Jul 31
People are on the lookout for alternative mesothelioma treatment due to the complex nature and deadliness of mesothelioma. Not only patients, but researchers and doctors are trying to find out new ways to treat mesothelioma. ‘Alternative’ refers to the use of different methods from the traditionally accepted. Most alternative mesothelioma treatments are not scientifically approved but certain treatments have found to give relief to patients and certain others are found to be of no use. Intraoperative Photodynamic Therapy (IPT), Immunoaugmentative Therapy (IAT) and Gene Therapy are some of the important alternative mesothelioma treatments in modern medicine.
Alternative treatments attack the mesothelioma cancer quite aggressively, with few or no side effects. It works by training the patient’s immune system to recognize and destroy the tumor tissue. The method relies on cancer vaccines to stimulate the patient’s immune system and destroy tumor cells. Immunoaugmentative Therapy (IAT) works by strengthening and balancing four different proteins found in the blood. Special drugs are administered to kill cancer cells in Intraoperative Photodynamic Therapy (IPT). The drug makes cancer more sensitive to light. Several days before the surgery, it is injected into a vein. A special light is used to detect cancer during surgery. IPT is basically used in the early stages of mesothelioma in the chest. Mutilated genes, which cause mesothelioma, are either replaced or removed in gene therapy. This treatment is at its infant stage but is a promising treatment.
Some types of alternative treatments have been practiced for generations but do not have any scientific backup. Homeopathy is used as an alternative system. An example of homeopathic treatment in mesothelioma is the use of Iscador from mistletoe. Iscador is an herbal medicine used to boost the body’s immune system. Specific diet therapy, rich with vitamins and minerals, and metabolic therapy are other types of alternative treatment. Cow or shark cartilage is used as a food supplement in some treatments. Essiac is an herb supplement used. Bach flower is used in aromatic treatment. Other examples of alternative medicine are faith healing, vitamins, herbs, and supplements sold in your local drugstore.
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Jul 30
Cancer of the ovary, a disease affecting one of both of the ovaries, is one of the most serious and under-recognized ailments affecting women. In United States, it is considered as the fifth among the most fatal gynecologic cancers (affecting the female reproductive organs). It is said that in every 57 women, one may be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and almost half of those women diagnosed with the said cancer may die in a span of five years.
Ovarian Cancer: Overview
Ovarian cancer is characterized by the malignant growth of one or of the two ovaries. The cells in the ovary multiply progressively and abnormally to the point that they can no longer be controlled. As a result, excessive tissues start to form tumors, which may be benign or malignant. The malignant ones are those that cause cancer.
The growth of the tumor may not necessarily start from the ovary or the ovaries, but may have spread to the ovary from other parts of the body, oftentimes the breast. The malignant tumor in the ovary may likewise spread to other parts of the body. The most common cases of ovarian cancer arise from epithelial cancer, which affect the epithelial cells (cells found in the tissues covering surfaces of the ovary).
Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
It is important for women to be aware of the nature and symptoms of ovarian cancer as this deadly cancer can affect women of any age. However, women face higher risk of ovarian cancer as she gets older, particularly after she reaches the age of fifty.
Most of the time, the symptoms of ovarian cancer do not show up until the cancer is widespread or in its advanced stage. This makes a woman at higher risk since it can be too late before she may be able to detect symptoms of ovarian cancer. Moreover, there are only very few symptoms of the cancer, which may be mistaken as symptoms of other health conditions.
The very first symptom of ovarian cancer is vague abdominal discomfort and bloating, which is caused by the excess fluid in the abdominal cavity. One always feels full even when she has not eaten much. As time passes by the swelling of the abdomen intensifies that some of your clothes may no longer fit you. Usually, it is because of this unusual swelling (way different from a woman’s monthly water retention) that most women go to the doctor for check up.
Bloating is accompanied by digestive disturbances, unexplained changes in the bowel habits and urinary patterns. There are frequent trips to the bathroom even in the absence of a urinary tract infection or other health problems. One may feel nauseous, very tired and she may feel like vomiting at times. She may also feel discomfort and pain during an intercourse.
Pain and swelling in the pelvic area is also noticeable upon closer physical examination. This is due to the swelling in the pelvis. In very rare instances, a woman in her postmenopausal stage experiences abnormal bleeding.
Other vague and non-specific symptoms of ovarian cancer include back and leg pain, loss of appetite, undernourished appearance, weight gain or weigh loss, and unusual bleeding in the vagina (heavier and longer than the usual menstrual bleeding).
Detecting Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
Screening is a way to detect the symptoms of ovarian cancer. The earlier the patient is screened, the better so as to decrease the mortality and morbidity of ovarian cancer. One of the most effective ways to detect the cancer in its early stage is through pelvic and rectal exam.
Jeanette Pollock is a freelance author and website owner of ovariancancerdomain.com ovariancancerdomain.com. Visit Jeanette’s site to learn more about ovariancancerdomain.com/2006/06/27/ovarian-cancer-symptoms/ ovarian cancer symptoms.
Jul 30
Breast cancer has become a major health issue for women in North America. The rate of breast cancer has increased by 1 per cent a year since 1940.
In our country, a woman dies of breast cancer every 12 minutes! It has become the most common cancer-related cause of death in women. World-wide about 1,670,000 women have breast cancer. Our risk of surviving malignant breast cancer is just about the same as it was 50 years ago, when the only treatment was mastectomy; about one in three. The incidence of breast cancer is steadily rising and the numbers are appalling. Between 1973-1998 the incidence of breast cancer rose by over 40%.
October is a month where women of all ages and stages of life will join together and wear pink ribbons to remind us of the seriousness of Breast Cancer and to remember those, whose lives it has touched. We become advocates for more grass roots education like self-breast exams as well as for more research to be done and a cure for breast cancer be found.
However, if I had my wish every pink ribbon would carry an additional message for women. That message would be that “YOU can improve your breast health and reduce the risk of breast cancer right now!”
We need to ask ourselves “What am I doing to truly become aware about breast cancer and preventing it within my own body?” Wearing a pink ribbon is simply not enough.
We are now learning that Breast cancer is likely a result of hormonal imbalances. Specifically they are a result of excess estrogen or Estrogen Dominance. Estrogen dominance describes a condition where a woman can have deficient, normal, or excessive estrogen but has little or no progesterone to balance its effects in the body. Even a woman with low estrogen levels can have estrogen-dominance symptoms if she doesn’t have any progesterone
The Johns Hopkins University conducted a 20 year study, published in 1983 in the American Journal of Epidemiology, showing that women who had good progesterone levels had less than a fifth of the amount of breast cancer. The outcomes suggested that having a normal level of progesterone in balance with normal levels of estrogens protected women from nine-tenths of all cancers that might otherwise have occurred….. in other words hormones in balance.
The Million Women Study of whom about half used or had used HRT(synthetic hormones consisting of estrogen with a synthetic progestin), indicated for the first time that the increased Breast Cancer risk started between one and two years of HRT use, dashing any suggestion that increased cancer risk only developed after long-term use. But the risks grew larger the longer the HRT treatment continued.
What many women do not realize is that we don’t just “GET” hormones as we approach menopause. Women suffer from hormone challenges in their teen years while women in their 70’s and 80’s can still be suffering hormonal challenges. Hormonal imbalance does not only produce cancer in women but can manifest itself with symptoms such as: PMS, Mood swings, PCOS, Endometriosis, weight gain, menstrual headaches, heavy bleeding or irregular cycles and infertility.
We may not be able to our genetic risk factors for Breast Cancer- that is true. However, a growing body of research is showing us that women really can make a difference in their breast health through becoming better informed about how our body makes hormones, understanding about hormonal imbalance and then learning some natural alternatives to deal with out of balance hormones.
Evaluating hormone levels using saliva testing is one way to know if our health challenges are connected to hormone issues. A saliva test kit is inexpensive and can be used in the privacy of our own homes. What a small price to pay to have the peace of mind knowing if your hormone levels are in balance! Taking the test results to our health care practitioner and asking them to work with us toward hormone balance would be a natural “next step.”
I feel that women need to have all the information presented to them on the hormone issue so that they can make a well informed choice as to which path they would like to travel down in order to bring balance to their hormones. It is my goal that in October 2006 women across this country will wear pink ribbons knowing that there are things that they can do to improve their health and reduce their risk for breast cancer. Knowledge is power!!
This Article Is Copywright 2006 Jackie L. Harvey & Saliva Testing com
Jackie Harvey is an International speaker, radio program host, seminar leader, business trainer, and a mother of seven. She works in partnership with nurses, medical doctors and health care practitioners.
Jackie is a men & women’s health advocate specializing in hormonal and menopausal health. Thousands of men & women have watched her informative DVD “Let’s Talk About Hormones”. Jackie is committed to making a positive change in peoples lives.
Visit SalivaTesting.com SalivaTesting.com for more information Saliva Hormone Tests Kits & her Best Selling 1-hour DVD “Let’s Talk About Hormones with Jackie Harvey”. Click For More information on SalivaTesting.com Men’s & Women’s Saliva Hormone Testing and Saliva Test Kits.
