n of breast cancer: Cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.
Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer may help save your life. When the disease is discovered early, you have more treatment options and a better chance for a cure.
A lump or thickening in the breast or armpit
A change in the size or shape of the breast
Discharge from the nipple
A change in the color or texture of the skin of the breast or areola (such as dimpling, puckering, or scaliness).
Breast discharge is a common problem and is rarely a symptom of cancer. Discharge is most concerning if it is from only one breast or if it is bloody. In any case, all breast discharge should be evaluated.
A change in the shape of your nipple, particularly if it turns in, sinks into the breast or becomes irregular in shape
A blood-stained discharge from the nipple
A rash on a nipple or surrounding area
A swelling or lump in your armpit
Causes of Breast Cancer
Age: The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older. Most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 60.
Personal history of breast cancer: A woman who had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in her other breast.
Your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you get older. About 1 out of 8 invasive breast cancer diagnoses are among women younger than 45, while about 2 out of 3 women with invasive breast cancer are age 55 or older when they are diagnosed.
Recently published research shows that a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer is also affected by breast density and whether she has used hormone therapy; including these additional risk factors in a breast cancer risk assessment tool might increase its accuracy, but researchers still need to validate these additional factors with data from independent studies
Family history: If a woman’s blood-related relatives on either her mother or father’s side of the family have had breast cancer, then she is at increased risk for the disease. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) with breast cancer can double a woman’s risk.
Breast Cancer Treatments
Surgery
The goals of breast cancer surgery are to remove the cancerous tissue, and to analyze it for type, grade, size, hormonal status, and possible metastasis.
Frozen sections. Mayo Clinic has the benefit of its unique frozen section pathology lab, which allows for rapid and accurate microscopic analysis of tissue while a patient is still in the operating room. This capability allows doctors to know whether they have removed all of the cancer (achieved negative margins) within minutes of removing the tissue. Without frozen section analysis, determining whether all of the cancer has been removed may take days, causing a patient to undergo multiple surgeries.
Breast Reconstruction
Many women choose to have a plastic surgeon reconstruct their breast, either at the time of mastectomy or afterward. The surgeon may use saline-filled implants and/or tissue from other parts of the body to rebuild a natural looking breast and nipple. Reconstruction should be discussed with a plastic surgeon before you have your mastectomy. California law requires that insurers cover the costs of breast reconstruction.
Archive for July, 2009
What is Breast Cancer and Causes of Breast Cancer
July 31st, 2009 
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Celebrities Finding a Cure for Cancer
July 30th, 2009 admin Katherine Anne Couric was born on January 7th of 1957 in Arlington, Virginia. She is also one of the celebrities fighting cancer. Katie has been a strong advocate for cancer since the loss of her husband in 1998 of colon cancer and her sister in 2001 of pancreatic cancer. They had both been fighting cancer for a very long time. In 2003 she underwent a colonoscopy live on-air and this inspired many others to work towards beating cancer. She is also helping raise awareness for the NHL Hockey Fights Cancer charity. She is doing whatever she can to aid in the fight of finding a cure for cancer.
When it comes to celebrities fighting cancer not many are better known than Lance Edward Armstrong. He is both known for fighting cancer as well as beating cancer. He is a survivor of testicular cancer. In October of 1996 he was diagnosed with nonseminomatous testicular cancer. It was so bad it had invaded his brain, lungs, and abdomen. He had the opportunity to go with chemotherapy but opted for an alternative. The alternative is a group of drugs called VIP (vinblastine, ifosfomide, and cisplatin). He also went through surgery to have two brain tumors removed. He also had his diseased testicle removed. Now he is helping raise awareness for the American Cancer Society charity.
Charles Christopher Spielman was born on October 11th of 1965 in Canton, Ohio. He has been a huge advocate in finding a cure for cancer. His wife Stephanie had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent treatment and is a survivor of this cancer. Since Stephanie lost her hair during her treatment Chris shaved his head in support of her. They are both extremely active in raising funds for cancer research. One of their main projects is the Stephanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer. The fund was started in 1999 and to date has brought in over 5 million dollars for cancer research.
The Key Facts Behind Prostate Cancer
July 29th, 2009 admin Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer of UK men. If it is found early and is still confined to the gland itself then the chances of survival are excellent. Modern surgical techniques, combined with drugs such as Viagra, mean that an operation to treat prostate cancer does not signal the end of a patient’s sex-life.
The prostate itself is a small, walnut-sized gland situated near the bladder in men that produces one component of semen. There are a broad range of prostate cancers, some of which are extremely gentle and indolent and may not cause any significant ill health. However, others have the ability to spread to other parts of the body and cause more significant damage if not treated. This means it is important to catch prostate cancer early and then it is possible to treat it using a radiotherapy and surgery.
The Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
The first sign of prostate cancer can be noticed when you go to the toilet. You may find that you are going to the toilet a lot more and that you are unable to maintain a full stream whilst urinating. However, these problems are also associated with a number of medical problems and do not always signal prostate cancer.
The symptoms of prostate cancer are caused by the growth of cells, whether malignant or benign, pushing against the urethra, the thin tube which links the bladder to the penis. If you are suffering from the above symptoms then you should also look out for painful urination or ejaculation, blood in urine or semen, and pain in lower back, hips or thighs.
Again these symptoms could be caused by any number of things, including infection, but it would be wise to visit your GP to get them checked out. There are several ways that a doctor can check for prostate cancer. The simplest way is the digital rectal examination, in which the doctor insert a gloved finger into the rectum to feel for an an enlarged prostate. Following this a blood test can be conducted to look for any rises in any chemicals in the blood, and after this comes more sophisticated tests, such as ultrasound scans, and x-rays.
The Causes of Prostate Cancer
The exact causes of prostate cancer are still unclear but there are a number of factors which may increase your chances of developing it. These include, but are not limited to, a family history of prostate cancer, and a fat-rich diet.
There have been a number of studies into the link between prostate cancer and vasectomy but these have so far proved to be inconclusive.
Treatment for Prostate Cancer
Sometimes the best treatment for prostate cancer can be to not treat it at all. This is sometimes the case of older men when it is judged that surgery or other treatments may cause more harm than good.
If the cancer has spread from the prostate, or it is believed that it will spread, then surgery is normally the first course of action to remove it whilst is still possible and prevent further spreading. A prostatectomy is when the prostate gland is removed, usually along with small parts of the lymphatic system near the gland. However, this type of surgery can cause nerve damage which can prevent men from getting an erection ever again, or maintain complete control over urination. This does not mean that a man’s sex life is over though as modern “nerve-sparing” surgical techniques, when combined with drugs such as Viagra, can ensure that the effects on both function and quality of life are minimised.
Other treatment option is radiotherapy which will be precisely targeted on the pelvic area, whilst other doctors are fighting prostate cancer by using the body’s own hormones. In the latter’s case, prostate cells, including cancerous ones, which are sensitive to levels of certain male hormones, can be rendered far less active if levels are reduced. However, this can reduce the sex-drive of the patient.
Advances in Prostate Cancer Surgery
Advances in prostate cancer surgery mean that surgeons can now successfully remove the prostate without causing the problematic nerve damage which has been inevitable in the past. In addition, radiotherapy technology advances mean that far higher doses can be targeted more precisely on the prostate, killing more cancer cells with fewer treatments.
A technique called prostate brachytherapy has also made some great advances in recent times and its use is becoming more and more common. There are two methods of brachytherapy – permanent seed implantation and high dose rate (HDR) temporary brachytherapy.
Permanent seed implantation involves injecting approximately 100 radioactive seeds into the prostate gland, which give off cancer-killing radiation at a low dose rate over several weeks or months, and the seeds remain in the prostate gland permanently.
HDR temporary brachytherapy involves placing very tiny plastic catheters into the prostate gland, and then giving a series of radiation treatments through these catheters.
Another option is High Intensity Focussed Ultrasound, which uses sound waves to “melt” away the cancer.