by Morgan Hamilton
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in this present day and age. Women around the world are susceptible to breast cancer while men are prone to develop prostate cancer. Let us focus our attention the most common form of cancer in women, and one of the most common types of cancer in general.
Research statistics indicate that one in every seven women who live up to the age of 90 will develop breast cancer. However, the statistics are a bit skewed because this disease is especially prevalent in some families. Women who have a family history of being afflicted with this type of cancer have a greater chance of developing this disease. You should stay especially vigilant for breast cancer symptoms if the women in your family have a history of breast cancer.
In general, breast cancer symptoms manifest themselves once the cancer is already in its later stages of growth, and may have already metastasized to other more vital areas of the body. This means that it would be healthy for women to get checked for tumors regularly. Late stage breast cancer symptoms are much more unpleasant than the mammograms they have to endure during a check up.
A lump in a woman’s breast is one of most common breast cancer symptoms than may indicate the presence of this illness. Of course, not all lumps are cancerous. Most women will develop numerous lumps in their breasts throughout their lives. Lumps are especially common during periods of rapid hormonal changes such as puberty and menstruation.
Some women who suffer from this illness often experience pain in their breasts. This painful sensation is one of the more severe breast cancer symptoms. A cancer that has grown large enough to impinge on nerves will be a noticeable lump in a self check or mammogram. Once again, pain in the breast are does not necessarily mean that a woman has breast cancer. Women usually experience tenderness of the breasts during puberty and periods of hormone fluxes .
Cases of breast cancer are usually diagnosed in women over 40, but women in their teens and twenties can be afflicted with this disease as well. If you are a woman, then it would be good idea to start checking yourself for lumps from puberty. However, do not forget that you’ll probably find a lot of lumps that are harmless during this period. You’ll soon get an idea of the kinds of lumps that are normal, and the kinds of lumps that may be breast cancer symptoms, with some experience and some consultation with your doctor.
Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Breast Cancer Symptoms. Visit our site for more helpful information about Breast Cancer Symptoms and other similar topics.
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Friday, April 20, 2007
How To Prevent Breast Cancer?
by Dr. Shawn Mutt
Breast cancer has earned the disrepute of becoming the second-most killing type of all cancers that are found in humans, having lost the race only to lung cancer. About one in every ten women has chances of developing breast cancer if precautions are not taken early on. Despite this alarming number of its victims, it is pathetic to know that there is an absolute lack of information on the disease. It is not that there is no written material available about the disease, but most women are too complacent regarding the problem. It is always the ‘disease that affects the other woman so it doesn’t bother me’ until it is too late to remedy the situation.
Breast cancer is the abnormal growth of cells within the breast. These cells would aggregate like a lump, which would be called as the breast tumor. The tumor can be felt from the outside of the breast even when it is still harmless. At this harmless stage, it is called as a benign tumor. Benign tumors can be surgically operable. If that is done, the risk of the advancement of the breast cancer is very negligible. But if the tumor is allowed to go on, then it would continue to the malignant stage. During this stage the cancer would proliferate to such an extent within the surrounding tissues that it would be impossible to remove it completely. When the cancerous cells enter the bloodstream, there is no way out. The result is certain death.
Hence it is important to snuff out the breast cancer while it is still benign, and perhaps that is the only way to keep the cancer at bay once it occurs. But most women do not know that there are various ways to reduce the risk of contracting breast cancers. Since breast cancer can strike just about any woman, it is extremely necessary to pay attention to these methods that can help to prevent the disease. The following are the precautions that women must take to prevent the onset of breast cancer:-
(1) If you are overweight, then seriously work at reducing your weight. Science has proved a direct relation between obesity and breast cancer. At the same time, lean women have a significantly lesser chance of contracting the disease.
(2) Do not introduce any supplements in your body that could change the internal hormonal balance of the body. In women, the two main feminine character deciding hormones are progesterone and estrogen. These hormones maintain the proper balance of the female characteristics, including the shape and the function of the breasts. An alteration in this balance could bring on several female health related diseases, among which breast cancer is just one of them.
(3) Smoking is extremely hazardous in women as it can play havoc with the biological rhythm of the body. Excessive smoking could cause sterility in both the male and the female. But in women, smoking has been found (by statistical analysis) that women who smoke stand at a much higher risk of breast cancer than others. The same can be said about women who consume too much of alcohol.
(4) Walking is considered to be effective in keeping breast cancer away. Walking is a simple exercise, but it can keep the woman’s body fit. Also walking stimulates proper blood circulation in all parts of the body without making the person excessively tired. Apart from walking, other simple exercises like running, jumping, swimming, etc. are also effective.
(5) All women over the age of 40 are at a risk of breast cancer. Hence they should keep their lifestyle healthy. The diet should be kept as natural as possible, and artificial spices and preservatives must be avoided. Elderly women should not lead sedentary lifestyles; they must involve themselves in some kind of physical activity or the other, depending on their lifestyles.
(6) There has been a kind of an association established with high fats and breast cancers. Women whose diet consists of a lot of fats are more susceptible to getting breast cancers than others. For this reason, it is necessary to minimize fats in the diet as much as possible. Instead of high-calorie fats, a low fat diet is preferable. This will also help to keep obesity and cardiovascular problems in check.
Breast cancer prevention is more important than the treatment of the cancer itself, because prevention is always better than cure. The above precautions will greatly reduce the risk of having a cancer, but then they are not sure-shot methods. Medical science has not yet been able to come up with a good explanation as to why some women get breast cancers and some don’t. Hence at the slightest sign of any abnormality with your breasts, it is necessary to seek urgent medical attention. Your vigilance might save your life.
Read more about the Breast Cancer Prevention and other breast care issues at http://www.mysecrethealth.com
Also read more about the Benefits of Herbal Breast Products for Natural Breast Enlargement.
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Breast cancer has earned the disrepute of becoming the second-most killing type of all cancers that are found in humans, having lost the race only to lung cancer. About one in every ten women has chances of developing breast cancer if precautions are not taken early on. Despite this alarming number of its victims, it is pathetic to know that there is an absolute lack of information on the disease. It is not that there is no written material available about the disease, but most women are too complacent regarding the problem. It is always the ‘disease that affects the other woman so it doesn’t bother me’ until it is too late to remedy the situation.
Breast cancer is the abnormal growth of cells within the breast. These cells would aggregate like a lump, which would be called as the breast tumor. The tumor can be felt from the outside of the breast even when it is still harmless. At this harmless stage, it is called as a benign tumor. Benign tumors can be surgically operable. If that is done, the risk of the advancement of the breast cancer is very negligible. But if the tumor is allowed to go on, then it would continue to the malignant stage. During this stage the cancer would proliferate to such an extent within the surrounding tissues that it would be impossible to remove it completely. When the cancerous cells enter the bloodstream, there is no way out. The result is certain death.
Hence it is important to snuff out the breast cancer while it is still benign, and perhaps that is the only way to keep the cancer at bay once it occurs. But most women do not know that there are various ways to reduce the risk of contracting breast cancers. Since breast cancer can strike just about any woman, it is extremely necessary to pay attention to these methods that can help to prevent the disease. The following are the precautions that women must take to prevent the onset of breast cancer:-
(1) If you are overweight, then seriously work at reducing your weight. Science has proved a direct relation between obesity and breast cancer. At the same time, lean women have a significantly lesser chance of contracting the disease.
(2) Do not introduce any supplements in your body that could change the internal hormonal balance of the body. In women, the two main feminine character deciding hormones are progesterone and estrogen. These hormones maintain the proper balance of the female characteristics, including the shape and the function of the breasts. An alteration in this balance could bring on several female health related diseases, among which breast cancer is just one of them.
(3) Smoking is extremely hazardous in women as it can play havoc with the biological rhythm of the body. Excessive smoking could cause sterility in both the male and the female. But in women, smoking has been found (by statistical analysis) that women who smoke stand at a much higher risk of breast cancer than others. The same can be said about women who consume too much of alcohol.
(4) Walking is considered to be effective in keeping breast cancer away. Walking is a simple exercise, but it can keep the woman’s body fit. Also walking stimulates proper blood circulation in all parts of the body without making the person excessively tired. Apart from walking, other simple exercises like running, jumping, swimming, etc. are also effective.
(5) All women over the age of 40 are at a risk of breast cancer. Hence they should keep their lifestyle healthy. The diet should be kept as natural as possible, and artificial spices and preservatives must be avoided. Elderly women should not lead sedentary lifestyles; they must involve themselves in some kind of physical activity or the other, depending on their lifestyles.
(6) There has been a kind of an association established with high fats and breast cancers. Women whose diet consists of a lot of fats are more susceptible to getting breast cancers than others. For this reason, it is necessary to minimize fats in the diet as much as possible. Instead of high-calorie fats, a low fat diet is preferable. This will also help to keep obesity and cardiovascular problems in check.
Breast cancer prevention is more important than the treatment of the cancer itself, because prevention is always better than cure. The above precautions will greatly reduce the risk of having a cancer, but then they are not sure-shot methods. Medical science has not yet been able to come up with a good explanation as to why some women get breast cancers and some don’t. Hence at the slightest sign of any abnormality with your breasts, it is necessary to seek urgent medical attention. Your vigilance might save your life.
Read more about the Breast Cancer Prevention and other breast care issues at http://www.mysecrethealth.com
Also read more about the Benefits of Herbal Breast Products for Natural Breast Enlargement.
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Herbal And Alternative Treatments For Breast Cancer
by Mary Hanna
Herbal remedies have been around for for thousands of years. Now, women with breast cancer facing chemotherapy and radiation are supplementing this traditional medicine with herbal remedies and alternative treatments. They are not abandoning the usual breast cancer treatment; they are using herbal remedies and alternative treatments to curb the side effects.
Ginseng has been used by the Chinese for centuries. They believe that it stimulates the immune system and energies the patient. There are more than 30 active compounds in the ginseng root. Many of the compounds are believed to have anti-tumor properties. In a Chinese study it was found that women who took ginseng before their diagnosis had a higher survival rate than the women who took ginseng after their diagnosis. Women have reported that they have a higher quality of life and suffer less depression while using ginseng.
There is a mushroom, the Maitake that helps in boosting the immune system. Here again, in the East this has been used widely. Lab studies have been done using liquid Maitake extract. Many researchers believe that the mushrooms contain beta-glucans which helps to enhance the immune system. They still don't know why, but they are working on it.
Mistletoe extract has been used in Europe to treat cancer patients for over 80 years. It has been shown to kill cancer cells and boost the immune system. There have been very few studies done here on mistletoe, but some research is under way and will be out at the end of this year. Researchers are studying the safety, the effects on the immune system and its toxicity.
Acupuncture is especially helpful for nausea and post surgical pain. Many studies done by research oncologists have shown that acupuncture was better for women with breast cancer than the medication taken to fight nausea. It also helps in loss of appetite, fatigue and sleep disorders. The AAMA recommends women with breast cancer should get acupuncture during their chemotherapy treatments but only after you have spoken to your primary doctor.
All doctors and researchers stress that diet and exercise play a key role in treating cancer. Stick to a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and grains. The National Cancer Institute recommends at least 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day. Phytochemicals are found in fruits and vegetables and they prevent cancers in a number of ways. Research shows that they help in detoxification of carcinogens, DNA repair, boosting of the immune system and maintenance of cellular control mechanisms. Obesity plays a role in getting cancer. Change your diet, eat healthy and go for a walk or ride a bike. This is a suggestion we should all take to heart.
These alternative methods may well help you through your breast cancer treatment and perhaps even get you a speedier recovery. New studies are being done everyday for women with breast cancer. Discuss these alternative therapies with your Doctor and always let your physician and your oncologist know about any therapies you want to take, before you take them. This will make sure that the alternative therapy won't interfere with your chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor nor am I in the medical field. This is just information that I researched out of curiosity and the desire to know all of the options available.
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
About the Author
Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com, http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com, and http://www.GardeningHerb.com
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Herbal remedies have been around for for thousands of years. Now, women with breast cancer facing chemotherapy and radiation are supplementing this traditional medicine with herbal remedies and alternative treatments. They are not abandoning the usual breast cancer treatment; they are using herbal remedies and alternative treatments to curb the side effects.
Ginseng has been used by the Chinese for centuries. They believe that it stimulates the immune system and energies the patient. There are more than 30 active compounds in the ginseng root. Many of the compounds are believed to have anti-tumor properties. In a Chinese study it was found that women who took ginseng before their diagnosis had a higher survival rate than the women who took ginseng after their diagnosis. Women have reported that they have a higher quality of life and suffer less depression while using ginseng.
There is a mushroom, the Maitake that helps in boosting the immune system. Here again, in the East this has been used widely. Lab studies have been done using liquid Maitake extract. Many researchers believe that the mushrooms contain beta-glucans which helps to enhance the immune system. They still don't know why, but they are working on it.
Mistletoe extract has been used in Europe to treat cancer patients for over 80 years. It has been shown to kill cancer cells and boost the immune system. There have been very few studies done here on mistletoe, but some research is under way and will be out at the end of this year. Researchers are studying the safety, the effects on the immune system and its toxicity.
Acupuncture is especially helpful for nausea and post surgical pain. Many studies done by research oncologists have shown that acupuncture was better for women with breast cancer than the medication taken to fight nausea. It also helps in loss of appetite, fatigue and sleep disorders. The AAMA recommends women with breast cancer should get acupuncture during their chemotherapy treatments but only after you have spoken to your primary doctor.
All doctors and researchers stress that diet and exercise play a key role in treating cancer. Stick to a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and grains. The National Cancer Institute recommends at least 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day. Phytochemicals are found in fruits and vegetables and they prevent cancers in a number of ways. Research shows that they help in detoxification of carcinogens, DNA repair, boosting of the immune system and maintenance of cellular control mechanisms. Obesity plays a role in getting cancer. Change your diet, eat healthy and go for a walk or ride a bike. This is a suggestion we should all take to heart.
These alternative methods may well help you through your breast cancer treatment and perhaps even get you a speedier recovery. New studies are being done everyday for women with breast cancer. Discuss these alternative therapies with your Doctor and always let your physician and your oncologist know about any therapies you want to take, before you take them. This will make sure that the alternative therapy won't interfere with your chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor nor am I in the medical field. This is just information that I researched out of curiosity and the desire to know all of the options available.
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
About the Author
Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com, http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com, and http://www.GardeningHerb.com
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Green Tea and Breast Cancer
by Elizabeth Radisson
Green tea provides numerous health benefits and while many have not been scientifically proven, some have been. Most recently, the claim that green tea helps fight and prevent breast cancer is being researched. Interestingly, the Chinese have been using green tea medicinally to treat disease for over 4000 years.
Green tea contains the polyphenol EGCG, that is an antioxidant that inhibits cancer cells from reproducing. Polyphenol is known to kill cancer cells while not harming healthy ones. Green tea is loaded with healthy minerals among others such as aluminum and fluoride and is rich in flavonoids, alkaloids, other polyphenols and tannins. Green tea lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and prevents blood clots from forming. Green tea has been proven to effectively help strengthen the immune system. It has also seen to be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases and infection. Studies show green tea to be a helper in preventing prostate cancer and a helper in reducing the risk of esophageal cancer in chronic smokers. Popular belief is that green tea will help prevent tooth decay and will aid in losing weight.
Green tea and black tea are different despite coming from the same camellia sinensis plant. Green tea, becoming popular throughout the world, is not fermented, whereas black tea is. Oolong tea comes from partially fermented tea leaves.
Green tea has been tested in experiments with rats. The studies indicated that rats drinking green tea had tumors reduce in size and others slow in development while the rats that drank just water saw no reductions or slowing of tumor growth of any kind. This kind of result sets up great hopes for green tea as a cancer fighter, though there are no conclusive results on humans and years of study are required before any determination can be made.
Three to four cups of green tea daily are needed to be considered effective as a cancer preventor in humans, but green tea in capsule form is not seen to be as effective. You should drink your green tea without milk and sugar. Three to four cups daily seems like a lot to drink, but people routinely drink that much and more coffee and soda in one day. Green tea does contain caffeine, which can be problematic. It has less caffeine than the same amount of coffee, but drinking large quantities could cause insomnia and disrupt your sleep patterns.
Grocery stores typically carry both caffeinated and decaffeinated green tea products in a large variety of flavors. Women with breast cancer may want to consider drinking green tea to help fight the cancer.
About the Author: Elizabeth Radisson is the editor of http://BreastCancer.OurGoodHealth.org, a website devoted to information on the causes and treatment of breast cancer. Also, visit Green.Info-tea.com for more information on green tea.
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Green tea provides numerous health benefits and while many have not been scientifically proven, some have been. Most recently, the claim that green tea helps fight and prevent breast cancer is being researched. Interestingly, the Chinese have been using green tea medicinally to treat disease for over 4000 years.
Green tea contains the polyphenol EGCG, that is an antioxidant that inhibits cancer cells from reproducing. Polyphenol is known to kill cancer cells while not harming healthy ones. Green tea is loaded with healthy minerals among others such as aluminum and fluoride and is rich in flavonoids, alkaloids, other polyphenols and tannins. Green tea lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and prevents blood clots from forming. Green tea has been proven to effectively help strengthen the immune system. It has also seen to be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases and infection. Studies show green tea to be a helper in preventing prostate cancer and a helper in reducing the risk of esophageal cancer in chronic smokers. Popular belief is that green tea will help prevent tooth decay and will aid in losing weight.
Green tea and black tea are different despite coming from the same camellia sinensis plant. Green tea, becoming popular throughout the world, is not fermented, whereas black tea is. Oolong tea comes from partially fermented tea leaves.
Green tea has been tested in experiments with rats. The studies indicated that rats drinking green tea had tumors reduce in size and others slow in development while the rats that drank just water saw no reductions or slowing of tumor growth of any kind. This kind of result sets up great hopes for green tea as a cancer fighter, though there are no conclusive results on humans and years of study are required before any determination can be made.
Three to four cups of green tea daily are needed to be considered effective as a cancer preventor in humans, but green tea in capsule form is not seen to be as effective. You should drink your green tea without milk and sugar. Three to four cups daily seems like a lot to drink, but people routinely drink that much and more coffee and soda in one day. Green tea does contain caffeine, which can be problematic. It has less caffeine than the same amount of coffee, but drinking large quantities could cause insomnia and disrupt your sleep patterns.
Grocery stores typically carry both caffeinated and decaffeinated green tea products in a large variety of flavors. Women with breast cancer may want to consider drinking green tea to help fight the cancer.
About the Author: Elizabeth Radisson is the editor of http://BreastCancer.OurGoodHealth.org, a website devoted to information on the causes and treatment of breast cancer. Also, visit Green.Info-tea.com for more information on green tea.
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Fat Has Long Been Known As One Of The Evil Elements In Breast Cancer
by J.Stone
Research has shown that too much fat in the fodder cup increases the tumor risk. In addition, international comparative studies stated, where greater amounts of fat were consumed, breast cancer cases rose.
The quality of the results of these comparative studies does not leave much to the imagination. They are based on agricultural production numbers and state nothing about the fat consumption of individual persons.
Besides societies differ, where there is little fat eaten as in traditional Japanese rural regions or in Africa as compared to our prosperous western societies that it is impossible to link back the different diseases such as breast cancer to only a meal or to an individual material like fat.
Take young African women who get their periods later than western females, but they bear their first child in earlier years and have far more children. Each of these factors reduces the statistical risk for breast cancer.
The latest and more methodical studies in which women who consumed a great deal of food but with little fat were compared directly with each another. The results did not provide any proven evidence that vouches for the fact that any one different source of fat was worse or better than the other.
It did not play a role whether the fat was of animal or vegetable origin and whether it predominantly consisted of unsaturated fatty acids.
As breast cancer promotions advertize a bad nutrition is also regarded as too many calories, too much fat, alcohol and meat. On the other hand a low fat food diet is better for the chest and rich in base materials, vegetables, fruit, anti-oxidants and vitamins.
But how well are these statements proven by scientific investigations?
In laboratories it has been proven that mice set on half rations of food live longer and rarely get cancer. So do women who want to protect themselves against breast cancer have to do likewise?
It is advised that it would not be beneficial for women to go on these stringent diets because first of all observation studies of humans did not result in a connection between the calorie admission and the risk of breast cancer. Secondly from experience it shows that humans who are constantly dieting on and off tend to put on weight rather than become thinner.
Nevertheless there is an indirect effect of our western way of life on the risk of breast cancer. Our children mature exceedingly faster especially the females who are becoming sexually ripe earlier. Statistically this earlier stage of development is accompanied with an increase in breast cancer.
Also the connection between the predominance of breast cancer is far less clear, than what has been studied and read in technical literature. The data shows that years ago chubby women seemed to be protected against chest tumors. Past statistics have shown this.
Past published studies showed an increase in weight did not result in a higher risk of getting this form of breast cancer. These extra pounds of body weight actually help protect against Osteoporosis, the fearful decalcifying of the bones.
With the rising consumption of meat about half of the studies published so far have not resulted in an increased risk of breast cancer, the other half were undecided which is possibly explained by the fact that there are some women who have sensitive reactions to meat
The women with sensitive reactions showed certain characteristics in their hereditary factors, which are presently being intensively investigated. Which leads to a possible concern as to the benefit of meat. It is important to know that the questionable substances develop particularly with well done meat. In addition these reactions can be further intensified to a minimum by meat spices such as Thyme, Mint and Mustard.
As far as alcohol goes most studies found an increase of the risk of breast cancer, some starting from a drink per day. However the aggravation of risk was only slight. While alcohol is not favorably healthy in larger quantities, the benefits of alcohol in moderation must be taken in to account. Such as its favorable effect on the cardiovascular system, a moderate consumption of alcohol in the second part of life accompanies clearly with decreased cardiac problems and impacts disease accumulation risk with a higher life expectancy!
Fruit and vegetables are healthy, but consuming a large amount of vegetables and fruits, do not however automatically offer a higher protection from breast cancer. Several large studies could not provide any proof of a special protective effect by a high fruit and vegetable consumption. However that in no way diminishes the importance of fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy nutrition!
The same with vitamins like anti-oxidants, vitamin E, C and A, whilst good for you there is no undisputable evidence that vitamins can reduce the risk of breast cancer. References have been made that Vitamin E and C can actually help enrich the tumor helping it to protect itself against the medicines meant to destroy it.
A possible exception concerns a Vitamin of the B-group. Whether it is really useful however will only be shown through future studies as more data is collected and recommendations made.
Beside Vitamin and mineral supplements vegetables contain secondary plant compounds that could be helpful. Among these substances for example ranked highly is Flavonoid (group of antioxidant chemical compounds) and Phytoestrogens (compounds that occur naturally in plants).
Therefore they are at present investigated intensively with laboratory and animal experiments as well as a set of human observation studies pointed towards the chest-protecting effect of Phytoestrogens.
Before purposeful nourishing recommendations can be given, the researchers must however still clarify how the processing of the food affects the effect of these substances.
Still with all the existing knowledge gaps it can safely be said that there is no Diet or food form which can heal cancer!
J. Stone writes exclusively for cancer-treatment-help.com
http://www.cancer-treatment-help.com
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Research has shown that too much fat in the fodder cup increases the tumor risk. In addition, international comparative studies stated, where greater amounts of fat were consumed, breast cancer cases rose.
The quality of the results of these comparative studies does not leave much to the imagination. They are based on agricultural production numbers and state nothing about the fat consumption of individual persons.
Besides societies differ, where there is little fat eaten as in traditional Japanese rural regions or in Africa as compared to our prosperous western societies that it is impossible to link back the different diseases such as breast cancer to only a meal or to an individual material like fat.
Take young African women who get their periods later than western females, but they bear their first child in earlier years and have far more children. Each of these factors reduces the statistical risk for breast cancer.
The latest and more methodical studies in which women who consumed a great deal of food but with little fat were compared directly with each another. The results did not provide any proven evidence that vouches for the fact that any one different source of fat was worse or better than the other.
It did not play a role whether the fat was of animal or vegetable origin and whether it predominantly consisted of unsaturated fatty acids.
As breast cancer promotions advertize a bad nutrition is also regarded as too many calories, too much fat, alcohol and meat. On the other hand a low fat food diet is better for the chest and rich in base materials, vegetables, fruit, anti-oxidants and vitamins.
But how well are these statements proven by scientific investigations?
In laboratories it has been proven that mice set on half rations of food live longer and rarely get cancer. So do women who want to protect themselves against breast cancer have to do likewise?
It is advised that it would not be beneficial for women to go on these stringent diets because first of all observation studies of humans did not result in a connection between the calorie admission and the risk of breast cancer. Secondly from experience it shows that humans who are constantly dieting on and off tend to put on weight rather than become thinner.
Nevertheless there is an indirect effect of our western way of life on the risk of breast cancer. Our children mature exceedingly faster especially the females who are becoming sexually ripe earlier. Statistically this earlier stage of development is accompanied with an increase in breast cancer.
Also the connection between the predominance of breast cancer is far less clear, than what has been studied and read in technical literature. The data shows that years ago chubby women seemed to be protected against chest tumors. Past statistics have shown this.
Past published studies showed an increase in weight did not result in a higher risk of getting this form of breast cancer. These extra pounds of body weight actually help protect against Osteoporosis, the fearful decalcifying of the bones.
With the rising consumption of meat about half of the studies published so far have not resulted in an increased risk of breast cancer, the other half were undecided which is possibly explained by the fact that there are some women who have sensitive reactions to meat
The women with sensitive reactions showed certain characteristics in their hereditary factors, which are presently being intensively investigated. Which leads to a possible concern as to the benefit of meat. It is important to know that the questionable substances develop particularly with well done meat. In addition these reactions can be further intensified to a minimum by meat spices such as Thyme, Mint and Mustard.
As far as alcohol goes most studies found an increase of the risk of breast cancer, some starting from a drink per day. However the aggravation of risk was only slight. While alcohol is not favorably healthy in larger quantities, the benefits of alcohol in moderation must be taken in to account. Such as its favorable effect on the cardiovascular system, a moderate consumption of alcohol in the second part of life accompanies clearly with decreased cardiac problems and impacts disease accumulation risk with a higher life expectancy!
Fruit and vegetables are healthy, but consuming a large amount of vegetables and fruits, do not however automatically offer a higher protection from breast cancer. Several large studies could not provide any proof of a special protective effect by a high fruit and vegetable consumption. However that in no way diminishes the importance of fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy nutrition!
The same with vitamins like anti-oxidants, vitamin E, C and A, whilst good for you there is no undisputable evidence that vitamins can reduce the risk of breast cancer. References have been made that Vitamin E and C can actually help enrich the tumor helping it to protect itself against the medicines meant to destroy it.
A possible exception concerns a Vitamin of the B-group. Whether it is really useful however will only be shown through future studies as more data is collected and recommendations made.
Beside Vitamin and mineral supplements vegetables contain secondary plant compounds that could be helpful. Among these substances for example ranked highly is Flavonoid (group of antioxidant chemical compounds) and Phytoestrogens (compounds that occur naturally in plants).
Therefore they are at present investigated intensively with laboratory and animal experiments as well as a set of human observation studies pointed towards the chest-protecting effect of Phytoestrogens.
Before purposeful nourishing recommendations can be given, the researchers must however still clarify how the processing of the food affects the effect of these substances.
Still with all the existing knowledge gaps it can safely be said that there is no Diet or food form which can heal cancer!
J. Stone writes exclusively for cancer-treatment-help.com
http://www.cancer-treatment-help.com
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Friday, April 13, 2007
Dealing with a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
by Ned Gonzalez
“You have cancer” may be the three most frightening words a patient can hear a doctor utter. Over 214,000 men and women affected by breast cancer in the United States hear those words every year.
A diagnosis of breast cancer can leave a person feeling alone, afraid and hopeless. But having information and knowing where to turn for support can help patients with breast cancer regain a sense of hope and control.
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is an indispensable resource for anyone affected by breast cancer-- the newly diagnosed, those undergoing treatment, and their friends and family. The organization offers an informative Web site as well as a 24-hour hotline staffed by trained breast cancer survivors. Counseling is available in Spanish as well as English, and interpreters are available in 150 other languages.
Breast cancer patients and their families can call the hotline for information and for emotional support. Questions asked on the hotline range from “Am I going to die?” to “My wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer. What do we do?” Y-ME affiliates throughout the nation provide additional services such as support groups, early detection workshops, wigs and prostheses for patients with limited resources, and advocacy on breast cancer.
Often those friends and family of breast cancer patients are also completely devastated, overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness. Fortunately, there are currently a multitude of partnerships that allow both patients and family alike to show their support.
For example, Eaton Corporation’s Golf Grip Division, the world’s largest manufacturer of golf grips, has partnered with Y-ME through its “Grip for Awareness, Swing for Hope” campaign to help ensure that no one faces breast cancer alone. Eaton, manufacturer of the Golf Pride grip brand, will donate 25 cents for every one of its Tour Velvet Pink grips and Dual Durometer Pink putter grips sold in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom through January 2007.
“No matter what gender or age, we have all been touched by someone who has battled breast cancer,” says Dwight Miles, director of global sales and marketing for Eaton Corporation’s Golf Grip Division. “Eaton’s Golf Grip Division is honored to support Y-ME’s mission and to help provide recognition for its many programs.” The Tour Velvet Pink is currently available at most golf equipment retailers, while the Dual Durometer™ Pink putter grip will hit stores in early August.
In October, Eaton will also recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by manufacturing a limited number of Golf Pride’s Tour Velvet Pink grips imprinted with Y-ME’s pink inverted ribbon. The symbol represents how lives are turned upside down by the disease.
Many patients report that the time between their diagnosis and the start of treatment was the most difficult. If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, here is some additional information that may help:
* Taking action is the best way to cope with this anxiety. Learn as much as you can about the disease and treatment and support options available to you.
* This is a good time to reach out to people you trust: family and friends, a neighbor or co-worker, a Y-ME hotline peer counselor or members of a support group.
* When making treatment decisions, it is important to consider how a treatment will affect the quality of your life, as well as what is medically effective.
* You CAN make a difference in your life and the life of someone else by letting people affected by breast cancer know that they are not alone. Y-ME is here for you 24 hours a day.
For more information on coping with breast cancer, visit www.y-me.org or call the hotline at (800) 221-2141 for English or (800) 986-9505 for Spanish. For more information on Golf Pride’s “Grip for Awareness, Swing for Hope” campaign, visit www.golfpride.com. - ARA
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“You have cancer” may be the three most frightening words a patient can hear a doctor utter. Over 214,000 men and women affected by breast cancer in the United States hear those words every year.
A diagnosis of breast cancer can leave a person feeling alone, afraid and hopeless. But having information and knowing where to turn for support can help patients with breast cancer regain a sense of hope and control.
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is an indispensable resource for anyone affected by breast cancer-- the newly diagnosed, those undergoing treatment, and their friends and family. The organization offers an informative Web site as well as a 24-hour hotline staffed by trained breast cancer survivors. Counseling is available in Spanish as well as English, and interpreters are available in 150 other languages.
Breast cancer patients and their families can call the hotline for information and for emotional support. Questions asked on the hotline range from “Am I going to die?” to “My wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer. What do we do?” Y-ME affiliates throughout the nation provide additional services such as support groups, early detection workshops, wigs and prostheses for patients with limited resources, and advocacy on breast cancer.
Often those friends and family of breast cancer patients are also completely devastated, overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness. Fortunately, there are currently a multitude of partnerships that allow both patients and family alike to show their support.
For example, Eaton Corporation’s Golf Grip Division, the world’s largest manufacturer of golf grips, has partnered with Y-ME through its “Grip for Awareness, Swing for Hope” campaign to help ensure that no one faces breast cancer alone. Eaton, manufacturer of the Golf Pride grip brand, will donate 25 cents for every one of its Tour Velvet Pink grips and Dual Durometer Pink putter grips sold in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom through January 2007.
“No matter what gender or age, we have all been touched by someone who has battled breast cancer,” says Dwight Miles, director of global sales and marketing for Eaton Corporation’s Golf Grip Division. “Eaton’s Golf Grip Division is honored to support Y-ME’s mission and to help provide recognition for its many programs.” The Tour Velvet Pink is currently available at most golf equipment retailers, while the Dual Durometer™ Pink putter grip will hit stores in early August.
In October, Eaton will also recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by manufacturing a limited number of Golf Pride’s Tour Velvet Pink grips imprinted with Y-ME’s pink inverted ribbon. The symbol represents how lives are turned upside down by the disease.
Many patients report that the time between their diagnosis and the start of treatment was the most difficult. If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, here is some additional information that may help:
* Taking action is the best way to cope with this anxiety. Learn as much as you can about the disease and treatment and support options available to you.
* This is a good time to reach out to people you trust: family and friends, a neighbor or co-worker, a Y-ME hotline peer counselor or members of a support group.
* When making treatment decisions, it is important to consider how a treatment will affect the quality of your life, as well as what is medically effective.
* You CAN make a difference in your life and the life of someone else by letting people affected by breast cancer know that they are not alone. Y-ME is here for you 24 hours a day.
For more information on coping with breast cancer, visit www.y-me.org or call the hotline at (800) 221-2141 for English or (800) 986-9505 for Spanish. For more information on Golf Pride’s “Grip for Awareness, Swing for Hope” campaign, visit www.golfpride.com. - ARA
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Diet And Breast Cancer
by Nitin Chhoda
Someone I know is battling breast cancer and if it were up to me, I would not let anyone go through the same ordeal. She is a client, and a dear friend.
Every two minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. The incidence has climbed from one in 20 in 1960 to one in seven women today. It's a terrifying disease that turns everything upside down. In the United Kingdom, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer and affects more than 300,000 women each year. In fact, England and Wales together have one of the highest mortality rates from breast cancer in the world. Until recently, the role of diet in breast cancer was not fully understood. Today, it's much clearer than ever that certain foods play a role in cancer formation or make a preexisting cancer worse. In fact, some scientists believe that one third of all cancers occur as a result of diet.
There is a direct link between obesity (especially if the fat is round the waist) and the risk of developing breast cancer. Some authorities suggest that being overweight only increases the risk of cancer for women who have been through menopause. Also, the amount of fat in the diet influences levels of the hormone oestrogen - a trigger for breast cancer. Red and fried meat may contribute to a rise in the incidence of breast cancer. Cut down your intake of pork, lamb, beef, sausages, hamburgers, meat pies, bacon, ham and processed canned meats. There is also consistent evidence that alcohol - even one drink a day - does lead to a small increase in risk although it's not known why.
If you would like to protect against breast cancer, consider soya, cereals, legumes and vegetables. These contain phytoestrogens, metabolically active compounds found in plants. These have a 'balancing' effect on oestrogens produced naturally in the body.
Additonal ways to fight cancer include maintaining a healthy body weight, eating more fibre (e.g. wholegrain cereals, pulses and wholegrain breakfast cereals such as muesli and bran flakes), restricting alchol to less than 2-3 units a day (one unit is equivalent to one glass of wine, ½ pint of beer or one pub measure of spirits.)
For more information about these exercises and to get free full color exercise routines, diet plans and grocery lists, visit Best Weight Loss Programs and Toning For Women. You can train with Nitin at the Phone Fitness Trainer website
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Someone I know is battling breast cancer and if it were up to me, I would not let anyone go through the same ordeal. She is a client, and a dear friend.
Every two minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. The incidence has climbed from one in 20 in 1960 to one in seven women today. It's a terrifying disease that turns everything upside down. In the United Kingdom, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer and affects more than 300,000 women each year. In fact, England and Wales together have one of the highest mortality rates from breast cancer in the world. Until recently, the role of diet in breast cancer was not fully understood. Today, it's much clearer than ever that certain foods play a role in cancer formation or make a preexisting cancer worse. In fact, some scientists believe that one third of all cancers occur as a result of diet.
There is a direct link between obesity (especially if the fat is round the waist) and the risk of developing breast cancer. Some authorities suggest that being overweight only increases the risk of cancer for women who have been through menopause. Also, the amount of fat in the diet influences levels of the hormone oestrogen - a trigger for breast cancer. Red and fried meat may contribute to a rise in the incidence of breast cancer. Cut down your intake of pork, lamb, beef, sausages, hamburgers, meat pies, bacon, ham and processed canned meats. There is also consistent evidence that alcohol - even one drink a day - does lead to a small increase in risk although it's not known why.
If you would like to protect against breast cancer, consider soya, cereals, legumes and vegetables. These contain phytoestrogens, metabolically active compounds found in plants. These have a 'balancing' effect on oestrogens produced naturally in the body.
Fruit and vegetables, especially those with deep colours such as red grapes and
dark green leafs, are a major source of antioxidants, which help fight all
cancers.
Additonal ways to fight cancer include maintaining a healthy body weight, eating more fibre (e.g. wholegrain cereals, pulses and wholegrain breakfast cereals such as muesli and bran flakes), restricting alchol to less than 2-3 units a day (one unit is equivalent to one glass of wine, ½ pint of beer or one pub measure of spirits.)
For more information about these exercises and to get free full color exercise routines, diet plans and grocery lists, visit Best Weight Loss Programs and Toning For Women. You can train with Nitin at the Phone Fitness Trainer website
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Breast Cancer Treatment
by Vinay Choubey
The mainstay of breast cancer treatment is surgery when the tumor is localized, with possible adjuvant hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. At present, the treatment recommendations after surgery (adjuvant therapy) follow a pattern. Depending on clinical criteria (age, type of cancer, size, metastasis) patients are roughly divided to high risk and low risk cases which follow different rules for therapy. Treatment possibilities include Radiation Therapy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, and Immune Therapy.
Information on Breast Cancer Treatments
Surgery
Depending on the staging and type of the tumor, just a lumpectomy (removal of the lump only) may be all that is necessary or removal of larger amounts of breast tissue may be necessary. Surgical removal of the entire breast is called mastectomy. Standard practice requires that the surgeon must establish that the tissue removed in the operation has margins clear of cancer, indicating that the cancer has been completely excised. If the tissue removed does not have clear margins, then further operations to remove more tissue may be necessary. This may sometimes require removal of part of the pectoralis major muscle which is the main muscle of the anterior chest wall.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can be given both before and after surgery. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is used to shrink the size of a tumor prior to surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy is given after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. Cancer cells usually grow more rapidly than normal cells, and chemotherapy drugs work against them by interfering with their growth and reproduction.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy consists of the use of high powered X-rays or gamma rays (XRT) that precisely target the area that is being treated. These X-rays or gamma rays are very effective in destroying the cancer cells that might recur where the tumor was removed. These X-rays are delivered by a machine called a linear Accelerator or LINAC. Alternatively, the use of implanted radioactive catheters, similar to those used in prostate cancer treatment, is being evaluated. The use of radiation therapy for breast cancer is usually given after surgery has been performed and is an essential component of breast conserving therapy. The purpose of radiation is to reduce the chance that the cancer will recur.
Hormonal Treatment
Hormonal therapy is a very effective treatment against breast cancer that is hormone-receptor-positive. Find out if you should be tested to see if you need other therapies, as well. Sometimes called "anti-estrogen therapy," hormonal therapy blocks the ability of the hormone estrogen to turn on and stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. Tamoxifen is the drug most commonly used to block estrogen receptors on cancer cells, in effect, denying them the estrogen they need to grow and multiply.
Herceptin
Herceptin is the first humanized antibody approved for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Herceptin is designed to target and block the function of HER2 protein overexpression. Research has shown that HER2-positive breast cancer is a more aggressive disease with a greater likelihood of recurrence, a poorer prognosis, and a decreased chance of survival compared with HER2-negative breast cancer.
Comprehensive Breast Centers
Women with breast cancer increasingly are choosing to be treated at comprehensive breast centers that offer up-to-date treatments and the specialists that can provide them. Learn more information on breast cancer and the latest technologies.
Vinay Choubey
SEO Manager
For more details on Breast Cancer Treatment visit us at www.halfvalue.com and www.halfvalue.co.uk
Find more information on Books at www.lookbookstores.com
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The mainstay of breast cancer treatment is surgery when the tumor is localized, with possible adjuvant hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. At present, the treatment recommendations after surgery (adjuvant therapy) follow a pattern. Depending on clinical criteria (age, type of cancer, size, metastasis) patients are roughly divided to high risk and low risk cases which follow different rules for therapy. Treatment possibilities include Radiation Therapy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, and Immune Therapy.
Information on Breast Cancer Treatments
Surgery
Depending on the staging and type of the tumor, just a lumpectomy (removal of the lump only) may be all that is necessary or removal of larger amounts of breast tissue may be necessary. Surgical removal of the entire breast is called mastectomy. Standard practice requires that the surgeon must establish that the tissue removed in the operation has margins clear of cancer, indicating that the cancer has been completely excised. If the tissue removed does not have clear margins, then further operations to remove more tissue may be necessary. This may sometimes require removal of part of the pectoralis major muscle which is the main muscle of the anterior chest wall.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can be given both before and after surgery. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is used to shrink the size of a tumor prior to surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy is given after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. Cancer cells usually grow more rapidly than normal cells, and chemotherapy drugs work against them by interfering with their growth and reproduction.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy consists of the use of high powered X-rays or gamma rays (XRT) that precisely target the area that is being treated. These X-rays or gamma rays are very effective in destroying the cancer cells that might recur where the tumor was removed. These X-rays are delivered by a machine called a linear Accelerator or LINAC. Alternatively, the use of implanted radioactive catheters, similar to those used in prostate cancer treatment, is being evaluated. The use of radiation therapy for breast cancer is usually given after surgery has been performed and is an essential component of breast conserving therapy. The purpose of radiation is to reduce the chance that the cancer will recur.
Hormonal Treatment
Hormonal therapy is a very effective treatment against breast cancer that is hormone-receptor-positive. Find out if you should be tested to see if you need other therapies, as well. Sometimes called "anti-estrogen therapy," hormonal therapy blocks the ability of the hormone estrogen to turn on and stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. Tamoxifen is the drug most commonly used to block estrogen receptors on cancer cells, in effect, denying them the estrogen they need to grow and multiply.
Herceptin
Herceptin is the first humanized antibody approved for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Herceptin is designed to target and block the function of HER2 protein overexpression. Research has shown that HER2-positive breast cancer is a more aggressive disease with a greater likelihood of recurrence, a poorer prognosis, and a decreased chance of survival compared with HER2-negative breast cancer.
Comprehensive Breast Centers
Women with breast cancer increasingly are choosing to be treated at comprehensive breast centers that offer up-to-date treatments and the specialists that can provide them. Learn more information on breast cancer and the latest technologies.
Vinay Choubey
SEO Manager
For more details on Breast Cancer Treatment visit us at www.halfvalue.com and www.halfvalue.co.uk
Find more information on Books at www.lookbookstores.com
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Breast Cancer: Steps To Aid In Early Detection
by Donna Rivera-Loudon
I learned some interesting facts about breast cancer that I feel every woman should know. The sources I used for this article included the American Cancer Society, The National Cancer Institute, and the Avon Foundation’s Breast Cancer Crusade.
Early breast cancer isn’t usually detected by pain. In fact, when breast cancer first develops, there may be no symptoms at all. That is why regular exams are important. If you have anything that makes you suspect breast cancer, contact your doctor immediately. Don't wait around to see what happens. Let the professional decide. Some symptoms that may indicate breast cancer include, but are not limited to, the following:
Nipple discharge or tenderness
Lumps in breast and/or underarm area
Visual changes which include: size of breast including swelling; inverted nipple; and pitting. Pitting means the skin looks like the skin of an orange. Scaling of the breast skin could also be a symptom.
Early detection of breast cancer is important. There is a 97% five-year survival rate when breast cancer is detected early since this can help prevent it from spreading. Below are some guidelines to early detection. I hope they help save someone's life.
Get a Mammogram
A mammogram is a specialized x-ray of the breast to help detect cancers which cannot be detected by feel. Some women are confused as to how often they should get a mammogram. Here is what the professionals say about mammograms.
At age 40 begin getting annual mammograms by a licensed technician. A mammogram will take about twenty minutes. When getting a mammogram avoid wearing deodorant, powders, or cream under your arms. Sometimes they can interfere with the results. Make sure to contact the center if they do not inform you of the results within thirty days. It is very important that results are compared from one year to the next. Hence, be sure you know where your mammogram film is being held.
Clinical Breast Exam
This is an exam by a health care professional. Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam at least every three years and women 40 or older should have an exam each year.
Self-Examination
Starting at age 20 women should begin doing a self-exam. Ask your doctor if you are not exactly sure how to do this or if you are not sure you are doing it correctly. Here are a few guides to follow: Lie down and place one arm behind your head. Using your three middle finger pads press firmly across your breast in overlapping dime-size circular motions. Use three different levels of pressure: light, medium, and firm. This allows you to feel the tissue close to your skin, to feel a little deeper, and to feel the tissue closest to your chest and ribs.
Move across your breast in an up and down pattern, starting from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone, repeating the pressure.
Stand in front of a mirror with your hands pressing down on your hips and look at your breasts for any changes in size, shape, contour, or dimpling. Also, do this with your arms slightly raised. Make sure you check under your breasts as well.
I hope that this information proves helpful to you. I am not a health care provider and by no means a professional on breast cancer. I am simply sharing with every woman possible the importance of detecting breast cancer early and some simple guidelines that might save a life.
My sources for the above information are:
American Cancer Society The National Cancer Institute Breast Health Resource Guide by the Avon Foundation's Breast Cancer Crusade
Donna has an MBA in information technology and is currently a Tupperware Director and CEO of her own company. She may be contacted at webmaster@todaysmodernwoman.com or at DonnaLoudon@my.tupperware.com.
Visit A Website for the Modern Woman for more tips on good health.
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I learned some interesting facts about breast cancer that I feel every woman should know. The sources I used for this article included the American Cancer Society, The National Cancer Institute, and the Avon Foundation’s Breast Cancer Crusade.
Early breast cancer isn’t usually detected by pain. In fact, when breast cancer first develops, there may be no symptoms at all. That is why regular exams are important. If you have anything that makes you suspect breast cancer, contact your doctor immediately. Don't wait around to see what happens. Let the professional decide. Some symptoms that may indicate breast cancer include, but are not limited to, the following:
Nipple discharge or tenderness
Lumps in breast and/or underarm area
Visual changes which include: size of breast including swelling; inverted nipple; and pitting. Pitting means the skin looks like the skin of an orange. Scaling of the breast skin could also be a symptom.
Early detection of breast cancer is important. There is a 97% five-year survival rate when breast cancer is detected early since this can help prevent it from spreading. Below are some guidelines to early detection. I hope they help save someone's life.
Get a Mammogram
A mammogram is a specialized x-ray of the breast to help detect cancers which cannot be detected by feel. Some women are confused as to how often they should get a mammogram. Here is what the professionals say about mammograms.
At age 40 begin getting annual mammograms by a licensed technician. A mammogram will take about twenty minutes. When getting a mammogram avoid wearing deodorant, powders, or cream under your arms. Sometimes they can interfere with the results. Make sure to contact the center if they do not inform you of the results within thirty days. It is very important that results are compared from one year to the next. Hence, be sure you know where your mammogram film is being held.
Clinical Breast Exam
This is an exam by a health care professional. Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam at least every three years and women 40 or older should have an exam each year.
Self-Examination
Starting at age 20 women should begin doing a self-exam. Ask your doctor if you are not exactly sure how to do this or if you are not sure you are doing it correctly. Here are a few guides to follow: Lie down and place one arm behind your head. Using your three middle finger pads press firmly across your breast in overlapping dime-size circular motions. Use three different levels of pressure: light, medium, and firm. This allows you to feel the tissue close to your skin, to feel a little deeper, and to feel the tissue closest to your chest and ribs.
Move across your breast in an up and down pattern, starting from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone, repeating the pressure.
Stand in front of a mirror with your hands pressing down on your hips and look at your breasts for any changes in size, shape, contour, or dimpling. Also, do this with your arms slightly raised. Make sure you check under your breasts as well.
I hope that this information proves helpful to you. I am not a health care provider and by no means a professional on breast cancer. I am simply sharing with every woman possible the importance of detecting breast cancer early and some simple guidelines that might save a life.
My sources for the above information are:
American Cancer Society The National Cancer Institute Breast Health Resource Guide by the Avon Foundation's Breast Cancer Crusade
Donna has an MBA in information technology and is currently a Tupperware Director and CEO of her own company. She may be contacted at webmaster@todaysmodernwoman.com or at DonnaLoudon@my.tupperware.com.
Visit A Website for the Modern Woman for more tips on good health.
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Breast Cancer Screening Can Save Your Life
by Forest
One in 9 women is expected to develop breast cancer during her lifetime. One in 27 will die of it. Breast cancer attacks mainly women, however there’s 1% of breast cancer patients are men.
As we get older, the risk of getting breast cancer increases. Basically, all women have a certain degree of risk of developing breast cancer. Women who have a family history of breast cancer have a much higher risk of contracting this disease. There are other factors that may attribute to the higher or lower the risk of developing breast cancer, some of them, e.g. Genetic risk factors, aging etc you can’t change, some e.g. lifestyle-related factors, you can.
Good news is that most of breast cancer patients will survive and still live a healthy life if diagnosed early and treated properly. The important thing we can do is do regular screening. It’s a way to check if there are any changes in the breasts that may lead to problems. Screening includes a breast x-ray (mammogram), clinical breast examination (a physical exam of the breasts by a health care professional, CBE for short) and breast self-examination (BSE).
All women starting from age 20 are recommended to do breast cancer screening according to the following guidelines:
For women in their 20s and 30s, take clinical breast examination once in every three years, for women 40 and older, take it once every year.
For women 40 and older, take a mammogram every year. Mammography may have some limitations and could miss some cancers, it is still considered to be the gold standard for early detection of breast cancer.
Starting from age 20, women may choose to do breast self-examination. The benefits of BSE may not be too obvious as it’s probably a little too late when you can notice any changes. It could still be beneficial in that it helps notice any changes in the breasts so you can report them to your doctor.
Those women with higher risk factors of developing breast cancer, for example, women with family history of cancer or with a known genetic mutation of a BRCA gene, need to take extra efforts to promote awareness and take steps for prevention. Consult your doctor to discuss the risk and take necessary steps to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.
Breast cancer is mostly curable if found early and given good treatment. Screening is a way to detect it at its early stage. Bear this in mind: breast cancer screening can save you life. Take the time to do it.
Forest Sun is a healthy lifestyle enthusiast and advocate. His blog at http://cancerinfonet.blogspot.com/ offers a lot of information on cancer. Drop by to read more.
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One in 9 women is expected to develop breast cancer during her lifetime. One in 27 will die of it. Breast cancer attacks mainly women, however there’s 1% of breast cancer patients are men.
As we get older, the risk of getting breast cancer increases. Basically, all women have a certain degree of risk of developing breast cancer. Women who have a family history of breast cancer have a much higher risk of contracting this disease. There are other factors that may attribute to the higher or lower the risk of developing breast cancer, some of them, e.g. Genetic risk factors, aging etc you can’t change, some e.g. lifestyle-related factors, you can.
Good news is that most of breast cancer patients will survive and still live a healthy life if diagnosed early and treated properly. The important thing we can do is do regular screening. It’s a way to check if there are any changes in the breasts that may lead to problems. Screening includes a breast x-ray (mammogram), clinical breast examination (a physical exam of the breasts by a health care professional, CBE for short) and breast self-examination (BSE).
All women starting from age 20 are recommended to do breast cancer screening according to the following guidelines:
For women in their 20s and 30s, take clinical breast examination once in every three years, for women 40 and older, take it once every year.
For women 40 and older, take a mammogram every year. Mammography may have some limitations and could miss some cancers, it is still considered to be the gold standard for early detection of breast cancer.
Starting from age 20, women may choose to do breast self-examination. The benefits of BSE may not be too obvious as it’s probably a little too late when you can notice any changes. It could still be beneficial in that it helps notice any changes in the breasts so you can report them to your doctor.
Those women with higher risk factors of developing breast cancer, for example, women with family history of cancer or with a known genetic mutation of a BRCA gene, need to take extra efforts to promote awareness and take steps for prevention. Consult your doctor to discuss the risk and take necessary steps to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.
Breast cancer is mostly curable if found early and given good treatment. Screening is a way to detect it at its early stage. Bear this in mind: breast cancer screening can save you life. Take the time to do it.
Forest Sun is a healthy lifestyle enthusiast and advocate. His blog at http://cancerinfonet.blogspot.com/ offers a lot of information on cancer. Drop by to read more.
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Breast Cancer - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
by ashu
Cancer is a disease which is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Breast cancer is any type of malignant growth in the breast tissue. Some women who have a personal or family history indicative of a hereditary cancer syndrome who have not tested positive for a BRCA mutation may still have an elevated risk for these cancers. Almost all breast cancers occur in women and it is also found that it is very few occur in men. About 200,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
Causes
It is not known exactly what causes breast cancer, but there are certain risk factors that seem to increase a person's chance of getting the disease. Radiation is the best-established cause of breast cancer. Both radiation and chemical toxins are implicated, but while some are "initiators" of cancer, and others are "promoters," radiation is both. That means it facilitates cancer easily. Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have a much higher lifetime risk for breast cancer, and much of the risk occurs at a younger age. Some factors influence risk more than others, and your risk for breast cancer can change over time, due to factors such as aging or lifestyle. Recent studies have shown that about 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary as a result of gene changes.
Symptoms
Most breast cancer is discovered before symptoms are present, either by finding an abnormality on mammography or feeling a breast lump. Breast cancers in their early stages usually are painless. Many cancers, however, produce no symptoms and cannot be felt on examination; they can be detected only with the use of a mammogram.
Common symptoms of breast cancer may not appear until the cancer is more advanced. These include:
* A thickening in the breast or armpit.
* A change in the size or shape of the breast.
* Changes in the skin of the breast, such as a dimple or skin that looks like orange peel.
* A change in the nipple, such as scaling of the skin, a nipple that turns in, or discharge or bleeding.
* A change in the color or feel of the skin around the nipple.
Treatment
Breast cancer treatments are often very effective. However side effects from these treatments can be difficult to deal with; hair loss, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and hot flashes can all disturb a woman's quality of life. But now there are a variety of treatments that can be offered to offset these problems and try to make the time during treatment as comfortable as possible.
Radiation uses high-energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells. Treatment is delivered by a machine outside the body (called external radiation) or by radioactive "seeds" that are placed directly into the tumor (called brachytherapy).
During a simple mastectomy, your surgeon removes all your breast tissue — the lobules, ducts, fatty tissue and a strip of skin with the nipple and areola.
Alien writes for women health care . He also writes for online diagnosis and you can get more information on beauty advice .
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Alien writes for women health care . He also writes for online diagnosis and you can get more information on beauty advice
Cancer is a disease which is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Breast cancer is any type of malignant growth in the breast tissue. Some women who have a personal or family history indicative of a hereditary cancer syndrome who have not tested positive for a BRCA mutation may still have an elevated risk for these cancers. Almost all breast cancers occur in women and it is also found that it is very few occur in men. About 200,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
Causes
It is not known exactly what causes breast cancer, but there are certain risk factors that seem to increase a person's chance of getting the disease. Radiation is the best-established cause of breast cancer. Both radiation and chemical toxins are implicated, but while some are "initiators" of cancer, and others are "promoters," radiation is both. That means it facilitates cancer easily. Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have a much higher lifetime risk for breast cancer, and much of the risk occurs at a younger age. Some factors influence risk more than others, and your risk for breast cancer can change over time, due to factors such as aging or lifestyle. Recent studies have shown that about 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary as a result of gene changes.
Symptoms
Most breast cancer is discovered before symptoms are present, either by finding an abnormality on mammography or feeling a breast lump. Breast cancers in their early stages usually are painless. Many cancers, however, produce no symptoms and cannot be felt on examination; they can be detected only with the use of a mammogram.
Common symptoms of breast cancer may not appear until the cancer is more advanced. These include:
* A thickening in the breast or armpit.
* A change in the size or shape of the breast.
* Changes in the skin of the breast, such as a dimple or skin that looks like orange peel.
* A change in the nipple, such as scaling of the skin, a nipple that turns in, or discharge or bleeding.
* A change in the color or feel of the skin around the nipple.
Treatment
Breast cancer treatments are often very effective. However side effects from these treatments can be difficult to deal with; hair loss, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and hot flashes can all disturb a woman's quality of life. But now there are a variety of treatments that can be offered to offset these problems and try to make the time during treatment as comfortable as possible.
Radiation uses high-energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells. Treatment is delivered by a machine outside the body (called external radiation) or by radioactive "seeds" that are placed directly into the tumor (called brachytherapy).
During a simple mastectomy, your surgeon removes all your breast tissue — the lobules, ducts, fatty tissue and a strip of skin with the nipple and areola.
Alien writes for women health care . He also writes for online diagnosis and you can get more information on beauty advice .
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Alien writes for women health care . He also writes for online diagnosis and you can get more information on beauty advice
At Last Good News On Breast Cancer
by Carl Hampton
Survival rates of breast cancer sufferers are now up to 50 percent and two-thirds of all women survive cancer for at least 20 years. The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota is now working on predicting which types of lumps should be of more concern. After following almost 10,000 women with benign lumps, researchers found that those with cells that looked different from normal cells are four to five times more likely to develop breast cancer. There are some other factors that need to be taken into consideration as well, such as age and a family history of cancer. Due to recent discoveries, doctors can now more accurately determine whose a strong candidate for additional screenings or other preventive measures.
In 1998, a drug, tamoxifen, was created and it was said to decrease the risk of breast cancer by 50 percent. The side effects of hot flashes and blood clots were not appealing and now another drug raloxifene is just as effective and has fewer side effects. As for cancer recurrences, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is a good alternative to prescription drugs. There is also another drug, letrozole, that lowered the risk of recurrences by 19 percent (than those who took tamoxifen). For women that have HER2-positive tumors, the drug Herceptin lowered the risk by 52 percent. There is also the yet to be approved “lapatinib” which is a pill that shuts down the activity of the HER2 protein.
About 22 percent of breast cancers are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). That means that malignant cells are confined to the milk ducts. The three most common treatments are lumpectomy, radiation, and mastectomy. A University of Michigan study has shown that lumpectomy and radiation together are very good options. A study at the University of Minnesota showed that those who did not have radiation had more than twice the risk.
The treatments for breast cancer are no longer synonymous with nausea and fatigue because new medications are faster and more bearable. Women that have early stages of cancer can opt for partial breast irradiations (PBI). PBI is given over the course of 5 days and is targeted so less healthy tissue is effective. It provides a more intense radiation dosage with milder side effects. Chemotherapy is a good treatment. It is a dose-dense chemotherapy that spans out to every two weeks as opposed to every three weeks so it's over faster. There is an accelerated chemotherapy which is oral chemotherapy rather than go to the hospital on a consistent basis, patients can take capecitabine pills every 12 hours for two weeks, one week off, and the cycle continues for 3 months.
http://www.CarlHampton.com
http://www.fcdtcm.com
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Survival rates of breast cancer sufferers are now up to 50 percent and two-thirds of all women survive cancer for at least 20 years. The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota is now working on predicting which types of lumps should be of more concern. After following almost 10,000 women with benign lumps, researchers found that those with cells that looked different from normal cells are four to five times more likely to develop breast cancer. There are some other factors that need to be taken into consideration as well, such as age and a family history of cancer. Due to recent discoveries, doctors can now more accurately determine whose a strong candidate for additional screenings or other preventive measures.
In 1998, a drug, tamoxifen, was created and it was said to decrease the risk of breast cancer by 50 percent. The side effects of hot flashes and blood clots were not appealing and now another drug raloxifene is just as effective and has fewer side effects. As for cancer recurrences, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is a good alternative to prescription drugs. There is also another drug, letrozole, that lowered the risk of recurrences by 19 percent (than those who took tamoxifen). For women that have HER2-positive tumors, the drug Herceptin lowered the risk by 52 percent. There is also the yet to be approved “lapatinib” which is a pill that shuts down the activity of the HER2 protein.
About 22 percent of breast cancers are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). That means that malignant cells are confined to the milk ducts. The three most common treatments are lumpectomy, radiation, and mastectomy. A University of Michigan study has shown that lumpectomy and radiation together are very good options. A study at the University of Minnesota showed that those who did not have radiation had more than twice the risk.
The treatments for breast cancer are no longer synonymous with nausea and fatigue because new medications are faster and more bearable. Women that have early stages of cancer can opt for partial breast irradiations (PBI). PBI is given over the course of 5 days and is targeted so less healthy tissue is effective. It provides a more intense radiation dosage with milder side effects. Chemotherapy is a good treatment. It is a dose-dense chemotherapy that spans out to every two weeks as opposed to every three weeks so it's over faster. There is an accelerated chemotherapy which is oral chemotherapy rather than go to the hospital on a consistent basis, patients can take capecitabine pills every 12 hours for two weeks, one week off, and the cycle continues for 3 months.
http://www.CarlHampton.com
http://www.fcdtcm.com
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Are You At Risk For Breast Cancer?
by Anne Childs
Each year, millions of women learn that they have developed breast cancer. Despite most commonly being found in women, breast cancer can also be diagnosed in men. That is why breast cancer is often considered one of the most common types of all diagnosable cancers. Fortunately, you if you are diagnosed as having cancer, there are a number of treatment options that may help you become cancer free. However, before that can occur, you need to be diagnosed as having breast cancer.
When it comes to being diagnosed with breast cancer, a large amount of focus is placed on the signs and symptoms. While it is important to focus on the symptoms of breast cancer, they are not the only things that you should keep in mind. Although an exact cause of breast cancer has yet to be determined, there are a number of risk factors associated with the cancer. Determining whether or not any of these risk factors apply to you is one of the best ways, aside from regularly examining your body, to determine whether or not you may have breast cancer or end up developing it in the future.
You may be at a greater risk of developing breast cancer if someone else in your immediate family has also been diagnosed with having it. It has been noted that the BRCA1 gene and the BRCA2 gene have something to do with the development of breast cancer. Research is still being conducted on this; however, it is looking as if damaged cells, which may later account for breast cancer, are being passed down through family members. Therefore, if someone in your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer, there is a good chance that you may also develop it.
Your age may also increase your risk of developing breast cancer. While it is important to remember that breast cancer can occur at just about any age, there are a group of men and women who are more at risk. Those individuals are likely over the age of fifty. That is why it is recommended that all women over the age of forty undergo a yearly mammogram. Until that age, a self breast exam, performed by yourself or by a healthcare professional, should be enough.
When you first started your menstrual cycle, as well as when it ended, may increase your risk of developing breast cancer. It has been noted that those who began their periods before the age of twelve are at an increased risk for developing breast cancer, later on in life. The same, in a way, can be said for menopause. Recent studies have shown that the later a woman begins menopause, the more at risk she is for developing breast cancer. Menopause should begin around the age of fifty-five. If it starts to occur any later, you will want to be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and birth control pills have been known to increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. These risk factors are not as high as the above mentioned risk factors, but a connection between breast cancer, hormone replacement therapy, as well as birth control pills has been established. Therefore, if you are currently on birth control pills or are undergoing hormone replacement therapy, it may be a good idea to speak to a healthcare professional. Your OBGYN or primary care physician should be more than willing to give you inside and updated information on the connection between breast cancer and these two widely used medications.
In addition to hormone replacement therapy, birth control pills, a family history, late menopause, early menstrual periods, and age, there are a number of other risk factors that have been connected to breast cancer. These additional risk factors include, are not limited to, radiation, and excessive alcohol consumption. Now that you know whether or not you are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer, you may be able to better prepare yourself for what you may find, now or in the future.
If, at any point, you notice a lump in your breast or have unexplained breast pain, you are advised to seek medical assistance immediately. The sooner breast cancer is detected, the sooner it can be treated and gone from your life, hopefully forever.
Anne Childs is a contributor to Healthline.com, who has also conducted many seminars to raise awareness on breast cancer, and other conditions which women are most susceptible to.
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Each year, millions of women learn that they have developed breast cancer. Despite most commonly being found in women, breast cancer can also be diagnosed in men. That is why breast cancer is often considered one of the most common types of all diagnosable cancers. Fortunately, you if you are diagnosed as having cancer, there are a number of treatment options that may help you become cancer free. However, before that can occur, you need to be diagnosed as having breast cancer.
When it comes to being diagnosed with breast cancer, a large amount of focus is placed on the signs and symptoms. While it is important to focus on the symptoms of breast cancer, they are not the only things that you should keep in mind. Although an exact cause of breast cancer has yet to be determined, there are a number of risk factors associated with the cancer. Determining whether or not any of these risk factors apply to you is one of the best ways, aside from regularly examining your body, to determine whether or not you may have breast cancer or end up developing it in the future.
You may be at a greater risk of developing breast cancer if someone else in your immediate family has also been diagnosed with having it. It has been noted that the BRCA1 gene and the BRCA2 gene have something to do with the development of breast cancer. Research is still being conducted on this; however, it is looking as if damaged cells, which may later account for breast cancer, are being passed down through family members. Therefore, if someone in your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer, there is a good chance that you may also develop it.
Your age may also increase your risk of developing breast cancer. While it is important to remember that breast cancer can occur at just about any age, there are a group of men and women who are more at risk. Those individuals are likely over the age of fifty. That is why it is recommended that all women over the age of forty undergo a yearly mammogram. Until that age, a self breast exam, performed by yourself or by a healthcare professional, should be enough.
When you first started your menstrual cycle, as well as when it ended, may increase your risk of developing breast cancer. It has been noted that those who began their periods before the age of twelve are at an increased risk for developing breast cancer, later on in life. The same, in a way, can be said for menopause. Recent studies have shown that the later a woman begins menopause, the more at risk she is for developing breast cancer. Menopause should begin around the age of fifty-five. If it starts to occur any later, you will want to be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and birth control pills have been known to increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. These risk factors are not as high as the above mentioned risk factors, but a connection between breast cancer, hormone replacement therapy, as well as birth control pills has been established. Therefore, if you are currently on birth control pills or are undergoing hormone replacement therapy, it may be a good idea to speak to a healthcare professional. Your OBGYN or primary care physician should be more than willing to give you inside and updated information on the connection between breast cancer and these two widely used medications.
In addition to hormone replacement therapy, birth control pills, a family history, late menopause, early menstrual periods, and age, there are a number of other risk factors that have been connected to breast cancer. These additional risk factors include, are not limited to, radiation, and excessive alcohol consumption. Now that you know whether or not you are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer, you may be able to better prepare yourself for what you may find, now or in the future.
If, at any point, you notice a lump in your breast or have unexplained breast pain, you are advised to seek medical assistance immediately. The sooner breast cancer is detected, the sooner it can be treated and gone from your life, hopefully forever.
Anne Childs is a contributor to Healthline.com, who has also conducted many seminars to raise awareness on breast cancer, and other conditions which women are most susceptible to.
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Antioxidants and the Prevention of Breast Cancer
by Steven Godlewski
According to the American Cancer Society, in the United States alone, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes. So far, in 2006 alone, there have been over 212,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed, as well as over 61,000 cases of non-invasive breast cancer. Over 40,000 women will die from breast cancer in 2006 alone.
These are astounding numbers, and one must consider that breast cancer research is ongoing, and has made impressive steps towards the survival rate among women who have experienced breast cancer. But with these numbers, it is not enough. Hence, the steps taken by many national and private associations to make women aware of breast cancer, its causes, its treatment, and its prevention.
What researchers have found is that antioxidants, which are produced naturally by the body, aid in the prevention of breast cancer. Unfortunately, in today's environment, the antioxidants that our bodies product isn't enough. Coupled with the fact that as we age, our bodies produce less antioxidant, scientists have looked into other ways that we can detoxify our bodies for the prevention of breast cancer.
In Athens, Greece, at the Athens Medical School, and the Harvard School of Public Health, major studies have been conducted to determine the effect our diets have on the risk of developing breast cancer. Women who ate a lot of fruit cut their risk by 35 percent, and women who ate a lot of vegetables cut their risk by 46 percent.
In Jefferson, Arkansas, researchers at the National Center for Toxicological Research published a study that also found that higher consumption of fruits and vegetables helps to reduce the risk of breast cancer, and also those vegetables that aid in detoxification help to reduce the risk even more.
Of course, these studies just show that ingesting a higher amount of fruit and vegetables and detoxifying the body reduces the risk. There are still other risk factors that one must consider, but when it comes to preventing breast cancer, any reduction of risk is worth the effort.
Green vegetables are natural antioxidants, and the FDA recommends two servings of green vegetables daily. Unfortunately, most of us don't have the time or the resources to get those two servings, but now, there is an alternative. This is great news for anyone who wants to lower their risk for breast cancer - as well as anyone who hates green vegetables - and many do.
Furthermore, you can get your daily serving of green vegetables that will aid in detoxifying the body in liquid form. Scientists have also found that our bodies absorb liquids better than solids. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't eat solid food - the body needs that as well. It means that when you are trying to ingest your needed vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, you are better off getting them in liquid form, as opposed to pill form.
Copyright (c) 2006 PillFreeVitamins.com
Steven Godlewski is currently is currently working with Life Force International products. He has an extensive background in nutrition as well as other health related fields. For more health-related articles and a FREE bottle of Liquid Vitamins see their website at: http://www.pillfreevitamins.com
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According to the American Cancer Society, in the United States alone, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes. So far, in 2006 alone, there have been over 212,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed, as well as over 61,000 cases of non-invasive breast cancer. Over 40,000 women will die from breast cancer in 2006 alone.
These are astounding numbers, and one must consider that breast cancer research is ongoing, and has made impressive steps towards the survival rate among women who have experienced breast cancer. But with these numbers, it is not enough. Hence, the steps taken by many national and private associations to make women aware of breast cancer, its causes, its treatment, and its prevention.
What researchers have found is that antioxidants, which are produced naturally by the body, aid in the prevention of breast cancer. Unfortunately, in today's environment, the antioxidants that our bodies product isn't enough. Coupled with the fact that as we age, our bodies produce less antioxidant, scientists have looked into other ways that we can detoxify our bodies for the prevention of breast cancer.
In Athens, Greece, at the Athens Medical School, and the Harvard School of Public Health, major studies have been conducted to determine the effect our diets have on the risk of developing breast cancer. Women who ate a lot of fruit cut their risk by 35 percent, and women who ate a lot of vegetables cut their risk by 46 percent.
In Jefferson, Arkansas, researchers at the National Center for Toxicological Research published a study that also found that higher consumption of fruits and vegetables helps to reduce the risk of breast cancer, and also those vegetables that aid in detoxification help to reduce the risk even more.
Of course, these studies just show that ingesting a higher amount of fruit and vegetables and detoxifying the body reduces the risk. There are still other risk factors that one must consider, but when it comes to preventing breast cancer, any reduction of risk is worth the effort.
Green vegetables are natural antioxidants, and the FDA recommends two servings of green vegetables daily. Unfortunately, most of us don't have the time or the resources to get those two servings, but now, there is an alternative. This is great news for anyone who wants to lower their risk for breast cancer - as well as anyone who hates green vegetables - and many do.
Furthermore, you can get your daily serving of green vegetables that will aid in detoxifying the body in liquid form. Scientists have also found that our bodies absorb liquids better than solids. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't eat solid food - the body needs that as well. It means that when you are trying to ingest your needed vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, you are better off getting them in liquid form, as opposed to pill form.
Copyright (c) 2006 PillFreeVitamins.com
Steven Godlewski is currently is currently working with Life Force International products. He has an extensive background in nutrition as well as other health related fields. For more health-related articles and a FREE bottle of Liquid Vitamins see their website at: http://www.pillfreevitamins.com
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Breast Cancer
by Radoslaw Pilarski
Copyright 2006 Radoslaw Pilarski
Epidemiology
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and the second most common (after lung cancer) cause of death in this group. However, to some extent, it concerns men as well.Different countries in the world have varying incidence of breast cancer. The West Europe countries and the USA have the highest incidence rates, adequately 35-60/100 000 and 65/100 000, whereas the Far East countries have the lowest rate (i.e. in Japan it is five times lower than in the USA).
Risk factors
Risk factors point to increased risk, that is at higher probability of falling ill among specimens of a given population. The most important risk factors include:
1. Woman's age
Incidence of breast cancer increases with age.
2. Ethnic/geographical factors
These factors, although they have been taken into consideration for years, are extremely difficult to interpret. High breast cancer incidence occurs in the USA and in West Europe, low - in Asian, Far East and African countries. Breast cancer is usually developed in Caucasian women living in a quite cold climate in the highly developed countries. It is dependent upon the influence of the following factors: race, climate, nutrition style, types of the undergone diseases, lifestyle and culture style, family planning, age of the first pregnancy, number of children, breastfeeding's popularity, etc. Black and yellow women become ill more rarely.
3. Family factors
The more affected relatives and the closer degree of kinship to them, the bigger probability of suffering from cancer. The risk increases, if these tumours occurred in one’s mother and sister under the age of 35 . Genetically determined breast cancer, which amounts to 10% of all the breast tumours, most often being the result of BRCA1, BRCA2, p53 and ATM genes mutation. Breast cancer can also occur in the course of some inheritably associated syndromes, among others in Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Lynch II syndrome, Cowden's disease, Peutz-Jaeghers syndrome, ataxia-teleangiectasia, Klinefelter syndrome
4. Age of first menstruation and menopause
Appearance of first menses before the age of 12 significantly increases (by about 40%) the risk of breast cancer. Natural menopause appearing after age 55 increases risk of breast cancer twofold. Thus, the most important factor is the total number of years of ovulation activity.
5. Age of first pregnancy and delivery
Women who give birth to their first child in the age of between 20 and 30 have a lower risk of breast cancer. Nulliparous women are more exposed to breast cancer, by almost 50%.
6. Breastfeeding
Women with much lower risk of falling ill protected from breast cancer development by breastfeeding. Even relatively short time of breastfeeding gives some protection
7. Ionising radiation
High doses of X radiation (applied during routine "X-rays") can cause breast cancer. It is worth to stress that the contemporary mammography apparati expose a woman to a minimal dose of radiation.
8. Alcohol and diet
Excessive alcohol consumption for a long period of time increases the risk of breast cancer development, because the liver damage impairs estrogen metabolism (high estrogen concentration increases the risk of falling ill). It is suspected that one of the factors, which increases the breast cancer risk, is food with high content of saturated fat
9. Obesity
Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer development, as it is more difficult to find breast changes in obese people . moreover, fat cells produce estrogens
10. Exogenous hormones (hormone contraceptives)
It is believed that oral contraceptives (which include mainly estrogens), even if they are connected with breast cancer, act as a factor facilitating and accelerating the development of the disease, which has already appeared, rather than a factor causing genetic mutations and evoking disease. It is also believed that pills that are made only of progesterone and so called „minipills” don't increase the breast cancer risk. The pills may increase the risk in genetically loaded women or women using oral contraceptives for at least 8 years until first pregnancy. It is believed that preparations which include progesterone alone, don't affect the risk for breast cancer appearance. However, preparations that include progesterone and estrogens may influence the tumour appearance. The risk is growing for women taking hormone medications longer than 8 years.
Treatment
Breast cancer is treated locally or generally, although some patients may undergo both types of treatment. Local treatment consists in surgical removal or destruction of the lesion. General treatment (chemotherapy, hormone therapy) aims at inhibiting the tumour process or decreasing the size of tumour before operation and it is also applied in significant disease progression instead of surgery. Surgical treatment is the most common way to treat breast cancer. Patients in I0 and II0 clinical progression are qualified for the surgical treatment . The most often performed surgery is the modified breast amputation by Patey's way (excision of the breast gland together with the axillary lymph nodes, without removing the breast muscles). Some patients are qualified for breast conserving treatment.
Such possibility exists in the following cases:
- TisN0M0
- T1N0M0
- T1N1M0
- T2N0-1M0 (tumour not bigger than 3cm in a mammographic measurement)
- Possibility of removing the tumour with a margin of healthy tissue
- Satisying cosmetic effect foreseen
- Patient's consent to breast conserving treatment
- The lack of contraindications
The absolute contraindications include:
1. Multicentric cancer
2. Cancer relapse after the previous breast conserving treatment
3. Previous undergoing of breast irradiation
4. No possibility of getting the margin of healthy tissue
The relative contraindications include:
1. Pregnancy
2. Foreseen unsatisfying cosmetic effect
3. Connective tissue disease (collagenosis)
Breast Conserving Treatment (BCT) includes replacing tumour within healthy tissues and regional axillary lymph nodes. The following ways of breast tumour removal are distinguished:
- tylectomy
- removing the tumour with a margin of at least 2cm. If the margin from the muscles' side is smaller than cm, the tumour must be removed together with fascia,
- wide excision, lumpectomy
- removing the tumour together with the bulk unchanged tissues margin of 1 cm. This margin can be smaller from the muscles side, but then fascia has to be removed.
- excisional biopsy, tumourectomy
- removing the tumour without margin, but with the intention of removing all the bulk suspected tissues. After BCT surgery, all patients are exposed to supplementing radiotherapy. Breast gland is irradiated with a total dose of 50 Gy, 2 Gy per fraction (25 fractions during 5 weeks). Additionally, the site of tumour removal is afterloaded with 192 Ir with the 10 Gy dose.
Radiotherapy - uses high energy radiation to destroy the cancer cells and to prevent them from further growth and fissions. There are two kinds of radiotherapy: exterior (source of radiation is located outside the human body) and interior (special containers with the radiation material are placed in the tumour site). Another kind of radiotherapy is brachytherapy which involves placing thin tubes in breast. The radiation is directed through these tubes straight to the tumour cells. Nowadays brachytherapy is applied after breast conserving treatment. It happens that radiotherapy is applied before surgery to decrease the size of tumour and/or to facilitate the tumour removal.
Chemotherapy involves the application of medicines that are aimed at tumour destruction. In breast cancer chemotherapy is usually composed of a few types of medicines, which are administered either directly to vein or in the form of pills. Regardless of the way of administering, the medicines get inside blood and flow with it through the whole body, which also results in negative effects for this therapy (nausea, vomiting, hair falling out, neutropenia, menstruation disorder, earlier menopause).
Radoslaw Pilarski is a PhD candidate working on anticancer properties of Uncaria tomentosa - http://www.uncariatomentosa.com - at PAS, Poland. mLingua Worldwide Translations, Ltd. - http://mlingua.pl - provides professional language translations.
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Copyright 2006 Radoslaw Pilarski
Epidemiology
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and the second most common (after lung cancer) cause of death in this group. However, to some extent, it concerns men as well.Different countries in the world have varying incidence of breast cancer. The West Europe countries and the USA have the highest incidence rates, adequately 35-60/100 000 and 65/100 000, whereas the Far East countries have the lowest rate (i.e. in Japan it is five times lower than in the USA).
Risk factors
Risk factors point to increased risk, that is at higher probability of falling ill among specimens of a given population. The most important risk factors include:
1. Woman's age
Incidence of breast cancer increases with age.
2. Ethnic/geographical factors
These factors, although they have been taken into consideration for years, are extremely difficult to interpret. High breast cancer incidence occurs in the USA and in West Europe, low - in Asian, Far East and African countries. Breast cancer is usually developed in Caucasian women living in a quite cold climate in the highly developed countries. It is dependent upon the influence of the following factors: race, climate, nutrition style, types of the undergone diseases, lifestyle and culture style, family planning, age of the first pregnancy, number of children, breastfeeding's popularity, etc. Black and yellow women become ill more rarely.
3. Family factors
The more affected relatives and the closer degree of kinship to them, the bigger probability of suffering from cancer. The risk increases, if these tumours occurred in one’s mother and sister under the age of 35 . Genetically determined breast cancer, which amounts to 10% of all the breast tumours, most often being the result of BRCA1, BRCA2, p53 and ATM genes mutation. Breast cancer can also occur in the course of some inheritably associated syndromes, among others in Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Lynch II syndrome, Cowden's disease, Peutz-Jaeghers syndrome, ataxia-teleangiectasia, Klinefelter syndrome
4. Age of first menstruation and menopause
Appearance of first menses before the age of 12 significantly increases (by about 40%) the risk of breast cancer. Natural menopause appearing after age 55 increases risk of breast cancer twofold. Thus, the most important factor is the total number of years of ovulation activity.
5. Age of first pregnancy and delivery
Women who give birth to their first child in the age of between 20 and 30 have a lower risk of breast cancer. Nulliparous women are more exposed to breast cancer, by almost 50%.
6. Breastfeeding
Women with much lower risk of falling ill protected from breast cancer development by breastfeeding. Even relatively short time of breastfeeding gives some protection
7. Ionising radiation
High doses of X radiation (applied during routine "X-rays") can cause breast cancer. It is worth to stress that the contemporary mammography apparati expose a woman to a minimal dose of radiation.
8. Alcohol and diet
Excessive alcohol consumption for a long period of time increases the risk of breast cancer development, because the liver damage impairs estrogen metabolism (high estrogen concentration increases the risk of falling ill). It is suspected that one of the factors, which increases the breast cancer risk, is food with high content of saturated fat
9. Obesity
Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer development, as it is more difficult to find breast changes in obese people . moreover, fat cells produce estrogens
10. Exogenous hormones (hormone contraceptives)
It is believed that oral contraceptives (which include mainly estrogens), even if they are connected with breast cancer, act as a factor facilitating and accelerating the development of the disease, which has already appeared, rather than a factor causing genetic mutations and evoking disease. It is also believed that pills that are made only of progesterone and so called „minipills” don't increase the breast cancer risk. The pills may increase the risk in genetically loaded women or women using oral contraceptives for at least 8 years until first pregnancy. It is believed that preparations which include progesterone alone, don't affect the risk for breast cancer appearance. However, preparations that include progesterone and estrogens may influence the tumour appearance. The risk is growing for women taking hormone medications longer than 8 years.
Treatment
Breast cancer is treated locally or generally, although some patients may undergo both types of treatment. Local treatment consists in surgical removal or destruction of the lesion. General treatment (chemotherapy, hormone therapy) aims at inhibiting the tumour process or decreasing the size of tumour before operation and it is also applied in significant disease progression instead of surgery. Surgical treatment is the most common way to treat breast cancer. Patients in I0 and II0 clinical progression are qualified for the surgical treatment . The most often performed surgery is the modified breast amputation by Patey's way (excision of the breast gland together with the axillary lymph nodes, without removing the breast muscles). Some patients are qualified for breast conserving treatment.
Such possibility exists in the following cases:
- TisN0M0
- T1N0M0
- T1N1M0
- T2N0-1M0 (tumour not bigger than 3cm in a mammographic measurement)
- Possibility of removing the tumour with a margin of healthy tissue
- Satisying cosmetic effect foreseen
- Patient's consent to breast conserving treatment
- The lack of contraindications
The absolute contraindications include:
1. Multicentric cancer
2. Cancer relapse after the previous breast conserving treatment
3. Previous undergoing of breast irradiation
4. No possibility of getting the margin of healthy tissue
The relative contraindications include:
1. Pregnancy
2. Foreseen unsatisfying cosmetic effect
3. Connective tissue disease (collagenosis)
Breast Conserving Treatment (BCT) includes replacing tumour within healthy tissues and regional axillary lymph nodes. The following ways of breast tumour removal are distinguished:
- tylectomy
- removing the tumour with a margin of at least 2cm. If the margin from the muscles' side is smaller than cm, the tumour must be removed together with fascia,
- wide excision, lumpectomy
- removing the tumour together with the bulk unchanged tissues margin of 1 cm. This margin can be smaller from the muscles side, but then fascia has to be removed.
- excisional biopsy, tumourectomy
- removing the tumour without margin, but with the intention of removing all the bulk suspected tissues. After BCT surgery, all patients are exposed to supplementing radiotherapy. Breast gland is irradiated with a total dose of 50 Gy, 2 Gy per fraction (25 fractions during 5 weeks). Additionally, the site of tumour removal is afterloaded with 192 Ir with the 10 Gy dose.
Radiotherapy - uses high energy radiation to destroy the cancer cells and to prevent them from further growth and fissions. There are two kinds of radiotherapy: exterior (source of radiation is located outside the human body) and interior (special containers with the radiation material are placed in the tumour site). Another kind of radiotherapy is brachytherapy which involves placing thin tubes in breast. The radiation is directed through these tubes straight to the tumour cells. Nowadays brachytherapy is applied after breast conserving treatment. It happens that radiotherapy is applied before surgery to decrease the size of tumour and/or to facilitate the tumour removal.
Chemotherapy involves the application of medicines that are aimed at tumour destruction. In breast cancer chemotherapy is usually composed of a few types of medicines, which are administered either directly to vein or in the form of pills. Regardless of the way of administering, the medicines get inside blood and flow with it through the whole body, which also results in negative effects for this therapy (nausea, vomiting, hair falling out, neutropenia, menstruation disorder, earlier menopause).
Radoslaw Pilarski is a PhD candidate working on anticancer properties of Uncaria tomentosa - http://www.uncariatomentosa.com - at PAS, Poland. mLingua Worldwide Translations, Ltd. - http://mlingua.pl - provides professional language translations.
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