you think about all day long?" Or "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he"? Ponder this: If biofeedback helps you regulate your heart beat, your blood pressure and your response to stress by using the power of your mind, isn't it logical that you can control your response to therapy, encourage your immune system to fight disease and perhaps eliminate it altogether?
Tip! 4) Hormone therapy - Hormone therapy is a cancer treatment that removes hormones or blocks their action and stops cancer cells from growing. Hormones are substances produced by glands in the body and circulated in the bloodstream.

I worked with a woman shortly after her surgery for breast cancer and after her first session of chemotherapy. She had experienced hypnosis for childbirth and thought it might benefit her in this health crisis. Unfortunately she had already lost her hair, but we were able to keep her from being nauseated or experiencing the debilitating exhaustion the doctor told her she would experience. Among other things, we did visualizations of her sitting in the exam room and hearing the doctor and nurse outside the door discussing how well she was doing and wondering what made her different from the other patients who demonstrated all the side effects of the chemotherapy. She called one day, excited to tell me this had happened just the way we visualized it. This was almost ten years ago and she is still thriving.

While this may seem like a simplistic approach, it is a very dynamic one because the power of your mind knows no limits. There is a saying, "If you want to change your life, change your thinking." We believe this to be true and see evidence of it on a daily basis.
Tip! Spiritual Support Therapy Another popular form of skin cancer treatment is Spiritual Support Therapy, which takes care of the patient's spiritual well being and a regimen of exercises and massages that forms the Physical Therapy, designed to abate stress and pain.

http://www.thepowerzone.com (Hypnotherapy Downloads) http://www.yourscottsdalewedding.com (Scottsdale Weddings) http://your-scottsdale-wedding.com (Wedding Blog)

Melanoma, Skin Disease and Skin Cancer Treatment – You Need to Read This

2007-12-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

Skin cancer like melanoma is potentially fatal. Hence, it is imperative that skin cancer treatment is begun early. Skin cancer treatment may take on the conventional form or it may be along the lines of alternative medicine. Cancer treatment is progressing rapidly by the day and new treatment methods are in the pipeline.

Conventional skin cancer treatment encompasses a range of methods, like:

Surgery Surgery is the oldest form of treating skin cancer. This treatment involves the removal of the tumor and some adjacent healthy tissues in order to stem the cancer spread. For some surface-based cancers doctors and surgeons have found skin peels like the TCA skin peel have been very effective (see the link below for more info on TCA peels for home use).

Chemotherapy Chemotherapy aims at skin cancer treatment by introducing specific cancer-combating drugs in the body. These drugs kill the cancer cells by hampering their development and regeneration. To counter the side effects, chemotherapy is being molded along new lines.

Radiation therapy Radiation therapy uses x-rays to kill the cancer-causing cells. This therapy can be applied to any part of the body. New radiation techniques like External Beam Radiation aim at focusing the radiation to the cancer cell and away from healthy tissue.

Immunotherapy Biotherapy or immunotherapy aims at treating skin cancer by enhancing the body's immune system with doses of tumor vaccines, interleukin-2, or interferon-alfa. It involves fewer side effects than other methods.

Hyperthermia The cancer cell is known to be sensitive to heat. Local hyperthermia is one method of cancer treatment where the whole body or the concerned area is subject to high temperatures to destroy or weaken cancer cells.

Photodynamic Therapy A relatively new cancer treatment, Photodynamic Therapy, involves the injection of Photofrin so that when the cancer cell is subject to a laser beam, the drug is triggered into action. This treatment is relatively painless and entails less risks and side effects than other treatment forms.
Tip! Naturopathy It is “back to nature” in the realm of cancer treatment, with natural therapy. Naturopathy is an herbal treatment, which furthers your body's innate ability to heal itself, combining a range of processes.

Steering clear of these harsh methods are the alternative forms of cancer treatment like:

Nutritional Therapy Here the cancer patient is put on an individualized diet in accordance with the specific dietary preferences and requirements to counter the ravages wrought by the disease and the treatment.

Pain management Pain management aims to alleviate pain and distress either through drugs, surgery or psychotherapy.

Naturopathy It is "back to nature" in the realm of cancer treatment, with natural therapy. Naturopathy is an herbal treatment, which furthers your body's innate ability to heal itself, combining a range of processes.

Psychoneuroimmunology Another new form of cancer treatment is Psychoneuroimmunology. It believes that mind can wield enough control over the body to stimulate a healing process. Thus, this form of treatment engulfs a range of nutritional and medical issues to aid during the bodily healing and emotional and cognitive therapies like stress management and humor sessions to empower the mind.

Spiritual Support Therapy Another popular form of skin cancer treatment is Spiritual Support Therapy, which takes care of the patient's spiritual well being and a regimen of exercises and massages that forms the Physical Therapy, designed to abate stress and pain.
Tip! Hyperthermia The cancer cell is known to be sensitive to heat. Local hyperthermia is one method of cancer treatment where the whole body or the concerned area is subject to high temperatures to destroy or weaken cancer cells.

Skin cancer treatment is most effective when cancer is diagnosed early and the physician embarks on the best form of treatment.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests and manufactures various skin peels for plastic surgeons, medispas, and in home use. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com

Skin Cancer; Early Treatment Wins the Game

2007-11-27T06:02:00.008-08:00

Skin cancer can happen to anyone and those at risk need to be smart and seek professional advice and/or early treatment. This makes sense of course but how do you know if you are at risk? Well if you work in an industry were you are exposed a lot to the sun you could be at risk.
If you get sunburns quite easily or have very light skin you would be more susceptible. Also if you have blue or green eyes or have blond or red hair you will be slightly more at risk. One of the most obvious things to think about is if you have skin cancer, which runs in your family. If you have a lot of moles you may wish to have a doctor look at them to see if they are the type that can become cancerous. Children who have had very bad skin burns in their past could be at risk as adults.
Tip! Breast cancer treatments are local or systemic.

All doctors agree on one thing and that is of all the major types of skin cancer, early detection and treatment is your best chances for winning the game. So if you see spots on your skin, which are not symmetrical and growing these need to be checked out. The CDC says that;

"The three major types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Malignant melanoma causes more than 75% of all deaths from skin cancer. This disease can spread to other organs, most commonly the lungs and liver. Malignant melanoma diagnosed at an early stage usually can be cured, but melanoma diagnosed at a late stage is more likely to spread and cause death."
Tip! A man attending a prostate cancer support group expressed concern about being “damaged goods” following prostate cancer treatment. Your bride is not damaged goods with or without breast reconstruction.

For Skin Cancer; Early Treatment Wins the Game and thus ask your doctor to look at the spots on your skin to make sure they are not cancerous and keep an eye on them, be smart. Please consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Lycopene Effective with Prostate Cancer Treatment

2007-11-27T06:02:00.007-08:00

Men with prostate cancer who take supplemental lycopene in addition to surgical removal of the testicles may experience less active disease, less bone pain, and live longer than those who only have surgical removal of the testicles, according to a new study in British Journal of Urology International (2003;92:375-8). This is exciting news for millions of men who have to undergo aggressive treatment for advanced prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men over the age of 50 years, with more than 200,000 new cases each year in the United States. The cause of prostate cancer, like many other cancers, is unknown; however, some studies suggest alterations in testosterone metabolism may play a role in its development. Prostate cancer is generally slow growing and may not cause any symptoms until late in the disease. Symptoms may include frequent or painful urination, dribbling after urination, sensation of incomplete emptying of the bladder, or blood in the urine. The symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to those of a non-cancerous condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), so men experiencing these symptoms should consult their physician for an accurate diagnosis.

In the new study, 54 men with advanced prostate cancer were randomly assigned to have surgical removal of the testicles (orchidectomy) alone or orchidectomy plus oral supplementation with 4 mg of lycopene a day. Measurements of PSA (a blood marker of prostate cancer activity), bone scans, and urinary flow were taken initially and every three months for two years. Men receiving lycopene started on the day of their surgery.

After six months, PSA had significantly decreased in both groups, indicating a reduction in prostate cancer activity. However, PSA levels in those receiving lycopene were more than 65% lower than in those who did not receive lycopene. After two years, PSA levels in the lycopene treatment group had fallen into the normal range, while those who only underwent surgery still had PSA levels more than twice the upper limit of normal. Urinary symptoms significantly improved in both groups, but better improvement was again observed in the lycopene group. The lycopene group also experienced less bone pain.
Tip! Any surgery can be stressful, but breast surgery that may indicate a need for follow-up breast cancer treatment can be extremely stressful for any woman. In our practice, hypnosis for breast cancer surgery focuses specifically on this extreme stress.

The survival rates after two years in the lycopene-plus-surgery group and surgery-only groups were 87% and 78%, respectively, a statistically significant difference. No adverse side effects were observed in men taking lycopene.LycopeneLycopene is one of a group of compounds called carotenoids. It is found in high amounts in tomatoes.

The findings of this study corroborate the findings of other similar studies examining the effectiveness of lycopene in the treatment of prostate cancer. However, the amount used in the current study (4 mg per day) was substantially less than the amounts used in other studies (30 mg per day). It may also help stimulate the immune system and has been shown to cause cancer cells to die on their own. Although more research is needed to clarify what amount of lycopene is most effective, men with prostate cancer may benefit from taking daily lycopene supplements. Eating one moderately sized tomato a day also provides approximately 4 mg of lycopene. Other tomato products, such as an 8-ounce portion of tomato juice or tomato paste may provide up to 25 mg of lycopene.
Tip! 1) Surgical castration by orchidectomy: the cheapest and simplest prostate cancer treatment is orchidectomy. The only disadvantage is a psychological effect of the loss of testicles.

Darin Ingels, ND, MT (ASCP), received his bachelor's degree from Purdue University and his Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA. Dr. Ingels is the author of The Natural Pharmacist: Lowering Cholesterol (Prima, 1999) and Natural Treatments for High Cholesterol (Prima, 2000). He currently is in private practice at New England Family Health Associates located in Southport, CT, where he specializes in environmental medicine and allergies. Dr. Ingels is a regular contributor to Vitamin Herb University.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms: Prostate Treatment, Radiation, and More

2007-11-27T06:02:00.006-08:00

How common is Prostate Cancer and what are the Symptoms? Prostate Cancer Symptoms can be hard to detect but it helps to know what you are looking for. In this article Prostate Cancer Symptoms: Prostate Treatment, Radiation and more, my goal is to briefly introduce you to Prostate Cancer so that you have an outline of important information if you ever find yourself, or someone you love in this situation.

How common is Prostate Cancer? How do I know if I have prostate cancer? These are very important questions. Prostate Cancer is the second most common form of cancer in men and is usually found in men over 50 years of age. The best protection you can offer yourself from this life threatening disease, is to arm yourself with the knowledge that will help you to detect it early on. The faster you pick up on these Symptoms, the better off you will be.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms:

-Difficulty starting to pass urine

-Weak or intermittent flow of urine

-Dribbling of urine before and after urinating

-Frequent or urgent need to pass urine

-Need to get up several times in the night to urinate

-Bladder never feels completely empty

-Occasionally finding blood in the urine

One of the most common symptoms listed above is the difficulty starting to pass urine, but keep your eye out for the others. If you have any of these symptoms for prostate cancer, you should see a qualified doctor as soon as possible.

Most of the time if the cancer has not spread, treatment with Radiation Therapy will be the recommended procedure. Another common form of treatment is Radical Prostatectomy. This procedure involves having the whole prostate and its dependent parts removed. This is a very intense operation and is only recommended for those in good health. Doctors also commonly recommend hormone therapy to help suppress your testosterone levels. This will slow down the division process of the cancer. Hormone therapy can be used alone or with other procedures like radiation treatment.

Chemotherapy uses chemicals to kill cancer cells, but Chemotherapy is only used when the cancer has spread past the prostate. The drugs used in chemotherapy are administered on an outpatient basis and do not typically require a hospital stay. I defiantly recommend researching the various treatment options in depth as the topic is worthy of a relatively large book.

For more Information on Cancer, take a look at our website dondino.biz.
We offer information on various types of Cancer such as Prostate Cancer, and various types of Cancer Treatments

The Best Prostate Cancer Treatment Alternatives

2007-11-27T06:02:00.005-08:00

Prostate cancer is a very common problem with men over the age of 80 and it starts becoming frequent with men over 50. By the time they are 80, almost half will have some form of prostate cancer which is not noticeable. Even though it is dangerous, just like any other cancer type, prostate cancer is very seldom the cause of death for the men who have it. Although this is such a common illness, doctors are still uncertain of the precise causes for prostate cancer. Ethnicity is one of the factors that offers some differentiation, with black men the highest risk and Asian men the lowest.

Curing prostate cancer is possible, but the condition has to be detected in the early stages. Many men do not even seek medical advice when the symptoms are present, partly because they are very similar to those of another disease: BPH or benign prostatic hypertrophy. Most men will experience difficulties while urinating, noticing a weak or intermittent flow of urine. Other symptoms include urgent needs to urinate or the need to wake up several times a night to do this. Some patients also observe a dribbling of urine after and even before urinating.

There is no universal treatment that will work the same in individual cases. Doctors have to determine several decisive factors, such as general health condition, age, location of the tumor in the prostate, size of the tumor. The number one option for treatment is surgery. However, the main operation, known as radial prostatectomy, is extremely tiring to the body, so the patient has to be in good condition. Most surgery patients are men between 50 and 70 years of age who do not seem to have extensive cancer damage. There are some side effects involved with this procedure, mostly related to erectile dysfunctions and minor urination problems. However, modern techniques greatly reduce the side effects and the success of surgery is high.

Choosing a hormone therapy is another option. This treatment does not kill the cancer cells but it reduces the size of the prostate tumor of the majority of patients. Most doctors recommend this treatment together with surgery for best effects. Cancer growth is stimulated by testosterone, the male sexual hormone, and hormone therapies reduce its level. By reducing testosterone levels, the prostate becomes less subjected to cancer cell growth. Based on patient medical history and overall health level, doctors may or may not choose to prescribe hormone therapy.
Tip! Following local breast cancer treatment, the treatment team will determine the likelihood that the cancer will recur outside the breast. This team usually includes a medical oncologist, a specialist trained in using medicines to treat breast cancer.

Sometimes, the doctor might suggest an alternative treatment to surgery. Radiotherapy can work by destroying cancer cells through radiation. The method is painless and involves only out-body procedures. However, some side effects like diarrhea and impotence have been noticed. Brachytherapy is the other. It involves the implantation of radioactive elements in the prostate, which are inserted with the patient under anesthesia. In time, the radioactive elements loose their properties, but they also help diminish cancer cell growth.

George Anderson is very interested in prostate cancer and the variety of prostate cancer treatments available.

Alternative Breakthrough Treatment for Prostate Cancer

2007-11-27T06:02:00.004-08:00

Your alternative breakthrough treatment for prostate cancer is to follow the encouraging example of John Fox. He has shown the way for baby boomers to respond proactively to the dreaded diagnosis and beat it with a combination of techniques.

Active Personal Internet Research on Alternative Treatments

In 2003 John Fox received the diagnosis no baby boomer wants to hear. Prostate cancer. John's first technique was determination to use the Internet to get the information needed to make informed decisions about the intervention needed to rid his body of this unwanted visitor.

Once the traditional intevention had been presented by his urologist he decided he didn't want the side effects of incontinence and impotence.

His Internet research revealed a little known technique called LRPS. John discovered laproscopic radical prostatectomy is a precision micro surgery procedure. What impressed this baby boomer most was the patient recovery period was only a fraction of other traditional methods. Better still the likelihood of incontinence and impotence was greatly reduced.

Never Give Up

At this stage John had become a highly motivated researcher on prostate cancer interventions.

He made two more discoveries because of his "digging down." He found the ideal doctor living less than a half hour drive from his New Jersey home.

The second discovery was this doctor had developed an improved system for LRPS treatment. It uses robotics for high level of surgical precision.

John's treatment saw him out of hospital the day after surgery and total recovery time was less than four weeks.

You can be blessed by this breakthough treatment for prostate cancer. Embrace John's belief that your personal Internet research is able to help you find the best alternative treatment by a leading urologist (the name of John's is Doctor Michael Esposito) using the latest technology.

Copyright 2005 Kenneth Little

Kenneth Little is a writer, teacher, public speaker and the publisher of a re-released classic - in a revealing ebook- that will show you how to get the best of health and wealth out of all your future years. Find more on this at: http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com

True success will be yours no matter what your age. Amazing "How I Became Young at Sixty" brings renewed strength to your body, hope to your mind and increased prosperity to your lifestyle. You Can Get your Free ebook "How I Became Young at Sixty" by going to: http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com/get-your-f-r-e-e-ebook.htm

Prostate Seed Implants: A Promising Treatment For Prostate Cancer

2007-11-27T06:02:00.003-08:00

Prostate brachytherapy (pronounced bray-kee-ther-uh-pee), the implantation of radioactive seeds into the prostate gland, is one of the standard methods of successfully treating prostate cancer. The tiny radioactive seeds are smaller than grains of rice.

A prostate seed implant may be the only type of radiation therapy needed by a man with low-risk prostate cancer or it may be prescribed in addition to external beam radiation therapy in men with intermediate- and high- risk prostate cancer. The goal is to eradicate cancer cells while preserving healthy, surrounding tissue, such as the bladder, the urethra (the tube that connects the bladder to the penis), and the rectum.

The advantages of prostate seed implants are significant. Fist, the procedure requires only minor surgery, usually causing fewer side effects than other treatments. Also, it is generally a same day, outpatient procedure. Men usually are able to return to work within several days, as long as they feel well enough. In addition, recent reports suggest that the procedure, when performed on properly selected men, is at least as effective as surgery to cure prostate cancer. Radiation exposure to other people is minimal, so restrictions do not apply unless the man is returning to a setting where a young child or pregnant woman is present.
Tip! George Anderson is very interested in colon cancer and the variety of colon cancer treatments available.

Treatment Planning Men undergo a pre-implant ultrasound study to determine where the radioactive seeds (and the needles to implant them) should be placed. A transrectal ultrasound, wherein an ultrasound probe is carefully positioned in the rectum to view the entire prostate, is performed. Images of the prostate are taken and are transferred to a special treatment planning computer, which evaluates the position of the prostate and generates a three-dimensional plan that dictates the precise placement of the seeds.Preparation for the Procedure Most candidates for prostate brachytherapy undergo blood tests, a chest x-ray and an EKG several days prior to the implant, in order to be approved for anesthesia. On the morning of the procedure, men receive an enema to help optimize the quality of the transrectal ultrasound images. In addition, blood thinners are discontinued several days prior to the procedure to help diminish the risk of bleeding.
Tip! 2) Radiation therapy - Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells.

Day of the Procedure Typically, men who are scheduled to undergo seed placement arrive early in the morning. Next, the man is taken to the operating room for the procedure, where he undergoes either general or spinal anesthesia. Then, the radiation oncologist and the urologist work as a team to implant the seeds into the prostate, using transrectal ultrasound to guide the placement.

The Implant Process Using the treatment plan and fluoroscopy (real-time x-ray), the radiation oncologist places the seeds within the prostate. The entire procedure usually takes less than one hour. After the seed placement, the urologist performs a cystoscopy (a procedure in which a slender, flexible, fiber optic scope is inserted from the penis into the bladder), to look for and remove any seeds that dislodged in the bladder or the urethra. Within the few next days, a CT scan is obtained to verify the placement of the seeds.
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Prostate Seed Implants: Recovery Because prostate implants do not involve major surgery, side effects are rarely severe. The most common side effects reported by men after prostate seed implants are:

• Urinary frequency (60-70%) • Urinary burning (50%) • Urinary urgency (50%) • Erectile dysfunction (30%) • Blood in the urine (20-30%) • Increased bowel movements and bowel urgency (5%) • Fatigue (20%) • Pelvic pain (20%) • The need for temporary catheter placement (10-15%) • Urinary incontinence (less than 1%)
Tip! Valerian D is a freelance writer specialized in health issues affecting men like prostate cancer treatment.

In addition, up to 20 percent of men are found to have seed migration into their lungs. However, no detrimental effects have been reported. Infrequently, men have required trans-urethral resection, the "scraping" of the prostate gland via the penis, to relieve urinary obstruction after the seed placement.

Follow-Up Men who undergo prostate brachytherapy report for follow-up visits four weeks after the procedure and every three months thereafter. A PSA blood test and a physical exam are performed to assess the status of the prostate.

The good news is that prostate seed implants are usually successful at controlling prostate cancer within the gland. Such local control of disease correlates with rendering men free from prostate cancer.

Dr. Kornnmehl is a board certified radiation oncologist and author of the critically acclaimed consumer health book, "The Best News About Radiation Oncology" (M. Evans, 2004). Her website is http://www.RTSupportDoc.com.

Prostate Cancer Treatment

2007-11-27T06:02:00.002-08:00

Prostate cancer is a complex heterogeneous disease that acts differently in different men. Therefore, treatment varies amongst individuals. A wide array of treatments exists for prostate cancer, which includes surgery, radiation, hormone deprivation therapy, chemotherapy, dietary changes and the use of various herbal supplements.

A patient may undergo hormonal therapy to reduce the level of testosterone in the body. Drugs that reduce testosterone production by the testicles like Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LH-RH) agonists are administered. The effect is not immediate and occurs 2-4 weeks after initiation of the therapy. Orchiectomy or castration is a surgical procedure that completely removes the testicles. It produces an immediate and permanent reduction in testosterone. Another alternative hormonal treatment is the use of hormone-blocking drugs, called antiandrogens. Antiandrogens like flutamide and nilutamide block the body's ability to use androgens, such as testosterone.

Surgeons may use different techniques to remove the prostate. Surgical removal of the entire prostate gland is called radical prostatectomy. Radical prostatectomy is usually performed to remove early-stage prostate cancer that has not yet spread to other parts of the body. Side effects after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer include incontinence and impotence. Cryosurgery, in which liquid nitrogen is used to freeze and kill prostate cancer cells is a common procedure. During cryosurgery, a warming catheter is inserted through the penis and this protects the urethra.

Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy x-rays or subatomic particles to kill cancer cells. The rays may either be beamed from a machine or emitted by radioactive seeds implanted in the prostate.

Chemotherapy is also used to destroy cancer cells. Drugs are introduced into the body via the blood stream. The drugs work by destroying those cells that divide or grow rapidly. The most common side effects of chemotherapy are tiredness, nausea and hair loss.

Watchful waiting also known as "observation" is an option that physicians may use. The patients receive no active treatment unless symptoms appear. They may be asked to schedule regular medical checkups and report any new symptoms to the doctor immediately.

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for patients where cancer is detected while still in the local and regional stage is almost 100%.

Prostate provides detailed information on Prostate, Prostate Cancer, Prostate Health, Prostate Cancer Treatment and more. Prostate is affiliated with Prostate Cancer Treatments.

Symptoms and Treatment of Mesothelioma Cancer

2007-11-27T06:02:00.001-08:00

Mesothelioma cancer is often caused by exposure to asbestos. People who have received asbestos exposure of as little as one or two months to very low doses are at risk of mesothelioma cancer. A person exposed to asbestos could develop mesothelioma after 50 years of exposure. The 2 common types of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma (lung cancer) and peritoneal mesothelioma (abdomen organs).

There are no immediate symptoms of mesothelioma cancer. The symptoms of mesothelioma may appear in 30 - 50 years after exposure to asbestos.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma cancer: shortness of breath and pain in the chest.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma cancer: abdominal pain and weight loss, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia and fever.

Please note that these symptoms may be due to other reasons.

Treatment Options for Mesothelioma Cancer Following are the options for mesothelioma treatment:

1. Radiation therapy
2. Chemotherapy
3. Surgery
4. Photodynamic therapy

Radiation or chemotherapy combined with surgery may increase the survival time by double.

Copyright 2005, P. Mehta

[Please note that this article is not a subsitute for medical advise. You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (clickable) and references and copyright info. You are not permitted to include any additional hyperlinks.]

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Mesothelioma Cancer: Early Recognition of Symptoms is Key to Successful Treatment

2007-11-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

Symptoms of mesothelioma take many years to become apparent. In other words it has a long latency period. This makes it difficult to diagnose and treat. The person may repeatedly visit the doctor with the symptoms but more often considered as respiratory infections. The non-specific symptoms make it hard for even experienced doctors to make a quick and conclusive diagnosis with mesothelioma patients. Even people exposed to asbestos start showing the manifestation late in their life. By the time, mesothelioma is diagnosed, it is already widespread. However, the awareness of mesothelioma has made people detect it in early stages.

Manifestation of mesothelioma largely depends upon the location size and nature of the tumor. Sign and symptoms also depend upon whether the tumor is benign or malignant. Benign type of mesothelioma usually does not manifest itself. On the other hand, malignant type of mesothelioma has severe symptoms. It is mostly due to the pressure exerted on surrounding soft tissues. The malignancy may invade surrounding tissues or may result in pericardial or pleural effusion. Invasion of the chest wall may lead to chest pain.

The early symptoms to watch out for are:

* Hemoptysis or Blood in the sputum
* A cough or a change in cough pattern
* Dysphagia or Difficulty in swallowing
* Hoarseness
* Shortness of breath
* Pain in the chest or abdomen
* Significant Weight loss.

Among all types of mesothelioma, the pleural form is the most prevalent form. As a result the pleural symptoms are the most common manifestations of mesothelioma. When in early stages, the symptoms are more or less like pneumonia and hence often misdiagnosed. However these symptoms along with history of asbestos exposure should ring alarms for mesothelioma. Physicians should be well aware of it as usually they are the first to get in contact with the patient.

Pleural mesothelioma

Dyspnoea or shortness of breath along with chest pain is common manifestation of pleural mesothelioma. Pleural effusion caused by collection of fluid between the two linings of lungs and chest cavity may give rise to persistent cough. On chest radiography a build-up of fluid or pleural effusion may be evident indicating viral pneumonia. The less common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are:

* Chest pain
* Pain in the lower back
* Difficulty breathing
* Coughing
* Weight loss
* Fever
* Muscle weakness and sensory loss
* Swelling of the face and arms
* Hoarseness of voice
* Coughing up blood

A majority of patients do not show any sign and symptoms until late.

Peritoneal mesothelioma

It involves structures like abdomen, stomach cavity, liver, spleen or the bowel. The origin of peritoneal mesothelioma is usually abdomen, from where it spreads to adjoining organs. The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are:

* Pain or swelling in the abdomen due to a build-up of fluid
* Nausea
* Weight loss
* Bowel obstruction
* Anemia or swelling of the feet
* Abdominal bloating due to fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity
* Swelling of the feet
* Fever
* Impaired bowel function

The symptoms are a consequence of pressure exerted by the growing mass. This growing tumor can also cause breathing problems, and chest pain in addition to these symptoms. These symptoms result from tumors that lean against the abdominal wall. Mesothelioma in peritoneum, owing to its space occupying tendency may give rise to bowel obstruction, anemia, fever and problems with blood clotting.

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Pericardial mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma is a very uncommon form affecting the pericardium. Pericardium is the cavity between the linings of the heart. The tumor that grows in the tissue surrounding heart tends to spread from there. Pericardial mesothelioma sufferers may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, persistent coughing and palpitations. Involvement of the membrane around the heart (pericardium) may cause heart rhythm disturbances.

The symptoms for all types of mesothelioma become more acute and obvious with the progression of the disease. In spite of it, it can be mistaken as other disease condition. The only differentiating feature is the history of exposure of asbestos. Therefore, it is critical to investigate one's exposure to asbestos. Symptoms like pain in the lower back or at the side of the chest, shortness of breath, trouble swallowing, cough, fever, sweating, fatigue and weight loss may be very common, but the doctor should elucidate the history of asbestos exposure to rule out the presence of tumor.

Don Lawson is a webmaster who researches and writes about important topics concerning people in today's society. You can learn more about Mesothelioma and its causes, symptoms, treatment options and clinics.

Life After Breast Cancer Treatment

2007-11-27T05:56:00.000-08:00

Many women are very uncertain and apprehensive about what to think, what to say and what to do after breast cancer treatment is over—at least for the time being—and they have recovered.

From the very first sign of breast cancer—maybe a lump in the breast discovered by a mammogram—and other symptoms of breast cancer, to a diagnosis to discussing treatments to receiving treatments and recovery, it's been a long and arduous process for most women.

What now?

A big concern on the brain is the ever-looming threat of breast cancer recurrence. There are ways of preventing breast cancer recurrence, and many women decide to take tamoxifen after their treatments to prevent such a recurrence, but the important thing here is to not allow the fear of breast cancer coming back to haunt you every day.

Other issues have to do with your quality of life post-breast cancer treatment—managing pain and fatigue, dealing with the side-effects of treatment and other medications, breast reconstruction, menopause, sex, fertility and pregnancy, dealing with well-meaning friends, family members and strangers, and continued health checkups and medical followups.

Many women who come out of breast cancer treatment get a new "lease on life" and become health nuts, engage in appropriate amounts of physical activity, do more volunteer work, work on special projects, devote more time to family and friends and just generally have a greater zest for life.

A much more likely scenario for women who have come through breast cancer treatment, however, is that they will experience a darker breast cancer recovery period. Some feel like there is always something to worry about and are afraid of ever having a normal life again. Some women experience strong symptoms of anxiety and depression, even paranoia or something close to post-traumatic stress disorder.

It's helpful for these women to do something for themselves during this transitional period between breast cancer treatment and "normalcy." Many take some time off to just be with the ones they love, relaxing and resting. Or they take a vacation, for example, with their husbands and kids, or with a bunch of girlfriends.

Something else to consider is short-term counselling or therapy. Many women find it helpful to talk it out with a professional after enduring breast cancer treatments and dealing with the aftermath of recovering from a major life-threatening illness. Others look for a "support group" of other breast cancer survivors, and find that to be even more helpful.

No, life will never again be the same. But that doesn't mean it has to be a depressing, fearful or terrible life. It will be different, but it can be better. It just takes time.
Tip! Lung cancer treatment is also different in cases where cancer cells spread from other organs to the lungs. Apart from surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy in cancer treatment, oncogene research results are positive in their efforts to find drugs that 'turn off' the abnormal genes, ending cancer growth.

Stay up to date on information, cures and news at the Breast Cancer Information Site.

Breast Cancer

2007-10-29T12:51:00.001-07:00

occurs when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control enabling them to invade nearby tissues or spread throughout the body. Collections of these out of control tissues are called tumors. However, not all breast tumors are considered cancerous since certain types of large cells just cannot be spread or threaten a person’s life and this kind of tumor is called benign tumor. On the other hand, the tumors that can spread all throughout the body or invade nearby tissues are considered cancerous cells and are malignant. Cancer cells usually comes from either ducts or glands in the breast that is why it may take months or even years for a tumor to be notice in the breast. Breast tumors are screened with the use of mammograms that are rather accurate in screening tumor or cancer cells.

Women are much prone to develop breast cancer that men. Only 1% to 2% of men have been known to have cases of breast cancer. The early onset of menstruation in women at the age of 12 increases the risk for a breast cancer on the other hand an early menopausal period may reduce the risk of breast cancer. The risk for women to have breast cancer increases with age in fact a study shows that women over 50 are more likely to develop breast cancer. Nevertheless, the incidence of breast cancer among younger women is also increasing in an alarming rate that is why more women of ages 20s to 30s have subjected themselves to be diagnosed.
Breast cancer is not only acquired but also can be inherited. For women who have genetic mutation such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 has an 80% risk of developing breast cancer. Women who have first-degree relative diagnosed to have breast cancer increase their risk of also acquiring breast cancer. Moreover, women with first-degree relative that are diagnosed to have breast cancer before menopause increase the risk for them in acquiring breast cancer.

Some factors contribute to the occurrence of breast cancer and these are as follows: smoking, alcohol and radiation exposure. Women who are smoking will increase their chances to have breast cancer. Aside from that, high intakes of alcohol have been found to be a source of breast cancer. Radiation exposure is another factor that contributes to breast cancer. Studies have shown that women as well as children who have undergone high-dose radiation therapy have a much higher chance of having breast cancer.

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Lung Cancer Treatment Options: Beating Lung Cancer

2007-10-27T05:56:00.009-07:00

True to most cases, the treatment of cancer depends on a variety of factors. Once a lung cancer has been staged, the physician and patient can now discuss between themselves treatment options that will be necessary. Patient must be well-informed of the side effects and possible outcome of a certain procedure.

Everything should be cleared beforehand to avoid regret. Other factors that are taken into account also includes the patient's general health, medical problems that may affect treatment (such as chemotherapy), and tumor characteristics.

The characteristics of a lung tumor helps doctors separate patients into two groups: people with low risk of cancer recurrence and people with high risk of cancer recurrence.

Surgical resection is done with patients whose cancers have not yet spread beyond the lung. This is done through the following options: Thoracotomy - the opening of the chest wall for surgical procedures - and median sternotomy - surgery performed by cutting through the breastbone.

Other approaches include anterior limited thoractomy (ALT), thoractomy performed on the frontal chest using a small incision; anterioraxillary thoracotomy (AAT), thoracotomy performed on the frontal chest near the underarm; and posterolateral thoracotomy (PLT) thoracotomy performed on the back/side region of the trunk. ALT, in particular, is less invasive than standard thoractomy - that is, it involves less disturbance of the body by incisions or other intrusive measures. ALT may result in less surgical blood loss, less postoperative drainage, and less postoperative pain than standard thoracotomy.

Lately, other less invasive procedures are being performed for the removal of tumorous tissue. For example, the video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT), otherwise known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). This procedure uses a video camera to help envision and operate on the lung within the chest cavity. The surgical incisions made during VAT are more minor than those needed for thoracotomy or sternotomy.

However, physicians warn that VAT does not actually allow complete lung examination to identify and remove metastases that are not detected by preoperative chest X-ray. VAT is appropriate for Stage 1 and Stage 2 cancers that require lobectomy (surgical removal of a lung lobule) with lymphadenectomy (removal of one or more lymph nodes) and for peripheral (outer edge) lung tumors that can be removed by wedge resection.

Chemotherapy is the best option together with radiotherapy if the tumor is more aggressive and widespread.

Photodynamic therapy is most suitable for patients having inoperable lung cancer. This begins with the shot of a light-activated drug (e.g., photofrin/polyhaematoporphyrin, lumin). Then during examination of the airways using a flexible scope the lung tumor is illuminated by a laser that transmits light of a specific wavelength. The laser light is used to wipe out the sensitized tumor tissue.
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Skin photosensitivity or light sensitivity is the side effect of PDT. The healing potential of PDT is the most exciting aspect of this therapy in lung cancer patients whose tumors are unseen on chest X-rays. The tissue-sparing effects of PDT may be particularly important for individuals with limited lung function.

Electrosurgery is performed using a needle, bulb, or disk electrode. Nd-YAG laser therapy (neodymium-yttrium/argon laser that concentrates high-energy electromagnetic radiation to destroy tissue), cryotherapy (destruction of tissue using extreme cold), and brachytherapy (treatment with ionizing radiation) are extra tumor size-reducing techniques that may be performed during bronchoscopy.

Radiotherapy - better known as radiation therapy - uses high energy radiation in order to kill cancer cells.

Cancer cells more often than not multiply quicker than other bodily tissues; they are affected by radiation which prevents cells splitting up and the formation of DNA.

Unfortunately, bodily tissues that also divide rapidly, such as the hair and skin, are very vulnerable to radiotherapy. The most side effects of this therapy include hair loss and skin disorders, such as skin redness due to blood vessel congestion; puritis, itching; desquamation, sloughing-off of outer skin layers; pain; atrophy, shrinking; increased pigmentation; edema, swelling), as well as fetal damage, increased susceptibility to infection, tachycardia (increased heart rate), changes in taste perception, anorexia (loss of appetite), malaise, nausea, and vomiting.
Tip! Many doctors caution these women to wait several years to ensure receiving the best breast cancer treatment possible and to go past the point of the biggest threat of breast cancer recurrence. But some women decide to go ahead and have babies anyway, since it's so important to them.

A good physician will discuss all the options available with their patient, as well as the possible side effects.

For more information about lung cancer, treatment options, and how to help your loved one cope, please visit Gretchen Reese's Lung Cancer Screening site: http://www.lungcancerscreen.com

Lung Cancer Treatment

2007-10-27T05:56:00.008-07:00

The most commonly used treatments for lung cancer are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The exact treatment a lung cancer patient receives will depend on several factors. These include the type of cancer, the stage or extent to which it has spread at the time of diagnosis, and the overall health of the patient.

Non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for about 80 percent of lung cancer cases, is treated depending on its stage at diagnosis. Lung surgery is the mainstay of treatment for the early stages of lung cancer. Cancerous tissue, along with a margin of healthy tissue, is removed. Patients who are unable to have surgery may be treated with radiotherapy. While cure rates for early lung cancer are good, it is rarely detected in its early stages. As non-small cell cancer spreads within the chest, it is treated with some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Once cancer has spread to other parts of the body, chemotherapy and radiotherapy replace surgery as the main treatment options. A number of drugs are available, and many more are being tested in clinical trials. Radiotherapy is palliative, and while it may ease symptoms such as pain and cough, it will not stop cancer growth. If the cancer obstructs a major airway, using a laser, freezing the tumor or keeping the airway open with a stent or tube may remove the obstruction.

Small cell lung cancer, which is found in about 20 percent of lung cancer patients, is more aggressive and more likely to have spread by the time of diagnosis. It is therefore treated primarily with chemotherapy. Radiotherapy to the chest may also be used to kill off remaining cancer cells. This type of cancer often spreads to the brain. This is why radiotherapy to the brain may be used as a prophylactic even if no cancer is detected in the brain.

Lung Cancer provides detailed information on Asbestos Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer Stages, Lung Cancer Survival Rate and more. Lung Cancer is affiliated with Asbestos Exposure.

The Best Colon Cancer Treatment Options

2007-10-27T05:56:00.007-07:00

Among the most spread cancers, colon cancer usually occurs in men and women over the age of 50. The main causes of colon cancer are related to the patient's diet: very low in fiber and high in fat and calories. By keeping a healthy life style and good eating habits, you can prevent developing cancer of the colon even before this becomes a problem. You might also want to try and check your family history for cases of colon cancer and adopt a healthier diet in order to make sure you will avoid this problem in the future.

Colon cancer treatments are varied and you can choose from a series of traditional and alternative methods of dealing with this condition. Surgery is often the number one choice - the surgeon removes the tumors on the colon, even if the cancer cells are spread beyond the colon itself. This ensures less problems in the future of the patient's life, reducing chances of bowel problems or internal bleeding. Colon cancer surgery is usually categorized in four main areas: rectum resection, radio frequency ablation, colostomy and colon resection. The surgeon will determine which method is best suited for each individual patient. Detecting cancer at a very early stage is important, as the problem can be corrected in a decisive and final manner. By using a polypectomy, the surgeon will remove suspicious polyps in order to minimize chances of the disease. Local excision may also be used in early stages, in order to remove the cancer cells. After surgery, your hospital should provide you with ongoing support in order to ensure a fast and efficient recovery.

Intra arterial chemotherapy is another treatment worth consideration. This treatment targets tumors by delivering a powerful dose of chemotherapy. Primary systemic chemotherapy is often used before a surgical procedure in order to destroy a large majority of cancer cells. Systemic therapy is usually used with metastatic cancer, while the third method, adjuvant chemotherapy, targets any cancer cells that might have been left over after surgery. All three chemotherapy procedures are delivered through the hepatic artery and are an option if the cancer has spread to the liver.

Another choice comes from chemoembolization treatment. In addition to being delivered intra arterially, this type of treatment blocks the blood flow to the areas affected by cancer. It traps the chemotherapy drugs in the area of the tumor, thus ensuring that they work efficiently and on target.

George Anderson is very interested in colon cancer and the variety of colon cancer treatments available.

Treatment Options for Colorectal Cancer

2007-10-27T05:56:00.006-07:00

The treatment depends on the staging of the cancer. When colorectal cancer is caught at early stages (with little spread) it can be curable. However when it is detected at later stages (when distant [[metastasis|metastases]] are present) it is less likely to be curable.

Surgery remains the primary treatment while chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy may be recommended depending on the individual patient's staging and other medical factors.

Surgery

Surgical treatment is by far the most likely to result in a cure of colon cancer if the tumor is localized. Very early cancer that develops within a polyp can often be cured by removing the polyp at the time of colonoscopy. More advanced cancers typically require surgical removal of the section of colon containing the tumor leaving sufficient margins to reduce likelihood of re-growth. If possible, the remaining parts of colon are anastomosed together to create a functioning colon. In cases when anastomosis is not possible, a stoma (artificial orifice) is created. While surgery is not usually offered if significant metastasis is present, surgical removal of isolated liver metastases is common. Improved chemotherapy has increased the number of patients who are offered surgical removal of isolated liver metastases.

Laparoscopic assist resection of the colon for tumour can reduce the size of painful incision and minimize the risk of infection. As with any surgical procedure, colorectal surgery can in rare cases result in complications. These may include infection, abscess, fistula or bowel obstruction.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is used to reduce the likelihood of metastasis developing, shrink tumour size, or slow tumor growth. Chemotherapy is often applied after surgery (adjuvant), before surgery (neo-adjuvant), or as the primary therapy if surgery is not indicated (palliative). The treatments listed here have been shown in clinical trials to improve survival and/or reduce mortality and have been approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration. Adjuvant (after surgery) chemotherapy. One regimen involves the combination of infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) Leucovorin (LV) Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin®) Capecitabine (Xeloda®)
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Chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Commonly used first line regimens involve the combination of infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) with bevacizumab or infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) with bevacizumab 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) Leucovorin Irinotecan Oxaliplatin Bevacizumab Cetuximab

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is used to kill tumor tissue before or after surgery or when surgery is not indicated. Sometimes chemotherapy agents are used to increase the effectiveness of radiation by sensitizing tumor cells if present. Radiotherapy is not used routinely in colorectal cancer, as it could lead to radiation enteritis, and is difficult to target specific portions of the colon, but may be used on metastatic tumor deposits if they compress vital structures and/or cause pain. There may be a role for post-operative adjuvant radiation in the case where a tumor perforates the colon as judged by the surgeon or the pathologist. However, as the area of the prior tumor site can be difficult (if not impossible) to ascertain by imaging, surgical clips need to be left in the colon to direct the radiotherapist to the area of risk.
Tip! Because of Genentech's status as a leading developer of cancer therapies, some doctors fear that the company's pricing plans for Avastin may encourage other companies to charge more for their own oncology drugs. If this happens, the overall costs of cancer treatments may rise to unsustainable levels.

Immunotherapy

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is gaining prominence as a complementary theraputic agent in the treatment of colorectal cancer. A review of results from recent clinical trials is given in Mosolits et al.

Support Therapies

Cancer diagnosis very often results in an enormous change in the patient's psychological wellbeing. Various support resources are available from, hospitals and other agencies which provide counseling, social service support, cancer support groups, and other services. These services help to mitigate some of the difficulties of integrating a patient's medical complications into other parts of their life.
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William Ransom provides information of Colon cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment at http://colon-answers.com

The Insidiousness of Breast Cancer and Its Current Treatment

2007-10-27T05:56:00.005-07:00

In our modern world, the benefits that today's manufacturing and agricultural activities have brought us is more than painfully offset by the damage to our personal health and wellness. During the course of our daily lives, we are continually exposed to common household products such as detergents, insulation, fabric treatments, flame retardants, cosmetics, paints, upholstery preservatives, and coatings for electronic equipment. When these chemicals accumulate within our bodies, they distribute into body fluids as well.

While it is painfully clear that we may find such toxic chemicals as fire retardants in the breast milk of Americans who unsuspectingly ingest these and unhealthy levels of many other of toxins form the air they breath, the water they drink, and the food they eat, then it is obvious that our drive for cultural, technological, and scientific advancement has taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way. The chemicals we have produced and utilized in the modern era have had many negative effects upon various human body organ systems and have caused many health problems that will have serious implications far into the future. Data from recent explorations into these issues suggest that all of us are at risk of developing serious diseases from long-term exposure to these chemicals that we had hoped would improve our lives. Our synthetic chemicalization of planet Earth, in the past 60 years, is showing up as a body burden that is a physical tragedy and a fiscal catastrophe. Nowhere are these terrifying results more evident than in today's battles with breast cancer.

The link between toxins in our environment and diseases like breast cancer showing up in our populations is one about which there is little debate as to the cause and effect relationship. While media, political, and health watch organizations warn of the danger associated with large doses of synthetic chemicals within the living environments of human populations, it is apparent that even very low doses of certain chemicals can harm a developing fetus or newborn infant. Small amounts of lead, mercury or PCBs in amounts that would not harm adults readily damage the developing nervous system, causing defects that appear later on. While the general health of an individual is a factor in who is more susceptible to developing diseases from the exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment, the fact that breast cancer is claiming its victims from women both young and old, makes this situation all the more deplorable. We need to take a fresh look at not only the disease itself, but also at what may be alternatives to the current treatment of this abomination.
Tip! A man attending a prostate cancer support group expressed concern about being “damaged goods” following prostate cancer treatment. Your bride is not damaged goods with or without breast reconstruction.

Since it is obvious that government, with its bureaucratic pace of environmental protection reform and industry with its millions of dollars spent lobbying against regulations that would impact the manufacture of their toxic products despite the obvious health concerns, will not solve this problem in the immediate future; we then, must take responsibility for our own health and wellness with education and pro-active prevention and treatment strategies. Since the current treatment methods, which have produced little to indicate real progress over the past thirty years, are the very essence of barbarism, we must seek out alternative ways of prevention and treatment, and help to bring them into the accepted mainstream of health care practices. We must also work to help ban dangerous chemicals and take immediate steps to protect ourselves from unnecessary exposure to those chemicals that we know to be harmful and contributory to the development of chronic and degenerative diseases.

The current medical practices to treat breast cancer seem more like torturous mayhem that therapeutic intervention. And is it any wonder when doctors and medical students alike get most of their primary, secondary, and continuing education funded, to a large degree by the megalithic pharmaceutical industry, the very authors and purveyors of drastic and toxic medical intervention procedures. This situation is all the more dreadful when it is pointed out that these increasingly toxic and experimental measures lead to future complications and the susceptibility to the premature development of other chronic diseases. This preoccupation with burning with radiation, poisoning with toxins, and slicing and dicing cancer is an appalling state of affairs that must end now. If you believe that current medical interventions do anything but dehumanize cancer victims, then perhaps you will want to go to your local video rental store and check out a movie by the name of "WIT". That our bodies are nothing more than test tubes to those involved in the current cancer treatment methodologies is dramatically illustrated by this fine film. And just when current medical practitioners will leave this seemingly medieval torture seen behind is not immediately apparent.
Tip! Lung cancer treatment is also different in cases where cancer cells spread from other organs to the lungs. Apart from surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy in cancer treatment, oncogene research results are positive in their efforts to find drugs that 'turn off' the abnormal genes, ending cancer growth.

Imagine if you will that a woman is called into her doctor's office to review the results of her previous examination. The doctor looks at the images on the films that were taken and declares that he sees the shadow of something that could be deadly cancer and as a result has scheduled surgery within 24 hours. Before she even has a chance for the shock and terror to take hold, she is reeling with the realization that she will be going under the knife in less than a day and will never be the same again. Don't kid yourself. This has been and is happening. This is a strategy designed to prevent you from stepping outside of the box of current medical interventions for the treatment of cancer, taking a deep breath, and processing this information in the new light of other possible courses of action. You may, after all, discover that you have other viable alternatives to choose from in this instance. The probable fact of the matter is that a health care provider, who rushes to execute such measures, would not be quite so eager to cut off the breast of his wife or of his daughter without considering less drastic options first. And, not to put too fine a point on the matter, but bringing it closer to home, I also do not believe that your doctor would be as eager to part with one of his testicles should a comparable diagnosis for him be pronounced.
Tip! Colon cancer treatments are varied and you can choose from a series of traditional and alternative methods of dealing with this condition. Surgery is often the number one choice – the surgeon removes the tumors on the colon, even if the cancer cells are spread beyond the colon itself.

It is imperative that we, as consumers, prevail upon our service providers to consider alternatives should we find ourselves in a similar circumstance. In fact, it may speed things along if, when confronted with a situation like this, we would graphically drive the point home by saying something like: "OK doctor, if you want to take away from me one of these (gesturing to the appropriate area of your body), then I think you should have to part with one of those, (pointing with your finger at his "family jewels" location). I will wager that a lively discussion of alternatives for this problem would ensue with little hesitation.

There are alternative remedies out there. Find them. It is known, for example, that certain foods, including many vegetables and fruits, may offer some positive effects in the fight against cancer. Dietary suggestions such as choosing most of the foods you eat from plant sources, limiting your intake of foods high in fat, particularly from animal sources, becoming physically active, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and limiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages, will add to your efforts to achieve a desired state of wellness and avoid diseases. One approach which has not had wide spread acceptance to date but has become quite intriguing, is the dietary use of certain carbohydrate containing plant materials to either prevent or treat certain cancers. There are numerous references which underscore the importance of a diet obtained primarily from plant sources as a major step in preventing cancer, or at least benefiting cancer patients. There are literally hundreds of reports supporting this concept.
Tip! Master cells or stem cells can be coaxed into becoming any number of types of cells you want them to be with proper directions. It is also fair to say that this research could lead to repairing damaged sections of the lungs after cancer treatment and restore the lungs to full capacity.

Today the prevention of cancer with proper nutrition is widely accepted. It is believed, that in time, the efficacy of these materials in the fight against cancer will be firmly established, and that alternative choices for treatment will be included in the accepted resources for the treatment of cancer. This will help to negate the current propensity to pressure cancer patients into surgery or toxic therapies causing them to agree for fear that they have few, if any other viable options. Cancer cells and the means to deal with them effectively are located within our bodily systems. Those systems need but to be catalytically activated by the proper raw materials. If we are functioning properly at the cellular level, then the growth of cancer can be controlled and held in check from within by natural mechanisms that were in place long before modern medicine dreamed up its current toxic and drastic strategies. So, educate yourself about prevention and alternative options, move your body, eat well, supplement wisely, and TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE!
Tip! Naturopathy It is “back to nature” in the realm of cancer treatment, with natural therapy. Naturopathy is an herbal treatment, which furthers your body's innate ability to heal itself, combining a range of processes.

To read more about why Steve is so passionate about moving toward wellness and how you can head that way through a healthy lifestyle, that includes, prevention, and appropriate nutritional support and supplementation, visit http://steve.myglycostore.com/

Hypnosis Complements Breast Cancer Treatment and Breast Surgery

2007-10-27T05:56:00.004-07:00

If you are scheduled for breast surgery (biopsy, lumpectomy or mastectomy) or you are undergoing post-surgical breast cancer treatment, hypnosis is an excellent complementary therapy that can enhance the positive effects of various therapies.* Using hypnotherapy in combination with your medical breast cancer treatment will make you feel more empowered and in control of your care, and it will help you maximize your overall wellness.

The power of the subconscious mind can be a potent ally in healing from surgery and recovering from breast cancer, for it is the subconscious mind that controls automatic body processes, including immune function and pain perception. Additionally, the subconscious mind is the source of all emotions, which also makes hypnosis a logical choice for dealing with the emotional aspects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Hypnosis for breast cancer treatment can help with the following issues:

Pre-Surgical Preparation: Numerous studies in medical journals have shown that people who prepare for surgery using hypnosis generally have fewer complications, heal faster and have less post-operative pain. Hypnosis will help you feel calm, relaxed and positive before, during and after surgery. Usually, the hypnosis therapy is geared toward making positive suggestions to your subconscious regarding your surgery and its outcome, as well as teaching you how to effectively manage pre-surgery stress.

When we see pre-surgical clients in our hypnosis practice, we give them a CD to play before and immediately after surgery (and with headphones during surgery, if their surgeon permits). The CD contains soothing music, relaxing imagery and positive suggestions to reassure the client's subconscious mind that the surgery will go smoothly and that their body will heal quickly, with as little discomfort as possible.
Tip! *Hypnosis is not a substitute for medical breast cancer treatment. Rather, it is an excellent complement to standard medical breast cancer treatment.

The results of pre-surgical hypnosis can be quite amazing. Patients frequently report that they needed very little pain medication and that they were back on their feet very quickly after surgery. I recently spoke with a client with whom I had worked before her major abdominal surgery. After her surgery, her surgeon told her he would order a narcotic pain killer. She told him to hold off on the narcotics because she was not in much pain. In fact, she required only ibuprofen and she was up and walking around just two hours after her surgery! Needless to say, her doctor was amazed.

Any surgery can be stressful, but breast surgery that may indicate a need for follow-up breast cancer treatment can be extremely stressful for any woman. In our practice, hypnosis for breast cancer surgery focuses specifically on this extreme stress. The calmer you stay before the surgery, the more resources your body has to heal itself as quickly as possible.

Follow-Up Treatment If Cancer Is Detected: If you require follow-up radiation and/or chemotherapy as part of your breast cancer treatment, hypnosis can teach you how to feel more relaxed and manage your stress. A growing body of evidence suggests that chronic stress and the cascade of stress hormones it produces can interfere with the proper functioning of the immune system. An immune system which is as healthy as it can be (given the specific treatment) is critically important during breast cancer treatment.
Tip! Lung cancer treatment is also different in cases where cancer cells spread from other organs to the lungs. Apart from surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy in cancer treatment, oncogene research results are positive in their efforts to find drugs that 'turn off' the abnormal genes, ending cancer growth.

When we work with breast cancer clients in our practice, we teach them relaxation, self-hypnosis and stress management techniques. We also teach our clients how to use mental imagery to encourage their immune system to work together with their medical therapies in order to maximize the benefits of their breast cancer treatment. For example, we may teach a client to visualize her immune system attacking and killing the cancer cells, or surrounding and transforming the cancer cells into something harmless. The visualization work for each client's breast cancer treatment is always tailored to her needs and the way her imagination works.

If your breast cancer treatment creates side effects, including nausea, hypnosis can help you minimize those side effects. And if your breast cancer treatment creates body image issues, hypnosis can also help you feel good about your body again. Each woman is different, both in her needs and in her physical and emotional reactions to the breast cancer treatment and its side effects. Accordingly, each woman's hypnosis sessions will need to be tailored specifically to her requirements and goals.
Tip! IP6 has never shown adverse side effects or any level of toxicity, unlike conventional cancer treatments. Therefore, it's easy to conclude that the potential benefits of IP6 outweigh any potential risks even if the performance of IP6 in people isn't proven.

Whether you are scheduled to undergo breast surgery to determine if you need follow-up breast cancer treatment, or you are already undergoing breast cancer treatment, hypnosis can complement your medical treatment in multiple ways.

*Hypnosis is not a substitute for medical breast cancer treatment. Rather, it is an excellent complement to standard medical breast cancer treatment. Hypnosis works with doctors, not against them. Do not discontinue medical breast cancer treatment when you begin hypnotherapy.

Loretta Sernekos, Ph.D., is a Certified Hypnotherapist in private practice in Cherry Hill, NJ and Philadelphia, PA. You can visit her hypnosis practice website at http://sghypnosis.com for more information and audio podcasts. For additional hypnosis information and articles, both modern and antiquarian, visit http://hypnosisgateway.com.

Breast Cancer Treatment: Conventional Treatment Methods

2007-10-27T05:56:00.003-07:00

Your team of doctors will make treatment recommendations based on the stage of your cancer. Your standard treatment options may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. If you have been diagnosed with DCIS or LCIS, your stage is the lowest and the road you will travel will be easier. For DCIS, your options may include breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy with or without radiation and hormone therapy.

LCIS treatments options are a bit different. They include observation to determine changes, hormone therapy to prevent cancer from developing, or bilateral prophylactic (preventive) mastectomies.

Things get more complicated when your cancer spreads beyond the ducts or lobes/lobules. Once your cancer has been staged, you can visit www.cancer.gov to determine your treatment options. They will typically include: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and/or hormone therapy. For IBC, treatment options are similar to the other types of breast cancer, but they will always include chemotherapy because of its aggressiveness.

• Surgery: Breast surgery can be either a lumpectomy, where the tumor is removed, or a partial or modified radical mastectomy. With a lumpectomy, it is typically followed by radiation. This way, you get to keep your breast and studies have shown no difference in survival rates between lumpectomy/radiation and mastectomy.

Note: Not too long ago, they used to perform radical mastectomies where the breast, all the lymph nodes, and the underlying muscle were cut away. Thankfully, medicine has discovered that's not necessary. Now, a partial or modified radical mastectomy is performed, where either part of the breast tissue, or the entire breast, and possibly a portion of the lymph nodes, are removed. On the whole, a mastectomy isn't too bad a surgery, although everyone is different. I found both of mine to be quite easy, but you will wake up with drain tubes, which you'll typically have for at least a week.

• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is defined by Wikipedia as "the use of chemical substances to treat disease. In its modern-day use, it refers primarily to cytotoxic drugs used to treat cancer." This can be a frightening prospect for anyone. We've all heard horror stories about how very debilitating chemotherapy can be. However, much progress has been made in the management of chemo's side effects, to the point that, once you have the right management tools, you can continue to enjoy the activities you typically do. Chemo is a means of treating your cancer systemically and is typically recommended for those whose tumor is larger than a certain size and/or the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes. The thinking is that if your cancer has had the opportunity to access the rest of your body, your treatment should be systemic as well.

• Radiation: Radiation therapy is typically a localized treatment option, where rapidly dividing cells are damaged. Cancer cells are very rapid dividers, so radiation is an effective option. Typically, radiation therapy is given for about six weeks, five days a week. It's very much like lying still for an x-ray, only instead of lasting a second or two, it lasts a couple of minutes. It can cause fatigue, toward the end and slightly after, and can cause a sunburn effect on your skin.
Tip! Past Cancer Treatment: Researchers in Sweden who looked at the medical records of 140,000 breast cancer patients found that there was an increase of lung cancer 5 to 20 years after breast cancer treatment. Suspicion is that radiotherapy in the chest area may have made the lungs more susceptible to the disease.

• Hormone Therapy: Many breast cancers are hormone-dependent. In these cancers, there are receptors on the tumor that can be filled with estrogen. The thinking is that when estrogen fills these receptors, it causes the tumor to grow. This is called estrogen-receptor positive (ER). These cancers respond well to hormone therapy and the hormone therapy drug that will be recommended for you will depend on your menopausal status. These drugs are in pill form and you take them once a day. The most popular of these drugs, for pre-menopausal women, is Tamoxifen and, for post-menopausal women Femara or Arimidex. There is new evidence that suggests that taking Femara, after taking Tamoxifen for five years, increases survival rates.
Tip! George Anderson is very interested in prostate cancer and the variety of prostate cancer treatments available.

• Immunotherapy: There is a fourth modality of treatment on the horizon and it's called Immunotherapy. This involves getting your immune system to fight your cancer and there is, and will be, a lot of research being done in this area.

Melissa Buhmeyer is a breast cancer survivor and has been so for seven years. She is also the founder of http://www.breastcancer-treatment.us, a site focusing on breast cancer treatment options, news, articles, and survivor experiences.

Breast Cancer Treatment: Coping With A Mastectomy

2007-10-27T05:56:00.002-07:00

As women, especially American women, much of our femininity is centered on our breasts. No matter where you look, there are pictures, billboards, commercials, television shows, and movies with women with these beautiful breasts and ample cleavage. The thought of losing one or both breasts, to breast cancer, can be devastating for many of us. Sure, there's reconstruction, but will it ever really look the same again? Even if you have reconstruction, you'll never have sensation there again and, for many of us, that definitely affects our sexuality.

I went through two separate mastectomies, for my breast cancer, despite the fact that I wanted them both done at the same time. Two different surgeons told me that wasn't necessary. They found out, later, that it was, as I had the same breast cancer in both breasts. Through these surgeries, I learned a few things about what to expect, and how to get up and running again, after a mastectomy for breast cancer.

The first thing to realize is that, apart from the emotional aspect of such an operation, this is a simple surgery. The breast is composed, mostly, of fatty tissue and, of course, milk ducts and lobes. The removal of this breast tissue is way easier than operating on an organ, but carries much more emotional impact for most of us. Most surgeons will get as much of the breast tissue out as they can to help alleviate the chance of a recurrence of your breast cancer. You will typically wind up with a horizontal scar about four inches long. The scar may be red for quite a while but, ultimately, should fade to where you can hardly see it anymore.You want to be sure to take loose-fitting, button-down shirts (raiding your hubby's closet is helpful) with you, to the hospital, as you won't be able to raise your arms over your head for a while. You will also need a sports bra and I would highly recommend one that fastens in the front. They will put that on you after your surgery. Typically, you should be able to stay in the hospital for one night. If you're going to have lymph nodes removed, a small pillow, to slip under that arm, will help make you more comfortable. Check with your local American Cancer Society as they may have small pillows for you. An extra pillow to hold to your chest, if you need to cough, sneeze, or laugh, can help keep your incision from hurting.

When you wake up, you will have a couple of drain tubes for each side you have done. These tubes are important as they allow the excess fluid, which your body will produce, to drain out. If you didn't have them, the fluid would have to be aspirated with a needle. The drains, even though they're no fun, are better than that. These drains will have to be emptied a couple of times a day and you will have to write down how much fluid you drain so the doctor will know when you've slowed down enough to remove them. You may not know where to put these drains under your clothing. I pinned mine up to the sports bra and that way, they didn't pull when I moved.
Tip! Many doctors caution these women to wait several years to ensure receiving the best breast cancer treatment possible and to go past the point of the biggest threat of breast cancer recurrence. But some women decide to go ahead and have babies anyway, since it's so important to them.

When you get home, plan on having someone there to help you for the first few days. You won't be allowed to reach into your cabinets and definitely won't be able to clean house or pick up your children, if you have little ones. You'll be sent home with pain meds and definitely take them if you need them. Studies show that you will heal faster if you keep yourself out of pain, so don't be afraid to take them as prescribed.

If you have a recliner, you might consider moving it into the bedroom as you won't be able to lie flat for a while. You'll need to sleep in a partial sitting position. If you don't have one, or don't have space for it in your bedroom, lots of pillows will work, too. That's what I used. Just be sure you have enough pillows to keep yourself comfortable propped up.

If you would like someone who's been there before you to visit with, be sure to call your local American Cancer Society and ask for a Reach 2 Recovery volunteer. This is an American Cancer Society program where they try to match you with one of their volunteers who have as similar experience as you're facing. This woman will come visit you and will bring you all sorts of brochures and information on conventional treatment. She will also bring you a list of exercises you can start to do to regain your mobility and range of motion.
Tip! Follow-Up Treatment If Cancer Is Detected: If you require follow-up radiation and/or chemotherapy as part of your breast cancer treatment, hypnosis can teach you how to feel more relaxed and manage your stress. A growing body of evidence suggests that chronic stress and the cascade of stress hormones it produces can interfere with the proper functioning of the immune system.

This is VERY important. It hurts to stretch your arm up, after surgery, but if you haven't had reconstruction, and you don't start soon, you will lose that range of motion. I would recommend starting to gently, slowly reach your arm up … let your body be your guide … the day after your surgery. This is ONLY if you have not had reconstruction. If you have, let your plastic surgeon tell you when to start stretching. Push to where it hurts just a little, but do not push too far past that. Little by little, you'll find yourself able to stretch a little farther every couple of days.
Tip! Skin cancer treatment is most effective when cancer is diagnosed early and the physician embarks on the best form of treatment.

Most of all, allow yourself to heal emotionally, as well as physically. Some of us just can't look at that incision right away. That's OK. Take as much time as you need. I know I felt like some kind of freak with no breasts and, even six years later, I still do sometimes. But remind yourself that these scars are your battle scars. They do not make you less of a woman. They make you a warrior.
Tip! George Anderson is very interested in prostate cancer and the variety of prostate cancer treatments available.

Melissa Buhmeyer is a breast cancer survivor and has been so for seven years. She is also the founder of http://www.breastcancer-treatment.us, a site focusing on breast cancer treatment options, news, articles, and survivor experiences.

Research and Discuss Breast Cancer Treatment Options

2007-10-27T05:56:00.001-07:00

Once the first sign of breast cancer is detected and confirmed, it's important for women to research and discuss with their partners and health-care providers what their options are as far as treatment is concerned as soon as possible. It can be more than a little overwhelming, however, as it seems the possibilities are endless for women nowadays when it comes to breast cancer treatment—of both the disease, the symptoms associated with breast cancer and the side-effects of medication.

Personal research into the options available is recommended, as well as thorough discussion with a doctor or health practitioner. A woman's age, whether she is a first-time breast cancer patient or it is recurring, the specific type, stage, grade and locality of the breast cancer, and the individual risk factors—as well as other health issues she may have—all must be taken into consideration.

Probably the most commonly used as well as the most well-known treatment options are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. These are still considered to be very effective, but many other treatment options are gaining in popularity, such as herceptin, tamoxifen and other types of hormonal therapy, as well as alternative and complementary therapies. Most women choose a combination of therapies.

Surgery is almost always recommended as one of several treatment options for first-time breast cancer patients. The two different types are lumpectomy, or "breast-conserving surgery," which involves surgically removing the tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue in the breast, and a mastectomy, which is the surgical removal of the whole breast. There are many factors that come into play when deciding between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy, such as the chance of recurrence, and considering radiation therapy and breast reconstructive surgery.

Radiation therapy is often used in conjunction with surgery. After a lumpectomy the whole breast is "radiated" with high energy x-rays, used to kill cancer cells, and after a mastectomy the lymph nodes and chest wall may also be treated. Although radiation does produce side-effects and symptoms, these are usually localized, and this form of treatment is usually well tolerated.

Chemotherapy, also very common and widely used, involves the use of medications to destroy cancer cells by interfering with its growth. However, it can also kill healthy cells and cause undesirable side-effects in women, such as fatigue, nausea, vomiting, increased risk of infection and hair loss.

Herceptin is a treatment given intravenously into the bloodstream once every one to three weeks, targeting only HER2 (a protein)-positive breast cancer in women with metastatic (advanced) disease, medium to large tumors and cancers with lymph nodes involved.

Hormone therapy is also sometimes used—by pill or injection—if the breast cancer tumor is sensitive to the hormones estrogen and/or progestin. Hormone therapy will reduce the availability of these hormones, "starving" the cancer and hindering its growth. Tamoxifen is one such drug under this category, prescribed for women with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Tamoxifen is the hormonal drug of choice for pre-menopausal women but has been shown to be slightly less effective in post-menopausal women than other hormonal therapies, like aromatase inhibitors.
Tip! Past Cancer Treatment: Researchers in Sweden who looked at the medical records of 140,000 breast cancer patients found that there was an increase of lung cancer 5 to 20 years after breast cancer treatment. Suspicion is that radiotherapy in the chest area may have made the lungs more susceptible to the disease.

Alternative therapies to treating breast cancer are becoming more popular, either used instead of or in addition to conventional methods. However, there has not been enough clinical research to support their effectiveness and safety. Such alternatives include acupuncture, meditation and therapeutic touch, flaxseed and black cohosh, and special restrictive diets.

It is vital for women considering alternative therapies to research these options as much as possible and to consult their health-care team, as they should be doing with any combination of the above-mentioned treatments for breast cancer.
Tip! George Anderson is very interested in colon cancer and the variety of colon cancer treatments available.

Will Hanke runs Breast Cancer First Sign - a website full of information on breast cancer symptoms, signs and cures

Breast Cancer Treatment Options

2007-10-27T05:56:00.000-07:00

Over the past decade there has been advancements in many of the treatments available for Breast Cancer. Through constant research we have come a long way from the limited treatment options available in the past. The top treatment choices available today are surgery, radiation, hormonal treatment (anti-estrogen based) and chemotherapy. These 4 regimins are often used in conjunction with each other or adjuvantly. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer and are offered a choice of treatments from this wide array it can be very confusing. We all know we want what is best for us but sometimes with the many options available how can one be sure?

We will try to provide you with an overview of the treatments available and how they relate to the stage of cancer you might have. Use this information to educate yourself so when it comes time for you and your doctor to make a decision you will know the facts on hand.

There are 3 General Types of Treatment Categories Available Today:

Local Treatment (Regional Treatment) - this type of treatment is localized to the breast and local lymphatics only or adjacent lymphatics to where the tumor was located.

Systemic Treatments - treat the whole body and are usually reserved for the prevention of spread (metastases) or directy to target spread that has occured.
Tip! Psychoneuroimmunology Another new form of cancer treatment is Psychoneuroimmunology. It believes that mind can wield enough control over the body to stimulate a healing process.

Alternative Therapy - these are considered holistic therapy and can be helpful but have never been proven to cure. We will pay close attention to Local and Systemic treatments as the choices available to cure breast cancer.

Surgery: surgery has been the number one treatment option available for breast cancer for well over the past century. Today unlike surgery in the past the surgeons can precisely target the area consisting of the tumor and surrounding tissue and remove only what is necessary and leaving a considerable amount of breast tissue in tact. These new methods have come a long way from the days of the radical mastecomy where patients where often left deformed for life. And even the newer techniques available for a mastecomy today are alot less drastic than they where say 30 years ago.
Tip! And there was her relationship with her oncologist, Dick Hollister, and his incredible staff. Do you realize that over 95% of cancer treatment takes place in physicians' private office, not in hospitals.

Today most surgery done for breast cancer is considered breast-conserving therapy or what is commonly called a lumpectomy. A lumpectomy is where only the tumor is removed and then once this has been done the patient will undergo a series of weeks of Radiation treatments to cleanse the surrounding tissue and prevent recurrance.
Tip! Breast cancer treatments are local or systemic.

The mastectomy is still available as a treatment options and this is basically where all of the breast tissue is removed down to and sometimes including the chestwall muscles. Radiation is also performed to cleanse the affected area after a mastectomy in alot of cases.

Radiation Therapy: radiation therapy consists of the use of high powered X or gamma rays that precisely target the area that is being treated. These X or Gamma rays are very effective in destroying the cancer cells that might recur where the tumor was removed. The use of radiation therapy for breast cancer is usually given after surgery has been performed and the purpose of the radiation is to reduce the change that the cancer will recur. Radiation reduces the risk of recurrance of breast cancer consdirably.

Hormone Therapy: some breast cancers are hormone-receptor positive. This means that the cancer will grow and spread if the hormone estrogen is present. If this is found to be the case with your type of breast cancer then the us of anti-estrogen hormone therapy will probably be used to lower the levels of estrogen in your body which in turn will prevent the cancer cells from beign stimulated and growing or spreading to other parts of the body Tamoxifen has been used for years as a anti-estrogen hormone therapy drug with breast cancer. In 2005 clinical trials from all of the world provided information saying that aromatase inhibitors worked alot better than Tamoxifen in post menopausal woman with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. Now this was only in post-menopausal woman and Tamoxifen is still the drug of choice for pre- menopausal woman.
Tip! Spiritual Support Therapy Another popular form of skin cancer treatment is Spiritual Support Therapy, which takes care of the patient's spiritual well being and a regimen of exercises and massages that forms the Physical Therapy, designed to abate stress and pain.

Chemotherapy: in some breast cancers the risk over spread (metastases) is greater than in others. Remember everybody is different and everybody's cancer will be different. If involvment of the lymph nodes is found,tumor size is great enough, or a higher grade is found your oncologist might suggest chemotherapy alone with other treatments including surgery and radiation.

William Ransom provides information of breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment at http://breastcancer.tk