Apr 30
Introduction
Breast Cancer is a form of cancer that occurs in the breast tissue. Although the breast is made up of similar tissues in both males and females, breast cancer occurs mostly in females.
Causes
Like other cancers, breast cancer is an uncontrollable growth of breast cells, and is caused due to the mutation of certain genes present in your breast cells. This mutation can either be genetically inherited, i.e. it might have come from your parents, or it happened during changes in your body, like aging or due to life in general. Breast Cancer can also occur due to hormonal changes in the body, like during menopause.
Types of Breast Cancer
Breast Cancers can be divided into four types based on the location they occur and whether it is a local one or not.
1. Ductal Carcinoma in Situ, or DCIS
2. Lobular Carcinoma in situ or LCIS
3. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma or IDC
4. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma or ILC
Breast Cancer normally occurs either in the milk duct (Ductal), or in the lobules (Lobular) or glands that make milk. Both can either be “in situ”, meaning it remains where it started and does not spread, or it may be “invasive”, meaning it spreads into the surrounding tissues. Carcinoma is a word used for any cancer that begins in the skins or tissues covering internal organs.
Early Detection
There are no ways to prevent breast cancer. However, breast cancer can be treated effectively if it is detected in an early stage. Self Breast Examination for lumps and unusual changes should be carried out each month, preferably at the same time each month to minimize effects of menstruation. A clinical breast examination should be done once every year from ages 29 – 39, and once every year from the age of 40.
Diagnosis
Primary diagnosis is done using mammography, an x-ray of the breast. If breast cancer is suspected or diagnosed, this is followed by MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PET Scans.
Treatment
The main form of treatment used for Breast Cancer is surgery. Depending on the size of the tumour, it can be lumpectomy, also known as breast conserving surgery, where only the tumour is removed, or mastectomy, where the entire breast is removed. Both forms of surgery are usually followed by radiotherapy, which is a form of treatment by exposure to radiation, to stop the cancer from spreading. Another major form of treatment is chemotherapy, where treatment is done through various forms of drugs. These drugs interfere with the growth of cancer cells, and thus help curing cancer. Breast cancer can also be treated using hormone therapy, using chemicals to stop activities of certain hormones. Hormone therapy can only be used if the cancer cells are responsive to hormones, and have varied side effects, ranging from vaginal dryness and weak bones to infertility. Even after effective removal of Breast Cancer, patients should be in constant touch with the physician to make sure that the cancer does not return.
Chetan Bhawani is a medical consultant and pathologist and gives regularly helpfulhealthtips.com Helpful Health Tips and provides health Information and information about any disease in the human body.
Apr 30
In the past, the treatment options for a particular disease were limited to only a few. With the advancements in medical science, we have scores of treatment options available for any disease.
The various treatment options available for breast cancer have increased in number too. Today there are many ways to combat and deal with breast cancer. They can be broadly classified into the following categories:
1. Surgery: Surgery has been the traditional mode of treatment for breast cancer. However, changes have taken place during recent times. The surgery now is more precise and is directed to the exact spot of the disease so that the damage to the unaffected area is minimized.
a. Lumpectomy: The cancerous lump is removed surgically without removing the surrounding lymph nodes.
b. Mastectomy: This is performed if the lump has become large or in case the cancer has spread to other areas. The affected breast is surgically removed.
c. Lymph Node Dissection: This is the surgical removal of lymph nodes. Usually done in case of invasive breast cancer, it is a procedure performed at the time of mastectomy or lumpectomy. During mastectomy, it is an extension of the breast incision (to the armpit area). If done during lumpectomy, a separate incision is performed in the armpit. A part or all of the lymph nodes are removed. Usually it also involves cutting the nerve carrying sensation to the area.
2. Radiation Therapy: Radiation is a highly targeted and effective way of treatment, which destroys the cancer cells. High levels of radiation are sent directly to the cancer cells. Radiation therapy undertaken after surgery can also kill those cancer cells that could not be treated by surgery. It can also be combined with chemotherapy, to relieve pain, or to shrink the tumor. It is short and relatively easy but side affects can also occur. The traditional radiation therapy is external in nature. Internal radiation therapy is also being experimented. In this process, radiation-producing substances are either implanted directly in to the tumor or injected through a tube.
3. Herceptin: Applicable only to women with HER2-positive breast cancer, it consists of an antibody, the primary role of which is blocking the HER2 protein in cancer cells. It is useful in cases where the breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Also known as immune treatment, it is approved by US FDA for women with metastatic disease.
4. Hormone Therapy: It is another effective treatment. It is useful for women having hormone receptive positive breast cancer. Aromatase inhibitors are more effective in women with post menopause and Tamoxifen in women with pre menopause hormone receptive positive breast cancer.
5. Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy, or use of chemicals to treat a disease, is a systematic therapy. Since the use of chemicals affects the whole body by going through the blood stream, it is very effective as it can act on the cells, which are rapidly dividing. A major drawback in this mode of treatment is that the drugs act not only on the cancer cells, they act on healthy cells as well leading to various side-effects like losing hair, nausea, skin diseases and so on.
6. Alternative Therapies: In addition to the above modes of treatment, there are many alternative therapies as well e.g. yoga, acupuncture etc. Since sufficient research is not available in respect of such therapies, it is difficult to come to any decisive conclusion.
Since the disease conditions differ from patient to patient, the ideal treatment for an individual would depend on various factors. The best mode of treatment can be formulated with due consultation between the patient and the doctor.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to breast-cancer.treatment-and-guides.com/ Breast Cancer
Apr 30
It was a great summer. What fun it was ripping and running on the beach. It was perfect and memorable, but you definitely spent too much time in the sun. Even though you use the best and most doctor recommended SPF protection there is on the market you’re still not at peace about being in the sun. In fact you’re a bit paranoid about it. You keep having that little nagging thought, the one about your family’s skin cancer historical track record. You’re not that naïve. It really could happen to you. Are you in search of more ways to protect yourself against skin cancer? Believe it or not drinking tea could give you that extra edge of protection against skin cancer.
That’s right. Specific teas can actually provide an armor-like protection for your skin. They act as a barrier against the sun’s harmful rays that commonly occur during overexposure, which can destroy the cells that promote skin health. When skin cells are destroyed they automatically affect the general overall health of the skin. Those powerful rays can literally break down defenses that not only protect the skin from cancer causing substances and environmental toxins but also weaken the remaining cell’s ability to keep the skin supple and youthful. It just about puts the skin’s safeguard operations at a stand still so serious is this breakdown and destruction of cells. That would explain why you see some 30, 40 and 50-year-old women sporting more wrinkles than they should. The Overexposure to the sun undoubtedly has a high and unrecoverable cost. Here’s a strong warning to young women.
Tea, black and green teas specifically have been studied for their effectiveness in skin protection and were surprisingly found to be quite the avant-garde when it comes to being a barrier against skin cancer. If you have a preference of one tea over the other, know that although both are powerful, some different tests have shown that black tea packs a bigger punch to the cancer enemy we’re trying to fight against. Black tea has many more antioxidants than green, but drink them both for varied good protection. Educate yourself about the different teas because they are not all the same in their benefits. In another study teas containing bergamot oil, such as the popular Earl Grey tea, instead of protecting the skin were found to make the skin more susceptible to the sun’s damaging rays. That’s quite a disappointment to Earl Grey tea lovers, but far better to know this than not.
Another surprising protection afforded by the tea is in the temperature and the strength at which it is enjoyed. If you drink it very hot and very strong, you are helping yourself to some lower chances of developing skin cancer. And make sure it has some caffeine in it. Apparently tests show that caffeine is an important ingredient in tea as a protective ally against the sun. Teas tested without caffeine had no measurable protective effect at all. Caffeine or no caffeine; you will have to decide. You know the odds.
Here’s one last helpful tip you might find interesting. Don’t waste that tea at the bottom of the cup. Why? It has also been found to be effective if you rub it on your skin. No joking here. Green tea especially is increasingly being added to many skin care product formulations because it really does provide a safeguard to your skin. There you have it, another out of the ordinary but powerful ally against skin cancer.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to
