In the last article, I discussed how I found out I had breast cancer. I talked about how my family and I reacted. In this article, I will discuss the treatments and how we all pulled through the year from Hell.

Next Step: Lymph Nodes
After having the lumpectomy and finding out it was cancer, my doctor told me we need to check my lymph nodes. First, I had to go get a simple scan to determine where they were. What she didn’t tell me was I would need to lie perfectly still while they shoved a needle into my breast and squirted painful nuclear medicine in.

It seems, to locate the lymph nodes, someone has got to insert nuclear medicine into the site. Then they use a machine to see where the medicine goes. This takes a few minutes but is very freaky thing. Then, they mark you up for the surgery the next day. (more…)

Are You At Risk of Getting Lip Cancer?

Lip cancer is the most common form of oral cancer. The risk of developing lip cancer is greater for some people than for other. Men over the age of 40 are in the risk group but everyone is at risk especially if the use tobacco or alcohol, or have a history of head or neck cancer.

Interestingly, this type of skin cancer usually occurs on the lower lip. Lip cancer can also spread to the head and neck areas.

Most lip cancers start in squamous cells. Those are the thin, flat cells that line the lips. These cancer cells are known as squamous cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinoma usually develops in areas of leukoplakia (white patches of cells that do not rub off). (more…)

There are many methods that are used to fight against cancer and one of the most commonly used method is radiation treatment. The idea is that by focusing energy in the form of x-rays, gamma rays or protons, the cancer is either destroyed or slowed down. This obviously very dangerous and not very effective. But is radiation treatment for breast cancer really the best way?

Nobody in their right mind would like to get radiated, cut or poisoned with drugs, but in the fight against cancer these are the main methods. The treatments that are used to treat cancer, do more harm then good for the body and a lot of people, do not die because of the cancer itself, but because of the treatment. (more…)

Skin is the final layer and largest organ of our human system. Skin is made up of multiple layers of mesoderm tissues which protect our muscles, ligaments, bones and other internal organs lying underneath. Human skin is a thin layer which acts as a protecting agent from infections and pathogens, excessive water loss, and insulation. It regulates and maintains the human body temperature without any fluctuations.

Skin helps in sensation, synthesis, storage of vitamin D and vitamin B which helps in cell growth and reproduction, secretion of sweat. For breathing it absorbs small amount of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. There are various skin types like oily, dry, normal, combination skin. (more…)

Cancer of the colon is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the USA and there are few preventive strategies available to help fight this scourge. Some reports suggest that a diet high in animal fats and proteins increases the risk for colorectal cancer; but recent evidence has refuted that theory. Other studies have shown that bioactive compounds found in plant foods such as spices may help to counter this disease. Licorice is the latest spice to be studied in this context.

Preventive drugs

One group of compounds that have shown to help prevent colorectal cancer are the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen and the cyclooxygenase (COX-2) inhibitors such as Celebrex and Vioxx. The only problem with these drugs is that they have frequent, severe side effects such as intestinal ulceration and cardiac toxicity. Licorice on the other hand has been found to aid in the healing of ulcers by inhibiting the ulcer-causing Helicobacter bacteria. (more…)

Colon cancer symptoms are not always clear and are often so subtle that they are mistaken for less serious conditions. Colon cancer symptoms are often silent and so they go undetected. As the symptoms are usually confused with less deadly conditions it enables the cancer to progress further before diagnosis and treatment. These symptoms are very serious indeed and lead to cancer of the colon, which is in the top three of the most life-threatening forms of cancer in men.

Symptoms of colon cancer commonly do not give early warning signs of cancer, but through medical history, professional examination and testing, a symptoms diagnosis or determination of the presence of cancer may be determined. Symptoms of colon cancer often do not lead straight to the underlying diagnosis and many symptoms can be misleading. Symptoms can remain dormant for as long as five years, by which time the cancer will have moved long past the treatable stage. (more…)

The most common forms of non-melanoma skin cancer are basal cell and squamous cell affecting more than one million people per year. The good news is they can be easily removed with various outpatient procedures. Melanoma is a much more serious problem affecting fewer proplr, however, it can spread to other organs and appear anywhere on the body, not just those parts exposed to the sun.

Your risk is higher is you are Caucasian, older than 20 years of age, have fair skin, light-colored eyes, freckles or sunburn easily. New research is showing that women who are taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) are twice as likely to develop melanoma. Other risks include a history of using tanning beds, family history, a weakened immune system, fragile skin and frequent exposure to industrial chemicals.

What can you do? Eat foods that fight skin cancer.

1. Eat cooked tomatoes, lots of color fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, fatty fish like samon and dark chocolate. These foods contain antioxidants and give your skin a protective edge. (more…)

Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is a malignant growth of the cervix uteri or surrounding cervical area. Symptoms are often not visible until the cancer is very advanced although some cases will present with vaginal bleeding or an odorous vaginal discharge. Due to the lack of clear symptoms women aged between 25 and 49 are invited for a smear test every 3 years.

Diagnosis

The smear test involves taking a sample of cervical cells which are then tested for abnormalities. If abnormalities are found this is not necessarily indicative of cancer. If an abnormal smear is taken, the person will then visit a gynecologist for a colposcopy which involves an internal vaginal examination. This can sometimes involve a biopsy which is where a sample of tissue is removed to examine under a microscope.

HPV

Cancer involves a change in the DNA so that cell replication and growth becomes unregulated. Causes of this are widespread and include Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), smoking, numbers of children and more. HPV is the biggest cause of cervical cancer with over 99% of cases being associated with an infection. HPV can lie dormant in mucous membranes of the body and eventually leads to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia which is the stage before cancer. HPV does not always cause cancer but it is a significant risk factor. HPV is spread through sexual intercourse and so women with multiple partners are most at risk. (more…)

The vast majority of Mesothelioma cases are caused by exposure to asbestos in the workplace or at home. This is a common statement put forth about the cancer, but you’ll note it doesn’t state that all cases are caused by asbestos exposure. There are instances where asbestos is not involved. One that is garnering attention is whether the SV-40 Virus might cause it.

SV-40 stands for Simiun Virus 40, which is to say it is derived from monkeys. How did this virus become a concern to humans? Well, polio was once a huge health problem. A vaccine was developed for it that has largely eradicated the disease. Oh, there was one small problem. The vaccine was grown on monkey kidneys. Some of the monkeys had contracted SV-40. While not impacting the effectiveness of the vaccine, the virus did travel along with it into some human hosts. (more…)

All women wish to avoid cancer, and breast cancer in particular because of extreme consequences that in modern treatment, usually involves radical surgery and chemotherapy.

Regrettably, breast cancer is all too common and one of the most serious causes of women’s fatalities through disease in Australia and the US. Contemporary methods of orthodox medicine are no guarantee of a permanent cure. In fact it is generally considered that a patient has a limited future following the most severe treatment. There has been no real success in curing by chemicals and radiation in spite of efforts in research to find an answer.

In contrast, the naturopathic approach is to encourage the natural powers of healing to do their best by reducing the negative factors that result in storage of toxins in the body. If left to accumulate, these in time can irritate the cells into abnormal behaviour and lead to cancer. In conjunction with improving elimination of toxins, we must provide the finest nutritional substances needed to restore balance and perfect health. This constituted the simple principle that can be applied to all diseases, including treatment of cancer. (more…)