breast-cancer

Causes of Breast Cancer - Still a Mystery?

2008-11-07T02:47:00.000-08:00

If you do your research, you'll find that the information given still points to the "I don't know, but here are the risk factors" lame explanation. What a lot of you know what! Sometimes I wonder if the people who write these things really think it through.

Here's what I mean... "most women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors other than simply being a woman and getting older (especially being over 50). Talk to your doctor about your risk... blah, blah, blah.

Wouldn't a better explanation be... "most women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors other than simply being a woman and getting older (especially being over 50),... because the older you get the weaker your immune system gets, and puts you more at risk to any kind of disease, including breast cancer or any other cancer. And by the way... your immune system has been slowly failing you since the age of 30 because of all the crap you eat!"

Ok, I'm harsh... but I've been known to tell it like it is! Other risk factors for breast cancer include...

Having had breast cancer before. No kidding. If you know anything about cancer, your odds of getting it again doubles, but I won't get into that.

A family history of breast cancer (especially in a mother, sister or daughter diagnosed before menopause.

Family history of ovarian cancer.

An above-average exposure to the hormone estrogen, which your body naturally produces, perhaps because you have never given birth or gave birth for the first time after age 30.

Began menstruating at a young age.

Reached menopause later than average.

Have taken hormone replacement therapy (estrogen plus progestin) for more than five years.

Dense breast tissue (as shown on a mammogram).

A history of breast biopsies showing certain breast changes, such as an increased number of abnormal cells that are not cancerous (atypical hyperplasia).

Radiation treatment to the chest area (for example, to treat Hodgkin lymphoma), especially before age 30.

Some factors slightly increase your risk of breast cancer. You may be at slightly higher risk if you are obese (especially after menopause), drink alcohol, take birth control pills (the Pill).

Some women develop breast cancer without having any of these risk factors. Most women with breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease.

Notice the last statement above, and more specifically "most women with breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease." Which proves my point... most women who get breast cancer have none of the above (like my ex-wife who died at the young age of 44).

So what's with all these suppositions on the causes of breast cancer? Bottom line folks... cancer is cancer (breast or otherwise), and you get it because of a weakened immune system, and an imbalance in your cells caused by a variation of outside elements invading your body which I will not go into here.

You should know that in countries where people consume low fat diets, there are many less cases of cancer (breast or otherwise). Thinner people, active people, are less likely to get diseases for obvious reasons!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wyatt_Schell

Breast Cancer Symptoms - Knowing What to Look For

2008-11-07T02:45:00.000-08:00

Since most women today are quite aware of breast cancer and self testing, there are still many who only have a general knowledge of the symptoms of breast cancer. Knowing what to look for when suspecting you might have breast cancer, may save your life!

So let's begin with what most women have become accustomed to doing, that is checking for lumps in their breast and the armpits. However, keep in mind that lumps in the breast does not necessarily mean you have breast cancer. Actually, they're very common especially during menstruation, but doesn't mean you have breast cancer.

Most often breast cancer is first noticed as a painless lump in the breast or armpit. Other signs may include swelling in the armpit, changes in breast size or shape, dimpling or puckering of the skin - thickening and dimpling skin is sometimes called "orange peel", redness, swelling and increased warmth in the affected breast, an inverted nipple - nipple turns inwards, crusting or scaling on the nipple.

Bare in mind, that the above symptoms are not always caused by cancer. Other health problems can cause them as well. Therefore, testing is the next best thing to do to make a proper diagnosis. Ironically, women are so breast cancer aware that statistically 9 out of 10 women are the first to notice a lump or mass in their breast.

It usually isn't painful, but can cause an unusual sensation in the area where the lump is. When a tumor grows in the milk ducts, bleeding can occur from the nipple. The size or shape of the breast may change. As well, the nipple might draw in, or some of the skin will pull in causing what looks like a dimple to appear. While these might be early signs of breast cancer, they might also indicate another noncancerous disease. In fact, about 8 out of 10 breast growths are non-cancerous. A doctor should be consulted to determine the exact cause of the lump.

Since the most common form of detection is self-induced testing (feeling for lumps), you should be aware that statistically that 90% are benign. This means they are not cancers. They are areas of breast change causing lumpiness that is more obvious just before a period, especially in women over 35. They can also be cysts (sacs of fluid in the breast tissue). Finally, fibroadenoma, which is a collection of fibrous glandular tissue, more common in younger women.

So if you feel you have breast cancer symptoms, the best course of action to take if you find a lump or other change in your breast, even if a recent mammogram was normal, is to see your doctor for an evaluation. If you haven't yet gone through menopause, you may want to wait through one menstrual cycle before seeing your doctor. If the change hasn't gone away after a month, have it evaluated promptly.

J. Michael Blais is webmaster and founder of the exclusive cancer help resource, Cancer-Help-Treatment.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_J._Blais

Transfer and Proliferation of Breast Cancer

2008-11-03T23:22:00.000-08:00

And a few types of cancer, such as thyroid cancer similar to the natural history of breast cancer usually is very long, breast cancer cells, the doubling time for an average of 90 days, from the beginning of a malignant cell, after 30 times doubled, to reach the tumor Lcm diameter of the sphere, which will take seven to eight years. The cause of breast cancer has not yet completely clear, the best way to reduce mortality is early detection and early treatment. In tumor metastasis, surgery and radiotherapy alone can cure the vast majority of cases. Once transferred, the only cure is also positive for a small number of patients, so the natural law understanding of breast cancer. Help choose the best breast cancer treatment programme.

Breast cancer directly to the expansion around, the lymphatic and blood flow. The lymph nodes should be to prevent cancer cells from the primary tumor Yat, the first barrier, if cancer cells through the lymph node barrier is usually recidivism supraclavicular lymph nodes and then penetrated into the blood vein. In addition to the transfer axillary lymph node cancer, also involving the parasternal lymph nodes, for more than the second and third and fourth intercostal, in the first half of breast cancer in the area and areola more so, from here then repeat lymph node cancer. Breast cancer cells may also directly cause vascular invasive metastasis. Side by intercostal thoracic vein into the ipsilateral unknown vein into the pulmonary circulation. Breast deep tissue, breast and chest wall into the vein axillary vein into the subclavian vein and unknown vein, lung metastasis is an important way, the flow of qi intercostal vein and the vein-odd vein, the superior vena cava last Rufei, Ki Venous system through intervertebral vein, vertebral venous plexus, after the group connected with the vertebral vein, vertebral venous system and the vena cava blood flow in intra-abdominal pressure can change the flow of each other, so that some patients in the absence of a superior vena cava ( Such as the lungs) transfer before a skull, spine, Pengu, such as the transfer.

For a long time, people found that breast cancer may have been in attendance at the distant metastasis, despite the clinical was not attending to, this constitutes a conservative implementation of the theoretical basis for chemotherapy. According to today has been able to tumor size, lymph node involvement in the number and variety of other biological characteristics of a preliminary estimate of distant metastases minimal level of risk exists.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Zhao

The Effects of Hair Loss Following Chemotherapy

2008-11-03T23:20:00.000-08:00

You might not think about how important your hair is until you face losing it. And if you have cancer and are about to undergo chemotherapy, the chance of hair loss is very real. Both men and women report hair loss as one of the side effects they fear most after being diagnosed with cancer.

Hair loss happens because the chemotherapy affects all cells in the body, not just the cancer cells.

The lining of the mouth, stomach, and the hair follicles are especially sensitive because those cells multiply rapidly just like the cancer cells.

The difference is that the normal cells will repair themselves, making these side effects temporary.

Chemotherapy may be described as treatment of cancer with different drugs and chemicals.

It has been seen that majority of patients undergoing chemotherapy suffer from hair loss.

The reason is hair follicle cells grow quite fast and the drugs used for chemotherapy attack any cell growing and attacks healthy hair follicle cells also.

Can hair loss be prevented during chemotherapy treatment? There is no known way to prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss. However, not all chemotherapy medications cause hair loss.

You should consult with your doctor about the type of treatment recommended for you and what its side effects are likely to be.

Whether or not you lose your hair depends in part on the specific medication and dosage administered.

Women should consider visiting a wig salon before they begin losing their hair so that the specialist may become familiar with her present hairstyle and color.

Some wig salons specialize in hair loss from chemotherapy and are able to offer women specific advice. A wig specialist may also wish to measure the woman's head size to make sure an average wig will fit. Custom-made wigs sometimes take several weeks to have made.

Chemotherapy drugs are powerful medications that attack rapidly growing cancer cells. Unfortunately, these drugs also attack other rapidly growing cells in your body - including those in your hair roots. 6

Chemotherapy hair loss, and changes in skin and body can be devastating after effects of cancer treatment.

Fortunately, most of the time hair loss from chemotherapy is temporary.

You can expect to regrow a full head of hair six months to a year after your treatment ends, though your hair may temporarily be a different shade or texture.

Remember the hair loss from chemotherapy is temporary.

It usually starts to grow back about six weeks after the person finishes their chemotherapy, and it may look and feel different from the person's original hair. It may be curlier or a slightly different color.

Sometimes hair grows in grey until the person's hair color (also called pigment) cells begin to work again.

Most people will have a full head of hair again about six months to a year after they stop taking chemotherapy.

The decrease in blood cell counts does not occur right at the start of chemotherapy because the drugs do not destroy the cells already in the bloodstream (these are not dividing rapidly). Instead, the drugs affect new blood cells that are being made by the bone marrow.

Radiation only causes hair loss on the particular part of the body treated. If radiation is used to treat the breast, there is no hair loss on your head. But there might be loss of hair around the nipple, for women who have hair in that location. Radiation to the brain, used to treat metastatic cancer in the brain, usually causes complete hair loss on the head.

Cold caps don't work for everyone. They only block certain drugs and are not suitable for use in all types of cancer. You can't really have scalp cooling if there is too high a risk that cancer cells could be presenting the scalp blood vessels.

This is because there would be a possibility that the cells in the scalp blood vessels would not be killed by the chemotherapy. It certainly is not advisable for leukemia or lymphoma treatment, for example.

You cannot wear a cold cap if you are having continuous chemotherapy through a pump either, because you would have to wear the cold cap all the time, 24 hours a day.

Chemotherapy is very effective in killing cancer cells, but it also affects normal cells as well.

The strength of the drugs used in chemotherapy causes side effects that can bring discomfort and inconvenience.

Typical side effects of chemotherapy include gastrointestinal tract problems, hair loss, low blood cell counts, skin rashes, fatigue, and infertility.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Neill

Early Detection Signs Or Symptoms of Breast Cancer

2008-10-31T05:04:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in UK women, is the disease women fear most.

Early detection of this disease is vital!

There are different signs and symptoms of breast cancer. One of the first signs or symptoms is feeling a lump in the breast. This lump will feel different then the other breast tissue around it.

It is known that more then eighty percent of women discover lumps by checking themselves. A physician can detect breast cancer by giving you a mammogram.

Knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer may help save your life.

When the disease is discovered early, you have more treatment options and a better chance for a cure. Most breast lumps aren't cancerous.

Yet the most common sign of breast cancer for both men and women is a lump or thickening in the breast.

Often, the lump is painless.

Even though the public has learned a great deal about breast cancer, there remain more than a half-dozen popular breast cancer myths.

At least one such myth relates to the signs of breast cancer. Many women believe that finding a lump in the breast means that they have breast cancer, which is untrue.

Another symptom of breast cancer is Paget?s disease of the breast.

It is a syndrome that presents skin changes like redness and flaking skin of the nipple. As this advances symptoms may include itching, tingling, sensitivity, pain and burning and on occasion discharge from the nipple. About half of women that are diagnosed with Paget?s will also have a lump in the breast.

Another helpful piece of information is that some types of cancers, like the Inflammatory breast cancer and Pagent's disease show classic symptoms of their own type. Very red and hard breasts which keep getting sore show along with the regular breast cancer symptoms are a classic case of the Inflammatory breast cancer, whereas very itchy, red, scaly rashes, easily confused for eczema, on the breasts along with other breast cancer symptoms are Pagent's disease.

Always get the doctor to clarify your doubts.

Unlike the more common form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer does not generally present as a lump.

The disease grows as nests or sheets that clog the lymph system under the skin. Often the symptoms are attributed to other diseases and thus the diagnosis may take a long time to occur.

For many women, abnormal cell activity in breast fluid will be the first warning of the potential development of breast cancer signs and symptoms. This early warning system gives women and their doctors precious extra time to implement a more vigilant, personalized breast health treatment plan.

A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. This test is used to look for breast disease in women who do not appear to have breast problems. It can also be used when women have symptoms such as a lump, skin change, or nipple discharge.

Each year 180,000 women get breast cancer, this is an increase of over 50 percent of the women who were developing breast cancer before 1950.

The chances of developing breast cancer increases with age.

But, don't think that you don't have to worry if you are younger than 40, because more and more young women are also developing breast cancer than ever before.

Be vigilant in your breast exams and you will have greater peace of mind.

Early detection methods of detecting breast cancer has improved survival rates tremendously. Even with the amount of women developing breast cancer increasing, the amount of women who actually die of breast cancer these days is decreasing due to early detection and better treatment methods.

A screening mammogram is used to look for breast disease in women who have no breast concerns. A diagnostic mammogram is used when a woman has symptoms or if there are other barriers to accurate testing like breast implants.

Unfortunately, the early stages of breast cancer may not have any symptoms. This is why it is important to follow screening recommendations. In most cases, the first signs of breast cancer are recognized as a small and often palpable lump in the breast.

Women with a higher risk of breast cancer should talk with their doctor about the best approach for them. They may benefit from starting mammograms when they are younger, having them more often, or having other tests. If you are at higher risk, your doctor might recommend an ultrasound or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) be done along with your mammograms.

If you notice any of these warning signs of breast cancer do not panic. Call your health care provider early and have it checked out. Not all these changes may represent cancer but you will not know unless you are examined.

Yet there is more reason for optimism than ever before.

In the last 30 years, doctors have made great strides in early diagnosis and treatment of the disease and in reducing breast cancer deaths.

In 1975, a diagnosis of breast cancer usually meant radical mastectomy - removal of the entire breast along with underarm lymph nodes and muscles underneath the breast.

Today, radical mastectomy is rarely performed. Instead, there are more and better treatment options, and many women are candidates for breast-sparing operations.

Most breast cancer symptoms are visually observable and highlight the need for regular breast self exams.

While breast cancer cannot be prevented, early detection of cancer warning signs and early diagnosis dramatically increases the likelihood of successful treatment.

The good news is that many times, especially if a lump is caught early, women with breast cancer go on to live full, healthy lives after treatment.

Some women also join support groups so they can talk to other women with breast cancer who are feeling the same emotions, this can be very beneficial and supportive.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Neill

Radiotherapy Treatment For Breast Cancer

2008-10-31T05:03:00.000-07:00

Radiotherapy for breast cancer can be a bit of an ordeal.

For me, the worst moment after being told I had cancer was being told I would need chemotherapy and radiotherapy as treatment to fight the disease. Having been there I know its shocking and I felt I just simply would never cope with it all.

My treatment regime was to consist of four treatments of FEC chemo, four weeks of radiotherapy treatment then four treatments of Taxotere chemo. This would all take the best part of ten months.

Having survived the first part of the chemo ( just! ) I went into my radiotherapy a bit bruised and battered. The first thing that needed done was going to a simulator to have the very complicated process of marking out where your treatment would be. This is done with lasers and details of where your tumour or tumours were. Small tattoos are then done to mark out the treatment area. This enables the machine to be set up very quickly every day during treatment.

I mentally decided that for the four weeks of radiotherapy I would treat it like a job. It took 45 minutes or so to drive to the hospital and back every day. The Western General in Edinburgh where I had all my treatments has a fantastic set up for radiotherapy patients. There is a dedicated car park next to the unit and you are guaranteed a space or they will valet park your car. This was amazing and a big weight off my mind as your appointment only lasts five minutes and you have to be there in time as the machines are in use constantly.

The actual radiotherapy lasts a few minutes and is painless-quite relaxing really. Some people find the treatment very tiring. I didn't, but I think if you've had chemo first then your perception of tiredness changes! The going to the hospital every day is a bit of a bind but use any mental trick to over come this.

After a few weeks of treatment the skin over the treated area can become very red and fragile. No soap or creams should be used as these can make your skin even more sensitive. This does clear up but it did cause discomfort for a few weeks. The skin on this area will always be more sensitive and sun should be avoided. It's also worth mentioning not to forget the exit area - mine was on my back - where the radiotherapy exists your body during treatments.

Radiotherapy treatment, for me, was the least unpleasant of the treatments I went through. At the outset it seems daunting but really it's not - honestly!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marjory_Ramsay

Breast Cancer and Exercise - A Moving Patient Gathers No Cancer

2008-10-27T05:17:00.001-07:00

"It's too early, it's too late, I'm tired, my feet hurt, my whole body hurts, I'm hungry," these are many of the excuses that keep us from exercising. It is really important that you don't make excuses but make changes to your life. I'm saying this not because I enjoy working out all the time, which I don't, but because your risk of breast cancer can be diminished by exercise.

The latest American Cancer Society's guidelines for physical activity recommend 30 minutes daily of brisk exercise at least 5 days a week. Is there any data to back this up? There sure is. In fact exercise can help prevent both pre and post menopausal breast cancer and if you have had breast cancer, a regular exercise program will improve your survival. Here's the data.

The first study was recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2008;100:608). This is a report from the Nurses Health Study II which included 64,777 premenopausal nurses. They were given questionnaires regarding physical activity starting in 1997. After 6 years of follow up, 550 women developed breast cancer. Women whose total activity equaled 3.25 hours per week of running or 13 hours per week of walking had a 23% lower chance of getting breast cancer. This was especially true when the activity occurred in younger women aged 12-22.

A similar article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2003 (2003;290:1331) demonstrated a 20% drop in the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women who engaged in 10 hours per week of moderate intensity exercise like tennis, jogging or aerobics. This information is taken from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study involving more than 74,000 women aged 50-79. Don't worry if you can't jog, there were also benefits for those who walk, bike, or swim 5 days a week.

Finally, a study of 1491 women who had received treatment for early stage breast cancer revealed a 44% improvement in survival if they engaged in 30 minutes of walking a day for 6 days every week (J Clin Oncol 2007;25:2345). This survival improvement was enhanced if the women also ate a diet high in fruits and vegetables. The interesting finding is that the benefit was regardless of weight. Your weight is less important than your lifestyle choices of exercise and diet preventing breast cancer recurrence.

So, no more excuses. Get out there and move a little, walk, run, play tennis, or swim. Whatever you do, you can be sure that you will decrease your risk of breast cancer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Avery_M.D.

Mammograms Can Save Your Life

2008-10-27T05:17:00.000-07:00

How Does a Mammogram Work?

A mammogram can help to detect breast cancer at the earliest stage and it's an important part of our fight against the breast cancer epidemic.

Some of these tests are performed when there is nothing at all to find on breast examination - no lumps and no suspicious problem areas. This is called a screening mammogram.

The other kind of mammogram is called a diagnostic mammogram and this is done when a screening test shows a suspicious area or when the person is aware of a lump in the breast or of some other symptom that could relate to breast cancer.

New digital techniques allow the images to be enhanced and make the screening and diagnostic tests easier for doctors to read. Digital mammography is probably more accurate at picking up problems in women under the age of fifty, or for those who have not yet had their menopause.

The latest versions of breast cancer guidelines say that if a woman over the age or thirty discovers a lump in the breast then both a diagnostic mammography test and an ultrasound scan of the breast should be performed. Ultrasound is a good test to show if a lump is solid or full of fluid - like a simple cyst might be for example. A lump with fluid in it looks dark or black on ultrasound - a solid area looks white because of the way that the sound waves from the ultrasound bounce off it.

When a breast mass is solid, its alignment and shape provide clues as to whether it is benign or cancerous. Usually a benign mass is horizontally aligned with smooth borders, while one that is malignant is vertically aligned with irregular borders. The nature of a solid mass can be clarified by performing an image-guided core-needle biopsy. During this procedure, ultrasound or mammography is used to help a radiologist extract a tissue sample from the mass with a needle. A pathologist evaluates the sample.

But ... for some women who have found a lump in the breast, both the mammogram and the ultrasound might be normal. This is obviously good news but if the lump persists then doctors advise having repeated checks - and in rare cases, if the lump is still present after a month or two - a minor operation to remove it or biopsy it should be performed.

Mammograms and breast ultrasound can save lives. So can self examination of the breasts.

When did you last check yourself? Are you breast aware?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gordon_Cameron

Check it Out - Breast Cancer

2008-10-27T05:16:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is the cancer that embraces the company of cancerous cells within the breast. Although it can be present in both sexes but is more typically present amongst the females. The milieu for the presence of this deadly disease in men and women are dissimilar. As far as the women are concerned in that case the cells of the cancer are exist in the breast and might reveal it-self in the form of protuberance in the breast or the armpits. Depending upon the different category it can fundamentally be classified as either commencement or malignant.

The reason for the growth of this disease is usually hereditary. If a person has a history of ancestor who endures from this disease then such a person is more at threat than the average folks. In this case if any unusual lumps are observed they should be reported to the doctor right away. Yearly checkup and conventional self examinations are also viable. The indicators not only include the presence of lumps but may also be escorted by changes in the appearance of the effected breast. Pain is also common but may not present itself until the disease has progressed to a later stage.

A mammogram is conducted for this purpose and if the result of the mammogram is positive then in that case instant treatment should be sought. The options for that vary. Surgery is generally sought way. It mainly involves the amputation of the effected tissue/area and the area that is likely turn out to be malignant in the future; without the cutting of the connective tissues.

For lowering the threat, regular exercise is recommended. Quite a lot of studies have been conducted to date and numerous are ongoing. If someone has been diagnosed he/she should conduct a thorough examination of this disease before opting for a particular treatment.

Sarfaraz was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, surrounded by traffic and technology. He writes mostly about diseases, the storybooks, futuristic columns, mysteries, as he likes to call it. He enjoys writing for web.

He wrote his first book (The Black Bodyguard of Stone-Pyramid) in 2003 and since then has provided the picture for 1 more title. His book was honored as a BEST SELLER.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarfaraz_Ali

Breast Cancer - Cure and Treatments

2008-10-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is one of the most feared diseases which nobody wants to be diagnosed with. From all the media attention it receives today a person would think that progress is being made towards finding a cure, but unfortunately the opposite is true, as the breast cancer rates are still climbing.

The main reason why it is still increasing is that we don't have prevention, despite all the causes of breast cancer being well known. Also the reason why we don't have a cure for breast cancer is because all our current treatments are very good at generating profits for the companies that are involved and in control of the industry.

The well known slogan telling woman that early detection will lead to a cure, is a myth! Early detection is beneficial only to the breast cancer industry through their statistics. If they can detect breast cancer early then the 'meter' that measures the 5 year survival cycle starts running earlier. The patient then has a better chance of passing the critical 5 year period and therefore deemed a 'survivor', regardless of the patients health after 5 years. Also early detection slogans helps recruit woman into the breast cancer industry.

The causes of breast cancer have been well known for many years. There is a cure for the disease and it is very simple. Remove all the known factors that have caused it to begin with, then with the amazing self healing powers of the human body (which we all have) it will remove the cancer naturally and permanently.

What our medical system is doing is looking for complex answers to a simple problem. Breast cancer does not need aggressive toxic treatments that damage the body. To cure breast cancer a person only needs to respect the laws of Mother Nature by living as we are supposed to and especially eating the foods we have been designed to eat, these being freshly grown fruit and vegetables.

The breast cancer industry will continue to research cures for the disease, but they will never succeed. Cancer is similar to scurvy which is simply a vitamin C deficiency and the only way to cure scurvy is naturally. Breast cancer is exactly the same, it is a disease of a weak immune system and there are only natural ways to strengthen it. And this is why the breast cancer industry hasn't made any progress in finding a cure, despite looking for nearly 40 years. A drug to cure breast cancer does not exist.

There are some other factors that contribute to breast cancer. For example, our sedentary lifestyle and the toxic products which we use every day can all contribute to the problem. What you must do is research and learn more about breast cancer and what's going on in the industry today. Breast cancer does have a permanent cure but it is not with our mainstream toxic treatments of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Wighton

Breast Cancer Surgery - The Basics

2008-10-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

The breast cancer surgery is done to make sure that the cancerous tissue is removed and make sure that the breast is saved by removing the malignant tissue. The aim is to remove the unwanted growth of the tumor while it is localized which means that the tumor has not spread itself throughout the breast.

As far as types of breast cancer surgery goes there are several types of breast surgery and the doctor in consultation with you will decide the best surgery possible. Mostly the decision to go with one type of surgery versus the other is taken because of the medical needs. There are various factors that decide what surgery is the best course of action like the size of the tumor, the location of the tumor and the type of breast cancer.

In most ideal case the surgeon will recommend the lumpectomy which means that the cancerous tissue is removed along with the surrounding normal tissue to stop the growth of the tissue in its tracks.

Then there is partial mastectomy whereby a larger part of the breast tissue is removed along with the surrounding normal tissue. The third kind is the mastectomy where the entire breast is removed. This is done to prevent the cancer from spreading to the lymph nodes. In some cases the breast along with the lymph nodes are removed and this is known as modified radial mastectomy.

In all the cases there is follow up radiation therapy to treat the removing breast tissue and also there is post recuperative recovery period stay ion the hospital for some period of time. That period of time is two or three days in case of complete mastectomies.

The breast cancer surgery can be followed up by the breast re constructive surgery which is known as augmentation mammaplasty or in simple terms the breast augmentation.

Make sure to consult your surgeon for any side effects because of the follow up radiation therapy. Also if you need to undergo re constructive surgery then make sure that you get medical advice as there may be cases where re constructive surgery may not be possible immediately.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Border

Global Breast Cancer Crisis-Update

2008-10-21T05:03:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my earlier article, breast cancer is now a global concern. Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women in United States causing the death of millions women. A recent study has shown that women having a vitamin D deficiency when a breast cancer is diagnosed have a greater death rate than those having a proper amount of vitamin D. This is striking example of the importance of vitamin D in the prevention of breast cancer.

Vitamin D was discovered in 1919 after vitamins A, B and C. This vitamin is playing and essential role in calcium absorption, in the bones growth as well as in the good functioning of the organs of our body. Unlike other vitamins that come from nutrition, most of vitamin D (around 90%) comes from the action of the sun on our skin. This important role of the sun in the vitamin D production is a problem for the populations leaving in the north parts of the world, less exposed to sunlight particularly during winter. Studies have shown that people living in northern countries have a vitamin D deficiency during winter time.

BREAST CANCER DISLIKES VITAMIN "D"

This vitamin D deficiency can be very dangerous because this vitamin can prevent the development of various types of cancer, mainly colon and breast cancer. A study published in The Breast Cancer Journal 2008, it is mentioned that more you are away from the equator, so with less sunshine, greater is the impact of breast cancer because women in those regions have less vitamin D in their blood. Researchers from the University of Toronto have showed not only that vitamin D has a protective effect in the prevention but also in the likelihood to survive to a breast cancer. It is tragic to say and it has been proven, 73% of women with a vitamin D deficiency have greater risk to die from this illness.

INCREASE VITAMIN D INTAKE

It is easy to conclude from those results that it is essential to increase vitamin D intake in order to prevent more efficiently cancer and breast cancer. International experts recommend to increase vitamin D daily intake from 200 UI to 1000 UI in order to reduce cancer risks. From May to September, with a ten minutes exposure to the sun, the body can produce up to 10,000 UI of vitamin D. But, it is advised to be careful because too much exposure can increase the risks of skin cancer. From October to April, it is important to rely on other sources of vitamin D intake including natural supplements with a content of 1000 UI per capsule. It is simple, economical and efficient. Take action and increase your vitamin D intake to live a healthier and longer life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gilles_Coulombe

Coping With Breast Cancer - Ten Survival Tips

2008-10-17T03:08:00.001-07:00

In Chinese, a crisis is expressed in two characters: danger and hidden opportunity. As a breast-cancer survivor, I have faced many challenges, but God has revealed to me opportunities that translate into incredible blessings. I share some suggestions below for those struggling with this disease.

1. Ponder scriptures

Let biblical passages like Psalm 119:105 (likening the Word of God to a lamp) illuminate pathways for healing and reveal any encroaching thorny thickets. Use verses as your penlight to avoid stumbling around in the darkness.

When I joined the ranks of breast-cancer survivors, I clung to Psalm 23 for solace. During chemotherapy I reflected on how God was comforting me as I walked through my own valley of the shadow. Review the list of common emotions in the front or back of your Bible to locate verses that speak to particular sentiments, such as worry, weariness, or fear. Gideon Bibles found in many hotels contain these sections to ease the troubled traveler's mind.

2. Pray unceasingly

One of my childhood treasures was a book entitled "The Lord's Prayer." Each page was inscribed with a verse from Jesus' model prayer in Matt. 6:9-13. Bright illustrations of kneeling children with uplifted hands accompanied each verse. I was captivated by the images. Although as a child I was not yet ready for Jesus' heartrending prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, this picture book was early preparation for a more mature prayer life.

Prayer is a powerful tool. Like African prayer warriors thriving in the midst of deprivation, during my treatment I lifted prayers to the only One who could take away troubling emotions and side-effects. Lying in bed, I visualized my pallet being lifted to God through the roof in a reverse move from the paralytic brought from the roof to Jesus for healing in Mark 2. I strongly felt God's healing warmth as I prayer-walked upward to meet Him.

3. Treasure fellowship

As a cancer survivor I most assuredly relished the cards, hugs, prayers, and empathy of friends. The blessings of others that dispelled my pouts through bouts of cancer were crucial to healing. Hebrews 10: 24-25 tells us to encourage one another and meet regularly for worship and fellowship. The latter can include simply listening, sharing a meal, or offering a Bible study to encourage camaraderie and spiritual enrichment. My husband and I were blessed by the insights shared at our home Bible study during my cancer treatment.

4. Make church attendance a priority

Ideally, the breast cancer survivor should attend a local church, for reasons extending beyond congregational worship. Shortly after I was diagnosed with cancer, members of a former church we attended rallied around me in prayer for healing. Their love transcended church membership, and coalesced with that of members of our new church. These compassionate individuals provided needed meals and child care as well as spiritual support, something I would have missed had I not attended church.

If your breast cancer has left you home-bound or residing in a facility, you can find other options to connect with a church. Ideas include listening to a radio station offering Bible studies and uplifting choir or praise music, watching a Christian worship service on TV, or enjoying sermons from a visiting pastor.

5. Obtain Biblical counseling

Counseling from a biblical perspective can address many issues with which breast cancer survivors struggle, including guilt, anger, and non-forgiveness. I sought counseling from a local church and a crisis pregnancy center for issues arising from my cancer diagnoses. If these resources are not available, on-line tools are at the disposal of the computer literate. Some people prefer the anonymity of e-mail counseling. Focus on the Family (at (800) A-FAMILY) provides referrals for telephonic counseling sessions.

Financial counseling may be available through a local church, the American Cancer Society, or resources written by Christian financial experts such as Larry Burkett. I learned to organize my bills and health information into labeled file folders, and used my insurance company's website to access histories of appointments and payment records.

6. Recognize life seasons

The time spanning when I was first diagnosed to the end of treatment was only for a season. Recognize with Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 the times for every activity under heaven. Of all the seasons listed in this passage, "a time to laugh" appeals to me most. Many studies show that humor helps relieve stress, combat depression, and extend quality of life.

My three sons, ranging in age from 3 to 11 when I was diagnosed, reacted to my cancer by watching how I responded. Comic relief went a long way to dispel the tension they felt. I thoroughly enjoy watching these boys laugh at black-and-white slapstick comedians like Abbott and Costello and at modern-day comedies like "Chicken Run."

"A time to dance" is another fun season. Try some salsa dancing, like a survivor I overheard in the chemotherapy infusion room. It will lift your spirits as well as your feet, control weight, and rev your circulation to the max!

7. Witness using personal testimony

While Christians don't always recover from diseases even though prayed for, they can still use their adversity to glorify God in their lives. Jesus modeled that approach when he delayed coming to Lazarus in Bethany until Lazarus died. The story is found in John 11:3-6. When Jesus heard of Lazarus' sickness, he assured his followers that the outcome would be God-glorifying. Often, the more severe the suffering, the more wondrously God works through the power of personal testimony.

On the Titanic, some Christians gladly relinquished their places on life rafts to the unsaved, witnessing powerfully to their faith in eternal life. We've also heard of Christians in the burning World Trade Center on 9-11-01 witnessing in their last moments to non-believers in the midst of unimaginable terror. 2 Timothy 1:8 admonishes us not to be ashamed to testify about our Lord. It challenges me to go forth boldly, knowing that none can take away my personal story.

My husband's emails on God's mercy throughout my cancer ordeal were sent to all who were curious how I was bearing up. God is faithful in fanning the global fire of the gospel through such testimony.

8. Resolve to understand God

Some disasters shake us to our very core. When I felt myself helplessly mired in the muck of cancer, I recalled Jesus' parable in Matt. 7:24-27. He reassured us that we are set on solid ground, not in sinking sand. As I put our Savior's words into practice, God pulled me up and out of cancer-induced depression and into an indescribable joy. He is the Rock upon which I set my hope.

In the midst of the unexpected, God is there. For example, on September 11, 2001 otherwise annoying delays on their way to work saved some employees' lives. Now, when I am stuck in traffic and an ambulance rushes by on its way to the accident ahead, I bow my head in prayer for the ones affected by such tragedy, rather than wallowing in self-pity over the minor nuisance of a traffic jam. We should consciously determine to understand how God is using such seeming disturbances and thank him for them.

9. Find volunteering opportunities

Almost two millennia ago, Paul taught that all the commandments are summed up in loving your neighbor as yourself (Romans 13:9). Breast-cancer survivors are greatly appreciative of all the sacrifices of others from which they have benefited. Below are some ideas for showing love to fellow cancer strugglers.

If there is no breast-cancer support group in your area, start one. The locale might be your own church for women who are most comfortable in a Christian environment. Or you can volunteer for a local American Cancer Society branch, helping women in myriad ways.

Counseling others in person or by phone or email is another viable possibility. Open any Bible and appropriate passages will jump out to address the situation at hand. Courses on training counselors might be offered at a local church or on-line.

In another vein, you can ask your oncologist if you are eligible to participate in a clinical trial. Not only would you receive state-of-the-art treatment, but you would be personally contributing to advancement of breast cancer research. In this way, the survivor can directly make a difference in moving the whole planet Earth to a "cancer-free zone."

10. Leave behind stereotypes

Stereotyping often leads to judgment. People who appear to have their lives together may not. Jesus taught us in Luke 6:37 not to judge, so that we would not be judged. The breast cancer survivor should not presume that a person who avoids her or doesn't laugh at her jokes cares nothing for her. Some people limited their discussions with me because they didn't trust how they would handle difficult emotions. Certain nurses find it hard to identify with patients' humor because they witness daily so much devastation in the lives of others.

From a different perspective, those dealing with cancer survivors should not assume that such survivors can perform all tasks, regardless of their outward appearance. Because of lymphedema that developed in my arm after lymph-node removal and radiation, I do not lift or carry heavy items. I make others aware of this limitation, since it is not obvious. Conversely, one should not place artificial limits on cancer survivors. For example, during cancer treatments I kept up my regular aerobic exercise. I continued my work as an attorney in a high-intensity environment, although I did revert to a part-time schedule for a season. I painted landscapes. While this amazed some people, it is not uncommon for cancer survivors to adhere to old routines for a semblance of normalcy. The bottom line is to endeavor to delve into what makes a person tick before reaching conclusions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_Hasak

Global Breast Cancer Crisis-Update

2008-10-17T03:08:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer on the Job - How My Faith Delivered Me

2008-10-17T03:07:00.000-07:00

Daily ringing in my ears over a decade ago was the mantra of the Seven Dwarves, with an Oliver twist: "Want more, want clothes, it's off to work I s'pose." Rather than wielding mining picks to uncover jewels, I was probing for legal gems deep within the dark recesses of the law. As a patent attorney in middle management, I not only supervised the work of six attorneys, but also managed my own heavy case load. And I was raising three sons of grade-school age with my husband while teaching Sunday school.

Whizzing through the tunnel-visions of the fast lane, I found scheduling of routine preventative medical tests to be inconvenient. Although I did manage to secure a baseline mammogram at age 40, it revealed nothing of concern. And a second scan the next year showed no abnormalities. So, I thought smugly, I don't need to be so vigilant. Postponement of mammograms was reinforced by a false impression that vegetarians don't get breast cancer, particularly those my age who exercise and have no genetic predisposition. So work and family obligations dominated my life, punctuated by restful interludes of worship on Sundays.

Until I found a suspicious lump in my breast at age 43.

After the lump was confirmed as breast cancer, I sought God in earnest. Prayer support from friends and strangers alike was crucial to my treatment decisions and emotional healing. I opted for a lumpectomy with chemotherapy and radiation. Since I was generally in good health, I resumed work about a month after the operation.

Strange sensations enveloped me as I returned to the office. Nagging me was the notion that cancer is aggravated, if not caused, by undue stress. When I began chemotherapy, I would feel too sick immediately after each infusion to tackle serious assignments. My employer generously accommodated a reduced work schedule on those occasions. Valiant attempts were made to balance God-centered activities with work, exercise, and family-and deal with the distress of having cancer at the prime of my career.

Working while undergoing chemotherapy was nevertheless restorative. Giving advice to colleagues during treatment satisfied a deep longing within me to be needed. My work responsibilities offered a diversion from anxiety and gave me a sense of professional worth. Through Christ's intervention I called in sick only rarely, when I felt too ill to drive.

After chemotherapy I endured radiation, missing work every morning for six weeks straight. But God bestowed His grace upon me again as I bounced back unscathed from each treatment.

Shortly after radiation ended, when I turned 44, my manager, a Vice-President, died unexpectedly from an apparent heart attack. This reality check made me seek relief from heavy management responsibility. Sustained in prayer, I decided with my new director's blessing to supervise only three attorneys and a paralegal, and work part-time. Consequently, my schedule was reduced to a four-day work week.

In corporate America, I imagine that the "cancer survivor" track that I chose is viewed similarly to the "mommy track." In both cases circumstances alter the employee's sense of what is most important in the work-life balance. Cancer became for me an acceptable excuse for dethroning work from its exalted position atop my list of priorities.

Scuttlebutt kicked into high gear at the proverbial office coolers when I forsook the management track. But I gladly said sayonara to competing in the special Olympic event of vaulting through the glass ceiling. And said hello to being more of a respected work advisor.

Several months after that I moved away from corporate headquarters and began remote telecommuting from Northern California, managing only an attorney and a paralegal. I would make regular 200-mile road trips back to the San Francisco Bay Area to have face-time with employees as needed. And I settled into a workspace with dormer windows overlooking the garden amidst God's bounteous creation.

While it lasted, I treasured the one day a week I had off from work. Some of that time was used to contemplate what it meant not to slave every weekday. But occasional weekend spillovers of work continued.

Notwithstanding the tangible advantages of part-time work, after a year I realized the greater efficiencies of having a continuous work week, and decided to resume full-time employment. Not long afterward, a new malignant tumor emerged in the same breast.

Coping with cancer treatments this second time was decidedly easier for me as a distant telecommuter. Although I was destined to undergo bilateral mastectomies and more aggressive chemotherapy, at least I didn't have to dress up and commute in traffic among home, headquarters, and hospitals. The logistics of juggling work and cancer treatments is daunting enough without coping with metropolitan stressors.

Being able to take a spur-of-the-moment nap whenever fatigue set in was an added perk.
Further, contact with myriad people at the corporate office would increase my risk of getting an infection. In the general work environment, the best policy was to wash my hands as often as I thought about it.

This hygienic routine paid off during business travel, when I was exposed to the public on planes. I worked out my travel schedule between treatments, coordinating with the oncology nurses. Travel plans could be scuttled at a moment's notice due to side effects, such as low counts of white blood cells. But God in His mercy knows my love of travel. I never fell ill when on trans-continental-or even trans-Atlantic-flights for business reasons.

Resolved to conquer any anxiety during this season of harsh chemo, I resolved to journal my blessings. One entry: "American Cancer Society provided wigs, bras-and alleluia-complimentary make-up!"

Another journal entry chronicled my excellent employment situation. My husband was a self-employed real estate agent during my cancer bouts, with no medical coverage. Besides upholding my professional dignity, the job I had provided my family with premium, low co-pay health insurance. And my company was the ideal employer for me at that time. Had I quit the work force and sought new insurance as a cancer survivor, I would have faced astronomical premiums to secure near-comparable health coverage. Alternatively, if I had changed employers to assume a less demanding position, I would have had to re-build trust in the new environment.

My perfectionism has waned since cancer reared its ugly head. I'm sure this represents progress, but somehow it would lack pizzazz on a résumé. Imagine the line: "Lawyer seeks position with laid-back company to interact with clients and draft documents under relaxing circumstances with regular breaks." Not a good first impression. Employers should understand, nonetheless, that the most perfect employees are not perfectionists.

My cancer diagnoses allowed me to reflect on what God considers most important in my life, and to make changes where changes make sense. Having a deeper appreciation for my co-workers' struggles, I regularly exercise my muscles of compassion toward them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_Hasak

Cancer Misdiagnosis

2008-10-14T04:07:00.000-07:00

Importance of Early Diagnosis

Sometimes, physicians fail to properly diagnose cancer in their patients. In fact, the leading cause of all medical error or medical malpractice lawsuits is the misdiagnosis of cancer.

Timely detection of cancer is a matter of life and death.

For example, breast cancer has a 95% survival rate when caught at its earliest stage. When breast cancer advances to "stage 4." an individual only has a 7% chance of survival. Indeed, the key to successful treatment of most types of cancer is early diagnosis.

Other types of common cancers for which early treatment is crucial are cancer of the prostate, cervix, colon, lung, kidney, ovaries, skin, and testicles. It is important for your family physician to check for cancers that may pose a greater risk to you, due to your family history, gender, or age. Most cancer tests are painless. Regular cancer screening and early diagnosis can greatly increase your prospects for a long and quality life.

Some of the mistakes that a doctor may make in screening for cancer include:

* Failure to understand or notice the nature of a patient's complaints.
* Failure to order the proper test, such as a mammogram or PSA test.
* Failure to properly read or interpret test results.
* Failure to refer a patient to a specialist for further testing.
* Failure to note that a patient's family history increases the risk of a particular type of cancer.
* Failure to notice a mass or mistaking a malignant mass for one that is benign.
* Failure to run routine tests, such as a prostrate screening for males over age fifty.
* Failure to test someone who is at risk, because of age or ethnicity. For example, African-American males are at increased risk of prostrate cancer and need screening tests from the age of forty.
* Failure to follow-up with a patient if cancer should be suspected.

Sometimes, the reason for delayed cancer diagnosis is not the fault of a physician. You need to take care of your own health and get medical check-ups.

If you have discomfort, pain, an unusual lump or mass, or other health concerns, be sure to tell your doctor. Also, let your physician know about any family or personal history of cancer. If you believe that you are not being adequately screened for cancer risks, then you should express this concern to your physician. Never be afraid to seek a second opinion, if you think one is required.

There are many reasons why you should talk with a medical malpractice lawyer about your legal rights after an instance of cancer misdiagnosis. After you or a loved one suffers from a cancer misdiagnosis, it is important to talk with a personal injury attorney with experience in medical malpractice law for several compelling reasons:

Put a Fighter In Your Corner

Insurance companies will vigorously fight against paying damages to an medical malpractice victim -- especially cases involving cancer misdiagnosis. You need a law firm that will vigorously represent your interests in these proceedings and counsel you as your claim progresses.

Peace of Mind

You owe it to yourself and your family to seek experienced legal counsel. To protect all your legal rights, you need a law firm that is well versed in the complicated laws that govern medical malpractice law.

The Financial Impact of Injuries

The cost of a cancer misdiagnosis can be catastrophic. This is an extreme hardship when the injuries make work impossible and rent, gas, and medical bills start to accumulate. You need a law firm that will help you recover these costs from the insurance company or the at-fault party. A study recently indicated that injured parties represented by legal counsel obtain far greater recoveries than those individuals who attempt to represent their own interests.

Attorney Marya Sieminski joined the Law Offices of Sam Bernstein in 2003. She is admitted to practice law in Michigan state courts and in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated magna cum laude from Wayne State University Law School. Marya has worked as a trial lawyer for 10 years and exclusively represented victims in personal injury litigation and in workers compensation claims. She also was appointed by the Governor to serve on the State of Michigan Workers Compensation Qualifications Advisory Committee.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marya_Sieminski

Increase Your Breast Cancer Survival!

2008-10-14T04:06:00.000-07:00

Femara is a Godsend for many women due to the fact that this breast cancer suppressant really works! The whole idea to using this medication is to keep your breast cancer in remission for as long as possible. Femara is a fairly new product, believe it or not, some women, and even doctors, have never heard of the drug before.

The main information you will need to know is, if your breast cancer is estrogen positive. If so, you might want to research this information further before discussing it with your oncologist. The basic requirement for using femara is that a woman must be postmenopausal before using femara.

Femara works on the fact that it keeps the excess estrogen produced by the adrenal gland from entering your body, therefore keeping your cancer in remission. The less estrogen that your body produces , the less chance of a breast cancer recurrence. Since estrogen positive breast cancer feeds on excess estrogen from your body, you will have more chances of a breast cancer recurrence due to high estrogen levels. The daily intake of femara is one tiny pill daily. Femara does come with side effects. If you're lucky, the side effects will be few.

The one side effect that most women complain of is rapid weight gain. I will teach you in another article how to combat excess weight gain when taking femara, as I too have experienced this big talked about side effect. Due to the vast improvements in modern medicine, surviving breast cancer has made the journey that much easier. Take care of yourself and never ever give up the fight!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lobita_Grimes

Common Sense Tips to Cut Breast Cancer Risk

2008-10-12T05:09:00.000-07:00

We've all been watching the annual parade of 'pink' - all in the name of raising money to fight breast cancer! The objectives are admirable - more money for research for early detection and maybe to defeat the causes of breast cancer. AND it's important.

Somehow, despite all the pink ribbons and fundraising, the disease continues to affect thousands of families every year. Today breast cancer affects nearly 1 in every 6 women and all cancers affecting 1 in 3 women. There is no family that has been left untouched by cancer. An astounding toll!

So, what's going on here? Are there ways to minimize my chances of getting it?

You know, it didn't seem like the odds of being affected by breast cancer were as great when I was growing up. That didn't mean I didn't see loved ones affected. In fact, my mother-in-law contracted the disease and I would massage her right arm after her mastectomy removed not only her breast but also the lymph nodes under her arm, leaving swelling and hard lumps. Because of my mother-in-law, I also had an unusually large clientele of breast cancer patients or those recovering from breast cancer.

Even with those experiences, it seemed that if you had a relative who was affected, genetically you had a better chance of having breast cancer. In fact, a common response to the very mention of 'Cancer' was an automatic assumption that you had been diagnosed and given a death sentence. Of course, we now know that isn't the case and much progress in diagnosis and successful intervention/treatment has occurred in the past two to three decades. At the same time, we've also seen the incidence of breast cancer skyrocket! So it's now our responsibility to find and practice common sense habits that will help the long-term prognosis for us and for our daughters and granddaughters.

According to a number of research efforts at major universities and research centers, there's ample evidence to suggest that our immune systems are being weakened from exposure to toxins and chemical poisons. Everyday exposure to chemical poisons in our household and personal care products can keep the body from warding off or mitigating breast cancers and other diseases.

So what are everyday exposures that I might have?

We know that much of the current surge of interest in natural and organic products is coming from women - fully 60-80% depending upon which research study you are focusing on. These are women who want to improve the overall wellness of their families and themselves. Just that fact, alone, is cause for celebration. But every consumer also needs to realize what 'natural and organic' may be covering up in their everyday products!

Not everything that carries a byline of 'natural and organic' is free from toxic or harmful ingredients. Becoming educated about toxic ingredients, like the ones in the following list, is critical to your efforts to buy products that 'Do No Harm'.

Avoid these Red Flag ingredients in your products:

· Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40)

· DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), & TEA (Triethanolamine)

· Dioxin (not listed as an ingredient - a by-product from manufacturing)

· DMDM Hydantoin & Urea (Imidazolidinyl)

· FD&C Color Pigments

· Fragrances

· Parabens (common xeno-estrogen preservative)

· PEG (Polyethylene glycol)

· Phthalates (emulsifier, extender, softener - commonly used in baby products/bottles/etc.)

· Propylene Glycol (PG) and Butylene Glycol

· Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

· Triclosan (anti-bacterial thought to create super-bugs; non-recyclable contaminant in water)

· Sunscreen ingredients like benzophenone, avebenzone, cinemates, PABA

Begin by reading the ingredient label on every product. Perhaps most disturbing is the fact that many of these toxic ingredients are hormone disruptors, wetting agents that assure the products act faster/penetrate better, and preservatives known to affect health. Making a choice to purchase products that contain NO xeno-estrogens or other toxins is a bold step in the right direction!

I really believe that we could all begin this effort by simply checking out the back labels in our bathrooms. While it's pretty scary to think about, experts tell us that most of us come in contact with over 200 toxic chemicals before we get dressed in the morning. That means we are bathing ourselves in toxins!

Whether it's the shampoo and conditioner, the body wash, our toothpaste, deodorant, hair styling products, or the makeup on our face, it all adds to the chemical load on our bodies. I encourage you to replace just one or two products a week with products certified ToxicFree(R) - your assurance the product contains no hormone disruptors, carcinogens or other known toxic ingredients. Each step will create a safer, cleaner, healthier home for you and for your family.

Every woman really needs to take exercise seriously as well. Just 30 minutes of exercise per week has been shown to return major benefits. A recent study revealed that 30-150 minutes of exercise per week greatly reduced the risk of developing breast cancer.

According to the lead researcher, breast cancer rates were 50% lower in the group of women who exercised - and up to 70% lower among African-Americans who exercised. The best news was that the risk for various types of breast cancer was reduced - even the most aggressive types.

Teaching our families how to prevent illness begins with a healthy role model. READ labels, exercise, buy healthy products, do regular self-examination - and teach your daughters the same wellness habits!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Chae

What Is Breast Cancer?

2008-10-12T05:08:00.000-07:00

The breast is a gland that consists of breast tissue supported by connective tissue (flesh) surrounded by fat.

The easiest way to understand how the inside of the breast is formed is by comparing it to an upturned bush. Its leaves are known as lobules and they produce milk that drains into ducts that are the branches of the breast tree. These in turn drain into 12 or 15 major or large ducts which empty onto the surface of the nipple, just like the branches of a tree drain to the trunk.

Breast cancer most often involves glandular breast cells in the ducts or lobules. Most patients present with an asymptomatic lump discovered during examination or screening mammography. Diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy. Treatment usually includes surgical excision, often with radiation therapy and adjuvant systemic therapy.

Symptoms:

* Breast Lump

* Breast Pain

* Breast Tenderness

* Decreased Libido

* Dimpling Of Surface Of Breast

* Enlarged Lymph Nodes, Armpit

* Nipple Discharge

* Orange Peel Texture To Breast

* Pain

* Retraction Of Nipple

* Ulceration Of Breast

* Unilateral Breast Enlargement

* Unintentional Weight Loss

* Vaginal Pain

* Veins Visible On Breast

* Weight Loss

What Causes Breast Cancer?

No one knows exactly what causes breast cancer, but we do know that certain risk factors - things that increase a person's chance of getting a disease - are linked to breast cancer. Risk factors change depending on the type of cancer. There are a number of risk factors, both controllable and uncontrollable, which may increase the chances of developing breast cancer. For instance, the risk factors associated with diet can be controlled, but risk factors such as a person's age or family history can't be changed.

While all women are at risk for breast cancer, the factors listed below are associated with an increased chance of developing the disease.

How is it diagnosed?

Most cases are picked up when a woman notices a lump in her breast or through routine screening with mammography. Nine out of ten lumps aren't dangerous, but they should be checked.

Being breast aware, reporting any changes and, for women aged between 50 and 70, attending NHS mammogram screenings help to identify breast cancer early. Women with a strong family history may be offered screening before 50.

Stage and grade of your cancer

Both of these are important for helping to decide which treatments you need. The stage of your breast cancer means how far it has grown and whether it has spread. Grade means what the cancer cells look like under the microscope. Breast cancers can be

* Low grade or grade 1 (slow growing)

* Intermediate grade or grade 2

* High grade or grade 3 (fast growing)

What's the treatment?

Treatment for breast cancer includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, biological therapy and hormone therapy (for example, tamoxifen).

Emotional support for the individual and their family is important.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ashi_Jas

Breast Cancer

2008-10-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

Each year hundreds of women are diagnosed with breast cancer disease. In America, breast cancer in women is the most common form of cancer, with 1 out of every 8 women being diagnosed in there lifetime. No one knows why some women develop breast cancer, but there are a number of risk factors associated with the disease. Breast cancer may be one of the oldest forms of cancer known to mankind, dating back as early as 1600 BC. Since women and men have identical breast tissue, men can also develop the disease, but the number of cases is small in comparison.

Symptoms of breast cancer can include a lump in the breast or the armpit area, a change in the size or shape of the breast, pain in the breast or discharge from the nipple.

Breast cancer is diagnosed many various ways. Monthly self breast exams can help find cancer early when it is most treatable. Mammograms are a very useful tool to determine the presence of tumors, cysts, or abnormal growths, but are not the only measure taken by doctors. Chest X rays, bone scans, and MRI's can also give doctors the information necessary for proper diagnosis. An examination of surgically removed breast tissue is the most accurate approach for diagnosis of the size, stage and course of treatment appropriate for that individual.

Treatment depending on the variations of the disease can include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and medicines to stop the further progression. Breast cancer can also spread to the lymph nodes most commonly found under the arms. Not all cancer patients experience the disease, its symptoms or treatments the same.

The emotional impact of the diagnosis and treatment can be severe for many women. Emotional and practical support is extremely crucial for these women. Many hospitals have cancer support groups to help women cope with the stress and anxiety of the situation. As well as there are many online support groups that offer a wealth of support and information.

If caught early enough, the prognosis for breast cancer is excellent! There are more than two million breast cancer survivors today. Approximately 88% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will survive at least 10 years. While it's tragic that so many women have been affected by the disease, the number of survivors shows the great strides that have been made in early detection, advanced treatments, and research of the breast cancer disease.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ahmad_Khairi

A Mother's Fear Realized

2008-10-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

The days when I am not busy cleaning or writing my mind seems to snap back to the reality that my little girl might die. Die! I can't seem to comprehend that word and my little girl in the same sentence. All the reading to make sure I understand what lies ahead for her just brings it home to sit in my mind like a vulture and conjure up the idea without her. Her, she, my beautiful child who is so full of loving and caring for other people, and now worrying that her family and friends need consoling. My God, the pain in my breast is like a sympathy pain, if there really is such a thing. My eyes burn from the crying. My mind reels at the thought of her having to go through all the treatments, and then the great possibility of losing her after such an ordeal.

I find my self staring at the pictures of young women on the internet that have poured their stories out in hopes it might help someone else understand this awful disease. These women, and some men, have come together through the Internet and met and consoled and learned from each other.

These people come from France, Germany, Denmark, England, Australia, New Zealand and yes, the United States. There is no trade zone barrier to abide by when we are all talking about one thing. Inflammatory Breast Cancer, and why did I not know about this form of breast cancer a long time ago. We all pretty much say the same thing. Why Were We Not Armed With Knowledge Before Now?

We have a Doctor in the family that actually understands this form of cancer. He has been gentle and kind in his words to me, but honest at the same time. "When young women in their childbearing years get Inflammatory breast cancer, the prognosis is not good. Because they are active and young, their system moves the dreaded cancer cells through their bodies at an accelerated rate and their strength is taxed incredibly soon. Older people don't have such active hormones to move the disease so fast, and have a better chance the chemotherapy can stop the disease in its tracks."

My 37-year-old daughter has made up her mind that this is not going to change her life. She is continuing to work, and do the things she always has done. "Mom, these drugs are either going to kill this thing, or I am going to die. That is the reality of it all." With her chin in the air, a smile on her face and a determination I have never seen, my baby has conjured up all the will, anger and stubbornness she has to keep going forward with the knowledge that the drugs will kill these obscene little marauders and she will come out of this cancer free.

The song Wind beneath my wings replays in my brain until I can't shut it out. Tina is the wind beneath my wings, because through this ordeal she is going through, she is holding everyone up. I just want to hold her tight and cry and rock her as I did when she was a baby. But I know I can't. She needs my strength right now. I can't break down, but it is so hard to hold the tears back.

Yesterday I put my arms around her and stroked her very think short hair. Soon it will be gone, that hair she has always hated. That hair that has always had a mind of it's own. "I bought a blonde wig Mom", she said. "I'm ready to be bald, that doesn't bother me." Loosing her hair doesn't bother me either, but loosing her life is uncontainable.

My hope in writing, is that through the knowledge that even one person reading this might one day shed light into the black hole of misdiagnosis and misinformation about Inflammatory Breast Cancer we can be armed for the conflict instead of being confused.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patti_Bradfield

Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelet: Support A Noble Cause!

2008-10-04T03:17:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is a major health threat to women around the world. The number of women affected by breast cancer is shooting up every year. The sad thing is early diagnosis and treatment can lead to an almost 100 per cent cure rate among those affected by this illness.

Often the problem is not the unavailability of treatment for breast cancer, but late diagnosis. Awareness of the symptoms of breast cancer is the only way to assure that every person with the disease will get an early diagnosis. Many charities and cancer foundations have launched breast cancer awareness programs with this fact in mind.

The mass appeal of the LiveStrong yellow cancer bracelets from the Lance Armstrong foundation led breast cancer foundations to launch the breast cancer awareness bracelets. Pink was chosen as the color for these bracelets as an expression of the feminine character. Currently millions of dollars are being generated from the sale of pink ribbons and breast cancer awareness bracelets, which is going towards supporting cancer research and for spreading awareness of the disease.

What makes breast cancer insidious is that there are no clear cut symptoms or criteria that help predict this illness. It doesn’t matter if you have a family history or not, whether you are young or old, you can still get breast cancer. Though age increases the risk of breast cancer, more than 20 per cent of the affected women are those under 50 years.

Even though breast cancer awareness bracelets first came out in pink color, they now come in a variety of colors and materials. Usually the rubber and the silicone awareness bracelets sell for around $1. These bracelets can also be made of pearl, cats eye or any other suitable material and sell for around $30. These metal and pearl bracelets can be used as jewelry, and at the same time they support a cause.

Custom-made breast cancer awareness bracelets on which you can stamp any message that you want are also available. These messages can be of hope, or endurance, or success. Often, the friends and family of the cancer patients wear these bracelets to show their support to the struggling person.

Over the years the sale of breast cancer awareness bracelets has helped many. There are many discussion and information groups online on cancer that are supported by money from the sale of these bracelets. There are ‘fund-free mammogram’ facilities available for those who cannot afford the diagnostic procedure, funded by the sale of these breast cancer awareness bracelets.

Be it a $1 or a $ 30 breast cancer awareness bracelet, it can go a long way in spreading breast cancer awareness.

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

How To Avoid The Dangers Of Paget's Disease Of The Breast

2008-10-04T03:15:00.000-07:00

Many of you will have heard of Paget's Disease, which is a serious bone disease, but many of you will not have heard of Paget's Disease of the breast, so I am hoping that the ladies out there reading this article will take notice of the content, because they could come in touch with this disease at some time in their life.

What Is Paget's Disease Of The Breast?
It is an eczema type change in the skin of the nipple, and most women that develop it, will have an underlying breast cancer.
Paget's Disease occurs in about 1 or 2% of women that have breast cancer, it appears firstly as a scaly, red rash affecting the nipple and the areola. It can be very sore, may bleed and it will not go away.

The disease can be difficult to diagnose, because it can be very similar to other skin problems like eczema or dermatitis, but this disease usually affects the nipple first then spreads to the areola, whereas the other skin problems usually start in the surrounding areas, first before spreading to the nipple.

I have been asked to include the following in this article, it is taken from an actual case, where the person with the disease wanted this message passed on by you, to all the ladies in your life, Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Aunts and Friends.

"A lady developed a rash on her breast, similar to that of young mothers who are nursing. Because her mammogram had been clear, the doctor treated her with antibiotics for infections.
After two treatments it continued to get worse, her doctor sent her for another mammogram, and this time it showed a mass.

A biopsy found a fast growing malignancy. Chemotherapy was started in order to shrink the growth; then mastectomy; then a full round of Chemotherapy; followed by radiation treatment.

After about 9 months of intense treatment, she was given a clean bill of health. She had one year of living each day to its fullest. Then the cancer returned to the liver area. She took four treatments and decided that she wanted quality of life, not the after effects of Chemotherapy.
She had 5 great months, and she planned each detail of the final days.

After just a few days of needing morphine, she slipped away saying she had done what God had sent her into the world to do."

PLEASE be alert to any thing that is not normal.

Her message is shown below:

"Paget's Disease: This is a rare form of breast cancer, and is on the outside of the breast, on the nipple and areola. It appeared as a rash, which later became a lesion with a crusty outer edge. I would not have ever suspected it to be breast cancer, but it was. My nipple never seemed any different to me, but the rash bothered me, so I went to the doctor for that. Sometimes, it itched and was sore, but other than that it didn't bother me.
It was just ugly and a nuisance, and could not be cleared up with all the creams prescribed by my doctor and dermatologist for the dermatitis on my eyes just prior to this outbreak.

They seemed a little concerned. Mine started out as a single red pimple on the areola. One of the biggest problems with Paget's disease of the nipple is that the symptoms appear to be harmless. It is frequently thought to be a skin inflammation or infection, leading to unfortunate delays in detection and care.

What are the symptoms? The symptoms include:

A persistent redness, oozing, and crusting of your nipple causing it to itch and burn. (As I stated, mine did not itch or burn much, and had no oozing I was aware of, but it did have a crust along the outer edge on one side.)

A sore on your nipple that will not heal. (Mine was on the areola area with a whitish thick looking area in center of nipple).

Usually only one nipple is affected. How is it diagnosed? Your doctor will do a physical exam and should suggest having a mammogram of both breasts, done immediately.
Even though the redness, oozing and crusting closely resembles dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), your doctor should suspect cancer if the sore is only on one breast. Your doctor should order a biopsy of your sore to confirm what is going on.

This message should be taken seriously and passed on to as many of your relatives and friends as possible; it could save someone's life

My breast cancer has spread and metastasized to my bones after receiving mega doses of chemotherapy, twenty eight treatments of radiation and taking Tamaxofin.
If this had been diagnosed as breast cancer in the beginning, perhaps it would not have spread".

TO ALL READERS: This is sad as women are not aware of Paget's disease.

As we all know, early diagnosis is so important with all kinds of diseases, so if you are in any doubt about any medical problem, for goodness sake, make an appointment to see a Physician, soon as possible.

If you would like to see more health information, that can help you, Please visit my web site.

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The Secrets Of Healing From Within

2008-10-04T03:14:00.000-07:00

Modern medicine is based upon the notion of battle. We battle germs and fight for life. As soon as we feel pain or discomfort, we immediately try to stop it from happening and look for some way to soothe what we are going through. We feel we must change our illness or problems, overpower them with our expertise.

This orientation leads to a never ending battle with all that impinges upon us. After one illness or problem is conquered, another arises. We live in a state of constant insecurity where there is little room for ease of mind.

Healing from within brings inner peace with it. It arises from a different orientation towards all the experiences of life. We are taught to stop, pay attention and respect all that comes to us. It is as if we were re-focusing a camera, receiving our experience through a different lens.

Usually there is a deep sense that pain is bad, and must be removed at any cost. Pain is not bad. Pain arises from lack of balance and contains much information. It brings many messages along with it. When we see our pain as a messenger and learn how to respect and listen to it, healing begins in all kinds of ways.

The first step in healing from within is to learn how to see pain as an ally, to learn how to "dialogue" with it. For most of us this seems almost unthinkable.

At first this requires a complete turn around. Instead of tensing up and gearing for battle, we learn how to pause and understand there is a lesson that we have to learn. When we do this we find the pain or problem often comes holding a gift in its hands.

Illness often comes when we feel defeated. We may not wish to struggle anymore. Some people become ill when they are overly exhausted. The illness is the only way they can give themselves permission to stop, rest, and make much needed changes in their lives. Each illness has it's own story. The same is true with psychological or personal problems that grow strong, demanding our attention.

When someone is in physical pain and suddenly understands what is troubling them, the physical pain often subsides. For full healing to take place it may be essential to make changes in one's total life. Cancer can be suppressed for many years, and then it returns. When it reappears we must ask, "Why not? What is going on in my total life?"

"We become sick becomes we act in sickening ways,"
Louis Jourard

We are all experts at brushing things under the carpet. Then the carpet begins to roll up at the corners, and we feel we are coming unglued. During illness the body is rebelling. It is demanding that we pay attention to all that has been unattended. We may have been pushing ourselves for too long. Now our body is fed up. Stop and listen to me, it pleads. When we learn how to listen and how to reply, an entirely new life begins. Then pain and illness become an opportunity for vital change.

Learning To Listen

We usually listen only to part of ourselves. The rest is rejected. But no matter what we are rejecting, soon or later we must come up against it and face it straight on.

Rejecting something over and over never makes it go away. In fact, it will come back time and again, just for you to accept it. Everything needs to be loved and accepted, including our illness and pain. The best way is to make friends with the pain. Fighting intensifies it. If we can relax into it for a little while and explore it, many possibilities arise. Natural healing is always available in all situations, but it can be cut off by fighting and fear. When we let go, and allow ourselves to speak to the pain, and to listen to what it has to say, incredible changes can happen.

To do this, we simply close our eyes, stop fighting, and ask our pain what it is saying to us, what does it need from us right now? Then we become very quiet and listen deeply. An answer may not come right away. Patience is needed. As we do this process over and over, fear diminishes and we begin to hear.

Answers come in different ways. Some hear answers within. Others see images, some have dreams. We learn to be open to all that comes and in this openness, we learn.

Exercise
Look at your illness or problem now. Picture it within and give it some kind of shape. What does it look like to you? Describe or draw it. Now, look more deeply at what the image really means. What is this image saying to you about yourself and the life you are leading? Listen carefully.
Next, ask the image any questions you may have and let it answer you. (Ask what it wants from you and what it would need to go away). See if you can give it what it needs.

This attitude is called making friends with the pain. When we do this illness does not become something foreign and frightening. We become better able to understanding what the true causes are.

For example, if we are sad for too long and have not done enough crying, our bodies may begin to cry for us through the illness we are going through. If we feel that life is meaningless, our bodies can start to express this by shriveling up and dying. If we have held onto difficult attitudes, our bodies will bear the burden of them. Persistent negative attitudes become wounds upon our entire selves.

Our attitudes are messages we give our body. Though we may not be aware of it, if we feel life is a dirty battle, we are telling our body to tense up with shame all day long. Once we begin the crucial work of taking responsibility for and changing our attitudes, our entire body can begin to experience on-going ease instead of dis-ease. We must look at the basic attitudes we live with and ask ourselves if they are conducive to our health, or do they contain the very seeds of pain?

In order to heal from within, it is essential to handle these long standing patterns, to see them and change them to attitudes and patterns that are productive of well-being. Health comes with learning to say "yes" to all of our experience, in being willing to experience it just as it is. Wellness emerges out of the balance and harmony of all parts of ourselves.

When we are well, we feel whole, accepting and in harmony with ourselves and the entire world we live in. Like a fresh water stream flowing, this state of being brings continual refreshment and healing day by day.

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

How Soon To Resume Sex After Mastectomy

2008-09-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

Sexual matters and issues are of great concern for many cancer patients during the period of treatment. While most patients would comfortably discuss sexual issues with their doctors, others would not even hear of it. Sex is the last thing a woman would like to discuss during this treatment period. Otherwise many women would be comfortable discussing sexual matters at least six months or a year after treatment. This is an opinion of older women compared to younger women who would have like to delve into sexual discussions immediately. However prediction of an outcome especially if it has to be good, is determined by a patient's attitude. A person who loves her body and in a good sexually active relationship offers the best outcome. Many women in this case are trying to overcome trauma associated with cancer and sex after mastectomy does not appeal to many.

The trauma of losing a breast during mastectomy can really impact heavily on a woman's sexual life. However there is still a positive side to it as most women confess that a mastectomy rarely interferes or inhibits their sexual exploits and enjoyment. A number of women are not comfortable with nudity after mastectomy. The scars they have only add to their trauma. They would be very unsettled if someone stared or looked at their scars. They fear engaging in active sex. They haven't yet learnt to love their scars. But for how long would they continue hiding them? And how long would it take them to resume sex after mastectomy? The breast area is the bone of contention and many women are very sensitive physically and emotionally specifically towards the area of operation, the breasts. Touching and scrutinizing these areas is not something positively welcomed.

Vaginal dryness and an early menopause occur as a result of ovaries being damaged during treatment. These are some of the worst side effects of chemotherapy. These are the hard facts which make a woman to take up to a year before she can think of discussing sexual matters. And how long will it take her to resume sex after mastectomy? However this should not be a problem especially with the advent of lubricants. Though some brands are greasy or excessively thick, there are brands that almost mimic nature and provide maximum lubrication. However it is not advisable to use estrogen based lubricants as it might be absorbed into the body.

Women subjected to surgery and mastectomy, are usually adjusted in good measure emotionally as well as sexually in one year just like their counterparts who just had a minor operation. It all takes courage and attitude change to resume an active sex life. The fatigue experienced long after chemotherapy makes sexual intercourse daunting. However, getting into the mood is the first step towards resuming sex after mastectomy. It can be a gradual process that does not involve penetration at first. It only gets to that level after the couple is comfortable with the sensitive nudity of the woman.

Every Human Being Is The Author Of His Own Health

2008-09-30T04:51:00.000-07:00

Every human being is the author of his own health, -an old Buddhist saying.

It began in August 2005, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The tumor was located toward the back of the breast close to the chest wall. My best option was to have the breast removed. The day before the surgery was scheduled, the surgeon called.

"Your pre-opt tests came back," he said. "Your liver enzymes are about three times higher than normal."

"What are liver enzymes?" I asked.

"Liver enzymes let us know how healthy the liver is," he explained. "You're not taking any medication that would affect the liver so we better find out what's going on. Surgery is on hold until we run some tests."

On hold. This malignancy was growing inside me and I was on hold. The tests were inconclusive. The CAT scan, ultrasound, hepatitis tests, and iron absorption test offered no answers.

"The surgery is still risky," the surgeon warned. "Surgery could make your liver worse."

At this stage I was more worried about the cancer than the liver, so I told him, "I'll take my chances."

Three days later I had the mastectomy. The cancer didn't appear to have spread to my lymph nodes. This good news was short-lived when we decided I would not undergo any further cancer treatment because of my unhealthy liver.

Every three months for the next year I took liver function tests. The results were always the same: the liver enzymes were three times higher than normal. But I was not idle during this year. I read hundreds of medical journals, poured through hundreds of medical studies, and read dozens of books on nutrition and soil depletion. When my doctor wanted to begin treatment for my liver, I decided to put my research to work. I became my own guinea pig.

"I'm going to take six months," I told him, "and then I'll be back."

The liver, I discovered, removes toxic substances from the body, produces most of the body's cholesterol, and acts as a storage unit for vitamins A, D, K, and B12. The liver enzymes show how well the liver is functioning and, obviously, mine wasn't functioning too well. With research notes in hand, I developed a plan of action. For the storage unit, I stopped the daily vitamin and mineral supplements that I had taken for years, to prevent overdosing. For the toxic substances and cholesterol, I switched to organic foods and olive oil for cooking and baking. I stuck to this plan for six months. After the six months passed, I called my doctor to arrange tests.

Two weeks later I sat in the doctor's office. He walked in with a puzzled expression.

"Well?" I asked.

"Your tests are normal." He acted surprised. "Actually, they are better than normal. Your liver enzymes are below normal. Your overall cholesterol dropped forty points. Your good cholesterol went up forty points. Even your bad cholesterol dropped a few points. What did you do?"

Self Care During Radiation Treatment For Breast Cancer

2008-09-30T04:50:00.000-07:00

Battling Cancer is a tough time in anyone's life. Perhaps the toughest. That's why we've decided to write this article on how to care for yourself during radiation for Breast Cancer.

It very important to properly care for yourself during radiation for breast cancer. Keep in mind that after radiation you could feel fatigued for up to six weeks. Sleep as much as you like during this time - one thing you really need is your rest.

Also, make sure after radiation that you wear a comfortable bra. Making sure your bra fits properly and doesn't rub in any way is all part of good care for yourself during radiation for breast cancer. If a part of your bra rubs place a soft cloth between the bra and your skin.

Weight loss can be a problem after radiation treatment. In order to properly care for yourself during radiation for breast cancer make sure you eat a balanced diet. This will help you to avoid weight loss and keep your energy levels as high as possible.

Keep the skin fold area under your breast clean and talk to your doctor before using any powders, lotions, deodorants or perfumes. As part of your care for yourself during breast cancer radiation you need to make sure you are not using any products that might react with your skin at this time or do something to affect the radiation treatment in any way. Because of this it is best to avoid deodorants. Deodorants contain magnesium, and this can inhibit the effectiveness of the radiation treatment. To avoid reactions with the treated area, also avoid starching your clothes.

Trans & breast cancer

2008-09-28T06:03:00.001-07:00

Is trans fat bad for the breast as well as the heart?

French researchers compared blood samples taken in the mid-1990s from 363 women who were later diagnosed with breast cancer and 702 similar women who were not. Those who had higher blood levels of trans fat were nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer over the next seven years as those with lower trans levels.

What to do: Avoid trans fat to protect your heart (and maybe your breasts). Skip foods made with partially hydrogenated oils in restaurants and at the supermarket. If you minimize the saturated fat you get from beef and high-fat dairy foods, you'll also dodge their low levels of naturally occurring trans fat.

Rise in risk of breast cancer

2008-09-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

*One in seven women will develop breast cancer if present health trends continue, a study by the Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Centre has warned. The risk to women who carry gene mutations that can lead to the disease has risen dramatically in the past 60 years, said the study of 1,442 women published in the journal BMC Cancer. It said the trend could be reversed in part by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

A Window into Breast Cancer

2008-09-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer patients and their families might hold the important key to enabling new technologies that can help pinpoint the right treatment for the right patient at the right time. A new genomics project spearheaded by Santa Clara-based Iris BioTechnologies is looking for participants to offer information that will lead to more personalized medicine for the treatment of breast cancer and other deadly illnesses.

With widely different responses to the more than thirty chemotherapeutic agents in use today the ability to rapidly classify "generic" diseases like breast cancer into genetic subtypes is long overdue. In the past, oncologists have made treatment decisions based solely upon broadly defined disease knowledge and personal experience, with little or no insight into the molecular biology of cancer. Thanks to advances in technology the necessary clinical tools are rapidly becoming available.

One new tool is the Iris Breast Cancer Chip, which captures crucial molecular information concerning the activity of more than one hundred genes implicated in the disease from a breast biopsy sample. When processed, this information creates an optical pattern that is then analyzed by the company's proprietary data program called "BioWindows," which launched earlier this year.

"By combining the patient's cancer gene profile with their environmental, hereditary and lifestyle information, doctors can pinpoint what drugs worked for patients with similar profiles," explains Simon Chin, CEO of Iris. "The marriage of these two technologies is essential to assist doctors with practical prognosis, disease prevention, and the development of more fully targeted medicine."

Iris expects to launch their first Nano-Biochip to identify gene expression patterns in breast cancer later this year. For now, breast cancer patients and their families are welcome to enter information into the database at www.biowindows.com.

"Looking at a mirror offers a sense of what you look like on the outside; with the Nano-Biochip and BioWindows technology you have a glimpse of the 'inner you' based upon heredity and factors that impact your genes," says Mr. Chin. "We believe the future of treatment is in personalized medicine, and it all starts with your involvement."

Breast Cancer Cure - Could Dairy Be The Culprit?

2008-09-26T02:11:00.000-07:00

Professor Jane Plant has a PhD in geochemistry. When she got breast cancer for the fifth time, she decided, "I had no alternative but to die or to try to find a cure for myself. I am a scientist - surely there was a rational explanation for this cruel illness that affects one in 12 women in the UK?"

Her husband's return from a trip to China prompted her to examine why breast cancer rates were so low in China and she concluded that it was due to their lack of dairy product consumption. This lead her to completely eliminate all dairy products from her diet, which, along with other diet modifications and meditation led to her tumour completely disappearing. As she writes in her book, "Your Life Is In Your Hands":

"I now believe that the link between dairy produce and breast cancer is similar to the link between smoking and lung cancer. I believe that identifying the link between breast cancer and dairy produce, and then developing a diet specifically targeted at maintaining the health of my breast and hormone system, cured me."

If you read Professor Jane Plant's book "Your Life Is In Your Hands", it is immediately evident that she is a very sincere person and has been motivated by true concern to share her cure with others. Personally, I have no doubt that eliminating pasteurized dairy products was the key to her healing.

But there's the crux of this issue: You will note I said, "pasteurized" dairy products. Which indeed is what most of the western world consumes. It's a very important distinction to keep in mind that many doctors and scientists feel it is not RAW milk that causes these kinds of problems, but rather PASTEURIZED milk.

Breastmilk, whether from a cow or human, is a living food, packed full of immune system substances, enzymes to aid digestion, and good bacteria (if the cow is a healthy, pasture-fed - not barn-bound, grain-fed - animal). And once you heat breastmilk (whether from a cow, goat, or human), it is a denatured product that is very difficult to digest and many of the nutrients are unable to be absorbed.

Breastfeeding mothers who pump their milk for baby to have when they're not around, are told to never heat their breastmilk, but rather to put the bottle in a bowl of warm water to slowly raise the temperature. If you do happen to heat your breastmilk, you're told to throw it out and not give it to your baby. This is because heating breastmilk beyond body temperature kills the live enzymes, good bacteria, and denatures the proteins and other co-factors in the milk. It is then considered a toxic substance which could harm the baby.

So, if this is what happens to human breastmilk when it is heated, why should cow breastmilk be any different? It is not.

In addition, homogenization of cow's milk is another nasty process that alters fats and produces substances that many scientists feel harm the arteries and are the primary cause of heart disease.

So again, as with much of our food supply, you have profit-driven motives degrading the safety and nutrient value of our food. To have healthy raw milk, the cows need to roam free on adequate pasture, outside in the fresh air and sunshine. They need to eat fresh grass, not grain or continual hay, the fields need to be free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers and the cows need to be free of any growth hormones or antibiotics. As with humans, 'everything goes through to the breastmilk'.

Now which method of milk production (and distribution since pasteurized milk sits on the shelf much longer) do you think is cheaper for the dairy industry? Do they make more money if you drink pasteurized or raw milk? Follow the money and the truth will emerge.

One can't help but wish Professor Plant had gone further in her examination of cultural diets and health. Perhaps it would have led her to this very important distinction between raw and pasteurized dairy products. For example, take the Masai tribe of Kenya - very strong, tall, healthy people and their diet is mostly raw cow's milk and cow's blood.

Dr. Weston A. Price (a renowned dentist in the 1950's and author of "Nutrition And Physical Degeneration") studied a village in the Swiss Alps, whose primary food sources were rye bread, cheese, and fermented milk products. They were extremely healthy with a tooth cavitation rate of less than 1% and no major diseases. But again, all of their dairy products were from raw and often raw, fermented milk. Traditionally fermented foods add additional necessary enzymes and good bacteria to further aid digestion and whole-body health.

Store-bought yogurt - even if it's organic - is not properly fermented, and the strains of bacteria are not potent enough to derive much (if any) benefit from. Additionally, the milk is pasteurized, not raw.

Humans have been consuming fermented milk products (made from raw milk) for thousands of years. There are even tales of how warring armies - like Genghis Khan - took their probiotic starter cultures with them as they travelled to wage war since they recognized how important fermented raw milk was to the health and strength of their armies.

Indeed, if Professor Plant had looked just over the border towards Nepal, she would have discovered that the primary foods of the Nepalese (and Tibetan) diet are raw yak's milk and raw butter. And both these groups of people are renowned for their robust health and longevity.

So yes, throw out all your pasteurized dairy products and never eat/drink them again. In that regard, I am in complete agreement with Dr. Jane Plant and I'm sure they are a principle cause of breast cancer and many other diseases. But then don't ignore the healing benefits of raw dairy products - which are historically and across many cultures proven to be beneficial to the health of humans.

Why Having A Mastectomy May Not Be A Good Idea

2008-09-26T02:10:00.001-07:00

When being diagnosed with cancer, you will be faced with many options depending on how advance your cancer has progressed. One of those options may be to have a mastectomy. Upon learning that I had cancer 5 years ago, this option was presented to me by my surgeon. Upon my next visit to my surgeon I informed him of my not wanting to having a mastectomy, now there is no scientific proof that I know of that may warrant my idea on not having a mastectomy, but I believe there can be danger in the cancer spreading to other parts of your body more quickly.

Now, mind you, my cancer was very advanced when I received my diagnosis. After having 13 lymph nodes removed, I just could not picture being without my breast, and the apparent danger that it involved. So I vouched not to have a mastectomy. Now I don't recommend this to all women, because every woman situation may be different. This was my own personal decision.

In order to deal with cancer effectively, one must educate them self of the possible dangers involved in having a mastectomy. Never rush into something without educating yourself first. You don't want to be faced with regret later. Think things through with friends and family members. Do as much research as you can before having your breast removed. Remember, your breast are beautiful, just like you, and you only get one set of them, so give it a lot of thought before proceeding with your mastectomy.

Remember having a mastectomy will not guarantee that your cancer will not come back. Usually with a few lifestyle changes and education, one can preserve their breast for many years. In this game, there are no guarantees, but with faith all will prevail.

Are There Ways To Prevent Breast Cancer?

2008-09-26T02:10:00.000-07:00

The best approach is to avoid as many risk factors as possible while increasing protective factors.

Doctors and scientists do not know why one person gets cancer and another one does not. Review the following "proven" risk factors that may increase the chance of getting breast cancer:

Estrogen: Being exposed to estrogen over a long time may increase the risk. This increased exposure occurs in the following ways:

1. Early menstruation: Beginning to have menstrual periods at age 11 or younger increases the number of years the breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.

2. Late menopause: The more years a woman menstruates, the longer her breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.

3. Late pregnancy or never being pregnant: Because estrogen levels are lower during pregnancy, the tissue is exposed to more estrogen in women who become pregnant for the first time after age 35 or who never become pregnant.

Other risk factors include:

1. Hormone replacement therapy/Hormone therapy: Therapies given to women who have had their ovaries removed or who have had a hysterectomy

2. Exposure to Radiation: Radiation to the chest for the treatment of cancers starting 10 years after treatment and lasting for a lifetime. The risk depends on the dose of radiation and the age at which it is given. The risk is highest if radiation treatment was used during puberty. Radiation therapy to treat cancer in one breast does not appear to increase the risk of developing cancer in the other breast.

3. Obesity: Increases the risk in post-menopausal women who have not used hormone replacement therapy.

4. Alcohol: Drinking alcohol increases the risk. Risk rises as the amount of alcohol consumed rises.

5. Inherited risk

Protective factors that may decrease the risk include:

1. Exercise: Exercising four or more hours a week may decrease hormone levels and help lower breast cancer risk. This effect is greatest in pre-menopausal women of normal or low weight.

2. The risk appears to be lower if a woman has her first full-term pregnancy before she is 20 years old.

3. Breast-feeding: Because estrogen levels are lower during breastfeeding, a woman may decrease her risk.

4. Ovarian ablation: Estrogen is reduced when one or both ovaries are removed and can decrease the risk.

5. Late menstruation: At age 14 or older decreases the chances of breast cancer.

6. Early menopause: The fewer years a woman menstruates, the shorter the time her breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.

7. Tamoxifen: Lowers the risk in women who are at high risk for the disease. The effect last for several years after drug treatment is stopped.

8. Raloxifene: Helps prevent breast cancer in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis.

9. Aromatase inhibitors: Lowers the risk of new breast cancers in post-menopausal women with a history of the disease.

10. Prophylactic mastectomy: Some women with high risk may choose to have both breasts removed when there are no signs of cancer. The risk of is lowered in these women. It is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling about all options for possible prevention before making this decision.

11. Prophylactic oophorectomy: Women who have a high risk may choose to have a prophylactic oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries when there are no signs of disease) to decrease the amount of estrogen made by the body and lower the risk. It is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling before making this decision.

12. Fenretinide: At type of vitamin A called retinoid that may lower the risk when given to pre-menopausal women who have a history of the disease.

The following have been proven NOT to be risk factors or their effects are not known:

1. Abortion

2. Oral Contraceptives

3. Progestin-only contraceptives that are injected or implanted

4. Environment: Studies have not proven that being exposed to certain substances in the environment such as chemicals, metals, dust and pollution) increases the risk.

5. It is not proven that a diet low in fat or high in fruits and vegetables will prevent breast cancer.

6. It has not been proven that either active cigarette smoking or passive smoking (inhaling secondhand smoke) increases the risk of developing the disease.

There are new studies going on continuously to find more ways to prevent breast cancer. These studies include:

o The effects of exercise

o The effects of quitting smoking or taking certain medicines, vitamins, minerals or food supplements

Coping With Breast Cancer - Ten Survival Tips

2008-09-24T05:59:00.001-07:00

In Chinese, a crisis is expressed in two characters: danger and hidden opportunity. As a breast-cancer survivor, I have faced many challenges, but God has revealed to me opportunities that translate into incredible blessings. I share some suggestions below for those struggling with this disease.

1. Ponder scriptures

Let biblical passages like Psalm 119:105 (likening the Word of God to a lamp) illuminate pathways for healing and reveal any encroaching thorny thickets. Use verses as your penlight to avoid stumbling around in the darkness.

When I joined the ranks of breast-cancer survivors, I clung to Psalm 23 for solace. During chemotherapy I reflected on how God was comforting me as I walked through my own valley of the shadow. Review the list of common emotions in the front or back of your Bible to locate verses that speak to particular sentiments, such as worry, weariness, or fear. Gideon Bibles found in many hotels contain these sections to ease the troubled traveler's mind.

2. Pray unceasingly

One of my childhood treasures was a book entitled "The Lord's Prayer." Each page was inscribed with a verse from Jesus' model prayer in Matt. 6:9-13. Bright illustrations of kneeling children with uplifted hands accompanied each verse. I was captivated by the images. Although as a child I was not yet ready for Jesus' heartrending prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, this picture book was early preparation for a more mature prayer life.

Prayer is a powerful tool. Like African prayer warriors thriving in the midst of deprivation, during my treatment I lifted prayers to the only One who could take away troubling emotions and side-effects. Lying in bed, I visualized my pallet being lifted to God through the roof in a reverse move from the paralytic brought from the roof to Jesus for healing in Mark 2. I strongly felt God's healing warmth as I prayer-walked upward to meet Him.

3. Treasure fellowship

As a cancer survivor I most assuredly relished the cards, hugs, prayers, and empathy of friends. The blessings of others that dispelled my pouts through bouts of cancer were crucial to healing. Hebrews 10: 24-25 tells us to encourage one another and meet regularly for worship and fellowship. The latter can include simply listening, sharing a meal, or offering a Bible study to encourage camaraderie and spiritual enrichment. My husband and I were blessed by the insights shared at our home Bible study during my cancer treatment.

4. Make church attendance a priority

Ideally, the breast cancer survivor should attend a local church, for reasons extending beyond congregational worship. Shortly after I was diagnosed with cancer, members of a former church we attended rallied around me in prayer for healing. Their love transcended church membership, and coalesced with that of members of our new church. These compassionate individuals provided needed meals and child care as well as spiritual support, something I would have missed had I not attended church.

If your breast cancer has left you home-bound or residing in a facility, you can find other options to connect with a church. Ideas include listening to a radio station offering Bible studies and uplifting choir or praise music, watching a Christian worship service on TV, or enjoying sermons from a visiting pastor.

5. Obtain Biblical counseling

Counseling from a biblical perspective can address many issues with which breast cancer survivors struggle, including guilt, anger, and non-forgiveness. I sought counseling from a local church and a crisis pregnancy center for issues arising from my cancer diagnoses. If these resources are not available, on-line tools are at the disposal of the computer literate. Some people prefer the anonymity of e-mail counseling. Focus on the Family (at (800) A-FAMILY) provides referrals for telephonic counseling sessions.

Financial counseling may be available through a local church, the American Cancer Society, or resources written by Christian financial experts such as Larry Burkett. I learned to organize my bills and health information into labeled file folders, and used my insurance company's website to access histories of appointments and payment records.

6. Recognize life seasons

The time spanning when I was first diagnosed to the end of treatment was only for a season. Recognize with Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 the times for every activity under heaven. Of all the seasons listed in this passage, "a time to laugh" appeals to me most. Many studies show that humor helps relieve stress, combat depression, and extend quality of life.

My three sons, ranging in age from 3 to 11 when I was diagnosed, reacted to my cancer by watching how I responded. Comic relief went a long way to dispel the tension they felt. I thoroughly enjoy watching these boys laugh at black-and-white slapstick comedians like Abbott and Costello and at modern-day comedies like "Chicken Run."

"A time to dance" is another fun season. Try some salsa dancing, like a survivor I overheard in the chemotherapy infusion room. It will lift your spirits as well as your feet, control weight, and rev your circulation to the max!

7. Witness using personal testimony

While Christians don't always recover from diseases even though prayed for, they can still use their adversity to glorify God in their lives. Jesus modeled that approach when he delayed coming to Lazarus in Bethany until Lazarus died. The story is found in John 11:3-6. When Jesus heard of Lazarus' sickness, he assured his followers that the outcome would be God-glorifying. Often, the more severe the suffering, the more wondrously God works through the power of personal testimony.

On the Titanic, some Christians gladly relinquished their places on life rafts to the unsaved, witnessing powerfully to their faith in eternal life. We've also heard of Christians in the burning World Trade Center on 9-11-01 witnessing in their last moments to non-believers in the midst of unimaginable terror. 2 Timothy 1:8 admonishes us not to be ashamed to testify about our Lord. It challenges me to go forth boldly, knowing that none can take away my personal story.

My husband's emails on God's mercy throughout my cancer ordeal were sent to all who were curious how I was bearing up. God is faithful in fanning the global fire of the gospel through such testimony.

8. Resolve to understand God

Some disasters shake us to our very core. When I felt myself helplessly mired in the muck of cancer, I recalled Jesus' parable in Matt. 7:24-27. He reassured us that we are set on solid ground, not in sinking sand. As I put our Savior's words into practice, God pulled me up and out of cancer-induced depression and into an indescribable joy. He is the Rock upon which I set my hope.

In the midst of the unexpected, God is there. For example, on September 11, 2001 otherwise annoying delays on their way to work saved some employees' lives. Now, when I am stuck in traffic and an ambulance rushes by on its way to the accident ahead, I bow my head in prayer for the ones affected by such tragedy, rather than wallowing in self-pity over the minor nuisance of a traffic jam. We should consciously determine to understand how God is using such seeming disturbances and thank him for them.

9. Find volunteering opportunities

Almost two millennia ago, Paul taught that all the commandments are summed up in loving your neighbor as yourself (Romans 13:9). Breast-cancer survivors are greatly appreciative of all the sacrifices of others from which they have benefited. Below are some ideas for showing love to fellow cancer strugglers.

If there is no breast-cancer support group in your area, start one. The locale might be your own church for women who are most comfortable in a Christian environment. Or you can volunteer for a local American Cancer Society branch, helping women in myriad ways.

Counseling others in person or by phone or email is another viable possibility. Open any Bible and appropriate passages will jump out to address the situation at hand. Courses on training counselors might be offered at a local church or on-line.

In another vein, you can ask your oncologist if you are eligible to participate in a clinical trial. Not only would you receive state-of-the-art treatment, but you would be personally contributing to advancement of breast cancer research. In this way, the survivor can directly make a difference in moving the whole planet Earth to a "cancer-free zone."

10. Leave behind stereotypes

Stereotyping often leads to judgment. People who appear to have their lives together may not. Jesus taught us in Luke 6:37 not to judge, so that we would not be judged. The breast cancer survivor should not presume that a person who avoids her or doesn't laugh at her jokes cares nothing for her. Some people limited their discussions with me because they didn't trust how they would handle difficult emotions. Certain nurses find it hard to identify with patients' humor because they witness daily so much devastation in the lives of others.

From a different perspective, those dealing with cancer survivors should not assume that such survivors can perform all tasks, regardless of their outward appearance. Because of lymphedema that developed in my arm after lymph-node removal and radiation, I do not lift or carry heavy items. I make others aware of this limitation, since it is not obvious. Conversely, one should not place artificial limits on cancer survivors. For example, during cancer treatments I kept up my regular aerobic exercise. I continued my work as an attorney in a high-intensity environment, although I did revert to a part-time schedule for a season. I painted landscapes. While this amazed some people, it is not uncommon for cancer survivors to adhere to old routines for a semblance of normalcy. The bottom line is to endeavor to delve into what makes a person tick before reaching conclusions.

These are some ways I found to fend off the breast-cancer blues. I pray that those facing the crisis of breast cancer will find hidden opportunities and blessings, and hear the Savior say at the pearly gates of heaven, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

Global Breast Cancer Crisis-Update

2008-09-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer on the Job - How My Faith Delivered Me

2008-09-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

Daily ringing in my ears over a decade ago was the mantra of the Seven Dwarves, with an Oliver twist: "Want more, want clothes, it's off to work I s'pose." Rather than wielding mining picks to uncover jewels, I was probing for legal gems deep within the dark recesses of the law. As a patent attorney in middle management, I not only supervised the work of six attorneys, but also managed my own heavy case load. And I was raising three sons of grade-school age with my husband while teaching Sunday school.

Whizzing through the tunnel-visions of the fast lane, I found scheduling of routine preventative medical tests to be inconvenient. Although I did manage to secure a baseline mammogram at age 40, it revealed nothing of concern. And a second scan the next year showed no abnormalities. So, I thought smugly, I don't need to be so vigilant. Postponement of mammograms was reinforced by a false impression that vegetarians don't get breast cancer, particularly those my age who exercise and have no genetic predisposition. So work and family obligations dominated my life, punctuated by restful interludes of worship on Sundays.

Until I found a suspicious lump in my breast at age 43.

After the lump was confirmed as breast cancer, I sought God in earnest. Prayer support from friends and strangers alike was crucial to my treatment decisions and emotional healing. I opted for a lumpectomy with chemotherapy and radiation. Since I was generally in good health, I resumed work about a month after the operation.

Strange sensations enveloped me as I returned to the office. Nagging me was the notion that cancer is aggravated, if not caused, by undue stress. When I began chemotherapy, I would feel too sick immediately after each infusion to tackle serious assignments. My employer generously accommodated a reduced work schedule on those occasions. Valiant attempts were made to balance God-centered activities with work, exercise, and family-and deal with the distress of having cancer at the prime of my career.

Working while undergoing chemotherapy was nevertheless restorative. Giving advice to colleagues during treatment satisfied a deep longing within me to be needed. My work responsibilities offered a diversion from anxiety and gave me a sense of professional worth. Through Christ's intervention I called in sick only rarely, when I felt too ill to drive.

After chemotherapy I endured radiation, missing work every morning for six weeks straight. But God bestowed His grace upon me again as I bounced back unscathed from each treatment.

Shortly after radiation ended, when I turned 44, my manager, a Vice-President, died unexpectedly from an apparent heart attack. This reality check made me seek relief from heavy management responsibility. Sustained in prayer, I decided with my new director's blessing to supervise only three attorneys and a paralegal, and work part-time. Consequently, my schedule was reduced to a four-day work week.

In corporate America, I imagine that the "cancer survivor" track that I chose is viewed similarly to the "mommy track." In both cases circumstances alter the employee's sense of what is most important in the work-life balance. Cancer became for me an acceptable excuse for dethroning work from its exalted position atop my list of priorities.

Scuttlebutt kicked into high gear at the proverbial office coolers when I forsook the management track. But I gladly said sayonara to competing in the special Olympic event of vaulting through the glass ceiling. And said hello to being more of a respected work advisor.

Several months after that I moved away from corporate headquarters and began remote telecommuting from Northern California, managing only an attorney and a paralegal. I would make regular 200-mile road trips back to the San Francisco Bay Area to have face-time with employees as needed. And I settled into a workspace with dormer windows overlooking the garden amidst God's bounteous creation.

While it lasted, I treasured the one day a week I had off from work. Some of that time was used to contemplate what it meant not to slave every weekday. But occasional weekend spillovers of work continued.

Notwithstanding the tangible advantages of part-time work, after a year I realized the greater efficiencies of having a continuous work week, and decided to resume full-time employment. Not long afterward, a new malignant tumor emerged in the same breast.

Coping with cancer treatments this second time was decidedly easier for me as a distant telecommuter. Although I was destined to undergo bilateral mastectomies and more aggressive chemotherapy, at least I didn't have to dress up and commute in traffic among home, headquarters, and hospitals. The logistics of juggling work and cancer treatments is daunting enough without coping with metropolitan stressors.

Being able to take a spur-of-the-moment nap whenever fatigue set in was an added perk.
Further, contact with myriad people at the corporate office would increase my risk of getting an infection. In the general work environment, the best policy was to wash my hands as often as I thought about it.

This hygienic routine paid off during business travel, when I was exposed to the public on planes. I worked out my travel schedule between treatments, coordinating with the oncology nurses. Travel plans could be scuttled at a moment's notice due to side effects, such as low counts of white blood cells. But God in His mercy knows my love of travel. I never fell ill when on trans-continental-or even trans-Atlantic-flights for business reasons.

Resolved to conquer any anxiety during this season of harsh chemo, I resolved to journal my blessings. One entry: "American Cancer Society provided wigs, bras-and alleluia-complimentary make-up!"

Another journal entry chronicled my excellent employment situation. My husband was a self-employed real estate agent during my cancer bouts, with no medical coverage. Besides upholding my professional dignity, the job I had provided my family with premium, low co-pay health insurance. And my company was the ideal employer for me at that time. Had I quit the work force and sought new insurance as a cancer survivor, I would have faced astronomical premiums to secure near-comparable health coverage. Alternatively, if I had changed employers to assume a less demanding position, I would have had to re-build trust in the new environment.

My perfectionism has waned since cancer reared its ugly head. I'm sure this represents progress, but somehow it would lack pizzazz on a résumé. Imagine the line: "Lawyer seeks position with laid-back company to interact with clients and draft documents under relaxing circumstances with regular breaks." Not a good first impression. Employers should understand, nonetheless, that the most perfect employees are not perfectionists.

My cancer diagnoses allowed me to reflect on what God considers most important in my life, and to make changes where changes make sense. Having a deeper appreciation for my co-workers' struggles, I regularly exercise my muscles of compassion toward them.

In Romans 16:5-7 Paul commends Mary for her work in promoting the gospel. Whether I labor for a business, or in retirement or full-time ministry, as a cancer survivor my number one priority now is to please Christ. After all, the Seven Dwarves are only make-believe men, while serving the Lord can make believers out of men.

How Do You Know When You Have Breast Cancer

2008-09-22T22:38:00.001-07:00

How do you know if you are a candidate for cancer? It is based on a genetic criteria and your overall health. The best way to avoid this life changing illness is to be sure to do your annual check ups and to stay in close contact with your physician and to stay updated on all the new information and technology in regards to this illness. Another way to stay on top of things is to talk to other individuals who have dealt with this illness and have to go through all the chemo and radiation treatments and how it has affected not only them but also their loved ones.

Some ways to help with preventing this from invading your life and the lives of those who you are close to is to eat a proper diet,exercise regularly, and do your monthly self breast exams. Doing you MBE (monthly breast exams) is not a cure but can lead to very early detection and easier to get under control. It takes up to seven years for a cancerous mass to grow to the size of a pea. So be sure to be more cautious and aware of this disease.

The best way to beat it is to be educated and use your resources to become more aware of the causes and ways to cure it and to live a long and prosperous life. With that in mind if you ever have any questions or concerns in regards to this matter please feel free to contact me and I will be more then willing to help you the best that I can.

I am a mom of 4 children and 2 of them are girls. This subject is very important not only to us moms but it can be critical to our daughters as they grow up. The more we educate ourselves on this disease the more we can help our children when they grow up and they can live by our example. If we take care of ourselves they will follow suit.

Cancer Misdiagnosis

2008-09-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

Increase Your Breast Cancer Survival!

2008-09-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

6 Secrets To A Painless Mammogram

2008-09-20T02:28:00.002-07:00

Mammograms can be life-saving. They can also be prohibitively painful to some women. Here are six tips to make your mammogram hurt less.

1. Have your mammogram when you don't have much breast engorgement. (For most women, this means the two weeks after menstruation has finished but the time varies with the individual. Other women might find day 18 to 22 after the first day of menstruation more appropriate)

2. Use as little salt as possible for a week before the test. Again, this will reduce the extent of breast engorgement for most women and hence the pain associated with the compression required for the test.

3.Taking 400 international units of vitamin E for 3 weeks before the test. Why this works has not been documented. However, this works frequent enough for you to try out.

4. Using simple analgesics like paracetamol, aspirin, diclofenac one hour before the test, provided you don't have an allergy to these. These have to be taken after food.

5. Drink green juice, made from green apples, capsicums, celery, bitter melons and cucumbers on alternate days for a week before the test. This is a little secret one of my patients shared with me. This green juice is also helpful for breast pain in general. Make sure you don't drink this more frequent than suggested as it may lead to hypotension or even dizziness.

6. Tell the radiographer when you feel pain during the test. The radiographer does have some lee-way to adjust the degree of compression of the breasts against the x-ray plates.

HRT Cancer Link Research Evidence

2008-09-20T02:28:00.001-07:00

The hormone replacement therapy (HRT) controversy has been raging for over a decade now. But, finally, new research has made the HRT cancer link clear.

Two recent hormone replacement therapy studies, specifically on the HRT cancer link, both report what scientists have suspected for a while - there's a definite connection between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer.

The U.S. has the highest rate of breast cancer in the world. It affects 1 out of every 8 American women in their lifetime and, next to skin cancer, it's the most common cancer for women. Breast cancer is also the second most deadly, after lung cancer.

The HRT Cancer Link Research

In each of the studies, the cancer research teams found that as more and more women became aware of the HRT cancer link, more and more women gave up using hormone replacement therapy in favor of alternative treatments for menopause symptoms.

And, as women gave up HRT, breast cancer rates started dropping.

In 2003, breast cancer statistics went down by about 10%. Researchers were surprised, since they had never seen such a dramatic drop in just one year. And the rates are still going down - particularly for women over 50, who appear to be more sensitive to HRT.

Dr. Peter Ravdin of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, reporting to the 29th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, said he's convinced the big drop in breast cancer is related to the big decrease in HRT use as a menopause treatment.

The author of the second study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dr. Christina Clarke of the Northern California Cancer Center in Fremont, agrees.

"Hormone therapy use dropped by 68% between 2001 and 2003, and shortly thereafter we saw breast cancer rates drop by 10% to 11%. This drop was sustained in 2004, which tells us that the decline wasn't a fluke."

Natural Help with Menopause Symptoms

What are your options for treating menopause symptoms naturally?

The best thing you can do is to make the same lifestyle changes necessary to maximize your health and minimize your risk of breast cancer.

That means, eat the healthiest diet possible and exercise regularly. Healthy women simply have far fewer disturbing menopause symptoms.

You can begin with a nutritious diet rich in:

o Colorful fruits and vegetables,

o 100% whole grains,

o Lean poultry and low fat dairy,

o And cold water fish, such as salmon.

Eliminate processed trans fats, high fat dairy, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, carbonated sodas and other high glycemic carbohydrates, such as refined flour. And definitely get out for a half-hour walk at least three to five days a week - preferably daily.

If you really want to increase your odds of having a pleasant, easy menopause, you should also get started as soon as possible on a high quality food supplement program.

Besides the necessary vitamin and mineral requirements, make sure you include good quality essential fatty acids, particularly omega 3 fish oil with EPA and DHA.

How Omega 3 Fish Oil Can Help

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for the production, release and balance of hormones. High quality, balanced omega 3 fish oil capsules can help to reduce hot flashes and eliminate mood swings by balancing the production of hormones.

And, besides greatly reducing menopause symptoms, fish oil has been shown to dramatically reduce the incidence of breast cancer.

Common Sense Tips to Cut Breast Cancer Risk

2008-09-20T02:28:00.000-07:00

Detecting Breast Cancer

2008-09-18T00:42:00.001-07:00

Self examination of the breasts is important in detecting cancer. More than 90 percent of breast tumors are found this way. Physical examination by a doctor and other diagnostic tests can establish whether the tumor is cancerous or not. With early detection and treatment, you have a better chance of beating the disease.

"A breast tumor itself is not lethal. The disease kills by metastasizing - that is, by spreading through the lymph system of the bloodstream to other parts of the body. Thus, if breast cancer is caught early, while the tumor is small and before malignant cells have spread to neighboring lymph nodes, there is about a 90 percent chance of a cure," according to Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book."

Unfortunately, in half of cases, the breast cancer has already spread, making treatment impossible. A study made by the University of the Philippines College of Medicine - Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) show that 75 percent of cases are in the advanced stage before the first diagnosis is made.

How often should women examine their breasts? The Philippine Cancer Society Inc. recommends monthly breast self-examination and an annual breast exam by a physician for women 30 years old and above. This will help them detect suspicious lumps easily when they are at a curable stage. How should this be done? Here are some tips taken from the "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book":

Examine your breasts once a month. If you have not yet reached menopause, the best time is a few days after your period ends because your breasts are less likely to be tender or swollen. If you are no longer menstruating, pick a day of the month and do the examination regularly on that day.

Stand in front of a mirror. With your arms at your sides, look at the skin on your breasts for any sign of puckering, for dimples, or for changes in the size or shape of the breasts. If your nipples are not normally inverted, look to see whether they are now pushed in. Rest your hands on your hips, and then place them behind your head; in each position, check for the same signs.

Next, step into the shower and, once your breasts are wet and soapy, place your left hand behind your head and examine your left breast with your right hand. Think of your breast as the face of a clock, and place your right hand at 12 o'clock, at the top of the breast. Hold your hand flat, fingertips pressed together, and make a tiny circling motion, feeling for lumps.

Move the hand to 1 o'clock, to 2 o'clock, and so on. Once you return to 12, slide the fingertips closer to the nipple and repeat the motions you just went through, going around the clock in a circle within the first circle; then make an even smaller circle.

Continue until you have checked the tissue under the nipple; look for discharge from the nipple at that time. Finish by examining the area adjacent to your breast, below your armpit, because it also contains breast tissue. Repeat the whole procedure using your left hand on your right breast.

In addition, examine your breasts while you are lying on your back. Again look for nipple discharge. To examine your right breast, put a pillow under your right shoulder and place your right hand under your head. To examine the left breast, place the pillow under the left shoulder and your left hand under your head. (Next: Guidelines for mammography.)

Flax Seed in Breast Cancer Prevention

2008-09-18T00:42:00.000-07:00

If you get to know better the health benefits of flax seed, you may come across the fact that its nourishing properties are attributive of its omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fibers, and high-lignan content. Given these medicinal constituents, then it won't be difficult to think of flax seed as a powerful agent against breast cancer. Millions of women from around the world-particularly those in the postmenopausal stage, are inflicted with breast cancer and while a fully determined cure is still unavailable, flax seed supplementation is what medical researchers are hoping to be an effective prevention against this deadly disease.

The grain's anti-cancerous property is mostly attributed to its high-lignan content, where flax seed is regarded as the chief source of lignans among various plant species. Pertinent research confirms that the antioxidant lignan helps reduce the proliferation of cancerous cells. Experiments also reveal that a reduction in tumor size among breast cancer patients was evident following a period of supplementation with flax lignan capsules under a controlled diet. But the most successful results materialized when diets were supplemented with ground flax seed and the lignan capsules. Though the potential of flax seed as an anti-breast cancer agent is not yet fully recognized by the scientific community, the grain's observed ability to regulate the excess production of estrogen hormones during the post menopausal stage likely becomes the springboard to prevention. Moreover, flax seed retains its stature as a promising remedy that medical authorities have been using to treat certain cases of cancer.

The medicinal benefit of flax seed is however not limited to the control of cancer and tumor cell regeneration. In fact, it is imbibed with nutritional values that promote an overall healthy body. Besides the antioxidant activity of lignans, flax seed is also enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fibers-both soluble and insoluble.

Omega-3 is an essential factor to cellular mechanisms, and this unsaturated fatty acid lowers bad cholesterol (low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol) levels. Dietary fibers on the other hand enhance digestion as well as the absorption of essential nutrients in the body, which is an important factor in boosting immune system functions. Maintaining good blood circulation and strong immune defenses are indispensable factors to the upkeep of health, particularly in surviving the after effects of cancers. What makes chemotherapeutic treatments (that are probably thought of as the only effective means to fight cancer cells) dangerous is that these procedures compromise immune system conditions. The side effects of chemotherapy such as diarrhea, hair loss, and blood cell diseases among others convey compromising repercussions to a patient's overall health.

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. So for women crossing over to the post menopausal stage, it wouldn't cost so much to sustain a daily supplementation of milled flax seed and flax lignan capsules to help regulate estrogen levels in the body. In the end, flax seed becomes your mighty protector against breast cancer!

Breast Cancer Myths

2008-09-15T04:43:00.000-07:00

Because breast cancer is such a mysterious disease, there are many misconceptions about it. Many women assume, for instance, that a blow or any injury to the breast will lead to cancer. Fondling the breast is also said to encourage the growth of cancer and not a few couples have quarreled because of this. Neither of these beliefs is true.

No mater how badly bruised the breast is, you won't develop breast cancer unless you belong to the high-risk group which we discussed in the previous article. Nor does breast cancer result from touching or fondling the breast.

"It's purely coincidental that a woman whose breast was injured would report having cancer at the same time. Most likely, the tumor was already there before the breast was injured and it was only after the accident that attention was drawn to the existing cancer," explained Dr. Corazon A. Ngelangel, professor, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, College of Medicine, and a consultant at the Medical Oncology Section of the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital.

Inverted nipples are not a sign of breast cancer if you were born with them. These nipples may be infected from time to time if they are not kept clean and dry but they are not cancerous. A previously erect nipple that becomes retracted, however, is another thing. This should be investigated by a doctor to rule out the possibility of cancer.

Do oral contraceptives cause breast cancer? That's probably true for the old pills which contained a high amount of hormones. Today's newer low-dose pills don't pose the same risk and some studies point out that they may reduce the occurrence of breast cysts. To lessen your chances of acquiring breast cancer, don't take birth control pills if you are over 35, smoke, and had breast cancer before.

Breastfeeding was once thought to lead to breast cancer but there is no scientific evidence that shows this. In fact, breast cancer appears to be absent in those who breastfeed. So if you're a nursing mother, there's no need to worry. Continue breastfeeding for as long as possible.

Does diet influence the development of breast cancer? Research indicates that a high-fat diet may be a possible factor in breast cancer and that limiting fat intake may reduce your chances of getting the disease.

Unfortunately, no clear-cut relationship has been established at the moment. But it does make sense to avoid too much fat since this can lead to other serious diseases. Don't eliminate fat from your diet since this is almost impossible and not healthnotful. Instead, reduce your fat intake to about 30 percent of your total calorie intake.

Should lumps in the breast scare you? Don't jump to the conclusion that they're cancerous. Eight out of ten lumps usually turn out to be benign. Some women normally have breast lumps prior to menstruation. That's no cause for alarm.

Anything that persists a week after the menstrual flow, however, should be checked by a physician. Lumps which appear in postmenopausal women are more likely to be cancerous so don't ignore them.

Breast cancer can be identified by the following signs and symptoms: a painless lump or thickening in the breast, a clear or bloody discharge from the nipple, a retracted nipple, swelling or dimpling in the breast, and redness or pitting. (Next: Detecting breast cancer.)

Men Get Breast Cancer

2008-09-15T04:42:00.000-07:00

Next to lung cancer, breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any other cancer. It's the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 44 and one is 13 women will have it sooner or later.

"Breast cancer is the third most common cancer in the world today, despite the fact that it is confined almost entirely to the female sex. Breast cancer incidence rates are rising in several developing countries, and it is already the most frequent female cancer in many," revealed Dr. Corazon A. Ngelangel, professor, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, College of Medicine, and a consultant at the Medical Oncology Section of the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital.

The exact cause of breast cancer is unknown. But the risk of developing the disease increases after the age of 35, especially in those with a family history of the disease. Breast cancer is also more common in obese women and in those who have never had children or who had a child for the first time after the age of 30.

Those who begin menstruation early and women who had late menopause are also at risk for developing the disease. The same is true for women who previously had breast cancer. The odds are high that these women will have the disease in the other breast too.

Unknown to many, breast cancer can affect men but not as frequently as women. Less than one percent of cases occur in males, usually at middle age or older.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in male breast cancer. Other high-risk groups include those who are exposed to dust, gasoline, grease, carbon monoxide, and radiation. Men with gynecomastia, the enlargement of the breast that follows exposure to estrogen and alcoholic cirrhosis (in which the liver has been destroyed by years of heavy drinking) are likewise susceptible to the disease.

"Although breast cancer can occur in young boys (the youngest reported was five years old), the incidence generally rises with age. The majority of patients are more than 60 years old. Earlier cancer denotes a strong family history, manifested by the presence of many female relatives with breast cancer," said Dr. David Y. Dy, a general surgeon and surgical oncologist at St. Luke's Medical Center in the Philippines.

Surprisingly, male breast cancer appears to be less common in married men and in those with many children. Like women, most cases have been observed in the left breast although it is not clear why.

"About half of all breast cancers develop in the upper outer portion of the breast, the part of the breast closest to the underarm. The second most common site is the area surrounding the nipple, where about 18 percent of breast cancers are found," said Marrion Morra, assistant director of the Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center at Yale University School of Medicine in Connecticut, and Eve Potts in "Choices: Realistic Alternatives in Cancer Treatment."

Still, majority of breast cancer cases occur in women. Ngelangel believes the presence of the female hormone estrogen may have something to do with the disease.

"The most important risk factor for developing breast cancer is sex. Being female puts you at great risk. The reason for this is estrogen. Women have more of this hormone than men which probably explains why breast cancer is common among females," Ngelangel said. (Next: Breast cancer myths.)

What Is Breast Cancer?

2008-09-15T04:40:00.000-07:00

I Had Breast Cancer On My Wedding Day

2008-09-12T04:58:00.001-07:00

Have you ever thought you were "all that?" Untouchable? Invincible? On top of the world? That's how I felt on my wedding day. I was a successful single mother and Houston entrepreneur with several major awards under my belt, an Ebony magazine top bachelorette and had reconnected with my college sweetheart after a sixteen year hiatus. Yes, I was finally getting married after a string of painful relationships at the age of 35 and ready to live happily ever after.

As I flip through my wedding album, all of the details are a blur. I don't notice the flowers or the detailed cake. What I cherish is the genuine smile on my face which reflects the love in my heart for so many things- life, my husband, my daughter, my family and friends. Dazzling in my strapless wedding gown, little did I know I had breast cancer. Ironic isn't it? I look so happy while cancer was dwelling inside me.

I never would have imagined that I would grow up to have breast cancer. When I first noticed the marble sized lump under my armpit eight months prior to my wedding day, I dismissed it as a swollen lymph gland as a result of a sinus infection. Life went on while the tumor grew. I found every excuse not to go to the doctor. My grandmother had breast cancer so I knew that there may be a slight likelihood that I would have it but I convinced myself that Superwoman doesn't get cancer.

Shortly after my honeymoon, my husband urged me to go to the doctor to determine the cause of the lump which was beginning to get bigger. Within four days of seeing the doctor, I was diagnosed with Stage III A breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy and axillary lymph node dissection with 16 positive lymph nodes. Due to the positive nodes, chemotherapy would be a treatment option. The thought of chemotherapy was terrifying to me. I had always had a headful of beautiful long hair which was highly prized in the Black community. I couldn't imagine being bald and taking my new husband through the negative cosmetic changes.

After much research and consideration, I opted for 4 cycles of chemotherapy. My hair began to fall out about twenty days after my first treatment. One day while driving, I got a wave of courage and drove to the nearest salon. I decided it was time to empower myself and just shave my head. It was falling out daily and was matted and dry. To my surprise, I didn't shed one tear in the chair. The big picture was extending my life; hair couldn't rob me of that.

Since the thought of losing my hair was so frightening to me, I went on a Houston, Texas community affairs program bald to show viewers that being bald wasn't so bad and what the result of chemotherapy looked like. I even shared home video of my hair falling out to help other women facing this medical challenge. For a former Texas beauty queen, this took a lot of courage.

As my one year "cancerversary" approaches, I realize that God was holding my hand the entire journey. He gave me strength and courage when I needed it and he broke me down so I could grow strong with Him again. I also realize the meaning of true beauty and it isn't based on external features.

I never heard my 13 year old daughter say to me that she was proud of me, despite my numerous accomplishments, until I showed her my bald head. She gave me the biggest hug and I knew that it would be ok. I am forever humbled by this experience and hope to share my testimony with other young patients someday. Cancer doesn't care if you are all that and a bag of chips. Cancer doesn't care at all.

Breast Cancer And How To Help Avoid It Through Diet

2008-09-12T04:58:00.000-07:00

It is often said that the most important ingredient in the Mediterranean diet is extra virgin olive oil. However, some would argue that. Most of the notoriety of the Mediterranean diet is due to research unlike other high profile diets which have normally received their promotional thrust through commercial vehicles. The facts remain that hardly anyone would take any notice of the Mediterranean diet except for the highly satisfactory findings that have resulted from universities and food research foundations across the globe.

The reason I mentioned extra virgin olive oil first up is because it's always present in any of the many countries who are labeled with using the diet. You would think that this would make the diet high in fat. The calorie intake from the Mediterranean diet that comes from fat is over 30%. However, all the fat is 100% unsaturated fat and is a product of olive oil. This means (in general) that the fat that comes from extra virgin olive oil is a healthy type of fat.

From another angle, it means that the fat from olives does not trigger unhealthy consequences which are said to come from animal fat. This is also supported by several scientific studies in the USA and Europe in the last decade which indicate that extra virgin olive oil and a diet high in fruits and vegetables can work to lower the incidence of breast cancer in women.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil differs to day-to-day olive oil in that extra virgin olive oil comes from the first crush. Thereby retaining many of the nutrients. If you decide to work with the Mediterranean diet, you would be wise to shop only for extra virgin olive oil and make that a discipline.

I hope this tidbit of knowledge helps.

Breast Cancer

2008-09-12T04:57:00.000-07:00

What is Breast Cancer?

2008-09-10T05:46:00.002-07:00

Breast cancer is a disease caused by the formation of cancerous (malignant) cells that can occur within one or more breasts. According to some sources, bladder cancer is believed to be the second most common type of cancer (lung cancer is #1). Amongst women, however, breast cancer far exceeds other forms of cancer, including cervical, as the most common cancer.

Whom is at risk for breast cancer?

Women are approximately 100 times more likely to develop breast cancer than men; women are at higher risk primarily because of growth effects of female hormones such as estrogen. In addition, those age 55 and older are much more likely to develop this cancer than those under 55. Research indicates that about two-thirds of all breast cancers occur in individuals 55 and older.

Signs and Symptoms

The most obvious and common symptom is a lump on the breast that feels different from the surrounding breast tissue. It is believed, according to studies done by Merck, that approximately 80% of all breast cancer cases are discovered as a lump by the individual. However, lumps can also be found not only in the breasts, but in the collar bone as well as the armpit.

Other signs that breast cancer may be developing include:

* nipple discharge
* changes in the size, shape, or feel of the breast
* skin dimpling
* inversion of the nipple

Warning: It is notable, that not all forms of breast cancer can be detectable by a sign or symptom during the initial stages. Periodic mammograms should be undergone by the patient as recommended by a physician.

Diagnosis

To diagnose breast cancer, a physician will need to surgically remove and test a sample of the tissue. This is known, more formally, as a breast biopsy. The most common procedures for conducting a biopsy include:

* ductal lavage
* fine needle aspiration
* core needle biopsy
* large core surgical
* open surgical incision

Once the tissue has been removed through a biopsy, it will be sent to a lab where it is examined through a microscope by a pathologist to determine if its cancerous. Fortunately, in more than half of all biopsies, the sample tissue is found to be benign (non-cancerous). If the tissue is cancerous, however, the next step that will be performed is to determine which stage the cancer is currently in.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

2008-09-10T05:46:00.001-07:00

Inflammatory breast cancer, known only by some doctors and men and women who have been diagnosed with this rare form of cancer, are aware of its existence.

As any woman who is knowledgeable about how to check for breast cancer will tell you, they check regularly for lumps. That is what we have been told to do. That, and getting annual mammogram scans.

But IBC is amongst us, and has been for quite awhile. It is a rare type of breast cancer, and the need for knowledge on this issue should be highly publicized. Because by the time a woman, and in some cases men know, when the symptoms rear their ugly head, it is usually in a very advanced stage.

How do I know? I learned the hard way.

My 37 year old healthy athletic daughter has just been diagnosed. In just a few months she went from knowing she was very healthy, to the reality that IBC had invaded her body. My daughter has besieged me to write about this form of cancer. To get the word out to women and men about this untalked about cancer, IBC. Did she have symptoms? Not the type we are all told to watch for. She has related the below to explain what happened in her case.

"I had been working out for about 8 months, with a trainer. All the other women in my workout class were getting fit and trim, but I just got heavier and seemed to build muscle in my arms, legs and breast. In April of 2003 I decided to quit the weights and the workouts and try to shed some of the pounds, which I did quite quickly. I lost 25 to 30 pounds rapidly.

That's when I noticed that the nipple on my right breast seemed slightly inverted and it was bigger than my left. Being right handed, I thought it was from all the weight lifting and shedding of pounds that caused this oddity.

In May I noticed that the right breast was a little harder than the left, but no lump, no pain, nothing to signal what I had been told all my life to watch out for. It was a gradual thing, this lopsided look that I was seeing in the mirror.

I began the search for a Doctor in the small town I had moved to just the year before. By the time I found one that would take my insurance, it was September and the first day of my vacation. I saw a nurse practitioner who took one look at my enlarged right side and immediately called for a mammogram and ultrasound that same day. I will never forget the woman that took the scans. She flippantly said, Oh, she's done.

The very next day I saw a surgeon who did a deep core biopsy, a needle biopsy and a skin biopsy. Before he even got the results back he told me he believed it was cancer. He walked out of the room and started making phone calls, then came back and said I was to see an Oncologist the next morning.

The Oncologist had seen the biopsy already, and told me I had Inflammatory Breast Cancer. After years in nursing school and also pharmacy training, I had never heard of IBC. I learned that day how invasive this rare form of cancer is, that I was 'classed at stage 4.

I was immediately scheduled the next day for surgery to implant a portable catheter in my left chest wall and told I was going in for a PET scan the next week to see if the cancer had spread to any other parts of my body. The scan came back positive for right arm lymph nodes and my liver. The Chemotherapy that had been scheduled was changed to now attack the liver also. On October 3rd I started the first round of massive doses of cancer fighting drugs, six grueling hours of IV bags dripping into the portable catheter, Herceptin, Taxol, and Carboplatin."

My daughter was told by the many clinical savvy medical personnel, "Why in the world did you wait so long?" The why is the reason for this writing. The why is because we are not told about the symptoms of this fast moving form of cancer. Only if you go looking for information about IBC do you find the articles, the symptoms and the support groups from the many women world wide that found out about IBC the hard way. And there are still many Doctors that will treat a patient like my daughter with antibiotics before ever realizing what they have right in front of them.

The word INFLAMMATORY in itself suggests just an infection for the lay person.You ask yourself, if this was me, would I know that I could have breast cancer. Before that day in September when my daughter called me, I would have said no, maybe I have an infection in a milk duct or some other thing. With no lump as we are told to look for, your mind doesn't really kick in if you're unaware of IBC.

BE AWARE! Not just in October when it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but all the time. Ask your Doctor, put it in a search engine, read about it. Know what the signs are.

From the articles and research papers which I have read till my eyes burn, I have found people with this rare disease offer assistance and emotional support. They also have urged that the public awareness of this disease needs to be put on the front page, not at the bottom of a list.

There are many statistics of the prevalence of breast cancer, how to watch for it, how to check for it and what the gruesome regimen of chemotherapy, removal of the breast, then radiation are clinically required. Inflammatory Breast Cancer actually has been around for many years, but because of it's rareness, it isn't talked about that much. BUT IT SHOULD BE.

Age of women who get it vary, but from this writers research it seems that this occurs to women and some men in their early productive years. Treated just as the name implies An Inflammation, many doctors are in the dark when the mammogram comes back clear, and even in some incidences, a biopsy can come back normal. The patient on the other hand knows something isn't right, and in many cases only relies on her Doctor for guidance. But there it lurks in the system, triggered by an unknown cause. Researchers say it isn't hereditary.

There was one case in Castro Valley California, where 3 women were diagnosed with IBC and they all worked in the same place. The Doctor who treated these women has cried out for funding to find the cause in this particularly incident, because they all worked in a lab and were all close to the same age. But, because IBC is so rare, funding did not come quick enough.

A Mother's Fear Realized

2008-09-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer Survivors - Can Diet Influence The Risk Of Getting Breast Cancer?

2008-09-10T05:45:00.000-07:00

More and more studies showing now that the type of foods we eat can genetically modify our bodies and the risk of all major diseases.

For years, researchers have studied the role of diet in breast cancer. By comparing different countries, researchers found strong links between high fat diets and breast cancer risk. The disease is rare where the diets are very low in fat and where rice and other plant products are dietary staples. For example, before 1950, the rice-based Japanese diet drew less than 10 percent of its calories from fat. Breast cancer was exceedingly rare. But over the years, as Western influences have altered Japanese eating habits, breast cancer rates have climbed dramatically.

These international studies are just one line of evidence, however. Case-control studies are another research tool in which researchers compare diets of cancer patients ( "case") with those of healthy women of similar age and background ( " control"). Such studies have also shown a links between fatty diets and higher risk of breast cancer, and even on cancer patient's chances for survival. One study tracking Canadian breast cancer patients for ten years found that for 5 percent increase in saturated fat in diets, the risk of dying of breast cancer shot up by 50 percent.

How does fat do its dirty work? Fat increase the amount of estrogen in the blood. In turn, this hormone stimulates breast cells in such a way that cancer is more likely to occur and is more aggressive. Fatty foods also leads to obesity which itself is linked to higher estrogen levels in the blood. Increased estrogen levels are also linked with early menarche ( onset of first period), also a breast cancer risk factor.

Despite such evidence, doubts about the fat connection have persisted, fueled mainly by the results of a large study of nurses run by Harvard University in which researchers found no association between fatty diets and breast cancer rates.

Why the conflicting results? Unlike the populations examined in international studies, the nurse were a fairly homogeneous group, all eating fairly high-fats diets. No group in the study was following anything similar to a traditional Asian diet or other low -fat diet.

As important as it is to get fat off your plate, it's just as important to pile on the vegetables and other healthful plants foods. Their fiber helps cut breast cancer risk by naturally decreasing estrogen levels. Plants foods are also rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and other vitamins which protect cells against damage. Unlike animal products, most plants foods have little fat and do not store up large amounts of pesticide residue.

A brisk morning walk- or any other regular exercise- also helps cut breast cancer risk.

Of course, the good fats ( omega 3 and 6), known as essential fatty acids are vital to one's health. Their paramount importance comes from the facts that they constitute the membranes of every cell in the body, therefore the ones allowing nutrients into the cells ( to the eliminated).
The major organ helping fats metabolism is the liver, therefore ensuring that the liver always works well one can reduce breast cancer risks.

Breast Cancer Survivors - Naturopathic Therapies To Consider In Your Recovery

2008-09-08T03:46:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is one of the most important health issues a woman may have to face in her lifetime. Although the condition is more prevalent in the later years of life, younger women cannot afford to ignore it.

Breast cancer is one of the most important health issues a woman may have to face in her lifetime. Although the condition is more prevalent in the later years of life, younger women cannot afford to ignore it.

There are various naturopathic clinics throughout the world that deal with patients with breast cancer. They all employ a similar approach, which uses the many modalities of naturopathic medicine: homeopathy, botanical medicine, Chinese herbs and acupuncture, clinical nutrition and lifestyle counseling. These therapies focus on a diet geared towards detoxification; this is based on the belief that cancer is the result of autointoxication, chemical exposure, stagnation and congestion. Also extensively used are high doses of supplements of pancreatic enzymes and antioxidants (free-radical scavengers). Some of the most effective nutrients used to treat breast cancer are as follows:

Vitamin D : The risk of fatal breast cancer in major cities is inversely proportional to the intensity of local light

vitamin E: improves the hormones which protect against breast cancer.

vitamin K: breast tumors respond very well to vitamin K treatment.

Calcium: studies have shown that reduced vitamin D and Calcium consumption increased the incidence of breast cancer from 37% to 75%.

Selenium: high Selenium levels slow down the development of breast cancer.

Iodine: breast cancer is associated with an under active thyroid gland and lower than normal levels of thyroid hormone in the blood (of which Iodine is a part of).

Other nutrients with anti-breast cancer properties are: vitamin A and Beta-carotene, vitamin B, B6, carnitine, vitamin C, Magnesium, garlic, green tea and evening primrose.

There are also numerous botanicals, homeopathic remedies and Chinese herbs that have also been shown to be effective in the battle against breast cancer. Further, there are many individualized treatments (such as oxygen therapy, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, etc.) that can produce results against breast cancer. An individualized program is always recommended, because all the above-mentioned modalities can come together and effectively fight breast cancer.

It is important to note that, as with any other life-threatening diseases, it is much easier to prevent breast cancer than it is to treat it. This is, essentially, the area in which naturopathic medicine focuses all its energy and obtains excellent results. As a survivor, you might want to investigate further how naturopathic methods can help you in your natural recovery.

Breast Cancer - Diagnostic Studies And Procedures

2008-09-08T03:45:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, and second only to lung cancer in female cancer mortality. Presently, about one in nine American women develops this disease at some time in her life, compared to one in 17 in 1950. Experts are uncertain whether this represents a true rise in the incidence of breast cancer or improved detection of it due to mam mography and better public awareness. The risk of breast cancer increases with age, especially after menopause. Risk is also higher among women who had their first child after age 30 or never had children; already have had cancer in one breast, had an early first menstrual period or a late menopause; or have a close relative, such as a sister or mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer before menopause.Some studies have linked a high-fat diet to an increased risk of breast cancer, but others have shown otherwise. Cancer specialists emphasize that about 70 percent of all cases of breast cancer arise in women with none of the above risk factors. In rare instances, men also develop breast cancer, accounting for less than five percent of occurrences.

Diagnostic Studies And Procedures

Early detection is the single most important factor in surviving breast cancer, because early, localized malignancies are more than 90 percent curable. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that all women age 20 or older perform a monthly self examination of their breasts . Although more than 80 percent of the lumps found by women during self examination are benign, women initially discover more than 85 percent of all breast cancers. Breast examination by a physician is recommended every three years between the ages of 20 and 40 and annually thereafter. The age at which a woman should begin regular screening with mammography remains controversial. Present guidelines from the National Cancer Institute recommend starting annual mammography at age 50, but many cancer experts advocate beginning at age 40. There is no doubt, however, that mammography is the most effective means of early breast cancer detection in women over 50 because it can locate suspicious areas of calcification, a common sign of cancer, long before a tumor is large enough to be felt by a woman or her doctors. Mammography is not as effective in younger women because they have denser, lumpier breasts, making it harder to discern normal from abnormal tissue. Mammography should be scheduled for the week after menstruation, when breasts are unlikely to be swollen and painful. To help assure an accurate mammogram and avoid repeats, no deodorant, powder, cream, or other substance should be applied to breasts or the underarm area that day because they can cause misleading results.

If any suspicious areas are found by mammography or physical examination, a biopsy is necessary to rule out cancer. In most cases, a doctor will attempt to obtain a tissue sample by aspiration, a procedure in which a hollow needle is inserted into the lump. If fluid can be withdrawn, it will be analyzed for malignant cells, but such lumps, especially those that disappear after aspiration, are usually harmless cysts. If a lump returns rapidly, no fluid can be withdrawn, or malignant cells are detected in the fluid, another biopsy is necessary. Again, this may be done by needle. With a new procedure called stereotaxic needle aspiration, a special X-ray scanning technique is used during aspiration to locate suspicious areas too small to be felt. In some cases, a surgical biopsy is necessary. This may be excisional, in which the entire mass is removed, or incisional, in which only part of the lump is taken out. A pathologist will then determine whether the tissue is cancerous, and if so, what kind of cancer it is. Cells from a cancerous lump will also be tested to determine if they are stimulated by estrogen or proges terone, a finding that may influence the choice of anticancer drugs. If breast cancer is diagnosed, additional tests are needed to find out if it has metastasized to other parts of the body. These may include a bone scan, X-rays, and sampling of lymph nodes.

Medical Treatments For Breast Cancer

2008-09-08T03:44:00.000-07:00

Surgery. Treatment varies according to the type and stage of cancer, but surgery remains the first choice for most tumors. The majority of operations now are less disfiguring than the radical mastectomy that was standard until the 1970s. Operations for breast cancer are Extended radical mastectomy involves removal of the breast, underarm lymph nodes, and underlying chest muscles. This procedure, rarely performed today, is reserved for women with large tumors that are attached to or have invaded the chest muscle and its connective tissues. If the mammary lymph nodes deep in the chest are involved, they will also be removed. Modified radical mastectomy is the removal of the breast, underarm lymph nodes, and sometimes part of the chest muscle. The amount of tissue removed from the underarm depends on the spread of the tumor. This remains the most common operation for women with invasive breast cancer. Total, or simple, mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast, including its extensions to the armpit and some times near the collarbone. Because the lymph nodes are left intact, radiation therapy usually follows the operation.

Subcutaneous mastectomy involves removing the breast tissue but leaving the skin and nipple intact. A prosthesis is then slipped under the skin to restore normal appearance. This procedure is rarely performed, because it may miss cancer cells and the cosmetic results are often poor. Lumpectomy or partial mastectomy involves removal of the cancerous lump and a surrounding margin of normal tissue. Some of the armpit lymph nodes are also taken out and examined for spread, and the operation is followed by radiation therapy. Preventative, or prophylactic, mastectomy is the removal of a breast to prevent the development of cancer. This operation is done only if a woman has a very high risk of breast cancer and is so worried by the prospect that she cannot live a normal life. Breast reconstruction by a plastic surgeon can sometimes be performed immediately following a mastectomy, but more often it is done after the original incision has healed. If the opposite breast is larger, it may be reduced in size to match the reconstructed one, either at the same time as the reconstruction or in a later operation. In the past, a prosthetic implant filled with silicone gel was the first choice for reconstruction. Because questions have arisen about the long term safety of silicone, many women are now opting for implants filled with a saline solution, or a more extensive procedure in which fatty tissue from the woman's own buttocks or elsewhere is used to reconstruct a breast.

Radiation Therapy . The purpose of this treatment is to destroy any cancer cells that may have escaped surgical removal. Radiation is routinely administered after a simple mastectomy and a lumpectomy, or if numerous lymph nodes have been affected. It is also prescribed for recurring or inoperable cancer, and to alleviate the pain of advanced cancer. Typically, radiation treatments are begun two or three weeks after the surgery, or after the scar has healed and the woman has regained the use of her arm. Immediate side effects include blistering of the skin and fatigue. Later, the skin exposed to the radiation may darken, thicken, and lack sensitivity if any nerve endings have been damaged. Long term complications may include impaired lung function due to scar tissue, an increased risk of heart disease, and easy fracturing of the ribs. Chemotherapy. Studies indicate that adjuvant chemotherapy greatly increases long term survival, even for women with localized stage I cancer.

Chemotherapy may begin before surgery; however, it is usually started a few weeks afterwards. This treatment is also prescribed for recurrent or inoperable cancers. Chemotherapy appears to be most effective in preventing a recurrence among younger women who have not gone through menopause. The side effects loss of hair, nausea, reduced immunity to infections, mouth sores, fatigue, and bleeding problems are temporary, but still very trying. For this reason, chemotherapy may not be recommended for an older woman, especially if her cancer is localized. Hormone Therapy. Cancer specialists now believe that almost all breast cancer patients can benefit from hormone therapy, even if their tumors are not the type stimulated by estrogen or proges terone. Thmoxifen (Nolvadex), a drug that blocks estrogen, is the treatment of choice. It has fewer side effects than anticancer drugs, although it may cause hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms in younger women. Other, more radical approaches to hormone manipulation include ovarian ablation, a procedure in which the ovaries are either surgically removed or destroyed by chemicals or radiation, and perhaps the removal of other hormone producing glands.

Experimental Treatments

Women with advanced breast cancer may be candidates for experimental therapies such as hyperthermia, in which very high fevers are induced to kill cancer cells, photodynamic therapy, which uses a light sensitive anticancer drug; and bone marrow transplantation, in which the woman's bone marrow is destroyed by drugs and then replaced with healthy marrow to bolster the body's ability to fight the cancer.

Alternative Treatment and Herbal Medicines For Breast Cancer

2008-09-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

Cancer requires scrupulous medical and surgical treatment. Nonetheless, certain alternative therapies may play an adjunctive role in its care.

Herbal Medicine

Herbalists have long recommended tropical periwinkle to treat breast cancer and other malignancies. Indeed, a periwinkle alkaloid is used to make vincristine, a very potent chemotherapy agent. Oncologists stress, however, that this drug should be used only under careful medical supervision rather than to resort to herbal periwinkle extracts, which can be highly toxic.

Meditation, Self Hypnosis And Visualization

Studies indicate that women with advanced breast cancer who participate in group support sessions that include these techniques have significantly longer survival rates than those who do not. Scientists have not yet been able to explain this effect, but some theorize that the methods mobilize the immune system to fight the further spread of cancer.

Nutrition Therapy

Some nutritionists recommend daily supplements of beta carotene (precursor to vitamin A) and vitamins C and E, both to help prevent cancer and to slow its growth. However, studies suggest that foods high in these antioxidants are more effective. Good sources of beta carotene are orange and dark green vegetables and yellow and orange fruits; of vitamin C, many fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits and bell peppers; of vitamin E, wheat germ, legumes, seafood, and poultry. Although the role of other dietary components remains controversial, some studies suggest that a low-fat diet may cut the risk of breast cancer and its recurrence. Such a regimen requires limiting the intake of all fats, especially those from animals, as well as animal protein, while increasing foods high in fiber, such as whole grain products and fresh fruits and vegetables. Other nutrition therapists and some naturopaths may recommend extreme macrobiotic and other restricted, low calorie diets for breast cancer patients. Oncologists warn that these diets should be avoided because they do not provide adequate calories, protein, and other nutrients that the body needs for recovery or to prevent the wasting that occurs in advanced cancer. Yog regular practice of yoga, meditation, and other relaxation techniques can help alleviate the stress and anxiety caused by cancer, which in turn may boost immune system function.

Self Treatment

Increasingly, women are expected to playa decision making role in their overall treatment. This demands being well informed and not hesitating to question your doctor and voice your concerns. Under the best of circumstances, a diagnosis of breast cancer is psychologically devastating. Joining a support group such as the American Cancer Society's Reach to Recovery program, or simply talking to women who have recovered from breast cancer, can be reassuring. Concerns about physical appearance following a mastectomy are normal. However, women who do not undergo immediate breast reconstruction are usually relieved to find that, with a well fit prosthesis, they can wear most of their clothing without anyone being able to tell they have had this surgery. Initially, use a temporary prosthesis such as cotton fluff inserted into your regular bra, or one that is slightly larger to accommodate bandages. lake this to the hospital with you to avoid the stress of finding something to wear for the trip home. After healing is complete, plan to shop for a permanent prosthesis. Some regular lingerie departments sell breast prostheses, but you may feel more comfortable and find a wider selection at a specialty shop. Make sure that you tryon several different types. Prices vary, but many insurance policies and Medicare cover at least part of the cost. If you cannot find a ready-made prosthesis that looks and feels right, consider investing in a customized one made to match exactly the contour of your other breast.

A prosthesis usually is not necessary after a lumpectomy, but a bra should be worn day and night for several days following surgery to prevent traction of the wound and to help the breast regain its previous shape. Self help measures can help to minimize common complications affecting the arm and hand on the mastectomy side. To minimize swelling, exercise your arm as soon as your surgeon says it is okay. Lift it as high as you comfortably can several times a day to promote the flow of lymph. Also, "walk" your fingers up a wall as high as possible and do isometric, or pumping, exercises for the hand such as squeezing a rubber ball. If arm swelling still occurs, talk to your doctor about wearing an elastic sleeve to reduce swelling and improve lymph flow. If lymph nodes have been removed, the arm and hand on that side are more vulnerable to infection. It is best to avoid anything that constricts or burdens them. Wear loose fitting clothing and switch your watch and purse to the opposite arm. Also have blood drawn or blood pressure measured on the opposite arm. Try to minimize cuts or injuries; for example, use an electric razor if you shave underarm hair; wear protective gloves for gardening and other tasks; and use special care when trimming nails and cuticles. If you do get a cut or burn, wash it immediately with soap and water and apply an antiseptic plus an antibiotic cream. Consult your doctor promptly if an infection develops.

Other Causes of Breast Symptoms

Many women experience swelling and tenderness of the breasts as part of premenstrual syndrome. Benign fibrocystic breast lumps are also exceedingly common. Nursing mothers often develop mastitis, a bacterial breast infection.

Every Human Being Is The Author Of His Own Health

2008-09-05T04:34:00.000-07:00

How Soon To Resume Sex After Mastectomy

2008-09-05T04:33:00.000-07:00

Self Care During Radiation Treatment For Breast Cancer

2008-09-01T03:15:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer Consequences

2008-09-01T03:14:00.001-07:00

Have you heard those dreaded three words, I'm sorry, Mr. or Ms. so-and-so, but you have cancer. You immediately go into a state of utter shock and confusion, not knowing what to do. Yes it is true, those words are not the words that you want to hear, but they can make a difference in your life, at this most critical time.

Like most people, once I heard those dreaded three words, yes, you have cancer, I was naturally devastated. The first thought that you get, is that you're going to die from this horrible disease. I'm here to inform you that after hearing those three words 5 years ago, I decided to make a difference in my life. You start to question things, but how could this be, I'm a good person, I've done so much for society, I've been the best husband, or wife, that I can be, how could this happen to me? Believe me it's sure not your fault.

The real truth is that while we all have to push forward with our daily lives, there is so much that we miss along the way. As our society expands things have been designing to make us more comfortable in life. We have our fast food drive-through, cable tv, cell phones, I pods, and the list goes on and on, now don't get me wrong, I'm all for evolution, but one must be wise to the effect these things can have on our health.

Are you finally getting the picture? Through unawareness, we sometimes wreak havoc on ourselves. Before proceeding forward with some of our new technologies, take the time to investigate the safety hazards involved.

Why Having A Mastectomy May Not Be A Good Idea

2008-09-01T03:14:00.000-07:00

Living With Breast Cancer

2008-09-01T03:12:00.000-07:00

Do you or someone you know have breast cancer? I also live with breast cancer every day. There is no known cure for breast cancer, but there are things that you can do, while living with breast cancer, which also means, keeping your breast cancer in remission. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 5 years ago, and I live a completely normal lifestyle and you can too. The answer is lots of prayer and a complete lifestyle makeover.

Changing your lifestyle is not always easy but, little steps at a time can bring you great results. It is very important to keep a positive frame of mind, while living with breast cancer, do not fear your breast cancer, but educate yourself on the advance medication and treatments that are available to you. One of the most informative magazines available on the market today, is CURE magazine. It is very informative, and it can bring you the latest information about cancer research and treatments.

If you or someone you know has any kind of cancer, you can get this magazine for free. If you are considering chemotherapy or radiation, learn to prepare yourself before these treatments. I decided to take partial radiation treatments, and no chemotherapy treatments, due to the devastating effect that chemotherapy has on the human body.

I believe that not taking chemotherapy treatment is part of what saved my life. If you are planning on taking chemotherapy or radiation you must prepare yourself before these treatments, by building up your immune system. Please remember that by the time you have been diagnosed with any kind of cancer, this is a sign that your immune system has been severely compromised, which allows cancer to set in. There are things that you can do to buildup your weakened immune system. It's been a long journey, but I've learned many things about living with breast cancer, and so can you.

Breast Cancer Cure - Could Dairy Be The Culprit?

2008-08-30T00:57:00.000-07:00

Are There Ways To Prevent Breast Cancer?

2008-08-30T00:56:00.000-07:00

The best approach is to avoid as many risk factors as possible while increasing protective factors.

Doctors and scientists do not know why one person gets cancer and another one does not. Review the following "proven" risk factors that may increase the chance of getting breast cancer:

Estrogen: Being exposed to estrogen over a long time may increase the risk. This increased exposure occurs in the following ways:

1. Early menstruation: Beginning to have menstrual periods at age 11 or younger increases the number of years the breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.

2. Late menopause: The more years a woman menstruates, the longer her breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.

3. Late pregnancy or never being pregnant: Because estrogen levels are lower during pregnancy, the tissue is exposed to more estrogen in women who become pregnant for the first time after age 35 or who never become pregnant.

Other risk factors include:

1. Hormone replacement therapy/Hormone therapy: Therapies given to women who have had their ovaries removed or who have had a hysterectomy

2. Exposure to Radiation: Radiation to the chest for the treatment of cancers starting 10 years after treatment and lasting for a lifetime. The risk depends on the dose of radiation and the age at which it is given. The risk is highest if radiation treatment was used during puberty. Radiation therapy to treat cancer in one breast does not appear to increase the risk of developing cancer in the other breast.

3. Obesity: Increases the risk in post-menopausal women who have not used hormone replacement therapy.

4. Alcohol: Drinking alcohol increases the risk. Risk rises as the amount of alcohol consumed rises.

5. Inherited risk

Protective factors that may decrease the risk include:

1. Exercise: Exercising four or more hours a week may decrease hormone levels and help lower breast cancer risk. This effect is greatest in pre-menopausal women of normal or low weight.

2. The risk appears to be lower if a woman has her first full-term pregnancy before she is 20 years old.

3. Breast-feeding: Because estrogen levels are lower during breastfeeding, a woman may decrease her risk.

4. Ovarian ablation: Estrogen is reduced when one or both ovaries are removed and can decrease the risk.

5. Late menstruation: At age 14 or older decreases the chances of breast cancer.

6. Early menopause: The fewer years a woman menstruates, the shorter the time her breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.

7. Tamoxifen: Lowers the risk in women who are at high risk for the disease. The effect last for several years after drug treatment is stopped.

8. Raloxifene: Helps prevent breast cancer in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis.

9. Aromatase inhibitors: Lowers the risk of new breast cancers in post-menopausal women with a history of the disease.

10. Prophylactic mastectomy: Some women with high risk may choose to have both breasts removed when there are no signs of cancer. The risk of is lowered in these women. It is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling about all options for possible prevention before making this decision.

11. Prophylactic oophorectomy: Women who have a high risk may choose to have a prophylactic oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries when there are no signs of disease) to decrease the amount of estrogen made by the body and lower the risk. It is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling before making this decision.

12. Fenretinide: At type of vitamin A called retinoid that may lower the risk when given to pre-menopausal women who have a history of the disease.

The following have been proven NOT to be risk factors or their effects are not known:

1. Abortion

2. Oral Contraceptives

3. Progestin-only contraceptives that are injected or implanted

4. Environment: Studies have not proven that being exposed to certain substances in the environment such as chemicals, metals, dust and pollution) increases the risk.

5. It is not proven that a diet low in fat or high in fruits and vegetables will prevent breast cancer.

6. It has not been proven that either active cigarette smoking or passive smoking (inhaling secondhand smoke) increases the risk of developing the disease.

There are new studies going on continuously to find more ways to prevent breast cancer. These studies include:

o The effects of exercise

o The effects of quitting smoking or taking certain medicines, vitamins, minerals or food supplements

Breast Cancer Facts

2008-08-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

Here are some well known facts about breast cancer. It is highly likely that your doctor is only aware of a few of these facts.

* The causes of breast cancer and all cancers are well known and have been well known for decades.

* Breast cancer can appear at anytime from your mid 20s onwards.

* Breast cancer is now appearing in countries where once it was unheard of.The more developed the country, the more likely one will contract the disease.

* Nobody has ever died of primary breast cancer, it's metastasise cancer, cancer which has shifted, that kills.

* By the time breast cancer is detected, whether by self examination or mammography, it is well established.

* 90 percent of breast cancers are found by the women themselves.

* Mammograms have 20 to 30 percent of false positives and false negatives.

* There is no safe level of radiation as is used in mammograms, the effects are cumulative.

* A safer and better way to detect cancer growths in the breasts are with thermography. It uses no radiation, only a heat detecting camera.

* Our mainstream medical system doesn't have a cure for breast cancer, only treatments.

* Breast cancer awareness month in October has done nothing to bring the cancer rate down, facts that we are all aware of. It has also been called breast cancer recruitment month.

* Breast cancer is classed in stages, 1 to 4. (4 being the worst)

* Removing the cancerous lump in the breast only addresses the problem, not the cause of the problem. (That's why the cancer returns)

* Radical mastectomies do not address why you got breast cancer in the first place.

* Having a double mastectomy as a preventative measure may stop breast cancer but does nothing for all other cancers.

* DCIS which is Ductal Carcinoma in Situ is a very mild form of breast cancer; it is classed as stage 0. (It certainly doesn't require radical treatment)

* The drug tamoxifen has demonstrated its ability to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer but a fact that is well know is that it can promote aggressive liver and uterine cancer.

* Herceptin has been heralded as a miracle drug for breast cancer but has been described by the well know cancer expert Dr Ralph W Moss as practically worthless. (Check out his website)

* All cancers are only one similar disease, but found in over 100 locations. (The causes are nearly all the same)

Facts that are well known to have caused breast cancer are a diet high in animal fat, salt and refined sugar, having been on the contraception pill for many years, the regular consumption of alcohol, our sedentary lifestyle (i.e. not exercising) and the use of chemicals, especially underarm antiperspirants, sunscreens and hair dyes.

Facts that prevent and stop breast cancer are a healthy diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, vitamin D, exercise and removing the known factors that have caused it.

What Every Woman Should Know About Breast Cancer

2008-08-29T02:08:00.001-07:00

Studies show that for women, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death after lung cancer and the odds of a woman dying from the disease is 1 in 33. However major medical advancements and new forms of treatment have reduced the odds significantly.

There are several different types of breast cancer and they are differentiated depending on which area of the breast it occurs in. the different forms of treatment include chemotherapy, radiation or surgery, which treatment is used depends on the kind of cancer, its location and the extent of its spread.

While all women are at risk of getting breast cancer, there are certain factors that increase the chances of developing the disease. Some of the risk factors that are taken into consideration include family history, age and smoking. Absence of one or multiple risk factors does not necessarily mean that the person will definitely not get cancer just as someone who is at high risk will not necessarily develop it.

Unlike smoking, which is an avoidable factor family history and age are inescapable risk factors. Studies show that almost 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are over the age of fifty. Also most women came from families where other women in the family also suffered from the disease.

Although Caucasian women are at higher risk for getting breast cancer they are less likely to die from it, whereas a higher number of African -American women who get breast cancer will die from it. American Indian, Hispanic and Asian women are also less likely to get breast cancer.

Women who started menstruating before the age of 12 are at higher risk and so are women who go through menopause after the age of 55.

Some of the other high risk factors include radiation to the chest in early years, obesity, long term use of HRT, use of alcohol and childlessness. Birth control pills could possibly increase the odds and women should discuss this with their doctor before hand.

Early detection plays a huge role in reducing the risk of dying from breast cancer and it is critical that women learn how to perform self-examination of their breasts. Some of the things to look for in breast self-examination include a milky or bloody discharge from one or both nipples, introversion of nipples, tiny lumps in and around the area of the breasts or under the armpit. Women who are past the age of 40 should conduct breast self-examination at least once a month on a regular basis in order to catch the cancer early. In addition to breast self-examination, women over the age of 40 should also undergo a clinical examination by an experienced medical practitioner on an annual basis.

Global Breast Cancer Crisis

2008-08-29T02:08:00.000-07:00

Once a disease of the Western world, breast cancer has become a global concern. Breast cancer is the most lethal form of cancer for women in the world. An estimated 1 million cases will be identified this year, and about 500,000 new and existing patients will die from breast cancer. In the U.S., breast cancer will be diagnosed in 1 in 8 women. In other emerging economies, breast cancer is a relatively new concern. Previously a malady that mostly afflicted white, affluent women in the industrial hubs of North America and Western Europe, breast cancer is everywhere. By 2020, 70% of all breast-cancer cases worldwide will be in developing countries. Worse, as the reach of the disease is expanding, the reach of detection and treatment is not. For a woman battling breast cancer in the West, new diagnosis and treatment options come along all the time. Not so elsewhere. In the U.S., an estimated $8.1 billion is spent to diagnose and treat breast cancer each year. In India, half of all women with the disease go entirely without treatment. In South Africa, only 5% of cancers are caught in the earliest phase of the disease. With Westernized life spans, can come Western habits too-fatty foods, lack of exercise and obesity, all of which may raise the incidence of breast cancer. In many parts of the world, breast cancer is still a shameful secret.

In U.S. and Europe the type of breast cancer relies on estrogen to grow but for Asian and black women , breast cancer is more aggressive and relies on estrogen-receptor negative, or ER negative and strike 10 years earlier. There is also of ER-negative cancer called the basal-like subtype, resistant not only to estrogen but also to progesterone. Gene can also cause problems. All that to say that detecting breast cancer in the Asian population may present special difficulties.

If the spread of U.S. and European life-styles is contributing to the breast-cancer boom mainly the eating habits and reproductive habits. Women who give birth to fewer than 2 children have higher risk of developing breast cancer, pregnancy providing a sort of estrogen holiday and lactation preventing cells from becoming cancerous.

Finally, there is the lack of exercise. Studies show that leaner body mass and healthier diet for women cannot hurt. Greater awareness and greater testing are needed to start toward ending the global breast-cancer crisis. A good weight loss program is also
recommended. It is also worth mentioning that cancer dislike an alkaline ph level.

What to do Before You Have Breast Cancer Symptoms

2008-08-29T02:07:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is a major health concern and you need to know if you have breast cancer symptoms or signs. Women including men have breast cancer as I wrote in my last newsletter. According to the recent survey worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the world.

Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer among women. The number of cases worldwide has significantly increased since the 1970s, a phenomenon partly blamed on the way that we eat and the pollution that exists in the water, air, and food. The other big factor in cancer is the thoughts that we have. Toxins and chemical pollution cause acid and free radicals in our body and so do negative thoughts. It is these acids and free radicals that change your body's pH and that depletes the oxygen in your cells allowing cancer to form freely and to multiple. To protect yourself against cancer, you need to know the signs of breast cancer so you can take action against it right away and to learn good nutritional habits.

Due to the high incidence of breast cancer among older women, screening is now recommended in many countries. Recommended screening methods include breast self-examination and mammogram. This test has been estimated to reduce breast cancer-related mortality by 20-30%. Routine and annual mammography of women older than age 40 or 50 is recommended.

Mammograms do not detect all possible cancer tissue. They can detect micro calcification of calcium, which might indicate the presents of cancer. Calcium can deposit in tissue and this is caused by an acid body. To stay in solution, calcium must have enough sodium in the surrounding liquid. In an alkaline body, there is plenty of sodium to keep calcium in solution, but in an acid body, calcium will precipitate out and form crystals.

Early signs and symptoms of breast cancer are usually not painful. This may be the reason why most women don't know they have breast cancer until after several breast cancer signs and symptoms start to appear. You should see your health care provider, if you notice the following:

· Lump in the armpit or above the collarbone that does not go away in two weeks or so. Although most breast lumps are not cancerous, it always best to check them out

· Breast discharge is a common problem and is rarely a symptom of cancer, but if it is from only one breast or if it is bloody, then check with your doctor

· Nipple inversion is a common in normal nipples, but nipple inversion that has developed recently can be of concern

· Changes in the breast skin including redness, changes in texture, and puckering. These changes are usually caused by skin diseases but occasionally can be associated with breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a condition where you lack oxygen in your cells and when you have an acid body. To prevent cancer from forming, you need to learn how to make your body more alkaline. In my new nutrition course, I concentrate on how you can make your body more alkaline. An alkaline body not only stops cancer but also stops and prevents most diseases from forming in your body.
Don't wait until you have symptoms of breast cancer or any other disease before you start improving your health habits. Start now learning what good nutrition is and how you can be free from illness.

Research Results And Facts On Breast Cancer

2008-08-28T06:40:00.001-07:00

Breast cancer has been characterized as a serious disease that strikes mainly women. This is the reason that most people and experts in the field of medical science and research have devoted themselves who make a research on breast cancer and other factors revolving it.

Here are some of the results concluded by these experts with some known facts about breast cancer.

A) How common is this disease?

Breast cancer is very common in the UK. It is sad but true that about 44,000 women are diagnosed with this deadly disease each year. This actually estimates to about more than 100 women in a day. Though this disease is rare in men, about 300 men every year are diagnosed with this disease.

Medical experts have warned that the rates of this disease have increased by 50% over the last twenty years. In UK, this rate has been increased by about 12% in last 10 years. Women over the age of 50 are usually diagnosed with this disease.

B) Surviving the disease

Today, fortunately, more women are surviving this disease. The survival rates have actually improved in the last twenty years. The reason is the increasing awareness of this disease and early diagnosis.

C) Causes of breast cancer

Exact causes of breast cancer are not known. However, the experts have a drawn certain conclusions on the basis of the studies and researchers they have made.

Here are some of the causes that may be responsible for the development of breast cancer.

a) Woman with a family history of breast cancer can develop this disease. Usually women with their mother, sister or daughter diagnosed with this disease are at greater risk.

b) Obesity is another major reason for the development of this disease. This increases the risk of post menopausal breast cancer by up to thirty percent.

c) Women who have been under or are using HRT or hormone replacement therapy for about five years or more than that can develop this disease. The treatment increases the risk of the development of this disease by 35 per cent.

d) Women using oral contraceptives are more vulnerable to breast cancer development as compared to those who are not using any oral contraceptive methods.

e) Alcohol consumption is yet another cause of increasing the risk of the development of this serious disease.

f) Less active lifestyle is another reason for the development of breast cancer. One should lead an active lifestyle. Make sure you exercise daily for at least half an hour at stretch or go for a walk.

D) Risk factors

- Benign breast cancer

- Age

- Personal history of breast cancer

- Family history of breast cancer

- Reproductive history such as age at menarche, parity, age at menopause, age at first birth and breast feeding

- Endogenous hormones

- Exogenous hormones

- Body weight

- Mammographic density

- Physical activity

- Height

- Diet

- Alcohol

- Ionizing radiation

- Socio-economic status

E) Treatment options

There are several treatment options available from surgery to medication. However, medical experts believe that early diagnosis of this disease is the best treatment.

Breast Cancer - How To Prevent This Disease

2008-08-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is a disease where the breast and the surrounding tissues are attacked by malignant cancer cells. The person with breast cancer is bound to experience a lot of problems including problems with health and a fenago of emotional trauma.

Fortunately, the medical science has developed and prospered enough to prescribe certain effective measures to prevent this serious disease. Most people who are vulnerable to this disease should be happy to learn that they can prevent the development of this disease.

There are several factors you should give utter importance to in order to work towards the prevention of this disease.

Here are some measures you can take in order to prevent breast cancer:

A) Restrict alcohol in take

There is a strong association between consumption of alcohol and breast cancer. Here, the type of alcohol you consume makes no difference. You may claim to indulge in the finest of wine, beer or mixed drinks. No matter what, an alcohol consumption is just an alcohol consumption period. You should focus on limiting your alcohol consumption rather than justifying the brand, quality or amount of alcohol you take. Avoid alcohol completely in the word, Abstain!

B) Weight control

It is very important to maintain a healthy body weight. Consider your height and check the ratio of your body weight to the height. Consult a health care professional regarding the ideal weight you should maintain. Exercise for about 30 minutes daily and focus on healthy foods such as salads and fruits. Excess fatty tissue will circulate estrogen in your body.

C) Physically active lifestyle

It is extremely crucial to maintain an active lifestyle if you want to maintain a healthy blood sugar level in your body. Regular exercise will help you in this regard. You need to aim for at least 30 minutes of work out each day. Consult a health care practitioner and start an exercise regime today. Go for regular walking, Jogging or aerobics sessions. You will be able to keep your bones strong.

D) Limit fat intake

According to several studies and researches, people who take a large amount of fats in their diet are at higher risk of developing breast cancer. Hence, you must make sure that your diet has limited amount of fat and oily subscribers in it.

- There are some other preventive options available for breast cancer.

These include going for certain therapies, eating certain medications and also keep yourself checking for any traces of lumps in or around the breast and under the armpit, change in the size and appearance of nipples and breast.

One must stay far off from long term use of hormone therapies. Birth control pills, antibiotics and pesticides should also be strictly avoided. Exposure to pesticides may cause a lot of health problems to an individual. One of the serious health risks may be in shape of breast cancer development.

Breast cancer can be prevented by including natural or synthetic forms of retinoid (vitamin A) and flax seeds in your diet.

Self examination of breast also plays a significant role in preventing breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Information - What You Should Know!

2008-08-28T06:39:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is known to be a disease that can affect women and sometimes men in rare cases. Most people are unaware of this disease and hence, unable to treat it timely. Breast cancer can occur at any age.

It is important to know about this disease if you want to be detected on time and save yourself from a lot of health and emotional problems it brings along with.

Here are some important things regarding this disease. Read and understand the information for your own health benefits.

- The part affected

In case of a breast cancer, the malignant cancer develops inside the cells that provide lining to the ducts. This can also be referred to as a ductal breast cancer. Most of the time, cancerous cells tend to develop inside the lobules. This can be referred to a type of lobular breast cancer. The cancer can also develop in other tissues of the breast.

- Risk factors

There are several risk factors for development of breast cancer. Here are some of these:

a) Woman

Being a woman is the biggest risk factor.

b) Early periods

Some women tend to get their period prior to the age of 12. This increases the chances of developing breast cancer.

c) Family history

This plays an important role. Doctors usually consider sisters, mothers and daughters when analyzing family history for breast cancer detection. In case, anyone in your family gets diagnosed, it puts you at greater risk.

d) Alcohol

If you are taking more than about two alcoholic beverages on a daily basis, you are at risk.

e) Diet with excess fats

Make sure that you don't have a diet that consists of high amounts of saturated fat. If you do, then there are more chances of carrying this disease. Try to avoid food that is too high in fat content. Also do not eat foods that contain poly unsaturated fat.

f) Late pregnancy

Pregnancies after the age of 26 are risky as far as development of breast cancer is concerned.

g) No pregnancy

Women who have never had pregnancy are also at risk of developing breast cancer.

h) Personal history

Women with personal history of breast cancer can also develop this cancer later in their life. Hence, regular breast check ups are necessary.

- Treatment options

There are several treatment options available for people with breast cancer. If detected at an early stage, this disease can be treated easily. There are some standard treatments for this disease. One is usually advised to go for a treatment clinical trial at first. It is a type of research where new treatments are found for this disease.

Other options include surgery such as lumpectomy, partial mastectomy, Total mastectomy, modified radical mastectomy and radical mastectomy

There are other alternative treatment options such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

Make sure that you keep yourself updated with the latest and full information on breast cancer in order to get total relief from it.

Remember that early detection is the best treatment for this disease.

Breast Cancer Symptoms - How To Detect Before It Is Too Late

2008-08-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is a serious disorder that attacks women. It is a disease that women dread about. In medical terms, this disease can be defined as a formation of malignant or cancer cells in the breast tissues.

The disease has been termed as heterogeneous. This means that it is a different disease that appears and forms differently in different women of different age groups. Younger women are said to be more vulnerable to this disease.

This disease can be cured if detected early. This is the reason that young women are advised to carry out a self-examination for any kind of lungs inside their breast every three to six months. They should also go for a medical examination in every six months.

When failed to detect, this disease can result in to some real threatening stages. In certain severe and final stages of breast cancer, women are advised to go for a breast removal surgery or masectomy. This is really dreadful moment in a woman life.

Fortunately, this disease can be treated successfully if detected early. Hence, it is very important to learn about the symptoms of breast cancer and keep tabs on any of the warning signs that may hit our body anytime.

Here are some potential breast cancer symptoms to help you learn about this disease and detect it on time in a better and effective way.

- The warning sings

Usually, breast cancer does not carry any pain. However, a woman is still advised to visit her health care practitioner on a regular basis to know about the development of the disease in her body.

Common symptoms

a) Change in breast and nipple feel

You may suddenly experience tenderness of nipple or even a lump or thickening near the breast or underarm area without any specific reason.

b) Change in the appearance of breast or nipple

This means that there is a change in the shape or the size of the breast or a nipple. The nipple may appear scaly, read, swollen, turn slightly inward or contain ridges or pitting similar to the skin of an orange.

c) Nipple discharge

Sometimes, you may also experience nipple discharge. The discharge may be clear or bloody.

d) Pain

You may sometimes feel pain in the nipple.

e) Swelling

Women with breast cancer can even observe swelling or mass inside the arm pit.

f) Lump

A lump near the arm pit or breast is a clear indication of breast cancer.

g) Rash

You would find a rash on a nipple or the surrounding area.

All the above mentioned signs and symptoms are an indication that you may be suffering from breast cancer.

However, there are several other ways to detect breast cancer such as self examination. You can conduct a self examination at your home. Just inspect your breasts for any lumps or swelling, changes in contour of each breast, dimpling of skin or changes in the nipples.

Remember that early detection of this disease is the only way to cure it. You need to focus on the signs and symptoms of this disease in order to detect it. Watch out for the symptoms and be safe.

Moderately Drinking Women May Suffer From Breast Cancer

2008-08-26T23:56:00.000-07:00

Everything we eat, do and think about has an impact on our health. As we look for ways to fight a wide range of diseases, the American Association for Cancer Research 2008 Annual Meeting suggested that continuous engaging in bad habits like drinking and eating fatty foods may lead to cancer, melanoma or other diseases.

The group is emphasizing the need to control our thirst for liquor and beer, especially among women, and food that may eventually post health hazards in the future. It was found that women consuming moderate amounts of alcohol may increase their risk of breast cancer. Comparing a heavy drinker woman consuming three or more glasses each day from a nondrinker, the former has a 51-percent increased risk of ER+/PR+ breast cancer.

Although links have yet to be established why women who drink alcohol have a greater risk of having breast cancer, but the results of the findings showed that many drinkers have suffered from breast cancer. At the same time, women who take hormone replacement therapy may suffer from the disease.

This was according to Jasmine Q. Lew, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Chicago who is conducting this research as a recipient of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-National Institutes of Health Research Scholarship at the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.

In a study conducted on NIH-AARP Diet and Health in 1995, Lew and her colleagues had 184,418 post-menopausal women who joined the research and were open about their daily alcohol consumption. After seven years of follow-up, they found that women who drink moderately have higher risk of developing breast cancer.

But Lew said several studies have yet to be considered to validate their findings. She added that there might be other factors contributing to breast cancer aside from drinking alcohol. However, she advised that drinking women should cut their alcohol consumption to avoid breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Mammogram - Prevent The Deadly Diagnosis

2008-08-26T23:55:00.000-07:00

Not only is breast cancer a nasty word to hear it is a painful condition and frightening, it gets even nastier sounding if your doctor has diagnosed you with the disease. Sadly, although scary, women still choose to avoid initiating a self breast examination on them self. Why do women ignore cancer awareness alerts which point out the vital concerns of catching cancer in its early stage when they know breast cancer can be a fatal condition?

There can only be one reason why decisions of denial that they are cancer free are made and that is because they are too scared that they may actually detect a lump in the process. Is it not best to find a lump the size of pea than that of one which has developed greater in size? Not all breast lumps are cancerous, breast abnormalities should be checked out sooner than later. "Later is a death sentence". Some women in their seventies said they don't have much road ahead so why the need for a self breast examination. Hey blue rinse gals it is very important for your grand kids have you stick around longer and what of your happy birthday 100th telegram off the Queen. Breast screening regardless of age saves lives (70 years plus). Dutch research of over 860,000 women voiced breast screening decreased the number of deaths by 30% after the upper age limit was extended. Cancer risks increase with age so they say; medical experts have been at odds over whether the over-70s should be checked. UK plans involve raising the upper age limit for routine screening from 70 to 73 by 2012. The Netherlands extended its programme to cover women up to 75 in 1998.

Researchers are continuously and tirelessly looking for answers, e.g. Is breast cancer a hereditary issue or an actual cancer having a specific associated link? (Like Lung cancer in relation to smoking) Overcome your panic thoughts of resistance in finding a lump and it may well save your life.

If you are afraid of the unknown as to what is involved with breast screening then there is nothing to worry over. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breasts. The NHS in the United Kingdom breast screen women aged between 50 and 70. A mammogram will be requested if you have breast cancer symptoms, such as a lump. What you can expect when a mammogram is performed is having a radiographer present. He/she will help you to position one breast at a time on a small flat plate, with an X-ray plate under it. Another flat plate will be placed over the breast. Once the machine is activated, the breast is slightly compressed between the two. Compression of the breast makes it easier for the doctor to see things more clearly. A Mammogram in the UK consists of two snapshots: one from above and one from the side. This is a precaution method to ascertain that nothing is missed. Research opinion says taking a 2 view mammogram can increase breast screening cancer detection rate by 25% or more. Simple explained means every 100 cancers picked up with single view mammograms doubles that to 125 with the double view.

Do mammograms cause pain, well uncomfortable is more the word to depict, however this will depend on breast size and pain threshold of the patient. A mammogram will only take a couple of minutes, so any discomfort will not have to endured for long, unlike the pain caused by breast cancer (physical and mental).

Once a mammogram test is complete the doctor will check for any signs of cancer. Results of the mammogram are normally delivered a week or two later, sometimes longer. Developed breast cancers will more times show up clearly on mammograms. However it is not rare for one to go unnoticed because the x-ray showed no sign. Infancy breast cancer may not involve having a lump, patterns yes, which on a mammogram may suggest breast cancer. The medical term calcification means tiny regions of calcium within the breast tissue. Cancer can be detected through the calcium which creates spots and patterns which suggest disease presence. Breast changes are normal but only your doctor is in the position to say these changes are of the non-cancerous pattern type.